The guitar book : a handbook for electric and acoustic guitarists / Tom Wheeler.
| Author/creator | Wheeler, Tom |
| Format | Book |
| Edition | Revised and enlarged edition. |
| Publication Info | New York : Harper & Row, ©1978. |
| Description | xvii, 343 pages : illustrations ; 29 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Foreword / by B. B. King -- Part I. The guitar. The birth of the guitar: mythological and historical -- A short history of the guitar and its friends in America -- Acoustic guitars. Types and uses ; Acoustic guitar construction: an interview with David Russell Young ; C. F. Martin & Co. ; Handmade acoustic guitars -- Electric guitars. Introduction to the electric guitar ; Gibson Inc. ; Fender musical instruments ; Factory photo tours: Gibson, Fender -- Other electrics -- Pickups and sustain -- Collector's gallery -- How to choose the right electric or acoustic guitar. What to look for ; Comparing acoustic guitars ; Electric guitars ; New, used, and collectors guitars ; Music dealers, prices, and trade-ins -- Six strings: the voice of your guitar. Classical ; Jazz ; Gauges ; Changing the strings ; Advertisements and string companies ; Choosing a brand -- Systems and methods of tuning. Systems: relative and standardized ; Methods: fretted notes and harmonics ; Open tunings ; Tempered tuning ; Electronic tuners -- String vibration and harmonics. The fundamental ; Harmonics -- Parts and adjustments. Action ; String length and intonation ; Spacing adjustment ; Neck rod adjustments ; Hand vibratos -- General care. The guitar ; Cases ; Traveling on a commercial airline -- Minor repairs and refinishing. Intonation checklist ; Buzzing strings and false tones ; Dressing the fingerboard ; Rough-edged frets ; Electrical problems ; Rattles in the guitar body ; Natural refinishing -- Part II. Amplifiers, speakers and cabinets, special effects, and sound systems. Amplifiers. Outline of amplifier operation ; Power ratings ; Selecting an amplifier ; What to look for ; Choosing up sides: tubes or transistors? ; Testing and comparing amplifiers -- Speakers and cabinets. Speaker operation ; Speaker efficiency ; Speaker size and combination ; Speaker connections ; Speaker cabinets -- Volume, mini-amps. Power and volume ; Master volume control ; Speaker connections and volume ; Power "boosters" ; Mini-amps -- Amplifier and speaker maintenance. Safe volume levels and speaker ; Excursion ; Speaker damage and tone ; Check-ups and external connections ; Vibration ; Clipping and feedback: causes and remedies ; Prevention of electric shocks -- Amplifier and speaker failure. Tubes and circuits ; Trouble-shooting for speaker damage ; Grounding ; Noisy controls -- Electronic special effects: guitar synthesizers. Special effects buyer's checklist ; Tremolo ; Vibrato ; Reverberation ; Distortion and sustain units ; Wah-wah pedals ; Volume pedals ; Echo devices ; Tone boosters ; Combination devices ; Talk box ; Envelope modifiers ; Octave dividers and octave multipliers ; Compressors ; Noise gates ; Preamps ; Leslie speakers, phase shifters, and flangers ; Ring modulator ; Consoles ; Order of connection -- Sound systems. An interview with Tychobrahe [i.e. Tycobrahe] Sound Company ; Monitors and mixers -- Part III. Appendixes. Picks and capos ; Sound levels and your hearing ; Chord charts and chord builder. |
| Abstract | The story of the American guitar is a long and involved one, and one plagued with misinformation, lost historical records, vague personal memories, and half-truths. It's also packed with colorful people, ingenious designs, masterful marketing schemes, pioneering inventions, humor, and heartache. The first edition of this book did more than any prior publication to clear away the former and introduce the public to the latter. This volume, his substantially enlarged and more detailed revision, goes even further to show what the world's most popular musical instrument is, and how it got that way. This revised and updated version contains approximately 335 totally new photos, including shots of never-before-publicized prototypes and one-of-a-kind rarities. And as the technology of the instrument has expanded, so has the coverage of such new subjects as mini-amps, acoustic guitar pickups, electronic tuners, synthesizers, and radically new guitar designs. The chapters on effects devices, accessories, guitar theory, tunings, and guitar factories have all been expanded and rewritten to be even more complete, more up to date. There is also a new section on handmade acoustic instruments. |
| Abstract | Covers the history of the guitar, its construction, how to select one, tuning, harmonics, chords, adjustments, care, repair, special effects, amplifiers, speakers, and synthesizers. |
| General note | Includes index. |
| LCCN | 77011791 |
| ISBN | 006014579X |
| ISBN | 9780060145798 |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Music Stacks | ML1016.G8 W5 1978 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |