Editing Guitar

{{SHORTDESC:Fretted musical instrument usually with six strings}}
{{Infobox musical instrument
| Name = Guitar
| image = Classical_Guitar_two_views.jpg
| image_caption = Front and profile views of a modern [[classical guitar]].
| Classification = [[String instrument]] (Plucked)
| Hornbostel_Sachs = 321.322<br>(Composite chordophone)
| Developed = 15th–16th century (Spain)
| Playing_range = Scientific pitch notation: E2 to E6 (approximate for 24-fret instruments)
| Related_instruments = [[Lute]], [[Vihuela]], [[Mandolin]], [[Electric bass]], [[Oud]]
}}

The '''guitar''' is a fretted [[musical instrument]] that typically features six [[String (music)|strings]]. It is traditionally played by plucking or strumming the strings with the fingers, thumb, or fingernails of the right hand, or by using a [[plectrum]] (pick), while the fingers of the left hand press the strings against the frets on the [[fingerboard]] to alter the pitch. 

Functionally, the guitar is classified as a [[chordophone]]. In acoustic variations, the tone is produced by the vibration of the strings, which is amplified by a hollow wooden resonance chamber. In electric models, electromagnetic [[Pickup (music technology)|pickups]] capture the string vibrations and convert them into electrical signals, which are then routed to an external [[Instrument amplifier|amplifier]]. The instrument plays a foundational role in a wide array of musical genres, including [[blues]], [[jazz]], [[rock music]], [[pop music]], and [[flamenco]].

== Etymology ==
The English word ''guitar'' was adopted in the late 16th century, stemming from the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word ''guitarra''. The Spanish term itself traces its origins back to the [[Andalusian Arabic]] word ''qīthārah'' (قيثارة), which descended from the [[Latin]] ''cithara''. Ultimately, this linguistic lineage leads back to the [[Ancient Greek]] word ''kithara'' (κιθάρα), a lyre-like string instrument used in classical antiquity.

== Historical Development ==

=== Early Ancestors ===
String instruments featuring a resonating bowl and a distinct neck can be traced back to antiquity. Instruments like the Persian [[tanbur]] and the Arabic [[oud]] influenced the development of European string instruments during the Middle Ages.

=== The Renaissance and Baroque Eras ===
The direct predecessors of the modern guitar emerged in the [[Iberian Peninsula]] during the 15th and 16th centuries. The [[vihuela]], an instrument favored by the Spanish aristocracy, shared a similar tuning to the [[lute]] but possessed a flat-backed, figure-eight-shaped body. By the late 16th century, the "Baroque guitar," which featured five courses (pairs of strings), superseded the vihuela in popularity across Europe.

=== The Birth of the Modern Classical Guitar ===
The transition to the modern six-string guitar occurred in the late 18th century. However, it was the 19th-century Spanish [[luthier]] [[Antonio de Torres Jurado]] who definitively established the design of the modern [[classical guitar]]. Torres increased the volume of the soundbox, refined the curve of the waist, and introduced an innovative fan-bracing pattern inside the top board. These modifications drastically improved the instrument's dynamic range, sustain, and tonal clarity.

=== The Electric Revolution ===
In the early 20th century, the demand for louder instruments in [[dance band]] ensembles led to the invention of the [[electric guitar]]. During the 1930s, pioneers like [[George Beauchamp]] and [[Adolph Rickenbacker]] developed the first commercially successful electric guitars using electromagnetic pickups. The 1950s witnessed the introduction of mass-produced solid-body electric guitars by innovators such as [[Leo Fender]] (creator of the [[Fender Telecaster]] and [[Fender Stratocaster]]) and [[Les Paul]] (who collaborated with [[Gibson Brands|Gibson]]). This era laid the groundwork for modern rock and roll.

== Types of Guitars ==

Guitars are broadly divided into two primary categories based on their amplification method:

=== Acoustic Guitars ===
Acoustic guitars rely on their hollow bodies to project sound acoustically.
* '''[[Classical guitar]]''': Strung with nylon strings, featuring a wider, flatter neck. It is the primary instrument for classical repertoire and Spanish flamenco.
* '''Steel-string acoustic guitar''': Strung with steel strings, providing a brighter, louder tone. It is widely used in folk, country, and bluegrass music.
* '''Archtop guitar''': Features a curved top and violin-style f-holes, highly favored in jazz music.

=== Electric Guitars ===
[[Electric guitar]]s usually feature a solid wood body, eliminating acoustic feedback at high volumes. They rely entirely on pickups to generate sound. Because the signal is electrical, players can heavily manipulate the tone using [[effects unit]]s such as [[distortion (music)|distortion]], delay, and reverb. 

== Anatomy ==
The fundamental anatomy of a standard guitar includes:
* '''Headstock''': The uppermost part of the neck housing the machine heads (tuning pegs).
* '''Nut''': A slotted strip of hard material (bone or synthetic) that aligns the strings as they exit the headstock.
* '''Neck''': The long wooden extension projecting from the body.
* '''Fingerboard (Fretboard)''': The playing surface embedded with metal '''frets'''.
* '''Body''': The main resonating chamber (acoustic) or solid platform (electric).
* '''Bridge''': The anchor point for the strings on the lower body, often containing a '''saddle''' to transfer vibrations.

== Standard Tuning ==
While myriad alternate tunings exist, standard tuning is designed to facilitate the playing of scales and chords across all strings. From lowest pitch (6th string) to highest pitch (1st string), standard tuning is:
* '''E2''' – '''A2''' – '''D3''' – '''G3''' – '''B3''' – '''E4'''

== See Also ==
* [[Extended-range guitar]]
* [[Guitar tuning]]
* [[Luthier]]
* [[List of guitarists]]

== References ==

[[Category:Guitars| ]]
[[Category:Chordophones]]
[[Category:String instruments]]