Is the sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard really the greatest electric guitar ever made? This books aims to answer that question, even if so many players and collectors have already sounded a loud “Yes!” Famously played by Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, this fabulous instrument, known simply as the Burst, has become a legend.
Through a series of interviews with players, collectors, guitar-makers, dealers, and more, Sunburst unravels a myth and puts into sharp focus how 1,400 or so guitars produced at the end of the '50s became the most desirable electrics of all time.
This guitar – a solidbody electric with mahogany body, twin humbuckers, and a two-color sunburst maple top – was first made from 1958 to 1960. The book examines those originals, the various reissues over the years, and the latest efforts by Gibson to re-create the hallowed guitars made more than 50 years ago in its original factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Sunburst is the latest book in Tony Bacon's bestselling guitar series, with a thoroughly researched story partnered by a gallery of full-color pictures of great guitars, rare memorabilia, and famous Burst players – from Keith Richards to Joe Bonamassa and Jeff Beck to Billy Gibbons. Its reference section reveals production details and dating clues for this most enigmatic and revered instrument.
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| List | $29.99 |
| Price | $26.99 (Save: $3.00) |
To mark the 60th anniversary of Fender, Backbeat's introduced a new, completely revised third edition of this bestseller. Fender guitars have long been the instruments of choice for artists such as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This book tells the complete story of Fender guitars, detailing classics such as the Telecaster, Stratocaster & Jazzmaster as well as lesser-known models. Dozens of photos reveal Fender's storied craftsmanship, while the text includes collector details for all models. The reference section lists all models and their statistics. This new edition has been refreshed and updated, with 56 extra pages and over 60 new photographs. The main text has added material and has been brought up to date to cover Fender's ever-changing history amid the fascinating developments for the company and its instruments during the eight years since the previous edition.
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| List | $24.95 |
| Price | $22.46 (Save: $2.49) |
The Guitar Amp Handbook: Understanding Tube Amplifiers and Getting Great Sounds, Updated Edition brings fresh information to the table to help guitarists understand everything about what makes their amps tick and how to use them to sound better than ever. It builds on the popular original edition of the book, first published in 2005.
Central to the book's success is the way it walks musicians through the significance of each crucial circuit stage and component of a great number of classic and modern tube amp designs, helping guitarists get the most from the amps they already own or choose new amps that are best suited to their needs.
The Guitar Amp Handbook reveals many of the tips and tricks used by today's top designers and builders, and it debunks the hype used by the marketing departments at large manufacturers keen on selling specific amps that might not be right for particular players. The book is designed to help guitarists understand what really goes on inside tube amps and where the tone comes from. This new updated and expanded edition adds further knowledge to the foundation, ensuring it continues as the most thorough and authoritative publication on the subject to be found anywhere.
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| List | $29.99 |
| Price | $26.99 (Save: $3.00) |
Finally back in print! The must-have book on Gibson's killer acoustic guitars, now updated.
From the 1920s to the present, Gibson and its flat-tops have been synonymous with American music. Whether the music you listen to is from the North or the South, the country or the city, it is likely that a Gibson guitar was involved in creating it. Through more than 200 photos and detailed text, this book chronicles the development and evolution of Gibson's fabulous flat-tops, showing why these guitars have been the choice of so many great musicians, professional and amateur alike, over the last 70 years.
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| Price | $26.99 (Save: $3.00) |
Introduced in 1922, the Gibson L5 is the precursor of the modern archtop guitar. It was the first archtop to feature f-holes, which allowed it to project through the horn-dominated bands of the day. Its strong, full, warm sound was an immediate and overwhelming success that turned the heads of makers, players and listeners alike. This book takes a look at its history and most famous players, from its creation, through the Norlin years, to its standing today as the world's most popular jazz guitar. With its stunning 16-page full-color photo section, this book is a must for every guitar enthusiast's collection! 8-1/2″ x 11″.
