The Guitar Collection

Part history lesson, part photo book, all bad-ass. That pretty much sums up The Guitar Collection ($1,500-$3,000) , a journey through the most important guitars in music, curated by dozens of guitar experts from public and private collections around the world, and lovingly photographed so you can see every scratch, crack, and oily knob in all its glory, including axes used by Buddy Holly, Kurt Cobain, Jeff Beck, and many more. It comes in a custom-made guitar case, along with a certificate of authenticity, the companion book Stories, and one of three signed museum-quality prints from photographer John Peden. Available in three editions — one for each of the prints — and limited to just 1,500 copies each.