A Guitar Players Guide To Buying Their Next Electric Guitar

Live Rock concerts were all the rage in the 60's and they drove countless kids to buy their 1st guitars. In this day and age, video games like Guitar Hero World Tour are having a similar effect.

The essence of rock music doesn't just lie with the words; it also lies with the electric guitar and the various sounds that it can produce. There are so many kids across the block who would give anything to play like Mark Knopfler, Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page etc. These men are not just some of the best guitarists of their times, they are legends.

Now if you are interested in studying how to play the guitar then the first thing you will need to do is select one. Most people start with an acoustic and graduate to the electric. It can be quite tedious for someone new to choose the right guitar since there are 100's of makes out there on the market. If you are purchasing an electric guitar then you'll need to also purchase an amp, pick-ups, picks, a tuner, perhaps an effects unit etc.

Electric guitars can be purchased in a huge variety of colors and designs with the aerodynamic designs being some of the hottest. But hold back! Do not buy the first electric guitar you see. You need to spend time looking around and check out the various prices and models before you go and buy one. In actual fact, one of the best ways to pick a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here's our take on the 4 important styles:

Stratocaster (Better known as a 'Strat')
This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was used with great regularity by Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Strato is from Fender and has a neck bolted to the guitar's body. Aside from this, it has double cut away sides, 22 frets accompanied by a wammy bar and 3 single-coil pickups. Fender designed the first Strato in the early 50's. Some of the popular designs are:

* Fender Deluxe Stratocaster: Approx $550
* Fender American Deluxe Strat HSS: Approx $1100
* Fender Standard Strat Electric Guitar: Approx $300
* Fender Standard Strat Electric Guitar: Approx $600
* Strat Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1700

Gibson
This is one of the greatest brands in guitar and all their guitar models are absolute classics that can't be compared to others. Gibson guitar company was actually incorporated in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been singly responsible for affording the world some of the most innovative guitars. A couple of the famous models include the ES-150 and the Flying V etc. Some of the well known shredders who have shredded on a Gibson include Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Frank Zappa to name just a couple. Some of the most popular Gibson models include:

* Gibson Flying V: $500-$600
* Gibson SG 61 Classic: $1500-$1600
* Gibson Faded SG Special Electric Guitar: $550-$600
* Explorer Pro Electric: $1100-$1200

Les Paul
This phenomenal electric guitar was designed by Gibson for some of the rock stars of the era. The striking feature of a Gibson Les Paul electric is its set neck, which means there are no bolts. The body is a single cutaway. It is furnished with two pickups as well as a raised scratch-plate. If you want to play twisted sound then the Les Paul will provide you with a vast range. Some of the well known guitarists who use the Les Pauls include Kirk Hammett (Metallica) and Carlos Santana. Some of the famed Les Paul models include:

* Les Paul Custom Electric: $3000-$3550
* 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar: $5500-$6050
* Les Paul Vintage Mahogany: $750-$850
* Les Paul Classic Electric: $1850-$1950

Telecaster (Also known as the 'Tele')
The Telecaster is another creative guitar from Fenders. It is more than just another axe; it is more like a complete orchestra. It is a solid body guitar and comprises of dual pick-ups. The first Telecaster was manufactured by Fender in the 40's and has a single cutaway body. It doesn't have the tremolo bar but has two different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include:

* American Tele HS: $950-$1100
* Fender Standard Telecaster Electric: $450-$500
* 63 Telecaster Relic Solid Body: $2400-$3200
* Fender 72 Telecaster Custom Guitar: $700-$800

These are the best brands of guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include fretboard, the pick-ups, and the body shape. Full-bodied guitars are normally preferred as they can generate some of the best audio that you will ever get to hear.