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| List | $29.95 |
| Price | $26.96 (Save: $2.99) |
In California in the early '50s, the Fender company introduced the world's first electric bass guitar. They couldn't have known known it then, but the Precision Bass would start a revolution in the sound of popular music. This book explains how that revolution happened and how its reverberations are still felt today.
The two-guitars-bass-and-drums lineup that would define pop music found its heart with the Fender bass. In the coming decades, the bass guitar provided the solid foundation upon which much modern music is still built. The Bass Book is the first to study its story, with the full lowdown of the most important bass players and bass makers. Brands featured in the book include Alembic, Danelectro, Epiphone, Fender, Fodera, Gibson, Hofner, Ibanez, Lakland, Line 6, Music Man, Peavey, Rickenbacker, Sadowsky, Spector, Squier, Steinberger, Wal, Warwick, and Yamaha.
Original interviews with makers of bass guitars from the past and present illuminate the book, with the popular establishment of the bass during the '60s and '70s examined in detail, along with more recent developments such as the popularity of the five-string bass. There is an exclusive interview with Paul McCartney and other bassists who feature in the story, including Stanley Clarke, Flea, James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, and Robert Trujillo.
Dozens of unusual, desirable, and rarely seen basses are presented in high-quality photos. A reference section provides a wealth of information on the key makers. The Bass Book has all you need to know about the story of the bass guitar in one stylish, readable volume, and this revised and refreshed third edition brings the story right up to date.
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| List | $29.99 |
| Price | $26.99 (Save: $3.00) |
Until the launch of the Flying V and Explorer in 1958, electric guitars were supposed to look like...guitars. Suddenly, Gibson turned conventional design upside down, almost literally, by using straight lines and angular body shapes, changing the way electrics could look and, in the process, creating a set of rare future collectables.
Flying V, Explorer, Firebird tells the story of those first peculiar instruments and goes on to describe Gibson's second attempt at nonstandard designs with the Firebird of the early '60s. The book shows how most of these were a commercial failure at first and goes on to detail the influence of the designs on guitar-makers such as Hamer, Jackson, Dean, Ibanez, and BC Rich, all of whom embraced Gibson's original weird-is-good design ethic. In parallel with the story of the makers is an absorbing account of the players who discovered these odd-shaped instruments, including Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society), Edge (U2), and Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick).
Interviews with players and makers illuminate the story of this fascinating assortment of electric guitar innovations, alongside specially commissioned images of every key model and brand and an enviable collection of guitar memorabilia, plus a gallery of leading guitarists photographed in action with their instruments. If it's weird and has strings, it's in Flying V, Explorer, Firebird.
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| List | $24.99 |
| Price | $22.49 (Save: $2.50) |
An essential manual for getting the best sounds from electric guitars, amplifiers, effect pedals and digital processors! This book with online audio features easy-to-follow instructions with more than 75 photos to teach the basics of guitar tone and effects. High quality recorded demos are included. Readers will learn: anatomy of the electric guitar; controlling the electric guitar; getting a good clean tone; overdrive, distortion and fuzz; using equalizers; compressors and limiters; noise reduction; modulation effects; reverb and delay; octavers and harmonizers; special effects; multi-effect processors; amp & effect modeling; getting a good tone through your PC; stylistic guitar tones; famous effects guitarists; and much more!
Audio is accessed online using the unique code inside the book and can be streamed or downloaded. The audio files include PLAYBACK+, a multi-functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys, and pan left or right.
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| List | $17.99 |
| Price | $16.19 (Save: $1.80) |
Gretsch electric guitars have a style all their own – a glitzy, wacky, retro charm that over the years has drawn players from all kinds of popular music, from timeless stars to unknown teens. The Beatles, Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, and Brian Setzer all made their mark with Gretsch, and new bands continually discover and fall in love with the Falcons, Gents, 6120s, Jets, and the rest.
