• Seymour Duncan Announces the Slash 3.0 Pickup Set

    Seymour Duncan Announces the Slash 3.0 Pickup Set

    SANTA BARBARA, January 13th, 2026 – Seymour Duncan, a leading manufacturer of guitar and bass pickups, effects pedals, and pedal amps, is proud to announce that the Slash 3.0 Pickup…

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  • Thomas Custom Guitars

    Thomas Custom Guitars

    Rarities from the Pacific Northwest

    Certain makes and models of electric guitars are rightfully prized for their elegant physical designs and superior craftsmanship. Even better are those also revered for their playability and particularly rich…

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  • Super PickupGiveaway 2025

    Super PickupGiveaway 2025

    Win Big! 11 Sets! 11 Winners! Win a set of pickups from one of these sponsors: Deadline is March 15, 2026. Complete the survey below to enter giveaway. One entry…

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100 Years of Boston’s MFA

Playable Exhibits

May 9, 2019 · Michael Wright

Musical instruments – guitars – present an interesting philosophical dichotomy. On one hand, they’re utilitarian objects whose very purpose –…

Anthony Gomes

Blues, Rock, and Joy

October 4, 2023 · Oscar Jordan

Blues-rock connoisseur Anthony Gomes stays on point with his latest, High Voltage Blues. Leaning into the heavier side, Gomes’ feisty…

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2015 Readers’ Choice Awards

February 15, 1990 · Vintage Guitar

Each year, VG asks readers to select Readers’ Choice winners for Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, and…

Webb Wilder’s take on “Beautiful Delilah”

November 3, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

“Hillbilly Speedball” sample Since the mid ’80s, Webb Wilder has cranked out consistently fine roots-rock. His latest is “Hillbilly Speedball,”…

Lightnin’ Malcolm’s One-Man Wizardry

March 24, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

First-Rate Blues with Juke Joint Swagger Lightnin’ Malcolm learned blues first-hand from legends of the genre, and it shows! Here,…

Classics – June 2021

February 7, 2022 · Ward Meeker

Rob Harrelson’s first guitar – a Kay 1160 – entered his life as a 14th-birthday gift from his grandmother. At…

  • Super PickupGiveaway 2025

    Super PickupGiveaway 2025

    Win Big! 11 Sets! 11 Winners! Win a set of pickups from one of these sponsors: Deadline is March 15, 2026. Complete the survey below to enter giveaway. One entry…

    Read more >>

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ARTISTS

Fretprints: Ty Tabor

X Marks the Spot

June 14, 2024 · Wolf Marshall

The turbulent 1980s ended with a tsunami of bands seeking new sounds. Trends like classic-rock redux, blues/roots revivals, nu-metal, grunge,…

Fretprints: Yngwie Malmsteen

Alcatrazz and the Birth of Bach and Roll

July 22, 2022 · Wolf Marshall

Los Angeles, 1983. The rock community was a land devastated by the bombast of L.A. metal – Eddie Van Halen,…

Gregg Wright

King of the Rockin’ Blues

November 18, 2014 · Oscar Jordan

Gregg Wright is a force to be reckoned with. He took the top spot in the Southern California Blues Society’s…

Bernie Marsden

1951-2023

July 11, 2024 · Bret Adams

Bernie Marsden, one of the founding guitarists of Whitesnake, co-writer of the band’s massive hit “Here I Go Again,” and…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

1962 Premier E-727

April 24, 2024 · Michael Wright

One of the least un-derstood aspects of American guitar history is the role of musical instrument distributors. It’s one thing…

Carvin DN640K

January 27, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

Doubleneck instruments have always been a unique niche in the guitar market, for good reason. They’ve also carried an air…

Vintage Instrument Research

An Ever-Changing Landscape

May 9, 2019 · George Gruhn

Fretted instruments can be examined in much the same way as zoological taxonomist or forensic pathologist would approach them. They…

Vintage Instruments and the Ban on Ivory Trade

Vintage Instruments and the Ban on Ivory Trade

February 3, 2016 · George Gruhn

A presidential executive order issued February 11 proposes a wide ban on trade in ivory has widespread implications for trade…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

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Bohemian Boho Moonshine

In The Can

June 9, 2016 · Stephen Stone

Here at VG, we see all manner of guitars – those made out of steel, graphite, even animal shells. But…

TWA Hot Sakè and Dynamorph

Circuit City

April 23, 2019 · Pete Prown

Totally Wycked Audio (TWA) builds a line of cool stompboxes that consistently push the envelope in the right direction. Two…

Martin OM-28 Authentic 1931

Martin OM-28 Authentic 1931

Vintage Revolution

July 7, 2016 · Pete Prown

If you’ve ever played a fine vintage guitar, you know how two things jump out at you immediately: 1) they’re…

Peekamoose Model 3

Modern Retro

August 9, 2016 · Pete Prown

There’s no shortage of cool, retro-looking solidbodies on the market today, from the big guys as well as the increasing…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Park 75

November 13, 2015 · Dave Hunter

Park 75 Preamp tubes: three ECC83 (12AX7 equivalents) Output tubes: two KT88 Rectifier: solidstate Controls: Volume II, Volume I, Treble,…

Nate Bergman

Skankin’ With Lionize

November 12, 2014 · Oscar Jordan

The members of Lionize blend heavy rock with reggae to create infectious tunes… kind of like if the guys in…

Scott T. Jones

Midwest Fusion Ace

November 3, 2022 · Pete Prown

A lot of guitarists aspire to play jazz-rock, but it’s a high bar. Based in St. Louis, Scott T. Jones…

