These guitars are called 'electric' because in order to use them properly you have to plug them into a guitar amplifier to 'electrify' the sound, not into the mains themselves though! You can play them unplugged but it's not very loud as there's no air inside resonating like an acoustic guitar. By plugging them in we can make them louder and turn them into machines of rock! Did you check out ACDC or Led Zeppelin? Well, their sound is driven by electric guitars that are plugged into LOUD amplifiers! Sounds great, right?
So, it's time to choose between the 4 main types of electric guitar. We have every type available to buy online and in store at Guitarbitz so you can be sure you're in the right hands.
Stratocaster
Artists that use this type of guitar include Jimi Hendrix, Mark Knopfler, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, Ritchie Blackmore, John Mayer, Iron Maiden, Arctic Monkeys, Lynyrd Skynyrd and much more... It sure is a popular type! Listen to the track 'Sweet Home Alabama', the intro is played on this type and has the inconic, quintessential Strat sound.
Have a listen to these artists and see if you like the sound that they produce. If you do, great, you may want to consider going for a Stratocaster! We've always got quality Strats in stock so have a good browse and see which one catches your eye!
View our Stratocaster Department
Telecaster
The Telecaster, the original electric guitar, was made back in 1952 by Leo Fender. This type is still extremely popular today and is the first choice of a huge amount of artists across all genres of music! The 'Tele' is a very simplisitic guitar, more so than the Strat. If you like it simple then this is the guitar for you! This type is used for Country, Rock, Metal, Jazz... Pretty much anything and everything! It tends to have quite a bright, twangy, spanky tone.
Artists to listen to would be: Status Quo, Bruce Springsteen, Danny Gatton, Wilko Johnson, John 5, The Rolling Stones, Joe Strummer, Slipknot and more! So, whatever type of music you wish to play you can be sure that a Tele will do you proud!
We have many different Telecasters for sale here at Guitarbitz from budget to deluxe and they're all awesome! So have a listen to some Tele artists and see if you like the sound. Watch the video below for a quick taste of some TC action!
View our Telecaster Department
Les Paul
The Les Paul, another true classic guitar style. The LP was designed by 'Les Paul' himself and was manufactured by Gibson back in the early 1950s. This type is quite different in terms of the electronics and build. The pickups are called 'Humbuckers', they're bigger, double the size and are generally more powerful and louder. Teles & Strats both use Single Coil pickups which are smaller (half the size), quieter, thinner and more twangy sounding. So, if you want to play some meaty, powerful Rock or heavier styles a Humbucker is recommended.
The other main difference is that the neck is glued to the body of the guitar as opposed to being bolted on. Fenders are generally bolted, Gibson styles are glued. This is called a 'set neck' and it allows greater resonance & vibration transfer through the guitar aiding a bigger, punchier sound. The body and neck become one. They are generally much heavier as the body is thicker and uses quality tonewoods.
Artists who use Les Pauls include: Joe Bonamassa, Peter Green, Slash, Green Day, Peter Frampton, ZZ Top, Metallica, Bob Marely, Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy and many more. Listen to the intro of Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N Roses, the guitar sound is a Les Paul. If you love that tone then you should consider buying this type of guitar!
SG
The Gibson SG, aka the 'Solid Guitar', was first made by Gibson in the early 1960s and is a completely different style to the Les Paul. With dual horns & a light, sleek feel its devilish looks are perfect for loud Rock N Roll. Made somewhat famous by Angus Young of AC/DC the SG has gone on to form one of the world's most famous guitar shapes ever.
The SG is thin, light and easy to play. With a pair of humbuckers, like the LP, it has a powerful sound and is great for Blues, Rock and all the heavier styles. They also look amazing! One of the greatest looking guitars out there!
Artists to listen to who use the SG are ACDC, Derek Trucks, Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton (Sunshine Of Your Love), Frank Zappa. Listen to the intro to Highway To Hell by ACDC for that classic SG tone.
Custom 24
It may have been around for a shorter amount of time than the previous four models but it certainly earnt its place on this list over the past two decades. The Custom 24 from PRS. PRS are known for their incredible attention to detail and quality control, you can rest assured you'll be getting a truly fine instrument!
The design takes inspiration from a Strat in its body shape with a double cut and contoured body that is comfy to play. Construction-wise it is similar to a Gibson in that it is mostly mahogany and features a set neck design. This means the neck is glued into the body, whereas on a Strat and Tele, the necks are bolted on. The electronics are similar to a Les Paul, with two hum-buckers giving you excellent warmth and punch. The Custom 24 is still very versatile thanks to the push/pull pot giving you a coil-split (single coil-Esque tones). One volume and tone gives you simple and effective control!
You'll see the likes of Santana and Isiah Sharkey playing these.
Hollowbody
Hollowbody or semi-acoustic guitars are also a huge player in the guitar scene across Blues, Jazz and Rock n' Roll. These guitars have an acoustic-like resonance and when teamed up with humbuckers they give greater sustain, warmth and a well-rounded tone. They often come in slim or big body shapes depending on how much acoustic-like qualities you're after. Construction-wise you have semi-hollow (where only the top part of the guitar is hollowed out), centre block (where there are two strips of wood that run down either side of the pickups) and fully hollow. Popular models include Gibson 335 and 175, Gretsch Falcon and Epiphone Casino
Notable artists that play these guitars are BB king, Bono, James Bay and Marcus King.
There are a huge number of other styles of guitar on the market but we've shown you the main five.
You may be wondering what else you would need if you buy an electric guitar. You need two main things; an amplifier and a guitar cable. The cable connects the guitar to the amp so you can rock out!
View our Electric Guitar Amplifier department
View our Guitar Cable department
If you are a beginner you could buy a guitar package which comes with everything you need to get rocking right out of the box. They include the guitar, amp, cable and more accessories to help you on your way to rock stardom.
See our Electric Guitar Packages department.
