FEATURES
STEVE LUKATHER
Solid-Gold Guitar Slinger
A chops monster who epitomizes taste and understatement, he’s also an international pop star and a hard-rocking muso. And his ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard is one of the most-heard guitars on Earth!. By Wolf Marshall
AMP-O-RAMA
The Vox AC4
Practice amps, student amps, beginner amps… little fellas like this have attained elevated status in recent years because as many have long known, they can be squeezed for sweet, juicy tone all day long. By Dave Hunter
GIBSON LES PAUL SPECIAL 3/4
This double-cut from 1959 is one of the rarest Les Pauls from the “golden era” of 1952-’60. It’s also one of the more unusual in that it may well be the worst-designed of that era’s classic models. By George Gruhn and Walter Carter
LLOYD GREEN
From the A Team to Americana
One of Music Row’s legendary A-team of first-call studio musicians, his edgy, aggressive pedal-steel graced countless singles and albums. He recently found a second wind, allowing him to continue to innovate. By Rich Kienzle
THE STROMBERG ELECTRO
The first commercially manufactured electric guitar used an electromagnet to convert its top vibration into electrical impulses. It was not new technology, but unlike previous instruments, this guitar was actually marketed for sale to the public. By Lynn Wheelwright
LA BAYE 2X4 “SIX”
1967. Racial and gender equality, Fresh Cream, the Beatles’ best record, Jimi Hendrix… What a difference the next year would bring! And that applied to guitars. None more than this classic minimalist axe – just one of the many great American guitar stories! By Michael Wright
BASS SPACE
G&L’s Climax and LB-100
Introduced in ’93, these two latter-day Leo Fender designs were quite different from each other, much like their respective forebears, the Music Man Sting Ray and Fender Precision. By Willie G. Moseley
DEPARTMENTS
Vintage Guitar Price Guide
Builder Profile
Tweak Head Technology
Upcoming Events
Vintage Guitar Classified Ads
Dealer Directory
Readers Gallery
FIRST FRET
Reader Mail
News and Notes
SoCal’s First TrueTennany, Fender Acquires Groove Tubes, “Soundstage” on DVD, In Memoriam, more!
Bo Diddley
1928-2008
Joe Moss
Adding to the Book
By John Heidt
Michael Burks
Give Up Your Day Job!
By John Heidt
Ask Zac
By Zac Childs
Sonny Landreth
And the Ultimate Guitar Summit
By Dan Forte
Albert Castiglia
South Florida Blues
By Willie G. Moseley
The California Guitar Trio
New Frontiers From the Acoustic Innovators
By Pete Prown
COLUMNS
The (Way) Back Beat
The Offbeat Jaywalker: The Pete “Buzz” Miller Story, Part I
By Peter S. Kohman
Q&A With George Gruhn
Acousticville
So You Want to Be a Recording Star?
By Steven Stone
Guitars With Guts
Patron Saints
By R.E. Bruné
“401K” Guitars
Kustom Amps
By Gil Hembree
Fretprints
Ed Bickert
By Wolf Marshall
TECH
Dan’s Guitar Rx
Funky Bushings on a ’59 Strat
By Dan Erlewine
Talkin’ Amps With…
Chris Johnson: Hollywood Studio Rentals and “Re-Amping”
By David Jung
REVIEWS
The VG Hit List
CD, DVD, and Book Reviews
Hacienda Brothers, The Replacements, Love, John 5, Tommy Emmanuel, Framus: Built in the Heart of Bavaria, more!
Check This Action
Hawaiian Punch
By Dan Forte
Vintage Guitar Gear Reviews
Fender ’57 Amp, Gadotti Nylon String King, Sonic Research Turbo Tuner, Yamaha EZ-AG
Gearin’ Up!
The latest cool new stuff!