Bass guitars tend to play simple repetitive patterns that help establish the rhythm and groove of songs, with pedal effects often used to alter tone or volume levels.
Young man posing with his electric bass guitar. A music and hobby concept. The bass has a dark grey scale finish.
Acoustic
An acoustic guitar is an instrument that produces sound without using electrical components, such as strings. Its hollow body contains a soundhole for natural string vibration. Acoustic guitars also include necks with fretboards equipped with smaller lines of metal called frets to mark intervals for notes on its strings and also feature nuts and saddles as important features of their design.
These instruments typically feature six or more strings. One hand holds them against the fret wires on the neck while the other hand plucks them with plectrum or finger plucking, altering pitches by pressing down on individual strings while moving fingers up and down the neck to fret them.
Many acoustic guitars feature cutaways to allow players to easily reach the higher frets on the neck. This feature is especially helpful for guitarists looking to play lead or chords effortlessly. Some also come equipped with a truss rod – an internal rod running along the length of the neck that can be adjusted for greater playability and sustain.
An acoustic guitar’s tonal characteristics depend heavily upon the type of tonewood it uses for its soundboard, with wood on top having an impactful role to play in its overall tone.
The bridge of a guitar is another integral component, transferring string vibrations to its soundboard. The material used for its construction (whether plastic or ebony) can have a major effect on how its tone is expressed by this instrument.
Acoustic and electric guitars both share some similarities, yet are distinct instruments. If you are trying to decide between them, visit your local music store and test out each option to see which feels best in your hands – select one based on how it inspires you!
Electric
No matter their shape, size and neck length differences, all electric guitars share certain key elements. These include the body which may be constructed of wood or plastic; a headstock featuring metal tuners and nut that holds strings; frets to mark notes on the neck; an amplifier or pickup to convert vibrations of strings into electrical current; and control knobs which adjust volume and tone levels.
While bass guitars may not be as ubiquitous in modern music as their acoustic cousins, they remain a highly valued instrument in today’s musical landscape. Basses can be found across genres from blues to rock and are typically played by dedicated bassists. Furthermore, basses serve as foundational elements in many songs which makes them integral components of band soundscapes.
Basses may require more finesse to play than other guitar types, and can take more practice to master than other forms of instrument. Once mastered however, playing a bass can be immensely satisfying and you can find various models designed specifically for beginners online.
As with an acoustic guitar, an electric bass can be played through various amplifiers for different sounds. Blues bassists may opt for amplifiers that distort sound to add some rawness and authenticity in their performances.
Other effects, like delay and reverb, can help modify the overall tone of an electric bass. Although these may not be necessary for all bassists, they can add great versatility when exploring new styles or techniques.
An electric bass requires a guitar amp, which can be purchased for an affordable price. An instrument cable connects it directly to the amp while a tuner will help ensure that you always play in tune. In addition, consider investing in bass guitar picks made of plastic which come in various thicknesses; School of Rock advises starting off with medium-sized picks when beginning bass playing.
Vintage
Some people purchase vintage guitars as collectable items with an entire culture and fandom behind them, while others search for the “mojo” of some models as part of their magical properties. Whatever the motivation is behind their desire to purchase vintage instruments online, doing research before purchasing is key for getting a true sense of what it entails and whether its modern equivalent exists.
One issue with vintage guitars is their design features, which often make them difficult to use in today’s world. For instance, older instruments may feature cast-saddle bridges that can be hard to tune; further complicating matters are different string sets used back then being available now; which may affect tone as well as comfort levels when playing them.
Vintage guitars may present special challenges when it comes to finish quality. Many were coated in delicate nitrocellulose lacquer which can easily be damaged by sunlight or harsh conditions; many old instruments require repair which drastically decreases their value; whether or not you take this risk ultimately depends on personal preference and what price tag you can afford for an instrument.
When looking at vintage guitars, keep in mind they will likely cost more than similar newer instruments of similar types. If cost is an issue for you, there are plenty of great modern models with excellent sound and feel available at lower costs than their vintage counterparts; many made by UK companies such as Vintage Guitars which has been producing acoustic, electric and bass guitars since 1995 as well as amplifiers and other musical accessories.
Modern
Modern guitars come in all sorts of shapes, body styles, sizes and finishes – from solid wood models with electronics installed or modified with extra strings for specific genres to guitars with modifications specifically tailored for specific genres of music – these instruments allow musicians to create an array of sounds that make up part of any serious musician’s arsenal.
Modern guitars can be divided into two general categories: acoustic and electric. Within these broad categories lie many subcategories that continually emerge – for instance acoustic guitars may come equipped with six or twelve strings, and electric models feature either single- or dual-coil pickups.
Modern acoustic guitars are generally constructed from wood, though metal or plastic versions exist as well. Their top is typically composed of flat pieces of wood while their back may consist of solid pieces or routed boards pressed and routed for routing purposes. Additional features such as headstock, fretboard and nut are often found; their necks typically consist of hardwood such as oak while softwoods such as maple can also be utilized.
A truss rod is a thin yet strong metal rod that runs along the inside of a neck to correct curvatures caused by natural wear or string tension. The adjustment mechanism may include either a hex nut or allen key bolt on either end; sometimes this adjustment point is concealed beneath a cover, while in other instances it could even be hidden within the body of the guitar itself.
Bass strings are thicker than their treble counterparts and require a longer bridge to support them. Most bridges feature slight slanting that positions strings higher on their saddles and closer together than would otherwise be possible on an un-angled flat bridge; this helps create greater tension in each string for deeper sound quality and enhanced sustain. Jazz players tend to favor such bridges asymmetrically.
Some guitars include special effects that can add something extra to their basic acoustic sound, like delay or feedback. These effects can help accentuate its overall tone and set it apart from its competitors; some can be accessed using a foot pedal while others come built-in to the guitar itself.