Hernandez !

Samantha Hernandez
!
Mrs. Regalia & Mr. Biggs
!
Political Studies
!
January 28, 2017
!
Electrifying Senior Project
!
Ever been mesmerized by Carlos Santana or Jimi Hendrix playing the guitar? Yeah, me

too. Specifically when theyre playing the electric guitar. Since the day I got introduced to

alternative rock, blues rock, latin rock, and psychedelic rock its been a fantasy of mine to learn

how to play the electric guitar. My father introduced me to all different types of rock music, we

would play Guns N Roses, Nirvana, AC/DC, and a little bit of R.E.M on the rides home from

school or whenever we went on trips away from home. I really enjoyed the time my family and I

spent in the car because we really bonded over music and it makes me feel super happy because

were having a good time.

Considering how badly I wanted to learn, I tried out practicing with an acoustic guitar

first, assuming itll be easier and helpful for me to transition to an electric guitar. The farthest

Ive gotten was learning how to play the Happy Birthday song on the acoustic guitar. I gave up

after that because I started to struggle with hand placements. In addition, I didnt know how to

tune the guitar. I felt like I needed someone to be there to support and motivate me while also

teaching me.

Although I had difficulty on my own, I believe I can do much better with the help of a

mentor who actually knows what theyre doing. Im going to try my best because Ive always

wanted to learn how to play the electric guitar and now that I have my own I can. My
 Hernandez !2

grandmother passed down her friends electric guitar to me, I was so excited, but I didnt know

how to get started. Im hoping that my senior project can really benefit me and push me to play

the electric guitar. I will not quit until I learn how to play at least one of my favorite songs

without messing up. Some of my favorites include: My Kind of Women by Mac Demarco,

Losing my Religion by R.E.M, Loner by Kali Uchis, Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd, Fade

Into You by Mazzy Star and a whole bunch of others. I know some of my picks are going to be

difficult, but Im going to start off simple and improve from there.

The electric guitars development consists of innovation dating back to the 18th century.

Christian Frederick Martin, a German-American luthier who specialized in guitars, made the first

guitar in the United States back in the 1830s as stated by Lemson Center for the study of

invention and Innovation, A Louder Guitar. By the 1850s, X-bracing was developed by Martin

to strengthen the guitar's body while also altering it to become an American Flattop guitar

design. In 1894 Orville H. Gibson, another luthier, created an entirely new design with tops that

were carved rather than bent and arched, enhancing the durability and sound as stated by Lemson

Center for the study of invention and Innovation, A Louder Guitar. This initiated new

expectations for musicians who demanded for better quality and louder guitar designs. By the

end of the 19th century, the idea of using electricity to create louder string instruments already

existed. It was only during the 1920s and 30s that engineers and musicians began to improve

and overstep the challenges that electric amplification came with.

Furthermore, around 1931 Adolph Rickenbacker, a German-American manufacturer and

his business partner George Beauchamp, an American inventor of musical instruments made an

electromagnetic pickup, which amplified the strings vibration, as stated by the Shmoop editorial
 Hernandez !3

team, Adolph Rickenbacker in History of Rock & Roll. It was introduced as an electric

aluminum lap-steel guitar, also known as the frying pan. Rickenbacker and Beauchamp produced

the very first viable electric guitar. Although the design was costly and far from perfect, its

influence would help shape and form the sound of music.

Today, Fender and Gibson are two of the most popular, successful, and largest guitar

industries in the world. As stated by Biography, Les Paul, guitarists and luthier, designed a solid-

body electric guitar in 1941. Paul believed he could improve the amplified solid-body guitar by

attaching strings and two pickups (wooden board with a guitar neck). Paul called it the log. It

was not a very flattering design, but it produced the perfect sounds. Although, by the time

Gibson was ready for production in 1952 there was already a mass-production of the invention

by Fender. In 1951 Leo Fender, an American inventor, introduced a prototype solid-body

instrument that eventually became called the Telecaster. It was the first solid-body Spanish-style

electric guitar to be mass-produced as stated by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

Nonetheless, both Gibson and Fender have changed music in astonishing and exciting ways.

The electric guitar has come a long way and it is still continuing to change and adjust,

especially for peoples personalities and preferences. There are many different build designs,

accessories, and styles for an electric guitar. My senior project will fulfill my desire to finally

learn how to play the electric guitar, while also learning how to properly tune my guitar and alter

the sound. The electric guitar has always been an interest of mine and Im excited to pursue this

exciting opportunity to learn and receive the help and resources I need to accomplish my goal.

This will be a huge challenge for me, but I know that I will be able to overcome any obstacles

that come my way throughout my senior project.

 Hernandez !4

!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Work Cited
!
18, 2014 April. "A Louder Guitar." Invention | Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and
Innovation. National Museum of American History, 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.
 Hernandez !5

!
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Adolph Rickenbacker in History of Rock & Roll." Shmoop. Shmoop
University, 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.
!
"1924 Gibson F-5 "Lloyd Loar" Mandolin." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.
!
"Orville H. Gibson, 1856-1918." Siminoff Banjo & Mandolin Parts. N.p., 14 July 2015. Web. 02
Feb. 2017.
!
"History of Fender Musical Instruments." Fender Musical instruments corporation. N.p., n.d.
Web. 02 Mar. 2017.
!
"Les Paul." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 29 Nov. 2016. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.
!
"Gibson USA." Gibson Guitar. Gibson Corporate Directory, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.
!
!