Theodore Anthony Nugent

The Nuge at his wooliest in Damn Yankees mode. Ted Nugent was one of the earliest big name PRS endorser, his popularity surging with the Yankees’ success. Full page ad scanned from Guitar World, August 1991.

"All the gain - none of the pain."

From Guitar for the Practicing Musician, January 1990, the Seymour Duncan Heavy Metal Live Wire Humbucker. This is the companion to the Custom Custom ad which appeared two pages later in the same issue.

He had battled the disease for most of his life, and was bravely attempting to practice to perform with the band at their scheduled shows, before his condition worsened.

Read more, including a statement from the band right here.

Though Riot was never a household name, there is widespread reaction in guitar circles to Reale’s passing. From Marty Friedman’s Facebook feed:

Rock City, Narita and Fire Down Under are 3 of my favorite albums of all time. I wore all 3 of them out and have loads of great memories attached to all those great songs. Thank you for the music. Friends please take care of yourselves.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Reale died in San Antonio after having been in a coma. Read that account right here.

Downing already runs his own golf course, and he’s reportedly looking to add a 63-room hotel, spa, restaurant and indoor swimming pool.

I wonder if he’d consider naming the resort, “Island of Domination?”

Read more at NC right here.

"... takes over where the 'little pig' leaves off."

Yep, it was to become legendary, alright. The Pignose 3060 does look mammoth compared to the infamous  7-100, but still only has one 10″ speaker. It’s “downright funky,” don’t you know.

Scanned from Guitar Player June, 1978.

"You can be assured of at least 750 hours of battery life with this 6- 'C' cell unit"

Here’s an ad for yet another refugee on the junk heap of ’70s outboard guitar gear, the Acoustyx Phase Five. It’s a little hard to tell exactly what the “exciting electronic accessory” did aside from making a 6-string sound like a 12-string, as touted. The ad also cites the Acoustyx IS-1 synthesizer (introductory offer $199.50). It’s difficult to find much of anything about either on the web.

Scanned from Guitar Player, June 1978.

Hot shit from Mike Stern early in his career. I suppose one could muster up some energy with Billy Cobham cooking behind you.

"Schaller machines. Phase switch."

I think I’m in love. This way cool Guild S-300 from ’78 has 24 frets and … lots of knobs and switches. Currently there are 11 copies of this ad (scanned from Guitar Player, June 1978) for sale on eBay, but none of the guitars themselves.

The event is being held for a good cause, as well. All proceeds will be donated to MusiCares.

Get the complete article right here.

And here are a couple of zingers at Zakk’s expense delivered by comic Brian Posehn (from the GW Twitter feed):

When Randy Rhoads died, I really missed Randy. Then I heard Zakk Wylde and I REALLY, really missed Randy.

Zakk Wylde makes Kerry King look human.

Get more quips from Jim Florentine, Scott Ian, and Zakk himself on Twitter.

Right here.

(I)t’s very nat­ural for us to kind of impro­vise and jam and come up with ideas. So while we’re work­ing on “Spoon­man” or “Limo Wreck” or “4th of July,” we’d throw up some other riff and some­one else will respond.

Read more right here.