Comparison Fender CC-140SCE vs Yamaha APX500

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.

Guitar body construction, including both soundboards and sides. For these parts, two main types of wood can be used: solid (solid) and puff (better known as plywood). Plywood is cheaper than solid wood, but loses to it in terms of acoustic properties. Therefore, the type of deck in the characteristics is usually indicated only if solid wood is present in it. However, if data on the deck is not given, this does not mean that the instrument is made entirely of plywood; in addition, it is worth noting that some types of plywood come close to solid wood in terms of acoustic properties. Therefore, without having information on the deck design, it makes sense to focus primarily on the price category of the instrument.

Options for a solid tree can be as follows:

— One piece top. The English name is also used — solid top. We are talking about instruments in which only the upper deck is made of solid wood — the rest of the body is made of plywood. This option is a good compromise between sound quality and affordable price, it is quite popular in mid-range guitars.

— Completely whole. A body in which all parts are made of solid wood — both decks and sides. This is the most advanced option in terms of acoustics — especially since some types of wood even improve over time (provided that it is solid wood). However, a completely one-piece body is quite expensive, so this option is found...mainly in high-end professional instruments.

The material from which the lower soundboard of the guitar is made is a flat surface on the opposite side from the upper soundboard (it is this surface that is adjacent to the musician's body when the instrument is held normally).

The value of this parameter is described in detail in the “Upper deck” section — what is stated there is also true in this case. We only note that a wider range of materials is used for the lower deck: this part is less demanding on the characteristics of the material, which gives manufacturers additional choice.

In terms of specific materials, rosewood, sapele, maple, meranti and nato, among others, enjoy considerable popularity in modern times. Here is a brief description of each of them:

— Rosewood. A name that combines the wood of several species of tropical trees. This material is said to provide deep sound and enhance bass quality, thereby improving the guitar's efficiency when playing rhythm parts on chords.

— Sapele. Also known as "African mahogany" due to its characteristic hue. It contributes to an even sound with medium depth and good expression of individual notes, which is considered important especially in solo parts.

— Maple. Maple wood is prone to a rather sharp and sonorous sound without much depth. However, this is...not a drawback, but a feature: for some styles of music, just such a coloring of the sound is perfect.

— Meranti. Wood of trees of the genus Shorey, growing in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. This material is mainly used in instruments manufactured by Yamaha, mainly classical guitars and ukuleles — it is for these varieties that meranti is considered the best option.

— Nato. A relatively inexpensive variety of mahogany (mahogany) used in guitars in the corresponding price range. Contributes to a dense, but not very bright sound.

The material from which the side of the guitar is made is the “side” surface of the body, which unites the upper and lower soundboards (see above).

About the meaning of the material of the body, see paragraph "Top deck" — everything stated in it is also true for the shell. Unless the range of materials used for this part is noticeably wider; also note that most often the material of the shell coincides with the material of the bottom deck. Here is a summary of some of the more popular options:

— Rosewood. A name that combines the wood of several species of tropical trees. This material is said to provide deep sound and enhance bass quality, thereby improving the guitar's efficiency when playing rhythm parts on chords.

— Sapele. Also known as "African mahogany" due to its characteristic hue. It contributes to an even sound with medium depth and good expression of individual notes, which is considered important especially in solo parts.

— Maple. Maple wood is prone to a rather sharp and sonorous sound without much depth. However, this is not a drawback, but a feature: for some styles of music, just such a coloring of the sound is perfect.

— Meranti. Wood of trees of the genus Shorey, growing in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. This material is mainly used in instruments manufactured by Yamaha, mainly classical guitars and ukuleles — it is for these varieties that meranti is considered the best option.

— Nato.... A relatively inexpensive variety of mahogany (mahogany) used in guitars in the corresponding price range. Contributes to a dense, but not very bright sound.

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.

The material from which the neck of the guitar is made — more precisely, the base of the neck (the fretboard can be made from another material). Now the most commonly used materials are: nato, maple and mahogany. For the value of this parameter, see p. "Top deck".