Acoustic or electric-acoustic guitar. The best electric-acoustic guitars
Choosing an electro-acoustic guitar is a responsible matter that requires a serious approach. Firstly, the use of the instrument is influenced. Thus, flamenco or romance performers will need a classical electro-acoustic guitar, while rock and roll and blues players will choose jumbo or western devices.
When going to a musical instrument store, you need to clearly understand the purpose of purchasing the equipment. If you are purchasing an instrument for the first time, then perhaps the best choice would be a classic with synthetic strings - it will be easier to learn to play. This is why the classical (not electro-acoustic) guitar is used in music schools.
An ordinary guitar, whose homeland is Spain, has a characteristic body, which is made to the same standards for all manufacturers. The sound quality of the instrument depends on the material. Only a device with a soundboard made of wood can reveal its full potential.
If a standard “Spanish flue” is equipped with a tone block, then as a result of this procedure it will change its status.
We can say that electro-acoustic guitars appeared after this operation was performed. True, an instrument with a plastic body stands apart, for example, the Ovation guitar, invented in the last century.
When connected, this device surpasses other acoustics in many characteristics, but has a dull live sound. The original American electro-acoustic guitar from Ovation has (unlike its Korean-Chinese counterparts) a fairly high price.
However, one should not discount the Asian instrument. Of course, the famous and Chinese-made Gibsons cannot compare in sound to the original ones, but the price is their main advantage. On the Russian market, in its price segment, electro-acoustic is popular because it has good sound and an optimal price-quality ratio.
Having decided on the model of the tool, you should definitely try out the device, and preferably do this in a store (this opportunity should be provided). It often happens that the guitar begins to rattle. To check this, you should tug the strings, holding them in turn on each of the frets.
You also need to look at the thickness of the strings of the products. Acoustic-electric guitars of the Western model must have strings with a diameter of 0.12 or 0.13 mm. Thinner “threads” can make even expensive specimens rattle.
If everything is fine with the sound, then you need to inspect the case for cracks, chips and other damage. If you come across an “experienced” electro-acoustic guitar, then you can ignore minor abrasions. And professional musicians confirm that a good instrument cannot be “younger” than 10 years. To work in the studio, you can purchase a relatively inexpensive electro-acoustic guitar from the Ovation brand, which is produced by the Korean branch of the manufacturer.
On the VKontakte social network, questions are often asked regarding acoustic guitars, semi-acoustic guitars, electro-acoustic guitars and electric guitars. Everything would be fine, but often novice guitarists try to learn some points, having initially distorted knowledge regarding the types of guitars. Confusion often arises between electro-acoustic and semi-acoustic guitars. In this article I will try to tell you in the most accessible language possible about the types of guitars written above with illustrated visual aids.
So our first type is the acoustic guitar. This is the most popular type of guitar, which also has a specific classification and is divided into classical guitar, western guitar and jumbo guitar. You can read more about this typology, but for now let’s look at the standard component of an acoustic guitar. The picture on the left shows a very simple acoustic guitar. It does not have any unnecessary electronic parts (however, they can be supplied additionally) and is intended for playing without connecting to equipment. This guitar has a ringing and spacious sound. Such guitars are played in the yard, on a hike, etc. It is not very convenient to perform in front of an audience with such a guitar, since to amplify the sound you need a separate microphone placed in close proximity to the drum of the instrument.
If an acoustic guitar is equipped with an internal piezo pickup, which allows you to enhance the sound of the guitar by connecting it to a combo amplifier or any other amplification equipment, then such a guitar is called an electro-acoustic guitar (picture on the right). In addition to the piezo sensor, electroacoustics includes a sound preamplifier, which is already built into the guitar. Such preamplifiers usually have various types of tone control and equalizer. This allows acoustic sound to be transmitted through the equipment, amplifying the sound. This version of the guitar is ideal for concert performances. In all other respects, an electro-acoustic guitar is similar to the “previous version” of a musical instrument and is capable of “sounding” without access to equipment. Without a cord, these are ordinary acoustics with all its properties and capabilities.
Quite often, an electro-acoustic guitar is called semi-acoustic, implying that these concepts are synonymous. However, this is an erroneous judgment! These are completely different types of guitars. 
If an electro-acoustic guitar is more related to an acoustic guitar with additional accessories, then semi-acoustic is already a synthesis of electric guitar and acoustics. Visually it can be seen in the figure on the right. Externally, a semi-acoustic guitar is similar to an acoustic one. There are two types of semi-acoustic guitars: hollow body and partially hollow. The first type has a solid body, the second has a solid middle body and cutouts on the sides (f-holes). Semi-acoustic guitars are equipped with electromagnetic pickups, most often humbuckers. Such guitars are quite often used in jazz, blues, rock and roll, etc., because they have a soft sound. Based on the name, it becomes clear that such a guitar can be used both in acoustic mode, albeit with a quieter sound, and in electric mode.
The last type is the well-known electric guitar. I think everyone knows what it looks like, but I’ll still point out the presence of a drawing (on the right). This type of guitar is intended only for playing with an audio amplifier and is in no way possible to play like an acoustic one. The physical meaning of the sound of such an instrument is the transformation of string vibrations into electric current vibrations using electromagnetic sound amplifiers. The sound of such guitars is very powerful and piercing. Most often, electric guitars are used to perform solos or rhythm parts in rock music. However, quite often you can find the sound of an electric guitar in other musical genres.
This article will be very useful for everyone, it is intended for beginners, but professionals will also learn a lot of interesting things from this material, will be captivated and will remember interesting facts about electric-acoustic guitars for the rest of their lives. There will not be much emphasis on the problems with choosing a model for a game of a certain brand; the pros and cons of any devices of various brands will not be described in detail. The purpose of the article is to answer the question that sounds like this: “Do I need to purchase a musical instrument such as an electroacoustic? Should I buy an electro-acoustic guitar in Moscow or a regular acoustic?” Read the material to the end and learn a lot of new things for yourself.
How does electroacoustics work? What is the principle of the game based on?
Electro-acoustic instruments can be called a modification, a mixture of two types of guitars - acoustic and electric. A piezo pickup is usually installed in acoustics; this is what is installed in the majority of models; a piezo magnetic pickup is rarely used. In the second case, it is placed immediately under the strings, on spacers in the socket. A piezo electric “meter” can pick up sounds from the vibrations of strings and the body, process them and amplify electroacoustic music.
Where are electroacoustics typically used?
Well, in general, electro-acoustic devices do not differ significantly and very significantly from ordinary acoustic devices, well, except that it’s a matter of the amplifier. And so the same hollow body, the same neck and strings...
Previously, until the seventies of the twentieth century, this was the only way to make pop guitar models. Most often, such amplification of sound brought a lot of inconvenience: first, the musician was obliged to stand constantly in one place and could not walk anywhere so that his playing could be heard well, the second disadvantage was growling, creaking, squeaking, etc., etc. ., often the sound in the speakers was distorted and was completely different, this brought another drawback - a negative reaction from people. Well, think about it, who would like to listen to squeaks instead of beautiful sounds?
Since the early seventies, such excellent things have been discovered as the properties of piezo crystals; they can rightfully be called extraordinary! As it became known later, they can convert mechanical vibrations into electrical ones. Since then, guitar manufacturing technologies have improved more and more.
Today, guitarists can do anything on stage - jump, run, skip, perform acrobatic elements, dance with electro-acoustic guitars without losing sound quality! Also, nowadays you can apply various effects to music, which are achieved thanks to an amplifier, and create gorgeous melodies with unusual echoes.
How can this type of musical instrument be classified?
This type of guitar can be classified in the same way as regular acoustic guitars, but it is worth adding that the differences are greater in the pickups. There are active and passive sound recording devices; the former are “powered” by batteries or a remote control. Passive ones do not need charging, but they sound much softer and “dimmer”. Active ones, in turn, are very cool - they make the sound very bright and powerful, groovy!
“Is it worth buying electric acoustics at all, or is it a waste of money?” — you ask finally. Of course, it's up to you to decide. You must, first of all, proceed from how much money you are willing to spend, whether you will play in large and noisy places or not. For creative people who often perform in halls and arenas, of course, you should definitely take electroacoustics!
You will need
- Electro-acoustic guitar
- Cords
- Combo amplifier
- Mixer
- Audio speakers
- Computer
Instructions
Take your electric-acoustic guitar and find the cord connector. It is usually located at the bottom of the guitar's body. Insert the cord into the connector. If your guitar has a built-in equalizer, it will require the appropriate batteries to operate. Before you start connecting the guitar, check their availability.
