Live Rock concerts were all the rage in the 70's and they pushed countless kids to buy their 1st guitars. Today, video games like Rockband are having a similar effect. The heart and soul of all heavy rock music doesn't just lie with the lyrics; it also lies with the electric guitar and the various sounds that it can produce. There are so many kids across the block who would give anything to play like Mark Knopfler, Steve Vai, Jimmy Page etc. These men are not just some of the best guitarists of their times, they are legends. Now if you are interested in studying how to play the guitar then the first thing you will need to do is select one. Most people start with an acoustic guitar and graduate to the electric guitar. It is quite difficult for anyone to select the right electric guitar since there are 100's of brands out there on the market. If you're buying an electric guitar then you will also need to buy an amp, pick-ups, picks, a tuner etc. Electric guitars are available in a vast array of shapes and designs with the aerodynamic designs being one of the most popular. Don't purchase the first electric guitar you see. You need to spend a fair amount of time looking around and check out the prices and vast array of models before you actually buy one. In fact, one of the neatest ways to pick a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here is my take on the 4 basic styles: Gibson Gibson is one of the powerhouse brands in all of guitar and all their guitar models are absolute classics and shoud not be compared to others. Gibson was actually started in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been responsible for providing musicians some of the best guitars. Some of the famous models include the ES-150 and the Explorer etc. Some of the well known guitarists who have shredded on a Gibson or are still using it include Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Frank Zappa to name a couple. Some of the popular Gibson models include: * Flying V: $500-$600 * Gibson SG 61 Classic: $1500-$1600 * Faded SG Special Electric Guitar: $550-$600 * Gibson Explorer Pro Electric Guitar: $1100-$1200 Les Paul This extraordinary electric guitar was designed by Gibson for some of the jazz stars of the day. The striking feature of a Gibson Les Paul guitar is its set neck construction, which means there are no bolts. The body is a single cutaway. It is fitted out with 2 pickups as well as a elevated scratch-plate. If you want to play distorted sound then the Les Paul will provide you with a varied range. Some of the well known guitarists who use the Les Pauls include Eric Clapton and Slash (ex-Guns'n'Roses). Some of the notable Les Paul models include: * Les Paul Custom: $3000-$3550 * 1959 Les Paul Standard Guitar: $5550-$6000 * Les Paul Vintage Mahogany Electric Guitar: $700-$800 * Les Paul Classic Electric Guitar: $1850-$1950 Stratocaster (Better known as a 'Strat') This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was played regularly by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Strato is from Fender and has a neck sturdily fastened to the guitar body. Apart from this, it has dual cut away sides, 22 frets accompanied by a wammy arrangement and three pickups. Fender designed the first Stratocaster in the early 50's. A few of the popular designs include: * Deluxe Strat: Approx $500 * Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar in Rosewood: Approx $1200 * Standard Strat Electric Guitar in Maple: Approx $400 * Fender Standard Stratocaster Electric in Rosewood: Approx $500 * Fender Stratocaster Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1850 Telecaster (Better known as a 'Tele') The Telecaster is another great guitar from Fenders. It is more than just another guitar; it is a complete band. It is a solid body guitar and comprises of 2 pick-ups. The first Telecaster was manufactured by Leo Fender in the 40's and has a single cutaway body. It doesn't have the wammy bar but has two different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include: * American Tele HS: $950-$1100 * Fender Standard Telecaster Guitar: $350-$550 * Fender 63 Tele Relic Solid Body: $2500-$3150 * 72 Telecaster Custom Electric: $700-$800 These are the best brands of electric guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include fretboard, the pick-ups, and the body shape. Full-bodied guitars are generally preferred as they can generate some of the best noises that you will ever get to hear.
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