• 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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Eric Clapton’s “Blackie”

Eric Clapton’s “Blackie”

March 13, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

This may well be the most desirable Fender Stratocaster on the face of the planet. And it happens to be…

Colin Linden

Bringing it Back Around

April 21, 2016 · John Heidt

Colin Linden’s Still Live is a step back to his first recording – a live album made three decades ago.…

Carr Bloke

Carr Bloke

No Regular Fella

November 11, 2015 · Zac Childs

From early models such as the Carr Slant 6V and the Rambler to more recent offerings such as the Artemus…

Slick SL-52 and SL-56

Budget Riff Rockers

May 5, 2023 · Bob Cianci

Since 2004, Guitarfetish has been selling instruments, parts, pedals, and accessories online. Their Slick guitar line – designed and built…

Brad Whitford

Aerosmith’s Master of Wicked Licks

September 15, 2014 · Ward Meeker

Aerosmith’s 2011 Back On the Road tour was a two-month jaunt that consisted of 18 shows and took the band…

Dad’s Day 2021

VG’s Annual Salute to Fathers Who Inspire

March 7, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

Marty Ashby’s very musical family has been playing together since he was a little kid. Here’s a shot of them…

  • Rickenbacker’s Electric 12-Strings

    Rickenbacker’s Electric 12-Strings

    Double-bound for Glory

    George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacher founded Electro String in 1931 to manufacture what everyone would soon call “Rickenbacker” guitars. Success came early and their lap steels set standards of quality,…

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ARTISTS

Vic Juris

The Core of Big Apple Jazz

April 22, 2019 · Jim Carlton

Every noted jazz artist in the world is familiar with Vic Juris. His body of work commands serious respect and…

Fretprints: Tony Rice

Newgrass Fusion Master

February 4, 2022 · Wolf Marshall

The world lost one of its most innovative and defining guitar voices on December 25, 2020. Bluegrass maestro Tony Rice…

Exquisite fingerstyle from Will Ackerman

August 11, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

Trademark Melodies from an Icon Will Ackerman and his Steve Klein guitar show us a piece of the lovely “I…

How Ron Wood’s New Barbarians Saved the Stones

Ear-to-Ear Violence

January 5, 2018 · Michael Dregni

Today, the Rolling Stones continue to perform live, more than 50 years since their first gig. But few realize how…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Star Board: Craig Bartock

Star Board: Craig Bartock

April 4, 2015 · Vintage Guitar

This month, we take a guided tour of the pedalboard belonging to Craig Bartock, guitarist with Heart. Craig Bartock, a…

Heil Talk Box

January 7, 2016 · Michael Dregni

When Peter Frampton began using the Heil Talk Box in 1974, he remembers it being viewed with skepticism as an…

The Rickenbacker 4000

March 21, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

The model 4000 was not only Rickenbacker’s first foray into the electric-bass market, it was decidedly different from Fender’s Precision…

Classics: November 2022

Vern Juran’s Harmony stratotone

July 13, 2023 · Ward Meeker

Like many baby-boomer kids, 11-year-old Vern Juran was into slot-car racing and bikes with ape-hanger handlebars, banana seats, and sissy…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

The Prestige Classic TBK

Hidden Treasure

October 15, 2021 · Bob Cianci

One of the best-kept guitar secrets, Prestige is a small Vancouver-based operation that has flown under the radar for 18…

Dr Z Z-28 MK II 1×12

Step On It!

July 28, 2023 · Charlie Wilkins

If you’ve driven a classic muscle car like the Camaro Z28, you know that when you step on the gas,…

Gibson Everly Brothers SJ-200

Full Dress

March 20, 2024 · Michael Shirek

Gibson has always had a knack for producing distinctive guitars. The EDS-1275 in Cherry finish will forever be tied to…

Keeley Electronics Seafoam Chorus

Keeley Electronics Seafoam Chorus

Side Effects

March 13, 2015 · Tom Guerra

Keeley Electronics Seafoam Chorus Price: $229 (list) Contact: www.robertkeeley.com In a world of proliferating effects pedals, discovering one that does…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Henry Garza

Still Familia

May 20, 2025 · Ward Meeker

The music created by Los Lonely Boys – brothers Henry, Jojo, and Ringo Garza – is an amalgam resulting from…

The Vox Saturn IV

June 30, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

In the mid 1960s, England’s Vox company was in the right place at the right time. Buoyed by frontline British…

Loretta Lynn

Standing Proud

July 6, 2016 · Rich Kienzle

Loretta Lynn, who turned 84 this year, first became famous for her plain-spoken, proudly twangy hits in the ’60s and…

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…

Sonny Burgess

1929-2017

May 9, 2019 · Michael Dregni

Sonny Burgess, one of the last of the great Sun Records stars, died August 18. He was 88 and had…

