   #copyright

Guitar

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Musical Instruments

   Classical and Bass Guitar
   Enlarge
   Classical and Bass Guitar

   The guitar is a musical instrument, used in a wide variety of musical
   styles, and is also widely known as a solo classical instrument. It is
   most recognized in popular culture as the primary instrument in blues,
   country, flamenco, pop, and rock music. The guitar usually has six
   strings, but guitars with four, seven, eight, ten, and twelve strings
   also exist. Guitars are made and repaired by luthiers.

History

   Figurines playing the ancestor of the Guitar. Excavated in Susa, Iran.
   Dated 2000-1500 B.C. Kept at the National Museum of Iran.
   Enlarge
   Figurines playing the ancestor of the Guitar. Excavated in Susa, Iran.
   Dated 2000-1500 B.C. Kept at the National Museum of Iran.

   Instruments similar to the guitar have been popular for at least 5,000
   years. The guitar appears to be derived from earlier instruments known
   in ancient central Asia as the cithara. Instruments very similar to the
   guitar appear in ancient carvings and statues recovered from the old
   Iranian capitol of Susa. The modern word, guitar, was adopted into
   English from Spanish guitarra, derived from earlier Greek word kithara.
   Prospective sources for various names of musical instruments that
   guitar could be derived from appear to be a combination of two
   Indo-European roots: guit-, similar to Sanskrit sangeet meaning
   "music", and -tar a widely attested root meaning "chord" or "string".

   The word guitar is a Persian loanword to Iberian Arabic. The word
   qitara is an Arabic name for various members of the lute family that
   preceded the Western guitar. The name guitarra was introduced into
   Spanish when such instruments were brought into Iberia by the Moors
   after the 10th century. ( See related article).
   The guitar player (c. 1672), by Johannes Vermeer
   Enlarge
   The guitar player (c. 1672), by Johannes Vermeer

   The Spanish vihuela "de mano" appears to be an aberration in the
   transition of the renaissance guitar to the modern guitar. It had
   lute-style tuning and a guitar-like body. Its construction had as much
   in common with the modern guitar as with its contemporary four-course
   renaissance guitar. The vihuela enjoyed only a short period of
   popularity, the last surviving publication of music for the instrument
   appeared in 1576. It is not clear whether it represented a transitional
   form or was simply a design that combined features of the Arabic oud
   and the European lute. In favour of the latter view, the reshaping of
   the vihuela into a guitar-like form can be seen as a strategy of
   differentiating the European lute visually from the Moorish oud. (See
   the article on the lute for further history.) The Ancient Iranian lute,
   called tar in Persian also is found in the word guitar. The tar is
   thousands of years old, and could be found in 2, 3, 5, and 6 string
   variations.

   The earliest extant six string guitar was built in 1779 by Gaetano
   Vinaccia ( 1759 - after 1831) in Naples, Italy. The Vinaccia family of
   luthiers is known for developing the mandolin. This guitar has been
   examined and does not show tell-tale signs of modifications from a
   double-course guitar.

   Modern dimensions of the classical instrument were established by
   Antonio Torres Jurado (1817-1892), working in Seville in the 1850's.
   Torres and Louise Panormo of London (active 1820s-1840s) were both
   responsible for demonstrating the superiority of fan strutting over
   transverse table bracing.

   The electric guitar was patented by George Beauchamp in 1936. Beauchamp
   co-founded Rickenbacher which used the horseshoe-magnet pickup.
   However, it was Danelectro that first produced electric guitars for the
   wider public. Danelectro also pioneered tube amp technology.

Types of guitar

   Guitars can be divided into two broad categories, acoustic and
   electric:

Acoustic guitars

   An Acoustic guitar is not dependent on any external device for
   amplification. The shape and resonance of the guitar itself creates
   acoustic amplification. However, the unamplified guitar is not a loud
   instrument. It cannot compete with other instruments commonly found in
   bands and orchestras, in terms of sheer audible volume. Many acoustic
   guitars are available today with built-in electronics and power to
   enable amplification.

   There are several subcategories within the acoustic guitar group: steel
   string guitars, which includes the flat top, or "folk" guitar, the
   closely related twelve string guitar, and the arch top guitar. A recent
   arrival in the acoustic guitar group is the acoustic bass guitar,
   similar in tuning to the electric bass.
     * Renaissance and Baroque guitars: These are the gracile ancestors of
       the modern classical guitar. They are substantially smaller and
       more delicate than the classical guitar, and generate a much
       quieter sound. The strings are paired in courses as in a modern 12
       string guitar, but they only have four or five courses of strings
       rather than six. They were more often used as rhythm instruments in
       ensembles than as solo instruments, and can often be seen in that
       role in early music performances. ( Gaspar Sanz' Instrucción de
       Música sobre la Guitarra Española of 1674 constitutes the majority
       of the surviving solo corpus for the era.) Renaissance and Baroque
       guitars are easily distinguished because the Renaissance guitar is
       very plain and the Baroque guitar is very ornate, with inlays all
       over the neck and body, and a paper-cutout inverted "wedding cake"
       inside the hole. See article: Baroque guitar.

