Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Heart & Soul Blues

October 4, 2024 · Ward Meeker

Born and raised in Clarksdale, Mississippi – homeland of the Delta blues – Christone Ingram learned gospel music in the…

Envious Omissions

A Custom-Order Gretsch 6196

November 9, 2017 · Preston Gratiot

Gretsch aficionados know the adage – “Clubs have holes and a Gentleman don’t!” With this guitar, though, somebody messed with…

Charlie Starr: Open-Tuning Magic on “Azalea”

June 28, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Blackberry Smoke frontman on a vintage Gibson Enjoy a bit of the supremely tasty “Azalea,” played by Charlie Starr and…

The Vox Bobcat V90

Feral Feline

January 18, 2023 · Bob Cianci

In the Swinging ’60s, Vox guitars were all the rage, particularly among British and European players. Though stylish and visually…

Daniel de Visé

King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King

June 8, 2022 · Michael Dregni

Sixty years, 90 countries, 15,000 concerts – and that tally doesn’t include B.B. King’s early years of juke joints, radio…

Classics: November 2021

Gibson Les Paul Personal

October 28, 2023 · Ward Meeker

Billy Soutar loves the vibe of his 1969 Les Paul Personal and matching LP-12 amp. While the guitar’s mahogany body,…

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ARTISTS

Robby Krieger

New Musical Directions

March 13, 2014 · Willie G. Moseley

For all of his decades of noteworthy guitar work, Robby Krieger isn’t resting on his laurels. In 2002, Krieger and…

2025 June Issue on Spotify

June 3, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

This month, we feature The Meters’ George Porter, Tommy Emmanuel, Jedd Hughes, Dudley Taft, Lari Basilio, Ally Venable, The Police,…

Thin Lizzy’s Scott Gorham and Vivian Campbell

Live and Still Dangerous!

May 19, 2016 · Lisa Sharken

Thin Lizzy has cemented its place in history as one of the most influential rock bands of all time. Recognizable…

Tony Iommi

When Sabbath Rocked with Ronnie

February 3, 2022 · Greg Prato

Black Sabbath sounded reinvigorated and refocused on its first two albums of the ’80s – Heaven and Hell and Mob…


CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS

1961 Fender Bassman

Blond Ambition

November 16, 2022 · Dave Hunter

1961 Fender 6G6(A) Bassman • Preamp tubes: four 7025 (12AX7) • Output tubes: two 5881 (6L6GC) • Rectifier: GZ34 tube…

Gibson Les Paul Spotlight Special

Unlocking the Mystery

October 12, 2017 · Michael A. Slubowski

It was 1983, and Gibson was in the throes of its darkest days. Norlin Industries had incurred excessive debt, sales…

Standard in Custom

Schecter’s Custom Shop Marks 35 Years

July 6, 2015 · Ward Meeker

Riding high after 35 years with an array of original instruments, an impressive artist roster that started early with Pete…

Gretsch 6119 Tennessean

Gretsch 6119 Tennessean

June 21, 2016 · George Gruhn

Chet Atkins was the most important endorser ever employed by the Gretsch company. When introduced in the 1950s, models bearing…


NEWSWIRE

APPROVED GEAR

Martin GPCE Inception Maple

Bold Beginning

December 23, 2024 · Michael Shirek

Almost 100 years ago, Martin reinvented the flat-top box when it began delivering X-braced, square-shouldered, and oversized dreadnoughts. Now, the…

Gator Cases MiniVault

Rolling Rack

August 4, 2024 · Ward Meeker

Every gigging guitarist who lugs their own gear (so, 95 percent of us) knows firsthand how instrument cases take a…

Rockn Stompn Sequential Power Strip

“Good” Power!

March 1, 2017 · Chip Wilson

Power. Juice. Electricity. The brilliance of Ben Franklin, James Watt, and Nikola Tesla helped harness, if not tame, this vital…

St. Blues Scoundrel

St. Blues Scoundrel

Walking the Dog

May 2, 2015 · Rich Maloof

St. Blues Scoundrel Price: $1,898 (list)/$1,349 (street) Contact: www.saintblues.com Intended as a versatile instrument for the player with a budget…

WHAT ELSE IS NEW

2021 November Issue on Spotify

November 2, 2021 · Vintage Guitar

This month we feature Night Ranger’s Brad Gillis, Eric Bibb, Rick Vito, K.K. Downing, Bobby Eli, Guy King, Pasquale Grasso,…

Henretta Engineering Pedals

Henretta Engineering Pedals

Good Things, Small Packages

September 7, 2014 · Michael Dregni

Henretta Engineering Pedals Prices: Green Zapper, Bluebird, and Purple Octopus, $125 each; Chord Blaster, $140 Info: www.henrettaengineering.com. Bigger is not…

Vince Gill & Paul Franklin

Homage to Ray Price

June 9, 2024 · Rich Kienzle

Vince Gill and longtime friend, collaborator, and pedal-steel giant Paul Franklin share a love of country music history. Bakersfield, their…

Recording King Ray Whitley

August 24, 2025 · George Gruhn and Walter Carter

As a maker of high-quality instruments, Gibson was hit hard by the onset of the Depression in the 1930s. Company…

Mike Keneally

Uncommon Knowledge

February 2, 2024 · Pete Prown

For 35 years, Mike Keneally has been a go-to sideman for icons like Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, and Joe Satriani,…

