• Duke Robillard – Lowdown

    Duke Robillard – Lowdown

    Vintage Guitar is happy to offer the premier of the new music video by Grammy nominee Duke Robillard. “Lowdown” is the  first single from his upcoming album, Blast Off!, set…

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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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Allan Holdsworth

The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever!

May 26, 2017 · Pete Prown

With a career spanning 45 years, Allan Holdsworth’s blistering, bop-fueled legato radically altered our approach to electric guitar, and he’s…

Pop ’N Hiss: Toto

Fine Line

April 8, 2024 · Bret Adams

In 1978, disco ruled the charts and airwaves. Rock teetered on wobbly legs and there was nary a crunchy guitar…

Andy Powell

Setting the Record Straight

March 2, 2017 · Willie G. Moseley

Wishbone Ash founder/guitarist Andy Powell has a new term for his resumé – “author.” Abetted by Colin Harper, he recently…

Fryette Valvulator GP/DI Amp

Totally Tubular

April 19, 2019 · Pete Prown

Guitarists are often trying to get more convincing tube tones on their home and studio recordings, but finding authentic valve…

ESPVIPER-HOME-MAIN-BIG

ESP LTD Viper 256P

Metal Cruncher

January 26, 2013 · Pete Prown

ESP LTD Viper 256P Price: $399 (street) Info: espguitars.com. In the protoplasmic days of heavy metal, Tony Iommi slashed away…

Mu-FX TruTron 3X

ToneVille Amplifiers Broadway

Red-Carpet Ready

January 2, 2015 · Ray Wuolo

ToneVille Amplifiers Broadway Price: $2,295 Contact: www.tonevilleamps.com What is it that drives boutique amp builders to expend gallons of skull…

  • Carr Skylark Special 1×12

    Carr Skylark Special 1×12

    Take Flight

    Arriving a little more than 10 years after the original Skylark, Carr Amplifiers’ new Skylark Special adds versatility and enhanced tonal depths to squeeze a lot more into this diminutive…

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ARTISTS

Vinnie Moore

Perpetually Exceptional

October 4, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

Shred architect Vinnie Moore’s latest solo record, Double Exposure, holds the distinction of being both an instrumental solo album and…

Julian Taylor’s draw-you-in style

December 27, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Rich voice, intriguing compositions Folk singer/guitarist Julian Taylor draws you in with his rich voice and intriguing compositions. His new…

Instro-Meister Eric Penna

September 7, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Blues Switch-Up in Trabants Eric Penna’s main gig is playing bass for the garage/surf band Insect Surfers, but he side-hustles…

Alan Sparhawk

Lowdown

March 3, 2017 · Michael Dregni

Blame it on a guitar. For Low’s Alan Sparhawk, the inspiration behind the band’s latest album, Ones and Sixes, came…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Vox Symphonic Bass

Fender Bender

July 12, 2023 · Peter Stuart Kohman

Despite the way collectors and dealers freely apply the term “lawsuit guitars,” documented examples are few. One time it did…

Greg Lake’s 
Zemaitis Doubleneck

Twice as Heavy

March 20, 2019 · Willie G. Moseley

With progressive-rock juggernaut Emerson, Lake & Palmer, bassist/vocalist Greg Lake (1947-2016) played more than one instrument made by the renowned…

Jimmy James’ Psychedelic R&B

September 4, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

“Parlor Strut” on a vintage Harmony! Proving that ’60s import guitars can make cool sounds, Parlor Greens guitarist Jimmy James…

Chordal Colorations

Iconic Axes of Different Hues

October 3, 2015 · Michael Dregni

Though their colors are complementary, Brian May’s Red Special and Brian Setzer’s ’59 Gretsch 6120 couldn’t be more different in…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Fender Player Jaguar

Updated Offset

October 15, 2021 · Rich Maloof

Priced at entry level and built in Mexico, Fender’s Player Series provides affordable access to Fender’s most iconic solidbodies. The…

KJ Audio Hanwell 50

KJ Audio Hanwell 50

Shake The Walls

February 19, 2016 · Michael Dregni

KJ Audio Hanwell 50 Price: Head $1,900; cabinet $1,600 Contact: www.kjaudio.com No apologies: Minneapolis-based amp designer Kristopher Johnson’s Hanwell 50…

Collings OM1 T

Faultless Flat-Top?

January 8, 2018 · Steven Stone

To the hands, hearts, and minds of many an experienced guitarist, an OM-size body with a 25.5″ scale feels the…

Holbrook TS50 Tommy Skeoch Head

More Than Modded

July 24, 2019 · Phil Feser

After Kevin Holbrook and rock guitarist Tommy Skeoch began working on a custom amp, the former took several trips to…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Jeff Hanna

Decades of Dirt

May 9, 2023 · Ward Meeker

One’s taste in music usually starts in the home, where immersion can fuel the subconscious. Jeff Hanna’s parents loved Ella…

GA-20’s Matt Stubbs and Pat Faherty

FlashBack Sounds, Forward Steps

August 8, 2023 · Ward Meeker

Musical gateways opened by Jimi Hendrix and the Doors led Matt Stubbs to become a disciple of Johnny “Guitar” Watson,…

Coco Montoya

Writing on the Wall

August 8, 2024 · Rich Kienzle

Since his debut album in 1995, Coco Montoya – who cut his teeth with fellow southpaw Albert Collins and John…

JOEBONAMASSA_HOME-MAIN-BIG

Joe Bonamassa

Driving

February 2, 2015 · Oscar Jordan

Joe Bonamassa’s latest record, Driving Towards The Daylight, is a return to the blues. After two successful studio albums with…

