2 comments about Guitar Licks of the Texas Blues Rock Heroes (The Guitar Lick Factory Player Series).

1. I love this book! A really good mix..I love that they were hip enough to include Hopkins a very important early player who is so often overlooked. The CD and tab are wonderful. I will say that this will be difficult if you havn't been playin very long but I would still get it. I really wish they had books like this when I started playing in the early 70's...I would have been miles ahead!



2. This book is excellent. Ideal for intermidiate level. A bit challenging for a beginner but I'd buy it anyway; if you have it at the right time in your growth it'll be invaluable to you. The Amazon description says that it plays at half tempo and at full tempo but I believe thats wrong, the riffs are only played once and at full tempo. But the description of how to play each example is so detailed you won't need to hear it slower. He even tells you the song you can find the lick in. So when you're listening to your own cd's, you'll identify the licks you've learned, which also helps you learn how to apply them. Out of all the books I've tried this one was by FAR the best.

No comments about Classic Electrics: A Visual History of Great Guitars.

5 comments about Introduction to Guitar Tone and Effects: A Manual for Getting the Sounds from Electric Guitars, Amplifiers, Effects Pedals and Processors.

1. The information was very helpful in setting up my pedal board. The CD with the audio of all the pedals was really helpful in shopping for new sounds. The diagram for the suggested setup was helpful also.



2. this book is a nice introduction to effects pedals and their use for the guitar enthusiast who doesn't know the difference between a fuzz tone and a compression pedal.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is worth, but contains only small amount of information. You may find the entire contents in the book could be written as a couple of chapters. However, the CD was absolutely useful.



4. if it where possible id give it a no star or a half star this book is not worth wasting money. it will just confirm what you already know. i bought it because i thought i was going to read information that explained extensively each pedal effect and talk about pedal chains. i was going to write a lot about it but not worth it, simply put you can google anything that's in this book, you'll have it for free and it will be detailed information .. as opposed to this book.



5. I was so impressed with this book. I contained not only great comparrisons of equipment, but also the whys and wherefores of how a guitar makes it's tones. I learned more from this book than most others that i've read on the subject, and would recommend it to any player, no matter how long you've been at it.

5 comments about Six Decades of the Fender Telecaster: The Story of the World's First Solidbody Electric Guitar.

1. I bought this book first, before coming across Richard Smith's more definitive history of the Fender Story in "Fender The Sound Heard Round the World".
   
   This Six Decades of Telecaster is mostly a picture book and light on the Tele story. It does contain a decent Reference Section, which gives a year by year breakdown of the unique features of the Telecaster.
   
   If you want the Fender Story, get the Richard Smith book. Additionally, I purchased the Fender: The Inside Story book, but it is not an "impartial" telling of the story.



2. Fantastic book for Fender Telecaster users. This book takes you from the beginning to the present History of Leo Fender and his line of Guitars.
   Highly recommended.



3. First the disclaimer: I do not own a Telecaster nor do I even play guitar. I happen to think that a Telecaster is one of the most beautiful man made objects there is, so I got this book. I enjoyed reading the story of how the guitar was developed and how it evolved. Not being an expert on these matters, I an not comment on any of the technical aspects of Mr. Bacon's work. If you have any fondness for Fender Telecasters or want to learn about a part of rock, pop, and country history, you need this book.



4. This is a great starter at a reasonable price for someone wanting to know more about the world's first mass produced solid body guitar. The Telecaster sparked a revolution and is just as popular today as it was 57 years ago. Not too shabby



5. I can really recommend this book . You'll learn a lot about this famous Fender guitar . Also very valuable if You , like me are planning to build Your own tele from parts and want to end up with a special model.

5 comments about Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia.

1. Just what I was waiting for, all the guitars I had dreamed about together in a fantastic display of luxury photographs together with their history and general background. The best guitar exhibition at reasonable price.Terrific pictures and very good paper quality. A must for every guitar afficionado!



