Comparison Yamaha C40 vs Yamaha F310

General type of instrument.

First of all, it is worth noting here that the name "acoustic guitar" nowadays can be used both in a broad sense (to refer to a whole class of instruments) and in a narrow one (to refer to one of the types of such instruments). Acoustic guitars in the broad sense of the word also include classical and electro -acoustic models, as well as more specific instruments — acoustic bass guitars and ukuleles. Here is a detailed description of each of these varieties.

— Acoustic. Speaking about the types of guitars, "acoustic" refers to relatively modern models that differ in design from the "classics" (see below). In terms of capabilities, the main features of such instruments are the ability to use metal strings, as well as a generally louder and more sonorous sound. Externally, acoustic guitars (in the narrow sense of the word) are distinguished primarily by a relatively narrow and long neck, as well as a slightly different bridge design than classical ones; in addition, most models also have a larger case, the shape of which can be very diverse (see "Shape (view)"). This type of guitar can be used for different styles of playing; in this sense, it is more versatile than classical models.

— Classical. Instruments created on the basis of traditional Spanish gu...itars in the 19th century and survived to this day almost unchanged. The classical guitar has a fairly wide neck, as well as a characteristic body shape; this form is actually a standard, so that different models are very similar in outline to each other and externally differ mainly in colour and the presence / absence of a cutout (see "Cutaway" ). The main functional feature of such instruments is the impossibility of working with metal strings — only nylon can be used on the "classic". Due to this, these guitars sound very soft and relatively quiet, as a result — they are poorly suited for aggressive, dynamic chord playing. Therefore, the main purpose of such instruments are classical compositions. Also, this type of guitar is well suited for initial music training: nylon strings do not cut the fingertips as much as metal ones.

— Electroacoustic. Acoustic guitars, supplemented by built-in pickups and, usually, tone blocks (see below for both). This allows not only to use the guitar in a traditional, acoustic format, but also to connect it to an amplifier or other equipment, including to add additional effects to the sound with the help of "gadgets".

— Ukulele. An instrument also known as the ukulele. Outwardly, it really looks very much like a guitar, but it is much smaller. There are usually 4 strings on such an instrument; there are other options — 8 (4 doubles) or 6, as on a regular guitar ("gitalele"), such models are also included in this category. The ukulele has become widespread in the Pacific Islands and has been associated with Hawaiian traditional music from the very beginning, but this is not limited to: almost the same possibilities are available for such instruments as for conventional acoustic guitars.

— Bass. Guitars with a low, bass tone. The classic bass has 4 strings in EADG tuning — similar to the strings of a six-string guitar from third to sixth, but an octave lower; the strings themselves, respectively, are also much thicker. Five-string models are less common, they have a similar tuning principle (see "Number of strings"). Outwardly, many basses are distinguished by long and narrow necks, although this is not strictly necessary. A special case is a fretless bass: such an instrument has no nut on the fretboard, which expands the possibilities for using various specific methods of sound production, but requires special accuracy when placing fingers. Anyway, the main use of basses is rhythmic accompaniment, most often in combination with drums; for solo parts, such an instrument is practically not used. Also note that acoustic basses are usually complemented by pickups — similar to the electro-acoustic guitars described above: it is very difficult to sound such an instrument in another way (with an external microphone).

The general shape of the body of the guitar.

This characteristic affects both the appearance and dimensions of the instrument, and the features of its sound. Note that for classical guitars (see "Type") the form is often not indicated, since it is standard for such instruments. But other varieties can be very diverse in shape. For example, among the "acoustics" and "electroacoustics" there are such form options as dreadnought (western), jumbo, mini-jumbo, parlor, orchestral, grand auditorium, grand concert, road, resonator. Ukuleles, in turn, are available in soprano, concert, tenor, baritone and bass versions, as well as in the form of a special variety — gitalele. Here is a more detailed description of all these types of housing:

— Dreadnought (Western). One of the most popular types of acoustic guitars. The body has a large shape and very "heavy", angular outlines. The terms "dreadnought" and "western" are often used interchangeably, but sometimes only cutaway guitars are referred to as "westerns" (see below). This shape of the body provides a pronounced bass sound and a “roaring” sound coloring, thanks to which dreadnoughts are well suited for playing chords, but playing solo on su...ch guitars is not very convenient.

