''Vintage Guitar'' is an American

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

that focuses on vintage and classic

guitars The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

amplifiers An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost th ...

, effects, and related equipment, as well as notable

guitarists A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...

from all genres and eras. The publication's feature stories and monthly columns cover a diverse range of topics by contributors, including some of the biggest names in the industry and renowned authorities like Dan Erlewine,

George Gruhn George Gruhn (born 1945) is an American writer, businessman and ophiophilist. He is one of the foremost experts on vintage American guitars and fretted instruments, and the author of several books on the subject. He is the founder of Gruhn Guit ...

, Wolf Marshall, Richard Smith, and Seymour W. Duncan, as well as some of the best-known writers in the field, including Pete Prown, Walter Carter, Dan Forte, Dave Hunter, Rich Kienzle, Michael Dregni, John Peden, Greg Prato, and others. The magazine's classified-ad section provides readers with access to classic, used and new guitars, amps, accessories, books, videos, and more. Other editorial content focuses on reviews of music as well as informed, objective reviews of new gear. ''Vintage Guitar'' also includes monthly repair columns written by noted repair expert/luthier Dan Erlewine. Originally published as ''The Music Trader'', its inaugural issue was distributed in September, 1986, with the intent of achieving two goals: to supply musicians with a market to buy and sell instruments and equipment or locate other musicians, and to inform and entertain readers. Today, these remain the basic goals of the magazine. Though ''The Music Trader'' was a publication for all types of instruments, the majority of advertisements and articles were guitar-centric. In 1989, publisher Alan Greenwood changed its name to ''Vintage Guitar'' magazine because he felt it better represented the publication.

''VG Classics''

From 1993–1997, ''Vintage Guitar'' also published the periodical ''VG Classics''. Much like the monthly, it focused on classic guitars and amps but in a traditionally-sized format on thicker, glossy stock and employing layouts designed to highlight the artistic photography commissioned for its use. In 2001, ''VG'' began using glossy paper in the editorial sections of its monthly offering.

''Vintage Guitar'' books

For more than two decades, the magazine has also published ''The Official Vintage Guitar Price Guide'' through its Vintage Guitar Books imprint. Adapted from the 1988 article "Asking Price – Selling Price," ''The Guide'' originally appeared as a monthly installment titled "The Instrument Price Guide" in the April '89 issue. In 1992, the company issued the first version of ''The Guide'' as a booklet, and today the annual book compiles historical data and lists values on more than 2,000 brands derived from comprehensive research and market analysis on thousands of vintage and recent–model guitars, amps, basses, effects pedals, mandolins, lap steels, ukuleles, and banjos. It is regarded by professional players, guitar dealers, and collectors as the premier source for accurate values on vintage gear. To date, ''The Guide'' has sold more than 150,000 copies, and in 2012 it became available on digital e–readers. The company's Vintage Guitar Book imprint has published several other books: * ''Stellas & Stratocasters'' (1994), by Willie G. Moseley, is an anthology of articles, interviews, and columns from the pages of VG, including talks with Eric Johnson,

Jeff Cook Jeffrey Alan Cook (August 27, 1949 – November 7, 2022) was an American country music artist. He was best known for being a founding member of the band Alabama, in which he contributed to lead vocals, guitar, fiddle, piano and other musical in ...

, and

Noel Redding David Noel Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress. Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 ...

. * ''Guitar Stories: Volume One'' (1995), by Michael Wright, is a look at the histories of some of the more interesting instruments that have – successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully – tried to win the hearts of Americans dreaming of their 15 minutes of fame strapped to a six–string. * ''Executive Rock: A Fan's Perspective on the Evolution of Popular Music Since 1950'' (1996), by Willie G. Moseley, is a collection of essays that originally appeared in the VG column "Executive Rock." * ''Guitar Stories: Volume Two'' (2000), by Michael Wright, continues where Volume One left off. A foray into more brands that made a heavy impact in the world of the guitar, and how its many forms came to be. More than 800 rare photos help tell the tale of these instruments, from the innovations of Mario Maccaferri to Martin's journeys into the solid body kingdom. * ''Guitar People'' (1997), by Willie G. Moseley, includes 65 profiles and interviews with guitar players and builders, discussing equipment, bands, and performances. * ''Bill Carson: My Life and Time with Fender Musical Instruments'' (1998), by Bill Carson with Willie G. Moseley, is the inspiring, quintessential American success story of Bill Carson and Fender.

Online

Since 1995, ''VG'' has maintained a website that features archival editorial content, the magazine's Hall of Fame page, an RSS feed with the latest industry news, regular promotional giveaways, a store in which it sells books and other merchandise, and various other features. The magazine also maintains a Twitter account that features news from industry insiders and insight into the latest products, gear and technology, and more. And in 2012, the magazine began publishing a twice-monthly e-newsletter called ''VG Overdrive'', or ''VGOD''.

