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Gaskell Guitars asked:


Randy Rhoads was a young American guitarist who rose to fame after becoming the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne at the very beginning of Ozzy’s solo career. This was 1979. Randy Rhoads and Ozzy Osbourne along with Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake formed the band that was to put Ozzy firmly on the map again as a performer in his own right, following his departure from the hugely successful Black Sabbath.

Randy Rhoads was a classical guitar teacher. In collaboration with Bob Daisley, he and Bob composed some of the greatest music of Ozzy’s career many songs of which Ozzy still plays today in his live set.

Randy Rhoads is also famous for the “Randy Rhoads V” guitar, a guitar Randy designed and had built by Charvel back in 1981 and 1982. The CEO of Charvel at that time, Grover Jackson, went on to produce Randy’s guitar under the brand name Jackson (apparently the reason for choosing the Jackson branding was that Grover had thought that the Randy Rhoads model might be too radical and didn’t want to risk branding it as a Charvel.)

The Randy Rhoads V guitar was the guitar that put Jackson fully on the map. It was Jackson’s first production model. Prior to this time Charvel was a parts supplier for a few retail musical instrument shops, and they made the odd guitar here and there.

Tragically Randy’s career ended on a fateful day in 1982 when the plane he was a passenger in crashed, killing all on board. Further, he never actually saw the final production model of his design, what would come to be known as the “Randy Rhoads V” by Jackson Guitars.

Charvel and Jackson guitars were built in the same factory until 1986 and then the company was sold to Japanese manufacturer AMIC in 1989. Charvel’s ended up being exclusively made in Japan until 1991 while Jacksons continued to be made in California Although the Charvel name had faded away by the end of the century, Jackson/Charvel would see new light when it was purchased by Fender Music Corporation in 2002.

Today, the Randy Rhoads V is still produced by Jackson Guitars, but now that Jackson is part of Fender, all Jacksons are manufactured in the Fender plant in Corona, Ca and Jackson is of course, now subject to the company directions of the parent company, Fender Musical Instruments. It appears from spending some time on the new Charvel website, that Grover is indeed alive and well and lending his wisdom and hand to the revival of Charvel guitars and in a video clip credits Fender for aiding in these new directions.

The Randy Rhoads V guitar available from Jackson comes in various colours and schemes and there are models which are variations of the original. Some of these variants were brought about by later artists who have released their own signature variations of the Randy Rhoads V. One thing though... the left handed option of the Randy Rhoads V is very, very limited. A few colours, and that is it. One model only. Jackson’s budget range of guitars (made in Asia) don’t even allow for one left handed Randy Rhoads V.

At Gaskell Guitars (http://www.gaskellguitars.com) , located in Sydney Australia, we make only left handed guitars. We make a Randy Rhoads V model as a production model. We offer all colours through our custom options AT NO EXTRA COST. Our stock, production model comes in black and the original Randy Rhoads White and Gold scheme. We only cater for the left handed guitarist. We are trying to prevent the left hand guitarist from “always getting the short end of the stick.” Check us out. In many cases, what we offer make dreams come true!



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Victor Epand asked:


The list for popular types of guitars can be endless. Guitars come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and types. There are acoustic guitars, electric acoustic guitars, semi hollow guitars, electric guitars, twelve string guitars, four string bass guitars, five string bass guitars; the catalog goes on and on.

Acoustic guitars

Acoustic guitar is independent of any external device to be heard. The acoustic guitar is more sober than other instruments commonly found in bands and orchestras. To play within such groups the sound is often externally amplified. Acoustic guitars, which are available today, feature a variety of pickups. This enables the player to increase and adjust the raw guitar sound.

Prominent subcategories feature within the acoustic guitar group

Classical and flamenco guitars; steel string guitars, that comprise the folk or flat top guitar; arch top guitar and the twelve string guitars. There are unamplified guitars also in the acoustic guitar group.

Such types are designed to play in various registers such as the acoustic bass guitar. The tuning of the acoustic bass guitar is similar to that of the electric bass guitar.

