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GALLERY: SXSW 2015

See performance shots of AWOLNATION, Courtney Barnett, Elder, Future Islands, Portugal. The Man, Nikki Lane, and more!

Elder guitarist Nick DiSalvo only brought one guitar to SXSW—his 1961 Gibson SG Reissue that he says he loves because “of its excellent playability and its relatively wide tonal range. It’s got the thinnest neck I’ve ever felt, and it’s super light, so it’s easy to maneuver with (or simply have hanging from your neck for an hour+ every night). I can get everything from ripping trebly leads that hurt the ears all way back to lush, thick chords—even from the stock ’57 classic pickups.”

2015 marks South by Southwest’s 28th year as a destination festival in Austin’s beautiful neighborhoods like South Congress, East Austin, and downtown along 5th and 6th Streets. Since its inception, SXSW has tried to serve all music fans with a healthy dose of underground and unsigned acts representing nearly every musical genre imaginable. This year was no different with over 2,200 acts that descended upon the Lone Star State’s capital for five days and nights. Premier Guitar had boots on the ground and here is a fraction of the guitar-centric highlights from the event.

Our columnist has journeyed through blizzards and hurricanes to scoop up rare, weird guitars, like this axe of unknown origin.

Collecting rare classic guitars isn’t for the faint of heart—a reality confirmed by the case of this Japanese axe of unknown provenance.

If you’ve been reading this column regularly, you’ll know that my kids are getting older and gearing up for life after high school. Cars, insurance, tuition, and independence are really giving me agita these days! As a result, I’ve been slowly selling off my large collection of guitars, amps, and effects. When I’m looking for things to sell, I often find stuff I forgot I had—it’s crazy town! Finding rare gear was such a passion of mine for so many years. I braved snowstorms, sketchy situations, shady characters, slimy shop owners, and even hurricane Sandy! If you think about it, it’s sort of easy to buy gear. All you have to do is be patient and search. Even payments nowadays are simple. I mean, when I got my first credit card…. Forget about it!

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Bergantino revolutionizes the bass amp scene with the groundbreaking HP Ultra 2000 watts bass amplifier, unlocking unprecedented creative possibilities for artists to redefine the boundaries of sound.

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When you imagine the tools of a guitar shredder, chances are you see a sharp-angled electric 6-string running into a smokin’-hot, fully saturated British halfstack of sorts—the type of thing that’ll blow your hair back. You might not be picturing an acoustic steel-string or a banjo, and that’s a mistake, because some of the most face-melting players to walk this earth work unplugged—like Molly Tuttle.

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A touch-sensitive, all-tube combo amp perfect for clean & edge of breakup tones. Featuring a custom aesthetic, new voicing, & Celestion Creamback 75 speaker.

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