“Go Electric: Everything You Need to Know About Electric Guitars.”
For generations, the electric guitar has been an iconic instrument in rock music, giving shape and texture to countless classic hits. Popularized by legendary performers such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and David Gilmour, electric guitars have become unmissable in the rock music scene. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned player, if you’re looking to create your own music or expand your repertoire, you can find an electric guitar that’s perfect for your needs.
Electric guitars come in various shapes and sizes and offer a range of capabilities unmatched by any other instrument. While learning an electric guitar may seem more complex than playing a regular acoustic guitar, there are a few tips you need to know that will help you get the most out of your time with your electric guitar.
An Overview of Electric Guitars
Electric guitars have been around since the 1930s and have since become the most popular choice of guitar for playing rock music. Electric guitars often feature six strings played through an amplifier, with an array of pickups and effects allowing the player to manipulate their sound. The shape, size and type of electric guitar you choose will depend on the purpose and style of music you want to create.
The Different Shapes of Electric Guitars
When you start looking for an electric guitar, you’ll soon notice the vast array of shapes and sizes from which you can choose. Common electric guitar shapes include the Les Paul, Stratocaster and Telecaster, but there are dozens of other shapes available too.
The Les Paul is a classic design that offers a thicker, beefy tone thanks to its mahogany body and humbucker pickups. The Stratocaster, made popular by Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, offers a bright and immediate response, with sparkling highs and creamy delivery that make it perfect for blues, rock and lead playing. The Telecaster is a versatile electric guitar that offers great sound and is often used in country music as well as jazz and rock.
Other shapes include the SG, Flying V, Mustang, Jazzmaster and Explorer. All of these models have different tonal characteristics and provide players with a range of options to find the perfect electric guitar for their needs.
Action and Pickups
The action of the electric guitar is how easily the strings move along the frets, and this impacts the playability and sound of the guitar. Generally, lower action makes electric guitars easier to play, but higher actions can produce a brighter sound.
Pickups are the electronics integrated into the body of the guitar that pick up and amplify the sound of the strings. Different electric guitars have different types of pickups, and single-coil and humbucker pickups are the two most common types. Single-coil pickups provide a brighter, clearer sound, while humbuckers are better suited to rock, metal and blues styles of music.
Effects
Effects also play a major role in how electric guitars sound. Effects give you the ability to shape and manipulate the sounds from your pickups, opening up a whole world of creative possibilities. Effects like fuzz, overdrive, distortion, chorus, delay and reverb are all popular choices for electric guitar players, and many electric guitars come with built-in effects.
Recommended Models
If you’re looking for an electric guitar to start out with, there are lots of affordable models available for all levels of players. Fender produce an excellent selection of classic guitar models, with the Fender Squire Stratocaster a popular entry-level choice. The Squire range also includes models such as the Fender Telecaster, perfect for country, blues and rock players.
For more experienced players, Gibson produce some of the best electric guitars on the market, such as the Gibson Les Paul Standard, Gibson ES-335 and Gibson SG. These guitars have fantastic sound and build quality and are perfect for the more advanced player.
Choosing the Right Electric Guitar
Selecting the right electric guitar for your needs will depend on the style and sound you’re looking to create. Determine what kind of music you want to play, and explore the different shapes, sounds and features to find the perfect electric guitar for you.
No matter what kind of electric guitar you choose, you’ll be joining a long line of rock icons that have created some of the most iconic music of all time. With a bit of practise, you’ll soon be rocking out to your own classic hits. Good luck!