Backbeat Books Introduces Fender And PRS Guitar Books

Backbeat Books, a division of Hal Leonard, has announced the release of The Fender Electric Guitar Book and The PRS Guitar Book: A Complete History of Paul Reed Smith Guitars.

The Fender Electric Guitar Book

The Fender Electric Guitar Book (ISBN: 978-0-87930-897-81 192 pgs.; Softcover; $22.95) by Tony Bacon is the most thorough and comprehensive resource available for the gold standard of electric guitars.

In the early '50s Leo Fender set up shop manufacturing sturdy and affordable solidbody axes, applying his electronics expertise to the instruments and giving them distinct tonal qualities with a unique single coil pickup design. More than a half-century later, the name Fender is synonymous with rock 'n' roll, having set the benchmark by which all other instruments are measured. The Fender Electric Guitar Book tells this story, tracing the company's humble beginnings in Southern California to its place at the top of the guitar heap.

This updated edition includes hundreds of full color photos—many of which were not included in the first edition—of nearly every make and model of Fender, from the very first Telecaster to Custom Shop originals. Additionally, there is a full reference section with detailed information on American, Japanese, Mexican and Korean Fender models as well as a body shape key, detailed chronology from 1950 through 2007, serial number info, neck, body, fretboard specs, and much more.

The PRS Guitar Book: A Complete History of Paul Reed Smith Guitars

The PRS Guitar Book: A Complete History of Paul Reed Smith Guitars (ISBN-13: 978-0-87930-898-8; 174 pgs.; Softcover; Index; $35.00) by Dave Burrluck traces the company's lineage from its humble beginnings in a warehouse in Annapolis, MD, to becoming the instrument of choice for celebrated players such as Carlos Santana, Ted Nugent, Peter Frampton and Dave Navarro.

This updated edition of The PRS Guitar Book includes thirty-two extra pages and fifty photos not found in the original printing, including an assortment of live shots of some of music's most recognizable fretmen. The stunning photography offers a unique glimpse at a number of prototype and custom models that never made it to market or ended up in the hands of collectors. The PRS Guitar Book is a detailed guide to every make and model that has rolled off the company line since its inception, leaving no minutiae uncovered, including a PRS model key, private stock inventory, dating information, and listing of serial numbers.