Now buy online or Order by telephone with your credit card at 1-877-MAX-TONE
(629-8663) toll-free, or mail your order with payment to: TQR Back Issues, Box
717, Decatur, GA 30030 USA. You'll find summaries of each issue below. Hard
copies are mailed via first class mail. Downloadable
back issues in PDF format will be e-mailed to you within 48 hours
Monday-Thursday.
Please note that an * following a title indicates that the original issue is
out of print. Only e-mailed PDF files are now available.
All
Back Issues on CD-ROM
You can get all ToneQuest Report Back Issues on
CD – on sale now!
November 1999 Vol. 1
Number 1 * PDF Only
Dave Boze – Under 40W of Whoop-Ass
Interview – René Martinez
Interview – Joe Barden
NOS Tubes – Mike Kropotkin
Interview – James Pennebaker
December 1999 Vol. 1 Number 2
* PDF Only
René Martinez Part 2
The Vox AC 30 with James Pennebaker
Interview – Joe Barden Part 2
January 2000 Vol. 1 Number 3
* PDF Only
$400 of Blues Power – The Japanese Vintage Reissue Strats
Review – Victoria Amps and Interview with Founder Mark Baier
Rhyne Guitars and Jay Riness
Introducing Todd Sharp!
Q &A with Sheryl Crow Guitarist Peter Stroud
Rockindaddy Randy Volin
February 2000 Vol. 1 Number 4
The Epiphone Spirit – Kalamazoo Cool
Review – Victoria Amps Part 2
Review – Vintage National Resonators
The Dumble – Todd Sharp
Q & A with Mark Baier
Dave Boze on New (Old) Amp Purchases
March 2000 Vol. 1 Number 5
Tommy Shannon Part 1
Review – Vintage Resonators Part 2
Review – ’64 Fender Vibroverb
Interview – Ben Cole – GHS Strings
Power Tubes – Mike Kropotkin
Q & A with Dave Boze
April 2000 Vol. 1 Number 6
Buddy Whittington Part 1
Tommy Shannon Part 2
Review – The G&L ASAT
Review – The Peavey Delta Blues
Review – The Gibson ES 135
The Quest for Tone – Todd Sharp
Review – Ibanez Tube Screamers
Q &A with Dave Boze
May 2000 Vol. 1 Number 7
Albert Lee Part 1
Buddy Whittington Part 2
Heavy Metal Dobro Mojo
Pickups with Peter Stroud
Q & A with Ted Weber and Joe Barden
June 2000 Vol. 1 Number 8
Albert Lee Part 2
Sonny Landreth
Part 1
Tube Rectifiers with Mike Kropotkin
Review – The Klon Centaur
Todd Sharp on the Ampeg VT 40
Pedalboard Setup with Peter Stroud
July 2000 Vol. 1 Number 9
Doctor Z Amps Part 1
Interview – Sonny Landreth Part 2
Review – The Fab, Groovy Danelectros with James Pennebaker
Jazzmaster and Jag Setups with John Sprung
The Leslie with Dave Boze
A Les Paul for Less
Q &A with Todd Sharp
August 2000 Vol. 1 Number 10
Cesar Diaz
Interview – Doctor Z Part 2 Plus Amp Reviews
Review – The Little Whirlwind Leslie
Review – The Martin D18 and Gibson J45
Q & A with Dave Boze
September 2000 Vol. 1 Number
11
Chris
Larsen/Girl Brand Guitars
Interview – Andy Marshall/THD
Electronics
Review – Mesa Boogie Blue
Angel
Interview – Lord Valve on
Tubes
Review – A Les Paul for
Less...
October 2000 Vol. 1 Number
12
Sean Costello
Interview – Tim Shaw, Fender
Custom Shop Nashville
Interview – Tom Holmes
on PAF Pickups
Interview – Ted Weber/Weber
VST on Speakers Part 1
November 2000 Vol. 2 Number
1
Danny Flowers
and James Pennebaker
Interview – Jeff Bakos on
Classic Blues Recording
Interview – Ted Weber/Weber
VST Part 2
Review – Delay Pedals
December 2000 Vol. 2 Number
2 * PDF
Only
The Gibson
Firebird
Review – The Fender
VibroKing Amp
Interview – Atlanta's
Instrument Repair Shop
Todd Sharp – The Redface
"Blackface" Conversion
January 2001 Vol. 2 Number 3
Johnny Hiland
Part 1
Interview – Gregg Hopkins,
Vintage Amp Restoration
Interviews – Gear Tips with
West Coast Tone Kings Don Butler and Mark Karan Part 1
February 2001 Vol. 2 Number
4
Steve Carr, Carr
Amplifiers
Review – TQR Picks for
Vintage Cheapo Guitars and Amps
Interview – Don Butler and
Mark Karan Part 2
Class A Q&A with Dr. Z
March 2001 Vol. 2 Number 5
Ken Parker of
Parker Guitars Part 1
Review – Carr Amplifiers
Lord Valve on the No B.S.
Approach to Tube Tone
Interview – Larry Pogreba
Review – The Vintage Reissue
Japanese Telecaster
April 2001 Vol. 2 Number 6
* PDF Only
HIWATT Amps
Interview – Ken Parker Part
2
Tube Substitutions by Mike
Kropotkin
Todd Sharp on Impedance
Matching
Review – The New Dr. Z Z28
4x10 Amp
May 2001 Vol. 2 Number 7
Dick Boak, CF
Martin & Co.
Interview – Larry Wexer on
vintage Martins
Review – The HIWATT DR 505
Amp with Bakos and Sharp
EL 34 Tube Recommendations
Review – The Ibanez TS7 Tube
Screamer
June 2001 Vol. 2 Number 8
Ritchie Fliegler,
Fender Musical Instruments
1973 Super Reverb Super
Beater Makeover
Interview – Scott Peterson,
Harmonic Design Pickups
SRV and Santana guitar tech
René Martinez on Tuning
July 2001 Vol. 2 Number 9
Eminence Speakers
with founder Bob Gault – his only interview!
Interview – Ritchie Fliegler
Part 2
Interview – Beckola!
Jennifer Batten on the Jeff Beck Tour
Review – The Reissue '65
Super reverb
The Hall of Fame Triple Gold
Les Paul and VP 90 Pickups
Little Big Pedals from SRV
Amp Guru César Diaz
August 2001 Vol. 2 Number 10
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
– Page Supro, Joe Walsh & More
Interview – Greg Martin &
The Kentucky Headhunters
Interview – Chris Kinman of
Kinman AVn Guitar Electrix
Review – The Marshall PA 20
Review – $600 of Blues Power
– MIJ Strat Makeover with Harmonic Design Pickups and the Super Tough Fret Job!
September
2001 Vol. 2 Number 11
* PDF Only
The Eric Clapton Issue –
Clapton's Gear from the Yardbirds to Reptile – EC's Guitars Shot on Stage from
the 2001 Tour
Interview – Famed Producer
Tom Dowd on Layla and Disraeli Gears Sessions
Interview – TQR Exclusive
with EC's Guitar Tech Lee Dickson
October 2001 Vol. 2 Number
12
Terry C.
McInturff & McInturff Guitars
Interview – Nashville Cats
Todd Sharp and Kenny Greenberg
Interview – Chris Kinman
Part 2
Review – More Picks for
Undiscovered Small Amps
November 2001 Vol. 3 Number
1
Kal David – It's
Time You Met the Real Deal!
Interview – Mesa Boogie
Founder Randy Smith
Interview – Super Happenin'
Effects with Analog Man
Feature – Who's Playing
What? Sonny Landreth, Kenny Wayne, and Peter Stroud
December 2001 Vol. 3 Number
2
The Mystic
Travelers with John Sprung
Interview – TQR Exclusive
with Larry Fishman
Review – The Terry C.
