• 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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Adrian Legg

Adrian Legg

The Wizard of Strings

January 22, 2016 · Pete Prown

Aside from witty asides on social issues, natural disasters, and Renaissance history, Adrian Legg’s formidable fingerstyle and deep musicality remain…

The Magical Philosophy Of Slide

Time, Touch, and Reverence

March 12, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

In ancient Africa, when early man first dragged a flat rock across a string tied to a stick, he couldn’t…

Joanna Connor

Best Of Me

May 13, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

With a decades-long career and a boatload of albums to her credit, slide queen Joanna Connor is no stranger to…

2022 June Issue on Spotify

June 2, 2022 · Doug Yellow Bird

This month we feature Mike Campbell, Vince Gill, Ron Wood, Billy Gibbons, Robben Ford, Derek Trucks, Tedeschi-Trucks Band, John Sebastian…

Sue Foley

Femme Flamenco

December 10, 2024 · Greg Prato

In a time when pop-music performers rely heavily on post-recording fix-ups and pre-recorded tracks onstage, it’s refreshing – even admirable…

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Echopark Clarence

Wayback Machine

June 10, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Gabriel Currie’s Echopark Guitars have been played around the world by some of the music industry’s heaviest hitters. His is…

  • Rickenbacker’s Electric 12-Strings

    Rickenbacker’s Electric 12-Strings

    Double-bound for Glory

    George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacher founded Electro String in 1931 to manufacture what everyone would soon call “Rickenbacker” guitars. Success came early and their lap steels set standards of quality,…

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ARTISTS

Brian Setzer

Brian Setzer

Rocking Back to the Future

October 27, 2015 · Michael Dregni

Brian Setzer wears several hats – rockabilly, swing, even hard-rocking Christmas music. But through it all, by and large he…

Dave Mason

Now We All Know

June 24, 2025 · Bret Adams

In his new autobiography, Only You Know & I Know, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Dave Mason looks back on his incredible life, including…

Chris Stein

Blondie’s Guitar Basher

April 25, 2019 · Greg Prato

While Blondie’s Chris Stein won’t be mistaken for a shredder soloist, there’s no debate he’s an underrated rhythm guitarist and…

Fretprints: Walter Becker

Steely Dan’s Unsung Guitar Great

May 6, 2022 · Wolf Marshall

Steely Dan to this day occupies a unique place in music history. Laying claim to an unexplored intersection of jazz,…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Joe Long’s “stack-knob” Fender Jazz Bass

June 22, 2025 · Willie G. Moseley

If you’re a fan or aficionado of vintage instruments, odds are that any early-’60s Fender Jazz Bass catches your eye.…

Jim Lauderdale’s honkey-tonk toe-dip

January 31, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Singer/Songwriter’s Stylistic Twist Jim Lauderdale paid a visit to one of his favorite Nashville hangs and grabbed a gorgeous 1940…

Teisco Checkmate 30

Café Culture

December 16, 2023 · Dave Hunter

In a world where the best riffs often come when one is lounging in the family room, sipping espresso and…

The Norma EG 470-2 Deluxe

June 25, 2020 · Michael Wright

Everyone of a certain age – and no doubt some younger folks – remembers the sage career advice given young…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Taylor AD17e

Tube SaviorDream Machine

November 8, 2022 · Pete Prown

Taylor’s AD (American Dream) line aims to put affordable U.S.-made acoustics in the hands of most any player. The new…

Yamaha’s THR100HD Dual Amp

Double Vision

July 3, 2019 · Pete Prown

Modeling amps have evolved rapidly as software and circuits have improved and become, dare we say, more organic sounding. The…

Amptweaker’s TightFuzz and Bass TightFuzz

A Good Buzz

October 23, 2015 · Phil Feser

Amptweaker’s TightFuzz and Bass TightFuzz Price: $280 retail/$199 street (TightFuzz); $310 retail, $219 street (Bass TightFuzz) Info: www.amptweaker.com. Since the…

Dutch Kazoo Analog Fuzz Pedal

OD Treat

October 28, 2014 · Ray Wuolo

Dutch Kazoo Analog Fuzz Pedal Price: $225 retail Info: www.dutchkazoo.com It’s not easy for a new boutique overdrive or distortion…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Dan’s Guitar RX: Reviving a ’56 Duo-Jet, Part Two

Ugly, But An Oldy

March 16, 2024 · Dan Erlewine

In the March issue, I introduced you to my apprentice, Blake Burkholder, and the restoration he was doing to a…

Fab Four’s Big Three

The Beatles’ “Ed Sullivan Show” Guitars, 50 Years On

November 9, 2015 · Peter Stuart Kohman

For Americans, the legend of the Beatles has a very specific starting moment: 8 p.m., February 9, 1964. That Sunday…

Oddfellow Napoleon Boost

Oddfellow Napoleon Boost

Little Dictator

March 10, 2016 · Pete Prown

Oddfellow Napoleon Boost Price: $119.99 (list) Contact: www.oddfellowfx.com Overdrive is one of the guitarist’s great joys. Unlike flat-out distortion, overdrive…

Wes Beech

Life in The Plasmatics

October 29, 2025 · Ward Meeker

From the moment he met Rod Swenson and Wendy O. Williams, things for Wes Beech were never really “normal.” Walking…

MIKE MATTHEWS HOME-MAIN-BIG

Mike Matthews

The Special Effect at Electro-Harmonix

July 24, 2013 · Ward Meeker

As a child of four, Mike Matthews’ mother taught him how to play classical-style piano. Formal lessons followed; the child…

Paul “Mayo” Mayasich

November 1, 2016 · John Heidt

The latest from guitarist Paul Mayasich and his band of buddies is an eclectic mix of American music. You get…

Mesa/Boogie Mark Five: 25

Mesa/Boogie Mark Five: 25

Stage, Studio, Etc.

