h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Bert Weedon holds the claim to fame as the first guitarist to have a solo record in the 'Hit Parade'. It is for his 'teach yourself guitar' book, Play in a Day that he is most famous. Published in 1957, it is probably the world's best selling guitar tuittion book, and has been used by some of the instrument's most famous names, including John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Brian May and Pete Townshend."

In America, it was Roy Smeck, a champion guitarist who was known as a virtuoso on the ukelele, the banjo and the mandolin as well. He wrote his first of many instruction books in the teens, as well as having several dozen hits. He recorded from the early days of records into the late seventies.

BTW, "tuition" in that above paragraph is mispleled and it couldn't possibly be the world's best-selling guitar instruction book, as Mel Bay holds that honor.

"Les Paul was an unassuming showman"

Ahahahahhahahahahahahahaha! plunk

Rhubarb Red, an "unassuming showman"?

Les is still alive and playing every Monday night. No one who has ever seen him or read an interview with him would find use for the word "unassuming". He is a shameless self-promoter. And for good reason.

Steve Miller calls him his godfather.

"he invented multi-tracking without multi-track equipment; he used two tape recorders"

Actually, it was two disc-cutting lathes in the beginning. He didn't get into tape machines until after World War II, when Bing Crosby, whose radio show he was playing on, gave him one of the machines captured from the German BASF factory. It was Les, however, who induced Ampex to begin experimenting with stereo and later quad machines. He also built one of the first headless guitars... out of aluminum.
Les actually had more influence on the design of the ES-335, which has a wood block down the center, like Les's famous "Log" guitar, which is basically a 2x4 with hollow wings from an Epiphone attached with angle irons.

Other than that, a worthy entry.

Right then...

Typos sorted, for now!

Jimi - not quite sure what you're getting at with the 'anti-heroes' bit? Are you suggesting a separate section on guitarists who would have qualified for guitar hero status if they'd been in a different band? Or would a simple statement (e.g. in the 'honorable mentions section) that there are many gutarists who are great players but never qualified for one reason or another, be enough?

Pinniped - I've removed Leo Fender, and moved Les Paul up into the list of honorable mentions

Tonsil - I've changed the reference to the 'Nashville' song you quoted. Many websites, including Chet Atkins' official site, call him the 'most recorded solo artist in music history' or somesuch. I've altered the text slightly to cover myself I've also made your corrections to the Bert Weedon and Les Paul sections

Any more for any more..?

Good work.
I'll toddle off now.

Woohoo! Excellent work, Danny! Must be front page material...

Elf

Jimi - not quite sure what you're getting at with the 'anti-heroes' bit? Are you suggesting a separate section on guitarists who would have qualified for guitar hero status if they'd been in a different band? Or would a simple statement (e.g. in the 'honorable mentions section) that there are many gutarists who are great players but never qualified for one reason or another, be enough?

Sorry Danny, I see your point.

I dunno, I think a lot of people recognize that these two guys are great guitar players but they play in a band that doesn't put a premium on wailing solos. And they're both really low-key for the most part which doesn't help getting them recognition.

Like I said, I was listening to Rush the other day and got to thinking about Alex's place in my all-time list of favourites and found that I hadn't really considered him before because of his role in the band. I don't know if you want to say anything about people like this. Just sort of musing out loud I guess.

Muse away!

I've added a paragraph on 'unsung heroes' at the end of the 'honorable mentions section

...it's just dawned on me, while re-reading the paragraph mentioning Hawaiian guitarists, that the great slack-key masters Keola Beamer and Gabby Pahinui (sp?) have also been very influential (Ry Cooder's soundtrack for 'Paris, Texas' springs to mind). But maybe that's an essay in itself, for another day

I didn't mention earlier how much I enjoyed taking part in this

Elf

Thanks, Elf

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Thanks, everyone

Congratulations!

That was a fast one!

HELL

Ah, well, we had to get it in quick before everyone on H2G2 chimed in with their favourite guitarist

What!? No mention of Mike Hedges or Steve Morse?

Just kiddin'...

HELL
(not a guitar hero)

Nice work!