• Eastwood MRG Lap Steel

    VG Approved Gear

    Eastwood MRG Lap Steel

    Slide Piece

    Now more than 90 years old, the lap steel was the earliest example of an electric guitar and remains a stringed instrument every guitarist should try, largely because it’s so accessible. In fact, a lap steel is about as straightforward as you can get – it’s a plank that sits on your lap and is…

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Musicvox MI-5 12-String

Musicvox MI-5 12-String

That Timeless Jangle

The Musicvox MI-5 12-String Price: $899 Info: www.musicvox.com. Since its appearances in the Austin Powers movies, Musicvox guitars have received a cachet for cool ’60s hipness and wicked space-age designs.…

Fender Twin & Deluxe

Fender’s ’57 Twin Amp and ’57 Deluxe – Tweed for Two

Fender “tweed” guitar amplifiers – the Twin, Deluxe, Bassman, Champ, etc., from the 1950s – are the most sought after amps in the annals of guitardom. Whether it is Leo’s…

Walrus Slöer Ambient Reverb

Reverb Reimagined

Reverb is nearly omnipresent in modern music, and for those looking to add some with a twist, Walrus Audio has introduced its Slöer Stereo Ambient Reverb. The Slöer brings typical…

5150 Iconic Series 60-Watt 2×12

Little Monster

When Edward Van Halen released his 5150 head with Peavey in 1992, it quickly grew famous for its massive gain, tight compression, and ability to chug. Co-designed by engineer James…

Bare Knuckle Pickups’ PAT Pend, Flat ’52, and Mule

Bruising Tones

Bare Knuckle Pickups’ PAT Pend, Flat ’52, and Mule Price: $125-$340 Info: www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk. From the ever-expanding world of boutique pickups comes a builder out of southwest England who creates a…

Fishman Fluence Single-Width Pickup

Fishman Fluence Single-Width Pickup

Hum-Free, Cutting-Edge

Fishman Fluence Single-Width Pickup Price: $224 (set) Contact: www.fishman.com Larry Fishman is one of the most respected names in the world of acoustic-guitar pickups and the tone-shaping devices necessary to…

Gibson Collector’s Vault

Heavyweight bodyguard for your rock stars!

Can you truly put a price tag on peace of mind? For guitar collectors, the answer often is “No,” because like many other increasingly valuable collectibles, vintage guitars cannot be…

AmpRX BrownBox Voltage-Reduction Unit

AmpRX BrownBox Voltage-Reduction Unit

Vintage-Safe Voltage

AmpRX BrownBox Voltage-Reduction Unit Price: $269.00 (list) Contact: www.amprx.net Amplifier repairman and builder Patrick Geraghty was frustrated with the sound of his own vintage-styled builds. They seemed to lack the…

Acoustic Remedy’s ClimaStand Display Case

Open and Shut

Acoustic Remedy ClimaStand Price: $899 (walnut) Info: www.acousticremedycases.com Most players have at least one guitar they would like to display in a manner that allows them to enjoy its beauty…

Ibanez Analog Delay Mini/TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb Mini

Let’s Get Small

One of the top trends in guitar effects involves “small-footprint” stompboxes. They not only sound and look cool, but more importantly free up space on an effects board – crucial…

Vox’s AC30CH and V212C Cabinet

Get Back

The Beatles helped popularize Vox amps, and Sir Paul tours with them today because they still have that sound – classic chime and overdriven grind. Introduced in ’59, Vox’s AC30…

Gator Cases MiniVault

Rolling Rack

Every gigging guitarist who lugs their own gear (so, 95 percent of us) knows firsthand how instrument cases take a beating. No matter how carefully they’re handled, the reality is…

Dr. Z Mini Z

We Don't Got To Show You No Stinking Headroom!

