Guitar Tone: Pursuing the Ultimate Guitar Sound
By Mitch Gallagher
I worked with Mitch when he was editor of EQ, and I was always impressed with his recording chops, tech knowledge, and love of all things guitar. This exhaus- tive book spotlights Mitch’s expertise and enthusiasm for crafting guitar tone. It’s one heck of a data dump, but from guitars to amps to pedals to cables, cabs, and picks, no sonic stone is left unturned. He even dis- sects the tonal recipes of 15 guitar heroes, including Hendrix, Page, The Edge, and Van Halen. It’s easily the best and most comprehension tome on tone I’ve read to date. Course Technology.

Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap Stories
By Randy Bachman
Vinyl Tap is the name of Bachman’s CBC radio show in Canada, where he spins tracks and shares tales of his amazing life in rock. The book is a homey collection of bite-sized tales about Bachman’s early years, the Guess Who, BTO, his guitars, interactions with stars, and more. It’s a fast and enjoyable read, but nothing goes very deep. I was hooked in, but left unsatisfi ed—some- thing the man’s brilliant songs would never do. Viking Canada.

Aaron Kusterer Language of Emotion
Just rediscovered this 2011 release. The album sound sits deep in the ’80s shred era, but Kusterer—a member of the Air Force band who was covered in the December 2011 GP—is a very musical cat who pulls soaring melodies and edgy yet silky tones from his Buddy Blaze guitars. Jennifer Batten is a fan! aaronkusterer.com.