• 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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Onstage with Rainbow in 2016. Blackmore 2016: Fabrice Demessence.

Blackmore’s Best

July 11, 2017 · Doug Yellow Bird

To help denote the 45th anniversary of the release of Machine Head, we asked subscribers to Vintage Guitar’s electronic newsletter,…

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…

Ray Cummins – I’ll See You In My Dreams

January 1, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Ray Cummins Plays the 1956 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 prototype “Dark Eyes” VG ace online tutor Ray Cummins uses the…

This Band Has No Past: How Cheap Trick Became Cheap Trick

Brian J. Kramp

September 12, 2023 · Bret Adams

Bearing an incredibly accurate subtitle, the story told here is presented mostly as an oral history, loaded with minutiae about…

Fretprints: Jack Wilkins

Farewell to a Modern Jazz Master

July 26, 2024 · Wolf Marshall

Jazz guitar recently lost one of the great ones. Jack Wilkins, champion of modern traditionalism (or is it traditional modernism?)…

David Allen Fat ’59 Tele Pickups

Sparkle and Twang

January 8, 2018 · Pete Prown

At their best, Tele pickups deliver unparalleled twang – versatile and fat. Conversely, poor T-style pickups are flat and screechy…

  • 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

Allen Hinds

Finding His Spot

April 15, 2019 · John Heidt

Allen Hinds has spent a considerable amount of his 60 years playing guitar, and has kept busy lately with two…

Diamond Rio’s Jimmy Olander

Sworn Gunslinger

July 31, 2024 · Ward Meeker

Grand Ole Opry member, CMA, ACM, and Grammy winner Jimmy Olander is one of the most-admired players in country music.…

Tom Guerra

Tom Guerra

Rock and Roll Swagger

January 24, 2015 · Pete Prown

After 15 years and four albums with Connecticut trio Mambo Sons, Tom Guerra just released his first solo album, All…

Sue Foley’s Pinky Tele

January 28, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

Powerhouse Blues on “Dallas Man” Sue Foley and her band (Corey Keller on drums and John Bradley on bass) tear…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

The Peoples’ Guitar

Gibson’s Depression-Era Exports

July 10, 2017 · L.B. Fred

Many aren’t aware that some of the archtop guitars Gibson produced during the Depression were marketed under different brand names,…

VG Q&A: Fret Differential

And Examining Two Budget Archtops

August 29, 2025 · Ward Meeker

Can someone please explain the differences between playing an instrument with jumbo frets versus one with smaller/shorter frets? – John Mackey…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Larry Wexer

August 20, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Larry Wexer Season 01 Episode 07 In Episode 7 of “Buy That Guitar,”…

Epiphone 1968 Les Paul Prototype

Fraternal Twin

May 9, 2023 · Willie G. Moseley

Ted McCarty’s leadership at Gibson was highlighted by the introduction of top-shelf instruments created by knowledgable, intuitive designers and builders.…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

L-Guitar Lance Glass

Tweak City

January 18, 2024 · Pete Prown

Builders love tweaking the creations of Leo Fender and his squad of ’50s innovators; California luthier Lance McCormick is making…

Epiphone’s Wilshire and Coronet

Gotta Rock

February 4, 2022 · Pete Prown

Some elemental solidbodies were born to rock – the SG, Telecaster, and Les Paul Special and Junior come to mind.…

The Carr Artemus

A Blend of Dick, Leo, and Steve

September 3, 2015 · Zac Childs

Steve Carr made a name for himself building fine amplifiers such as the Slant 6V and the Rambler. His Artemus model used…

ZT Amplifiers Club and Lunchbox Acoustic

Big Things, Small Packages

January 24, 2014 · Sean OBryan Smith

In two short years of existence, ZT Amplifiers has found a unique place for itself in the world of boutique…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Eugene Edwards

Outlaw Twang, Rockabilly Swagger

July 2, 2019 · Johnny Zapp

Country music icon Dwight Yoakam employs one of the hardest-working bands on the road today. A quintet including Yoakam, they’re…

Blake Aaron

Blake Aaron

Melodic Passion

June 21, 2016 · John Heidt

Blake Aaron’s fifth solo release, Soul Stories, features eight originals and a couple of covers that have at least one…

Gary Hoey

Reverence and Feel

March 11, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

On Dust & Bones, Gary Hoey continues his foray into blues using one part guitar virtuosity, one part production skill,…

SRV Behind The Scenes

Four Years In Pictures: Offstage With Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1986-1990

June 27, 2017 · Dan Forte

The life of blues-rock icon Stevie Ray Vaughan was under a microscope even before his tragic death in a helicopter…

Classics: Arena-Rock Alternative Amps

Mad Maxed

December 12, 2025 · Dave Hunter

As rock started hitting the big time in the mid ’60s, it became clear to guitar-amplifier manufacturers that 100 watts…

Lords of Atlantis: Cliché-Free Surf

January 16, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Ivan Pongracic Lords of Atlantis includes members from a handful of high-profile surf bands, and its debut album is a…