McInturff Taurus Standard
Review – Bill Callaham's
Cryo'd Pickups and Wiring Harness
Interview – James Pennebaker
on Building Amps at Home
January 2002 Vol. 3 Number 3
* PDF
Only
Hemp Tone is
Here... John Harrison of
A Brown Soun – The Wizard of Hemp
Interview – An American
Treasure – Bob Benedetto
Interview – Mercury
Magnetics Founder Sergio Hamernik
February 2002 Vol. 3 Number
4
Mr. Ronnie Earl
Interview – A Conversation
with the Founders of Two Rock Amps
Review – Introducing Mr.
Nasty – $300 of Bloody Good Whoop Ass (The Sound City 50R Amp)
Review – The Cooderizer
(Gibson GA20)
Q&A – From the Temple of
Tone with Eric Miller/Hands On Guitars
March 2002 Vol. 3 Number 5
* PDF Only
Meet Steve
Kimock – The High Priest of Magical Guitar Tone
Interview – Jimmy Page and
Joe Perry Guitar Tech Jim Survis
Review – The Mesa Boogie
Maverick Review
NAMM 2002 Hot Picks!
Review – K&M Two Rock Amps
TQR Quarterly Resource
Directory
April 2002 Vol. 3 Number 6
Geoffrey Teese and RMC Wahs – The Search for the Holy Grail
Interview – Introducing
Terry Dobbs (That's Mr. Valco to You...)
Article – Johnny Hiland
Shares Practice Tips & His Pedal Board Rig
Review – The Fender Super
Deluxe Reverb – Upgrade Your Deluxe Now!
May 2002 Vol. 3 Number 7
VOX
Anyone? – Michael
Guthrie's Outrageous Vox Amps, Plus Undiscovered British Bargains!
Review – The Return of Todd
Sharp – The Good Smell of a Vintage Vox AC30
Interview – Meet Zachary Vex
of Z. Vex Pedals
Review – Damn Right I Play a
Cyber Twin – Buddy Guy's Tech Mark Messner & the Cyber Fender Twin
June 2002 Vol. 3 Number 8
* PDF Only
Victoria
Amplifier's Mark Baier on the new 4/EL84 Victorilux with Reverb & Tremolo
Review – The New Jensen Mod
Speakers with Orin Portnoy, Antique Electronic Supply
Interview – Good Wood from
Puyallup – Ken Warmoth on Warmoth Guitar Products
Review – Pedalmania! Don't
Get Bored with Your Peda Board!
César Diaz Remembered
July 2002 Vol. 3 Number 9 –
The Blues Issue
* PDF Only
Interview – Muddy Waters
Guitarist Bob Margolin
Interview – French Quarter
Legend Mr. Bryan Lee
Interview – Jimi and
Stevie's Favorite Guitarist – Hubert Sumlin
Review – TQR's Mighty Fine
Tools for Tone Kings – Lollar P90's, the Siegmund Midnight Special, and
Roccaforte Custom 18 head.
August 2002 Vol. 3 Number 10
A Trio of Tonefreaks...
Interview – Meet Chris
Siegmund – Elevating Amplifiers and Guitars to Timeless Works of Art.
Jason Lollar – A Player's
Take on Guitar Designs and Handwound Pickups That Will Change Your Life
Doug Roccaforte – Custom Amp
Builder and Tech Busts Myths About Building, Repairing, and Modding Amps
September 2002 Vol. 3 Number
11
* PDF Only
Jim Marshall! Our exclusive,
in-depth interview with Jim Marshall is a rare treat for all fans of Marshall
amplifiers. This is one of the most extensive interviews ever published with
the man who created the sound of rock & roll.
Interview — Doug Roccaforte
reviews the great Marshall amps of the past. You'll learn the subtle differences
between models built from the mid sixties to the early eighties.
Review — Our 1970 Park 50W,
optimized by Doug Roccaforte
Review — The current
production Marshall JTM45
Review — Acquiring maximum
vintage Les Paul tone on a budget
Review — The Fishman
Powerbridge with Peter Stroud
Review — The Carr 1x15 Slant
6 with Danny Flowers
October 2002 Vol. 3 Number
12
* PDF Only
This is the issue everyone
was waiting for... A 6,000 word, detailed visit and gear exposé with the
Reverend Billy F. Gibbons! Mr. Gibbons finally delivered the goods on how
he gets his righteous tone, from Pearly Gates, to the Marshalls, his studio
toys, live stage rig, and all points in between...
Review — The Les Paul
Historic Double Cut Special
Interview — The Radiators'
Dave Malone... More very cool gear tips from the pros!
Review — The Electro-Harmonix
Holy Grail Reverb
November 2002 Vol. 4 Number 1
* PDF Only
Introducing a guitar
player's guitar player... Stephen Bruton! Stephen's interview is one of the most
thoughtful and informative we've ever published. If you don't learn something
from this guy, it's time to hang it up!
Review — PRS Custom 22, and
the MCCarty model
Review & Interview — Black
Box Effects with founder Loren Stafford
Review — The Maven Peal
Zeeta Amplifier
December 2002 Vol. 4 Number
2
* PDF Only
The King of Tone! If you
aren't familiar with Jim Weider's work with The Band and his solo
recordings featuring his vintage Telecasters, amps, and effects, it's time you
became acquainted with one of the most accomplished Tele players of our time. We
explore Jim's entire stage and studio setups, and this interview is loaded with
practical tips on acquiring inspiring guitar tone.
Review — AnalogMan's Sun
Face Germanium Fuzz
Review — Relic Tele Reviews!
The Nocaster and '63 Tele
Review — Chris Kinman's
Superb Noiseless Tele Pickups from Down Under!
Interview and Review —
Savage Audio with Jeff Krumm
January 2003 Vol. 4 Number 3
* PDF Only
Glaser Instruments — When
Nashville's top players need their guitars re-fretted, setup, or restored, they
go to Joe Glaser. Our in-depth interview covers Joe Glaser's career operating
one of the top guitar repair shops in the world, and we reveal his amazing PLEK
machine from Germany, which dresses frets with a precision that will change the
way you view a "great" fret job. This is one of the most requested issues we've
ever published!
Review — The Incredible PLEK
machine!
Review — Our TQR picks for
Way Cool Guitars
Review & Interview — Visual
Sound Effects with Bob Weil
Review — The Under 20W
Chapter of Club Whoop Ass (revisited) Our picks for new, little BIG amps!
February 2003 Vol. 4 Number
4 * PDF Only
Coco Montoya — "Take this
blues and make it your own." Coco Montoya began his career as a drummer with
blues legend Albert Collins, but during years of touring with The Iceman, Coco
learned to play blues guitar from the undisputed "Master of the Telecaster."
We delve deep into Coco's career with Collins and his role as guitarist with
John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, and as always, there are plenty of tips from
Coco on getting that tone and the intention of the blues into your
playing.
Review — Brown is back...
Our discovery of the Diaz modified blackface "brown"
Princeton amp — and
undiscovered bargain!
Review & Interview — Power
Tools! The Blackstone Overdrive with builder Jon Blackstone
March 2003 Vol. 4 Number 5
Denis Cornell — Discover
England's brilliant custom builder who recently created Eric Clapton's newest
amp! Cornell is a veteran amp tech and builder who worked with Vox founder Dick
Denny and developed the early Sound City amps in England. His Plexi 20W and 50W
amps are some of the best Marshall-style amps we have ever heard!
Review
— The Cornell Plexi Amps
Review — A peek inside JJ
Electronics Tube manufacturing.
Review & Interview — Gene
Baker Guitars
Review — The new Fender '64
Vibroverb Custom — Better than vintage!