Classical guitars

These are normally strung with nylon strings, to be played in a seated pose and are used to play a variety of musical styles together with classical music. The classical guitar is designed in such a way that it allows the execution of solo polyphonic arrangements of music

Portuguese guitar

The Portuguese guitar is a 12 string guitar used in Portugal for the customary Fado songs.

Archtop guitars

Steel string instruments feature a violin inspired f hole design where the top (and often the back) of the instrument are engraved in a curved rather than a flat shape.

Flat top (steel string) guitars

Here the body dimension is typically considerably larger than a classical guitar and it has a narrower, resistant neck and stronger structural design

Resonator, resophonic or Dobro guitars

The hum of the resonator guitar is created by a metal resonator fitted in the middle of the top.

Tenor guitars

Some classical guitarists call the Niibori prime guitar a Tenor Guitar on the grounds that it sits in pitch between the alto and the bass.

Harp guitars

This consists of a usual guitar, with additional harp strings strung on top of the six normal strings. The instrument is generally acoustic and the harp strings are adjusted to lower notes than the guitar strings, for an added bass range.

Acoustic bass guitars

This type has steel strings or guts strings in it and often has the same tuning as an electric bass guitar.

12 string guitars

Instead of having only six strings, the 12 string guitar has six courses made up of two strings each, like a mandolin or f lute.

Electric guitars

Electric guitars are the types, which have solid, semi hollow, or hollow bodies, and generate minute sound without amplification. The electromagnetic vibrations of the strings are converted into electrical signals, which are supplied to an amplifier via a cable or radio transmitter. Sound outputted is regularly modified by other electronic instruments or the natural distortion of valves (vacuum tubes) in the amplifier.



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Ian Williamson asked:


The guitar is one of the most sought-after musical instruments today. Its popularity is manifested through-out the radio stations and the music videos on MTV. Almost all types of music in modern pop culture have been influenced by the guitar in one way or another.

For people who would like to get their hands on a guitar, they must first learn the guitar lingo. The guitar lingo is made up of weird-sounding words that are unique to the guitar world.

The guitar lingo also applies to the guitar parts. You must be able to know the parts of a guitar to be able to know how to play it. Here are some of the guitar parts:

-Body

This is also referred to as the sound box. This is the largest guitar part and it comes in different shapes and sizes. The acoustic guitars usually have a hollow body, while electric guitars have solid or semi-solid bodies. Acoustic guitars have hollow bodies because they rely on the body structure for sound resonation and electric guitars use electronic pick-ups to amplify the sound.

-Headstock

The headstock is the part at the end of the guitar which holds the tuning keys. It is connected to the neck of the guitar.

-Nut

The nut is the piece between the guitar neck and the head. It is a small rod with indentations to hold the guitar strings in place.

-Neck

The neck is the long section which holds the fret board.

-Fret board

The fret board is divided into different notes by small metal rods. The number of frets in a fret board varies depending on the type of guitar and the brand. Modern electric guitars usually have 20-22 frets in the fret board.

-Bridge

It is a part of the guitar's body and it is important for sound resonance. It gives elevation to the guitar strings so they can produce vibrations.

-Pick-up

The pick-up is an electronic device which acts like a microphone: it picks up the vibrations from the strings and converts the vibrations into electrical impulses. They are usually found in electric guitars

-Amp

The amplifier a speaker box from which the sounds of the electric guitar are magnified.

-Capo

This is a device which is attached to the fret board which allows a player to play the same chord structures but in a different key.

Listed below are some of the different words that you might encounter in learning how to play the guitar.

-Riff

Guitar riffs pertain to musical pieces which are parts of a song.

-Reverb

It is added to the sound of the guitar through an effects box or through amplifiers to make the sounds more natural.

-Tablature

Guitar tablatures or more commonly known as guitar tabs are written music for guitars. It is similar to musical pieces (with notes and other musical symbols) but the notes are translated into guitar frets. It's a useful tool in learning how to play the guitar.

-Vibrato

It refers to a guitar technique where the string is slightly bent at a fast rate to Produce a longer resonating sound.

