Music > Music - Luthiery

Immediately upon publication in 1998, the Encyclopedia of Country Music became a much-loved reference source, prized for the wealth of information it contained on that most American of musical genres. Countless fans have used it as the source for answers to questions about everything from country's first commercially successful recording, to the genre's pioneering music videos, to what conjunto music is. This thoroughly revised new edition includes more than1,200 A-Z entries covering nine decades of history and artistry, from the C... read more

Acoustic guitars make the perfect wood-working project. Whether you're a professional musician or simply an interested wood worker, building a guitar from scratch is a very satisfying project. "Guitar Building Basics" presents five, start-to-finish assembly sequences. The assemblies range in complexity from a fairly simple renaissance guitar kit, to a full dreadnaught guitar built from scratch in a professional guitar shop. A talented musician with a guitar collection of his own, Beau Allen Pacheco is the perfect author for this bo... read more

Queen are unique among the great rock bands. It is nearly twenty years since frontman Freddie Mercury's death brought the band to an end - yet their fanbase remains massive. They appeal equally to men and women. Their fans are just as likely to be teenagers too young to have been born when the band were still touring and making records (thanks not least to the huge success of the musical We Will Rock You). And their musical history is one of constant reinvention - from heavy metal and prog rock to disco pop, stadium anthems and eve... read more

Born into a regular Bronx family, and inspired by the likes of Hendrix, Led Zepellin, and the Kinks, Ace Frehley first picked up his brother's guitar at the age of 12. He had already performed in a number of bands when, in January 1973, he auditioned for an ad that read: "Guitarist wanted with flash and balls." Within a week he was invited to join - the band was KISS. Frehley explains how the band developed their style in the early days, making their own clothes, wearing make-up and platform shoes. Ace himself even designed the... read more

Nile Rodgers is a founding member of the band Chic, and one of the world's most successful music producers. He wrote 'We are Family' for Sister Sledge and 'I'm Coming Out' for Diana Ross, and produced two of the most popular albums of all time - Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' and David Bowie's 'Let's Dance'. He also performed with Madonna at Live Aid. His life has been extraordinary - his mother was just 13 when she had him, and he was brought up surrounded by a ragged assortment of artists, drop outs and junkies. At the age of 13 he wa... read more

* No artist offered a more incisive and accurate portrait of the troubled landscape of the 1970s than David Bowie. Through his multi-faceted and inventive work, he encapsulated many of the social, political and cultural themes that ran through this most fascinating of decades, from the elusive promise of scientific progress to the persistent fear of apocalypse that stalked the globe. * In The Man Who Sold The World: David Bowie and the 1970s, cultural historian Peter Doggett explores the rich heritage of the artist's most produc... read more

Leo Fender's guitars have arguably had the greatest influence on modern music than any other make of guitar. Over 250 guitars in every model, style and finish are lovingly photographed and detailed, from the greatest to the rarest - Strats, Teles and the infamous Marauder. Includes hundreds of never-before-seen images from recently unearthed archives and specially commissioned shoots around the world. Working with a worldwide network of collectors each model has been photographed specially for the book and alongside these exception... read more

"The Last Sultan "is the definitive biography of a man who changed popular culture throughout the world. As the founder and head of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun signed and/or recorded many of the greatest musical artists of all time, among them Ruth Brown; Big Joe Turner; Ray Charles; Bobby Darin; Sonny and Cher; Eric Clapton; Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Led Zeppelin; the Rolling Stones; Bette Midler; and Kid Rock. Working alongside his older brother, Nesuhi, one of the preeminent jazz producers of all tim... read more

By the end of 1968 The Beatles were far too busy squabbling with each other, while The Stones had simply stopped making music; English Rock was coming to an end. "All the Mad Men" tells the story of six stars that travelled to edge of sanity in the years following the summer of love: Pete Townshend, Ray Davies, Peter Green, Syd Barrett, Nick Drake, and David Bowie. The book charts how they made some of the most seminal rock music ever recorded: "Pink Moon"; "Ziggy Stardust"; "Quadrophenia"; "Dark Side of the Moon"; "Muswell Hillbil... read more

