Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Guitar: The Shape of Sound

Rate this book
As seen in Harper’s Bazaar UK , Guitar World , and Design Week
The 100 most iconic guitars from around the globe, from early modern beginnings to cutting-edge electric models The guitar is the iconic instrument at the heart of all popular music. From Delta blues on acoustics to electric rock & roll, and all that came in its wake, the guitar has proven the most versatile and emotive conduit for musical expression and experimentation. Across more than 300 years, master guitar-makers have striven continually for new sculptural and aural peaks, yet the guitar's immediacy and intimacy endures, however loud the volume controls on the amplifiers are turned. With 100 of the finest and most innovative models of guitar from the 17th century to the present day alongside the players who changed the face of popular music,  Guitar  includes fascinating stories behind iconic models from an eclectic mix of brands, including Alden, D'Angelico, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Ibanez, Kay, Martin, Millimetric Instruments, Mosrite, Greg Smallman, and Stauffer. The book also includes a wealth of fascinating and lesser known information about enigmatic performers including the Beatles, Woody Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell, St Vincent, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Jimi Hendrix, and Neil Young. A delight for design enthusiasts and music aficionados alike, Guilfoyle's latest book charts the development of this pillar of popular music and the charismatic performers who have used the guitar to transform our lives.

280 pages, Hardcover

Published February 22, 2023

17 people want to read

About the author

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
7 (77%)
4 stars
1 (11%)
3 stars
1 (11%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 of 1 review
287 reviews2 followers
November 13, 2025
a wonderful read - or even just a page flipper! Great index to find your favorite guitarist and his / her iconic instrument. excellent illustrations, informative text about the development of guitars, and organized by date.
even if you don't play the instrument, you'll be richly informed.
even if you just check it out from your library, keep it on your living room table for the full time allowed, to keep picking it up and perusing some pages.
Displaying 1 of 1 review

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.