The Steve Howe Guitar Collection [Hardcover]

Steve Howe (Author), Tony Bacon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1993

Throughout his consistently successful career, rock guitarist Steve Howe has built up a collection of guitars which is unparalleled in diversity and richness. For the first time, this book offers a private view of Steve's fabulous collection, showing 125 instruments ranging from antique lyre guitars to modern solidbody electrics. During the 1970s Steve Howe was guitarist in Yes, the most successful and adventurous of all progressive rock groups. In 1981 Steve formed Asia, since when he has worked as a member of GTR (1986), Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (1989), and in the reunited Yes of 1991. He has also made four solo albums, was instrumental in the production of the Symphonic Music of Yes album (1993), and has appeared as a guest guitarist on recordings by Queen, Lou Reed, and many others. Every instrument in The Steve Howe Guitar Collection is shown in superb full color photography, some at nearly two-thirds actual size on special fold-out pages. The work of 40 instrument makers is represented, including celebrated companies like Gibson, Fender and Martin alongside less familiar names such as Panormo, Sho-Bud and Levin, dating from the 1780s to the 1990s. As well as the standard guitars, the collection includes a host of related instruments such as banjos, bass guitars, guitar-synths, lutes, tenor guitars, mandolins, pedal steel guitars, sitars and harp guitars. Steve's engaging commentary details the circumstances in which he acquired each of the instruments in his collection. He pinpoints exactly how the guitars have been used during 30 years of recordings and tours, from his first pop group The Syndicats (1963) to his latest solo album The Grand Scheme of Things (1993). The SteveHowe Guitar Collection is a unique combination of guitar history, musical memorabilia and beautiful photography. It brings alive the most fascinating and wide-ranging individual collection in instruments ever seen together in one book, and documents the continuing career of one o

Product Details

• Hardcover: 88 pages
• Publisher: Backbeat Books (November 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879302909
• ISBN-13: 978-0879302900
• Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,948,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Steve Howe's Incredible Guitar collection, July 23, 1999

By 

David Carlin (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Steve Howe Guitar Collection (Hardcover)

For those who have enjoyed The music of Steve Howe, whether in the group YES, ASIA,GTR, or His many solo works, this book is a real treat. Steve shares his many stories of Guitar collecting in depth. Reading these stories are infectious and entertaining. It is hard to put this book down after reading it. The pictures are beautiful, The guitarist is excellent, and the book is worth every Dollar. David Carlin, Philadelphia, PA

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delight for the guitarist or Yes fan, October 2, 2001

By 

R. Young (Saint Charles, Mo United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Steve Howe Guitar Collection (Hardcover)

Superb book on the Steve Howe guitar collection. I find this book very insightful regarding Steve`s tastes in guitars and the instruments he chooses (and displays in this book) for recording purposes.
I couldn`t help but notice another review on this page in which the author trys to belittle the talents of Mr. Howe. He likes the book but not the guitarist? The pundit in question must not be a guitarist......

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is A Very Nice Book, March 12, 2011

By 

Ozemg6 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Steve Howe Guitar Collection (Hardcover)

I just got to say that this book is very nice. It has lots of pictures of Steve's guitars, especially his modified Gibson Les Paul Custom with four humbucking pickups. I borrowed this book from the library years ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately for this reviewer, it seems to him that he has no sense of sensitivity in respects of diversely talented musicians and he seems to forget that this book is all about Steve's large collection finest instruments. This book is not meant for those who have little respect for music or well-known human musicians like Steve Howe. This book is for those who have deep respect for musicians of all diversities. Steve Howe is a very good guitarist in his own right and a naturally unique human individual for all I can say!
Oh yeah one more thing, who says that Steve's guitar playing is soulless compare to other guitarists?
That is nonsense! Every guitarist is unique, period!