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Magnatone and Slash announce the Lil’ Viper
ST. LOUIS, MO – January 22, 2026 – Magnatone is thrilled to announce the Lil’ Viper – the latest member of the Slash Collection. It’s a lightweight amp designed to…
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Super PickupGiveaway 2025
Win Big! 11 Sets! 11 Winners! Win a set of pickups from one of these sponsors: Deadline is March 15, 2026. Complete the survey below to enter giveaway. One entry…

Cicognani Pompeii PP603
Dimensional Echoes
Cicognani Engineering has been making noise with a terrific lineup of amps and effects, earning raves from notable artists like…

Wampler Pedals’ Bravado
Tone Tweaker’s Delight
What’s a pedal platform? Nope, it’s not a carbon-fiber Pinarello mountain bike with Shimano shifters and derailleurs. It’s another term…

Country Player of the Year
Albert Lee Awarded in 2018 Known primarily as a virtuoso sideman, over the past half-century, Albert Lee journeyed from British…

Rupert Neve Designs’ Portico 5017/ SE Electronics’ Voodoo VR1
Studio on the Go
Despite what some folks may tell you about the merits of “going direct” for guitar, nothing sounds better than a…

Maestro Ranger Overdrive and Invader Distortion
Evil Twins
Maestro’s new all-analog overdrive and distortion pedals are like evil twins – two black-sheep siblings that differ in concept but…
Fargen Olde 800 MKII, Sonic Edge J&J Overdrive
Decades of Tone
The Fargen Olde 800 MKII Price: $1,949 Info: www.fargenamps.com. For 10 years, Ben Fargen has established a reputation for building…
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Rush
Rush 50
The goal of any anthology is to capture the broad scope of an artist’s career. Rush 50 is a strong attempt, starting with their first singles (previously unreleased) all the…
ARTISTS

Mike Baggetta Brings the Morricone Sauce!
New Album Explores Styles with Keltner, Watt Check out Mike Baggetta and his Iris AB (serial number 46) playing the…

Mike McCready
Strat Swap: Fender CS Mark Anniversary of Ten
“I smashed a lot of guitars!” says Mike McCready of his nights onstage as Pearl Jam rode the crest of…

Sarah Borges’ plays “Wasting My Time”
Roots-rocker’s solo, essential take Sarah Borges grabbed her Stonetree Custom Roscoe Special for this take on “Wasting My Time,” from…
Tommy Smith
Leogun’s Led Zep Connection
Some of the loudest buzz – literally and figuratively – in music surrounds the London-base power trio Leogun, fronted by…
CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

The Sebastian ‘Burst
Inspirational Icon
The mere mention of a Gibson Les Paul Standard made between 1958 and 1960 commands attention. But one like this,…

Brennen Leigh’s Heart-Tugging Honky-Tonk
Shades of Norman Blake and Dolly Parton A student of the “Carter Scratch” guitar technique – melody on the low…

Basses from Bakersfield
The history of guitar manufacturing in the Bakersfield area of California includes names like Mosrite, Hallmark, and Standel. One of…

Roy Smeck’s Gibson L-5
One For the “Wizard”
Player endorsements are part of the tradition of guitarmaking going back to its earliest use for public performance. LeRoy G.A.…
NEWSWIRE
APPROVED GEAR
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Live Wire
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Narrow(field) Win
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Take Flight

Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
Flipped Axis
Pity the poor right-handed masses. Emulating the vibe of Jimi’s various Strats has always been tough on them. Some players…

The Peavey ValveKing II Micro-head 20-Watt Amplifier
Royal Rock
The Peavey ValveKing II Micro-head 20-Watt Amplifier Price: $429.99 Contact: www.peavey.com Famous for their sturdy build and quality overdriven sounds,…

Strymon Sunset Dual Overdrive
Category Killer?
Taste in overdrives is so subjective. A player might luck into a stellar $50 mini pedal or feel the absolute…

Schertler Giulia X
The Little Things
In the mid ’80s, Swiss multi-instrumentalist Stephan Schertler decided to follow his passion for electronics and created the Schertler brand…
WHAT ELSE IS NEW
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Double-bound for Glory
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Black Light/White Noise

Henretta Engineering Pedals
Good Things, Small Packages
Henretta Engineering Pedals Prices: Green Zapper, Bluebird, and Purple Octopus, $125 each; Chord Blaster, $140 Info: www.henrettaengineering.com. Bigger is not…

Jimmy Vivino – Canned Heat Shuffle
Solo on a Rare Martin Jimmy Vivino and his Martin Paul Simon PS 2 OM prototype (which was gifted to…
The Leilani Lap Steel and Amplifier
You can receive more great articles like this in our twice-monthly e-mail newsletter, Vintage Guitar Overdrive, FREE from your friends…

Richie Kotzen
Solo and Salty
Richie Kotzen was one of those kids – always entertaining the family with song and dance, usually in a crazy…










































