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Guitar sizes - Jumbo? Dreadnaught? Concert? Grand Concert? What the heck?

10/18/2010

5 Comments

 
Picture
1997 Martin D-16GT
It's very easy to get confused by the names that are given to various sized guitars. Some size designations such as dreadnaught are fairly uniform from maker to maker but from there on out you'll find discrepancies by the case full. I'm not going to get into the actual dimensions and measurements of each type but from large to small (in width and depth; overall length doesn't vary a lot) it goes something like this: Dreadnaught, Jumbo, "M" or 0000, "j" or Grand Concert, Concert, 000 and OM, 00, Parlor. 

There are other sizes but they are very close to one of the above and much less common. The ones above are what you'll usually see. So which one is right for you?

The dreadnaught is by far the most common body size in circulation today and has been for at least the past 40 years. This is because dreads are usually fairly loud compared to smaller guitars, which is something that many people seem to want when they progress beyond the absolute beginner stage. Some people even refer to their dreads as "banjo killers," a reference to the ongoing battles of banjo vs guitar in a bluegrass band.  Just as a sidebar - the term  dreadnaught was first used by Martin because way back a hundred years ago, U.S. battleships called Dreadnaughts where some of the biggest, mightiest warships and to many people the name implied something big and powerful. Interestingly, when Martin first produced the dreadnaught or "D" series guitars they were listed as "bass guitars" because compared to the much more common smaller bodied instruments of the first part of the 20th Century they sounded quite low and boomy. About the same time the Gibson company, Martin's primary competitor began producing large bodied instruments that they called Jumbos - a reference to the famous P.T. Barnum circus elephant. Both of the terms (dread and jumbo) stuck and today Martin "D" size and Gibson "J" size are the largest standard run guitars that each company produces and remain hugely popular.

But the reality is that these big bodied guitars are just too big for some people, especially most women and youngsters. You will see some women with the bigger guitars - Sheryl Crow and Emmy Lou Harris prefer Gibson J-200s and Joni Mitchell is almost always seen with Martin dreads - but they are by far the exception. Still, dreads and jumbos probably make up 90% of the guitars imported from China, Korea, Japan and elsewhere.

Things may be changing though. Taylor makes a traditional dread size guitar but far more popular are their slightly smaller and more rounded 7-, 8-, and 9-series instruments. They make what is essentially a jumbo that they call a Grand Concert (GC) - which is a very nice guitar by the way, in spite of my aformentioned dislike of Taylors - but it is not all that popular. Martin and many of the boutique makers are putting much R&D and new model launches with 000, OM and smaller instruments. The reason is simple. They are just easier to hold and reach around and play. True, they do not have the volume of the jumbos, in most cases, but what they lack in boomy volume they more than make up for in crisp, clear treble and an overall much more even and blended sound. This is particularly attractive to players who are soloists who play finger-style.

Smaller still are the 00 and finally what have become known as "parlor guitars." The 00 was hugely popular during the so-called folk revival of the 1960s and before that many people bought the Martin 00 and Gibson L size because they were reasonably priced compared to the dreads and jumbos and for most beginner and intermediate players, just easier to play. The smaller still parlor or O-size guitars are for most people something of a curiosity, that is, a nice alternative to the larger guitar they probably own, fun to use as a "couch guitar" and very comfortable but generally lacking in much volume and certainly not appropriate for ensemble playing. A few companies are making what they call travel guitars, which are a 3/4 size instrument that in most cases can fit in the overhead on an airplane when carried in a soft gig bag. I owned one for a while, a Martin LXME and it was surprisingly nice sounding guitar. These also are a GREAT type of guitar for children to learn on because they are small, usually made at least partially of man-made materials meant to take some abuse, and sound pretty darned good. They are NOT toys, even if they appear

So which one is right for you? If you're a fairly large person and can comfortably reach over and around the body of a jumbo or dread, that's great - you have many, many more choices when you go shopping for a new guitar. If you're not so large a person, try to look past the volume of those jumbos and think in terms of comfort. Go with a 000, Concert, or OM size. You'll be able to strum loudly enough to not get drowned out when jamming with your friends but the clarity of the treble end of your guitar will most likely make those dreads sound pretty muddy by comparison. As they say, YMMV. Just try a bunch of guitars before you form a definite opinion, but always be ready for a GAS attack (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome!) and don't be surprised if that "perfect" guitar turns out to be ... not quite! Just part of the adventure of learning the world of guitars.

Gene
5 Comments
Hershel Muncy
9/15/2017 12:43:26 am

Very nice piece. I've played for over 55 years, and learned all the things you mention the hard way. Many years of trial and error, and the expense! Wow! So much money! It's wonderful that you give so much helpful advice. I hope everyone will reread this a couple of times and listen and heed your words of wisdom. Play often. Play with friends whose company you enjoy. Be disciplined, but don't take yourself too seriously. Playing is to be enjoyed and the main thing is to always.... Have Fun!

Reply
Gene
9/15/2017 05:17:01 am

Hello Hershel,
Thanks for the kind words and I especially like your comment: "Be disciplined but don't take yourself too seriously." Glad enjoyed my posts, please check back from time to time as I'm always adding new stuff and I always welcome comment, whether readers agree with me or not!
Gene Bourque
Cape Cod Acoustics

Reply
Melissa
12/18/2017 03:15:27 pm

Hi there! First of all I would like to thank you for this blog, it was very helpful, I've become more and more interested in music, and being such a popular and not bulky instrument I decided to start off with the guitar. But there are so many to choose from!
Which one would you recommed to a very beginner, who is kind of a small person and wants something budget-friendly but decent to start playing?
Thanks again, I'm hoping to get your response soon
Happy Holidays!

Reply
Gene
12/19/2017 01:50:08 am

Hi Melissa & thanks for the kind words. You are right, there are many, many choices. The first two things you need to decide are how much you want to spend and whether you want steel or nylon strings. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Steel string guitars are more popular due to the wider range of music that can be played on them (and sound closer to the original artists, who usually use steel); nylon string guitars are easier on the fingers in the beginning but have less volume and resonance. In smaller instruments (steel: 00, 000, OM, parlor size) you can find some good quality guitars from Alvarez, Washburn, Yamaha and Ibanez in the $200 - $300 range. In nylon, one I like very much is the Cordoba Cadette, which is a 3/4 size instrument that sounds very good, has a slightly narrower neck than a traditional nylon string classical guitar and a shorter neck length, which makes playing chords easier. It can be found on sale from some of the big online sellers like Musician's Friend for about $275. Good luck on your search, you are fortunate to have so many choices compared to a few years ago! Gene

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Matt
2/12/2021 12:23:54 pm

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hanpeEJf9ik

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