This is my first question here. I will amend it as instructed. This is regarding a homework project in my first Java programming class (online program).

The assignment is to create a "stringed instrument" class using (among other things) an array of String names representing instrument string names ("A", "E", etc). The idea for the 12-string is beyond the scope of the assignment (it doesn't have to be included at all) but now that I've thought of it, I want to figure out how to make it work.

Part of me feels like the 12-String should have it's own class, but another part of me feels that it should be in the guitar class because it's a guitar. I suppose this will become clear as I progress but I thought I would see what kind of response I get here.

Also, why would they ask for a String[] for the instrument string names? Seems like a char[] makes more sense.

Thank you for any insight.

Here's my code so far (it's a work in progress):

public class Guitar {


private int numberOfStrings = 6;
private static int numberOfGuitars = 0;
private String[] stringNotes = {"E", "A", "D", "G", "B", "A"};
private boolean tuned = false;
private boolean playing = false;

public Guitar(){
    numberOfGuitars++;
}

public Guitar(boolean twelveString){
    if(twelveString){
        stringNotes[0] = "E, E";
        stringNotes[1] = "A, A";
        stringNotes[2] = "D, D";
        stringNotes[3] = "G, G";
        stringNotes[4] = "B, B";
        stringNotes[5] = "E, E";
        numberOfStrings = 12;
    }
}

public int getNumberOfStrings() {
    return numberOfStrings;
}

public void setNumberOfStrings(int strings) {
    if(strings == 12 || strings == 6) {
        if(strings == 12){
            stringNotes[0] = "E, E";
            stringNotes[1] = "A, A";
            stringNotes[2] = "D, D";
            stringNotes[3] = "G, G";
            stringNotes[4] = "B, B";
            stringNotes[5] = "E, E";
            numberOfStrings = strings;
        }
        if(strings == 6)
            numberOfStrings = strings;
    }//if
    else
        System.out.println("***ERROR***Guitar can only have 6 or 12 strings***ERROR***");
}

public void getStringNotes() {
        for(int i = 0; i < stringNotes.length; i++){
            if(i == stringNotes.length - 1)
                System.out.println(stringNotes[i]);
            else
                System.out.print(stringNotes[i] + ", ");
        }//for
}