Answering this question is not easy! Choosing the right guitar depends largely on the music style you are interested in and the design of the instrument that you prefer. You will encounter musicians who prefer unusual guitars that may even seem unsuitable for their musical style. However, it should be rejected from the outset that each guitar has only one specific application.

When the Fender Telecaster (originally named “Broadcaster”) began to attract guitarists in the ’50s, it immediately became the most popular electric guitar for country music guitarists. However, today, categorizing the Telecaster only for country music wouldn’t make sense. Status Quo, for example, has been rocking for over 30 years using two Telecasters, and Led Zeppelin’s guitarist, Jimmy Page, often associated with the Les Paul, played many songs with a Telecaster, including the entire Led Zeppelin debut album and the legendary solo in “Stairway to Heaven.” The way each guitarist uses the guitar matters.

When the Stratocaster started its successful journey in the ’50s, it was the clear and cool sound that made it popular. Shadows’ guitarist, Hank Marvin, made it in a unique way. Later, in the ’60s, Jimi Hendrix made history with a Stratocaster, making its sound completely different, and the Strat suddenly became essential for rock and blues sounds. Of course, we can point out specific trends, and it’s not a coincidence that certain guitars appear more frequently in various music genres than others.

In general, there is an exception to every rule, and preference, the guitarist’s skills, and available technical abilities determine the sound of a guitar and, of course, the guitarist using it. In most cases, it doesn’t make sense to copy the choices of the guitarist you consider your idol. The sound depends largely on each guitarist, and therefore, even the same electric guitar would sound different in the hands of David Gilmour and George Harrison.

Not every guitar is suitable for every guitarist. Some guitars are comfortable from the moment you play them, while others still feel awkward and uncomfortable even after months. The design of a guitar can influence posture and playing style: a Stratocaster or a Telecaster requires more strength compared to guitars with a shorter scale length, such as the Gibson Les Paul, even though they have the same string gauge. This is related to the longer length and higher tension of the strings and is another significant factor for the sound of these instruments.

Many guitarists love to “struggle” with their guitars, like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Beck, who always preferred a thicker neck on their Strat, believing that the neck thickness affects the sound. Other guitarists (Mick Taylor, Jimmy Page, Slash), simply love the more comfortable playability, with a flatter and wider neck, as found in older Les Paul models. Not every guitar matches the personal requirements of a musician.

For example, if I want a typical, bright country sound and choose a Les Paul, I will be far from my goal! A Telecaster or a Stratocaster would be a more ideal choice in this case.

Many professional guitarists carry more than one guitar on their tours than the number of songs they have in their setlist (see Joe Bonamassa, for example). In the Eagles’ tour, for instance (with three guitarists and one bassist), the equipment could easily fill two music instrument stores. On the other hand, some guitarists can prove that a single guitar can rock the entire show. Some will use only a Les Paul, while others will remain faithful to their Stratocaster (like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmy Vaughan, Mike Landau, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton). There are also rarer designs, like a Flying V (Albert King), while others (Eddie Van Halen, Steve Morse, Steve Lukather, Robben Ford) simply have their guitars custom-made for them. Of course, many of them have played with other instruments during their careers, but generally, they show a preference for the instruments mentioned above.

The classic version of the famous Stratocaster features 3 single-coil pickups, while its body is usually made of alder or ash wood. For the neck of the instrument, you can typically choose between maple or rosewood for the fretboard. The design of the Stratocaster perfectly complements and embraces the human body, making it very comfortable to hold. The bridge pickup provides a truly powerful sound, and the neck pickup delivers a warm and familiar tone (treble can be reduced using the tone control). The intermediate positions offer different sonic options with livelier and almost acoustic clean sounds that only a Stratocaster can produce. The Stratocaster usually has a 5-position pickup selector switch, providing multiple tonal options. Additionally, it features a vibrato/tremolo bar at the bridge, allowing you to create tremolo effects. In general, we could say that a Fender (Strat or Tele) sounds cleaner and more transparent, while the sound of a Gibson Les Paul appears to be slightly more muffled and full.