     * Classical guitars: These are typically strung with nylon strings,
       played in a seated position and are used to play a diversity of
       musical styles including classical music. The classical guitar is
       designed to allow for the execution of solo polyphonic arrangements
       of music in much the same manner as the pianoforte can. This is the
       major point of difference in design intent between the classical
       instrument and other designs of guitar. Flamenco guitars are very
       similar in construction, have a sharper sound, and are used in
       flamenco. In Mexico, the popular mariachi band includes a range of
       guitars, from the tiny requinto to the guitarron, a guitar larger
       than a cello, which is tuned in the bass register. In Colombia, the
       traditional quartet includes a range of instruments too, from the
       small bandola (sometimes known as the Deleuze-Guattari, for use
       when travelling or in confined rooms or spaces), to the slightly
       larger tiple, to the full sized classical guitar. Modern dimensions
       of the classical instrument were established by Antonio Torres
       Jurado (1817-1892). Classical guitars are sometimes referred to as
       classic guitars, which is a more proper translation from the
       Spanish.

     * Portuguese guitar: Is a 12 string guitar used in Portugal for the
       traditional Fado song. Its true origins are somewhat uncertain but
       there is a general agreement that it goes back to the medieval
       period. It is often mistakenly thought of to be based on the
       so-called "English guitar" - a common error as there is no such
       thing. For some time the best instruments of this and other types
       were made in England, hence the confusion. "English guitar" refers
       to a quality standard, not really an instrument type. This
       particular instrument is most likely a merge of medieval "cistre"
       or "citar" and the arabic lute.

     * Flat-top (steel-string) guitars: Similar to the classical guitar,
       however the body size is usually significantly larger than a
       classical guitar and it has a narrower, reinforced neck and
       stronger structural design, to sustain the extra tension of steel
       strings which produce a brighter tone, and according to some
       players, a louder sound. The acoustic guitar is a staple in folk,
       Old-time music and blues.

     * Archtop guitars are steel string instruments which feature a
       violin-inspired f-hole design in which the top (and often the back)
       of the instrument are carved in a curved rather than a flat shape.
       Lloyd Loar of the Gibson Guitar Corporation invented this variation
       of guitar after designing a style of mandolin of the same type. The
       typical Archtop is a hollow body guitar whose form is much like
       that of a mandolin or violin family instrument and may be acoustic
       or electric. Some solid body electric guitars are also considered
       archtop guitars although usually 'Archtop guitar' refers to the
       hollow body form. Archtop guitars were immediately adopted upon
       their release by both jazz and country musicians and have remained
       particularly popular in jazz music, usually using thicker strings
       (higher gauged round wound and flat wound) than acoustic guitars.
       Archtops are often louder than a typical dreadnought acoustic
       guitar. The electric hollow body archtop guitar has a distinct
       sound among electric guitars and is consequently appropriate for
       many styles of rock and roll. Many electric archtop guitars
       intended for use in rock and roll even have a Tremolo Arm.

     * Resonator, resophonic or Dobro guitars: Similar to the flat top
       guitar in appearance, but with sound produced by a metal resonator
       mounted in the middle of the top rather than an open sound hole, so
       that the physical principle of the guitar is actually more similar
       to the banjo. The purpose of the resonator is to amplify the sound
       of the guitar; this purpose has been largely superseded by
       electrical amplification, but the resonator is still played by
       those desiring its distinctive sound.
       Resonator guitars may have either one resonator cone or three
       resonator cones. Three cone resonators have two cones on the left
       above one another and one cone immediately to the right. The method
       of transmitting sound resonance to the cone is either a BISCUIT
       bridge, made of a small piece of hardwood, or a SPIDER bridge, made
       of metal and larger in size. Three cone resonators always use a
       specialised metal spider bridge.
       The type of resonator guitar with a neck with a square
       cross-section -- called "square neck" -- is usually played face up,
       on the lap of the seated player, and often with a metal or glass
       slide. The round neck resonator guitars are normally played in the
       same fashion as other guitars, although slides are also often used,
       especially in blues.

     * 12 string guitars usually have steel strings and are widely used in
       folk music, blues and rock and roll. Rather than having only six
       strings, the 12-string guitar has pairs, like a mandolin. Each pair
       of strings is tuned either in unison (the two highest) or an octave
       apart (the others). They are made both in acoustic and electric
       forms.

     * Russian guitars are seven string acoustic guitars which were the
       norm for Russian guitarists throughout the 19th and well into the
       20th centuries. The guitar is traditionally tuned to an open G
       major tuning.

     * Acoustic bass guitars also have steel strings, and match the tuning
       of the electric bass, which is likewise similar to the traditional
       double bass viol, or "big bass", a staple of string orchestras and
       bluegrass bands alike.

     * Tenor guitars

   There's very sketchy background information about tenor guitars on the
   World Wide Web.

   A number of classical guitarists call the Niibori prime guitar a "Tenor
   Guitar" on the grounds that it sits in pitch between the alto and the
   bass. And this does have a nice feeling of closure and symmetry about
   it.

   But elsewhere, the name is taken for a 4-string guitar, with a scale
   length of 23" (585mm) - about the same as a Terz Guitar. But the guitar
   is tuned in fifths - C G D A - like the tenor banjo or the cello.
   Indeed it is generally accepted that the tenor guitar was created to
   allow a tenor banjo player to follow the fashion as it evolved from
   from Dixieland Jazz towards the more progressive Jazz that featured
   guitar. It allows a tenor banjo player to provide a guitar-based rhythm
   section with nothing to learn.

