Fender electric guitars were the first solid body electric guitars to be offered on the mass market. Other companies actually fabricated and sold electric guitars before the Fender Company, but none were as commercially successful as Fender’s. In fact, the general consensus is that it is the Fender Company that is responsible for the electric guitar frenzy that swept through the world of popular music with the introduction of their Fender Telecaster. The Broadcaster was actually the first solid body electric guitar, but Fender made it economically feasible to mass produce it with only a few slight variations in the next model, the Telecaster. Fender’s Telecaster served as the inspiration for other manufacturers to make their own versions of the solid body electric guitar. Other famous models include the Stratocaster, the Jazzmaster, the Mustang, the Jaguar, and the Duo-sonic. Countless more models exist though they are less known. Fender electric guitars are manufactured Mexico and Asia as well as in the United States. The highest quality guitars are those made in the US. The Squier brand, also manufactured under the Fender name, is the most economically priced electric guitars and they are produced in the Asian countries. The Fender Company began as an electronic repair business. Founder Leo Fender began much of his work improving already existing and designing new musical amplifiers. Fender is still known today for its fine quality and innovation in amps. Some of Fender’s electric guitar signature features include the larger headstock shape and bound necks with block shaped position markers. The neck joint on most electric guitars is a four-bolt joint, but in Fender guitars, it is now a three-bolt joint intended for better sound. Fender electric guitars are also identified by a second string tree for the middle G and D strings. Another signature feature is the semi-hollow body design and completely different headstock of the Fender Stratocaster. This model also incorporates a Humbucking pickup designed by Seth Lover.  Some people maintain that the Fender Standard Stratocaster electric guitar is the guitar that changed the world with its alder body, 21 fret maple neck with a rosewood or maple fretboard, 3 single-coil pickups, a vintage tremolo, and die-cast tuning keys. The Stratocaster comes in a wide choice of cool colors as well, including Sage Green Metalic, Blue Agave, Brown Sunburst, Midnight Wine, and Arctic White. Such colors add a unique quality to an already awesome guitar. The Fender electric guitar is an excellent choice for the serious guitarist who wants a famous brand at an affordable price.  
My name is Peter Suhm and i have played music since i was 9 years old.
Visit my website about electric guitars here:http://www.find-electric-guitars.info

Gibson electric guitars hold the claim for being the first commercially successful electric guitar introduced into the market in 1936. from this model, many more were fashioned, the most popular being the Les Paul series named after the accomplished jazz musician, Les Paul, who was an electronics inventor and one of the pioneers in solid body guitar technology. The Les Paul series is the most famous line of Gibson electric guitars.

Gibson electric guitars have many signature features and characteristics, starting with an asymmetrical neck profile making it one of the most comfortable and playable necks ever offered. This neck also features a larger neck tenon for maximum wood contact between the neck and the body. Gibsons are also recognized for their glued-in necks, a contrast to Fender’s bolt-on neck joints. The Gibson solid body electric guitar has a more traditionally curved body shape as well. Other characteristics unique to Gibson include the fact that the Les Paul strings are mounted on the top of the guitar body, not through the body. One of the easiest ways to identify a Gibson electric guitar is simply by picking it up and holding it. Gibsons are knows for their heavy weight. The Gibson electric guitar is one of the thickest solid body styles ever made. The company claims that the thickness of the guitar along with the kinds of woods used contribute to its weight, a factor they say creates a warmer tone than other electric guitars.

Spanning from their signature Les Paul series that originally included two models, the regular model and the custom model, the Gibson Company produced numerous additional models. The Les Paul series models were targeted for every level of payer and every level of price except for the true beginner. The novice guitarist market was filled with the Melody Maker model and then the Junior design. Other well-known models include the Standard series, the Deluxe and Studio series, and even the Gibson Robot guitar, a model that can tune itself by simply pulling out the master control knob and strumming the strings.

Famous Gibson electric guitar players include Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jimmy Page, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson, Duane Allman, Ace Freshley, Pete Townsend, Angus Young, Frank Zappa and Tony Iommi, to name just a few! If you choose a Gibson electric guitar, you will definitely be in good company!

The only real disadvantage to having a Gibson electric guitar is with the plethora of copies and imitations that have saturated the market. If you want to stay true to the Gibson name and own a guitar that is authentically a Gibson original innovation, then you must be aware of copies and imitations. You can usually spot a “fake” if you know the features of a “true” Gibson electric guitar and carefully inspect any guitar before you buy it.

My name is Peter Suhm and i have played music since i was 9 years old.

Visit my website about electric guitars here:
http://www.find-electric-guitars.info

There are so many tools for learning how to play guitar that you can get on the internet, it makes you wonder whether how to play guitar books have a place in the world of technology. When you used to have to learn to play guitar from a teacher you always had to have a book that you learnt out of. It was a way of making sure you and your teacher understood where you were in your guitar playing. And if you did not have a teacher you possibly learnt to play guitar by copying what you heard on the radio or on records. Even then you probably had to go out and buy a guitar tutor or at least a chord book.

The advantage of books is that the printed page is a record of information that you might learn today but need to refresh your memory at some time in the future. Video guitar lessons are a fantastic way to learn to play the guitar but the written word has its own way of expressing thoughts or helping you with your approach to music, and you do not have to go through the laborious process of fast forwarding through countless videos to remind yourself of something the teacher said. Also a book can be read when the power is down and you have to practice on an acoustic guitar by candlelight!

So let us look at a few really excellent how to books for guitar. An example of concise, easy to understand, useful guitar info is “The Guitar Book” by Chris Lopez. This book not only contains all the solid information you need to begin your life as a guitar player, you will find it is an inspiration to share in the author’s obvious passion for the guitar. This book has everything for the beginner guitar player: basic chords, changing from major chords to minor, chord progressions, playing blues guitar through to slightly more advanced but extremely useful stuff like transposing a chord progression if the original key is not right for your voice. If you are sticking with playing chords to accompany your singing or if you want to get into solo guitar, this book should be by your bedside.

“The Everything Guitar Book” by Ernie Jackson promises to have you playing like a pro in no time. It certainly contains all the basic information like some history of the guitar and the names of all the parts of the instrument, and all the basic chords. This is the kind of stuff you would expect to find in a how to play guitar book. You also have a reference guide for the information you will need to keep in your head as you learn how to play guitar. The circle of fifths is covered,as are scales and arpeggios. You are introduced to playing songs by getting to know what you can play on the treble strings first, then you are introduced to bass patterns.

“The Everything Guitar Book” also introduces you to guitar players you should know about in whatever musical genre you are interested in whether it is classical, jazz, blues, flamenco or whatever is in between. The book then gives you an intro to playing electric guitar, buying an instrument and finding a teacher. Like any book that covers everything, there are some spots that you will need to explore elsewhere but this is a good first book for a beginner guitarist.

Frederick Noad is a classical guitar player and teacher who wrote a famous classical guitar tutor called “Solo Guitar Playing”. He also wrote a book aimed at the wider world of guitar players called “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Playing the Guitar”. This book carries a heavy classical guitar orientation but it also gives a good start for playing blues and flamenco. So it is a book for acoustic guitar players, but it is by a guy who know how to get the best from his instrument without causing severe injury to his hands and back and without using amplification. If you are a rock guitarist, do not skip past this book. There is a bunch of stuff in here that will help you become a great guitarist, and you probably will not find this kind of material anywhere else. Get it.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.

This is an interview with Kevin Gaskell, designer and founder of GASKELL GUITARS from Australia. This is from January 2008.
Name of your company?
Gaskell Guitars
Your name?
Kevin Gaskell (I am the designer)
Your Location (city, etc)
Alexandria, Sydney. Australia
Please give us a short summary of your company?
Gaskell Guitars is the only guitar manufacturer in the world that makes ONLY left handed guitars. Based in Australia, Gaskell Guitars is attempting to provide popular guitars not otherwise available as left handed models to the LEFT HANDED GUITAR PLAYERS of this world. I started this 10 years ago. I got it fully together at the end of 2006.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
To get the message out: Left hand guitarists need not feel left out in the dark, or penalized, or ignored for simply being a left handed guitar player.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
We have been in business since the beginning of 2007 but did not launch our website until mid 2007. There is still some work to be done but the most important thing is getting high quality guitars into the hands of left hand guitar players who have often given up ever finding the guitars we make!
How did you decide on a name for your website?
Brand name
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
We are the only company in the world that provides left handed guitars exclusively despite it apparently being a small market. No one else is doing this because no one else really cares about left handed guitar players unless they have a lot of CASH to flash around and have something made in a Custom Shop.
What is your eventual goal?
Corner the market. Internationally. Our brand name recognition is growing. People like our products and they ARE good. I am a left handed guitar player myself so I talk the talk and walk the walk.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Still to make a profit! Heavily driven by passion, as any purpose that someone is dedicated to.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would things change?
We’d be able to make more guitars faster and satisfy even more left handed guitarists – e.g bass players. Demand is greater than supply at the moment. It costs money to take another step and then another step.
If your business site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Already struggling with keeping up with product demand! Left Handed guitarists are a passionate lot. And they should be! They’ve been kicked in the teeth for many years. All lefty players know this.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
The first model is always the most expensive. All our guitars had to be redesigned from scratch and are largely hand made. Tooling (CNC Machines) in factories is designed for making right handed guitars. It’s been “interesting” to set this up shall we say. It would never have been this tough to make right handed guitars and try and break into a saturated market there. It is much much cheaper to make right handed guitars.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Making the guitars affordable while still making a profit. We don’t make a lot on our guitars. We could’ve charged ridiculous prices since no one else makes our models but then that’s called “greed” and that’s not where we are at. Left Handed guitarists have been betrayed bad enough as it is. The other thing we struggle with is shipping costs. This is beyond our control. Costs to USA and Europe from Australia are pretty ridiculous in the post-9/11 world.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Classified Ads
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
I’m not a website builder or hoster. Every little change or improvement costs money! Good news comes at a price!
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don’t enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
Since about mid 2007. We intend to keep it going for as long as left hand guitarists want our guitars – hopefully forever!
Why are you doing this?
I was born in New Zealand. I have been playing guitar for 25 years. I always wanted to own a Gibson Explorer. In 25 years I never saw one and Gibson only ever made them at one time, in the 1980s when I didn’t have the money to buy one. Many other guitars didn’t come in left hand at that time. 25 years later NOT MUCH HAD CHANGED. I decided that if we are going to be essentially “overlooked” by the big guitar manufacturers then I will fill this void. I made my first guitar in 1992 and it’s developed from there. Customers who have bought Gaskell guitars are routinely delighted and grateful for these instruments, not just because the price is good, but because they are EXCELLENT, high quality guitars which has always been and always will be our intention. We don’t do “cheap” except in price.
What is your website address?
Gaskell Guitars
Gaskell Guitars is a guitar manufacturer in Sydney, Australia that makes only left handed guitars

