First Guitar of Rock and Roll

Scotty Moore’s Gibson ES-295

June 10, 2022 · Michael Dregni

Like a hound dog hit by lightning, the first notes of rock and roll blasted out of radios across the…

Kevin Comeau

Crowning Achievement

February 2, 2024 · Pete Prown

If you dig Rush, you may have heard of a duo from Canada that virtually channels the iconic trio. Known…

Steve Turner

The March To Fuzz

April 29, 2024 · Dennis Pernu

Thirty-five years after Steve Turner and Mudhoney became forever linked with two legendary pedals by coining their debut EP Superfuzz…

Bare Knuckle Pickups’ PAT Pend, Flat ’52, and Mule

Bruising Tones

March 24, 2014 · Tom Guerra

Bare Knuckle Pickups’ PAT Pend, Flat ’52, and Mule Price: $125-$340 Info: www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk. From the ever-expanding world of boutique pickups…

Mark Knopfler

Straitforward

September 12, 2014 · Ward Meeker

Very early in life, Mark Knopfler had a connection with music. His mother cared for the family while BBC programs…

Friedman Plex

Mystique Maker

May 8, 2025 · Charlie Wilkins

Dave Friedman built his brand (and reputation) by making supercharged Marshall-inspired amps, and his latest hones in on one of…

  •  VG Q&A: Harmony History

     VG Q&A: Harmony History

    And an Archtop Mystery

    I recently received two guitars as gifts and am trying to learn more about them. The first is a Harmony I believe is from the early ’70s. Its serial number…

    Read more >>

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ARTISTS

Fretprints: Paul Simon

Postmodern Troubadour: The Simon & Garfunkel Years

October 26, 2022 · Wolf Marshall

Troubadours – poet/musicians active in Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries, played a defining role in Western civilization. The…

Ty Tabor

On A Roll

December 26, 2017 · Oscar Jordan

King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor is on a roll. Despite the band being on hiatus due to bassist Dug Pinnick’s…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Neal Shelton

August 13, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Neal Shelton Season 01 Episode 06 In Episode 6 of “Buy That Guitar”…

Roger Glover

Time Machine

January 14, 2025 · Bret Adams

Deep Purple’s 1972 album, Machine Head, is one of rock’s totemic monsters, especially its best-known track, “Smoke on the Water,”…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

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Traynor YBA-2 Bass Mate

May 10, 2016 · Dave Hunter

Canadian amp maker Traynor gets a lot of respect in some circles for turning out solid, good-sounding tube amps that…

McKinley James’ Blues

October 25, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

 Family Barn Jam! With his ’82 Gibson 335 running into a Headstrong Corduroy (20-watt/6V6) amp, McKinley James shares a…

Epiphone Crestwood

’60s Un-Gibson Solidbody

July 14, 2017 · Eric C. Shoaf

Gibson’s acquisition of Epiphone in 1957 presented a tremendous challenge to guitar designers and marketers at the company. One challenge…

Classics: December 2021

1967 Rickenbacker 360/12

August 11, 2022 · Ward Meeker

Live-music fans who roamed South Florida from the early ’80s until the mid 2000s might recognize Craig Ball’s ’67 Rickenbacker…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Keeley Electronics Dark Side

Floyd Explorer

May 3, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

In the multi-verse of effects, Robert Keeley’s gizmos are a thing of beauty – particularly those that provide multiple sounds.…

Zemaitis’ CS Guitars

Super Models

March 5, 2019 · Michael Dregni

Artist. Iconoclast. Guitar builder to the stars. Tony Zemaitis was all that and more. Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards swear…

Fargen Pete Anderson Tumbleweed

Fargen Pete Anderson Tumbleweed

Box Full Of Country

January 15, 2016 · Zac Childs

Fargen Pete Anderson Tumbleweed Price: $299 (list) Info: www.fargenamps.com. Pete Anderson is a touring roots and country guitarist probably best…

PRS 25th Anniversary Swamp Ash Special NF

From Jimi to Eric to Angus

September 29, 2011 · Pete Prown

PRS 25th Anniversary Swamp Ash Special NF Price: $3,908 (retail)/$2,329 (street) Contact: PRSguitars.com. The PRS 25th Anniversary Swamp Ash Special…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Riversong Guitars Tradition One Performer

Riversong Guitars Tradition One Performer

New Tradition

March 28, 2016 · Chip Wilson

Riversong Guitars Tradition One Performer Price: $3,299 (list) Contact: www.riversongguitars.com Occasionally, a luthier’s innovation defines a new acoustic guitar sound.…

B&G Guitars’ Caletta Standard Build

Small But Mighty

December 8, 2022 · Rich Maloof

B&G Guitars are made in Tel Aviv by a talented shop that translates the best traits of traditional guitars into…

A Mick Ralphs Sampler – Definitive Listening

June 27, 2025 · Willie G. Moseley

Curated by Vintage Guitar’s Willie G. Moseley, this playlist showcases the evolution of Mick Ralphs’ sound through various songs he…

