Keeley Hydra Stereo Reverb & Tremolo

The Life Aquatic

January 27, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Stompbox wizard Robert Keeley’s latest creation packs a boatload of deep-sea diver sounds in one small package. The Hydra Stereo…

The Micro-Frets Saga

Genius in MD

March 18, 2019 · Ward Meeker

Had fate been just a notch kinder, Ralph Jones might today be a ’60s counterculture icon alongside Bob Dylan, Muhammad…

Steve Kimock

May 16, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

There comes a time in a musician’s life when he confronts the inevitable question, “Who am I? Am I a…

Nili Brosh

Bright Horizons

March 16, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

The saying goes, “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person to do it.” But don’t ask…

Hadden Sayers Feature home

Hadden Sayers

All the Way Back

April 4, 2014 · John Heidt

If Hadden Sayers’ 2011 release, Hard Dollar, was a way to get his feet wet again, his latest, Rolling Soul,…

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…

  • Rik Emmett

    Rik Emmett

    Canadian Custom

    Rik Emmett is a master of many guitar styles and other artistic endeavors. As co-lead vocalist/guitarist in the hard-rock trio Triumph from 1975 to ’88, he experienced life as a…

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ARTISTS

Ronnie Montrose

Remembering Ronnie

Phillips Finishes Guitarist’s Final Recordings

December 7, 2014 · Willie G. Moseley

Ricky Phillips has many fond memories of his friendship and musical association with Ronnie Montrose (1947-2012). The bassist is finishing…

Hilton Valentine

1943-2021

January 24, 2022 · Dan Forte

“The first song I learned on guitar was ‘House of the Rising Sun’ by the Animals.” The statement could have…

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Laying Down the Blues

April 24, 2019 · Greg Prato

Blues-rock suffered a blow in 1990 with the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan. But later in the decade, a crop…

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…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

The (Way) Back Beat: A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody

Fretted cheesecake advertising through the years, Part One

April 5, 2024 · Peter Stuart Kohman

There are many ways for an advertiser to attract attention, and in the history of 19th- and 20th-century print hucksterisim…

Gibson J-200 Rosewood

March 1, 2022 · George Gruhn and Walter Carter

The Gibson company was founded on the belief that carved-top guitars were superior to flat-top designs, and consequently, Gibson was…

Fender Mustang

Truly Transitional

April 28, 2020 · Willie G. Moseley

Despite its short scale, the Mustang has a potent sound, and as a result it was used by many notable…

Fender Precision Bass Elite II

On a Tangent In Its Time

April 18, 2014 · Willie G. Moseley

Precision Bass has been offered in a myriad of models in its 50 years of existense, including a number of…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

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…

Home Feature Image

Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo

Endless Echo

June 10, 2016 · Michael Dregni

Like politics, religion, and overdrive pedals, echo boxes are sure to incite staunch views, heartfelt arguments, and perhaps even fisticuffs.…

Goodtone Roadrage PD, Mad Professor Golden Cello

Secret Weapons

October 21, 2014 · Tom Guerra

Goodtone Roadrage PD, Mad Professor Golden Cello Price: $155 Info: www.goodtone.com. Goodtone Amps builder Norm Matthews has a rep for…

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Reissue

Dual-Mode Delivery

November 14, 2025 · Dave Hunter

The evolution of Randall Smith’s legendary high-gain Mesa/Boogie design into the revered Mark IIC+ of the mid ’80s established a…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Johnny Hiland

Mr. Versatility

March 8, 2010 · Ann Wickstrom

“…when you’re onstage, in the heat of the moment in the middle of a solo, you want to have bandmates…

PRS SE NF3

Expanded Options

May 8, 2025 · Bob Cianci

The latest result of PRS Guitars “reverse-engineering”/ reconsidering its own instruments, the SE NF3 is the first PRS to be…

NGM Visits Texas

Nearing Permanent Home, Museum Honors Raitt

April 14, 2020 · Dan Forte

“It was born at the junction of form and function,” country guitar ace Bill Kirchen sings in “Hammer Of The…

Rupert Neve Designs’ Portico 5017/ SE Electronics’ Voodoo VR1

Studio on the Go

March 13, 2019 · Pete Prown

Despite what some folks may tell you about the merits of “going direct” for guitar, nothing sounds better than a…

Jim Heath

A Reverend By Any Other Name

November 12, 2020 · John Heidt

Jim Heath is better
known to most folks as psychobilly guitar fiend The Reverend Horton Heat. But on his latest release,…

Taylor 724ce

Bold And Bright

June 12, 2023 · Pete Prown

In the Hawaiian tongue, koa means “bold” and it’s an apt name for the wood known in guitardom for its…

Pop ’N Hiss: Robben Ford and Yellowjackets

Inside Story

March 11, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

In 1975, 24-year-old Robben Ford was making a name for himself on the Los Angeles music scene, where competition was…

Henriksen Amplifiers’ The Blu

Sound Cube

October 14, 2019 · Steven Stone

One old cliché among gigging musicians is, “They pay me for the aggravation, the music is free.” A good deal…

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…

Howard Roberts

H.R. Was a Dirty Guitar Player!