   Elsewhere, a small minority of players close tuned the instrument to D
   G B E to produce a deep instrument that could be played with the 4-note
   chord shapes found on the top 4 strings of the guitar or ukulele. In
   fact, though, the deep pitch warrants the wide-spaced chords that the
   banjo tuning permits, and the close tuned tenor does not have the same
   full, clear sound.
     * Harp guitars. Harp Guitars are difficult to classify as there are
       many variations within this type of guitar. They are typically rare
       and uncommon in the popular music scene. Most consist of a regular
       guitar, plus additional 'harp' strings strung above the six normal
       strings. The instrument is usually acoustic and the harp strings
       are usually tuned to lower notes than the guitar strings, for an
       added bass range. Normally there is neither fingerboard nor frets
       behind the harp strings. Some harp guitars also feature much higher
       pitch strings strung below the traditional guitar strings. The
       number of harp strings varies greatly, depending on the type of
       guitar and also the player's personal preference (as they have
       often been made to the player's specification). The Pikasso guitar;
       4 necks, 2 sound holes, 42 strings

     * Extended-range guitars. For well over a century guitars featuring
       seven, eight, nine, ten or more strings have been used by a
       minority of guitarists as a means of increasing the range of pitch
       available to the player. Usually this entails the addition of extra
       bass strings.

     * Guitar battente. The battente is smaller than a classical guitar,
       usually played with four or five metal strings. It is mainly used
       in Calabria (a region in southern Italy) to accompany the voice.

   This Fender Stratocaster has the features of most electric guitars:
   multiple pickups, a whammy bar, volume and tone knobs.
   Enlarge
   This Fender Stratocaster has the features of most electric guitars:
   multiple pickups, a whammy bar, volume and tone knobs.

Electric guitars

   Electric guitars can have solid, semi-hollow, or hollow bodies, and
   produce little sound without amplification. Electromagnetic pickups
   (single and double coil) convert the vibration of the steel strings
   into electric signals which are fed to an amplifier through a cable or
   radio device. The sound is frequently modified by other electronic
   devices or natural distortion of valves ( vacuum tubes) in the
   amplifier. The electric guitar is used extensively in jazz, blues and
   rock and roll, and was commercialized by Gibson together with Les Paul
   and independently by Leo Fender. The lower fretboard action (the height
   of the strings from the fingerboard) and its electrical amplification
   lend the electric guitar to some techniques which are less frequently
   used on acoustic guitars. These techniques include tapping, extensive
   use of legato through pull-offs and hammer-ons (also known as slurs in
   the traditional Classical genre), pinch harmonics, volume swells and
   use of a Tremolo arm or effects pedals. Seven-string solid body
   electric guitars were developed in the 1990s (earlier in jazz) to
   achieve a much darker sound through extending the lower end of the
   guitar's range. They are used today by players such as James "Munky"
   Shaffer, Dave Weiner, John Petrucci, Jeff Loomis, Steve Smyth, and
   Steve Vai. Meshuggah, Dino Cazares, Rusty Cooley & Charlie Hunter go a
   step further, using an 8 string guitar with two extra low strings.
   Although the most commonly found 7 string is the variety in which there
   is one low B string, Roger McGuinn (Of Byrds/Rickenbacker Fame) has
   popularized a variety in which an octave G string is paired with the
   regular G string as on a 12 string guitar, allowing him to incorporate
   chiming 12 string elements in standard 6 string playing. Ibanez makes
   many varieties of electric 7 strings.

   The electric bass guitar is similar in tuning to the traditional double
   bass viol. Hybrids of acoustic and electric guitars are also common.
   There are also more exotic varieties, such as double-necked guitars,
   all manner of alternate string arrangements, fretless fingerboards
   (used almost exclusively on bass guitars, meant to emulate the sound of
   a stand-up bass), 5.1 surround guitar, and such.

Parts of the guitar

   Parts of typical classical and electric guitars
    1. Headstock
    2. Nut
    3. Machine heads (or pegheads, tuning keys,
       tuning machines, tuners)
    4. Frets
    5. Truss rod
    6. Inlays
    7. Neck and fretboard
    8. Heel (acoustic or Spanish) - Neckjoint (electric)
    9. Body
   10. Pickups
   11. Electronics
   12. Bridge
   13. Pickguard
   14. Back
   15. Soundboard (top)
   16. Body sides (ribs)
   17. Sound hole, with Rosette inlay
   18. Strings
   19. Saddle
   20. Fretboard

Headstock

   The headstock is located at the end of the guitar neck furthest from
   the body. It is fitted with machine heads that adjust the tension of
   the strings, which in turn affects the pitch. Traditional tuner layout
   is "3+3" in which each side of the headstock has three tuners (such as
   on Gibson Les Pauls). In this layout, the headstocks are commonly
   symmetrical. Many guitars feature other layouts as well, including
   six-in-line (featured on Fender Stratocasters) tuners or even "4+2"
   (Ernie Ball Music Man). However, some guitars (such as Steinbergers) do
   not have headstocks at all, in which case the tuning machines are
   located elsewhere, either on the body or the bridge.

Nut

   The nut is a small strip of bone, plastic, brass, corian, graphite,
   stainless steel, or other medium-hard material, at the joint where the
   headstock meets the fretboard. Its grooves guide the strings onto the
   fretboard, giving consistent lateral string placement. It is one of the
   endpoints of the strings' vibrating length. It must be accurately cut,
   or it can contribute to tuning problems due to string slippage, and/or
   string buzz.

