The guitar can be used to play almost every type of music, around today. Though acoustic guitar has been around for several hundred years, the solid body electric guitar has only been around since 1952, when Gibson came out with the Les Paul model, one of the most recognized guitars ever created. Several years later in 1954 Fender came out with Stratocaster one of the most popular and most sold guitars of all time, those two guitars set the standards for solid body electric guitars for the 50's and 60's. The electric guitar really became popular in the late 50's with the introduction of the hum bucker pickup by Gibson in 1957. The hum bucker gives you warmer and thicker sound than single coil pickups. Shortly after the Les Paul model came out Gibson stopped making it in early 1961, due to a style design that Les Paul did not like and asked Gibson to take his name off it. Gibson changed the design because at the time Les Paul's were very expensive and needed a cheaper more appealing design to compete with Fender's double cut away models. So Gibson was forced renamed the new Guitar the SG which means Solid Guitar because of Les Paul's dislike of the new double cut away model. Though Gibson kept using the name until 1963 due to an oversupply of Les Paul truss rod covers and logos. Gibson then reintroduced the Les Paul model 1968 with the original design and the Les Paul name. Shortly after the electric guitar came out the age of rock and roll had started with icons like Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who.
Jimi Hendrix- One of the most innovative players of all time and completely revolutionized the way the guitar is played.
Chuck Berry- One of the great guitar players of all time.
Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)- Great soloist as can be heard on Stairway to Heaven and member of one of the most iconic bands of all time.
Angus Young (AC DC) - Some of the most remembered solos such as You Shock me All Night Long of all time. Also a great live performer.
Slash (Guns' and Roses, Velvet Revolver, Blues Ball, and Slashes Snake pit) One of the most recognized guitarist around today and an outstanding soloist, Sweet Child O' Min and November Rain, contain some of the most recognized riffs of all time, Welcome to the Jungle is cool too.
Joe Satriani- Anyone who can make himself know just for his guitar not play in a band and not sing has to be great.
Eddie Van Halen- One of the most looked up to and copied guitarist of all time.
Kirk Hammett- (Metallica)- Helped to change the face of Metal.
Joe Perry- (Aerosmith)- Great soloist and played one of most notable riffs of the 70's, Walk This Way.
Other notable players- Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne,), Duane Allman (Allman Brothers Band), Eric Clapton, Keith Richards (Rolling Stones), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Edge (U2), Johnny Ramone (Ramones), Les Paul, John Frusciante (Red Hot Chilly Peppers), and Joan Jett (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts)
Some Great Rock Guitar Albums, Apatite for Destruction (Guns And Roses), Are You Experienced? (Jimi Hendrix), Led Zeppelin 2 (Led Zeppelin), Master of Puppets (Metallica), Back in Black (AC DC), Toys in the Attic (Aerosmith), Blizzard of Ozz (Ozzy Osbourne), Lights Out (UFO), Sticky Fingers (Rolling Stones), Van Halen (Van Halen), Texas Flood (Stevie Ray Vaughn), Moving Pictures (Rush), Stained Class (Judas Priest), Machine Head (Deep Purple), and Passion and Warfare (Steve Vai)
Capo used to change tuning and pitch by putting it on the neck of guitar
Tuner used to tune your strings to right pitches
Pick used to pluck your strings
Different tunings- Standard Tuning E-A-D-G-B-E most common tuning used in all genres of music
Drop D Tuning D-A-D-G-B-E mainly used for metal and hard rock
Open D Tuning D-A-D-G-B-D Mainly for alternative rock
Drop B Tuning B-F#-B-E-G#-C# Used in alternative rock and post grunge rock
To research more tunings check website: bigcitystring.com
Links
Links to some websites that teach you songs-- fretplay.com-- ultimate-guitar.com--
Links to some stores that sell guitars-- guitarcenter.com-- samash.com- offbeat.com (located in downtown Lake Zurich)--
LZMSS Home Page-- Hobbies and Interests Home Page--
Page Sponsor: Mr. David Gardner,
principal
Author: Sam H.
Webmaster: Mr. Willer
Created: February 2009
Graphics courtesy of guitarcenter.com and coolchaser.us