Electric Guitars

Guitar Body Types Explained: Solid-Body vs. Hollowbody vs. Semi-Hollow

Electric guitars generally fall into 3 basic body-type categories. Solid-body, Semi-Hollowbody, & Hollowbody. As the names suggest, these categories are defined by their density.

Solid Body Guitars

A solid-body guitar is generally a slab of wood (alder, mahogany, ash, etc.), sometimes with a cap on top (normally maple). These guitars offer rich sustain and, depending on the wood used, a dark or bright sound. They are normally heavier than the other two body types (unless chambered or weight-relieved). They are generally considered the best “all-rounders” across genres, from jazz all the way through to modern progressive metal.

Hollowbody Guitars

Hollowbody guitars sit on the other end of the spectrum from solid-body guitars. They are built similarly to acoustic guitars, with a resonant chamber as the focus. Built with laminated wood on the back, sides, and front, they are extraordinarily light, resonant, and much louder when unplugged than solid-body guitars. They are commonly used for jazz & rockabilly music, or where distortion is not the main tonal focus. Hollow-body guitars can feedback significantly at louder volumes or when used with distortion.

Semi-Hollow Guitars

Semi-hollowbody guitars sit between the other two types. Normally, they are built around a solid-centre block that runs in line with the neck of the guitar, with hollow “wings” attached to either side. This gives a rich, open sound, resonance and serviceable unplugged volume, while minimising feedback when used with distortion or at louder volumes. These guitars are used broadly across genres, including rock, jazz, rockabilly, and punk. You might even find the odd player who prefers them for heavy modern, downtuned music, although that’s rare!

Pickups Explained: Single-Coil vs. Humbucker vs. P90s

Pickups are simple, but beautifully complicated things. They boil down to wire wrapped around magnets, with lots of electrical engineering in between. When guitar players think of a pickup, they normally imagine one of three types – a single coil, humbucker, or P-90 pickup. Each of these styles offers unique characteristics and quirks and has been adopted by players across genres.

Single Coil Pickups

Single-coil pickups are most associated with the Fender Stratocaster & Telecaster models. They offer a “spankier” or “twangier” tone that has helped to produce many iconic blues or country guitar tones. They are clear and cut through a mix nicely, but they do come loaded with a nice 50Hz hum (if you’re in Australia) that some find a bit annoying.

Humbucker Pickups

Humbuckers are exceedingly common across models, offering a thick, loud, punchy attack that has defined the sound of rock & roll. AC/DC: that’s a humbucker; Led Zeppelin: mostly a humbucker. Humbuckers “buck the hum” found in a single-coil pickup – eliminating the 50Hz cycle. The guitar loses its “spankier” tone as a result but gains a more “noiseless” sound that pairs well with hi-gain amps.

P90 Pickups

Technically, a P-90 IS a single-coil pickup that offers a slightly fatter, rounder sound – it sits somewhere between a humbucker and a traditional single-coil. They offer clarity and punch in a raw, gritty way, mostly due to their higher output than their single-coil cousins. P90s are most notably known as a “soapbar” pickup due to their often-beige rectangular appearance that resembles a bar of soap.

Who Are the Big Electric Guitar Brands?

Gibson & Fender are the biggest guitar names in the world - both American companies; they have pioneered the sound of electric guitar for decades. These brands offer premium, professional-level equipment for the working musician, collector, or general enthusiast. They also offer some outstanding hand-crafted custom electric guitars at the top end of their range. Their affiliated brands, Epiphone & Squier, offer more affordable versions of their instruments – but generally come with lower specifications, including pickups, tonewoods, electronics, finishes and quality of craftsmanship. But that’s not to say a more affordable guitar can’t produce a great sound – plenty of pros gig these brands on the world stage.

Other notable brands include Ibanez, ESP, Jackson, Gretsch, EVH, PRS, Strandberg, and Yamaha. All of these brands have disrupted the electric guitar scene in one way or another, offering something different to players of different styles & genres.

What Kind of Electric Guitar Should I buy?

When buying a guitar, it’s important to consider the player you are now, as well as the player you might be in 6-12 months. Ask yourself, what music do I like listening to? What types of guitars do those players use? Are they using tremolo systems (aka whammy bars)?

How Do I Choose a Guitar in My Budget?

The age-old adage – “buy the best you can afford” mostly rings true in the world of electric guitar. That’s not to say you can’t find a bang-for-buck guitar under $500 or $1000. The Classic Vibe series from Squier makes some of the most affordable recreations of vintage guitars that feel and play so well you forget what name is on the headstock. Epiphone’s Standard range takes the construction quality of their higher-end Gibson models and makes them accessible to all.

A guitar should call to you from the other side of the room, beckoning you to stop hanging the clothes and pick it up to have a jam. If you can't stop dreaming about the way it looks, love the way it feels and sounds, that means you’re going to pick it up and play. And a guitar that you pick up and play is a guitar that makes you a better player.

If you'd like to keep reading check out our buying guide on how to choose an electric guitar, and maybe our article on how to choose the best electric guitar strings for your setup. You can also give us a call and chat to a guitar expert if you'd like to talk it over, we're always happy to help!