The fundamental characteristics of a Les Paul include 2 humbucking pickups and the thick, heavy body that tends to give it a heavier and fuller sound, without lacking in treble. The guitar’s construction is intimately tied to its sound, which typically means a body made of mahogany with a maple cap, approximately one inch thick. The bridge pickup provides a classic rock sound, which becomes bluesier when we switch the 3-way pickup selector and choose the neck pickup. The intermediate position of the selector, which activates both humbucking pickups, is suitable for both clean and more distorted sounds. Additionally, the cleaner PAF-style pickups (available in various versions from almost every brand) further enhance the Les Paul, although Gibson has recently started incorporating more powerful pickups as well.

A variation of the Les Paul that would have almost disappeared into oblivion if it weren’t for Angus Young of AC/DC during the ’80s and ’90s. Unlike the Les Paul and the Stratocaster, it is quite lightweight, with less bass than a Les Paul, but still very dynamic for rhythmic playing. Despite having a similar electrical circuit and pickups as a Les Paul, it has an interesting and uniquely distinctive sound that comes from its mahogany body. Many newer bands have adopted the SG for quite a few years now.

Similar to a Stratocaster, Telecasters typically feature single-coil pickups. The crystalline and clear sound of the bridge pickup can rock for endless hours, providing a slightly distorted tone. The neck pickup, often a lipstick-style single-coil, is famous for its refined and twangy tone, perfectly suited for blues melodies. You can also use a humbucker pickup as the neck pickup, as seen with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. The body of a Telecaster is usually made of ash, and the neck is constructed from maple.

Semi-hollow guitars, extensively used in blues music (by artists like B.B. King and Freddie King) and in traditional Greek music, can be broadly categorized into two subtypes: those with a block inside—a solid piece of wood extending from the neck to the bridge, such as the Gibson ES-335 or Epiphone Rivera—and those without, like Rickenbacker guitars or the Epiphone Casino.

While the former sound somewhat similar to solid-body guitars (perhaps a bit more dynamic and less aggressive), the latter open up an entirely new world with an exceptionally dynamic, open sound, emphasizing the acoustic direction. If you appreciate the sound of The Beatles, then you certainly need such a guitar.

While Eddie Van Halen might not have been the first to remove the bridge pickup and replace it with an old-school PAF-type pickup, he was the one who popularized that sound. In contrast to Eddie, most modern virtuosos of the electric guitar, such as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, retained the other pickups, giving rise to the Superstrat. Interesting variations include having dual Humbucker pickups at the bridge and neck positions and a single-coil pickup in the middle, making this instrument extremely versatile. Modern versions often feature a Floyd Rose-type vibrato system.

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Choosing a good electric guitar today is no longer so difficult. You can easily find a wide variety of different designs, quality constructions with very good sound even in low price ranges. Electric guitars, due to the many accessories they come with, are also sold as sets. A complete electric guitar set includes the electric guitar amplifier, cable, strap, and often a learning book for beginners. Electric guitar sets are ideal for parents who are not sure how to introduce their child to learning the instrument, as all electric guitar sets are designed for beginners and simplify the buying process. Don’t forget to protect your investment with a guitar case or, even better, a guitar case to protect your instrument from humidity, cold, or excessive heat. Also, consider getting a guitar stand, making the instrument readily accessible and encouraging more frequent practice! As with any stringed musical instrument, don’t forget about the string set, which is considered consumable!

Today, there is a wide range of products available for the proper maintenance and cleaning of guitars. Depending on the area and the type of surface you want to clean, there is a corresponding product. For example, if you want to revive the color of your dark wood fretboard – usually rosewood – then the suitable cleaning fluid is lemon oil (*not suitable for light-colored woods like maple). If you desire to restore the original gloss to the body of the guitar, then the guitar cleaner/polish to use is the DUNLOP 65 Formula. A minimal amount on a cleaning cloth can work wonders, removing dirt or fingerprints, restoring the original shine to polished surfaces. Another popular product is string cleaner. Use DUNLOP 6582 Ultraglide string cleaner to maintain your string set always fresh, extending their lifespan with a simple application after each use. The cleaner features a special applicator surface to deposit only the necessary amount while preventing it from drying out at the same time.