March 30, 2016 · Julian Burtell

Mesa/Boogie Mark Five: 25 Price: $1,299 (list) Contact: www.mesaboogie.com Housed in teensy cabinets, so-called “lunchbox” amps are all the rage,…

Jimi Hendrix

January 27, 2017 · Oscar Jordan

James Marshall Hendrix is undoubtedly the greatest rock guitarist who ever lived, and Experience Hendrix LLC is now releasing a…

Richie Kotzen

Goin’ Supergroup

February 25, 2015 · Oscar Jordan

Veteran guitar monster Richie Kotzen has done it all from opening for The Rolling Stones, recording with Stanley Clarke, to…

Joe Satriani

December 8, 2025 · Oscar Jordan

The hardest-working guitarist in show business, Joe Satriani recently wrapped up a successful Van Halen tour, a G3 Reunion tour,…

The Fender Tremolux

January 29, 2024 · Dave Hunter

Most amp nuts are utterly fascinated by Fender’s rapid evolution from archaic to modern through the course of the 1950s.…

Elliot Easton

Elliot Easton

Shifting Gears Again

October 23, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

Not long after he released an instrumental album with an aggregation known as the Tiki Gods, veteran southpaw guitarist Elliot…

Fender 6G13-A Vibrasonic

April 21, 2017 · Dave Hunter

Amid the classics in Fender’s “golden-era” amp line, some remained in production only a short time because of timing, misjudgment…

Gibson’s “SG” Les Paul

Classic Shape That Filled Big Shoes

September 15, 2024 · Baker Rorick

In 1961, Gibson replaced the single-cutaway Les Paul with a new line of lighter, thinner, mahogany double-cut solidbodies. Developed under…

2021 May Issue on Spotify

June 7, 2021 · Doug Yellow Bird

This month, we feature, Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis, Lee Ritenour, Steve Lukather, Michael Schenker, Yasmin Williams, Tony Rombola, Rod Abernethy,…

Paul Mehling

Fab Four Gypsy of Tone

March 14, 2019 · John Heidt

One of the world’s foremost Djangophiles, Paul Mehling has for many years been at the forefront of Gypsy jazz in…

Killer B Standard

Feel the Buzz

March 6, 2017 · Rich Maloof

In a marketplace crowded with indie guitar builders, Killer B differentiates its Standard model with uncommon contours and a customizable…

Harvey Valdes

Switched-On Bach

March 9, 2023 · Pete Prown

Ever since Andrés Segovia elevated the nylon-string guitar to a serious classical instrument a century ago, players have been performing the…

Al Stewart

Cat’s Meow

March 2, 2022 · Bret Adams

Year of the Cat, singer/songwriter/guitarist Al Stewart’s 1976 smash, is being celebrated with a 45th anniversary three-CD/DVD box set. The…

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…

Sue Foley

Still Playing Pinky

September 8, 2022 · Michael Dregni

Sue Foley’s Paisley-finished Telecaster is the one guitar to which she has remained true since her debut album, Young Girl…

Bonnie Raitt

Struttin' Her Stuff

July 6, 2016 · John Heidt

The adjective “smooth” can sometimes get a bad rep, but as the new album by Bonnie Raitt readily shows, it…

Dave Davies

Reflections From A Kink

April 3, 2024 · Dan Forte

Twenty-seven years after their last performance, the Kinks still command a loyal following. The 60th anniversary of this fascinating British…

Mike Anthony

Jazz Big-Leaguer

March 18, 2019 · Jim Carlton

Howard Roberts and Tommy Tedesco were his mentors; both recognized his extraordinary talent and relentless work ethic. When L.A. session…

Guitar Tone Company’s Bloody Finger

Rugged Facelift

December 27, 2017 · Oscar Jordan

While honing his ears at Greene Street Recording Studio in New York, David Harrington was inspired to build studio-quality stompboxes.…

Jorge Glem: Cuatro Mastery

April 6, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Brooklyn-Cumaná Jorge Glem uses his Venezualan cuatro to show us some of “Matapalo y Fuga,” from his new duet album…

Weller Guitars’ Stageliner

Jetson Moderne

November 29, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

More and more, guitar designers are digging deep, thinking out of the box, and using their imaginations to conjure hip,…

Fender’s 1960 Bandmaster

Power of Three

March 20, 2019 · Dave Hunter

The earliest renditions of our gear icons are often the most valuable, but on many occasions it’s the transition models…

EHX Walking on the Moon Flanger/Filter Matrix

Andy Flange

June 26, 2024 · Pete Prown

With its mouthful of a name – The Andy Summers Walking On the Moon Flanger/Filter Matrix – the latest Electro-Harmonix…