| How many strings does a guitar have? | | | | In terms of the materials used, the non electrical |
| Traditionally, a guitar – such as an acoustic, | | | | parts of a guitar are traditionally made of wood (such |
| classical or electric guitar has 6 strings, but it is not | | | | as cedar and spruce for the sound board) and animal |
| uncommon to find guitars with four, eight or twelve | | | | gut. In more contemporary guitar designs, more |
| strings. | | | | synthetic materials are used such as metal |
| 2. How does the sound get created in the guitar? | | | | (particularly the string nuts and on resonator guitars), |
| Normally sound from a guitar happens in two ways; | | | | plastic, aluminium alloys and carbon composites. |
| acoustically or electrically. With an acoustic sound, the | | | | 7. Who makes guitars now? |
| tone is created through the vibrations of the string | | | | There are literally hundreds of modern guitar |
| resonating around the hollow body of the guitar. With | | | | manufacturers in the 21st century, but arguably the |
| an electric guitar, the strings resonate into an electric | | | | most popular. Mass market guitars available to |
| “pickup” which is essentially a small | | | | consumers are Fender, Yamaha, Dean, Epiphone, |
| microphone. Other guitars may generate sound | | | | Ibanez, Ovation and Stagg amongst others. |
| acoustically, which is then amplified using pickups or | | | | 8. How old is the guitar? |
| microphones afterwards. The sound is then amplified | | | | Well instruments similar to the guitar have been |
| electronically which can then be used to manipulate | | | | popular for at least the last 5,000 years probably |
| the tone. | | | | stemming in ancient times from central Asia and India. |
| 3. What is a Luthier? | | | | The oldest known depiction of a guitar being played |
| A Luthier is the master craftsman traditionally | | | | is from a 3,300 year old carving of a Hittite bard. The |
| responsible for manufacturing (and repairing) guitars | | | | word ‘guitar’ comes directly from the |
| and other stringed instruments. Famous guitar | | | | Spanish word ‘guitarra’, which itself |
| Luthiers include Antonio Torres Jurado (the Spanish | | | | probably comes from the Moorish (muslim) |
| luthier credited with developing the classical guitar), | | | | introduction into Spain in around 8th century from the |
| Paul Bigsby (the tremolo arm) and Leo Fender | | | | Arabic word ‘qitara’ and the Roman |
| (Stratocaster electric guitar). | | | | introduction of the ‘cithara’ eight |
| 4. What’s different about a left handed | | | | centuries earlier. |
| guitar? | | | | 9. What types of guitars are there? |
| You play it with your left hand, silly! In all seriousness, | | | | In truth, there has historically been too many types |
| guitars can simply be re-strung to be left handed (to | | | | of guitars to list. With a history of 5,000 years, most |
| put the strings in the right order), or artists can play | | | | are probably lost in the sands of time. Those we |
| a normal guitar left handed (as did Jimmy Hendrix). | | | | know of any commonly use today include electric |
| Modern ‘left handed guitars’ are | | | | guitars, normally of a fairly similar construction, and |
| purpose designed for those 13% of the population | | | | acoustic guitars such as renaissance, baroque, |
| that are left handed, and are strung differently, often | | | | classical, ten string, flat-top, archtop, resonator, 12 |
| with opposite shaping than those of right handed | | | | string, Russian, acoustic bass, tenor, harp guitar, |
| guitars. | | | | extended range guitars and battente’s. |
| 5. What components make a guitar? | | | | 10. What was the first electric guitar? |
| We’re not going to go individually into what | | | | In the early twentieth century, the Electro String |
| each one of these components are, but the | | | | company experimented with adding electric pickups |
| components of most electric, acoustic and classical | | | | to guitar using a solid body. They released their |
| guitars are typically the following; headstock, nut, | | | | ‘Rickenbacker’ guitar in 1932, which |
| fretboard, frets, truss rod, inlays, neck, heel | | | | was the first of its kind. Now The Rickenbacker |
| (acoustic), neck joint (electric), strings, body, pickups, | | | | International Corporation, it is now the largest guitar |
| electronics, lining, binding, purfling, bridge, pickguard, | | | | company to manufacture all of it’s guitars |
| vibrato arm and guitar strap. | | | | within the USA. |
| 6. What is a guitar made of? | | | | |