About Explorations in Innovation : A History of Gibson Electric Guitar

Gibson electric guitars are among the most popular in the world. The Les Paul Standard is the company’s most popular guitar. The Gibson Company also produces Epiphone guitars since they purchased the company in 1957. They also produce Baldwin pianos, Slingerland Drums and many other instruments under different brand names like Kramer and Tobias.

Orville Gibson started out making mandolins during the last decade of the 19th century in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The arched top and bent sides were an innovation that produced a better sounding instrument that was even easier to make. He patented this type of mandolin in 1898, and founded the company in 1902 to begin selling the instruments.

Gibson began producing acoustic guitars in a similar fashion as the mandolins with a carved and arch top that became a signature design. He wanted the tail piece of the guitar changed, and that became his only contribution to its design.

The 1936 release of Gibson electric guitars known as the Electric Spanish model was the first electric guitar to become a commercial success. Then with the release of Fender’s Telecaster guitar, Gibson decided to compete with its own solid-bodied guitar. At that time, the idea of a solid-bodied guitar was undesirable in the musical word, but the Fender guitars pave the way for the styles success.

Soon the flagship of Gibson electric guitars was created, the Les Paul. Ironically, the creation of this guitar had little or no input from its namesake, who was a pioneer in solid-bodied guitar technology. It was created, and then Paul signed a contract to endorse the use of his name. He wanted the tail piece of the guitar changed, and that became his only contribution to its design.

The late 1950s offered several different designs of Gibson electric guitars including the Flying V, the Explorer and the partly hollow-bodied ES-335. The Gibson electric guitars named for Les Paul were released in several different models as well, and then the main design of these Gibson electric guitars was changed in 1961 so the body could change to a double-cutaway body design. Les Paul was displeased by this new design and ended his endorsement of the guitar. It then became the SG, which stood for Solid Guitar.

Gibson purchased top competitor Epiphone in 1957 and absorbed their popular brands. They originally intended to market Epiphone’s line of upright basses, as Gibson’s bass production had stopped during WWII and not resumed. But they quickly realized that they would have better success marketing Epiphone electric guitars.

Then when famous musicians like Eric Clapton, Peter Green and the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards popularized the Gibson electric guitars even further, the Les Paul guitar came back to Gibson’s lineup in 1968 and surged in popularity along with the SG design. Both guitars became hugely popular especially among some very well known hard rock and heavy metal guitar players, and entire bands.

The production between 1974 and 1984 moved from Kalamazoo to Nashville, TN. Two years later the company changed ownership hands, and the company has flourished under the new management, producing Gibson electric guitars and other instruments that set the standard for musical excellence. In 1994, the CEO decided that establishing relationships with environmentally friendly and aware companies would be a good move for the company, and the use of environmentally harvested tropical woods began during the production of Gibson electric guitars. A portion of the profits of each of these SmartWood Gibson electric guitars was donated to the Rainforest Alliance.

Gibson continues to be one of the most popular names in electric guitars and other instruments still today. One of the Gibson electric guitars produced today, called the Robot Guitar, is even a self-tuning guitar that tunes itself in 10 seconds. Gibson electric guitars command premium prices, and vintage Gibson guitars are some of the most prized collectibles among guitar enthusiasts and collectors who specialize in vintage guitars and vintage electric guitars.

 

Great Electric Guitars

Mark Knopfler talks about a Fender Stratocaster

There can’t be many people who wouldn’t have loved to become a guitar hero. Standing on stage, head down, legs apart, chopping out a blistering guitar solo so loud that it makes peoples ears bleed. And there are a number of truly great electric guitars that have stood the test of time.

One of the most famous electric guitars is the Fender Stratocaster. Originally designed back in 1954 the Fender Stratocaster was the guitar of choice for Jimi Hendrix who played left handed. This is the electric guitar chosen by Pete Townsend of the Who and guitar god Eric Clapton. The Fender Strat is as popular today as it ever was which is understandable as this guitar is truly a design classic.

