Acoustic Guitars

The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments in use today, and it covers a wide range of musical styles -- rock music, country music and flamenco music all use the same instrument to create totally different sounds. The guitar is an instrument that has been present since the 1500's, but it has undergone many transformations during its history.

In the soundboard there is a large hole called the sound hole. The hole is normally round and centered, but pairs of holes in the form of F as in a violin, are sometimes seen. Attached to the soundboard is a piece called the bridge, which serves as the point of anchorage for one end of the 6 strings. The bridge has a thin, hard piece embedded called the saddle, which is the portion on which rest the strings.

When the strings vibrate, the vibrations travel through the saddle on the bridge, then on the soundboard. The whole soundboard is now vibrant. The body of the guitar form a hollow resonating chamber that amplifies the vibrations of the soundboard. If you tap a tuning fork on the bridge of the guitar, you can prove that the vibrations of the soundboard are what produces the sound of the acoustic guitar.