THE ELECTRIC GUITAR

All electric guitars have the same basic componets (see below) but there are many variations in design and function dependent on manufacturer or the purpose for which the guitar was intended. It's really important to have an idea of the style of music you are going to be playing before you buy your first guitar. The 2 most important things to consider are probably the type of Bridge and the Pickups.

Bridges vary between manufacturers but there are 3 main types. Fixed Bridges offer the best tuning stability and are great if you dont require any tremolo techniques. Standard Bridges (pictured) offer some movement and are a great solution if you want a versitile guitar. A great all-rounder, these are probably the most commonly used type of bridge. Floyd Rose style bridges offer huge movement and are mainly used in progressive Rock/Metal styles.

Pickups also vary significantly but there are 2 main types. Single Coil and Humbucking (Dual Coil) pickups. Which type is the most suitable depends completely on the tonal quality you are looking for and the style of music your playing. Single Coils tend to be brighter sounding but also thinner. Humbucking pickups sound darker and much thicker than single coils which make them well suited to Rock and Metal styles.

The most important thing to remember is choose a guitar that feels comfortable and works for the style your going to be playing. Don't buy a Jazz Guitar if your going to be playing Metal.

Tuners - This is where the strings are wound and tuned Head Stock - Just the head of the guitar Nut - This is where the strings rest and are evenly spaced Frets - Where you put your fingers. Between each fret is the fret wire Pick Guard - Houses the electrics and provides protection from the plectrum Pickups - These pickup the vibrations from the strings and turn them into an electrical signal to be amplified Tremolo Arm - Used to raise or lower the bridge and tension of the strings Pickup Selector - This switch is used to select different pickups in isolation or combination to provide tonal variation Volume + Tone Controls - Used to adjust volume output and shape the tone Bridge - Holds the saddles where the strings rest. Some are fixed and others will move Input - This is where you plug in your lead from the amplifier Body - The guitar body. There are a huge variety of available shapes

THE AMPLIFIER

As with the guitar, all amplifiers have common components. The quality of sound reproduced, range of functions and adaptability vary significantly with price and design. It's also worth noting that sound quality also relies heavily on the quality of the pickups in your guitar.

There are 2 main types of amplifier configurations Combo and Stack

Combo Amps (pictured) are all-in-one units where the amplifier is housed within the speaker cabinate. These range from small light weight practice amps to bigger and heavier multi-speaker amplifiers. Many also have built in effects making them very versitile. Stack Amps are seperated units consisting of the amplifier 'Head' and the 'Speaker Cabinate. The head is mounted in it's own housing seperate from the speaker. This configuration is common where multiple speaker cabinates need to be linked to one head. Stack amplifiers tend to be more specialised, offering more power for larger shows.

Input - This is where you plug in the lead from your guitar Main Volume - Controls the overall volume from the amplifier Drive/Gain - This adjusts the level of Gain on a given channel Channel Selector - Switches between different channels (often clean + distortion) Drive/Gain Volume - Controls the individual Gain volume on the channel EQ - Equaliser used to alter frequency and tone Reverb - Adjusts the amount of Reverb (ambience) heard Aux Input - Auxilary input used for external devices such as mp3 players Footswitch - Allows you to change channels by use of a footswitch Headphones - Plugging in headphones usually automatically turns off the speaker Power - Turns the amplifier On or Off Speaker - The speaker is located behind the mesh

GUITAR EFFECTS

Guitar effects are often an important part of a guitarists setup. They allow us to replicate sounds used by our favourite bands/artists and give us more variety in our sound. Many amplifiers have built in effects but you can also buy seperate effects boards and pedals. Some of the most common effects include - Reverb, Delay, Chorus and Wah.