Who Invented the Electric Guitar

From LoveToKnow Guitar

Have you ever wondered who invented the electric guitar? Many people find themselves wondering about the history behind their instrument. While there have been numerous amprovements in the electric guitar since it's creation, there is still only one inventor.

Electric Guitar Miscconceptions

There are numerous misconceptions involving who invented the electric guitar including the following:

  • Some people assume Les Paul invented the guitar.
  • Some people think that the electric guitar was originally made from a modified acoustic guitar.
  • There are other people who think that Paul Tutmarc invented the electric guitar.
  • Some people even think that the electric guitar was invented in the 1960s to accommodate the budding rock music scene of the time.
  • Other people credit the creation of the electric guitar to Leo Fender and his team.

While many of these misconceptions are based on real ideas (such as Les Paul inventing the first solid body electric guitar or the electric guitar gaining popularity in the 1960s), none of the myths tell the true story behind the creation of this instrument.

Adolph Rickenbacker: The Man Who Invented The Electric Guitar

The man who created the electric guitar was named Adolph Rickenbacker. The Rickenbacker International Corporation was one of the first companies dedicated to the creation of musical instruments. Founded in 1931, the company is responsible for the creation of the "Rickenbacker Electro Instruments" (which were the first electric guitars) with the help of Rickenbacker.

The company was pioneered by a combination of George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker. Looking for a louder guitar, Beauchamp originally sought the help of John Dopyera, a violin repair man. Dpoyera began to experiment with elements such as horns that could project the sound of a guitar or similar instruments, and he was ultimately able to create a resonator that attached to the guitar's bridge. Following its success, Beauchamp then sought the help of Adolph Rickenbacker (as a production engineer) and was able to manufacture metal bodies for the guitars.

Once the idea of electric guitars picked up more speed, Beauchamp moved on to ask friend Harry Watson for help in creating the neck and body for a wooden guitar and this led to the manufacture of the wooden electric guitar. These first models were hollow bodied and used early forms of pickups.

While Rickenbacker is generally credited with creating the electric guitar, it is due to an evolving idea and new technology that he was able to do so.

Why Did It Take So Long To Create Electric Guitars?

In the 1920s, numerous people had the idea for the electric guitar in mind, but they didn't know how to actually go about turning their idea into reality. While modern electric guitars use pickups to convert vibration into audible noise, inventors at the time were unsure of the best way to go about designing such an instrument. By the 1930s, it was already known that metal could convert current through wire, and it was this basic knowledge that eventually led to the creation of electric guitars as we know them today. Earlier innovations, such as the resonator devices of Dopyera, simply helped pave the way.

Final Thoughts

Some people speculate that there are numerous genres of music that might not exist today without the advent of the electric guitar. Thanks to a string of design innovations that began with the work of Adolph Rickenbacker and his team, you can express yourself acoustically or electrically as you please.



 


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