Guitar – A Lifelong Companion For Music Lovers Everywhere.
For anyone seeking to express themselves through music, there is nothing quite like the guitar. As one of the most versatile musical instruments around, the guitar has been a cornerstone for many different genres of music for decades. From gentle, soothing fingerpicked melodies to the thumping heavy chords of hard rock, the guitar has the capacity to suit your every musical need.
Whether you’re a beginner looking to get started on your musical journey or an experienced musician looking to upgrade, the guitar is an essential tool for any serious music lover. With a huge range of styles, shapes, sizes, pickups and features available, there’s a guitar model to suit all tastes and budgets.
In this extensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the guitar. From the basics of how to choose the right model for you, all the way to advanced techniques for the experienced player, you’ll gain a wealth of knowledge to help you find your perfect guitar.
The Different Types of Guitar
Before considering any other factors, the primary decision you must make when selecting a guitar is what type is best suited to your individual requirements. Whether it be an acoustic or electric, dreadnought or jazz, there are a variety of major guitar designs that should be considered.
Acoustic
The traditional acoustic guitar is an excellent choice for those seeking an easy-to-play instrument with a warm, natural sound. The ‘body’ of an acoustic guitar is made primarily from wood, ensuring a classic timbre absent from electric models. Furthermore, acoustic guitars tend to be rather lightweight, meaning they’re portable and comfortable to play for extensive periods.
Electric
Electric guitars are the go-to choice for anybody looking for a powerful sound and modern performance. In comparison to the acoustic’s wooden shell, electric guitars run on electricity and contain magnetic pickups, granting them the ability to generate a much louder and more versatile sound. As well as a lower difficulty curve than acoustic guitars, electric models are much easier to modify and due to their amplified aesthetic, are often seen as a more ‘cool’ option.
Steel String Acoustic
The steel-string acoustic guitar is a common choice among country, folk and blues musicians. As the name suggests, the strings of a steel string acoustic are made of steel rather than the traditional gut used on classical models. This helps make the guitar louder in comparison to nylon string acoustics, ensuring for crisp, biting tones in the correct hands.
Classical
The classical guitar is considered a timeless classic in the guitar community. Its nylon strings make for easy-on-the-fingers playing, whilst the wide neck provides plenty of room to focus on intricate fingerstyle patterns. This construction also makes the classical guitar a common choice among flamenco musicians and traditionalist composers alike.
Resonator
For those looking to generate big, blues-inspired ‘twang’ noises, the resonator guitar is a popular option. Such models create a unique sound through an aluminium cone built into the base of the guitar, amplifying music in comparison to an acoustic’s wood-and-metal construction.
There is also a huge variety of other unique models available, most notably the popular jazz guitar and baritone guitar, both of which are tailored to fit into specific genres of music.
How to Choose the Right Guitar for You
The most important decision when selecting a guitar is selecting the right model for your individual needs. Below are some key considerations to help inform your decision:
Budget
Unless you’re looking for a professional-grade model, chances are you’ll have to have a budget when selecting a guitar. As a beginner, it’s worth looking for a reasonably priced model to get an idea of what playing the guitar involves.
Once you start to progress, it’s fine to upgrade to a more powerful instrument if you feel the need. However, if money is a concern, you can always look at second-hand models or cheaper alternatives through brands such as Tanglewood, Fender Squier and Ibanez.
Tone
The tone of a guitar primarily depends on its wood construction, strings and pickups. Generally, lighter woods aren’t as heavy and grainy as darker varieties, however, since this is largely down to personal taste it’s entirely up to you.
When it comes to strings and pickups, louder or ‘whole’ pickups will help you achieve the iconic metal, rock and blues sounds, whilst ‘single coil’ pickups are more effective for bright, ‘jangly’ tones.
Genre
Perhaps the most important cog in the wheel is what genre you plan on playing. Acoustic guitars are hugely popular among country and folk performers, while classical guitars are ideal for Spanish-style music and resonators are perfect for blues and slide.
Building a basic knowledge of the various genres and their subsets can help you narrow down your options and ensure you find the perfect guitar for your intentions.
The Best Brands for Guitars
Whilst there are plenty of generic guitar models available on the market, if you’re looking for a serious instrument it’s worth investing in a model from a reputable brand. The following manufacturers have developed a name for themselves in the guitar community, producing high-quality instruments year after year.
Gibson
Since their formation in 1902, Gibson have been at the forefront of the guitar community and their iconic models have carried their way into the consciousness of rock and blues musicians for decades. Most well known for their Les Paul and SG models, Gibson remain the go-to choice for many professional musicians.
Fender
Fender is arguably the most renowned electric guitar manufacturer around, producing popular models such as the Stratocaster and Jazzmaster. Their electric instruments often feature custom pickups and unique hardware, making them the perfect choice for anybody seeking a unique sound and powerful performance.
Yamaha
For over 100 years, Yamaha have extensively developed their range of acoustic, electric and classical instruments. Unlike the high-end models of Gibson and Fender, Yamaha’s instruments often feature unique innovations to the traditional design, making them a popular choice among the more experimental musicians.
Taylor
Taylor are renowned for producing some of the most well-crafted acoustic guitars on the market. Their selection of electro-acoustic models has proven hugely successful and some of their guitar models even include high-end electronics for ease of plug-and-play.
How to Set Up your Guitar
When first purchasing a guitar, it’s important to ensure that it is properly set up for optimal performance. There are a variety of considerations to factor in, including string height, nut texture and the intonation of the guitar.
To start your set-up, it’s essential that you change the strings on your guitar. Old, dead strings losing their vibration can affect the tone of your guitar considerably and replacing them with new strings ensures you get the best signal possible.
From there, it’s important to adjust the tuning pegs or ‘machine heads’ of your guitar, to ensure that your guitar is in perfect pitch. It is then recommended to adjust the string height, or ‘action’, of your guitar – the higher the action, the easier it is to play but it may also result in a softer, distant sound.
Finally, check the ‘nut’ of the guitar, located at the top of the neck. It’s important that this area is smooth, as it may cause string buzz and difficulty when playing.
It is worth noting that setting up a guitar may require specific tools and knowledge – unless you are confident to carry out these procedures yourself it is recommended to take your instrument to a guitar specialist for a thorough intonation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the guitar is one of the most versatile musical instruments available today. With such a large selection of models, sizes, shapes and pickups to choose from, it’s essential to ensure that you find the right model for your needs.
Whilst there are a variety of reputable brands out there, it’s important to remember that finding the right guitar doesn’t necessarily mean you have to break the bank – with a little research, it’s entirely possible to find the perfect model for your budget.
Finally, setting up your guitar correctly is essential for optimal, powerful performance. Consequently, it’s worth ensuring that you research the different elements of set up or take it to a guitar specialist – in doing so, you’ll ensure that your guitar is ready to go whenever you’re in the mood to pick it up and play.