Back Issues

The April 2023 Issue of Vintage Guitar magazine featuring Marty Stuart, Steve Vai, Sunny War, Merle Travis Bio, Kansas’ Leftoverture, Kim Simmonds’ ’73 Les Paul, ’30s Eroma Guitars, Stephen Ulrich and much more!

Their new album is edgy, guitar-intensive music informed by blues, pop, and rock. Read about the alt-blues summit that is Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton. 

We also talk new music with Ana Popovic, Ian Hunter, Joe Louis Walker, John Oates, Joel Hoekstra, Mike Keneally, and Kevin Comeau.

Gibson’s original Firebirds are classics, no doubt. But did the “non-reverse” version that replaced them deserve the criticism? Peter Stuart Kohman re-examines these intriguing basses.

Eric Clapton and his Model 1962 may have launched “the Marshall sound,” but the EL34/50-watt 2100 Lead & Bass brought its own appeal – but only to mail-order buyers in the U.K. Dave Hunter reveals its story.

In the ’70s, Danny Gatton sold a ’51 Nocaster (that once belonged to Roy Buchanan) to a young Bob Fener. Of course it has a story.

Gibson blazed a trail when it came to archtop design. But it took at least one wrong turn with an experimental archtop. George Gruhn and Walter Carter tell its tale.

Wolf Marshall’s “Fretprints” column dives into the story of studio legend Hiram Bullock, Dan Forte eulogizes lap-steel legend Freddie Roulette, and “Pop ’N Hiss” take us behind the scenes with players who were there discussing Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies.

Our gear reviewers bring their informed, objective opinions on the Donner DST-700, Drybell Vibe Machine, Mayfly Goddess, Reverend Rick Vito Soul Agent, Strymon Cloudburst Ambient Reverb, Vigier G.V.Wood Hollow, Blackstar Amped 2, and the Orange Rockerverb 50 Mk III. 

There’s no better way to roll into summer than with fresh tunes. Spruce your playlists with help from our reviews of new music by The Who, Cash Box Kings, Tommy Emmanuel, Ana Popovic, Arlen Roth and Jerry Jemmott, Eric Clapton, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, and many more!

It’s all in the June issue of Vintage Guitar!!!

Since emerging from Austin 30 years ago, Sue Foley has earned stalwart status. Her latest projects pay homage to pioneering female performers. The music features her custom-made flamenco and showcases playing styles of her heroines.

We talk more new music with Mick Mars, Robin Trower, Susan Tedeschi, Rob Fleming, and Paul Reed Smith, then offer a memorial to Larry Collins. 

Revolutionary new amp designs often have stars line up for a taste of their sound. That’s how it went when Reinhold Bogner launched the Ecstasy in 1993. We feature one that did heavy lifting with Walter Becker on Steely Dan’s first tour in two decades.

In the late-’80s heyday of the superstrat, the Les Paul and Strat were still going strong. So it was a little cheeky when Yamaha ads boasted of improving on those “dinosaurs.” The mixed results included the now-obscure Weddington Custom.

A true oddball, Chris Butler’s Vox Mark VI teardrop is a star thanks to the The Waitresses’ “I Know What Boys Like.” It’s also the guitar you’ll be hearing every December on “Christmas Wrapping.”

In “Fretprints,” Wolf Marshall examines how the debut album by Van Halen helped hard rock bounce back after being on the ropes. Everyone who heard it knew that Edward Van Halen had reinvented the guitar.

After their third album, the pitfalls of fame and fortune were taking a toll on Carlos Santana and his band. Seeking a shift in consciousness, he and drummer Michael Shrieve immersed themselves in the music of legendary jazz and fusion players. The result was Caravanserai. They talk about it in “Pop ’N Hiss.”

A key piece of the British blues revival in the ’60s, Dave Peabody wore many hats. Dan Forte catches up with him in “Check This Action.”

Because you’re jonesin’ for a new guitar or amp (right?), we take test drives on some of the absolute newest bits, including the Sundragon Super Dragon, Soldano Astro-20, Epiphone “Greeny” Les Paul, Squier Paranormal Custom Nashville Strat, JangleBox AcoustiComp, and EHX’s small-format Pico Canyon and Rerun reverb pedals.  

We screen all the latest guitar music, filter through it, and offer our thoughts on the best. This month, it’s from Chris Schiflett, UFO, Jim Kweskin, Mick Mars, Phillip Sayce, Saxon, and others. We also tell you why the new bio from Geddy Lee is worth a read.

It’s all in the March issue of Vintage Guitar!

Pushing hard to compete with Fender and be seen as hip, in 1958, Gibson gave its Les Paul a fancy maple top and also introduced the Flying V and Explorer. The tide also affected its  jazz boxes; the rounded cutaway that bespoke traditionalism was superseded by the daring, fabulous florentine cut.

