Norman's Rare Guitars

Latest about Norman's Rare Guitars

Norman Harris of Norman's Rare Guitars poses with a Les Paul at his legendary Tarzana, California guitar store.
Norman Harris on the future of Norman’s Rare Guitars and why he finally decided to sell

By David Konow Published

The man behind behind Tarzana, California’s most famous guitar store discusses his legacy, the vintage market today and where it’s headed in the future

Music Industry
Three Gibson Murphy Lab-aged guitars
Gibson's Mark Agnesi explains the difference between relic’ing and aging guitars

By Janelle Borg Published

Gibson’s Director of Brand Experience gives his take on aged guitars – and explains why Murphy Lab is closing the gap with bona fide vintage models

Guitars
Norman Harris of Norman's Rare Guitars poses with a Les Paul at his legendary Tarzana, California guitar store.
You can now watch the Norman’s Rare Guitars documentary online for free

By Phil Weller Published

Featuring all-star interviews and crazy stories, the film charts the rise of Norman Harris’ legendary store and the vintage guitar market boom

Guitars
Bonnie Raitt and Melissa Etheridge jam together onstage in 2000.
When Bonnie Raitt took Melissa Etheridge guitar shopping – and convinced her to swap her Les Paul for a Strat

By Jonathan Horsley Published

Proof that we should always listen to Bonnie Raitt's advice, Etheridge never looked back with the Strat

4 Comments
Guitarists
Norman Harris of Norman's Rare Guitars wears a gray scarf and jacket as he sits with regular Joe Bonamassa, who's wearing a ball cap, a blue hoody, and is playing a very nice vintage Martin 000 acoustic guitar.
“With that said, you all can stop asking me if I am buying it now. Muchas gracias”: Joe Bonamassa has his say on the future of Norman’s Rare Guitars

By Jonathan Horsley Published

Once described as a "good fit" for the store, Bonamassa says he is more than happy to see Norman Harris's vintage guitar institution join the Carter Vintage Guitars family

Guitar Gear
Norman Harris of Norman's Rare Guitars poses with a Les Paul at his legendary Tarzana, California guitar store.
“It's the most iconic guitar shop in the world”: Norman’s Rare Guitars acquired

By Jackson Maxwell Published

The acquisition includes the 1,000+ guitars currently housed at the store, along with proprietor Norman Harris’ personal and private collection

5 Comments
Music Industry
Jimi Hendrix Strat
Norman’s Rare Guitars is home to some of the finest Strats in the world – but you’ll never guess which one sounds the best

By Phil Weller Published

The store has waxed lyrical about a mid-priced, made-in-Mexico Strat that’s given its vintage counterparts a run for their money

Electric Guitars
Norman Harris of Norman's Rare Guitars poses with a Les Paul at his legendary Tarzana, California guitar store.
“A lot of the music stores didn’t want to touch used instruments”: Norman Harris on the nascent days of the vintage guitar market

By Phil Weller Published

Harris turned the used guitar market on its head, despite the skepticism of many industry peers

4 Comments
Music Industry
George Harrison Lucy Les Paul
How Norman Harris helped reunite a Beatle with his long-lost Les Paul

By Phil Weller Published

The Lucy Les Paul was gifted to Harrison by Eric Clapton and used on a score of iconic recordings. When it was stolen, Harris came to his rescue

Guitarists
Jeff Ament with his 1961 Fender Jazz Bass
32 years ago, Jeff Ament rented a ’61 Jazz Bass from Norman's Rare Guitars to record Pearl Jam’s Vs. – and now he’s been reunited with it

By Matt Owen Published

Ament recently reconnected with the vintage four-string more than three decades after using it to track Vs in the early 1990s – and he immediately played it on stage

Bassists
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