The Electric Guitar, an instrument synonymous with genres from blues and jazz to rock and metal, wasn’t born in the spotlight of a rock concert but rather out of necessity. While its explosive popularity came with the rock and roll era of the 1950s and 60s, the electric guitar’s roots stretch back to 1931. Its invention was driven by the increasing volume demands of the Big Band Era, where guitarists struggled to be heard amongst large orchestras, particularly the powerful brass sections. This need for amplification led to the development of the first electric guitars, initially hollow archtop acoustic guitars fitted with electromagnetic transducers. By 1932, the dream of an electrically amplified guitar became a commercial reality. Pioneering manufacturers quickly emerged, including Rickenbacker in 1932, Dobro in 1933, and National, Epiphone, and Gibson all joining the fray by 1935 and 1936.
Gibson took a significant step in 1936 by releasing the ES-150, their first production electric guitar. The “ES” stood for “Electric Spanish,” and “150” represented its $150 price tag. This model featured a unique single-coil, hexagonally shaped pickup designed by Walt Fuller. This pickup later became legendary as the “Charlie Christian” pickup, named after the influential jazz guitarist Charlie Christian, who was an early adopter and master of the ES-150. While the ES-150 garnered attention, it had its limitations, notably inconsistent volume across the strings.
Despite these early challenges, the electric guitar continued to evolve. It has become an incredibly versatile instrument capable of producing a vast spectrum of sounds and styles. Crucially, it played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of rock and roll and numerous other musical genres, solidifying its place in music history.
Exploring the Different Types of Electric Guitars
Electric guitars aren’t a one-size-fits-all instrument. They come in various body styles, each with unique sonic characteristics and playing experiences. The three primary types are solid body, semi-hollowbody, and full hollowbody.
Solid Body Electric Guitars
A solid body electric guitar is constructed from a solid piece of wood, lacking any significant hollow spaces or chambers, except for those routed to accommodate pickups and control electronics. This solid construction is the defining feature and the key to their sound. Solid body guitars are renowned for their exceptional sustain, meaning notes ring out for a longer duration compared to semi-hollow and hollowbody guitars. This sustain, coupled with their inherent brightness and attack, makes them ideal for rock, metal, blues, and many contemporary genres.
Iconic examples of solid body guitars include the Gibson Les Paul, known for its thick, warm tone and sustain; the Gibson SG, with its lighter body and aggressive sound; the Fender Stratocaster, celebrated for its versatility and bright, clear tones; and the Fender Telecaster, prized for its twangy, cutting sound.
The concept of the solid body guitar was pioneered by Les Paul, who created “The Log,” an early solid body prototype. However, Gibson, initially skeptical, didn’t immediately embrace the design. Fender took the lead in mass production with the Broadcaster (later renamed the Telecaster) in 1948, predating Gibson’s Les Paul, which emerged shortly after as a direct competitor. Another game-changer was the Fender Stratocaster, launched in 1954. Its comfortable contours, tremolo system, and three pickups offering a wide array of tones quickly made it a favorite among musicians, particularly in the burgeoning rock music scenes of the 1960s and 70s.
Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars
Semi-hollowbody guitars bridge the gap between solid body and hollowbody designs. They feature a hollow body construction, but with a solid center block running through the middle of the body. This center block reduces feedback and increases sustain compared to full hollowbodies, while retaining some of the warmth and resonance of a hollow instrument. Semi-hollowbodies operate similarly to solid body electric guitars, relying on pickups to translate string vibrations into an electrical signal. However, because the hollow sections of the body also vibrate, the pickups capture a blend of string and body resonance, resulting in a unique tonal character.
Semi-hollowbody guitars are celebrated for their sweet, mellow, and sometimes funky tones. They are incredibly versatile and find homes in genres like blues, jazz, funk, 60s pop, and indie rock. Visually, they often feature cello-style F-shaped soundholes, contributing to their classic aesthetic. Interestingly, some players, like the legendary B.B. King with his famous “Lucille” guitar, have opted to block off these F-holes to further minimize feedback at high volumes.
