Different Guitars

When I’m out looking for guitar info, music, tabs, etc. I always come across Spanish guitar. What is Spanish guitar anyway? It is apparently also classical guitar. (I just knew I was going to like it.) Anyway I always assumed that it was closely related to classical guitar, and it is, but is the guitar different? I’m assuming everyone means the acoustic guitar when they say “classical guitar” but if they’re not talking about the style of music why must they be so difficult? Kinda like it’s a “Violin” not a “Fiddle” thank you. But I found that there are a lot more guitar type instruments than I realized, check these out.

The renaissance guitar. This the 16th century model of the classical guitar. The body is not so wide and very plain. It also has pairs of strings like the modern 12 string guitar but usually only 4 or 5 pairs. The renaissance guitar was mainly a rhythm instrument and occasionally used for solo fantasias.

The Baroque. Very similar to the renaissance guitar, the baroque is smaller and has extensive and exquisite inlays on the neck and body.

Classical guitar. Apparently not an acoustic, this guitar usually has nylon strings and is used to play classical music. They are also smaller than the acoustic. Antonio Torres Jurado set the standard size of the modern classical guitar.

Dobro guitar. The correct name of this instrument is actually Resonator guitar. The resonator guitar is shaped like an acoustic guitar, but instead of a hollow wood body it has a metal resonator. The Dobro is actually a brand name originating from the Dopyera brothers who started the Dobro Manufacturing Company. John Dopyera started manufacturing resonator guitars with one inverted resonator cone, instead of three cones. In 1993 Gibson bought the Original Music Company and the Dobro brand name. The inverted single cone resonators are the only resonator guitars now sold under the name Dobro, while Gibson also sells other styles of resonator guitars under different names.

Flat top (steel string). Acoustic. Stronger, bigger and more narrow neck than the classical. Now we are not puzzled little puppies anymore.

12 string guitar. An acoustic with 12 strings. Still the only guitar that does justice to “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”.

Now I have several more instruments on my “Do before you die” list.