FEATURES
The Different Strummer
Japanese Epiphone electric guitars Unique among American guitar brands, Epiphone was the first to make the transition from being American-made to becoming an import entity. Other brands would make this transition, but none quite so smoothly. By Michael Wright
Jackie Lomax
Liverpool to L.A. When the Beatles turned pop music upside-down, journalists rushed to Liverpool seeking other acts hyped as being part of the fabled “Mersey” sound. By Willie G. Moseley
Bo Diddley
Looking Foward, Looking Back He has been proclaimed “The Originator” with good reason; a founding father of rock and roll, his devotees include The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, ZZ Top, George Thorogood, and Richie Sambora. His impact is immeasurable. By Arlene R. Weiss
Dickey Betts
…and the Killer Goldtop! As half of the famed Allman Brothers Band guitar duo, he helped create a new sound and invent a new approach. More than just a guitarist, his vocals and songwriting have been a strong factor in his successful career. By Guy Lee
Dan Toler
“Dangerous” sweet tone and licks His isn’t exactly a household name, but to aficionados of Southern rock, it implies sweet tones and licks. His career has included several years in the Allman Brothers Band, and bands with Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman. By John Heidt
Fender Bass VI
Rare miss proves Leo was ahead of his time In an unusual fumbling Leo Fender failed in his attempt to reach the bass-playing audience with a guitar-like alternative. The Bass VI seemed almost as much a long-scale guitar as it was short-scale six-string bass. It even had a tremolo! By Eric C. Shoaf
Bill Carson and George Fullerton
Fender veterans look back One was Leo Fender’s right-hand man for decades, and helped perfect the P-Bass. The other was an itinerant guitarist whose input on the design of the Stratocaster was critical in the development of the world’s most popular electric guitar. By Willie G. Moseley
Rodney Crowell
Ditchin’ the “country” connotation Though barely in his 40s, Rodney Crowell has already been a hotshot sideman and a major-label country music star. Now he’s an independent singer/songwriter with a penchant for spinning tales about the darker side of life. By Steven Stone
Epiphone Model M Steel
Misjudged Beauty One of the company’s earliest forays into the electric guitar market, it was also one of Epiphone’s earliest, fanciest – and short-lived – steel guitars. By Eric Shoaf
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COLUMNS
Executive Rock In Memory of the Quiet One
By Willie G. Moseley
Viewpoints A Levelling of the Field
By Ken Bronowski
Q&A With George Gruhn Hazards of Salty Air
Acousticville Dan Lashbrook: Madman Modder, or Setup Genius?
By Steven Stone
FretPrints Dick Dale
By Wolf Marshall
Little Known Wonders The WF-10 Wah-Fuzz
By Gary Nelson
The Bitter Old Guitar Curmudgeon The Tone Wars, Part 5: Why Do Strings Fail?
By Stephen White
Gigmeister Samson VLX TD Wireless
By Riley Wilson
TECH
Ask Gerald
By Gerald Weber
Guitar Shop Mods That Cure What Ills
By Tony Nobles
Amps A Dirty Dozen of Gibson’s Coolest Amps
By Gerald Weber
Pickup Questions
By Seymour Duncan
REVIEWS
Vintage Guitar Gear Reviews New amps by Gibson & Reverend, Garrison G-20E, Maxon VS effects
Gearin’ Up! All the latest cool new stuff!
The VG Hit List Record, Video, and Book Reviews
Spotlight Recommended Contemporary and Reissue Recordings
By Jim Hilmar