Although acoustic electric guitars can be plugged into speakers or recording devices like their electric counterparts, it’s important to recognize acoustic electric guitars are their own specific type of instrument. For one, they’re built differently than regular acoustics; unlike electric guitars relyingh on pickups to transmit audio signal, acoustic electric guitars most often use a compact piezoelectric microphone attached to the guitar body to pick up the sounds. Here are some other factors to consider when buying an acoustic electric guitar.
Acoustic Electric Guitar Parts
There are different parts that comprise an acoustic electric guitar, and each part can be made from a different type of wood. The top, back, neck, and sides are generally regarded as the most important parts of the body; meanwhile, the fretboard, bridge, and binding also play a significant (if not slightly less important) role in shaping the sound and tonality.
Neck
The neck is one of the more easily identifiable pieces of the acoustic electric guitar. This area is where the instrument is held, it houses the frets that enable players to play notes, and it obviously also displays the strings.
Intonation
Intonation is the system by which an acoustic electric guitar’s notes play in tune as the player moves up the fretboard of the neck. Without proper intonation, a guitar won’t stay in tune and is useless for both live performance and recording.
Rosette
An acoustic electric guitar’s rosette is a stylized inlay located near the sound hole of the instrument. While the rosette has little to no impact of the sound of an acoustic guitar, it does change the visual appearance and character of the instrument.
Bridge
The bridge is the small wooden piece located directly below the sound hole of an acoustic electric guitar. This piece anchors the strings and transfers their vibration to the soundboard of the instrument.
Fret
An acoustic electric guitar’s frets are the small metal strips dividing the neck and fretboard into smaller sections. These frets are carefully measured into half-step increments and consequently enable guitarists to play different notes on their instrument.
Fingerboard
The fingerboard is also referred to as the fretboard. It’s the piece glued to the face of the neck and houses the frets divided by half-step increments.
Tuning Keys
The tuning keys are the small knob-like pieces located at the top of the acoustic electric guitar on the instrument’s headstock. By tightening and loosening the tuning keys, guitarists raise or drop the pitch of the strings, effectively tuning the guitar.
Headstock
The headstock is located at the top of the guitar. Its primary function is to hold the tuning keys.
Machine head
A machine head is an alternate term for the tuning key. These are also sometimes referred to as tuning pegs or tuners.
Binding
An acoustic electric guitar’s binding is utilized to compliment the look of the instrument’s body, neck, and/or headstock. Typically comprised of wood or plastic, this component doesn’t do much to affect the sound of the guitar, but gives it stylized character.
Pickguard
As its name implies, the pickguard is designed to help protect the body of the acoustic electric guitar from any wear-and-tear that would occur from strumming and picking at strings. It is located below the soundhole.
Finish
An acoustic electric guitar’s finish is another name for the final coating that is applied to the surface of the instrument.
Wood Type
The kind of wood that a guitar is made of has a two-fold effect – it obviously makes a difference in the physical appearance of the instrument, but can also alter the sound/tone of an acoustic electric guitar. As a rule of thumb, the denser the wood type, the warmer the tone of the instrument will be. Conversely, thinner wood leads to a brighter overall sound.
Cedar
Cedar tends to produce a brighter and more trebly tone. Because of its quick response, many players who favor fingerstyle picking prefer to play cedar tonewood instruments.
Spruce
Spruce is generally regarded as the standard for acoustic electric guitar tops. It provides excellent resonance and is responsive to a high velocity of sound.
Mahogany/Kao
Mahogany and kao emphasize more of the mid-range/low-end side of the spectrum when it comes to acoustic electric guitar sounds. Its “punchy” tone has made it an ideal choice for country and blues players.
Maple
Maple has a low response rate and internal damping, so it is generally only used for the side and back of acoustic electric guitars, as opposed to the top. Its dry and high-end favoring tone makes it an excellent axe for musicians playing live with other instruments, as it tends to cut through the mix with greater ease than other types of acoustic electric guitars.
Rosewood
Rosewood provides strong mid and high tones and is one of the more popular woods used on acoustic electric guitars. With a strong attack and sharp resonance, it is also used frequently for bridges and fretboards.
Body Style
Just as regular acoustic guitars are built in a variety of body shapes and styles, acoustic electric guitars often follow the same format. Most acoustic electrics can be categorized into one of four body type categories: parlor, classical, Dreadnought, and concert/full size.
Concert
The Concert style concert, commonly referred to as a full-size, is generally regarded as the standardized size for adult-size acoustic guitars. They provide a good range of tones, although the Dreadnought style guitar is more adept at handling lower, bass tones; this is because it is the largest of guitar styles and features a large and deep body.
Parlor
Parlor style guitars are smaller than concert style guitars and easier to transport. One of the biggest differences for classical guitars and the other types of guitars is the fact that they use nylon strings instead of steel strings. They’re also designed for a fingerpicked style and subsequently produce a very different sound than the other kinds – much warmer, and better suited for styles such as flamenco and, of course, classical. Classical guitars also have a wider fretboard than any other type of guitar.
Electronics
While most acoustic electric guitars amplify their sound using a compact piezoelectric microphone attached to the body of the guitar, they also employ other features working to produce the final sound. These models require a preamplifier that amplifies the audio signal before routing to an outside speaker like an amplifier or a PA. This device is built into the guitar’s body as well, and also allows players to adjust parameters such as volume, EQ, and tone.