Posted on: October 26, 2010 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Even if you’ve never picked up a guitar, you can’t help but admire the pictures in Dave Hunter’s latest book. This coffee table-sized book takes a look at some of the most storied guitars in Rock, Country and Blues, from the stat Jimi Hendrix famously burned on stage to Springsteen’s classic Fender Telecaster (as seen on the covers of several of his albums including Born to Run, Human Touch and Live 1975-85).

Certainly the pics are the initial draw of Star Guitars, with an intro written by ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, but its musician/journalist Hunter’s accompanying essays that bring the story of the instruments to life. Although many of the guitars in the book are well known to many, like Bo Diddley’s rectangular Gretsch and B.B. King’s “Lucille”, there’s plenty of hidden treasures as well, like Prince’s made in Japan Telecaster knock off, an instrument he plays way after he could afford a more pricey axe and Joe Strummers Telecaster painted black to look a bit more Punk Rock in the late 70’s.

For hardcore shredders and the guitar novice alike, Star Guitars is a beautifully constructed, well-researched look at the tools that helped to create some of the most legendary songs ever put to tape.

Star Guitars: 101 Guitars That Rocked the World by Dave Hunter/Voyageur Press/2010/Hardcover/288 pages

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