Types of Electric
Guitars
The first types of electric guitars have been in use since the 1930s, almost one
hundred years now. The first production model was Gibson's ES-150: their Electric
Spanish guitar initially priced at $150 dollars. Although he was not the first to play it, it
was the great jazz musician Charlie Christian that made this guitar
famous.
The principles of electric guitar design were now in place. Steel strings
vibrating across an electromagnetic coil, the pickup, pass a small electric current to an amplifier
which boosts the incoming signal and in turn drives a loudspeaker.
Theoretically speaking, the physical construction of these types of electric
guitars had little effect on the characteristic tone quality of the instrument. It’s the design of
the pick-up, the amplifier, and the speaker system that shape its sound. Today, various effects are
added into the sound-chain both before and after the amplification stage. In recordings, the
guitar's sound can be further shaped at the mixing and mastering stages.
Solid body electric guitars do in fact exist, the most famous types of electric
guitars being the competing Stratocaster and Les Paul guitars, built by Fender
and Gibson respectively. These two models of guitars were favored by 1970s rock icons and became an
identifiable part of the music's sound. Today many other brand names and models compete for the
attention of players.
In addition to the solid body types of electric guitars are hollow body ones where
the body's vibration does become a contributing factor in its sound. Most famous of these types of
electric guitars are the arch-top guitars of the jazz player. The designation arch-top does have
several possible variations itself. On the more expensive side are the carved tops of the high end
jazz boxes. Emulating these guitars are hollow body types of electric guitars that use varying
types of laminate construction. Once again it was up to Gibson with their ES-175 and the
Fender Telecaster to set the standard for the classic jazz guitar
tone.
More recently, synth and midi types of electric guitars are coming into their own.
The Canadian manufacturer Godin originally won its claim to fame with guitars that could drive
particular models of Roland synthesizers. Initially the latency problems of the midi protocol,
limited these instruments to the studio. With further refinements, these types of electric guitars
are increasingly accepted and used by top players looking to define a particular sound, as well as
explore the possibilities of synthesized music, once the exclusive playground of keyboard
players.
Electric guitars, long known for their identifying sounds when compared to their
acoustic cousins, have in recent years been challenged by the newer sounds of the acoustics.
Acoustic manufacturers are doing a stellar job of designing various models of traditional acoustic
guitars with on-board amplification systems. These types of electric guitars often use a
combination of piezoelectric pickups and mics, as well as modified body designs. At their best,
these guitar systems try to strike a balance between recreating a realistic acoustic sound and feel
while limiting feedback problems and bleed-over from other sound sources.
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