2. I bought this book and later I bought "Totally Guitar" by Tony Bacon. Then I noticed the latter had incorporated all of this Illustrated Encyclopedia (of which Bacon is co-author) in his new book. So with Totally Guitar Totally Guitar: The Definitive Guide you get two books for the price of one.
   If you're only looking for Guitar models, the Illustrated History is brilliant, but if you're looking for a lot more on the side for the same dollars, try Totally Guitar.



3. The book spans all the major and many of the odd brand electric guitars. The book contains no basses. The photos are excellent, including many vintage instruments. The history is inclusive but doesn't go too deep since this is a complete overview of all brands. The variations are detailed well over the lifespan of the product. I also like the reference to who may have used the instrument over the years. If there is an instrument you are trying find out about it is most likely in this book.



4. I picked up this book for my son, who is a "guitar freak".
   Knowing very little about guitars myself, I'm not that qualified to review this book. I can report, however, that my son was delighted with this gift. He said that he spent hours going through it, learning things he didn't know, and that he particulary enjoyed the illustrations. Anyone who is very interested in guitars would be delighted to have this book!



5. Has a lot of info, and is an entertaining read. Nice to just leave out to grab every once in a while.

3 comments about The Gibson Electric Guitar Book: Seventy Years of Classic Guitars.

1. My son was happy to get it for Christmas and feels he will use it a lot.



2. This book is a must read for any electric guitar fanatic, required reading for any Gibson fans. Not only does it take you through the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, innovations and failures of this storied stringed instrument company, it puts all that within the historical perspective of what was going on at Gibson's major competitors at the time, Fender chief among them. Clearly Carter, once historian for Gibson, knows wherefore he speaks. And the photos of Gibson electric guitars as they morph through their history is worth the price of the book. Loved it.
   
   Tony Tedeschi
   founding editor
   naturaltraveler.com
   myspace.com/stuckinthesixties



3. The text is insightful and the pictures are beautiful.
   
   However, most real fanatics will want more than the usual stuff that is regularly covered in guitar magazines. Many models are missing and some of them are covered too briefly.
   
   This book is a broad overview of the history of Gibson's electric guitars. In my opinion, there isn't enough in here to satisfy the real fans. It is nonetheless a beautiful book.

5 comments about The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy 1915-1963.

1. This is the definitive must have book for any Les Paul fan. Thoughtfully written and well researched, this book has it all. Information about the man, the history and the guitars. Tons of photos, facts, trivia and details. Do not pass this one by! Great job Robb!!!



2. A long awaited insightful look into the legend and his famous axe. I have several books on vintage guitars, as well as ones specifically on the Les Paul. This one is my favorite. I think this is a great book full of tons of facts and an enourmous amount of eye candy. This is the type of book I keep around close and look at again and again.
   A great job done, and I cannot wait for part two!!



3. Anything written on the grand master of the guitar is worth reading. This book has plenty of pictures and interesting history on Les. I'd recommend it if your a fan of Les Paul or of the guitar that bears his name.



4. I really wish it were possible to review products at Amazon without assigning a rating, because pinning a number of stars on The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy: 1915-1963 is no easy task.
   
   It must be said right off the bat that the book is a veritable treasure trove for fans of Les Paul and the famous solidbody guitar that bears his name. The images alone are worth the price of admission, and the author brings a unique perspective to the book that's deeply appreciated. The book is extremely well-written; there's no denying it.
   
   Unfortunately, though, it's extremely poorly edited. I searched for an editor to blame -- it's hard to fault Robb Lawrence, because even the best of writers need an editor -- but I could find no such credit. As a result, newer fans will often find themselves lost in the course of reading the text. Sometimes lesser-known information is presented matter-of-factly on one page, only to be explained sufficiently four pages (or two chapters) later, as if it were being introduced for the first time. It's as if Lawrence wrote the book in chronological order, then someone else cut-and-pasted paragraphs into chapters by subject, without ever going back to tidy up the text.
   
   Honestly, though, that's the only blemish on an otherwise brilliant and one-of-a-kind book. None of the other texts on Les or the Les Paul model guitar come close. The layouts are unparalleled, the images are simply breathtaking, and the personal anecdotes are priceless.
   