Fretboard

   Also called the fingerboard in fretless guitars and basses, the
   fretboard is a piece of wood embedded with metal frets that comprises
   the top of the neck. It is flat on classical guitars and slightly
   curved crosswise on acoustic and electric guitars. The curvature of the
   fretboard is measured by the fretboard radius, which is the radius of a
   hypothetical circle of which the fretboard's surface constitutes a
   segment. The smaller the fretboard radius, the more noticeably curved
   the fretboard is. Most modern guitars feature a 12" neck radius, while
   older guitars from the '60's and '70's usually feature a 6" - 8" neck
   radius. Pinching a string against the fretboard effectively shortens
   the vibrating length of the string, producing a higher pitch.
   Fretboards are most commonly made of rosewood, ebony, maple, and
   sometimes manufactured or composite materials such as HPL or resin.

Frets

   Frets are metal strips (usually nickel alloy or stainless steel)
   embedded along the fretboard which are placed in points along the
   length of string that divide it mathematically. When strings are
   pressed down behind them, frets shorten the strings' vibrating lengths
   to produce different pitches- each one is spaced a half-step apart on
   the 12 tone scale. For more on fret spacing, see the Strings and Tuning
   section below. Frets are usually the first permanent part to wear out
   on a heavily played electric guitar. They can be re-shaped to a certain
   extent and can be replaced as needed. Frets also indicate fractions of
   the length of a string (the string midpoint is at the 12th fret;
   one-third the length of the string reaches from the nut to the 7th
   fret, the 7th fret to the 19th, and the 19th to the saddle; one-quarter
   reaches from nut to fifth to twelfth to twenty-fourth to saddle). This
   feature is important in playing harmonics. Frets are available in
   several different gauges, depending on the type of guitar and the
   player's style.

   Guitars have frets on the fingerboard to fix the positions of notes and
   scales, which gives them equal temperament. Consequently, the ratio of
   the spacing of two consecutive frets is the twelfth root of two
   \sqrt[12]{2} , whose numeric value is about 1.059463. The twelfth fret
   divides the scale length in two exact halves and the 24th fret (if
   present) divides the scale length in half yet again. Every twelve frets
   represents one octave. In practice, luthiers determine fret positions
   using the constant 17.817152, which is derived from the twelfth root of
   two. The scale length divided by this value yields the distance from
   the nut to the first fret. That distance is subtracted from the scale
   length and the result is divided in two sections by the constant to
   yield the distance from the first fret to the second fret. Positions
   for the remainder of the frets are calculated in like manner.

   There are several styles of fret, which allow different sounds and
   techniques to be exploited by the player. Among these are "jumbo"
   frets, which have much thicker wires, allowing for a lighter touch and
   a slight vibrato technique simply from pushing the string down harder
   and softer, "scalloped" fretboards, where the wood of the fretboard
   itself is "scooped out", becoming deeper away from the headstock, which
   allows a dramatic vibrato effect and other unusual techniques, and fine
   frets, much flatter, which allow a very low string-action for extremely
   fast playing, but require other conditions (such as curvature of the
   neck) to be kept in perfect order to prevent buzz.

Truss rod

   The truss rod is a metal rod that runs along the inside of the neck.
   Its tension is adjusted by a hex nut or an allen-key bolt usually
   located either at the headstock (sometimes under a cover) or just
   inside the body of the guitar, underneath the fretboard (accessible
   through the sound hole). Some truss rods can only be accessed by
   removing the neck, forcing the luthier to replace it after every
   adjustment to check its accuracy. The truss rod counteracts the immense
   amount of tension the strings place on the neck, bringing the neck back
   to a straighter position. The truss rod can be adjusted to compensate
   for changes in the neck wood due to changes in humidity or to
   compensate for changes in the tension of strings. Tightening the rod
   will curve the neck back and loosening it will return it forward.
   Adjusting the truss rod affects the intonation of a guitar as well as
   affecting the action (the height of the strings from the fingerboard).
   Some truss rod systems, called "double action" truss systems, will
   tighten both ways, allowing the neck to be pushed both forward and
   backward (most truss rods can only be loosened so much, beyond which
   the bolt will just come loose and the neck will no longer be pulled
   backward). Most classical guitars do not have truss rods, as the nylon
   strings do not put enough tension on the neck for one to be needed.

Inlays

   Inlays are visual elements set into the exterior frame of a guitar. The
   typical locations for inlay are on the fretboard, headstock, and around
   the soundhole (called a rosette on acoustic guitars). Inlays range from
   simple plastic dots on the fretboard to fantastic works of art covering
   the entire exterior surface of a guitar (front and back). Some guitar
   players put LEDs in the fretboard as inlays to produce a unique
   lighting effect onstage. Both Sam Rivers- bassist of rock group Limp
   Bizkit- and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai have used LEDs as fret inlays.

