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Electric Guitars

It is generally accepted that the first solid-body electric guitar was created in 1941 by Les Paul. "The log," as he referred to it, was a simple instrument made of a block of wood, a neck, six strings and a magnetic pick-up. Modern versions are much more visually pleasing, but still operate on the same premise.

Like acoustic guitars, the electric guitar has a neck, body, bridge and strings. The main difference is that rather than using a soundboard and a hollow body to amplify the sound, as does an acoustic model, the electric uses a magnetic pick-up to transfer the sound from the instrument to an external amplifier and speaker. This gives the instrument infinitely more volume, thereby making it easier to be heard in ensemble settings and large venues.

Originally used by jazz musicians, the ability of the electric guitar to "cut through" in high volume situations made it the ideal instrument for rock music. Modern technology is creating ever new ways to expand the sonic possibilities of the electric guitar allowing the musician more avenues to explore, and keeps the instrument on the forefront of popular music.
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