• 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…

    Read more >>

  • 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…

    Read more >>

Area 51 The Alienist Voicing Boost

Manmade Tone Monster

April 24, 2019 · Michael Dregni

Gather ’round, children, for a scary bedtime story. Once upon a time, there was no such thing as a high-gain…

Home Feature Image

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…

Revealing Jesse Ed Davis

Douglas K. Miller

August 12, 2025 · Bret Adams

Jesse Ed Davis was an unsung guitar hero – unless you were a legend like Eric Clapton, John Lennon, George…

2022 July Issue on Spotify

June 30, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

This month we feature Andy, Summers, Joe Walsh, Jack Day Trio, Grand Funk Railroad, Bill Haley’s Comets, Robin Trower, Popa…

Pop ’N Hiss: Prince’s 1999

Music, Sex, and The New World Order

January 31, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

1981, the world was enveloped in the Cold War, with its nuclear weapons, Reaganomics, and uncertainty. Prince Rogers Nelson had…

Wampler’s Ego Mini Compressor and Faux Tape Echo v2

Both Ends

March 15, 2019 · Chip Wilson

With an extensive line of nearly 30 devices, it’s no surprise Wampler Pedals has entries in both the traditional-size and…

  • 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…

    Read more >>

NOW AVAILABLE!

CURRENT ISSUE

Join 25,700+ subscribers & be notified when new articles & more becomes available!

ARTISTS

Pop ’N Hiss: Marshall Crenshaw’s Field Day

Jangle All the Way

April 29, 2024 · Pete Prown

Marshall Crenshaw’s brief chart run remains a bright spot of 1980s rock – effectively, the final blast of New Wave…

Ty Tabor

On a Roll

March 2, 2015 · Oscar Jordan

King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor is on a roll. Despite the band being on hiatus due to bassist Dug Pinnick’s…

Depression-era classic by Roger McNamee

February 23, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Moonalice guitarist on a ’42 000-21 Roger McNamee used his ’42 Martin 000-21 to play the Depression-era classic “Brother Can…

Dave Alvin

Return of the Battlin’ Brothers

January 24, 2017 · Elliot Stephen Cohen

“The title says it all,” explains Dave Alvin of his reunion with older brother Phil on Lost Time. Known for…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Hilary Gardner returns with a fresh take on a holiday classic!

December 24, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Hilary Gardner returns! Ready to set the tone for your holidays, Hilary Gardner and her band return for a fantastic…

Wolf Marshall

Jazz-Lore Generator

January 3, 2025 · Ward Meeker

Wolf Marshall was absorbing music before he could walk or talk. Born to a mother who was a concert pianist,…

Danelectro’s Four-String Basses

January 8, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

The guitars and basses made by Danelectro in the ’60s epitomized “no frills.” And though they were considered the nadir…

The Sammick Viper

April 29, 2021 · Michael Wright

Some guitars hit the market at the perfect time to becom e classics – think Les Paul and Stratocaster. Some…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Airline Bojotar

Airline Bojotar

Hybrid G-String Machine

July 6, 2016 · Chip Wilson

There’s something about the Airline Bojotar that makes one ask, “What if Keef had added a high-G banjo string to…

Lovepedal Purple Plexi

Glory & Overtones

February 9, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

Fans of guitarists with superb tones routinely spot Lovepedal boxes on pedalboards in almost every music genre. From their early…

Epiphone Zenith Fretted and Fretless Bass

New Groove Territory

March 3, 2014 · Sean OBryan Smith

For decades, guitar players have known the name Epiphone. Renowned for making great-sounding jazz boxes like the Zephyr and Emperor…

Newman Guitars Lake Placid Blue

Portrait in Blue

July 5, 2018 · Rich Maloof

Excitement at the arrival of this offset beauty was dampened by the sad news that its creator had passed away…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

E.W.S. BMC2

E.W.S. BMC2

Tiny Green Giant

July 7, 2016 · Anders Fransson

As mini-sized pedals continue to gain in popularity they are also becoming increasingly refined and versatile in their layouts. One…

Sigma by Martin

Sigma by Martin

Following the Line

July 5, 2016 · Kevin Dunham

Long overlooked and relegated to an obscure corner of the collectible market, Sigma by Martin guitars have recently gained popularity…

Brown’s Guitar Factory Lap Steel

Steel Yourself

July 13, 2016 · Steven Stone

At the beginning of amplified music, one of the first instruments to get a magnetic pickup was the Rickenbacker “frying…

Melodic, accessible – and shredtastic – it’s Lari Basilio!