   Fretboard inlays are most commonly shaped like dots, diamond shapes,
   parallelograms, or large blocks in between the frets. Dots are usually
   inlaid into the upper edge of the fretboard in the same positions,
   small enough to be visible only to the player. Some manufacturers go
   beyond these simple shapes and use more creative designs such as
   lightning bolts or letters and numbers. The simpler inlays are often
   done in plastic on guitars of recent vintage, but many older, and
   newer, high-end instruments have inlays made of mother of pearl,
   abalone, ivory, coloured wood or any number of exotic materials. On
   some low-end guitars, they are just painted. Most high-end classical
   guitars have no inlays at all since a well trained player is expected
   to know his or her way around the instrument, however players will
   sometimes make indicators with a marker pen, correction fluid, or a
   small piece of tape.

   The most popular fretboard inlay scheme involves single inlays on the
   3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th, 19th, and 21st frets, and double inlays
   on the 12th, sometimes 7th, and (if present) 24th fret. Advantages of
   such scheme include its symmetry about the 12th fret and symmetry of
   every half (0-12 and 12-24) about the 7th and 19th frets. However,
   playing these frets, for example, on E string would yield notes E, G,
   A, B, C# that barely makes a complete musical mode by themselves.

   A less popular fretboard inlay scheme involves inlays on 3rd, 5th, 7th,
   10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 22nd and 24th frets. Playing these frets,
   for example, on E string yields notes E, G, A, B, D that fit perfectly
   into E minor pentatonic. Such a scheme is very close to piano keys
   colouring (which involves black colouring for sharps that pentatonic
   consists of) and of some use on classic guitars.

   Beyond the fretboard inlay, the headstock and soundhole are also
   commonly inlaid. The manufacturer's logo is commonly inlaid into the
   headstock. Sometimes a small design such as a bird or other character
   or an abstract shape also accompanies the logo. The soundhole designs
   found on acoustic guitars vary from simple concentric circles to
   delicate fretwork (referred to as a Rosette). Many high-end guitars
   have more elaborate decorative inlay schemes. Often the edges of the
   guitar around the neck and body and down the middle of the back are
   inlaid. The fretboard commonly has a large inlay running across several
   frets or the entire length of the fretboard, such as a long vine
   creeping across the fretboard. Most acoustic guitars have an inlay that
   borders the sides of the fretboard, and some electrics (namely Fender
   Stratocasters) have what looks like a wood inlay running on the back of
   the neck, from about the body to the middle of the neck, commonly
   referred to as a skunk stripe. In fact this is a filler strip, used to
   fill the cavity through which the trussrod was installed in the neck.

   Some very limited edition high-end or custom-made guitars have artistic
   inlay designs that span the entire front (or even the back) of the
   guitar. These designs use a variety of different materials and are
   created using techniques borrowed from furniture making. While these
   designs are often just very elaborate decorations, they are sometimes
   works of art that even depict a particular theme or a scene. Although
   these guitars are often constructed from the most exclusive materials,
   they are generally considered to be collector's items and not intended
   to be played. Large guitar manufacturers often issue these guitars to
   celebrate a significant historical milestone.

Neck

   A guitar's frets, fretboard, tuners, headstock, and truss rod, all
   attached to a long wooden extension, collectively comprise its neck.
   The wood used to make the fretboard will usually differ from the wood
   in the rest of the neck. The bending stress on the neck is
   considerable, particularly when heavier gauge strings are used (see
   Strings and tuning), and the ability of the neck to resist bending (see
   Truss rod) is important to the guitar's ability to hold a constant
   pitch during tuning or when strings are fretted. The rigidity of the
   neck with respect to the body of the guitar is one determinant of a
   good instrument versus a poor one. The shape of the neck can also vary,
   from a gentle "C" curve to a more pronounced "V" curve. There are many
   different types of neck profiles available, giving the guitarist many
   options. Some aspects that to consider in a guitar neck may be the
   overall width of the fingerboard, scale (distance between the frets),
   the neck wood the type of neck construction (For example, the neck may
   be glued in or bolted on), and the shape (profile) of the back of the
   neck.

Neck joint or 'Heel'

   This is the point at which the neck is either bolted or glued to the
   body of the guitar. Almost all acoustic guitars, with the primary
   exception of Taylors, have glued (otherwise known as set) necks, while
   electric guitars are constructed using both types.

   Commonly used set neck joints include mortise and tenon joints (such as
   those used by CF Martin & Co. guitars), dovetail joints (also used by
   CF Martin on the D28 and similar models) and Spanish heel neck joints
   which are named after the shoe they resemble and commonly found in
   classical guitars. All three types offer stability and sustain. Bolt-on
   necks, though they are historically associated with cheaper
   instruments, do offer greater flexibility in the guitar's set-up, and
   allow easier access for neck joint maintenance and repairs.

   Another type of neck, only available for solid body electric guitars,
   is the Neck-through-body construction. These are designed so that
   everything from the machine heads down to the bridge are located on the
   same piece of wood. The sides (also known as wings) of the guitar are
   then glued to this central piece. Some luthiers prefer this method of
   construction as it is said to allow better sustain of each note. Some
   instruments may not have a neck joint at all, having the neck and sides
   built as one piece and the body built around it.

Strings

   Guitar strings are strung parallel to the neck, whose surface is
   covered by the fingerboard ( fretboard). By depressing a string against
   the fingerboard, the effective length of the string can be changed,
   which in turn changes the frequency at which the string will vibrate
   when plucked. Guitarists typically use one hand to pluck the strings
   and the other to depress the strings against the fretboard.