Washburn Guitars has its beginnings near Maxwell Street, Chicagos famed home of the Delta Blues. They have been making various instruments since 1883 and their success had been closely tied with the wide spread popularity of both jazz and blues. The fact that the shop was located so near to this famed area is sort of by accident. At the time, the street had not been recognized yet.
Delta Blues is a form of Blues started by African-Americans who moved there form the Mississippi Delta. They congregated here and started creating music. They would jam and create this rich and cultural style of music together. When the style of blues was first forming, Maxwell Street was simply a convenient place for them all to meet. And, most of the musicians were not concerned with popular music.
As the popularity of Maxwell Street started to spread, so did the Washburn Guitars. Others would see that these talented musicians who were pioneering their own style of music had one of these guitars. So, Washburn became associated with Delta Blues by people all over the United States.
But, they are no only known for their association with this style of blues, the also made some lasting innovations. These include their specific tuning system and their Extended Cutaway which has a modification of the standard bold neck guitar construction.
Washburn creates both acoustic and electric guitar models that appeal to a wide variety of players. Jazz, blues, country, and rock musicians alike embrace these instruments. Acoustic guitar styles include the USA Acoustics, the Paul Stanley Acoustics, the Dreadnoughts, the Jumbos, Folk Style, their Classical Guitars, and their travel guitars. For more information on the types of acoustic guitars available, check out the Washburn Guitars website at washburn.com.
There are also quite a few guitar players who love Washburn guitars. These include Paul Stanley of KISS, who also has his signature acoustic series, Sonny Mayo of Sevendust, Ryan Pierce of Neal McCoy, and Aaron Fink of Breaking Benjamin. There are a lot more, however, so you should visit the website to view the complete list.
Here is what people have to say about their Washburn Acoustic Guitars:
About the Washburn D10 Acoustic
The guitar has an ornate quilted maple top. I like the cutaway. It provides access to the upper frets. The tone is Sweet. The action is low and the fretboard is flat. It is easy to play. I have used this guitar on recordings and in performance settings. It always gets comments on the tone, and the finish. I like this guitar.
About the Washburn D10-S
Bang for the buck! This guitar sounds great and costs only a few dollar more than most spruce plywood top guitars. The quality of materials and workmanship is surprisingly good. The tuners are good. It has inlay on the back and around the sound hole. I ca not over emphasize how good this guitar sounds. The solid spruce top makes this $199 guitar a steal. I can see why it has been rated the best guitar under $500.

Guitar Warehouse is your place to Buy Guitar and other musical gear. We also offer a wide range of
Washburn Acoustic Guitars and Free Guitar Lessons.

Buying a new guitar is always an exciting process for the beginner or experienced guitarist. A basic knowledge of the instrument and an assessment of your musical goals will help you make a wise purchase, a purchase you can enjoy for years, perhaps even a lifetime All guitars produce sound through the vibration of the strings. Classical guitars transmit the vibration of the string to the soundboard via the saddle and bridge. The combined resonance of the strings, saddle, bridge and soundboard are, in turn, amplified in the sound-box or body of the guitar. The design and quality of the, saddle, bridge and soundboard have a major impact on the guitar’s sound.

