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That time Ronnie James Dio offered to front ’70s glam-rock outfit The Sweet
Internal disagreements led Dio to very different gig as he sought an escape from Blackmore’s Rainbow, while The Sweet were grappling with their frontman's drinking problems
Latest News
That time Ronnie James Dio offered to front ’70s glam-rock outfit The Sweet
Internal disagreements led Dio to very different gig as he sought an escape from Blackmore’s Rainbow, while The Sweet were grappling with their frontman's drinking problems
Alex Lifeson on the Rush “protest record” that saved the band – and won them their independence
How Rush at the brink led to Lifeson, Lee and Peart crafting one of their most commercially successful records
Matteo Mancuso reveals the advice his hero gave him
The two virtuosos trade licks on Mancuso’s new song, Solar Wind
Paul McCartney explains how John Lennon is still inspiring his songwriting six decades on
McCartney chats with Paul Mescal, the actor portraying him in the upcoming Beatles four-part biopic, about his songwriting process and upcoming album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane
Why Graham Coxon is questioning his classic Blur guitar rig
The Britpop icon is reassessing his gear choices
David Lee Roth fights tears as he recalls his partnership with Eddie Van Halen
The singer spoke of the touching “full circle” moment that bookmarked their final chapter together
“There was a big commotion – alarms going off and fire engines circling – so I went straight to the closet, looked at my four Les Pauls…” The time Billy Squier had to pick one guitar to save from a burning building
Squier had an almighty decision to make when he had to evacuate his building with just one guitar under his arm
Artists
How Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood went from Sikth super-fan to playing in the band
Former bassist for Periphery, Getgood pinpoints the pickup selection and pick technique he’s been using onstage with Sikth
Bruce Watson on the story of Big Country frontman Stuart Adamson’s ‘Peace in Our Time’ Les Paul
Bruce Watson shares the story of a guitar that encapsulates the time Big Country tried to break America – before they took their Scot rock sound to Moscow
Tyler Bates on creating chaos with Reba Meyers in Marilyn Manson, and the gear he uses to score blockbusters
The guitarist and film score composer has had a varied career – but he can’t seem to escape one amp and a “god box” pedal
Eric Johnson tells us why vintage is not always best (even if he regrets selling his ’54 Strat)
The guitar-tone guru reflects on the instruments that have passed through his hands, and offers some advice for anyone shopping for a new guitar
“I woke up to Eric and George playing ukuleles at the foot of my bed”: The first time session pro George Terry met a Beatle
Terry was Clapton's guitarist in the 1970s, and through Slowhand he was able to meet a particularly famous face
Meet Spencer Mackenzie, the Canadian blues-rock maestro covering Rory Gallagher and learning when to unleash his “ginormous” lead tone
Mackenzie says he’s learning all the time to control the dynamic between sweet and acoustic and "rip-your-face-off" drive sounds – and you can hear it on new album, Empty Chairs
The first time Rickey Medlocke played Lynyrd Skynyrd’s iconic Free Bird guitar solo
Medlocke rejoined Lynyrd Skynyrd as their new guitar player in the early 1990s, and one of his main responsibilities ever since has been to tackle Allen Collins’ legendary lead effort
Bruce Watson on the birth of Big Country, Stuart Adamson’s legacy and the secret to bagpipe guitar
Bruce Watson shares the guitar story of the Scottish rock stalwarts, the "Itch and Itch" amps so crucial to his tone, and how “Scotland’s answer to Jimi Hendrix” was the heart of Big Country's sound
Gear
Best Squier guitars 2026: the ultimate guide
We check out the top Squier guitars, including the Classic Vibe series, Affinity series, Debut models, and Paranormal series guitars
“No guitar does everything, but this comes dangerously close”: PRS DGT Semi-Hollow review
After testing the water with a limited-edition version, PRS has added David Grissom’s semi-hollow signature to the Core lineup. But are we worthy?
EarthQuaker ZEQD-PRE review – the ultimate tube-equipped tone-sculptor for your pedalboard?
