Hand Made Hand Played

Hand Made Hand Played: The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars
Book by Robert Shaw
Bill Asher: Ben Harper Model Series II Limited Edition

Luthier Bill Asher and slide master Ben Harper collaborated on a lap steel design in 1998, creating an instrument that combined more sustain and greater tonal variation than traditional lap steels by offering pickup options much like those of modern electric guitars. This follow-up, a limited-edition run of 100 instruments, draws inspiration from the classic ’59 Gibson Les Paul and features a flame maple top with cherry sunburst finish and pair of Seymour Duncan custom shop ’59-style humbuckers.

Asher built his first guitar, a copy of a Fender Strat, in his high school wood show class, a project that helped him land an apprenticeship at Los Angeles guitar making and repair shop in 1982. He ran his own shop in the mid 1980s, building a reputation for his repair and restoration talents, and also did work for such highly respected luthiers as Rick Turner and Mark Lacey. Along the way Asher built a long and diverse client list that includes such stars as the Black Crowes, Jackson Browne, Lindsey Buckingham, T-Bone Burnett, Tracy Chapman, Ry Cooder, David Crosby, Cindy Cashdollar, Donovan, John Fogerty, Robben Ford, P.J Harvey, Los Lobos, Bonnie Raitt, Axl Rose, Brian Setzer, and Stephen Stills.

Ben Harper has played lap steel guitar since he was a kid, and his best-selling albums have brought new attention to both acoustic and electric steel playing in recent years.

**This book is available for purchase on Amazon.com