How to Measure the Size of an Acoustic Guitar

There are several different ways you can measure the size of an acoustic guitar.

I mean, when you look at a guitar it? a pretty complex shape – and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

But why would you want to measure your guitar?

There are a couple of reasons you might want to measure your acoustic.

Firstly, you may want to know the size of your guitar to learn what the best size is for you. If you are a smaller player, or buying for a kid then you may want to get a smaller bodied guitar and/or a guitar with a shorter neck.

But the most common reason to measure your guitar is to find the best fitting case for it.

Diagram

Refer to the diagram below if you aren?t sure what any of the parts of the guitar mentioned below are.

The Different Measurements

You may need some or all of the following measurements. All you?ll need to measure your guitar is a tape measure.

Body Length

The body length doesn?t include the neck and head of the guitar. To measure the body measure from the top of the body where the neck meets the soundboard right down to the bottom – not including the strap pin.

Upper Bout Width

Measure across the width of the guitar at the widest point of the upper bout. This will be roughly just above the soundhole (if you have the guitar standing upright).

Lower Bout Width

Measure across the width of the guitar at the widest point of the lower bout. This will be below the bridge of the guitar (if you have the guitar standing upright). This will be the widest part of the guitar.

Length of the Neck

Measure the neck from where it intersects with the body of the guitar and up to the nut.

Scale Length

Scale length is measured by taking the distance from the nut to the 12^th fret and then multiplying that by 2. Check out the link below for more on the scale length and why you might want to measure this.

• What is the Scale Length and how to measure it

Bout Depth

With the guitar lying flat measure the height of the sides of the guitar. This measurement shouldn?t include the bridge. Measure this at both the lower bout and upper bout.

Full Depth

Measure the full depth of the guitar as per bout depth?but including the bridge.

Full length

Measure the entire length of the guitar from the top of the head to the bottom of the body.

Body Waist Width

Measure the width of the narrowest part of the body. This will be the point in between the upper and lower bouts.

Neck width (both at nut and at body)

Measure the width across the fretboard (fingerboard) both where the neck intersects at the body (usually at the 14^th fret but sometimes at the 12^th fret) and at the nut.

Neck?s distance off the ground

With your guitar on a flat surface measure the distance from the surface to the bottom of the neck. Measure at both the 12^th fret and at the nut.

Headstock from surface

Also measure form the surface to the bottom of the headstock.

Final Thoughts

Different shaped guitars will fit within certain measurements but there are often slight variations. For an overview of the most common shape variations check out the link below.

• The Different Acoustic Guitar Shapes

I hope this post has given you more info on what parts of the guitar you might need to measure and how to measure them.

>>Acoustic Guitar Reviews by Size and Shape