The Guitar | Phaidon

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. 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.

Includes fascinating stories behind iconic models from an eclectic mix of brands, including Alden, d'Angelico, Fender, Ibanez, Gibson, Gretsch, Kay, Martin, Millimetrics, Mosrite, Greg Smallman, and Stauffer.

With detailed photography of the instruments and artfully captured performance shots, the book features 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, Link Wray, and Neil Young.