• Duke Robillard – Lowdown

    Duke Robillard – Lowdown

    Vintage Guitar is happy to offer the premier of the new music video by Grammy nominee Duke Robillard. “Lowdown” is the  first single from his upcoming album, Blast Off!, set…

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  • 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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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…

Border Crossing

C.F. Martin and the Influence of German and Spanish Guitar Designs

May 30, 2017 · George Gruhn

It has often been said that today’s Martin guitars are direct descendants of the instruments made in Vienna by Johan…

Slim Harpo and Martin Hawkins

January 27, 2017 · Michael Dregni

Mick Jagger admonished the world back in 1968, “What’s the point in listening to us doing ‘I’m A King Bee’…

Buddy Guy

Keeping the Blues Alive and Definitely Kicking

April 18, 2016 · Dan Forte

It was February 21, 2012. As part of the White House’s music series, “Red, White & Blues” featured a cavalcade…

The Brothers Comatose Cover “Stickshifts and Safetybelts”

January 30, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

“Hardly Strictly Bluegrass” From San Francisco Here’s a dose of bluegrass flavor courtesy of The Brothers Comatose, playing a cover…

Ernie Ball’s MVP Volume/Gain Expression Pedal

Ernie Ball MVP Volume/Gain Expression Pedal

Total Control

January 28, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Ernie Ball’s MVP Volume/Gain Expression Pedal Price: $179 (list); $129.99 (street) Info: www.ernieball.com. Just when you thought you were done…

  • Carr Skylark Special 1×12

    Carr Skylark Special 1×12

    Take Flight

    Arriving a little more than 10 years after the original Skylark, Carr Amplifiers’ new Skylark Special adds versatility and enhanced tonal depths to squeeze a lot more into this diminutive…

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ARTISTS

R. C. Allen

R.C. Allen

1934-2014

October 3, 2014 · Ward Meeker

R.C. Allen, a noted luthier who built archtops for local and regional players of note and was a fixture at…

In Memoriam: John Teagle

February 9, 2024 · Peter Stuart Kohman

Guitarist, historian, and author John Teagle passed away March 26 in New York at age 66 after battling cancer. Teagle…

Memphissippi Sounds’ Yella P asks “Who’s Gonna Ride”

April 29, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

’59 Stratotone at the Memphis Slim House While Memphissippi Sounds’ Yella P and his ’59 Harmony Stratotone were visiting the…

Jorge Harada

Whole Lotta Rockabilly

March 11, 2019 · Michael Dregni

Call it twang with attitude. Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers’ new album, Little Black Heart, is a heady mix of…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

The Fender Master Series

April 16, 2018 · Gary Koehler

Dan Smith had an idea – a solidbody guitar with routed chambers that would provide unique resonant tonal characteristics. And…

Classics – May 2021

January 25, 2022 · Ward Meeker

This 1940 ES-250 with serial number 96385 left the Gibson factory bound for retailer New York Band on October 25,…

1924 Martin 00-45

1924 Martin 00-45

October 11, 2015 · George Gruhn

When trying to determine originality, guitar dealers and collectors have a tendency to study instruments with the care of a…

Samantha Fish: Slide-Blues Fury!

May 13, 2025 · Doug Yellow Bird

“I’m Done Runnin’” on a D-18 VG readers know Samantha Fish is the real deal. Here, she uses a Martin…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Fishman’s Aura Spectrum DI, ToneDEQ

Potent Preamps

March 13, 2019 · Pete Prown

Unlike most electric guitarists, acoustic-electric pickers tend to worry about preamps. A lot. This front stage is critical because acoustic…

Warm Audio Centavo

Not Just Another Klon(E)

October 11, 2023 · Tom Guerra

Most pedal enthusiasts consider a vintage Klon Centaur the pinnacle of overdrive boxes. With originals now approaching $10,000, it makes…

Hall & Collins Signature Echo

Echo Rock

March 5, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

For guitarists whose lives are dedicated to replicating the echo effects heard on songs like Hank Marvin’s “Apache,” Hall &…

D’Angelico Excel SS

Classic Versatility

December 23, 2024 · Bob Cianci

The modern D’Angelico company specializes in hip semi-hollow guitars with a nod toward their namesake, legendary luthier John D’Angelico. Case…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Jubu Smith

Jubu

May 31, 2025 · Pete Prown

John “Jubu” Smith (Whitney Houston, Tony! Toni! Tone’!, Raphael Saadiq) has joined with seven-string renegade Charlie Hunter for an instrumental…

Eric Gales

Stand Up

October 11, 2021 · Bob Dragich

In a recording career that spans 30 years and includes 18 albums of his own and 28 more tributes and…

Pop ’N Hiss: Hawkwind’s Space Ritual

Primal Cosmic Rock

October 30, 2024 · Willie G. Moseley

Among the evolutionary tangents of London’s pop-music scene in the late ’60s were the original stylings of progressive rock, psychedelia,…

Chaos Audio Stratus Multi FX Pedal

Smart, Swift Stomp

December 23, 2023 · Charlie Wilkins

Imagine a world where all of your pedals work together so seamlessly that you can quickly and easily experiment with…