April
2003 Vol. 4 Number 6
* PDF Only
The Gibson Custom Art &
Historic Division — This special 24-page edition of TQR is devoted to the Gibson
Historic guitars and the Custom Shop. You'll literally tour the Custom Shop and
see how the Historic Reissues are built, with detailed interviews with Historic
Division manager Edwin Wilson, TQR advisory board member and Pro Shop manager
Ernie King, and a must-read interview with Tom Murphy, plus reviews of historic
reissue models.
Interview — Edwin
Wilson on the genesis of the Custom Shop
Interview — Ernie King on
the historic reissues
Interview — Tom Murphy on
the historic Les Pauls and his aged "Murphy" Les Pauls.
Interview — The Kentucky
HeadHunters' Greg Martin on his vintage '58 Les Paul, his historic reissues,
tone tips for stage and studio, and more!
May 2003 Vol. 4 Number 7
When are expensive
custom-built guitars and amps really worth their heavy pricetags? Can you
capture the signature tone you crave on the cheap? Uh, huh... Meet Joe Naylor,
founder of Reverend instruments and amplifiers. He's figured out how to build
affordable gear that sounds and plays like gear costing way more than you
think!
Interview — Joe Naylor
Review — The Reverend
Hellhound, Slingshot and Drivetrain II
Interview — Bernie Hefner &
the B. Hefner Co.
Review — The new AC30
Point-to-Point reissue - Better than vintage!
Review — Euro Tone — The
Lehle Switching Boxes and Carl Martin Pedals\
Review — Callaham Custom
Guitar Parts and Makeover
June 2003 Vol. 4 Number 8
* PDF Only
After a lifetime of playin'
the blues, Anson Funderburgh earned the cover of TQR by a long shot. Check out
Anson & Sam Myers, the Bus, and Anson's main squeeze — his '57 Stratocaster.
Interview — Anson
Funderburgh
Interview — George Goumas
(Anson's brilliant guitar tech and tone guru)
Review — The Dr. Z MAZ38
Senior — Anson's new amp
Review & Interview — Tone
Pros Outstanding bridges and saddles
Review — Our makeover of the
stock Gibson SG Special
July 2003 Vol. 4 Number
9 * PDF Only
Pete Anderson tells all...
You know Pete — the guitarist and producer who shaped the authentic Bakersfield
sound of Dwight Yoakam. In our 2-part interview, Pete chronicles his dues-paying
period out of Detroit, struggles with various guitars until finding The One,
modding his blackface Deluxes, and more! If you don't learn some valuable
lessons from Pete's own words, it's time to put the guitar down, brother!
Interview — Pete Anderson...
Guitars Cadillacs & Amp Farm...
Review — The Tom Anderson
Hollow Classic — A Big Step Up from 1954
Review — Midrange Deluxe —
The "Raw Mod" for your Deluxe Reverb
Review — Building the
Perfect Plexi with Peter Stroud, Don Butler, and Mercury Magnetics!
August 2003 Vol. 4 Number
10
Meet master tonefreak Robert
Poss! Mr. Poss defies description, but prepare for plenty of "Why didn't I think
of that?" insights from one of the most articulate, thoughtful and wildly
talented guitarists we've ever met.
Poss — Distortion Is Truth
Review — The rare and
undiscovered G&L SC-1 — one of the last Leo Fender designs.
Interview — Pete Anderson
Part 2
Interview — Tom Anderson
GuitarWorks
Review — The Anderson Hollow
T
September
2003 Vol. 4 Number 11
Legendary guitar repair and
restoration expert Dan Erlewine shares stories never told before in print,
including eye-opening tips on guitar repair, Dan's favorite instruments, his
work building custom guitars for artists such as Albert King, and more!
Erelwine — The untold story
Part 1.
Tubes Count — A Vacuum tube
update with Mike Kropotkin
The Ventilator — Another
forgotten classic amp revealed — the Ampeg V2
Mojotone — A profile of Mojo
Musical Supply and custom speaker cabinets
October 2003 Vol. 4 Number 12
Meet Michael Burks! If you
smell smoke, it's the Dimble burning! Our exclusive interview with W.C. Handy
award winner and master bluesman Michael Burks delves deep into his gear, which
includes an obscure and very rare Matchless 120W head, a Dumble Overdrive
Special, and a collection of customized guitars that will definitely surprise
you.
Michael Burks — The
Interview
Dan Erlewine Part 2 — Repair
and restoration tips
Review and Interview —
Introducing the Balls 18 Amplifier
Review — 10 inch speaker
swaps — what's hot, what's not!
November 2003 Vol. 5 Number 1
This is our fourth
anniversary issue and double feature on award-winning Londoner Adrian Legg and
Nashville songwriter and session player Gordon Kennedy. Adrian discusses his
incredible tone and unique stage rig in detail never before documented in print.
In fact, Adrian called our interview the best article ever written about him in
20 years! Gordon Kennedy co-wrote Eric Clapton's most successful single of his
career — "Change the World," and has worked extensively as top Nashville session
player, most recently with Peter Frampton. Both of our featured artists are
hopeless tonefreaks, and you'll learn a lot from their insights on guitars, gear
and recording.
Interview
— Adrian Legg and Gordon Kennedy
Review — The Epiphone
Elites... 'Affordable' just keeps getting better! Our review of the Epi Elite
335 and Les Paul
Review — Introducing The
Enhancer! Big tone for combo amps.
December 2003 Vol. 5 Number 2
Meet the Mighty Tone Kings!
Eric Johnson and Sonny Landreth on nailing it the first time, Gear, Tone,
Technique and more! Two of the most admired, unique and identifiable players in
the world reveal their tone secrets in this stellar issue, from Dumbles to
Vibroverbs, vintage Marshalls and a lot more! Don't miss this one...
Interview
— Eric Johnson, Sonny Landreth
Reviews — Vintage Fuzz Faces
and modern alternatives
Review — Wee heavy and bold
as love... Our 1968 vintage Marshall 4x12 cab meets the 4x12 TV reissue!
Review — Introducing the
Victoria Sovereign
Review — Introducing the
Roccaforte 30W
Review & Interview — The CR
Coils Crossroads humbucker
January 2004 Vol. 5 Number
3
The Leslie West Interview!
The original king of big tone and wicked vibrato let's it rip... This one will
definitely go down as an all-time favorite, but you'll need to buy the CD
release of the 1970 Mountain Climbing album before you wade into this
issue. Trust us... we have forgotten what big tone is all about. This issue is
one of our favorites!
Interview — Leslie West
Review — Mountain gear (and
you'll be surprised, believe us)!
Review — The Gibson '54
Historic Goldtop — Still under the radar and a must-have!
Interview — Meet the Detroit
Boogie King, Michael Katon from Hell, Michigan!
Review — James Pennebaker
road tests the Gibson GA30RV amplifier
February 2004 Vol. 5 Number 4
Meet the New Boss of Rock
and Blues - The Joe Bonamassa Interview! Joe's detailed descriptions of his live
rig and the lessons he's learned has proved to be one of the most informative
ToneQuest articles of all time. Essential reading for anyone that plays in a
variety of venues.
Interview — Joe Bonamassa
Review — The Gigliotti brass
top Tele
Review — The Startouch A/B
pedal
Review — The Option 5
Destination Rotation pedal
Review — The Tone Bone
Distortion pedal
March 2004 Vol. 5 Number
5
Vince Cunetto on the birth
of the Fender Relics and his new Vinetto guitars! Vince developed and aged the
early Fender Relic Strats and Teles during their first 4 years of production. In
this issue he details the research and techniques he used to create the Relic
guitars as well as his new Vinetto's.
Interview — Vince Cunetto
Review — Our 'Cunetto' Relic
Strat
Review — The Vinetto Legato
Interview — Lou Rosano,
Louis Electric Amplifiers
Review — The Louis Electric
KR12
April 2004 Vol. 5 Number 6
The Peter Frampton Interview
- one of the most detailed and in-depth discussions of Peter's Quest for Tone
ever published, from the Trubeats and The Herd, Humble Pie, the solo years and
today. Not to be missed!
