• Super PickupGiveaway 2025

    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…

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Gibson ES-Les Paul

ES-Les Paul

F-hole with soul

May 3, 2016 · Pete Prown

ES-Les Paul Price: $2,799 to $3,199 (list) Contact: www.gibson.com Gibson’s latest version of the Les Paul isn’t the first with…

B&G Guitars’ Caletta Standard Build

Small But Mighty

December 8, 2022 · Rich Maloof

B&G Guitars are made in Tel Aviv by a talented shop that translates the best traits of traditional guitars into…

Gary Rossington

1951-2023

January 11, 2024 · Ward Meeker

As a boy, Gary Rossington would grab a broom and mime in front of a mirror whenever an Elvis Presley…

Cactus

February 27, 2017 · Dan Forte

Guitarist Jim McCarty (not to be confused with the Yardbirds’ drummer of the same name) initially turned heads in the…

Have Guitar Will Travel 059 – John Smith

October 26, 2021 · Doug Yellow Bird

On the new episode of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” host James Patrick Regan speaks with singer/songwriter John Smith, whose playing…

Steve Morse

Blazing Ahead with Deep Purple

April 22, 2016 · Pete Prown

While many classic British bands have hung up their spurs, Deep Purple is not only fully active after 45 years,…

  • Rickenbacker’s Electric 12-Strings

    Rickenbacker’s Electric 12-Strings

    Double-bound for Glory

    George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacher founded Electro String in 1931 to manufacture what everyone would soon call “Rickenbacker” guitars. Success came early and their lap steels set standards of quality,…

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ARTISTS

Shawn Purcell’s Jazz from the East (Coast)

October 31, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

Influences Aplenty! A child of the ’80s, Shawn Purcell grew up listening to Stern, Scofield, and Metheny alongside Zeppelin, Van…

George Gruhn

How a Zoologist Became a Guitar animal

May 15, 2024 · Louis R. Carlozo

If you bumped into a bearded, corduroy-jacketed George Gruhn in a Nashville coffee shop, you might think you’d stumbled upon…

Denny Laine 1944-2023

December 6, 2023 · Willie G. Moseley

Denny Laine, best known for his affiliations with the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney and Wings, died  December 5 after…

Guthrie Govan

Aristocratic Guitar

May 2, 2022 · Pete Prown

Guthrie Govan is at times more stunt pilot than conventional guitarist – his superhero skills mean he can play almost…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Songbirds: Museum with a Mission

Treasures in Tennessee

April 19, 2019 · Rusty Russell

Ask anyone who geeks out on vintage guitars, from the well-heeled collector to the dreamer whose prized possession is a…

Rickenbacker Transonic Home Feature Image

Rickenbacker Transonic

March 24, 2016 · Dave Hunter

Rickenbacker Transonic TS100 Topology: Solid State Output: 100 watts RMS Controls: Volume, Treble, Bass controls and Hollow, Mellow and Pierce…

Magnatone X-5 Zephyr

Last Gasp

June 14, 2023 · Michael Wright

Ever since Lonnie Mack unleashed The Wham of That Memphis Man and Buddy Holly sang “Peggy Sue,” Magnatone amplifiers have…

Five Classic Amps

Five Classic Amps

A Tone-Spotter’s Arsenal To Cover It All

March 31, 2016 · Dave Hunter

When it comes to classic guitar tones – whether it’s blues through a Dumble, country through a Fender, rock through…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Fuchs Audio Technology Full House-50 Combo

The Art of the Deal

December 27, 2017 · Pete Prown

The Fuchs Full House-50 1×12 is a compact amp that strives to deliver a range of tones in a small…

Bayou Guitarworks Hardware

May 10, 2022 · Johnny Zapp

Players often buy a factory aged guitar and swap the plastics and hardware to more accurately represent the overall aesthetic.…

Acoustic Remedy’s ClimaStand Display Case

Open and Shut

March 18, 2014 · Phil Feser

Acoustic Remedy ClimaStand Price: $899 (walnut) Info: www.acousticremedycases.com Most players have at least one guitar they would like to display…

Marshall Handwired Series 2245THW Head and 1960AHW Cabinet

Marshall Handwired Series 2245THW Head and 1960AHW Cabinet

Bluesbreaker Redux

March 29, 2016 · Zac Childs

Marshall Handwired Series 2245THW Head and 1960AHW Cabinet 2245THW Prices: $4,800 (list); $3,299.99 (street); 1960AHW Prices: $2,180 (list); $1,399.99 (street)…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Cole Eclipse Pro Special

July 14, 2015 · Michael Wright

Straight-from-the-catalog instruments are fun – and reassuring – because you know exactly what you’ve got. But there’s another kind of…

Sue Foley

Femme Flamenco

December 10, 2024 · Greg Prato

In a time when pop-music performers rely heavily on post-recording fix-ups and pre-recorded tracks onstage, it’s refreshing – even admirable…

Ecco-Fonic

October 12, 2014 · Michael Dregni

John Adomono was an American guitar hero of the Cold War years. JFK named him his favorite guitarist, and Adomono…

