James Williamson & Deniz Tek
The words “proto punk” arouse recollections of furiously strummed guitars and amps cranked to 10. For many, its sound and aggression were embodied by...
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...
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...
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...
James Mastro
As one of the guitarists in Ian Hunter’s Rant Band for the past 17 years, James Mastro is responsible for providing some of the...
Mick Taylor’s ’58 Les Paul Standard
Hard-edged face of the British Invasion, the Rolling Stones introduced the world to the implements, trappings, and accessories of rock-and-roll superstardom. With help from...
One Unforgettable ’60s-Oddity Magnatone
Drew Moniot and his band, The Sequins, were on top of the world, playing Gibson SGs through endorsement-deal amp stacks as 16-year-olds in 1967....
Freddie King’s Gibson ES-345 Keeps on Playin’
Watching her baby boy become rapt whenever his grandma played country blues on her guitar, Ella May King had a notion... So, as soon...
Mick Jones
Somewhere in the world right now, a Foreigner song is playing on the radio. Literally. Thanks to nearly 20 mega-hit singles, 75 million units...
Lloyd Loar
The Master Model instruments created at Gibson in the early 1920s are famous for their sound and build. Credit for their design is often...