Guide to Choosing the Right Parlor Guitar
What is a Parlor Guitar?
The Parlor guitar is a type of small body guitar that appeared in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Unlike a classical guitar, it was tensioned with steel strings and came to America from Europe. The guitar is tagged 'Parlor' mainly because it is often used for intimate performances at home or small public "Living Rooms".
Although there is debate about the exact definition, a parlor guitar is widely accepted to refer to a small-bodied acoustic guitar that is narrower than current standards. If you want to get even more specific, Parlor guitars are all smaller than size 0 concert guitars sold by Martin & co, the legendary guitar builder.
Is Guitar Parlor any good?
Its ability to deliver loud volume and rich tone despite its small size made Parlor's guitars perfect for previously simple performances. In fact, mini acoustic guitars were the norm in the early 1900s, and Parlor guitars were not considered small at the time. Larger designs such as dreadnoughts that we are familiar with now appeared much later.
Thanks to its ingenious design, even a tiny Parlor guitar produces a loud, distinct, resonant sound – a quality appreciated by musicians who regularly play in Parlor's indoor and outdoor environments. very high price, as well as not being amplified.
But there's another thing that distinguishes Parlor guitars from other small acoustics, and that's their pear-shaped construction that's wider in the bottom than the top. Some Parlor guitars are also designed with elongated, figure-eight bodies.
These body designs have been deliberately chosen to maximize the volume produced by these guitars without compromising their small size. Aside from their functional connotation, such designs also give a classic vintage look to pretty eye-catching Parlor guitars.
What special features does Guitar Parlor have?
The reason Parlor guitars became so popular in the early 1900s was their exceptional ability to play at high volumes while not being amplified, and to produce a rich tone despite their small body.
After experiencing a lull with the advent of amplified (EQ-mounted) guitars, Parlor guitars have returned with an explosive demand for classical properties that make them irresistible to music. Doctor today:
Distinctive Tone: As we mentioned, Parlor guitars produce a clear mid-range tone that can shine beautifully in acoustic guitar recordings and can also become a musician's signature tone. This rich and balanced sound really works well if you're playing blues, folk, bluegrass and especially fingerstyle.
Perfect for Fingerstyle Guitarists: If you are a fingerstyle guitar player, then playing Parlor guitar will be like a gift from heaven. This is because the small body of a Parlor guitar requires less force to produce a loud, rich, and clear sound with your fingers.
This makes playing smooth with minimal effort. In contrast, large body guitars like dreadnoughts require fingerstyle players to exert a lot of force to get the volume they want.
Compact, travel-friendly size: The Parlor guitar's compact body makes it a great companion on short picnics and camping trips. Their portable size makes them easy to stow in the airplane cabin or in your car without taking up too much space.
Intimate Performance: Originally, Parlor guitars (also known as Living Room) were built to play loud in an indoor, unamplified environment. This is why these guitars are the perfect choice if you are playing for a small audience.
Not only will the volume be loud enough to go around the room, but the clear, balanced, resonant tone you'll get will be unmatched in such a small size.
Beautiful, Classic Design: Sure, this point is about looks. Just by looking at the uniquely shaped Parlor guitar, you'll be immediately transported back to the classic American and European Parlors of the 1930s, where new musical styles were developing right there. Any musician wants a light, portable, and beautifully crafted instrument that evokes a sense of nostalgia for an era before your own.
What is the difference between Parlor Guitarand Travel Guitar?
It can be easy to confuse a travel guitar with a parlor and vice versa. But if you pay attention, there are small but very important differences between the two.
While travel guitars are shaped like regular acoustic guitars but are smaller in size, Parlor guitars are longer and thinner than acoustic guitars.
Travel-friendly guitars have a smaller nut width than standard acoustic guitars, while Parlor guitars have the same nut width as regular-sized acoustic guitars.
Parlor guitars typically have fewer frets than travel guitars. While Parlor guitars typically have 18 frets, touring guitars can have between 21 and 24 frets.
Features to look for in a Parlor guitar:
When buying a Parlor guitar, there are several key features that you need to keep in mind. This will ensure that you choose a model that is compatible with your playing style as well as tone and design preferences.
Body Size: Even among Parlor guitars, you will find different sizes available. It is important to choose the right size for your height and overall size. This will ensure that you feel comfortable holding and playing the guitar.
Wood: Parlor guitars are available in a variety of woods used for the body, neck, and frets. While their top, body, neck and back are usually made of woods like Spruce, Mahogany, Cedar or Agathis, keyboards are usually made of Rosewood or Walnut.
Each of these woods has its own tone and tonal quality, from bright, clear and crisp to rich, deep and dark, so choose a model that gives you your preferred timbre.
Clear Keys: Even among Parlor guitars, you'll find everything from 18- to 23-key keyboards. Keep this in mind and check the fret count of the guitar you're considering, as this will affect your playability and the sound you can get out of the guitar. In most cases, the last 4-5 keys are inaccessible, unless it's the body shape that's cut off. So check the total number of keys and, in general, subtract 4-5 frets from that: That's the obvious number of keys you can actually play.
Body Shape: While all Parlor guitars have a narrower shape than standard guitars, they come in two slightly different shapes. The first is the pear shape, where the bottom half of the body is noticeably wider than the top half.
Parlor's other guitars, on the other hand, have a slightly more balanced shape where the bottom half is only slightly wider than the top half. While the wider bottom half will add a bit more bass to the timbre, the more balanced body shape will have more mid-tones. While these effects may be minimal, they are important to keep in mind.
Price: You'll find that there are a number of Parlor guitars available at a variety of price points, from extremely affordable to extremely expensive. Prices largely depend on the quality of the wood and the components used, however, you'll find high-quality guitars in all three categories, depending on what you're looking for.
While the high-end Parlors, which cost around $15 million and up, are a great choice for experienced musicians who will really appreciate its quality and tone, there's also a lot more. Parlor has great sound in the low price range from 3-7 million to the mid-range from 7-15 million.
Brand: When it comes to Parlor guitars, we find that the more experienced and reputable the manufacturer, the better the quality and sound. Because Parlor guitars are small in size, the brand that built it had to be very smart about design, components, bracing and overall craftsmanship to get the loudest and best sound possible. can from it. And we've seen that experienced brands are well-versed in this division, as are some budding young boutique brands growing.
However, that doesn't mean newer brands can't make great Parlor guitars. Whether your brand is old or new, it's all about the knowledge and thinking you put into your design.
Conclude
Parlor's guitars are not only stunningly beautiful, but they produce a distinctly resonant mid-range tone that is fun to play as well as to record. We hope this article provided you with an insight into all the key features of the wide range of Parlor guitars, from collector's edition models to beginner's Parlors. begin. In the end, what matters is your preference – be it in terms of wood, tone or overall design.
We hope you find a Parlor guitar you love and enjoy it at home as well as outdoors. Wish you have fun!
See more:
14 Best Parlor Guitars (Every Price)
Why You Should Own a Travel Guitar
Should You Buy a Flesh Wood Guitar or a Pressed Wood Guitar?
The Best Classical Guitars - Flamenco
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