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Season 03 Episode 01 In Episode 3.2 of “Buy That Guitar,” presented by Vintage Guitar magazine, host Ram Tuli engages with Binky Philips, a notable New York-based rock musician, guitarist, songwriter, and journalist. Known for his enduring presence in the city’s music scene since the early 1970s, Binky shares his experiences during a transformative era […]
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B&G Guitars just about do it all – from mixing their own nitro finishes to winding pickups and even casting their own brass hardware. Their goal? To re-create the feeling of playing an old guitar, while at the same time updating those old magic formulas. Inspired by vintage parlor and early Les Pauls, B&G’s Little […]
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Artists
Kevn Kinney
Small 'N Happy
As any fan of Drivin ’N Cryin can attest, Kevn Kinney at his creative best surrenders little to the greatest singer/songwriters in pop – his message is delivered in succinct, pointed turns of phrase transmitted by a voice like no other and accompanied by riffs that sink deeper than a treble hook. Drivin ’N Cryin […]
Music
John McLaughlin
The Montreux Years
This retrospective from the Swiss jazz festival spans 28 years, covering miles of jazz-rock territory. In 1984, McLaughlin formed a new Mahavishnu lineup, heard in “Radio Activity.” McLaughlin’s solo opens with a hammer-on lick that’s part Van Halen, part McCoy Tyner – before delivering a terrifying demonstration of picking dexterity. “Friendship,” a 1978 recording with […]
Music
Soundgarden
Ultramega OK Remixed and Expanded Edition
If Mudhoney mined the irreverent punk yang of the “grunge” sound that began seeping from the Pacific Northwest in the late ’80s, Soundgarden dredged its sludgy proto-metal yin – through a somewhat inauspicious start. Unhappy with the production of their 1988 debut LP Ultramega OK, Soundgarden sought corrective measures but soon were waylaid by their […]
Classic Instruments
Martin 5-18
The Martin style 5-18 is the smallest guitar in Martin catalogs; at the lower bout, it measures 11.25″, while at the upper bout it is 8.25″. And its body is just 16″ in length, with a scale of 21.4″. In 1930s catalogs, the style 5-18 and the less expensive matching size 5-17 were listed with […]
Artists
Mark O’Connor
Virtuoso Comeback
Some musicians are multi-instrumentalists, but Mark O’Connor is something else – a multi-virtuoso. Regarded as a master on guitar, violin, and mandolin, he’s also a noted classical composer and educator behind The O’Connor Method. A 20-year bout with inflammatory bursitis forced O’Connor to focus on fiddle, but the condition eventually subsided and he once again […]
Artists
Paul Gilbert
The Joy of Destruction
We’ve all been there; cruising along in the car, minding our business, soaking in cool guitar tunes when another driver does something… “impolite.” Even if you’re the laid-back type like Paul Gilbert, it can push you over the edge. One of his coping mechanisms is writing songs like “Everybody Use Your Goddam Turn Signal,” the […]
VG Approved Gear
Bayou Guitarworks Hardware
Players often buy a factory aged guitar and swap the plastics and hardware to more accurately represent the overall aesthetic. Bayou Guitarworks’ custom relic’d hardware fits the bill. Artist Denise Livaudais views photos of your guitar and, using factory parts from Gibson, Fender, etc., applies just the right amount of “voodoo” to match the patina. […]
Music
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
In Between Thoughts, A New World
The Grammy-winning acoustic duo is back with a collection of consciousness-raising musical concepts, textures, and philosophies augmented by electronica and orchestral elements. Rhythm is king as they slap, shred, groove, and showcase effortless melodic flair, acoustic fire, and joie de vivre. The first single, “Descending To Nowhere,” blends the aforementioned elements combined with electric guitar, […]
Music
Arlen Roth & Jerry Jemmott
Super Soul Session
Roth is well-known for his “Hot Licks” instructional videos and method books. But his career is far from academic, having toured and recorded with Bob Dylan, Duane Eddy, and John Sebastian, devoted albums to the music of Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Rolling Stones, and reeled in the likes of Steve Cropper, Albert Lee, […]
Spotify
2022 May Issue on Spotify
This month we feature Steve Vai, Edgar Winter, Joe Satriani, Del McCoury, Gregg Wright, Sam Williams, John Mayall, Eric Clapton, Del McCoury Band and more! Spotify is free, or available without ads via paid subscription. Go to www.spotify.com and search “Vintage Guitar magazine,”or if you already have an account Listen to the complete list HERE. […]
VG Approved Gear
Way Huge Saffron Squeeze MkII
Fresh-squeezed
Twenty years after its launch, the Way Huge Saffron Squeeze compressor has been improved upon. Doing fierce business with an already spectacular product line, Jim Dunlop Manufacturing added pedal wizard Jeorge Tripps to the mix. For Way Huge’s Saffron Squeeze MkII, this meant the addition of Gain, Tone, and Attack controls to the older version’s […]
Artists
Buddy Emmons
1937-2015
Buddy Emmons, who revolutionized the pedal-steel guitar both musically and technically, died July 21 in Nashville after suffering a heart attack. He was 78. Emmons did extensive session work in Nashville and L.A. and released his breakthrough album, Steel Guitar Jazz, in 1963. A master accompanist, he toured with three seminal country singers – Little […]
VG Approved Gear
Acoustik Attak Picks
Each of Acoustik Attak’s three guitar picks has a different raised formation that alters the way it interacts with strings; the intent is to provide enhanced upper-midrange and distinct snap. The Ambush has the most effect, the Blade is more subtle, and the Attak fits squarely in-between. There’s a bit of an adjustment curve, but […]
Artists
Bobby Black
Steel Before and After Commander Cody
When he got the invitation, Bobby Black wasn’t sure. The pedal-steel virtuoso, a 20-plus-year veteran of San Francisco’s music scene, had just been asked to join the long-hairs in Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. It was the fall of 1971, and Black was in a comfortable situation – he owned a recording studio […]
Classic Instruments
Kalamazoo KG-1
Collectible value in guitars can be defined any number of ways, and not just by having a popular brand name such as Fender or Gibson. That’s certainly the case with this little guitar! Ask virtually any guitar collector for his or her favorite brand, and Kalamazoo is probably not going to be the first name […]
Music
Paco de Lucía
The Montreux Years
“He didn’t read music – but I have never met a musician with such an impeccable ear,” says John McLaughlin of the late flamenco phenomenon in the liner notes for this live set, recorded at the famed Swiss jazz festival. A compilation spanning eight shows from 1984 to 2012, it captures de Lucía and his […]
Artists
In Memoriam: Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine, co-founder of the influential garage/new-wave band Television, died January 28. He was 73 and passed after a battle with prostate cancer that had metastasized. Born Thomas Miller in Denville, New Jersey, he studied piano as a child, followed by saxophone in middle school, then guitar after hearing the Rolling Stones. While attending prep […]