Holy Cripes!

The Story of Jerry Garcia’s Last Guitars

December 29, 2015 · Steve Armato and James D. McCallister

Steve Cripe left a unique legacy in the annals of music history. He was not a guitar player, not a…

Carlos Santana

Holding That Tone

April 5, 2022 · Dan Forte

Carlos Santana is illustrating a point. “Most people play like this – around the note,” he says, making a fist…

Have Guitar Will Travel 092 – Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters)

February 26, 2024 · James Patrick Regan

In this episode, host James Patrick Regan catches up with Chris Shiflett to discuss his latest solo album, working with…

Steve Lukather

Sun Shine

January 26, 2022 · Bret Adams

Steve Lukather has been a busy professional guitarist for 45 of his 63 years, as a founding member of Toto,…

B.C. Rich Eagle

April 28, 2020 · Michael Wright

When my son was young I used to do “guitar shows” for his classes, showing off 10 or so electric…

Kevn Kinney

Kevn Kinney

Small 'N Happy

December 14, 2015 · Ward Meeker

As any fan of Drivin ’N Cryin can attest, Kevn Kinney at his creative best surrenders little to the greatest…

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ARTISTS

Michael Schenker

Temple Of Rock

January 22, 2015 · Oscar Jordan

Michael Schenker has had the kind of stormy past that could give Keith Richards a run for his money. He…

Jay Geils

Blues and Archtops

July 6, 2023 · Tom Guerra

If you grew up listening to music in the ’70s, you probably associate the name J. Geils with a five-piece…

In Memoriam: Anthony Klassen

November 13, 2023 · Ward Meeker

Anthony R. Klassen, a guitar builder and founder of New Era Guitars, passed away December 13 at his home in…

Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

July 8, 2018 · Bob Cianci

The Chicago resident has been exciting blues audiences worldwide for decades. But he built his reputation working the local club…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

1982 Gibson Victory Custom

February 6, 2023 · Willie G. Moseley

When you consider their status as a last-gasp instrument made by Gibson in its waning days as a property of…

Fender‘s 50th Anniversary Strat

Height of the Reissue

June 11, 2015 · Ward Meeker

In celebration of the 50th “birthday” of its famous Stratocaster model, Fender has taken the reissue concept to new heights.…

National Style O

National Style O

February 11, 2010 · George Gruhn

Although it has never been the favorite guitar of Hawaiian players, National’s Style O, with its shining metal body and…

Beat Portraits: Burns Volume 3

Backbone Instruments 1962-’64

January 31, 2018 · Peter Stuart Kohman

In early 2009, VG columnist Peter Stuart Kohman turned his focus on Burns, the pioneering British guitar builder. We’ve compiled…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

ValveTrain PowerTrain Studio 20

Tube Savior

October 13, 2022 · Pete Prown

We’ve all watched the guitar amp deconstruct before our eyes, as pedals, preamps, and power amps all shrink – and…

Paul Hartmann Custom Manhattan

The Paul Hartmann Custom Manhattan

Not Your Granddaddy’s Semi-Hollow

September 1, 2015 · Pete Prown

The Paul Hartmann Custom Manhattan Price: $3,895 as tested Contact: www.phguitars.com Luthier Paul Hartmann’s Custom Manhattan is a classic semi-hollowbody,…

EHX Slap-Back Echo

Alright, Mama

January 18, 2024 · Pete Prown

Unlike the vast echoes of modern delays, the original “slap back” tone of the 1950s was a short delay that…

The Soldano

Super Lead Overdrive

January 12, 2015 · Dave Hunter

One of the leaders of what we might call the second wave of high-end high-gain tube amps, Soldano has been…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Tunerette

Smokin’ Tuner

May 8, 2025 · Joe Bigley

The guitar world has many options to stay in tune but none as cool-looking as the Tunerette. Don’t let the…

Epiphone Emperor Swingster

Juke-Joint Jammer

August 9, 2013 · Sean OBryan Smith

Though its high-point in terms of popular exposure may have occurred when McCartney, Lennon, and Harrison “discovered” the Casino, Epiphone…

Nancy Wright

December 9, 2016 · Dan Forte

The ubiquitous saxophonist of the San Francisco blues scene for 30 years, Nancy Wright finally stepped to the fore and…

Monster Mike Welch

From Phenom To Blues Veteran

April 28, 2024 · Dan Forte

Twenty-seven years after his debut album at age 17, Monster Mike Welch delivers perhaps his best disc yet with Nothing…

Jonny Wickersham

Jonny Wickersham

Social D Guitarist Does ’70s Cali Rock

March 21, 2016 · Dennis Pernu

Best known as the Les Paul Junior-slinging guitarist stage left of Mike Ness in Social Distortion, Jonny “Two Bags” Wickersham…

Eric Clapton’s “Blackie”

Eric Clapton’s “Blackie”

