Classic Instruments
Fender’s 1961 Showman
When Fender stepped up from the tweed-covered amps of the 1950s to the radically redesigned Tolex amps of the ’60s, one of the biggest...
Classic Instruments
Jimmy Bryant
When Leo Fender strode into a cowboy bar on the outskirts of Hollywood one day in 1950, he had no idea the contraption he...
Classic Instruments
The Pedulla Buzz Bass
Introduced in 1980, the M.V. Pedulla Buzz Bass is one of the most-enduring examples of an upscale model offered fretless. Designed by luthier Michael...
Classic Instruments
1843 Martin & Coupa
In 1833, C.F. Martin, Sr. and his family arrived in New York City. A trained luthier, Martin had studied under Johann Stauffer in Vienna...
Classic Instruments
Meet The GitWik
When it comes to identifying guitars, basses, amps, and effects, nobody knows it all. Anyone save for the true specialist, whose interest is focused...
Classic Instruments
Fender Telecaster Thinline
Born in turbulent times on the downslope of the “guitar boom,” Fender’s Telecaster Thinline has always existed in the shadow of its classic older...
Classic Instruments
Webster-Chicago RMA 375 Model 166-1
Modified or repurposed amps generally don’t fit into our monthly discussion here, but some are representative enough of a certain standard to make an...
Classic Instruments
The Story of Silver Street Guitars
In the late 1970s, trends combined to spawn several new guitar companies in the Chicago area motivated by a desire to “build a better...
Classic Instruments
The Real Story of Martin’s 14-Fret Orchestra Models
Martin Orchestra Model (OM) guitars made prior to World War II are some of the finest ever made for fingerpicking. That’s rather ironic, considering...
Classic Instruments
Watkins Scout
Watkins amps never landed big stars, or at least didn’t hold on to the endorsements of guitarists once they became big stars. Various Beatles...