Another well known and popular electric guitar from Fender is, of course, the Telecaster. This excellent guitar preceded the Stratocaster having been first produced as the Broadcaster in late 1949. There are and have been many well known and talented guitarists who like to play Fender Telecasters. One of the most well known is, of course, Keith Richards who takes to the stage with an array of Telecasters, open tuned to a ‘G’ chord for that classic Rolling Stones sound.

If we are talking about classic guitars we must of course mention the fantastic Gibson Les Paul. This is another design classic, first produced back in the 1950s and made ever since. Jimmy Page, of Led Zeppelin and Yardbirds fame, is just one guitarist who chose the Gibson Les Paul. The sound of this great instrument was heard everywhere in the song ‘Alright Now’ by the band Free, played by the late Paul Kossoff and a modern day player of this great guitar is Slash of Guns’n'Roses fame.

Since I’ve mentioned two great Fender guitars I should give a mention to a second Gibson. I could have chosen the fantastic ES335, a favourite with many great guitarists, including BB King but instead I have chosen the exceptional Gibson SG. This distinctive looking solid body electric guitar was introduced in the early 1960s to compete with the popular Fender Strat. This is the guitar used by Angus Young of Australian rock band ACDC for all of their well known rock anthems. This is also the guitar used by the great Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.

These days there are just so many excellent electric guitars but, for me, these four are the top models that have stood the test of time.

What to Remember When Looking for a Used Guitar

Learn Guitar Easy

Cost-cutting is the new “in thing” given the recession.The first few steps of cost-cutting can begin with your music.You don’t have to buy a new guitar if you need one, especially when you’ve only just begun playing, how about a second hand guitar instead? You might be the type of person who buys brand new guitars to get more bang for the buck.

Despite this, you should know that you can save a great deal of money in buying models that have already been used. The dilemma that you now have to solve is whether or not buying a used guitar was worth the cash spent on it.Getting a second hand guitar is a serious matter.

Researching solves all kinds of problems if you need it.Most of the time, those who are new to bargain-hunting do not know how to barter for lower costs on guitars.Thus, a bit of research can help you in buying used guitars. What happens now when you’ve found someone, whether through the classified or from a friend, who sells a used guitar you’d like to buy? Don’t rush into buying the guitar — you need to take some careful measures first.Purchasing an old guitar is a serious matter when you’re pinching pennies. You should not be daunted by the task of inquiring about the instrument.

It’s very advantageous to inquire about the guitar’s basics, such as what it is made of, or what model it is.If you’ve done your homework then you should already know all this.Usually, you can look for price quotes on that type of guitar and see if other people like it or not elsewhere.

This gives you an advantage over vendors who might be persuading you to buy their guitars. You must never forget to inquire about its past usage.Always check if it has been dropped before, or if it has gone through any damaging trauma so you know if you need to fix it.You would not want to find cracks only after you had already purchased it.This should also include the age of the guitar.

This is how you determine if it has been maintained properly.If all things fall into place, the guitar you are about to purchase is still in great condition. You should check the guitar in two methods when you inspect it.Look at it from afar, then give it a closer inspection.

If it looks good as a whole, then that’s great.Don’t worry about a few scratches.But even a few signs of rust on any part of the guitar already a signal for you not to buy it.It’s a sign that the guitar has not been well-taken cared for and will not function well for a long time. You have to check if there is anything wrong with the neck of the guitar.

Check it as if you had a gun in your hands.Be sure that it looks straight from that point of view.Inspect the bottom of the neck where it meets the body.Are there any small areas that have cracks or glue obviously sticking out? If you see any of these, that’s a red flag.

You must also examine the guitar’s action.Make sure there is an equal distance between all the strings, and that none of them are drooping.The closer the distance between the strings, the better, as it makes it easier for you to press on them.

If the board touches the string, that’s a sign for you to reconsider your purchase. When the guitar has passed all these inspections, it’s time to play it. Make sure each string makes the right pitch.It doesn’t matter if its tuned well, you can do that later, but make sure that each string plays the proper note in the proper position.If you discover that the intonation isn’t correct, then you have to pay for the services of a guitar technician.

You can test this by playing a chord; the E shape bar chord is usually the way to go when you’re testing it on each fret.Be sure that the pitches are all consistent throughout the guitar’s bridge. If you’re working with an electric guitar, then you would either have to use the seller’s amp or bring your own to test how it sounds when amplified.