Hall of Fame

Each year, ''Vintage Guitar'' magazine honors those who inspire and awe guitar players, fans, and listeners by inducting great players, innovators, and instruments to the VG Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame began in 1990 with the induction of the Fender

Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously ...

and

Gibson Gibson may refer to: People * Gibson (surname) Businesses * Gibson Brands, Inc., an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and audio equipment * Gibson Technology, and English automotive and motorsport company based * Gi ...

Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...

Standard. Today, the Hall of Fame includes four categories: Instrument, Innovator, Player, and Album of the Year. Nominations are solicited from contributors and visitors to the magazine's web site.

Innovators

* 2011 – Seymour W. Duncan * 2010 –

Paul Reed Smith Paul Reed Smith (born February 18, 1956) is an American luthier and the founder and owner of PRS Guitars, a high-end guitar maker. Early life Smith graduated from Bowie High School in 1974. He also attended St. Mary's College of Maryland wh ...

* 2009 – George Fullerton * 2008 –

Floyd Rose The Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo, or simply Floyd Rose, is a type of locking vibrato arm for a guitar. Floyd D. Rose invented the locking vibrato in 1976, the first of its kind, and it is now manufactured by a company of the same name. The Floyd ...

* 2007 – Dick Denney * 2006 –

John D'Angelico John D'Angelico (1905 in Little Italy, Manhattan – September 1, 1964 in Manhattan) was a luthier from New York City, noted for his handmade archtop guitars and mandolins. He founded the D'Angelico Guitars company, where other notable luthier ...

* 2005 –

John Dopyera John Dopyera ( Slovak: ''Ján Dopjera''; 1893–1988) was a Slovak-American inventor and entrepreneur, and a maker of stringed instruments. His inventions include the resonator guitar and important contributions in the early development of the ...

and Rudy Dopyera * 2004 – Hartley Peavey * 2003 –

Lloyd Loar Lloyd Allayre Loar (1886–1943) was an American musician, instrument designer and sound engineer. He is best known for his design work with the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co. Ltd. in the early 20th century, including the F-5 model mandolin an ...

* 2002 –

Paul Bigsby Paul Adelburt Bigsby (1899–1968) was an American inventor, designer, and pioneer of the solid body electric guitar. Bigsby is best known for having been the designer of the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece (also mislabeled as a tremolo arm) and prop ...

* 1999 –

Adolf Rickenbacker Adolph Rickenbacker (April 1, 1887 – March 21, 1976) was a Swiss-American electrical engineer who co-founded the Rickenbacker guitar company along with George Beauchamp and Paul Barth. Rickenbacker was born in Basel, Switzerland as Adolf Ric ...

* 1998 – Jim Marshall * 1997 – Seth Lover * 1996 – C.F. Martin, Sr. * 1995 –

Ted McCarty Theodore McCarty (October 10, 1909 – April 1, 2001) was an American businessman who worked with the Wurlitzer Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation. In 1966, he and Gibson Vice President John Huis bought the Bigsby Electric Guitar Company. At ...

* 1993 –

* 1992 –

Orville Gibson Orville H. Gibson (May 1856 – August 19, 1918) was a luthier who founded the Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1902, makers of guitars, mandolins and other instruments. His earliest known instrument was a 10-string mandolin-guita ...

* 1991 –

Leo Fender Clarence Leonidas Fender (August 10, 1909 – March 21, 1991) was an American inventor known for designing the Fender Stratocaster. He also founded the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In January 1965, he sold Fender to CBS, and later foun ...

Instruments

* 2011 –

Fender Deluxe Reverb The Fender Deluxe Reverb is a guitar amplifier made by the Fender Electric Instrument Company and its successors. It was first introduced in 1963 by incorporating an onboard spring reverb tank to the newly redesigned Fender Deluxe amplifier. Spe ...

* 2010 – Gibson Byrdland * 2009 –

Gibson SG The Gibson SG is a solid-body electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1961 as the Gibson Les Paul SG. It remains in production today in many variations of the initial design. The SG (where "SG" refers to Solid-Body Guitar) Standard is Gi ...

Standard * 2008 –

Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typ ...

