A Box and a Bunch of Strings - Guitars! Quiz

Answer: Electric Spanish

During the 1930s, many guitar players were demanding more volume from their instruments to allow them to cut through the sound being produced by the big bands of the time. The first manufacturer to release what we now refer to as an 'electro-acoustic' was Rickenbacker who brought their Electric Spanish model to the market in around 1932.

The concept took off slowly and few were sold, at least until Gibson entered the market with their first Electric Spanish, the ES150, in the mid-1930s.

Answer: The Dragon

The Dragon model has appeared in several guises over the years, distinguishable through the body colour, a commonly used ploy by many producers, but mostly through the design of the dragon fret marker inlaid along the length of the fret board. These inlays are stunning pieces of work, featuring a range of materials which include gold, mother-of-pearl, abalone, precious and semi-precious stones and exotic woods.

The Dragon is only produced as a limited production run and, consequently, they demand very high prices and become instantly collectible.

Answer: Flamenco

Flamenco is the name usually used to describe any of the playing styles that call Spain their home. Flamenco, more accurately, is the name that should be applied to the gypsy folk music from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. The terms 'Cante', 'Baile' and 'Toque' mean 'Song', 'Dance' and 'Guitar Playing' respectively. Flamenco requires a light instrument, with a low action for fast, fluid playing technique and most flamenco guitars feature a tap plate, or 'golpeador', glued to the guitars top between the sound hole and the bridge to protect the wood from any damage that may occur through this highly energetic and percussive playing style.

Answer: Radio repairman

Leo Fender, or more accurately, Clarence Leo Fender was born in 1909 and hailed from Anaheim in California. As a youngster he had an interest in radio which developed into an interest in electronic amplification. Fender built his first solid bodied guitar in either 1943 or 1944 and this instrument was very popular with any musicians that he hired it to. During the 1940's, and in partnership with 'Doc' Kauffman, a former designer from Rickenbacker, he founded the K&F Company which produced electric lap steel guitars and amplifiers.

In 1946 Leo Fender founded the Fender Electric Instrument Company and the world of guitar music has never looked back. Leo Fender was taken ill and his company was sold to CBS in 1965, although Leo later re-joined his company after making a recovery.

Instruments prior to this event, known as 'Pre-CBS' are highly desirable, very collectible and command eye-watering prices when they come up for sale! Leo Fender later made instruments for both the Music Man and G&L companies before passing away in March 1991.

Answer: C F Martin

Christian Frederick Martin was a German born guitar maker and established his factory in New York in 1833. C F Martin utilise a simplistic model numbering system whereby each instrument is given a body style letter and a finish number, for example a Martin D-18 signifies an instrument with a 'Dreadnought' body style with a mid-range decorative finish. Jean L'Arivee is a Canadian producer who is noted for the decorative inlays on the necks and headstocks of his finely constructed guitars. Takamine are a quality Japanese manufacturer and Stromberg were a Boston based maker of very high quality custom guitars during the middle of the 20th Century.

Answer: Django Reinhardt

The guitar used by Django Reinhardt, the Selmer Maccaferri, is visually identifiable through its 'D' shaped sound hole. These guitars also utilise a sound chamber within the body of the guitar which gave these instruments a very distinctive tone. They were only produced in very small numbers and are very rare and desirable guitars.

As a young child, Django Reinhardt was injured by a fire and suffered serious injuries to one of his hands. He overcame this disability to become one of the greatest and most highly respected players of the jazz age.

Answer: Paul Reed Smith (PRS)

The mother-of-pearl inlays in the fingerboard of PRS guitars have become very distinctive of the brand over the years and represent a number of different birds. This manufacturer also uses the basic dot marker style of fret markers although these usually appear on models at the lower end of the range. Jackson are known for their 'shark fin' style of inlays, whereas Gretsch have used both block inlays and the more unusual 'thumbnail' style markers running along the upper edge of their fingerboards.

Answer: Yamaha SG

The Yamaha SG series first appeared in Europe during the 1970s and became very popular almost instantly due to the quality of their construction and fittings. It was this guitar that, more than any other, forced the US and European builders to raise their game and was the instrument that put some of them out of business.

Although bearing a resemblance to the Gibson SG (It is easy to see where Yamaha took the name) the Yamaha's were considerably heavier and more substantially built which gave them a tone and sustain all of their own.

Answer: Bass guitars

US builders Alembic were the first bass guitar builders to introduce active electronics, exotic woods and carbon fibre into their instruments. Alembic have built specialist instruments for many great bass players since the 1970s with John Entwhistle of British rockers, The Who, being one of the most high profile users. British makers Wal have been relaunched in recent years following the death of founder, Ian Waller, in 1988. High profile users of Wal basses include Geddy Lee of 'Rush' and J. J. Burnel of 'The Stranglers'. Pedulla and Zon, both high-end US makers produce distinctive and beautifully made basses.

Answer: Toughened silicone strings

Ashbory basses are unusual and highly distinctive instruments. They are tiny in comparison with a 'standard' bass guitar having only an 18-inch scale length. Although Ashbory were initially a British brand, they are currently in production under the Fender brand.

The unique use of silicone strings and a piezo-electric pickup produces a rich sound reminiscent of the sound produced by a traditional double-bass.