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Rickenbacker Guitars: Pioneers of the electric guitar: The definitive history of a 20th-century icon

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A STUNNING NEW AND COMPLETELY REVISED EDITION OF THE RICKENBACKER BIBLE FOR 2023

'Knowing Martin and Paul Kelly's perfectionism and attention to detail it's no surprise that this is the ultimate and complete story of all things Rickenbacker.' - Johnny Marr


'A wonderful history of my favourite guitar. The attention to detail is amazing!' - Roger McGuinn

'There are few things more satisfying than the shimmer of an open chord played on a Rickenbacker through a Fender Deluxe Reverb amplifier. Martin and Paul have given us the definitive history of these magical instruments.' - Susanna Hoffs

Rickenbacker Guitars is the highly anticipated follow up to The Golden Age, charting the story of one of the most important and influential guitar makers of all time. From George Beauchamp's invention of the world's first commercially viable electric guitar in 1931, through the company's heyday during the 1960s - when their instruments were favoured by The Beatles, The Byrds and The Who - and up to the continuing legacy of Rickenbacker today.

This definitive collection features unprecedented access to the company archives, 350 beautifully photographed original instruments - including all 7 surviving Beatles owned Rickenbackers - and new interviews with legendary Rickenbacker players such as Roger McGuinn, Peter Buck, Susanna Hoffs, Johnny Marr, Mike Campbell, Geddy Lee and Paul Weller.

Rickenbacker Guitars is the most comprehensive history of the brand to date and a must-have for all guitar enthusiasts.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 7, 2023

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7 people want to read

About the author

Martin Kelly

71 books

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for Dallas Reads.
144 reviews5 followers
September 18, 2022
I’m a bit surprised that I’m the first person to post a review of this book here on Goodreads, although I believe it was published late last year + Rickenbacker is not as well known as brands such as Fender and Gibson.

Impeccably detailed and filled with beautiful pictures, this a must read if you’re obsessed with Rickenbackers like I am. I own two 620s and they are incredible instruments. It was wonderful to learn more about the company’s history by means of this book. I noticed a couple of typos, and if you’re not a gearhead who’s obsessed with specs and manufacturer dates then this book is definitely not for you, but I had a great time. 4.25/5.
6 reviews
September 9, 2023
comprehensive pictorial and historical review of the brand

A good deal of research, original photography and interviews went into the making of this definitive book on the Rickenbacker brand. Accessible to guitar enthusiasts and curious readers alike.
2 reviews
June 3, 2025
Epic work!

Take a trip to Ricken land, and avoid the starving need to buy a 360, 330 or a 381.

Full of info and great images, this is one of the firsts kindles I bought.

Completely reccomended.

PS: You can also check it out other works from this author.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

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