5 comments about The Complete Electric Bass Player: Book 1-The Method (Complete Electric Bass Player).

1. I've been playing piano for a number of years and recently decided to take up the Bass Guitar. I don't currently have the time or money to work with an instructor for learning the bass. I picked up Rainey's book and found it to be very good. I'm about half way through the book and am now looking to buy the next book in his series. I don't know if this book is good for someone who is 'brand-new' to music, in general. It could be. But, having already had a background in music but NO practical experience with the Bass, this book has proven to be very valuable. I personally recommend this book. The author has a good, straight forward way of teaching that I really enjoy.

   Todd




2. I found this book to be very well done and a good resouce for the higher level beginner/intermediate player. Many people have written to note Rainey's odd playing style, and I would agree with them - it is probably actually best for the student to skip this section.

   It is important to understand that Rainey wrote this method book much like the Arban's book for trumpet players - more exercises than you can fathom and very few bells and whisltes.

   If you can take the dry, repetetive (and sometimes downright boring) studies, then there is no question you will be a better bassist.




3. This is a hard core introduction to all scales and arpegios you can think of, plus a few you couldn't have. If you master each exercise, with your metronome set at least to 80 bpm, you will get a LOT out of this book. It will take a lot of will power to turn from one page of exercises to next. It is more practise than music, most of the time. This is OK, as long as you are serious.
   
   Unfortunately, there is no CD, but you probably wouldn't want to listen to it anyway.
   
   Also, I'm going to go on a limb here, and say ignore the "right hand" technique section. Chuck has a very unorthodox way of plucking the strings.
   
   It's not easy, but if Chuck Rainey says this will make me play better, I'm going to believe him:)



4. An excellent book for beginners and for players who want to say fresh with plenty of practice exercises. Learn from one of the great masters of bass playing. Highly recommended.



5. 
   Standard notation only -- This may be a really good instruction book, but not if you can't read it. I don't read music, so this one gets tossed back. Why no TAB? (I can work out the notes, sure, but I've got 15 other instruction books, many of which have a ton of scale patterns that I'm probably never going to get to & finger-strengthening excercises are also in most of these books, so why keep this one?)
   
   A beginner would probably enjoy something more fun/entertaining than scales & scale exercises, even if this is the best way to learn.
   
   So if you are an absolute beginner & can't read music, maybe skip this one & look for a book that has: TABLATURE (notes written in an easy-to-figure-out manner). Possibly also look for some sort of CD- or DVD-included with whatever book you choose so you can hear what a particular piece is meant to sound like.
   
   One other thing, & this has absolutely nothing to do with this book, which looks like a perfectly good book: generally speaking, I've found mel bay titles to be not-so-good, so if you have any choice--and often in music shops you don't--steer clear of mel bay publications.
   
   (i'm sure that there are exceptions to the mel bay thing, but I haven't found any for beginner how-to music books).
   
   If you are a serious bass player and/or can read music, or feel like learning to read music, then the other reviews for this book are much, much more appropriate than this one & no offense is intended.

No comments about Classic Electrics.

5 comments about Make Your Own Electric Guitar & Bass.

1. This book is intended as a starting point for the first-time guitar builder and it does its job well. Step by step processes to construct both a six string electric guitar and a four string bass guitar. Topics covered include wood selection, tools, electronic components and construction. There is even a small part on playing. While there is certainly many more avenues to take in the guitar building arena, this book will get you started by taking you through the entire process for two solid quality pieces. From there...you can certainly choose further research alternatives.



2. This book is the best of its type. I have seen two guitars built from the instructions in this book and they were beautiful, sounded great, and felt wonderful to play. This book has easy to follow directions, great photos and directions, and has an interesting history of guitars at the beginning. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to build their own guitar.



3. I just purchased this book based on reviews read on Amazon. I would not at all reccomend this book. The book does have a nice layout and a lot of great pictures..... but thats it - a pretty book it is but the drawings and technical illistrations you need to build it are not included.... IMPORTANT things like neck thickness, neck thickness at the neck joint, any many other important things are not covered at all. A dimentioned neck end, and neck pocket detail are not even included. A body layout is shown and again not dimentioned. The only dimentions that are given are for a template to route the pickup and bridge holes... The most important topics are barely covered like setting the neck and bolting it on, alignment etc.....
   Nice - but I would not tell anyone to buy this book,



4. I recommend this book to experienced repair persons looking to get into building. The book covers all the basics of tools, preparation, design & layout, template making, body making, neck making, hand rubbed finish, electronic installation and setting up.
   The main point of the book is to give you the tools and knowledge to build your OWN guitar rather than just to hobby shop someone elses design together. If you're a beginner or hobbiest I recommend Oakhams book. It doesn't leave anything to the imagination and includes complete full sized plans for a strat.
   But for the skilled craftsman this book will have you building your own designs in no time at all.



