History of the Guitar

So, we take a look at where the guitar actually came from, and the Darwinian jump from the acoustic to electric instrument.

Early times

The guitar has been around in various forms for thousands of years. The modern guitar that we are familiar with today has a history that spans several centuries and continents. 

The earliest known ancestor of the guitar is the ancient Greek kithara, which was a large wooden instrument with four to seven strings. Similar instruments were also used in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and India.

During the Renaissance and Baroque eras in Europe, the guitar evolved into a more recognizable form. This was due in part to the work of luthiers like Gasparo da Salò and Antonio Stradivari, who were instrumental in shaping the guitar to what we recognise today.

History Of The Guitar. The earliest known ancestor of the guitar is the ancient Greek kithara

In the 19th century, the classical guitar emerged as a distinct instrument with a unique repertoire of music. This was due in part to the work of Spanish luthiers like Antonio Torres Jurado and the great Spanish guitarist Francisco Tárrega.

Evolution of electric

In the early 20th century, the guitar became an important instrument in jazz and blues music. However, especially in a big band situation, the guitar had a problem. Against a full-on brass section, it was just too quiet.

So, guitarists started to experiment with putting electrical pickups on their acoustic guitars and using external amplifiers to compete with the not insignificant volume of their other band members. 

Around then Eddie Rickenbacker was experimenting with his log guitar which differed from an acoustic, and the guitars that were being played in the day, in that there was no sound hole, and the pickup was just connected to a slab of wood that was the body.

Also, at the same time, Les Paul was conducting similar experiments with solid body guitars.

It was like the world in the period from the 1930s to early 50s had a collective experience that guitars could be made very differently using solid bodies, electrical pickups and external amplifiers.

History Of The Guitar. Around then Eddie Rickenbacker was experimenting with his log guitar

This culminated in some of the classic electric guitar designs such as the Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul. There are many that say these designs have yet to be bettered today.

This culminated in some of the classic electric guitar designs such as the Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul

However, in the late 40s and early 50s these ideas were considered fairly wacky and it was a while until these instruments got commercial acceptance. But once they did, in the 1950s and 1960s, the guitar became the dominant instrument in rock and roll music. 

It should be mentioned that during this era the design and production of Marshall amplification went hand in hand within these solid body guitars to produce the distinctive sound of rock and roll, together with some of the electronic delay pedals that were emerging.

This was due in part to the work of pioneering guitarists like Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton, who helped to define the sound of rock guitar.

Today

The instrument has continued to evolve and innovate, with new technologies and materials allowing for new sounds and playing styles.

During the 1970s there were some experiments to try and move away from using wood for guitars and commercial models for made using carbon graphite and also some from aluminium. Companies such as Kramer, Steinburger and Travis Bean where cheerleaders for using alternative materials.

However, despite this, guitar Manufacturers have never significantly moved away from using quite rare tonewoods to produce these beautiful sounding Instruments. 

But as we become increasingly ecologically aware using these woods is becoming increasingly problematic.

Overall, the history of the guitar is a rich and diverse one, spanning centuries and continents and encompassing a wide variety of musical styles and traditions and I’m sure we will continue to innovate and diversify.