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Trending Now
It was February 21, 2012. As part of the White House’s music series, “Red, White & Blues” featured a cavalcade of blues and blues-influenced greats including B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Keb’ Mo’, and guitar legend Buddy Guy. President Obama thanked the performers as they wrapped up the evening with […]
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It’s fortunate the world still has artists like Gov’t Mule to influence aspiring musicians and prove that it’s possible to have a long, fruitful career playing this kind of music. The creation of the band’s rock-oriented 12th studio album is fascinating; vocalist/guitarist Warren Haynes, keyboardist/guitarist Danny Louis, bassist Jorgen Carlsson, and drummer Matt Abts recorded […]
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Artists
Billy Flynn
True Chicago Blues
The phrase “electric blues” is a catch-all for many genres, but for aficionados it refers to a highly specific idiom from the Windy City. In fact, if you listen to Billy Flynn’s smokin’ new album, Lonesome Highway, you will identify it instantly, as his tone and sweet licks capture the nuance of Chicago’s best guitarmen. […]
Artists
Andy Timmons
Back to the Bread ’N Butter
After a decade pushing his craft to new creative realms, Dallas-based guitarist Andy Timmons is once again purveying original instrumental guitar rock. His 2006 album, Resolution, was his band’s last in that style, and the ensuing 10 years saw him record fusion albums with drummer Simon Phillips along with an acclaimed instrumental version of Sgt. […]
Artists
Richard Tozzoli: Underscore Overlord
Shark Week” Les Pauls, Flying V, et al Richard Tozzoli walks us through a guitar overdub session for Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week ’24,” featuring drummer Omar Hakim and the Budapest Orchest*ra. Recorded by Justin Guipp and Paul Antonell at Clubhouse Studios through the vintage Neve console, he used a Mesa Boogie MK IV head and an Orange […]
Music
Jim Kweskin
Never Too Late: Duets with my Friends
The Jim Kweskin Jug Band was among the most-influential acts of the ’60s folk revival. Its free-spirited mix of retro jug band, jazz, blues, folk and ragtime inspired the Lovin’ Spoonful and Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks. After years away from music, Kweskin launched a solo career focused on his trademark style, centered around […]
VG Approved Gear
Ibanez Artcore AGS73FM and Vintage VSA500HB
Solid Semis
In the past several years, many import guitar brands have improved their build quality while continuing to offer their goods at very friendly prices. They’ve included a variety of semi-hollow guitars priced to attract solidbody devotees interested in testing the waters. We recently had a look at two examples. Ibanez Artcore AGS73FM The Ibanez Artcore […]
VG Approved Gear
The Legendary Tones Lynch Mod
No-mod Hot Rod
Designed for guitarist George Lynch, the Lynch Mod introduces an additional, non-permanent gain stage to the classic Marshall circuit. The device uses two 12ax7 preamp tubes on a base that fits snugly into the V2 socket of classic Marshall amps, including JMP and JCM 800, as well as several reissues. It was Lynch’s idea to […]
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
David Hamburger: masterful playing, 00-18 deep dive
David Hamburger and his ’56 00-18 Singer/songwriter David Hamburger is also an impressive fingerstyle player who knows a great guitar when he plays it. Here, he shares the title track from his new album, “Parisian Blues,” then offers a master-class breakdown of his prized ’56 Martin 00-18 before finishing with “Oofy Walks In.” Be sure […]
VG Approved Gear
3rd Power Dream Weaver
Tone Cubed
3rd Power Dream Weaver Price: $3.299 Info: www.3rdpower.com. Purchasing a new amp is much more than buying a piece of gear – think of it as hiring out a job. In most cases, you hope this new employee will help you sound great, cover the required tonal bases, prove reliable, and have the right amount […]
Classic Instruments
The Watkins Dominator
Crying V
Is there any more stylish vintage amp than the V-front Watkins Dominator? This creation is delightfully twee yet utterly enticing – the allure of its blue-and-cream Rexine covering, gold-threaded grillecloth, and thrusting wedge aesthetics virtually irresistible – and it screams from an age when rock and roll was barely a big-stage event in Britain. Looks […]
Classic Instruments
Music Man’s Hybrid Boogie Amp: The RD-50
Say hey, fellow guitarists! If you live in the Northeast, it’s great to have a hobby that doesn’t require going outside. Two storms in five days of each other dumped a total of 41″ of snow in my backyard, that brings our ground total to 73″. We had to use just our acoustics after the […]
Music
Rory Gallagher
Rory Gallagher 50th Anniversary Edition
Rising appreciation for the late Irish guitar wizard continues with a 50th anniversary/five-disc box of his 1971 solo debut. With pristine sound quality, the collection includes a new mix of the original album; 30 previously unreleased outtakes and alternate takes, a BBC concert and session tracks; and a previously unreleased concert DVD, filmed in Paris […]
Music
Otis Taylor
Fantasizing About Being Black
Otis Taylor has no concern for your discomfort with racial issues. It’s an artist’s duty to reflect the times, and there’s plenty to reflect upon. He skips the antiquated blues coding about devils and mojos, and looks you in the eye with the truth. Taylor’s latest is a recording about the varying levels of racism […]
VG Approved Gear
Cicognani Pompeii PP603
Dimensional Echoes
Cicognani Engineering has been making noise with a terrific lineup of amps and effects, earning raves from notable artists like Robben Ford, Kee Marcello, and Phil Campbell. Their Pompeii PP603 is based on the sought-after Binson Echorec P.E. 603 echo/delay. While the original was used by many artists of the ’70s including Led Zeppelin, Hawkwind, […]
Classic Instruments
Premier Twin 12
Sometimes it takes just the slightest aesthetic twist to get an amp nut all worked up. This 1960 Premier Twin 12 is a case in point; over the years, Premier also made these amps with a straight-edged front fascia, but somehow we’re much more excited to dive into this one, with the “widow’s peak” front […]
Artists
Jack Petruzzelli
Fab Sideman For Osborne, Wainwright, Smith
“The first time the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, I was in my mother’s womb,” says Jack Petruzzelli. “That was February ’64, but then when they appeared the second time I was out of the womb.” What could be more appropriate for the guitarist/keyboardist of the Fab Faux, the spot-on Beatles tribute band featuring Jimmy […]
VG Approved Gear
Best In Tone
The Marshall DSL40CR
In the minds of guitarists, the Marshall name verges on mythic – from Bluesbreakers to plexis, they hold a special place. However, while iconic in terms of tone, they’re also famous for being loud, and sometimes temperamental. Today, guitar-amp technology is about arrays of streamlined circuits that fit into small, gig-friendly enclosures. And while Marshall […]