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In 1909, Bakelite changed the modern world. Its resistance to heat and its decorative potential made it useful in the design of myriad objects—including guitars. Considered the first solid-body electric guitar, the Rickenbacher Electro Spanish Model B is actually semi-solid, with tiny hollow pockets to eliminate the excess weight that came with using Bakelite. Despite its heft, it was preferable to metal—being less sensitive to temperature change and maintaining more accurate tone quality.
Photo courtesy of EMP staff.
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EMP has a whopping 236 guitars in its permanent collection—over 50 of which are on display in Guitar Gallery: The Quest for Volume.
Photo courtesy of EMP staff.
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National resonator guitars used very thin, aluminum speaker cones to mechanically amplify the sound of the instrument. The Hawaiian square-neck model (pictured) featured three cones (tricone) for amplification. Mechanical amplification, invented in the 1920s by John Dopyera and George Beauchamp, made for the loudest guitars around at that time.
Pictured: 1927 National Style 2 resonator guitar (known in its heyday as the "Wild Rose" or "Wild Irish Rose”), with woven grill and hand-engraved rose design.
Photo courtesy of EMP staff.
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Designed by Gibson Guitar President, Ted McCarty in collaboration with renowned jazz guitarist Les Paul (b. Lester William Polsfuss), the Gibson Les Paul is one of the most popular electric guitars ever produced. Goldtops, of mahogany and maple construction, were produced from 1952–1958. Both Les Paul and Gibson benefited: Les Paul’s fame as a guitarist helped sell the guitar for Gibson, and in return Gibson shared a portion of all Goldtops sold.
Pictured: 1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop.
Photo courtesy of EMP staff.