GUITAR SHOP is without a doubt one of the greatest guitar albums ever recorded. This is what playing electric guitar is all about. This album is an essential primer on the electric guitar. GUITAR SHOP comes closest to capturing the futuristic electric guitar elan of the 1960s Jeff Beck sound. There are shades of SHAPES OF THINGS, OVER UNDER SIDEWAYS DOWN, BECK'S BOLERO, TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN, and HAPPENINGS TEN YEARS TIME AGO. There is the hard rock/heavy metal sound of the Jeff Beck Group as well as the jazz-rock fusion of BLOW BY BLOW and WIRED. There are no words to describe the effect of this album. GUITAR SHOP is Jeff Beck at his very best.

Every guitar player should own GUITAR SHOP. This is what it is all about. This is what virtuosity and musicianship sound like.

The best track on the album is WHERE WERE YOU, which has become a guitar classic and a Jeff Beck signature song. WHERE WERE YOU is arguably the best record Beck ever cut. Jeff Beck composed this track and so put his own musical and artistic vision into it. That is what is so remarkable. We see that guitar playing is all in the mind, not in the fingers or in the amplifier or the guitar brand or the pick you use. It is all in the mind. That is the secret revealed on this album. You cannot teach that. That is why every guitarist in the world should own this album. Every guitarist has to have his or her own voice or musical vision. That is the secret to playing great music. Today, all guitarists play the same styles that they imitate from what they are hyped into believing is the best. Guitarists play hackneyed cliches and unimaginative riffs that are just so much garbage and noise,i.e., musical trash. There is no originality or artistic vision, just copycat, plagiarism, xerox copies of what the "stars" play. It is all musical ... that makes one want to vomit and throw one's guitar in the garbage can or break it against the wall. Guitar music sounds so ... and one-dimensional. Guitar music sounds like it is created by cretins and morons. Yes, it is that bad. But, then, GUITAR SHOP came out in 1989....It was like a blind man who had regained his sight. This was what playing the guitar was all about. And Beck gets some remarkable sounds out of his guitar. SAVOY is just breathtaking. How does Beck do that? Again, it is all in the mind. TWO RIVERS is a remarkable slow ballad. Beck shows that less is more here. He shows what one can do with just a few notes...and some musical talent.

Every song on this album is remarkable and a revelation. It is all killer, no filler. It shows what all the fuss was all about.

This is such a great departure for Jeff Beck, and though those who like his older stuff may not enjoy this album, those who love instrumental guitar rock, this is THE Jeff Beck album to buy. great songs from begining to end. I love to listen to this whole album on repeat.

Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop, along with Blow by Blow and Wired, is one of the most important albums of rock guitar. Simply put, to this listener Guitar Shop is Beck's best album. It contains a wide range of styles and awesome musicianship. It is also filled with unique emotion from each member of the trio. Of course, this is Jeff Beck's disc, and it contains some of his best playing ever.

This album is so finely crafted that you don't even realize there is no singer. Beck takes the spotlight, and he pulls off the melodies and solos like no one else could, proving that he is not only the greatest guitarist ever, but one of the greatest general musicians as well. With Guitar Shop, Jeff Beck shows once again that he is the best.

Every track on this disc is excellent, there is no filler. "Savoy," "Where Were You," and "Sling Shot" are among the highlights. "Where Were You" is both the technical and emotional highlight of Guitar Shop, and perhaps of Beck's career. It may be one of the most technically difficult songs of his career to pull off, but it contains so much of his heart and soul that you cannot help but take notice and be moved while listening to it. Cheerleading? Maybe, but you can't argue with emotion.

"Behind the Veil," the reggae track, is another highlight, containing another healthy dosage of soul and mastery. It should be noticed here that Beck has innovated an amazing path in the way rock guitar playing is executed. He does not use a pick on this disc. It's all with his thumb and fingers, which leaves him totally unrestricted, and his playing is really at a peak because of this.

Guitar Shop is one of the most important and stunning rock guitar records ever. Words have trouble describing it, and I feel no need to go any futher. Put it on and listen for yourself.

Jeff Becks amazing work "Guitar Shop" is a must for the hard core fan. Casual fans may like it for its more of a traditional rock album then the jazz fusion Beck is better known for. Becks guitar work is top notch, as always, being the perfectionist he is. This album won a Grammy in 1990.

Jeff Beck may not be known to be the most commercially successful artist out there. He does what he wants; that's clear in this album. It took me a few listens to get a feel for this album, but it has quickly become a favorite of mine. "Guitar Shop" and "A Day in the House" are the only songs that feature some kind of vocals; therefore, if purely instrumental songs don't appeal to you, then this is not the CD for you. However, I must say that Beck speaks to us in each and every song through his guitar. Regarded by many as the best guitar player out there, Beck makes any and every sound possible come from his guitar. Each song is different, so it's hard to choose a favorite, but "Savoy" and "A Day in the House" appeal to me greatly.

If you like 80's music, but have never listened to Beck before, this is a good place to start. If your tastes veer from 80's music, then I would begin with some of Beck's earlier stuff. I can't say that each and every person who listens to Jeff Beck will like him. His style is unique and most likely you'll love or hate him. However, if you have an open mind and love listening to excellent guitar work, definitely give this CD a shot.