The electric guitar was invented in the late 1920s by Lloyd Loar, but it was not until the 1930s that it began gaining popularity. Rickenbacker and Beauchamp perfected Loar's design and began selling electric guitars commercially. In the 1950s, Leo Fender invented the solid body Telecaster guitar, making electric guitars more affordable and popular. Gibson soon introduced Les Paul's signature model. Since then, electric guitar technology has advanced with different shapes being introduced, as well as onboard preamplifiers, though the basic design has remained unchanged. Amplifiers were also crucial to the development of the electric guitar, evolving from modified stereo equipment to dedicated guitar amplifiers and modeling amps.
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History of Electric Guitar by Zager Reviews
1. History of the Electric
Guitar
BY
Zager Guitars
Zager Reviews
2. Invention of the electric pickup
Invented in late 1920s by Lloyd Loar
Faradays Law of Induction
Didnt catch on at all.
Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp
Perfected Loars design
Rickenbacker began selling the Frying Pan
Hawaiian lap steel players love it
other players didnt
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3. Mass Production
Leo Fender invents the Telecaster
First mass produced solid body electric guitar
Cheap to produce, affordable
Gibson introduces the Les Paul
Higher end model endorsed by Les Paul
Both models are still sold today
Solid Body guitars are designed for amplification
Sound much better than old style modified hollow
bodies, less feedback.
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4. Continued ..
Guitars shapes have become increasingly
modern (ex. Flying V)
Preamplifiers inside guitar
Basic construction and operation has stayed the
same
Much cheaper now
Ex. Gibson and Epiphone, Fender and Squire
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5. Amplifiers
Cant have the electric guitar without the amplifier
Guitar ---> Pre-Amp--->Power-Amp--->Speaker
First amplifiers were modified stereo equipment
Manufacturers started building guitar specific amp in the 1930s
Until 1970s most amps were tube powered
Refinement of silicon transistors led to solid state
Tube sound is sought after, solid state amps emulate tube amps,
distortion.
Computer technology has lead to modeling amps
Can often emulate many (20+) different models
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