• 2025 December Issue on Spotify

    2025 December Issue on Spotify

    This month, we feature Rick Derringer, Kid Ramos, Booker T and The M.G.’s, Steve Stevens, Phil Manzanera, Doug Aldrich, Kenny Burrell, Eric Johanson, Gary Moore, and more! Spotify is free…

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  • Super PickupGiveaway 2025

    Super PickupGiveaway 2025

    Win Big! 11 Sets! 11 Winners! Win a set of pickups from one of these sponsors: Deadline is March 15, 2026. Complete the survey below to enter giveaway. One entry…

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Keeley Monterey Rotary Fuzz Vibe

Stomp Festival

December 27, 2017 · Oscar Jordan

Jimi Hendrix passed into infinity at the tender age of 27. The fact that his influential career lasted only four…

Mike Zito

February 27, 2017 · John Heidt

Mike Zito’s latest serves up large helpings of boogie, blues, and roadhouse-ready rock. His guitar work is stellar as usual…

McGregor Cozmic Fuzzball

Sweet & Gnarly

November 9, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

The culmination of a quest to build the perfect transparent overdrive, Garth Heslop’s Cozmic Fuzzball is the third pedal in…

Lollygagger FX Canaglia Overdrive

Rude ’Tude

July 9, 2018 · Oscar Jordan

Sean Wright’s love for guitars and electronics has resulted in a family business that realizes his vision of stompbox perfection.…

Have Guitar Will Travel – 022 Featuring Adam Lester

January 28, 2020 · James Patrick Regan

“Have Guitar Will Travel” host James Patrick Regan speaks to Adam Lester, guitarist in the Peter Frampton Band, discussing everything…

Category 5 TBR-35 2×10

Backline Star

May 13, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

Don Ritter started Category 5 Amplification designing amps for blues players before expanding to other genres while holding to the…

  • Paul Johnson

    Paul Johnson

    The Hepcats Live at the Ajax Novelty Company

    This isn’t live, there may not be an Ajax Novelty Company, and the three felines known as the Hepcats are actually the brainchild of Paul Johnson, whose Belairs were early-’60s…

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ARTISTS

Mike Zito

Back to Solo Soul-Searching

March 3, 2017 · Willie G. Moseley

Following a stint of nearly four years in the Royal Southern Brotherhood, Texas-based guitarist Mike Zito is focusing on his…

Steve Dawson

Deeper Roots

April 3, 2024 · Pete Prown

Calling Steve Dawson a “roots” artist seems a disservice to a musician so eclectic and wildly talented. On Eyes Closed,…

Pop ’N Hiss: Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies

On The Money

February 4, 2024 · Bret Adams

Alice Cooper was on a steady upward trajectory when Billion Dollar Babies topped the Billboard chart for one week in…

Henry Garza

Still Familia

May 20, 2025 · Ward Meeker

The music created by Los Lonely Boys – brothers Henry, Jojo, and Ringo Garza – is an amalgam resulting from…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

GIBSON FIREBIRDS

Gibson Firebirds

May 4, 2015 · R.K. Watkins

Say the words “custom color” to a collector or enthusiast and most will think of “Fender.” But Gibson had its…

1971 Dumble Special 16 #0001

Prehistoric Beast

December 6, 2022 · Dave Hunter

1971 Dumble Special 16 • Preamp tubes: three 12AX7 • Output tubes: eight 6L6GC (most likely) • Rectifier: solid-state •…

Recording King Ray Whitley

August 24, 2025 · George Gruhn and Walter Carter

As a maker of high-quality instruments, Gibson was hit hard by the onset of the Depression in the 1930s. Company…

Stromberg G-5

May 7, 2023 · George Gruhn and Walter Carter

In the world of archtop guitars, the Stromberg name represents the ultimate instrument – in size, at least – in…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Eastwood’s Classic 6 TA PHo

Phish Food

July 28, 2023 · Pete Prown

If you’ve seen Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio onstage, you may have noticed an unusual archtop in his mitts – a…

Brown’s Guitar Factory Lap Steel

Steel Yourself

July 13, 2016 · Steven Stone

At the beginning of amplified music, one of the first instruments to get a magnetic pickup was the Rickenbacker “frying…

Fender’s Classic Player Strat HH

Fender’s Classic Player Strat HH

The Humbucker Paradox

November 5, 2015 · Pete Prown

Fender’s Classic Player Strat HH Price: $949.99 (list) Contact: www.fender.com One of the great guitar myths is that pro Fender…

Railhammer Billy Corgan Z-One Humcutters

Clear Crunch

November 13, 2023 · Pete Prown

In the quest for tone, the secret is a combination of pickups, wood, construction, and the magic in a player’s…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

The Fractal VP4

Pedal Power

September 8, 2025 · Pete Prown

Famous for amp and cabinet models made to replace an amp for direct recording or plugging right into a PA,…

Wangs #2204 HW

Chinese Rocks

March 6, 2017 · Oscar Jordan

Even as new technology spawns new sounds, ease of use, and portability, there remains among guitarists a predilection for technologies…

Carvin Audio’s X1 Preamp

Welcome Back

October 14, 2019 · Pete Prown

The recently re-tooled Carvin Audio has stayed active with product offerings aimed at the player/sound-reinforcement segment. Its new X1 combines…

Richie Kotzen

Better Days Coming

July 26, 2023 · Greg Prato

Richie Kotzen is one of today’s busiest rock guitarists. In addition to being a long-time solo artist (and possessing an…

Alday B-Blender

Alday B-Blender

One For The Masses

September 13, 2015 · Michael Dregni

Taylor 814ce Price: $129.95 (list) Info: www.b-blender.com Why aren’t we guitarists ever happy to have our guitars sound like guitars?…

Pop ’N Hiss: Rage Against the Machine’s Evil Empire

Strife Under Pressure

September 18, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

With a title taken from a Ronald Reagan quip about the Soviet Union, Rage Against The Machine’s second album, Evil…

GIBSON-EB-2-HOME-MAIN-BIG

Gibson EB-2

Kalamazoo’s Biggest Bass Innovation?

