Not to be confused with the nylon strung "folk" guitar, the classical guitar, although sharing the same type of strings, offers the musician a far more sophisticated instrument, in build quality and tone.
The beautiful classical guitar has a wide ranging repertoire which, in the right hands, can evoke every changing emotion, from romantic and enchanting moods through to the dramatic and dynamic. This review will explain all you need to know about handmade classical guitars.
The Classical Guitar we know today is the result of hundreds of years of design progression. A primitive form of the guitar can be traced back to the 15th century but it is not until the 19th century that the template for todays best classical guitars was laid down.
The modern day guitar has its roots in humble beginnings and was originally the domain of field workers rather than the higher echelons of society. For this reason, top luthiers were slow to take up the mantle of guitar creation and continued to concentrate their efforts on the more popular concert instruments of the day like the cellos or violin.
The guitars' ability to express the emotion of the player did win the hearts of some listeners in high society. Louis XIV of France and Charles II of England were indeed great fans of the guitar but it would still be many years before the guitar was elevated to the performance stage and taken seriously by guitar builders.
The design template for the Classical guitar of today was established by Spanish builders in the 19th century, who standardised the guitar size and scale length and developed the internal support and strengthening mechanism. Their ingenuity set the standard for great guitar building which continues to this day.
The four main construction parts are as follows:
1. A top (or "table") made from Spruce which is strong enough to withstand the string tension of a full-scale neck, while light and thin enough to be musically responsive.
2. Rosewood back and sides to give a rigid structure but still light enough to resonate a tuneful sound.
3. A neck of Cedar which has just the right balance of strength and weight to withstand the string tension without impairing the sound quality.
4. An ebony fingerboard made wide and flat to assist fingering when playing with the thumb behind the neck.
The evolution of the Classical guitar continues today with top craftsmen exploring new and innovative design techniques and modern materials. Ultra thin tops and carbon fibre are just some of the new products being utilised in the pursuit of perfect sound and playability.
This passion for perfection will ensure that the Classical guitar will continue to grow and evolve and remain one of the worlds most popular musical instruments.
In addition to this review, you can discover the secrets of playing excellent classical guitar in a few short weeks with my FREE beginners guide to learning guitar at:
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