History of Electric Guitars
By Seth Miller

The guitar is a popular string instrument. It produces sound when the strings along the surface are plucked. It used to be looked upon as a proverbial instrument connected with chivalrous courtship. String instruments existed prior to the guitar. The first documented record on the guitar is in the 14th century chronicles. In its initial form, it had three double courses of strings and sometimes a single string. The guitar probably originated in Spain, around the 16th century. It was a social requirement for entertainment among the middle and lower classes.

The 16th and 17th centuries saw the guitar become popular in other European countries. By the late 17th century, a fifth string was added on, below the other four. The guitar attained its modern look by the mid-18th century. This happened when the double courses were made single and a sixth string was added, above the lower five. Guitar makers in the 19th century broadened the body, increased the bow of the waist, flattened the belly and changed the internal holders. The modern machine head replaced the old wooden tuning pegs.

Adolph Rickenbacker invented the electric guitar in 1930. The guitar can be traced to the Greek "kithara", but there is no similarity in the structure or sound of the two instruments. The sound of the electric guitar strings is both amplified and manipulated electronically by the performer. The American musician and inventor developed prototypes for the solid-bodied electric guitar.

Electric guitars gained popularity with the increase in number of rock and roll bands. The electric guitars became necessary, to compete with the loud large brass sections, commonly used in jazz orchestras, especially the Big Bands, in the thirties and forties.

Electric guitars have evolved from being simple, hollow arch top bodies, to state- of- the- art music equipment.

Electric Guitars provides detailed information on Electric Guitars, Acoustic Electric Guitars, Cheap Electric Guitars, Electric Bass Guitars and more. Electric Guitars is affiliated with Piano Lessons.

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