The Electric Guitar

Electric Guitar, a fretted stringed instrument, played with a pick and amplified electrically. There are two kinds: the solid-body and the acoustic.

The solid-body guitar is popular with rock music groups. It is made of wood that has been coated with celluloid or plastic and has no inner resonating chamber. The body is 16 inches (40.6 cm) long and has a depth of less than 11/2 inches (3.8 cm). One or both shoulders are cut away to facilitate the playing of high notes. Six steel strings pass over one to four tiny microphones wired to a separate amplifier. Knob controls on the instrument, in conjunction with those on the amplifier, are adjusted for volume, treble or bass boost, tremolo, and built-in echo. On some models a toggle switch activates various combinations of the microphones. The instrument was pioneered in 1946 by the Fender Guitar Company. It has been called for in ensembles by such avant-garde composers as the German Karlheinz Stockhausen and the American Lukas Foss.

The electric acoustic guitar is the forerunner of the solid-body guitar. A pear-shaped instrument with a resonating chamber, this type of guitar was manufactured by the Gibson Guitar Company in 1935, when it was featured in dance bands and jazz groups. It later became popular for playing country and western music.

The electric guitar was also developed in the United States, during the 1930’s. It uses a pickup to amplify the sound instead of a hollow sound box. The pickup works like a microphone. It converts the sound of the string into an electrical impulse and sends it to an amplifier. There the signal is strengthened and sent to the speaker, which emits the signal as sound.

Early electric guitars were simply acoustic guitars with pickups attached. This created amplification but also problems of unwanted vibrations and noise. These problems were solved by making the body of the guitar from one or more solid pieces of wood, usually around 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches (3.8 to 6.4 centimeters) thick.

Because the body is solid, it can be formed to any shape or size for purposes of comfort or visual appeal. Solid-body guitars have been made in a few traditional shapes, most notably the Les Paul shape, developed by recording artist Les Paul for the Gibson company, and the Stratocaster shape designed by Leo Fender.

Acoustic-electric guitars are still made today and have evolved into an instrument that brings the qualities of both types together. Some emphasize the acoustic characteristics while others favor the electrical qualities.

The electric guitar has great appeal due to its range of expressiveness and ease of playing. It is effective as a solo instrument as well as for accompaniment. Lighter gauge strings used on these instruments make them softer to the touch. Their slim body design also makes them comfortable to hold.

The electric guitar dominates the pop- and rock-music industry and has produced virtuosos comparable to those in the world of other styles of music. Early electric guitar pioneers in the field of rock music include Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton.

Electric guitars can also draw on a vast array of electronic devices, such as wa-wa and distortion pedals, to create effects impossible to achieve on acoustic instruments.