Hey there, music fans! Ever wonder how the electric guitar, the star of rock ‘n roll and the hero of countless bedroom jam sessions, came to be? Well, we’re about to take a wild ride through the history of this iconic instrument!
Table of Contents
Early Developments
Picture this: it’s the 1930s, and big band jazz is all the rage. Horns, drums, and pianos are belting out lively tunes that have folks tapping their toes. But the poor acoustic guitars? They’re struggling to be heard over all that racket!
So, some smart people thought, “Hey, why don’t we amplify the sound of the guitar?”. And just like that, the electric guitar was born. The idea was pretty simple, really. They put a magnetic device, called a pickup, on a guitar. This pickup would ‘pick up’ the strings’ vibrations and convert them into electrical signals. These signals could then be amplified, making the guitar loud enough to compete with the other instruments. Pretty neat, right?
The first electric guitar to hit the market was the Rickenbacker “Frying Pan”. It got this funny name because of its circular body and long neck – it looked a bit like a frying pan! (To learn more about guitar shapes, click here) This was a lap steel guitar, meant to be played on your lap, Hawaiian style.
Not long after, Gibson jumped into the game with their ES-150 model. Now, this guitar was different from the “Frying Pan” because it looked and felt more like a traditional guitar. It had a hollow body (like an acoustic guitar), but with a pickup. The ES-150 quickly became popular, especially among jazz musicians.
One famous artist who loved the ES-150 was Charlie Christian. He played with Benny Goodman’s band and was known for his amazing solos. Christian’s music helped the electric guitar gain a lot of attention.
So, by the end of the 1930s, electric guitars were a hit. They were here to stay, and they were ready to change the music world forever! The stage was set for the rock ‘n’ roll revolution, and the electric guitar was about to take a starring role.
The 1950s: The Rise of Solid Body Electric Guitars
All right, now we’re turning our dial to the 1950s. This decade was an exciting time in music history, and the electric guitar was ready to take center stage.
Remember those early electric guitars from the 1930s, like the Gibson ES-150? They were great and all, but they had a problem. They were prone to feedback, a loud and unpleasant noise that happened when the sound from the amplifier got picked up by the guitar’s pickup. Not exactly ideal for a smooth performance!
Then along came Leo Fender with a bright idea. Instead of a hollow body, like an acoustic, why not make a guitar with a solid body? That could solve the feedback problem. And guess what? It did!
Fender’s first solid-body electric guitar, the Broadcaster, hit the market and was a game-changer. Because of a naming conflict with another company, the Broadcaster soon got a new name – the Telecaster. It was simple, sturdy, and had a distinctive twangy sound that musicians fell in love with. Country artists, in particular, took a shine to the Telecaster.
But the Telecaster wasn’t the only star of the 1950s. Gibson wasn’t about to be left behind! They collaborated with musician Les Paul to create the Gibson Les Paul guitar. Unlike the Telecaster, the Les Paul had a hefty mahogany body and a curved top, giving it a warm and rich tone. It became a big hit, especially with blues and rock ‘n roll players.
One artist who famously played a Les Paul was, well, Les Paul himself! He was a brilliant guitarist and a pioneer in music recording. With his Les Paul Goldtop, he created amazing multi-layered recordings that were way ahead of their time.
So, the 1950s were an incredible time of growth and innovation for the electric guitar. Solid-body guitars like the Telecaster and Les Paul transformed the music scene and set the stage for the electric guitar’s golden age. Rock ‘n roll, here we come!
The 1960s: The Surf Sound and British Invasion
And now we’re grooving into the 1960s, an era of musical revolution, with the electric guitar right at the heart of it all.
The decade kicked off with a splash thanks to the Surf Sound. If you’ve ever heard music that makes you think of sunny beaches and epic waves, that’s it. And guess what was the lead instrument? You got it – the electric guitar!
The star of this sound was the Fender Stratocaster, or “Strat”. This baby was a wonder, featuring a comfy contoured body, three pickups (compared to the Telecaster’s two), and a whammy bar for some exciting pitch-bending effects. Its clear, bright tone was perfect for cranking out those rapid-fire, reverb-drenched surf riffs.