October 7, 2014 · Jim Carlton

In his prime, Howard Roberts played more than 900 studio dates annually and recorded the hippest guitar records of the…

2021 April Issue on Spotify

June 4, 2021 · Doug Yellow Bird

This month, we feature Rory Gallagher, Jerry Garcia, Lyle Workman, America’s Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, Joe Bonamassa, Cory Wong,…

Fender Precision Bass

June 13, 2023 · George Gruhn and Walter Carter

The Fender Precision Bass, introduced in 1951, was arguably more revolutionary and more influential on popular music than the Telecaster…

Michael Manring

Bass Convergence

November 7, 2025 · Willie G. Moseley

Most music fans who learn that the eclectic trio 3Below is all bass players will react with, “You gotta be…

FENDER BANDMASTER 5E7

Fender 5E7 Bandmaster

January 29, 2016 · Dave Hunter

Preamp tubes: one 12AY7, two 12AX7 Output tubes: two 6L6s, fixed biased Rectifier: 5U4G tube Controls: Volume, Volume, Treble, Bass,…

Reddick Voyager Custom

Swap Meet

June 9, 2023 · Pete Prown

The concept of pickup-swapping guitars has been around for decades, almost always with cumbersome results. With the Voyager, Reddick Guitars…

Martin’s DJr-10E StreetMaster

Dread, Not

July 6, 2022 · Michael Shirek

The big, booming dreadnought has been a Martin hallmark since its debut in the 1930s. From that tradition comes Martin’s…

Paul Gilbert

One-Man Electrical Jam

March 30, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Paul Gilbert’s 16th solo album, Werewolves of Portland, is an ambitious DIY project where he plays all the instruments. From…

Gibson Style R Harp Guitar Feature Image

Gibson Style R Harp Guitar

February 3, 2015 · George Gruhn

Harp guitars with a standard six-string guitar neck and varying numbers of sub-bass harp-style strings have been made by a…

Orange Dual Baby, Gain Baby, and Tour Baby 100

Playpen Power

November 14, 2025 · Dave Hunter

For 2025, Orange has expanded on its compact Pedal Baby introduced a few years back with a new trio –…

Andy Summers

Creating Light From Dark

April 23, 2019 · Greg Prato

For Andy Summers, it would be easy to compose Police-like music – reggae rhythms, clean/chorus guitar tones, etc. But fans…

2024 March Issue on Spotify

May 9, 2024 · Doug Yellow Bird

This month we feature Sue Foley, Mick Mars, Robin Trower, Susan Tedeschi, Paul Reed Smith, The Collins Kids, Santana, Van…

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…

The D’Angelico Excel 59

Hybrid Hotshot

March 7, 2022 · Michael Dregni

Some might see it as a Frankenstein’s monster, while others will view it as the best of all worlds. The…

1963 Fender Twin Reverb Prototype

1963 Fender Twin Reverb Prototype

July 7, 2016 · Dave Hunter

The Twin has long been the flagship of Fender’s high-wattage amp lineup, and it achieved/retained that status through several iterations…

Martin D-42 Modern Deluxe

Boom Box

March 7, 2023 · Pete Prown

Martin’s new Modern Deluxe line offers a tantalizing idea – a traditional-looking/playing premium acoustic, but with high-tech innovations under the…

MIM Hosts Stephen Stills and Ushers in Dragons and Vines Exhibition

December 7, 2016 · Johnny Zapp

On November 5th, Phoenix, Arizona’s Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) celebrated the opening of their newest exhibition, “Dragons and Vines: Inlaid…

Tommy Emmanuel

May 2, 2017 · John Heidt

As the title suggests, this is a collection of performances pulled from several Public Television concerts Tommy Emmanuel has done,…

Gibson EB-4L

Right Ideas, Wrong Era

April 15, 2010 · Willie G. Moseley

The antennae of many guitar collectors/enthusiasts pop up when they encounter a Gibson-made instrument bearing a six-digit serial number with…

Carr Amplifiers’ Super Bee

’60s Muscle

October 15, 2021 · Rich Maloof

Inside its chicken hatchery turned amp shop in Pittsboro, North Carolina, Carr Amplifiers has hatched another beauty in the low-watt/single-channel…