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PT.1 GUITARS: CHPT. I - ELECTRIC GUITARS

Introduction

The electric guitar was and is a substantial part of the music today.  Without it, bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Rush would hardly be anywhere.  They would just have to rock out to the nice sounding acoustic guitars.

Early Stages

The Romans invented instruments, similar to the guitar, in 40 AD.  The instruments had four strings, and a soundhole. This idea continued throughout history and was very popular towards the 16th century.

In the 16th century, acoustic guitars were the only guitars on the market.  A nd they were tuned much differently then they are today.  They are tuned A-D-G-B-E.  Almost like today’s, but without the low “E” string.

With the tuning changed to what it is today, (E-A-D-G-B-E) guitarists were getting old. along with a lot of other people.  So that is what started the want for more volume.

The Influences

In the 16th century, most guitarists wanted their guitars to be louder.  Many experiments and ideas were tested out to make that possible.  For example, Antonio de Torres Jurado invented the tornavos.  The tornavos is a metal cylinder that is connected from the back of the guitar, to the soundhole.  This increased the volume.  But it still wasn’t loud enough.  And there was only one clear explination.  Electric amplification.

One of the major influencers of the electric guitar was Les Paul.  He first experimented by attatching a microphone to the guitar.  And that eventually morphed into the pickup.  The pickups we use today are single-coil and humbuckers.  That whole involved into the electric guitar. 

In 1932 the electric guitar started to manufacture.  Some of the big brands were Fender and Gibson.  And they still are today!  Orville Gibson was the original founder of Gibson.  He also was one of the first people to use steel strings. 

Guitars Today

Experiment after experiment, the electric guitar has become a huge success.  Today, the electric guitar business is booming.  There are many shapes and sizes to go with the electric guitar.  One of the original designs is the double neck guitar.  It consists of two guitar necks, one neck with six strings, the other with twelve strings.  There are also solidbody, hollowbody, and semi-hollow guitars.

Some of the guitarists that use electric guitars today are Alex Lifeson, Angus Young, Kirk Hammett, and Santana.  There are also many effects that you can use with electric guitars.  Including distortion, wah pedal, and flange pedal.  As you can see, without the electric guitar, most of today’s music, including rock, metal, blues, and jazz, would be hardly anything without it.

YES!