Gear History
ARTICLES
Four ’Foils Fit for Fuzz
February 23, 2021
This 4-pickup Kawai Kimberly Deluxe carried the torch into the ’70s for players wanting a space-age axe.
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Meet My 1965 Super Reverb—The Greatest Amp I've Ever Played
February 21, 2021
Our columnist shares a love story about his longtime passion for the 1965 heavyweight that’s his No. 1.
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Pros & Cons of Pitched Vs. Straight Headstocks
February 17, 2021
Boutique luthier Jol Dantzig (cofounder of Hamer Guitars) examines the potential perils of different headstock angles and the balance between performance and ease of construction.
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The Walrus Was Paul
February 7, 2021
The Hofner 500/1 violin bass has been McCartney’s career-long sidekick. Let’s spotlight a 1967 model.
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A Different Kind of Dutch Thunder
January 31, 2021
A groovy triple-pickup solidbody from Holland, by a company responsible for equipping countless aspiring rockers in 1960s Europe.
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Loud, Fat, and Flat-Out Awesome
January 25, 2021
How Indigenous’ Mato Nanji gets roaring Hendrix-inspired tones from his Fender 75s.
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What Really Makes an Instrument a Best Friend?
January 20, 2021
The difference between a good guitar and a great guitar is subjective, but it goes way beyond tone and aesthetics.
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Gleaming White 3-Pickup Dynamite
January 10, 2021
Power and elegance on a diet: a 1965 Gibson SG Custom.
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Reader Guitar of the Month: A National Treasure
January 7, 2021
A reader strikes gold when his mom finds a rare 1955 Town and Country for $40 at a garage sale.
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Could “Eruption” Have Been Conceived on a Teisco?
January 4, 2021
This ’60s solidbody is exceptionally cool, but knowing it’s the same model Sir Edward started out on makes it much cooler.
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Weighing In on Body Density
December 28, 2020
To chamber or not to chamber—and is a heavier guitar really heavier?
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Has the Pandemic Sparked the 21st Century Folk Revival?
December 21, 2020
With off-the-charts numbers of folks playing guitar, and buying them as soon as they hit the shelves, these days have hints of yesteryear.
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Micro-Frets Stage II—Rare American Vintage
December 20, 2020
This semi-hollow from 1971 features a distinctive build and clean, spanking P-90 tones.
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A ’60s Solidbody That Would Make Sergio Leone Smile
December 14, 2020
This fistful of Eko hails from the land of spaghetti westerns.
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A ’61 Supro That’s Super for Slide
November 22, 2020
This original archtop Coronado’s Vistatone pickups speak the language of Ry Cooder and other tone hounds.
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Meet Murph, My Surf-Rock Friend
November 16, 2020
SoCal in the ’60s was a hotbed of guitar building, but it wasn’t just the big guys equipping aspiring rock stars.
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Logo Advice from a Living Legend
November 8, 2020
For starters, says Hamer Guitars cofounder Jol Dantzig, avoid stock typeface at all costs.
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The World's Doomiest SG?
October 25, 2020
Cue metal music for this two-pickup 1962 Gibson EB-6 bass—one of just 68 in existence.
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"I Don't Have Any Regular Settings"
October 16, 2020
Fantastic Negrito on the “freaky” Orange amp with as many moods as his Grammy-winning tunes.
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How Could Guitars with Names Like These Not Be Amazing?
October 8, 2020
Meet the Custom Kraft Beat Blaster, Agitator, Bone Buzzer, and Groover!
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