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Artists
Dave Gant’s Amp Collection
Key Collection: Nashville pro Dave Gant fosters an impressive gathering of amps
Dave Gant grew up in Ada, Oklahoma, and while the city of 17,000 will never be confused with Memphis or Nashville in terms of musical impact, it is the birthplace of a handful of noteworthy personalities including country singer Blake Shelton, NFL tight end Jeremy Shockey, and Gant, who when he’s not serving as musical […]
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Twenty-seven years after his debut album at age 17, Monster Mike Welch delivers perhaps his best disc yet with Nothing But Time. Co-produced with multi-instrumentalist Kid Andersen, it features bass legend Jerry Jemmott, who worked with Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, and countless others. A commanding guitarist and music scholar, Welch flirts with heroes from Magic […]
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This month we feature Gary Clark, Jr., The Beatles, Deep Purple, Johnny A, Scott Hebderson, Kinga Glyk, D.K. Harrell, Frank BiBussolo, and more! Spotify is free or available without ads via a paid subscription. Go to www.spotify.com and search “Vintage Guitar magazine,” or if you already have an account Listen to the complete list HERE. […]
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In 1975, 24-year-old Robben Ford was making a name for himself on the Los Angeles music scene, where competition was fierce. As a blues-guitar prodigy, Ford had played behind Charlie Musselwhite and toured with Jimmy Witherspoon, but his life changed when he met Tom Scott of the L.A. Express, then replaced Larry Carlton in the […]
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Artists
Tim May
The MVP
Renowned studio guitarist Tim May played his first film-score session in 1974, for John Schlesinger’s Day of the Locust. Now a legitimate first-call session player, May has contributed to thousands of film scores, TV soundtracks, and record dates. Still, he’s probably best known for his scalding version of “Johnny B. Goode” that was so nicely […]
Artists
Jamie Kime
Lord Of The Jam
Jamie Kime’s first solo record, Alleys, displays a mix of lush guitar tones, poignant soundscapes, and evocative panoramas. We recently sat with him to discuss it, and his recent gig touring with Zappa Plays Zappa project, featuring Franks Zappa’s son, Dweezil. Was there a theme when you started recording Alleys? A lot of the tunes […]
Artists
Eric Ambel
Proficient Professional
Ace sideman (Joan Jett, Steve Earle), producer of note (Bottle Rockets, Nils Lofgren, Marshall Crenshaw), and proprietor of Brooklyn’s 24-track Cowboy Technical Services (which has hosted the likes of Ryan Adams, Los Lobos, and Robert Randolph)… little wonder it’s taken Eric “Roscoe” Ambel 12 years to get around to a new solo LP. The result, […]
VG Approved Gear
Carl Martin’s Roadie Bandmate 15
Tone-Rich Traits
Denmark’s Carl Martin has built a following with its PlexiTone series of overdrives and effects pedals used by stars the world over. The company recently introduced the Roadie Bandmate 15, a 15-watt Class A amp with matched EL84 power tubes, a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and built-in spring reverb. At 41 pounds and boasting clean […]
VG Approved Gear
Ramble FX Twin Bender Fuzz
Whole Lotta Fuzz
Fuzz comes in a lot of flavors. From spitty or choked-off splat to gritty gated sounds, from classic ’60s to ’90s grunge and beyond, Ramble FX’s take on the classic Sola Tone Bender attempts to cover a lot of that ground. Using new old stock (NOS) germanium transistors and a few handy controls, the Ramble […]
Artists
Burton, Garrett, Lee, and Wilcox Join Forces
Telecaster Summit
For guitar lovers and roots-music fans, the place to be in July ’13 was British Columbia. The Vancouver Island MusicFest held a true summit meeting of masters of the Telecaster (with an asterisk). Britain’s Albert Lee is acclaimed for his work with Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, the Everly Brothers, and others. Amos Garrett played the […]
Artists
Les Sabler
Long-Distance Jazz
Like many musicians, guitarist Les Sabler’s life has been turned topsy-turvy by the worldwide pandemic. Originally from Montreal, Sabler now resides in Nashville, but work on his newest album, a smooth-jazz effort called Tranquility, began in February of 2020 at producer Paul Brown’s studio in Los Angeles. The project ultimately became remote, but not before […]
Classic Instruments
Gretsch 6134 White Penguin
There’s no doubt the White Penguin is one of the rarest Gretsch instruments. It is estimated that no more than a few dozen were made from the introduction of the model in 1955 through 1964, when it was discontinued, though exact production totals for early Gretsch guitars are not available. The Penguin appears in no […]
Artists
Tomas Janzon
From Stockholm With Love
On Tomas Janzon’s Nomadic, the Stockholm transplant based in New York channels his inner Wes Montgomery to unveil fresh compositions with clever harmonic twists, all supported by lush hollowbody tones and a silky touch. Janzon’s pursuit of jazz excellence is particularly admirable because he’s European, and Nomadic is perfect late-night ear candy. What was on […]
Special Features
Custom VG Backgrounds
Time to give your computer, tablet, or phone a new look? VG offers different classic images, each downloadable in a variety of screen sizes and resolutions for any computer or handheld device! Choose the FREE background you want! CHECK YOUR SCREEN RESOLUTION and click the proper size. After it has finished loading, do one of […]
Have Guitar Will Travel
Have Guitar Will Travel – 050 Featuring Mike Varney
In the new episode of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” host James Patrick Regan speaks with the legendary Mike Varney, founder of Shrapnel Records. After discovering Yngwie Malmsteen in a record store, Mike started Shrapnel when he was just 22 years old. The label became home for a bevy of shredders in the ’80s, including guitar […]
VG Approved Gear
Santa Cruz HT/13 Happy Traum
Fingerstyle Dream
In a career spanning more than 60 years, Happy Traum has been a fixture of the American folk scene, from the Village to Woodstock and the New World Singers to a duo with his brother, Artie. Along the way, he made collaborative stops with Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, and a galaxy of folk stars. His […]
Music
The No Ones
My Evil Best Friend
This latest in decades of collaborations between R.E.M. guitar man Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey is the pair’s third collection with Norwegians Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen and Frode Strømstad. Listeners familiar with Buck and the prolific McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5, The Baseball Project) will not be surprised to discover a power-pop janglefest, in […]
Classic Instruments
Classics: November 2022
Vern Juran’s Harmony stratotone
Like many baby-boomer kids, 11-year-old Vern Juran was into slot-car racing and bikes with ape-hanger handlebars, banana seats, and sissy bars. He also loved guitars, and the second-hand Harmony Stratotone he used to start lessons in the summer of 1967 was his following-in-dad’s-footsteps dream instrument. The guitar served him well through his first years learning […]
Classic Instruments
Gibson Firebirds
Say the words “custom color” to a collector or enthusiast and most will think of “Fender.” But Gibson had its own multicolored baby – the Firebird. Born in 1963 and put to rest in ’69, the Firebird was Gibson’s third full-line attempt at the solidbody market. While it did not do as well as the […]
Music
Lonnie Mack
Strike Like Lightning
Lonnie Mack hadn’t released an album in eight years when this comeback effort arrived in January of 1985. His first of three for Alligator Records, it brought Mack out of obscurity and marked the dawn of a professional second act that was celebrated by some of rock’s royalty. Upon its release, Strike Like Lightning underscored […]
Artists
Leslie West
Still Climbing!
Leslie West is renowned for his iconic tone and revered as a forefather of classic rock. A true survivor, he’s adjusting after a life-saving leg amputation, but forging ahead and inspired to continue making music. West filled us in with a rundown of the tracks on his aptly titled latest release, Still Climbing. “I started […]