Tony Bacon Books

A look at how the Precision Bass revolutionsed the sound of popular music

Totally Guitar is the most complete guide ever for the modern guitarist. This fascinating guide will help you to discover some great new playing styles, learn all the inside info on the coolest amps and greatest guitars, and understand how your favorite instruments work. Whether you're a beginner or advanced player, this amazing collection will provide everything you need to know about the guitar, in one massive, unique, information-packed book. * Tony Bacon is a leading music author whose books include The Ultimate Guitar Book, 50 Years of Fender, London Live, The History of the American Guitar, and 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul. * Dave Hunter is an American musician and journalist now based in London and a former editor The Guitar Magazine. He has contributed to numerous publications and TV and radio documentaries, and he is a leading reviewer of guitar amplification. * Other outstanding contributors include Ghanian guitarist Kari Bannerman, designer and builder Robert Benedetto, classical guitarist David Braid, author and music reviewer David Burrluck, Nashville-based author, songwriter, and musician Walter Carter, “guitar guru” Paul Day, and others. * Find out the importance of design and materials, like how maple accentuates the higher frequencies to produce

In 1982, Fender revived an old guitar-string name for its new line of Japanese-made electric guitars. Thirty years later, Squier is almost as important to the company as the main Fender brand. This book tells the story of the millions of guitars produced with the Squier name in the years between that inauspicious birth and its 30th anniversary.

Fender's 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, and Jazzmaster as well as lesser-known (and less successful) 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.

Book With over 100 color photos and insightful essays written by world-class jazz authorities, this book illustrates the saxophone's role in jazz from its earliest 1920s roots through today. It describes how the sound of jazz has been shaped in the hands of Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Branford Marsalis, Sonny Rollins, and many other legendary saxophonists in varying styles. It also includes a comprehensive guide to the finest recordings featuring jazz saxophone.

Paul McCartney is one of the best pop bass players in the world, and this book presents a musical analysis of his consistently inventive and influential bass playing during his tenure in the Beatles. This indispensable guide offers full transcriptions (including tablature and chord names) of nine of McCartney's most revered bass “Dear Prudence ” “Drive My Car ” “In My Life ” “Lovely Rita ” and more. Each track is analyzed and explained in detail to show today's bassists how much they can still learn from McCartney's remarkable skill and imagination.

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. This 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

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.

The Gibson 335 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.