Latest articles by Terry Carleton
A rare 1964 solidbody guitar turned out to be completely different from what it seemed
The author purchased the guitar sight unseen and was surprised by what he discovered when it arrived
The 1964 Welson Kinton V3 – whack job or Italian beauty... or both?
Add offset cutaways and an unusual body shape to all of the above features, and you’ve got a lot of weird in one guitar
“Comically ridiculous appearance aside, this guitar plays great”: Boasting “a Mayan temple of angles” this custom Crosley Radio Tone guitar combines bizarro looks with snappy, versatile tone
Made from a blue-and-gold 1950 Crosley E-15TN tube radio, this custom build has a truly wild appearance that belies its sound and playability. No matter what music you play on this guitar, seeing it will make people smile
"A guitar that sounds as aggressive as it looks, with four gold-foil pickups wired in series, resulting in a very hot output…" The green monster that is the 1970 Kimberly Deluxe
More attitude than Godzilla, it's a mean-in-green Japan-made classic
Covered in brown Zolotone paint with a Masonite body and orange plywood pickguard, Kay’s 1958 Solo King looks pretty bizarre, but this budget rock axe is a U.S.-made marvel
Even though it may seem ugly to some, this quirky-looking 1950’s guitar is still collectable and super affordable in 2023
One of the rarest and most sought-after Japanese-made Teiscos, the 1968 May Queen is a guitar designed for players, not just beginners
Made for just one year, Teisco's May Queen was three times the price of its regular guitars. There's a reason for that…
Smuggled out of Europe, a Communist Bloc Guitar Like This Delfi Kosmos Is a Rare Sight
A copy of Gibson's fabled Moderne, this oddball axe is a relic of rock and roll’s war against Soviet repression
Hard to Find but Worth the Hunt, Yamaha’s Prized ‘Flying Banana’ SG-3c Is One of the Best Holy Grail Oddball Guitars on the Vintage Market
Rising considerably in price, this great playing, great sounding axe is quality all the way
What’s Old, Covered in Sparkly Plastic and Sounds Like a Dream? This 1961 Goya S90 by Hagstrom
An early pioneer in the history of European electrics, this funky axe sounds as good, if not better, than it looks!
Just Look at All the Dang Buttons on This Vintage Goya! Houston? We Have a Problem
Featuring nine push buttons, this 1967 Goya Rangemaster Model 109 sports a beautiful German carve and Brazilian rosewood ‘board
Played by the Likes of Hank Marvin and Rory Gallagher, Guyatones Are Among the Best Japanese Vintage Guitars Around
Still in business today, Guyatone is one of Japan’s earliest guitar makers
This Mid-1960s Victoria Mod Job Shows What You Can Do With Some Choice Spare Parts, Ingenuity and Imagination
A cool and affordable way to add a lot of mojo to your guitar palette
Like the Hagstrom, Vox, Framus and Italian EKO Guitars of the Era, This 1965 Meazzi Hollywood Zodiac Plays and Sounds Great
While it looks slightly quirky, this elegant build is a straight-ahead, no-nonsense, meat-and-potatoes workhorse.
Even Stranger Than This B-2 Bomber Guitar’s Shape Is Its 42-Inch Wingspan
But it all makes sense when you discover it was made by a 7-foot-tall, ex-U.S. Navy, goth-metal bombshell
This 1964 Greenburst “Jetstar” M.I.J. Mongrel Mash-up Is Loud and Ready to Rock
The pitbull nature of its look makes you want to smack it around like Jack White or Dan Auerbach might
Designed for Players With Refined Tastes, the EKO Florentine 2 Is a Unique Under-the-Radar Vintage Guitar
Located in Recanti, Italy, and still operating today, the EKO Company was the largest exporter of electric guitars in all of Europe
The Cold War Era BPAMI Formanta Solo Two Has a Vibe Unfamiliar to Most Westerners
Weighing 13 pounds and sporting a fuzz circuit, this Soviet-made electric guitar is heavy in feel and sound
David Bowie, Jack White and Dan Auerbach Have Played the Westwood, but It’s Still Obscure Enough to Look Like a Custom Build
This restored and modified ’62 National Westwood “Map” puts a world of tone at your fingertips
Here’s One Vintage Sparkle Finish Guitar You Can Bag Relatively Cheap
Twinkle, twinkle, little Tele-Star, how I wonder what you are worth
Elvis and Zappa Played a Hagström… But Have You Ever Seen One of These?
The Hagström 1 is a rare guitar with an equally rare construction.
Cool Vintage Guitars Don't Need To Be Expensive
With a few mods, this budget 1967 Teisco K2L lab rat became a great playing – and priceless – custom build
The Best Vintage Guitar Brand You’ve Never Heard Of
Despite a brief flirtation with some big names, Standel guitars, like this 1967 Custom, never got the love.
Putting the Macca in Maccaferri – this $5 Toy Guitar from the 1960s is Now Priced in the Thousands!
The Selcol Beatles New Sound Guitar is a Maccaferri Marvel by another name.
