Latest articles by Rod Brakes
From retro reissues to contemporary shredders, here are the best Gibson SGs on the market right now
Vintage guitar enthusiast Rod Brakes reveals how his 1965 Fender Duo-Sonic II and '67 Fender Mustang Bass proves you don't need a massive budget to take part in the vintage guitar market
The Bolin ’Burst is famed for its association with Deep Purple guitarist Tommy Bolin – but its route to Bonamassa was considerably less direct
David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars explains what makes this uniquely preserved vintage Strat so unique – starting with control pots from a TV set
Bonamassa welcomes us to Nerdville to share the stories behind some of his favorite guitars, including a mint ’58 Flying V, Tommy Bolin’s mythical 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard and a tuxedo ES-355 that might, just might, be the only one in existence
In this candid conversation, Bonamassa welcomes us to Nerdville to discuss his journey from 12-year-old prodigy to one of today’s most talked-about guitar players, what stops him being a traditional blues guitarist, and why he won’t be doing this as an old man
Inspired by Epiphone, the Deluxe introduced mini-humbuckers to the Les Paul format
Meet the instrument known as ‘Donny J’ – to date, the priciest purchase in the blues rocker’s god-tier guitar haul
The Explorer was borne out of a desire for Gibson to update its image, but like its siblings – the Flying V and ill-fated Moderne – it was ahead of its time. It had to wait to be a classic
When it launched in the early ’60s, Gibson’s double-neck was seen as a novelty and had limited success – that is, until, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page came along…
This 1967 semi-hollow Strat was built with zebrawood during a particularly experimental time for Fender – vintage expert David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars tells the story of an R&D oddity
The late ‘60s was an era of great change for popular music and the guitars that would make it – and it was a time that found Gibson tinkering with a now-classic recipe and striking gold
How the 1950s Bassman combo designs laid the groundwork for countless guitar amps
This beauty has a big neck and a mysterious history – when it turned up at Well Strung Guitars, vintage guitar expert Dave Davidson told us its unusual story…
A favourite of The Beatles and The Byrds, these era-defining electrics still resonate
Compact, fun, playable and affordable – and loved by Jimi Hendrix – the Duo-Sonic remains Fender's slept-on classic
David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars introduces us to a very special semi-hollow that was once the prize possession of guitar educator par excellence Mel Bay
Gibson’s “greatest value ever” electric solidbodies appeared in an array of designs. Here we trace the birth and development of one of the original budget electrics
How the timeless rock machine found a user base that numbered some of the world's greatest players, and became a mainstay of the Gibson catalog
The supersized acoustic is a holy grail guitar for many a singer-songwriter, with classy ornamentation gilding an instrument with a breathtaking voice
Many say Leo Fender got it right the first time with the Telecaster, but that never stopped Fender seeking improvements, with the first, pre-humbucker incarnation of the Tele Custom adding some luxury to the ultimate workhorse electric
A true workhorse of the Martin line, this iconic guitar is a zenith of flat-top design
A close relative of the Junior that appeared in several guises, this double-cut is now a lesser-spotted gem in the vintage market
