1986 ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons - a guitar genius conquers the world

Features: ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons - a guitar genius conquers the world; Jake E. Lee -how to succeed without really whammying; Atomik Tommy McClendon - UFO's unidentified flying axman; Larry Carlton - Mellow madness; Edward Van Halen interviews Les Paul; Robert Fripp's Guitar School; Yngwie Malmsteen declares marshall law; more

1986 November Guitar World Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

The 1979 Vintage Guitar Market: Its Instruments, Dealers, And Collectors

Sunburst Les Paul, mint, $4500. Maple-neck Strats, $1000 and up. Flying V's slashed to $3300; cash only. Will trade Explorer for late-model Oldsmobile.

One thing that all the old guitars in this hypothetical advertisement have in common is that they used to list for about $250. What's going on? Why does someone trade in an armload of new guitars for a single old one? Why do some Les Pauls have virtually no pure "collector's value" while others are worth 20 times their original price? Are old instruments really better? Which ones? Why, and why not? Is the dusty old guitar under your bed a potential gold mine, or just a dusty old guitar? This article will answer some of these questions, present opinions on others, and examine the interactions of buyers and sellers, instruments and prices, fads and trends...

Shown in the following pictures:

- Larry Henrikson brought hundreds of guitars to the Dallas show: here's one corner of his exhibit.

- Sunburst Les Paul Standard; note tiger striping.

- 1934 Martin 000-45

- D'Angelico Excel arch-top acoustic

- Bart Wittrock (L) and Dave Wintz represented Houston's Rockin' Robin at the Dallas Guitar Show.

- Gene Witte's Danelectro Longhorn bass features concentric tone and volume knobs

- SG / Les Paul Standard, circa 1960

- 1958 Gibson Flying V

- 1924 Gibson L-5 arch-top steel-string

- Gibson's first Les Paul, the 1952 gold-top

- Ed Seelig's Style 2 National tri-plate (with three resonating sound cones) from the early '30s.

- 1955 Fender Precision Bass

1979 Vintage Guitar Market 16-Page Article available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1983 The Mad Genius of Jaco Pastorius - World's greatest bass player?

Features: The Mad Genius of Jaco Pastorius - World's greatest bass player?; Albert Collins - Tele on ice; David Lindley - Eclectic Electric Eccentric; Martin Guitars in the eighties; Les Paul - The Wizard speaks to the young; more

1983 May Guitar World Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1988 Yngwie Malmsteen - The critics, the clones, the controversy

Contents: Yngwie Malmsteen - which way?; Carlos Santana - another kind of blue; Scorpions - V is for Scorps; Roy Buchanan - a guitar hero ain't nothin' but a sandwich; John Patitucci - A Bass Odyssey; Centerfold Poster - Les Paul original "Log"; Transcriptions: Yngwie Malmsteen - "Dreaming", Joe Satriani - "Surfing With The Alien"; more

1988 June Guitar World Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1973 Serranito - Flamenco Guitar Master

Contents: Serranito, Flamenco Master - interviewed in Spain; The Les Paul Guitar - it's beginnings by the man who knows; Meet Bobby Black - Steel for Commander Cody; Chris Donald - re-creating the 50's with Sha Na Na; The Impro II - Wilburn Burchette 's truely unique guitar; Duane Allman - a guitaring tribute; Music for Jazz Guitar - "Waltz for Django"; Pro's Reply - Jerry Garcia; more

1973 May/June Guitar Player Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1982 Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon

He's the pedal to the metal guitarist propelling REO Speedwagon's hard driving attack. Shunning electronic effects, Gary fuels his leads with speed, vibrato, and harmonics. Climb aboard REO's rock bandwagon for an 11-year retrospective. With equipment sidebar.

Contents: Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon; You're good. Now what?; Jay Graydon; Les Paul & Tal Farlow Movies, The Wizard of Waukesha & Talmage Farlow; Larry Carlton; Alexandre Lagoya, classical guitarist; Johnny "Guitar" Watson; more

1982 February Guitar Player Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1985 Gallery of Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Guitars

Sunburst Gallery: Gibson's late '50's Les Paul Standard - arguably the quintessential collector's solid-body is one of the few electrics to command stratospheric prices primarily because of its beauty. This color pictorial shows why.

Cover: Gibson Les Paul Sunburst

Contents: Special Equipment Issue: Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Gallery; Inlay & Detailing; British High-Tech; Martin's OM Steel-String; The Melobar Story; Luthiers' Convention; Miss Off the Wall - Color Pull-out poster of this year's cheapo guitar competition winner; Production Arch-Tops; Playable Sculpture; Carl Thompson's Custom Basses; Retrospec - Fender Bandmaster; Free Soundpage Record - Special Effects Chains / Craig Anderson; Wang, Twang & Whammy; more

1985 March Guitar Player Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1978 Guitar Player Magazine's Poll Winners - Overall Best Guitarist Steve Howe & more

Hundreds of you cast ballots for those you feel are the best - and not necessarily the most popular guitarist in each of the 15 categories.