Pop ’N Hiss: The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet

Feast Your Ears

October 30, 2024 · Bret Adams

The Rolling Stones were back. Well, they’d never really gone anywhere, but most fans thought they’d lost their way with…

2024 December Issue on Spotify

December 5, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

This month we feature George Benson, The Outlaws, Warren Haynes, Blu DeTiger , Jessie Ed Davis, Khalif Wailin’ Walter, Taste,…

Fretprints: Ronnie Montrose

America’s Metallic Answer

March 31, 2022 · Wolf Marshall

The cultural and musical hotbed that was San Francisco in the ’60s produced numerous important bands – Santana, Grateful Dead,…

National Westwood Home Feature Image

National Westwood

May 12, 2016 · Michael Wright

Whether Valco – the company that made National guitars in the 1950s and ’60s – was actually inspired by U.S.…

Micki Free

Feel and Tone

November 3, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

  He was the real-life team member on the infamous Charlie Murphy/Prince basketball game parodied on “Chappelle’s Show,” but Grammy…

Intriguing Twosome

A Look at Gibson’s EB-6

July 9, 2018 · Willie G. Moseley

As the ’50s drew to a close, Gibson was locked in a heated battle with Fender for a share of…

Radial Tonebone Hot British V9 and North-Star

Tone Deep Down

July 3, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Since the mid ’90s, Radial Engineering has been making audio products with a rep for superb performance and top-tier construction.…

Lazy J 20

Deluxe inspiration

July 30, 2015 · Phil Feser

The Lazy J 20 Price: $2,700 (reviewed) Contact: www.lazyjprojects.com After moving to England and leaving behind the vintage Fender Deluxe…

Max Cavalera

Roots Revisited

April 15, 2019 · Greg Prato

To the casual fan, heavy metal can get a bit “same sounding” after a while. But then there are those…

Ralph Towner, John Abercrombie Quartet, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Dewa Budjana

Fusion Heros

February 27, 2017 · Pete Prown

The ECM label is renowned for its brand of atmospheric jazz-fusion highlighted by gorgeous audio quality. Two of its guitar…

Jeff Senn and Crazy Aces

Dealing Out Twang

June 6, 2014 · Michael Dregni

When you build guitars for a living, you might unwind with another hobby – say, beer-can collecting or crochet. Not…

The Steepwater Band

More Players, More Music

May 9, 2017 · Willie G. Moseley

The Steepwater Band, based in Chicago, has been a trio for most of its career, purveying guitar-based Americana. Guitarist Jeff…

2024 April Issue on Spotify

May 9, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

This month we feature Ace Frehley, George Benson, Wayne Kramer, UFO, John Leventhall, Wolf Marshal, Philip Sayce, the Aristocrats, Jim…

Neal Schon

Neal Schon

“The Guitar Is My Voice”

July 5, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Long before Neal Schon helped Journey sell more than 80 million albums, he was a rock-fusion gunslinger who turned down…

Walden Sean Harkness 12-String, CG4070E

Grand-Auditorium Cousins

April 26, 2016 · Chip Wilson

Walden Sean Harkness 12-String, CG4070E Price: $1,100 (Sean Harkness Model); $1,350 (CG4070E-CERT) Info: www.waldenguitars.com. With 16 years of producing attractive,…

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…

David Hamburger: masterful playing, 00-18 deep dive

July 26, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

David Hamburger and his ’56 00-18 Singer/songwriter David Hamburger is also an impressive fingerstyle player who knows a great guitar…

Elektron Analog Drive

Big Swede

April 16, 2019 · Michael Dregni

Take a look at your pedalboard. You probably have three or four overdrives and fuzzes hooked up – and are…

Round-Up Range

Rolling on a Post-Pandemic Project

May 13, 2025 · Dan Erlewine

Five years ago, I started making a Tele-style guitar inspired by the Gretsch Roundup. When Covid hit, I was up…

Susan Tedeschi

Just Won’t Burn

October 29, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

Fantasy Records is celebrating Susan Tedeschi by reissuing the album that introduced her to lovers of soulful music the world…

The Voxmobile

Too Fast to Live, Too Cool to Die

March 22, 2018 · Dave Hunter

Free love, slick guitars, hot cars! Few pieces of late-’60s pop culture were anywhere near as hip and groovy as…

Valco ‘Thunder stick’

April 5, 2010 · Nathaniel Riverhorse Nakadate

Put your gut money on a dark horse every so often, and you might find the rest of the regurgitating…

Dawner Prince Electronics Pulse

A New Spin

February 10, 2022 · Michael Dregni

There are plenty of takes on the Leslie rotating speaker and its most famous stompbox offshoot, the Shin-ei Uni-Vibe. Dawner…

Jeff Kollman

Validating Versatiltiy

June 25, 2025 · Willie G. Moseley

A perusal of guitarist Jeff Kollman’s resumé forces a double take. Alongside decades of studio work and live gigs with…