What Makes a Bluegrass Guitar Different?

Bluegrass musicians expect the best in tone and looks from their instruments.  This is evident when you are walking around a jam.  You'll see thousands of dollars worth of instruments in the tight circle that forms a jam session.

Many guitar makers will tag a model as a "bluegrass" model, but does that really mean its any different?  Bluegrass guitarists should look for several things.

• Volume - a bluegrass guitar almost has to be a dreadnought, sorry 000 owners it might work in the studio but not in a jam.

• Woods - plenty of pop and rock stars get by with inferior quality wood or laminate construction by drilling a hole in the bottom of the guitar and inserting a pickup, but usually that's a no-no for bluegrassers.  Most rely on the tonal properties of their woods instead of mixers and equalizers.  Sometimes the studio beckons, but a bluegrass guitar relies on the wood first and foremost.  Rosewood and Mahogany are tried and true woods but occasionally you'll see walnut, maple and others.  Solid wood is preferred if price allows.  Always try to get a solid top and sacrifice fancy looks for an all solid instrument if you are on a budget.

• Bracing - since bluegrass players usually are unplugged, bracing styles will greatly effect your tone.  Read up on the different types of bracing and choose one that fits your style.

• Tuners - a bluegrass guitarist needs tuners that can keep the strings in tune.  Theres nothing worse than having to stop and re-tune after one song when the rest of the jam session passes you by.  Waverly, Grover, Gotoh and many others make great tuners and many intermediate and advanced level guitars come with them installed from the factory.  Don't forget though it never hurts to modify and instrument.  I have a $40 Spencer guitar that I've upgraded with grover tuning machines and some special ceramic bridge pins... and I think the guitar is a real winner (it is solid maple though).

•  Looks - Some things are "faux pas" in bluegrass (probably using that phrase is too!).  Cutaways seem to be a no-no, electronics will raise eyebrows.  Its all about getting back to your roots and keeping it simple.  But just like the old long rifles hunters used to carry that had half moon inlays, marquetry and etching on them, guitars are meant for prettying up.  Shops like Bryan England's Custom Inlay can take a normal instrument and make it "part of the family".  The boundary is as big as your imagination when it comes to customization.

The point of bluegrass is being part of a living, breathing tradition that conjures up the simple things in life like home, family and joy.  Find a guitar that can portray all that in a simple, functional yet beautiful way and you'll have yourself a bluegrass guitar.

- SD