• 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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Britt Daniel

Spoonful of Sounds

April 14, 2020 · Michael Dregni

If the Beatles were still around, chances are they’d be checking out Spoon. Like the Fab Four, the group revels…

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La Baye 2X4

May 25, 2016 · Michael Wright

1967, the Summer of Love. Everything still seemed possible, and anything went. No more war, racial and gender equality, Fresh…

Goodtone Roadrage PD, Mad Professor Golden Cello

Secret Weapons

October 21, 2014 · Tom Guerra

Goodtone Roadrage PD, Mad Professor Golden Cello Price: $155 Info: www.goodtone.com. Goodtone Amps builder Norm Matthews has a rep for…

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.…

Lords of Atlantis: Cliché-Free Surf

January 16, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Ivan Pongracic Lords of Atlantis includes members from a handful of high-profile surf bands, and its debut album is a…

Demeter FZO-1 Fuzzy Octavulator

Demeter FZO-1 Fuzzy Octavulator

Fuzz Flavors

October 24, 2014 · Zac Childs

James Demeter has a long history in the amp and effects biz. His project-boxed/Dymo-labeled Tremulator pedal pre-dates the ’90s boutique…

  • 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

Lincoln Goines

The Bass Choir

November 13, 2023 · Pete Prown

Check out the credits on many jazz, pop, and Latin albums over the past four decades and you’ll see the…

Bobby “Blue” Bland

The Guitarists of Blues’ Crown Prince

October 16, 2015 · Dan Forte

On June 23 of last year, the blues lost one of its greatest singers with the death of Bobby “Blue”…

Jeff Beck

He Can’t Help It… He Just Keeps Getting Better

February 26, 2014 · Dan Forte

In 1985, speaking of the ’83 Action Research into Muscle Distrophy (A.R.M.S.) Tour that united Yardbirds alumni Jeff Beck, Jimmy…

Kurdt Vanderhoof

These Go to XI

March 29, 2017 · Greg Prato

When it comes to thrash metal, the “Big 4” – Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax – get credit for popularizing…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

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Beyond the Parlor

Part Two: Man and Machine

April 29, 2016 · Tim Brookes

Ed. Note: In part two of his series on the guitar in 19-century America, Tim Brookes addresses the common belief that the guitar…

Gibson Les Paul Juniors

Beauties in Black: Two Rare Gibson Les Paul Juniors

February 6, 2022 · Ward Meeker

Guitar dealers tell guitar stories much like anglers tell fish stories. There are those they “got” and those that got…

Mel Bay D’Aquisto

Teacher’s Aid

March 28, 2019 · George Gruhn

Melbourne “Mel” Bay (1913-1997) began his musical career at the age of 13 in his hometown of Bunker, Missouri. Largely…

Name that Twang

The Guild-Duane Eddy Connection

May 2, 2024 · Peter Stuart Kohman

The fledgling Guild company scored a coup when it signed Johnny Smith to an endorsement deal in 1956. Perched atop…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Amptweaker’s TightFuzz and Bass TightFuzz

A Good Buzz

October 23, 2015 · Phil Feser

Amptweaker’s TightFuzz and Bass TightFuzz Price: $280 retail/$199 street (TightFuzz); $310 retail, $219 street (Bass TightFuzz) Info: www.amptweaker.com. Since the…

Pirate Guitar Effects’ Plank Overdrive and Boost

Walk The Plank

April 24, 2019 · Chip Wilson

Every pro guitarist who has laid eyes on the Pirate Guitar Effects Plank has initially thought they recognized the logo…

Heritage Guitars’ H-155M

Best-Kept Secret

July 24, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Heritage Guitars still builds instruments by hand… in Kalamazoo. Like its veteran brethren in the industry, it focuses on craftsmanship,…

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Electro-Harmonix Soul Food, Nano Big Muff

Add OD, To Taste

November 4, 2015 · Pete Prown

Price: Soul Food, $89.25 (list), $62.81 (street); Nano Big Muff, $95.64 (list), $69.80 (street) Info: www.ehx.com Guitarists have an insatiable…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Dewa Budjana

Dewa Budjana

Fusion/Progressive/World Music from Indonesia

January 24, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

Back home in Bali, Indonesia, guitarist Dewa Budjana is noted for his work with the pop band Gigi, but recently,…

Hangin’ with Kid and Lisa “Little Baby” Andersen

September 5, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Smooth, Funky Blues With Soul Kid Andersen worked with Charlie Musselwhite and Elvin Bishop before scoring his current gig with…

Phil Collen

A Rock Cat Plays the Blues

February 27, 2018 · Greg Prato

In the eyes of many, there’s quite a difference between arena rock and blues rock. But not to Phil Collen,…

The Sebastian ‘Burst

Inspirational Icon

February 9, 2022 · Willie G. Moseley

The mere mention of a Gibson Les Paul Standard made between 1958 and 1960 commands attention. But one like this,…

Scott Holiday

Unrivaled Son

February 17, 2016 · Johnny Zapp

Regardless of the state of pop or rock music, it’s invigorating when a group comes along to remind us what…

Rod Abernethy

Fuzz: Carolina Acoustic Connections

January 26, 2022 · Willie G. Moseley

A fixture on the North Carolina music scene, guitarist/songwriter Rod Abernethy has accumulated many memories, including the purchase of his…

Earliest Gretsch 6120

…Revealed!

