David Cobb – The Man Behind The Roots Music Tide

Choosing a proper acoustic guitar design and construction is a challenge, as there are many shapes available which are produced by various manufacturers for different purposes. All the different acoustic guitar shapes have their own strengths and weaknesses and everyone will have their own favorite body type. The difference in the acoustic guitar shapes significantly changes the sound of the guitar and tone spreading, giving a specific playing touch to your own style. It is important to recognize a preferred guitar shape, as such specific designs will vastly influence your further sound development and give you the tone of a professional guitarist. Check out some of the . Design and Construction So how does a guitar shape determine the sound? A basic understanding of how is built and designed will enrich your knowledge enough to hear and see the subtle differences which will help you in singling out your ideal guitar shape. As there are different shapes and sizes to the acoustic guitarbodies styles, certain types will surely apply more than others to your playing style. The sound of the guitar is mainly determined by the guitar body, even though neck play an important role as well. The is a hollow chamber, composed of soundboard which is supported by the internal bracing. As stated, the shape and size of the guitar body influence both the playability and sound of your instrument and the internal bracing plays a significant role. The right acoustic guitar is the one which matches your musical and physical needs, ensuring the proper tone of your playing. The sound hole, which projects the sound, is at the base of fretboard and aligned with the waist while playing. The size and shape of the sound hole may differ as well, influencing the overall playing experience. Based on the design and construction of both guitar body and sound hole, a variety of styles exist which will suit your comfort and resonance preferences. Guitar shapes   Every guitar manufacturerspecializes a select few acoustic guitar shapes, making their production unique and appealing to their customers. Considering that, it is necessary to know and recognize which body shape will produce the sound which you want. It’s important, as well, to know which guitar shape is comfortable for your physical taste, enabling you to play it easily while sitting or standing. We have talked about the sound hole and how it influences the sound of your guitar; generally, the larger the sound hole, the louder and deeper the sound will be. Some guitar shapes combine a large sound hole with a narrow waist, making the guitar both comfortable and loud. The measurements of the guitars may vary, but the most popular acoustic guitar body shapes include: Concert and Grand Concert Auditorium and Grand Auditorium Dreadnought Jumbo Travel and Mini-Acoustics Cutaways Classical Most manufacturers include those shapes and sizes available in their lineup. Choosing a manufacturer is another major decisionbecause each manufacturers' guitars vary in style and craftsmanship.   Concert and Grand Concert The Concert and Grand Concert guitar shapes date from the period of 1850s. The Concert guitars are considered small in the world of acoustic guitars, as their small body shape gives them a bright sound with properly punchy mid-range. The  Concert acoustic guitar shapes are popular because their smaller size is completely comfortable to handle which is ideal for smaller musicians like children. On the other hand, Grand concert guitar bodies are a bit larger, but still maintain a fair mid-range, with a slightly stronger sound.   Auditorium and Grand Auditorium Unlike the previous guitar body style, the Auditorium body style is bit bigger and is considered as a standard mid-sized acoustic guitar. It has a lower bout, similar to the one which Dreadnought guitars have, with a bit smaller waist. The Auditorium body is sometimes referred as an Orchestra body. The guitar body combines comfort,tone, and the balance of volume which has interestingly become popular in last couple of decades. Many artists, such as Eric Clapton, have used this specific acoustic guitar body style during their live performances and recording. The narrow waist is responsible for the recognizable dramatic hourglass shape. When compared to the smaller body styles of acoustic guitars, Auditorium and Grand Auditorium have more balanced tone and much greater range for volume.   Dreadnought Dreadnought is considered to be most popular acoustic guitar body shape used worldwide. This common body style which uses a considerably large soundboard. The waist is quite wide and the bouts are squared. The first Dreadnought guitar was developed back in the 1916 and even though the shape is one hundred years old, it still deserves its popularity. The Dreadnought's driving, powerful sound is especially popular among the guitarists in bluegrass genre. These guitars resonate deeply and project loudly, and theirpopularity has brought them the nickname “cowboy” guitars thanks to their implementation in the country and bluegrass music.   Jumbo Jumbo guitars, as referred by their name, are even larger than the Auditorium and Dreadnought guitars. It’s curvy but deep and big shape brings a strong and deep sound which is important if you wish to stand out of the crowd. Many manufactures nowadays shape such guitars as mini and medium Jumbos which have almost the same shape as the Jumbo guitars, but have a smaller size similar to an Auditorium style guitar.   Classical Classical guitars, unlike the other guitars, only use nylon strings which creates a unique sound and feel of the guitar. Nylon strings are easier on the fingers because the high strings are thicker. Classical guitars have kept their traditional style and were originally known as the Spanish guitar.   Travel and Mini-Acoustics If you wish for a much smaller models which are suitable for traveling and children, then travel andmini-acoustics might be the right choice. Such guitar bodies are designed to satisfy the comfort of the smaller players and are perfect for traveling as they are light and easy to transport. Many of the mini acoustic guitars have the same, familiar shapes of the standards, but are significantly smaller. These “backpackers” are designed to be lightweight, durable, and completely easy to pack.   Cutaways Some of the , even though having a specific body style, contain a cutaway in their upper bout which allows the players to easily reach those higher frets for higher notes. This guitar body style is especially great if you wish to play a lead guitar in an acoustic band. With a cutaway, you will be able to reach the really high notes, but it may slightly affect the sound because there is less room in the body for the sound to resonate. Which acoustic body shape suits you best? Let me know in the comments below. -Alex