The Origins of the Acoustic Guitar
The birth of the acoustic guitar
The beginnings of the acoustic guitar
Although steel-stringed acoustic guitars are now used all over the world, the person who is thought to have created the first of these guitars was a German immigrant to the United States named Christian Frederick Martin (1796-1867). Guitars at the time used so-called catgut strings created from the intestines of sheep. Martin, however, decided to create a guitar that used steel strings so that banjo players playing the then-popular style of country music could switch over and play without any discomfort. He is said to have created a brand new type of guitar by cleverly designing the inner structure to withstand the tension of the steel strings.
Reference: "The Fun Guitar Encyclopedia" (Yamaha Music Media)
Musical Instrument Guide : Acoustic Guitar Contents
Structure
How the Instrument is Made
Choosing an Instrument
Trivia
- The guitar top is actually two panels stuck together
- The shape of the pick guard is dictated by the manufacturer
- Collector's item with a modern Japanese style
- Cutaways make it easier to access upper frets
- Why do the spaces between frets grow narrower down the neck?
- The order guitars and violins are strung in differs