• 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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Keb’ Mo’

Hearts and Ears

November 2, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Keb’ Mo’s latest is folksy, endearing, and called Good To Be. Co-produced by Vince Gill and with Darius Rucker onboard,…

Gregg Wright

King of the Rockin’ Blues

November 18, 2014 · Oscar Jordan

Gregg Wright is a force to be reckoned with. He took the top spot in the Southern California Blues Society’s…

Various Artists

Orchestral Maneuvers

July 5, 2018 · Pete Prown

Yes’ Chris Squire didn’t intend to make a masterpiece with 1975’s Fish Out of Water, but he inadvertently did –…

The Iris Guitar Dan Erlewine DE-11

Renaissance Reimagined

July 28, 2022 · Michael Shirek

Among the famous names in American guitar lore is Dan Erlewine – guitarist, builder, VG columnist and editorial consultant, and…

Electro-Harmonix Operation Overlord Allied Overdrive

Sound Assault

April 26, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Like its namesake World War II invasion, Electro-Harmonix’s Operation Overlord Allied Overdrive involves an assault of sorts – though this…

VOXAC50-HOME-MAIN-BIG

Vox AC50

April 21, 2015 · Dave Hunter

Vox AC50 Preamp tubes: one ECC82 (12AU7), three ECC83 (12AX7) Output tubes: two EL34s, fixed-biased Rectifier: solidstate Controls: Volume, Treble…

  • 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

Ernie Isley

Burning Desire

July 2, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Contrary to what longtime fans may have heard, Ernie Isley didn’t take guitar lessons from Jimi Hendrix. Though Ernie hung…

Return Of The Prodigy

Michael Schenker

September 8, 2025 · Oscar Jordan

Michael Schenker is back with an album covering the music of his early days. My Years With UFO is a…

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Tougher Than Ever

March 22, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

After decades of roadhouses, bars, and international touring, bluesman Tinsley Ellis is still going strong. A 1979 graduate of Emory…

Wayne Nelson

Wayne Nelson

Little River Anchor

March 15, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

Bassist/vocalist Wayne Nelson has decades of experience with the Little River Band and was the first American to join the…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Gibson GA-200 Rhythm King Vintage Guitar magazine

Gibson GA-200 Rhythm King

July 9, 2015 · Dave Hunter

Preamp tubes: two 12AX7, one 12AY7, two 6BJ8, two 6SK7, one 6V6 (used as a voltage divider) Output tubes: two…

JOHNNYSMITH-HOME-MAIN-BIG

The Guild and Gibson Johnny Smith Models

December 3, 2013 · Jim Hilmar

The name “Johnny Smith” is synonymous with class, elegance, and style. Most guitar players are familiar, if not with the…

Domino Californian Rebel

Instrument Profile

February 18, 2010 · Michael Wright

California. The Left Coast. It was probably home to North America’s earliest inhabitants, as emigrants from Asia crossed the Bering…

The story of the Martin F-50

December 24, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

Our friend Nate Westgor from Willie’s American Guitars shares the story of Martin’s first step into the booming 1960s electric…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Billionaire by Danelectro Big Spender

Rotary Club

July 10, 2019 · Michael Dregni

In this day and age, there’s a lot of spin going down, but perhaps not enough of the right type.…

Sebago Sound DT50

Texas Tone – And More

March 1, 2014 · Max Prown

Sebago Sound DT50 Price: $1,999 Contact: sebagosound.com The DT50 is the 50-watt version of Sebago Sound’s acclaime d Double Trouble…

Gittler Classic Home Feature Image

Gittler Classic

Back to the Future

June 10, 2016 · Zac Childs

The Gittler guitar was invented in the late 1970s by Allan Gittler, whose vision to reduce the guitar to its…

Mu-FX Tru-Tron 3X

Get Tha Funk Out

September 4, 2015 · Michael Dregni

The Mu-FX Tru-Tron 3X Price: $369.63 Contact: www.mu-fx.com. Think funk. Think Bootsy Collins’ wacked-out Parliament Funkadelic Space Bass lines. Think…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Louis Electric Gattone

Louis Electric Gattone

Play The Blues

September 18, 2015 · Michael Dregni

Louis Electric Gattone Price: $2,595 (list) Contact: www.louiselectricamps.com Got the blues? Have we got the amp for you. Louis Rosano…

Boss MT-2 3A Metal Zone

Captain Crunch

November 10, 2022 · Pete Prown

Over the years, the Boss Metal Zone has often been lampooned for its ferocious personality. But if you plug one…

Keb’ Mo’

Hearts and Ears

November 2, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Keb’ Mo’s latest is folksy, endearing, and called Good To Be. Co-produced by Vince Gill and with Darius Rucker onboard,…

Jack Bruce 1943-2014

Jack Bruce 1943-2014

December 4, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

Jack Bruce, an icon of electric bass, died October 25 in Suffolk, England. Best known for his work with Cream…

Legendary ’Burst

The Peter Green/Gary Moore ’59 Les Paul Standard

November 29, 2017 · Willie G. Moseley

We take a life-size look at the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard with a sound that has for decades fascinated…

Overview of the electric room at Guitarlington guitar show, taking place this weekend in Arlington, TX.

