Modern classical guitar (1887–1959) Modern classical guitar The modern classical guitar (also known as the Spanish guitar), the immediate forerunner of today's guitars, was developed in the 19th century by Antonio de Torres Jurado, Ignacio Fleta, Hermann Hauser Sr., Robert Bouchet The fingerstyle is used fervently on the modern classical guitar. The thumb traditionally plucks the bass or root note whereas the fingers ring the melody and its accompanying parts. Francisco Tárrega, Emilio Pujol, Andrés Segovia In the 20th century, many non-guitarist composers wrote for the instrument, which previously only players of the instrument had done. Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909), Roberto Gerhard (1896–1970), Heitor
Classical guitar strings the main alternative to nylon strings. The three treble guitar strings are made from sheep or cow intestine, referred to as plain gut, while the three bass strings are made of a silk thread core wound with gut. Since the development of nylon guitar strings by Albert Augustine Ltd., the three treble strings are a single nylon filament, while the three bass strings are made of a core of fine nylon threadlike filaments wound with silver-plated bronze or copper wire. Up until the Second World War animal gut and silk were the materials from which guitar strings were manufactured. Albert