2 Engrossing Questions about Electric Guitar

Here are some fun facts about electric guitars:

• World’s Largest Electric Guitar: The world’s largest electric guitar is a replica of a Gibson Flying V, standing over 43 feet tall and weighing nearly 2,255 pounds. It was built by students at the Academy of Science and Technology in Texas.
• Custom Designs: Many guitar production companies make custom guitars for famous guitarists. For example, Ernie Ball Music Man guitar company makes specially customized guitars for John Petrucci and John Myung from Dream Theater. Similarly, the Ibanez-GEM guitar was specially made for Steve Vai by Ibanez.
• Tuning Innovations: Metal band guitars often use Drop D tuning while creating heavy riffs, which is quite difficult to play in regular tuning. Also, guitarists like Mark Tremonti from Alter Bridge have used D-A-D-A-D-A tuning in some of their songs, which is quite impossible to cover in regular tuning.
• Guitar Picks: While many guitarists use plastic or nylon picks, some famous guitarists have used unusual materials. Brian May of Queen, for example, famously uses a sixpence coin instead of a standard guitar pick.
• Jimi Hendrix’s Upside-Down Guitar: Jimi Hendrix, one of the most legendary guitarists, was left-handed but often played right-handed guitars upside down. He restrung them so that the thickest string was on top, opposite of the typical setup.
• Unique Materials: Some electric guitars have been made from unusual materials. For example, the “Lucite” guitars made by Ampeg in the 1960s were transparent and made from a type of acrylic glass.
• The Longest Guitar Solo: David DiDonato holds the record for playing the longest guitar solo in 2012. The solo was over 24 hours long.
• Jimmy Page’s Double-Neck Guitar: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin famously used a double-neck guitar, the Gibson EDS-1275, to perform “Stairway to Heaven” live. The double-neck allowed him to switch between a 12-string and a 6-string guitar without changing instruments.
• Guitar Hero: The video game “Guitar Hero” popularized the electric guitar among a new generation. Despite being a game, it influenced many young players to pick up the real instrument.
• Leo Fender’s Influence: Leo Fender, who founded Fender Musical Instruments, was not a musician. He was an electronics technician who revolutionized the music world with his designs of the Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars.

Before buying an electric guitar, here are some key facts you should know:

• Types of Electric Guitars: The most common and available type of electric guitar is the solid-body electric guitar, which is made from a solid piece of wood and provides sustainable sound. Solid-body guitars are the most popular among rock, pop, and metal guitarists. There are also hollow-body electric guitars that provide a more resonant sound, mostly used by jazz guitarists. Semi-hollow-body guitars offer a mix of sustain and resonance, commonly used by blues and rock guitarists.
• Pickups: Pickups are the most important part of an electric guitar. Single-coil pickups are used for clear, brighter sound but may produce hum in the output. Humbucker pickups are the most popular among rock and metal guitarists because of their thicker, warmer, and noise-free sound. Active pickups are favored by modern metal guitarists for their higher output capacity, as they have a battery that can provide more power than other pickups.
• Budget: When starting out, you don’t need a high-quality guitar like professionals use. There are affordable guitars that are good for beginners. However, if you have the budget, don’t be stingy; go for a good-quality guitar. Remember, you will also need to buy some accessories if you want to learn electric guitar. You’ll need an amp, at least two guitar cables, 2-3 picks, a tuner, and a bag or case to store your guitar. These are mandatory for playing electric guitar. If you have extra budget, you may want to buy a guitar strap, an effects pedal, and a guitar stand or hanger.
• Tuning Stability: The stability of tuning depends on the neck, tuning keys, bridge, and fretboard. These components impact how well your guitar stays in tune. Before buying, try to check these aspects.
• Playability: Some electric guitars have wider fretboards, meaning the width of the fretboard is greater than usual. The length of the fretboard also varies depending on the number of frets. For example, a guitar with 22 frets will be shorter in length than one with 24 frets. Additionally, there are guitars of various shapes like ‘X’ or ‘V’, which are suitable for concerts and band practices. You can’t comfortably practice with these guitars while sitting; you must be standing to play them. So, before buying, try out 3 or 4 guitars and choose the one you feel most comfortable with.
• String Gauge: Lighter gauge strings (0.009 – 0.042) are suitable for beginners as they are easier to press down. Heavier strings (0.010 – 0.046) offer fuller sounds but require more finger strength to play notes smoothly.
• Maintenance: Electric guitars require more maintenance, including cleaning the strings, fretboard, and body regularly—once a week is preferable. Keeping the guitar in a bag or case will help prevent rust, and checking the fretboard alignment twice or thrice a year is recommended.
• Learning Curve: Electric guitars are easier to play than acoustic guitars because the strings are closer to the fretboard, making them easier to press. This allows for faster learning on an electric guitar, requiring less finger strength than an acoustic guitar.
• Music Style: Deciding on your musical genre is very important. The way you learn an electric guitar mostly depends on the genre you choose. Although the basics are similar across genres, advanced learning varies depending on the genre.
• Guitar Weight: As a beginner, I recommend choosing a lightweight guitar. Heavier guitars may provide a warmer and thicker sound, but output sound isn’t your main concern as a beginner; your comfort should come first.

Taking the time to consider these factors can help you choose an electric guitar that suits your needs and makes playing and learning enjoyable.