With so many options out there, choosing the right electric guitar can be overwhelming. The good news is that Guitar Adoptions offers electrics for any sound, style, and budget. Plus, we have the expertise to help you find what you are looking for. We sell only top quality brands like G&L, Larrivee, Flaxwood, Delilah, Michael Tuttle and Giffin.
First, take a minute to think about what you are looking for. Do you want a loud, crunchy rock guitar or a cleaner sound for blues and jazz? How about a classic look or a more modern extreme vibe? Do you need a fast slim neck or something beefier to hold onto? Once you’ve got your wish list, focus on the three main characteristics of any electric: Sound, Feel, and Looks. Let’s start with the sound, which is probably why you’re buying the guitar to begin with.
Sound
The materials used on electric guitars, and the quality of construction affect tone as much as anything else. The woods used for guitar necks and bodies, such as mahogany, maple, alder, and spruce each have their own tonal qualities. Larrivee, known the world over for their acoustics, uses only the best mahogany and maple on the superb Larrivee RS-4 electric guitars. Electric guitars can be classified into three basic body types, each with its own distinct sound characteristics.
Larrivee RS-4
• Solid-body electric guitars, the most popular style, are made of wood or composites. Fender Strats, Telecasters, and the Gibson Les Paul are all solid body guitars. Solid-body guitars work well for most styles of music, especially rock, country, and blues.
• Semi-hollow body electric guitars look like their solid cousins but have a hollow cavity. This creates a more acoustic sound while letting the guitar maintain an amplified electric tone. An example is the G&L ASAT Classic Semi-Hollow series, which is modeled after the Telecaster shape but has better pickups and build quality.
• Hollow-body electric guitars provide even more of an acoustic sound and are very popular in the jazz scene due to their open, warm tone. The Giffin Standard Hollowbody comes in a comfortable size and plays like a dream. Plus you can custom order options on these wonderful hand-built guitars.
Not all electric guitars are made of solid wood. Flaxwood guitars, like the Flaxwood Laine, are made of an injection molded wood composite. This allows a Flaxwood to sound vintage right out of the box with more sustain and dynamic range.
Flaxwood Laine
If the materials and build quality make up the guitar’s “chassis”, then pickups are the engine behind the sound. They normally come in two flavors:
• Single-coil pickups have a bright, clear, thin tone and are popular for blues, jazz and rock. Many guitarists swear by their pure sound and wide range of tonal options. The very popular G&L ASAT Classic comes with two Magnetic Field Design single-coil pickups that are a step above competitor’s offerings. These pickups give the guitar its trademark bark and warmth.
• Humbucker pickups are double-wound to eliminate noise interference (hence the name “humbucker”). They produce a “fat”, solid tone and are preferred by those who play with lots of distortion or like a warmer tone. To mix things up, the G&L ASAT Classic Bluesboy combines a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker in the neck position and a MFD single-coil at the bridge, offering an expanse of sound options and enhanced versatility.
Feel
A guitar with a great feel, or playability, is like a fitted glove. The feel is centered on the neck profile and width. There are many profiles, such as a “C”-shape, “V”-shape, or oval, so try out a few. A thicker shape may work well if you have long fingers. Also, the setup of a guitar is crucial. Determine what action (string height) feels best. G&L guitars are unique because they are setup on a Plek machine. The advanced Plek process actually scans the neck to determine optimum setup and guarantees maximum playability and intonation.
Looks
Face it, you want a guitar that not only sounds great, but looks good too. The shape of an electric guitar doesn’t impact the sound as much as the body style, so choose a shape that appeals to you. Plus, most any pickup configuration can be found on any body style, so you will be able to find the look you want and the sound to go along with it. The possibilities are limitless. You can choose from the elegant, classic lines of a G&L Legacy or go for the more radical look of a Flaxwood Rautia. It’s all up to you!
G&L Legacy in Old School Sunburst
Go Custom!
If you want to be in complete control of the sound, feel, and look of your guitar, go the custom build route. You can select from many options to build your perfect guitar. Guitar Adoptions is proud to offer custom electric guitars by G&L, Michael Tuttle and Delilah Guitars. We’ll work with you to create your own masterpiece and have it built just for you!
Now you have what it takes to put the whole package together. Give Guitar Adoptions a call today. We would love to answer your questions and guide you towards your next dream guitar!
