FEATURES

DAVE AMATO
Collect ’Em and Smile
His first guitar was a Harmony, and now the Boston-born guitarist has served REO Speedwagon for 19 years – a gig that has taken him around the world and seen him acquire many classic instruments. By Willie G. Moseley

AMP-O-RAMA
The Maestro GA-45T
Prior to the new millennium you could have landed any early Gibson amp for way under a grand. But the underdogs from the golden years of Yank-built tone are redressing the balance. Get on the bandwagon, now! By Dave Hunter

MARTIN 00-42 SPECIAL
It has all the appointments of a 00-45, but it’s in Martin’s log books as a special-order 00-42. The reason is simple: Martin did not yet have an official Style 45 when this guitar was made in 1902. By George Gruhn and Walter Carter

IN DETAIL
The 1966-’70 Gibson Flying V
Despite the fact the original Flying V was a failure in terms of market acceptance, in ’66 Gibson gave it another shot. With a few changes, Gibson sent the V back to the masses in the ever-changing solidbody market. By Ward Meeker

THE RFT TUBE
Those who plug into Fender amps from the “blackface” period know well the treble spike that makes up part of their character. But if your mood shifts to slightly more mellow, here is a simple solution. By Nathaniel Riverhorse Nakadate

KAYKRAFT STYLE A
Almost any guitar can be viewed in terms of a confluence of influences that produced it, but it’s rare you get one so brimming with those confluences, plus a Sicilian connection, union busting, and even a World’s Fair! All in this guitar! By Michael Wright

BASS SPACE
The Harmony H27
During the ’60s guitar boom, Harmony struggled to combat its image as a “cheapo” manufacturer. Its fanciest production models were hollowbody electrics modeled after Gibson’s ES-335. By Willie G. Moseley

DEPARTMENTS

DEPARTMENTS
Vintage Guitar Price Guide

Builder Profile
Lindy Fralin Pickups

Upcoming Events

Vintage Guitar Classified Ads

Dealer Directory

Readers Gallery

FIRST FRET

FIRST FRET
Reader Mail

News and Notes
Deke’s Geekfest, Specimen/CSGM amp class, Vox teams with Satch, Michigan Guitar Show, In Memoriam, more!

Johnny Hiland
Mr. Versatility
By Ann Wickstrom

Joe Pena
Bad Breakups, Free Guitars
By John Heidt

Reb Beach
By Oscar Jordan

Ask Zac
By Zac Childs

Patterson Hood
Drive-By Truckers Change Gears
By John Heidt

John Tropea
A Life in the Studios
By John Heidt

Winter NAMM ’08
A Look at the Newest and Grooviest!
By Preston Gratiot

COLUMNS

COLUMNS
The (Way) Back Beat
Fab Gear, Pre-Invasion: Guitar Mania in the U.K. – The Selmer-Höfner Connection
By Peter S. Kohman

Q&A With George Gruhn

Acousticville
Blowing Smoke: New “Vintage” Vs. Real
By Steven Stone

“401K” Guitars
Portrait of a Vintage-Guitar Buyer
By Gil Hembree

Guitars With Guts
1863 Antonio de Torres
By R.E. Brune

Fretprints
Jimmy Reed
By Wolf Marshall

TECH

TECH
Guitar Shop
Playtime is Over!
By Tony Nobles

Dan’s Guitar Rx
Flotsam Fever, Part 2
By Dan Erlewine

Talkin’ Amps With…
Billy Yates: Building a Killer Amp for Less Than $200, Part 2
By David Jung

REVIEWS

REVIEWS
The VG Hit List
CD, DVD, and Book Reviews
Popa Chubby, Duke Levine, Larry Carlton with Robben Ford, The Guitar Player Repair Guide, more!

Check This Action
Britacoustifolkicana?
By Dan Forte

Vintage Guitar Gear Reviews
Eastwood EEB-1/EUB-1 basses, SWD Shape Shifter, BBE Soul Vibe, Arteffect Bonnie wah

Gearin’ Up!
The latest cool new stuff!