5. If you'd like to build your own guitar, but nervous about the steps, this is a great place to start. The book is an easy read, it provides clear photographs and instructions, and it gives sufficient detail to understand each of the steps to designing and building your guitar. As noted by some reviews, the book does not dictate your design by giving you the dimensions of every cut (after all if you're building a custom guitar, why copy someone else's), but it does do a good job giving you the critical dimensions that relate to any guitar design.
   
   You may also want Martin Koch's Building Electric Guitars, it's not as easy to read, but it does provide more information.

1 comments about The Electric Guitar: A History of an American Icon.

1. Wondering what could possibly interest that young guitar player who has his own rock band? Interest him with Andre Millard's fascinating The Electric Guitar: A History Of An American Icon, a tribute to the careers and development of the instrument through the lives and contributions of guitar heroes like Jimi Hendrix and more. From the guitar's invention and transitions to its manufacturing, representation, and guitar differences, The Electric Guitar covers it all.

5 comments about Getting Great Guitar Sounds.

1. This book is a must if you are an active stage musician. I always knew how to operate my equiptment, but never quite understood the theory behind some of the effects. After reading this book, I completely understand what the effects do to the instrument signal. It is much easier to "find" a sound I want to hear.

   Also...... Don't ever pay to have your guitar/bass setup ever again. The author describes in "Normal person terms" the different steps to properly setting up a guitar. I used to pay $40 per guitar every 2 months or so....Now I do them myself and they have never sounded better.

   I just purchased 2 more of these books for other musician friends! Good Luck -=Eddie=-




2. Just plain bad. From uniformative to downright incorrect, this book fails miserably to achieve it's goal. After reading this you will not be able to shape your personal sound beyond knowing the names of the knobs on various effects. I want my money back!



3. This book is well conceived in general scope, with the right audience, right goals, and appropriate mix of effects and amp integration. It is lacking in coverage of some key points within that scope, however. It has only two pages of coverage of capturing that sound via microphones or direct-injection into the mixer.

   ...What's the purpose of talking about guitar effects in isolation from each other and from the amp? Any moron can dial in individual effects in any guitar store -- meanwhile, we're left without a clue about how to bend amp tone itself through controlling eq and levels at multiple distortion stages from guitar pickups to studio monitors -- which is exactly what this book should, and doesn't, cover. It covers some aspects of "getting great guitar sounds", but is limited as far as "getting great amp and distortion sounds".

   At this point, there aren't enough books on getting guitar sounds to be very critical; we have to buy what's available and try to piece together the clues. This book is the most well-conceived book, though there's much room for improvement in content. Recommended, because it has the right goal, though there's ample room for improvement.




4. This book is 77 pages long and its seven chapters are arranged into three sections;1 the guitar pp 11-34, 2 the effects pp 37-52, and 3 tricks of the trade pp 55-67. There are also two appendices and some additional bits before and after the three sections that help to introduce and round out the book. "Getting Great Guitar Sounds" does a great job of introducing the reader to the various elements that shape a guitarists tone. This book is probably the best value for your dollar and the one that you should start with, but the downside is that due to its short length, there is so much that is either left out or could be expanded on.
   
   In the guitar section, the author discusses the parts that make up a guitar and how they affect its sound. Next, he discusses the electrical components of the guitar, and finally, amps and speakers. The information is very condensed and some statements are not fully exposed e.g., the author mentions capacitors having an affect on sound but does not really communicate what they are, how they work, and how capacitors with different values will affect the guitars sound.
   
   "Getting Great Guitar Sounds" has some of the best definitions and explanations that I have read so far. In the effects section, the author gives a very good introduction to various types of effects and their applications. Some effects are left out like Wah-Wah pedals, but the same publisher, Hal Leonard, has a book devoted to the Wah, "CryBaby Presents the Wah-Wha Book."
   
   In the tricks of the trade section, the author discusses the effects chain, the correct setup for stereo, advanced rigs i.e., multi-effects, and when not to used effects. Additionally the author discusses playing live vs. the studio and also the pros can cons of vintage guitars, amps, and effects.
   
   At the end of the book the author discusses how several artists archive their sound and also what the author personally uses. While other books may also explain how various elements affect your sound, typically in isolation to just the single guitarist, "Getting Great Guitar Sounds" goes even further by explaining how an empty hall vs. one with a full audience or even one that is half full will affect your sound and why you might sound good when playing by yourself, but not when playing with others in a band or vice versa.



5. The bottom line review on this book is as follows: If you are already playing and performing for several years this book is not for you because there is nothing new that you will learn from it. That being said, there are many things in the book that I learned through trial and error. If I had a book like this when I started out it would have helped me out.
   
   If you are just starting out and you are searching for information that will help guide you on the path to your tone I would recommend it to you.
   Therefore, I will be loaning this book out to my begining guitar students as a way for them to start thinking about their tone and a way for them to start asking questions.

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.

4 comments about Electric Ladyland - Guitar Tablature.

