Ram Tuli Crunches Numbers for The Guide

Strats and Data

June 11, 2024 · Ward Meeker

Combine a knack for numbers with a love of old guitars and you get… well, you might get any of…

Fender Vaporizer Amp

Fender Vaporizer Amp

Retro on 11

March 9, 2015 · Phil Feser

Fender’s Vaporizer Amp Price: $399.99 (street) Info: www.fender.com Given the popularity of smartphones, tablets, digital recorders, and amp modeling in…

The Routes

Mesmerised

March 31, 2022 · Michael Dregni

Color the Routes’ mastermind Chris Jack’s music how you like: vintage-y, psychedelia, joyfully and unapologetically garage. But be sure to…

Grez Mendocino Short Scale Bass

Time-Machine Tone

April 3, 2023 · Michael Shirek

In the beginning, there was the Precision Bass. Following Leo Fender’s revelation, things branched out in all directions as builders…

John Leventhal

Ready to Rumble

December 13, 2024 · Rich Kienzle

“I’ve been lucky enough to make a career co-writing and producing records with great singers and lyricists, John Leventhal explains.…

Fender Micro Mustang

May 10, 2022 · Dennis Pernu

Fender’s Micro Mustang is a pocket-sized contraption offering 12 amplifier models including classic Fender, “British,” and “American,” along with 12…

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ARTISTS

Happy Traum

Folk Guru: 1936-2024

June 25, 2025 · Dan Forte

On July 17, folk music lost one of its guiding lights with the death of Happy Traum at age 86.…

B.J. Baartmans shares his “Cabin Fever”

December 13, 2022 · Vintage Guitar

The Space Age Travellers: Eclectic Instro B.J. Baartmans’ trio, The Space Age Travellers, defies genre labelling. Here, he uses his…

Prodigal Sunburst

Joe Walsh Reunites with a ’59 Les Paul Standard

March 9, 2023 · Ward Meeker

A master of delivering crystal-clear musical messages with an off-kilter wit, whether talking, singing, picking, or sliding on guitar, everything…

Midge Ure

Midge Ure

Many Facets and Musical Stylings

February 28, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

Humanitarian, activist, guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Midge Ure has been a vital performer since the ’70s. Former guitarist/vocalist for Ultravox,…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

Matchless Superchief 120

May 30, 2017 · Dave Hunter

A maker at the forefront of the “boutique amp” movement, Matchless is known for its Class-A designs – that is,…

Classics: September 2022

Danny Gatton’s ES-295

May 9, 2023 · Ward Meeker

Glenn Holley was just five years old when he became infatuated with the sound of rockabilly music thanks to Elvis…

Mel Bay D’Aquisto

Teacher’s Aid

March 28, 2019 · George Gruhn

Melbourne “Mel” Bay (1913-1997) began his musical career at the age of 13 in his hometown of Bunker, Missouri. Largely…

The RFT 12AX7

The Righteous Flame-throwin’ Tube

July 1, 2020 · Nathaniel Riverhorse Nakadate

“…there is a time and place for that out-front spank, but if your mood shifts to slightly more mellow, there…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

OVERTURE-JS_HOME-MAIN-BIG

Overture JS-Session

Do-It-All Guitar?

August 5, 2013 · Sean OBryan Smith

Overture JS-Session Price: $ 1,499. Info: overtureguitars.com When designing a new guitar, builders often face a quandary. Some go to…

Way Huge Saffron Squeeze MkII

Way Huge Saffron Squeeze MkII

Fresh-squeezed

July 7, 2016 · Oscar Jordan

Twenty years after its launch, the Way Huge Saffron Squeeze compressor has been improved upon. Doing fierce business with an…

SviSound’a Overdrive OverZoid oz01

Svi Sound’s Overdrive OverZoid oz01

Full Steam

March 9, 2016 · Rich Maloof

SviSound’a Overdrive OverZoid oz01 Price: $165 (list) Contact: www.svisound.com Tonally and aesthetically, SviSound’s Overdrive OverZoid is a study in good…

The Chase Bliss Clean

Posh Squash

December 5, 2025 · Pete Prown

With is Clean compressor, Chase Bliss set out to create a pedal that would duplicate the vivid interactivity of a…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

Looks Aren’t Everything

Ugly Amps Big Ugly 50 and 100

April 15, 2020 · Phil Feser

Steve O’Boyle got his start converting old tube PA heads into guitar amps. Flash forward nearly 17 years and O’Boyle…

Mary Osborne

Charlie’s Angel

July 9, 2014 · Jim Carlton

Jazz guitar pioneer Mary Osborne was the only female guitarist to realize a significant impact on jazz in the 1940s…

The Mike Eldred Trio

August 30, 2016 · Michael Dregni

The Mike Eldred Trio’s latest was recorded at Memphis’ hallowed Sun Studios, but the deep blues are straight outta the…

Reverend Billy Corgan

Smashing Sounds

January 9, 2023 · Pete Prown

Reverend’s new twist on its Billy Corgan Signature guitar updates several features but remains a stylish retro-meets-modern solidbody. The most…

Grez Grand Tour

Big Bottom

February 9, 2026 · Rich Maloof

Barry Grzebik had an ambitious goal for his all-new line of hollow-bodies: Deliver the low-end resonance of a deep archtop…

