Author(s): Dom Kiris

Music

What is it about the Gibson Les Paul, the Fender Stratocaster, the Martin D-28s, the Hofner violin bass or any of the other electric or acoustic masterpieces that has made them such icons of the 20th century? It's not just because these guitars are great works of art, but above all because they gave music, whether we're talking about rock, folk or blues, that special extra: a unique way of hitting or holding a note, a particular tone created by the shape of a guitar's neck or body, its pickups, its very structure. These guitars also became so legendary because they won over the great guitar players who often remained faithful to them throughout their careers. So there was B.B. King and his Gibson ES 335, nicknamed Lucille, Jimi Hendrix and his Stratocaster, George Harrison and his electric 12-string Rickenbacker, Jimmy Page and his Les Paul. This stunning book takes a detailed look at the greatest guitars and basses ever made, not forgetting the amps and effects units, which have become just as famous in their own right.