What Is An Acoustic Guitar? – Buyers Guide

If you are new to guitars, or musical instruments as a whole then it is highly likely that your knowledge is pretty basic regarding what each instrument is and what they do. If you have landed on this page, then this is possibly the case. But do not worry, you have come to the right place as throughout this post the acoustic guitar is the main focus and what it does will be explained thoroughly. So sit back and enjoy, at the end of this post your knowledge will be up to scratch and you will be an acoustic guitar expert in no time.

So, starting from the beginning – the body of the guitar is larger than an electric, they are also wooden and hollow which means that when the strings are plucked and strummed, the sounds resonate through the top or soundboard to then create an acoustic sound.

Acoustic guitars are steel stringed and are one of the most popular guitars, they are usually the starter guitar that people choose, the purity of the tone is favoured by musicians as there is an authenticity that is not as present with any other guitar. Whatever type of music you play, whether that be folk, blues, classical and more, an acoustic will give you the creative freedom to create something unique.

So, here are two acoustic guitars and the differences between them.

Semi Acoustic Guitar

In the simplest term, a semi-acoustic is classed as an electric guitar, however, there are certain properties that are acoustic such as; a hollow or semi-hollow body, and then the electric guitar pickups are added. As you would see on an acoustic guitar, they have hollow wings – therefore, a semi-acoustic has wings to mimic the feel of an acoustic.

These guitars are very lightweight, although there is a huge variation in size, depth and shape. With a hollow body comes a certain warmth that can be heard throughout the sound produced; these guitars are built to enhance its utility within electric performance too. Classic models of semi-acoustic guitars are Gretsch, Fender, Ibanez and many more.

Electro Acoustic Guitar

In basic terms, electro-acoustic guitars are basically acoustic guitars that can be plugged into an amplifier or recording equipment. The guitar usually still features the soundhole and has the look and feel of an acoustic, it just has the electric pick up features.

To create the most natural acoustic sound as possible, the guitar may include a pickup or body sensors that are fitted under the saddle or across the soundhole. The guitars will often feature a ‘cutaway’ which allows greater access to the upper frets of the guitar.

All in all, an electro guitar sounds great either plugged into an amp or not, whereas a semi-acoustic can be played without an amp but it just does not project as much sound as the soundholes are much smaller. An amplifier can give a semi-acoustic guitar more warmth.

Are you still confused and maybe need more help? Not to worry, just pop into one of our nine stores and our friendly staff will be more than happy to help you out, there is a guitar to suit all individual needs.