Before the modern guitars were developed, the instruments were known as flat wooden sound boards, a long fretted neck, flat back, and ribs that had incurved sides. These were noble and ancient instruments whose history goes back over 4,000 years.

They were first used by our ancestors across Europe and the Americans later adopted them in the beginning of the 12th century. The instruments mainly descend from the ones that were found in ancient India and Central Asia. This is why they are closely related to other musical instruments found in the region like the Setar, Sitar and Tanbur. Tanburs and bowl harps are some of the some of the earliest stringed instruments according to professional archaeologists. These were made from calabashes and tortoise shells with bent sticks and silk strings.

There are many museums that still showcase the items to date. More advanced harps began to appear from 2500- 2000 CE and these featured gold decorations and 11 strings. The ultimate vintage guitar is around 3500 years and it belonged to an Egyptian singer who was known as Har-Mose. The instrument had a total of 3 strings with a plectrum that has been suspended using a cord from the neck. It also had a sound box that was made from polished and beautiful cedar wood and can be viewed in Cairo at the archaeological museum.

One of the oldest iconographical representations of a musical instrument that displayed most of the essential features of a guitar is a stone carving that is located in Turkey at a place known as Alaca Huyuk. This had incurved sides, a flat top and long fretted neck that resembles modern guitars. The Tanbur took another twist in development in the Arabian countries at the time when the oud was introduced to Spain. This gave birth to an instrument that was known as a lute. It remained fretless from the earlier editions but its proportions changed. It also featured a pear shaped body, numerous strings, a vaulted back and a peg head that was sharply angled.

The name guitar is derived from the ancient tar word that was used to represent the string. The languages were developed in Northern India and Central Asia. There are various types of ancient string instruments found in Central Asia that are used to date and most of them end with the word tar to show the number of strings they have.

The Indian sitar is also one of the instruments that the guitar borrows its roots from. It was made following local cultural and aesthetic ideas. This was improved over time to come up with better instruments that produced better sound. The harps and tanburs made their way through a number of continents because of trade. With time, people copied some of the concepts that were found in the ancient instruments to come up with modern guitars that people enjoy using to date. There are still new innovations that are made bringing in newer models into the market. You have to learn to play guitar to enjoy using the instrument.

Types of Guitars

There are different types of this instrument that produce various sounds. Try out different models in the music shop to get to know the unique qualities. The model you decide to get depends on the kind of music it will play as well as design and color and other aesthetics. Some of the models include:

Acoutic guitar – This is found in all parts of the world. It has gone through a lot of historical evolution and cultural adoption that has brought about different variations in purpose and design. It has a hollow and large body that acts as a resonating chamber that amplifies the instruments strings. They also tend to produce heavier and deeper tones. There are some that have cutaways that allows the user to access high frets. Its timbre can be used for a number of roles and tasks. It is also easy to use and light thus it can be carried around with ease.

Electric guitars – This is mostly used to play rock music, pop, jazz and blues. They normally make use of electricity and have to be plugged in properly if you want the amplifier to be heard well. It features thin and contoured strings that are easy to play. They also come in a number of designs that produce different tones. The Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster are the 2 most popular designs that the instruments are available in. The basic guitar chords of the instrument are thin and do not require a lot of effort to push them down.

Electro acoustic guitars – These feature the timbre found in acoustic guitars and pickups that are specifically designed for subtle nuances. These can be used on a PA which is beneficial especially to individuals who perform outdoors.

Twelve string guitar – These belong to the acoustic group but have 12 strings. They come with the regular 6 strings found on other instruments but have additional 6 thin strings that correspond with the regular ones. The thinner strings are tuned an octave higher. They usually produce more prominent and brighter tones but are hard to play because the additional strings require more pressure to be pressed down. Bending the notes also requires the player to use more muscular effort. They are also confined to niche roles like rhythm guitar. They are also quite costly and you need to be very careful with maintenance to be used for a long time without any problem.

Archtop guitars – This is a semi hollow or hollow instrument that makes use of steel strings. It borrows some aspects from the violin and mandolin and it also has unique timbre that creates a distinctive tone. They can either be electric or acoustic and the only problem they posses is the fact that the amplifier normally produces feedback when it is being played. Because of their thick strings, they are most popular in jazz music.

Steel guitars – These are unique pieces of equipment because they are played on their own stand or on the players’ knees horizontally. The players have to use a piece of steel when they want to play the instrument. These usually have six strings but there are some that come with more.

Resonator guitars – These are also known as steel guitars because of their metal bodies. They usually do not have the regular sound holes. They are easily heard in a large room as they produce bright and loud sound. They can be played with glass or metal in a convectional style and are favorites to country players and blues musicians.

Bass guitar – This has thicker and scale length strings when compared to the standard instruments. This means that they are able to come up with a different notes that can be pitched an octave lower than other machines. It is mostly used in the rhythm section. You have the option of choosing an instrument that has 4, 5 or 6 strings.

Double neck guitars – These are 2 different instruments that are placed in one body. They have an amazing design that allows the players to switch and access either neck.

Guitar Accessories

Once you have purchased the instrument there are some things that can be bought to make the machine even better like a strap leather button- this is quite costly and is used to store the machine. You can also get a guitar tuner – this is quite necessary as it aids the player to tune the instrument in the right way to produce beautiful music. It is mostly used by people who are learning how to play the instrument for the first time to make it much easier and fun. You can take advantage of an online guitar tuner that works in the right way. It is not only used by new players as it can also help professional players to save time tuning the instrument especially before a performance.

A guitar pick holder is another example of useful instrument accessories. This is one of the devices that guitar players lose on a daily basis. It is a piece of plastic that holds all the picks and can be placed at the back of the instrument or the players’ pants for easier access. You can also buy the string winder that is used to assist the players in changing strings.

The accessories are normally manufactured by different companies and it is important to carry out a lot of research to find the best in the market to get high quality products. Make sure the accessories bought are compatible with the instrument. You should also make sure you read all the instructions on how to use the accessories and tips for maintenance to use them without any problem. There are also a lot of great software programs to use for guitars like guitar tuning, sound effects, and guitar lessons. A lot of today’s computer software can help you improve your guitar skills and learn new skills fast. A lot of famous musicians are dependent on various software when they do their recordings or perform live during concerts, or else you would not have had the same experience after buying your cheap concert tickets online to watch their live performances.

To save on money, try and look of the best deals in the market and only buy the accessories that are needed. It is also important to find high quality products that can be used for a long time without rushing to the shop to repair or replace them.