Types of Cheap Electric Single Cutaways
Electric guitar construction opened the way for guitar design, as the body no longer served as the main sound source of the instrument. Cutaways, allowing for easy access to upper frets, are difficult to build on acoustic guitars due to the bending of side pieces. Solid body electric guitars don't have those limits, so single-cutaway design proliferates.
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Telecaster
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The first production model single-cutaway guitar was Fender's Telecaster. The guitar itself was designed to be simple to manufacture in an assembly line fashion, rather than hand made like acoustic guitars. While designed for economy, the Telecaster inadvertently hit its design goals so well, it has been in continuous production since the early 1950s. Currently, the Squier line of Telecasters represents Fender's value line. The manufacture of these guitars are outsourced overseas with production oversight by Fender.
Les Paul
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The Les Paul from Gibson followed closely after the Telecaster. While the Tele had a flat top and an asymmetric design, the Les Paul featured an arched top and a rounder, symmetrical design, save for the single cutaway. Today, Epiphone represents Gibson's value-priced line, using similar strategies to Fender to control costs while presenting quality instruments. While each guitar style is available in a variety of configurations, Les Pauls are associated with humbucking pickups while Telecasters usually use single-coils.
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Danelectro
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Truly the first budget manufactured guitar, Danelectro instruments were also sold through Sears as Silvertone guitars. The materials and construction were chosen for economy, and due to the low cost, instruments were often treated poorly. However, largely thanks to surf music, the instruments carved a niche, and Danelectro guitars are still made today. The 56 model has a profile that approximates the Les Paul's single cutaway, though with a flat top.
Other Manufacturers
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Through the history of the electric guitar, other companies have made replicas of the more famous guitars. In some cases these were indistinguishable even a few feet away. In the 1970s and 1980s, the name manufacturers started enforcing their trademarks and copyrights, and the other builders were forced to create original designs or make alterations to replicas. Today, companies such as Jay Turser and Godin offer both semi-replica and original designs, and guitars built overseas with private-label names can be found in some music stores.
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References
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