Does the shape of an acoustic guitar matter? Why are acoustic guitars different shapes? How many different acoustic guitar shapes are there? Does it differ in build quality? Does it build in sound quality? Acoustic guitars have been known to have many different shapes and sizes, and we will find out why guitar manufacturers offer different sizes and shapes for their acoustic guitars.
When you want to purchase an acoustic guitar that you can use professionally or play just for fun, one thing you should consider is its body shape. What is the reason for it? Body shape dramatically affects how your acoustic guitar sounds, even for its volume and tone. The general rule for acoustic guitars is that the bigger, the better when it comes to loudness.
Another reason also why there are different shapes and sizes of acoustic guitars is for comfort. Smaller sizes are usually by children and women as it gives them a more comfortable feeling to play than those acoustic guitars with bigger sizes. Some acoustic guitar shapes are also more comfortable to play with a bigger belly. Remember that comfortability is integral to choosing the acoustic guitar you will play, especially if you are a professional musician.
If you still do not have any idea what is the perfect acoustic guitar shape for you, let us check out all these existing acoustic guitar shapes available in the market before you purchase the perfect one for your playing.
What Are All The Acoustic Guitar Shapes That Exist In The Market?
In this part, we are going to discuss the different acoustic guitar shapes that you typically see in your local or online music stores. As of this moment, six acoustic guitar shapes are the most familiar to all guitar players and owners, and we are going to focus on these shapes and determine why they were made as is.
Parlor
If you do not include the 3/4 and half-scaled acoustic guitars, the parlour guitars may have the smallest size of all acoustic guitars. Any parlour guitar has a narrow waist and a compact size. The parlour acoustic guitar shape was invented in the 19th century and has become famous for being used in small rooms. Nowadays, more and more guitar enthusiasts love to use parlour acoustic guitars because of their size, as they are lightweight, and you can easily travel with them anywhere.
Parlor acoustic guitars are known to have more light and focused sound. It also has a balanced sound and is an excellent choice for fingerpicking. Many folk artists use parlour guitars as their go-to guitars when performing.
If you want to look for some famous parlour acoustic guitars, one you should check out is the Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top. It is a great parlour guitar with an old-school look similar to the Gretsch guitars in the 1930s. Another option is the Takamine GY11ME, a great parlour guitar with a built-in preamp system.
Concert
Another acoustic guitar shape known by many is the Concert, also called by others the Model O. Concert guitars are a little bit larger than parlour guitars. The size and shape of a concert guitar are more similar to a classical guitar.
Concert acoustic guitars are known to produce a more balanced tone, and they sound a little bit tiny compared to other larger acoustic guitars. Its produced brightness can usually cut through the mix, which is excellent if you play in a band. This guitar shape is preferred by guitar players who usually fingerpick.
If you are looking for a great concert acoustic guitar that you can add to your collection, the Martin LX1 Little Martin is a great option you should look into.
Grand Concert
The third acoustic guitar shape is known by many as the Grand Concert, while some people call it the Model OO. Its shape is also similar to a classical guitar like the Concert acoustic guitar. This shape is standardised by the work of the renowned guitar luthier Antonio Torres.
The grand concert guitar’s size and shape are intended as it helps in producing a very well-balanced mid-range tone. It is a versatile acoustic guitar, so you do not have to worry about whatever genre you have to play with it. It is also a more quiet acoustic guitar, but it is also what makes it popular.
Grand Auditorium
The next acoustic guitar shape in line is called the Grand Auditorium. Other musicians also call them Auditorium, while others call them the Orchestra Model, or simply OM. This shape became popular in the 1990s and still has stayed in the market even these days. The Grand Auditorium is smaller than the most popular Dreadnought, but they are larger compared to the parlour and concert acoustic guitars.
Grand Auditorium produces a very balanced tone, not too bright, but not too bassy either. These guitars are great for fingerpicking, but they can also be used for solo gigs if you need to just strum to them. A great example of a mid-level grand auditorium guitar is the Taylor 114ce 100, while the Takamine Pro Series 3 P3MC is a great option for a high-level grand auditorium acoustic guitar.
Dreadnought
The dreadnought is the most common of all acoustic guitar shapes, and it is also the most popular. Martin Guitars introduced this acoustic guitar shape in the market in the year 1916. Its name comes after a classic British battleship, which also has a large body similar to the acoustic guitar.
Because it has a large body, dreadnought guitars are known to produce a loud and deep tone, which is perfect for strumming. It can also be a great choice for fingerpicking, as many professional guitarists use dreadnoughts in their performance. Its versatility is one of the reasons why musicians love to have a dreadnought acoustic guitar in their collection.
If you are looking to have a dreadnought acoustic guitar, an excellent option you should look into is the Martin D-18. It is one of the most popular dreadnought guitars on the market. Another option you should try is the Gibson Hummingbird, which is also a very famous acoustic guitar.
Jumbo
Of all the acoustic guitar shapes that exist, the Jumbo is the largest, as what its name suggests. This acoustic guitar shape has the most air inside its body, which means that you have to exert more energy when you strum to maximise its potential sound. It has a tight waist which gives the guitar its clarity.
Jumbo acoustic guitars are usually used for playing in country, folk, and pop songs. As these guitars are used for strumming rather than fingerpicking, there is really why you usually see them in the Nashville music scene for the genres mentioned. With its bass response, it is really an acoustic guitar to play with, especially if you are a rhythm guitar player.
If you do not have any idea what models you can choose from with Jumbo-sized acoustic guitar, maybe you should look into the Guild Westerly F-150, which is a great option if you are looking for one.
So, does the shape of an acoustic guitar matter? Why are acoustic guitar shapes different? The shape of an acoustic guitar really matters, as its tone and volume differ from the different shapes. There are reasons why acoustic guitars have different shapes, and one of them is comfortability. With larger people, they would also prefer to have a larger acoustic guitar like a dreadnought or even a jumbo.
