Gretsch unmasks a new signature guitar in collaboration with alt-country star Orville Peck By Janelle Borg published 22 May 24 Orville Peck's signature model promises mid-century swagger and vintage Gretsch voicings with a modern twist
What’s the greatest cover version of all time? By Paul Elliott published 22 May 24 Vote now for your favorite!
Tyler Bryant calls out guitar company for photoshopping his picture to promote a Les Paul copy By Matt Owen published 22 May 24 The Stratocaster loyalist was faked playing an LP replica by a brand bidding to market its own model
Eric Clapton called it “the best-sounding acoustic guitar I’ve ever played” – now his personal Martin signature acoustic prototype is up for sale By Janelle Borg published 22 May 24 One of only four acoustic guitar prototypes discovered so far, this Clapton-used model is expected to fetch $50,000 at auction
Paul Reed Smith hits back at critics who say PRS guitars are “too perfect and have no soul” By Matt Owen published 22 May 24 The guitar engineer designs some of the finest instruments money can buy – but for some, they're just “too good”
Heart's Ann Wilson on how she managed to get Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains to jam together By Janelle Borg published 22 May 24 Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson recount how they were embraced by Seattle’s music community after the band experienced a dip in popularity
“I realized that day that you don't perform for people. You don't prove anything to the audience”: Nuno Bettencourt on how Alice in Chains' Layne Staley radically changed the way he plays guitar on stage By Janelle Borg
Gretsch unmasks a new signature guitar in collaboration with alt-country star Orville Peck By Janelle Borg published 22 May 24 Orville Peck's signature model promises mid-century swagger and vintage Gretsch voicings with a modern twist
What’s the greatest cover version of all time? By Paul Elliott published 22 May 24 Vote now for your favorite!
Tyler Bryant calls out guitar company for photoshopping his picture to promote a Les Paul copy By Matt Owen published 22 May 24 The Stratocaster loyalist was faked playing an LP replica by a brand bidding to market its own model
Eric Clapton called it “the best-sounding acoustic guitar I’ve ever played” – now his personal Martin signature acoustic prototype is up for sale By Janelle Borg published 22 May 24 One of only four acoustic guitar prototypes discovered so far, this Clapton-used model is expected to fetch $50,000 at auction
Paul Reed Smith hits back at critics who say PRS guitars are “too perfect and have no soul” By Matt Owen published 22 May 24 The guitar engineer designs some of the finest instruments money can buy – but for some, they're just “too good”
PRS’ new David Grissom signature tube head looks to outperform classic vintage amps By Matt Owen published 22 May 24 The DGT 15 is the latest release from the pair's decades-long partnership – and channels the spirit of his high-end Custom 30 head, with some choice engineering tweaks
How a technical mishap led Jeff Loomis back to passive pickups – and an all-new Seymour Duncan signature set By Janelle Borg published 22 May 24 Jeff Loomis’ Noumenon signature humbuckers promise tight low-end and smooth treble for both six- and seven-string guitars
Musician’s Friend's up to 40% off Memorial Day sale just dropped 6 days early – save big on Schecter, Electro-Harmonix and more By Matt McCracken published 21 May 24 Grab yourself some super savings on guitars, pedals, accessories, and loads more
Aguilar has overhauled some of its most iconic bass amps with some serious upgrades By Matt Owen published 21 May 24 The bass amp specialist has brought its Tone Hammer and AG Series amps into the modern age with some indispensable updates
“I narrowed it down to the bare essentials and found that three strings were all I needed”: 10 guitarists who played with missing strings on purpose… and the weird reasons why By Will Ainsley
“It’s about finding sounds that enhance rather than distract. I like my guitar to sound big – I record through two amps at once”: New Zealand indie royalty Kane Strang on winning Dinosaur Jr.’s support and how he conveys Office Dog’s cinematic sound By Andrew Daly published 22 May 24 From melodies to off-kilter riffs to the occasional wall of sound, New Zealand indie veteran Kane Strang delivers the six-string goods on his trio’s debut
The Fender Stratocaster can thrive in any genre – and these cutting-edge guitarists prove it By Phil Weller published 22 May 24 The Strat might be turning 70 this year, but its story is only just getting started – and these are the players writing the next chapter in its history