October 22, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

In the mid 1950s, Gibson president Ted McCarty was paying close attention to two new instruments impacting the musical-instruments market…

Fender “Wide-Panel” Twin

The Fender “Wide-Panel” Twin

June 29, 2016 · Dave Hunter

While Fender’s high-powered 5F8-A Twin of 1958-’60 (VG, March ’09) has been much raved about in recent years, there’s a…

Have Guitar Will Travel – 031 Featuring John Notto

July 21, 2020 · James Patrick Regan

The latest episode of “Have Guitar Will Travel” has host James Patrick Regan speaking with guitarist John Notto from Dirty…

Yasmin Williams

Urban Driftwood

October 14, 2021 · Oscar Jordan

Acoustic fingerstylist Yasmin Williams takes ambidextrous musicianship to new and adventurous places on her second album. Urban Driftwood finds Williams…

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Hosts “Storied Strings” Exhibit

Guitars In Art

August 10, 2023 · Ward Meeker

Dr. Leo Mazow’s vision for the new “Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art” exhibition at the Virginia Museum of…

Gospel Guitars

Semie Moseley’s Venerated Brand

February 28, 2019 · Willie G. Moseley

When he wasn’t crafting Mosrites, Semie Moseley could often be found on the road, providing music for evangelists. It makes…

Check This Action: “Pipeline” and Beyond

May 13, 2024 · Dan Forte

When a friend introduced me to Bob Spickard and Brian Carman of the Chantays about 40 years ago, I immediately…

Eric Ambel

Proficient Professional

December 26, 2017 · Dennis Pernu

Ace sideman (Joan Jett, Steve Earle), producer of note (Bottle Rockets, Nils Lofgren, Marshall Crenshaw), and proprietor of Brooklyn’s 24-track…

Kirn Vaquero

Ride ’Em, Cowboy

February 9, 2023 · Bob Cianci

Veteran builder Ron Kirn, noted for his Fender-inspired creations, has produced his first original design, and it exudes quality along…

Paul Quinn

Ramming It

November 30, 2016 · Greg Prato

As one of the leading bands of the early-’80s New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, Saxon is responsible for…

Brian Setzer

Return to Rumble

May 10, 2022 · Ward Meeker

Like any guitarist at his level, Brian Setzer lives life answering the call of music. Grateful for the gift, he’s…

2017 Readers’ Choice Awards

January 11, 2017 · Vintage Guitar

Each year, Vintage Guitar asks fans to select Readers’ Choice winners for Album of the Year, Artist of the Year,…

Mike Zito

February 27, 2017 · John Heidt

Mike Zito’s latest serves up large helpings of boogie, blues, and roadhouse-ready rock. His guitar work is stellar as usual…

Dan Wilson

In Mighty Footsteps

June 17, 2022 · Pete Prown

A riveting soloist, Dan Wilson honed his chops as a sideman to jazz greats like organist Joey DeFrancesco and bassist…

Vox’s AC30CH and V212C Cabinet

Get Back

July 9, 2018 · Michael Dregni

The Beatles helped popularize Vox amps, and Sir Paul tours with them today because they still have that sound –…

Orianthi

The Power Of O

February 3, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

On Orianthi’s latest album, O, the fierce guitar slinger injects mass quantities of blues-rock fury into a contemporary pop-music setting.…

Blues guitarist Charlie Apicella’s “Booze and Blues” and “Just Like a Woman”

September 29, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

Honoring B.B., Rainey Being V.P. of the North Jersey Blues Society isn’t the only thing that separates Charlie Apicella from…

Dan Wilson’s celebration of jazz legends

September 28, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Homage with Superb Musicality On his latest album, “Things Eternal,” jazz wizard Dan Wilson fuses post-bop, spirituality, and the songs…

Ibanez AF95

Jazzed UP

October 13, 2022 · Pete Prown

In 2021, Ibanez re-tooled its hollowbody line to devise big surprises like the Japanese-made AF95, a full-bodied archtop with a…

Graham Dechter

Post-War Perfection

October 4, 2022 · Pete Prown

Since his debut at age 19, Graham Dechter has rekindled a post-war jazz sound, effortlessly swinging and always in the…

Peter Tuffrey

British Guitarists 1952-1972: Electric Pioneers

October 29, 2024 · Pete Prown

Peter Tuffrey is an author of general-interest books (several about English trains) who is adroit at compiling information. This one…

Rik Emmett

Triumphant Return

March 29, 2019 · Greg Prato

Triumph was one of the leading arena-rock acts of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Striking gold and platinum with…

Tyler Morris

Tyler Morris – Eleanor Rigby

February 12, 2019 · Doug Yellow Bird

In this series, Tyler Morris will perform music that inspires him, in a laid-back context using just a guitar and…