ELECTRIC GUITARS  

Electric Guitars come in many different styles and configurations, but they all share some common elements that link them together.

Although electric guitars differ greatly in shape, and construction, they all share the same main parts as acoustic guitars, including the headstock, neck, and body. Most electric guitars are Solid-body guitars, in that they are made from a solid piece of wood, instead of a hollow body design like we see in acoustic guitars. Electric guitars differ from their acoustic guitar counterparts in that they have very little natural acoustic projection and rely on their Pickups to capture the sound of the guitar. 

Pickups are essentially microphones made out of electromagnets that are placed under the strings to transfer the sound of the strings through to a Guitar Amplifier that amplifies the sound of the guitar to listenable levels and beyond. Many electric guitars will have a pickup near the bridge and near the neck, and some electric guitars will have a pickup in the middle of the guitar between the bridge and neck pickups. There will also be controls for the volume and tone of the pickups, and a pickup selector switch if multiple pickups are present. Many electric guitars will also have Tremolo systems on the bridge, that allows the player to bend the strings to reach different pitches both above and below the fretted note.

TYPES OF ELECTRIC GUITARS 

The following examples are four of the most recorded electric guitars ever produced, and understanding the differences between these guitars will help you choose the one that best suits your needs as a player. 

FENDER STRATOCASTER 

The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most versatile electric guitars available on the market today. Its unique double-cutaway design, tremolo bridge system and three single-coil pickups offer a wide variety of sounds, and can be found in Rock and Roll, Blues, R&B, Funk and Surf Music. The Stratocaster also has its input jack recessed into the body of the guitar. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and John Mayer are some of the many famous guitarists that use a Fender Stratocaster.

FENDER TELECASTER 

The Fender Telecaster has a brighter, sharper tone than the Stratocaster, and has found a home amongst Country music players as the definitive sound of the genre. The Telecaster lacks the tremolo system found in the Stratocaster, as well as the middle pickup, but its two single-coil pickups can still produce a wide variety of tones. The Telecaster has also been popular in Rock and Roll, Blues, and R&B. Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen are some famous guitarists who use the Telecaster.

GIBSON LES PAUL

Named after iconic guitarist and inventor Lester “Les” Paul, this design is a combination of a solid mahogany body with a carved maple top, a single cutaway, and two double-coil (or “humbucker”) pickups. The double-coil design allows for a thicker, fatter sound than single-coil pickups, and has been the definitive choice for Rock and Roll. It’s limited tonal options and it's substantial weight are some of the drawbacks of this design, but its tone is unmistakable. Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, and Slash from Guns n’ Roses are famous Les Paul.

GIBSON ES-335

The Gibson ES-335 is a double cutaway, semi-hollow guitar (it has a solid center block with hollow “wings” on each side). That combines the electronics of the Les Paul with a semi-acoustic body design. This design offers more tonal variety and a warmer, more acoustic sound that has found favor with players in all styles, including Jazz, Fusion, R&B, and Rock and Roll. Its larger body size may be uncomfortable for some players, but it will feel familiar to acoustic guitarists switching over to the electric guitar. Larry Carlton, Alex Lifeson from Rush, and Dave Ghrol from the Foo Fighters are all ES-335 players.