The Gretsch Electric Guitar Book comes right up to the present, including Gretsch's alliance to the powerful Fender company, a move that has done wonders for the reliability and playability of the modern Gretsch axe. Every great model is here, but the book also tells the story of the lesser-known guitars and the projects that almost never happened. There are archival and fresh interviews with Gretsch personnel over the years and with many leading Gretsch players, including Chet Atkins, Billy Duffy, Duane Eddy, and Brian Setzer.
In the tradition of Tony Bacon's best-selling series of guitar books, his updated and revised story of Gretsch is three great volumes in one: a compendium of luscious pictures of the coolest guitars; a gripping story from early exploits to the most recent developments; and a detailed collector's guide to every production electric Gretsch model ever made.
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| List | $29.99 |
| Price | $26.99 (Save: $3.00) |
So you want to write songs, and you want to write them on guitar. This is the book that shows you exactly how. Taking tips and tricks from classic songwriters, from Bob Dylan to the Beatles to Tori Amos, How to Write Songs on Guitar takes you through the four main elements of a song – rhythm, melody, lyrics, and harmony – and inspires you to combine them in exciting new ways. Now with updated songs and tips on writing trends, it's packed with wisdom and practical advice culled from over 1,500 songs, How to Write Songs on Guitar 2nd edition will soon have you producing better, more memorable songs.
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| List | $26.95 |
| Price | $24.26 (Save: $2.69) |
The story of Epiphone, one of the oldest and most famous guitar companies, is told by former staff historian Walter Carter. It's an epic story spanning three centuries, from Old World roots in the 19th century to the golden age of American makers in the 20th century and onward into the global market of the new millennium. It's the story of America's business, from an individual luthier to a family business and on to corporate ownership. And it's the story of American popular music, powered by Epiphone guitars, from big-bodied Emperor that drove the swing bands of the 1930s, to the electric hollowbodies of the 1960s used by The Beatles and studio ace Howard Roberts, to custom solidbody models for such modern rockers as Noel Gallagher (Oasis), Jeff Waters (Annihilator), and Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance). Beautifully illustrated with photos of all the important Epiphone instruments and the extraordinary musicians who played them, this is a fascinating history of an iconic name in the world of the guitar.
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| List | $30.00 |
| Price | $27.00 (Save: $3.00) |
This book by the founding editor and former publisher of Bass Player magazine not only celebrates the 50-year history of Fender's revolutionary Precision Bass, it also – for the first time – illuminates the full scope of its profound impact on music and society. Focusing on the bass' artistic influence, it details the technical milestones that gave the bass its musical power. This book also describes the impact of the bass in the hands of such visionaries as James Jamerson; cheers the innovations of rockers like Jack Bruce, Paul McCartney, John Entwistle and Sting; and honors the inspired work of such virtuosos as Jaco Pastorius. Loaded with black & white and 100 stunning color photos.
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| List | $35.00 |
| Price | $31.50 (Save: $3.50) |
This book is an account of two brothers who were premier producers of stringed instruments in the early part of this century. Swedish immigrant cabinet makers Carl and August Larson made instruments under the brand names of Maurer, Prairie State, Euphonon, W.J. Dyer & Bro., Wm. C. Stahl, and under their own name, and their highly collectible creations are considered today to be some of the finest ever made. Lovingly researched and written by Robert Hartman, grandson of Carl Larson, The Larsons' Creations contains many beautiful color photos of these artful instruments, classic advertisements and catalogs, and a CD featuring guitarist Muriel Anderson playing 11 songs on 11 Larson instruments. Includes 16 pages of full-color photos!
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| List | $45.00 |
| Price | $40.50 (Save: $4.50) |
Back in the good old days, all of America was infatuated with the singing cowboys of movies and radio. This huge interest led to the production of “cowboy guitars.” These were guitars manufactured with western scenes painted right on the guitar, and were sold by stores such as Sears and Montgomery Wards. This fun, fact-filled book is an outstanding roundup of these wonderful instruments, starting with the Gene Autry model of 1932, through guitars made to capitalize on the popularity of the Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers, up through present-day makers. Includes hundreds of fantastic photos, a 32-page color section, and biographies of the artists behind the guitars, plus a chapter on leading custom guitar maker Greg Rich, showcasing some of the western guitars he has built. A must for every guitar collector!
