Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About Us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • Purdie on the Purdie shuffle
  • Type beats
  • 86000+ free music samples
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • Three-chord trick

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. News

Six Of The Best: Retro-style guitars, amps and basses

By Guitarist
published 13 June 2012

Fifties fun with a modern twist

Fender Pawn Shop Special Greta amplifier
£202.80

Fender Pawn Shop Special Greta amplifier

It’s 2012, but in the guitar world, we’re going to party like it’s 1959. Here’s a small selection of the latest retro-flavoured guitar gear coming to a stage near you…

Fender Pawn Shop Special Greta amplifier

£202.80

Fender’s two-watt Greta tube amp is as vintage as your nan’s false teeth. Single 12AX7 and 12AT7 valves power a four-inch Special Design speaker for a range of clean to dirty tones. It also has an input for your mp3 player.

More information:

Fender Pawn Shop Special Greta press release
Fender Pawn Shop Special Greta amp demo

www.fender.co.uk

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Bogner Goldfinger 45 amplifier
£1,999

Bogner Goldfinger 45 amplifier

Gold custom comet-pattern-embossed vinyl adds a retro sheen to this pro-quality, two-channel valve head that’s capable of tones from any era.

More information:

Bogner Goldfinger 45 review
Bogner Goldfinger 45 amp demo

www.bogneramplification.com

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Gretsch Electromatic G5448T Double Jet guitar
£514

Gretsch Electromatic G5448T Double Jet guitar

Paying tribute to the Gretsch Duo Jet, this Chinese-made Bigsby-equipped retro rocker has tones to match its sparkling looks.

More information:

Gretsch Electromatic G5448T Double Jet review
Gretsch Electromatic G5448T Double Jet demo

www.gretschguitars.com

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Framus Vintage Hollywood Singlecut guitar
£718

Framus Vintage Hollywood Singlecut guitar

German marque Framus launched its first semi-solidbody electrics in 1958, and this new Korean-made creation revives the vibe and slightly modifies the none-more-retro styling.

More information:

Framus Vintage Hollywood Singlecut review

www.framus.de

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Yamaha THR5
£199

Yamaha THR5

Could this be the ‘perfect third amp’? Yamaha’s THR is a reinvention of the practice amp featuring 10-watt output, full-range speakers and hi-fi functionality, and there’s a bigger THR10 version too.

More information:

Yamaha THR10 review

www.yamaha.com

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Godin Shifter 4 Bass
£1,050

Godin Shifter 4 Bass

Unusual pickups in an unusual configuration, and a familiar design aesthetic, add up to an instrument with great tones with what we could only describe as an air of ‘rightness’ about it.

More information:

Godin Shifter 4 Bass review

www.godinguitars.com

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones
Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS
If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

More about guitars
Black Friday headphone deals

Black Friday studio headphone deals 2023: Everything you need to know ahead of this year's Cyber Weekend sales

Headrush Core

What could the new Headrush Core offer that the multi-effects pedal competition doesn't?

Latest
hania rani

Hania Rani on bringing synths and drum machines into contemporary classical: “I spent 20 years playing one instrument, but I’m still interested in investigating others”

See more latest ►
Most Popular
Gibson teams up with Gene Simmons for a Custom Shop EB-0 bass – a short-scale doozy based on the God of Thunder’s heavily modded 1959 model

By Jonathan Horsley19 September 2023

Keeley Electronics launches the Noble Screamer Overdrive and Boost, a four-in-one pedal that offers ODR-1 and TS flavours and lets you mix and match

By Jonathan Horsley19 September 2023

“Right now I’d like to do a song, it’s a little thing by Howlin’ Wolf…”: Listen to Jimi Hendrix’s newly unearthed performance of Killing Floor at the Hollywood Bowl, 1967

By Jonathan Horsley19 September 2023

James Hype: "The kick drum is everything in dance music. The best way to fix a shit track is to change the kick"

By Si Truss19 September 2023

“He doesn’t do Zoom”: Mick Jagger reflects on how his songwriting partnership with Keith Richards has changed and discusses Paul McCartney’s bass playing on new Rolling Stones album Hackney Diamonds

By Ben Rogerson19 September 2023

Fender launches the Vintera II series, offering new vintage-inspired models in rare custom colour finishes, and the return of rosewood fingerboards

By Jonathan Horsley19 September 2023

The NoInputMixer app is a no-input-mixer with no input and... no mixer

By Matt Mullen19 September 2023

Paul Rodgers shared a simple tip with us that's helped him maintain his legendary singing voice

By Rob Laing19 September 2023

Crazy Tube Circuits wants to take you back to the '80s again with its new Sidekick Jr modulation, delay and reverb combo pedal

By Rob Laing19 September 2023

Sammy Ash, the US gear retail legend who gave the Tube Screamer its name, dies aged 65

By Jonathan Horsley19 September 2023

Cindy Blackman Santana tackles the iconic In The Air Tonight drum fill as she joins Chris Stapleton and Snoop Dogg on a new version of the song for ESPN’s Monday Night Football

By Ben Rogerson19 September 2023

  1. Marty Friedman
    1
    Marty Friedman’s guitar teacher told him to take a bong hit every time he played an exercise correctly, but the ex-Megadeth guitarist has better advice for students
  2. 2
    Can Waves’ new AI Online Mastering service give your music a pro-level polish?
  3. 3
    "It's become so elitist" – Joe Bonamassa weighs in on players being priced out of the vintage guitar and amp market
  4. 4
    YouTuber Alex Ball gets his hands on Tony Banks’ old Roland JD-800 synth and finds that it still contains his Genesis tour patches from the ‘90s
  5. 5
    "The minute I stopped mixing my stuff, I became my most creative": Should electronic artists mix their own tracks?
  1. You can try it for free, then pay for track exports
    1
    Can Waves’ new AI Online Mastering service give your music a pro-level polish?
  2. 2
    "It's become so elitist" – Joe Bonamassa weighs in on players being priced out of the vintage guitar and amp market
  3. 3
    6 of the best free vintage gear-inspired plugins
  4. 4
    YouTuber Alex Ball gets his hands on Tony Banks’ old Roland JD-800 synth and finds that it still contains his Genesis tour patches from the ‘90s
  5. 5
    "The minute I stopped mixing my stuff, I became my most creative": Should electronic artists mix their own tracks?

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.