Why Do Different Guitar Shapes Exist?

Have you ever wondered why we have so many types of guitars? Parlors, Jumbos, Dreads, Grand Auditoriums… Today’s episode is all about the history of body shapes, and Professor Meikle leads us on a historical journey from the early days of the guitar until today. Join the discussion on Alvarez TV.
Jump to…
0:15 Jazz Blues Jam (Intro Jam)
1:37 The History of Body Shapes
3:47 Early Days of Guitar
5:30 The Classical Guitar
6:25 C.F. Martin & the Modern Guitar
11:49 Modern Shapes
17:53 Thank You, Señor Torres
21:01 Final Thoughts
21:47 Spoiler Alert!
Featured in this episode:
Dee is playing an Alvarez Masterworks MPA66SHB: alvarezguitars.com/guitar/mpa....
Chris is playing an Alvarez-Yairi FYM60HD: alvarezguitars.com/guitar/fym....
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[@ronchave6354]

There is no end to the knowledge that Chris shares with us each TV session. Chris you need to write a book or three and complete a journey of the guitar. I will be waiting.

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

We'll pass that along to Professor Meikle! Thanks for watching, Ron. 👍

[@dylanjones9781]

for christmas i got an alvarez rg260cesb and it’s my first alvarez and it’s great. everything about it is perfect for me

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

Great to hear that, Dylan! Thanks for playing Alvarez 👍

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

Not only the shape was determined by projection, but the tuning on the guitar too was also a problem of projection. A quiet instrument plucked by hand, strung with quiet gut strings first, the guitar was tuned in a way that high strings sympathetically resonate with lower strings, and thus the sound projects farther. That's why the awkwardness of the "standard tuning", which is irregular tuning. The violin, as an opposite example, has a small body but is played with a bow, has a superior natural projection & amplification. So the violin was built around a regular tuning (all fifths). Irregular tuning, and problems of projection, were the reasons the guitar was not used much in orchestral classical music but mostly in European folk & American folk music as an accompaniment to vocals.

[@connlaffan6232]

Brilliant vid , thanks gents !

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

Thank you, Conn 👍

[@spikewills6927]

Dee is playing my parlor, at least a twin to it. Love my MPA66SBH. AND.. I just got an FMY66HD, which is just fantastic! Love, love the all Honduran folk guitar. Wow!

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

Dee loves his Parlor too! Congrats on the new FYM66HD, that's a wonderful choice. Thanks for watching 👍

[@guitarswh]

Thanks for making them all as other companies are regrettably choosing another direction.

[@chrisandersonguitarist2400]

Martin’s first 12 fret OOO body size IMHO was the time in history when American & European guitar making began to separate. It was the last time when both schools of making were for gut strings. Torres’ innovative body size took several decades to become adopted by his Continental brothers. (Hauser in Germany was still making smaller instruments in the 1920’s comparable to a OO) The 12 fret OOO and Torres’ guitar were very very similarly sized and shaped. (I have a OOO replica that fits into Classical cases) What drove the divergence was the American guitarists growing use of steel strings which required beefed up structures. Gut strings were erratically available outside of Urban centers. Martin’s first option for a Steel String version of the standard gut string OOO didn’t hit the catalog until c.1920. “OM” as I understand it was first meant to signify a 14 fret guitar, not the current OM body size. (The first D’s were also a 12 fret guitar). The 14 fret OOO and the truly innovative 14 fret D size both became available within a few years of each other. When then standard OOO evolved into 14 fret, steel string only model along with its 14 fret D brother, you have the birth of the Steel String Acoustic Guitar. Steel String 0s & OOs followed. /// Going forward I believe “Parlor” steel strings should refer to guitars smaller than a 0. (Martin’s models 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 which are really European designs made in the USA). An 0, 00, OOO and it’s fraternal twin the OM, and the D should be recognized as serious musical instruments each with its own tonal signature. Combine those 4 body sizes with various tone woods and the “Steel String Acoustic Guitar” is actually the instrument with the most options ever. What an incredibly diverse tonal pallet! And what a complicated origin story.

[@robmc1232]

Question: The Alvarez AMP915EAR is described as a “modern parlor” but actually looks a lot more like a 00. Now, it doesn’t really matter, because it just sounds (and projects) great and is so comfortable to play… my dreads, jumbo, and OM are felling a little neglected! But I’m still curious. Is it actually a parlor or a OO?

[@joetexas4407]

Absolutely great video! I’ve been very interested in the history of the acoustic guitar since I started playing in 1997. Alvarez has been my brand of choice since 2013 with the purchase of my AP710SB parlor. To date I’ve increased my Alvarez collection to 13 models. Each with a specific voice and spirt. Thank you for some many great guitars and to many more to come.

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

Hi Dale, the tighter waist influences trebles as there is enough bass, which is why we went with the GA.

[@HayesTech]

Awesome video. I'm a dreadnought guitar fan but since my second stroke I'm really thinking about going with a 000 sized guitar. You've got some very nice options in that size range . Keep up the great videos. And I love Alvarez guitars.

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

Thank you, @Hayes Tech, we're big Dreanought fans too but have lots to offer with different shapes. Thanks for playing Alvarez 👍

[@mk-wv6yv]

Great history lesson. Keep on making these videos! Can't wait to hear more about building all guitars with the same technology. Sounds very interesting. How about a video/lesson on torrefaction of guitar tops? Would love to hear your impression of this technology.

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

Thank you, @m k! We're excited about that upcoming episode as well. Torrefaction episode is in development as we speak! Any specific questions in mind? Thanks for watching 👍

[@JohnRotonto-ql9ds]

Whatever shape you prefer, your guitar is waiting for you. Remember: "Brad Pitt can have any woman he wants, but a guitar player always gets their pick."I appreciate your vast knowledge. Cheers Mates! 👍👍👏👏👏👏👏

[@nazus294]

After Watch this video, i am really fail in love with Guitar but Guitar is so Expensive

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

We hope you give our Artist series a try! We have something for everyone.

[@nazus294]

@@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial Can you tell how to check a new guitar that good for beginner

[@nikitaelizarov7444]

Wait. Is this Ed Norton?

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

Ha! No, but you aren't the first to ask that. 😂👍

[@carltonlarsen]

Don’t confuse matters by talking about lutes! That’s a different family. The Vihuela is an ancestor of the guitar and the lute is not. The lute is mute similar to a classical mandolin. The gamba is a fretted bowed instrument so shares more dna with the guitar than the lute. There were 4 course and 5 course guitars around for a long time before Torres transformed the small parlour ladies instrument the guitar was, into a much louder instrument. There is an amazingly beautiful 5 course guitar by Antonio Stradivarius (yeah that guy) in the V&A museum in London. Before Tores the guitar carried its strings in pairs all except the high string. All your info on the steel string is wonderful thank you.

[@Jimmy7779]

I had difficulty understanding the accent of the individuals. I have been led to think that the Baroque era was pronounced "ba-roke" with a long "o" and not ba-rawk.

[@AlvarezGuitarsOfficial]

It depends on where you're from, Jimmy. Different areas use different pronunciations of the same words. Tomato, tomahto as they say. Thanks for watching 👍

[@aperezdeal]

Or tomato potato if your aim is to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

[@JohnRotonto-ql9ds]

Guitar shapes remind of women. Some guys like

[@scottdetweilermusic]

Great idea of interest, but hard to make out their mumbling. Maybe get someone who is better spoken to redo this.

[@mk-wv6yv]

These guys must have a little Texan in them. I understand every word!!!😅🤣😂