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…

Steven Wilson

Guitar Harmony

October 17, 2024 · Greg Prato

Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson isn’t a guitar hero, but his playing fits his compositions perfectly – as exemplified by his…

In Memoriam: John Regan

April 3, 2024 · Ward Meeker

John Regan, a songwriter, producer, and bassist who was a member of Peter Frampton’s band and Frehley’s Comet, died April…

Ibanez Artcore AF105NT

Class Axe

October 1, 2014 · Pete Prown

Ibanez has always had two distinct personalities – first as a purveyor of shreddy solidbodies for the hard rock/metal crowd,…

Chris Tapp

Low-End Addendum

December 14, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

On the latest Cold Stares album, Voices, guitarist Chris Tapp did the unthinkable – he hired a bass player! With…

Carl Bradychok and Don Leady

Roots Rock Generations

July 6, 2016 · Dan Forte

Those once considered the young guns of roots rock (Deke Dickerson, Dave Biller, Joel Paterson) are now “middle-aged.” So it’s…

GIBSON FIREBIRDS

Gibson Firebirds

May 4, 2015 · R.K. Watkins

Say the words “custom color” to a collector or enthusiast and most will think of “Fender.” But Gibson had its…

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Music Man HD-130 Reverb

November 13, 2018 · Dave Hunter

Intended to be the masterpiece of a titan in guitar-amp design, Music Man amps of the mid/late ’70s are all…

IK Multimedia iRig HD

Pocket Rocket

March 2, 2017 · Pete Prown

Ain’t technology grand? With a device like the iRig HD, you can plug your guitar into an iPhone, iPad, or…

Reverend Mike Watt Wattplower

July 3, 2019 · Phil Feser

During four years of back and forth, Reverend Guitars and legendary punk-rock bassist Mike Watt (Minutemen, Firehose, Stooges), developed a…

The Reverend Thundergun Bass

Three In One

September 18, 2013 · Sean OBryan Smith

Players who love a hotrod Lincoln, a good drive-in, or a rocking retro guitar are familiar with Reverend Guitars, a…

George Barnes

Country Jazz

May 25, 2017 · Rich Kienzle

When Chet Atkins arrived in Chicago for his first RCA recording session in August 1947, he was astounded to meet…

Mudhoney

Plastic Eternity

March 20, 2024 · Dennis Pernu

When it comes to writing music reviews, nothing’s more Lamesville than a critic swiping text from a label’s press release.…

GRETSCHBURST-HOME-MAIN-BIG

Horses of Another Color

March 7, 2014 · Edward Ball

1) This ’57, from batch 253xx, has the added intrigue of a gold G-cutout tailpiece in place of the Bigsby…

1978 Steinberger Prototype Bass

1978 Steinberger Prototype Bass

July 7, 2016 · George Gruhn

When introduced commercially in 1979, the Steinberger bass was a truly revolutionary instrument employing graphite construction and a minimalist artistic…

Carbe and Durand

August 30, 2016 · John Heidt

The combo of two acoustic guitars and what could be considered modern-day standards seems on first blush like a recipe…

Greg Koch

Blues

January 14, 2026 · Oscar Jordan

The Gristle Master returns with scintillating blues and the influences that made him the six-string slayer he is today. On…

Boss Katana Gen 3

Big Step

May 30, 2025 · Pete Prown

The Boss Katana amplifier has a cult of devotees, many of whom have been waiting for a Bluetooth version that…

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…

Buddy Merrill

1936-2021

December 2, 2022 · Rich Kienzle

Buddy Merrill, guitarist, steel-guitarist, composer, arranger, recording artist, and occasional vocalist, died December 5. He was 85. A seasoned musician…

Gibson J-185

The Gibson J-185

November 20, 2015 · George Gruhn

The J-185 is regarded by many players and collectors as the finest-sounding Gibson flat-top made after World War II. The…

Strymon’s Riverside Multistage Drive

Down By The River

April 16, 2019 · Phil Feser

At first glance, the Strymon Riverside Multistage Drive doesn’t look much different from the rest of the herd. But dig…

Dusky Electronics Toasted Overdrive

Let It Burn

March 13, 2023 · Bob Cianci

Dusky Electronics’ new Toasted Overdrive is an upgrade of the company’s two-stage MOSFET amp in a box; builder Chris Rossi…

Vintage guitar magazine Silvertone’s 1449 and 1423

Silvertone’s 1449 and 1423

Classic Comeback

October 23, 2014 · Vintage Guitar

Silvertone’s 1449 and 1423 Price: $739 list/$479 street (1423); $629 list/$399 street (1449) Info: www.silvertoneclassic.com With an up-swell of interest…

United They Stood, Part 2

Ghosts of Jersey City

July 11, 2022 · Peter Stuart Kohman

In the history of guitars, the tale of United Guitar Corporation is a ghost story – little documented and lost…

Fender’s ’68 Custom Deluxe Reverb

Fender’s ’68 Custom Deluxe Reverb

Improving on a Good Thing

April 19, 2016 · Phil Feser

Fender’s ’68 Custom Deluxe Reverb Price: $999.99 list Contact: www.fender.com In 1968, Fender gave its amp line what collectors today…