The origin and types of guitars - from classical to Clapton
1LikeThe beloved guitar has been around for at least 800 years, and there's a 3,000 year old stone carving from Turkey showing someone playing a similar instrument! There are countless designs out there leading to infinite musical possibilities, whatever your style. Whether you´re just starting with guitar lessons, you´re a seasoned player, or you´re just interested in music history, this blog is for you. Let's talk about how we got here and some of the common types.
A quick history of the guitar
Antonio Torres, a Spaniard originally trained in carpentry, revolutionised guitar by designing what we would think of today as a classical model. One of the big factors in guitar design is catering for the tension caused by the strings, which could potentially cause the instrument to collapse. Torres' model contained a wooden structural support system (bracing) inside the guitar to overcome this.
Around the same time, C. F. Martin was getting the US guitar ball rolling in Pennsylvania with what we recognise today as the typical flat-top acoustic. The prestigious Martin company, still in operation today, is the world's oldest guitar manufacturer.
Before the 1900s, guitar strings were commonly made of catgut (animal intestines!). Today they are mostly steel or nylon.
The dawn of the electric guitar arrived in the 1940s, largely due to the tinkering of Americans Les Paul and Leo Fender (names you might recognise). Their designs changed the music world forever with guitars that are used the world over. Paul was also an early innovator of audio effects, which surged into the mainstream alongside the electric guitar in the 50s and 60s. Effects like fuzz and echo could be dialed in on an amp, and later through the use of pedals. Nowadays all sorts of quirky things are possible on guitar, like retro videogame sounds or noises straight from outer space.
Different types of guitars and their uses
The variety of musical genres and requirements over time has shaped and been shaped by the design of guitars:
- Classical guitars are hollow-bodied, smaller with nylon strings, and are used in classical and mariachi music among other styles.
- Steel-string acoustics have metal strings as the name suggests and also have hollow bodies. They are larger and louder than classical guitars and are common in folk, pop, country and jazz.
- Electric guitars have pickups (magnets wound in copper coils) that convert vibrations from the strings into signals that can be amplified. They often have solid bodies and are common in rock, R & B, jazz and blues.
There are many varieties - guitars played on the lap, hollowbody electrics, resonator acoustics which sometimes have metal bodies...
The electronics on an electric guitar greatly affect the sound. A Gibson Les Paul, as played by Slash, has double coil pickups (called humbuckers), creating a heavier sound. A Fender Stratocaster, such as Eric Clapton's 'Blackie', has single coil pickups that create a brighter sound and allow more versatility.
It's common for guitars to be 'modded' with parts from other models. Bruce Springsteen's iconic guitar has a Fender Telecaster body with a Fender Esquire neck (The Boss is a personal favourite of mine!).
Innovation is happening in the guitar world all the time, and there are plenty of designs for you out there already! Whatever your preferences, you can find a sound you love.
Thanks for reading! If you want to learn the guitar, I am a private tutor offering guitar lessons. Feel free to reach out for further information or to arrange a first lesson with me.
Zach