Classic Instruments
Two Legendary Les Paul Deluxes
In the late 1960s, Gibson reintroduced the single-cutaway Les Paul based on its classic ’50s model. But, a new version called the Deluxe proved...
Classic Instruments
The Les Paul Becomes The SG
It may be difficult to imagine now, but Gibson’s original Les Paul was only a modest success.
Introduced in 1952, the Gibson Les Paul Model...
Classic Instruments
Bird Golden Eagle 4/25
Many of the oddballs, also-rans, and otherwise unusual creations we see in the amp world fall into the “B-list” category – the budget, student,...
Classic Instruments
The Strat in Transition
Believing the long-term survival of his company hinged on creating the world’s best electric guitar, in 1953, Leo Fender set out to improve on...
Classic Instruments
Watkins Joker
This could be just what every well-heeled young “Beat” guitarist and singer in Britain needed in the early 1960s – a guitar amp/PA with...
Classic Instruments
Songbirds: Museum with a Mission
Ask anyone who geeks out on vintage guitars, from the well-heeled collector to the dreamer whose prized possession is a relic’d reissue, and you’ll...
Classic Instruments
Fender Super Reverbs from 1963 and ’68
Among the many distinct eras of vintage-amp production, Fender’s so-called “blackface” models are legendary. Made from late 1963 until ’67, they’re loved for the...
Classic Instruments
The Story of Jay Gower
In Nashville today, there are enough professional luthiers to meet the need for guitar repairs, modifications, and custom builds. In the 1950s, though, musicians...
Classic Instruments
Warwick Thumb Bass
Founded in the early 1980s by Hans-Peter Wilfer, Warwick has a familial connection to another well-known German brand from a time when that nation...
Classic Instruments
Ditson’s Style 11 and the Birth of the Dreadnought
In the early 20th century, any shopper who walked into the Charles H. Ditson & Company music stores in New York, Philadelphia, or Boston...
VG Giveaways
Giveaway #171
Win an autographed edition of “Into The Light” valued at $50!
Ace music photographer and VG contributor Jérôme Brunet often shoots images contrary to convention,...