July 2005

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FEATURES

76 WATTS THE HARD WAY
The VG Low-Watt Tube Shootout ’05
For guitarists, the richness and warmth of tube saturation is the key to nirvana. But big tube amps and small rooms don’t mix, so we gave a listen to handful of low-watt amps. Here’s what we found. By Bob Dragich

IN DETAIL
Fender’s 1951-’54 Telecaster
Fender’s first Spanish-style guitar was a lesson in functional simplicity with its solid body, single pickup, and bolt-on neck. And it didn’t receive a welcome fit for the legend it would become. By Ward Meeker

BASS SPACE
The Gibson RD Artist
Gibson’s oft-maligned RD solidbodies were introduced in 1977 with a body silhouette like a melted Firebird and active circuitry designed by a keyboard synthesizer guy. Did they deserve the bum rap? By Willie G. Moseley

1934 MARTIN 12-FRET D-28
Twelve-fret D-28s are extremely scarce – 17 were made. And this one appears to be a custom-order, with solid peghead, style 45 neck ornamentation, single-bound fingerboard, vertical peghead logo, and snowflake fingerboard inlays. By George Gruhn

MIKE WILHELM
The Saga (and Seeds) of The Charlatans
In the early summer of ’65, The Charlatans played a gig that, along with its handbill, were harbingers of “psychedelic” music, or “acid rock.” Guitarist Mike Wilhelm was there to bear witness. By Willie G. Moseley

1968 YAMAHA SG-3C
From a guitar perspective, the Class of ’68 produced a true whack pack, including this SG-3C, perhaps the only guitar which the term “pulling your ear” might literally refer to playing its earlobe-shaped body! By Michael Wright

BEYOND THE PARLOR
Part 1: The Guitar in Non-Anglo America
In the first of three features on the subject, we explore what was the arguably the most extensive and skillful guitar culture of the 19th century – that of non-English-speaking communities. By Tim Brookes

THE DIFFERENT STRUMMER
Back to the Future: Retro Guitars, Part 1
Blame it on Kurt Cobain for releasing Nevermind, or us for making a fetish of old guitars. Whoever is to blame, several things came together in the early ’90s to create a category of guitars we now call “retro.” By Michael Wright

DEPARTMENTS

Vintage Guitar Price Guide

Builder Profile
Homebrew Electronics

Upcoming Events

Vintage Guitar Classified Ads

Dealer Directory

The Great VG Giveaway
Win a Koch Twintone worth $2,150!

Readers Gallery

FIRST FRET

Reader Mail

News and Notes
Les Paul Turns 90, Austin Slide Weekend, B.B. King monument, PRS Wins MIPA award, Schultz Retires, In Memoriam, more!

Robert Cray
Looking Forward
By Willie G. Moseley

Duke Robillard and Ronnie Ear
Together Again
By Eric C. Shoaf

Victor Wooten
No More “Octopus Arms”
By Willie G. Moseley

Sun0)))
Rumbling Homage
By Ken Johnson

Ask Zac
By Zac Childs

The Sadies
By John Heidt

Greg V
By John Heidt

Mick Mars
The Boys Are Back
By Lisa Sharken

Royce Campbell
By John Heidt

COLUMNS

Q&A With George Gruhn

Acousticville
My Favorite
By Steven Stone

FretPrints
Lee Ritenour
By Wolf Marshall

Guitars With Guts
1967 Robert Bouchet
By R.E. Bruné

Gigmeister
Bone Up Your Promo Pack
By Riley Wilson

TECH

Dan’s Guitar Rx
Rx For a Loose Fret Ends
By Dan Erlewine

Guitar Shop
The Feel is The Deal
By Tony Nobles

Amps
Cap Jobs Done Right
By Gerald Weber

Ask Gerald
By Gerald Weber

REVIEWS

The VG Hit List
Music, Book and Video Reviews: Bernard Allison, Joe Perry, Hubert Sumlin, John Scofield, Little Milton, The Guitar An American Life, more!

Check This Action
Never Too Country
Dan Forte

Vintage Guitar Gear Reviews
Kendrick K Spot, Bixonic Expandora 2000R, E-H POG/English Muff’n, Framptone Talkbox, Talos Basic, Rigel G 110!

Gearin’ Up!
The latest cool new stuff!

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