Have you ever wondered what goes into acoustic guitar design and construction? Keep reading!
Contents
How Is An Acoustic Guitar Constructed?
The acoustic guitar is made up of many components. The major parts are the body, the neck, and the headstock.
It is important to know that there are different types of the top acoustic guitars. You have folk guitars, steel string guitars, classical guitars, electric guitars with acoustic pickups, etc. The most popular type would be a steel-string guitar with a microphone placed inside to amplify the sound echos from the wooden body of the instrument.
Acoustic Guitar Parts
The Body Of The Guitar
The body is the larger piece of the guitar that is visible when you look at it. It holds several pieces of wood, all placed with precision to allow for proper sound production. Working on each piece of wood is important for eliminating imperfections that will affect the tone and quality of sound produced by the guitar. Overall, there are about 12 pieces in most acoustic guitars (some with less).
Some related articles about acoustic guitar bodies:
Neck And Headstock
There are usually 2 major parts to both the neck and headstock. The neck is obviously where the frets are placed, while the headstock is where the tuning pegs are attached.
Related article about acoustic guitar necks:
Top
The top is the top of the instrument, where most of the sound comes from. To get a more clear-sounding guitar, it is important to get the right kind of wood. A spruce or cedar will work well, depending on your needs and preferences. These woods are usually lighter in weight compared to others, but produce great tone.
More related articles on acoustic guitar tops:
Back And Sides
The sides and the back cover most of the instrument. It holds the body together and allows for a proper angle for resonance of soundwaves. This angle is very important because the sound vibrates through the guitar at certain areas, making them that much more noticeable.
Pickguard
The pickguard is the piece of plastic placed on top of the guitar body for protection against scratches and dings. It can also provide some sound-dampening capabilities as well.
Related articles:
Bracing
The bracing on a guitar is what helps to build up and strengthen the top of the guitar, giving it more strength and resulting in a better sound quality. There are several types of bracing on different styles and brands of guitars, but they all function similarly.
Bridge
The bridge is one of the most important elements of any guitar. It provides the actual connection between your strings and the top of the guitar. Bridge construction varies among brands and styles of guitars, but they are one of the most crucial parts of a good guitar.
It is also an important element in making sure that your guitar stays in tune when playing. The bridge can be adjusted to set up your guitar within a correct range so it will stay in tune while playing, even for years to come.
Related articles:
Saddles
Saddles are what the strings of your guitar travel over in order to get from the bridge to the tuning pegs on the headstock.
The saddles are usually made from a hard material that has been molded into position. This is why it is important to make sure that these pieces are clear of any imperfections, because they will cause your guitar to either go out of tune or sound bad while playing it.
Some more articles about saddles:
- Are acoustic guitar saddles universal?
- How to lower the action on an acoustic guitar without fret buzzing.
What Are the Principles Of Design In Guitar?
Construction is basically a science where the principles of design are followed. The goal is to make the instrument playable in any situation, while having it still sound great at any given time. There are several styles of construction that are based on the amount of attention that goes into each aspect of design.
Precision craftsmanship is necessary because when you make an error in any part of an instrument, it can affect other areas. This includes the sound produced by the guitar. When the notes sound off, it is an indication that something is wrong somewhere, and that there is a problem.
What Are The Variables In Guitar Design?
The number of variables in guitar design can be bewildering. There are several different options to consider when you decide on the look of the instrument. It does not matter if it is a folk or classical guitar, or an electric or acoustic one. You can choose from different woods and finishes, as well as how you want the tone and quality of sound to be produced.
Wood Vs. Other Materials
There are several materials that can be used for acoustic guitars. The most common ones include rosewood, maple, and mahogany wood. Chances are you have heard of these woods, but did you know that they can be combined to produce a unique sound that is not found in the same way anywhere else? The design principles of an acoustic guitar must take into account the materials being used because it will have an effect on what type of sound is produced.
The Acoustic Guitar Sound Hole
Anybody who has ever played an acoustic guitar knows that sound is important. The sound hole is the area on the face of the guitar where sound reverberates after being produced by the vibrating strings. There are different types of sounds holes, but they are all intended to provide a certain type of resonance or tone to each note produced by the instrument. They are also important when it comes to the style of construction being used for an acoustic guitar.
Body Construction Principles
The different styles of acoustic guitar construction have a different overall design. I will be talking about 3 of these in detail. These include:
- The Classical Guitar Design
- The Dreadnought Guitar Design
- The Auditorium Guitar Design
It is important to know that not all styles are going to sound exactly the same either. It is possible to tell the difference between an auditorium, dreadnought, and classical guitar even though they share most of the same parts. It is because of the way these parts are put together that creates different sounds within the instrument.
Conclusion
Guitar design and construction is a science, but it is also an art. The better the combination of both worlds, the better quality of sound will be produced by your acoustic guitar. Accuracy and precision are key elements to good construction. You need to make sure that all parts fit together well and that there are no sharp edges or other things that will hinder the instrument and its sound production.