Tony Bacon – författare

Introduced in 1954 as one of Gretsch's “Guitars of the Future ” the White Falcon was an overwhelmingly impressive instrument. The influence of this spectacular new guitar spread to other models and guitar manufacturers. It was the dawn of a half-century of awe-inspiring guitars which are now favored by widely popular artists including Pete Townshend, Tom Petty, Alanis Morisette, Sheryl Crow, John Frusciante, Bo Diddley, and more. This book compiles the best of Gretsch's inventions over the past 50 years and tells the stories of their creation and the men who created them. Includes 100 photos! (8-1/2″ x 11″, 144 pages)

To mark the 60th anniversary of Fender, Backbeat's introduced a new, completely revised third edition of this bestseller. Fender guitars have long been the instruments of choice for artists such as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This book tells the complete story of Fender guitars, detailing classics such as the Telecaster, Stratocaster & Jazzmaster as well as lesser-known models. Dozens of photos reveal Fender's storied craftsmanship, while the text includes collector details for all models. The reference section lists all models and their statistics. This new edition has been refreshed and updated, with 56 extra pages and over 60 new photographs. The main text has added material and has been brought up to date to cover Fender's ever-changing history amid the fascinating developments for the company and its instruments during the eight years since the previous edition.

Tony Bacon's definitive guide to Gibson's most famous guitar moves into its latest and most complete version yet with this new and thoroughly revised edition. Now with 16 more pages and 45 new pictures, this timely (and re-titled) update of 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul (2002) tells the story of one of the greatest musical instruments of the 20th century – and one that is still holding center stage today.Since Gibson's Les Paul solid body electric guitar first appeared in the early 1950s, it has always been easier to list the famous guitarists who have not used one at some point or another in their careers. This improved edition of the book features a complete history of the guitar and its players – from the original Goldtop through the Fretless Wonder and the revered 1958-60 “Burst ” and on to the reissues of today.Richly illustrated with 250 archive and performance shots, ephemera, and specially commissioned studio photos, The Les Paul Guitar Book is the most complete guide ever to Gibson's best-known guitar, and a must-have for every player and collector.

The definitive history of the world's most famous 12-string electric guitar.When the Byrds recorded their hit version of Dylan's “Mr. Tambourine Man ” they popularized a new sound in pop music: the electric 12-string guitar.Rickenbacker is the guitar maker that brought the electric 12-string to market and has since been almost single-handedly responsible for establishing what such a guitar should do. The California company gave one of its earliest 12-strings to George Harrison of the Beatles on the group's first tour of the United States in 1964. He immediately used it live and in the studio and showed off the sound of electric jangle to the rest of the world.This book tells the story of those heady days in the '60s, of the competitors who tried and failed to match the sound, and of the instrument's continuing production by Rickenbacker and use by many modern guitarists. Complete with high-quality photos and exclusive interviews with many of the 12-string's leading players, this is the best guide yet to the history of the sound of jingle-jangle.

Gretsch electric guitars have a style all their own – a glitzy, wacky, retro charm that over the years has drawn players from all kinds of popular music, from timeless stars to unknown teens. The Beatles, Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, and Brian Setzer all made their mark with Gretsch, and new bands continually discover and fall in love with the Falcons, Gents, 6120s, Jets, and the rest.The Gretsch Electric Guitar Book comes right up to the present, including Gretsch's alliance to the powerful Fender company, a move that has done wonders for the reliability and playability of the modern Gretsch axe. Every great model is here, but the book also tells the story of the lesser-known guitars and the projects that almost never happened. There are archival and fresh interviews with Gretsch personnel over the years and with many leading Gretsch players, including Chet Atkins, Billy Duffy, Duane Eddy, and Brian Setzer.In the tradition of Tony Bacon's best-selling series of guitar books, his updated and revised story of Gretsch is three great volumes in one: a compendium of luscious pictures of the coolest guitars; a gripping story from early exploits to the most recent developments; and a detailed collector's guide to every production electric Gretsch model ever made.

To many vintage guitar fans, it seems inconceivable that Gibson dumped the Sunburst Les Paul in 1960 and, during the following year, introduced a completely new design, the one that we know now as the SG (“solid guitar”).At the time, however, it made good business sense. Sales of the Les Paul were faltering, and Gibson decided to blow a breath of fresh air through its solidbody electric guitar line. The company described the result as an “ultra-thin, hand-contoured, double-cutaway body.” The modernistic amalgam of bevels and points and angles was a radical departure, and this new book tells the story of all the SG models that followed: the Junior, Special, Standard, Custom, and more.There are interviews with and stories about Gibson personnel through the years, and all the major SG players, including Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton, Angus Young, George Harrison, Gary Rossington, Tony Iommi, and Derek Trucks.In the tradition of Tony Bacon's bestselling series of guitar books, The SG Guitar Book is three great volumes in one package: a collection of drool-worthy pictures of the coolest guitars; a gripping story from the earliest prototypes to the latest exploits; and a detailed collector's database of every production SG model ever made.