Dick Dale, known as “The King of the Surf Guitar”, was one of the Strat’s biggest fans. His fast, pounding style on tunes like “Misirlou” defined the surf sound. He needed a guitar that could keep up with him, and the Strat was it.
But the 60s wasn’t just about surf music. Across the pond, a little thing called the British Invasion was happening. British bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who were taking the world by storm, and they brought their electric guitars with them.
The Beatles, for instance, had a thing for Rickenbacker guitars. You might remember the distinctive jangly sound of their 12-string Rickenbacker on hits like “A Hard Day’s Night”. It was a sound that captured the optimism and energy of the times.
The British Invasion helped spread the popularity of the electric guitar around the world. Suddenly, everyone wanted to be in a band and play guitar. As the 60s ended, the electric guitar was no longer just an instrument – it was a symbol of youth, creativity, and rebellion. How cool is that?
The 1970s: The Birth of Heavy Metal
Buckle up, because now we’re stepping into the 1970s, when music turned up the volume and gave us heavy metal!
The 70s were a time of long hair, loud music, and some seriously rocking electric guitars. The lighter sounds of the 60s were giving way to heavier, more aggressive music. This was the birth of heavy metal, and it needed a new kind of electric guitar to deliver its thunderous sound.
Enter the Gibson SG. This was a guitar that looked as mean as it sounded. With its sharp, devilish double-horned body, the SG was built for rock and roll. It featured powerful humbucker pickups that could pump out a thick, meaty tone, perfect for those heavy riffs and blistering solos that metal is known for.
One of the biggest fans of the Gibson SG was none other than Tony Iommi, the lead guitarist of Black Sabbath. Iommi’s bone-crushing riffs on songs like “Iron Man” and “Paranoid” helped define the sound of heavy metal. His trusty SG was right there with him, delivering the heavy, dark tones that made his music so powerful.
But it wasn’t just Gibson making waves in the 70s. Companies like Ibanez were also getting in on the action. Ibanez guitars, like the RG series, were popular with many metal guitarists. They were known for their sleek designs, fast necks, and versatile sounds. They could scream, growl, and everything in between, making them a favorite for shredders and riff masters alike.
So, as the 70s rocked on, the electric guitar continued to evolve. It wasn’t just an instrument anymore; it was a symbol of power, rebellion, and some seriously heavy music. And as the decade closed, the electric guitar was ready to take on the next musical frontier: the flashy, high-energy world of the 80s. But that’s a story for another time!
The 1980s: Super Strats and Shredding
Let’s rewind the mixtape to the 1980s, a decade known for neon, MTV, and some wicked electric guitar playing!
In the 80s, rock and roll had evolved into a spectacle, and the guitar was right there in the spotlight. Music videos brought rock stars and their flashy guitars into living rooms around the world. Suddenly, it wasn’t enough to just play well; you had to look cool doing it.
Enter the “Super Strats”. These were hot-rodded versions of the classic Fender Stratocaster, designed for the high-speed, technically demanding style of playing known as “shredding”. Super Strats often had modifications like humbucker pickups for a heavier sound, locking tremolo systems for wild whammy bar antics, and fast, flat necks for speedy solos. These guitars were as flashy and over-the-top as the 80s itself.
A key player in the Super Strat scene was Eddie Van Halen. He famously “Frankensteined” his own guitar, combining parts from different guitars to create his ideal shred machine. His crazy-fast playing and innovative techniques, like two-handed tapping, blew everyone’s minds.
But Eddie wasn’t the only one making noise. Artists like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani were pushing the limits of what the electric guitar could do. They played Ibanez guitars, known for their slim necks and versatile sounds. These guitars could scream, wail, and sing, perfect for the expressive solos these artists were known for.
So, the 80s were a wild time for the electric guitar. Between the Super Strats, the shredders, and the rise of music videos, the guitar had never been so prominent. It was an era of big hair, big sounds, and even bigger guitar playing. As we rocked into the 90s, the electric guitar was ready to take on whatever the music world had to throw at it. And knowing the guitar, it was going to do it in style!
The 1990s to the Early 2000s: Grunge and Beyond
Alright, now we’re blasting into the 1990s and early 2000s. We’re leaving behind the glitz and glam of the 80s and stepping into an era of raw energy and stripped-down sounds. Welcome to the age of grunge and beyond!
