In 2012 writer Rick Gibbs asked luthier Robert Anderson to build him the guitar of his dreams, an acoustic jazz archtop. The result - a gorgeous instrument and a book that blends memoir, philosophy, history, art, science, music and technology with the engaging story of a highly skilled artisan practising his craft.

-There is perfection. And there are perfectionists. Rick Gibbs seeks them out - from guitar geniuses Pat Metheny and Julian Lage to master luthiers Linda Manzer and John Monteleone - deftly weaving their stories together with his own quest for the holy grail of guitars. The...