The Gibson J-35, so named for its $35 price tag, was originally introduced in the mid-1930s but was discontinued a few years later in favor of the J-45, which was only slightly different and carried the wartime “Only a Gibson Is Good Enough” slogan on the headstock. Now the J-35 is back, featuring that old [...]

Nashville guitar ace William Tyler is a musician’s musician, an artist who commands a lot of respect in Music City picking circles. He also seems to have little trouble winning over even the most hard-boiled of critics (read: Pitchfork, who gave his newly-released album Impossible Truth an 8.0 rating). American Songwriter dropped in on Tyler [...]

  Guitar players tend to get a little emotional when it comes to discussing instruments, and one example of this is the debate between Gibson’s J-45 Custom and the J-45 Standard. To get a real sense of the difference between the two, you really need to sit down and play them side by side. The [...]

NAMM 2013 wraps up today and signs of that are everywhere. At the Hilton that adjoins the convention center the stage was torn down at breakfast time. Some of the vendors have begun packing up to make a quick getaway at closing time. And blurry eyes are everywhere after tiring non-stop dealing and late-night extra-curricular [...]

NAMM 2013 wraps up today and signs of that are everywhere.  At the Hilton that adjoins the convention center the stage was torn down at breakfast time.  Some of the vendors have begun packing up to make a quick getaway at closing time.  And blurry eyes are everywhere after a tiring non-stop dealing and late-night [...]

Saturday continues on with all the hustle and bustle one might wish for…if your idea of a good time is loud noises, crowded walkways, star gazing and circus freak shows.  There was certainly some fun things happening on the floor with jaw-dropping talent demos of gear and rock stars in full regalia.  And the gear [...]

It was another cloudy day with showers in So. Cal this morning as NAMM kicked into second gear.  The general mood was spirited despite the weather, which also had bouts of sunny optimism…and, it was easy to find some gear that could put a smile on your face. Tomorrow we’ll spotlight some of the wacky, [...]

The annual musical instrument trade show, commonly know as NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants), convened to day in Anaheim, California.  Manufactures and retailers from all over the world descended upon the usually sunny resort town (Disneyland is next door to the Convention Center) to find cloudy, rain skies that are forecast to last the [...]

WhyHunger’s 27th Annual Hungerthon is auctioning off a bevy of autographed guitars from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Keith Richards, Mumford & Sons, Taylor Swift and many more. Visit www.charitybuzz.com/hungerthon to bid. All proceeds go to support grassroots hunger and poverty relief. You can visit Whyhunger.org and Hungerthon.org for more info.

If you own a Paul Reed Smith Guitar or are just a fan of beautiful guitar craftsmanship, the place to be this past weekend was Stevensville, Maryland, as the guitar company opened its doors for their 6th annual open house. The 3-day event included master guitar clinics, factory tours, dealers selling new models, autograph sessions, [...]

Introducing The Martin Guitar video series, which showcases performances from up-and-coming and established artists using their Martin Guitars on the road and at home. First up is hometown favorite Madi Diaz. The video contains footage from Diaz’s 2012 winter tour, leading up to the release of their killer new album Plastic Moon at the venue [...]

The natural course of progression almost dictates that after a guitarist develops their signature sound, they then look to conquer new tonal arenas. This is why studio guitarists bring an arsenal of instruments to a session, and sidemen need a tech by their side on tour. And this is also why instruments such as the [...]