Guitars come in various styles, each influencing tone, playability, and resonance. While the range available is large, some of the primary acoustic guitar body shapes include:
- Parlour – Compact with a balanced, warm tone.
- Concert & Grand Concert – Slightly larger than parlours.
- Auditorium & Grand Auditorium – Versatile mid-sized bodies with enhanced projection
- Dreadnought – Powerful volume.
- Jumbo – Large-bodied with deep resonance and bold low-end response
- Classical – Nylon-string with a wide neck, designed for classical and flamenco music.
Acoustic Properties
Each shape and size affect tone production:
- Larger bodies resonate more deeply, emphasizing bass frequencies.
- Smaller guitars tend to offer focused mid-tones and bright trebles. Wood selection and construction further refine tone, sustain, and harmonic complexity.
Choice
The selection of a guitar shape is a deeply personal decision. For me, the dreadnought was the obvious choice from the start. As a result, much of my research was more about expanding my understanding rather than influencing my preference.