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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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Dan Hawkins
Toast of the Town
When The Darkness roared out of England with its 2003 debut Permission to Land and the hit “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” the music world was slapped across…
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NEWSWIRE
ARTISTS
“Big” Al Anderson
Nashville by way of Connecticut
Ask people what they know about “Big Al” Anderson and you’ll probably hear very different responses. Rockers will say that…
J.R. Cobb
Classic Bands, Classic Songs
When he joined Atlanta Rhythm Section in early 1972, J.R. Cobb and Barry Bailey had more in common than simply…
Marc Ford
The Vulture
Fans of The Black Crowes remember Marc Ford as the gifted guitarist who played on what many consider the band’s…
Earl Slick
Zig Zag Back to the Top
Earl Slick landed his dream gig back in 1974, when a friend referred him for a gig with David Bowie,…
CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS
Gretsch Chet Atkins Nashville 7660
1972 Gretsch Chet Atkins Nashville 7660. Photo: Michael Wright. In many ways, the storied past of Gretsch guitars is a…
Surf Bass
Out of the Doghouse
The big twang of surf guitar is still an instantly recognizable rock and roll idiom today, more than 35 years…
Gibson’s “Non-Reverse” Firebirds
When Down Was Up
Some guitars get no respect, at least historically. At the dawn of the ’70s, Gibson’s original (1963-’65) Firebirds were already…
The House of Stathopoulo Harp Guitar
Surreal Missing Link
One of the rarest Epiphone instruments in the world, the House of Stathopoulo harp guitar lends a glimpse into a…
APPROVED GEAR
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Lively Drives
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Posh Squash
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Chet Powered!
Fender Pro Junior IV SE
More Function, Fewer Funds
In a sea of inexpensive, feature-laden digital modeling amps, Fender is doubling down on its simple all-tube Pro Junior IV…
Boss Katana Gen 3
Big Step
The Boss Katana amplifier has a cult of devotees, many of whom have been waiting for a Bluetooth version that…
Music Man’s JP13
Petrucci Pick
Music Man’s JP13 Price: $3,500 Info: www.music-man.com. Music Man has a knack for building blazing artist models for the likes…
Orangewood Berkeley Live
Professional Finesse
Orangewood. Why not Ironwood or Peachwood? What does the brand name matter compared to the actual guitar? The simple answer…
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Tommy Castro
Circling Back
In a career spanning four decades, Tommy Castro has crafted a commendable catalog and built a devout following with his soul-infused music, informed by the blues, R&B, pop, and rock and delivered with conviction. Beloved for his guitar work and vocal style, he has carved his own niche. Born and raised in San Jose, California,…
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Classics: Tommy Castro’s ’66 Fender Stratocaster
Tommy Castro has never been much for sitting with a guitar teacher, preferring instead to rely on good ol’ time in the saddle to hone his craft. But this 1966 Stratocaster has taught him a couple lessons. The guitar entered Castro’s universe in the hands of San Francisco music legend John Newton – known on…
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Classics: Arena-Rock Alternative Amps
Mad Maxed
As rock started hitting the big time in the mid ’60s, it became clear to guitar-amplifier manufacturers that 100 watts or more was the way to go. The best approach to big power, however, would follow several paths. The stories of the high-powered amps introduced by Fender, Marshall, and Vox through the ’60s have been…
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Vivi-Tone “Skeleton
A Master’s Magnificent Misfire
The eternal question “Who invented the electric guitar?” has no single answer. By the late 1920s, many players, tinkerers, and inventors were exploring ways to get more volume from fretted instruments. Steel-string flat-tops from Martin, f-hole archtops from Gibson, and metal-bodied resonators from National were louder than their predecessors, but ran up against physical limits.…
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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 per customer, any double entries will be automatically disqualified. See previous winners!! *ELIGIBILITY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.One entry per…