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…

B.C. Rich Acrylic Warlock

August 7, 2023 · Michael Wright

Most industries know a great idea when they see it and aren’t shy about jumping on a bandwagon. In 1969,…

Willie G. Moseley

Bakersfield Guitars: The Illustrated History

November 17, 2022 · Michael Dregni

No, this is not a history of Joe Maphis, Don Rich, Buck Owens, Roy Nichols, Merle Haggard, and the other…

Late 1920s Gibson L-1 "Florentine" Home page main

Late 1920s Gibson L-1 (Flattop)

Gibson "Florentine"

April 9, 2015 · George Gruhn

Because I don’t know what to call this Gibson guitar, I refer to it as a “Florentine,” for lack of…

Eric Krasno

Always Keepin’ On

October 4, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Groovemeister Eric Krasno continues to push his funky, soul-jazz narrative with guitar front and center. His new record, Always, features…

Sunny War

Art & War

May 4, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Sunny War’s latest album, Simple Syrup, digs deep into the complexities of the human experience. As an acoustic fingerstylist who…

Keeley Electronics Zoma

’65 Vibe

October 9, 2025 · Pete Prown

Inspired by Robert Keeley’s fondness for combining effects, the digital Keeley Electonics Zoma Stereo Reverb and Tremolo simplifies interface and…

Joe Gore Pedals Cult Germanium Overdrive and Filth Fuzz

Dirt Simple

March 5, 2019 · Tom Guerra

Composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Joe Gore’s career path has been multilayered and includes “guitar effects builder.” Two of his pedals…

Peter Rowan

Carter Stanley’s Eyes

July 5, 2018 · Rich Kienzle

Peter Rowan spent 1963 through ’67 as lead singer/guitarist with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys before his own…

Classics: Arena-Rock Alternative Amps

Mad Maxed

December 12, 2025 · Dave Hunter

As rock started hitting the big time in the mid ’60s, it became clear to guitar-amplifier manufacturers that 100 watts…

Warren Haynes

Peace, Love, and Rock & Roll

May 3, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

Warren Haynes and his Gov’t Mule crew aren’t the kind of guys to let something like a pandemic slow them…

Rickenbacker 325

A Pop Icon and His Beloved Axe

August 24, 2022 · R.J. Klimpert

Details In 1962, the Ac’cent Vibrato replaced the original Rick’s standard Kauffman unit, which was derived from a nearly 30-year-old…

Check This Action: One Sax, Three Guitars

June 7, 2023 · Dan Forte

It starts with a tenor saxophone floating above spare electric guitar arpeggios. After a dipsy-doodle cadenza, the sax states a…

Sundragon Super Dragon

The Sound Remains

November 26, 2024 · Tom Guerra

A few years back, amp builder Mitch Colby and music producer Perry Margouleff teamed with Jimmy Page to introduce the…

Six-String Kicks

Six-String Kicks

Wood from Famed Bowling Alley Set to Sing

March 31, 2016 · Ward Meeker

Few things scratch America’s cumulative itch for nostalgia like Route 66 – the famed wagon-trail-cum-highway that offered passage to those…

Goodtone Roadrage PD, Mad Professor Golden Cello

Secret Weapons

October 21, 2014 · Tom Guerra

Goodtone Roadrage PD, Mad Professor Golden Cello Price: $155 Info: www.goodtone.com. Goodtone Amps builder Norm Matthews has a rep for…

Q&A With George Gruhn: Formica Pickguard on an Early Les Paul?

And Not-So-Strange Variations on an ’87 LP Standard

May 2, 2022 · George Gruhn

I’ve just completed restoring a very early Les Paul that was horribly damaged and poorly repaired, then painted black! I’m…

1939 Gibson Super 400 Premier

February 28, 2017 · George Gruhn

The Gibson Super 400 debuted in 1935 as the first production-model 18″ archtop guitar with f-shaped sound holes; 30 years…

Tony Gilkyson: Country-Rocker, Punk

January 24, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Tasty licks On A Vintage Kay An alumnus of country-rock’s Lone Justice and punk-rockers X, Tony Gilkyson plugged his vintage…

Dumpstaphunk

Where Do We Go From Here

May 4, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Dumpstaphunk’s fourth studio album combines earthy ’70s funk, vintage soul, ripping guitar, and New Orleans swagger. The NOLA natives consist…

The Rickenbacker 4000

March 21, 2016 · Willie G. Moseley

The model 4000 was not only Rickenbacker’s first foray into the electric-bass market, it was decidedly different from Fender’s Precision…

Eastwood’s SD-40 Hound Dog and Classic AC

April 23, 2019 · Pete Prown

Subjective as it is, the term “mojo” usually refers to gear that’s been played-in over the years. Eastwood tries to…

Raul Malo’s Instrumental Side

November 1, 2023 · Vintage Guitar

 Mavericks frontman with a vintage Jazzmaster Though he is renowned and beloved for his vocals in the Mavericks, Raul…

Pop ’N Hiss: Dio’s Holy Diver

Divine Metal

June 5, 2023 · Bret Adams

Vocalist Ronnie James Dio was on a roll as he formed the band that would record his 1983 album Holy…