The Bass Book [Paperback]

Tony Bacon (Author), Barry Moorhouse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

by Tony Bacon & _Barry Moorhouse Miller Freeman Books The fourth in a series (The Fender Book, The Gibson Les Paul Book, The Rickenbacker Book), The Bass Book offers a complete illustrated history of bass guitars from FenderÕs first in the 1950s through the models of the next 40 years that formed the foundation for modern music. The bass guitar is undoubtedly one of the most significant instruments of this century, yet this book is the first to study its history. Features original interviews with bass makers past and present, dozens of unusual, specially commissioned color photos, and a reference section that provides a wealth of information on every major manufacturer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 108 pages
• Publisher: Backbeat Books (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879303689
• ISBN-13: 978-0879303686
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #858,619 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Just for Bassists - It's Great for Any Rock Fan!, March 26, 2000

By 

Tom (Pawtucket, RI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bass Book (Paperback)

This book follows the format of Mr. Bacon's other books (including The Fender Book and The Gibson Les Paul Book), and like his other books, it is a treat for the eyes. The photography is absolutely fantastic, with amazing detail. What is especially impressive is his inclusion of instruments owned by the stars who made them famous. It's not just a picture of a Hofner "Beatle Bass", it's one of Paul McCartney's Beatle Basses; it's not just a picture of an Alembic bass, it's John Entwistle's famous Alembic "Spider" bass from his days with The Who (and the list goes on and on...). Like Mr. Bacon's other guitar books, there's a pretty good identification guide in the back. Is this book REALLY a complete story of the electric bass with minute detail about every instrument of note (how's THAT for a pun)? Nah. If that's what you want, then consider this a "3 star" book at best (although you WILL learn something if you read it). On the other hand, is it a nice addition to one's own music library or a great gift book? Absolutely! (By the way - the ONLY reason I didn't rate it five stars is that the author tries, in my opinion, to cover too broad a subject matter in too short a space.) This is one of those books that's a lot of fun, even if it's just to "look at the pictures".

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leo changes the face of music., May 24, 2001

By 

Chris Szatny (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bass Book (Paperback)

The Bass Book was very informative as to the process at which the bass guitar came to fruition and it's evolution. I couldn't put it down. Any one who plays the bass or is thinking of playing will enjoy reading this book. It also gave me a sense of pride that I belong to a sort of "brotherhood" of bass guitarists. Although it's history is not that old, it certainly made a great impact on modern music. I highly recommend this book to bass enthuiasts as well as anyone who likes music in general.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not sure what year your bass is?, July 5, 2004

By 

F. J. Lennox "fast94" (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bass Book (Paperback)

I found this book a while back and is a great source for finding the year and model of your bass through the serial numbers. I have an old Les Paul bass and didn't know much more about it until I found this book. It was a 71-75 Triumph, the twin to the Les Paul Recording Guitar.