The day an electric pick-up was placed on top of an acoustic guitar, a musical revolution took place, and the foundations were laid for the creation of rock 'n' roll. With the power to cut through any rhythm section, and at a price any punk kid could afford, it freed guitarists to become the crucial musicians in rock culture. Produced in conjunction with The Design Museum, this book looks at the history, the looks and the sound of the electric guitar, focussing on all the key models from the durable Strat, Telecaster and Les Paul, all first produced in the 1950s and still going strong, to the Steinberger headless basses and the latest Parker prototype from the States. The book profiles each guitar, giving close-up detail and an insight to what makes their distinctive sounds, plus a history of the development of the electric guitar from contributors including American specialist Tom Wheeler on the early days to Charles Shaar Murray on the moment Hendrix at Monterey changed the face of rock forever. With in-depth guitar profiles, specially commissioned photography, a visual glossary and quotes and anecdotes from the musicians, this book is a guitarist's book about guitars and a guide for the rock 'n' roll generation to the instrument that made it all possible.