Overall Best Guitarist - Steve Howe
Best Rock Guitarist - Jimmy Page
Best Jazz Guitarist - Al DiMeola
Best Bass Guitarist - Stanley Clarke
Best New Talent - Eddie Van Halen
Best Acoustic Blues - Michael Bloomfield
Best Electric Blues - Johnny Winter
Best Steel Guitarist - Buddy Emmons
Best Folk Guitarist - Leo Kottke
Best Guitar Album - Al DiMeola's Casino
Best Pop Guitarist - Les Paul
Best Studio Guitarist - Lee Ritenour
Best Classical Guitarist - Julian Bream
Best Flamenco Guitarist - Paco de Lucia
Best Country Guitarist - Roy Clark

Gallery of the Greats - Five time winners no longer eligible for future polls; Leo Kottke, Chet Atkins, Jose Feliciano, B.B. King, Carlos Montoya, Andres Segovia, Rusty Young

1978 Guitar Player Magazine's Poll Winners 3-Page Article available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1978 Gibson 25th Anniversary Les Paul Guitar - The Most Les

Les Paul's silver anniversary is your golden opportunity. Fifty years ago Les Paul broke into the music business and began breaking it wide open with his echo chambers, overdubs and hit records. Twenty-five years ago the Gibson Les Paul guitar began establishing its own records, becoming the world's greatest electric guitar. And today, both are still creating Grammy award winning music.

Gibson is honoring its twenty-five year association with Les Paul by introducing the 25th Anniversary Les Paul guitar. It's the kind of guitar they'll be talking about 25 years from now. But you have to order it by December 31st, 1978, because it's a limited edition model. In fact, each guitar will be serialized to make it a one of a kind collector's item...

1978 Gibson 25th Anniversary Les Paul Guitar - The Most Les Ad available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1989 Who are the world's best guitarists and bassists? - Readers Poll Winners!

Contents: Who are the world's best guitarists and bassists? - Readers Poll Winners!; Joe Satriani speaks out; Pro's Reply - David Kershenbaum; A Celebration of Les Paul; Free Soundpage Record - Hans Reichel - Crossing the Bridge; The 1830's Stauffer Martin; Mark Egan & his singing bass; Masters Series - Harmonics; Hot rod your Strat; more

1989 January Guitar Player Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1978 Herb Ellis - a Jazz Guitar Giant

Cover: Herb Ellis - from Jimmy Dorsey to the great guitars - a jazz giant for 35 years

Contents: Herb Ellis discusses his guitars, technique, influences and philosophy; Steve Winwood, with Spencer Davis, Traffic and Blind Faith; Chester and Lester - Atkins and Paul team up for a 2nd LP; Joan Armatrading; Classical Guitar Careers - some radical alternatives to the Segovian school; Leon Redbone; Dick Grove Workshops; more

1978 April Guitar Player Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

Legends of Guitar - Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Interviews, rare photographs

Guitar Player Magazine - 1st Special Collector's Edition - Legends of Guitar

Cover: Legends of Guitar - Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen

Contents: Jimi Hendrix '68; Jimi Hendrix Nov. 27, 1942 - Sept. 18, 1970; A Rare Interview; Equipment; A Roadie's Nightmare; Techniques; Hendrix Remembered by: John McLaughlin, Johnny Winter, Larry Coryell, John Paul Hammond, Michael Bloomfield, Les Paul; Hendrix Solo: Beginnings; On Jimi Hendrix by: Howard Roberts, Chuck Rainey, Jerry Hahn, Jimmy Stewart, Stefan Grossman; Van Halen: Eddie Van Halen '78; Eddie Van Halen Comes of Age; On Diver Down; more

1984 Guitar Player Legends of Guitar Collector's Edition Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1977 Les Paul - interview with a pioneer of the solidbody guitar

Cover: Les Paul

Contents: Les Paul - interview with a pioneer of the solidbody guitar; The Outlaws - Tampa, Florida's 3-guitar lineup; Vicente Gomez - he introduced Hollywood to classical guitar; Women and guitar - effects of physiology and stereotypes; Tony Rice - David Grisman's bluegrass-jazz virtuoso picker; Funkadelic - Parliament's sci-fi funk guitars; New York's Session men - jingles, LPs, etc., high pressure, high incomes; more

1977 December Guitar Player Magazine Back-Issue available at www.GuitarPulp.com

Vintage Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Guitar Poster

Among vintage instrument aficionados, certain terms are charged with magic - D'Angelico, Loar, herringbone. "Sunburst" is such a name. Once merely referring to the shaded finish found on countless stringed instruments, it has come to gain a second meaning that has filtered its way from the lingo of a few vintage dealers into the vocabulary of the worldwide guitar community. The new reference, of course, is to a specific guitar, Gibson's Les Paul Standard of 1958 to 1960.