— Orchestral model. Orchestral models (Orchestra Model) are somewhat reminiscent of the dreadnoughts described above in shape, but they have more rounded and graceful outlines, in particular, a more pronounced "waist" in the area of the rosette (resonator hole). This allows you to achieve an even distribution of volume between the upper and lower frequencies. In terms of the use of "orchestration" they are the direct opposite of westerns: they are great for playing by brute force and by notes, but on chords they sound noticeably weaker — both due to the lack of bass (especially with an aggressive playing style), and because of the relatively low volume. On the other hand, due to the uniform frequency response, an orchestral guitar can be sounded even at a professional concert with an ordinary microphone.

— Jumbo. The word jumbo means "large", and these cases are indeed quite large. Another distinguishing feature is the shape of the lower part of the soundboard: it can be almost round, and anyway, the outlines of the jumbo body are usually smoother than those of orchestral models, and even more so of dreadnoughts (although there are exceptions). At the same time, this type of cabinet combines the features of the mentioned varieties: the balanced and even sound characteristic of "orchestra" is combined with the volume of the "Western". Because of this, jumbo guitars are generally considered the best choice for musicians who play in a mixed style. However, a lot depends on the specific model: some are closer to dreadnoughts in terms of application, and sometimes the difference between jumbo and western is only in how the manufacturer positions its tool.

— Mini jumbo. A slightly smaller version of the jumbo (see above), with a correspondingly lower volume and richer sound.

— Grand Auditorium. Another versatile type of guitar. It is similar in shape to jumbo (see above) — to the point that the terms "grand auditorium" and "jumbo" (or "mini-jumbo", depending on size) are often used interchangeably.

— Grand concert. An analogue of the grand auditorium described above, somewhat smaller.

— Parlor. Cases of this type are quite compact in size — some of them approach the size of a ukulele — and, most often, a rather small width, but while maintaining a full-size socket. Such instruments were originally popular in the late 19th and first half of the 20th century; today they are appreciated by professionals both for their traditional sound with "historical notes" and for ease of transportation.

— Road. In accordance with the name, such cases are created, among other things, based on ease of transportation. They can have both a traditional shape, close to a dreadnought or jumbo (only smaller), and very specific outlines (for example, triangular, or oval, like a medieval lute).

— Resonator. Six-string guitars, also known as "dobro" (from the name Dobro, given by the creators and later became a trademark). In accordance with the name, to amplify the sound in such instruments, not just a hollow body is used, but a special part — a resonator. This element is installed under the top deck and is covered with a characteristic round-shaped metal cover with slots; the lower nut is placed directly on the lid. "Dobro" are distinguished by a rather loud and sharp sound; in addition, some models have a special neck design that makes it easier to play with a slide. In general, these guitars have a rather narrow niche of application, they are popular primarily among blues and country/bluegrass players.

— Soprano. The smallest variety of ukulele (see "Type"), it is also historically the first and most common. The standard overall length for this tool is 21" (53 cm) at 13" scale (see below). Soprano models have the highest emphasis on high frequencies of all types of ukulele, they are usually tuned in GCEA (from the thickest string to the thinnest).

— Concert. The ukulele is slightly larger than the sopranos described above — 23" in length and 15" in scale. They provide a little more volume of low frequencies, otherwise they are completely similar.

— Tenor. Further, after the concert version, the increase in size of the ukulele is up to 26" in total length (17" in scale). In addition, they differ in tuning: they can be tuned in both GCEA and DGBE (similar to the first 4 strings of a 6-string guitar).

— Baritone. Until relatively recently (before the appearance of "bass" bodies), such instruments were the largest variety of ukulele. The standard overall length of a baritone is 30", the scale is 19"; such an instrument is usually tuned in DGBE tuning (similar to the strings of a 6-string guitar from first to fourth).

— Bass. One of the newest varieties of ukulele: launched on sale only in 2007. It is almost the same size as a baritone — about 30" long, 20" scale — but uses a different tuning, namely EADG (also an analogue of a six-string guitar, in this case corresponding to the fourth through sixth strings).

