The Physics of the Electric Guitar and Amp

Jeremy Gustafson

Physics 211X Fall 2004 Web Project

A guitar is an instrument made out of wood or other wood like materials. Many things could affect the instrument's qualities, such as the types of lacquer used or what kind of strings are used.

The guitar amp is an instrument in itself just as a guitar, not all amps are created equally. An amplifier allows the guitarist to express his playing to the world. Some amplifiers are made using really simple vacuum tube circuits, and others are made from really complex solid state circuitry.

Not any two similar guitars will sound alike, just as how any two similar people are not exactly identical. Amps are very similar in context; no two similar amps will sound exactly alike.