Brian Setzer

Still Rockin’ the Holidays

November 30, 2016 · Bret Adams

Brian Setzer’s guitar – usually a Gretsch 6120 – is the compass that leads him down various musical roads, live…

Jeff Hanna

Decades of Dirt

May 9, 2023 · Ward Meeker

One’s taste in music usually starts in the home, where immersion can fuel the subconscious. Jeff Hanna’s parents loved Ella…

2021 October Issue on Spotify

November 2, 2021 · Doug Yellow Bird

This month we feature Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Blind Melon’s Christopher Thorn, ZZ Top, Brian May, Eric Clapton, Robben Ford,…

Larry Collins 1944-2024

January 8, 2024 · Ward Meeker

Larry Collins, a guitar prodigy mentored by renowned flatpicker Joe Maphis, and half of the ’50s brother/sister act The Collins…

The Soul of John Black

Living In The Sunshine

July 16, 2014 · Oscar Jordan

I want to bring The Soul Of John Black a little bit closer to the root – me singing and…

Pop ’N Hiss: The Rolling Stones’ Black and Blue

Groove-Heavy

August 4, 2023 · Tom Guerra

By the mid ’70s, rock and roll had matured into a big business, with top acts including Led Zeppelin, The…

  •  VG Q&A: Harmony History

     VG Q&A: Harmony History

    And an Archtop Mystery

    I recently received two guitars as gifts and am trying to learn more about them. The first is a Harmony I believe is from the early ’70s. Its serial number…

    Read more >>

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ARTISTS

Shuggie Otis

Return Of The Prodigy

August 28, 2015 · Oscar Jordan

The son of bluesman Johnny Otis, Shuggie Otis was born into a world of blues, R&B, nightclubs, and stages. As…

Uwe Kruger

Swiss Precision for Americana

April 27, 2016 · Steven Stone

Uwe Kruger’s professional musical career began at age 15, when he and his brother, Jens, left their small town home…

Steve Wariner

The C.G.P. Connection

May 14, 2012 · Willie G. Moseley

Steve Wariner is among the handful of guitarists designated as a certified guitar player (C.G.P.) by Chet Atkins. The last…

John Scofield and his Trio!

December 29, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Fusion Legend Offers Sample From Latest Album, “Uncle John’s Band” John Scofield and his trio, bassist Vicente Archer and drummer…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

GIBSON-F2-2-HOME-MAIN-BIG

1905 Gibson F-2

February 26, 2016 · George Gruhn

In the opinion of most American mandolinists, Gibson brought mandolin design to a level of perfection in 1922, with the…

Jake Andrews’ video encore: “Eyes On The Prize”

September 8, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Austin Great Goes Full Steam for “Eyes On The Prize” Jake Andrews’ video encore: “Eyes On The Prize” Jake Andrews…

First-Rate Second Fiddles

Jimi’s Gibsons at the Hard Rock Cafe

April 3, 2019 · Jim Carlton

No two ways about it, as his career hit stride, Jimi Hendrix was a Strat guy. Not famously loyal to…

Epiphone’s Professional Guitar and Amp

Epiphone’s Professional Guitar and Amp

February 23, 2016 · George Gruhn

Since the instrument was introduced, those who play the electric guitar have modified it to create new sounds and interesting…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Fire-Eye Red-Eye Twin DI

Double Your Pleasure

April 23, 2019 · Steven Stone

In a simple system, even a basic direct-input box with little in the way of adjustments will work fine. But…

The Eastwood BW Artist

Dead Again

April 29, 2022 · Pete Prown

Thanks to über-tonemeister Carlos Santana, extended jamming, and the rise of overdrive, the ’70s gave rise to a solidbody trend…

Babicz Octave Blue Flame

Flaming Glory

December 29, 2010 · Chip Wilson

When a vintage-minded guitarist recollects cracking open the case of a big ol’ hollowbody and catching a glimpse of flame,…

Walrus Audio’s Bellwether Dela

The Bell Tolls For Thee

November 29, 2016 · Rich Maloof

The Bellwether from Walrus Audio is a high-end analog delay notable for its tone, adaptability, and depth of control. The…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Blooming, In Progress

Larkin Poe

September 8, 2025 · Oscar Jordan

Released in January of 2025, Larkin Poe’s Bloom has Rebecca and Megan Lovell weaving powerful philosophies into strong songwriting and…

Jeff Beck

Blow By Blow

October 30, 2024 · Wolf Marshall

 What is jazz? What is rock? These questions perpetually confound and divide music experts and listeners. Similar spirited debates have…

Michael Kelly 1957

Michael Kelly 1957

Bargain Boutique

August 26, 2015 · Chip Wilson

Michael Kelly 1957 Price: $875 (list) Contact: www.michaelkellyguitars.com Michael Kelly Guitars has steadily gained a reputation for offering big bang…

Dominic Miller

Vagabond

April 19, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

When Sting’s guitar player puts out a solo album, guitarists listen. Having played on thousands of sessions, Dominic Miller’s 16th…

Tech 21 Steve Harris SH1 Signature SansAmp

Tone of the Beast

March 6, 2023 · Pete Prown

Tech 21’s Steve Harris SH1 Signature Sans Amp celebrates the tone of metal icon Harris, Iron Maiden’s bassist, songwriter, and…

Phil DeGruy

Laughin’ Matters

April 14, 2020 · Jim Carlton

Phil deGruy is the rare jazz artist who’s also a bona fide entertainer – and a funny one, at that.…

Roland V-Studio 20

The Roland V-Studio 20

January 13, 2014 · Pete Prown

Roland V-Studio 20 Price: $300 (street) Info: www.rolandus.com. Home digital recording has come a long way in the last 20…

Fender Jazz Bass

October 10, 2014 · Peter Stuart Kohman

“Stack-knob” is a catch phrase that for decades has perked the ears of collectors; these relatively rare examples of the…

Dave Murphy: Acoustic Country!