After that, take the other end of the guitar cord and plug it into the corresponding jack on the combo amp. It is recommended to insert the cord into the combo amplifier that is turned off and only then turn it on. This will avoid possible damage to the device. Set the desired volume level on your guitar and combo amp. Adjust the equalizer to achieve the desired balance of low, mid and high frequencies. Now you can start playing.
Instead of a combo amplifier, you can use other devices. You can play an electro-acoustic guitar using audio speakers. Connect the guitar to the mixing console using a cord. The connection process is similar to the connection process described in the previous paragraph. Then use a cord to connect the mixing console to the speakers. Now turn on all devices, adjust the volume and you can start playing.
You can also connect an electro-acoustic guitar directly to a computer. To do this, insert one end of the guitar cord into the jack on the guitar and the other end into the input jack of the computer's sound card. Turn on the sound and you can start playing.
Helpful advice
For playing at home, it is better to choose a shorter cord. The shorter it is, the less interference is created and the cleaner the guitar sound.
To give your guitar sound new shades, use guitar gadgets and processors; they can transform the sound beyond recognition.
When connecting an electro-acoustic guitar to a computer, you can use software guitar processors.
There are two different ways to connect an electric guitar: in line and through a combo amplifier (amp). Each one is designed for a different purpose, which is why you first need to think about what you want from your guitar sound.
You will need
- Guitar, amp or other sound-amplifying device, cables for switching. Effects pedals, guitar processor, mixer - optional.
Instructions
A line connection involves feeding a signal from the guitar to the line input of the amplifier. An acoustic system can be used as an amplifier. If you need a distorted guitar sound (distortion) or other guitar effects, you can get them by connecting between the guitar and effects pedals or effects.
Also, sometimes a mixer is placed in front of the amplifier; this is convenient when you need to amplify several instruments and adjust the tonal characteristics of each of them. The connection diagram looks like this: the guitar is connected to the input of the pedal or processor (if any), the output of the pedal or processor is connected to the input (if there is one), the output of the mixer is connected to the input of the main amplifier.
Connecting a guitar to a computer is generally done in the same way. Only the amplifier in the sound card (and the amplifier in the speakers, if you are outputting sound from them) is used as the main amplifier. The cable is connected to the linear input of the sound card.
Connecting to a combo amplifier differs only in that the preamp, tone block, overdrive effect, and sometimes other effects are already built into it. Therefore, your task comes down to connecting the output of the guitar to the input of the amp. If necessary, include effects pedals or a processor between them.
Video on the topic
Helpful advice
Remember that the real rich, juicy, powerful and timbre-rich sound of a guitar is only obtained when connected to a amp. It is better if the amp is a tube one. Line connection is used as an alternative, suitable for home exercises only. Although, in fairness, it must be said that at concerts a mixed type of guitar amplification is often used. The sound from the amp goes to the stage, performing a monitoring function for the guitarist. It is supplied to the hall through a microphone standing next to the amp, connected in line with other devices.
Sources:
- Website for guitarists.
The guitar is a six-string plucked string instrument, widely used in modern music of both academic, folk and pop-jazz styles. Thanks to its design features, it can be used to perform both solo and melodic parts, as well as accompaniment (chords and strumming). Depending on the type of guitar (acoustic, electric, semi-acoustic), there are several types of connecting the instrument to the computer.
Instructions
Open an audio editor. Place the microphone on the stand, sit on a chair with a guitar. Turn the microphone head toward the resonator and play a chord. Check the editor's response to sound. If everything is in order, start recording.
Connect the electric guitar to an amplifier and effects processor. Place the instrument microphone, connected to the computer in the same way, to the speaker. Check the system and start recording.
Tip 4: How to connect an acoustic guitar to a computer
An acoustic guitar, unlike an electric guitar, has both steel and nylon strings. This makes it impossible to install traditional pickups on them. There are special pickup designs for electric guitars that are compatible with any string.
Instructions
Remember that gluing anything to the body of the guitar will damage the varnish, which will negatively affect the acoustic qualities of the instrument. Therefore, install the pickup only on a guitar that you don’t mind ruining.