February 3, 2014 · Edward Ball

The Gretsch company rose to the upper echelon of guitar manufacturers in the 1950s with the introduction of a diverse…

Custom VG Backgrounds

May 27, 2015 · Vintage Guitar

Time to give your computer, tablet, or phone a new look? VG offers different classic images, each downloadable in a…

Chordal Colorations

Iconic Axes of Different Hues

October 3, 2015 · Michael Dregni

Though their colors are complementary, Brian May’s Red Special and Brian Setzer’s ’59 Gretsch 6120 couldn’t be more different in…

Realistic Entertainer-34

January 26, 2016 · Dave Hunter

As prolific as the Radio Shack chain was in the ’60s, it’s surprising we don’t see more vintage Realistic guitar…

Epiphone “Bikini Logo” Amplifiers

Beach Party

January 3, 2025 · Dave Hunter

Collectors know well the desirability of Epiphone guitars from the years after Gibson acquired the brand. Further off the radar,…

Fralin’s Wide-Range Humbucker

July 22, 2019 · Pete Prown

Gibson and Fender have a long history of influencing each other’s designs. When hard rock and warm, jazzier textures were…

The Cost of Protection

100 Years of Instrument Cases

July 10, 2018 · George Gruhn

Modern guitars are typically sold with a hard case. But that wasn’t always so. Here, we look at the history…

National Dueco

Still Resonating

January 8, 2018 · Michael Dregni

Blues man Charlie Parr recently philosophized in VG that National resonator guitars are as much mechanical creation as musical instrument,…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Alan Greenwood

January 14, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

Season 02 Episode 1 VG’s “Buy That Guitar” podcast opens its second season with host Ram Tuli joined by Alan…

Styx

Crash of the Crown

April 4, 2022 · Bret Adams

BreaBreaking While 2017’s concept album The Mission embraced progressive rock, the new Styx album has even higher ambitions. Returning to…

Kenny Lovelace

The Killer’s Axe Man

November 28, 2016 · Michael Dregni

Playing behind the Killer, you wouldn’t want to hit a wrong note. Kenny Lovelace has picked his guitar with Jerry…

Building a Studio

The Art of Home Recording

November 9, 2014 · Dave Hunter

VG will equip readers with the knowledge and skill to achieve professional-sounding home recordings. We guide you through the setup…

The Marshall Major

Force Commander

March 3, 2022 · Dave Hunter

Any player who shows up these days with a 200-watt guitar amp will elicit a hearty, “Are you out of…

Dad’s Day 2017

VG’s Annual Ode to Fathers Who Inspire

June 13, 2017 · Vintage Guitar

This article originally appeared in VG August 2017 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized…

Jake Shimabukuro Plays the Beatles “Something”

February 22, 2022 · Doug Yellow Bird

Silky-Smooth Shimabukuro Jake Shimabukuro’s playing is a silky delight on this run through the Beatles “Something.” That’s his Kamaka tenor…

Happy Traum

Folk Guru: 1936-2024

June 25, 2025 · Dan Forte

On July 17, folk music lost one of its guiding lights with the death of Happy Traum at age 86.…

Dwight Yoakam

Brighter Days

October 9, 2025 · Rich Kienzle

Nearly 40 years ago, as audiences wearied of frothy ’80s country-pop, Dwight Yoakam was in the vanguard of country’s New…

Roland Micro Cube

Mighty Mouse

November 4, 2013 · Pete Prown

Roland Micro Cube Price: $130 (street) Info: www.rolandus.com. Every once in a while you have to pinch yourself and thank…

Black Sabbath

Vol. 4 Super Deluxe

October 14, 2021 · Pete Prown

Sabbaholic Must-Have In May of 1972, Black Sabbath retreated to Los Angeles to record its fourth album, along with a…

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…

Recording Acoustic Guitars

The Art of Home Recording

April 24, 2017 · Dave Hunter

Recording an acoustic guitar is very different from recording an electric, employing different microphones, placement, and technique. Here are a…

Fretprints: Fran Beecher

Rock-and-Roll Guitar Begins

March 9, 2023 · Wolf Marshall

The ripples that anticipated a rock-and-roll tsunami were in motion in the 1940s, when pop, “race records,” and country converged…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Freeman Arthur

December 10, 2025 · Ram W. Tuli

Season 03 Episode 08 In Episode 3.8 of “Buy That Guitar,” host Ram Tuli is joined by Freeman Arthur, who…