Sound created by string vibrations transformed into currents of electricity and then amplified is the basic definition of an electric guitar. In the 1930s the first incarnation of the electric guitar appeared, although it was nothing more than electromagnetic-transducers attached to a hollow arch-top acoustic guitar. In the 1940s Les Paul invented the Fender, the first modern electric guitar.
The Body of the GuitarWhile some modern electric guitars have a partially hollow resonance-chamber, the electric guitar is characterized by its body being made out of solid wood with controls and pickups mounted on the surface. Because electric guitars do not use soundboards (a piece of wood through which sound is vibrated) (*it should be noted that what is known as the right handed or left handed acoustic electric guitar is very similar to the pre-cursor of the modern electric guitar, thus these do have soundboards in their design) one would think that the type of wood used in the construction of the guitar would not matter. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The type of wood still determines how the guitar will resonate. Rich sounds are created by dense wood (i. E. Mahogany, ash, and alder).
The Guitar’s BarAttached to the bridge is a metal bar that deals with string tension variation. It works by tilting the bridge forward and back. Other names for this component are Tremolo Bar, Whammy Bar, Wang Bar, and Vibrato Bar.
The Guitar’s Neck and FingerboardThe guitar’s neck is generally constructed out of maple. The fingerboard, or fretboard, is a thin strip of either maple or rosewood that is laminated to the front of the neck. The strings run above the fingerboard and when the guitar is played, the strings are pressed towards the fingerboard to change their vibrating lengths. This is how the musician changes pitch. Fingerboards made of rosewood have a dark timbre. Maple fingerboards create a bright pitch.
The Pickups of the GuitarIt is said that the pickups are the ‘voice of the guitar.’ Made of wire wrapped magnets, the pickups take the string vibrations and change them into an electric current. This current can then be amplified. When the string vibrates, the magnetic field of the pickup is disrupted. This is how the electrical signal is created.
Pickups fall into two different categories:
The Single Coil PickupSingle coil pickups consist of only one coil and they tend to create a bright sound. The drawback to using a single coil pickup is that it is susceptible to having a background ‘hum.’ Ambient sound and signal created by electronics that is caused by changes in the magnetic flux of the pickup is the root cause of this hum.
HumbuckerHumbuckers were designed to overcome the humming effects of the single coil pickup. Humbuckers consist of two coils and are thicker in sound. The two coils are wound reverse to each other with opposing polarity in the 6 magnetic coils. This causes any ambient sound to be ‘cancelled out’ before amplification. Some electric guitars types let the musician turn off one of the coils to change the guitar’s ‘personality.’
Strings of the GuitarThe guitar strings of an electric guitar vary in gauge, alloy, and winding. These are all significant factors in how the electric guitar sounds. It is important to note that all electric guitar string alloys are metal. Nylon strings would not be detected by the pickups. The strings on a right handed electric guitar run high E, B, G, D, A, and Low E. The strings on a left handed electric guitar run Low E, A, D, G, B, and high E because the guitar is played upside down.
The Guitar String AlloysBy far the most commonly used, steel strings have a brilliant tone with immense volume and incredible sustainability. Nickel plated strings are composed of stainless steel that is plated with nickel. They are subdued in tone. Nickel strings are made entirely of nickel and are the mainstay of rhythm and jazz musicians because of their less vibrant, round sound.
The String’s GaugeString thickness is the string’s gauge. Fast guitarists prefer thinner gauges because they are easy to bend. Pickers and strummers prefer medium gauges because they produce a considerable volume. A full-vibrant sound is produced by heavy gauged strings, but these are hard to play because they do not bend easily.
The Guitar String’s WindingThe winding of electric guitar strings falls into 4 categories: round, flat, ground, and nylon taped. The most common is round wound but is shunned by fast players because it grabs the fingers. Flat, or ribbon, wound has a smooth ‘oiled’ surface that can be played fast with subdued tones. Ground wound is a round wound with a machine polish and is only found on electric bass guitars. Nylon taped windings are round or flat wound with a nylon coating. The tone from a nylon taped string sounds similar to an acoustic bass guitar.
When someone puts their electric guitar for sale, deciding to buy it depends on the music type you will play and how comfortable you are with the instrument. Just remember that sonic personalities of electric guitars vary because of the assortment of wood, string, and pickup combinations.
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