The guitar indeed has a long history (its name comes from the ancient Greek word). The instrument with the 6 strings we know today is a relatively recent invention and does not have the long tradition of other band or orchestral instruments. The version with 6 strings we now know as the “classical guitar” (with nylon strings; earlier, strings were made of animal gut) first appeared thanks to a Spanish luthier named Antonio Torres in the 19th century. Around the same time, a German immigrant named Christian Friedrich Martin moved to the United States and constructed the first 6-string guitar with steel strings.

A crucial precondition for this design was a body that could withstand greater string tension. Martin also influenced Orville Gibson, who applied the violin’s design (arched top with a slanted headstock) to the guitar. He created a design that eventually led to the Les Paul guitar, which resembled a violin and was highly successful for the Gibson Mandolin-Guitars company.

During the early decades of the 20th century, the guitar was primarily used as a rhythmic instrument in orchestras. Guitarists of this period faced difficulties trying to stand out amid the much louder instruments. It’s not surprising that playing techniques and body size were mainly associated with volume issues. Recognizing that singers often got lost in the noise of a full orchestra, it became common practice to place the singer in front of a microphone (and the final sound mix was achieved by varying the distance between the singer, orchestra, and microphone). It was only a matter of time before someone suggested placing a microphone in front of the guitar.

The first electrically amplified guitar sound appeared with acoustic guitars, which had known issues with microphone feedback. The solution was the invention of the piezoelectric pickup, which naturally only worked with steel strings. The first experimental electric guitars consisted of a simple wooden plank with a neck and pickups.

A Texan named Beauchamp developed the first official electric guitar pickup using pieces from an old phonograph. However, the use of the pickup was first showcased by a young African-American guitarist named Charlie Christian, whose Gibson ES-150 was equipped with a pickup so that his guitar could be heard with greater intensity without being drowned out by the other instruments in an orchestra.

And thus, we arrive at the famous names that dominate the world of guitars today:

Leo Fender started from scratch, repairing radios, turntables, guitars, and amplifiers. Together with his collaborator George Fullerton, they founded the Fender company. The first truly popular electric guitar in mass production, with a solid body and cutaway for easier access to the higher frets, 2 pickups for more sonic options, and a bolt-on neck with 4 screws, was the legendary Telecaster. During this period (the 1950s), Fender’s new guitar was also called Esquire, later Broadcaster, and less frequently NoCaster—a time when another company, Gretsch, legally claimed the name Broadcaster for a drum set they released at that time. A few years later, the Stratocaster was introduced. It was and remains probably the most successful electric guitar of all time. Its extreme flexibility and unmatched design (some of them are still displayed in museums) were the defining elements that established it among the musicians of the era.

On the other side, at Gibson, it took a little longer to perfect the design they were seeking. A very talented and open-minded guitarist named Lester William Polsfuss, known as Les Paul, pushed the innovative possibilities of the company. He wanted a groundbreaking and reliable instrument and played a crucial role in creating the famous Les Paul model that bears his name.

Another significant step was the development of the first-ever popular humbucking pickup by Seth Lover in 1957. With the PAF (Patent Applied For) humbucker, the noise of single-coil pickups, known as the 60-cycle hum, was eliminated for the first time.

Not long before, blues guitarists like Mike Bloomfield and especially Eric Clapton discovered the Les Paul (especially the sunburst models with PAFs from the late ’50s, which were very affordable at the time) as the perfect instrument for the refined, modern blues sound they were seeking in the ’60s. Things started to improve endlessly on the horizon. Every time the Les Paul seemed to come to the forefront, a new guitar hero emerged in the global music scene, ushering in a new musical wave. Striking examples include Slash and Gary Moore in the early ’90s.

Of course, many other brands and types followed, trying to establish new concepts, but essentially, almost every type of guitar that is popular today owes its roots to the classic models developed in the ’50s.