Napping beneath his mother’s piano as she practiced Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, and Debussy, Wolf Marshall was absorbing music before he could walk or talk. His life as guitar pedagogue includes 24 years of VG “Fretprints,” but his new Jazz Guitar Course may be the most-vital to his legacy.

We talk new music with Ace Frehley, John Leventhal, Philip Sayce, Bryan Beller, and Jim Kweskin. We also memorialize MC5 founder Wayne Kramer.

Epiphone guitars made after Gibson acquired the brand are bona fide collectibles. A bit off the radar, though, are the “bikini logo” amps that accompanied them in 1959.

Running up the stairs at his grandmother’s house, 12-year-old Steve Kimock was anxious to chat with his older cousin. Kenny wasn’t in his room, but there, perched in a beam of sunlight, was his shiny gold Les Paul. Cue the choir of angels.

Wolf Marshall’s “Fretprints” examines funk’s transition to pop. It was 1976, and George Benson’s Breezin’ made him an international sensation. 

A cohesive yet varied set highlighted by the strut of its title track along with catchy mid-tempo rockers, UFO’s Lights Out is the British hard-rockers’ finest effort. “Pop ’N Hiss” re-examines its impact. 

Released in 1963, An Evening With Rev. Louis Overstreet, His Guitar, His Four Sons, and The Congregation of St. Luke Powerhouse Church of God In Christ captures a service by the Stratocaster-toting preacher, doing his thing backed by his boys on tambourine and washboard. It’s just one hidden treasure dug up by Dan Forte in “Check This Action.”

Ready to offer their informed, objective thoughts, our gear-review staff takes a close look at the Carr Bel-Ray, Martin Inception Maple, Gibson Falcon 5, Boss IR-2 Amp and Cabinet, D'Angelico Excel SS, and Vox Giulietta.

Our music-review staff turns their finely-tuned ears to the latest by Tinsley Ellis, Ace Frehley, John Leventhal, Immediate Family, Paul McCartney & Wings, Black Crowes, Justin Johnson, and more!

It’s all in the April issue of Vintage Guitar!

The May 2024 Issue of Vintage Guitar magazine features Gary Clark, Jr., Johnny A., Deep Purple’s Machine Head, The Beatles’ Revolver, Roger Glover, Les Paul “Goldtop”, Kinga Glyk, ’64 Silvertone 604, ’70s Roost SR22 Amp and much more!

For more than 40 years, John Sykes rocked with high-volume bands like Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, blazing on a Les Paul Custom before “shred” had a name. We pay tribute to the British legend.

“Catalog-grade" amps are beloved for their eccentric splendors and have been used by many noteworthy guitarists. The Supro Thunderbolt S6420 is the preferred workhorse. 

Rickenbacker’s 12-strings shifted market momentum after the brand languished as Fender and Gibson moved to dominate the market in the ’50s.

Marc Schoenberger raced the I-5 to buy old guitars every time a new issue of the Recycler hit the streets. After a decade in the game, he’d seen and heard nearly everything. Then came this ’53 Rickenbacker Model 600.

We talk new music with Joe Satriani, The Darkness’ Dan Hawkins, Eric Lindberg, Alan Gogoll, Reverend Peyton, and Popa Chubby. We also chat with Mike Campbell about his new biography.

Wolf Marshall’s “Fretprints” digs into the royal tones and licks of B.B. King’s Live at the Regal, “Pop ’N Hiss” examines Savoy Brown’s A Step Further, and “VG Q&A” solves a parlor-guitar mystery. In “Dan’s Guitar Rx,” Dan Erlewine wraps the restoration of a custom doubleneck he built in 1977.

Our “Approved Gear,” staff spotlights the Chase Bliss Clean pedal, Bad Cat Sampson Era 30 amp, Eastwood Super Axe, LSL’s OG OD and Lucid OD, and Walrus Audio’s Mk II Mako pedals.

Just in time for your playlist freshen-up, we tell you about great new music from Jimmy Vivino, Pink Floyd, Yes, The Darkness, Fantastic Negrito, more!

It’s all in the April issue!

One of America’s most-respected singer/songwriters, Jason Isbell is a charismatic performer with an eclectic style that melds country, blues, and Southern rock. As his success grew, vintage gear played a larger role in his approach, including on his new solo acoustic album, Foxes in the Snow.

In the spring of ’71, Albert King was recording at Muscle Shoals, but walked out before his sessions were complete. Fifty-two years later, music producer/guitar collector Robert Johnson bought King’s THC Flying V, and it inspired him to “finish” the songs with help from a heavy-hitter accomplice.

Randall Smith’s Boogie circuit started as a prank before he applied it as a mod to small Fender amps. What did one player do when the blackface Bandmaster he bought sight-unseen turned out to have one? He celebrated, then traced its history.

