October 2024
Even before he began to record seminal music using an Esquire plugged into a Harvard, Steve Cropper was the epitome of a team player. His new album, Friendlytown, further celebrates the guitar tag team.
Before the U.K. made the jump to alternating current, guitarists used amps like the Selmer/RS Truvoice TV10, which are interesting not only for their low-watt tones, but the risky “fun” of plugging them in. Dave Hunter offers an examination.
Harold “Sonny” Wright and his ’65 Gibson J-45 went to war, creating memories for many before they returned to home life. After the guitar was stolen, he found another, but thoughts of the original will forever remain.
In a career spanning 50 years, Tony Mottola logged thousands of studio dates and concert appearances. A first call for dozens of artists, he was also revered as a pioneer for his compositions in the early days of live television. We offer a complete retrospective, including a look at his favorite instruments.
We love talking to artist about their new music, and this month we’re joined by Grace Bowers, Mike Campbell, Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Jim Weider, and McKinley James. We also memorialize John Mayall.
With their 1983 album, Synchronicity, The Police became a full-fledged cultural phenomenon, reaching #1 on Billboard for 17 weeks and selling more than eight million copies in the U.S. alone. In “Pop ’N Hiss,” we speak with guitarist Andy Summers to recall its creation – and challenges.
In “VG Q&A,” our experts field questions about a ’60s Conrad 12-string, converting a ’65 Gibson ES-345TD-SV to Mono, and a ’71 Precision Bass made from mahogany.
Recorded on donated time at Jackson Brown’s L.A. studio in November of 1982, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Texas Flood is the archtypical breakout album. Receiving critical acclaim, it included a Top 20 song, surpassed double-platinum sales, and earned a Grammy nomination. In “Fretprints,” Wolf Marshall recalls the man, his gear, and the magic in that studio.
Dan Forte’s “Check This Action” revisits the careers of Paul Oscher, James Harman, and Doug MacLeod, all of whom helped revive the blues in the ’60s.
If you want honest opinions on new gear - not a “review” by some uninformed “influencer,” be sure to read our thoughts on the Harden Engineering Rodeo, Boss Katana Gen 3, Danelectro Doubleneck, Epiphone Coronet USA, and Fender’s Player II Telecaster.
Spruce up your playlists with input from our music reviewers, who this month screen the latest from Tommy Emmanuel, Joe Ely, Freddie King, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Duke Robillard, Mike Campbell, Grace Bowers, and more.
It’s all in the October issue of Vintage Guitar!