   Traditionally the dominant hand is assigned the task of plucking or
   strumming the strings. For the majority of people this entails using
   the right hand. This is because musical expression (dynamics, tonal
   expression and colour etc) is largely determined by the plucking hand,
   whilst the fretting hand is assigned the lesser mechanical task of
   depressing and gripping the strings. This is similar to the convention
   of the violin family of instruments where the right hand controls the
   bow. A minority however believe that left-handed people should learn to
   play "conventional" guitars strung in the manner used by right-handed
   people, simply to standardise the instrument.

   The strings may be plucked using either fingers or a plectrum ( Guitar
   pick).The sound of the guitar is achieved either mechanically or
   electronically, forming two main categories of guitar: acoustic
   (mechanical amplification) and electric (electronic amplification).
     * In acoustic guitars, string vibration is transmitted through the
       bridge and saddle to the sound board. The sound board, typically
       made of a light springy wood such as spruce, vibrates the air,
       producing sound which is further shaped by the guitar body's
       resonant cavity.

     * In electric guitars, transducers known as pickups convert string
       vibration to an electronic signal, which in turn is amplified and
       fed to speakers, which vibrate the air to produce the sound we
       hear.

Body (acoustic guitar)

   The body of the instrument is a major determinant of the overall sound
   variety for acoustic guitars. The guitar top, or soundboard, is a
   finely crafted and engineered element often made of tonewood like
   spruce, red cedar or mahogany. This thin (often 2 or 3 mm thick) piece
   of wood, strengthened by different types of internal bracing, is
   considered to be the most prominent factor in determining the sound
   quality of a guitar. The majority of the sound is caused by vibration
   of the guitar top as the energy of the vibrating strings is transferred
   to it. Different patterns of wood bracing have been used through the
   years by luthiers (Torres, Hauser, Ramirez, Fleta, and C.F. Martin
   being among the most influential designers of their times); to not only
   strengthen the top against collapsing under the tremendous stress
   exerted by the tensioned strings, but also to affect the resonation of
   the top. The back and sides are made out of a variety of tonewoods such
   as mahogany, Indian rosewood and highly regarded Brazilian rosewood
   (Dalbergia nigra). Each one is chosen for their aesthetic effect and
   structural strength, and can also play a significant role in
   determining the instrument's timbre. These are also strengthened with
   internal bracing, and decorated with inlays and purfling.

   The body of an acoustic guitar is a resonating chamber which projects
   the vibrations of the body through a sound hole, allowing the acoustic
   guitar to be heard without amplification. The sound hole is normally a
   round hole in the top of the guitar (under the strings), though some
   may have different placement, shapes or multiple holes.

   As an instrument's maximum volume is determined by how much air it can
   move; the Dreadnought body size is popular amongst acoustic performers.

   However, whilst the '00' pattern is a post-modern evolution in the wake
   of affordable wire-drawing and truss-turning technologies, musicians
   wishing to explore the nature of performance in the taverna or salon
   environments which overlapped early recording technologies may wish to
   consider the role of the 3/4-size as well as the Ordinary, or '0',
   guitar—particularly where a duo or ensemble is called for and space is
   at a premium.

Body (electric guitar)

   Most electric guitar bodies are made of wood with a plastic pick guard.
   Boards wide enough to use as a solid body are very expensive, so the
   wood is rarely one solid piece. Most bodies are made of two pieces of
   wood with a seam running down the centre line of the body. The most
   common woods used for electric guitar body construction include maple,
   basswood, ash, poplar, alder, and mahogany. Many bodies will consist of
   good sounding but inexpensive woods, like ash, with a "top", or thin
   layer of another, more attractive wood (such as maple with a natural
   "flame" pattern) glued to the top of the basic wood. Guitars
   constructed like this are often called "flame tops". The body is
   usually carved or routed to accept the other elements, such as the
   bridge, pickup, neck, and other electronic components. Most electrics
   have a polyester or nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

Pickups

   Pickups are electronic devices attached to a guitar that detect (or
   "pick up") string vibrations and allow the sound of the string to be
   amplified. Pickups are usually placed right underneath the guitar
   strings. The most common type of pickups contain magnets that are
   tightly wrapped in copper wire. Pickups work on a similar principle to
   a electrical generator in that the vibration of the strings causes a
   small voltage to be created in the coils surrounding the magnets. This
   signal is later amplified by an amplifier.

   Traditional electric pickups are either single-coil or double-coil.
   Double-coil pickups are also known as humbuckers for their
   noise-cancelling ability. The type and model of pickups used can
   greatly affect the tone of the guitar. Typically, humbuckers, which are
   two magnets attached to each other and each wrapped in copper wire, are
   used by guitarists seeking a heavier sound. Single coil pickups, one
   magnet wrapped in copper wire, are used by guitarists seeking a
   brighter, twangier sound with greater dynamic range. However, a
   disadvantage of single coil pickups is mains-frequency (60 or 50 hertz)
   hum. Some guitars need a battery to power their pickups and/or pre-amp;
   these guitars are referred to as having "active electronics", as
   opposed to the typical "passive" circuits.

   The Fender Stratocaster type guitars generally utilize 3 single coil
   pickups, while the Gibson Les Paul types use humbucker pickups.

   A further type of pickup is the piezo pickup. These employ
   piezoelectricity to generate the musical signal and are popular in
   hybrid electro-acoustic guitars. Usually, a crystal is located in the
   saddle under each string. When the string vibrates, the shape of the
   crystal is distorted, and this change in shape produces a tiny voltage
   that can be amplified and manipulated.