-Arpeggio

This refers to a technique where you remove notes from a specific chord. You can then use these to create an adlib lead technique or add to the rhythm of the song.

-Pick

This is the small device which guitar players use to strike the guitar strings and is usually made of plastic.

-Whammy bar

This is an attachment to the bridge of electric guitars that can be used to bend the pitch of the notes. You can pull the whammy bar to be able to make your guitar "cry."

-Plucking

It's a picking technique where a player does not strum the strings all at once but hits the strings one by one to attain a softer and more defined tone.

-Palm mute

This is a technique where a player uses his picking hand (usually the right hand) to mute the strings while strumming to be able to attain a distinct tone. It is very popular in the punk rock world.

The world of guitars is composed of many other new words and you must be able to master these or at least have an idea of what they are to be able do to appreciate the wonderful instrument that is the guitar..



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Chris Simpson asked:


If you are considering learning how to play the bass guitar, you can expect that it will be quite a bit different from learning how to play a regular guitar, the bass guitar is much more complicated. The bass guitar is all about the different beats that you hear of a song. Being able to hear the beat is very important when playing the bass guitar, it is the focal point of that song you are hearing and playing. Each beat throughout the song must be heard properly so that you can have the correct timing down when you play. When you are listening for the beats you will be able to literally feel these pounding beats in your chest, it is an incredible feeling.

When you begin learning how to play your bass guitar just keep in mind that it is all about the beat and your timing ability. It is something that is going to take some time and so much patience, so do not get discouraged too quickly. If you continue practicing and learning new techniques, in a matter of time, you too can learn how to play the bass guitar. If you believe it, you can achieve it! Remember that each time you begin feeling kind of down about not catching on quickly enough, it is not something that can happen overnight.

Another important thing that you have to keep in mind when trying to learn how to play the bass guitar is that the bass guitar is tuned pretty much the same as the regular guitar. The difference in the bass guitar is really the strings. The bass guitars usually only have 4 strings and they are not like the strings on the regular guitar, they are quite a bit thicker than the strings on a regular guitar. What you will begin practicing when you first attempt to learn something about the bass guitar is, the notes. With a regular guitar you have to worry about which chords to play and when. With the bass guitar it is not about chords but rather about the guitar notes. You still need to be pretty familiar with a regular guitar, as far as the proper tuning and the notes, as with the bass guitar. Learning about both types of guitar will benefit you greatly when you are learning to play the bass guitar.

Figuring out where to put your fingers on your bass guitar can be tricky at first. You should also try and learn how to play with both hands, not just one, this will definitely help you when playing the bass guitar. Last but not least, practice doing things to help on improving your grip in your fingers and hands. Practice, practice and more practice, that is what it is going to take to help you learn how to play the bass guitar. Work hard and in a matter of time, you will be able to show off your skills to all of your family and friends. Good luck with it!



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Roberto Sedycias asked:


For guitarists, guitar is not only an instrument of playing music, it is the very purpose of their living. Ask a guitarist if he ever leaves his guitar behind, and mostly likely he will reply, `NO`.

It is not unusual to a guitarist constantly research on how to improve the performance of his guitar. This is probably why many professional guitarists and other guitar aficionados all over the world lay a great deal of emphasis on having guitar accessories. Although, a guitar hardly helps you improve your playing technique or your ability to play killer riffs and tasty licks, some guitar accessories, however, can be very useful in making guitar play easier and more comfortable.

While you play your guitar you might want to focus only on how to play the guitar; however, it is easier said than done. There are many factors that could potentially interfere with your performance. Any guitar professional would tell you how a poor sitting posture, while you hold the guitar or even improper positioning of your guitar while you play it, can affect your performance to an unbelievable extent. Similarly, the wrong choice of guitar pics, some of the most sought-after guitar accessories in the guitar industry around the globe, can also affect your performance to large extent.

Whether you are a budding guitarist or professional guitarist who has been playing for a long time, you can`t deny the importance of guitar accessories and their impact on your performance. Here are some guitar accessories that are always worth investing in, if you seriously want to up the performance of you playability.

