Review: The Player's Guide to Guitar Maintenance by Dave Burrluck

Reviewed by Dave Zogg

Originally published in American Lutherie #61, 2000 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Six, 2013



The Player’s Guide to Guitar Maintenance
Dave Burrluck
Miller Freeman Books, 1998
ISBN 978-0879305499

The Player’s Guide to Guitar Maintenance, by Dave Burrluck, is 84 slick, glossy pages of color photos and useful information and tips on electric guitar maintenance and setup. This hardcover book format has almost a coffee-table style and quality, especially the photographs of the instruments. The style and layout are somewhat similar to other published books of guitar collections, but integrated with useful technical and repair information. The press release boasts there are more than 200 (color) photographs in this book, and I don’t doubt it.

Though the information contained in this book specifically focuses on the Fender Strat and the Gibson Les Paul, much of the information contained is generic and can be applied to other instruments as well. The author often takes the time to explain the “why” as well as the “what” of repairs and adjustments. The photos, drawings, and explanations are clear and helpful.