Buying a Classical Guitar

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Prepare Yourself With The Basics First Buying a new instrument is a critical step for the novice guitarist. A basic knowledge of the instrument and an assessment of your musical goals will help you make a wise purchase, a purchase you can enjoy for years, perhaps even a lifetime. Walking into a shop without a basic understanding of the instrument and your goals is a formula for disappointment. Classic Guitar • Takamine Hirade H15 • Nylon strings and spruce top. What is a Classic Guitar? All guitars produce sound through the mechanical vibration of strings. Acoustic guitars transmit the vibration of the string to the soundboard via the saddle and bridge. The combined resonance of the strings, saddle, bridge and soundboard are, in turn, "amplified" in the soundbox or body of the guitar. The design and quality of the strings, saddle, bridge and soundboard have a major impact on the guitar's sound. One weak link in the transmission chain--a cheap plastic saddle, worn out strings, etc.--will degrade the sound considerably. In contrast, the vibrating strings of an electric guitar are read directly by a pickup and transmitted to a sound system for amplification. Here's a short recording of a classical guitar (Allemande performed by Peter Kun Frary; 1.3MB) Parts of the Guitar   The classic guitar differs from its steel-string relatives in several significant ways: Nylon strings (rather than steel). Nylon produces a round, mellow sound and is the preferred sound for classical, Latin and many pop/folk styles. Low string tension (75-90 pounds vs.150-200 pounds for steel-strings). Less string tension makes a classic guitar easier to play than a steel-string acoustic. Wide fingerboard. The fingerboard, 50 mm at the nut, provides room for intricate finger picking. In contrast, the narrow fingerboard of a steel-string acoustic, 40 mm at the nut, is optimized for playing with a pick rather than finger picking. Longer string length. The longer string length from saddle to nut (650 mm vs. 644 mm for steel-string acoustics) enhances the bass response and sustain. Small, easy to hold body. The classic body style is smaller than most other acoustic designs. CAUTION: DO NOT PUT STEEL-STRINGS ON A CLASSIC GUITAR. The high tension of steel-strings will severely damage the bridge and soundboard. Classical String Ties • Jose Ramirez 1A Previous Page • 1 • 2 • 3 • Next Page

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