History and curiosities of the classical guitar
The luthier's craft was passed down from generation to generation, and the art of luthier craft evolved into more advanced creations, adapting to both the guitar music being composed and the guitar-playing style of musicians of each era. Over the years, the instrument has adapted to the artists, as each guitar is designed with the type of playing for which it will be used in mind. Furthermore, its size and shape have varied to achieve not only better handling but also greater musicality. The material and number of strings used have also changed. The earliest surviving guitar has five pairs, but for much of its history there were only four. Today's guitar has a fixed number of six strings, although there were times when it was double that number. The type of wood used in its manufacture is another of the key factors in achieving the desired result. From the earliest surviving examples, there is usually a clear preference for using spruce for the top and rosewood for the body, with the neck and headstock being the parts that show the most variations throughout history and where, in many cases, one type of guitar differs from another. Today, it could be said that there are as many types of guitars as there are musical possibilities offered by the most recognized and widespread string instrument in the world.
