Photos courtesy Jon Butcher. A little more than a decade ago, guitarist/vocalist Jon Butcher described his affiliation with the then-new quartet Barefoot Servants as, “The best thing I ever did.” The band, featuring co-guitarist Ben Schultz, bassist Leland Sklar, and drummer Ray Brinker, released one album and toured before its members went their separate ways. [...]
Author Archives: Willie G. Moseley
Carvin DN440T
1988 Carvin DN440T, serial number 25437. Instrument and photo courtesy of Kevin Wright. One of the few family-owned guitar/amplifier manufacturing enterprises remaining in the industry, Carvin was founded by Lowell Kiesel in 1946 and started by making pickups, then transitioned to building lap steels and other stringed instruments. Some of the company’s early guitars and [...]
Posted in Classic Instruments
Comments closed
Joe Long’s “stack-knob” Fender Jazz Bass
Joe Long’s “stack-knob” Fender Jazz Bass, serial number 57392. Instrument and photo courtesy of Nadav Galimidi. If you’re a fan or aficionado of vintage instruments, odds are that any early-’60s Fender Jazz Bass catches your eye. And “lefty” versions are especially intriguing, given their rarity. The Jazz was Fender’s second electric bass, following the groundbreaking [...]
Posted in Classic Instruments
Comments closed
B.C. Rich Stealth Bass
Electric guitar lore from the 1980s almost invariably includes (sometimes snide) references to hair bands, pointy headstocks, black hardware, and so on. But many of the asymmetrical/angular instruments from that decade were unique and well-made, and this prototype B.C. Rich Stealth is a definitive example. Like many other rock bands of the era, Sorcery (which [...]
Posted in Classic Instruments
Comments closed
Gibson EB-4L
Right Ideas, Wrong Era
1972 Gibson EB-4L, serial number 776019. Photo: VG Archive. Instrument courtesy of Guitar Emporium. The antennae of many guitar collectors/enthusiasts pop up when they encounter a Gibson-made instrument bearing a six-digit serial number with “Made In The USA” embossed on the back of its headstock. Gibson used the six-digit/Made In The USA serial number system [...]
Posted in Classic Instruments
Comments closed
Frank Carillo
World Traveler, Gretsch Lover
Photos courtesy Frank Carillo. Journeyman guitarist Frank Carillo has been plying his trade for decades, and along the way jammed with/for numerous legendary bands. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Queens, Carillo moved to Long Island in his teens and, soon after learning to play guitar, developed a love for Gretsch instruments. “My [...]
Posted in Artists
Comments closed
Standel 400S
Late-’60s Standel 400S. Photo: Bill Ingalls. Instrument courtesy of Robert Graupera. In the early days of the American electric guitar/amplifier industry, Standel was known for building high-quality amplifiers used by the likes of Merle Travis and Joe Maphis. In fact, a true classic now prized among amp aficionados was Standel’s 25L15, which had a J.B. [...]
Posted in Classic Instruments
Comments closed
Frank Marino
Thunder Out of Quebec
Photo courtesy of Frank Marino. Canadian fretmeister Frank Marino first came to prominence in the early 1970s, fronting Mahogany Rush. Often compared to Jimi Hendrix, Marino’s songwriting, playing, and singing interpolated other influences, as well, ultimately purveyed on a Gibson SG with a Vibrola. Marino was featured in VG in 1998 and has since, with [...]
Posted in Artists
Comments closed
Doug Fieger
A Knack For Classic Guitars
Doug Fieger. Photo by Neil Zlozower. As the 1970s drew to a close, the Knack’s “My Sharona” was one of the songs that heralded the beginning of the end of the disco era. A straightforward pop-rock tune, its infectious beat and mountainous hook all but guaranteed it would be a hit. The single’s success elevated [...]
Posted in Artists
Comments closed
G&L’s Climax & LB-100
G&L Climax (serial number B025855) in Emerald Blue finish. Carve on the back of the Climax.Photos: Bill Ingalls Jr. Instruments courtesy of Naffaz Skota (Climax) and Ryan Cass (LB-100). G&L LB-100 (serial number B031205) in Bel Air Green. In its first decade, G&L – the solidbody instrument maker created by Leo Fender after his departure [...]
Posted in Classic Instruments
Comments closed
