Guitar

Derived from ancient string instruments such as the Oud, dating back in pictorial history as far as 5000 years ago. The Oud was the predecesor to the western Lute, which was the predecessor to the Classical guitar which came into popularity during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Further ancestry can be linked to the Sitar and instruments related to the Zither family with actual instruments found in tombs dating back to approx. 500BC. In Modern versions, the first electric pickup was designed by George D. Beauchamp, a Hawaiian style guitarist in the 1920's. In 1929 he filed patent for the Dobro and in 1934, the first electric lap steel guitar became known as the Rickenbacker 'frying pan'. In 1936 he filed patent for the first electric called the 'Spanish Electro guitar'. In the late 40's Leo Fender sought to design an electric guitar that would be the 'volkswagon' of the guitar industry, the Esquire, which became Broadcaster and then quickly changed to the Telecaster due to possible name copyright infringement with Gretschs' 'Broadkaster'. By 1950, the first production solidbody electric guitars were in full swing from the Fender factory. The electric guitar was on its way into making history.