Types of Guitars


When people consider taking up the guitar as a hobby, they are often overwhelmed by the many different types of guitars that are available. Inevitably, they aren’t sure which guitar is best for them. It’s a dilemma a lot of beginners face—which guitar should they buy when there are so many? Some make the wrong choice and end up quitting the instrument. Others are able to make the right choice and end up with a hobby that lasts a lifetime.

So how can you make the right selection? You can do this by learning as much as possible about each type of guitar so that you are equipped with the knowledge to pick the perfect one. We’ll be covering each type of guitar in this article.

Acoustic Guitars – Steel String

The steel string Acoustic guitar is probably the most popular type of Acoustic guitar. It’s easy to learn and pretty easy to play. The steel string Acoustic guitar typically features a round body, sound hole, 18-20 frets and is usually made out of spruce top wood. As the name indicates, the strings are made out of steel. They are thus able to produce a louder, brighter sound than nylon strings. Because the Acoustic guitar is equipped with steel strings, it has a stronger body structure than does the other type of Acoustic guitar—the Classical guitar. There are two varieties of Acoustic steel string guitars. The first is the 6 string, while the other is the 12 string. Beginners are best off with the 6 string, as it isn’t as complicated as the 12 string Acoustic.

Acoustic Guitars – Nylon String (Classical Guitar)

Classical Acoustic guitars have been used for centuries. In fact, they were the first type of guitar. The Classical guitar looks a lot like the steel string Acoustic guitar, except that it features a weaker body structure, slightly different body shape and nylon strings. Since the strings are made out of nylon, they are naturally easier to play on. The Classical guitar, however, is a bit harder to learn than other types of guitar. It is, simply put, an instrument within itself. There is a whole technique that goes along with the Classical, making it a bit less than ideal for beginners.

Electric Guitars – Solid Body

Ever seen Slash or any other great guitarist play? This is the type of guitar they play. Solid body Electric guitars are just as they imply—they are guitars free of soundholes. The sound that they produce is very low unplugged. In order to make the sound louder, solid body Electric guitars must be plugged into an amplifier. Through the use of electronics within the Electric guitar’s body, the amplifier is able to amplify every vibration (sound) the guitar produces. A solid body Electric guitar typically features 21-24 frets, steel strings and a mahogany/maple body. All Electric guitars come with pick-ups, which dictate what sound you hear. Solid body Electric guitars are ideal for beginners because they are even easier to play on than are Acoustic guitars. Most Electric guitars come with 6 strings, although some come with 7 strings.

Electric Guitars – Semi-Hollow Body

Semi-hollow body Electric guitars are really not much different from solid body Electric guitars. The major difference between the two is that semi-hollow body guitars feature holes in their body. Thus, they are able to be played both unplugged (without an amp) and plugged (with an amp). Unplugged they sound very much like a steel string Acoustic guitar. Plugged into an amp they sound pretty much like a solid body Electric, with a few differences. Semi-hollow body guitars are ideal for beginners who want the ability to play both unplugged and plugged.

Acoustic-Electric Guitar

The Acoustic-Electric guitar is quite simply a steel string Acoustic guitar that can be plugged into an Acoustic amp. Whether plugged into an amp or played unplugged, the Acoustic guitar sounds the same. It’s a terrific idea for beginning Acoustic guitarists who have aspirations of playing gigs.

Lap Guitar

You’ve probably seen a musician play a lap guitar and wondered “what is that thing?” Well, it’s essentially a guitar in the form of a keyboard. People who play it will fret notes (like on a regular guitar) and play notes. It’s just different in that they won’t have to actually hold the guitar. Some musicians love the sound of the lap guitar, which is why it is used in so many different types of music. Those who want to play a traditional guitar will probably be wise to avoid the lap guitar.