   Seriously, though, Robb? If you're reading this, please find an editor before releasing the second volume! The quality of work you're putting into this project deserves that last 5% of polish.



5. This is an excellent book with lots of interviews with Les Paul and others who were part of the development of the Les Paul guitar through the early years. The photography is excellent with photos of significant Les Paul guitars. It is a beautiful book with lots of inside scoop for the Les Paul aficionado.

5 comments about Building Electric Guitars: How to Make Solid-Body, Hollow-Body and Semi-Acoustic Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars.

1. I am in the final stages of my first electric guitar. Just about another 10 coats on the neck and a little wiring. Terrible pictures, great info. I find myself refering to Melvyn Hiscock's book (Make Your Own Electric Guitar 2nd edition) for the great (how to) photos and schematics. Both books were a great help. HINT... If this is your first guitar, DON'T use poly-urathane on the neck or body. The book says don't also. So I did. Looks OK now but would have saved me alot of hours if I used lacquer as recomended. I am using autobody (spray can) clear on the neck and it looks great. Have fun



2. Wow, there is a lot of info packed into this book. I agree with most of the other reviewers in that the appearance could be improved. Photos aren't as good as they need to be, but Mr. Koch does a great job of explaining things and the written content is excellent. The only other weak spot, for me, was not enough wiring info for the semi-acoustic version, which is what I intend to build. However, Mr. Koch is accessible and he graciously answered my questions. I'm well pleased with this book.
   
   Ron



3. I purchased this book to aide me in my quest to produce a solid body electric ukulele. I'm having some difficulty understanding the electronics but every other part is easy to understand.



4. Book arrived in excellent condition within the time frame stated. My son was very excited and is working on building his first guitar.



5. I recently purchased this book and I'm impressed at the breadth of information meticulously presented within this book, including how to make your own pickups and how to prepare your wood if you happen to be gung ho enough to saw your own lumber.
   
   I'm not exactly sure how a few others drew the conclusion that this book was poorly organized since my copy seems to be organized clearly enough, unless they have earlier printings. The illustrations and images in my copy seem to be clear enough too as I suspect the author has applied a great deal of effort to tweak later printings to improve his book.
   
   The only downside is that one needs a bit of patience when reading, since Koch is so detailed. This book isn't exactly "Guitar Building for Dummies." On the other hand, patience can be a life and limb saver when operating sharp power tools--so think of his book as a lesson in Zen as well as in lutherie.

2 comments about The Fender Electric Guitar Book: A Complete History of Fender Instruments.

1. Very well researched!
   exciting to read for any guitar fanatic.
   great when you wanna trace the ancestry of you strat or telly!



2. This book for those of us Guitar nerds who love Fender instruments. It duplicates the history of the Telecaster somewhat and the Telecaster History has a bit more helpful stuff on dating of Telecasters. I would liked a bit more information about the staff in the pre-CBS years (who were these people who were signing the neck and bodies of the old Teles), the methods of production (were they effectively hand built) and levels of production generally year by year. If you are thinking of buying a vintage Tele or Strat you should definately buy this book along with Gruhn's guide to Vintage Guitars. Even if you are not then its an interesting read.

5 comments about Build Your Own Electric Guitar: Complete Instructions and Full-Size Plans.

1. This is the best electric guitar builder's guide that I have ever seen, especially for new builders like me. Very good colour photos.



2. I purchased three recommended books on electric solid body guitar construction. Hiscock's book is more complete and informative but this one came in 2nd. If I wanted to build the guitar described in this book, it gets the job done. It's less complete if you have another design concept in mind.



3. Top rated helping constuction manual and guide, very good colour photos,nice presentation overall and just about 1/6th of a page about guitar finishing (painting e.t.c.).
   Why, why, why?



4. I used this to build my first electric and it made it SO easy! I will never play a production guitar again!



5. I really enjoyed this book However, I wish someone wouldn't assume that we're all electrical engineers who can read schematics. I would have liked to have seen a simple, well illustrated section on pickup and control wiring not in schematic form. Well thought out and illustrated in the wood portions and easy to follow but I still don't know how to wire up the electronics.