Stars & Guitars

Overview

Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker, and the stars that made them rock

Combining a “What’s What” of rock guitars with a “Who’s Who” of guitarists, this retrospective examines nearly 50 of the world’s most popular electric guitars and basses and the stars—from Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, and Jeff Beck to Carlos Santana, Slash, and Stevie Ray Vaughn—who have adopted them as their instrument of choice. Seven styles of the well-known Fenders, 12 Gibsons—including Les Paul guitars—Rickenbacker, and Zemaitis are among those profiled. In addition to pairing the musicians with the models, the overview features the classic albums and singles the guitars were played on and any customizations applied to the instruments. Stories of the relationship between the musicians and their precious axes—such as how Eric Clapton’s Fender Stratocaster, Blackie, which he assembled himself, made “I Shot the Sheriff” a huge hit; how The Faces’ “Stay with Me” owed its sound to Ron Wood’s Zemaitis custom-built guitar; and how Queen’s “Dragon Attack” and “Another One Bites the Dust” were fueled by John Deacon’s MusicMan Stingray Bass—augment the narrative.

Author Biography

Michael Heatley is a writer. He is the author of more than 100 rock books, including The Complete Deep Purple, Dave Grohl: Nothing to Lose, and Michael Jackson: 1958–2009: Life of a Legend. He has contributed to rock music biographies and encyclopedias such as the Virgin Encyclopedia of Rock as well as magazines such as Billboard, Music Week, and Record Collector.