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The two camps guitarists fell into in the 1960s, according to Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren has reflected on how guitarists in the 1960s tended to split into two distinct camps, shaped by the instrument they favoured and the influence of the era's leading players. Speaking about his musical coming-of-age, Rundgren, who was 18 when The Beatles' *Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band* was released, described a period of remarkable freedom and experimentation in popular music, with radio stations happily mixing genres and artists constantly reinventing their sound.
Rundgren explained that one camp, which included Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck and which he identified with himself, grew out of the Yardbirds and typically played Gibson guitars like the Les Paul, favouring precision over improvisation. The other camp centred on Jimi Hendrix, who played a Stratocaster and made full use of its tremolo arm, giving him a looser, more spontaneous style. Rundgren said he admired both approaches, later paying tribute to the era's diverse guitar playing on his 1976 covers album *Faithful*.
In short
- Todd Rundgren says 1960s guitarists split into two stylistic camps
- One camp (Clapton, Beck, Rundgren) favoured precise Gibson-based playing
- The other, led by Hendrix, embraced free-flowing Stratocaster improvisation
Explained simply
In the 1960s, British and American rock musicians were experimenting with new sounds as pop music spread through radio and albums. The Yardbirds, a British band, helped bring electric guitar playing to the centre of rock, and several influential guitarists passed through its line-up.
Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck became known for a controlled, precise style and often played Gibson guitars such as the Les Paul. Jimi Hendrix, an American guitarist, was associated with the Fender Stratocaster and used its tremolo arm, which changes the pitch of notes, as part of a more free-flowing sound.
These players helped shape different ideas about what a rock guitarist could do, while musicians of the time often crossed musical boundaries. Todd Rundgren was among those influenced by the era’s variety, later recording covers of songs from it on his album Faithful.