   Some guitars have what is called a hexaphonic pickup. These pickups are
   also piezo pickups. "Hex" is a prefix meaning six. In a hexaphonic
   pickup there is a separate piezo pickup wired for each of six strings.
   This arrangement allows the signal to be easily modified by on-board
   modelling electronics, as in the Line 6 Variax brand of electric
   guitars, the guitars allow for a variety of different sounds to be
   obtained by digitally modelling the vibration. This results in a guitar
   which is able to mimic many vintage models, as well as output alternate
   tunings (e.g. Drop D) without the need to adjust the strings. The
   benefits of using a piezo pickup include the ability to bend strings
   and use palm/neck muting. Another use for hexaphonic pickups is to send
   the signal (that is the six separate signals) to a MIDI interpretation
   device, which determines the note pitch, duration, attack and decay
   characteristics, and so forth. The MIDI ( Musical Instrument Digital
   Interface) interpreter then sends the note information to a sound bank
   device. The resulting sounds can closely mimic a piano, trumpet or
   other brass instrument, harmonica or any of numerous other instruments.

Electronics

   On guitars that have them, these components and the wires that connect
   them allow the player to control some aspects of the sound like volume
   or tone. These at their simplest consist of passive components such as
   potentiometers and capacitors, but may also include specialised
   integrated circuits or other active components requiring batteries for
   power, for preamplification and signal processing, or even for
   assistance in tuning. In many cases the electronics have some sort of
   shielding to prevent pickup of external interference and noise.

Lining, Binding, Purfling

   The top, back and ribs of an acoustic guitar body are very thin (1-2
   mm), so a flexible piece of wood called lining is glued into the
   corners where the rib meets the top and back. This interior
   reinforcement provides 5 to 20 mm of solid gluing area for these corner
   joints. Solid linings are often used in classical guitars, while kerfed
   lining is most often found in steel string acoustics. Kerfed lining is
   also called kerfing (because it is scored, or kerfed to allow it to
   bend with the shape of the rib).

   During final construction, a small section of the outside corners is
   carved or routed out and then filled with binding material on the
   outside corners and decorative strips of material next to the binding,
   which are called purfling. This binding serves to seal off the endgrain
   of the top and back. Purfling can also appear on the back of an
   acoustic guitar, marking the edge joints of the two or three sections
   of the back.

   Binding and purfling materials are generally made of either wood or
   plastic.

Bridge

   The main purpose of the bridge on an acoustic guitar is to transfer the
   vibration from the strings to the soundboard, which vibrates the air
   inside of the guitar, thereby amplifying the sound produced by the
   strings.

   On both electric and acoustic guitars, the bridge holds the strings in
   place on the body. There are many varied bridge designs. There may be
   some mechanism for raising or lowering the bridge to adjust the
   distance between the strings and the fretboard (action), and/or
   fine-tuning the intonation of the instrument. Some are spring-loaded
   and feature a "whammy bar", a removable arm which allows the player to
   modulate the pitch moving the bridge up and down. The whammy bar is
   sometimes also referred to as a "tremolo bar" (see Tremolo for further
   discussion of this term - the effect of rapidly changing pitch produced
   by a whammy bar is more correctly called "vibrato"). Some bridges also
   allow for alternate tunings at the touch of a button.

   On almost all modern electric guitars, the bridge is adjustable for
   each string so that intonation stays correct up and down the neck. If
   the open string is in tune but sharp or flat when frets are pressed,
   the bridge can be adjusted with a screwdriver or hex key to remedy the
   problem. In general, flat notes are corrected by moving the bridge
   forward and sharp notes by moving it backwards. On an instrument
   correctly adjusted for intonation, the actual length of each string
   from the nut to the bridge saddle will be slightly but measurably
   longer than the scale length of the instrument. This additional length
   is called compensation, which flattens all notes a bit to compensate
   for the sharping of all fretted notes caused by stretching the string
   during fretting.

Pickguard

   Also known as a scratchplate. This is usually a piece of plastic or
   other laminated material that protects the finish of the top of the
   guitar. In some electric guitars, the pickups and most of the
   electronics are mounted on the pickguard. On acoustic guitars and many
   electric guitars, the pickguard is mounted directly to the guitar top,
   while on guitars with carved tops (for example, the Gibson Les Paul),
   the pickguard is elevated. The Pickguard is more often than not used in
   styles such as flamenco, which tends to use the guitar as a percussion
   instrument at times, rather than for instance, a classical guitar.

Tuning

   The guitar is a transposing instrument. Its pitch sounds one octave
   lower than it is notated.

   A variety of different tunings are used. The most common by far, known
   as "standard tuning" (EADGBE), is as follows:
     * sixth (lowest tone) string: E (a minor thirteenth below middle
       C—82.4 Hz)
     * fifth string: A (a minor tenth below middle C—110 Hz)
     * fourth string: d (a minor seventh below middle C—146.8 Hz)
     * third string: g (a perfect fourth below middle C—196.0 Hz)
     * second string: b (a minor second below middle C—246.92 Hz)
     * first (highest tone) string: e' (a major third above middle C—329.6
       Hz)

   Image:Guitarchords.jpg

   A guitar using this tuning can tune to itself by the fact, with a
   single exception, the 5th fret on one string is the same note as the
   next open string; that is, a 5th-fret note on the sixth string is the
   same note as the open fifth string. The exception to this rule is the
   interval between the second and third strings, in which the 4th-fret
   note on the third string is equivalent to the open second string.