A direct descendant of the Les Paul Model of 1952, its immediate predecessor was the gold-top Les Paul Standard with Patent Applied For, or PAF, humbucking pickups. The sunburst is distinguished from the latter guitar primarily by its reddish sides and back, its often more carefully matched maple top pieces, and its stock cherry sunburst finish. At today's prices, how much are these seemingly minor variations worth? Often thousands of dollars. What has made this straightforward electric so special to a legion of rock guitarists from Mike Bloomfield and Eric Clapton to Gary Richrath and Billy Gibbons? What makes it so expensive - sometimes costing twenty or even forty times its original retail price of $247.50? Sound, beauty, rarity, playability, the quality of workmanship; The sunburst shines in all categories.

Some faded, some still dazzling, sunbursts assert unique personalities through a variety of shaded yellow, subtle burnt oranges, brilliant cherry reds, and rich reddish browns. The figure of the maple tops also varies from plain to a dramatic, almost quilted curl that ripples like ocean waves, or to the "tiger striping" shown here on an immaculate 1959 model with its pickup covers removed to reveal highly desirable double cream coil PAFs...

Also included on the poster is a collection of memorabilia, promo materials - from the sublime to the ridiculous - and photos of important or unusual instruments, all reflecting the guitar's rich heritage.

1. An early Gretsch Synchromatic acoustic arch-top, with "cat's-eye" soundholes and a multi-level Synchromatic bridge. The Music Shop, Grant's Pass, OR / Rick Madsen

2. Gibson Style O. This very unusual body style was introduced in 1908, and the model depicted here dates to about 1919. Spitzer's Music, Hayward, CA / Jon Sievert.

3. An original late-1920's metal-body National Tri-Plate Style 4 Chrysanthemum: note triple soundcones and T-bar bridge support.

4. A label from Gibson's Nick Lucas Special, an extra deep flat-top and the company's first artist guitar.

5. A very rare left-handed Gretsch White Falcon Stereo, about 1975. Guitar Trader, Red Bank, NJ

6. The late country superpicker Jimmy Byrant poses with the Voxmobile, late 1960s.

7. Kay Barney Kessel Jazz Special, one of three Kay Kessel models introduced in 1957. Spitzer's / Sievert.

8. 1968 Guild A600 B acoustic-electric, purchased from Guild founder Al Dronge: maple body, checker trim, gold plating, Peter Budd.

9. Martin's first style 45 prototype, a 00-42 with special pearl trim, vine inlays, and a bowl mandolin pickguard, 1902. Martin Guitars.

10. Joe and Rose Lee Maphis in concert; Joe is holding Mosrite's first doubleneck, custom-built by company founder Semie Moseley.

11. Mid-1950s Fender brochure.

12. Former Gibson president Ted McCarty and Les Paul (with guitar) at a mid - '50s New York trade show. Mr. McCarty helped design the original Les Paul guitar, the tune-o-matic bridge, the ES-335, the Flying V, the Explorer, and Gibson's stud tailpiece.

13. Epiphone Deluxe acoustic arch-top, with Frequensator tailpiece and cloud inlays. Steve Soest / Thel Rountree

14. Stella flat-top with stenciled flowers, made by Harmony. Matt Umanov / John Peden.

15. Mid - 1930s Gibson L-C, or Century, with pearloid fingerboard and pearl and rosewood inlays. Wooden Music, Chicago / Anne Goodman

16. A late '60s ad for the Coral Kilowatt amp stack, made by Danelectro.

17. Melobar stand-up acoustic steel guitar: its slanted fingerboard is labeled with instructional guidelines.

1982 Vintage Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Guitar Poster available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1959 Gibson Les Paul "Sunburst" Guitar serial number 9 0823

Some people think our Cabaret Series is too expensive. In 1959, some people thought this guitar was too.

In 1959, this Gibson Les Paul Standard carried a suggested list price of $283. An amount that many considered outrageous for an electric guitar. Yet for those who could appreciate the value in the guitar's craftsmanship, tone, and playability, the price was more than justified.

Today, the JBL Cabaret Series could be considered too expensive. But like the classic Les Paul, Cabaret products are designed to deliver unsurpassed performance..

1959 Gibson Les Paul "Sunburst" serial number 9 0823 courtesy of Norman's Rare Guitars, Reseda, California

See the complete line of Cabaret Series guitar, bass, keyboard, and vocal reinforcement systems at your JBL dealer

1982 JBL Sound Systems / 1959 Gibson Les Paul "Sunburst" Guitar Ad available at www.GuitarPulp.com

1982 Gibson Les Paul Limited edition 30th Anniversary Guitar

Vintage Voltage. 30th Anniversary Les Paul Standard. The shape of '52 that shattered all the molds; the classic gold top. The bridge that perfected intonation; the pickups that inspired a new sound. 30 years of the electric guitar in the electric guitar that made history.

Gibson. Making history yesterday, today, tomorrow.

1982 Gibson Les Paul Limited edition 30th Anniversary Guitar Ad available at www.GuitarPulp.com