1964–82 fender champ/vibro-champ 1967-80 fender bronco

Fender’s Custom Shop had a precarious start in the mid-1980s, but the story of its formative years is full of big ideas, some bizarre instruments, and a queue of famous guitarists

The ever-active session legend on his love for cheap guitars, Roland gear, and modding his pickups

Streamliners have been ever-present in Gretsch’s catalogue, but this could be a one-off

Mike Zaite explains how a background in electronics and a front-row seat to the British Invasion of the 1960s led to the formation of Dr Z Amplification – and why the sonics always lead the schematics

Nearly 40 years on from the Custom Shop’s inception, its creations are more ambitious than ever. Find out how the team walks the tightrope between ‘canon’ and ‘cannot’, and where its guitars are heading next

THE TRAPPINGS OF rock stardom have changed a great deal since the 1970s. The money and record sales ain’t what they used to be, the drug-fueled parties in Laurel Canyon have died out, and being on the