Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 13:43:25 +0100



Dan Goodman wrote:

> I'll sit back and wait for someone to say "Your definition of the
> distinction between electic and amplified-acoustic guitars won't hold
> water, I'm afraid."

Well, his first two points are irrelevant to the distinction.  The third
point is, however, correct:

an electric guitar uses the variation of magnetic field caused by the 
strings vibrating to create an electrical signal, which is then amplified
electrically to drive a loudspeaker;

an acoustic guitar uses the mechanical vibration of the strings, 
transmitted mechanically throught the bridge to the soundboard, to
directly produce sound.

The existence of hybrids doesn't affect this distinction, although you
may wish to draw a line determining which of the hybrids you want in
any particular place.

The thing that gets my goat, though, is people who assume that because 
it's 'electric' and has an amplifier it's going to be loud.  In fact, as
the Magician pointed out, an electric guitar or bass makes a lot less
noise than an acoustic one, and the amplifier can be run with headphones
(or just with the volume turned right down).  

With people who insist on only acoustic instruments because "electric is
too loud" I feel inclined to get some bagpipes and play them in the filk
room.  Non-amplified so it fits their definition - but I'll make sure to
wear earplugs, and I'm a person who likes Heavy Metal concerts...

Chris C

--
Filk Digest
(echomail and newsgroup readers disregard this as it doesn't apply to you)
To post to the list, send a message to filk-d-l@bdragon.shore.net
To (un)sub-scribe, send a message to listserv@bdragon.shore.net
with "subscribe filk-d" in the message body
|Gateway: Black Dragon Inn
|GateOp: root@bdragon.shore.net