Is there a difference in electric guitars? what is it?

Question

I know obiously there is a difference in quality of guitars, but why are there different sorts, ie a 'stratocastor, ' v ' shaped one, the gibson kinda shaped ones etc. Do they all sound different? are they for different lead styles? or it just different makes, and do they pretty much all make the same noise? This has been puzzling me for a while, because i often see the guitarist in bands swap electric guitars between songs, and i wonder why, is it just different shapes for look, or do they have a different purpose/tone? Is there something special with those gibson ones?

We are just talking about electric here, and nothing to do with acoustic.

thanks

Answer 1

They all have different tonal qualities, due to wood,pickups, pickup placement and a host of small bits that in total make a difference.

Answer 2

In short, yes, all guitars are different.

Everything factors in to determine the sound, from the type of wood it's made out of, to the strings you're using, to the pickups.

When buying a guitar, go to a local music shop and ask the salespeople there. Most of the time, they are musicians, and just work at the shop to pay their bills, so they are very knowledgeable on all aspects of instruments. Try alot of them before you decide which one, as many people have different tastes in what they would like to play.

E.G. A metalhead would not want to play a hollwbody, or semi hollow typically, as they don't produce the type of sound that they are after. Likewise, you won't see many country musicians playing a seven string Ibanez.

Answer 3

there is a huge difference.  Gibson uses one style of pickups (P90's) while Ibanez uses another.  Fender will use a completely DIFFERENT brand of pickp and each one has a distinct sound, tone, bite, sustain, and for lack of a better word.......taste!! Yes, taste! If you played, you'd understand.  There's a difference because there is NO all around perfect sound for every song in every genre of music.  There's a decent sound that'll work for each, but you've got to find THAT sound to really make it right.  As for the shapes, those are more or less aesthetic.  Parker used to make a guitar that would channed the vibrations directly to the pickups by cutting out sections of the guitar, but they're shapes really mean nothing really.  The woods they're made of are what makes the difference.  The le cheapo guitars are make of ash, alder,  or some other cheaper wood with a bolt on neck.  Fender uses maple, PRS uses exotic woods, tiger striped maple, etc.  With guitars, you LITERALLY get what you pay for.  You cheap out on a $100 Les Paul copy, you get exactly that....a copy.  My advice to you, if you want it, is if you're just starting out learning how to play.......go to a large music shop (NOT A PAWN SHOP) and pick up a decent guitar that costs around $200 or so.  It doesn't matter what the heck it is, so long as it feels good and comfortable in YOUR hands, not the guy you go with to help you pick one out.  The reason is it's YOUR guitar and YOU'VE got to be comfortable holding and fretting that guitar.  If you spend too much and give up later, then you're stuck trying to unload it for considerably less than you paid for it.  If you get a super cheap POS for $89 at walmart, you'll be turned off because it WON'T have the tone or sustain or feel that you need to keep you wanting more when you figure out how to play your first few notes (probably smoke on the water). lol.  If you're looking to play, just commit to it fully, at least 30 minutes a day everyday, and you'll know if it's what you want to do or not within a few weeks.  Good luck, man!!! I really mean that.  I've been playing for 19 years and couldn't imagine not being able to just escape reality by ripping out a solo from Pink Floyd, or a face melter from Metallica.  Play hard, ROCK HARDER!!!!!!