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Re: First ever production solid bodied guitar?

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Posted by weol (from: ) on November 11, 2003 at 14:45:24:

In Reply to: Re: First ever production solid bodied guitar? posted by Steve on June 26, 2001 at 13:01:59:

: The first PRODUCTION solid body guitar was the Fender Broadcaster. The Broadcaster's name was changed to Telecaster because at the time Gretsch made a guitar called the Broadkaster, and it was almost a copyright infringement or something.

: However, well prior to that Rickenbacker was making solid body lap steel guitars (sometimes called the Frying Pan model because of the shape), I think they were introduced around 1946 or so. The Broadcaster/Telecaster came out I think in '50 or '51.

: The Gibson Les Paul was introduced in 1952 to compete with Fender. The Les Paul Guitar itself was partially an outgrowth of an experiment that Les Paul the player had put together...he'd made a crude solid body guitar (called "The Log") some time in the '40s, and had in fact tried to interest Gibson and several other makers into producing something like it, but they all passed on the idea.

: Additionally, in the late '40s, Paul Bigsby made a few solid body guitars for people, including Merle Travis. I have video of Merle playing a solid body Bigsby guitar that was originally filmed in the '40s. It's interesting to note that Paul Bigsby lived and worked in Southern California, and was a contemporary of Leo Fender (in fact I think they knew each other). The Bigsby guitar that Merle Travis played also had a Six on a side peghead that is remarkably close to what Fender later made. It's probable that Leo Fender saw some of Paul Bigsby's designs/guitars, and I know that Bigsby didn't want to get into the guitar making business full time, and therefore Leo borrowed Paul's idea, changed it around some, and started making solid body electrics on his own.

: In essence, the solid body had several designers, some of whom knew or were aware at least of each other. As I first stated though, the first production solid body guitar (six string, and not a lap steel) was the Fender Broadcaster, renamed the Telecaster.

: : It was a les paul, the tele was one of the first, but not the first.

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: : The first PRODUCTION solid body guitar was the Fender Broadcaster. The Broadcaster's name was changed to Telecaster because at the time Gretsch made a guitar called the Broadkaster, and it was almost a copyright infringement or something. : : However, well prior to that Rickenbacker was making solid body lap steel guitars (sometimes called the Frying Pan model because of the shape), I think they were introduced around 1946 or so. The Broadcaster/Telecaster came out I think in '50 or '51. : : The Gibson Les Paul was introduced in 1952 to compete with Fender. The Les Paul Guitar itself was partially an outgrowth of an experiment that Les Paul the player had put together...he'd made a crude solid body guitar (called "The Log") some time in the '40s, and had in fact tried to interest Gibson and several other makers into producing something like it, but they all passed on the idea. : : Additionally, in the late '40s, Paul Bigsby made a few solid body guitars for people, including Merle Travis. I have video of Merle playing a solid body Bigsby guitar that was originally filmed in the '40s. It's interesting to note that Paul Bigsby lived and worked in Southern California, and was a contemporary of Leo Fender (in fact I think they knew each other). The Bigsby guitar that Merle Travis played also had a Six on a side peghead that is remarkably close to what Fender later made. It's probable that Leo Fender saw some of Paul Bigsby's designs/guitars, and I know that Bigsby didn't want to get into the guitar making business full time, and therefore Leo borrowed Paul's idea, changed it around some, and started making solid body electrics on his own. : : In essence, the solid body had several designers, some of whom knew or were aware at least of each other. As I first stated though, the first production solid body guitar (six string, and not a lap steel) was the Fender Broadcaster, renamed the Telecaster. : : : : It was a les paul, the tele was one of the first, but not the first.

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