Review — '65 Melody Maker
Makeover
Review — The Force Overdrive
pedal
Review — The Pro-man Amp —
our customized blackface Pro reverb
May 2004 Vol. 5 Number 7
The Phil Brown Interview...
Unknown and clearly one of the most innovative and spell-binding guitarists and
songwriters you will ever hear. Phil's cover story and ToneQuest CD sampler will
rock your world, period. This issue features a blow-by-blow guide to Phil's
recording techniques and gear used to produce the Apaches from Paris CD. See the
ToneQuest Records page for full sound tracks now!
Interview — Phil Brown on
the B-tuned Les Paul, Ampeg VL1002 and more...
Interview — A track-by-track
guide to all the gear
Interview — Lee Jackson on
the design of the Ampeg VL Series
Review — The Demeter TGA-3
Amp
Review — The ToneQuest
Hardtail
Review — Lollar 'Special'
Strat Pickups
June 2004 Vol. 5 Number
8
Robert Keeley reveals the
story behind Keeley Electronics and Keeley pedals and mods.
Interview — Robert Keeley
Review — All the pedals, all
the tones and plenty of reasons to blow your budget now...
Interview and Review — Jerry
Jones Guitars
Interview and Review — The
Tube Article with Charlie Kittleson
Review — Our latest tube
recommendations
July 2004 Vol. 5 Number 9
The Steve Wariner
Interview... Nashville's ace guitarist on his days with Chet, favorite guitars
and amps, his state-of-the-art home studio and more.
Interview — Steve Wariner
Interview — Joe Glaser on
Steve's custom-built B-bender Glaser guitars
Review — The Juke 1210
Amplifier
Review — The Savage Macht 6
Review — The Vintage 1973
Marshall Lead & Bass 1x12 amp
August 2004 Vol. 5 Number 10
Bill Nash Guitars... Our
detailed look at Bill Nash aged guitars and Bill's stellar 'design your own'
approach to custom building.
Interview — Bill Nash
Review — The ToneQuest Nash
Time Warp Special
Reviews — Eric Clapton and
Doyle Bramhall on tour — all their gear!
Review — The CF Martin
DeArmond Amps
September 2004 Vol. 5 Number
11
Divided by 13 Amplifiers
with founder and solo builder Fred Taccone. Our in-depth look at these
exceptional amps will have you reaching for the phone to place your order.
Interview — Fred Taccone
Reviews — The amps!
Interview and Review —
Evidence Audio Cables
Review — Our makeover of a
1999 Firebird V — stainless frets, DiMarzio Minibuckers and TonePros
hardware...
Review — The Duncan Pickup
Booster
Review — The Fender '63
Reissue Reverb
October 2004 Vol. 5 Number 12
Good Wood – Wake up and smell the lacquer! Guitar Reviews...
Gretsch 6120
'ToneQuest' Relic Stratocaster
Gibson Cloud 9 Chambered Les Paul
Gibson CS-356
Martin D18 Golden Era
'82 Hamer Cruise Bass
1982 Gibson 'Dot' Reissue 335
Budda Amps – Sounds like a Budda
Chicago Blues Box Amps
November 2004 Vol. 6 Number 1
Tone Chronicles – Interview – John Mayer on Dumbles and the new Two Rock Signature Custom
Reverb
Interview – The Tone Chronicles with Stephen Bruton, Todd Sharp, Albert Lee,
Joe Bonamassa & Steve Kimock
Interview – Mesa Boogie founder Randall Smith
Reviews – the reissue Boogie Mark I and new Lonestar
December 2004 Vol. 6 Number 2
The
Hamer Issue –Interview – Jol Dantzig, founder of Hamer Guitars
Reviews – The Hamer Monaco Elite, Monaco III and Phantom Custom
Interview – The truth about why Jason Lollar's P90's rule...
Review – Our '65 Meloday Maker Makeover...
Review – Lee Jackson's Active Gain Pedal
January 2005 Vol. 6 Number 3
Interview – Rick Vito - All the guitars, all the tones
Review & Interview – ACME Guitarworks – custom pre-wired pickguards and
more!
Review – Our picks for replacement pickups, wiring diagrams and more...
Review – The Headstrong 'Lil King – the blackface Princeton returns!
February 2005 Vol. 6 Number 4
18
Watts of Whoop Ass with Billy F Gibbons...
Interview & Review – The London 65 Amp with Peter Stroud
Interview & Review – The new Marshall hand-wired reissue Lead & Bass and 18W
combo
Interview & Review – Hemp cone redux... the harvest is in at A Brown Soun...
Interview – Resonant vibrations with Carlos Santana
March 2005 Vol. 6 Number 5
* PDF Only
Visions
of a Dream...
Interview – Two of our favorite unknown guitarists... Greg V and Guthrie
Trapp and their Gear
Review – The mighty brown Fender amps...
Review – The '62 brown Fender Vibrolux
Review – The Robert Cray Signature Strat from Ensenada...
Review – John Landgraff's Dynamic Overdrive
April 2005 Vol. 6 Number 6
The Speaker Issue... Coils, Spiders and Cones
Interview – Chris Rose on the Eminence Redcoat and Patriot Series
Reviews – Our picks from Eminence
Reviews – More speaker tips from Todd Sharp
Review – The Fender brown Vibrolux Part 2
Review
– The Myth of the Low Power Brown Twin Amp
Review – Affordable vintage guitars - we uncover another sleeper from
Nashville...
Who's Playing What? Buddy Guy...
May 2005 Vol. 6 Number 7
Setting Tones in Stone –
The Recording Issue...
Interview – Roland's Tom Stephenson on the evolution of home recording
Review – Phil Brown tracks with the Roland BR1600
Interview – Recording tips with James Pennebaker, Gordon Kennedy and Jim
Weider
Review – Surprise recording amps!
Interview & Review – The Talos Basic Studio Reference Amplifier
Reviews – The Talos Basic with Adrian Legg & Bill Kirchen
June 2005 Vol. 6 Number 8
The
Jimbo Mathus Interview Live from Clarksdale
A pocket guide to Clarksdale
Review - Jimbo's Metropolitan Tanglewood guitar
Review - Are you a Bobcat man? The Silvertone and Harmony Bobcat
Review - The vintage Gibson ES330
Review - The Victoria Regal amplifier
Review - The Hootchie Mama Overdrive
July 2005 Vol. 6 Number 9
The David Lindley Interview
Interview - Dave's Number One Tone Man... Henry McCullough
Review - The rarest amplifier ever made - The Standel 25L15
Review - The new reissue Standel amps
August
2005 Vol. 6 Number 10
The Mythology of Tone
Interview – Juha Ruokangas, founder of Ruokangas Guitars
Review – Ruokangas Duke and Mojo Grande Guitars
Articles – 13 Myths Revealed
September 2005 Vol. 6 Number 11
The Johnny A Interview
The Marshall 30th Anniversary Amp
Review – The Johnny A Signature Guitar
Review – The Gibson '57 Classic Humbucking Pickup with JT Ribiloff
Review – The Eric Johnson Signature Stratocaster
Amps – The Mythical Brown Twin Part 3
October
2005 Vol. 6 Number 12
Power Tools
Review – The 1971 Ampeg VT40 Revisited
Tube & Speaker Recommendations
Review – The Dallas Arbiter AC30
The Epiphone Wildkat Makeover with Dan Erlewine
Interview & Review – The Gabriel Low Carb 18W Combo
Interview & Review – The UV6 Amp from DST Engineering
Review – The Louis Electric Trem-o-Verb
Review – The Cream-Tone Overdrive
November 2005 Vol. 7
Number 1
Vintage Guitar
Players... Les Paul's right hand man for 20 years – Lou Pallo
Interview – The guitars and
basses by Harvey Citron
Review – The Citron CF-1
Interview – Richard Goodsell,
Goodsell Amplifiers
Review – The Goodsell
Claremont Super 17
December 2005
Vol. 7 Number 2
Twisted...