Guitarlington 2016

October 17, 2016 · Vintage Guitar

[caption id="attachment_25877" align="alignright" width="640"] Overview of the electric room at Guitarlington guitar show..[/caption] [caption id="attachment_25878" align="alignright" width="480"] A 1936 Martin…

Yamaha’s Revstar RSP20CR

Mod Rocker

July 5, 2018 · Oscar Jordan

Having spent the last 120 years perfecting righteous guitar tones, Yamaha has set out to increase their coolness quotient. The…

1986 Dumble Overdrive Special

1986 Dumble Overdrive Special

July 5, 2016 · Dave Hunter

The exalted amps of Alexander Dumble have been legendary since he began building in the late ’60s, and have become…

George Cummings

Remembering Mississippi and Dr. Hook

February 27, 2018 · Willie G. Moseley

George Cummings is best known as the original guitarist for Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. Born in Meridian, Mississippi,…

Fretprints: Stevie Ray Vaughan

Texas Flood

June 5, 2025 · Wolf Marshall

Stevie Ray Vaughan was unknown when he premiered at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival. Born and bred in Dallas, he’d…

Home Feature Image

25 Most Valuable Effects

May 24, 2015 · Dave Hunter

Text by Dave Hunter Data compiled by Alan Greenwood and Gil Hembree Vintage Guitar is marking 25 years of publication…

Carr Impala

Big-Block Tone

October 16, 2015 · Phil Feser

Carr Impala Price: $2,490 (retail, in black); $2,640 (two-tone) Info: www.carramps.com. While the new Carr Impala amplifier gets its name…

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…

Adrian Smith

Different Scales

November 25, 2021 · Pete Prown

Guitarists usually spend years learning their scales, but Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith enjoys scales of the aquatic kind. In his…

Bob Moore

1932-2021

December 2, 2022 · Rich Kienzle

Bob Moore, a charter member of Nashville’s “A-Team” of session musicians and Nashville’s most recorded upright and electric bassist, died…

Roland Cube Lite

Roland Cube Lite

High-Calorie Tone

January 18, 2016 · Phil Feser

Roland Cube Lite Price: $169 (street) Info: www.rolandus.com. At just under four pounds, and with a 10″ x 6″ footprint,…

Majik Box Paul Gilbert Fuzz Universe Custom

“Scarifying” OD

December 23, 2015 · Oscar Jordan

Majik Box Paul Gilbert Fuzz Universe Custom Price: $329.99 retail Contact: www.majikboxusa.com Since Dave Simpson and Rob Nishida joined forces…

Fender Pro Junior IV SE

More Function, Fewer Funds

September 11, 2023 · Bob Dragich

In a sea of inexpensive, feature-laden digital modeling amps, Fender is doubling down on its simple all-tube Pro Junior IV…

Chase Bliss Onward

Glitch Niche

August 13, 2025 · Pete Prown

These days, there’s a litany of “glitch” pedals on the market – boxes that deconstruct guitar signal into 8-bit bleeps…

Greg Koch: Gristly “Blues”

May 22, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

Greg Koch: Gristly “Blues” Greg Koch fearlessly wrings the sort of vibrato that only a Tele will tolerate from his…

Fender Custom Color Strat main

Custom-Color Stratocasters

July 1, 2014 · R.K. Watkins

The Stratocaster was born in 1954. A solidbody with three pickups, contoured back and top, vibrato, and bolt-on neck, it…

Toronzo’s Tasty Blues!

September 27, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Chicago Blues Master plays “Something To Do, Man” More than “just” a great blues player, Toronzo Cannon is an outspoken…

Small Screen, Big Pickin’

Crew Strives to Keep it Real on “Nashville”

July 6, 2018 · Johnny Zapp

It’s not often that prime-time network television captures an audience of working class, professional musicians. In 1968, players watched Elvis…

The Gretsch 6169 Electromatic Twin Western

June 10, 2020 · Dave Hunter

What good was selling a newfangled electric guitar back at the dawn of the revolution if you didn’t have an…

Ally Venable

Connection

February 2, 2026 · Oscar Jordan

On Money & Power, Ally Venable wields the power of wisdom and emotional connection. It’s an album about empowerment and…

The Collins Kids

Mostly-Moseley Memories

January 8, 2024 · Willie G. Moseley

Siblings Lorrie and Larry Collins sprang into the public eye in the mid 1950s – dawn of the television era…

Fretprints: Ronnie Montrose

America’s Metallic Answer

March 31, 2022 · Wolf Marshall

The cultural and musical hotbed that was San Francisco in the ’60s produced numerous important bands – Santana, Grateful Dead,…

Peerless Retromatic

Peerless Retromatic

Modern Vintage

April 27, 2016 · Pete Prown

Peerless Retromatic Price: $1,699 Info: www.peerlessguitars.eu While many new guitars of the last decade have touted authentic (or semi-authentic) “retro”…

Valvetech Suplex

A Kinder, Gentler Plexi

July 13, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Used by rock royalty, the 100-watt Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead unleashed hellacious tones. Problem was, it was ridiculously loud…