Whether you're a fan of rock, punk or jazz, you're amazed at all an electric guitar can do, from the sounds it generates via an amplifier to the multitude of effects available. Then, especially with classic rock and jazz combos, nothing is quite like watching a virtuoso do a multi-part solo or shred right in the middle of a song.
Influenced by music, many adults and kids want to pick up the electric guitar. So, turn your search for the perfect instrument to Alamo Music Center.
What is an Electric Guitar?
Like their acoustic counterparts, electric guitars are constructed out of wood, in spite of many looking like metal or plastic from the exterior. Certain bodies are solid while others are hollow, and all require a pickup and steel strings. While the instrument generates a sound by itself, an amplifier is needed to help it reach its full sonic potential.
Just as with an acoustic, an electric guitar's strings vibrate to generate a sound. In this arrangement, the vibrations occur over the pickup, which then sends them as electrical signals via electromagnetic induction to an amplifier. The user then adjusts the amplifier's volume.
In addition to this basic setup, electric guitars feature knobs to alter the tone, while pedals and the amplifier further influence its sound and timbre and introduce a series of effects.
Although acoustic models date back centuries, the first electric guitar originated in the first half of the 20th century, created by the National Guitar Corporation in Los Angeles. Initially, jazz guitarists were drawn to these instruments, noticing their capabilities in matching the tone and note-sustaining abilities of horn and wind instruments.
However, at the time, these hollow-body electric guitars had a feedback issue. Addressing and correcting this, Les Paul developed a solid-body model that has since served as the prototype for Fender's Stratocaster, Telecaster, and Jazzmaster series, as well as for electric guitars by Gibson, Ibanez, and Gretsch.
Electric Acoustic Guitars
Still, some players prefer the timbre and feel of playing on an acoustic guitar. In turn, the acoustic electric guitar - or electro-acoustic - has carved out a niche for itself as a hybrid model.
An acoustic electric model maintains the classic guitar's sound properties, meaning an amplifier isn't required to create a warm tone. Yet, these models are often outfitted with a pickup, microphone and other electrical components that allow them to be plugged into a soundboard or amplifier for additional possibilities.
Find Your Electric Guitar
Whether you're a seasoned player, at the intermediate level, or just getting started, find an electric guitar that speaks to you at Alamo Music Center. Shop classic and hollow-body electric guitars for adults and kids from brands like Taylor, Martin, Fender, Gibson, Cordoba, Yamaha, Ibanez, Gretsch and others, and find both new and used models. We offer multiple financing and layaway options, including 12- to 48-month, no-interest options at times, plus trial lessons and an extended warranty.