Acoustic Guitars: Features
The classical guitar is distinguished by a number of characteristics:
A stringed, acoustic instrument, with a soundbox, neck, tuning pegs, that is considered easy to master, learn and pick up, playing technique getting better with practice. When the string on the guitar is plucked or picked with a finger or plectrum, the vibrations travel, amplified by the soundboard, or resonator. There are six strings, some classical models having as many as eight or more to get more base and larger repertoire, wider range of sounds and effects.
acoustic guitar resources
Nylong strings, for treble (three), metal-wound (sliver plated copper), strings for lower bass (three), with more tension. The earliest models of guitars had ox gut strings that had a very unique sound to them.
A guitars neck is made of wood and the interior bracing of the sound board is lightweight for more tone. Fan bracing is often used, with a spruce brace glued inside the soundboard at center jsut before the bridge for best balance and tuning. Braces fan out from there.
Width of a standard guitar is 48-54 mm at the nut (42 for elecritcal and modern guitars)
Flat dot inlay fingerboard, on the neck at 5th and 7th frets respectively.
Dominant hand players are prominent and pros prefer to play with their own nails and fingertips, as opposed to plucking or strumming, picking with a plectrum. (for strumming the back of the fingernail is used).
Keys are found at the top of the neck, used for tension adjusting and fine-tuning, winding the strings up. Positioning is considered best when perpendicular to the plane of the fretboard.
Here is a list of the typical parts of a guitar
- Body
- Body sides
- Bottom deck
- Bridge
- Bridge saddle (Bridge nut)
- Face (top deck)
- Fretwires
- Headstock
- Heel
- Neck and 20 fret fretboard
- Nut
- Sound hole, with inlay
- Strings
- The Fretboard
- Truss rod
- Tuning keys
Fret or fingerboard, embedded with metal fretwires forming the top of the neck of the guitar, flat and curved. Materials of choice for making these are ebony, rosewood or micarta which is a composite material
The spaces between the fretwires (nickel alloy or stainless stell), mentioned here are the frets. Each of them is carefully placed, calculated and spaced mathematically, a step apart on the 12 tone scale. These then to show wear and tear quickly on a guitar that is played frequently and hard. This is how notes and scales are made possible for play.