We talk new music with Steve Vai, Steve Hackett, Allen Hinds, Midge Ure, and bass phenom Michael Manring. We also chat with David Hamburger, discussing his decades as a guitar pedagogue, and ask Mark Sampson what led to his reunion with Bad Cat Amplifiers.

Wolf Marshall’s “Fretprints” revisits Larry Carlton’s Room 335, “Pop ’N Hiss” recalls why the Outlaws’ first album is legendary, and “VG Q&A” solves a parlor-guitar mystery.

When deciding on what you need for new gear, you can rely on the informed, objective opinions offered by our gear-review staff. This month, they dig into the Boogie MkIIC+, Eastwood MRG, Orange Dual Baby/Gain Baby/Tour Baby 100 amps, Soldano SLO Plus, and the Boss SDE-3.

Because it’s always good to augment your favorite classic songs with new stuff, we’re here to recommend the best we’re heard lately, including works by B.B. King, Thin Lizzy, Tab Benoit, Jason Isbell, Steve Hackett, and more.

It’s all in the March issue!

Carving a niche with soul-infused music informed by the blues, R&B, pop, and rock delivered with conviction, Tommy Castro is beloved for his guitar work and vocal style. To help create his new album, his famous ’66 Strat was pulled from under the bed.

Who invented the electric guitar? There is no single answer, but Peter Stuart Kohman tells the fascinating story about how, after leaving Gibson, Lloyd Loar teamed with Lewis A. Williams on one entry to the fray – the Vivi-Tone “Skeleton.”

In the mid ’60s, guitarists learned that 100 watts (or more!) was the way to go. The best approach however, followed several paths. Dave Hunter examines arena-rock alternative amps.

We pay homage to British guitarist Vic Flick, known for playing one especially famous movie-theme lick.

We talk new music with Tab Benoit, Yasmin Williams, Oz Noy and Andrew Synowic, Kristian Borring, and Marcin.

In “Fretprints,” Wolf Marshall examines Wes Montgomery’s transcendent masterpiece Full House.  Dan Erlewine and the VIPs in his shop continue to refurbish a custom-built doubleneck from the ’70s. Mark Farner talks about the making of Grand Funk’s We’re An American Band, in “Pop ’N Hiss.” Dan Forte’s “Check This Action” takes a listen to great folk-blues albums.

Our knowledgeable and informed review staff offers their objective thoughts on the Keeley Zoma, Bad Cat Cub V, EHX POG 3, Reverend Greg Koch Gristle ST, and Xotic XSS.

We have some great ideas for artist to freshen your playlists – and ears! We screen music by SRV & Albert King, Dwight Yoakam, Billy Strings, Yasmin Williams, Allman Brothers Band, Hot Club of San Francisco, and more!

It’s all in the February issue of Vintage Guitar!

Family of the late Gary Rossington wanted to do something meaningful with his guitars, and with the help of Rickey Medlocke they connected with Chicago Music Exchange CEO Andrew Yonke. Together, they devised a plan that will ensure the guitars continue to be heard and seen.

The days when a kid would grab a soldering iron and assemble their own guitar amp are largely behind us. In the ’60s, though, that’s how many an aspiring player acquired his first, like the Heathkit TA-16 Starmaker. Dave Hunter tells the story of one.

Responding to any ad in The Village Voice, Wes Beech ducked low-hanging pipes dripping with condensation on his way to audition for the Plasmatics, not knowing he was about to become part of a stage-storming, car-smashing artistic statement. 

Mike Semrad’s musical roots run deep in his hometown of Fremont, Nebraska, where he was a founding member of its first rock band. Through the decades and a series of bands, he has never stopped playing his prized ’57 Les Paul Custom.

We talk new music with Jerry Douglas, Mark Farner, Larkin Poe, Ronnie Baker Brooks, and Michael Schenker. We also memorialize Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and stop by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the indutions of Peter Frampton and Foreigner.

By the late ’60s, Albert King was the consummate blues artist, and two albums –  Born Under a Bad Sign and Live Wire/Blues Power – epitomize his work of the era. “Pop ’N Hiss” examines their massive influence on guitarists.

An amalgam of blues-rock, progressive aspirations, heavy-metal antecedents, lingering psychedelic overtones, acoustic colorations, and imaginative orchestration, Led Zeppelin’s IV is the defintion of iconic. In “Fretprints,” Wolf Marshall examines its origins and impact.

Dan Forte’s “Check This Action” pays tribute to luthiuer George Bowen. 

Our quest to find new gear worth your time and money continues with our objective examinations of  the Wampler Catacombs, Fractal VP5, Pinter SB1-R, PRS SE Custom 24 Semi-Hollow Piezo, and Supro Montauk 1x10.

“Hit List” tells you why it’s worth a listen to the latest from Eric Clapton, Roger McGuinn & Chris Hillman with Marty Stuart, Larkin Poe, Mark Farner, CSN&Y, Ten Years After, and more.

It’s all in the January issue of Vintage Guitar!

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