At the same time in California (where Les Paul spent some time) Paul Bigsby and Leo Fender were also experimenting. In 1947 Bigsby made a now famous solid body instrument with a single pickup for Merle Travis. It's infamous for looking like a cross between a "Les Paul" but with a headstock similar to a Strat. Obviously neither instrument existed, so that's not the case, (possibly the reverse) but is a clear indicator that cross pollinization was taking place.
In 1947 Leo formed the Fender Electric Instrument Company and in 1948 started to market the "Broadcaster" whose name was changed to the "Telecaster" in 1950. With the Broadcaster the modern solid body, two pickups, etc. had finally begun production.
The 40s also saw the birth of the modern, amplified pedal steel. Named the "Electraharp" and produced by Gibson, its history forks at this point because it really was no longer a guitar but something else entirely.
The electric bass guitar was first marketed by Fender in 1951, and it was this instrument that could be said to be his unique invention. I'd have to do more research, but the combination of bass range and guitar frets is probably his in a sense. My caveat is only because many early instruments had frets tied around the neck so the idea could have essentially been in place for hundreds of years at that point, but I believe he was the first to bring together bass range, frets and pickups into the first electric bass guitar.
As the market developed, Gibson produced the Les Paul in 1952 and Fender brought out the 3 pickup Stratocaster in 1953.
Remember that up until now the single coil pickup was all that was in production. (Think P90 and "soapbar" pickups on Gibsons at this point).
The next breakthrough was the work of Seth Lover and Walter Fuller who created the humbucking pickup in 1954. (It grew out of the needs of Radio broadcast and recording where, as to this day, quieter is better.) Gibson's ES 135 was the first to sport this innovation and entered into regular production on Les Paul guitars in late 1957. Early humbuckers have entered the mythology stamped with the now famous "patent applied for" phrase. The design of these pickups is exactly the same as is produced today.
At that point the essence of the modern electric guitar was in place. There have been a few innovations since. The Alembic company (formed in 1968 to supply the Grateful Dead's sound systems) were the first to put transistorized preamps in guitars and basses. Arnie Lazarus produced the FRAP (flat response audio pickup) piezo transducer in '69. Ovation may have been first to use individual tranducers under each string.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - James Russell
I'm pretty sure I saw a picture once of an electric guitar made in 1910. If I recall it correctly (and it's been many years, so I can't remember where I saw it), it was a mighty odd-looking instrument...
2 - Ian
thank you very much I used some of your information if that is alright with you...
I hope you don't mind it was just for a school project so don't worry about sending it out on the web or anything. you can contact me if you need to.
THanks
ian
3 - chad girard
this place roks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 - Tom Johnson
Yes, yes Chad, it does.
5 - hilary
hey, this web site really is excellent. I go on here in my spair time! i find it truley helpful when i need reasearch! thancks a lot!
yours truly,
hilary
xxooxx
6 - HW Saxton Jr.
Since were on the subject of E-Lek-Triss-A-Tee:
Tampa Red was the first bluesman to play slide on a standard 6 stringed ELECTRIC guitar,thereby
helping to set the standard for cats like Robert
Nighthawk,Elmore James,Earl Hooker,Muddy Waters,
Hound Dog Taylor and all of the rest.
7 - Loa curfew III
What is the oldest guitar in the world? (Electric)
8 - Garrbear
this site relly rocks i love it
9 - Michael Edelhofer
While using your information for a school project, I noticed a mistake in your 8th paragraph, 2nd line, after the comma, the word, I believe, should be "and" and not "an".
10 - Jman
Hey, was EVH or Alan Holdsworth first to put the single humbucker in the Strat body? EVH was totally famous for it, and I remembered reading about how he had a "Les Paul Strat" guitar. Evh was a huge guitar innovater anyway and I can't believe he wasn't mentioned (along with many other big names...) Who produced the first whammy bar? What about Floyd Rose's floating bridge? Seymour Duncan?
11 - Nicole
this site rocks! hey check out my site too! i cant find like alot of info on the history of electric guitars.
12 - StuartP
Tampa Red was the best bluesman.
13 - Roger
Cool posting Daniel. I beleive it was George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker who officially invented the first electrc guitar. Wasn't one of Les Pauls first working pickups made from telephone parts? I own a Gibson SG. It's currenlty is the only "Axe" I own. At one time in the 80's and early 90's I owned several Gibsons including a Melody Maker, Sonex 180 and Flying-V. I regret letting them go even though they were fairly inexpensive, except for the V.
On a different note: To Josh and Nikk who posted above, go fuck-off and play with your Superman dolls!
14 - Eric Olsen
I believe Daniel is long gone, though his post lives on. If I am wrong Daniel, please let me know.
15 - Roger
Didn't pay attention to the Sept 02 date. Just thought I'd provide what little knowledge I had.
16 - Eric Olsen
and fine knowledge it is
17 - elzie
thankies for the info!! , it made my essay a loot easier , not i didnt copy starigh what you wrote but yea , thankiez!!! ( A+ , FIRST EVA!!)
18 - Bennett
Hey Rhys. Try to avoid typing words that long, please. It really messes up the page.
Thanks!
19 - Victor Plenty
Antidisestablishmentarianism is the longest word allowed in a Blogcritics comment.
20 - Bennett
Yeah, and even that one tweaked out the "Hot Topics" column...
[ya bastid]
21 - Ross O'Dell
The first electric guitar was made in 1925 by Adolph Rickenbacker and the first guitar smash was an accident by Jimmi Hendrix when he fell off stage and threw his guitar back on stage and it broke. The very first guitar company was "Electro String Company" it was founded in 1931 by Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp. The same year that the Great Depression came.
22 - mike
thanks man that was kool
23 - justin
i am doing a really in depth research paper for my class
all of the previous sources ive been to were about 10 pages of text
though i doubt daniel looks at these comments, i give him kudos for making the info on the page short and to the point
24 - Jake
This is really cool it really helped for a school progect and i found it interesting. This was not like researching it was fun
25 - kenny
this site is dumb