Author: Fernando Dagoc Jr.

Guitars do not only have 1 shape but a lot! The shapes of the guitars are referred to as models. There are different guitar models per playing style, or per usability, there are guitar players who love to play the rhythm, play the lead, or play fingerstyle; and there are guitar players who always travels and brings a guitar with them.  I am not an expert, but if you’re a starter, this blog can be your guide.

Ferangeli Guitar Handcrater offers different guitar models, I will be listing down the most common ones that are being requested.

Dreadnought

These guitars models have a wider lower bout and deeper body. If your playing style is bass heavy, then this model is for you. We usually recommend this model to players who are more on to strumming than fingerstyling or plucking. Though you can still play fingerstyle with this model, but due to its body dimensions, the bass will have a much louder sound.

Check out our Dreadnought guitars here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/dreadnought/

Orchestra Model

One of the most common shapes of the guitar! The waist of the body is much narrower than the Dreadnought, and the body is not that deep. We recommend this to female guitar players which find it hard to cradle the guitar. The Orchestra Model is also best for fingerstyle playing due to its balanced bass and treble.

Check out our Orchestra Model guitars here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/orchestra-model/

Classical Guitars

All our nylon-stringed guitars are classical guitars. These guitars are primarily used in playing classical music, these guitars have a wider neck width and string-to-string spacings. It is harder for players with short fingers to play these guitars, but we can customize the neck to the player’s configuration.

Students studying how to play classical music with a guitar should use these types and since the strings are nylon, they’re much friendlier to a beginner’s fingertips.

There are different types of classical guitars, Flamenco, Spanish and the Classical. What we commonly offer is the Ramirez Classical guitar.

Check out our Ramirez Classical guitars here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/ramirez-classical/

Travel Guitars (000 and GS-Travel)

Do you travel most of the time? Find it bulky to carry a standard-sized guitar? Travel Guitars are about 3/4 of the standard-sized guitar, they have a shorter body length and possibly a shorter scale length. This way it’ll be less bulky for you to travel and still make music!

We have two different models for Travel Guitars, the Martin 000 which you can check out here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/000-travel/ and the GS-Travel which you can also check out here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/gs-travel/

Guitaleles

Ukuleles have been on the rise nowadays, and it’s rise create a new model of guitars which we call Guitaleles. These models are the same size of a tenor ukulele with a much wider neck and have nylon strings. Due to its size, the tuning will be different from a guitar, Starting from the first string to the sixth string the tuning would be A-E-C-G-D-A. Similarly, you’re just putting a capo on the 5th fret of the standard guitar.

Check out our Guitaleles here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/guitalele/

Knowing the different Guitar models that we commoonly make, this does not restrict you from playing music that is played best of another model. It’s just that, it will not sound right even when you hit the right notes.

One day, one of our clients asked me, “why is the guitar’s shape like this?” and at that time, I was not able to answer it, and it stuck to my mind. I’ve been working with these instruments most of my life, yet I was not able to answer such fundamental question! So I did a bit of research and asked a renowned luthier from Spain.

La Guitarra

In Spain, “the guitar” is called “La Guitarra”, where “la” pertains to the female gender, likewise “el” is for the male gender. In the old times, the guitar is being used by men, as their partner in making music or use them to serenade the opposite gender.

The translation of “la Guitarra” to English made it a more general term which would be “the guitar”, the identification of the gender is now gone. The term “the guitar” has been used all over the world, thus, not identifying the instrument as a woman.

The Anatomy of an Acoustic Guitar

Since guitar’s shape is a reflection of a woman, the names of the parts of the guitar also came from the human anatomy, there is the head, the neck, and the body. The body also has an upper bout, a waist, and a lower bout. See the photo below:

So, Why the Guitar’s Shape?

A good reason is that the guitars in the old times were made by men, for men, the shape allows them to cradle the guitar similar to a woman’s body.

Now, the shape is kept for a couple of reasons:

• Tradition. Most Guitar Enthusiasts want to have the “traditional” shape of the instrument. In fact, there are some who does not buy a guitar if there are alterations from her traditional look.
• Physics. A classical guitar is constantly resisting the string tension of about 60 kilos (about 90 kilos for steel string guitars) 20/7 until she dies. 🙁 It’s quite a job to keep you happy guys! 😉 Nevertheless, the waist of the guitar helps on the resistance to any warping of these tensions.

References

• Adolfo Timuat Toyoda
• https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitarra
• https://lithe.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/on-guitars-and-women/
• http://theguitar-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/image1-2-498×600.png

Inspired by the Ateneo’s deep traditions of Music, The Ateneo Blue Eagle Guitar is a Tribute to the experiences in the campus.

The Abalone Rosette is taken from the scallop shape of the school seal. It shimmers blue like the wings of Blue Eagle.

The Body of the Blue Eagle Guitar is made of solid Mango. It reminds the fond memories playing under the great Mango tree by the Track and Field oval.

The Ateneo Blue Eagle Guitar is handcrafted by our luthiers here in Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter. From the custom wing design bridge laced with light wood and abalone inlay to the headstock done in the shape of the HS Chapel apex and the bold Ateneo “A” in mother of pearl as a tribute to the school. And at the center of it all, is the beautiful Philippine eagle inlay meticulously done by our artisans in honor of our beloved country. The Ateneo Blue Eagle Guitar is a premium and exclusive item. It is a Legacy by which many songs will be written and sung.

For the benefit of Tulong-Dunong Scholarship

Contact: www.facebook.com/AteneoBlueEagleGuitar