This is a book for dreamers, be they guitar players, school or college woodworkers, amateurs or hobbyists. It opens the door for the uninitiated, and will enable anyone with the will, the patience and some basic woodworking skills to build a musical instrument of which to be proud - and one that will stand critical comparison with all but the most expensive store-bought models. Clear instructions - accompanied by working drawings, comprehensive stage-by-stage photographs and full-size plans - describe each step of the way, drawing ... read more

The Benton Fletcher collection, housed at Fenton House in London, contains an outstanding selection of early keyboard instruments including harpsichords, spinets, virginals, clavichords and pianos. Considering its small size, this collection includes a remarkable selection of extremely rare sixteenth-or early seventeenth-century Italian examples, along with rare seventeenth-century English virginals. The instruments range from the elegantly simple to the exquisitely extravagant. Collectively the provide a fascinating history of the... read more

You can build a guitar, and a quality kit is the best way to start. This large-format, 240-page book, with over 450 photos, details how and where to buy the kit that fits your skills and desires. Complete reviews of guitar kits built by the author - from Martin, Stewmac, LMI, Blues Creek Guitars, KMG and others - are included. Also included are references to the author's helpful website: www.KitGuitarManuals.com, where more helpful materials are offered. Having built ten guitars from kits, but remembering what he did not know when ... read more

Like no other instrument, a grand piano melds the magic of engineering with the magic of great music. Alone among the big piano companies, Steinway & Sons still crafts each of its pianos largely by hand, imbuing each one with the promise and burden of its brand. In this captivating narrative, James Barron of The New York Times tells the story of one Steinway piano, from raw lumber to finished instrument. Barron follows that brand-new piano

This book explains the secret ingredients needed to obtain the very best tonal qualities when building acoustic string instruments. It includes an exploration of the tools and equipment needed, the methods to excite tones in the instrument, how to make the necessary changes, and how to achieve consistency and repeatability. The text focuses on tap tuning as it relates to mandolins, guitars, banjos, violins, ukuleles, dulcimers, pianos, and more. The DVD includes demonstrations of the acoustic phenomena described in the text.
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Not one of them is classical, but the sixty-five superb acoustic and electric guitars from 1834 to 1998 featured in this beautiful little book are definitely classics. The team who produces Pomegranate

Leo Fender's guitars have arguably had the greatest influence on modern music than any other make of guitar. Over 250 guitars in every model, style and finish are lovingly photographed and detailed, from the greatest to the rarest - Strats, Teles and the infamous Marauder. This title includes hundreds of never-before-seen images from recently unearthed archives and specially commissioned shoots around the world. Working with a worldwide network of collectors each model has been photographed specially for the book and alongside thes... read more

Rob Young investigates how the idea of folk has been handed down and transformed by successive generations - song collectors, composers, Marxist revivalists, folk-rockers, psychedelic voyagers, free festival-goers, experimental pop stars and electronic innovators. In a sweeping panorama of Albion's soundscape that takes in the pioneer spirit of Cecil Sharp; the pastoral classicism of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Peter Warlock; the industrial folk revival of Ewan MacColl and A. L. Lloyd; the folk-rock of Fairport Convention, Sandy Den... read more

Alongside contemporaries Slayer, Megadeath and Anthrax, Metallica came to prominence in the eighties as one of the 'big four' of thrash metal. Metallica were to thrash, though, what the Sex Pistols were to punk. Nearly thirty years on, their tale is one of alcohol, rule breaking and tragically early death. But allied to that are colossal sales figures for their records -- they are the fifth-highest selling recording artists of all time -- and members with backgrounds that touch on jazz and classical music. Metallica, in fact, have ... read more

These landmark publications offer info from one of the most-revered luthiers of our times. No publication has ever presented trade secrets and practical information to truly change the way a person makes or appreciates the steel-stringed guitar. Ervin Somogyi is a Hungarian-born master luthier whose guitars are renowned for their responsiveness and tone - trademarks for a great guitar. After almost five decades of making this instrument, teaching and writing about the development and construction of the guitar, Somogyi reveals the ... read more