🎸 Guitar Knowledge
Explore the signature tones and best-use cases of classic guitars
⚡Electric Guitars
Stratocaster
The most iconic electric guitar: crisp single-coils and a comfortable contour.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
Positions 2 and 4 deliver the signature Strat quack from phase cancellation.
Les Paul Standard
Thick, powerful humbuckers—the backbone of rock.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
Les Paul weight often correlates with sustain—heavier guitars usually ring longer.
Telecaster
The twang machine: simple, direct, and perfect for country and rock.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
The Tele bridge pickup is instantly recognizable—its twang is hard to replicate.
SG Standard
Lightweight double-cut design with easy upper-fret access—rock and metal favorite.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
SGs are much lighter than Les Pauls but can feel neck-heavy due to the long neck.
Custom 24
A modern classic that blends Fender and Gibson strengths with top-tier build quality.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
PRS 5-way switching offers multiple single-coil and humbucker combinations.
ES-335
The semi-hollow pioneer: warm jazz tones with rock power.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
The center block makes the ES-335 more feedback-resistant than full hollows.
RG Series
A shredder’s favorite: thin, fast necks and Floyd Rose tremolos.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
The Ibanez Wizard neck is extremely thin and fast—it takes some getting used to.
6120 Nashville
Classic rockabilly and country sound with unique Filter'Tron pickups.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
Gretsch often pairs with Bigsby tremolos for subtle vibrato.
Soloist
A metal benchmark with sharp looks and high-output pickups.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
Jackson’s compound-radius fretboard is comfy for chords and smooth for bends.
330
Distinctive jangly tone—the sound of British rock.
Notable users
Best for
Pickup positions
💡 Tips
Rickenbacker 12-strings defined the iconic 60s jangle tone.
🪕Acoustic Guitars
Dreadnought
The most popular body: loud, strong bass, great for strumming and vocals.
Large body with wide waist and square shoulders
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
The safest all-around choice—if you’re unsure, pick a dreadnought.
Concert (0/00)
Medium size with balanced tone—great for fingerstyle and recording.
Medium body, smaller than a dreadnought
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
Concert bodies are comfortable for smaller players and long sessions.
Grand Auditorium
A modern all-rounder that balances fingerstyle and strumming.
Between dreadnought and concert with a narrower waist
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
Taylor’s signature body shape—modern and highly versatile.
Jumbo
The largest body: huge volume and bass for stage performance.
The biggest body with round lower bouts
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
Great on stage but bulky—less comfortable for smaller players.
Parlor
Vintage small body with warm, intimate tone—great for blues and folk.
Compact vintage body
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
Parlor guitars are the classic Delta blues voice and very portable.
Orchestra Model (OM)
Fingerstyle favorite with clear note separation for complex arrangements.
Similar to a concert body with a narrower waist, 14-fret neck joint
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
The 14-fret design makes upper-fret playing easier.
Classical / Nylon String
Nylon-string classical guitar with a warm, soft tone and wide neck.
Traditional classical shape with a wide, flat fretboard
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
The wide neck takes adjustment but improves finger independence.
12-String
Rich chorus effect and signature jangle from 12 strings.
Usually dreadnought or jumbo body
Notable models
Notable users
Best for
💡 Tips
Requires more finger strength, but the lush sound is unmatched.
🔧 Guitar Anatomy
headstock
Headstock — holds the tuners
tuners
Tuners — adjust string tension and pitch
nut
Nut — where the string starts vibrating
neck
Neck — where the fretting hand lives
frets
Frets — metal strips that determine pitch
fretboard
Fretboard — the playing surface
body
Body — the main guitar body
pickups
Pickups — convert string vibration to signal (electric)
bridge
Bridge — anchor point for the string
soundhole
Soundhole — acoustic resonance opening
pickguard
Pickguard — protects the body from pick scratches
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