The acoustic guitar’s construction and materials have a major influence on the sound, and the various woods used in guitar manufacture are carefully chosen for their functional properties.
There are conservation issues associated with the use of wood, and research has tried to identify cheaper, more acoustically consistent synthetic alternatives, although with limited success so far.
 
The component parts of a classical guitar are shown below:

Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Acoustic_guitar_parts.png

 
The parts are as follows:
1. Headstock – wood, secures the strings at the top of the neck.
2. Nut – usually plastic …

The classical guitar has ancient origins, which are not fully understood, and has taken various forms throughout its evolution.
It may have developed within Europe, or have been introduced by the Arabs, and possible ancestors include the Ancient Greek kithara and various lutes from Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Egypt. In Europe, plucked lutes appeared in the Middle Ages.
The guitar’s development can be accurately traced from the Renaissance. The lute and, in Spain, the guitar-like vihuela de mano, were popular, and the early guitar appeared in …