Originally Posted by: sixpickerChris I always thought that the 3rd fret on the 5th string would be middle C, is that basically accurate.[/quote]
That is correct when you are playing sheet music specifying the notes are played on guitar. But this is because guitar sheet music is transposed up one octave.

However, the actual concert pitch middle C on a piano is the "industry standard"; and it is written on the "middle C", one ledger line below the treble clef (also one ledger line above bass clef in order to occupy it's very special place in music notation).

And that note is the same pitch on the guitar as the C on the 1st fret, B string.

But, if the guitar was written on sheet music as actually pitched, then the lower C you mention is written in the bass clef! In order to avoid having to read two staves (bass and treble), the music establishment decided to write guitar one octave up.

The piano is better written in two staves not only because it has a much wider pitch range (higher and lower). But more importantly, because it adds clarity to being able to clearly see two separate parts for two separate hands.

Read here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_tuning
[QUOTE=sixpicker]
Does what you said only apply to using sheet music for piano?

It applies to any instrument that is written in concert pitch (piano, violin, flute, etc.) compared to any instrument that is written in a transposed pitch (guitar is transposed one octave, B-flat horns like trumpet are transposed a major second, E-flat horns like some saxes are transposed a sixth, etc.).

Read here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposing_instrument