You can use the remainder of this guide to check it as well. Crank up the volume and play the instrument.Try out different effects by alternating soft and loud volumes.Press all the switches to make sure they are working well for the effects they are meant to do.

Be on the lookout for any strange sounds that the instrument might be making.

You can examine this by strumming a chord and also experimenting with the sound controls.Strange noises means the guitar is quite old and will need a bit of repair a lot over the years.

But if the guitar is still quite new, then you should not buy it. But the testing doesn’t end with just how good the guitar sounds.You still have to check how the same model sounds if it were brand new.

Ask for a demo from your local music shop.If it doesnt sound right, then it is time to search for another vendor.If you’re still inexperienced in playing guitars, don’t be ashamed of playing in public!

This isn’t a talent show, okay? It is all about testing the quality of your future purchase. Don’t forget everything you’ve read here before making a decision on any guitar purchase.Feel free to bring someone else a long to help you determine what you should do as well.

A guitar isn’t like a new shirt or a new pair of jeans, replacing it won’t be cheap and having a guitar you can rely on will benefit you in the long run.

The Les Paul Left Handed Axe, Epiphone Left Handed Guitars

Left handed guitarists learning to play the guitar might want to consider the Epiphone Les Paul left handed standard guitar. This particular guitar delivers a superb performance at a very reasonable cost. Also, the only difference between this left hand guitar and a right handed one is the orientation.

Originally founded by Greek luthier Anastasios Stathopoulos in 1873. The company was Gibsons main rival in archtops which were actually as good or better than Gibsons line of the same. After WW2, economical circumstances allowed Gibson to simply absorb Epiphone. The name Epiphone is a mix of the proprietors first name, Epaminondas, and the word epihone which is Greek for a voice. So as you can see, quality has always been a trademark of Epiphone. I personally own an Epiphone Les Paul Special that was built with a Gibson neck. I love it and use it all the time for gigs and just jamming.

Epiphone is derived from a mix of the founder’s first name, Epaminondas, and the Greek word for voice, epiphone. From this history, it is clear that quality has always been a mainstay of Epiphone. I myself own a Epiphone Les Paul left Special with a Gibson neck. This is an awesome instrument perfect for gigs and jamming.

Epiphone Les Paul Left guitars were built in a way very similar to that of the Gibson Les Paul. They can be purchased in all the same colors, and with the same great sound. Epiphone took the Les Paul design and switched it around to better fit left handed guitarists. The controls and switches needed to be moved to the other side.

Epiphone left Les Paul left Standard is the first choice of many beginners as Les Paul left is probably the next best thing to playing a Gibson Les Paul left.Moreover the LP is cheaply priced.The LP also has all of Gibsons Les Paul Standard so the player has a genuine Les Paul playing experience.

The Epiphone Les Paul Left Standard is considered to be one of the best left handed guitars available.

The impressive Epiphone left is made from Outstanding tone woods (Mahogany/Alder body) joined with quality hum bucking pickups.Plus the guitar is cheaply priced.The higher registers remain bright. In the mid-ranges, the tone produced is a signature, smooth sustain with ample note separation. The sound is never lost in the transfer from string to wood to amp. If you are after hot jazz tones, just switch to the neck position pickup and youre there.

The Les Paul left is available in the same lines as the Gibson. Choose from the Ebony black finish or the classic Sunburst. No matter what you want in a left-hand guitar, you can find it at www.lefthandedguitarmall.com. They know you want a great left-handed guitar as they know how passionate you are about playing. Someone is always available to answer your questions at Lefthandedguitarmall, and they carry a great selection of Les Paul left-handed guitars as well as others for you to select from.

Learn Guitar from the Masters on Youtube

How to Play Guitar for Beginners

The internet is a truly magnificent and wonderful learning resource. It is often said, but still very true, that young people today don’t know how lucky they are to have easy access to the worlds knowledge on the internet.

I started playing in the 1970s with the famous Bert Weedon’s ‘Play in a Day’ book. I could never afford guitar lessons so I would take every opportunity to obsessively study the playing techniques and styles of every guitarist I managed to see.

