Beatrice Lang
The electric guitar has become synonymous with rock and roll and is an enduring symbol of innovation and creativity in music. The 1930s heralded a transformative moment in the evolution of musical instruments, with the first electric guitars making their debut during this era. So, did they have electric guitars in 1937?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electric guitars existed in 1937 | Yes |
| First electric guitar patent | Awarded to the Electro String Corporation on August 10, 1937 |
| First electric guitar patent recipient | George Beauchamp, musician-turned-inventor |
| First electric guitar model | "Frying Pan" |
| First electric guitar company | Rickenbacker |
| First electric guitar pickup patent | Awarded to Guy Hart of the Gibson Guitar Company on July 13, 1937 |
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What You'll Learn
Electric guitars existed in 1937
Electric guitars did exist in 1937, with notable models such as the Rickenbacker "Frying Pan" and the Gibson ES-150 introduced in that decade. The electric guitar was a response to the need for a louder and more powerful instrument as musical performances in the 19th century were characterised by ever-larger concert settings and ensembles. The quest for volume began with various tinkerers and musicians experimenting with attaching telephone transmitters to banjos and violins, hoping to amplify the sound electronically. These were crude efforts but they paved the way for the electric guitar.
The first electrically amplified stringed instrument to be marketed commercially was a cast aluminium lap steel guitar nicknamed the "Frying Pan", designed in 1931 by George Beauchamp, the general manager of the National Stringed Instrument Corporation, with Paul Barth, who was vice president. Beauchamp, along with Adolph Rickenbacker, invented the electromagnetic pickups. Coils that were wrapped around a magnet would create an electromagnetic field that converted the vibrations of the guitar strings into electrical signals, which could then be amplified. Commercial production began in late summer 1932 by the Ro-Pat-In Corporation (Electro-Patent-Instrument Company), in Los Angeles, a partnership of Beauchamp, Adolph Rickenbacker, and Paul Barth.
In 1934, the company was renamed the Rickenbacker Electro Stringed Instrument Company. In that same year, Beauchamp applied for a United States patent for an Electrical Stringed Musical Instrument. However, it was delayed by several areas of concern, including the electric guitar's reliance on 19th-century engineering innovations. Beauchamp's patent application had to be revised multiple times to clarify which of his individual claims were truly novel.
On 13 July 1937, Guy Hart, general manager of the Gibson guitar company, was awarded the first patent for an electric guitar pickup. The patent was for his design of a guitar that makes noise only when it's plugged in. Beauchamp's patent was eventually awarded on 10 August 1937.
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The first electric guitar patent was awarded in 1937
The electric guitar has become an enduring symbol of innovation and creativity in music. The quest for a louder and more powerful sound has been a long-standing one, with musicians experimenting with amplification techniques as early as the late 1920s. The first electrically amplified stringed instrument to be marketed commercially was the "Frying Pan", designed in 1931 by George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker.
However, it was in the early 1930s that these experiments bore fruit. On August 10, 1937, the first-ever electric guitar patent was awarded to the Electro String Corporation. The patent was granted to George Beauchamp, a musician-turned-inventor, for his design of an electrified instrument known as the Rickenbacker "Frying Pan". This invention revolutionized music, making the rise of rock and roll possible and transforming the place of the guitar in popular music.
The Rickenbacker "Frying Pan" was a versatile, inexpensive, and relatively easy-to-play instrument. It effectively set the stage for all future electric guitars and sparked a cultural revolution. The electric guitar became synonymous with rock and roll and served as a vehicle for social change, giving a powerful voice to the voiceless and becoming an emblem of youth rebellion.
It is worth noting that while the Rickenbacker "Frying Pan" was the first to be patented, it was not the first electric guitar to be marketed. The Gibson guitar company's general manager, Guy Hart, developed an electric guitar with a superior pickup design that was awarded a patent on July 13, 1937. This guitar, known as the Gibson ES-150, was the first to be widely adopted by musicians and gained popularity among serious players.
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The electric guitar was a response to the need for louder volume
The electric guitar was invented in response to the need for louder volume. The quest for volume began in the 1920s, with musicians experimenting with attaching telephone transmitters to banjos and violins to amplify their sound. These early experiments were a response to the growing size of concert audiences and the need for louder instruments to fill larger venues.
