Decades after they first came to prominence, electric guitars still epitomise the spirit of rock and pop music more than any other instrument, and remain the essential musical ingredient in most bands’ repertoires thanks to the great number of guitar effects and sounds that can be achieved.

Modern electric guitars are generally solid body instruments (in other words they do not have sound holes like those seen in acoustic guitars) and the music the guitarist makes can only be heard to any sensible standard via a ‘pick-up’ situated under the strings which then feeds through to an electric amplifier.

Some electric guitars have two pick-ups, each producing a distinct tone. The guitarist can easily switch between the two pick-ups in order to produce a more colourful and expressive performance with different guitar effects.

Most choices of electric guitars will be based on the type of music each guitar is considered better at reproducing. Thus a Gibson Les Paul and the direct and indirect copies it has inspired are famed for their weighty sound (and, incidentally, their comparatively weighty frame). This heavy sound is much sought after by rock bands. A Fender Stratocaster (or ‘Strat’) and its derivatives on the other hand might be purchased in order to generate a lighter, ‘pop’ feel.

This distinction between electric guitars should not be considered set in stone however. After all, Jimmy Hendrix produced what many consider to be the among the greatest rock guitar tracks using only a Strat and a few effects pedals – but then he is considered to be one of the greatest guitar players many have seen and many strive to play their guitar like Hendrix.
We at Fret Music stock a wide range of quality competitively priced electric guitars and will be happy to choose the right electric guitar packages for your needs.