Todays technology has transformed the way that people can learn to play guitar. DVDs, for example, can be played over and over again, unlike face to face guitar lessons. And the internet is the most ideal way to distribute and deliver some fantastic guitar tutorials.

There are loads of guitar playing teaching websites but by far the best for me is Youtube. You can find instructional videos on everything from choosing guitars to making your own electric guitar. There are plenty of videos that will help those who are just starting out with the guitar and lots more that are ideal for people like me, who’ve been playing for a while but want to learn more techniques and tunes.

Learning new guitar licks and techniques has become one of my favourite pass times. If it’s raining outside then you will find me scouring Youtube videos for blues tunes to learn and techniques to master. I think that my guitar playing skills have improved more in the past five years, thanks to Youtube, than it did in the prior twenty years.

Another thing to remember is that the system is interactive. When I find a video that I like I will always make it one of my favourites and often drop the performer a note to say thanks. Also, I will often ask the presenter a question or two and they always come back with a positive answer. It’s a bit like having every online guitarist in the world available as a personal guitar playing consultant.

These days I find myself feeling a little bit envious of the young people learning guitar with all these great resources available to them. I like to think that if I’d been born later, at a time when all of these great learning resources were available, I’d have been playing better than Eric Clapton by now.

How to Learn Guitar

You’re probably wondering how to learn guitar. Starting on the right track will make learning easy. You are going to need some resources first. You can choose to read a book or hire a teacher. But you can also choose to learn on your own. You can cut down on costs if you take online courses or download instructional media.

This will help you on your quest on how to learn guitar. Do not forget about the most important part of this learning experience. You will need a guitar! Your guitar should be a thing of love. This is something that you put good money in. This ensures that you will care for it and you will only buy a guitar that is the best for you. You will find out why later on.

If you’re having trouble figuring out what kind of guitar you will use to help you on how to learn guitar, take a page from your idols. Would you like Jimi Hendrix’s guitar? How about Ozzy’s first ever guitar? Knowing how to learn guitar will be easier when you enjoy using your instrument of choice. Knowing how to learn guitar should make you play like a professional quicker.

The process is easy, just pick what style you think suits you. Do you think you’re a better blues player than you are a jazz player? Most beginners start with the classical guitar, but it’s up to you. When you’ve settled that, get yourself a good practice schedule.

Would yours be a strict regimen or just a casual schedule? Having a schedule will help you gain discipline when you want to know how to learn guitar quickly. You have to be motivated, and dedicated to learning what you can if you’re serious about learning anything at all.

You may search for “how to learn guitar” on google, but this normally doesn’t give you anything of real help. Which is why you should do your research and stick to a reliable site with easy instructions.

You don’t have to sweat it out on how to learn guitar, but you do have to keep practicing until you are sure you can play your favorite guitar songs the way they were supposed to be played. Have you ever asked yourself how do i play guitar? Discover how to learn guitar using step by step instructions, tutorials, jam tracks and famous songs Go to http://www.howdoiplayguitar.com”

Teach Yourself Guitar To See Results Faster

Not so way back if you wanted to be taught how to play a new instrument you had to be willing to pony up the time and the money to do it.  Today, you can teach yourself guitar online at a fraction of the price.  There’s never been a smarter way to learn how to play guitar ; here’s a catalogue of the top three reasons why. 

1. It’s convenient! The brilliant thing about teaching yourself guitar online is that you can take your lesson any time you need, and you can proceed at a pace that’s best suited to you.  No more wrangling with music shops and teachers about a good time at the beginning of every year, and no more paying for missed lessons!  If you can play at midnight one day and midday the subsequent, go for it! 

2. It’s inexpensive! Opting to teach yourself guitar means that you will probably save plenty of money in just about all areas.  Not merely will you be in a position to skip over the eyeball to eyeball fee an instructor will cost, you’ll probably also save on materials.  In reality, there are plenty of places online where you can study guitar basics for free! 

3. It’s not invasive! I remember when I was learning how to play guitar, one of the hardest hurdles I had to clear was my instructor.  He had a way of making me feel quite inferior, and was a bit snobbish about his instruction too.  No necessity to stress about your deficiencies as a player when you teach yourself guitar ; no one else is watching! 

