The electric guitar was invented in 1890 and has become one of the most popular instruments ever.
Although this instrument is often associated with rock music, it can be found on records from a wide range of genres including jazz, blues, country, and pop.
Electric guitars tend to have three pickup types: single-coil pickups that produce a bright sound; humbuckers which are more versatile than single-coils because they provide both bass frequencies as well as treble frequencies; piezo pickups which are another kind of pickup that produces a different sound compared to other types.
The electric guitar is known for having an incredibly loud and powerful sound, with the right amplification even a single note can be played through many channels at once.
- First, Who Invented the Electric Guitar?
- Brief History of the Electric Guitar
- When Did The Electric Guitar Come Out?
- 1890: George Breed – The First Electric Guitar Ever Made
- 1928: The Stromberg Electro
- 1931: The Rickenbacher A-22 Electro Hawaiian, “The Frying Pan”
- 1932–33: The Vivi-Tone Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- 1936: The Gibson ES-150 Electric Spanish
- 1939–1940: Les Paul’s “Log” Guitar
- 1950: The Fender Esquire
- 1952: The Gibson Les Paul
- Conclusion
- Sources:
First, Who Invented the Electric Guitar?
The electric guitar was invented in 1890 by George Breed.
The first commercial solid-body electric guitar was invented by Les Paul in 1941.
The electric guitar was invented in the 1920s, but it didn’t take off until Leo Fender perfected his design. The first electric guitar was invented by Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp. They improved on earlier inventions to produce a commercially viable instrument that would be amplified electrically with a high sound quality for professional musicians.
Events that led up to it include the invention of the radio and phonograph, which helped break down barriers between recording and performance. The electric guitar’s first great innovator was George Beauchamp who designed a prototype for an electrical instrument that he called “the Automobile Guitar.”
Brief History of the Electric Guitar
The electric guitar has a long and interesting history. Though it was first invented in the early 1900s, it did not become popular until the 1950s and 60s. This is due to several factors, including the invention of the amplifier and other technologies that made the electric guitar more feasible for use on stage.
The acoustic guitar fell from a first-tier instrument to a second-tier instrument because it was increasingly difficult for even the band musicians to hear the melodies. In order to combat this problem, people began experimenting with ways to amplify the sound of guitars.
In Beauchamp’s home, he came up with the first complete electric guitar that could meet up to the energy needed in large concert halls. Beauchamp’s invention was the first device that would amplify the sound of a guitar. In order to make Beauchamp’s invention work, he partnered with Rickenbacker and they came up with an electromagnetic device specifically designed for this purpose.
When Did The Electric Guitar Come Out?
1890: George Breed – The First Electric Guitar Ever Made
The electric guitar was invented in 1890 by George Breed.
George Breed, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, submitted a design for an electrified guitar pickup to the U.S. Patent Office in 1882. It was composed of two elements — vibrating strings within a magnetic field.
However, this application of electricity to excite the strings was done as a way to continuously vibrate them, not for an amplified sound. Think of it more like having an EBow or magnetic Gizmotron with an acoustic guitar body providing amplification.
1928: The Stromberg Electro
It was one of the first commercially available electric guitars and became popular with jazz musicians. The Electro had a single pickup and a trapeze tailpiece. It was played through an amplifier, which gave it a much louder sound than acoustic guitars.
1931: The Rickenbacher A-22 Electro Hawaiian, “The Frying Pan”
The company he founded, Rickenbacker, became a pioneer in the manufacture of electric guitars and is often credited with bringing the instrument to prominence. Invented as a way to amplify acoustic instruments for Hawaiian music, the electric guitar would soon become an integral part of popular music genres such as blues, country, and rock ‘n’ roll.
1932–33: The Vivi-Tone Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The first electric guitars were acoustic guitars with pickups installed. The pickup converts the vibration of the strings into electrical signals, which are then amplified and played through a loudspeaker.
It featured a metal body and a pickup mounted on the side of the instrument. The pickup consisted of two metal magnets that attached to the strings and passed current through them to create an electrical signal.
Their guitar had a solid body, no resonating chamber, and a pick-up mounted on the bridge. This type of pick-up is still used today on some electric guitars
1936: The Gibson ES-150 Electric Spanish
This six-string instrument featured a solid body and single-coil pickups, and it became one of the most popular electric guitars of all time. The ES-150’s sound was unlike anything that had been heard before, and its popularity quickly grew among jazz musicians. In fact, Charlie Christian — who is often credited with inventing the jazz electric guitar — first gained recognition while playing an ES-150.
1939–1940: Les Paul’s “Log” Guitar
The musician and inventor Les Paul is credited with its invention. He made the first one himself, from a 4-by-4 piece of lumber. Paul called it a “Log.” It had a pickup attached to one end and six strings stretched across the other. He used it to play jazz and country music at nightclubs in New York City.
1950: The Fender Esquire
The company’s co-founder, Leo Fender, had designed and manufactured a series of successful amplifiers for country music performers. He believed that an electric guitar would be more popular with musicians and audiences if it could be heard over the sound of the amplifier.
However, his second design, the Broadcaster (later renamed the Telecaster), became very popular and helped to establish the electric guitar as a mainstream instrument.
1952: The Gibson Les Paul
It was designed by Ted McCarty and Leo Fender, who were both working for Gibson at the time. The design was based on the earlier Gibson ES-335, which had been released in 1948. The Les Paul differed from other electric guitars of the time because it had two pickups, instead of one, and a thicker body. This made it louder and more resonant than other guitars. It also had a carved maple top, which gave it a distinctive look.
Some of the most famous users include Jimmy Page, Slash, and Eric Clapton.
Conclusion
The modern electric guitar was invented in the early 1940s, and it has become one of the most popular instruments ever created. It’s used in many different genres of music and can be heard in almost any song.
The electric guitar was first used in jazz music, and then later it became popular in rock ‘n roll. It has changed the way that people play guitars, because of its unique sound.
