History of the Acoustic Guitar

An acoustic guitar produces a dynamic sound through the vibration of strings that are played with a plectrum or fingers. The body of the guitar which is hollow, resonates the sound once tension is applied on the strings. The loudness of the sound depends on the exertion of pressure on the strings produced by fingers or a pick.

The body of an acoustic guitar varies depending upon the size and make of the guitar. Hollow bodies in a guitar produce a deep thick sound which is not possible with the ones that have a relatively flat soundboard. The quality of strings used also determines the sound quality of an acoustic guitar. Although acoustic guitars are used without any amplification, you can amplify them by using microphones or pick-ups. Some of the commonly used acoustic guitars are the steel string, the nylon string and the lap steel guitar.

Origin and History

Although the exact dates about the existence of the acoustic guitar is inconclusive, the history of this stringed instrument dates back to 1200 AD, when two versions of a four-stringed guitar evolved. The first one was the Moorish Guitar which consisted of several sound holes, had a oval-shaped rounded body along with a very wide fingerboard. The other version was the Guitarra Latina (which means Latin Guitar) which had one sound hole and a relatively narrower neck. The depiction of an instrument which displayed the characteristics of a guitar can be found on the stone carving of Hittite bard which is three thousand three hundred years old. The tuning pegs used on guitars in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were made from bone and wood.

During the Baroque era, a guitar that was much smaller than the modern classical guitar was used extensively. This light weight guitar made the use of gut strings which were also used as fret marks tied to the neck of the guitar. In parts of Europe, the Scandinavian lut (indigenous six string lute) similar to a guitar gained prominence.

The origin of the guitar can be traced back to thousands of years ago to central Asia and India, where the use of stringed instruments such as setar and tanbur led to the evolution of similar stringed instruments such as the guitar. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Spanish vihuela, a guitar-like instrument with twelve paired strings tuned like a lute led to the transitional development of the guitar used in modern days. Gaetano Vinaccia, who came from a family of luthiers was accomplished at constructing mandolins. He is believed to have made the first six-string guitar in Naples, Italy in 1779. The renaissance and baroque guitars which are considered ancestors of the classical guitar generated delicate sounds as compared to the modern classical counterparts. These guitars were used as rhythm accompaniments unlike the modern classical guitar which is used as an accompaniment and solo instrument. The credit for establishing the design and construction of the first modern classical guitar goes to Antonio Torres Jurado in the 1850s. The superior quality of his guitars and tone that they produced made him one of the most revered luthiers among musicians of his time.

The craftsmanship of acoustic guitars has evolved over the years and guitar luthiers are building custom-made guitars for musicians all over the world. The tradition and style of various acoustic guitar players is encompassed beautifully in the strains of their music. The roots and history of acoustic guitars has contributed significantly in the construction and design ideas of modern guitars which have had a magnetic effect on people the world over.