FEATURES
BILLY F GIBBONS
His L’il Ol’ Band from Texas has been going strong for 30 years, and its latest studio album, Mescalero, and tour prove the band is as potent as ever. With ZZ and the Reverend, it’s always a matter of “expect the unexpected.” By Ward Meeker and Willie G. Moseley
DAVID GRISSOM
Passion + Discipline = Success
More impressive than David Grissom’s diverse, growing resume is his identifiable sound and unique attitude. His style has seeped into the fabric of other session players and sidemen. By Dan Forte
ON “10,“ AS ALWAYS
Peter Stroud keeps his feet, and keeps movin’
He has played with Dreams So Real, Pete Droge, Don Henley, and Sheryl Crow. It’s the latter gig that occupies his playing time these days, while much of his “down” time is spent building amplifiers. By Ward Meeker
JOHN5’S TWISTED TELE TALES
Solo debut proves looks can be deceiving
Don’t let his stage persona fool you. Underneath that peroxide-white hair, sinister colored contact lenses, and high-priest-of-evil wardrobe breathes one impressive – and versatile – guitarist. By Ken Johnson
SUPERTONE GENE AUTRY ROUNDUP
In 1932, Sears commissioned Harmony to build a guitar for the famous singing cowboy, complete with images of cattle and Autry’s signature on the belly. By Michael Wright
STROMBERG MASTER 400
Considered by many to be the ultimate orchestral rhythm guitar, these very rare instruments are among the most sought-after, and possess a sound epitomized by a power and projection unsurpassed by any other archtop acoustic. By George Gruhn
BASS SPACE
1967 Fender Coronado II
A historical instrument, relatively collectible for its own inherent reasons, Fender‘s hollowbody bass makes for a nice piece of eye candy. But sometimes, looks ain’t everything! By Willie G. Moseley
THE DIFFERENT STRUMMER
On The Go: Guitars with “Close-Proximity” Amps
There’s nothing more fundamental to American culture than mobility. So it’s no surprise that various guitar designers created models of portability by combining the guitar and its own amplification. By Michael Wright
FLAMES, QUILTS, AND “10” TOPS
An inside look at the PRS factory
For most, Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay brings to mind crab cakes and sailboats. But just a stone’s throw from the water lies the Paul Reed Smith guitar factory, with its McCartys, Eagles, and Dragons. By Pete Prown
DEPARTMENTS
Dealer News
Vintage Guitar Price Guide
Builder Profile
Wilkins Guitar Finishes
Upcoming Events
Vintage Guitar Classified Ads
Dealer Directory
The Great VG Giveaway
Win a bevy of Electro-Harmonix gear worth more than $2,000!
Readers Gallery
FIRST FRET
Reader Mail
News and Notes
Mother Maybelle guitar donated, The Maine Event, EMP Dylan exhibit, Queen on RockWalk, Stolen Gear, In Memoriam, more!
Anson Funderburgh
By Dan Forte
Executive Rock
“I Don’t Deserve This”
By Willie G. Moseley
Smith, Guild Make History
…again
By Wolf Marshall
Warren Haynes
Back on the Mule
By Ward Meeker
Viewpoints
Gibson v. PRS
By George Gruhn
Aubrey Ghent
Master of the Sacred Steel Guitar
By Rick Vito
COLUMNS
Q&A With George Gruhn
Acousticville
Thoughts on Collecting
By Steven Stone
FretPrints
Cliff Gallup
By Wolf Marshall
Gigmeister
The Line 6 POD
Designed With Musicians in Mind: Apple’s eMac
TECH
Dan’s Guitar Rx
Fixing “Tuffy”
By Dan Erlewine
The Bitter Ol’ Guitar Curmudgeon
Guitar 101, Part II
By Stephen White
Guitar Shop
Proper Care of a Raw-Wood Axe
By Tony Nobles
Amps
Understanding Tube Electronics, Part II
By Gerald Weber
Ask Gerald
By Gerald Weber
REVIEWS
The VG Hit List
Music, Book and Video Reviews: Faces, Hendrix, John Fogerty, Tony Joe White, Webb Wilder, Gipsy Kings, Ricky Skaggs, New Guitar Summit, Art That Sings, more!
Check This Action
Go Out With a Twang!
Dan Forte
Vintage Guitar Gear Reviews
Hallmark SweptWing, JLH AxeTrak, Wayne lap steel, Pick-up The World Poly-Mag!
Gearin’ Up!
The latest cool new stuff!