Some more reasons to use the Net to study guitar:

We think those reasons in themselves are enough enough to get you at least thinking about using the internet to learn to play guitar.  However, there are some more things that we think you need to consider. 

Firstly, a large amount of the places where you can teach yourself guitar online not only offer lessons, but a mess of resources as well .  You can find sheet music, recommendation on sorting out your guitar, tablature, and other handy tools all on the same site you are taking your lessons on. 

If you have taken any sort of music lesson eyeball to eyeball with an instructor before, then you have probably realized that you straight away get surrounded into one style of music.  You might want to learn both classical and electric guitar techniques, as an example, but your teacher will only teach you in one or the other.  Online learning means you will get access to tips not only on different varieties of guitar but also different styles too. 

The Net is now available all around the world, and usually fairly inexpensively.  For the newbie guitar player, that means a huge sector of opportunities to take part in the lesson most fitted to their own personality, style, and time frame.  Selecting to teach yourself guitar will mean you save cash and become the player you would like to be.

Guitar Tuning Explained

Before you ever strum your first song, your guitar must be in tune. Tuning a guitar can be by ear or with the help of an external aide, such as a tuner. Being in tune is so important you must learn how to properly use a number of different methods.

First you will tune the bottom string to a reference note. Then fret the fifth fret on the bottom string and this is what you tune the next string to. Do the same on the fifth string and the fourth and second strings. The third string you fret at the fourth fret, unlike the other strings. Tuning your guitar by ear means you can tune to another instrument and play together. If you are faced with several instruments to tune together, do them one at a time so as to avoid confusion.

If you want to be extremely accurate and be in tune with everyone you meet, use an electronic guitar tuner. The A440 frequency is the agreed upon standard in western music and is called concert pitch. The electronic guitar tuner makes this whole process quicker and more convenient. With an electronic tuner all you do is follow a display to tune your guitar. The tuner also allows you to tune in complete silence if you have an electric guitar.

A good tuner may have both a needle display as well as a set of LED lights to guide you to the right intonation. The acoustic guitar can also be tuned with the built in microphone on most guitar tuners.Musicians will make fine adjustments by ear after using the tuner as a base. Tuning a guitar has been made very simple with the advent of the guitar tuner.

There are other methods to enhance your guitar tuning, consider harmonics. If you are unfamiliar with harmonics, touch a vibrating string at the twelfth fret and you will hear a harmonic. The tuning fork is another means , often used in classical guitar that you should at least know about. For the new guitar player, tuning these days is a breeze. It goes without saying that your teacher is the best person to show you these methods.

Takamine Acoustic Left Hand And Electric Left Hand Oriented Guitars

When thinking of acoustic left hand guitars, Takamine immediately comes to mind. The US distributor for Takamine is US based. They are called the Kaman Corporation. They are well known for the pre-amp/EQ’s they have in every model acoustic/electric guitar. The same goes for their acoustic.

It should be pointed out that any model of Takamine A/E can be ordered in a left hand orientation.

Two series of Takamine acoustic electric left-handed guitars stand out from the many offered by the company. The G series has several kinds acoustic electric guitars in both right and left hand models. Many include a solid spruce top with nato sides and back. Nato helps make instruments great.

No comparably priced instrument has the quality of the Takamine guitar for left-handers. Unlike certain other guitar makers, Takamine has never altered its design. Takamine guitars have the classic dreadnought configuration with molded sides and a flat back. Thus, the acoustic tones that players know and love has never changed. The guitar will never fall out of a player’s lap in the middle of a set.

The only change is that some of these electric left hand guitars have a cutaway and some dont. I prefer the single cutaway because it allows access to the higher register, giving the player a further range. Most of the models I looked at had a smaller scale neck with only 20 frets. The neck joins at the 14th and you have clear access to frets 15 through 20. That is especially crucial when you kick in the pre-amp and power up for leads or standout rhythm riffs.

The single variation is that a few of these acoustic left hand guitars possess a cutaway and a few do not. I like using the single cutaway as it permits using the higher register, offering the player a greater range. A great number of the models I observed possess a smaller scale neck with just 20 frets. The neck meet at the 14th and you get easy access to frets 15 through 20. That is really important at the time you kick in the pre-amp and power up for leads or standout rhythm riffs.

