Playing guitar is one of the most mesmerizing things. People who know to play guitar usually have a great command over chords and strumming patterns along with other skills. Guitars have a range of chords, and if you are playing them in a proper notation with proper sync, then you are absolutely a guitarist.
However, not having knowledge about different types of a guitar can make you feel embarrassed. There are so many new guitarists who know how to play the guitar but don’t have enough detail about the types. Well, we are here to pour details about all the popular types of guitar that are easily available in the market. We are also mentioning some key facts about each type.
There are mainly seven types of guitars that you can find. All these types are widely available, and you expect a great sound from unique key traits.
Without wasting any more time, let’s take a deep dive and learn about all
1. Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars are widely popular for their basic design, shape, and sound. These guitars are good for learners and start from a very low price point. To learn and master amazing skills, acoustic guitars provide the best use. It has a well-balanced weight so that you can play it effectively. A school going kid can easily learn to hold a guitar and play in an effective manner. The same goes for adults also.
There are six strings, and each one is tuned to a different scale. The standard scaling is E, A, D, G, B, E from top to bottom. You can set to a lower scale and get a different sound. Apparently, acoustic guitars equip almost everything that you want, and you can modify these guitars for better use or convert their type.
2. Electro-Acoustic Guitar
All those acoustic guitars which have a small pick-up to connect with an amp or PA system are considered as the electro-acoustic guitar. They have a small microphone built-in, which picks up clear sound. It is mainly designed to provide you much more flexibility when performing live sessions. Guitarists usually don’t like to have mic placed in front of the guitar because it picks extra noise, and it becomes a less reliable option.
Connecting an acoustic guitar to your music production or DAW software is hard. You can use a microphone but can’t get a crisp sound. In such cases, electro-acoustic guitars come in handy and provide a range of advantages. Most people usually buy electro-acoustic instead of standard acoustic guitar based on the features and functionality it is offering.
3. Semi-Acoustic Guitar
Semi-acoustic are widely popular these days, and these are also named as Hollow Bodied Electric guitars. It provides a middle-ground between acoustic and an electric guitar. People who want versatility usually prefer this type of guitar. It has mainly an acoustic tone, but when you change the mode, it feels like semi-electric that allows you way more versatility and electric tone of wires for sure.
If you head out to market for semi-acoustic guitars, you can find plenty of options in terms of guitar size, shape, and a material factor that definitely affect the sound output. The only issue is, you can’t get fully electric or fully acoustic sound from this type of guitar.
4. Electric Guitar
After all the mentioned types, you can find electric guitars that provide you completely electric tone of each wire. These guitars are also tuned as a normal acoustic guitar. You need an Amp and speaker to start using these guitars. If you seek powerful and strong electric sound in the music or want to play peace, then an electric guitar is the best choice. It is mainly preferred for background music and making a song way crisper sounding.
You can play impressive lead music and add a better finish to every song you like. If you connect these guitars to an Amp and edit with a DAW software, you can mix them effectively. Electric guitars already have a built-in mic. The only issue is, you can’t play electric guitar without the help of speakers or battery-powered headphones.
5. Bass Guitar
Bass guitars are significantly different from the above-mentioned types because it has a set of four strings. Each string is tuned to a higher note, and you can find a similar frat system here. Learning the bass guitar takes a little time because you won’t be using a guitar pick. The best part is, if you want to fill your music with some bass, actually a heavy bass, then the bass guitar is the best choice. A little practice will help you master the style.
The key fact is, these bass guitars are heavier than normal electric guitars. Being able to add extra bass and making it heavy to ensure that you are going to touch hearts. Acoustic guitars don’t provide enough bass. That’s why there is a need to have one bass guitar on the list. Most professionals use a little bass guitar when shifting from intro to chorus part of the song. As they reach the end part, the bass guitar’s role goes down, and the song gets simpler.
6. Cousins of the Guitar
All the instrument which have a string and are used as a guitar are the part of the lute. There are several options available in the market which can provide you a great alternative. Ukulele is one of the widely preferred options, but there are more types such as –
- The Banjo
- The Mandoline
All these instruments are slightly different in shape and sound. That’s why they have a different name. You might find that ukulele and banjo seem like a similar option, but they are different in terms of sound and playing style.
7. Weird Guitars
In case you want to take your guitar playing skills on a different level and get more versatility of having higher bass sound, then you can go with weird guitars. The first thing that you will notice is with a number of strings. These guitars have seven strings which make them unique and better in term of higher notes. You can find lower pitches to higher pitches at the first seven frets due to having extra strings. Being able to tune to a different scale and getting better sound make them unique and slightly weird.
Guitars that have eight, ten, or twelve strings are also part of this type. You can find guitars with two frets, but the only issue is, such guitars are not available everywhere. Most companies or sellers import such types or create one when there is an order. You can find lots of videos on the internet that will help you figure out a better type, and it will let you enjoy a new style of playing guitars.
The Final Verdict
After learning about all the types, it seems like an easy deal to figure out the best guitar for your specific style. You can enhance skills on one type and keep playing flawlessly on other types. The design part is playing an important role in the sound, and the use of the material is also paying the most important role. During the purchase time, you can find a range of brands, so be selective to get the best in class choice.