Have in mind before buying…

Nylon produces a round, mellow sound and is the preferred sound for classical, Low, medium, normal and hard tension strings create a tension up 75-90 pounds. Less string tension makes a classic guitar easier to play. The fingerboard, 50-52 mm at the nut, provides room for intricate finger picking. The longer string, 650-655mm length from saddle to nut enhances the bass response and sustain. The classical guitar body style is smaller than most other acoustic designs which make the instrument easy to handle and feel. Always remember, when buying a handmade guitar, you are buying a live instrument. Temperature and humidity are the main factors to ruptures and instrument deterioration if not cared according to the maker’s instructions.

See” taking care of your guitar” below.

Setting Goals

What are your goals? Are you anticipating a serious hobby or majoring in music? If so, buy the best solid top guitar you can afford. An inexpensive guitar is a good choice if your goal is merely casual enjoyment for a semester or so (or if you’re really poor!). Do you need to be amplified for church or stage? If so, an acoustic-electric classical will afford maximize versatility. Before shopping, decide on a budget so the dealer can show you guitars in your price range.

Trying Out a Guitar – Action

Each guitar is unique in feel due to variations in neck thickness and shape. If the neck is comfortable, the guitar will be easier to play. The string height above the fingerboard–the action–also influences playing ease. The action may vary according to personal taste and playing style. High action is difficult to play but allows buzz-free high volume playing. Low

action is easy to play but buzzes during aggressive playing. A compromise between the two is best for most players. Fortunately, the action can be adjusted to suit your needs. If you are a steel-string player, remember that classical action is higher than steel-string action due to nylon’s lower tension. Listen carefully to the timbre (tone color) of the guitar. A balance between dark and bright is the most versatile. However, timbre preference is subject to taste and playing style. If your right hand technique is on the bright side, a dark sounding guitar will help balance your tone. If you play without

nails, a brighter guitar will help bring out the upper frequencies. Play single notes throughout the guitar’s range and listen to how they sustain. Listen to the relationship of the bass notes to the treble. The bass should be firm with a long sustain. However, the treble notes must be able to stand out in relation to the bass so you can project the melody. Finally, have someone play the instrument so you can judge the projection. What’s the difference in sound between a $300 guitar and a $3000 one? Budget guitars are less resonate and have a smaller tonal and dynamic range than expensive guitars.

Workmanship

Whether you are a beginning or advanced player, a quality guitar is crucial to your success and enjoyment. A fine instrument is easy to play, exudes workmanship, and sounds resonant and responsive. A quality instrument inspires you to practice and excel as a musician. Buy the best guitar you can afford and it will greatly enhance your learning and enjoyment. Note the quality of workmanship in the seating and polish of the frets, the binding between the top and sides, and in the finish. However, in all fairness, you normally get what you pay for. Budget guitars cost less because cheap materials and lesser workmanship are used to trim costs. Budget guitars should be playable but will have numerous finish defects, unpolished frets, messy glue joints, unsanded bracing and poorly adjusted action (a good dealer will adjust the action if needed). Premium quality guitars will have a near perfect fit and finish of all components. Even the interior bracing will be neatly glued and sanded smooth! Before purchasing a guitar, confirm that the tuning heads turn smoothly and allow reasonable pitch control. Fortunately, cheap or broken turning heads are relatively easy and inexpensive to replace.

Price Ranges

Professional classical guitarists play instruments handcrafted by individual makers, e.g., Fleta, Hauser or Gilbert. Depending on the maker’s reputation, these guitars cost $3,000 to $20,000. Guitars made by a specialized group of builders in a small shop cost from $1000 to $10,000 e.g., Ramírez, Hirade or Asturias. For most people these instruments are out of each.

Most beginners are looking for an inexpensive guitar. Buyer beware: most guitars retailing for under $100 are disappointing junk. Don’t throw your money away on a cheap toy, pay a little more and get a real guitar. Really cheap guitars have

unacceptable compromises in design, materials and construction quality. Fortunately, there are many factory-made guitars costing from $150 to $300 that make fine beginning instruments.

Recommended Classic Guitars

These models are excellent values in their respective price ranges. Granada guitars from Sevilla- Spain range form $299- $499, Prudencio Saez – guitars form Torrent – Spain. range from $380 -$1,800. Amalio Burguet guitars- Catarroja- Spain, range fro, $999- $4,500.

Deen Jonse

http://www.guitarsfromspain.com