Railhammer Hyper Vintage Humbucker

Poles Apart

August 6, 2015 · Lisa Sharken

Railhammer Hyper Vintage Humbucker Price: $139 list/ $89 direct Info: www.railhammer.com Developed by Joe Naylor of Reverend Guitars, Railhammers are…

Watkins Rapier 33

October 8, 2015 · Michael Wright

If you were an American teenager in the late 1950s or early ’60s, and you wanted to play the new…

Lloyd Loar

An Alternative View

May 21, 2019 · George Gruhn

The Master Model instruments created at Gibson in the early 1920s are famous for their sound and build. Credit for…

Jimmy Olander’s D-Bender Baritone

December 4, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

 Big-string licks galore! In the mood to play a bit, December cover guy Jimmy Olander grabbed a guitar he…

Fretprints: Fran Beecher

Rock-and-Roll Guitar Begins

March 9, 2023 · Wolf Marshall

The ripples that anticipated a rock-and-roll tsunami were in motion in the 1940s, when pop, “race records,” and country converged…

The Bad Cat Era 30

Retro-Great

December 5, 2025 · Dave Hunter

So often has the phrase “Mark Sampson era” been applied to pre-2000 Matchless amps or early examples of the Bad…

Nancy Wilson

One Heart

April 28, 2022 · Bret Adams

The Covid-19 pandemic halted much of our lives, but there was a silver lining. Many musicians who couldn’t tour or…

Tsakalis Experience, Emma ON-1 Okto-Nøjs, and Mad Professor Twimble

World Sounds

July 3, 2019 · Pete Prown

It seems that every other stompbox on the market has dual-footswitch functionality, packing two entirely different circuits into one housing.…

GA-20 Knows Bo

July 12, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Duo does it right on “Crackin’ Up” GA-20’s Matt Stubbs and Pat Faherty paused for a moment while touring Europe…

Skunk Baxter

Speed of Heat

May 2, 2023 · Pete Prown

In no apparent hurry, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter just released his first solo album – at age 73. The guitar flash…

OVERTURE-JS_HOME-MAIN-BIG

Overture JS-Session

Do-It-All Guitar?

August 5, 2013 · Sean OBryan Smith

Overture JS-Session Price: $ 1,499. Info: overtureguitars.com When designing a new guitar, builders often face a quandary. Some go to…

Molly Miller

Dr. J(azz)

June 3, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Molly Miller is on a quest to bring instrumental music back to storytelling. Her new album, St. George, fuses jazz,…

Gibson GA-20

The Gibson GA-20

November 16, 2015 · Dave Hunter

Behold, this specimen that checks off all the right boxes for fans of vintage amps; beautifully clean, it has a…

Rick Vito – Cadillac Man

July 25, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Rick Vito – Cadillac Man Make sure to check out Rick Vito’s latest album “Cadillac Man” available now at Blue…

Taylor’s 326ce Urban Ash

Tonewood Tales

April 7, 2022 · Pete Prown

When hunting for a new acoustic, it’s useful to learn about tonewoods and construction, as both play a huge role…

Valvetech Suplex

A Kinder, Gentler Plexi

July 13, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Used by rock royalty, the 100-watt Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead unleashed hellacious tones. Problem was, it was ridiculously loud…

CopperSound Telegraph V2 Autostutter/Killswitch

All the Rage

November 13, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

Need the perfect stutter effect or killswitch in a pedal? Massachusetts-based CopperSound Pedals’ latest iteration of its popular Telegraph Stutter…

Oz Noy

May 15, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Fusion maestro Oz Noy expands his palette of influences by enlisting the help of a horn section and special guests.…

Guyatone Micro Effects

Little Boxes, Big Effects

April 29, 2020 · Phil Feser

Musical-instrument accessories importer Guyatone introduced its first series of Micro Effects three years ago to widespread praise. Knowing it was…

DiPinto Mach IV

Garage Days

August 10, 2016 · Pete Prown

There are times when a traditional Strat or Tele won’t scratch a particular itch, and you need a retro plank…

Mike Zito

Reemerging with Resurrection

May 9, 2022 · Willie G. Moseley

It’s obvious why guitarist Mike Zito’s 2020 album was titled Quarantine Blues, but he’s compelled to clarify the reasoning behind…

Allan Holdsworth

1946-2017, Lion of Legato

April 15, 2019 · Pete Prown

Music fans were relaxing on Easter Sunday when word of Allan Holdsworth’s death began filtering about, bringing shock to the…

Rich Robinson and Marc Ford Of The Magpie Salute

Wiser Time

April 26, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

Musical chemistry is a special, sometimes flammable rapport between two musicians. It’s a rare thing – highly sought, difficult to…

Vintage Visionary

The First Golden Age of Ibanez 1973-1982

October 6, 2014 · Pete Prown

Thirty-Five years ago, Ibanez was a scrappy upstart guitar company that dared to challenge the big boys at Gibson and…

Dennis Budimir

November 13, 2023 · Jim Carlton

Renowned studio guitarist Dennis Budimir died in Los Angeles on January 10. He was 84. Early in his career, Budimir’s…

Robben Ford

The One and Only

April 8, 2014 · Dan Forte

There’s never been a shortage of young guitar hotshots, but in recent years, particularly among blues players, these phenoms seem…