Classical Guitars

The guitar has been a legendary instrument through the years. Rock and roll is defined by the guitar. However, many debate that modern guitars are no comparison to the original classical guitars. Modern electronic guitars use electricity to amplify sounds, allowing for a higher range of sounds with ease. The classical guitar is said to be a more complex instrument, comparable to the piano. It takes an equal amount of skill to play a classical guitar as it does to play the piano.

There are a few ways to distinguish between classical guitars and others. The strings, for instance, make classical guitars stand out from others. There are six strings, three of which are made of nylon for treble. The other three for bass are made of nylon and covered in metal wire. Most modern classical guitars are made with nylon strings, though older classical guitars were originally made from strings made from animal gut. In addition, classical guitars are plucked differently than ordinary guitars. Fingernails are usually used to pluck the strings rather than a guitar pick. This a unique feature of the classical guitar as it gives it a unique tone compared to other guitars.

Unlike most of today's guitars, the classical guitar is not an instrument that uses electricity. Rather it works on the acoustics within guitar. When the strings are plucked the sound resonates off the soundboard of the guitar. This is what naturally amplifies the sound produced. Additionally most guitars today are made of metal strings rather than the nylon ones in the classical guitar. Since the nylon strings have less tension in them than steel strings, the entire neck of the classical guitar can be made out of just wood. There is no need to have a steel neck to support the high tension of steel strings.

The body of the classical guitar is usually made out of wood; mostly mahogany, though other types are also used. Since the wood used is very thin, internal bracing is used to strengthen the body of the guitar. The bracing, however, plays a major role in the sound the guitar produces. The bracing has been designed in several ways to serve its combined purpose of supporting the soundboard as well as affecting the sound of the guitar. Different types of wood are used again to produce different sounds.

Another unique feature of classical guitars is its scale length which is about 65cm. this length was selected by Antonio de Torres and has since been maintained. However, there are smaller classical guitars with shorter scale lengths to assist children learning how to play the guitar. Since their hands are smaller it allows them to play the guitar more easily.