All About Western Guitars

For many, Western guitar is associated with the North American Wild West of the past centuries. But in fact, this musical instrument has nothing to do with cowboys, although it is distinguished by an energetic, energetic sound. The history of its creation is more prosaic, but, undoubtedly, it will be interesting for connoisseurs of music.

The structural features of a Western guitar are due to its main purpose - it is conceived as an accompaniment for a vocalist. They consist in the following points:

• wide, massive body compared to other guitars;
• the neck, on the other hand, is less wide than that of a classical guitar, so it is easier to play complex chords on it;
• the strings for the instrument are used exclusively in a metal sheath so that the music sounds clear and contrasting in comparison with the performer's voice;
• the deck attaches to the fretboard at the 14th fret, while on the classical guitar it attaches to the 12th fret;
• reinforced guitar construction.

Thanks to its oversized body, this stringed instrument produces a loud and meaty sound. For this, Western guitars gained particular popularity in the middle of the 20th century, and even today they have many fans among musicians.

Stiff metal strings stretch very tightly on a western. To withstand the stress, the case must also be quite powerful. For this reason, it is supported from the inside by a rod system, and a reinforcing truss rod is installed inside the neck.

Often on the necks of Western guitars there are dots at odd frets, like a jumbo instrument. They are both on the front of the neck and on the side. This allows the accompanist to quickly and correctly place his hand in the desired mode.In addition, the dots indicate the tonics and the reference grades of the scales. If you take a classical guitar for comparison, then there they can only be found on the side of the neck.

Western guitar has almost a century of history. Its appearance is associated with the firm for the production of acoustic guitars C. F. Martin & Company (New York). In the 1920s and 1930s, its developers decided to modernize the acoustics so that it could be heard as loudly as possible. The more powerful guitar was in demand among musicians playing in bars. After all, sound amplifiers had not yet been invented, just as there were no electric guitars then.

If in the classical guitar of those times there were vein strings, then metal strings finally appeared in this one, which we are used to seeing on most modern instruments. This allowed performers to break through the noise of the crowd and bring their music to the audience. The difference in sound between the novelty and the standard type guitars was quite noticeable.

Initially, it was called folk guitar, but the people are more deeply rooted in the name Western.

Choosing a Western follows the same principles as any other guitar. The quality of the product is assessed: so that there is no glue inside, the tuning pegs are all spinning with the same effort, a smooth deck and other nuances. It is important, of course, to hold the instrument in your hands, because such a shape and tension of the strings will not be at all for a beginner. If you haven’t played with a pick before, you will have to adapt to a new way of playing as well.

If you want to purchase an instrument made in the best traditions, then pay attention to the material of all its parts. After all, they determine the sound at the moment of extraction of a note, its decay. So, spruce and cedar are optimal for the front deck. For the rear deck and sides, the best options are rosewood, mahogany, maple, walnut, koa. The material of the neck and fretboard is not that important, but you can still recommend mahogany or maple for the former, and rosewood for the latter.

All these characteristics are very important for true connoisseurs and experts who want to get a good old western in their collection. But if the budget does not allow purchasing a guitar made of wood, then you will have to look closely at guitars made from cheaper materials. When it comes to veneer, this means that a thin layer of wood of the specified species is applied on top of the cheaper wood. Laminate does involve drawing a wood-like pattern on the treated surface.

There are differences in the techniques of playing the western and other guitars. Let's tell you more about them.

1. For taut steel strings, a pick is usually used to prevent the musician from damaging his nails and fingers. Although with a high level of skill, a finger version of the game is also possible.
2. The small thickness of the metal strings used in the Western makes it easier for the guitarist to reproduce various special effects on it. These are slides, bends, jazz vibrato.
3. When playing a western, musicians use the edge of the hand at the stand to muffle the strings. This helps sometimes to muffle the too sonorous sound of this instrument.

Interestingly, similar techniques are also typical for the electric guitar. Thus, by playing the western, you can prepare yourself to master it. In addition, in rock bands, the acoustic part is often given to the western - for its loudness and sonority. But the possibilities of a more modern electric guitar are undoubtedly broader, so with a western you will only take the first steps in this direction.

So, the brutal western guitar was a big breakthrough for its time. It allowed vocalists to get better accompaniment, and musicians to move to a new level. Today it is a valuable piece in the collections of music connoisseurs, and for some it remains a favorite instrument for performances. Thanks to its loud sound and the ability to improvise with blues and jazz tricks, it is still in demand and can be found in stores.