EarthQuaker Devices and Dr Z join forces for a tube-based preamp and boost with flexible connectivity
The mystery of Gibson’s first Patent Applied For humbuckers
Stuart Robson of Sunbear Pickups has spent countless days obsessing over the secrets of the O.G. Gibson humbucker. He says there's something special about the 1957 variant
“A strange and weird anomaly that stands apart not only from most known octave fuzz designs, but also from fuzzes full stop”: JHS Coyote review
A fascinating lost octave fuzz gets a reissue
"I would prefer to see Fender tweak the pickups rather than the aesthetic": Fender Vintera III Mid '60s Telecaster review
Shifting the focus from the highlights of a decade to more specific years, Fender updates its Vintera range in a way that will please those who get a kick out of attention to vintage aesthetics
How Rory Gallagher grabbed his iconic 1963 Gretsch Corvette for the princely sum of $150
Can you judge a guitar by its case? Not usually, but when Donal Gallagher was shopping for cases for brother Rory, he found one with a very special guitar inside, and there was a deal to be made
11 Comments
In the court of the Master Builders – Fender’s Custom Shop gurus spill the secrets of their trade
With Fender’s Custom Shop nearing its 40th anniversary, we catch up with two of its most sought-after Master Builders, Austin MacNutt and Andy Hicks, to talk Teles, Jazzmasters, mods and more
4 Comments
Lessons
“To some people, this is more of a ‘jazzy’ sound”: How to use dominant 7 arpeggios in a guitar solo
Because you can't have enough exit ramps from traditional blues phrases, here's how you can use the notes of a dominant 7 chord to spice up your solos
5 chords that sound like they’re in an open tuning (but aren’t)
Because sometimes retuning your guitar is, well, a pain in the backside – and there are workarounds
Charlie Starr on how to play “Piedmont” fingerstyle guitar
The Blackberry Smoke frontman goes unplugged to give us a lesson in the fingerstyle techniques he applies in his day job
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…
Reviews
“No guitar does everything, but this comes dangerously close”: PRS DGT Semi-Hollow review
After testing the water with a limited-edition version, PRS has added David Grissom’s semi-hollow signature to the Core lineup. But are we worthy?
EarthQuaker ZEQD-PRE review – the ultimate tube-equipped tone-sculptor for your pedalboard?
EarthQuaker Devices and Dr Z join forces for a tube-based preamp and boost with flexible connectivity
“A strange and weird anomaly that stands apart not only from most known octave fuzz designs, but also from fuzzes full stop”: JHS Coyote review
A fascinating lost octave fuzz gets a reissue
"I would prefer to see Fender tweak the pickups rather than the aesthetic": Fender Vintera III Mid '60s Telecaster review
Shifting the focus from the highlights of a decade to more specific years, Fender updates its Vintera range in a way that will please those who get a kick out of attention to vintage aesthetics
“I can’t imagine anyone other than dedicated metalheads and Gojira megafans finding loads to love here”: Jackson Pro Plus Series Signature Christian Andreu Rhoads RR24 EVTN6 review
Jackson's new Gojira signature model is a premium tool for modern metal, with an unwieldy form factor
"It looks like a lost relic from Rupert Neve’s ‘to-do’ drawer": Walrus Audio Mantle Analog Bass Preamp & DI review
Walrus and Ian Martin Allison's stompbox collaboration puts studio-grade preamp processing into a pedal
“I've never found the perfect solution for combining analog pedals with a digital rig before – this could be it”: IK Multimedia Tonex One+ review
With the addition of Bluetooth and MIDI, the Tonex One+ looks to add a ton of functionality to an already impressive pedal
Buying Guides
Best Squier guitars 2026: the ultimate guide
We check out the top Squier guitars, including the Classic Vibe series, Affinity series, Debut models, and Paranormal series guitars
Best modeling amps 2026: get iconic amp and effects tones at your fingertips
I break down the best modeling amps available, covering a range of budgets, brands and sizes
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
