FEATURES

Billy Sheehan
New Music, Old-School basses
Accompanied by a 1970 Fender Precision Bass, he has been a standout in four decades, including tapping toe-to-toe with Steve Vai. He harbors a special love for baritone instruments, which have become the musical foundation for his solo work. By Lisa Sharken

The Supro S6651 Big Star
When it comes to ’60s kitchen kitsch, this amp, with its Formica styling, gas-cooker knobs, chrome, and an emblem seemingly lifted off a fridge door, is hard to beat. And being a Valco product, it naturally sounds great. By Dave Hunter

The Rosewood Dobro In the ’30s, Dobro went through a series of ownership changes and did not strictly follow specifications. So it’s not surprising to find birch, mahogany, walnut, spruce, or faux-grain wood on its pre-war models. But rosewood is out of character! By George Gruhn and Walter Carter

Dennis Kager
techy’s brain, musician’s heart
Amplifiers became his passion 45 years ago, and he has witnessed the zeitgeist surrounding the combination of guitar and amp. Player first, then builder, the duality strengthened and shaped his concept of sound and how to achieve it. By P.J. Cotroneo

Tiny Moore’s 1952 Bigbsy Mandolin
Born into a musical family, as a child he played fiddle. But as a young man, he saw Leo Raley and his electric mandolin in the Texas Wanderers – and his focus then changed! By Deke Dickerson

The Guild M-85-II
Founded by a “jazz guy,” Guild’s early guitars were designed to suit the form, so it didn’t begin making solidbody electrics until the early ’60s. In ’67, it launched this instrument, sibling of its popular M-75 BluesBird. By Willie G. Moseley

The B.C. Rich Seagull
Until companies like B.C. Rich came along,electric guitars were mostly just ergonomically stretched Spanish-style guitars. But this guitar fits a continuum that mirrors a wider evolution. By Michael Wright

DEPARTMENTS

Vintage Guitar Price Guide

Builder Profile
Manndolins

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Dealer Directory

Readers Gallery

FIRST FRET

Reader Mail

News and Notes
Santana, GC help food banks, Gibbons Stuck in Tube, Arlington ’09, Stolen Gear, more!

the house that rock built Rock HoF Jams on DVD
By Dan Forte

billy pittman
Staying Grounded in Tilt-A-Whirl
By Rob Roberge

Ask Zac
By Zac Childs

rusty anderson
The Long and Winding Road
By John Heidt

ace frehley
Back From Space
By Lisa Sharken

doug lubahn
Four Strings for The Doors
By Willie G. Moseley

david wilcox
Olson Devotee
By Steven Stone

COLUMNS

The (Way) Back Beat
Rickenbacker’s Art Deco Plastic Family
By Peter S. Kohman

Q&A With George Gruhn

Fretprints
Richie Blackmore: The Rainbow Years
By Wolf Marshall

Guitars with Guts
Bridging the Gap
By R.E. Bruné

Acousticville
Arlington ’09: How Do You Start a Flood?
By Steven Stone

“401K” Guitars
In Search of the “Market Bottom”
By Gil Hembree

TECH

Talkin’ Amps With…
Blackie Pagano: Secrets to Vintage Tone, Part II
By David Jung

Dan’s Guitar Rx
Something Old, Something New, Part IV
By Dan Erlewine

Shop of Hard Knocks
Meet the “Omnicaster”
By Will Kelly

REVIEWS

The VG Hit List
CD, DVD, and Book Reviews: Brian Setzer, Steve Morse, Wilco, Kentucky Headhunters, Sean Costello, Jim Weider, Arlen Roth, Six-String Heroes, more!

Check This Action
The New Lost City Ramblers
By Dan Forte

Vintage Guitar Gear Reviews
BC Audio Amplifier No. 7, Squier Jagmaster, Eastwood RS-II, SWR Marcus Miller Preamp, Gold Tone BT-2000/GM-6, Seagull Coastline S12, Takamine G Series, Bluesman ’62 Stack Knob J Style, Mojotone Convertible Strat Pickups, Planet Waves Humidipak

Gearin’ Up!
The latest cool new stuff!