The Basics of Acoustic Guitars

Acoustic guitars are one of the most versatile stringed instruments, making them easy to learn and play. Not only that, but their size makes them ideal for travel as they take up minimal space when packed away.

Acoustic guitars feature a hollow body and resonance effect, which alters the sound depending on how much air is in the cavity. They produce a richer, deeper sound than electric guitars which require amplifiers or PA systems to generate enough volume.

Acoustic Guitar Body & Neck

Acoustic Guitar bodies consist of the top (or soundboard), sides, and back. The shape and size of these components determine both its sound quality and playability.

The neck is the long, narrow piece of wood that extends from the body and connects to the headstock, where tuning pegs are mounted. It's usually constructed out of ebony, rosewood or maple and covered with frets which allow guitarists to play various notes on their guitar.

At the headstock end of the neck, a piece called the nut holds the strings in place. Nuts come in various materials like ebony, maple and brass and are shaped to accommodate different string widths.

Another essential part of the neck is the fretboard, or fingerboard. This flat piece of wood sits atop the neck and is covered with frets which allow guitarists to play various notes.

Frets are thin metal bars or wires that run perpendicular to the strings, shortening their vibrating length and enabling them to be played at different pitches. This enables guitarists to hear more sound from each string and construct more complex chords.

Acoustic guitar necks are constructed of a stiff, warp-resistant type of wood (often laminated). This material also serves to make the bridge, pickups and fingerboard. Acoustic guitar necks help transfer string vibrations from nut to body, amplifying their sound when played.

Acoustic Guitar Hardware

Acoustic Guitar hardware consists of pickups, bridges and tuners which work together to produce a sound. Furthermore, there are knobs and switches that enable you to customize the guitar's sound.

Pickups - A quality pickup is essential to the sound of an Acoustic Guitar and can help you achieve the tone desired, whether that be classic rock or more contemporary blues. While some pickups are better than others, all have the potential to make your instrument sound amazing!

Bridges - The bridge is the primary connection between strings and guitar body, helping to add stability while reducing vibrations from the strings. When selecting a bridge for your Acoustic Guitar, make sure it's made out of appropriate wood and strong enough for your playing style.

Neck - When selecting an Acoustic Guitar, the neck should be taken into account as a major factor. Make sure it's comfortable for you to play on and doesn't run too big or small for your hands. Furthermore, ensure the fretboard has enough width that notes can be changed easily up and down with minimal effort.

Electronics - An Acoustic Guitar needs a reliable electronics system to produce the tone you desire, regardless of what genre of music you play. This could include features like built-in tuners, preamps and amplification systems.

Plectrums - Plectrums are an essential feature for Acoustic Guitars, helping keep the strings in tune and creating the sound you desire. While most kits will include some sort of plectrum, opt for a higher quality set so your guitar lasts a long time.

Digital Tuners - Many kits will include a digital tuner, which is an invaluable tool for keeping your guitar tuned. When selecting one for yourself, make sure it's easy to read and easy to use; after all, this instrument will become part of your musical journey!

Electronics 

Acoustic Guitars feature electronics to control and enhance their sound. These include pickups, potentiometers, and other controls for volume and tone adjustment.

Acoustic guitar pickups typically fall into two categories: piezo (or transducer) pickups and magnetic coil pickups. Piezo pickups convert the vibration of your strings into electrical voltage, while magnetic coil pickups alter magnetism inside the body of your instrument to amplified sound.

Both pickups have their own distinct sound, but they can also be mixed to produce a variety of tones. For instance, using both microphone and piezo pickups on an electric guitar allows for the creation of various tones - from acoustic to electric - for a more versatile playing style.

Mix pickups together using an EQ knob for greater control over the sound of your guitar. Furthermore, there are various effects you can use to enhance it, such as reverb or delay pedals.

Another way to enhance the sound of an acoustic guitar is by altering its wiring. This can be accomplished by adding potentiometers (pots), commonly referred to as push-pull pots, to the instrument's existing wiring. These pots may be utilized for blending two pickups together or attenuating a coil on a humbucker, among other possibilities.

An electric guitar commonly has the volume controls replaced with blend potentiometers to replace each pickup's individual volume controls, or create a master volume that blends all pickups together with one knob. This makes adjusting your guitar's output level easy without affecting each individual pickup's sound quality.

This makes it convenient to control multiple pickups with one EQ control, making it ideal for live performances. Furthermore, adding a looper pedal is simple - simply record phrases that can be played over top of an existing track.

Acoustic-electric guitars typically feature an onboard pickup that enables them to be connected into an acoustic amplifier or mixer, along with built-in tuners and EQ/volume controls. These features make acoustic-electric guitars much more versatile than regular acoustic guitars.

Acoustic Guitar Sound

Acoustic Guitars produce their distinctive and familiar sound by vibrating strings that resonate. Strings may be plucked with a pick (plectrum) or fingertip, or strung to play chords. As these vibrations cause the soundboard and air inside of its hollow body to vibrate, harmonics are generated and amplified, giving off an amplified chorus that depends on wood type used during construction as well as how strings are pressed or strung.

The size of the body also influences the sound produced. A Jumbo acoustic guitar, for instance, features a larger body than its Parlor counterpart and is often chosen by musicians who require greater volume to accompany them. This type of instrument works well if you need to stand out in an ensemble or don't wish to use an amplifier.

Acoustic Guitars come with a choice of pickups, such as microphone, magnetic and piezo transducers. These are fixed inside the body of the instrument and pick up on natural sounds produced by strings - though placement may affect their sensitivity.

Guitar tuners often employ these for classical music, though they can also be utilized in other genres like folk or bluegrass music. Since these instruments tend to be smaller than Dreadnoughts, they're much more approachable for children learning how to play.

They lack the same depth or warmth as full-sized models, however. Furthermore, they tend to be lighter and more portable; plus, they're usually less expensive. Plus, you can find them in various styles such as classical, country, folk and rock and roll.

The shape of an acoustic guitar body plays a significant role in both comfort and resonance, as well as playability. There are various body shapes to choose from; choosing one that meets your requirements will guarantee you have the optimal experience when playing an acoustic guitar.

If you are looking for Acoustic Guitars for sale we have a wide selection including but not limited to Taylor Guitars, Martin Guitars, Gibson Guitars, Bedell Guitars, Collings Guitars, and Bourgeois Guitars.