Play It Loud

Play It Loud
Author: Brad Tolinski
Publisher: Anchor
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2016-10-25
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0385541007

The inspiration for the Play It Loud exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art "Every guitar player will want to read this book twice. And even the casual music fan will find a thrilling narrative that weaves together cultural history, musical history, race, politics, business case studies, advertising, and technological discovery." —Daniel Levitin, Wall Street Journal For generations the electric guitar has been an international symbol of freedom, danger, rebellion, and hedonism. In Play It Loud, veteran music journalists Brad Tolinski and Alan di Perna bring the history of this iconic instrument to roaring life. It's a story of inventors and iconoclasts, of scam artists, prodigies, and mythologizers as varied and original as the instruments they spawned. Play It Loud uses twelve landmark guitars—each of them artistic milestones in their own right—to illustrate the conflict and passion the instruments have inspired. It introduces Leo Fender, a man who couldn't play a note but whose innovations helped transform the guitar into the explosive sound machine it is today. Some of the most significant social movements of the twentieth century are indebted to the guitar: It was an essential element in the fight for racial equality in the entertainment industry; a mirror to the rise of the teenager as social force; a linchpin of punk's sound and ethos. And today the guitar has come full circle, with contemporary titans such as Jack White of The White Stripes, Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys bringing some of the earliest electric guitar forms back to the limelight. Featuring interviews with Les Paul, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and dozens more players and creators, Play It Loud is the story of how a band of innovators transformed an idea into a revolution.

Amplified

Amplified
Author: Paul Atkinson
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2020-10-14
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1789142733

"For me, a truly compelling, fact-packed read all about how guitars are made, look, sound, and play. Atkinson admirably recounts a century of history, invention, and experimentation by experts and amateurs of a revolutionary instrument. Highly recommended for anyone who has a guitar, and for anyone who wants one."—KT Tunstall, singer-songwriter and guitarist "Atkinson has put a fantastically exhaustive amount of work into this book for all of us global guitar nerds to enjoy. It’s so much fun to dive into it full immersion, and glean everything from details on iconic artist guitars to strange inventions from creatives on the fringe!"—Jennifer Batten, guitarist (Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck) “A great resource for all guitar players, tinkerers, and enthusiasts. Atkinson’s well-researched book provides essential and fascinating facts of this unique instrument’s development over the course of more than a century.”—Paul Brett, rock guitarist, journalist, guitar designer “Atkinson has dug deep into the history of the electric guitar to create a detailed view of the ways in which makers and musicians have tried—and in many cases succeeded—to move its design forward. This engaging new book will be required reading for anyone interested in the development of one of the most popular and revolutionary instruments ever created.”—Tony Bacon, guitar historian and author An in-depth look at the invention and development of the electric guitar, this book explores how the electric guitar’s design has changed and what its design over the years has meant for its sound. A heavily illustrated history with amps turned up to eleven, Amplified celebrates this beloved instrument and reveals how it has evolved through the experiments of amateur makers and part-time tinkerers. Digging deep into archives and featuring new interviews with makers and players, it will find admirers in all shredders, luthiers, and fans of electric sound.

Squier Electrics

Squier Electrics
Author: Tony Bacon
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2011-12-01
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1476856419

In 1982, Fender revived an old guitar-string name for its new line of Japanese-made electric guitars. Millions of guitars later, and celebrating its 30th anniversary, Squier is almost as important to the company as the main Fender brand. Guitar pundit Tony Bacon reveals the stories behind the original (and collectible) Japanese-made Squier Series models, the way that Fender has often been more adventurous and experimental with Squier, away from its protected main brand, and the famous musicians who have chosen to play Squier instruments, from Courtney Love and her Venus model to blink-182's Tom DeLonge and his one-pickup/one-control signature Stratocaster. Full of the luscious pictures, absorbing narrative, and collector's data that characterize Bacon's best-selling instrument books, Squier Electrics is the only guide to one of the most popular guitar brands of recent times.

The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book

The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book
Author: Tony Bacon
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 163
Release: 2023-10-03
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1493083589

Color and B&W photos throughout

Guitar Stories

Guitar Stories
Author: Michael Wright
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Total Pages: 278
Release: 2000-01-01
Genre: Music
ISBN: 9781884883088

Author Michael Wright builds on the success of his Guitar Stories, Volume One in this series of histories of cool guitars. Volume Two continues Wright's incredible research and painstaking attention to detail, covering brands that had a heavy impact in the world of the guitar, including companies such as Kay, Alamo, Veleno, Martin Electrics, Maccaferri, and Guild Solidbodies. As with Volume One, over 800 rare and fascinating photos (including sumptuous full-color spreads) help to tell the tale of these innovative instruments. Includes a helpful index. Also available: Guitar Stories, Volume One 00330018 $29.95.

Flying V, Explorer, Firebird

Flying V, Explorer, Firebird
Author: Tony Bacon
Publisher: Backbeat Books
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2011-06-01
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1476856117

(Guitar Reference). 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), the 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 .

2,000 Guitars

2,000 Guitars
Author: Tony Bacon
Publisher: Thunder Bay Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2009-10-29
Genre: Guitar
ISBN: 9781607100126

"2,000 guitars is a comprehensive visual and historical guide to that most lusted-after of instruments: the guitar. Compiled by a team of experts from the United States and the UK, it covers everything from early acoustic, classical, and resonator guitars through the hollowbody instruments of the jazz age, the celebrated solid and semi-solid model of the 1950s and 1960s, right up to cutting-edge modern-day electric, acoustic and bass guitars."--Back cover

Blues Guitar For Dummies

Blues Guitar For Dummies
Author: Jon Chappell
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2011-05-23
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1118050827

Do you wish you could play your favorite blues music on guitar? Even if you don’t read music, it’s not difficult with Blues Guitar for Dummies. With this hands-on guide, you’ll pick up the fundamentals instantly and start jamming like your favorite blues artists! Blues Guitar for Dummies covers all aspects of blues guitar, showing you how to play scales, chords, progressions, riffs, solos, and more! It’s packed with musical examples, chords charts, and photos that let you explore the genre and play the songs of the great blues musicians. This accessible guide will give you the skills you need to: Choose the right guitar, equipment, and strings Hold, tune, and get situated with your guitar Play barre chords and strum to the rhythm Recognize the structure of a blues song Tackle musical riffs Master melodies and solos Make your guitar sing, cry, and wail Jam to any type of blues In addition to this must-have book, a bonus CD is included so that you can listen to famous songs, practice your riffs and chords, and develop your style as a blues musician. It also features a quick guide to musical notation and suggestions on albums, artists, and guitars for further enjoyment. With Blues Guitar for Dummies, you can re-create the masterpieces of the blues legend without the expensive lessons!