Fender 75 Years by Dave Hunter is a very nice history and a beautiful book full of pictures and, for many of us, memories.

Like many casual guitar players I know of many guitars but not really a lot about the history of the guitar makers. Because of my father I probably know a bit more about Les Paul guitars but even there I am far from an aficionado. So this book was ideal for filling in the gaps between simply associating players with their guitars and understanding the history of both Fender and the industry as a whole.

Like any book about an iconic brand there will be those who think it sounds intelligent to casually toss off that there are better books elsewhere. Maybe, maybe not. But this particular book fills the niche I am in very well. I showed it to a friend who is far more knowledgeable than I am and he decided to order a copy for himself, so that is good enough for me.

Hunter offers enough history and technical information to keep the more knowledgeable happy while making the story itself compelling enough, along with all the pictures, to keep a more casual fan interested. I would imagine that is a fine line to walk but he does so quite well here.

I would recommend this to any guitar lover, whether of the instrument itself or of the music it makes, for both the nostalgia and the history. The size and the photographs make it an attractive book to keep out or have easily available when interested friends might drop by.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )