For many a serious player and collector, the 1959 Les Paul Standard is a guitar that not only helped to shape an entire generation of guitar players, but also was born at a time when the electric guitar was an item that was intended to be both lasting and beautiful.  It is because of this that the company decided to go ahead and create a replica of this guitar so that players in the modern era will be able to experience what it was like to play on this wonderful piece of machinery.  In fact, Gibson went to such lengths as to make sure that the new guitars almost precisely matched the measurements and the period details of the original machines. Read more

The VM-10 is one of two models that are made in China (the other is the VPB-30).  All other Venture style guitars are crafted in Korea.  The Wilson Brothers Venture VM-10 is a strat-style guitar that looks amazingly retro and sounds even better.  This electric guitar features an agates, flat top body and has a neck made from maple that is bolted on using a smooth joint.  It features 22F frets and a rosewood fingerboard.

As far as the rest of the hardware goes, everything on the VM-10 is top quality.  It features three single coil pickups and chrome hardware.  The guitar has one volume control and two tone controls, plus a five way selector switch.  For finishes, you can get the Venture VM-10 in five different styles: black, red, white, sunburst, or wine red.  This is one of the first Venture guitars to be made, and while it may lack some of the extra features that other models have, it’s certainly a classic.  You just can’t go wrong with a Wilson Brothers Venture VM-10.

The AXL Badwater SRO relic guitar is a great looking instrument that really captures the feel of a relic.  It features antiqued hardware and a distressed body, creating the illusion that each of these instruments have been around for decades.  Even the headstock and the backplate feature some distressing.  Of course, they don’t sound like they’re that old.  In fact, they feature high quality parts and can deliver amazing hard rock sounds.

The Badwater SRO features an alder body and a rock maple neck.  The neck is done in a C profile and is bolted on.  The fretboard is generally done in a rosewood, although if you purchase a Badwater SRO in a brown finish, it will come with a maple fretboard.  The pickups are EMG-designed and include a humbucker and two single coils.  As far as controls go, this relic has volume, tone, and a five-way selector switch. Read more

The Danelectro Guitars 59-DC is one of two reissues of the Danelectro 3021 that was produced in 1998.  It was then later reissued in 2007, although this run of the 59-DC was very limited and was a bit different from the 1998 version, which is what is described here.  In fact, many players consider both the original and the 1998 reissue far superior to the 2007 version.  Just like the original 3021, both reissues come in a variety of different colors, including yellow, red, black, burgundy, copper, purple, and peach.

The 59-DC is a double cutaway guitar that features a seal pickguard, hollow inner cavity, and lipstick pickups.  The hollow cavity creates a very unique, very identifiable Dano sound that few other instruments have.  The body of the Danelectro 59-DC features a hardboard top and bottom and has a plywood frame.  The neck is made from maple and has a rosewood fingerboard.  It uses 50’s style Alnico magnet pickups, a Dano D stamped vintage tuner, and a bridge made from chrome with a rosewood saddle.  The instrument has a volume and tone control and a three-way pickup switch for neck, bridge, or both.  The Danelectro Guitars 59-DC 1998 reissue is a cool guitar for a fairly low price.

The Nash S-67 was inspired by the playing and tone of David Gilmour.  While it’s a new instrument, the Nash S-67 captures everything that Gilmour loved about his classic Strats.   The S-67 also features some new, modern additions, including Lollar Strat pickups and a maple fretboard.

The Nash S-67 relic guitar features an alder body and a three-ply pickguard.  The maple neck is done in a medium C birds eye style, and it features a CBS era shape.  The wide headstock and the Gilmour styled white knobs, pickup covers, and whammy round out this awesome guitar.  The Nash S-67 is available in black with a black pickguard, and the white accessories really stand out.  This is one of Nash’s most beautiful instruments, and, just like all of their relic guitars, every S-67 is hand assembled and features only top quality components.  They generally retail for around $1,800.

If you are someone who is looking for a classic guitar that has been passed on to the modern era, then you might want to check out Eastwood Guitars.  This company is one that has worked to revive the Airline guitars, which was a brand that was very popular during the 1960’s and late 1950’s.  For classic rock aficionados, these guitars are pieces of history that bring forth a little extra soul and spirit into the music.  However, it can be difficult to find a classic Airline guitar as the original models are now priced at more than three thousand dollars, and can be quite hard to come by.  So, if you are looking to use this brand of guitar, then you might want to look at these newly redone models to see if they fit with your purposes.

The Airline MAP is a guitar that will not only look cool, but it will also work to make sure that your sound is one that is unique.  In fact, bands today like The White Stripes and The Cure use the Airline MAP guitar for this very reason.  If you use this tribute guitar then you will have the option of buying the model in four colors: red, black, white and seafoam green.  Not only this, but it has two volume and a single tone control as well as a roller bridge and BIGSBY tremolo.  The guitar looks much like the traditional model did that was released in the fifties and sixties, but it is much more affordable.

Danelectro has a number of great guitars available on their website, and one of their newest relic guitars is the Danelectro 2009 DC-12.  This new guitar is very affordable, which is one of the things Danelectro is known for.  Their relic guitars don’t cost thousands of dollars, so even amateur players can often afford one of these beautiful instruments. Read more

The Eastwood Airline Tuxedo Relic Guitar is a great looking instrument that is based on the original Barney Kessel instrument.  This model was originally sold during the 1950s under both the brand name of Kay and Airline.  Today’s new take on the Airline Tuxedo features a full hollow body design and is very lightweight.  It’s a versatile instrument that can handle anything from punk to jazz and beyond.  While the original Barney Kessel models sell for several thousand dollars or more, the Eastwood Airline Tuxedo is much more affordable. Read more

The James Trussart Steelcaster is a great relic guitar that sounds amazing at home, in the studio, or on the stage.  It’s also an amazing piece of art and looks great up on the wall.  Each Steelcaster is actually created with many unique, customized details, making each one a true piece of art that has no equal.  The instrument features a hollow steel body and has custom metal appointments.  This and the custom finish of the guitar creates an interesting tone and gives it a unique annunciated sound.  When you combine this with the hollow body, it creates anything from incredibly clear tones to very aggressive, loud lead tones.

The James Trussart Steelcaster features a bolted on maple neck, although you do have the option of a koa neck.  The neck is shaped in either the Fat ’52 or ’62 style.  The fingerboard comes in maple, rosewood, or ebony.  The instrument uses #6105 frets, and the vintage bridge is done as either a 3 or a 6 saddle style.  The guitar features Trussart/Arcane single coils, Dunlop strings, and low mass vintage style tuners. Read more

Many people out there are looking for a relic guitar that sounds great, looks great, and is overall just a cool instrument.  There are a number of relic guitars that fit this bill, but few are as cool as the Wilson Brothers Venture VM-50.  It comes in the classic Ventures body shape that is instantly recognizable.  It has a small C style neck and features outstanding pickups—it uses two APS9 single coil pickups.  Its tremolo switch is very similar to what you’d find on a Jazzmaster, but this guitar is not a clone of any other model.  It’s a very unique instrument, and you won’t find any other instrument with these tones. Read more