Guitar Pic Holders:

Guitar pics are indispensable guitar accessories; however, it is not always possible to ensure that they are placed at a convenient position to avoid misplacing them. They are tiny in size and hence, prone to being misplaced more often. Also, you might load them to your friends and forget about them forever. Since there is no particular place to hold them, you might as well drop them forgetfully.

Guitar manufactures know this problem since a long time and hence, they are coming up with guitar pics holders to combat this problem of guitar players. Guitar pics holders are a convenient place to hold guitar pics. For instance, some guitars pic holders now are available in the form of key chains or a clip attached right to the guitar for easy access so that you can not forget it anywhere. Some innovative guitar accessories such as built-in guitar wallet can also be found now-a-days. This is particularly useful for those that are rather forgetful or have a tendency to misplace guitar pics.

Instant release Guitar straps:

This is a must-have for guitarists who perform in front of live audience. Many times, while changing the sitting or standing position, they face difficulty in adjusting the ties of conventional guitar straps. To help the guitarists overcome this problem, manufactures have come up with instant release guitars straps that enable you to attach or remove your guitar easily with just a single click. Moreover, they fit just like the seat belt clip in your car.

Cup Holders:

How many times have you looked for a sip of water in between a long concert performance? Often times, you struggle to find enough time to bend and reach for the bottle of water that is placed behind your chair. Cup holders come quite handy in situation like this. Just like drink holders in your vehicle, guitarists can sip water or some other beverages placed on the cup holders. Cup holders can be attached to the guitar stand, microphone stand or even music stand and can be easily accessible.

Bespoke Guitar Picks:

Many popular guitarists want to gift their fans something as a souvenir and bespoke guitar picks with their exclusive designs can be a great memento you can gift your fan base. Along with setting a new trend, it is a great way to merchandise your band.

Guitar accessories may not help you improve your techniques; however, they are extremely essential as they help you feel easy, relaxed and comfortable to focus totally on how to play your guitar. In a nutshell, it pays to invest in guitar accessories.



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Victor Epand asked:


An acoustic guitar is a guitar that produces an acoustic sound through the vibration of its six strings. When we talk about guitar, the first thing that comes in our mind is Spanish guitar.

Acoustic guitars have a rich history. It had changed its design many times. Acoustic guitars are 5000 years old. Spain has a big contribution in its development.

The earliest form of modern acoustic guitar is the Cithara. Romans introduced this instrument in Hispania. After this, Moors developed the shape and made it a four-string instrument. But in Europe, the six-string lute guitar was very popular.

A Spanish guitar like instrument called Vihuela was introduced later in the 16th century. It's body looked like guitar, but it had to be tuned like Lute.

Modern acoustic guitars are of various types. Like, twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, still guitar etc.

Given below are some of the popular names and description of acoustic guitars.

- Renaissance and Baroque guitars: These guitars are very similar to the classical guitar. But they are smaller and quieter than classical guitar. Their strings are paired up like twelve string guitar. But they do not have six courses of strings like twelve string guitar. They have only four or five courses of them.

- Classical guitars: Classical guitars are made of nylon strings. That's why they are also known as nylon string guitar. Playing system of the classical guitar is somehow different. Fingers play it. Plectrum has no role in this specific playing process.

- Portuguese Guitar: This guitar is used in Portugal. This guitar is playing their traditional Fado song. This is guitar is a Portuguese twelve string guitar.

- Flat top guitar: This guitar is almost like classical guitar. But it is larger than classical guitar. It has got still strings. Still string produces louder sound. This guitar is used with varied kind of music like, jazz, bluegrass etc.

- Arch top guitar: This instrument is very much inspired from violin. This too is a still stringed guitar. Lloyd Lure invented this guitar this guitar is very much popular among the jazz guitarists.

- Twelve string guitar: Twelve-string guitar is a still stringed guitar. This guitar is made of six courses of paired up strings. This guitar is very popular in rock and roll, folk and blues music.

- Russian guitars: This is a seven-string guitar. It is a Russian guitar. This guitar is tuned in open G Major.

- Acoustic Bass Guitar: Strings are made of steel. Have only four strings.

