If musicians suffer for their art, then guitarists may suffer the most of all. A meta-analysis of 18 separate studies conducted over more than a decade found guitarists were commonly afflicted with more playing-related pain than other musicians. “There was a tendency for guitar players to have the highest pain prevalence,” according to the study, which was published in … [Read more...] about Why guitarists are at the highest risk of back, neck and hand pain among all musicians
Guitar Construction
How an acoustic guitar’s back and side tonewood affects sound quality (it doesn’t)
The most valuable classical guitar in the world – painstakingly crafted by luthier Herman Hauser to Andrés Segovia’s exacting standards – has a spruce top and Brazilian rosewood back and sides. But research suggests the quality of its sound has little to do with the expensive rosewood and everything to do with the luthier’s skill. Brazilian rosewood has traditionally … [Read more...] about How an acoustic guitar’s back and side tonewood affects sound quality (it doesn’t)
Electric guitars: Why ash bodies sound ‘better’ than walnut
The body of an electric guitar may not shape the sound as much as an acoustic, but it still has a noticeable effect, whether made of mahogany, alder, ash, maple, walnut, or even more exotic tonewoods. Each type of tonewood tends to become associated with certain acoustic properties such as as warm, mellow, full-bodied, bright, or balanced. But these are qualitative … [Read more...] about Electric guitars: Why ash bodies sound ‘better’ than walnut
New study looks at factors driving acoustic guitar prices
Guitarists are still willing to pay more for guitars built with traditional tonewoods even as rosewood, mahogany, and ebony become increasingly scarce and, in some cases, endangered, according to new research. The study, which analyzed 2000 second-hand guitar sales on the Japanese Aucfan site over a year, found this desire for ‘traditionality’ applied to both higher-priced … [Read more...] about New study looks at factors driving acoustic guitar prices
Cedar or spruce? Alhambra, Yamaha and Alvaro acoustic guitars tested
The sound of an acoustic guitar is dictated by many factors, but one of the most important is the choice of wood for the top plate. Spruce and cedar have traditionally been among the most popular due to the wood’s stiffness and low density. A recent study compared the sound characteristics of the two materials across two groups of spruce and cedar top guitars. The first … [Read more...] about Cedar or spruce? Alhambra, Yamaha and Alvaro acoustic guitars tested
What is the most expensive electric guitar ever sold?
The electric guitar underpinned the rise of pop and rock music – and some aficionados are willing to pay millions for the instruments that made it happen. Electric guitars have routinely sold for more than any other type of guitar although the most expensive guitar remains Kirk Cobain's acoustic Martin D-18E. It is one of just three acoustic guitars to sell for more than $1 … [Read more...] about What is the most expensive electric guitar ever sold?
What is the most expensive acoustic guitar ever sold?
The most expensive acoustic guitars in the world have helped shape the history of modern pop and rock music. For those able to afford them, the price pales into insignificance compared to the value of owning an instrument that channeled some of the most iconic songs ever known. While the most expensive classical guitars have attracted a few hundred thousand dollars, … [Read more...] about What is the most expensive acoustic guitar ever sold?
Why every good guitar has a wolf note
Every standard guitar has the same notes but not all notes are created equal: wolf notes cry out for the wrong type of attention. Wolf notes occur wherever the frequency of one of the harmonics of a note coincides with a mode of the guitar body – both vibrate together. The lower harmonics tend to exhibit this phenomenon the most. The result is a note that is initially … [Read more...] about Why every good guitar has a wolf note
Why acoustic guitars are often made from spruce or cedar
The best acoustic guitars in the world have historically been made from specific types of wood, such as spruce, cedar and rosewood. Is it just tradition or is it backed by science? Part of the answer lies in the properties of the wood itself. An exhaustive piece of research conducted in the late-1970s evaluated 25 wood species (across 87 wood samples) which had been used to … [Read more...] about Why acoustic guitars are often made from spruce or cedar
Why unusual woods are being used to make great acoustic guitars
A great acoustic guitar needs a top that is both stiff and has a low mass - a rare combination. Spruce and cedar both have it, allowing the guitar to vibrate in a musically pleasing way. However, this doesn't automatically mean non-traditional woods can't be used to make great guitars. "Numerous famous luthiers have used low grade salvaged timber and non‐wood products to … [Read more...] about Why unusual woods are being used to make great acoustic guitars