The Pinecaster: Early Electric Guitars 1920-1955

Nacho Baños and Lynn Wheelwright

January 17, 2023 · Michael Dregni

Four volumes, 960 pages, more than 1,000 photos and historical documents – The Pinecaster is heavier than the heaviest 1958…

Rocky Mountain Slides Company Firecracker Aluminum Slides

Slick Slide

May 8, 2025 · Joe Bigley

Rocky Mountain Slides Company’s new “Firecracker Aluminum Slides” may look like other guitar slides but it is internally flared in…

Otis Redding

Otis Forever: The Albums & Singles (1968-1970)

May 13, 2024 · Sean McDevitt

Otis Redding’s death in a plane crash in late 1967 created a monumental task for producer and guitarist Steve Cropper…

Classics: September 2023

Bill Fudge’s Micro-Frets Huntington

May 2, 2024 · Ward Meeker

Several years before he became a luthier who deserves much greater recognition, Ralph Jones sold new Fender guitars and amps…

Soldier’s Story

Six Strings Document Tale of the “Blue and Gray” in World War I

November 3, 2016 · Ward Meeker

Through blood, dirt, rain, and all other forms of hell in the trenches of World War I, U.S. Army Private…

Gibson Super Jumbo 100

December 23, 2015 · George Gruhn

The Super Jumbo 200 is Gibson’s most celebrated flat-top model, and deservedly so, thanks to its use by cowboy movie…

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ARTISTS

Brennen Leigh’s Heart-Tugging Honky-Tonk

September 5, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Shades of Norman Blake and Dolly Parton A student of the “Carter Scratch” guitar technique – melody on the low…

Pop ’N Hiss: Robin Trower’s Twice Removed from Yesterday

Think Again

June 14, 2024 · Bret Adams

The solo career of guitar icon Robin Trower took off like a rocket in the early ’70s after he left…

Bryan Bassett

Foghat’s Slide Secret

July 22, 2022 · Pete Prown

A half-century after its inception, Foghat has just one original member – drummer Roger Earl – yet the quartet is…

John Pizzarelli

McCartney Memo

November 28, 2016 · Rich Kienzle

John Pizzarelli wasn’t surprised to receive a FedEx package from Sir Paul McCartney in 2014, given that he (and his…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Classics: November 2023

Al Caiola’s Gretsch Prototype

July 31, 2024 · Ward Meeker

Robby Zolezzi has been a touring pro guitarist since he was 18 years old, having taken up the instrument at 11, spurred by…

Rick Vito’s Tale Of Two Grails

Find of a Lifetime

December 6, 2022 · Ward Meeker

Whether it was by watching “Bandstand” on TV or learning the licks of Duane Eddy, Chuck Berry, or the Ventures,…

The Duane Allman “Layla” Guitar?

A ’57 Gibson Les Paul Emerges To Tell a Story

March 7, 2018 · Ward Meeker

Taken in trade by a music store in Florida, it was sold to a local recording studio in 1977. Shortly…

Hank’s Protos

How Hank Garland Helped Gibson Develop Two Models Not Called Byrdland

May 28, 2013 · Wolf Marshall

There are guitars, there are great guitars, there are great historic guitars and there are great historic guitars bearing deep…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

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 –…

Tyler Amp Works’ HM-18 Combo

Jersey Original

April 26, 2019 · Anders Fransson

New Jersey has a history as home of some iconic amplifiers, and Tyler Amp Works in Westfield is a father-son…

GizmoAudio’s Ripsaw and Sawmill Jr.

GizmoAudio’s Ripsaw and Sawmill Jr.

Just Like the First Time

January 7, 2016 · Ray Wuolo

Durham Electronics’ ReddVerb Price: $180 each (list) Info: www.gizmoaudio.com Most guitar players’ first pedal was a distortion/OD, often acquired after…

PRS S2 Custom 24-08

Plentiful Tones

May 3, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

As the youngest of the big three guitar manufacturers, PRS Guitars has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Jim Peterik

Jim Peterik

The Ides of a Century

July 8, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

Most dictionaries define “ides” as the middle of a month, based on the Roman calendar. The most famous are the…

Jim Dunlop BG95 and EVH95 Signature Cry Baby Wahs

Voodoo Chasin’

April 16, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Wah users needn’t settle for stock tonal options like those heard on the “Theme From Shaft” or “Voodoo Child (Slight…

Rickenbacker 325

A Pop Icon and His Beloved Axe

August 24, 2022 · R.J. Klimpert

Details In 1962, the Ac’cent Vibrato replaced the original Rick’s standard Kauffman unit, which was derived from a nearly 30-year-old…

The Beach Boys

Great Vibrations

October 4, 2016 · Michael Dregni

It’s ironic – and tragic – that Brian Wilson leads off his long-awaited memoir explaining the voices he hears in…

