Gibson’s First Electric Guitar

The first patent for the electric guitar was awarded to Guy Hart the general manager of the Gibson company in July 13, 1937 as the world was at war. This little instrument went on to play a significant role on shaping the 20th century for millions. The design was based on popular Hawaiian guitars of the time with an amalgamation of the “Spanish style” guitar.

In the early days these guitars were nicknamed “frying pans” because their shape looked like giant pans because of their circular bodies and long necks.

I have designed the body of the instrument with a relatively thick wall of hard wood … which is substantially lacking in the quality of resonance. Aside from the sounds emanating from the amplifier designed to be employed in connection with my device, the only audible effect produced is that of vibrating strings themselves unamplified by a sounding box effect of the body of the instrument.