March 13, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

This may well be the most desirable Fender Stratocaster on the face of the planet. And it happens to be…

Walter Strauss

Right-Hand Man

June 30, 2023 · Pete Prown

West Coast fingerstylist Walter Strauss has a remarkable picking technique – powerful and surprisingly percussive – as heard on his…

The House of Stathopoulo Harp Guitar

Surreal Missing Link

April 3, 2020 · Paul Fox

One of the rarest Epiphone instruments in the world, the House of Stathopoulo harp guitar lends a glimpse into a…

The Walrus Audio ACS1

Simple Simulation

July 3, 2022 · Phil Feser

From worship services and home-recording where volume is an issue to fly-in shows where a full rig is impossible, amp…

Danelectro ’59 Resonator

Book This Dano

July 5, 2018 · Chip Wilson

While guitar enthusiasts expend a lot of brain power waxing poetic about tonewoods, for many VG readers of a certain…

The Duane Allman “Layla” Guitar?

A ’57 Gibson Les Paul Emerges To Tell a Story

March 7, 2018 · Ward Meeker

Taken in trade by a music store in Florida, it was sold to a local recording studio in 1977. Shortly…

Have Guitar Will Travel – 050 Featuring Mike Varney

May 6, 2021 · Art Department

In the new episode of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” host James Patrick Regan speaks with the legendary Mike Varney, founder…

Fire Custom Shop Sweet Chilli and Carpe Diem Overdrives

Brazilian Heat

April 19, 2019 · Oscar Jordan

There are some nifty analog effects pedals coming out of São Paulo, Brazil, nowadays, and among them, Fire Custom Shop…

Valvetech Amplifier Company’s VAC 25

Tractable Tweed

July 5, 2018 · Oscar Jordan

Who says pragmatic utility and classic tones have to be mutually exclusive? Not Rob Pierce, whose Valvetech Amplifier Company deals…

Check This Action: Walking In Memphis

May 1, 2025 · Dan Forte

I first visited Memphis in 1990, and it struck me that radio stations played loads of music from the area.…

Rush

February 27, 2017 · Pete Prown

Grab your hankies, Rush fans – this DVD doc captures moments from the trio’s R40 farewell tour, along with reminiscences…

Greg Martin John Sebastian’s ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard Vintage Guitar magazine Feature Image

John Sebastian’s ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Vintage Guitar magazine Presents Greg Martin's Head Shop

April 30, 2018 · Doug Yellow Bird

This is a regular series of exclusive Vintage Guitar online features where The Kentucky Headhunters’ Greg Martin looks back on…

Motörhead Bassist Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister Passes

1945-2015

December 29, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, founding bassist for the iconic heavy metal band Motörhead, died December 28, two days after reportedly being…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Rick Hogue

September 3, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Rick Hogue Season 01 Episode 09 In Episode 9 of VG’s “Buy That…

National Model N-720

Star of an Era's End

November 3, 2005 · Michael Wright

Most acoustic guitar players will likely show disdain for any instrument with a bolt-on neck. Even though there have been…

Home Feature Image

Siegmund Missing Link

Rounding Out the Board

June 10, 2016 · Tom Guerra

Looking like a Sputnik-era satellite, the Missing Link from Siegmund Guitars and Amplifiers may be the perfect way to –…

The Beatles’ Casinos

January 17, 2018 · Andy Babiuk

Of all the guitars made famous by the Beatles, the only one that John, Paul, and George had in common…

Music Man Game Changer

Twelve Tons of Tone

March 24, 2014 · Tom Guerra

Music Man Game Changer Price: $2,275 (street) Contact: www.gamechanger.music-man.com Since the introduction of the electric guitar, builders have sought ways…

Tommy Skeoch

Rock and Roll Forever

October 8, 2019 · Johnny Zapp

Tommy Skeoch is revered for delivering guitar tone with equal parts attitude and guttural conviction. Since his departure from Tesla…

Don Felder

Don Felder

Six-Stringed Summer Stock

June 23, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder is spending the summer with a few friends. On an extended tour with Styx and…

Kansas’ Leftoverture

Iconic American Prog

December 23, 2023 · Willie G. Moseley

Progressive rock emerged from the British psychedelic scene in the late ’60s with bands like the Nice, Procol Harum, Moody…

Dickerson Standard Lap Steel

December 30, 2014 · Michael Wright

Though today they are viewed as little more than curious relics of a lost era, during the Great Depression, “mother…

Bryan Sutton

Bryan Sutton

Into His Own

May 3, 2015 · Steven Stone

Bryan Sutton ranks as one of the most accomplished and in-demand acoustic players in Nashville. In 1991, fresh from high…

Muireann Bradley

I Kept These Old Blue

October 8, 2024 · Pete Prown

If you conveyed the soul of a 1930s bluesman into an Irish teenager, you might have Muireann Bradley, who is…