Model (Goldtop) * 2007 –

Gibson J-45 The Gibson J-45 is a dreadnought style acoustic guitar manufactured by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. It is generally regarded as Gibson's most famous and widely used acoustic guitar model. The J-45 is part of Gibson's round-shoulder "jumbo" ...

and Vox AC15 * 2006 –

Fender Jaguar The Fender Jaguar is an electric guitar by Fender Musical Instruments characterized by an offset-waist body, a relatively unusual switching system with two separate circuits for lead and rhythm, and a short-scale 24" neck. Owing some roots to ...

and

Gibson ES-5 The Gibson ES-5 is a hollow-body electric guitar produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation as part of the ES, or "Electric Spanish" series of guitars. History The ES-5 was intended to be an electric version of their popular Gibson L-5 acoustic ...

* 2005 – Mesa-Boogie Mark I & National Tricone series * 2004 – PRS Custom &

Gretsch White Falcon The Gretsch White Falcon is an electric hollow-body guitar introduced in 1954 by Gretsch. This guitar was created as a "showpiece" to exhibit the craft of Gretsch's luthiers, sales, and demonstration representative, Jimmie Webster, who created i ...

* 2003 –

Gibson Les Paul Custom The Gibson Les Paul Custom is a higher-end variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. It was developed in 1953 after Gibson had introduced the Les Paul model in 1952. History The 1952 Gibson Les Paul was originally made with a mahogany body with ...

& Marshall Super Lead 100 * 2002 – Fender Jazzmaster & Gibson SJ-200 * 1999 – Vox Wah & Gibson ES-150 * 1998 – Fender Bassman * 1997 –

Rickenbacker 360/12 The Rickenbacker 360/12 is the Rickenbacker company's 12-string variant of their 360 electric guitar model. Mainly known for producing " jangly" sounds, it was among the first electric 12-string guitars. The 360/12 was given worldwide attention ...

* 1996 –

Gibson Flying V The Gibson Flying V is an electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1958. The Flying V offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its siblings: the Explorer, which was released the same year, and the Moderne, which was designed ...

& Gretsch 6120 * 1995 –

Fender Jazz Bass The Fender Jazz Bass (often shortened to ''J-Bass'') is the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. It is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on th ...

Fender Twin The Fender Twin and Twin Reverb are guitar amplifiers made by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. The Twin was introduced in 1952, two years before Fender began selling Stratocaster electric guitars. The amps are known for their characterist ...

amp * 1994 –

Gibson L-5 The Gibson L-5 guitar was first produced in 1923 by the Gibson Guitar Corporation, then of Kalamazoo, Michigan, under the direction of acoustical engineer and designer Lloyd Loar, and has been in production ever since. It was considered the pr ...

& Vox AC-30 amp * 1993 – D'Angelico New Yorker &

Gibson Super 400 The Gibson Super 400 is an archtop guitar. It is a highly influential guitar model that inspired many other master guitar builders (including Elmer Stromberg and John D'Angelico). It was first sold in 1934 and named for its $400 price, like many ...

* 1992 –

Fender Precision Bass The Fender Precision Bass (often shortened to "P-Bass") is a model of electric bass guitar manufactured by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In its standard, post-1957 configuration, the Precision Bass is a solid body, four-stringed instru ...

Gibson ES-335 The Gibson ES-335 is the world's first commercial semi-hollowbody electric guitar, sometimes known as semi-acoustic. Released by the Gibson Guitar Corporation as part of its ES (Electric Spanish) series in 1958, it is neither fully hollow nor fu ...

* 1991 –

Martin D-28 The Martin D-28 is a dreadnought-style acoustic guitar made by C. F. Martin & Company of Nazareth, Pennsylvania. History This guitar is a dreadnought design, a naval term adopted and used by many to describe its larger body dimensions, hence t ...

Fender Telecaster The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is an electric guitar produced by Fender. Together with its sister model the Esquire, it is the world's first mass-produced, commercially successful Les Paul had built a prototype solid bo ...

* 1990 –

Fender Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuousl ...

Gibson Les Paul Standard The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typica ...

Players

*2011 –

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

*2010 –

Robert Johnson Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generati ...

*2009 –

Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaugh ...

*2008 –

Duane Allman Howard Duane Allman (November 20, 1946 – October 29, 1971) was an American rock guitarist, session musician, and the founder and original leader of the Allman Brothers Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame i ...

*2007 –

*2006 –

Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Although his mainstream career spanned only seven years, ...

*2005 –

Django Reinhardt Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...

*2004 –

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

*2003 –

Jeff Beck Geoffrey Arnold Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. He rose to prominence with the Yardbirds and after fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, he switched to a mainly instrumental style, with a fo ...

*2002 –

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

*1999 –

Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Page is prolific in creating guitar riffs. His style involves various alternative ...

*1998 –

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list o ...

*1997 –

B. B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shim ...

*1996 –

Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nashville sound, the country music ...

*1994 –

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

''Vintage Guitar'' website
Music magazines published in the United States Guitar magazines Magazines established in 1986 Magazines published in North Dakota