Tony Bacon: Electric Guitars Design and Invention: Reference Books: Reference

Ibanez is the most important Japanese guitar brand and this new book tells the story of its electric guitars tracking the fortunes of this impressive brand.At first the guitars were cheap and basic and in the 1970s Ibanez was best known for its copies of leading Gibson instruments including Les Pauls SGs and Explorers. As the Japanese music industry gained maturity and increased quality Ibanez made more assured instruments with original features; and in the late '70s and early '80s it hit new peaks of achievement. The big break came in the late '80s with the arrival of Steve Vai's impressive and spectacular JEM signature models. In recent years the company has continued to provide great modern electric guitars.Ibanez guitarists featured in the book include George Benson Charlie Burchill (Simple Minds) Phil Collen (Def Leppard) Allan Holdsworth Pat Metheny Steve Miller Joni Mitchell John Petrucci (Dream Theater) Lee Ritenour Joe Satriani John Scofield Paul Stanley (Kiss) Mick Thompson (Slipknot) Steve Vai and Bob Weir (Grateful Dead).The book is in the tradition of Tony Bacon's best-selling guitar series with a carefully researched story including exclusive interviews with Vai and Satriani a gallery of full-color pictures of famous guitars and players and a reference section detailing production years and specifications of all Ibanez's electric models.

50 Years of Gibson's Stylish Solid Guitar-To many vintage Guitar fans it seems inconceivable that Gibson dumped the Sunburst Les Paul in 1960 and during the following year introduced a completely new design the one that we know now as the SG (?solid Guitar?). At the time however it made good business sense. Sales of the Les Paul were faltering and Gibson decided to blow a breath of fresh air through its solidbody electric Guitar line. The company described the result as an ?ultra-thin hand-contoured double-cutaway body.? The modernistic amalgam of bevels and points and angles was a radical departure and this new book tells the story of all the SG models that followed: the Junior Special Standard Custom and more. There are interviews with and stories about Gibson personnel through the years and all the major SG players including Pete Townshend Frank Zappa Eric Clapton Angus Young George Harrison Gary Rossington Tony Iommi and Derek Trucks. In the tradition of Tony Bacon's bestselling series of Guitar books The SG Guitar Book is three great volumes in one package: a collection of drool-worthy pictures of the coolest Guitars; a gripping story from the earliest prototypes to the latest exploits; and a detailed collector's database of every production SG model ever made.

Electric Semi-Solid Thinlines and Players Who Made Them Famous-The Gibson 335 Guitar Book tells the story of Gibson's ES-335 and related models as played by B.B. King Alvin Lee and Eric Clapton among other virtuosos. It's full of great Guitars cool players and fascinating historical detail. The book traces the story from Gibson's first thinline models to the company's signature instruments and modern re-creations of today.The book is in the tradition of Tony Bacon's bestselling Guitar series with a carefully researched story a gallery section of full-color pictures of the most important Guitars and players and a reference section detailing production years andspecifications.The 335 was launched in 1958. It had a double-cutaway body but the interesting features were hidden inside. A solid block in an otherwise hollow body created a new “semi-solid” structure cleverly combining the sonic qualities of a hollowbody Guitar and a solidbody. Variants included the stereo 345 and the upscale 355 and players have lined up ever since for a taste of these attractively different flavors.Some of those players featured in the book include Larry Carlton Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) Peter Hayes (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) Eric Clapton Pepper Keenan (Down) B.B. King Elvin Bishop (Butterfield Blues Band) Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) Alex Lifeson (Rush) Eddie Phillips (the Creation) Johnny Marr (the Smiths) Lee Ritenour Andy Summers (the Police) Bill Nelson (Be-Bop Deluxe) and Andrew White (Kaiser Chiefs).