Beyond Flattops: The Magic of Archtop Guitars
Though long favored by jazz and swing guitarists, the archtop is currently enjoying a revival among roots and Americana musicians, flatpickers, and singer-songwriters.
Great Acoustics: George Gruhn’s Exceptionally Rare 1933 Martin 12-Fret D-28
This 1933 Martin 12-fret, slot-head D-28 is George Gruhn's favorite flattop steel-string guitar. Here's why.
ADVERTISEMENT
Great Acoustics: Hank Williams’ Other Martin Guitar
This Martin D-18 had a homecoming in 2009, but not before helping launch a country legend.
A Guide to Identifying Common Acoustic Guitar Shapes and Sizes
The steel-string acoustic guitar appears in many different sizes and shapes. This guide gives a general understanding of the most common styles and what they may offer players.
Tell Us a Story About Your First Guitar
The editors of Acoustic Guitar magazine are collecting stories for an upcoming project. Please call us at (510) 215-0020 and leave a voicemail, telling us the tale of your first guitar. Did you save up your paper-route money and head to the pawnshop? Did your parents give it to you…
ADVERTISEMENT
Kenny Hill’s State-of-the-Art Modern Legacy Model Classical Guitar
This 2019 Kenny Hill Modern Legacy classical guitar, the luthier's main guitar for his own playing, is a prime example of his company’s top-tier offerings.
Gearing Up: A Guide to Old-School Blues Guitars and Their Modern Counterparts
The sound of blues players on a budget remains an aesthetic legacy to the present day.
Great Acoustics: Buck Curran’s Long Lost 2009 Sobell Model 1
Singer-songwriter and guitarist Buck Curran’s tale about his 2009 Stefan Sobell Model 1 is more uplifting than some other tales of "the one that got away."
ADVERTISEMENT
Great Acoustics: A Pristine 1943 Martin 000-18 with a Fascinating History
This 1943 Martin 000-18 was originally a gift to a Spanish immigrant to Monterey, California, who was a regular performer along the famed Cannery Row.
Jerry Garcia’s 1943 Martin D-28 Acoustic Guitar Finds a New Home—and New Players
Jerry Garcia’s Martin D-28 acoustic guitar was likely acquired by the guitarist in the late spring of 1970. Now it has a new owner to care for it.
May 2021 Acoustic Guitar Auction Report
A 1943 Martin 000-18 and a 1999 custom engraved National Tricone Style 4 were among the 19 guitars sold in Acoustic Guitar’s recent online auction.
ADVERTISEMENT
Great Acoustics: A 2021 Santa Cruz OM Custom with a Storied Past
This Santa Cruz OM Custom was made with several storied tonewoods, including Tunnel 13 redwood; Brazilian rosewood; and figured mahogany sourced from the Tree.
Great Acoustics: 2020 Collings OM3 Alaskan
A visually striking custom OM made from reclaimed old-growth Sitka that spent much of the 20th century floating in Alaskan waters.
Great Acoustics: Preston Thompson Masterpiece #2 Koi Pond
Dedicated to the shop’s founding luthier and namesake, who died in 2019, the Koi Pond guitar is a stunning piece of art that's meant to be played.
Great Acoustics: John Prine’s 1939 Gibson Super 400N
From the November/December 2020 issue of Acoustic Guitar | By Greg Olwell A few archtops were larger and some were glitzier, but all were trying to top the standard set by the stunning Gibson Super 400. Having an 18-inch lower bout and decorated with Gibson’s most premium appointments and hardware, the Super 400 surpassed the L-5…
ADVERTISEMENT
Ask the Expert: Vintage vs. Modern Instruments—Do Blindfold Tests Really Work?
Over the years, a number of blindfold test have been conducted, including a pair of widely reported tests administered by a trio of researchers in 2010 and 2012. In the first experiment, 21 contestants from the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis were asked to rate six violins: two Stradivaris, a Guarneri del Gesu, and three violins made by highly regarded contemporary luthiers.
Great Acoustics: This 1930 Martin 000-45 Deluxe is a Rare and Opulent Offering
This beautiful, unique 1930 Martin 000-45 Deluxe is possibly the finest example of the early period of the American guitar.
Great Acoustics: Gurian’s 1973 S3B3H Incorporates Luxurious Nylon-Stringed Guitar Elements
This steel-string incorporates elements from the luthier's nylon-string background, such as the combination of an ebony fretboard and a rosewood bridge.
ADVERTISEMENT
Great Acoustics: Bukka White’s 1933 National Duolian
For much of his career, White played this 1933 National Duolian, serial number C7094, which he called “Hard Rock.”
Beyond Flattops: The Magic of Resonator Guitars
In the past 20 years, the resonator guitar has seen a reawakening as builders continuing to refine the basic concept that’s nearly 100 years old.
Revisiting the Acoustic Guitar 10th Anniversary Guitar Collection
To celebrate Acoustic Guitar magazine’s 10th anniversary, we asked 12 top guitar manufacturers to design and build custom instruments incorporating our logo.
ADVERTISEMENT
Great Acoustics: Yasmin Williams’ Skytop Grand Concert
This unique Eric Weigeshoff-built instrument is as individual as the music Yasmin Williams creates with it.
Great Acoustics: 1870s Zogbaum & Fairchild/John C. Haynes Parlor Guitar
A couple of years ago, Darren Stewart—Chief of Police at the Stonington Police Department, in Pawcatuck, Connecticut—encountered a particularly sad case. Stewart was visiting the estate of a local celebrity, Eva Franchi, helping her prepare for an annual concert in memory of her late husband, the tenor and actor Sergio…
Recognize These Signatures? Take the Quiz!
See if you can identify the guitarists who helped design these instruments.
ADVERTISEMENT
Great Acoustics: Shelley Park Modèle Elan 12
The Modèle Elan 12 is based on Maccaferri’s original Modèle Jazz guitar, a 12-fret design from the early 1930s.
