The electric guitar works by magnetically capturing the vibration of guitar strings and transforming it into a signal that can be amplified. Originally invented in the 1930s, the electric guitar has become a staple in a wide array of musical genres, most notably rock and roll, punk, metal, jazz, pop, and country.

Since its inception, the electric guitar has been modified and refined into innumerable styles, shapes, and sounds. If you’re looking to buy an electric guitar, it’s important to learn about some of these styles so that you can find the instrument that fits you best. Most electric guitars are solidbody guitars, but some are hollow or semi-hollow, designs that create a warm, resonant sound that more closely resembles an acoustic guitar. Other electric guitars have been built with unusual string combinations (7- and 8-string configurations are popular in metal and jazz) or even with more than one neck.

One of the most important aspects of finding the right electric guitar for you is deciding a tone that you like. Each guitar sounds a little bit different and guitar manufacturers typically create unique guitars that sound similar to other guitars of that brand. An electric guitar’s tone is usually determined mostly by its pickups, the magnets on the body of the guitar that capture string vibration and transmit it to the amplifier. Single coil pickups consist of one line of magnets wound repeatedly with wire, while humbucker pickups add a matching set of magnets and wire for a thicker, meatier tone. When you go to buy an electric guitar, try several with each type of pickup to decide which one creates the sound you like best.

At Taylor, we make a selection of electric guitars to complement our acoustic line. These are the T3, T5, and T5z models, each of which has its own distinct body shape, feel, and sound. However, these guitars are unique to the Taylor; we’ve infused the best qualities of our acoustic guitars into electric guitar bodies to create a hybrid instrument that’s capable of producing acoustic tone while delivering top-notch electric sound.