The 3rd Edition Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers [Paperback]

Zachary Fjestad (Author), S.P. Fjestad (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers | Publication Date: January 22, 2007

The only comprehensive and up-to-date guitar amplifier pricing book is now available! Finally, you can get the detailed information you ve been looking for on such famous trademarks as Fender, Marshall, Vox, Mesa-Boogie, Ampeg, and others. Written and complied by Zachary R. Fjestad, nephew of editor and publisher S.P. Fjestad, this book is the only complete publication that deals specifically with guitar amplifiers. The new 3rd Edition Blue Book of Guitars AmplifiersTM is over 600 pages, and features complete listings of most popular new and vintage guitar amplifiers. Up-to-date prices are also provided, with condition factors being broken down into Excellent and Average categories. Hundreds of high quality B&W images also assist the consumer in identifying the various makes and models. As in other Blue Book Publications, Inc., books, a 16-page color Photo Grading SystemTM (a Blue Book Publications, Inc., exclusive!) also provides the consumer with visual grading information and other important identification tips. Unique within the music industry, this is the only publication that covers guitar amplifiers with this much detail. Not only do most amps have model descriptions, but also included is such technical information as tube type(s), period of manufacture, speaker sizes, options, wattage, control panel specs, and even weight, whenever possible.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Zachary Fjestad is the author of the Blue Book of Electric Guitars, the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, and the Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Blue Book Publications, Inc.; 3rd edition (January 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886768595
• ISBN-13: 978-1886768598
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,235,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Useful? Yes. Essential? Yes. Readable? NO. They need an editor..., December 9, 2008

By 

J. Sliff "Silverface" (Hermosa Beach CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 3rd Edition Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers (Paperback)

The Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers is unfortunately a singular publication of its type. For the vintage amp fan it has good information yet wildly inconsistent values (probably due in part to their lumping of many, many distinct types of amp models into multiple-decade age groups and a grading system that is...well, irrelevant would be the only thing that comes to mind, since it lacks so much detail). It is both a fascinating and completely maddening volume. There are amps included that even the most dedicated tube-hound can find little information on elsewhere, yet strange omissions of fairly common ones (as mentioned in other reviews). The worst thing about this book is that while it's pretty much essential if you are an amp collector, reading it will drive you bats unless you're a teacher of English as a Second Language. The grammar is so pitiful it'd be funny...if the book didn't cost so much. These guys need an editor in the worst way, and I know at least a dozen tube amp techs/collectors/players who would VOLUNTEER their time to make this thing readable. Simple things like "...the use of negative feedback was used." make you blink twice..."did I REALLY read that?". "...prices can be generally between the $75 and $200 range.""...and technology that no one really knew how to use them.". In addition to the "F" in English 101, the writers managed to use (most notably in the first edition) a weird assortment of fonts with absolutely no consistency. How hard would it be to use ONE font? Well, apparently about as hard as it is to write in clear language. The last annoyance - they continually inject little "review" comments about how great...or mediocre...a particular model is, yet make no comments about most amps. One wonders, based on the fonts, language, lame, spotty "reviews" and such, how much material was actually written and how much was...ahem..."borrowed"...from other sources? It's just sad that such an essential book appears to be written by fourth-graders; well, that's a reach and an insult to fourth graders everywhere. All I can say is, buy it because you need it - but do NOT plan on reading it for pleasure without a large bottle of headache medicine close at hand.

4.0 out of 5 stars BLUE BOOK OF GUITAR AMPS 2ND EDITION 2003, March 15, 2010

By 

B. Vinson (Menifee,CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 3rd Edition Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers (Paperback)

I think this first guide is an example of some very difficult and complex decisions to make a book that list's various manufacturer's amplifiers. I have read about other's complaining about there amp is not yet in this book but i bet it will be after a while or it is not included due to various factor's.Those may include early solid state amps that did not sound very good or do not have a large market to give a price indication.

Just remember things in this world are very dynamic,always changing, like a wild river.

I can remember in the 1970's when tubes were being phased out of guitar amps, big & heavy amps,expensive tubes, yet delicate, remember those 100lb cab's and 60lb head units. I have a 21 yr old who complains about his 50lb combo so i bought him a solid state champ and he loves it. What is wrong with the kid's these days. SOLID STATE, Oh well things change and not always for the better.

I believe they did an excellent job to begin with and will to include more & more as time goes on. The first book may not be your best but each volume will get better each time. 336 pages with an index in the rear to help find stuff, what else could you ask for?

Just remember musicians read music not English!!!!

I especially like the dating & serial number coding sections and identification methods, such as, cloth color scheme dating, blue checkered cloth,etc.. Helps establish originality which is most important especially for the transformer which should have it's own dating code.
Most people do not reaize that you can try to produce an exact copy of an amp designed 30 yrs ago and copy it down to the buttons and it will sound different than the original, even if you used older parts.The condition factor may be over stressed in the guides, what is more important, a mint amp that is mediocre sounding or a banged up beautiful sweet sounding amp that suits your playing style.
For some unexplained reason the majority of the older mint amp's did not sound good and because of that it was never used much and therfore is in better condition.
The ones that were well used were used for a reason, to cheap to buy another one? Or sounded EXCELLENT?
Which one would you like to use?
I also enjoyed some of the company's history and beginnings, found out how little i really knew about the subject.
Does anyone know that Seymour Duncan built tube amps and studied in England to learn about pickup winding and construction, and probably from the master's. This was encouragement and advice from a very famous guitarist/musician, can you guess who that was? His initials are on a Gibson Model guitar that was named after him and started out as a 4 x4.
I also think some prices are lower than the current market where i live in but that's California for ya, everything costs more, but only as you get older.
I would personally like to see sound quality ratings added to the amps to help distingish between the type's of music they are made for ie, blues,rockabilly,metal,jazz,country,etc and which guitars are best used for them such as single pick up strat or a triple humbucker sg and use a db rating that specifies the frequency response. 30db at 1 KHZ.
I do not fault the author for starting and completing something that has never been put into one book before, I would like to Thank him for all his efforts and having the courage for doing something to help inform us average musician's,collector's and players and others on a subject we know too little about.

I also wish they would include some solid state amps and popular hybrids especially from RANDALL, SUNDOWN and other import type amps, Bugera,etc.. I have been recently reading about Bugera,Crate's Blackheart, Amazing an all new tube amp hand wired for $450.00 These cost $1000 back when a new car cost $4000. I do not see many new cars for $1800 so what happened.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on amps, October 23, 2008

By 

J. A. Wouters (Zoeterwoude Netherlands) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The 3rd Edition Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers (Paperback)

A must have for not only the ampoholics. There is a world of great amps on the other end of your guitar line. Get to know it!! Even if you're not interested in todays value of your own amp(s), you'll get a over 3" thick overview of all kinds of guitar amplification. It's on my coffee table and I suspect visitors not to come for me but just for the book. Great value for money!