History of the Acoustic Guitar

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What Makes Acoustic Guitars so Fascinating?

Electric guitars are just fine, even banjos are great but there is something about the acoustic which has captured the hearts of many musicians, including this one! There are many instruments in this world that have been around for centuries and will be for many years to come. Music is one of those magical senses that does more than just reverberate off of our eardrums, it fills us with emotions of pleasure, excitement and even sadness..

Whether is happy, romantic or sad emotions the gift of music is one that can not be equaled through any other art. One of these instruments that I personally find to be one of my favorites, is the acoustic guitar, or in country terms, the flatop.

The history of the acoustic guitar is a wonderful tale that goes way back into time.The guitar itself goes back more than 5000 years into the historical vault. You can easily track it back to Medieval times when it was known as a three to five stringed instrument that had a few different names such as the guitara Latina and the guitara morisca.

Of course these guitars are far different than the ones you see today but they too made sweet music. Just as sweet as the Yamaha or Fender which are popular choices in this day and age.The history of the acoustic guitar itself goes back around 100 years or so.

It is a descendant of the classical guitar which uses nylon strings instead of the wire which the acoustic models use giving them a sharper tone. The classical guitar was invented by a man named Antonio De Torres which is commonly misunderstood to be the same as an acoustic.

Since the strings are different as well as the size the sounds produced are vastly different. The acoustic guitar is much louder and clearer than the classical.All of the guitars in the distant past were of course handmade.

Nowadays, these musical instruments are mainly mass produced, many coming from countries like China or other parts of Asia. Even the famous brands such as Fender and Ovation are now being assembled overseas and exported all over the world. Ahhh, American knowhow is now lost which makes the older models still coveted by collectors and even new guitarists.

Finding Hand Made Models

You can still find a handmade guitar without going back too far into the history of the acoustic guitar. You can even find them pretty easily now. You just have to know where to look.

Acoustic guitars that are not mass produced tend to be a little more expensive as well, as do the popular brands such as Martin. These types of brands tend to be looked at as the best guitars available. But, each musician has his or her own preference so you really should try many of them out before making your final buying choice since everyone is different. Read reviews online but put the guitar in your hand and see how it "feels" to you. The highest priced acoustic might not be to your liking.

There are also electric flatops which haven't been around quite as long as their brothers but have still been with us for about 70 years. So if you are looking into the history of the acoustic guitar for help on buying one make sure you do more research before you choose. See what is said about different brands and models, especially from professionals who have been playing for a long time. Better yet, go to your friendly local music store and play!