Product Description

Totally Guitar is the biggest and most complete book on the world's most popular instrument, full of expert tips and fascinating stories for both beginning and advanced players. An unrivalled guide to the guitar, here are the stories behind 100 key electric guitar makers, from Alembic to Zemaitis, with fabulous color photos of all the greatest models from the 1930s to the 2000s. Here too is advice on how to string, tune, set up, clean, maintain, and store a prized instrument. Add 1,250 bars of music, 250 chords, the biggest glossary of guitar terms ever assembled in one book, and hundreds of essential tips on 10 hot playing styles from acoustic to rock 'n' roll and the result is a modern bible for the guitar-obsessed.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #528237 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 608 pages

Customer Reviews

Just electrics
Like countless others, when I was younger, I fancied myself as a guitarist. So, when I saw this gem a few years ago, I couldn't resist.

There's sections with music o how--or what--to play according to various styles, pieces on instrument maintenance. But frankly what mesmerized me was the whole "catalog," as someone else called it, of electric guitars.

I wondered why I hadn't seen a Mosrite for so long. The book explains why (I won't give anything away.) There's pictures of my old Guild, and my old Epiphone. My God, the book stimulates memories.

Perhaps the highlight of the book is it's illustrations. Like I said, there's pics of countless models...even of some of my favorite Vox guitars (which went out of business in the late 1960s). There's ads from various music magazines promoting such and such a brand with the pic of a celebrity--maybe Jimmy Page, or someone else--playing that instrument. There's a little history of the company.

Since I just finished a book on Eric Clapton, I wanted to look up the Kay which was the guitar that Clapton played just before he hit the big time. Sure enough, there is was.

There's even some descriptions as to how a model got it's model number (e.g., I think CES is cutaway, electric, Spanish, from one brand I'll let you look up yourself.)

Be forewarned, though, the book's subject is ELECTRIC guitars. So if you're after accoustics, you'll have to look elsewhere.

In the meantime, enjoy this one, and wallow in the memories.

Great book if you don't already have Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia
When I got this book I was amazed at how huge it was. It's heavy too. In fact I'm not sure it would be safe to put this on a music stand, it could injure someone. The content is like having a couple years worth of Guitar Player magazine columns in one big book. Covers over a dozen styles in their individual chapters with some representative licks. Also lots of guitar maintenance stuff, tho I just don't see how a book of this bulk could work in a workshop environment.

So the book is pretty great, the only BIG problem I have is that 300 pages of this book is a reprint of Tony's previous book, "Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia". And I had just bought that book 2 weeks before. So if you have THAT book already, then you are getting just 297 pages of new material in a book that's 3x as heavy as that one (this one is hardcover).

If that factoid was mentioned in the review than I guess it's my own fault, but either way it bears repeating. Of course if you don't have the previous book than this is great. The colors are a bit richer than the previous book, too. But I probably would have skipped this if I had known the above.

This book is huge. A must for any guitar player!!!!
I just received this book as a Christmas gift. I am completely blown away by it!

This book has everything you need to know regarding guitars. The history, the many different important players, how to care for your instrument, a listing and pictures of pretty much every guitar, major manufacturer, and every model made, a listing of chords, scales, modes, etc. It's simply amazing! It just goes on and on! This is the book you want if you enjoy the guitar. Consider it an encyclopedia of guitar. Because I am sure that you will be referencing it as if it actually was one.

But be warned, when I say this book is huge I mean it literally. It is a physically large and heavy book. You better have some space on your bookshelf for it. Otherwise it's going to have to live on the coffee table like my copy!