Review: Thomastik-Infeld Bronze IBR112T Strings
The company’s first-ever phosphor bronze acoustic guitar strings are strong performers.
Emile Menasché
Guitarist, composer, writer.
Review: Vintage Guitar Authority George Gruhn Rewrites the Rulebook with His Bold New Versitar Design
Based on the Tacoma models that Gruhn designed back in the 1990s, the Versitar series deconstructs and reconstructs many of the touchpoints of traditional flattop design, like the neck joint, fret count, bracing, soundhole position, and more
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These Four Young Players Are Advancing the Art of Fingerstyle Guitar
Fingerstyle guitar is in good hands, judging by the diverse talents of Jontavious Willis, Janet Noguera, Hayden Pedigo, and Muireann Bradley.
Review: Fender’s Highway Series Parlor—A Thinline Acoustic-Electric Engineered to Sound Big
With its fast-playing neck and thin, flattop-shaped body, the Highway is ideal for electric guitar players looking to add some acoustic vibe to their sound.
Review: The Yamaha FG9 R Boasts Boutique Specs and a Vibrant Tone
This limited-edition beauty feels like a bespoke guitar, and it truly shines whether flatpicked or fingerpicked.
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How Guitar Virtuoso Hiroya Tsukamoto Arrived at His Unique Acoustic Style
Each step of his musical journey has shaped his approach as a composer and performer.
How Guitar Makers are Responding to Climate and Supply Threats by Turning to Sustainable Sources, Alternate Materials, and More
Guitar manufacturers are rethinking their processes in a world where climate change and deforestation are no longer abstract problems.
Fishman’s New AFX Mini Acoustic Pedals Are Tailored for Acoustic Guitarists
Fishman’s Pocket Blender, AcoustiVerb, Broken Record, and Pro EQ Mini pedals feature quality sound and advanced signal routing capabilities.
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Stylistically Diverse Guitarist Twanguero Records a Beautiful Nylon-String Album in the Costa Rican Rainforest
The Latin Grammy-winning guitarist discusses the recording and guitar techniques behind his new album, ‘Carreteras Secundarias, Vol. II.’
How Reuben Cox of L.A.’s Old Style Guitar Shop Came to Build and Tweak Guitars for Stars and Hobbyists Alike
Whether working on guitars for Jackson Browne, building a rubber bridge for an instrument powering a Taylor Swift hit, or setting up some kid’s cheap acoustic, Cox keeps chasing a sound—and inviting the world along for the ride.
John Monteleone’s Exquisite Archtop Guitars Are Seen in the Hands of Top Players and Museum Display Cases
If there’s a living heir to the great mid-20th-century luthiers like John D’Angelico and James D’Aquisto, John Monteleone would have to be it.
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Review: Taylor’s AD12e-SB Provides Walnut Warmth in a Small Footprint
Part of Taylor's relatively affordable American Dream series, the $1,999 AD12e-SB covers a lot of bases. Taylor calls its Grand Concert shape compact, and I think that’s a good way to describe an instrument whose tone belies its size.
After More Than 40 Albums, John McCutcheon Is Still in Love with His Instruments
As you might expect from such a narrative songwriter, each of his guitars has a bit of a story behind it.
Review: The Phil Jones Bass X4 Nanobass Combo Amplifier May Be Light, but It’s No Lightweight
It doesn’t weigh much, but the Phil Jones Bass X4 Nanobass combo amp is no lightweight. Its ability to produce warm, clean lows is impressive for an amp its size.
Review: Takamine’s CRN-TS1 Is a Stage-Ready Dreadnought with a Sensitive Side
Our reviewer found that for a big guitar with a big sound, the Takamine CRN-TS1 also offers an intimate quality that rewards an uncluttered approach, where notes are given the time and space to linger.
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Alternate Tunings Master Glenn Jones Returns With ‘Vade Mecum,’ a Very Personal Musical Diary
Glenn Jones doesn’t see open tunings as an alternate to standard, but rather as the core to his approach to playing and composing on guitar, including on his album ‘Vade Mecum.‘
Golden Jubilee: Bob Taylor, Richard Hoover, and Dana Bourgeois Reflect on 50 Years of Guitar Making
Bob Taylor (Taylor Guitars), Richard Hoover (Santa Cruz Guitars), and Dana Bourgeois (Schoenberg, Bourgeois Guitars) reflect on 50 years of guitar making.
Classical Guitar Builder Joshia de Jonge on Experimentation and a Life of Lutherie
Classical guitar builder Joshia de Jonge talks about experimenting in her own shop after years of working alongside her father & other facets of a life of lutherie.
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Thomas Ripsam, C.F. Martin and Co.’s First Non-Family CEO, Combines a Love of Guitar with Global Business Experience
Thomas Ripsam’s path to CEO at C.F. Martin & Co.’s Nazareth, Pennsylvania, headquarters is even more unlikely than most.
Review: PRS SE A40E Angelus Acoustic-Electric Guitar Is a Workhorse Import That Overdelivers
Probably more than any instrument I’ve tested in years, the PRE SE A40E Angelus acoustic-electric guitar revealed its true potential gradually.
Guitar Review: Preston Thompson D-SMA Is a Light and Powerful Dreadnought
Handcrafted in the company's Sisters, Oregon, workshop, the Preston Thompson D-SMA has a poetic side you might not expect from an instrument of its size.
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Review: Taylor’s GTe Urban Ash Is a Little Guitar that Packs a Punch
The smaller Taylor GTe doesn’t feel like a travel guitar and plays and sounds like a front-line instrument; the TaylorSense App helps you maintain it.
Review: Breedlove Pursuit Exotic S Concert Edgeburst CE Features Sustainable Tonewoods
The Breedlove Pursuit Exotic S Concert Edgeburst CE, constructed with responsibly-sourced woods, is an attractive and well-made guitar at a reasonable price.
How CEO James ‘JC’ Curleigh Is Using Lessons from Levi’s to Spur Gibson Guitars’ Revival
James “JC” Curleigh is using his experience revitalizing the Levi's brand to do the same with Gibson guitars after taking the reins as CEO in 2018.
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Guitar Review: Furch Blue MM Dreadnought Offers Warm and Surprising Tonal Colors
If I had to pick two words to describe the Furch Blue MM, they would be “Play me!” Right out of the box, this mahogany acoustic-electric dreadnought felt ready to make music.