Electric Guitar Varieties
Electric guitars are classified into three types:
- Solid-body
- The body is semi-hollow.
- The body is hollow.
Solid-body guitars are the most common and are what most people envision when they think of an electric guitar. They are extremely adaptable and do not suffer from feedback difficulties.
Because they are more vulnerable to feedback, semi-hollow and hollow body guitars are lighter and often fit crisper tones better. As a result, they are frequently employed in genres like jazz, blues, and even indie. The benefit is that they often sound more resonant and acoustic, which suits some musical genres better than a solid body.
A solid body guitar is typically the favored choice for most players, especially novices who are unsure of what music style they want to play or have their hearts set on employing loads of distortion rather than pure tones.
There are several forms in the solid-body electric guitar family. The following are the most common:
- S-Type (Fender Stratocaster form) (Fender Stratocaster shape)
- T-Type (Fender Telecaster form) (Fender Telecaster shape)
- LP-Type (Gibson Les Paul form) (Gibson Les Paul shape)
- SG-Type (Gibson SG shape) (Gibson SG shape)
- Type of Explorer (Gibson Explorer shape)
- V-Type (Gibson Flying V form) (Gibson Flying V shape)
- Offset-Type (e.g. Fender Jaguar, Jazzmaster, and Mustang) (e.g. Fender Jaguar, Jazzmaster, and Mustang)
Although these forms were first launched by Fender and Gibson, other prominent companies including Ibanez, ESP, Jackson, Schecter, Yamaha, and PRS offer several very similar designs.
Taking into account the Tone
Choosing an electric guitar that sounds fantastic is, of course, critical. Tone, on the other hand, is subjective, and what sounds fine to me may not sound good to you. Some players desire a certain tone that is difficult to obtain with many guitars, while others want something more adaptable.
Pickup Method
Pickups are classified into three types: single coils, humbuckers, and P90s. Here’s a synopsis of each.
Single coils provide the quietest (lowest output), brightest, and thinnest sound. They are the most prone to feedback when utilizing distortion, although they may fit a wide range of musical styles. They are frequently employed in country, pop, and rock, but not in heavy metal. Stratocasters and Telecasters often use single-coil pickups.
Humbuckers produce the most volume (maximum output), warmth, and fullness. Because they are the least prone to feedback, they are frequently utilized for music types that necessitate distorted amp settings, such as metal and rock. Les Pauls frequently use humbucker pickups.
P90: technically, they are single coil pickups, but they have a wider bobbin, which gives them more power. They are less prone to feedback than single coils but not as warm and rich as humbuckers, making them extremely adaptable.
Pickups, Active vs. Passive
To make matters even more complicated, in addition to the many types of pickups, several technologies are available. Some pickups are classified as “passive,” while others are classified as “active.”
Passive pickups are those that do not have a battery and have a lesser output. They are quite adaptable; but, when utilizing really high gain amp settings, they may sound muddy.
Active pickups feature a battery and produce more power. This boosts their loudness and clarity when employing high gain, making them a popular option for metal.
Most guitars use passive pickups, while active pickups are uncommon in guitars under $500.
Controls for the Guitar
Finally, in this section, I’d like to briefly describe the various switches and controls available on electric guitars. Here are a few examples:
- To generate distinct tones, you may use the pickup selector to switch between the neck, middle (if there is one), and bridge pickup locations. To increase versatility, some guitars include a 3-way pickup selection while others have a 5-way pickup selector.
- Tone control: some guitars have one for each pickup, while others just have one that affects both pickups.
- Volume control: some guitars have one for each pickup, while others just have one that affects both pickups.
- If you want something more versatile, you should consider how many controls the guitar has. Some players, though, prefer a straightforward arrangement.
- Playability is essential.
Because guitar comfort is so subjective, it’s difficult to say which guitar will be most comfortable for you in this article. Although you can get used to playing a specific guitar, you are more likely to connect with certain shapes and sizes than others, making the learning process much easier.
Of course, the best way to determine which guitar is more comfortable is to try it on in a store. Even if you’re a complete beginner, you can sit and stand with the instrument and try fretting some strings and strumming to get a feel for it.