The American Spectator

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Sure, Les Paul’s invention of the electric guitar has led to a ton of dreadful noise. On the other hand, some music which came of it, such as B. B. King’s lovely playing [early, especially], would never have been quite the same without it. There are blue things that a talented player can do with a properly strung electric stick (yes, and with the right amp, speakers, settings, etc.), that he can’t do with any standard acoustic guitar.

p>And, sure, most of us can still agree that life would be “better” without it — but only if you accept that life would be better without a whole slew of modern inventions. How about the internal combustion engine? No, wait, how about the whole #@*&% industrial revolution? br> — Jeffrey S. Erickson br> Davidson, North Carolina /p> p> Yikes! Was this written in 1955? Electric guitars are not really guitars, those who play them can’t really play, and the music made with them has no melody. How old are you Reid? 105? br> — John Kelly br> Salem, Oregon /p>

Granted, Les Paul was a fabulous musician and inventor, and granted, Paul can lay claim to being the “inventor” of the solid-body electric guitar, though Leo Fender has a claim to make there, too. That’s no excuse for ignorant writing about the electric guitar, notably, “the sound is all electronic and has little or nothing to do with the skill of the player.”

Can’t tell the difference between Grant Green and Buddy Guy, Mr. Collins? Between Jim Hall and B.B. King? Between Barney Kessel and Chet Atkins? Please. The electric guitar is a distinct and fully honorable musical instrument, no more deserving of ignorant sniffs than any other. Tin-eared folkies whang away unmusically on acoustic guitars, too, you know.

p>N.B. “The Stick” is a 12-string electric instrument invented by Emmett Chapman in 1970. For good pictures of it, see