Steve Evans is the world's foremost authority on and leading collector of cowboy guitars. He owns a music store in Jacksonville, AR.
A resident of Anaheim, CA, the affable Ron Middlebrook is the founder and owner of Centerstream Publishing. He is an avid instrument collector and husky musher.
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| List | $35.00 |
| Price | $31.50 (Save: $3.50) |
Follow in the fretprints of the most influential jazz guitar icons from the last 100 years with this detailed overview of the genre's key players. Written by acclaimed guitar aficionado Wolf Marshall, this exclusive anthology features biographies, gear surveys, guitar licks, historical and stylistic analyses, essential audio and video guides, rare photos, and much more. Featured icons include George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Charlie Christian, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Grant Green, Barney Kessel, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Les Paul, Django Reinhardt, Mike Stern, and other amazing players.
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| List | $19.99 |
| Price | $17.99 (Save: $2.00) |
Inventing the American Guitar is the first book to describe the early history of American guitar design in detail. It tells the story of how a European instrument was transformed into one with all of the design and construction features that define the iconic American flat-top guitar. This transformation happened within a mere 20 years, a remarkably brief period.
The person who dominates this history is C. F. Martin Sr., America's first major guitar maker and the founder of the Martin Guitar Company, which continues to produce outstanding flat-top guitars today. After emigrating from his native Saxony to New York in 1833, Martin quickly established a guitar making business, producing instruments modeled after those of his mentor, Johann Stauffer of Vienna. By the time he moved his family and business to rural Pennsylvania in 1839, Martin had absorbed and integrated the influence of Spanish guitars he had seen and heard in New York. In Pennsylvania, he evolved further, inventing a uniquely American guitar that was fully developed before the outbreak of the Civil War.
Inventing the American Guitar traces Martin's evolution as a craftsman and entrepreneur and explores the influences and experiments that led to his creation of the American guitar that is recognized and played around the world today.
To learn more about the history of the Martin guitar, click here to view the video and article from BBC, How Martin Guitars Became an 'American Stratavarius'.
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| List | $59.00 |
| Price | $53.10 (Save: $5.90) |
The Moderne is an electric guitar designed by Gibson in 1957 alongside the Flying V and Explorer as part of a stylistically advanced line. Sources claim that Gibson made a handful of prototypes, but an original has yet to surface. The Moderne was eventually put into production in 1982. Because of their very limited production and forward design, Modernes are highly sought by collectors. Here is the story, explained in interviews and photos, of this curious development associated with the golden era of guitar making.
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| List | $29.95 |
| Price | $26.96 (Save: $2.99) |
The At a Glance series pairs an instructional DVD lesson taught by a professional guitarist with a supplemental book for a comprehensive learning experience. Each book/DVD features several lessons pertaining to one topic, and the hi-def DVD lessons feature on-screen music. The lessons are loaded with valuable tips and information, and popular song examples help to demonstrate the concepts in action.
Bass Fretboard Theory features these lessons: Bass Fretboard Layout, Bass Interval Workout, Scale Construction, Scale Shapes and Groove Boxes for Bass. Songs include: Another One Bites the Dust • Barracuda • California Girls • Gimme Some Lovin' • I Heard It Through the Grapevine • Lady Madonna • Money • Sweet Emotion • Under Pressure • You Really Got Me • and many more!
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| List | $9.99 |
| Price | $8.99 (Save: $1.00) |
The term “steel guitar” can refer to instruments with multiple tunings, 6 to 14 strings, and even multiple fretboards. To add even more confusion, the term “Hawaiian guitar” refers to an instrument played flat on the lap with a steel bar outside of Hawaii, but in Hawaii, it is the early term for the slack key guitar. Lorene Ruymar clears up the confusion in her new book that takes a look at Hawaiian music; the origin of the steel guitar and its spread throughout the world; Hawaiian playing styles, techniques and tunings; and more. Includes hundreds of photos, a foreword by Jerry Byrd, and a bibliography and suggested reading list.
