The Acoustic Guitar Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Maintain a New or Used Guitar

by Larry Sandberg

Book Overview

This book will help all guitar players make better friends with their present guitar or decide on features to look for in a new one. They will learn about the differences in guitar woods (and how they... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556524188
• ISBN13: 9781556524189
• Release Date: November 2000
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.5" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

Get it or you'll regret it

Wow, I don't think I can beat the spotlight review but allow me to add the scores to this book because it deserves a 5-star. I have to first say, this ain't a book that teaches you HOW to play the guitar but definitely the best book yet on describing what the guitar is. Believe me, I have been playing guitar for over a year now and have no clue what's the different between Brazilian Rosewood or cedar top, spruce top, etc. Larry Sandberg explains all that, including on the differences between string gauges and what the varieties of guitar physiology. So just because you're a good guitar player doesn't mean you know about guitars. You have to read this book, one way or another if you are planning to play the guitar. If not, you'll regret it, because this book gives you a general idea of what you need to know about the guitar from top to bottom.

FANTASTIC! Don't Buy A Guitar Before You Read This..

Face it - you can't hang-out with guitar people if you haveno idea what nut width is! I decided to get one bookto comprehend the "acoustic guitar', and chose this one.It is fantastic. It's not necessary to read beginning to end. The authororganized it so well that a quick look up will fill youin on the spot. I have become knowledgable enough aboutguitar construction, woods, parts you name it, that Ican carry on an intelligent conversation with any guitarhead out there.The author is a wonderful writer. He keeps it simple,very informative, and he has a fun personality whichmakes the reading fun. It sounds strange to say butit's an exhiliarating read too because the informationis vast and very interesting. Anyone planning to buy a guitar in any price rangeshould read this book first. Making a purchase willbe much easier for you. You'll know so much thatyou won't get taken, and you'll know how to knowif you like a guitar or not.If you want the skinny right now without anyblah-blah-blah or difficult to understand technical terms, here's your book. It willbe something you'll look at for years to come.

A "Must Read" for Serious Buyers

As an "older-boomer-beginner" returning to guitars after a thirty-year absence, I read about this book in the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum ....This is a very readable book for anyone thinking of purchasing a high quality acoustic guitar that wants to understand much more about what they are buying. This Second Edition contains just enough up-to-date technical and historical background to give you what you need to select a great new or used acoustic guitar. It clarified many things that I found confusing when I first started reading about model sizes, nomenclature, woods, strings, and everything else. I now feel like a very informed buyer, even though I'm not much of a player. I suppose there is a certain slant towards Martin guitars, but I think that is unavoidable given the history of the company.Mr. Sandberg is correct in that no book full of adjectives will help you evaluate either sound or action. You need to go out and play as many guitars as you can. However, this book gives you a great start, and gives you a lot of good reasons to pass over a lot of what is on the lower end of the market today. Highly recommended.

A tremendous source for beginners or experienced players !!

Although several years old, this book is quite a valuable resource. I refer to mine regularly. First checked it out at my local library two or three times, but finally decided I wanted my own copy. Prices are a bit outdated, but the detailed information Sandberg provides has helped me in the selection and evaluation of instruments. It has paid for itself several times over, and I have loaned it to friends many times. I hope Sandberg will come up with a new edition to cover new prices and models not available when this book was issued in 1991.

Sandberg knows his stuff.

I've been playing acoustic guitar about ten years now. I got into it for "mental stimulation" and found it did the trick. For many years, I read EVERYTHING I could get my hands on that concerned what makes a good guitar. Learning to play the thing is an entirely different subject. Anyway, of the thousand of pages I've read, I feel this book is still the best guide to acoustic guitars there is. You'll learn A@LOT about the instrument if you read it.