Types of Acoustic Guitars

September 1, 2008 by  
Filed under basics

Here’s step one on learning to play an acoustic guitar, know the different kinds of acoustic guitars.

Generally speaking there are two basic types of acoustic guitars available today: folk guitars and classical guitars. Folk guitars have steel strings, while classical guitars have nylon strings. The difference in string material causes an immense difference in sound. The style of playing is usually different as well: classical guitar is usually considered more of a “fine art” than folk guitar; folk guitars are more likely to be used in rock music and you will know the difference in the sound the moment you hear it. Eric Clapton plays both types of guitar on his performance on MTV Unplugged, but he does this to get different sounds rather than because he is playing different styles.

The sizes of the guitar bodies are usually different, with classical guitars being smaller. Folk guitars are usually manufactured in the popular “Dreadnought” size and are the typical guitars you see in pictures and videos, but other sizes are available. Folk guitars are also braced more strongly because the steel strings create greater tension than nylon strings.

which acoustic guitar should you learn on?

I started with a folk guitar and i do suggest you start with one too.

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