This site offers extensive information on guitars, with an emphasis on beginners who want to (or have started to) learn about playing the guitar. If you want to learn to play the guitar (or to learn more about guitars), this site will help you in understanding the basics and in selecting your guitar gear. Start by browsing the various Types of Guitars that exist. Some basic guitar playing instructions are also available to get you started. However, once you get interested and want to do more with your guitar - you should consider in-person training from a guitar teacher. Books, videos, and online resources may help up to a point, but there is no substitute for a professional who you can talk to and watch, and thus learn from much faster.

The guitar creates its music from the vibration of its strings. Each string vibrates at a different frequency based on its thickness and length, thereby making different sounds. Additionally, by pressing down a string at a fret (the metallic bumps that run down the length of the guitar's neck), you effectively shorten the length of that string, changing its vibration and its sound. There are two broad families of guitars: Acoustic guitars and Electric guitars. An acoustic guitar is constructed in a shape that reflects back the sound of its vibrating strings, amplifying them "acoustically". An electric guitar makes no audible sounds, its vibrating strings are detected by electro-magnetic coils called "pickups" - and the electric signal is sent to an "amplifier" (amp) which converts it to sound and amplifies it as well. A hybrid of both these guitar types is the Acoustic-Electric guitar, which is an acoustic guitar with built in pickups. Acoustic-electric guitars can be heard without an amp, but it can also be plugged in if a higher sound volume is desired.

There are numerous variations of guitars. One of the most popular is the twelve string guitar. As the name suggests, the 12 string guitar has 12 strings instead of the usual six. Each of the traditional strings is paired with a duplicate string, so it sounds as though two guitars are being played simultenously. Another popular variant is the archtop guitar, which is has a curved top piece (instead of the normal flattop as normal acoustic guitars have), and an f shaped sound hole (instead of the normal round sound hole seen in normal acoustic guitars). Archtop guitars have a distinctive tone and a louder sound than traditional acoustic guitars.

• Guitar Types The different types of guitars that are available, such as acoustic, electric, classical, bass, steel string, nylon string and more.
• Acoustic Guitar Parts The parts of a typical acoustic guitar, with illustrations and pictures to help explain why these parts are needed.
• Electric Guitar Parts The parts of a typical electric guitar, with illustrations and pictures to help explain why these parts are needed.
• Acoustic or Electric Guitar Choosing between an acoustic or electric guitar as your first guitar or for starting to learn to play the guitar.
• Buy Acoustic Guitar How to select an acoustic guitar to buy, be it your first or your 15th guitar.
• Buy Electric Guitar How to select an electric guitar to buy, be it your first or your 15th guitar.
• Basic Guitar Lessons The absolute basic guitar lessons, just to get you started and to build your interest so you will continue to play.
• Guitar Notes How to play basic guitar notes, an explanation of why there are six strings and which notes each string makes.
• Guitar Chords How to play basic guitar chords, a chord is a combination of two or more notes to produce a richer sound.
• Guitar Tabs Basics on how to read guitar tablature (guitar tab) notation, the quick and easy way to play any music on your guitar.
• Guitar Sheet Music Basics on how to read sheet music, even though guitar tab makes things easy, reading music notation is important as you (or them) get better playing the guitar.
• Guitar Techniques Basic guitar playing techniques, such as bends, hammer ons, pull offs, trills, vibrato, muting and alternate tuning information.
• Acoustic Guitar Types Information on acoustic guitars, such as the available sizes, length and scale, wood types, and strings (steel/nylon).
• Electric Guitar Types Information on electric guitars, such as construction, strings, bridges, tremolo, pickups and other features unique to electric guitars.
• Electric Guitar Effects Electric Guitars are usually used with effects pedals, which can produce new sounds such as distortion and wah-wah.
• Electric Guitar Amps Electric guitars require an amplifier (amp), basic information about guitar amp features that you should know about.
• Guitar Care How to care for your guitar, cleaning and storage instructions.
• Child Guitar If you want your child to learn to play guitar, here are some tips and information on how to get started.

Solid back, solid side and solid top usually provides the best quality of sound - as well as the highest prices. However, affordable alternatives utilize non-solid sides or backs, or even tops - reducing the cost, but it does impact the tone. Laminates (fake wood) are the cheapest, but they generally have poor tonal qualities. While fine for a beginner who is just starting to learn to play - professional musicians or even those who have start to play well just will not be able use a laminate body/top guitar.

There are a number of factors that determine the tonal properties of wood. In addition, tonewoods respond differently in the hands of different makers. They can also take on different characteristics when used in different models of guitars - even those built by the same maker. Whether a particular wood sounds good or bad ultimately depends on who is doing the listening, so any attempt to sort out distinctions can only be subjective.

Perhaps the most important factor a luthier must take into account is velocity of sound, which refers to the speed at which a material transmits received energy. A luthier must design with materials that facilitate the transmission of vibrational energy. Lively materials, those with a high velocity of sound, or low internal damping make the best facilitators.

