In the 1920s, guitarists like Eddie Lang transitioned the
acoustic guitar from a primarily solo instrument to use in
big bands. However, in a big band, the guitar was outplayed by the horn section and drums, and the need for amplification became apparent quickly. The first person to create the modern electric pickup for the acoustic guitar was
Lloyd Loar, with his company
Vivi-tone. In the early 1930s, Loar split from
Gibson and founded Vivitone, where he created an early electric pickup for the acoustic guitar. Electronics were mounted in a removable drawer that slid out of the bass rim of the guitar. The first commercially available electric pickup however were
Harry DeArmond's FHC pickups, released in the 1930s. They were widely adopted because they did not require any modification of the guitar. Notable 1970s companies include
Ovation and
Takamine. During their
MTV Unplugged performance,
Nirvana frontman
Kurt Cobain notably used an acoustic-electric guitar in order to calm his nerves on being on a show known for its use of acoustic instruments, allowing for him to run his guitar through his
pedal board and
amp for a more familiar sound. ==See also==