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| List | $34.95 |
| Price | $31.46 (Save: $3.49) |
Not only will this book show you how to play the modes, it will also show you the theory behind mode construction, how to play any mode in any key, how to play the proper mode over a given chord progression, and how to write chord progressions for each of the seven modes. The accompanying CD includes two rhythm tracks (drums, bass, keyboard and rhythm guitar) and a short solo for each mode so guitarists can practice their solos with a “real” band!
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| List | $17.95 |
| Price | $16.16 (Save: $1.79) |
Chord Master is a chord dictionary with a difference. Rather than just show chord shapes – which are all there in the Chord Matrix – a large portion of the book explains how to use chords, with information about the theory behind them, and attempts to answer the questions guitarists often have about chord shapes. Also, it presents usable groups of chords for beginners in relation to a variety of song styles.
This new, revised edition emphasises the practical and is even more useful to beginners, with expanded exercises and more audio. The multimedia component has roughly doubled the number of tracks and is 30 minutes longer. Some audio examples have a backing track arranged to stress melodic and rhythmic elements so that when the reader puts the chords alongside, the effect is marked, sometimes allowing for re-harmonizing the same music with a different chord progression, or a chord progression played in more than one area of the guitar. The notation of the chord progressions is partly redesigned, making it easier to read. This will also make this part of the book more attractive to the casual browser.
More chord types have been added to Chord Master's Matrix (dictionary) section, with new material about balanced chords (which remove ineffective or unnecessary doublings of notes) and about effective chord voicing. The section about chords from famous songs is expanded with more examples of unusual chords, including ones that players are often curious about – one of the most famous examples is the first chord of “A Hard Day's Night.”
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| List | $24.99 |
| Price | $22.49 (Save: $2.50) |
Chords are the foundation of almost all of Western music, and the most common function of the guitar is as an accompaniment instrument. But sooner or later, curiosity or necessity leads us to try to understand chords a little better. How are chords put together? How did they get these weird names? Why do some chords sound “good” and some sound “bad”? This book will help you figure it all out! You'll explore: the first steps in chord theory and practice; moveable chord shapes: barre chords and triads; the '5' chord; color notes; extended chords: 9th, 11th, 13th and altered chords; and more. The audio includes demos of the chords discussed in the book. The audio is accessed online using the unique code inside each book and can be streamed or downloaded.
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| List | $29.99 |
| Price | $26.99 (Save: $3.00) |
Martin guitars are internationally revered, collected and played by performers, singers, songwriters and by legions of avid collectors and enthusiasts. This book features more than a hundred of Martin's most desirable guitars, including instruments belonging to Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Sting and Eric Clapton. Dick Boak enthusiastically outlines his experiences as liaison in these collaborations. We also get a sneak preview of Martin's millionth instrument, due in 2004.
Dick Boak is the head of artist relations and publicity at C.F. Martin & Co., collaborating with artists in the design of their Limited Edition and Signature Models. A prolific artist, luthier and musician in his own right, he is a founder of the Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans, and has organized numerous national instrument-making symposiums.
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| List | $40.00 |
| Price | $36.00 (Save: $4.00) |
The Cherry Lane Guitar Chord Book presents a comprehensive chord dictionary illustrated with scores of musical examples that demonstrate actual chord usage in various songs and progressions covering a multitude of styles. Covers: open chords, barre chords, jazzy chords, open-tuning chords, chords and progressions for specific styles, and more. A must for every guitarist!
