How much does a classic master guitar weigh. Common guitar size

In search of your sound, sooner or later, you are faced with the question of how much the weight of your guitar affects the sound. And so, which guitar will sound better? Heavy or light? Some guitarists believe that a light instrument sways easier and resonates better from the vibrations of strings, respectively, it sounds more musically, openly and brightly, with emphasized tops. Others say that rich surround sound is a characteristic of traditional heavy-body electric guitars. The more wood, the more sustain. There is truth in both points of view. And there are examples of guitars that sound great, while dramatically varying in weight. Before the early 80s, Gibson Les Paul guitars weighed about 5.5 kg. And these guitars were the basis of the sound of such bands and musicians as Led Zeppelin, The Sex Pistols, Boston and Peter Frampton. On the other hand, the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars, which began to be released back in the 50s, weighed only 3-3.5 kg, while it sounded great that we can hear ourselves on Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and the first album of the same Led Zeppelin. As you can see, a good sound can be both there and there.

So the answer to the question “what sounds better, heavy guitar or light?” not very simple. It is influenced by many factors. For example, for some people, 5.5 kg on the shoulder during a big concert or rehearsal is too much, even if such a guitar sounds cool. The guitar, after which you feel physical tiredness or pain, will not bring you pleasure and is unlikely to inspire you. A light instrument, on the contrary, may sound better, simply because it is easier for you to play it in every sense.

As for the sound of the tree itself, I think that it is fundamentally important what the guitar is made of, and not its weight. Maple and mahogany are themselves quite heavy species. The weight of a full maple guitar will not please you at all, but the combination of mahogany and maple top is what many guitarists adore their Les Paul's for and will not be exchanged for anything. Low surround sound from mahogany + mid-tone from maple \u003d that same favorite guitar sound that we all hear on classic guitar albums.

By the way, since 1982 Gibson has become easier, they have cut out whole pieces inside the cases before gluing the top. Thus, these guitars are dumped 1-1.5 kg. Since 2007, Les Paul has become even lighter - 2.3 kg due to cavities inside the case. Many say that it affected the sound; others, on the contrary, rejoice that their favorite guitar has become easier.

Alder, ash and linden are lighter types of wood. Each of them emphasizes its own special frequency range, respectively, guitars from these types of wood are very different from each other. The type of wood rather than its weight affects the sound much more strongly. Stratocaster and Telecaster sound either transparent (ash) or balanced (alder), however, single pickups and the shape of the guitar are also very important here. Sometimes strata and telly come across, which weigh a little more than usual, but nevertheless, they still sound like Strat or Tele.

Wood quality is what you really need to chase. A tree is an organic material whose character is determined by the climatic conditions in which the tree grew. There are no two identical trees, there are no two identical pieces of wood with the same acoustic properties. The older, lighter and more seasoned the tree is, the more likely it is that the musical instrument will be better out of it.

If we are talking about mass production, then this is a lottery. If we get lucky. Two seemingly identical guitars will not sound the same and may even differ in weight. So the most the best way to choose a guitar is to pick it up and play it. And if this is your guitar, you will immediately understand it.

By the way, what is your guitar made of?

If we are talking about mass production, then this is a lottery. If we get lucky. Two seemingly identical guitars will not sound the same and may even differ in weight. So the best way to choose a guitar is to pick it up and play it. And if this is your guitar, you will immediately understand it.

By the way, what is your guitar made of?

Few novice musicians study with a teacher or attend a music school. Most domestic guitar lovers are self-taught who got the instrument from relatives or friends. They, as a rule, also show the first chords. Choosing the right guitar for a particular performer is not an easy task. You need to know the size of the guitar, ideal for the chosen purpose, its type, to understand what sound it should make. Let's try to understand the generally accepted sizes of this musical instrument.

Type of guitar

First of all, before buying an instrument, you need to decide what type of guitar is needed:

Classical - six-stringed instrument with softer
Acoustic - a kind of classical guitar, but with the number of which may vary.
An electric guitar is a guitar with an electromagnetic pickup.
A bass guitar is usually a four-string instrument designed to extract low sounds.

The types listed are the most popular and versatile, available at most music stores. There are rarer varieties, such as those with several vultures, but they are more needed by professionals.

