1976 Hagstrom Jimmy
In the world of archtop guitarmaking, the legendary luthier James L. D'Aquisto (1935-'95) is considered one of the greats. A jazz guitarist, D'Aquisto was...
Höfner’s Fledermaus Gitarre
Much like the scant records of almost every large-scale American guitar manufacturer, production logs at Höfner's headquarters in Hagenau, Germany, aren't big on details....
In Detail: Gibson’s 1954-’58 Les Paul Junior
In 1952, Gibson’s Les Paul model guitar was brand spanking new. But it wasn’t cutting-edge. True, it was the company’s first solidbody electric guitar,...
Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana is illustrating a point. "Most people play like this - around the note," he says, making a fist with his left hand...
A Hero’s Gretsch 6117
In the 1960s, the astronauts were bigger cultural icons than the Beatles.
And no, that’s not the Colorado-based surf band that hit with songs like...
Tokai Talbo
For aficionados of copy guitars - replicas of mostly American classics that give U.S. manufacturers apoplectic fits - perhaps no company is more respected...
Gibson J-200 Rosewood
The Gibson company was founded on the belief that carved-top guitars were superior to flat-top designs, and consequently, Gibson was a reluctant entrant in...
Keith Richards’ 1963 Gibson SG Custom
In 1961, Gibson introduced the double-cutaway Les Paul to replace the original version, which had been endorsed by guitarist Les Paul since being developed...
Gibson Les Paul Juniors
Guitar dealers tell guitar stories much like anglers tell fish stories. There are those they “got” and those that got away, and either can...
Six-String Basses from the 1950s and ’60s
Electric bass, bass guitar, baritone guitar; four, five, or six strings – many varieties of low-tuned instruments are available today. In the 1950s, however,...