Take any type of piezoelectric sound emitter. If it has a plastic resonator, remove it. If the emitter has two piezoelements, including those of different sizes, connect them in parallel. Glue the sound emitter with a membrane to the body of the guitar as close as possible to the resonator hole, but so as not to touch it when playing. When gluing a sound emitter with a hole in the metal wall, turn this hole outward.
Take a thin, shielded, insulated cable. Connect its braid to the emitter terminal connected to its body, and the central core to the remaining terminal. Secure the cable so that it does not interfere with your playing of the instrument.
Tune the sound on your guitar. To do this, use the appropriate switch between the pickups, as well as volume, tone, tone, etc. controls. Turn on the playback device, adjust the sound level. After this, use the available controls on the lotion to set the necessary distortion parameters and press the pedal (or button) to turn it on.
To play on the device, it can also be connected directly to a regular computer sound card. To do this, you will need either a cable with a Jack connector on one side and a miniJack on the other, or an appropriate adapter. If you are using a professional or semi-professional sound card, you most likely will not need an adapter, since such cards are equipped with Jack-type connectors.
Connect the cable from the gadget to the Line-In connector on the computer sound card. As a rule, for convenience it is indicated in blue. After that, select “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> “Sound” and open the “Recording” tab. Find the recording device you are using, double-click on it and adjust the audio level.
Video on the topic
The sound quality of an electric guitar depends almost entirely on the sound-reproducing equipment. It can be connected to an amplifier or computer, and various devices can be connected to it, which provide the effects the performer needs. First of all, you need to properly connect the instrument to the amp, amplifier or computer.
How can you choose a good electro-acoustic guitar that will delight you with its sound for a long time and at the same time will not be too expensive? When you come to a music store, you will see only shelves of Kazan with a huge number of guitars. What to choose from all this variety?
Let's start with the fact that electroacoustics differ from conventional acoustics only in the built-in pickup (to remove vibration of the body when connected). There are 3 main body shapes: dreadnought (otherwise known as western), jumbo and folk.
Dreadnought is basically a classic, with pronounced bass. Jumbos have a more balanced sound, often having a louder sound than all other types. It is recommended for mixed playing (reggae, jazz, and blues) and stage performances. For example, Alexander Vasiliev (gr. Splin) has a guitar with a jumbo body. The folk is considered to be a slightly smaller dreadnought, a guitar with a small body but a western neck. Naturally, they sound quieter than a Western. It is worth paying attention to whether the electro-acoustic has additional functions, for example, a tuner (for tuning the guitar, that is, when you touch a string, it shows which note is played) and an equalizer (in less expensive models, it is usually three-band - high, mid, low frequencies , works only when connected to equipment - a computer or amp). More expensive guitars may have EQs of 7 or more frequencies. Additional features also include a volume control and a noise reduction system. Chorus and reverb effects may be present.
All electrical components of the guitar are powered by a battery, which can be located on the side of the instrument or near the cord connection point. The Ibanez EW2WNE NT guitar has a battery located at the bottom near the cord connection point. When purchasing an instrument, you need to pay attention to how the guitar is made - the integrity of the body, the absence of scratches, burrs, and glue residues. Usually the top is made of spruce, maple, ash, walnut, cedar, the neck is in most cases mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard. Some manufacturers replace wood with plastic, such as Ovation. Such models are often superior to conventional electro-acoustic speakers in some respects, but when unplugged they sound very quiet. It is also worth considering that the cord for connecting to a amp or any other equipment is not included in the kit.
In order to understand which variety is right for you, you need to listen to the sound of the instrument. Now on the Internet on some sites you can listen to recordings and choose the sound that suits you best. Along with 6-strings, there are also 12-string electro-acoustic guitars; they are made on the basis of reinforced Western and Jumbo bodies, the neck is wider, and the guitar itself looks somewhat more massive. The structural strength of a 12-string guitar is the main criterion, since the load of 12 strings is quite large. The playing technique on such a model differs from the usual 6-string model; it is harder to play. If you are going to play solo, then you should choose guitars with a special cutout for the leading hand. Another factor for choosing a guitar is the price itself. In the range up to 20,000 you can find good guitars from Yamaha, Ibanez, and Ovation.
