The
guitar is a
musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six
strings, but
four,
seven,
eight,
ten,
eleven,
twelve,
thirteen and
eighteen string guitars also exist.
Guitars are recognized as one of the primary instruments in
jazz,
blues,
country,
flamenco,
mariachi,
rock music, and many forms of
pop. They can also be a
solo classical instrument. Guitars may be played
acoustically, where the tone is produced by vibration of the strings and modulated by the hollow body, or they may rely on an
amplifier that can electronically manipulate tone. Such
electric guitars were introduced in the 1930s and continue to have a profound influence on
popular culture.
Traditionally guitars have usually been constructed of combinations of various woods and strung with animal gut, or more recently, with either nylon or steel strings. Guitars are made and repaired by
luthiers. There are many brands of guitars, but some commonly known brands are PRS, Gibson, Dean, Gretsch, Ibanez, Martin, Jackson, Schecter, and Fender