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When she was seven years old, sibling rivalry spurred Blu DeTiger to get a bass so she could play along with her brother on his new drum kit. After honing her skills for several years at School of Rock, taking lessons, and playing in high-school bands, she also became a DJ on the New York […]
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It’s nice to find guitar builders producing hand-made guitars that are more than a rehash of familiar models, while using traditional hand tools. Meet Jonathan Postal, whose single-cutaway Delta Zephyr has a chambered body of African mahogany, with a 0.25″ hand-stained flame maple top finished in nitro. The feel is slightly rough to the touch […]
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Musicvox Space Cadet and MVX-15 Studio Custom Price: $999 (Space Cadet)/$699 (MVX-15) Contact: www.musicvox.com For nearly two decades, Musicvox’s designs have captivated players and fans, appearing in Austin Powers and in the hands of serious players and bands like Keith Urban, Allen Woody, Polyphonic Spree, and Redd Kross. The company’s latest super-retro entries are the […]
Twelve years ago, Janglebox founder Steve Lasko set out to create effects pedals that capture the sparkling clean chime made famous by bands like The Beatles and The Byrds. Since then, his company has evolved to offer more ways to enhance the electric guitar’s sonic capabilities. The J-Boost Non-Compression Clean Boost is the perfect companion […]
When Peter Frampton began using the Heil Talk Box in 1974, he remembers it being viewed with skepticism as an “alien effect.” Similar contraptions had been around since 1939, but few people recognized them or their otherworldly capabilities. Frampton had yet to record with it, so when he used it onstage, it caused a furor. […]
Inside its chicken hatchery turned amp shop in Pittsboro, North Carolina, Carr Amplifiers has hatched another beauty in the low-watt/single-channel Super Bee. With three distinct voices plus a wattage attenuator to deliver its supremely satisfying tone at volumes that won’t frighten the children, the Super Bee can also provide a good scare; just turn off […]
Pete Townshend sent many a guitar and amp to an early grave. But there’s no known evidence of him doing the same with effects pedals. Never mind that spearing a Rickenbacker through the heart of a Hiwatt provided much more Shakespearean drama than stomping on a lowly stompbox. Perhaps, though, he simply didn’t need to […]
On Things Eternal, jazz-guitar wizard Dan Wilson fuses post-bop, spirituality, and the songs of Stevie Wonder into a satisfying musical journey. The album is a celebration of those who have passed on, but don’t get it twisted; Wilson understands that what they left behind is the greatest gift of all, and he honors them with […]
Fishman recently released the revolutionary Fluence series pickups that utilize an active, hum-canceling pickup design. Following our review of their Single-Width pickups (VG, March ’15) we take a look at their Classic Humbuckers for retrofitting guitars that use standard-size humbucking pickups. The Fishman Fluence Classic Humbucker set consists of two pickups constructed from numerous layers […]
Bernie Marsden, one of the founding guitarists of Whitesnake, co-writer of the band’s massive hit “Here I Go Again,” and noted guitar collector, died August 24. He was 72, and while no cause of death was given in the weeks after, a statement from the family said he died peacefully with his wife and daughters […]
Ray Cummins demonstrates Chet Atkins fingerstyle tune “Good Old Summertime” In his first exclusive video tutorial for VG Online, Ray Cummins demonstrates a few jazz-chord substitutions along with some pull-offs in the melody to the Chet Atkins fingerstyle tune “Good Old Summertime.” Grab your semi-hollow, set the amp clean, and enjoy! Keep up with Ray […]
The career of Welsh guitarist Dave Edmunds has included hits and collaborations with other notable musicians, including Rockpile, with bassist Nick Lowe. First, though, he drew notice in his home country while fronting the trio Love Sculpture; the band’s 1968 version of the classical tune “Sabre Dance” became a hit thanks to British disc jockey […]
Following Ted Newman Jones’ passing in 2016, protégé Jeff Smith took over Newman Guitars and is furthering the vision, using the same offset body as Jones’ original guitars but employing modern methods. Their latest is the Honeycomb Chambered Jr. Sporting a 17/8″-thick laminated mahogany body with chambers, the Jr. is light and solidly built; the […]
As a kid, I dug The Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks, Manfred Mann, and pretty much the whole British Invasion. But, The Animals were special. Listen to the Fab Four’s “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and then The Animals’ “House Of The Rising Sun.” Both great, but the latter delivered something dark and sinister that […]
Taking advantage of the time off in the early days of the pandemic, Ian Hunter hunkered down in his Connecticut home studio to craft a few dozen new tunes. Initially unable to develop the songs beyond demo status, Hunter’s friends and admirers around the globe joined the cause from their home studios, contributing to an […]
Guitar history is littered with “better ideas,” some of which stayed around, went nowhere, or went somewhere before landing in the boneyard to be occasionally reincarnated. A great example is the aluminum neck on this ’78 Travis Bean TB1000S. Travis Bean guitars were one of the great ideas of the ’70s that promised to revolutionize […]
Flamin’ Groovies are best known for the ’76 power-pop gem “Shake Some Action,” but this show – recorded five years earlier at the final Fillmore West concerts – couldn’t be more different. It’s blunt three-chord rock, somewhere between the Seeds, MC5, and the Rolling Stones. The live tape’s audio fidelity is lo-fi and raw, but […]
In this series, Tyler Morris will perform music that inspires him, in a laid-back context using just a guitar and amp – much like the way the songs were written and with a focus on the blues roots that inspired their creation. Here’s his take on the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” using his Gibson ES-235 through […]
Marshall Tucker Band was arguably the most unusual Southern-rock group of the ’70s. Its namesake wasn’t the leader, a member, or mascot, their virtuosic lead guitarist didn’t use a pick, and they regularly featured flute and saxophone solos. Moreover, MTB played a seemingly irreconcilable array of styles, blending country, blues, folk, gospel, and rock with […]
