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Dr. Hook’s enigmatic guitarist and vocalist, Dennis Locorriere, dead at 76
The hit-making songwriter had also worked with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Jerry Lee Lewis
![[L-R] Ray Toro of My Chemical Romance plays a Gibson Les Paul onstage, and Jimi Hendrix plays a white Strat onstage at Woburn Pop Festival 1968.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MxusSYKCzTYKuQSyyQ3KwN-1200-80.jpg.webp)
Latest News
Dr. Hook’s enigmatic guitarist and vocalist, Dennis Locorriere, dead at 76
The hit-making songwriter had also worked with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Jerry Lee Lewis
You don't have to wait for the Memorial Day weekend to save big because Fender just jump-started the sales with up to $600 off guitar gear - here’s my 5 standout deals, including $230 off an all-solid acoustic and $74 off an underrated fuzz pedal
Fender is first to the party with a super early Memorial Day sale for guitar players
Musician’s Friend just surprise-dropped their Memorial Day sale early, saving you up to 60% off big-name brands – there's $500 off an eye-catching Gibson, $250 off a gorgeous PRS, and up to 45% off must-see pedal deals
Save hundreds on a Player Stratocaster, Martin acoustic, or D'Angelico hollowbody in this epic Memorial Day sale
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson on the drummers that tried to force a Rush reunion
The band was still in mourning when they started getting offers to replace Neil Peart
Nate Amos on accidentally fooling Rick Beato with amp sims
Beato named the track one of his top songs of 2025
How Ozzy Osbourne pushed Gus G to change his guitar of choice
Gus G rocked up to the Ozzy gig with his Star guitar – a distinct stylistic departure from the guitars wielded by his predecessors
Jack Osbourne confirms Ozzy Osbourne biopic is still in the cards
The movie will reportedly feature Ozzy at the tail end of his Black Sabbath career – and will also include Randy Rhoads
Artists
Suzi Quatro on the spirit that’s driven her, and the moment of fate that made her a bassist
She reflects on never having learned to play with a pick, using her late drummer’s kit to keep his vibe, her son’s influence as a bandmate, and the three quotes she’s given about retirement
Backed by Fugazi’s rhythm section, even guitarist Anthony Pirog can’t signpost the turns in The Messthetics’ avant-jazz sound
On The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis’ latest collab, all bets are off on where Pirog will take his guitar next
Joe Perry on the weirder guitars in his collection
The Aerosmith guitarist shares the story behind his custom-made Dazzle guitars and his greatest gear modding mistakes
Paul McCartney’s greatest post-Beatles bassline
After the Beatles, Paul McCartney wasn’t done writing killer basslines – as L.A. session and Wings guitarist Laurence Juber can attest
How Richard and Linda Thompson regrouped to record a folk-rock classic after Gerry Rafferty tried to turn them “pop”
Is 1982’s Shoot Out the Lights the best album Richard Thompson ever made? Fans think it is. His own opinion might surprise you
When Stone Temple Pilots supported Megadeth and Dave Mustaine defended them from his own fans
STP’s 1992 debut album, Core, was just out in stores. Sex Type Thing had traction on MTV. But Dean DeLeo recalls those Megadeth support slots as a baptism of fire
From Pet Sounds to playing Brian on tour, Glen Campbell’s hair-raising tenure as the Beach Boys’ guitarist
He became a country icon, but for a stint in the mid-’60s, Campbell was a Beach Boy
Gear
14 ways to improve your Telecaster: tried and tested methods to get more out of Fender’s original mod platform
Players were already modifying their Telecasters in the 1950s, and a thriving aftermarket parts industry provides countless ways to enhance playability, reliability and tone
“Despite its unassuming looks, I think this is a lot of guitar for the money”: Charvel Standard Series San Dimas Style 2 SD2 HH HT Gloss Black review
Charvel scales down its T-type to around half its usual outlay, but the quality remains largely intact
“The sound and fury of a classic Marshall amp, but in a format that’s incredibly easy to get the best from”: Synergy SYN-20IR Amp Head with Marshall JCM 800 and JMP preamp modules review
Synergy’s range of modular marvels has been dialled up to 11…
The making of the Telecasso – the Telecaster-Picasso mashup that has driven guitarists crazy
Les Godfrey has been crafting guitars for over 30 years, and with his latest creation, he brings a Cubist take to a timeless model
Best mini amps for guitar 2026: power up your practice with these tiny towers of tone
My top picks of small guitar amps that pack a punch and let you practice when you're short on space
“Despite its toy-like dimensions, it comes across as a very grown-up guitar indeed”: Taylor BT1e Baby Taylor review
