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Monday, June 22, 2009

A Musicians Guide to Acquiring Their Next Axe

By Kyle Zoltowski

Live Rock concerts were the rage in the 60's and they pushed numerous kids to buy their very first guitars. Now, video games like Guitar Hero are having a similar effect.

The heart of all good rock music does not 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 David Gilmour,John Petrucci, 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 discovering how to play the guitar then the first thing you'll need to do is select one. Normally people start with an acoustic and graduate to the electric guitar. It is quite overwhelming for anyone to select the right electric guitar since there are literally hundreds of models out there on the market. If you are purchasing an electric guitar then you will also need to purchase an amp, pick-ups, picks, a tuner, perhaps an effects pedal etc.

Electric guitars can be purchased in a lot of sizes and designs with the aerodynamic designs being one of the hottest. Don't go for the first electric guitar you see. You need to spend a fair amount of time looking around and check out the prices and models before you actually buy one. In fact, one of the best ways to pick a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here is our take on the 4 important styles:

Stratocaster (Also known as the 'Strat') - This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was shredded prolifically by Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Strato is from Fender and has a neck that is sturdily fastened to the guitar body. Apart from this, it has double cutaway sides, 22 frets accompanied by a wammy bar and 3 pickups. Fender designed the first Strato in the early 50's. Some of the popular designs are:

* Deluxe Stratocaster: Approx $550 * Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS in Rosewood: Approx $1300 * Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar: Approx $450 * Standard Strat Electric Guitar in Rosewood: Approx $750 * Strat Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1900

Telecaster - The Telecaster is another phenomenal guitar from Fenders. It is more than just another electric guitar; it is a complete band. It is a solid body electric and comprises of two pick-ups. The first Telecaster was constructed by Leo Fender in the 1940's and has a mono cutaway body. It doesn't have the wammy bar but has 2 different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include:

* Fender American Tele HS: $950-$1250 * Standard Telecaster: $400-$550 * Fender 63 Telecaster Relic Solid Body: $2450-$3100 * 72 Tele Custom Electric Guitar: $700-$850

Les Paul - This extraordinary electric guitar was designed by Gibson for many of the stars of the day. The prominent feature of a Les Paul guitar is its set neck construction, which means there are no bolts. The body is a single cutaway. It is furnished with two pickups as well as a raised scratch-plate. If you want to play perverted sound then the Les Paul will provide you with a vast range. Some of the well known guitarists who use the Les Pauls include Stevie Ray Vaughan and Slash (ex-Gunners). Some of the famous Les Paul models include:

* Les Paul Custom Electric: $3050-$3500 * 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar: $5500-$6050 * Les Paul Vintage Mahogany Guitar: $700-$850 * Les Paul Classic Guitar: $1850-$1900

Gibson - Gibson is one of the greatest brands in all of guitar and all their guitar models are classics that shoud not be compared to any others. Gibson guitar company was actually founded in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been singly accountable for providing us some of the best acoustic and electric guitars. A couple of the famous models include the arch-top L5 model and the Explorer etc. Some of the legends who have played a Gibson include Ace Frehley and Frank Zappa to name just a couple. Some of the popular Gibson models include:

* Flying V Guitar: $500-$600 * SG 61 Classic Electric: $1500-$1600 * Faded SG Special Electric Guitar: $550-$600 * Explorer Pro Electric: $1100-$1200

These are the best brands of electric guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include the shape of the fretboard, the sound of the pick-ups, and the body. Full-bodied electrics are normally preferred as they can generate some of the best sounds that you will ever get to hear. - 18423

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