The Two Parts Of A Guitar And What It Is Made Of

A guitar may seem like a simple instrument. It's made of wood, some strings and that's about it. However, it's the art of making a guitar that is most important. This is because the sound that a guitar makes really depends on the kind of wood and material that it is made of. This means that even though you can buy any guitar in the world, it won't sound like any other.

So what is a good guitar made of? Is one piece of wood enough for the whole guitar? Here are the 2 parts of a guitar and what the best materials are for their construction.

• The Body – This is the most important part of a guitar. It is where all the sound is made or where it resonates from. So the kind of wood that is used should equally be important.

The most popular kinds of wood used on the body of guitars are Alder and Ash. If you have heard of the brand Fender, then you will know what Alder is because this is pretty much the wood that they use on their guitars. The wood is light and can be painted on really well; solid colors coming off particularly bright.

Ash, on the other hand, is also another kind of wood that Fender uses but it is heavier. But the finished product is really amazing and looks much better than when other kinds of wood are used.

Mahogany is another kind of wood that is popular and it is dark. Brands like Les Paul and Gibson use this kind of wood on their guitars. A very heavy wood, it is dense and stable.

Maple is also another kind of wood that can be used but the wood alone is too heavy so it has to be used with other woods in construction.

• The Neck – It is important to also know what kind of wood is used for the neck of the guitar, where all the frets are. Mahogany is usually used with another kind of wood like Maple for the body of a guitar. And this is also true for the neck.

Maple cannot be used for both the body and the neck because it is too heavy. But when it comes to the neck, Maple is most preferred because it is strong and stable. It is also used for the fret board material because of the tone that it helps to produce.

Mahogany is not so great for the guitar neck. You also have the option of using Rosewood or Ebony. Rosewood is heavy and works great for the neck because of its warm tone which is why it makes a great fingerboard material. Ebony also has the same effect except that it's darker and harder. There are also black types of wood that make for a great looking and a great sounding guitar.

Those are the types of wood that most manufacturers use for some of the best guitars in the world. Are you thinking that you can probably make your own guitar? Then try to get yourself a good supply of the aforementioned types of wood if you want to make a professional instrument.