Did solid electric guitar design peak in the 80s?

[CivoLee]

No, wait, I'm being serious about this for a second (yes I know this is The Backstage)

The 1950s to mid 1960s were the genesis years of pretty much every lasting solidbody electric guitar design still popular today in some form; 1952-1966 saw the Telecaster, Stratocaster, Jazzmaster, and Jaguar from Fender and the Les Paul, Flying V, Explorer, SG, and Firebird (in both "reverse" and "non-reverse" iterations) from Gibson

The 70s saw comparatively very few "new" designs...the Gibson L6S was pretty much just a flattened Les Paul and the Ibanez Artist and Yamaha S(B)G series were doublecut Pauls---pretty much the only lasting fresh designs from the 1970s were the Ibanez Iceman and Dean ML (and even then those didn't catch on until the 90s or so)...

But then in the 80s, Bernie Rico Sr. graced the electric guitar world with his many fierce-yet-oddly-graceful-in-a-way designs such as the Mockingbird, Eagle, and Warlock, many of which are still in production today...also, Jackson brought out the Randy Rhoads offset-V, and in terms of less overtly metal-type designs, Paul Reed Smith introduced the more timeless Custom 24

Since then, there's been...what?

Gibson Nighthawk? a different take on the Les Paul
Ibanez Talman? clearly Jazzmaster-influenced, and only in production for 5 years
ESP AX-series? modernized BC Rich Warlock, reduced to entry level now
Schecter Avenger? a hybrid of a PRS Custom and a Teisco Del Ray Spectrum 5

Did makers already create the shapes that have the best combination of ergonomic comfort and lasting aesthetic appeal? Is it even possible anymore to create a new shape that isn't just a modernized take on something from one of the aforementioned eras?

 

[dave b]

You forgot to mention this:

 

[teame1]

No

 

[Bobby Mahogany]

Didn't it peak in ... '59?
Maybe?

 

[Benjammin]

I agree there haven't been many Earth shattering innovations in the past 20 years, but I wouldn't exactly call the 80s the high-water mark

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

I agree there haven't been many Earth shattering innovations in the past 20 years, but I wouldn't exactly call the 80s the high-water mark

agreed,..but he has a point about the Rhoads 'V' and the Warlock. Still made and still popular with the metal crowd.

I'd almost say the Ibanez Jem,..but in essence it really is just a super-strat.

 

[Marshall & Moonshine]

They shoulda stopped after the SG. They had all they needed by then.

 

[StonedCrow]

I agree there haven't been many Earth shattering innovations in the past 20 years, but I wouldn't exactly call the 80s the high-water mark

I wouldn't necessarily call it the high water mark in terms of innovations either, however I'd maybe go so far as to call those years the most 'experimental' period in guitar building and design, perhaps even in use and execution as well.

 

[Benjammin]

agreed,..but he has a point about the Rhoads 'V' and the Warlock. Still made and still popular with the metal crowd.

I'd almost say the Ibanez Jem,..but in essence it really is just a super-strat.

the Floyd Rose was a mega advance, but then lead to whammy bar use falling out of favor ironically

 

[edro]

Could be that it back-burnered and amp innovation took over?

Then there is the sideline innovations in pickups, gears, tuners, stomps, etc...

 

[Pete M]

I agree there haven't been many Earth shattering innovations in the past 20 years, but I wouldn't exactly call the 80s the high-water mark

This. Plus the thirst for guitar innovation has waned. Hair Metal guitarists of the 80's wanted to be faster, flashier, wilder. These days tastes are more conservative. Innovation is a niche at best. Even the shredders are happy with pretty simple sometimes understated modern designs and most guitarists are happy to go with one of the classic designs, because they work. Those 80's things were built as stage guitars. I doubt most guitarists buy guitars these days based on how they will look on stage. Your basic block of wood with 2 humbuckers doesn't need to be all pointy. It doesn't add anything to the tone.

 

[THDNUT]

I would say so..

 

[Guitarhack]

I'd say the 50's. Fender (Tele and all of its iterations, stratocaster, jazzmaster, P Bass); Gibson (Les Paul, Les Paul Jr., 335, explorer, flying v); Rickenbacker (300 series; 4000 series basses); Gretsch (6120)

 

[SixAngryStrings]

I think ugly guitars peaked in the 80's..

But check these out, if you want to see some innovation. I'd really like a Buzzo model someday.

 

[DRF]

Devils advocate here for a moment. That's like saying cars peaked in the 50's. A car is a car is a car...a guitar is a guitar is a guitar.

4 wheels, doors, panels, seats, engine, gas etc. There's 3 wheel cars, Hybrids, electric, different shapes on and on but still a car.

An electric guitar is body, pickups, strings (except that midi abomination) and frets. There have been many advancements around it.

Perhaps not a good comparison of products as the car is everything. The guitar is dwindling sector market driven by capturing the past. where was I going with this...maybe it did peak and that's why guitar is where it's at now.

 

[DRF]

Man, that was a bunch of nonsense.

But it took so long to think about an write I don't want to delete it.

 

[Heisenberg]

For me, the original designs (Les Paul, SG, Strat, Tele etc.) are still the best. As far as "futuristic" styling goes, I still prefer the original Explorer and V designs over the newer iterations. IMO it peaked long before the '80s.

That said, my two favorite "innovations" of the '80s would have to be the Ibanez RG and PRS Custom.

As far as modern advancements, I'd have to say that I like ESP/LTD and Schecter's offerings the best...and not just because I'm a metalhead. Also, a nod to Chapman guitars for letting the public collaborate on design/features.

 

[Nard]

For me the Les Paul, Strat and Tele were aestheticly as good as guitars could be backed up with great tone. The only other guitar that came close was the Explorer.

 

[50WPLEXI]

It peaked way before that in my opinion. Just look at the guitars most of us are chasing down. That should tell you something. Don't get me wrong there are some nice guitars being made now, but usually by one off builders.

 

[OldBenKenobi]

The 80s weren't the peak, but they were definitely the last time anyone really played with guitar designs on a wide scale.

Once the 90s hit it became more about celebrating past designs than creating new ones.