Some sites that I have found helpful and inspiring:

Learn to play online sites that I found great:

  • JustinGuitar – Justin is a great teacher. He really wants to teach the world to play guitar. He gives away more than most online sites. The lessons are great for beginner to intermediate player. Also some advanced players will gain from this site. Please support Justin.
  • MandoLessons – Baron Collins-Hill is dedicated to providing free online mandolin lessons to people all over the world. The site is fantastic for beginner and intermediate Mandolin players.
  • Bluegrass Guitar Home Page – Very informative sight on acoustic guitars, history, gear, lessons and of course Bluegrass
  • Doc’s Guitar – site to the guitar and music of Doc Watson

Reading List – Best books I have found for detailed histories. Some of these are hard to find and out of print. A few are limited editions. I have built quite a library of guitar related books over the years.

1) The Blackguard Book by Nacho Banos – limited edition of 5,500 copies.
2) Analog Man’s guide to Vintage Effects Book
3) Boss Book: The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Most Popular Compact Effects for Guitar – Hal Leonard
4) Level & Attack The Untold Story Of The Tone Bender Fuzz – 11 Publishing – LIMITED EDITION
5) Rhinestones and Twanging Tones: The Look and Sound of Country Music by Jim Washburn and Mac Yasuda
6) The Fender Amp Book by John Morrish
7) The Mandolin: A History by Graham McDonald
8) Norman’s Rare Guitars by Norm Harris and David Swartz
9) Confessions of a Vintage Guitar Dealer: The Memoirs of Norman Harris by Norm Harris and David Yorkin
10) Guitars from George & Leo: How Leo Fender and I Built G&L Guitars by George Fullerton
11) Rolling Stones Gear: All the Stones’ Instruments from Stage to Studio by Andy Babiuk and Greg Prevost
12) Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four’s Instruments from Stage to Studio – The Ultimate Edition by Andy Babiuk
13) The History and Artistry of National Resonator Instrument by Bob Brozman
14) The Stratocaster Chronicles: Celebrating 50 Years of the Fender Strat by Tom Wheeler
15) The Dream Factory: Fender Custom Shop by Tom Wheeler
16) The Soul of Tone: Celebrating 60 Years of Fender Amps by Tom Wheeler
17) The Fender Telecaster by A.R. Duchossoir
18) Star Guitars: 101 Guitars That Rocked the World by Dave Hunter
19) The Beauty of the ‘Burst by Iwanade, Yasuhiko
20) The Guild Guitar Book by Hans Moust
21) Harmony: The People’s Guitar, 1945–1975 by Ron Rothman
22) The Epiphone Guitar Book: A Complete History of Epiphone Guitars by Walter Carter
23) Gibson Guitars – 100 Years Of An American Icon by Walter Carter
24) Gretsch 6120: The History of a Legendary Guitar
25) 365 Guitars, Amps & Effects You Must Play: The Most Sublime, Bizarre and Outrageous Gear Ever by Dave Hunter
26) The Fender Telecaster: The Life and Times of the Electric Guitar That Changed the World by Dave Hunter
27) Rickenbacker Electric 12-String: The Story of the Guitars the Music and the Great Players by Tony Bacon
28) The Fender Telecaster: The Life and Times of the Electric Guitar That Changed the World by Dave Hunter
29) Fender Amps: The First Fifty Years by John Teagle
30) Six Decades of the Fender Telecaster: The Story of the World’s First Solidbody Electric Guitar by Tony Bacon
31) The Ultimate Guitar Book by Tony Bacon
32) Gibson Electrics – The Classic Years by A.R. Duchossoir
33) 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul: Half a Century of the Greatest Electric Guitars by Tony Bacon
34) Gretsch: The Guitars of the Fred Gretsch Company by Jay Scott
35) Martin Guitars: An Illustrated Celebration of America’s Premier Guitarmaker by Jim Washburn and Richard Johnston
36) Amped: The Illustrated History of the World’s Greatest Amplifiers by Dave Hunter
37) Martin Guitar Masterpieces: A Showcase Of Artist’s Editions Limited Editions And Custom Guitars By Dick Boak
38) Fender Custom Shop Gallery by Richard Smith
39) Fender Telecaster; The detailed story of America’s senior solid body electric guitar by A.R. Duchossoir
40) The Story of Paul Bigsby: The Father of the Modern Electric Solid Body Guitar by Andy Babiuk
41) The Guitar Player Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine
42) Jimi Hendrix Gear: The Guitars, Amps & Effects That Revolutionized Rock ‘n’ Roll by Michael Heatley
43) Strat in the Attic: Thrilling Stories of Guitar Archaeology by Deke Dickerson
44) Strat in the Attic 2: More Thrilling Stories of Guitar Archaeology by Deke Dickerson
45) The Gibson 175: It’s History and It’s Players by Adrian Ingram
46) The PRS Book by Dave Burrluck
47) The Gretsch Book: A complete history of Gretsch electric guitars by Tony Bacon and Paul Day
48) 50 Years of Gretsch Electrics: Half a Century of White Falcons, Gents, Jets, and Other Great Guitars by Tony Bacon
49) The Gretsch Electric Guitar Book: 60 Years of White Falcons, 6120s, Jets, Gents and More by Tony Bacon
50) Ball’s Manual of Gretsch Guitars: 1950s by Edward Ball
51) The Gibson 335 Guitar Book: Electric Semi-Solid Thinlines and the Players Who Made Them Famous by Tony Bacon
52) Gibson’s Fabulous Flat-Top Guitars: An Illustrated History & Guide by Dan Erlewine
53) The Other Brands of Gibson by Paul Fox
54) Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of Extraordinary Women & Gibson’s ‘Banner’ Guitars of WWII by John Thomas
55) The Guitar Amp Handbook by Dave Hunter
56) How To Service Your Own Tube Amp by Tom Mitchell
57) The Tube Amp Book by Aspen Pittman
58) Vox Amplifiers: The JMI Years by Jim Elyea
59) The Gibson “P.A.F.” Humbucking Pickup: From Myth to Reality by Milan, Mario