Duke Robillard’s Swingin’ R And B!

June 14, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

 Blues/Jazz Great Jams on “Four Bills” Duke Robillard’s custom-made J.W. Murphy 17” archtop is the perfect accomplice for this…

Nicolas Meier

Jeff Beck Sideman Steps Out

March 2, 2017 · Pete Prown

If you’ve been to a Jeff Beck concert in the past few years, you may have said to yourself, “Who’s…

Jim Lauderdale & The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

The Long and Lones-ome Letting Go

October 29, 2024 · R.K. Watkins

Bluegrass became part of Lauderdale’s oeuvre decades ago through his collaborations with Ralph Stanley and Roland White. East Tennessee’s Grammy-nominated…

Steinar Karlsen

Nordic Surf Slinger

March 2, 2017 · Pete Prown

Scandinavia is no stranger to good “instro” music. The past 60 years have produced guitar-fueled legends like the Spotnicks (Sweden),…

This Band Has No Past: How Cheap Trick Became Cheap Trick

Brian J. Kramp

September 12, 2023 · Bret Adams

Bearing an incredibly accurate subtitle, the story told here is presented mostly as an oral history, loaded with minutiae about…

Mesa/Boogie Drive Pedals

Four on the Floor

December 19, 2014 · Phil Feser

Mesa/Boogie Drive Pedals Price: $179 (Tone-Burst, Grid Slammer and Flux-Drive); $199 (Throttle Box) Info: www.mesaboogie.com. Long a stalwart in the…

  • Carr Skylark Special 1×12

    Carr Skylark Special 1×12

    Take Flight

    Arriving a little more than 10 years after the original Skylark, Carr Amplifiers’ new Skylark Special adds versatility and enhanced tonal depths to squeeze a lot more into this diminutive…

    Read more >>

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ARTISTS

Mike Campbell

Little Movies

May 30, 2025 · Oscar Jordan

Longtime Tom Petty right-hand man Mike Campbell’s new album, Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits, is a cinematic, guitar-heavy offering with irresistible…

Sue Foley

Still Playing Pinky

September 8, 2022 · Michael Dregni

Sue Foley’s Paisley-finished Telecaster is the one guitar to which she has remained true since her debut album, Young Girl…

Chris Spedding

Chris Spedding

Convergence of Legends and Friends

March 23, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

The career of guitarist Chris Spedding has spanned more than four decades and included a commendable solo career, a stint…

“Buy That Guitar” podcast with special guest Alan Greenwood

January 14, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

Season 02 Episode 1 VG’s “Buy That Guitar” podcast opens its second season with host Ram Tuli joined by Alan…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Vox Symphonic Bass

Fender Bender

July 12, 2023 · Peter Stuart Kohman

Despite the way collectors and dealers freely apply the term “lawsuit guitars,” documented examples are few. One time it did…

Round-Up Range

Rolling on a Post-Pandemic Project

May 13, 2025 · Dan Erlewine

Five years ago, I started making a Tele-style guitar inspired by the Gretsch Roundup. When Covid hit, I was up…

1963 Fender 6G7-A Bandmaster

Last of the Oxbloods

May 2, 2024 · Dave Hunter

Those who love vintage amplifiers are often fascinated by little anomalies that present themselves in an otherwise period-correct specimen, and…

Classics: August 2021

Guild F-20 Troubadour and Dan Armstong Lucite

April 4, 2022 · Ward Meeker

John Wiley couldn’t have known it then, but when his parents rewarded two years of applying himself to guitar lessons…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Marshall JCM800 2203

Marshall JCM800 2203

May 2, 2016 · Dave Hunter

Preamp tubes: three ECC83. Output tubes: four 6550. Rectifier: solidstate Controls: Pre-Amp Volume, Master Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Presence. Speakers:…

GizmoAudio’s Ripsaw and Sawmill Jr.

GizmoAudio’s Ripsaw and Sawmill Jr.

Just Like the First Time

January 7, 2016 · Ray Wuolo

Durham Electronics’ ReddVerb Price: $180 each (list) Info: www.gizmoaudio.com Most guitar players’ first pedal was a distortion/OD, often acquired after…

Carr Amplifiers’ Mercury V

Carolina Combo

April 16, 2019 · Ray Wuolo

Back in June 2003, Carr’s original eight-watt Mercury combo earned high praise in VG for its top-of-the-line components, attention to…

JangleBox Acousticomp

Sweet Woodiness

November 26, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

Compression and sustain are the icing on most guitarist’s tonal palette. While many use such effects in service of electric…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Fishman AFX Pedals

Tiny Tools

June 26, 2024 · Pete Prown

The shrinkologists at Fishman recently introduced a line of mini AFX pedals that do many jobs in an acoustic/electric guitar…

Eric Clapton

The Definitive 24 Nights

May 13, 2024 · Bret Adams

This box set heavily expands Slowhand’s 24 Nights, the live album and video of Eric Clapton’s 1990-’91 residencies at London’s…

ZT Amplifiers’ Lunchbox Junior

Tasty Treat

September 29, 2013 · Erik Elkins

ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Junior Price: $149 (street) Info: www.ztamplifiers.com. ZT Amplifiers is known for producing compact amps that generate sounds…

Rickenbacker Guitars: Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fireglo

Martin Kelly and Paul Kelly

January 17, 2023 · Michael Dregni

At long last, Rickenbacker gets the treatment it deserves, with this glorious large, comprehensive, and colorful history of the guitars,…

