 |
|
||||||
Guitar Manufacturers - Luthiers & Amp makers
|
|
||||||
Guitar Manufacturers - Luthiers & Amp makers
more... |
| The Rise of the Electric Guitar - Innovative Design The guitar's history mirrors the cultural values, preoccupations, and norms in the United States over time. So, too, does the guitar's design, especially since the development of solid-body guitar construction by the 1950s. Because the sound produced by solid-body electrics does not depend on their shape, makers could experiment with a wider range of guitar designs. This era's seemingly radical instruments echoed the popular cultural focus on space-age modernity. The Fender "Strat" recalled the modern tail fins and imaginative colors of Detroit's cars, while the Gibson Flying V literally appeared ready for takeoff. |
| Once the electric guitar had been firmly
established by the 1960s and 1970s, guitar
designs became increasingly distinctive and
reflective of popular music trends. And by the
1980s guitarists were more and more concerned
with the look as well as sound of their
instruments, regarding their guitars as identifying
signatures. Eddie Van Halen decorated his
guitar with colored sticky tape, and Prince has
had guitars of all shapes and colors
custom-created for his stage performances.
Today, makers of electric guitars often emphasize materials, finishes, and overall design as much as the technological aspects of their instruments. Style and craftsmanship are and will continue to be especially important to the marketing success of electric guitars. |
| Country musician Junior Brown took the
customization of his guitar a step further. To
solve the problem of switching back and forth
between a Spanish-style electric and a Hawaiian
or lap-steel electric, Brown put the two together
to form a new guitar, the "guit-steel" in 1985
See the Country Music page |
|
Electric guitars have traditionally had two big
measuring sticks in the Fender Stratocaster and the
Gibson Les Paul. These are two traditional designs
that have stood the test of time and won the
respect of guitarists from many genres and
generations.
| ||
|
Welcome to FenderWorld
Where music, musicians, great instruments, audio gear and accessories come
together online.
The Fender Stratocaster born in the early 1950's in Southern California, and more precisely in Fullerton, near Los Angeles, hometown of the Fender(tm) Musical Instrument Co. Since it's official debut in early 1954, the Fender Stratocaster(tm) has proved to be possibly the most successful electric guitar ever manufactured. Quite a legend in it's own right! The Strat(tm) - as it is affectionately known has to be acknowledged as one of the major landmarks in the history of the guitar. It enjoys a popularity undiminished by time and changing fashions and remains quite clearly a firm favourite among many generations of players, no matter what their style of music....... |
Fender Stratocaster 'Tex Mex'
Jimmie Vaughan signature model - $999
In many ways the Fender Stratocaster is the antithesis of the Gibson Les Paul style guitar. The first thing I notice when I sit down to play a Strat style guitar is the fantastic body shape - it's just a perfect fit. The Strat typically has a scale length of 251/2 inches which is considerably more spaced out than the Gibson. While a Gibson has the warm humbucker tone, a vintage Strat tone is thin and sharp, almost cutting. To achieve this there are three single coil pick-ups with staggered coils which equalise the prominence of all the strings. The humbuckers Gibson use are basically two single coils wired parallel to cancel some of the background hum that the Strats suffer from. In doing this however they loose some of the higher frequencies which give the Strat their sharp, jangling tone. The massive Fender scratch plates were originally used to protect their pick-ups from picking up too much background buzz and they've become one of the Stratocaster's most distinctive features. The Strat also has the tremolo bar which the Gibsons lack. For the uninitiated the name 'tremolo' is a bit of a misnomer as the 'whammy' bar actually allows you to pitch bend by tilting the bridge back and stretching the strings while the 'tremolo' effect usually refers to changes in volume. | |
|
In 1997, Fender broke
ground in Corona California
to build the largest guitar and
amp factory in history.
The plant is estimated to be
160,000 square feet. In August 1998
the world will see one of the
most sophisticated and
state-of-the-art manufacturing
plants ever built in the guitar
industry!
See a quick extract of Guitar FAQ! | ||
|
Gibson Epiphone Les Paul Standard -
$850
The Gibson style guitars generally have shorter stubbier necks, with a 233/4 inch scale length, which suits some but not all. The Les Paul, the quintessential model, boasts twin humbucking pick-ups which effectively reduce noise and produce the thick, warm tone associated with Gibsons. It is difficult not to be impressed by the tradition of Les Paul guitars. No-one will ever convince me there is a better looking guitar style. For under $1000 the Epiphone Les Paul Standard will give you a little bit of the legend to take home and for many that's a good enough reason to buy one. Epiphones are cheaper factory made versions of the Gibson USA range. For those who learn on Gibson style guitars the Les Paul is what all guitars are measured against. more... |
Gibson Musical Instruments Features the legendary product line as well as a collection of online magazines and resources | |
 |
Ibanez - RG450DX Ibanez are one of the best known of the more contemporary style guitars with artists such as Satriani and Vai on their books. This particular model, the RG 450 Deluxe, boasts a layout which traditional Fender players will be familiar with, but it's a very different guitar. It is a more compact instrument than the Stratocaster and with two humbuckers separated by a single coil, the pick-up system allows you to create some thick tones. In fact if you play around with the five way selector you can get just about any tone you could want. The body shape is very sharp and clinical and with jagged bolt inlays and the traditional Ibanez pointed headstock the guitar is very recognisably Ibanez. It also features a quality tremolo unit and two full octaves on the fingerboard with wide cutaways for access. This is an excellent alternative to the Gibson or Fender style dichotomy that dominates the market. If you're searching for your own sound, somewhere between the two, it's worth checking out the Ibanez range. From an article by Damian Alway in Music Trader Ibanez - Monstrous Metal Guitars? See Steve Vai & Joe Satriani! |
The electric guitar saw its early development in the form of hawaiian guitars. Adolph Rickenbacker made one in 1931 and soon after, Leo Fender and Les Paul began working on making electric guitars of their own. The big acheivement was the electric pick-up
which changes the string's vibrations into electricity...
| Chabot Guitars - Paul Chabot offers quality hand made Classical guitars (Colorado, USA) (email) "Paul first apprenticed und er guitar maker / repairman Robert Buchanan, where he became familiar with the aspects of guitar repair, and guitar refinishing. Furthering his ability and knowledge, Paul attended Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery where he learned the basics of wood, instrument design and guitar making. | 
|
Not long after graduating from Roberto-Venn, Paul was fortunate enough to apprentice under world renowned Master guitar maker Augustino Lo Prinzi. Through Augustino Lo Prinzi, Paul was able to learn some of the most proven methods and advanced techni
ques of fine guitar making."
<<< Chabot Parlor Classic |
|
|
Keyword Search:
or exact phrase HELP |
|
 |
|
