The fascinating history of the electric guitar

There are many inventions that came about in the early 20th century about an amplified acoustic guitar, including the brainchild of the guitar innovator Les Paul. In 1931, George Beauchamp invented the first electrically amplified guitar. In the summer of 1932, he began production of the first commercially produced electric guitar by The Ro-Pat-In Corporation under the direction of George Beauchamp, Paul Barth, and Adolph Rickenbacker. Harry Watson crafted the wooden body prototype.

In 1932, the first electrically amplified guitar was introduced to the market. It was the answer to the growing demand of the big bands of the time for amplified sounds coming from their guitar section. In late 1934, Vivi-tone released the first solid-body “Spanish” guitar. It was made from a single sheet of plywood attached to a guitar frame. In 1935, the Rickenbacker Company marketed a solid Spanish guitar made of Bakelite called the Electro Spanish. In 1936, the Slingerland company introduced the first solid wood guitar body.

In 1937 Gibson introduced the ES-150, a converted acoustic guitar. It is powered by a single coil bar pickup developed by Walt Fuller. Although it was a commercial success, it also suffered from a major drawback due to uneven voicing across all six strings. In 1940, North Carolina State University physics professor Sidney Wilson solved this problem by presenting the first all-electric guitar at an engineering fair. The highlight of the fair came when Mickey May played the guitar. The invention won first prize. In 1947 Gibson incorporated the single coil pickup and cutaway body to create the ES-175.

In 1950, Fender introduced the Esquire, a prototype solid-body guitar with a single-coil pickup. It was reintroduced in 1951, sporting two pickups, and was renamed the Broadcaster. It was renamed to its current name, Telecaster. The first electric bass was also introduced to the market around this time. It was called the Fender Precision Bass.

In 1952, Les Paul began endorsing Gibson Guitar Corporation’s first signature solid-body guitars, which are nothing like the Les Paul “log guitar.” The Les Paul became a favorite among some of the elite guitarists like Jimmy Page, Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, and Ace Frehley. It is also the first substantially produced guitar reinforced with the humbucker pickup. In 1954, Fender introduced the Stratocaster. It became the guitar of choice for great artists like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, George Harrison, and Mark Knopfler.

Today’s electric guitars offer a plethora of new, remotely accessible technologies for guitarists of the past. Modern electric guitars have built-in auto tuners, a piezo bridge, and preamps for better tones.

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