Phil Chen

1946-2021

November 3, 2022 · Dan Forte

His business card read “Phil Chen De Bassman,” and his picks had “OD” after his name, standing for the Order…

Dave Mustainen

Alive and Shredding

June 5, 2023 · Bret Adams

One of the most rugged, resilient rock musicians ever, Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine is a thrash-metal pioneer who has weathered…

EKO 995

February 22, 2012 · Willie G. Moseley

The Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February of 1964 is often referred to as the most important…

Snarky Puppy’s Mark Lettieri

December 30, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

Empire Central: Funky homage to Dallas Snarky Puppy guitarist Mark Lettieri took a minute at soundcheck to use his PRS…

Ampeg Gemini II G-15

Ampeg Gemini II G-15

April 5, 2016 · Dave Hunter

Preamp tubes: three 12AX7, one 6CG7, one 7199. Output tubes: two 7868. Rectifier: solidstate Controls: volume, treble and bass on…

Don Leady, Austin Legend

February 7, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

One of Texas’ “Big Guitars” on “Rattler Run” Co-founder of the LeRoi Brothers, leader of the Tail Gators, and one…

Vintage Guitar magazine, Podcast, Have Guitar Will Travel, James Patrick Regan, Jennifer Batten, Gretchen Menn, Nili Brosh

Have Guitar Will Travel – 019 Featuring Jennifer Batten, Gretchen Menn, and Nili Brosh

November 26, 2019 · James Patrick Regan

In this episode of “Have Guitar Will Travel,” host James Patrick Regan sits with Jennifer Batten, Gretchen Menn, and Nili…

Positive Grid’s Bias Head

Tone-Tweaker’s Dream

May 21, 2019 · Pete Prown

Designed to be a dream machine for players who just love to “experiment” with tone, the Positive Grid Bias Head…

Godin A6 Ultra Baritone

Sub Sandwich

February 9, 2023 · Pete Prown

The basic premise of a baritone is that it allows guitar players to occasionally twang genuine bass notes – not…

Mustangs of the West

Down at the Palomino

January 9, 2025 · Oscar Jordan

Los Angeles’ all-female country quintet has a new record featuring 12 super-cool songs. Produced by Kirk Pasich and Colin Devlin,…

2022 December Issue on Spotify

December 2, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

This month we feature Smith/Kotzen, Jeff Berlin, Mike Morgan, Marty Robins, The Sheepdogs, GA-20, Rolling Stones, Marshall Tucker Band, Creedence…

Orianthi

The Power Of O

February 3, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

On Orianthi’s latest album, O, the fierce guitar slinger injects mass quantities of blues-rock fury into a contemporary pop-music setting.…

Tom Feldmann

October 28, 2014 · Michael Dregni

“And the Oscar goes to…” If they gave out Academy Awards for the best guitar instructional film, Tom Feldmann’s latest…

Stanley Clarke

Stanley Clarke

Godfather of Bass

February 2, 2016 · Ward Meeker

Despite being widely credited for pushing the electric bass past its status as a rear-of-the-stage device intended to simply help…

Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos

Various artists

June 19, 2024 · Michael Dregni

You may think you know Stax, but this seven-CD set of 146 tracks (140 never before released) proves again how…

Pop ’N Hiss: Humble Pie’s Smokin’

Free Wailin’

October 11, 2023 · Bret Adams

British rockers Humble Pie were steeped in blues and R&B influences that coursed through vocalist/rhythm guitarist Steve Marriott. When they…

Phil Collen

Diamond Mine

March 30, 2023 · Bret Adams

Few groups radiate the sheer joy of being a famous, hard-working rock band than Def Leppard. The Rock and Roll…

B&G Guitars’ Caletta Standard Build

Small But Mighty

December 8, 2022 · Rich Maloof

B&G Guitars are made in Tel Aviv by a talented shop that translates the best traits of traditional guitars into…

Home Feature Image

Traynor YBA-2 Bass Mate

May 10, 2016 · Dave Hunter

Canadian amp maker Traynor gets a lot of respect in some circles for turning out solid, good-sounding tube amps that…

Jonny Wickersham

Jonny Wickersham

Social D Guitarist Does ’70s Cali Rock

March 21, 2016 · Dennis Pernu

Best known as the Les Paul Junior-slinging guitarist stage left of Mike Ness in Social Distortion, Jonny “Two Bags” Wickersham…

Steve Boone

Low-end with the Lovin’ Spoonful

September 9, 2024 · Willie G. Moseley

 The iconic quartet known as the Lovin’ Spoonful germinated in New York City’s Greenwich Village in the mid ’60s and…

Extreme

Six

March 20, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

Extreme’s sixth studio album – their first since 2008’s Saudades de Rock – was a long time coming. With only…

(No title)

March 16, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

 Alex Aguilar’s Master-Volume Les Paul Some might think it sacrilege, but in his March “Guitar Rx” column, Dan Erlewine…

Roland V-Studio 20

The Roland V-Studio 20

January 13, 2014 · Pete Prown

Roland V-Studio 20 Price: $300 (street) Info: www.rolandus.com. Home digital recording has come a long way in the last 20…

Kevn Kinney

Kevn Kinney

Small 'N Happy

December 14, 2015 · Ward Meeker

As any fan of Drivin ’N Cryin can attest, Kevn Kinney at his creative best surrenders little to the greatest…