Full Hollowbody Electric Guitars
Full hollow-body guitars represent the most traditional form of electric guitar, directly evolving from acoustic archtop guitars. They possess large, deep, entirely hollow bodies. A key characteristic of full hollowbodies is their acoustic volume. They can often be played at a volume comparable to an acoustic guitar, making them suitable for unplugged playing in intimate settings. Their origins are deeply rooted in the jazz age of the 1920s and 30s, and they remain the quintessential “jazz guitar,” often affectionately nicknamed the “jazzbox.” Like semi-hollow guitars, they frequently feature f-shaped soundholes.
Typically equipped with humbucker pickups (though sometimes just a neck pickup), and often strung with heavier gauge strings, jazzboxes are prized for their warm, rich, and mellow tone, perfect for classic jazz sounds. However, variations exist, particularly popular in country and rockabilly music. These versions often feature single-coil pickups and sometimes a Bigsby tremolo system, resulting in a distinctly twangier, more biting tone compared to the traditional jazzbox.
Choosing an Electric Guitar for Beginners
Embarking on your electric guitar journey is exciting, and selecting the right first instrument is crucial. Brands like Squier, Epiphone, and Ibanez are widely recognized for offering excellent electric guitars specifically designed for beginners. When choosing your starter guitar, consider the type of music that inspires you and the features that will best support your learning process. Ultimately, the best approach is to get hands-on and try out different guitars to find one that feels comfortable and inspiring in your hands.
To guide you further, GuitarCenter offers resources like a comprehensive how to shop for electric guitar beginners guide and a curated electric guitars for beginners collection. These resources can provide valuable insights and help you narrow down your choices.
The Science Behind Electric Guitar Sound
What sets electric guitars apart from their acoustic counterparts is their reliance on pickups to generate sound for amplification. Electric guitars use one or more pickups mounted to the body. Pickups are essentially magnets surrounded by wire coils. These pickups create a magnetic field. When the guitar’s metal strings are strummed or plucked, their vibrations disrupt this magnetic field. This disruption induces a current in the pickup’s coil. This electrical current, representing the string vibrations, is then transmitted through the guitar’s internal preamp circuit. Finally, connecting the guitar to a guitar amplifier via a guitar cable allows this signal to be amplified and projected through speakers, producing the sounds we associate with electric guitars.
Electric Guitar Price Range: From Budget to Boutique
The price of electric guitars varies dramatically, spanning from around $100 to tens of thousands of dollars. Several factors contribute to this wide range, including the brand reputation, the quality of materials used in construction, the complexity of features, and the craftsmanship involved.
Generally, good entry-level electric guitars for beginners typically fall within the $200 – $400 price range. Intermediate-level guitars, offering upgraded components and features, often double that, ranging from $400 – $800. High-end electric guitars, designed for experienced and professional players, commonly start around $800 and can go up to $2000. Beyond this, premium, hand-made, or limited edition electric guitars, such as those from Fender Custom Shop and Gibson Custom, can command significantly higher prices, often reaching well into the tens of thousands of dollars.
Popular Electric Guitar Models That Shaped Music History
Certain electric guitar models have achieved iconic status, becoming synonymous with entire genres and generations of music. Some of the most enduringly popular electric guitars include the Fender Telecaster, known for its versatility and bright tone; the Fender Stratocaster, celebrated for its comfort and wide tonal palette; the Gibson Les Paul, revered for its thick sustain and warm sound; the Gibson ES-335, a versatile semi-hollowbody favored in blues and rock; and the Gibson SG Standard, known for its aggressive rock tone.
For a deeper dive into these legendary instruments, GuitarCenter offers a blog article on the Top 5 Most Popular Electric Guitars. This article provides further details on what makes these models so influential and beloved by guitarists worldwide.
The electric guitar is more than just an instrument; it’s a cultural icon that continues to evolve and inspire musicians across genres. From its humble beginnings in the Big Band era to its dominant presence in modern music, the electric guitar’s journey is a testament to its enduring appeal and sonic possibilities.