Meet Morganway, the PRS-loving country-rockers playing John Mayer’s Silver Sky – and an offset called ‘The Badger’ By Amit Sharma published 21 May 24 The British Americana country rockers are influenced by everyone from Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty to Haim and The 1975 – and they’re ready to take on the US
“I wasn’t playing accurately in the beginning – I was just going crazy. It became a balance of visceral expression and actually trying to play”: Ben Weinman on the Dillinger Escape Plan’s chaotic birth – and unexpected return By Gregory Adams published 21 May 24 Ben Weinman on the Dillinger Escape Plan’s chaotic birth – and unexpected return
Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr on why downsizing his backline made for bigger tones By Phil Weller published 21 May 24 Blackberry Smoke’s frontman, guitarist and compulsive gearhead explains why using little amps “creates a whole different experience”
Session guitarist Jon Conley has faced mental health challenges all his life. Here’s what keeps him going By Alison Richter published 21 May 24 Conley has played with artists including Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell and Joe Walsh, all while striving for internal balance and perspective
What made Rory Gallagher a true guitar one-off – and how he ended up with his first Fender Strat by accident By Amit Sharma published 20 May 24 Jim Kirkpatrick, one of the world's leading experts on Gallagher's playing, puts the late blues-rock hero's tone under the microscope, revealing the gear and approaches that made the Strat-toting phenom one of the all-time greats
The 20 greatest slap bass songs of all time By Nick Wells published 20 May 24 These masterful slap basslines chart the evolution of the quintessential bass technique, from Larry Graham to today's YouTube heroes
Guitar tuning pegs: everything you need to know about the machineheads that keep your guitar in tune By Huw Price published 20 May 24 Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar's tuning pegs, repair them, or just want to understand the differences between models, read on and let this guide demystify the tuning key
Gus G is a speed picking master – and his alternate picking masterclass will get you playing faster than ever By JTC Guitar published 22 May 24 The Firewind and Ozzy Osbourne guitarist shares three blistering licks to help you sharpen up your picking
Bob Dylan is a songwriting great – and his acoustic guitar approach defined the folk sound By Stuart Ryan published 20 May 24 Bob Dylan changed the world with an acoustic guitar. We break down his style, giving you the tools to take your songwriting to the next level
Bebop scale: how you can use this jazz scale in your guitar solos By Matt Warnock last updated 17 May 24 Learn how the Bebop scale is built and where you can use it in your solos
James Hetfield is the undisputed master of metal rhythm guitar – and his downpicking will seriously test your abilities By Jamie Hunt published 17 May 24 Get to grips with the Metallica frontman’s punishing palm-muting and chugging rhythms
Learn the signature soloing style of Gretsch-toting rockabilly legend and Stray Cat Brian Setzer By Andy G Jones published 15 May 24 Brian Setzer mixes jazz, swing and rock 'n' roll for a sound that's all his own. This lesson unpacks his soloing style so you crazy cats won't stray on the fingerboard
How Allan Holdsworth blew the minds of Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and a generation of guitar heroes By Charlie Griffiths published 13 May 24 Take your playing to another realm with this lesson in Holdsworth’s legato, string skipping and that unique ability of his to find new patterns in scales
Triads are unsung heroes of guitar – here is how you can use the CAGED system to master them By Molly Miller published 10 May 24 Dr Molly Miller breaks down the three-note formula behind triads and explains how you can use them anywhere across the fretboard
Muddy Waters is a blues guitar icon who pioneered the sound of electric guitar and invented a new solo language By David Gerrish published 8 May 24 In the smoky clubs of Chicago, Muddy Waters turned up the volume on blues guitar, electrifying it, and then the audience – and his slide and open-tuning approach to Chicago blues was integral to his early success
‘Hammer-ons from nowhere’ can blow your guitar playing wide open By Jamie Hunt published 6 May 24 This Greg Howe and Joe Satriani-favored technique will whip your hammer-ons, pull-offs, tapping, and muting into shape