Carr Skylark

The Carr Skylark

Desert-Island Amp

May 2, 2015 · Michael Dregni

The Carr Skylark Price: $2,390 (list) Contact: www.carramps.com If you could own only a single guitar amp – horror of…

Envious Omissions

A Custom-Order Gretsch 6196

November 9, 2017 · Preston Gratiot

Gretsch aficionados know the adage – “Clubs have holes and a Gentleman don’t!” With this guitar, though, somebody messed with…

Andy Peake – Roots Without Boundaries

December 30, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Andy Peake – Roots Without Boundaries Andy Peake is a drummer/percussionist with a long list of accomplished-guitarist friends. For proof,…

Check This Action: Feeling Jazzy

July 2, 2025 · Dan Forte

Jazz guitar is one of my main loves, whether it’s Eddie Lang’s work with Bing Crosby in the early ’30s…

Gibson EH-150

An Odd Gibson EH-150

10 Strings, Lap-Style

December 1, 2021 · George Gruhn

Lap-steel guitars were the first commercially available electrics – ancestors of the guitars we plug in today, regardless of their…

Walrus Audio Iron Horse Distortion V2

Versatile Beast

April 26, 2019 · Art Department

Like virtually every distortion pedal on the market, Walrus Audio’s Iron Horse Distortion V2 will produce enough distortion to molest…

Tyler Ramsey – These Ghosts

June 27, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

 Tyler Ramsey – These Ghosts My recent album, “New Lost Ages,” was recorded in Seattle and produced by Phil…

PRS S2 Custom 24-08

Plentiful Tones

May 3, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

As the youngest of the big three guitar manufacturers, PRS Guitars has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception…

The Walrus Audio ACS1

Simple Simulation

July 3, 2022 · Phil Feser

From worship services and home-recording where volume is an issue to fly-in shows where a full rig is impossible, amp…

Steve Rothery

Prog with a Purpose

February 27, 2018 · Greg Prato

Marillion has been playing thought-provoking neo-prog since its 1983 debut album, Script for a Jester’s Tear. Along the way, the…

PRS_P22-HOME-MAIN-BIG

PRS P22

Split Personality

December 23, 2013 · Phil Feser

PRS P22 Price: $6,092 (as tested, retail), $3630 (street) Info: prsguitars.com. While PRS has for several years offered a piezo…

Classics: January 2022

Sam Ash’s Early PRSs

September 1, 2022 · Ward Meeker

Sammy Ash first laid eyes on a PRS guitar in the early ’80s, after catching a glimpse of one in…

John 5 - Telewiedler

John 5

Telewielder

March 1, 2016 · Ward Meeker

Since ditching his spot backing alternative-metal singer Marilyn Manson 10 years ago, superhuman guitarist John 5 has used his skills…

PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow

Multi-Functional Gem

January 17, 2014 · Phil Feser

While most guitarists are familiar with PRS (and some dream every day of adding one of the company’s Private Stock…

Rickenbacker 345

January 2, 2024 · George Gruhn

Rickenbacker guitars have a look, feel, and sound that is remarkably distinct from those made by any other manufacturers. In…

George Lynch

The Return Of KXM

April 15, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Musical chemistry is a rare thing. It’s not easily attainable, but when you have it, the fruits are magical. If…

Golden State-Lone Star Blues Revue

July 6, 2016 · Rick Allen

Welcome to a cross-country meeting of blues minds. The first release from this group of veteran California and Texas bluesmen…

Home Feature Image

Homer Haynes’ ’59 D’Angelico Excel

May 1, 2016 · George Gruhn

From 1932 to 1964, independent builder John D’Angelico produced some of the finest jazz guitars. After apprenticing and working in…

Fretprints: Harvey Mandel

Infinitely Eclectic

January 25, 2024 · Wolf Marshall

Harvey Mandel is a regular on the list of “guitarists’ guitarists,” yet is woefully unknown to the public. With an…

The Koch Studiotone

No-Sweat Double-Duty

June 10, 2020 · Phil Feser

Koch Amplifier’s 20-watt Studiotone uses an all-tube circuit powered by a matched pair of Ruby EL84 tubes producing 20 watts…

Dano Redux

A Look at Everyone's First Electric Guitar

May 25, 2021 · Eric C. Shoaf

In his book, Neptune Bound: The Ultimate Danelectro Guide, author Doug Tulloch charts the adventures of Nat Daniel as he…

Michael Bloomfield’s ’63 Telecaster

Michael Bloomfield’s ’63 Telecaster

This Guitar Killed Folk!

January 22, 2025 · Ward Meeker

A silver-spoon teen who loved sneaking into Chicago’s southside blues clubs, Michael Bloomfield reveled in absorbing all he could from…

Rickenbacker 325

A Pop Icon and His Beloved Axe

August 24, 2022 · R.J. Klimpert

Details In 1962, the Ac’cent Vibrato replaced the original Rick’s standard Kauffman unit, which was derived from a nearly 30-year-old…