Expert Article

How Rock Got Its Roll

The Guitars and Brands that Shaped Modern Music

By Arthur Hanlon

Introduction

Eric Clapton and Lil Nas X have about as much in common as an apple and a piece of toast. However, neither artist would exist without the creation of just one instrument that changed the way music was recorded and performed. Despite its reputation as an instrument of rock, the electric guitar triggered a musical revolution that permeated every genre and paved the way for today’s music landscape. It gave artists access to an enormous range of sounds that for the first time allowed them to put their personal spin on the instrument. The invention began to take shape around the 1940s, and was inspired by a purely egotistical idea: guitarists wanted their instruments to be louder so that more people could hear them play. This quest for decibels locked the major guitar brands in a decades-long battle to see whose product would dominate the future of rock n’ roll. And while they haven’t all thrived into modern day, each guitar discussed in this article carries a unique sound that influenced music for years to come.  

Fender

It seems odd that arguably the most influential person in the history of modern music was unable to play a single note. Leo Fender was an Anaheim-born engineer who, throughout the 1930s and 40s, created a business building powerful amplifiers for the quiet electric guitars of the time. Although he lacked any musical talent, Leo had a gift with electronics that allowed him to spot the best ways to improve the tonal quality of a piece of equipment. And as the 1950s neared, he turned his attention towards the solid body electric guitars that now held promise of a revolution. Until that point, guitarists had been restricted in the volume of their performances, as the only electric guitars available were simply retooled acoustic instruments with hollow bodies. These produced a soft tone and screamed out feedback if the amplifier was turned too loud (Rock 2019). A few scattered inventors had been creating solid body prototypes that solved this problem, but Leo was the first to tackle it on a widespread and commercial scale. 

Gibson ES-150, an early hollow-body electric guitar from 1935

Fender released the Telecaster to the public in 1951, the world’s first widely commercial solid body guitar. Unlike any other instrument released thus far, its distinctly bright sound devoid of feedback came from “two pickups, one at the bridge and one closer to the neck that produced a thin, trebly twang” (Calore 2009). This release marked the first time that every guitarist could create the sound of modern rock n’ roll with no limitations in volume. But it was 1954’s Fender Stratocaster, the next level of the Tele, that truly brought on the age of modern music. It was the most comfortable and iconic-looking guitar to hit the market, with an upgraded style that left its stamp in every recording where it appeared. Its multiple pickups allowed musicians to switch between a variety of different tones, giving them the chance to experiment with exciting new types of sound. As the favorite guitar of rock legends like Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, new bands like Arctic Monkeys, and even stars in other genres from Daft Punk to Jay-Z, the Strat has left its mark as one of the most versatile and widely used instruments in music. 

                       

Ed Sheeran and Jimi Hendrix jamming on their Stratocasters

Les Paul

The Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952 had been a leading name in acoustic guitar sales since the turn of the 20th century. But with Fender’s new Telecaster sweeping the nation, they recognized the imminent danger of being left behind by the solid body trend. Enter Lester Polsfuss, aka Les Paul. Paul had been known as one of the world’s most innovative and talented guitarists since the 1930s, and had actually approached Gibson years earlier with a concept for a solid body electric guitar, only to be rejected. In 1952, the company made a deal for him to provide his name to the Gibson Les Paul, the most expensive and highest quality solid body guitar on the market that was meant to reflect his level of skill. An early advertisement for the instrument, for example, promised that “The famed ‘Les Paul tones’ can now become a reality for all guitar players” (Bacon 2019). It produced a rich, warm sound reminiscent of the hollow body electrics, but with the capability of a deep power well-suited for rock n’ roll. 

Les Paul and his signature instrument

Despite being the instrument of choice for a number of American blues icons from Muddy Waters to B.B. King, sales were so poor that the company actually stopped production of Les Pauls in 1961. It took until the mid 1960s for newcomers like Eric Clapton and Keith Richards to turn to those classic guitarists for inspiration, persuading them to pick up the instrument and bring it to the forefront of British rock (Port 2019). Their rambunctious playing styles captured the eye of a new generation of musicians, proving to be the spark that the Les Paul needed to gain momentum in the marketplace. It has since established its legacy as one of the most prevalent instruments in music history. From Led Zeppelin to Green Day, Guns n’ Roses to KISS, and Frank Zappa to Bob Marley, there is no shortage of artists whose powerful sounds stem from the iconic Gibson Les Paul. 

                         

Some iconic Les Paul moments

Conclusion

These two guitar brands were by no means the only ones that shaped modern music. Rickenbacker, for example, whose founder was a former partner of Leo Fender, famously pulled off one of the industry’s biggest coups in 1963 by becoming the favorite guitar of a hot new band, The Beatles. The company worked closely with the band members to make sure their instrumental needs were met, helping shape the sound of iconic songs like A Hard Day’s Night. So starting with the now-famous Ed Sullivan Show performance, Rickenbackers instantly became synonymous with the image of John Lennon and The Beatles, and solidified the brand in the legacy of rock n’ roll. 

But despite anomalies like this, Gibson’s Les Paul and Fender’s Strat and Telecasters remain as some of the most widely used and influential guitars in production. In the decades since their release, the companies have fought bitterly to try and get their instruments in the hands of as many popular musicians as possible. While neither brand has been able to hold a significant market share, their competition has led to some of the most memorable styles of music that would have been previously considered inconceivable. They gave musicians the platform and volume needed to experiment with an unprecedented type of sound, allowing them to imbue it with new musical spirit and shape the sound into their own. Even as technology continues to digitize the production of music, these instruments will remain as the working tools and best friends of performers who want to showcase their vision to the world. 

Works Cited

Bacon, Tony. “An Oral History of the Les Paul.” Guitar.com | All Things Guitar, 22 Mar. 2019, guitar.com/guides/essential-guide/the-oral-history-of-the-les-paul/.

Calore, Michael. “Aug. 10, 1909: Leo Fender and the Heart of Rock 'n' Roll.” Wired, Conde Nast, 4 June 2017, www.wired.com/2009/08/dayintech-0810/.

Port, Ian S. The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry That Shaped Rock 'n' Roll. Scribner, 2019.

Rock, Mike. “The World's First Solid Body Electric Guitar.” Sam Ash Spotlight, 13 June 2019, www.samash.com/spotlight/the-worlds-first-solid-body-electric-guitar/.