Rating: 
Summary: Essential Companion
Review: Having started guitar lessons over thirty years ago and never really got past the "gregorian chant" stage I revisited the guitar around three years ago. Since buying this book I have found it to be absolutely essential and it has encouraged me to continue to learn. If you are getting stuck at the early stages this book is an absolute must have.
Rating:
Summary: Stop reading the reviews and buy this book now!
Review: I had already posessed intermediate / advanced skill level by the time I originally purchased this book. Since then I have recommended it to everyone I knew who showed an interest in learning the guitar and each person has been impressed. Beginner, intermediate, advanced, there is something for everyone. The graphic format it uses is highly original and provides amazing insight to the mysteries of music theory, chords, substitutions, scales, chord/scale relationship, single note exercises, improvising melodies, history, equipment used to create sounds and maintenance of the guitar, among others. All in all, the most comprehensive overview on an instrument whose sound is as unique as the individual playing it. I have lived on pages 132 and 133 for years. Even though I feel there isn't much more I can discover on the guitar, I still refer to it ten years after buying it. I wish it was published when I first started playing, as it would've expedited progress in my early years. Sadly I have heard that this edition is no longer being printed and I'm too scared to see what the new edition looks like. That said, if you can find this book, you would be stupid to pass it up because it is, by far, THE best guitar instruction reference I've seen in 21 years of playing.
Rating:
Summary: Complete Guiartist-A comprhensive source for all guiarists
Review: I have played guitar over 30 years, played in bands, built guitars and lutes and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After a hiatus of several years in my playing, I started to re-visit guitar when my son wanted lessons. I recomend this book to anyone who wants to better understand guitars, thier history, thier uses, music and music theory. While the book could benefit from a CD for beginners so that they could hear the concepts presented, it has served as a wonderful refresher and general exercise book for scales, picking, and other areas which I have paid $25 / hour for to get less information during a one hour lesson than from a single page in the book. I use this book to explore areas outside of my usual players rut, such as jazz progressions, site reading, substituitions and the like. This is a book with real meat in it for anyone who will take the time to chew the information presented.
Rating:
Summary: By far the best guitar book currently available
Review: Lavishly and beautifully illustrated with color pictures and diagrams. My favorite part: full page description and pictures of classic guitar/amp set ups - quite wonderful. A visual history of the development of the guitar is well done - but less interesting to me personally. An incredibly comprehensive coverage of guitar music theory, including sections on Jazz, Blues and Rock from beginner-level to expert -- quite overwhelming really; I dip into it from time to time - there is just so much. Any guitarist would love this book. DK Publishing seems to be years ahead of the competition creating by far the best books available in many fields. This book has the looks and the content. ***Highly recommended***.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book
Review: Personaly i think this is a horrible book. Sure it has some nice introduction about guitars and amplifiers. Has more than enough illistration. However, i found this book VERY confusing. Especically when trying to understand theory from it. It had to stop after each paragraph and see what they were saying.. this was for the some of basics of theory which i know quite well. It even had me confused at time son what note are in a G major cord. I wouldn't recomend this book at all. It has alot of nice illistations and is a pretty to look at. Also contains a wealth of information, but i found the theory is this book to confusing to follow. I would defintly look for a differnet book.. especially if you are a begginner.
Rating: 
Summary: A Coffee Table Book with Good Instruction
Review: Richard Chapman's book is extremely well done. It gives the reader succinct yet substantial information on all aspects of the guitar in a beautifully done presentation. This book can be used to learn new things and as a life long reference. I speak as a professional guitar instructor with more than twenty years of playing experience. Chapman's book is similar to Denyer's "Guitar Handbook" but is slightly less detailed and more up to date in appearance. I discovered Chapman's book accidentally and consider it to have been a good surprise.
Rating:
Summary: Packed with Information, but nothing too specific.
Review: This book has everything a begining guitarist could possibly want to know. From how guitars are made, to what kinds of guitars do what, different playing styles and techniques, acoustic and electric setup tips etc...Every new guitarist will find the book to be a wealth of information, and practiced professionals will find many tidbits to ponder and appreciate. For less than 20 bucks, you can't go wrong. However, please note: This is not a book full of songs or lengthy stlye-specific lessons. This book offers a broad spectrum of information. It is like a gigantic, but shallow lake...not a small, deep well.
Rating: 
Summary: a perfectly acceptable book
Review: this book seems to be torn between being a coffee table book or a useful instruction manual for budding guitarists. In my opinion it fares somewhat better on the former point than the latter and succeeds in being a really beautiful book. The "Sound and Amplification" section at the end is a particularly good example of what this book does well: lots of pretty pictures of gear with historical or technical information about each item. I would not discourage the use of this book, but I found "The Guitar Handbook" much more useful.
Rating:
Summary: Richly illustrated handbook
Review: This book, like all DK books, is richly illustrated. It has a good explanation of what different types of guitars are, as well as a brief history of guitars. Thge book then provides instruction with exellent illustrations as guides. The book goes beyond merely the simplest chords. Additionally, the book provides a fair amount of music theory so you can understand chord progressions and scales rather than just learn them mindlessly. There is a lot in the book for both the beginner and the fairly advanced musician. The book could be used as a step by step guide to learn to play the guitar but, most people will probably use it as a handbook, concentrating on the chapters of most interest to them. The book was written in the early 90s and it would be nice to see a second edition, specifically to udate equipment reviews etc.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This is the best guitar "how to" book I have found. Wonderful pictures, easy to understand diagrams and just enough theory to wet the apetite for more. Spend one day with this book and your guitar and you will learn chords, scales, and more and actually understand how the guitar is supposed to work!
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