Renowned guitarist Steve Howe tells his own story in his own words, often unflinchingly as he recounts times of triumph and torment amidst the cream of the UK's prog rock bands. Best known for his work with Yes, a group prone to sudden upheavals, and AOR supergroup Asia, Steve Howe's passage through these and other bands is a roller-coaster ride of constant touring, tense recording sessions, and frequent trips to all corners of the globe. A workaholic, he soon realised that the temptations of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle weren't for him and instead dedicated his life to excellence in musicianship. Born in North London in 1947, Steve got his first guitar at the age of 12 and thereafter devoted himself passionately to mastering its intricacies. After spells in psychedelic bands of the late sixties, he was invited to join Yes in 1970, thus finding himself in a spotlight that shines to this day. In the meantime he raised a family, adopted vegetarianism as a lifestyle, and watched as many of his peers succumbed to the impulses he managed to avoid. As well as Yes and Asia, Steve has led bands of his own, released numerous solo recordings in many different musical styles and amassed a legendary collection of priceless stringed instruments.

These are the guitars so famous that their names are often household words: B. B. King's Lucille, Eric Clapton's Blackie, Stevie Ray Vaughan's First Wife, Billy F Gibbons' Pearly Gates, Neil Young's Old Black, and many more. Here's the first-ever illustrated history of the actual guitars of the stars that made the music. Other best-selling guitar histories look at the rank-and-file models, but this book is unique in profiling the actual "star guitars"--the million-dollar babies, such as the 1968 Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix burned at Woodstock, which sold at Sotheby's auction house in 1993 for $1,300,000. Amateurs buy guitars to emulate the stars--Clapton's Strat, Slash's Les Paul--and this book explains the stars' modifications, thus showing how others can recreate those famous tones.

Foreword by Joe Satriani Guitar Player: The Inside Story of the First Two Decades of the Most Successful Guitar Magazine Ever is a reflection on Guitar Player's often pioneering early days, from its 1967 founding through its 1989 sale by founder Bud Eastman and editor/publisher Jim Crockett. This book looks at the magazines evolution from a 40-page semi-monthly to a monthly exceeding 200 pages, with a gross yearly income that grew from $40 000 to nearly $15 million. The story is told by many people important to Guitar Player's history, including Maxine Eastman, Bud Eastman's widow, and Crockett, who edited this book with his daughter Dara. Also here are recollections of key personnel, including Tom Wheeler, Jas Obrecht, Roger Siminoff, Mike Varney, Jon Sievert, George Gruhn, and Robb Lawrence; leading early advertisers, such as Martin, Randall, and Fender; and prominent guitar players featured in the magazine, including Joe Perry, George Benson, Pat Travers, Country Joe McDonald, Pat Metheny, Steve Howe, Lee Ritenour, Johnny Winter, Steve Morse, Larry Coryell, Michael Lorimer, John McLaughlin, Stanley Clarke, Liona Boyd, Steve Vai, and many others. Among the many illustrations are then-and-now shots of performers and staff, early ads, behind-the-scenes photos from company jam sessions (with such guests as B. B. King and Chick Corea), various fascinating events, and key issue covers. Rich in history and perspective, Guitar Player: The Inside Story of the First Two Decades of the Most Successful Guitar Magazine Ever is the definitive first-person chronicle of a music magazine's golden age.

Scott Chinery has carefully and painstakingly built a museum-quality collection of the very finest examples of American guitars. Presented in print for the first time is a breathtaking display of 250 great guitars from his unique collection, covering ever significant development beginning with Martin's 'parlor' guitars of the 1830s to recent D'Aquisto archtops. Presented in full color, this limited edition, slipcased volume is a wonderful and unparalleled resource for the player, collector and music fan. Every important and beautiful strand of the luthier's art in America is portrayed here. Published as a special collectors' edition, The Chinery Collection is limited to 6000 numbered copies worldwide.

Capturing the unique beauty of an unparalleled collection of specially-made blue guitars, this compendium contains cutting-edge design and layout, as well as interviews with the guitarmakers. 133 color photos.