The Jay Jay French
Interview
Review – Cream plays Madison
Square Garden
Review – The Ultimate
ToneQuest Bluesbreaker/Cream rig – guitars, effects, amps!
Review – The Louis Electric
JTM45 2x12
Review – The Analogman Beano
Boost
Review – The New Hamer Special
K guitars
Review – The Zemaitis Reissues
Review – The Dr. Z
Prescription ES amp
Article – The Radiators' Dave
Malone Escapes Katrina and finds salvation with a Vox AC30
January
2006 Vol. 7 Number 3
Building Your Own Tone...
Interview – RS Guitarworks –
repairs, refins, custom finishing, complete assembly, custom wiring
upgrade kits, aged hardware & more.
Review – The New TQ Guitar
with Lollar TQ Strat Pickups
Review – Thermo-treated wood
from Finland – Tone "Voodoo?"
Interview – The Heritage G12M
& H Heritage Speakers with Celestion's Paul Cork
Review – The Celestion Heritage G12 H & M Speakers
February 2006
Vol. 7 Number 4
Introducing Eastwood
Guitars and myrareguitars.com
Reviews – The Eastwood Airline, Univox HiFlyer, Stormbird &
Wandré "Doris"
Interview – Benjamin Fargen, Fargen Amps
Review – Fargen Blackbird Amp
Review – Avatar Speakers & Cabinets – Aged Avatar "Hellatone"
G12H30
Reader Q&A – The vocabulary of tone... what do the words
really mean?
Review – The ToneQuest Clarksdale Amp
March 2006 Vol.
7 Number 5
The Art of Tone...
Sonny Landreth on making "Live at Grant Street"
Review – $30,000 and climbing... John Mayer's Dumble Overdrive
Special
Review – The Two Rock Signature Custom Reverb
Review – The ToneQuest Top 10 Amps
Interview & Review – Rocky Mountain Slides
Review – The DLS RotoVibe and Echo Tap
Interview – Who's Playing What? Robert Cray
April 2006 Vol.
7 Number 6
Junior
Brown
Interview – Guitar-builder Michael Stephens on the Junior Brown
guit-steel
Review – 40 years and counting... The Goodrich volume pedal
Review – The Fender blackface Showman
Review – The ToneQuest King Daddy
Review – The vintage Western Auto 9528C amp
Review – Pissed off Tele tone... The Fender relic Thinline
Interview – John Harrison of A Brown Soun on reconing speakers
Feature – The Gibson Nashville repair shop
May 2006 Vol. 7
Number 7
The Perfect Guitar...
Interview with former Fender masterbuilder Fred Stuart
Review – The Stuart Blackhawk
Review – Fred Stuart's Tele built with spruce and rosewood
salvaged from pianos
Interview – Montana guitar builder Larry Pogreba
Review – Pogreba "hubcap" resonators, electrics and the
"butt" guitar
Review – Class A, single-ended vintage amps with soul
Review – The Big Dickerson
June 2006 Vol. 7
Number 8
Back to the Well... The
Lee Roy Parnell Interview & his recipe for great slide tone
Review – Our optimized Gibson Les Paul '58 Historic
"Blacktop"
Review – TonePros hardware... aluminum and steel do it again!
Review – Our makeover of the '50s Bigsby Tele crafted in Japan
Review – The vintage Marshall 50W and 4x10 rig
Review – Avatar 4x10 cabinet & Eminence Ramrod speakers
July 2006 Vol. 7
Number 9
Visions of a Dream...
Our interview with German builder Nik Huber
Review – Huber Dolphin
Review – Huber "Junior" prototype
Interview – Hiwatts are back! Reeves Amplifiers
Review – Reeves Custom 50 & Custom 30
Interview – Doug Preston of Doug's Tubes on the best current
production tubes
Review – The Luxury Drive with John Mayall guitarist Buddy
Whittington
Review – Ten grand for a relic? Jeff Beck Esquire
August 2006 Vol.
7 Number 10
Where is Eric Burdon?
Our exclusive interview with the Animals' legend. No, he isn't a
guitar player, but Burdon's account of the British Invasion,
Hendrix' rise to fame and the Animals chart-topping hits is
unforgettable, essential
reading.
Interview – Original Animals guitarist Hilton Valentine
Interview – Eric McFadden
Review – Danelectro Ltd. Edition 12-string
Review – The perfect $295 slider... The Dano '56 Pro
Interview – Victoria's Mark Baier on the new Victoria Regal amp
Review – Our review of the Regal
Review – The 1960 brown Fender Pro
Review – The reissue fOXX tone Machine
September 2006
Vol. 7 Number 11
The Welder – Meet Neil
Young's guitar tech since 1976, Larry Cragg...
Larry's tone tips, plus, we lift the veil on Neil's rig...
The Whizzer, tweed Deluxe, Magnatone 280, Baldwin Exterminator, Old
Black & More
Review – The Unbelievable Vox AC50
Review – Our 2006 Historic '57 Les Paul Junior
Review – The Quest for Ragged Glory... Avatar 4x12 cab with
Hellatones and the new Vox Gold G12H Alnico's
Review – Direct chain drive... bypassing the volume pot
Review – Larry's tips on water buffalo horn and ebony bridge pins
Review – The C.F. Martin 110
Review – The Jangle Box
Review – The state of new old stock tubes
October 2006
Vol. 7 Number 12
The Quest for Vintage
Tone... What Is It?
Interview – Dan Butler on the Chicago Blues Box "Buddy
Guy" Bassman
Review – The Buddy Guy Amp
Interview – Tom Jones, TV Jones Pickups
Reviews – TV Jones Classic, Magnatron, Powertron pickups
Reviews – 2006 Gretsch Jet Firebird
Interview – David Smith of Bluetron Amps
Review – The Bluetron Blueverb
Review – The Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic
November 2006
Volume 8 Number 1
Turning Coils... The Pickup Issue & Choosing the Right Pickup
the First Time
Interview – The demystification of pickup terminology & myths
dispelled with Jason Lollar
Reviews – WCR Coils, Don Mare, Fred Stuart, Fender, Amalfitano,
Lollar & Gibson
TQ Review guitars – Nash Telecasters, 2002 SG Special, TQ Hardtail
Strat, The Les Paul "Blackbird" and our '57 Junior
Review – The Blackguard Telecaster book with author Nacho
Banos
December 2006
Volume 8 Number 2
* PDF Only
West Coast Blues... A
Journey into the signature tones of West Coast Jump Blues
The Junior Watson Interview – Watson on his heroes and the vintage
gear that made him famous
Rick Holmstron on tone... The Harmony H62, Stratotone, tweed Bassman,
baby Valcos & the rig that rocked Ry Cooder's world
Review – The Fulltone Tube Tape Echo
Review – The Harmony H62
Review – The 1957 Supro Brentwood
Review – The Fralin 1x15 Combo
January 2007
Volume 8 Number 3
New Tones for a New
Year...
Review – The Martin D18 Golden Era 1934
The Next Big Thing... Boutique Vintage Vox AC30s
How Toneman Don Butler makes a 45 year old AC30 roadworthy
Review – Toneman's AC30 Top Boost kit
Review – The AC30 Custom Classic
Under the hood at Carr amps with Steve Carr
Review – The New Carr Vincent
Review – The New 65 Amps Marquee
Review – Koch Guitar Electronics Studiotone, Classictone and
Multitone amps
Review – Durham Electronics Sex Drive
February 2007
Volume 8 Number 4
The Mighty Jazzmaster...
Myths exposed – "no tone, no mojo, and the fugly stepchild of
the Fender family?