Most luthiers (though not all) believe that the wood chosen for the top is the single most important factor in determining the quality of tone of the instrument. It is also interesting to note that the wood itself takes on different characteristics depending on which part of the guitar it's used for. Makers of electric guitars with bolt-on necks have long been aware of the fact that neck and fretboard materials can have a significant bearing on tone. Bridge materials, like fretboards, cannot make or break an instrument, but they serve to enhance or edit the tonal effects of other woods in the guitar's construction.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that wood species can be responsible only for certain aspects of the tone of any guitar. Equally important are design, skill of the maker, and the quality of each individual piece of wood used. Tonewood selection however, can be a determining factor in the creation of a very special guitar or a guitar designed for a specific purpose.

When used as a top, Mahogany has a relatively low velocity of sound, (compared to other topwoods) considerable density and a low overtone content producing a solid tone and respond best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Mahogany topped guitars have a strong "punchy" tone that is well suited to country blues playing.

When considered as back and sides, Mahogany has relatively high velocity of sound, which contributes much overtone coloration. While rosewood guitars may be thought of has having a metallic sound, mahogany guitars sound more wood-like. The harder, denser examples of these woods can take also on the characteristics of the rosewoods. Mahogany back and sides tends to emphasize the bass and the treble.

Mahogany necks help to create a warmer, more 'woody' tonal range. As bridge material, mahogany imparts the same tonal characteristic as it does when used as neck material, only less so.

Koa

Koa has been used for soundboards since the 20's. This hardwood has a relatively low velocity of sound, considerable density and a low overtone content. Therefore, it tends to produce a solid tone and respond best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Koa has a somewhat more 'midrangey' tone that works well for playing rhythm and truly shines in guitars made for Hawaiian-style slide playing.

For back and sides, Koa tends to behave much like mahogany in terms of adding tonal coloration, but it's emphasis is again more in the midrange.

Brazilian Rosewood

The rosewoods contribute to tone coloration. Brazilian rosewood is known for its high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, also characterized by strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Rosewood guitars also have a pronounced reverberant-like tone quality, caused by audible delays in the onset of certain harmonics. While both species exhibit complexity, darkness and a reverberant tone, Brazilian rosewood has tremendous clarity in the bottom end and sparkle in the top.

Indian rosewood is also known for high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Rosewood guitars also have a pronounced reverberant-like tone quality, caused by audible delays in the onset of certain harmonics. Indian rosewood has a thicker, more midrange overall coloration.

When used for necks, Indian rosewood can help fatten up the midrange.

Sitka Spruce

Spruce is the standard material for soundboards, the most commonly used species being Sitka. Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a recipe for high velocity of sound. A strong fundamental to overtone ratio gives Sitka a powerful direct tone capable of retaining its clarity when played forcefully. This makes Sitka an excellent choice for topwood for players whose style demands a wide dynamic response and a robust, meaty tone. On the other hand, the lack of complex overtones in Sitka can produce a somewhat thin sound when played with a light touch - of course, depending upon the design of the guitar and the other choices of wood in its construction.

Red Spruce

Red spruce is relatively heavy, has a high velocity of sound, and the highest stiffness across and along the grain of all the topwoods. Like Sitka, is has a strong fundamental, but also a more complex overtone content. Tops produce the highest volume, yet they also have a rich fullness of tone that retains clarity at all dynamic levels. In short, red spruce may well be the Holy Grail of topwoods for acoustic steel string guitars.

Maple

Maple, as a result of its greater weight and lower sound velocity, can be downright flat sounding, a blessing in disguise when a guitar is amplified at high sound pressure levels. This is why maple is the wood of choice for electric guitar tops. West Coast big leaf maple is the softest and lightest of the maple family, with a wood grain that resembles waves. Aside from a visually breathtaking pattern, the wavy fibers of 'curly' maple reduce the long grain stiffness and vibrate more freely. (This is the secret to the bright, clear powerful sound of the Parker Fly, the only solid-body guitar made with a curly maple body.

Maple necks can impart a bright "poppy" tone that can do much to reinforce the top end of a large-bodied guitar. Fender electrics tend to use maple necks for the aforementioned "bright poppy" tone. Walnut Black walnut tends to lean slightly more in the tonal direction of mahogany, while claro walnut tends toward tonal transparency.

Alder

Alder is a lightweight wood that is highly resonant, producing a full rich tone. When used for solid-body construction, alder provides a very good low end and midrange with the best performance in the lower mid range. Alder also exhibits good high-end characteristics and sustain.

Poplar

Poplar is a string, dense, yet lightweight hardwood that is unusually resonant. Poplar, when used in solid-body electric guitars, has an exceptionally crisp sound, often described as "spirited" and "bouncy" - even "funky." Poplar guitars are ideal choices for players who favor single-coil snap and clean sound. Swamp Ash Swamp Ash, which grows partially underwater, is a lightweight wood with high stiffness (for high sound velocity), famous for its mid-range snarl and biting response.

Basswood

Basswood is light, stiff, and stable, which makes it particularly effective for necks and bass instruments thanks to its excellent low- end response.

Ebony

Ebony, the traditional material found on the necks of violins, classical guitars, and high-end steel strings, has the lowest velocity of sound of all the woods commonly used and has definite damping characteristics. While not a problem for large-bodied guitars mad of red spruce or Brazilian rosewood, it may be something to consider when designing smaller guitars, particularly those using less resonant tonewoods for tops and backs.