Acoustic Guitars

Acoustic Guitars (including classical guitars) use their larger-than-electric bodies to amplify sound naturally, which is why Electric Guitars and Acoustic Guitars are built differently. Acoustic Guitars feature 22 frets, while Classical Guitars with nylon strings have 21 frets. Acoustic Guitars use steel wound strings and tend to have a slimmer neck which is easy to play. They come in many sizes, from the small parlour and folk sized guitars, through to auditorium sized, and the crazier, dreadnought-sized guitars. They are louder than classical and electric guitars and are built for maximum resonance and projection. Acoustic Guitars are the most preferred beginner guitar and are available in various price ranges and colours. They also have multiple string options – 6 string acoustic guitar, 12 string acoustic guitar, and 4 string acoustic bass guitar.

Acoustic Guitars can be used to record and perform live music using a condenser microphone or an instrument microphone. The sound produced by an Acoustic Guitar is mainly due to the resonant sound of the string against the soundboard - which means, the larger the guitar, the louder the sound. This also means that the bigger guitars will sound more bass-heavy than the smaller ones. A notable benefit of the acoustic guitar is its capability to be converted into a semi-acoustic guitarat a later stage by adding a Piezoelectric pickup (installed inside the body of a guitar)  or a soundhole pickup (bridges the soundhole like an electric guitar). Piezoelectric pickups are best paired with a preamp.

Do different guitars use different strings?
Classical (or Spanish) guitars use Nylon strings, while acoustic, electric and bass guitars use steel strings. Nylon strings are also found on ukuleles.

What are string gauges and which ones should I use?
String gauges are indicated on string packs to describe the thickness of the string set. The name of the gauge (e.g. 11s) is derived from the thickness of the thinnest string (the high E). They are also referred to in terms like ‘light’ and ‘medium’, usually 9 and 10 respectively, though this varies.

Do different wood types alter the sound of the guitar?
The wood of the guitar will affect the timbre of the instrument. For example, mahogany is known for its darker sound, with spruce, on the other hand, sought after for its bright, more colourful tone.

Do I always need to replace my strings?
String replacement is subjective, though it is recommended when the strings feel worn and uncomfortable to play. For recordings, it is recommended to have fresh strings. On the other hand, some players prefer the sound and tonal qualities of older strings. It is subjective and up to the player.

Did you know: You can use electric guitar pedals with semi-acoustic guitars.
The basic pedals like Chorus, Flange, and Delay will work as intended if your guitar supports electronic modulation. However, you can also use the more exaggerated pedals like the wah-wah and distortion – which will, of course, be experimental. You may even discover a new sound that could redefine music production possibilities on an acoustic guitar. 

Can I use nylon strings on my Acoustic Guitar?
Technically, you can use Nylon strings on an Acoustic Guitar. However, this is not recommended by any measure because steel-wound guitars (and their necks) are calibrated to support steel strings. By introducing nylon strings, the tension on the neck and soundboard can be affected, in turn damaging the guitar as a whole. Moreover, the tuning will most definitely sound off. Nylon strings are best suited for Classical Guitars.

What is the price range of an Acoustic Guitar?
An Acoustic Guitar starts from AED 130 and can go upto AED 2,300 in the professional ranges.