Has Taylor’s travel pioneer retained the top spot three decades on? We get hands-on to find out if it’s still the best sofa strummer out there
“One of the best electrics out there, at any price”: Yamaha Pacifica SC Professional and Standard Plus review
Yamaha’s Pacifica range has been a stalwart of the company’s electric guitar lineup since 1990. These new SC models could well represent the pinnacle of that journey
Lessons
Hidden for four decades, the story behind the (almost) unheard outro solo on John Farnham’s smash hit, You’re the Voice
Celtic rock bagpipe phrasing, THAT blazing arpeggio and a crazy bend that broke a string – learn how Brett Garsed played his solo in this exclusive feature
Joe Bonamassa breaks down the differences between P-90s and PAF humbuckers
In this lesson, the blues maestro demonstrates how pickup choice affects the tone and can be used for different purposes
How to survive setbacks when music is your identity, not just your job
Australian metal veteran Glen Phillips on what he wished he knew when he was starting out
The simple trick that adds sparkle to your songs: Nashville Tuning explained
David Gilmour, Keith Richards & Taylor Swift all do this…
Spiritbox's Mike Stringer shows you how syncopated bends can add extra spice to your metal playing
Your 21st-century metal workshop is in session, as Stringer shows you how to play Spiritbox's Holy Roller
Dare you join us at the crossroads? Welcome to the acoustic blues masterclass
Inspired by Big Bill Broonzy, Lightnin' Hopkins and the O.G. blues great Robert Johnson, this lesson just requires an acoustic guitar. Heartbreak optional
5 easy open-position alternate chord voicings that will give you extra jangle
James Honeyman-Scott of The Pretenders was a master at creating interesting parts from simple alternate chords. We look at five you can use in your playing
Reviews
“Despite its unassuming looks, I think this is a lot of guitar for the money”: Charvel Standard Series San Dimas Style 2 SD2 HH HT Gloss Black review
Charvel scales down its T-type to around half its usual outlay, but the quality remains largely intact
“The sound and fury of a classic Marshall amp, but in a format that’s incredibly easy to get the best from”: Synergy SYN-20IR Amp Head with Marshall JCM 800 and JMP preamp modules review
Synergy’s range of modular marvels has been dialled up to 11…
“Despite its toy-like dimensions, it comes across as a very grown-up guitar indeed”: Taylor BT1e Baby Taylor review
Has Taylor’s travel pioneer retained the top spot three decades on? We get hands-on to find out if it’s still the best sofa strummer out there
“One of the best electrics out there, at any price”: Yamaha Pacifica SC Professional and Standard Plus review
Yamaha’s Pacifica range has been a stalwart of the company’s electric guitar lineup since 1990. These new SC models could well represent the pinnacle of that journey
"Tired of run-of-the-mill guitars? Well, this may be the six-string for you": Epiphone Futura RD Custom review
Epiphone drags a ‘70s cult classic kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a tight modern build
"There’s a clear midrange presence here, but it never tips into that boxy territory that smaller-bodied acoustics can sometimes fall into": Martin LX1E Little Martin review
A three-quarter size acoustic that sounds bigger than most of its competition
"Look past the dated interface, and you will discover killer tones": Kemper Profiler Head MK2 review
A product that changed the game upon its initial release gets a long-awaited update. But can it keep up with the increased competition?
Buying Guides
Best mini amps for guitar 2026: power up your practice with these tiny towers of tone
My top picks of small guitar amps that pack a punch and let you practice when you're short on space
Best parlor guitars 2026: sofa-friendly acoustics for every budget
The grandfather of acoustic guitars – our top parlor guitar picks from Gibson, Martin, Yamaha, and more
Best guitar cleaning kits and tools 2026: Keep your guitar looking and sounding sweet
Keep your instrument in its prime with my pick of the best cleaning kits and maintenance tools
Best ukuleles 2026: Acoustic and electric ukes for all budgets and playing styles
Get started or find your next upgrade with our pick of the best ukes from Mahalo, Martin and Cordoba, plus a cool Fender Jazzmaster ukulele
Best overdrive pedals 2026: from mid-hump to transparent tone
My pick of the top-rated overdrive pedals will get your gain tones on point
Best multi-effects pedals 2026: replace your entire rig with our top-rated multi-FX units
From the high-end Neural DSP Quad Cortex to the budget NUX MG-300, we’ve tested 17 multi-effects pedals to help you replace your rig with a single unit
Best Telecasters 2026: top Teles for all tastes
Whether it’s your first Telecaster or you’ve walked in the boots of guitar-playing royalty, our top Telecasters will help you get your twang on
