A guitar is a stringed musical instrument that can be used to produce different tones. It is played by strumming the strings with the dominant hand while simultaneously pressing the strings against the frets in the opposite end of the guitar with the other. The guitar originated in ancient Europe about a thousand years ago and is still one of the most popular musical instruments among modern musicians and is used in many genres of music.  Guitars can be classified broadly based on the sound they produce into several types of guitars, each of which are used for specific performances or to create the music required for certain genres of music. This article describes several of the most common types of guitars.

Acoustic Guitars

This is the most common type of guitar and is usually what many picture when they hear the word ‘guitar’. They are made of wood and use the hollow wooden body to amplify the sound of the six strings acoustically. Acoustic guitarsare a staple in the music industry and are used in rock, country, folk, and various other styles of music. Acoustic guitars are common among beginners to learn playing guitar. Acoustic guitars may have six or twelve string made of steel or nylon. Restringing acoustic guitars can be done without much difficulty should one break or be damaged.

Electric Guitars

Unlike the acoustic guitar, electric guitars have a solid body and needs an amplifier to amplify its sound. This allows the user to ease on the strings as the force required to strum the guitar is lessened due to the presence of an amplifier. This may make it easier for beginners to use but the guitar itself is narrow and fretting may be more difficult on an electric guitar compared to acoustic guitars. They are characterised by their ability to produce greater, more powerful, and persistent sounds and are used in rock, punk, metal, and similar music genres.

Bass Guitars

Bass guitar is the lowest pitched guitar and is played like the others. They typically contain four strings but may contain up to six. The strings themselves are thicker than in other types of guitars which allow them to produce lower pitched, louder sounds. Although amplification is not necessary for standalone play, to be audible at standard performance volumes, external amplification is required.

Classical Guitars

Similar to acoustic guitars in many ways, classical guitars produce music through the build of the guitar by amplifying the vibrations of the strings through its hollow body. They typically have nylon strings which are easier on the fingers than steel strings and are therefore recommended for beginners. The body of the guitar is also smaller, which allows it to be held easier and the neck of the guitar is wide, which makes for easier fretting. Classical guitars are played by plucking the strings as opposed to strumming them but are considered limiting as a guitarist advance in skill.