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The earliest stringed instruments were made using tortoise shells and a bent stick for a neck.
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The Oud was popular in the Arabs and Western Europe during the 8th century. It has a pear shaped body and did not have frets.
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Evidence of the Lute was found in Sicily, Italy. By the 1700s, it was the most popular instrument in Europe.
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The Vihuela was popular in Spain, Italy, and Portugal during the 15th and 16th centuries. The vihuela is essentially a flat-backed lute.
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Renaissance and Baroque guitars are very alike though Baroque guitars have more features. The guitar at this point was mainly a supporting instrument.
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The 19th century brought the classical guitar which is still used in modern times. The classical guitar has nylon strings which are plucked with the player's fingers.
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Christian Friedrich Martin developed the X Brace system which allows guitars to withstand greater tension from steel strings.
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Through technical advances of builders like Adolph Rickenbacker, Les Paul, and Leo Fender, they each developed their own versions of solid body guitars with pickups that could amplify the sound of the guitar.
