Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars [Paperback]

Robert Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 2008

Feast your eyes on more than 300 of today’s most creative, imaginative, and gorgeous hand-made guitars—all illustrated in full color and featuring information about the innovative artisans who created them.
Meet guitar-making legends, such as C.F. Martin, Les Paul, and Leo Fender, who revolutionized the instrument’s design. Discover why the past 25 years have seen an explosion of craftspeople who build guitars by hand, employing an attention to detail factories can’t afford and using higher quality materials and more technical skill than in any previous era. Explore the various guitar styles used in a range of musical traditions, from blues to classical. Detailed information about each guitar’s specifications, plus personal statements and anecdotes from the artisans about their work and techniques complete each entry. Rounding out the book is a Web directory and an index of luthiers.
Players, craftspeople, collectors, and those who are simply fans of this popular instrument will find this volume irresistible!

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books; 1 edition (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579907873
• ISBN-13: 978-1579907877
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #426,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert Shaw is a gifted communicator who lectures, writes, curates, and consults on many aspects of American folk arts and crafts. His many critically acclaimed books include American Quilts: The Democratic Art, Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art and Craft of Contemporary Guitars, The Art Quilt, America's Traditional Crafts, and American Baskets. He has curated exhibitions at major museums and expositions in the United States, Europe, and Japan, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival.; contributed to numerous books and exhibition catalogs; written articles for The Magazine Antiques, Early American Life, Sports Afield, Fiber Arts, and other periodicals; and served as a consultant to museums, private collectors, and Sotheby's auction house. His web sites are www.roberteshaw.com and www.artofthequilt.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Luthier's Dream, November 8, 2008

By 

K. Wojcik "stacks o'books" (Montana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars (Paperback)

This is an extraordinary book! More than 300 handcrafted guitars are discussed. Each guitar profile is at least a full page in length with museum quality photographs. The detail is fabulous! The building components for each and every guitar are listed. There is a bio on each craftsperson, including their building philosophy and desired outcome.

This book has been done with exquisite taste. High gloss pages, great typography and a full list of contributing luthier's websites. Guitars reviewed include acoustic, archtops, bass, electric, harp, electric bass, double necks, classical, flamenco, and some that honestly can't be categorized.

If you are a luthier, a want-to-be luthier or a player who is curious about the art and craft of guitar building, this fascinating testament of contemporary guitars will delight you for hours on end.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book that honors the guitars and the luthiers, January 18, 2009

By 

RobiGuitar - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars (Paperback)

The first thing you notice is the elegant, artistic layout and spectacular photographs. Then you start to read a little here and there, soon finding that there is great research and writing to support the guitars. Although it is the sort of book that you usually flip through and read casually, I was so fascinated by the history and the philosophies of the guitar makers, I started reading every page from the beginning! It gives you a taste and makes you want to visit the shops and talk to the luthiers. I started fantasizing a road trip going from shop to shop, talking, playing, wishing I could buy... This is not a simple coffee table picture book - it is a beautiful celebration of guitars and their makers.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best coffee-table dream book on custom guitars - the best!, September 23, 2009

By 

B. Chilton "chill cat" (Boone, NC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars (Paperback)

I don't usually give my "the best" rating to any book, because another will come along and knock it out of its top berth. But HAND MADE, HAND PLAYED is simply TOPS! Great glossy color photos, big page sizes, thick quality paper, and most important - a great selection of material. It makes this a guitar dream book to leave on the coffee table for years to come. Now, there are other great glossy guitar picture books, and some are on custom guitar - but this is simply my favorite (and I've got a bunch)!