Types of Acoustic Guitar Explained
GA-Mini
The GA-Mini is a short scaled ¾ sized grand auditorium guitar. It benefits from all the key characteristics of a long scale Grand Auditorium guitar but offers the advantages of a short scale guitar. It’s an easy playing, fun and accessible guitar with a full bodied steel string sound.
Travel Guitar
Travel guitars are designed for the guitarist on the go, the nomadic busker or a player who prefers a smaller sized guitar. They are made with a short scale length and scaled down ¾ sized bodies. They are easy playing, fun and accessible guitars with a full bodied steel string sound. Although made for adults they are a great choice for children 8 plus looking for a steel string guitar.
What are the benefits of a Short Scale Length?
A guitar scale length is the distance between the nut and saddle. A scale length shorter than 62cm (25.4 inches) is generally considered to be a short scale. A short scale guitar is tuned to the same pitch as a long scale guitar but requires less string tension. In effect the string is looser and more elastic. Playing notes and chords requires less pressure from your fretting hand making it a little easier on your fingers to play. Shorter scale length guitars have a shorter total neck length than a long scale guitar making it easier for smaller players to reach the entire length of the guitar neck.
Parlour
The Parlour guitar is the smallest of the full sized steel string acoustic guitar range. It has an elongated body which enhances the volume of this small guitar. It originated in the 19th Century and was popular on the folk and blues scenes. Its popularity continues today as players find its mid-range tone, historic vibe and portability a pleasing choice when looking for an uncompromising lightweight guitar.
Its colloquially thought that the resurgence of the Parlour Guitar is down to advancements in modern amplification and recording equipment which have made big bodied guitars unnecessary in the modern era of making and performing music.
Auditorium
Auditorium guitars are considered a mid sized guitar and is slightly smaller in both lower and upper bout than the Grand Auditorium. Its narrow waist sits perfectly on your leg to make it a great choice for playing in a seated position. The comfortable body shape and size of the auditorium guitar lends itself well to folk music and other styles that require finger picking. The auditorium guitar strikes a great balance between light touch and volume.
Grand Auditorium
The Grand Auditorium guitar is considered a modern shaped mid sized guitar and as the name suggests is slightly bigger than the auditorium guitar. Although it has similar depth and lower bout as the dreadnought guitar it has a slimmer waist. This makes playing the guitar sat down more comfortable while still producing a large vibrant sound. It is widely considered to be a great all round guitar, easily handling both finger picking and strumming styles. 
Dreadnought
The dreadnought is a type of acoustic guitar body that has become the most common size and shape for acoustic guitars.
At the time of its creation in 1916 the word dreadnought referred to a large, all big-gun, modern battleship of the type pioneered by HMS Dreadnought in 1906. With a body much larger than most other guitars at the time, it provided the dreadnought with a bolder, richer, and often louder tone. It is distinguished by its size and square shoulders and bottom.
It has stood the test of time with its rich tone and versatility to become the most recognisable steel string acoustic guitar body shape in the world.
12 String
12 string guitars are steel string guitars with 6 pairs of strings, as the name suggests 12 strings in total. One string in each pair is tuned the same as a standard 6 string guitar and the second string is seated very closely, tuned either 1 octave higher for the E A D G strings and as identical pairs for the B and e strings. The guitar neck is slightly wider to accommodate the extra strings and the headstock is elongated to accommodate the extra machine heads.
Compared to a standard 6 string guitar, the extra strings and tuning of a 12 string guitar produce a fuller harmonically resonant sound. The pairs of strings are generally struck simultaneously producing a shimmering depth of sound not possible on a standard 6 string guitar. 12 string guitars produce a unique rise and fall in intensity that is pleasing to the ear and capable of producing sounds you can’t find on any other instrument.