First ’Burst

May 30, 2017 · Walter Carter

In May of 1958, a worker at the Gibson factory pulled two Les Paul guitars – serial numbers 8 3087…

Mr. Smith goes to Rudy’s

“Upstairs” at a famed NYC guitar boutique

June 10, 2020 · Art Department

Nashville has Music Row and London has Soho, but if your heart starts palpitating at the mere mention of carved…

Tunerette

Smokin’ Tuner

May 8, 2025 · Joe Bigley

The guitar world has many options to stay in tune but none as cool-looking as the Tunerette. Don’t let the…

Lollygagger FX Canaglia Overdrive

Rude ’Tude

July 9, 2018 · Oscar Jordan

Sean Wright’s love for guitars and electronics has resulted in a family business that realizes his vision of stompbox perfection.…

Cort’s Sunset I and II Feature

Cort’s Sunset I and II

Jonesin’ For Tone

December 28, 2015 · Phil Feser

When Cort isn’t busy making guitars and basses for major musical instrument companies, they’re hard at work building some pretty…

Star Board: Jared Scharff

Star Board: Jared Scharff

April 12, 2016 · Ward Meeker

“Saturday Night Live” staff guitarist Jared Scharff uses this custom pedalboard, built by Matt Brewster, 30th Street Guitars, New York…

Stephen Ulrich

One-Man Band

December 13, 2023 · Pete Prown

New York-based guitarist Stephen Ulrich is known for the suspenseful “crime jazz” and surf-rock tones of his instrumental trio, Big…

Stromberg Master 400

August 9, 2017 · George Gruhn

Considered by many to be the ultimate orchestral rhythm guitar, these very rare instruments are among the most sought-after, and…

Foghat

Road Fever: The Complete Bearsville Recordings 1972-1975

January 25, 2024 · Pete Prown

By the time British blues-and-boogie quartet Foghat struck gold in 1975, it already had a solid catalog under its belt.…

Nioma Guitars

Rarities from a West Coast Music School

September 2, 2014 · Peter Blecha

NIOMA musical instruments from the 1930s and ’40s – with their vaguely Hawaiian-looking name – have mystified vintage-guitar enthusiasts over…

Derek St. Holmes

Making Rock and Roll Cool Again

March 2, 2017 · Johnny Zapp

Derek St. Holmes has been in the rock and roll business since the early 1970s and is best known for…

The Story of Jay Gower

Startup in Music City

April 18, 2019 · George Gruhn

In Nashville today, there are enough professional luthiers to meet the need for guitar repairs, modifications, and custom builds. In…

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…

1963 Fender 6G7-A Bandmaster

Last of the Oxbloods

May 2, 2024 · Dave Hunter

Those who love vintage amplifiers are often fascinated by little anomalies that present themselves in an otherwise period-correct specimen, and…

Mark St. John

The Lost Kiss Interview

March 13, 2024 · Pete Prown

With the release of Kiss’ recent live album, Off The Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, New York, 1984, fans hear one of precious…

Have Guitar Will Travel – 038 Featuring Wally Stocker

November 23, 2020 · Art Department

On the new episode of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” Wally Stocker tells host James Patrick Regan about his time as…

Will Ackerman

Acoustic Artisan

April 4, 2023 · Pete Prown

A defining idiom of ’80s guitar, the Windham Hill label captured a certain audio sound and style of understated acoustic…

Dumble Garage Band Ripper

Orange Crushed

June 14, 2023 · Dave Hunter

Through much of his career, Alexander Dumble made amps at his discretion, building one of his hallowed tone machines only…

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Sweetheart Of The Rodeo – Live!

Roger McGuinn & Chris Hillman with Marty Stuart

September 8, 2025 · Dan Forte

A premier folk-rock band morphing into psychedelia in the mid ’60s, the Byrds pioneered country-rock with 1968’s Sweetheart of the…

Dan’s Guitar RX: Reviving a ’56 Duo-Jet, Part Two

Ugly, But An Oldy

March 16, 2024 · Dan Erlewine

In the March issue, I introduced you to my apprentice, Blake Burkholder, and the restoration he was doing to a…

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…

Thomas Nordegg

Indispensible

January 24, 2017 · Oscar Jordan

At certain large-scale rock shows, there’s often a white-haired gentleman running onstage to hand guitars to artists like Steve Vai,…

Fender Vaporizer Amp

Fender Vaporizer Amp

Retro on 11

March 9, 2015 · Phil Feser

Fender’s Vaporizer Amp Price: $399.99 (street) Info: www.fender.com Given the popularity of smartphones, tablets, digital recorders, and amp modeling in…

Robben Ford

Night In The City

October 29, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

A live recording can be a snapshot in time or the accumulated powers of an artist’s lifelong passion. Robben Ford…

William Peale, Jr. Gibson Super 400

Sharp-Shooter Special

April 9, 2019 · George Gruhn

The iconic “singing cowboy” was created by Hollywood actors like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, and others. Many used…