— Gitalele. A kind of "hybrid" between traditional guitar and ukulele. In fact, these instruments are six-string guitars, made in the size of a ukulele and tuned 2.5 tones higher — the ADGCEA system. At the same time, the fingering, the technique of setting chords and the tuning procedure in the guitarel do not differ from ordinary guitars. Such instruments are also called "six-string ukuleles", but this name can also be applied to classic 4-string ukuleles, where the second and third strings are doubled. So in order to avoid confusion, it is better to use the term "guitalele".

A special protective pad that protects the soundboard from accidental contact with the pick.

The pickguard is usually located at the sound hole below the strings (if the guitar is considered in the standard playing position). With a dynamic, aggressive performance (especially when playing chords), it is in this place that the pick clamped in the hand most often hits; hitting an unprotected body causes damage to the surface of the body, which degrades the appearance and acoustic characteristics of the guitar. Pickguard prevents such damage: such an overlay is usually made of a hard material that is resistant to contact with most picks. Accordingly, the presence of this part is highly recommended if you plan to use the pick extensively when playing.

Note that the protective overlay usually differs in colour from the main material of the deck, due to which it is clearly visible.

The number of frets provided on the neck of the guitar.

The fret is the gap between the two nut on the fretboard. By pressing a finger on the string in this gap, the guitarist changes the pitch of the string: the farther the fret (from the headstock) — the shorter the string is and the higher the sound.

The more frets, the more notes the guitarist can take on each string and the more possibilities the instrument gives. On the other hand, for numerous frets, a fretboard of the appropriate length is needed, which affects the dimensions and cost of the instrument, and sometimes it is simply not justified: for example, ordinary guitars have at least 18 or 20 frets, while among ukuleles (see "Type ”), there are models for 12 – 16 frets.

In general, it makes sense to specifically look for an instrument with numerous frets if you plan to play complex solo parts on it; for playing chords, as well as relatively simple performance by notes, the number of frets does not play a special role.

The type of truss provided in the guitar neck design.

The truss rod is a long metal rod located inside the neck of the guitar (along it). It is designed to provide the desired stiffness and prevent neck distortion due to string tension. This function is relevant for models that use metal strings — primarily acoustic ones (see "Type"); Nylon guitars don't need an anchor.

Often it is possible to adjust the tension force of the anchor — to change the degree of deflection of the neck. This can be useful both for adjusting to the guitarist's preferences and for correcting neck distortion that develops over time.

Note that the lack of information on the anchor does not mean the absence of the latter: some manufacturers simply do not bother to mention it in the basic data on the tool. So in such cases, you can try to find more detailed information on the selected model.

Specific options for the anchor can be as follows:

— Single. An anchor in the form of a single rod is the simplest and most inexpensive option. At the same time, the strength and rigidity of such a rod is sufficient in most cases.

— Double. Twin anchor, consisting of two rods. A pair of rods provides increased strength and reliability compared to a single truss rod, and also provides additional protection against lateral deformations of the fingerboard (deviations to the right / left). At the same time, a double anchor is not cheap, despite the fact...that the described advantages are really important only in professional music, where even the slightest deviations from the reference sound are unacceptable. Therefore, the double anchor is found mainly in premium tools.

— Is absent. The complete absence of an anchor in the design of the neck. Despite the useful properties of this part, its use is far from always justified: for example, the neck can be made of durable and elastic materials that “work” well without additional reinforcement. Another reason for the one-piece construction is that mounting a metal rod disrupts the neck's uniformity and can degrade the instrument's acoustic performance, which can be critical on high-end models. Note that the absence of an anchor is separately indicated only for acoustic guitars and other instruments with metal strings; in "nylon" models, rods are not used by definition, and there is no need to specifically specify its absence.

Scale length of the guitar. The scale in this case is the working part of the string, in other words, the distance from the saddle (on the headstock) to the saddle (on the bridge). In most acoustic and similar guitars, the scale is set during production and is unchanged. Without going into technical details, we can say that the value of this parameter is generally a reference: it allows you to some extent estimate the overall dimensions of the instrument, as well as the size of the frets (the longer the scale, the larger the size of the frets, regardless of their number). However, there is also a practical application: with an adjustable anchor (see above), the scale length data can be useful in the tuning process.