Judas Priest and Deep Purple

Metal-Morphosis

May 25, 2017 · Pete Prown

This 30th-anniversary reissue of Judas Priest’s 1986 album is above average, but not for the reason you might think. Turbo…

Steve Stevens plays “77”

August 28, 2025 · Vintage Guitar

Steve Stevens plays “77” Live from the dressing room at Wembley Arena just before a sold-out performance with Billy Idol,…

Home Feature Image

Knaggs Guitars’ Chesapeake Severn Tier 2 Trembuck

All-Genre Style

April 18, 2016 · Tom Guerra

Knaggs Guitars’ Chesapeake Severn Tier 2 Trembuck Price: $ 5,600 (list)/$4,300 (street) Info: www.knaggsguitars.com. Maryland-based Knaggs Guitars was founded five…

Gretsch 6134 White Penguin

March 12, 2014 · George Gruhn

There’s no doubt the White Penguin is one of the rarest Gretsch instruments. It is estimated that no more than…

Beat Portraits: Burns Volume 5

1964: Solid Heyday

February 7, 2018 · Peter Stuart Kohman

In early 2009, VG columnist Peter Stuart Kohman turned his focus on Burns, the pioneering British guitar builder. We’ve compiled…

McElroy OM Model

OM, Gee!

March 4, 2015 · Pete Prown

McElroy OM Model Price: $7,500 (base; $8,500 as reviewed) Info: www.mcelroyguitars.com. Brent McElroy is a Seattle luthier specializing in high-quality…

Coppersound Kingpin Clipper and Iris Optical Compressor

Royal Restraint

August 4, 2024 · Charlie Wilkins

With the growing popularity of small-footprint effects, Coppersound’s Kingpin Germanium Clipper and Iris Optical Compressor nicely fit the bill –…

Susanna Hoffs

The Deep End

March 16, 2024 · Bret Adams

The Bangles vocalist/rhythm guitarist’s fifth solo album is a folk-enriched blend of covers by classic and contemporary artists, enlivened by…

The Duane Allman “Layla” Guitar?

A ’57 Gibson Les Paul Emerges To Tell a Story

March 7, 2018 · Ward Meeker

Taken in trade by a music store in Florida, it was sold to a local recording studio in 1977. Shortly…

Santa Cruz HT/13 Happy Traum

Fingerstyle Dream

August 11, 2022 · Michael Shirek

In a career spanning more than 60 years, Happy Traum has been a fixture of the American folk scene, from…

Kay-Ta Matsuno’s fluid fingerstyle

June 29, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Raised on classical, inspired by movie music Lovers of fingerstyle likely know the music of Kay-Ta Matsuno. For the uninitiated,…

Jimmy Vivino

Showtime!

December 6, 2013 · Ward Meeker

Growing up in New Jersey, Jimmy Vivino was in many ways a typical Italian-American kid. His life centered around family…

Richard Tozzoli: Underscore Overlord

May 30, 2024 · Vintage Guitar

Shark Week” Les Pauls, Flying V, et al Richard Tozzoli walks us through a guitar overdub session for Discovery Channel’s…

Jim Weider

Telecaster Master, Camp Counselor

May 30, 2025 · Ward Meeker

Ever dream of hanging out with a couple handfuls of guitar legends while breathing fresh mountain air and (mostly) unplugging…

Bill Nelson

Still Deluxe

September 9, 2015 · Pete Prown

Most people remember Bill Nelson as the front man/guitar hero in the English band Be Bop Deluxe. Since folding that…

McGregor Pedals’ Crunch and Crunch Plus

Transparent Pair

May 5, 2022 · Phil Feser

McGregor Pedals founder and self-proclaimed “Chief Mad Scientist” Garth McGregor Heslop hand-wires pedals in his Vancouver shop. Two of them…

Mick Mars

The Other Side Of Mars

December 6, 2024 · Oscar Jordan

On his first solo album, former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars leaves his glam-metal discography in the rearview, instead going…

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…

Adrian Legg

Adrian Legg

The Wizard of Strings

January 22, 2016 · Pete Prown

Aside from witty asides on social issues, natural disasters, and Renaissance history, Adrian Legg’s formidable fingerstyle and deep musicality remain…

GIBSONBONAMASSA-HOME-MAIN-BIG

Gibson ES-335 Joe Bonamassa Signature Model

A Semi-Hollow For Joe

January 29, 2014 · Zac Childs

Gibson ES-335 Joe Bonamassa Signature Model Price: $3,335 (street) Contact: gibson.com. The collaboration of Gibson and blues-rocker Joe Bonamassa began…

Ellis Guitars TX3

“T” For Texas

November 8, 2022 · Chip Wilson

  Houston is the closest major U.S. port to the tropical hardwoods of South and Central America, so it makes…

Epiphone’s Wilshire and Coronet

Gotta Rock

February 4, 2022 · Pete Prown

Some elemental solidbodies were born to rock – the SG, Telecaster, and Les Paul Special and Junior come to mind.…

Joanna Connor

Still Rising

February 3, 2022 · Oscar Jordan

Joanna Connor’s new album is a killer batch of tunes with a live feel infused by the spirit of Chicago’s…

Jimmy Nalls

1951-2017 Guitar Stars Honor a Fallen Hero

April 24, 2019 · Dan Forte

On June 22, the musical journey of guitar great Jimmy Nalls ended due to the effects of Parkinson’s Disease and…