Finally, a comprehensive and beautifully photographed book looking at the early history of the development of the American guitar. The arc here is of a primitive instrument first conceived in Europe and ultimately transformed into the legendary flat-top guitar we recognize today. The journey from European archetype to commercial stringed instrument took about two decades and was led in most part by C. F. Martin, Sr. He founded the Martin Guitar company--America's first serious guitar company--and is generally considered the father of acoustic guitar.

Here, on nearly 300 pages teeming with extraordinary photos and graphics, this guitar odyssey is captured both in photos and text. The book begins with the European history and moves through the evolution and various incarnations of Martin.

Any Martin aficionado needs to get this in his hands--or anyone simply interested in how and why the acoustic guitar looks and sounds the way it does.