The heart and soul of all classic rock music doesn't just lie with the words; it also lies with the electric guitar and the various sounds that it can produce. There are so many kids across the block who would give anything to play like Mark Knopfler, Steve Vai, Jimmy Page etc. These men are not just some of the best guitarists of their times, they are legends.



Now if you are interested in finding out how to play the guitar then the first thing you will need to do is select one. Normally people start with an acoustic guitar and graduate to the electric guitar. It is quite overwhelming for anyone to choose the appropriate guitar since there are 100's of brands out there on the market. If you're buying an electric guitar then you'll need to also pick up an amplifier, pick-ups, picks, a tuner, perhaps an effects unit etc.

Electric guitars can be purchased in a lot of shapes and designs with the aerodynamic designs being one of the hottest. Don't go for the 1st guitar you see. You need to spend a fair amount of time looking around and check out the wide range of prices and models before you actually buy one. In fact, one of the best ways to choose a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here's my take on the four important styles:

Stratocaster

This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was used all the time by Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Strato is from Fender and has a neck that is fastened to the guitar's body. Apart from this, it has double cutaway sides, 22 frets accompanied by a wammy bar and three single-coil pickups. Fender designed the first Stratocaster in the early 50's. A few of the popular designs are:

* Fender Deluxe Strat: Approx $400

* Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar: Approx $1100

* Fender Standard Strat Electric Guitar: Approx $400

* Fender Standard Stratocaster Electric: Approx $550

* Stratocaster Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1800

Telecaster (Also known as the 'Tele')

The Telecaster is another phenomenal instrument from Fenders. It is more than just another axe; it is a complete orchestra. It is a solid body electric and comprises of 2 pick-ups. The first Telecaster was produced by Leo Fender in the 40's and has a mono cutaway body. It doesn't have the tremolo bar but has two different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include:

* Fender American Tele HS guitar: $900-$1150

* Standard Telecaster Electric Guitar: $350-$500

* Fender 63 Telecaster Relic Solid Body Electric: $2650-$3300

* 72 Telecaster Custom Guitar: $750-$800

Gibson

Gibson is one of the powerhouse brands in all of guitar and all their models are absolute classics and can't be compared to others. Gibson was actually started in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been accountable for providing us some of the best guitars. A couple of the famous models include the arch-top L5 model and the Explorer etc. Some of the well known shredders who have played a Gibson include Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Frank Zappa to name just a couple. Some of the most popular Gibson models include:

* Gibson Flying V Guitar: $500-$600

* SG 61 Classic Electric Guitar: $1500-$1600

* Gibson Faded SG Special Electric: $550-$600

* Explorer Pro Electric Guitar: $1100-$1200

Les Paul

This extraordinary electric guitar was designed by Gibson for some of the rock stars of the day. The salient feature of a Les Paul guitar is its set neck construction, which means there are no bolts. The body is a single cutaway. It is equipped with two pickups as well as a raised scratch-plate. If you want to play distorted sound then the Les Paul will provide you with a varied range. Some of the legends who use the Les Pauls include Kirk Hammett (Metallica) and Carlos Santana. Some of the renowned Les Paul models include:

* Les Paul Custom: $3050-$3500

* 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric: $5550-$6050

* Les Paul Vintage Mahogany Electric Guitar: $750-$800

* Les Paul Classic Guitar: $1850-$1950

These are the most well known brands of electric guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include the shape of the fretboard, the sound of the pick-ups, and the body shape. Full-bodied guitars are normally preferred as they can produce some of the best noises that you will ever get to hear.