Fred Stuart's take on the Jazzmaster
Jason Lollar on the Jazzmaster pickup
Review – 2006 Crafted in Japan Jazzmaster with parts and pickup
upgrades
Review – The Fender '62 American reissue Jazzmaster
Review – John English Masterbuilt Jazzmaster
Review – Jazzmaster pickups... Fender Japan, Fender USA, Fred
Stuart, Lollar
Review – The Fuchs Overdrive Supreme
Review – JCA Circuits GR 1.6 Amplifier
March 2007
Volume 8 Number 5
The Reluctant Messiah,
Roy Buchanan... Rediscovering the quintessential dark horse among
the greatest guitarists of all time
"Roy made me do it" – Jim Weider's quest for a
blackguard Telecaster
Review – The new JW40 signature amp by Benjamin Fargen, plus
interviews with Jim Weider, Ben and Analogman Mike Piera
Review – The Celestion Heritage G12-65
Review – The 2006 Fender '51 Nocaster plus upgrades – Nocaster
pickups, #154 fret wire, Callaham compensated bridge saddles, 4-way
reversed wiring & aged Gotoh tuners
Review – Inside Pater Frampton's Grammy winning CD
"Fingerprints" with co-producer Gordon Kennedy
April 2007
Volume 8 Number 6
Digging for Tones...
Mambo Sons' guitarist Tom Guera
Reviews – The rare Bassman you really want... the '61 Fender 6G6
Review – The Affordable '64 AA864 blackface Bassman
Review – The $400 hybrid Marshall 3203 Artist
Review – New from Lindy Fralin, RS Guitarworks and Greg Martin –
Psyche-billy humbuckers and wiring kit inspired by Greg's '58 Les
Paul
Review – The Stellartone Tonestyler
Review – The 2007 Fender American Strat and vintage Hot Rod
Stratocasters
Review – Voodoo Lab MicroVibe
Review – The T Rex Room-Mate Reverb
May 2007
Volume 8 Number 7
Lindy Fralin Pickups...
How a guitar player cracked the code on vintage pickup winds obe
coil at a time
Review – Fralin Stratocatser, P90, Humbucker, Telecaster and P92
split coil pickups
Review – The Suhr Backplate Silent Single Coil System
Review – The single-cut Melody Maker from Gibson USA – better
than ever
Review – The anti-burst... Gibson's BFG Les Paul
Interview – Checking in with Matchless founder Mark Sampson
Review – Vintage 1993 Matchless DC30 with commentary from Sonny
Landreth & Gordon Kennedy
Review – Mark Sampson's Star Amplifiers – Nova, Super Nova,
Blues Star and Sirius
June
2007 Volume 8 Number 8
Ampology...
The Art of
Vintage Amp Restoration
Vintage Amp Restoration's Gregg Hopkins' tweed recovers revealed
Scoring and restoring '58 tweed Vibrolux and Tremolux amps
Jeff Swanson's custom cabinet building... Our vintage AC30 gets a
makeover
Review – The DST 'Redhead' with Bob Detorre
Review – Gibson Custom Shop KS336 from the "Inspired By"
Series
Review – One of the most important books in the history of rock
& roll... "Recording the Beatles!"
July 2007 Volume
8 Number 9
Bluesbreakers!
The
Ultimate Sideman's Hall of Fame – John Mayall's Bluesbreakers
"The More You Think, the Less You Feel"... The Walter
Trout Interview
Coco Montoya & the new Carr Vincent amp
Joe Bonamassa drops the Strat, his new CD and the beauty of Auraflex
Review – The Mesa Boogie Mark IV
Review – The Analogman Peppermint Fuzz
Review – Hahn Guitars
August
2007 Volume 8 Number 10
Double Trouble...
Stolen
SRV stash revealed
Stevie Ray Vaughan's '64 Vibroverb modded by César Diaz, pedals and
more
The Return of Terry Dobbs (that's Mr. Valco to you...)
Review – Vintage Valco Amps
Terry Dobb's Buyer's Guide to Valco
Review – Chuck Thornton Guitars – Fusion, Blues Queen &
Elite
September 2007
Volume 8 Number 11
Webb
Wilder on "mid-Atlantic" tone!
The Tone Chaperone, George Bradfute plus...
A rock star in a country western world... Tony Bowles
Jack the Ripper – Our 1979 Hiwatt DR504 Custom 50
Custom amp Bazarre... The Louis Electric Baby Bluesbreaker and
Tremblelux
Lizard Leg Effects Flying Dragon Overdrive
Pedal power... Lose the brick! The Visual Sound 1 Spot
October 2007
Volume 8 Number 12
A new
guitar design that will rock your world...
The Hamer Talladega with Jol Dantzig, Kal David and Greg V
Paul Cochrane's Timmy Overdrive
The Fender 5E3 tweed Deluxe with Fender's Shane Nicholas &
Mercury Magnetics' Sergio Hamernik, plus our review
The Blue Chameleon... Victoria's Regal 2x12 qith Celestion Blue G12s
The Truth About Cables with Tony Farinella, Evidence Audio
November 2007
Volume 9 Number 1
A Trio of Tonefreaks Revisited...
Michael Swart grooves on the pompetus of style and tone, plus our
review of the Swart Atomic Space Tone amp
The Randall Aiken Interview, and how he has out-Marshalled Marshall
with the 30 watt Aiken Intruder 1x12
Joe Naylor on the new Reverend guitars, plus our review of the
Reverend Manta Ray and Volcano
December 2007
Volume 9 Number 2
The Unerring Wisdom of Mighty Polka Kings... Our search for rare
Gibson amps
Victoria's Mark Baier on the new Electro-King GA40, plus our review
The Fat Sound of of two Gibson Classic amps... Our review of the
1960 GA77 and 1959 GA40
Review – The Forgotten Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop with mini-buckers
Jason Lollar on minis and Firebird pickups
Optimizing our goldtop Deluxe with pickup swaps
Review – The new Fat Acid, Half Acid and ABY switch from DST Engineering with
Tom Guerra
January 2008 Volume 9 Number 3
The Top
Loader... When one amp and one guitar is all you need... The Jim
Campilongo Interview
Optimizing a Fender Princeton Reverb
The Golden Era for Small Amps – The 1960 Gibson GA18 Explorer
Step on this... Studio Quality Reverb & more – TC Electronics
Nova Digital Reverb
Rare Affordability...
The Vox AC15 Handwired
February 2008
Volume 9 Number 4
The Tone of a Nine Pound Hammer... Mark Selby Interview
Selby on tone, gear, and a track-by-track look at his recording rig
A good tech is hard to find – Nashville amp 'guru' Kye Kennedy on
Selby's amp mods
Meet Roy Blankenship – Our review of the Blankenship Vari-Plex
Review – The Bakos Plus 45 amp
Review – The Fender '50s Classic Player Stratocaster from Ensenada
Review – The Unmistakable Vibe of the Uni-Vibe Part 1
March 2008
Volume 9 Number 5
The Mike Campbell Interview
Campbell's 'Dirty Knobs' play Fullerton & Princeton tech tips
with Dave Boze
Review – 'Black guitars sound the best...' the Rickenbacker 620
The Mike Campbell Signature Duesenberg
Interview – Clark Amplification with Mike Clark
Review – The Clark Beaufort 5E3 Deluxe
Review – The Unmistakable Vibe of the Uni-Vibe Part II
Review – The Quest for Über Boost... Does Big Foot Exist? The
Rockett Boost
Review – L.R. Baggs M1 acoustic pickup
April 2008
Volume 9 Number 6
The
Spanish Castle... A day in the life of six '59 Les Pauls...
Review – The PAF and patent number pickup mystique explored,
tested and revealed!
Our review of ten PAF and patent number pickups in new Historic Les
Pauls... Which contemporary pickup builders have nailed the true PAF
vibe?
