Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars
Publisher: Lark
Published: October 2008
Author: Robert Shaw

Specimen’s custom Royale Archtop guitar is featured among more than 300 of today’s most creative, imaginative, and gorgeous hand-made guitars — all illustrated in full color and featuring information about the innovative artisans who created them.

This book also features guitar-making legends, such as C.F. Martin, Les Paul, and Leo Fender, who revolutionized the instrument’s design.

In this book discover why the past 25 years have seen an explosion of craftspeople who build guitars by hand, employing an attention to detail factories can’t afford and using higher quality materials and more technical skill than in any previous era.

The book includes detailed information about each guitar’s specifications, plus personal statements and anecdotes from the artisans about their work.