Vintage Bench Test: 1957 Gibson ES225TDN
The ES-225 was Gibson’s first thinline hollowbody, and yet it doesn’t get the same attention as its golden-era Kalamazoo siblings. But with original P-90s and a fabulous neck profile, it’s one of the few remaining 50s Gibsons that doesn’t cost rockstar money.
Vintage Bench Test: 1963 Gibson SG/Les Paul Standard
The Les Paul officially became the SG in 1963, but guitars were still leaving Kalamazoo with the man’s name on their truss rod covers until the tail end of the year. Huw Price gets to grips with one of the last examples, along with that sideways Vibrola…
Vintage Bench Test: 1950 Fender Broadcaster – Broadcast Quality
The roots may be showing on this old blonde, but it sure can sing. Huw Price surfs the airwaves with one of Fender’s first guitars: a 1950 Broadcaster…
Vintage Bench Test: 1956 Gibson GA-40 – Signature Sounds
Though not as famous as the guitar that bore his name, in the 1950s Les Paul also lent his name to a line of Gibson amps that made a complete signature ‘guitar outfit’. Huw Price gets two-toned with the GA-40…
Vintage Bench Test: 1956 Gibson Les Paul Custom – Custom Fit
The black-lacquered, jazz club sophistication of the earliest LP Custom takes more of its styling cues from Steinway than Stromberg. Huw Price steps out with a grand ’56 model…
Vintage Bench Test: 1963 Fender Stratocaster
You might think that the idea of unearthing an all-original golden-era Fender that’s been kept under a bed or in a closet for decades is pure fantasy. But they are still out there, as Huw Price’s encounter with this 1963 Stratocaster proves…
Vintage Bench Test: 1970 Fender Stratocaster – Blonde Ambition
With one foot in 1969 and the other in 1970, this Fender Stratocaster is proof that the company was still making great guitars after the CBS takeover.
Vintage Bench Test: 1969 Gibson Les Paul Custom
In 1953, Les Paul asked for a guitar that “looked like a tuxedo”, but by the late 60s the Custom had built its own legend. Huw Price checks out a strummer from ’69…
Vintage Bench Test: 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard ‘Duggie Lock Burst’
There are times when an instrument is so wonderful and iconic that staying appropriately impartial and dispassionate can be a challenge. With that in mind, this gorgeous 1960 Les Paul Standard is going to be a test for more than just the guitar. Huw Price feels fit to burst…
Vintage Time Machines: Gibson Trini Lopez
With its diamond soundholes, the Trini Lopez is one of Gibson’s most recognisable semi-hollow designs. This original 60s example is in excellent condition for its age…