Fender’s 60th Anniversary Jazz Bass

Golden-Era Glory

February 7, 2022 · Michael Shirek

Though it looks to be straight from a ’60s catalog, Fender’s 60th Anniversary Jazz Bass isn’t a true reissue. Rather,…

BSM RM Majestic Treble Booster

December 6, 2021 · Oscar Jordan

Germany’s BSM is among the rare specialist among modern stompbox builders; their focus is one thing – making treble boosters…

Alex Haddad and Kyle Lewis

Two Times the Vibes

March 14, 2019 · Johnny Zapp

Nashville’s Them Vibes hearken to the two-guitar teams of yesterday. Established by the songwriting duo of front man Brother Love…

Luker Chameleon Combo

The Luker Chameleon Combo

True to Its Colors

September 2, 2015 · Bob Dragich

The Luker Chameleon Combo Price: $1,850 (list) Contact: www.lukeramps.com Considering the state of modern vacuum tubes, a surprising number of…

Beat Portraits: Burns Volume 6

1964: Nu-Sonics and Transistor Trials

February 7, 2018 · Peter Stuart Kohman

In early 2009, VG columnist Peter Stuart Kohman turned his focus on Burns, the pioneering British guitar builder. We’ve compiled…

Genzler Acoustic Array Pro

Pro on the Go

July 23, 2019 · Pete Prown

As gigs at coffeehouses, street festivals, and farmers’ markets become more common, a growing legion of performers is being supported…

John Scofield

Uncle John’s Band

August 12, 2024 · Pete Prown

Cue up the title cut and admire John Scofield’s chord-melody approach to the Grateful Dead’s 1971 FM hit. While Sco’…

GA-20 blends R&B, Blues, Hendrix, and much more

December 21, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

VG Exclusive “Dry Run” GA-20 blends influences from Hendrix to the guitar Kings to East Coast Family cassettes. Here, Matt…

Molly Miller

Dr. J(azz)

June 3, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Molly Miller is on a quest to bring instrumental music back to storytelling. Her new album, St. George, fuses jazz,…

Walla Walla Maverick Pro Series

To a T

July 10, 2019 · Pete Prown

Walla Walla has carved a niche in the world of highly customized guitars and basses in the tradition of those…

Fargen’s John Lennon Signature JL-15 and Micro Plex Vintage Guitar magazine

Fargen’s John Lennon Signature JL-15 and Micro Plex

Instant Karma?

April 17, 2014 · Zac Childs

Fargen’s John Lennon Signature JL-15 and Micro Plex Price: $2,700 (JL-15), $999 (Micro Plex) Info: www.fargenamps.com. From 50-watt monsters to…

Zerberus Nemesis Stone-Top

Let's Get Stoned

April 19, 2019 · Rich Maloof

When German luthier Frank Scheucher was first approached about building a guitar from stone, he had the same reaction you’re…

EHX Tortion JFET Overdrive

EHX Tortion JFET Overdrive

January 25, 2016 · Ray Wuolo

EHX Tortion JFET Overdrive Price: $198.67 (list)/$179 (street) Contact: www.ehx.com Having teenage metal-shredders at home makes one appreciate that a…

Zeppelin Design Labs Cortado MkIII

May 10, 2022 · Julian Burtell

Zeppelin Design Labs Cortado MkIII contact microphone can record everything from acoustic guitars to a train bridge with a frequency…

Various Artists

Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan and Dominic Miller

June 27, 2017 · Pete Prown

Bill Frisell is a living jazz icon, famed for his ethereal tone and snaking post-bop lines. Here, he partners with…

Gallagher Bluegrass Bell

Ready, Set, Ring

April 18, 2024 · Michael Shirek

Pickers sure love to talk about their guitars, and more than a few will enthusiastically tell you about their favorite…

Crucial Audio Echo-Nugget

Crucial Audio Echo-Nugget

Things Just Got Serious

May 2, 2015 · Pete Prown

Crucial Audio Echo-Nugget Price:$799 (list) Contact: www.crucialaudio.com It’s hard not to be impressed by the physical presence of the Crucial…

Pop ’N Hiss: Uriah Heep’s Demons and Wizards

Under Its Spell

May 6, 2022 · Bret Adams

Hard rock/heavy metal and progressive rock were burgeoning genres in the early ’70s, and music fans by the millions eagerly…

Tony Iommi

When Sabbath Rocked with Ronnie

February 3, 2022 · Greg Prato

Black Sabbath sounded reinvigorated and refocused on its first two albums of the ’80s – Heaven and Hell and Mob…

Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor-II PRO

Archtop Ruler

January 24, 2017 · Michael Dregni

In the early 1950s, the grand old luthiers like Epiphone and Gibson couldn’t believe there would ever be a market…

Carvin Audio VLD1 Legacy Drive

Legend In A Box

April 19, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

When Steve Vai needed a portable preamp to take on the road to emulate his signature amp tones, Carvin Audio…

Mojo Hand Octaverse

Reverse Gears

July 6, 2023 · Pete Prown

The Mojo Hand Octaverse is billed as a “dedicated reverse octave delay,” which is a mouthful, but accurate. It offers…

Ewan Currie

Hairy Tones in The Sheepdogs

July 27, 2023 · Pete Prown

There are a lot of retro bands, but few get the sonics correct. Hailing from central Canada, The Sheepdogs conjure…

Betty Davis and Mahalia Barnes

Nasty Girl

October 4, 2016 · Michael Dregni

Betty Mabry was known far and wide by the sobriquet of the Nasty Girl. She earned the moniker for being…

1978 Gibson RD Artist

May 5, 2016 · Michael Wright

Throughout most of the 1970s, Les Pauls ruled the guitar roost. But toward the end of the decade, some players became…