In California in the early '50s, the Fender company introduced the world's first electric bass guitar. They couldn't have known known it then, but the Precision Bass would start a revolution in the sound of popular music. This book explains how that revolution happened and how its reverberations are still felt today.The two-guitars-bass-and-drums lineup that would define pop music found its heart with the Fender bass. In the coming decades, the bass guitar provided the solid foundation upon which much modern music is still built. The Bass Book is the first to study its story, with the full lowdown of the most important bass players and bass makers. Brands featured in the book include Alembic, Danelectro, Epiphone, Fender, Fodera, Gibson, Hofner, Ibanez, Lakland, Line 6, Music Man, Peavey, Rickenbacker, Sadowsky, Spector, Squier, Steinberger, Wal, Warwick, and Yamaha.Original interviews with makers of bass guitars from the past and present illuminate the book, with the popular establishment of the bass during the '60s and '70s examined in detail, along with more recent developments such as the popularity of the five-string bass. There is an exclusive interview with Paul McCartney and other bassists who feature in the story, including Stanley Clarke, Flea, James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, and Robert Trujillo.Dozens of unusual, desirable, and rarely seen basses are presented in high-quality photos. A reference section provides a wealth of information on the key makers. The Bass Book has all you need to know about the story of the bass guitar in one stylish, readable volume, and this revised and refreshed third edition brings the story right up to date.

The Gibson 335 Guitar Book tells the story of Gibson's ES-335 and related models, as played by B.B. King, Alvin Lee, and Eric Clapton, among other virtuosos. It's full of great guitars, cool players, and fascinating historical detail. The book traces the story from Gibson's first thinline models to the company's signature instruments and modern re-creations of today.The book is in the tradition of Tony Bacon's bestselling guitar series, with a carefully researched story, a gallery section of full-color pictures of the most important guitars and players, and a reference section detailing production years and specifications.The 335 was launched in 1958. It had a double-cutaway body, but the interesting features were hidden inside. A solid block in an otherwise hollow body created a new “semi-solid” structure, cleverly combining the sonic qualities of a hollowbody guitar and a solidbody. Variants included the stereo 345 and the upscale 355, and players have lined up ever since for a taste of these attractively different flavors.Some of those players featured in the book include Larry Carlton, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Peter Hayes (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), Justin Hayward (Moody Blues), Eric Clapton, Pepper Keenan (Down), B.B. King, Elvin Bishop (Butterfield Blues Band), Alvin Lee (Ten Years After), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Eddie Phillips (the Creation), Johnny Marr (the Smiths), Lee Ritenour, Andy Summers (the Police), Bill Nelson (Be-Bop Deluxe), and Andrew White (Kaiser Chiefs).

Lavishly illustrated with color photos throughout

In 1982, Fender revived an old guitar-string name for its new line of Japanese-made electric guitars. Millions of guitars later, and celebrating its 30th anniversary, Squier is almost as important to the company as the main Fender brand.Guitar pundit Tony Bacon reveals the stories behind the original (and collectible) Japanese-made Squier Series models, the way that Fender has often been more adventurous and experimental with Squier, away from its protected main brand, and the famous musicians who have chosen to play Squier instruments, from Courtney Love and her Venus model to blink-182's Tom DeLonge and his one-pickup/one-control signature Stratocaster.Full of the luscious pictures, absorbing narrative, and collector's data that characterize Bacon's best-selling instrument books, Squier Electrics is the only guide to one of the most popular guitar brands of recent times.

This new version of Tony Bacon's Six Decades of the Fender Telecaster shows how the world's first commercially successful solidbody electric guitar still attracts musicians more than 60 years since its birth in California. Today, it is more popular than ever and for many guitarists has overtaken the Stratocaster as the Fender to own and play. The Tele is the longest-lived solidbody electric, played by everyone from Muddy Waters to Keith Richards, from Radiohead to Snow Patrol. Its sheer simplicity and versatility are vividly illustrated here through interviews with Jeff Beck, James Burton, Bill Kirchen, John 5, and more. The book is three great volumes in one: a compendium of luscious pictures of the most desirable Teles, a gripping story from the earliest days to the latest exploits, and a detailed collector's guide to every Tele ever made. Packed with pictures of great players, collectable catalogs, period press ads, and cool memorabilia, The Telecaster Guitar Book is the one Tele book that all guitar fans will want to add to their collection.

Color and B&W photos throughout

Paperback Original w/French flaps