Beginning guitarists to choose an instrument will help understanding what music will be performed. So, for romances, classical works, flamenco or bard song, a classical guitar is ideal. It is the lightest, it is taught to play an instrument of this type in music schools, choosing the size of the guitar depending on the age of the student. For rock music, blues, jazz, country and other rhythmic melodies it is better to choose an acoustic, electric or bass guitar. The latter is the most difficult for beginners to master, since it has a longer neck and tighter strings.

Classic Guitar Sizes

You need to understand that a ten-year-old child and an adult guy are a big difference. What is convenient for a small person does not suit an adult at all, therefore, in the classical models of the instrument, an international grid of sizes has long been applicable. A person of any age and complexion will be able to choose a suitable tool.

The 4/4 guitar size (four quarters) fits an adult - it's a full standard 7/8 smaller than a standard, ideal for teens or short adult musicians. This size of the guitar is ideal for bards and travelers, it is lighter and more convenient to transport. A 3/4 guitar, the sizes of which are intended for children aged 8-11 years, is a popular option, because most often it is at this age that parents take their children to learn the skill of playing a string instrument. If a child is 5-9 years old, then he needs 1/2 guitar, up to 6 years - 1/8.

Sizes of Acoustic Guitars

The parameters of acoustic guitars duplicate the classical classification, but differ in the design of the body and its size. Unlike a classical guitar, an acoustic guitar has stiffer steel strings and a thin neck. The body of such a guitar is larger than that of the classic model. Acoustic instruments distinguishes the number of strings (6, 7 or 12), the size of the guitar and the shape of the body. Depending on the size (from smallest to largest) of the tool, there are:

Grand Concert is a compact descendant of a classic acoustic guitar, which does not have the loudest sound due to the small amount of air in the case. A good option for teens and children.
Grand Auditorium - Guitars that are slightly larger in size and often feature a convex lower deck. The sound of the instrument is deeper, more saturated.
Dreadnought is one of the most popular designs today. A characteristic feature of the dreadnought is that the near part of the hull is much closer to the bar, and the far part is enlarged. Such models have a deeper body, which gives a special sound.
Jumbo is an enlarged version of the Grand Auditorium guitar with a volume approaching that of a dreadnought. They were created, as competitors to dreadnought, have a more saturated sound. They are not convenient for everyone, therefore they also produce mini-versions of the Jumbo guitar.
They have 6 pairs of strings combined, which can be tuned in different ways (usually the interval is one octave), which makes it possible to create a chorus effect.

Bass features

The dimensions of the bass guitar are significantly larger compared to the classics or acoustics (about 1.1 meters in length). But such a guitar is one of the "youngest" - appeared in the 50s of the last century thanks to the American master Leo Fender.

Bass guitars are the same power tools, but emit lower sounds. They have a one-piece housing, special sensors and control knobs. Such guitars are popular among heavy rock and country music performers. In order to hear the sound of bass, it must be connected using a cable with a plug to the amplifier and speaker. The plug or "jack" is inserted into the socket on the instrument housing intended for it, the sensor signals are sent to the amplifier, it, in turn, converts the signal and transfers it to the speaker.

What material to prefer?

Most tools are made by combining wood of different species. Plastic or metal is used less often. Experts say that there is no "best" or "worst" wood species - you need to choose an instrument according to sound and convenience.

Brand and country of origin

Brand selection is especially important when buying electric and bass guitars, as the standards for their production are not clearly defined. Different manufacturers vary the number of strings, change the shape of the body and the electronic components of the guitar. Now every brand works for a specific niche. So, Jackson - for metallers, Fender - to get a “clean” sound, Gibson produces an instrument with a “bold” sound, Yamaha - the optimal ratio of price and quality, but these are conditional signs. All the manufacturers listed above produce fairly versatile guitars.

It is believed that serial production is made in the USA and Japan. For classic guitars of the upper price segment, the leader is Spain. However, the declared country of manufacture does not guarantee the quality of the tool, especially on the market there are often fakes. When buying, you need to check the quality of gluing the parts of the guitar, the evenness of the neck, the absence of cracks.

Tool cost

Used tools are definitely cheaper (2-3 times). On average, starting with 5,000 Russian rubles, you can buy a tool suitable for training. Professional guitars are much more expensive. In addition to the instrument itself, you need a cover (better waterproof and frost-resistant), a tuner for tuning, and other accessories - picks, capo, belt. For electric or bass, you need a combo amplifier.