The Epiphone Guitar Book: Reference Books: Instrumental Reference

A Complete Illustrated History of Bass Guitars Updated Edition-In California in the early '50s the Fender company introduced the world's first electric bass guitar. They couldn't have known known it then but the Precision Bass would start a revolution in the sound of popular music. This book explains how that revolution happened and how its reverberations are still felt today. The two-guitars-bass-and-drums lineup that would define pop music found its heart with the Fender bass. In the coming decades the bass guitar provided the solid foundation upon which much modern music is still built. The Bass Book is the first to study its story with the full lowdown of the most important bass players and bass makers. Brands featured in the bookinclude Alembic Danelectro Epiphone Fender Fodera Gibson Hofner Ibanez Lakland Line 6 Music Man Peavey Rickenbacker Sadowsky Spector Squier Steinberger Wal Warwick and Yamaha. Original interviews with makers of bass guitars from the past and present illuminate the book with the popular establishment of the bass during the '60s and '70s examined in detail along with more recent developments such as the popularity of the five-string bass. There is an exclusive interview with Paul McCartney and other bassists who feature in the story including Stanley Clarke Flea James Jamerson Jaco Pastorius and Robert Trujillo. Dozens of unusual desirable and rarely seen basses are presented in high-quality photos. A reference section provides a wealth of information on the key makers. The Bass Book has all you need to know about the story of the bass guitar in one stylish readable volume and this revised and refreshed third edition brings the story right up to date.

1833 to the Present Day-First published in 2001 and now updated and expanded History of the American Guitar begins in New York City in the 1830s with the arrival of Christian Martin from Germany to set up the Martin company. From that historic moment the book takes readers on a fascinating and comprehensive visual tour of U.S. guitar history. Over 75 brand names are represented with more than 300 guitars photographed in stunning detail including Bigsby Danelectro D'Angelico D'Aquisto Ditson Dobro Dyer Epiphone Fender Gibson Gretsch James Trussart Kay Maccaferri Martin Micro-Frets Mosrite Oahu Ovation Regal Rickenbacker Stella Stromberg Suhr Taylor Vega Washburn Wilkanowski and many more. The interrelated stories of the Guitar Mandolin and Banjo are mixed seamlessly with the history of the diverse American music that grew and prospered with these instruments from country to blues from jazz to rock. The bulk of the instruments illustrated were part of the celebrated collection of Scott Chinery photographed before Chinery's untimely death and the subsequent break-up of his unique collection. The book presents every important episode in the story of the American luthier's art and is an unparalleled resource for every musician collector and music fan.