By Dave Rogers. 2005.
Price: 12.99 USD
500 pages of pictures covering guitars and amplifiers. Practically no texts. A chronological overview of guitars history, by pictures, showing 'collectible' brands (about 20 brands are 'covered' here) and giving a rough cotation.
The interesting part of this book is the section dedicated to the Eric Clapton's Auction (1999). It shows about half of the 105 guitars sold this day, with details about their own history and ties with Clapton, also giving the pre-auction estimate... and the realised auction price.
ISBN: 0-89689-223-9
The illustrated directory of guitars
By Nick Freeth and Charles Alexander. 2004.
Edited by Ray Bonds. ISBN: 0-7607-6317-8
480 pages. A fantastic book (which perhaps led me to set up GuitarDir). Covering Acoustics, Electrics and Basses, very instructive and giving not only history and tons of facts about makers and guitars, but also discussing pros and cons about construction, design ideas, etc. Made by guitars lovers for guitars lovers. Splendid pictures. The price of this book is also ridiculously low (I bought it for 16.95 AUD in South Australia).
A must have. If I'd had to keep only one guitar related book, it would be that one. Highly recommended!
How to make your electric guitar play great!
A Guitar Player book, Backbeat books, by Dan Erlewine.
ISBN: 0-87930-601-7
USD 19.95. 133 pages.
A valuable book for any guitar owner. Teaches you how to set-up, repair and maintain your guitar, gives you tricks and tips for saving time, money, and doing things properly. Most importantly, this book makes you understand what is the exact purpose of each part of a guitar and the reason it is made the way it is.
It also comes with very handy plastic radius gauges, at the end of the book. Clever and smart.
The ultimate guitar book
by Tony Bacon & Paul Day. DK Editor. 1991-1999
ISBN: 978-0-8631-8640-0
192 pages. £19.99 (but can be found at 9.99 euros in big stores).
Very instructive and well illustrated (850 illustrations of 450 guitars). Explains guitars from A to Z (anatomy, history, identification tips, etc). Full of details about makers and guitars (Tony Bacon is a living memory when it comes to guitar) with facts and anecdots. A large part is given to big brands, but small and exotic ones are not forgotten.
What's amazing with this book is the quantity of details it contains in only 192 pages. It doesn't mean to be exhaustive, but after this book you know about guitars.
Blue Book of Electric Guitars
(2005, 9th Edition)
Written by Z. Fjestad, Edited by S.P. Fjestad.
ISBN: 1-886768-57-9
USD 29.95 in USA. Price paid: 18 euros due to the already available new edition...
1008 pages. As they put it on the cover: "... the largest, most comprehensive book ever published on electric guitar values...".
It's true. But the book is far from being exhaustive (this is one point GD is trying to achieve), and specifically based on value, hence the same model is sorted by period of production, etc.
However, it's a mine for identifying and dating models - when it knows the model you're after - and for (double-)checking information. It specifically lacks infos and models lists for vintage european and japanese, but is very strong on big brands, especially American ones. Interesting infos, stories and history about makers, also. They also have a (somehow copyrighted) Guitar Grading System, allowing to describe a guitar condition, therefore valuing it more accurately, and a (tiny) section dedicated to serial numbers used by the big brands.
This book is very useful and I considere it as a reference for American brands (when I find an information I was looking for into this book, I considere that I just have to get it confirmed with another source to be 'true'). I still use it for checking specs differences between similar models.
Blue Book of Electric Guitars (10th edition)
(2006, 10th Anniversary Edition)
Written by Z. Fjestad, Edited by S.P. Fjestad.
ISBN: 1-886768-64-1
USD 34.95 in USA.
1106 pages.
Same pro's as the 9th edition Dom described before, just a little more content and a bit more up-to-date.
Make your own electric guitar
by Melvyn Hiscock, 2nd edition (1998), NBS publications.
ISBN: 0-9531049-0-7
218 pages
Reprinted year after year. My own bible, regarding guitar building.
Explains step after step the full process with simple and clear terms, in a relaxing style. It covers everything, from selecting the wood to fixing the truss-rod cover. The process of building two different electrics and a bass is fully explained here.
I never built a guitar from scratch but when I'm ready and have some time and the full picture of what I want to do in place, I'm not lost nor afraid about the idea and I know that I can follow this book in confidence.
Highly inspiring and recommended!
Guitar Player Repair Guide
by Dan Erlewine, Backbeat Books.
ISBN: 0-87930-291-7
USD 22.95, 309 pages.
Covers all repairs-related topics. Wood, harware, electronics, finish, everything. Tips and tricks, as usual with the man, in a simple and very pragmatic and effective way: Solution is the master word.
But this book is not only about repairs. Set up and maintenance are also covered, as well as modifications. Bass and acoustic guitars are not forgotten. Special sections are dedicated to common set ups and issues encountered with big brands, Gibson, Fender, Martin, but also Floyd Rose, Kahler, and one can also find interesting parts about specific pro set up (SRV, BB King, etc). The book is a bit disorganised, because of the many point of views used to understand and illustrate such problems or topics, but remains very interesting, instructive and useful.
Guitars, from the Renaissance to Rock
Tom and Mary Anne Evans, 1977.
Translated to Dutch in 1979, (dutch) ISBN 90 269 8077 9
About 360 pages with only black-and-white pics lead you along the development of the guitar, from the early 16th century to the mid 1970's.
Famous builders, models and players are highlighted in chronological order, lots of technical details on revolutionary changes in guitar construction. Classical-, Flamenco-, Latin-American-, steel-string acoustic- and electric guitars. 'Modern' guitar history mostly along american (Gibson/Martin/Fender) lines, but very informative.
Vintage Guitar Magazine
Published monthly since 1986, invaluable resources, articles and [b:ffec5b307d]a very powerful search engine online[/b:ffec5b307d], a real must.
http://www.vintageguitar.com/
Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide
ISBN-10: 1-884883-18-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-884883-18-7
488 pages, 2007 edition.
US$24.95.
Dedicated to valuing guitars, basses, acoustics, amps and effects, but also lap steels, ukuleles, mandolins and banjos, I'm mainly using it to double-triple checking infos... and dreaming on the pictures! Not very verbose on specs, but full of illustrations helping identification. Of course it doesn't contain everything, however it gives a rough but decent idea of main ones production, or a short presentation of the brand when it's a "small one".
Very well documented for the big brands, with all years and variations for a same model, therefore may be of interest for a collector of such models who wants a consensual idea of the values. But I bet such a freak already has this book...
The good point is that if you are an occasional afficionado and don't have specific docs, this book is an all-in-one, covering guitars, basses, amps, etc...
As usual with this sort of books, try getting the one from the previous year. You'll save a bunch...