Editing Steel-string acoustic guitar (section)

== Music and players ==
Until the 1960s, the predominant forms of music played on the flat-top, steel-string guitar remained relatively stable and included acoustic [[blues]], [[American country music|country]], [[bluegrass music|bluegrass]], [[folk music|folk]], and several genres of [[rock music|rock]]. The concept of playing solo steel-string guitar in a concert setting was introduced in the early 1960s by such performers as [[Davey Graham]] and [[John Fahey (musician)|John Fahey]], who used [[country blues]] [[fingerpicking]] techniques to compose original compositions with structures somewhat like [[European classical music]]. Fahey contemporary [[Robbie Basho]] added elements of [[Indian classical music]] and [[Leo Kottke]] used a Faheyesque approach to make the first solo steel-string guitar "hit" record.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

Steel-string guitars are also important in the world of [[flatpicking]], as utilized by such artists as [[Clarence White]], [[Tony Rice]], [[Bryan Sutton]], [[Doc Watson]] and [[David Grier]]. Luthiers have been experimenting with redesigning the acoustic guitar for these players. These flat-top, steel-string guitars are constructed and voiced more for classical-like fingerpicking and less for chordal accompaniment (strumming). Some luthiers have increasingly focused their attention on the needs of fingerstylists and have developed unique guitars for this style of playing.

Many other luthiers attempt to recreate the guitars of the "Golden Era" of [[C. F. Martin & Company|C.F. Martin & Co]]. This was started by Roy Noble, who built the guitar played by Clarence White from 1968 to 1972, and was followed by Bill Collings, Marty Lanham, [[Dana Bourgeois]], Randy Lucas, Lynn Dudenbostel and [[Wayne Henderson (luthier)|Wayne Henderson]], a few of the luthiers building guitars today inspired by vintage Martins, the pre–World War II models in particular. As prices for vintage Martins continue to rise exponentially, upscale guitar enthusiasts have demanded faithful recreations and luthiers are working to fill that demand.