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List Price: $40.00 | | Publisher: Bulfinch
Salesrank: 124061
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| Our Price: $258.25 |
| Used Price: $14.00 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
A fascinating look at more than 100 of the Martin Guitar Company's custom guitars, created for the world's most famous musicians, including Sting, Eric Clapton, and Elvis-along with the inside stories behind each design. From the infamous 'Elvi' guitar owned by Elvis Presley (his original D-18 missing the 's' from his name) to customized instruments belonging to Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Sting, and Eric Clapton, the Martin Guitar company has made a guitar for nearly every notable musician who's ever held a six-string. Now, MARTIN GUITAR MASTERPIECES revisits more than 100 of the company's most desirable guitars, ranging from those belonging to Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Paul Simon, and Johnny Cash to guitars owned by newer artists like Beck, Babyface, and Jonny Lang. Dick Boak, head of Artist Relations and Publicity at C. F. Martin, acts as the artist liaison in these collaborations and now, for the first time, enthusiastically outlines his experiences. Readers also get a sneak preview of Martin's millionth instrument, due in 2004.
Martin Guitar Masterpieces: A Showcase of Artists' Editions, Limited Editions, and Custom Guitars Reviews:
Title says it all! 
2006-04-09 - Look, the title and description says it all. I was not disappointed with this volume at all! Not enough technical info for you? Go buy a technical book. This is a book about Martin Materpieces, a SHOWCASE of Artists' and Limited Editions (which I am lucky to own a few) and some one of Custom Guitars. The interaction between Boak and different artists is fun, and not something you will find anywhere else on the planet!! What a great part of his job that must be, to be with some these great artists designing guitars for them! The pictures are fantastic, as are some of the stories, to be looked at and read over and over again! Highly recommended eye candy and one of a kind story recounting!
coffee table book for those without a coffee table 
2006-02-26 - I could hear the ohhs and ahhs from other acoustic guitarists
that would occur when looking at the pictures in this book.
The author is as close to the action as possible because he represents the Martin Corp. to the artists that use them.
Also Dick Boak went from dumpster diving outside Martin to holding most available positions at the company from craftsman to marketing. This volume will remain a constant reference source and entertaining to browse through.
[no title] 
2004-01-27 - An amazing book. As a Martin player these past few years, and a couple of years away from placing my own order through the custom shop, I would've loved to see more of the custom models that are made for the players, rather than the celebrity-endorsed, limited editions that are made mostly, I think, for collectors.
There is nothing like a Martin Guitar. And this book showcases some of the most beautiful instruments ever made. Next time, though, give me that inimitable smell of rosewood with a high-gloss finish, a close-up of the herringbone trim on a stock HD-28, and the sustain of an open G. Somebody call Ken Burns, okay?
selling the sizzle 
2003-12-27 - Let me start by saying I love Martin guitars, have played a beloved d-28 since 1968, built guitars and lutes, and have a deep appreciation for luthiers and thier art. Martin is a company which holds my esteem and interest.
Well, the full title of this book isnt mis-leading, but my expectations were not met in reading this book. In a nutshell, this book contains little historical or technical information and is largely a hardcover catalogue for Martins current signature and limited run instruments.
There are a few little tid bits of information here and there for the die-hard Martin geek. Being a guitar geek myself, I appreciate techno babble and tid bits, but this is really nothing other than a very nice photo catalogue. As such, it may have a certain interest to those collectors who want to have the 2002-2003 offering memorialized on thier shelf. Some of the photos are indeed great, with photos of a few truly custom instruments (known among us geeks as guitar 'porn') which would otherwise probably not be seen by many.
I am writng this because having seen the grand book displayed for a few months on merchant shelfs, I had assumed it would be the typical historical account of some great instruments, maybe with info about those involved, such as the artists-but this is not the case-probably because they arent, which is implicit from reading many of the accounts of artist's involvment.
I found it instead to be eye-candy, at best, at worst, little substance in information regarding either instruments, or artists or the company, such as the development of instruments, thier market or even the material used. A ho-hum book for all but the most hungry of Martin collectors. Truly a sad statement for a book by one of Martins marketing people, all form, little substance, selling the sizzle, not the steak.
