The World of Guitars

Rating:
Summary: Comprehesive, well written, excellent photography
Review: I recently saw this book in a library, and I knew right away that I had to have a copy. Christian Seguret does a masterful job of providing a comprehensive history of the development of this most versatile instruments. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves guitars.

Rating:
Summary: Comprehesive, well written, excellent photography
Review: I recently saw this book in a library, and I knew right away that I had to have a copy. Christian Seguret does a masterful job of providing a comprehensive history of the development of this most versatile of instruments. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves guitars.

Rating:
Summary: A global vision for history of guitars
Review: It's a great book. Since 17th century to 1990's. In the electric guitars chapter two mean manufacturers are exposed: Fender and Gibson. But, what's about Ibanez, Kramer, Yamaha...?

Rating:
Summary: So many guitars, so little time
Review: This sinfully lavish book is a lot like a Playboy magazine - scads of desirable beauties shamelessly sprawled out in all their forbidden glory and yards of words you'll probably never read. While the main allure here is certainly the eye-popping photographs of vintage and contemporary guitars, both acoustic and electric, that are the stuff of axe aficionados' dreams, the text should not be ignored. Tracing the guitar from its humble 17th century Spanish origins to its present-day ubiquity, Christian Seguret explores the myriad of mutations and innovations that have been visited on history's most beloved, versatile and accessible musical instrument. It's everything you ever wanted to know about the guitar and Seguret, a guitar player/collector himself and a columnist for Guitar and Bass magazine, is the chap to ask. From forgotten visionary luthiers (like Antonio de Torres, considered the father of the modern guitar) to America's legendary Big Three guitar dynasties (the chapters on Martin, Gibson and Fender are especially interesting), Seguret's engrossing text reads like a super-cool history book.

And, oh, those pictures: a mouth-watering banquet of every conceivable kind of guitar - Strats and Teles, D28s and J200s, SGs and Flying Vs, guitars by Gretsch and Rickenbacker, resonators and Hawaiian guitars, even strange hybrids like harp and lyre guitars. For average Joes like you and me, the chance of ever holding, much less possessing, these rare and tantalizing specimens is slim at best. But it's sure a lot of fun to look.

Rating:
Summary: An attractive book that could use a little improvement
Review: Those who love guitars will fall in love with this book. It is a beautiful -- filled with high-quality pictures of many classic guitars. In addition, it has stories detailing the history of the guitar itself, as well as the history of major guitar manufacturers (including Martin, Gibson, Fender, and more).
The weakness that I see in Seguret's book is the lack of breadth in some of its coverage. While some smaller manufacturers are given attention, many are left out, which was disappointing to me. Also, the historical descriptions were lacking in depth -- people who already know basic guitar history will find much of the writing to be too general and lacking original tidbits of information. However, the beautiful pictures and attractive layout make the book worth buying. If nothing else, leaving it on your coffee table might help the non-initiated understand why us guitar lovers practically drool over beautiful, antique Martins.

Rating:
Summary: An attractive book that could use a little improvement
Review: Those who love guitars will fall in love with this book. It is a beautiful -- filled with high-quality pictures of many classic guitars. In addition, it has stories detailing the history of the guitar itself, as well as the history of major guitar manufacturers (including Martin, Gibson, Fender, and more).
The weakness that I see in Seguret's book is the lack of breadth in some of its coverage. While some smaller manufacturers are given attention, many are left out, which was disappointing to me. Also, the historical descriptions were lacking in depth -- people who already know basic guitar history will find much of the writing to be too general and lacking original tidbits of information. However, the beautiful pictures and attractive layout make the book worth buying. If nothing else, leaving it on your coffee table might help the non-initiated understand why us guitar lovers practically drool over beautiful, antique Martins.