kitarat

Kitarat are fretted string instruments typically played by plucking or strumming. The term kitarat is Finnish for guitars and is used to refer to this family in discussions of music and instrument construction.

Most kitarat have a hollow body, a neck with frets, and six strings, though variations exist. Major types include classical guitars with nylon strings, steel-string acoustic guitars, and electric guitars; electro-acoustic models blend features of acoustics and electrics.

Construction varies by type, with tops often made of spruce or cedar and backs and sides from rosewood, mahogany, or similar woods. Standard tuning for most six-string guitars is E2–A2–D3–G3–B3–E4, though tunings and string materials differ: nylon-string classical guitars use nylon rather than steel and typically have a wider neck.

Historically, the guitar's ancestors appeared in the Iberian Peninsula during the 15th and 16th centuries. The modern classical guitar was developed in the 19th century, notably by Antonio de Torres Jurado. The electric guitar emerged in the 1930s and transformed popular and contemporary music by enabling amplification and new playing techniques.

Guitars occupy a central place in many musical cultures and genres, from classical recital and flamenco to folk, jazz, and rock. They are produced by numerous manufacturers and are widely available in various sizes and price ranges, and they continue to influence music production and pedagogy.