- Guitar battente: have four or five metal string. Smaller than classical guitar. Used to accompany with voice in Calabria (Southern Italian region).

Apart from these there are other sorts of acoustic guitars also. Like, Extended range guitars, Harp guitars, Tenor guitars, Dobro guitars etc.

Acoustic guitars are very interesting instrument. The best thing about them is, they are absolutely hassling free. They are very easy to carry. And you can create magic with them in a family gathering also.



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Peter Clark asked:


So you've wanted to be a rock star since you were a kid, (maybe you're still a kid), and you've decided that to be a rock star you need to learn to play the electric guitar.

Problem is you really don't know a lot about electric guitars, and if you're going to buy one you need to learn a little more about them. A lot actually.

The best piece of advice is to buy yourself a cheap electric guitar. When you're first learning it's not essential that you own a hugely expensive model of electric guitar. It's usually harder just to make it produce the sound you want it to produce, so you don't need the best guitar.

Secondly, it's important to start learning about the different types of electric guitar available. As you progress through the process of learning to play the guitar you will eventually need to trade up to a more expensive guitar, and if you know what sound it is you want to produce and which guitar is more likely to do that you'll probably be happier with your choice. But remember, first all you need is a basic cheap electric guitar till you've learned how to play the basics.

The start to your journey learning about electric guitars is to learn what all the part of the guitar are. And what different options there are with each of the parts. This is a pretty complex subject to tackle and you can spend years learning all about what produces which type of sound from an electric guitar, but here's a few basic terms,

The body of the guitar isn't always the same. You can get solid bodied guitars, and hollow bodied, or even semi hollow. Each produces a different sound. There is usually a sound hole where the sound comes from and these can be in different places, depending on the style of guitar. Pickups catch the resonance of the strings and transmit them to the amplifier to enable it to produce the amplified sound.

The soundboard is timber and is mounted on the front of the guitar and helps amplify the sound.

The neck of the guitar is the long piece that holds the strings and has a series of frets along the neck, this can also be known as the fingerboard. At the top of the neck is the head of the guitar and this holds the tuning pegs which help in the tuning of the guitar by tightening or loosening the strings.

The strings can vary in number according to what type of guitar you play. A bass guitar can have as few as 4 strings whilst some guitars have up to 12 strings. Guitar strings can be made from a number of different materials.

That's the very basics of electric guitars, and that's only the first step in the process of learning about guitars and how to play them. The sound that you want to produce will require you to learn a lot about the way the sounds are produced, and you've got many years of learning in front of you if you're serious about becoming a rock star, or even just an accomplished guitar player.

But remember the first bit of advice. It takes a long time to learn to play, and if you're just starting out take your time, learn as you go, about how guitars work as well as how to play one, and start with a basic cheap electric guitar until you've attained a basic proficiency.

Then you can splash out on the electric guitar that only can make sing. Good luck.



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Richard Neesal asked:


If you are, or wish to be, an electric guitarist, you would know that one of the most difficult tasks awaiting you is the selection of your electric guitar. No matter what your level of interest and your achieved expertise in the guitar, the art of choosing the right guitar for yourself remains complicated and challenging for the simple reason that it could play an integral role in producing the signature tone and style that you might hope to originate as your distinctive mark.

The fundamental design is more or less a constant in the various makes of electric guitars available in the market. The standard construction is along the lines of: a body, the neck, the head stock piece, electrical pickups and the bridge.

The crucial part in which the electric guitar differs from the acoustic version is in its use of the amplifier. The amplifier is a device required to broadcast the sound produced in the guitar: every pluck of the strings is captured by the pickups and routed through the amplifier at which point several differing sound effects can be introduced.

The two most important factors that you would have to consider at the time of buying the electric guitar for yourself are price and sound.

Electric guitars are available for a wide range of prices, from as low as 99 to as high as 20,000 dollars. Thus, having an idea of your budget limits is very useful. A beginner should preferably look for a starters kit which would include instruction manuals along with the guitar and the amplifier.

