The Complete Guide to Guitar and Amp Maintenance: A Practical Manual for Every Guitar Player [Paperback]

Ritchie Fliegler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1994

From the author of Amps! comes an essential survival guide for every guitar player and amp owner. Packed with concise, clearly written tips on troubleshooting and repairs, this guide teaches the secrets of maintenance and fixing it yourself, with straightforward, step-by-step instructions using simple, affordable, readily available tools. The book focuses on the most commonly performed procedures, and contains over 150 photos and insider information from technicians, engineers, and roadies.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard (November 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793534909
• ISBN-13: 978-0793534906
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #475,184 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good info; solid; could have been better., April 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Guitar and Amp Maintenance: A Practical Manual for Every Guitar Player (Paperback)

I bought and am enjoying this book on guitar and amp maintenance. The pictures are good, and the instructions and explanations are usually clear.

I bought this book to learn how to work on and repair both my axes and amps. I can honestly say that this shows you how hard it is to do! Not that it's the author's fault, but this is very tricky (and sometimes dangerous) to go at your guitars/amps with tools and hands.

I bought the book to learn how to bias my tube amp and I can honestly say, I'm not sure if I will do it! It is a complex procedure and will require an investment in some equipment (~$50-$200). The author smartly cautions against reckless tinkering with dangerous tube amps because of the risk of shock but I don't feel like he explained how to bias for a "regular joe". I mean, if you've got a bunch of high-tech equipment, the info is good. It's just not quite complete enough and clear enough for a beginner.

Also, sometimes the author has a brain fade. For example, he doesn't tell you where to find the bias control on your amp(!) or since that would be too hard to know without looking at your amp, what *location* it might reside in. He also doesn't tell you what objects in the amp to avoid (besides the filter capacitors) that could shock you after the amp is off.

If it's only the filter capacitors that can shock you with the power off, I would have enjoyed hearing that that was so! He does show you how to "drain" filter caps, which was great.

I would have liked to have heard that changing tubes is safe with the power off on a tube amp (and without draining the filter capacitors) but the book doesn't say. I wish he had discussed this.

A few small complaints: At some points during explanations of procedures, the author may "jump" a step and assume something that he hasn't previously explained. Sadly, these were omissions that simply slipped by both him and the proofreader. Lastly, the author spends a little too much time name-dropping. I worked with "Fred" or "Jimbo" or whomever in NY at such-and-such a store. Bottom line: if you're not one of these guys, who cares! Write them a postcard if you miss them!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars OK book., January 22, 2002

By 

Herbert Ward (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Guitar and Amp Maintenance: A Practical Manual for Every Guitar Player (Paperback)

This book will cover you unless you want to get into wire by wire circuit details. Clearly written, for the most part. Practical, step-by-step descriptions and lots of figures and pictures. Includes an amp troubleshooting flow chart with a number of "take it to the shop" dead-ends. If you're seriously considering opening your amp, the $12 is a good investment. A surprising amount of useful information like tube pin numbers, work-saving gadgets, and suppliers.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK for starts, August 14, 2005

By 

Victor H. Ramirez "Vic" (Dallas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Guitar and Amp Maintenance: A Practical Manual for Every Guitar Player (Paperback)

This book has helped me start to understand my guitar and amp and how they interact. That alone could justify the price of the book.
But the title made me think I was going to also learn how to Safely and properly bias my amp, for instance. After reading the book, I'm still not sure how to work Safely with the live head, so I'm buying more books to get the exact steps needed to discharge a Marshall, create a load, hook up a scope, etc.
In summary, the price is justified IMO; just don't set your expectation that you'll feel ready to maintain the amp fully without buying other books, working with a pro, etc.