Electric Guitar
Electric Guitar reviews, articles, and tips for beginners and beyond
In this series...
History
The Electric Guitar is a comparatively modern musical instrument, having been developed at the start of the 20th century. It has subsequently become one of the post popular and recognisable instruments on the planet.
The overall design of the Electric guitar is derived from the Acoustic Guitar, but it has a solid body, rather than a hollow one.
Electric Guitar Specs
A standard Electric Guitar is just under 100cm long. Body sizes vary considerably, depending on the design of the instrument.
Usually an Electric Guitar will have six strings, although there are unusual models available with more. The strings are attached to the bridge (located on the main body of the instrument) at one end, and the tuning pegs at the other. There is a long fingerboard with frets for changing the pitch of the strings.
What really sets the Electric Guitar apart from the Acoustic Guitar (and the Classical Guitar) is that it is always plugged into an amplifier when played. The absence of a hollow body means that the level of sound produced without amplification is very low.
How To Play
The Electric Guitar is almost always played with a small plastic triangle called a plectrum, which is used to strum or pick at the strings. If you are right handed you should place your left hand on the fingerboard (to change the pitch of the strings), and use your right hand to hold the plectrum.
When legendary Guitarist Les Paul was injured in a car accident in 1948, he asked the doctors to set his arm permanently in a position that would allow him to keep playing the guitar.