December 16, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

Just for VG followers, a solo take on “Novo” Lari Basilio grabbed her signature Ibanez LB1 (dig the purple finish…

Robben Ford

Sky Above The Note

October 17, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

 The new album from Robben Ford is packed with beautiful music and the indelible ingredients that for decades have made…

Guild’s Orpheum Slope Shoulder 14-Fret Rosewood Dreadnought

Guild’s Orpheum Slope Shoulder 14-Fret Rosewood Dreadnought

Reviving the ’30s

October 24, 2014 · Steven Stone

Guild’s Orpheum Slope Shoulder 14-Fret Rosewood Dreadnought Price: $4,999 (list); $3,799 (street) Info: www.guildguitars.com. Compared to Martin’s longstanding factory location…

The Ultimate Book of Blues Guitar Legends

The Ultimate Book of Blues Guitar Legends

August 13, 2025 · Bret Adams

  The blues is the foundation of nearly all American popular music, and this book by Vintage Guitar’s music editor…

Guild’s F-40 Standard

First-Rate Reboot

September 17, 2024 · Michael Shirek

Bigger may not always be better, but sometimes having a little extra juice can make all the difference. Born in…

Lyle Workman

Orchestral Maneuvers

October 14, 2021 · Pete Prown

You might not recognize his name, but in the last 30 years, Lyle Workman and his guitars have backed Sting,…

Larkin Poe

Blood Harmony

September 12, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

The latest from the Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist Lovell sisters continues to fashion elements of Southern rock, blues, and wicked slide guitar…

Have Guitar Will Travel – 028 Featuring Mark Agnesi

June 9, 2020 · James Patrick Regan

In the new episode of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” host James Patrick Regan speaks with Mark Agnesi, Gibson’s Director of…

Dan’s Guitar RX: Installing an Acoustic Pickup System

Un-Unplugged

November 10, 2022 · Dan Erlewine

For years, one of the most common jobs I’ve been asked to do is put a pickup in an acoustic…

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…

Selmer/RSA Truvoice TV10

Shock and Awe

June 12, 2025 · Dave Hunter

If the British market needed a couple of decades to decide what form the guitar amplifier would ultimately take, we…

Paul Gilbert

All About Vintage – Import Style

February 2, 2010 · Lisa Sharken

Paul Gilbert was a teenager when he appeared on the music industry’s radar after Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records introduced…

TWA GD-02 Great Divide Analog Synth Octaver

Mono Monster

March 14, 2016 · Pete Prown

TWA GD-02 Great Divide Analog Synth Octaver Price: $399 Info: www.godlyke.com . Despite its cumbersome name and the fact it…

Chris Stapleton

Higher

October 8, 2024 · Rich Kienzle

 Chris Stapleton’s distinctive style – blending elements of Outlaw country with high-caliber original songs, powerful vocals, and a minimalist, edgy…

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…

Gypsy jazz master Christophe Astolfi plays “La Valsajo”

June 24, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

Traditionalist offers standout new album Christophe Astolfi offers an exclusive rendition of Jo Privat’s “La Valsajo” using a guitar made…

Fender’s Musicmaster and Duo‑Sonic

Little Brothers

August 28, 2018 · Terry Foster

Often forgotten, the diminutive student-grade duo went from concept to reality in short order to capitalize on teenagers taking up…

Whitey Kirst

Life After Iggy

September 20, 2019 · Johnny Zapp

Whitey Kirst is known for smoldering lead-guitar tone and collaborating with punk-rock pioneer Iggy Pop. After four albums and hundreds…

Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour

Friendlytown

May 31, 2025 · Rich Kienzle

From his earliest days in Memphis, Steve Cropper’s virtuosity stemmed from his powerful mastery of rhythm and flawless sense of…

Effectrode Blackbird Vacuum Tube Preamp

Uncaged

March 5, 2019 · Pete Prown

In a nutshell, the Effectrode Blackbird is a tube amp’s entire preamp section in a floor unit. And just why…

Joanne Shaw Taylor

Nobody’s Fool

December 3, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

Combining her love of blues and accessible pop, Nobody’s Fool finds Joanne Shaw Taylor leaning into songcraft and transforming life…

Fishman’s Fluence Greg Koch Gristle-Tone P90

A Quiet Place

June 15, 2022 · Pete Prown

With the miracle of micro-electronics, you can pack a massive amount of tone into a tight space. Case in point:…

The Fender “High-Powered” Twin

May 15, 2024 · Dave Hunter

1958-’59 Fender Twin Preamp tubes: one 12AY7, two 12AX7 Output tubes: four 5881 (6L6 equivalents), fixed bias Rectifier: GZ34 (5AR4)…

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…

The Beatles’ Casinos

January 17, 2018 · Andy Babiuk

Of all the guitars made famous by the Beatles, the only one that John, Paul, and George had in common…

Dan’s Guitar RX: A New Tool Makes Luthiery Easier

With a Little Help…

April 4, 2022 · Dan Erlewine

I recently discovered a sturdy pedestal stand that holds a guitar by its neck and makes repair, builds, and setup…