Acoustic Guitar Dimensions
The length of the guitar has a decisive influence on comfort while playing the instrument. Acoustic guitars have an established typology of sizes. In accordance with generally accepted standards, you can choose a certain size of a musical instrument, guided by the anatomical features of the guitarist, including height, arm length, chest width, palm size and other parameters. The personal preferences of the performer, playing technique and the purpose of acquiring an acoustic guitar are also important.
What does size affect?
Acoustic guitars are generally sized as fractions. The established designations are measured in inches, but as a convenience, you can convert the value to the usual metric system. As everyone knows, 1 inch equals 2.54 cm. The classification distinguishes between several standard sizes that are produced by manufacturers of classical guitars.
There are 2 main sizes in acoustic model guitars, including total length and scale length. The total length of a stringed instrument is measured by the distance between the extreme points: from the beginning of the soundboard to the end of the headstock. The scale is measured from the nut to the edge of the bridge.
The scale value must be taken into account to tune the guitar in a given key.
Acoustics realizes sound reinforcement by resonating the hollow body of the guitar structure. In most models, it is equipped with metal strings, produces a bright, loud sound saturated with overtones. This type of guitar has 6 strings. The thickness of the hollow body affects the depth of the reproduced sound.The wider the shell, the more low frequencies the instrument will produce. Other design features include a narrow neck.
The smallest guitar is 1/4 size, having a full length of 30 inches. The best option for initial lessons on teaching the game to young children aged 3-6 years. The size and length of the strings makes the sound emitted weakly pronounced and slightly muffled. Suitable for small rooms only. The middle register is more pronounced in contrast to the bass. Because of this, many musicians may not have enough richness and depth of sound.
Mini-guitar 1/2 is a fully-fledged instrument for educational purposes, with which growing guitarists in music schools can prepare performances for reporting concerts. Guitars of this size have a richer treble sound than one quarter. It is with such an instrument that young music lovers begin their training at the age of 6-8. The bass line of these guitars is more pronounced than the midrange. The student's height should be about 120-125 cm.The standard length is 34 inches, which translates to centimeters equal to 87 cm.
For students in elementary or middle school grades 9 to 12 years old, a 3/4 size classic guitar is ideal. The beginner's height should be about 145-155 cm, the length is calculated within 36 inches. And also specimens with such markings are preferred by small adults and women with small hands.
The reduced body size has become widespread among travelers and hikers: travel guitars are often produced in smaller sizes and have a thin resonator for ease of transport.
The 7/8 size is called transitional, it is also suitable for schoolchildren and miniature people with short stature. This size is practically close to an adult guitar, differing by only a couple of inches, that is, it has a length of 38 inches. Sound characteristics are slightly inferior to an adult guitar in terms of saturation, depth of low frequencies and the presence of powerful bass. Some musicians deliberately choose this size based on personal taste.
The largest adult guitar is designated a 4/4 size. Translated into meters, it equals approximately 1 m (or 40-41 inches) for performers taller than 160 cm. The length of the scale ranges from 24-25.5 inches. The most popular option among performers, with the widest assortment in music stores.
What are the parameters of the case?
Globally accepted parameters of a musical instrument have a significant impact on the sound produced. As the cabinet size increases, the sound becomes deeper and more sustain appears. In addition, the sound quality is directly related to the size of the resonator hole, since a larger enclosure provides enhanced resonance.
Scale length significantly affects the sound, making it fuller and more low-frequency, as well as the softness of the vibration of the strings.
It is possible to obtain additional key as its length increases.
How to choose the right dimensions?
To correctly select the optimal guitar in size, you need to build on the goals of the performance and musical style. Before buying in a store, you can easily "try on" the tool to determine the desired size of the case. When ordering a guitar from an online store, it is recommended to take into account the criteria for the selection of a suitable instrument.
When the body and neck width do not fit the player, it becomes uncomfortable for the player to hold the guitar during prolonged play and reach the frets and strings, which causes physical discomfort and prevents the musician from maximizing their output. For this reason, the convenience of sound production prevails over the range of tones of sound.
A full-size guitar is very difficult to hold in the hands of children and adolescents. Therefore, it is important to choose scaled-down models for music school students in order to teach them the correct and comfortable use of the instrument. The dimensions of the guitar used must fully correspond to the anthropometric characteristics of the child, otherwise he may abandon music lessons. In the process of growing up, a young virtuoso is recommended to acquire large sizes, close to the full-size version.
For professional performers, the main quality of the instrument is its practicality, which makes it possible to carry out regular rehearsals and successfully perform at concerts with the maximum degree of convenience.