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| List | $9.99 |
| Price | $8.99 (Save: $1.00) |
Making the Responsive Guitar is the second volume on a two-volume set of books that set out the principles and methods of building fine hand-made guitars. Where Volume 1 sets up the knowledge, this book is about how to build a guitar, from the very first step to the last. MORE»
| List | $140.00 |
| Price | $126.00 (Save: $14.00) |
Most musicians are familiar with the famous Bigsby Vibrato, but not as many know about the wonderful guitars that Paul Bigsby built in the 1940s. Bigsby, who was responsible for developing and refining the pedal steel guitar, also built the first modern solid body electric guitar for Merle Travis in 1948, predating Leo Fender and Gibson's Les Paul by a number of years.
The Story of Paul A. Bigsby tells how Bigsby influenced Fender and Gibson, as well as a number of other guitar manufacturers, in building techniques and design. This deluxe illustrated coffee table book contains over 300 color and black & white photos. Many of these have not previously been published, and over 50 are actual Bigsby instrument photos taken by fine arts photographer Greg Morgan. The book also comes with an audio CD of Paul Bigsby, recorded in the late 1950s, telling stories of his business.
Special Limited Edition of 800 books autographed by Fred Gretsch and packaged in an attractive deluxe box!
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| List | $150.00 |
| Price | $135.00 (Save: $15.00) |
Guitar Effects Pedals: The Practical Handbook opens up the world of effects pedals, vintage and new alike, for the guitarist. In an easy, guitarist-friendly style, the book explores the history of different effects pedals, what each type of effect does and how it does it, the best ways in which to use and combine your own effects, and how to make the most of the pedals you own. It includes exclusive author interviews with a dozen leading pedal makers and designers, plus a cover-mounted CD with nearly 100 recorded sound samples of effects pedals, both popular and obscure. This updated edition includes the addition of profiles of more than 20 other contemporary makers, 50 percent more manufacturer interviews, and revisions to the original text.
This is the only book on the market that includes all of these important elements in the examination of effects pedals – a comprehensive history of the art; profiles on both vintage and contemporary (including “boutique”) units; and expert advice on all aspects of using these tools. For any serious player interested in honing the perfect tone the right way, this is the go-to reference.
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| List | $34.95 |
| Price | $31.46 (Save: $3.49) |
Armed with a macro lens, an incredible eye for detail, and a truly groundbreaking vision, Lisa Johnson's guitar art is taking the world of fine art photography on a rock-and-roll ride. A compilation of Johnson's stunningly personal and intimate portraits, 108 Rock Star Guitars features the guitars of rock-and-roll luminaries, including Les Paul, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Nancy Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Chrissie Hynde, and many others.
Far from still life, Johnson's work conjures the abstract yet also possesses a very sensual and ethereal feel that intentionally illustrates intimate wear-and-tear details. Her unique presentation personifies and captures a musician's true spirit in these musical extensions of the artist's body. This ultra-deluxe, coffee-table photo book reveals through Johnson's signature macrophotography style the etchings, totems, and personal touches of each featured guitar. It is a rare perspective that few people outside of the musicians' stage crew have seen.
Alongside these images, Johnson provides personal anecdotes describing her 17-year journey to photograph these iconic instruments, documenting her travels from the backstage hallways of some the world's most famous concert venues to the artists' private homes. 108 Rock Star Guitars is a music and fine-art photography aficionado's private backstage pass to witness up-close these six-stringed works of art.
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| List | $67.00 |
| Price | $60.30 (Save: $6.70) |
34 Useful, Inexpensive Electronic Projects That Help You Unlock Your Instrument's Potential
This unique book features step-by-step projects for guitarists who want to maximize and personalize electric sound quality, and minimize electronic problems. It includes how-to instructions for 34 different projects, and guidelines for reading schematics, plus construction tips. Projects include installing a de-hisser to create vintage effects, a great-sounding tube preamp, a cord tester that catches intermittent problems, adapters to interface with studio gear, and more. These and other hands-on projects give electric guitarists the necessary edge in today's competitive music scene – a distinct personalized sound, plus the satisfaction of knowing they achieved it themselves.
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| List | $24.99 |
| Price | $22.49 (Save: $2.50) |