May 15, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

 Classic Ballad Style Country/folk/rock singer/guitarist Dave Murphy wrangled guitarist Chris Tarrow for this take on “Josephine,’ from Dave’s new…

Mark Sampson

Back Cat

November 7, 2025 · Ward Meeker

Epitome of the restless designer/tinkerer, Mark Sampson has co-founded four guitar-amplifier companies, two of which – Matchless and Bad Cat…

Pop ’N Hiss: Uriah Heep’s Demons and Wizards

Under Its Spell

May 6, 2022 · Bret Adams

Hard rock/heavy metal and progressive rock were burgeoning genres in the early ’70s, and music fans by the millions eagerly…

PRS_P22-HOME-MAIN-BIG

PRS P22

Split Personality

December 23, 2013 · Phil Feser

PRS P22 Price: $6,092 (as tested, retail), $3630 (street) Info: prsguitars.com. While PRS has for several years offered a piezo…

Dr Z Z-28 MK II 1×12

Step On It!

July 28, 2023 · Charlie Wilkins

If you’ve driven a classic muscle car like the Camaro Z28, you know that when you step on the gas,…

Taj Mahal

December 30, 2016 · Rick Allen

Taj Mahal plays all sorts of folk, keyboard, and percussion instruments – and just about anything with strings. His deceptively…

PRS Swamp Ash Special SE

Bolt-On Beauty

September 17, 2024 · Pete Prown

Known historically for its set-neck guitars, PRS has produced a number of killer bolt-ons, like the CE and Silver Sky.…

Buddy Guy

Keeping the Blues Alive and Definitely Kicking

April 18, 2016 · Dan Forte

It was February 21, 2012. As part of the White House’s music series, “Red, White & Blues” featured a cavalcade…

Fender Strat-o-Sonic

May 27, 2020 · Phil Feser

Mahogany body, P-90-style pickups, wraparound tailpiece, 243/4″ scale? Sounds like a Gibson Les Paul Special. But alas, the instrument bearing…

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger

1919-2014

September 8, 2014 · Ward Meeker

Renowned folk singer/songwriter, musicologist, organizer, and political activist Pete Seeger died January 27 at a hospital in New York City.…

Have Guitar Will Travel 054 – Bonnie Hayes

July 13, 2021 · Art Department

“Have Guitar Will Travel” host James Patrick Regan speaks with Bonnie Hayes, guitarist, songwriter, and head of the songwriting department…

Damon Fowler Brings the Blues

June 2, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Slow and Tasty on “Taxman” Damon Fowler has shared stages with Dickey Betts and Butch Trucks, so it makes sense…

Brad Paisley

Keep Pushing Play

February 4, 2010 · Zac Childs

Ten years into what has become a stellar career, when Brad Paisley hits your town to play a show these…

Taylor AD11e-SB

Small Gem

January 18, 2024 · Pete Prown

This latest addition to Taylor’s American Dream line builds on its Grand Theater (GT) series of small-body guitars, the goal…

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Avid Technology Eleven Rack

Rack and Roll

June 10, 2016 · Pete Prown

The proliferation of digital guitar gear grows by leaps and bounds every year as more players learn to love the…

Gibson L-00

1933 Gibson L-00

March 3, 2016 · Dave Hunter

While most of the instruments featured in this space are high-end, often elaborately ornamented models that were expensive when new…

Roland Cube Lite

Roland Cube Lite

High-Calorie Tone

January 18, 2016 · Phil Feser

Roland Cube Lite Price: $169 (street) Info: www.rolandus.com. At just under four pounds, and with a 10″ x 6″ footprint,…

George Cotsirilos – Jazz Sans Cliché

December 14, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

Deft work on an L-5 for “The Three Doves” George Cotsirilos grew up listening to Bloomfield, Hendrix, and Clapton, then…

Ro-Pat-In’s First Electric Spanish

Granddaddy to the Stars!

January 10, 2023 · Lynn Wheelwright

The story of George Beauchamp’s invention of what would become the first commercially successful electric guitar is shrouded in the…

EHX Canyon Delay & Looper, Blurst Modulated Filter

Ambient Possibilities

April 19, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Today’s guitarists looking to create those sounds they imagine in their heads have it easier than ever before. Electro-Harmonix can…

Bryan Beller: Aristocratic Riffs

April 23, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Time-Signature Shifts on “Aristoclub Bryan Beller and his Lull Custom BBMF5 demonstrate what it takes to keep up with Guthrie…