When it comes to determine the nature and quality of sound by which you could select your guitar within your price zone, it is handy to know the different types of electric guitars, the variations in their designs and the differences in their sound output.

Electric guitars are grouped under four broad divisions: we have the Acoustic-Electric, the Electric, the Hollow Body Electric and the Steel Electric guitar, and each category of guitar produces a distinct sound.

The acoustic-electric guitar is an acoustic guitar with in-built pickups which can be plugged up with an amplifier or a public address system. These are sturdy and durable, relatively uncomplicated in design and simple to maintain, and are among the most popular kinds of guitars for touring bands.

The electric guitar usually has a solid wood body which means that the sound is only produced through the pickup mechanism. Additionally the amplifier is used to increase or decrease volume and for generating sound effects. These are generally the most popular models among beginners and prices range from 99 dollars and upwards. Almost all the reputed guitar manufacturers like Fender and Gibson market their own electric guitar kits for beginners, comprising a guitar, an amplifier and how-to- get-started manuals.

The hollow body electric guitar follows the same lines of construction as the traditional electric guitar, except for one essential variation. The hollow-body guitar, as the name implies, has two chambers hollowed out of the wooden body. This enables the guitar to generate acoustic vibrations over and above the electric ones and thereby results in the delivery of a uniquely resonating sound. These types of guitars are generally used by Jazz musicians and come in several sizes and tones.

The other kind of electrical guitar is the steel guitar, and was popularized by Jeff Healey. These are so dissimilar in design to traditional guitars that many years of specialized practice is usually necessary to learn how to properly perform on them. Unlike the normal guitar which is played while being hung from the player's neck around his or her shoulders, the steel guitar, is played on its back while being laid out on a platform before the player. The guitar strings on this variety are usually raised above the fret board and require the use of a "tone bar". A tone bar is a cylindrical tube that is worn on the middle finger of the fret hand, and produces the characteristic "whine" of the steel guitar. This variety of guitar goes best with the genres of country and western style music.

Irrespective of the kind of guitar that you are seeking to buy, it is always advisable that you thoroughly research your options before finalizing your purchase. Take the opinions of experienced guitarists if possible. Otherwise you should at least try and talk to the employees at the local guitar store, and search the internet to get all the information that you need to help identify the exact make and model of guitar is suitable for you. And most importantly: always test the guitar before you buy it. Happy rocking!



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Victor Epand asked:


When you think of guitars, many people immediately think about one of two types - either the popular electric guitar used so prevalently by bands and groups that produce popular music, and the classical guitars more traditionally used for softer music, and classical music itself. The one distinctive attribute of a classical guitar is its ability to allow the musician to construct and play arrangements of music with multiple notes being played simultaneously, what is known as polyphonic music, and this is similar is in many respects to the traditional pianoforte.

This ability to play polyphonic music is the one aspect above all others that sets the classical guitar aside from other types, including the popular acoustic guitar, bass guitars and the electric guitars, which are more limited in the notes and combinations which can be played. Although often it may be suggested that classical guitars are not the only type to be capable of this polyphonic sound, and that flamenco guitars offer the same opportunity, there is still one great difference that sets the two types of guitar aside. Classical guitars, as with most guitars, are designed to be plucked or strummed, whereas flamenco guitars are far more percussive, being played almost as though in the style of a piano, with the strings being struck or hit to create the resonating note, and this difference in playing method creates a very significant difference in the type of sound or voice, and the style of music that each instrument is capable of producing.

The classical guitar that we tend to think of has a broad family, and across the whole world the classical guitar comes in many flavours, each sharing the same quality and characteristic of being able to play polyphonic musical arrangements, but each lending the music a distinctive quality which reflects the different musical traditions and patterns of the culture of each country. For example, a wide range of guitars can be found in Mexico, with the very small guitar known as the requinto, and then the much larger guitarron which is so much larger that it competes with a cello for size, and therefore produces a much more deeply resonating sound, and is tuned to the same register as a bass guitar.

