Reddit reviews Jazz Guitar Single Note Soloing, Volume 1

I recommend Mickey Baker's Jazz Guitar Course to get quicly going with easy jazz strumming (really useful turnarounds and all), and Ted Greene's Jazz Guitar Single Note Soloing for some nice'n'easy soloing ideas over major, dominant and minor chords. Ymmv though

>tailored more to someone wanting to make music instead of just read it.

GAS and obsessing over gear is a bigger problem for guitarists than reading music or sitting on abstract knowledge about music. (Not sure which you meant.)

>Preferably something that is more specific to guitar playing instead of just general music theory

You ever seen Gooby, the 2009 Canadian film about a kid in a comfortable living situation being helped through some growing pains by a giant imaginary teddy bear when his family moves from one suburban neighborhood to another? When you learn "guitar theory" (or most "theory" directed at a specific instrument; even "piano theory" is pretty awful) rather than music theory proper, it's like replacing an original trilogy Star Wars film with a Gooby.

Anyway, when I was a youngun, I bought The Guitar Grimoire because it looked cool and had little dots for where to put my fingers. I also went through a good chunk of Ted Greene's Jazz Guitar Single Note Soloing, Volume 1 because it had "jazz" in the title and had little dots for where to put my fingers. William Leavitt's guitar method is solid in that it doesn't make many theoretical mistakes (doesn't actually do much theory though), but its strength is really in building technique, musicianship and reading.

They are both brilliant and will last a lifetime, I've had them for around 5 years and they still blow my mind, and keep me learning.

Some others I own and think a great are:

[Creative Guitar 1 and 2 by Guthrie Govan] ( http://www.amazon.com/Guthrie-Govan/e/B0034Q44JU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1) In my opinion the best guitarist around. He has a mastery over the guitar at a level I have never seen! These books are excellent a written in a ways that enjoyable and easy to understand

[Single Note Soloing, Volume 1] (http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Guitar-Single-Soloing-Volume/dp/0769209726/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MRB4A99W8P09SX6GMQG) and [Volume 2] (http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Guitar-Single-Soloing-Volume/dp/0739053841/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GGV91GVW1H6MM5AQ6C0) by Ted Greene. Excellent for jazz soloing.

[The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine] ( http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/1883217040/ref=pd_sim_b_17?ie=UTF8&refRID=1FP5R211R7V7ZDP5Q4GT) THE book on jazz, this is without a doubt a must own!

If you want to get really deep and crazy take a look at the Scott McGill books:

[Scott McGill] (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-McGill/e/B00J36EZ58/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1)

And lastly for an insane look at rhythms [Advance Rhythmic Concepts for Guitars by Jan Rivera] (http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Rhythmic-Concepts-Foreword-Machacek/dp/0615979831/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0J05GGH3PGDQRWPRB298) Metric Modulations, Polyrhythms and Polymeters galore! I feel with most guitarists rhythm is often overlooked and getting your rhythmic playing down separates the men from the boys. It's amazing how good rhythm can make the simplest of solos mind melting.