(Book). Armed with a macro lens, an incredible eye for detail, and a truly groundbreaking vision, Lisa Johnson's guitar art is taking the world of fine art photography on a rock-and-roll ride. A compilation of Johnson's stunningly personal and intimate portraits, 108 Rock Star Guitars features the guitars of rock-and-roll luminaries, including Les Paul, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Nancy Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Chrissie Hynde, and many others. Far from still life, Johnson's work conjures the abstract yet also possesses a very sensual and ethereal feel that intentionally illustrates intimate wear-and-tear details. Her unique presentation personifies and captures a musician's true spirit in these musical extensions of the artist's body. This ultra-deluxe, coffee-table photo book reveals through Johnson's signature macrophotography style the etchings, totems, and personal touches of each featured guitar. It is a rare perspective that few people outside of the musicians' stage crew have seen. Alongside these images, Johnson provides personal anecdotes describing her 17-year journey to photograph these iconic instruments, documenting her travels from the backstage hallways of some the world's most famous concert venues to the artists' private homes. 108 Rock Star Guitars is a music and fine-art photography aficionado's private backstage pass to witness up-close these six-stringed works of art.

Three genre-defining guitar technique books combined to give you the smoothest playing mechanics on the planet. This ground-breaking guitar technique collection brings together three bestselling books by rock guitar virtuoso Chris Brooks. This compilation will take you from player to slayer as you master the right- and left-hand techniques essential to shred guitar mastery. Over 360 exercise and musical examples that teach you to tackle the most devious of music Over 3 hours of audio you can download for free Develop perfect sweep picking, legato and picking mechanics on guitar Book One: Neoclassical Speed Strategies for Guitar Neoclassical Speed Strategies for Guitar focuses on speed picking in the tradition of Yngwie Malmsteen, where picking technique is approached via biomechanics, strategy, and progressive advancement to create blazing single- and multi-string licks, sequences and etudes. A complete guitar picking course that starts from the first principles of movement and works around your own unique body mechanics, illustrated in detail Inventive exercises that combine shifting scale lines, sequences, single-string phrases and string-changing mechanics Concise, developmental picking drills and studies forming a clear, incremental path to speed-picking mastery Book Two: Sweep Picking Speed Strategies for Guitar Sweep Picking Speed Strategies for Guitar takes a meticulous approach to breaking down the biomechanics of sweep picking and goes way beyond drills and guitar licks to get to the heart of great sweep picking technique. You'll master everything from pick grip and fundamental rudiments to the execution of perfect, large-scale arpeggio forms for the most common chord types as you learn sweep picking on guitar. A comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to sweep pick like a pro A systematic guide to mastering technique and dominating the fretboard Complete technical development through 100 drills and 17 Etudes Book Three: Legato Guitar Technique Mastery For the fretting hand, Legato Guitar Technique Mastery will help you to dazzle with smooth lines, comprehensive neck coverage and various mechanical combinations. Here is a complete system to play legato like the masters, in the style of Alan Holdsworth, Guthrie Govan, Greg Howe, Brett Garsed, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Learn the secrets of fretting and picking hand control Discover techniques for taming unwanted string noise Train yourself with diatonic and chromatic fretboard drills This three book collection really is the final word in modern guitar technique. Everything need to build the greatest guitar technique on the planet is right here.

Providing the "What," "How," and "Why," master guitarist and teacher Shawn Persinger shows you how to get the most out of the best guitar books. You'll find insightful commentaries and more than 100 individually tailored guitar lessons - in all styles - that will provide beginner, intermediate, and advanced players with a lifetime of knowledge, insight, and inspiration.Unlike any other guitar method, The 50 Greatest Guitar Books is part guitar instruction, part music appreciation, and part literary criticism. Persinger delivers as much practical musical content as he does analysis and educated insight.Includes contribution from legendary educators and players: Rik Emmett, Henry Kaiser, Steve Kaufman, Wolf Marshall, Tim Sparks, and many more.More than 100 stylized guitar lessons: Chord Voicings, Arpeggios, Two-Handed Tapping, Fingerpicking, Slide Guitar, Walking Bass Lines, Improvisation, and much more.Featuring all styles: Blues, Classical, Funk, Metal, Rock, Jazz, World, Ragtime, Flamenco, Bluegrass, Gypsy Jazz, Pop, Latin, Fingerpicking, Country, Fusion, and more.

Capturing the unique beauty of an unparalleled collection of specially-made blue guitars, this compendium contains cutting-edge design and layout, as well as interviews with the guitarmakers. 133 color photos.

An illustrated guide to over 450 different guitars, from early acoustics to the latest electrics.