   Standard tuning has evolved to provide a good compromise between simple
   fingering for many chords and the ability to play common scales with
   minimal left hand movement. There are also a variety of commonly used
   alternate tunings - most of which are chord voicings that can be played
   on open strings or made by moving the capo.

   Many guitarists use a long established (centuries old) tuning variation
   where the lowest string is 'dropped' two semi-tones down. Known as
   Drop-D (or dropped D) tuning it is, from low to high, DAdgbe'. This
   allows for open string tonic and dominant basses in the keys of D and D
   minor. It also enables simple fifths (powerchords) to be easily played
   without the need for a high technical skill level. Many contemporary
   rock bands downtune the entire tuning by several semi-tones, making,
   for example, Drop-C or Drop-B tunings, However this terminology is
   inconsistent with that of "drop-D" as "drop-D" refers to dropping a
   single string to the named pitch. Often these new tunings are also
   simply referred to as the "Standard" of the note in question e.g. - "D
   Standard" (DGCFAD). Many other open tunings, where all of the strings
   are tuned to a similar note or chord, are popular for slide guitar
   playing.

   As with all stringed instruments a large number of scordatura are
   possible on the guitar.

Guitar terminology

Vibrato Arm

   The Vibrato (pitch bend) unit found on many electric guitars has also
   had slang terms applied to it, such as "tremolo bar (or arm)", "sissy
   bar", "whammy handle", and "whammy bar". The latter two slang terms led
   stompbox manufacturers to use the term 'whammy' in coming up with a
   pitch raising effect introduced by popular guitar effects pedal brand "
   Digitech".

   Leo Fender, who did much to create the electric guitar, also created
   much confusion over the meaning of the terms "tremolo" and "vibrato",
   specifically by misnaming the "tremolo" unit on many of his guitars and
   also the "vibrato" unit on his "Vibrolux" amps. In general, vibrato is
   a variation in pitch, whereas tremolo is a variation in volume, so the
   tremolo bar is actually a vibrato bar and the "Vibrolux" amps actually
   had a tremolo effect. However, following Fender's example, electric
   guitarists traditionally reverse these meanings when speaking of
   hardware devices and the effects they produce. See vibrato unit for a
   more detailed discussion, and tremolo arm for more of the history.

   A distinctly different form of mechanical vibrato found on some guitars
   is the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, commonly called Bigsby. This vibrato
   wraps the strings around a horizontal bar, which is then rotated with a
   handle by the musician.

   Another type of pitch bender is the B-Bender, a spring and lever device
   mounted in an internal cavity of a solid body electric, guitar that
   allows the guitarist to bend just the B string of the guitar using a
   lever connected to the strap handle of the guitar. The resulting pitch
   bend is evocative of the sound of the pedal steel guitar.

Capotasto

   A capotasto (or capo) is used to change the pitch of open strings.
   Capos are clipped onto the fret board with the aid of spring tension,
   or in some models, elastic tension. To raise the guitar's pitch by one
   semitone, the player would clip the capo onto the first fret. Their use
   allows a player to play in different keys without having to change
   tuning. Because of the ease with which they allow guitar players to
   change keys, they are sometimes referred to as "cheaters". Classical
   performers are known to use them to enable modern instruments to match
   the pitch of historical instruments such as the renaissance lute.

Slides

   A slide, (neck of a bottle, knife blade or round metal bar) used in
   blues and rock to create a glissando or ' hawaiian' effect. The necks
   of bottles were often used in blues and country music. Modern slides
   are constructed of glass, plastic, chrome, brass or steel, depending on
   the weight and tone desired. Some muscians today choose the play slide
   with a shot glass. An instrument that is played exclusively in this
   manner, (using a metal bar) is called a steel guitar or pedal steel.
   Slide playing to this day is very popular in blues music and country
   music.

   Some legends that have become famous for playing slide are Derek
   Trucks, Warren Haynes, Duane Allman, Muddy Waters, Adam Carswell, and
   BB King.

Plectrum

   A variety of guitar picks
   Enlarge
   A variety of guitar picks

   A " guitar pick" or " plectrum" is a small piece of hard material which
   is generally held between the thumb and first finger of the picking
   hand and is used to "pick" the strings. Though most classical players
   pick solely with their fingers, the "pick" is the most common means of
   playing used today. Though today they are mainly plastic, variations do
   exist, such as bone, wood, steel or tortoise shell. Tortoise shell was
   the most commonly used material in the early days of pick making, but
   as tortoises became more and more endangered, the practice of using
   their shells for picks or anything else was banned. Tortoise shell
   picks are often coveted for a supposedly superior tone and ease of use.

   Picks come in many shapes and sizes. Picks vary from the small jazz
   pick to the large bass pick. The thickness of the pick often determines
   its use. A thinner pick (between .2 and .5 mm) is usually used for
   strumming or rhythm playing, whereas thicker picks (between .7 and 1.5+
   mm) are usually used for single-note lines or lead playing. The
   distinctive guitar sound of Billy Gibbons is attributed to using a
   quarter or peso as a pick. Similarily, Brian May is known to use a
   sixpence coin as a pick.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
