# What is a Parlor Guitar?



## Lawrence (Nov 14, 2014)

I recently went to an ANTIQUE/JUNK STORE and for $54 Dollars bought a Torino Acoustic guitar. 3/4 size. It looked like crap. I cleaned it and and did a setup on it. I spent two days working on this piece of junk.

But now I love it! I plays so well that I just can't put it down.
SOOO my question is is this a parlor guitar?

I have high end guitars but this little piece of junk gets more attention than the Fenders and Gibsons and all the others.
So please help!
What is a parlor guitar?


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

It was just a smaller guitar that was popular back in the dizzle.

What's a dizzle?

It's my rapper way of saying 'day'.

Am I a rapper?

I _was_ a rapper.

I used to tour montreal, ottawa, and quebec under the alias "Comment t'appelle dude". You heard?

Now I just sorta hang out with my wife and boy thinking about marketing my killer gangsta nursery rhymes - which are not only off the hook, but also the chain.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

That's easy. A parlor guitar is a guitar you play in the parlor. The parlor is the old name for living room. So if you are in the living room and are playing a guitar there, it is a parlor guitar. Once it leaves the living room, it becomes something else.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

I've seen both parlor and parlour


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

@amagras 

It's pronounced "parlour" in Cancun, but "parlor" in the rest of the world. I think it has something to do with the Hepatitis C you get from an ice cube, but I could be wrong.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

My deepest sympathy to the OP


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

amagras said:


> I've seen both parlor and parlour


Parlor is made in the USA. Parlour is made in Canada and has a bit more depth, resonance and power due to the longer name.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

@greco


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Pics?

A parlour guitar is a small bodied guitar - the smallest size that is widely available. Typically with 12 frets to the body and a standard width neck. (Typically a 3/4 size guitar will have a narrower neck.) Lots of great playing parlour guitars out there - and they travel well too!


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

adcandour said:


> @amagras
> 
> It's pronounced "parlour" in Cancun, but "parlor" in the rest of the world. I think it has something to do with the Hepatitis C you get from an ice cube, but I could be wrong.


In Cancun, they call them "requinto"


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## Lawrence (Nov 14, 2014)

There are linguistic engineers lurking this site!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

This my $75 Arts & Lutherie Ami parlour guitar. The guy's kid decided to pull an Ed Sheeran on it. Got it with Hercules stand which costs almost that much. Neck joint is at the 12th fret which common for parlours.










This is my first acoustic, a Fender CP100 parlour. Got this first virtually unused. cheap. It's neck joint is at the 14th fret. May not have the greatest sound but it is a great player.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Parlour guitars were intended for, or assumed, being played in smaller more intimate settings - such as one's parlour. If you live or lived in one of those older more traditional 3-storey brownstones you find in Canada's largest cities, that were long and narrow (because price varied with frontage), with a very slender front room (often divided by a curtain in the archway), there might be a piano in the front "parlour", and perhaps a guitar.

Parlour guitars are contrasted with "concert" models, that were designed around the idea of being on a stage, and being able to project out to the back rows, rather than to the few people sitting on the sofa across from you.

I love parlour guitars. They have an intimacy about them in their tone that feels like someone snuggled up beside you and whispering sweet nothings in your ear.


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## Lawrence (Nov 14, 2014)

As I reread the post I started I think it is hilarious the comments gave me a chuckle. Thanks to all that participated!
Also some really good serious comments!!!!


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

Not sure if my CBS Masterworks is a parlor guitar but yes, smaller size ment to be played in small venue,home etc...


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

If I recall correctly, parlor guitars were the largest sized guitar or typical size of guitar prior to the twentieth century. 

Being 12 frets clear of yhe body as well causes the bridge to be closer to the middle of the lower bout tather than towards the sound hole which causes a more equally balanced tone across all strings.


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