A similar range of different sizes and styles can be seen in Columbia too, with the smallest guitar being known as the bandola, and is most popularly used as a travelling guitar, since its small size allows it to be packed or carried with relatively little difficulty. A slightly larger version of the classical guitar than the bandola is the tiple, and this is mid way between the bandola and the classical guitar, although he classical guitar does itself appear in the Columbian repertoire. The classical guitar, or as they are often referred to today, the classic guitar, owes its shape and traditionally agreed dimensions to a man named Antonio Torres Jurado who lived from 1817 to 1892.

Today the modern classic guitar has ten strings, which is four more than a traditional guitar with only six. These four extra strings, called resonators, are tuned in a very special way that means that they can be played, and will resonate in tune to any of the twelve notes that can be played chromatically on the higher strings. The three bass strings on a classic ten string guitar are tuned in the same way, and this extra tuning for resonance is felt to improve and complement the sonority of the sound, giving a much more distinctive, clear and full performance of the music. Modern classic guitars are available in a number of different versions which can be played within different octaves, with the soprano guitar being used to play a full octave higher than a normal guitar, and a contrabass guitar achieving notes a full octave lower.



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Peter Clark asked:


Just about every kid ever born wants to be a rock star. They see their favorite stars up there on stage playing the electric guitar to a crowd and want to do the same. Problem is, it's not easy learning to play the electric guitar.

And of course before you learn to play the guitar you need to own a guitar, or at least borrow one. When you're just starting out learning the electric guitar you don't need one like Jimmy Hendrix would play, but you still need to get your hands on an electric guitar that will be adequate for the beginner. And if that's you then there's a few things that you need to know about electric guitars that may help in understanding a little more about them.

First thing to remember about buying your first electric guitar is that you don't need to spend hundreds of thousands to do so. Be happy with a cheap electric guitar while you're learning, and maybe once you hit the big time spend up big. However a cheap electric guitar will do the job for the first few years.

You also need to know exactly what style of music you will be playing on your guitar. Different styles of music require different styles of electric guitar. You need a different guitar to play rock, for example, to the guitar you'd buy if you were playing jazz.

So spend a little time researching the types of electric guitar that should be used by different music styles.

Electric guitar types boil down to 2 basic types, solid body and hollow body. As the name suggests a solid body guitar has no hollow space inside, and is usually, though not exclusively, made of solid wood. Different types of timber can produce different sounds, so as you get better you may want to research more on the type of timber you need to produce the sound you want, but in the early stages if you're buying a cheap electric guitar don't get too carried away getting the ideal timber, you may find it more expensive than you need to be paying, and it's not essential at the start.

And there's a few unusual terms you'll need to become familiar with if you're buying an electric guitar for the first time. Here's a taste.

Pickups. The pickup is a magnet with a coil of wire wrapped around it placed right under the strings. This receives the vibrations of the strings and turns these into an electric signal for the amp to use. There are 2 types of pickup. The single coil, which produces a sound that sounds good for playing rock, blues and country. Humbuckers are a pickup with 2 coils next to each other that produces a warmer sound which is great for metal and rock in particular. Some guitars have a combination of single coils and humbuckers, and there is usually at least 2 pickups utilized.

Bridge. The bridge is where the strings connect to the body of the guitar. You can have a fixed bridge or a Vibrato bridge which allows you to move the bridge to tighten or loosen the strings. The fixed bridge is better for beginners who can graduate to a Vibrato bridge after they've mastered the basics.

Hollow body electric guitars are the second basic style of guitar. These, as the name suggests, have a hollow body although there is also a variation of this which is the semi hollow. As the player plays his guitar the hollow space helps the body resonate which produces a quite distinctive sound. These are good guitars for jazz. These hollow body guitars also utilize pickups, including single coil and humbucker.

That's really just the start when it comes to understanding electric guitars, and for the enthusiast it's a lifetime job learning all there is to know about them. And finding out exactly what it is that you need to play to produce exactly the sound you want to produce. That's part of the fun of playing the guitar, it's a constant learning process, not just about how to play but what to play as well.

However remember, the most important piece of advice. If you're a beginner don't spend up big the first time. Buy yourself a cheap electric guitar first, then learn to play that and take it from there. It's the best way to kick off your rock star career.



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