Interesting Electric Guitar Facts You May Not Know

Interesting Electric Guitar Facts You May Not Know by David Smithe

As with any old pastime, there is a great deal of trivia associated with electric guitars and the people who played them well. Electric guitar innovators in manufacturing and performance techniques alike are heralded as some of the great historical icons. From the man who made the instrument famous to the booming manufacturing era, here are some highly interesting electric guitar facts.

The Need for Electric Guitars:

Electric guitars first appeared because of an unlikely demand. It is a well known electric guitar fact that the first instruments were needed by big jazz bands in the early 1930's. Bandleaders called for a source of amplification for the guitar so that it could be heard over the screaming horn sections and drums. Electric guitars for jazz were initially hollow bodied in nature, and this eventually led to the use of the instrument in other genres of music.

The First Electric Guitarist:

There were many attempts to create a guitar that could be amplified in the 1930's. Players and manufacturers experimented with attaching microphones to guitars, but their feats produced few viable results. The first successfully produced electric guitar was called the Rickenbacker. Now with this great new invention, there had to be a person that could really make the instrument sing. Electric guitars are different from acoustic guitars. Remember that at this time, there was no such thing as electric guitar technique. Charlie Christian is heralded as the very first electric guitarist. His unique guitar playing technique went on to inspire many other famous guitarists, and as more players began to develop skill, a need arose for more progressive models of electric guitars.

The First Solid Body Electric Guitar:

One of the most widely known electric guitar facts is that innovator Les Paul created the solid body electric guitar. One of the most recognizable instruments in the world, the solid body electric is so popular these days largely due to the early efforts of Les Paul. Les Paul wanted a smaller bodied guitar that relied more on the power of its electronics than acoustic offerings of a hollow body electric. Makers like Fender and Rickenbacker quickly followed suit and began producing impressive solid body electrics. The Les Pal model, however, retains its seat as the king of all electrics, and is still one of the most popularly sold and played instruments today.

The Electric Guitar Invades Classical Music:

Electric guitars are common in jazz, rock, blues, and country music. Gurus of all types tend to overlook electric guitar facts relating to classical music. The instrument crossed into this unlikely genre and plays an important role for classical guitarists and composers alike. Composers experiment with wild songs that call for some 100 electric guitarists, and the instruments are often employed for live performances and recording sessions alike.

These are some very basic electric guitar facts, and there are many more like them. Records have been set and broken, and you just might find yourself turning into a guitar fact finding guru if you continue researching the history of the electric guitar.

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