Review – Grist for the grind... Vintage P90s find a home in our
Les Paul Junior
Review – the Twin from Bloody Hell... '73 Marshall Super Lead
May 2008 Volume
9 Number 7
Seventy
prototypes and a year in the making... Bill Collings on designing
and building Collings electrics
Review – Jonn Richardson on the Collings City Limits
Review – Bird Lives... Collings OM1 acoustic
Interview – 'Take this piece of junk and restore it...' Gord
Miller and GM Restorations
Interview – Kim LaFleur on vintage Fender and Gibson parts
and historic makeovers
Review – 'No truss rod condoms, thank you!' Toneman Don Butler on
the historic makeover of his Les Paul
Interview Exclusive! Pater Frampton on mining classic tones in his
studio
June 2008 Volume 9 Number
8
The Fixer... Our Exclusive Interview with Pete Cornish
Cornish on
Eliminating noise from your pedalboards and the optimal order for your chain
of effects
Review – Our 2006 Fiesta Custom Shop Stratocaster
Review – Fender '57-'62 Strat pickups
Review – Jerry Amalfitano's 'SP' pickups
Review – More Callaham Upgrades
Review – Fred Stuart's RockitTone Guitar
Review – The Citron Baritone
Review – The Vlavetech 'VAC' 25 Amp
Review – Xotic Effects RC & AC Boosts
The Black Strat – Phil Taylor's book on the Gilmour Black Strat
Goodbye Sean... A tribute to Sean Costello
July 2008 Volume 9 Number
9
Wild Things... Making the right gear decisions the first time... It's what
we all want, and it's never been tougher!
Review – The
1964 blackface Deluxe – even better than you remember
Review – The '64 blackface Pro 1x15 – the most overlooked, versatile and
toneful blackface amp?
Tone Tips – Essential blackface midrange, gain and power mods
Review – Jim Campilongo on the new blackface Princeton
Todd Sharp on the real differences between blackface amps with and without
reverb
Review – Are you a Valco man? The Supro 1696T 1x15 – the real Led
Zep amp!
Review – Riverhorse scores a '53 Deluxe
Lost & Found – a letter from Ken Fischer
'True Temperament' with Juha Ruokangas
Review – The Ruokangas Twin-Sonic and Mojo Guitars
Review – Adrian Legg reviews the Phase-o-matic Effectrode Deluxe
August 2008 Volume
9 Number 10
The David Grissom Issue! David deals an inside straight – guitars,
amps, effects and Loud Music
Review – The PRS
David Grissom Signature guitar
Interview – Paul Reed Smith on the Grissom Signature, pickups and more...
Review – Cortez the Killer... Relic '59 Esquire toploader
Review – Danelectro Baritone – everybody needs one
Review – The Badcat Panther
Review – 65 Amps Dual 6V6 Monterey
September 2008
Volume 9 Number 11
Germino Amps, Live from Saxapahaw, NC... Greg Germino on buildiong custom amps
inspired by Marshall's Golden Era
Review – Germino
Club 40, Classic 45 and 55LV
Review – Hoping to Fly... Gibson Historic Firebird V, plus Lollar pickup
swap
Review – The Jukelicious Houserocker... Custom Shop P90 non-reverse Firebird
Review – Tube Snake Boogie on the Dark Side of Venus Isle... The B.K. Butler
Tube Driver
October 2008 Volume 9 Number 12
Building a Better Beater in Houston... Big Tex Stratocasters and Teles – the
whole story told by Big Tex himself!
Review – Big Tex
Stratocaster
Bill Kirchen gushes on his Big Tex Tele
Interview – Joe Bonamassa on his inspiring signature Les Paul, the (current)
road rig and more...
Review – The Bonamassa goldtop
Review – The Carol-Ann OD2 amp
Review – Big tone, small box – the Carr Raleigh
Review – Built to burn... the Two Rock Jet Signature
Review – In search of the perfect note – Evidence Audio Monorail cable
November 2008
Volume 10 Number 1
The 10th Anniversary Issue... Classic Insights, Tips and Interviews
with:
Andy Marshall, THD
Pete Andererson
Junior Watson
Anson Funderburgh
Joe Bonamassa
John Sprung
Joe Glaser
Walter Trout
Larry Cragg (Neil Young)
Stephen Bruton
Master Builder Fred Stuart
Juha Ruokangas
Bill Collings
J.T. Ribiloff
Tom Holmes
César Diaz
Lindy Fralin
Dr. Z
Ted Weber
Eminence founder Bob Gault
Eric Johnson
Tom Dowd
Rick Holmstrom
December 2008
Volume 10 Number 2
Cheap Thrills (that we've never needed more...) The Speaker Issue
Reviews
– Jensen Neo, Jet Tornado Neo, Jensen Alnico Jet Blackbird, Jet
Electric Lightning, Jensen MOD 30, MOD 50 and MOD 70
Reviews – Eminence Cannabis Rex, Red Fang 10 & 12, Eminence Legend 1058,
'Lil Texas, Man 'o War, Tonespotter and our pick for a righteous
12... the Eminence Screamin' Eagle
Reviews – Celestion... Our go-to picks
Review – Warehouse Speakers' Veteran 30, Green Beret, Black &
Blue and Blackhawk
Interview & Review – The return of Fane
Review – The Electro-Voice EVM12-L
Review – The Art of Dreaming... Optimizing the Fender '57 Twin
Review – Lee Jackson's analog spring reverb pedal – meet Mr. Springgy
Review – Vanilla Fudge... Fralin P90s
Review – The DST U84 amp
Review – Adrian Legg reviews the Fishman Aura
January 2009 Volume 10 Number 3
Horse Latitudes...
The Spanish Castle revisited. One year after our dance with 6
vintage '59 Les Pauls and a motherload of PAFs and early '60s
pickups, has anyone nailed the sound and feel of vintage PAFs?
Our interviews and in-depth reviews with Tom Holmes, Lindy Fralin,
RS Guitarworks' Roy Bowen, Slider and Will Boggs
Tone
exposé – Why pickup swaps can't add what isn't there, and why we
bought 7 Historic Les Pauls ...
Review – Pots, tone caps and pickup covers – Why they matter, and how much
Review – Our favorite contemporary humbuckers revealed
February 2009
Volume 10 Number 4
Meet
the Soul Man... Our interview with the Subdudes' Tommy Malone
Review – Celebrating the extraordinarily lush tones of the Fender blackface
era
Review – Route 66... Our quest to find, resurrect and optimize the
most over-looked and under-valued Fender amp of all time
Review – Panfried with Riverhorse... Is there a difference between 'vintage'
reverb tanks and the new stuff?
Review – The return of the mighty Silverbacks... why our reconed vintage
Celestion G12Hs sound so good
Review – The Texas Octavia Choir... Roger Mayer's original Octavia
Review – The Zen Drive
Review – The Rockettone Afterburner
Review – Jena Labs cables
March 2009
Volume 10 Number 5
The rock
& roll heritage of the Motor City revisited... the Jim McCarty
interview
Interview
– McCarty's amp tech delivers
Review – You asked, we delivered... Little big amps reviewed! The Headstrong
Lil' King and Lil' King S – a bigger, bolder Princeton reverb
Review – New from Michael Swart – The Atomic Space Tone II head & cab
Review – Recessionary ToneFest – the extraordinary 2005 Limited Edition
NAAM Strat
Reviews – The overlooked Gibson SG – Gibson USA, HIstoric 'Les Paul' and
SG Special
Review – Goldrush... Why our Historic '54 rules
Who's playing
what? Neil Young's latest stage rig rockin' in the free world
April 2009 Volume
10 Number 6
Venturing beyond the familiar archetypes for a look and tone you can
call your own... Celebrating the guitars of Charles Lobue
Interview – Steve Kimock on his Lobues
Review – Leo's Last
Waltz... Our reviews of the vintage MusicMan Sting Ray and G&L
F100 guitars
Review – The Ampeg Dan Armstrong reissue
Review – Double Nickels – Riverhorse scores a '55 Junior cheap
Reviews – Like a hurricane... The Category 5 Tempest & Andrew Amps
Review – Slide on this... Eastwood's affordable Airline lapsteel
May 2009 Volume
10 Number 7
Beacon Blues... Bad tone rules at the Beacon with the Allman
Brothers. Why?
