The acoustic guitar comes in a variety of shapes and sizes; there are flat tops, arch tops, auditorium size, three-quarter size, dreadnaughts, cutaways, travel guitars, etc, etc, etc. You can buy plain old acoustic guitars, or electric-acoustic models that let you plug into an amplifier. And you can buy pick-ups that attach to your acoustic guitar, temporarily or permanently, that allow electronic amplification of the instrument.There are six string models (the most popular) and twelve string models, which I prefer for folk music. You can get classical models which use nylon or “catgut” strings and standard models which use steel strings.
But they all have common elements. The instrument makes music by plucking or sweeping the strings with a guitar pick or your fingers. The strings are attached to the head stock via machine heads or “tuning pegs”, which allow you to adjust the tension on each string, thereby increasing or decreasing the pitch of any given string.
The strings are secured to the body of the guitar by bridge pins, and the “saddle” keeps the strings elevated the proper distance from the playing surface (fretboard) of the guitar for ease of playing. Acting in concert with the saddle is the “nut” which separates the fretboard from the headstock. The saddle and the nut also keep the strings the proper distance from one another.
The frets (thin metal strips) on the neck are placed with mathematical precision because musical theory is largely based on mathematical formulae.
The body of the guitar is hollow to allow for a measure of reverberation which helps amplify the sound produced by the guitar. The “sound hole” allows the sound to escape, filling the air with either music or noise, depending on your ability. Most steel string guitars will come with a pick guard. This thin plastic device is designed to protect the body of the guitar from damage due to the constant contact of the pick as you sweep (strum) the strings.
The “arch top” guitar has a few additional parts, a movable bridge, for example, and the strings are attached to the body using a metal tailpiece. The round or oval shaped sound hole is replaced by two “F” shaped holes and the surface of the body is slightly “arched”. I’ve provided no illustration or explanation for the arch top guitar, because, if you’re here you’re interested in folk and country music and likely have the more traditional dreadnaught or concert style guitar.
Either that, or you got lost and were too damn lazy to get out and find a better site. Anyway, your assignment for to-day, should you choose to accept it, is simply to take a good look at the instrument you’re probably holding as you read this and acquaint yourself with its various parts.
