Live Rock concerts were the rage in the 80’s and they drove numerous kids to buy their first electric guitars. Today, video games like Guitar Hero are having a similar effect.
The essence of all heavy rock music does not just lie with the lyrics; it also lies with the electric guitar and the various sounds that it can produce. There are so many kids across the block who would give anything to play like Mark Knopfler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Angus Young etc. These men are not just some of the best guitarists of their times, they are legends.
Now if you are interested in learning how to play the guitar then the first thing you will need to do is buy one. Most people start with an acoustic and graduate to the electric. It can be quite tedious for anyone to select the appropriate guitar since there are 1000’s of brands out there on the market. If you’re buying an electric guitar then you will also need to get an amp, pick-ups, picks, a tuner etc.
Electric guitars can be purchased in a lot of colors and designs with the aerodynamic designs being one of the hottest. But hold back! Don’t purchase the first electric guitar you see. You need to spend time looking around and check out the wide range of prices and vast array of models before you buy one. In actual fact, one of the coolest ways to pick a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here’s our take on the four important styles:
Stratocaster - This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was played with great regularity by Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Strato is from Fender and has a neck bolted to the guitar’s body. Aside from this, it has twin cutaway sides, 22 frets accompanied by a wammy arrangement and three single-coil pickups. Fender designed the first Stratocaster in the early 50’s. A few of the popular designs are:
* Fender Deluxe Stratocaster: Approx $400 * Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS: Approx $1300 * Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar: Approx $400 * Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar in Rosewood: Approx $650 * Strat Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1850
Telecaster - The Telecaster is another phenomenal guitar from Fenders. It is more than just another electric guitar; it is more like a complete orchestra. It is a solid body guitar and comprises of two pick-ups. The first Telecaster was produced by Leo Fender in the 1940’s and has a mono cutaway body. It doesn’t have the wammy bar but has 2 different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include:
* American Tele HS: $900-$1050 * Standard Telecaster Electric Guitar: $300-$600 * Fender 63 Tele Relic Solid Body: $2400-$3000 * 72 Tele Custom Electric: $700-$850
Gibson Les Paul - This extraordinary guitar was designed by Gibson for some of the jazz stars of the day. The salient feature of a Les Paul electric is its set neck, which means there are no bolts. The body is a single cutaway. It is appointed with dual humbucker pickups as well as a elevated scratch-plate. If you want to play perverted sound then the Les Paul will provide you with a huge range. Some of the well known shredders who use the Les Pauls include Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana. Some of the renowned Les Paul models include:
* Les Paul Custom Electric: $3050-$3500 * 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric: $5500-$6050 * Les Paul Vintage Mahogany: $700-$800 * Les Paul Classic: $1800-$1950
The Gibson Brand - Gibson is one of the greatest brands in all of guitar and all their models are classics and can’t be compared to others. Gibson was actually started in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been accountable for giving the world some of the best guitars. Some of the famous models include the ES-150 electric and the Gibson Explorer etc. Some of the well known shredders who have played a Gibson or are still using it include Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Toni Iommi to name a couple. Some of the most popular Gibson models include:
* Gibson Flying V Electric Guitar: $500-$600 * SG 61 Classic Guitar: $1500-$1600 * Gibson Faded SG Special Electric Guitar: $550-$600 * Gibson Explorer Pro Guitar: $1100-$1200
These are the most well known brands of electric guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include the shape of the fretboard, the quality of the pick-ups, and the body shape. Full-bodied guitars are generally favored as they can generate some of the best noises that you will ever get to hear.