What is a Guitar Electric?

Guitar electric is the name given to an acoustic string instrument with metal strings that uses electrical pickups to translate its vibrations into an electric signal that can be amplified. This allows the guitarist to modify his or her tone in many different ways including bending notes, changing pitch by using the whammy bar (or a similar device), and using various audio feedback techniques. Electric guitars vary widely in their shape, neck, bridge and pickup configuration.

The electric guitar’s popularity and sonic possibilities has also led to the electrification of acoustic instruments such as bass. In addition, the guitar’s design and construction allow for a wide range of playing techniques such as string bending and tapping.

During the 1940s and 1950s, solid body electric guitars made their way into popular music such as rock and roll. Leo Fender designed the first electric guitar with a magnetic pickup, which was named the Esquire. Other manufacturers soon followed with their own versions.

A typical guitar includes a headstock with metal machine heads for tuning the strings, a fretboard with metal strips (also known as “frets”) with indentations on it that determine string length and pitch, a nut to hold the ends of the strings, and an output jack. The body is a wooden, plastic or metallic container that contains the guitar’s pickups, pre-amp and amplifier circuitry, and tone controls such as volume, treble, middle, bass and a master tone control.

An electric guitar’s sonic palette can be further modified by adding effects pedals or, as they are often called, stomp boxes. These are small metal devices that perform effects such as chorus, delay, reverb, and fuzz. Other stomp box effects include distortion, pitch shifting and phase shifting.

Some guitarists have specialized equipment such as a pedal steel or a slide guitar. These add a distinctive sound and technique to the guitar’s repertoire. Many guitarists have their own idiosyncratic approach to gear, playing technique and style that sets them apart from other players. A composer can choose to write for this type of player or compose a piece that is more general and accessible.

The sonic characteristics of an electric guitar are determined by the placement of the pickups, which determine the mix of overtones that it “hears.” A pickup located close to the bridge will pick up more low frequencies than one located near the neck because of its proximity to the string’s antinode (the point at which the highest overtones vibrate most strongly). Some electric guitars feature multiple pickups and a switch that lets the musician select between them. Pickups can also be positioned in reverse-phase, which changes the mix of overtones heard and can provide a very distinctive tone. In addition to pickups, the type of amplifier and its circuitry can significantly affect the guitar’s tone. For example, vacuum tube amplifiers produce a unique distortion pattern that is favored by certain musicians. Other guitarists may prefer a more clean and crisp sound from a solid state amp.