Talking about the pre-amp and EQ, those put in to each Takamine acoustic electric guitar left handed edition is unique. Many of these G series are built with Takamines TK4N electronics. This permits the musician to adjust the mid-range on the fly if required as per his need and has a notch filter that can be tuned.

As they say, the life of the guitar is in the wood and these series from Takamine are no different. Both series of acoustic left hand guitars, electric or not, have extremely good tone and clarity. Combine Takamines attention to workmanship with a set of medium to light steel strings and you have a winning musical combination.

In any case, when you are a left hand player, you need a guitar that is made FOR left hand players. You can find an electric guitar, left hand especially, at www.lefthandedguitarmall.com. This site is all about connecting left hand players with quality left hand instruments. If you are a lefty, you need to see what they are all about, so be sure to visit today.

Jamorama Review

As wonderful as playing the guitar can be, sometimes you just get frustrated if you aren’t seeing the kind of progress you want. This is common for the beginner, but even more advanced players feel this way and it can be tough to get out of a rut. And believe me, I’ve been around the block and should know. I’ve been playing for 16 years, and while I’ve had a blast, sometimes I hit a wall. It can also be annoying when you’re trying to learn from less than stellar materials and courses. After coming across this package awhile back, I decided to write my own Jamorama review.

Professional guitar teacher Ben Edwards, and the rest of the team at Jamorama, have really addressed these issues in the most recent version of Jamorama. The first release they put together was a smashing success, but they’re trying to improve upon it with the latest version. In my humble opinion, they’ve put together a knock out package when it comes to quality and completeness. There are a ton of features that will help new players or old pros jump their playing up to the next level.

So what’s inside? For starters you’ve got a heap of great guitar instruction in a glossy two book series, but my favorite part is the nearly 150 video examples and exercises they put in the course so the student can hear and see exactly what they should be doing. This is priceless… it’s great to read about guitar, but nothing beats an instructor showing you, up close from 2 different camera angles, how to play a chord or phrase. Another thing they threw in (something I haven’t seen before) are two educational computer games designed to improve your ability to identify pitch and develop your music reading skills. Well done.

On top of this they throw in the pro version of Jayde Musica and GuitEarIt! as free bonuses that will help you develop the ability to easily play songs after just hearing them on the radio. Both of these programs are excellent free bonuses, but more importantly they’re easy and fun to play.

These guys seem to really like hooking up bonuses, and to add to it they throw in 2 extra free ebooks. “Advanced Learning Techniques for Guitar” and “How to tune your guitar”. Advanced Techniques introduces the concept of mental visualization, which is will defintely speed up how quickly you learn. This mental technique is like practicing, but you’re not actually playing. At first I thought this was a little silly, but when I tried it I was pleasantly surprised that it helped me speed up my learning. The second bonus book, “How to tune your guitar” may seem basic, but it’s got some great information and a tip I’d never heard of before.

Other bonuses? Oh yeah, they throw in a metronome for you, which is an essential practice tool.

With all of the high quality books, games, videos, and bonuses they give you with this package, I was impressed with Jamorama and have no problem recommending it to My Guitar Guide readers. I have been a guitarist for many many years, and if I got plenty of value from it then I know anyone will be able to. My only regret is that I started playing guitar in the early 1990s, before the Internet took off, and I had to learn the hard way  Oh well… there’s never been a better time to learn guitar than today!

This package is by far the most complete and fresh approach to guitar playing that I have seen in a long time, and the subscribers of My Guitar Guide have rated it 5 stars as well. I definitely recommend this product because I’ve seen it do wonders for my own playing and I believe it will have you playing your favorite popular songs like a professional. There really is something for everyone, whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro. And at the current cost… well, suffice it to say that you don’t need to waste your money on $200 guitar courses out there, Jamorama does an excellent job for under $50. I sincerely hope that this Jamorama review has helped clear up any questions you had, and that you can start using it to make your guitar playing better today. You can view Guitarra Jamorama Revisor aqui.

 

Next Page »