Instro-Meister Eric Penna

September 7, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Blues Switch-Up in Trabants Eric Penna’s main gig is playing bass for the garage/surf band Insect Surfers, but he side-hustles…

Creedence Clearwater Revival

At The Royal Albert Hall

August 1, 2023 · Michael Dregni

Stop the presses! New CCR is big news, and for one big reason – rarity. Beyond the band’s seven studio…

Schertler’s JAM 150

Schertler’s JAM 150

Plays Well with Others

October 21, 2015 · Rich Maloof

Schertler’s JAM150 Price: $1,249.99 (list); $999.99 (street) Info: www.schertler.com Schertler’s JAM150 is a compact combo amp capable of pulling double-duty…

Neal Schon

Spacesaver Sale

April 6, 2022 · Ward Meeker

Eyebrows raise with news that a superstar guitar collector is preparing to sell iconic instruments. Alarms might trigger, even. But…

Jared James Nichols

Jared James Nichols

June 19, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

Pentatonic beast and Gibson ambassador Jared James Nichols’ third album bristles with out-of-the-box soloing amidst crafty tunes where blues-rock meets…

The Peavey ValveKing II Micro-head 20-Watt Amplifier

The Peavey ValveKing II Micro-head 20-Watt Amplifier

Royal Rock

May 5, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

The Peavey ValveKing II Micro-head 20-Watt Amplifier Price: $429.99 Contact: www.peavey.com Famous for their sturdy build and quality overdriven sounds,…

Luker Chameleon Combo

The Luker Chameleon Combo

True to Its Colors

September 2, 2015 · Bob Dragich

The Luker Chameleon Combo Price: $1,850 (list) Contact: www.lukeramps.com Considering the state of modern vacuum tubes, a surprising number of…

Ted Nugent 1962 Gibson Byrdland

Ted Nugent’s 1962 Gibson Byrdland

November 12, 2015 · Willie G. Moseley

Anyone who’s ever caught Ted Nugent on tour has seen this instrument, and during the Summer of 2003 it was…

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters

November 1, 2016 · Rich Kienzle

On this latest album, Ronnie Earl and his band freely and unabashedly mourn and honor the late David Maxwell, the…

Southern Boogie from Chickasaw Mudd Puppies

August 30, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

Band jams on acoustic “Flatcar” take “The South is a complex and nuanced place,” says Ben Reynolds of his native…

Ace Frehley

July 6, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Ace is back – and he told you so! The former Kiss guitarist shares a buffet of the gems that…

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Laying Down the Blues

April 24, 2019 · Greg Prato

Blues-rock suffered a blow in 1990 with the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan. But later in the decade, a crop…

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…

Bergen Guitars ST and TL

Messing with Perfection

March 4, 2014 · Chip Wilson

Bergen Guitars ST and TL Price: $2,195 (ST, base)/$2,595 (as tested); $1,895 (TL, base)/$2,295 (as tested) Info: www.bergenguitars.com. If your…

Pop ’N Hiss: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s (Pronounced ‘Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd’)

Down-South Guitar Assault

March 31, 2023 · Willie G. Moseley

By early 1973, “Southern Rock” had come into its own, spearheaded by Capricorn Records and its keystone act, the Allman…

The Supro Delta King 10

Down To The Crossroads

April 29, 2022 · Bob Dragich

With the increasing popularity of compact, low-wattage combo amps has come an overwhelming variety of choices. Supro has entered the…

James Elkington

Windy City Diversity

September 15, 2014 · Willie G. Moseley

James Elkington tweaked the paradigm when he began working at a luthier shop before hitting his stride as a guitarist.…

BAKERSFIELD-HOME-MAIN-BIG

Basses from Bakersfield

March 4, 2014 · Willie G. Moseley

The history of guitar manufacturing in the Bakersfield area of California includes names like Mosrite, Hallmark, and Standel. One of…

Eric Krasno

Always

October 27, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

On his fourth full-length solo record, two-time Grammy winner Krasno continues to explore the subdivisions of blues, soul, funk, and…

Luker Chameleon Combo

The Luker Chameleon Combo

True to Its Colors

September 2, 2015 · Bob Dragich

The Luker Chameleon Combo Price: $1,850 (list) Contact: www.lukeramps.com Considering the state of modern vacuum tubes, a surprising number of…

Ray Cummins demonstrates Chet Atkins fingerstyle tune “Good Old Summertime”

Chet Atkins – Good Old Summertime

August 6, 2016 · Ray Cummins

Ray Cummins demonstrates Chet Atkins fingerstyle tune “Good Old Summertime” In his first exclusive video tutorial for VG Online, Ray…

St. Moritz Stereo

December 9, 2021 · Michael Wright

The notion of a stereo guitar became almost implicit when guitars started having two pickups. But it didn’t become a…

EHX String9

Orchestral Stomp

September 11, 2023 · Pete Prown

The EHX String9 String Ensemble lets guitar players create electronic-string sounds, in full polyphony and without requiring a special pickup…

Steve Miller

Some People Call Him Rock Icon, Part 2

February 20, 2015 · Ward Meeker

Though obviously a familiar name given his hits from the 1970s and ’80s were FM staples and today are virtually…

D’Angelico New Yorker

Top of the Line from a Master Builder

January 8, 2018 · George Gruhn

Having earned its place in the VG Hall of Fame as one of the finest guitars in the history of…

Hallmark Swept-Wing

Brief Flight from South of Bakersfield

March 31, 2017 · Willie G. Moseley

Bob Shade exemplifies the adage “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” The guitar builder has an enviable assortment of…