If you like rock and roll music then you most likely have some favourite guitar players from over time. And even if you you are not a massive rock and roll fan, you could be familier with the names I'm going to mention.
But I bet you did not understand that you won't have heard about any of them without the invention of the electric guitar. In reality rock and roll might not even exist if guitars were not invented that might play at the volume and with the sound that we have all come to know and love. The invention of the electric guitar was truly a discovery that modified music forever. Here's how...
The Start of Electric Guitar
The electric guitar as we know it today hasn't really been around all that long. There were early designs in the 1920's and 30's, and Gibson offered a available electrical guitar in 1936. But none actually caught on in any massive way.
Even though you might find electrified guitars back then, they weren't that useful in a big band setting because they were based primarily on hollow-body arch top guitars. If you attempted to turn them up they tended to feed back and make a screaming noise. That is the reason why they were for the most part utilised for rhythm and seldom may be loud enough to take leads in a big band setting.
And early guitars had an uneven sound with some strings being louder than others. In general, the electric guitar was not ready for prime time. And it certainly was not ready for Rock and Roll.
Leo Fender changed all that.
Leo Fender was the inventor of the first available solid body electric guitar. With the solid body electric, players could ultimately turn the instrument up loud enough to cut through a complete band. Leo radically modified music, and the rock and roll of the 50's and 60's may not have occurred without him. It actually would have sounded a lot different.
And the first solid body electric guitars were radically different than what had come before. They looked like creatures from another planet compared against run-of-the-mill guitars of the time. Most guitars of the 30's and 40's looked like a common acoustic guitar with a big, hollow body and had a characteristic acoustic sound you'd expect. It is a beautiful sound but only appropriate for particular sorts of music.
When Leo Fender invented the Broadcaster guitar in 1951, which would shortly be called a Telecaster due to trademark issues, it was totally different than anything around. It was angular with a completely new shape and only about 2 inches deep with 2 specially designed mics, called pickups, that captured the sound of the strings. It was light but very compact yet still had a solid piece of wood that resonated with a very, well, solid sound. It is a complete paradigm shift from other guitars.
Within one or two years, Gibson Guitars came up with their own solid-body guitar, the Les Paul. It was based on an invention by jazz guitar strummer Les Paul who also had been working on a solid body electrical guitar individually. Some even say he was the 1st inventor of a solid body electric, and that might be true, though it was not commercially popular till a bit later .
Guitar Amps Were A Big Factor Too
Although the guitar could now be played loudly it still wanted to be amplified. Many of those early guitar amplifiers came from Fender also , but Gibson and others offered them also. Many of these early amps are cherished by collectors and guitar players for their unique and pleasing sounds.
And the amplifier itself had a major affect on the sound too. You can say the sound of the electric guitar was a marriage between the guitar and the amp used. The amp changed the sound that was produced and when turned up loudly made a distortion that was quite enjoyable to guitarists. Early blues guitarists and later rock and roll guitar strummer sought that distorted sound. This sound was something that was wholly new to music and spawned that early blues and rock and roll sound we came to enjoy in the 1950's.
Eventually, players like Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townsend of The Who used this distortion to extraordinary levels to make the sound of the 60's and hallucinatory music. Amps had gotten louder and the sound was more creative than previously. The 1960's really was the decade when the electric guitar and amplification evolved to the point at which it still is today.
And it all started with Leo Fender and his invention, the solid-body electrical guitar. Blues guitarists and rock and roll guitar players alike, owe it all to Leo.
But I bet you did not understand that you won't have heard about any of them without the invention of the electric guitar. In reality rock and roll might not even exist if guitars were not invented that might play at the volume and with the sound that we have all come to know and love. The invention of the electric guitar was truly a discovery that modified music forever. Here's how...
The Start of Electric Guitar
The electric guitar as we know it today hasn't really been around all that long. There were early designs in the 1920's and 30's, and Gibson offered a available electrical guitar in 1936. But none actually caught on in any massive way.
Even though you might find electrified guitars back then, they weren't that useful in a big band setting because they were based primarily on hollow-body arch top guitars. If you attempted to turn them up they tended to feed back and make a screaming noise. That is the reason why they were for the most part utilised for rhythm and seldom may be loud enough to take leads in a big band setting.
And early guitars had an uneven sound with some strings being louder than others. In general, the electric guitar was not ready for prime time. And it certainly was not ready for Rock and Roll.
Leo Fender changed all that.
Leo Fender was the inventor of the first available solid body electric guitar. With the solid body electric, players could ultimately turn the instrument up loud enough to cut through a complete band. Leo radically modified music, and the rock and roll of the 50's and 60's may not have occurred without him. It actually would have sounded a lot different.
And the first solid body electric guitars were radically different than what had come before. They looked like creatures from another planet compared against run-of-the-mill guitars of the time. Most guitars of the 30's and 40's looked like a common acoustic guitar with a big, hollow body and had a characteristic acoustic sound you'd expect. It is a beautiful sound but only appropriate for particular sorts of music.
When Leo Fender invented the Broadcaster guitar in 1951, which would shortly be called a Telecaster due to trademark issues, it was totally different than anything around. It was angular with a completely new shape and only about 2 inches deep with 2 specially designed mics, called pickups, that captured the sound of the strings. It was light but very compact yet still had a solid piece of wood that resonated with a very, well, solid sound. It is a complete paradigm shift from other guitars.
Within one or two years, Gibson Guitars came up with their own solid-body guitar, the Les Paul. It was based on an invention by jazz guitar strummer Les Paul who also had been working on a solid body electrical guitar individually. Some even say he was the 1st inventor of a solid body electric, and that might be true, though it was not commercially popular till a bit later .
Guitar Amps Were A Big Factor Too
Although the guitar could now be played loudly it still wanted to be amplified. Many of those early guitar amplifiers came from Fender also , but Gibson and others offered them also. Many of these early amps are cherished by collectors and guitar players for their unique and pleasing sounds.
And the amplifier itself had a major affect on the sound too. You can say the sound of the electric guitar was a marriage between the guitar and the amp used. The amp changed the sound that was produced and when turned up loudly made a distortion that was quite enjoyable to guitarists. Early blues guitarists and later rock and roll guitar strummer sought that distorted sound. This sound was something that was wholly new to music and spawned that early blues and rock and roll sound we came to enjoy in the 1950's.
Eventually, players like Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townsend of The Who used this distortion to extraordinary levels to make the sound of the 60's and hallucinatory music. Amps had gotten louder and the sound was more creative than previously. The 1960's really was the decade when the electric guitar and amplification evolved to the point at which it still is today.
And it all started with Leo Fender and his invention, the solid-body electrical guitar. Blues guitarists and rock and roll guitar players alike, owe it all to Leo.
About the Author:
Rick Honeyboy Hart is a long time blues guitarist. He's played in numerous bands over time and now helps others learn to play the blues guitar on his website www.BluesGuitarInsider.com
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