The Mini Z is amp builder Dr. Z’s (a.k.a. Mike Zaite) entry into the low-watt/single-power-tube practice/recording category of amps. Extremely compact at under one cubic foot in size, and weighing…

DST MarWatt and UV6 amplifiers

Small-Watt Punch

DST MarWatt/UV6 Bob Dettorre and Jeff Swanson are longtime gearheads who played in bands starting when they were just kids. As adults, one went to college and worked a “real”…

Universal Audio Ruby, Woodrow & Dream

Model Of Perfection

With digital recording more popular than ever, audio designers are working to capture guitar tone directly, without miking an amp. Universal Audio – renowned maker of studio gear – has…

The Collings I-35 LC Vintage

Semi-Struck

The semi-hollow ES shape remains one of the most alluring electric designs in history. The folks at Collings know this and, with their new I-35 LC Vintage, attempt a new…

Taylor T5 Thinline Fiveway

Six-Song Minimum?

Taylor T5 Thinline Fiveway For years, people continually asked Bob Taylor, “When are you going to come up with an electric guitar?” Taylor’s answer was always, “Somewhere between never and…

Martin SC-13E Special Burst

Blueprint Blow-up

For nearly two centuries, Martin has been building acoustic instruments befitting the company’s august reputation. The slew of budget-friendly models in its Performing Artist series offer modern takes on traditional…

Epiphone Tony Iommi SG Special

Monkey Time

Digging into the primordial ooze of heavy metal, players often start with Black Sabbath and their resident guitar necromancer, Tony Iommi. Armed with various Gibson SGs and custom-made copies, he…

New Orleans Guitar Company Model 8

Sonic Mojo

New Orleans Guitar Company Model 8 Price: $2,999 Contact: neworleansguitar.com For over a decade, the New Orleans Guitar Company has been producing handcrafted electrics with an attention to design and…

Martin CEO 8.2E

Corner-Office Acoustic

Which new Martin is based on a vintage-reissue with a pronounced low-end? Noooo, the model designation does not begin with a D!  The CEO 8.2E finds inspiration in the Martin…

Grez Mendocino Short Scale Bass

Time-Machine Tone

In the beginning, there was the Precision Bass. Following Leo Fender’s revelation, things branched out in all directions as builders experimented with the idea that the double bass could be…

Tech 21 Steve Harris SH1 Signature SansAmp

Tone of the Beast

Tech 21’s Steve Harris SH1 Signature Sans Amp celebrates the tone of metal icon Harris, Iron Maiden’s bassist, songwriter, and driving force. For 40 years, Harris has delivered a brash…

The Rivolta Combinata Bass VII

Euro Flash

Rivolta’s Combinata VII bass takes ideas from Rickenbacker, Höfner, and various European builders lost to history and wraps them into a four-string with a chambered mahogany body. Working in collaboration…

Tech 21 English Muffy

Killer Combo

The Tech 21 Character Plus Series aims to combine a vintage amp with one classic overdrive/fuzz/booster circuit, essentially giving two pedals in one chassis. The English Muffy pairs Hiwatt sounds…

Smit Boosted Classic and Bucker Lite pickups

PAF Plus? S

Smit Boosted Classic/Bucker Lite Being a guitarist for more than 30 years, Kevin Smith learned much in his quest for great tone. For years he has dissected pickups while devising…

Xotic XW-1 LPB Limited Edition

Small Wonder

Wah pedals come in a variety of sizes and textures, so finding one that checks all the boxes can be difficult. Based on the iconic Clyde McCoy wahs of the…

Gibson L-5S Ron Wood Signature

Serious Lumber

In 1972, Gibson introduced the L-5S as a smaller, thinner solidbody version of its L-5 hollowbody. Most mistook it for a Les Paul with a wider body. Though not Gibson’s…

The Electro-Harmonix Superego Synth Engine

Synthful

Electro-Harmonix Superego Synth Engine Price: $283.60 (retail); $212.70 (street) Contact: www.ehx.com Building on the success of its Freeze Sound Retainer (a.k.a. the world’s shortest looper), the Electro-Harmonix Superego Synth Engine…

Saga’s Gitane DG-300 and DG-320 Modèle John Jorgenson

Gypsy Stars

John Jorgenson boasts not one, not two, but three signature-model guitars – one for each style he excels at: bluegrass, hot country, and Django Reinhardt’s Gypsy jazz. In fact, two…