Have Guitar Will Travel 074 – Molly Moore with her guitarist Ariel Bellvalaire and MUNA’s Josette Maskin

April 28, 2022 · James Patrick Regan

Episode 74 of “Have Guitar Will Travel” opens with host James Patrick Regan speaking with Molly Moore and her guitarist,…

Jules Leyhe

Bottleneck Breakout

September 8, 2022 · Pete Prown

Forget everything you know about slide guitar. Jules Leyhe just upended the genre on Your First Rodeo, an instrumental set…

PRS NF 53

Mojo, Distilled

June 26, 2024 · Pete Prown

Players who appreciate simple, elegant, well-built guitars may find themselves enamored with the new PRS NF 53, inspired by one…

Two Generations of Rock: The Kentucky HeadHunters and Black Stone Cherry

Family Practice

April 15, 2021 · Will Kelly

Whether you’re talking music or family, in the rolling hills of Kentucky, roots grow deep and strong. The Kentucky HeadHunters…

Eric Johnson

Acoustic Resonance

March 11, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

On Eric Johnson’s new – and first all-acoustic album – EJ, the guitarist takes a break from the intervallic inventions…

EHX Good Vibes, Tone Corset

Rawk Boxes

July 3, 2019 · Michael Dregni

The musical spirit of the ’60s and ’70s lives again in two of EHX’s latest stompboxes: the Good Vibes analog…

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…

Hallmark Swept-Wing

Brief Flight from South of Bakersfield

March 31, 2017 · Willie G. Moseley

Bob Shade exemplifies the adage “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” The guitar builder has an enviable assortment of…

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…

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…

Jethro Tull

December 30, 2016 · Pete Prown

Released in the summer of 1969, Stand Up was Tull’s first album with guitarist Martin Barre and showed them honing…

Oddfellow Caveman Drive

Oddfellow Caveman Drive

Tone Evolution

February 2, 2016 · Pete Prown

Oddfellow Caveman Drive Price: $174.99 (list) Info: www.oddfellowfx.com. Handmade in California, the Oddfellow Caveman Drive is a boutique pedal whose…

Evil robot Feature Page

Evil Robot EVR-C30

Advances in Mojo

June 11, 2014 · Oscar Jordan

Evil Robot EVR-C30 Price: $999 (list) Info: www.frettedamericana.com. In 2010, music retailer Fretted Americana joined forces with amp wizard John…

Have Guitar Will Travel 088 – Kevin Bernier and De’Wayne

June 8, 2023 · James Patrick Regan

In Ep 88 of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” host James Patrick Regan speaks with guitarist Kevin Bernier of the Suffers,…

Manouche courtesy of La Pompe Attack

March 27, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

(Gypsy) Jazzin’ a James Taylor Tune La Pompe Attack shows us their take on James Taylor’s “Traffic Jam,” from their…

Check This Action: Back Aboard

May 1, 2023 · Dan Forte

Despite (or because of) the huge Folk Boom of the late ’50s and early ’60s, these days “folk” is almost…

The Cicognani SexyBoost2

Top-Tier Driver

May 10, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Italy’s Cicognani Engineering makes amplifiers, pedals, and nifty accessories. With a client list that includes Robben Ford, Richard Fortus, and…

Homegrown Tone 420

Homegrown Tone 420

Legalized Tweed

February 17, 2016 · Michael Dregni

Buzz Feiten Blues Pro Price: $1,799 (list) Contact: “Homegrown Tone Amps” on facebook.com Can’t get enough hemp in your life?…

Have Guitar Will Travel 140 – Iain Matthews

December 13, 2024 · James Patrick Regan

In episode 140 of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” presented by Vintage Guitar Magazine, host James Patrick Regan speaks with singer-songwriter…

2023 June Issue on Spotify

June 7, 2023 · Doug Yellow Bird

This month we feature Ana Popovic, Ian Hunter, Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton, John Oates, Joe Louis Walker, Mike Keneally,…

1965 Gibson Thunderbird

Cardinal Red Rarity

January 8, 2018 · Willie G. Moseley

Looking to finally make a real dent in Fender’s solidbody bass market, in the mid ’60s Gibson launched a line…

Trainwreck Express “Nancy”

April 3, 2020 · Dave Hunter

World’s most desirable amplifier? Aside from any “standard” vintage amps that have been elevated through their associations with major artists,…

Reverend Descent H90 Baritone

Deep Twang

July 13, 2016 · Pete Prown

Electric baritones have increased in popularity for the last 20 years. Filling the gap between standard-tuned electric guitar and bass,…

Gibson GA-20

The Gibson GA-20

November 16, 2015 · Dave Hunter

Behold, this specimen that checks off all the right boxes for fans of vintage amps; beautifully clean, it has a…

John Osborne

Feelin’ Fearless

October 25, 2024 · Ward Meeker

 Brothers Osborne play a distinctive version of 21-century country music. Rising above trendy themes and sounds like tailgate anthems and…