Interview and
Review – Andy Elliott's extraordinary guitars plus our review of
the Peter Stroud signature Tone Master
Interview and
Review – Our review with custom amp builder Bob Reinhardt plus
review of the Reinhardt Sultan and Storm.
Interview and
Review – John Grammatico's replica Bassman
Discovering the
best Marshall tones we have ever heard with Greg Germino and Sozo
founder John Gaynor
Wanna a BIgsby?
The oh-so cool Vibramate
Noiseless
tone... the Rocktron Hush pedal
June 2009 Volume
10 Number 8
Desiderata... Why limiting our focus on those things that are essential has never been more important
If I Only Had a Burst...Gordon Kennedy
& Peter Frampton on finding deep water and happiness with Les
Paul guitars
Interview and Review –
Introducing Wolfgang Damm & his Amber ‘59 PAF & Classic
pickups
Interview – Joe Glaser on the predictable nature of
unpredictability in guitar building
Interview and Review – The
Flaxwood guitar story from Finland, plus our reviews
Review – Are You Biased? Tune up your amps now with the Compu-Bias
Review – Bang the Drum...Nickel
silver vs. stainless fret wire
Review – 1964 revisited! Why our ‘66 Jensen
C12N recones rock
Feature – Coming soon... Guitar Town at Copper
Mountain and another stellar lineup!
July-August 2009
Volume 10 Number 9
A
most excellent
hang... Our interview with Little Feat guitarist Paul Barrere
It’s
August... It’s hot.This is hotter... The return of Dixie Chicken!
Review
– The
Rivera Venus 3... a dual 6V6 1x12 that will rock your world!
Interview
– Mike Piera (Analogman) on the history of compression pedals
Review
– Analogman
Comprosser
The
King of Ponce on Amp Mods... Jeff Bakos gives it up on his favorite ‘mods’
Review
– When less is more... the Amp Preserver
Feature
– The momentary suspension of disbelief and the search for the
holy wail...
Without
clarity,you got nuthin’
Interview
and Review – Bob Burt’s Clean Boost, Overdrive & heirloom
pine
Interview
and Review – Noiseless in Richmond... Lindy Fralin’s noiseless
P90
& Strat pickups!
September 2009
volume 10 Number 10
Nash Guitars – our exclusive interview with Bill Nash... Six
thousand
guitars later…
The return of
Bill Nash, founder of Nash Guitars
Review
– Our review of
the ‘57
Nash Onyx Cockaroux
Interview
– Fundamental frequencies with TonePros founder Dwight
Devereaux
Review
– Tone-shaping hardware tips plus… a
better Kluson – our
review of TonePros
Kluson tuners
Review
– True vintage tone! Pyramid
round core nickel classic strings
Review
– The Twilight Zone… We
snag the 12 watt Fullerton classic no one seems to want
for all the wrong reasons – the Fender Princeton sans
reverb!
Review
– The return of Fuzz – better
than it ever was! Our review of Xotic Effects’ new Fuzzy Drive
October 2009 volume 10
number 11
The endless quest for tone is alive and well… We explore Mark Karan’s stage
rig with Rat Dog and a track-by-track review of his new solo CD – Walk Through the Fire
Interview &
Review – Scotty Smith’s ProAnalog SupaQuack wah
Review –Mark Karan’sFuchs ‘Plush’Créme de la
Trem
Just how mad is the Mad
Professor? Chief designer Björn Juhl discusses the 100 watt MP101 &
Old School 21 Mad Professor amps, plus our reviews
Bird on a wire for three bills and change…The ‘59 Gibson GA-5
Skylark
The Nekkid Truth –Your burning questions answered at the drive-thru window of
tone with the founders of Two Rock amps
Review
– A Dumble Book... finally, somebody wrote it.
November 2009 Volume
10 Number 12
Magnatone Amps... Forgotten for no good reason –still phenomenal and
affordable. We score a mint ‘61Magnatone 280-A from 'Vern' in Redlands...
Review
– From a player like you... Jeff Morris breaks down the Magnatone 400
Seriesone-by-one
Review
– The ‘59
Magnatone professional 190
Feature
– Neil’s Rig
Interview
and Review – New from Lou Rosano
& Louis Electric! You really, really need you one of these...Really. Meet the
Buster, plus our review of the Louis KR12
Interview
– The Robben Ford Interview Part 1
The Big Scream...Riverhorse spanks the holy
grail!
‘Goodbye
Les’ with Lou Pallo
The Last Les Paul...We find another stunner
December 2009 volume
11 number 1
Playable Art...Ken Parker on building a new form for the acoustic archtop guitar, plus Parker’s
usual insights & opinions on what makes a superior instrument
The Robben Ford
Interview Part II – You can only get it here... from fusion back to the blues...tone,guitars,pickups,amps and
more!
Interview and
Review Kentucky Windage...How J.M. Rolph’s‘58 PAFs finally seal the
deal on true PAFtone
Review – Meet the
Hogtown Mangler... A brief history of Traynor Amps plus our review
of theTraynor YGL-3Mark III Super Beater Review
This might could
change your life...The Z. Vex Distortron distortion box
January-February
2010 volume 11 Number 2/3
Tonecraft &
irony… Our
interview with the Albert Brothers on recording the Layla
sessions
Champology…
Our
search for the ‘59 Champ
Reviews
– Champ Speakers – Weber
Signature Alnicos, Jensen P8R & C8R
Review
– The Fender ‘57 Champ reissue
Review
– Victoria 518
Review
– ValveTrain Amps… Model
205 with tortured tweed, the Concord & Lexington reverb
Review
– Bakos 8 Ball
Interview
and Review – Exceptional & Affordable Classics… Jerry
Jones & our Copperburst
Interview
& Review – 3 Monkeys Orangutan
Review
– Z Vex Mastotron
Review
– Kal David’s Blues Guitar Master Class
March
2010 volume 11 Number 5
Journeymen and Gypsies...Veteran Texas Rocker Mark May on workin; with Dickey, gear & tone
May's #1 axe...Our review of The Robin Savoy Classic
Livin' on top of the world (in Brooklyn) with Jim Campilongo...Jim's
new CD Orange, the secret to his Princeton Reverb tone & the Campilongo
signature Telecaster
What...no flame? The '04 '88 Historic Custom Shop Les Paul -
Bare Knuckles 'The Mule' Humbuckers
The Hell Drivers...Jim McCarly on his band's ass-kickin'
live tribute to Detroit rock & roll, plus the gear
BC Audio Amplifier No. 7...One of the best sounding 15W-25W
amps we've ever heard.
The Amp Maniac...Carl Hartman's Amp Preserver goes postal,
plus...cheap vintage tube tone - the 5C7/8V6 tube adapter
April 2010 Vol. 11 Number 6
Mining tone in the coyote hole, lucky
strikes & the big '58
What is tone? Now you know... The tone structure of
the solidbody guitar elegantly revealed in The Beauty of the ‘Burst
Shooting craps with Tim Shaw & the unfathomable
nature of ‘tree physics’
Imperfect perfection... What we will and won’t do to the big ‘58
The ‘76 Silverback... Our quest to find and optimize
a Silverface Princeton Reverb that can hang with a blackface
Ten Inch Tone! Our reviews of nine exceptional tens
from Eminence, Celestion & more...
Chuck Thornton on building small-batch masterpieces,
his new ‘Classic’ tribute to the Telecaster, plus our review
The Classic
