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Rating: 
Summary: [no title]
Review: 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?
Rating: 
Summary: selling the sizzle
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: selling the sizzle
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Not Enough Technical Info
Review: With a book like this, you either need to go all out or not do it at all. The average music fan or "Man on the street" isn't really going to be interested in the history of the Perry Bechtel reissue OM-28. That said, the book didn't go far enough to satisfy those who truly would be curious about that kind of information. It reads like a cross between a sales brochure and a gossip rag. The technical info on the guitars is severely lacking while the anecdotes regarding Dick Boak's interactions with the musicians are far too long. Some of the tales are fun, but for the type of person who's going to throw down the money for a book like this, it would have been more interesting to know the technical specs of Willie Nelson's Martin as opposed to hearing about when the author was stuck in traffic with him. There are times when Boak seems star struck. Which is somewhat understandable...after all, he is dealing with some legends here. But it gets tired. The "celebrity" end of things is given too much weight. and it seems to be the main focus of the book. So much so that in some instances it actually takes the spotlight off the real stars - the instruments.
The pictures, however, make it worth the price of admission. Ultimately, flipping through "Martin Guitar Masterpieces" is a lot of fun and that's why it deserves three stars.
Perhaps in the next edition there could be an appendix where the technical specs for each of the guitars mentioned in the book are listed. An appendix where, for the curious, information on nut width, string spacing, bracing, dates, etc., could be found. Martin has the serial numbers of the instruments and it would be as easy as pulling the files. Do that and not only would the book rate five stars, but I would almost certainly have to buy it again.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Enough Technical Info
Review: With a book like this, you either need to go all out or not do it at all. The average music fan or "Man on the street" isn't really going to be interested in the history of the Perry Bechtel reissue OM-28. That said, the book didn't go far enough to satisfy those who truly would be curious about that kind of information. It reads like a cross between a sales brochure and a gossip rag. The technical info on the guitars is severely lacking while the anecdotes regarding Dick Boak's interactions with the musicians are far too long. Some of the tales are fun, but for the type of person who's going to throw down the money for a book like this, it would have been more interesting to know the technical specs of Willie Nelson's Martin as opposed to hearing about when the author was stuck in traffic with him. There are times when Boak seems star struck. Which is somewhat understandable...after all, he is dealing with some legends here. But it gets tired. The "celebrity" end of things is given too much weight. and it seems to be the main focus of the book. So much so that in some instances it actually takes the spotlight off the real stars - the instruments.
The pictures, however, make it worth the price of admission. Ultimately, flipping through "Martin Guitar Masterpieces" is a lot of fun and that's why it deserves three stars.
Perhaps in the next edition there could be an appendix where the technical specs for each of the guitars mentioned in the book are listed. An appendix where, for the curious, information on nut width, string spacing, bracing, dates, etc., could be found. Martin has the serial numbers of the instruments and it would be as easy as pulling the files. Do that and not only would the book rate five stars, but I would almost certainly have to buy it again.
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