The first electrically amplified stringed instrument to be marketed commercially was the "
In 1937, Guy Hart, the general manager of the Gibson guitar company, was awarded the first patent for an electric guitar pickup. The Gibson electric guitar was not the first to market, but its pickup design was superior to competing models, and it helped popularize the electric guitar. The electric guitar gained prominence in the 1930s, finding its way into the hands of musicians eager to explore its potential.
The development of the electric guitar revolutionized music, allowing musicians to explore new genres and sounds. It became a cornerstone of modern music, particularly in jazz, blues, country, and rock and roll. The electric guitar's ability to be plugged in and amplified made it versatile and accessible to a broad range of musical genres. It also enabled guitarists to create new sounds and textures, such as distortion and feedback, further expanding the possibilities of the instrument.
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The first electric guitar was the Rickenbacker Frying Pan
The Rickenbacker Frying Pan was the first commercially successful electric guitar. It was also the first solid-body guitar, with a body and neck made of cast aluminium. The instrument gained its nickname from its circular body and long neck, which made it resemble a frying pan. The Rickenbacker Frying Pan was designed to capitalise on the popularity of Hawaiian music in the 1930s, which featured the guitar as the main melodic instrument. However, the volume of acoustic guitars was insufficient for large audiences.
Beauchamp, an enthusiast and player of Hawaiian music, mounted a magnetic pickup on his acoustic resonator steel guitar to produce an electrical signal that could be electronically amplified to drive a loudspeaker, producing a much louder sound. The pickup, designed by Barth, incorporated a pair of horseshoe magnets that arched over the strings. The Rickenbacker Frying Pan also featured a 1/12-inch horseshoe electromagnetic pickup. The entire instrument was made of cast aluminium with a gold enamel finish.
Beauchamp and machinist Adolph Rickenbacker, who owned the machine company that manufactured the aluminium resonators and brass bodies for National Instruments, began selling the Rickenbacker Frying Pan in 1932. However, Beauchamp did not receive a patent for his invention until 1937, which allowed other guitar companies to produce electric guitars during that period. On August 10, 1937, Beauchamp was awarded Patent #2,089.171 by the United States Patent Office.
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The electric guitar revolutionised music
The electric guitar has indeed revolutionised music. The journey of the electric guitar began in the 19th century, with its roots in acoustic guitars, which had limited volume and sound projection. The first electrically amplified stringed instrument to be marketed commercially was designed in 1931 by George Beauchamp, the "Frying Pan". The patent for the electric guitar was awarded to Beauchamp in 1937, and this invention transformed the guitar and its place in popular music.
The electric guitar's ability to produce a distinct, amplified sound allowed it to stand out in jazz ensembles, paving the way for its prominence in early rock music. The development of solid-body electric guitars, pioneered by Les Paul and Leo Fender, significantly reduced feedback, allowing for a cleaner and more powerful sound. The combination of solid-body construction and advanced electromagnetic pickups laid the foundation for the modern electric guitar, revolutionising the instrument's role in popular music.
The electric guitar became the most important instrument in popular music during the 1950s and 1960s. It has evolved into an instrument capable of a wide range of sounds and styles in various genres, including pop, rock, folk, country music, blues, and jazz. The electric guitar's design and construction vary greatly in the shape of the body and the configuration of the neck, bridge, and pickups.
The electric guitar's ability to be electronically altered to achieve different timbres or tonal qualities has further enhanced its versatility. This is often done through the use of effects such as reverb, distortion, and "overdrive". The electric guitar's sound was characterised by its raw energy and versatility in early rock and roll. The electric guitar played a pivotal role in shaping the sounds of jazz music and early rock and roll, with jazz greats like Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery using the electric guitar to explore new sonic territories.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, electric guitars were available in 1937. The first electric guitar patent was awarded to the Electro String Corporation on 10 August 1937. The patent was for an electrified instrument known as the Rickenbacker Frying Pan.
The electric guitar was invented by George Beauchamp, a musician-turned-inventor, in collaboration with Adolph Rickenbacker.
The Rickenbacker Frying Pan was the first fully functioning electric guitar. It was also the first electric guitar to gain a patent.
The electric guitar revolutionised music. It transformed the guitar's place in popular music and, eventually, popular music itself. It was a response to the need for louder instruments as bands and audiences grew in size.