The 90s were a time of change in the music world. Grunge, with its gritty guitars and angst-filled lyrics, was taking over the airwaves. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden were the new heroes, and the flashy Super Strats of the 80s were being replaced by simpler, no-frills guitars.
One such guitar was the Fender Jaguar, a favorite of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. The Jaguar had a unique sound, courtesy of its special circuitry and shorter scale length. It could be jangly, fuzzy, or just plain noisy – perfect for grunge’s raw aesthetic.
As we rolled into the early 2000s, alternative rock and indie rock were in full swing. Bands like Radiohead and The White Stripes were pushing the boundaries of what rock music could be. Guitars like the Gibson Les Paul Junior and the Airline Res-O-Glass, with their bare-bones designs and powerful tones, were the tools of choice for these artists.
And let’s not forget the rise of pop-punk! Bands like Green Day and Blink-182 brought their high-energy music and angsty lyrics to the mainstream. Billie Joe Armstrong’s signature Gibson Les Paul Junior became an icon of the pop-punk genre.
So, from the raw, grungy sounds of the 90s to the diverse rock styles of the early 2000s, the electric guitar proved once again that it could adapt to the times. It didn’t matter if it was a polished Super Strat or a beaten-up old Jaguar – as long as it could rock, it was the perfect guitar. As we head into the future, there’s no doubt the electric guitar will continue to evolve and excite us, just like it always has. Rock on!
The 2010s to Today
Now, let’s zoom forward to the most recent chapter in our electric guitar story: the 2010s to today.
As music has grown more diverse and eclectic, so too has the world of electric guitars. Today, there’s a guitar out there to suit every style, every genre, and every player.
Indie rock and pop have continued to rise, with bands like Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys putting their own spin on the electric guitar. Kevin Parker of Tame Impala is known for his love of the Rickenbacker 335, using its jangly tones to create his psychedelic soundscapes.
On the heavier side of things, metal and hard rock are still going strong. Bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Gojira are pushing the boundaries of the genre with their complex riffs and solos. Their guitars of choice often include extended-range models, like seven or eight-string Ibanez and ESP guitars, which provide extra low notes for that super heavy sound.
But it’s not all about rock and metal. The electric guitar is making its mark in genres like country, jazz, and even hip-hop. Artists like St. Vincent and H.E.R. are showcasing the versatility and expressiveness of the electric guitar in new and exciting ways.
St. Vincent, in collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man, even released her own signature model. This guitar, with its distinctive shape and versatile tones, reflects the unique style and creativity of its namesake.
From boutique builders to major manufacturers, the guitar-making industry is innovating like never before. We’re seeing incredible variety in terms of design, materials, and technology. Guitars with ergonomic designs, sustainable woods, and digital connectivity are becoming more common, pointing the way to an exciting future for the electric guitar.
So, from the 1930s to today, the electric guitar has proven itself to be a true musical chameleon. It’s adapted to the times, shaped the sound of countless genres, and given a voice to artists around the world. No matter where music goes in the future, you can bet the electric guitar will be there, ready to rock and roll!
Conclusion
So, there you have it! From its humble beginnings in the 1930s to its rockstar status today, the electric guitar has been on quite the journey. It’s seen countless design changes, been the heart of many musical revolutions, and become a beloved instrument for artists all over the world.
We’ve witnessed its evolution from the early hollow-body designs, through the rise of solid-body models in the 1950s, all the way to the high-tech, highly customizable guitars we see today. Every decade brought us unforgettable guitars and guitarists, each leaving their mark on the sound and spirit of their era.
From the soulful blues licks of the early electric guitar pioneers to the mind-bending solos of today’s shredders, the electric guitar has always been about expression. It’s given artists a way to communicate their feelings, their ideas, and their identity. It’s not just about making noise – it’s about making music that matters.
And the coolest part? The electric guitar is still evolving. Just like music, it’s always changing, always growing. With new technologies and materials, who knows what the electric guitar of the future will look like? One thing’s for sure, though: it’s going to be exciting, and it’s going to rock.
So here’s to the electric guitar – a true musical hero. From garage bands to grand arenas, from first chords to epic solos, it’s been there, adding its voice to the soundtrack of our lives. And whatever comes next, we can’t wait to hear it.