1. this is a truly amazing representation of the works of jimi hendrix. i played the tabs right along with the music and it matches perfectly for the most part. of course there are always a few discrepencies, but no one can or ever will be able to match what the rock 'n roll gypsy himself did, especially not on paper. i would recommend anyone who is interested in learning to play like hendrix to try this book out. with the tablature it makes it easy for players at almost any level, from novice to advanced, to learn how to play jimi hendrix's greatest works



2. This Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland book includes the music and the tab for guitar. This book is very hard to play you should atleast be famillar with some Hendrix before you go and buy this. It took me a month to learn 4 songs thats alot for me a month? Well anyways it includes the same booklet as in the CD only huge pages with large print. If your a guitarist looking to get a Hendrix Tribute together this would be great a few songs I love are Crosstown Traffic, All Along The Wacthower, Voodoo Chile(slight return). Also make sure you have the Electric Ladyland on CD before you buy this so you can play along and also get the song down note for note. Of course not anyone can play exactly like Hendrix I mean this guy had his own style just like any other guitarist. Well I think I have said enough about this masterpiece enjoy!!!!!



3. This is the closest guitar tablature book note for note that I have come across in a long time. Electric Ladyland is truely one of jimi hendrix's biggest accomplishments by all means. And I feel every guitarist should try to pick up some of hendrix's best works including Voodoo Chile (slight return). After I learned most of the songs in this book I got much better at guitar..........carying my guitar solo's much longer and performing much better LIVE. This also made me a better blues player with the performence of Voodoo Chile the long blues version. Their are many pictures in this book as well as the lyrics included. This book does not include the CD so you would have to purchase that before you bought the book. Everyone can play their best with this jimi hendrix's electric ladyland-guitar tablature.



4. I picked up this folio in 1989, the year it was published, at Frankfurt's 'Musik Messe'. Since then, the cover appears to have been updated, but I believe the contents are the same - as both editions are 280 pages. Added, my edition (HL00692932) has all the bass and drum parts tabbed out.
   
   Get this folio if only to wail on 'Voodoo Chile' and 'Come On (Part 1)'. I mean, just flog it! And tunes like 'Watchtower' and 'Burning of the Midnight Lamp', will teach you all about Jimi's 'Floyd Cramer' style of rhythm playing.
   
   Oh yeah, keep your thumb wrapped around that neck! And if your instructor smacks that digit with a pencil, like old man El Ray would do me, tell him classical guitar is for idiots and lose the jerk! (But, go ahead and learn some Albeniz anyway, if only for spite.)

3 comments about Guitars From George & Leo: How Leo Fender and I Built G&L Guitars.

1. I love G&L guitars! This book gives great insight into the path from the founding of Fender to G&L.



2. Well written book detailing the early days of Fender and the factors leading to the inception and later sale of G & L. Since the book was written by George Fullerton, it MAY be a little self-serving re: George's role in these events, but because George was a close associate of Leo's it provides interesting insights into critical events in the history of both companies.
   
   Good photos and a lot of useful information for both Fender and G & L fans.
   
   For a more in-depth and unbiased history of Fender, read Tony Bacon's book "The Fender Electric Guitar Book".
   The Fender Electric Guitar Book: A Complete History of Fender Instruments



3. I play bass, G & L's mostly so this was a good read for me. There was more info on guitar which I skimmed through. The bass stuff and the history was very good but not great. I could very well sell my copy used.

No comments about Beginner Guitar Lessons Level 1 Book And DVD.

4 comments about Electric Guitar Setups (Guitar Reference).

1. This author knows his craft. I met him at his store in San Jose, Ca. before I knew about the book. It is a good overview of the subject.



2. Basically despite all its pages the book can be summarized as follows: adjust the trus rod first, then the nut and then the bridge. It gives little more insight into the process. When the author does attempt to give more background, such as discussing string clearence etc, it is very poorly explained. Also most of the photographs are just of guitars and guitar hardware and don't really help explain anything.



3. This book not only covers electric guitar setups but also setups for acoustics, archtops, semi-acoustics and electric acoustics.
   
   This book is written for the guitar player who wants to avoid costly and time consuming trips the guitar shop buy teaching the player how to setup a guitar at home. This is not a book on the physics of sound, nor is a book which teaches you how to build a guitar. This book deals purely with guitar setups.
   
   Hideo Kamimoto writes in clear and simple language. The author does not oversimplify nor does he go into unnecessary detail about what needs to be taught.
   
   If you already know how to setup a guitar you do not need this book, however if you have never setup a guitar before this book will teach you how to do it step by step.
   
   As a guitarist myself, I was shocked by how easy it is to setup a guitar with Kamimoto's method.



4. I highly recommend this book for the essential guitar library. I bought this book several years ago & have bascially dog-earred my copy. Although basic in approach it does contain brief information on topics that are also - unfortunately not covered to any extent in similar theme books. The best parts are the pictures of various bridges & the subjective comments the author makes on several models. This book is not at all like the author's other book - that covers acoustic guitar structure.