A Guitar Players Guide to Purchasing Their Next Electric Guitar
Live Rock concerts were all the rage in the 80′s and they drove countless kids to buy their 1st electric guitars. In this day and age, video games like Rockband2 are having a similar effect.
The heart of all good rock music doesn’t 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, Steve Vai, 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 discovering how to play the guitar then the first thing you will need to do is select one. Normally people start with an acoustic and graduate to the electric guitar. It is usually quite difficult for someone new to choose the right guitar initially, since there are literally 1000′s of models out there on the market. If you are getting an electric guitar then you’ll also need to purchase an amp, pick-ups, picks, a tuner, perhaps an effects pedal etc.
Electric guitars can be purchased in a vast array of colors and designs with the aerodynamic designs being some of the hottest. But hold back! Do not purchase the 1st electric guitar you see. You need to spend a fair amount of time looking around and check out the prices and models before you actually go and buy one. In fact, one of the neatest ways to pick a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here’s my take on the 4 basic styles:
Stratocaster (Also known as the ‘Strat’) – This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was shredded regularly by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Strato is from Fender and has a neck that is attached to the guitar body. Apart from this, it has twin cut away sides, 22 frets accompanied by a wammy bar and three pickups. Fender designed the first Stratocaster in the early 50′s. Some of the popular designs include:
* Fender Deluxe Strat: Approx $550 * American Deluxe Strat HSS: Approx $1200 * Fender Standard Strat Electric: Approx $300 * Standard Stratocaster Electric: Approx $650 * Stratocaster Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1800
Telecaster (Better known as a ‘Tele’) – The Telecaster is another creative instrument from Fenders. It is more than just another guitar; it is more like a complete orchestra. It is a solid body electric and comprises of twin pick-ups. The first Telecaster was manufactured by Leo Fender in the 40′s and has a mono cutaway body. It doesn’t have the wammy bar but has two different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include:
* Fender American Tele HS guitar: $950-$1100 * Standard Telecaster Guitar: $350-$600 * Fender 63 Telecaster Relic Solid Body: $2550-$3350 * 72 Telecaster Custom Guitar: $750-$800
Gibson Les Paul – This classic electric guitar was designed by Gibson for many of the jazz stars of the day. The striking feature of a Gibson Les Paul guitar is its set neck, which means there are no bolts. The body is a single cutaway. It is fitted out with two pickups as well as a elevated scratch-plate. If you want to play twisted sound then the Les Paul will provide you with a vast range. Some of the well known guitarists who use the Les Pauls include Stevie Ray Vaughan and Slash (ex-GNR). Some of the renowned Les Paul models include:
* Les Paul Custom: $3050-$3500 * 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric: $5550-$6050 * Les Paul Vintage Mahogany: $750-$850 * Les Paul Classic Electric Guitar: $1800-$1950
The Gibson Brand – Gibson is one of the greatest brands in guitar and all their guitar models are classics and can’t be compared to others. Gibson was actually founded in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been accountable for providing musicians some of the best acoustic and electric guitars. A couple of the famous models include the arch-top Gibson L5 model and the Explorer etc. Some of the well known shredders who have played a Gibson include Jimmy Page and Frank Zappa to name a couple. Some of the popular Gibson models include:
* Flying V: $500-$600 * SG 61 Classic Guitar: $1500-$1600 * Gibson Faded SG Special Guitar: $550-$600 * Gibson Explorer Pro Electric: $1100-$1200
These are some of the most well known brands of electric guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include fretboard, the quality of the pick-ups, and the body shape. Full-bodied electrics are generally favored as they can produce some of the best noises that you will ever get to hear.
