November 2018

0
November 2018
Subscribe today!
November 2018 VOL. 33 NO. 01

Find what’s in this issue, enter the latest exclusive VG contests, or learn the 3 ways to get your Vintage Guitar fix! Don’t forget to check out VG Classifieds and the playlist for this issue of VG on Youtube.

Table of Contents

One of your favorite albums turns 50! We take a fresh look at Jimi Hendrix’s redoubtable Electric Ladyland! Dave Mason and Jack Casady chime in on its singular influence, while Martin Barre, Mark Farner, Joe Satriani, and Phil Collen reflect on what it meant to them. Luke Mossman explains why Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats sound lively in the studio, we speak with Love guitarist Johnny Echols, examine the cross-pollinating impact of the guitar-banjo (used by the Reverend Gary Davis and Taylor Swift!), and offer studies of the Dean E’Lite Deluxe, Orange Matamp ORST50, and Semie Moseley’s Gospel Guitars. This month’s “Pop ’N Hiss” looks at the infamous Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. Other conversations happen with Vinnie Moore, Ed Littman, Rich Ward, Derek Smalls, Shawn Phillips, Neal Vitullo, and New York jazzer Jonathan Kreisberg and Brazilian fingerstylist Nelson Veras, discussing their the new duet. We pay homage to amp builder Dennis Kager and rockabilly legend Lorrie Collins, and as always, our “Hit List” reviews will shorten your hunt for great new music, while VG Approved Gear makes it easy to find your next “investment.” It’s the highlight of your month – the November issue is available now!

36 12 Frets (Or More) Clear
The Evolution of Martin’s 000-42
The exact origins of the design are lost to history, but guitars with 12 frets clear of the body arose for obvious reasons. We offer a look at how the 000-42 exemplifies “progress” to the 14-fret. | By George Gruhn and Joe Spann

40 Mother of Invention
The Jacobacci Major Ohio Label de Qualité
After World War II, GIs stationed throughout Europe exposed locals to American music propelled by electric guitars. Europeans wanting to play quickly learned that American guitars were hard to find – and expensive. Local makers responded with innovative designs. This is one of them. | By Michael Wright

44 Early Adopter
A Pre-Production Fender Deluxe
Amp-o-philes get excited by flagship Fenders like those with a “TV front” or wide (or narrow!) control panel. But, stepping stones and in-betweens like this one are often even more fascinating. | By Dave Hunter

86 Rusty Anderson
Lefty’s Right-Hand Man
Elite musicians often tell how effort, focus, and musical pliability can reap enormous rewards. For this guitarist, those qualities have led to nearly two decades backing one of his musical heroes. | By Ward Meeker

94 Greg Leon
Hard-Rock Doyen, Wizard Amp Tech
For every player who reaches superstardom, there are a million stories of destiny turned sideways. Forty years ago, Greg Leon was an L.A. shredder who went toe-to-toe with Rhoads, Lynch, and Van Halen. Here’s his story. | By Oscar Jordan

98 Rockabilly Flash
Lorrie Collins’ Martin D-28
With its traditional body, flashy ornamentation, and hole in the top, Lorrie Collins’ Martin D-28 says it all about rockabilly music in the ’50s. | By Walter Carter

App store logo

first fret

14 Reader Mail

18 News and Notes
Di Meola Receives Honorary Degree, Team Josie Winners; In Memoriam

18 Bob Bain
1924-2018

22 Ask Zac

22 Guthrie Trapp
The Adventures Continue

24 Wanda Jackson
Sweet Girl, Nasty Voice

26 Gus G
Fearless Guitar

28 Johnny A.
Me and My Guitars

30 Ian Moore
Looking For The Sound

32 Steve Kimock
San Francisco’s Musical Chameleon

33 Matteo Mancuso
Internet Guitar Phenomenon

departments

Pre-order BEFORE OCT. 8 and you’ll SAVE $5 off the regular price, get the bonus digital edition FREE, and we will ship it to you, BEFORE we ship to stores and online retailers! Pre‑order Now →

48 Vintage Guitar Price Guide

80 VG Guide to Pickups

84 The VG Pickup Giveaway ’18
$2,800 in Prizes!

102 Upcoming Events

116 Vintage Guitar Classifieds

128 Showcase

136 Readers Gallery

Win Big! 13 Sets! 13 Winners! More than $2,800 in prizes! Deadline for entries is October 12, 2018. Enter Now →

columns

52 NEW COLUMN! Pop ’N Hiss
Frampton Comes Alive!

54 The (Way) Back Beat
Patent Poaching: Innovation and Imitation, Featuring Gibson | By Peter S. Kohman

62 Fretprints
Danny Gatton | By Wolf Marshall

68 Acousticville
Great “Truths” of Collecting | By Steven Stone

70 Dan’s Guitar Rx
Pickguard City | By Dan Erlewine

76 Shop of Hard Knocks
Sudden Death: Rebuilding an Output Transformer | By Will Kelly

reviews

108 The VG Hit List
Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Pete Townshend, Steve Marriott, Chicago, Grant Green, Jinx Jones, Dokken, more!

109 Check This Action
All You Need Is Love | By Dan Forte

122 VG Approved Gear
Boss RC-3, Lehle Mono Volume, B&G Little Sister, Fender The Bends/Level Set Buffer, Supro Westbury/Hampton Baritone, Taylor K24ce, Fodera Imperial Deluxe, Harden Bluesmaster

123 Gearin’ Up!
The latest cool new stuff!

FROM READERS

Reader Mail
Send letters to ward@vintageguitar.com or mail to: Vintage Guitar, Inc. Attn: Reader Mail, PO Box 7301, Bismarck ND 58507.

Readers Gallery
Check out the current issue Readers Gallery or VG’s Online Readers Gallery

Send your photos to: ward@VintageGuitar.com or mail to: Vintage Guitar, Inc. Attn: Readers Gallery, P.O. Box 7301, Bismarck, ND 58507.

Readers submit photos with the understanding that they may be used in any VG, Inc. project. Due to the volume of photos we receive, we are unable to return them, please do not send us your only print.

3 WAYS TO GET YOUR VG FIX!

1. Print › › Receive the print edition by subscribing now. Order print copies of the current issue or back issues in the VG Shop.

2. App › › Download the FREE “Vintage Guitar magazine” app at the Apple app Store or Google play. Subscribe to Vintage Guitar through the app or Digital Subscription Service for access to a downloadable version of VG.

3. Browser › › Read for FREE in a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.). The browser edition works on most computers or hand-held devices.

No posts to display