Boss Katana:Go vs Fender Mustang Micro: which headphone amp is right for you? By Daryl Robertson published 8 May 24 Two of the world's most popular headphone amps go head to head to see who comes out on top
“I’m never going to out-do Yngwie”: Richie Faulkner on Priest’s new album and why he’s no shredder By Amit Sharma published 8 May 24 Judas Priest's Invincible Shield finds the British metal institution surviving against the odds. Its very own bionic man Richie Faulkner gives us the guitar POV on a venerable work of British steel
“Paul said he’d do anything to make it happen”: Herman Li on his switch to PRS By Amit Sharma published 8 May 24 Paul Reed Smith wanted to do something but I had to explain it was my dream as a kid to have an Ibanez signature. Paul said he’d do anything to make it happen
Adrian Belew on how King Crimson made an underrated prog classic in “this industrial musical junkyard we created” By Ryan Reed published 8 May 24 Adrian Belew reveals what went on behind the scenes during the making of the band’s dual-personality 10th album, Three of a Perfect Pair – the final studio release from the Fripp/Belew/Levin/Bruford crew
Mark Knopfler on the guitars he couldn't bear to part with, and the six-strings that surprised him on One Deep River By Jamie Dickson published 7 May 24 On the back of his stirring new album, the guitar icon discusses the primacy of songwriting, and how his relationship with the instrument has changed
Meet 9 of Fender’s most elusive offset guitars By Jamie Dickson published 7 May 24 From Fender Japan exclusives to mid-’60s unicorns, and a 1958 Sparkle Sunburst Jazzmaster that’s a holy grail in anyone’s book…
Jakob Nowell, son of Sublime’s Bradley, uses late dad’s custom guitar to reunite the band By Andrew Daly published 7 May 24 Jakob Nowell doesn’t sing or play like his father, and spent years trying to avoid riding his coattails – but he’s determined to get the reactivation of the ’90s punk-rock icons right, and in his own way
No Doubt’s Tom Dumont names 10 guitarists (and one genre) that shaped his sound By Gregory Adams published 7 May 24 The No Doubt and Dreamcar guitarist attempted two Rush songs at a seventh-grade talent show, chunked up on Black Sabbath and later named his son after Ace Frehley – but reggae got deepest into his heart
Lou Reed once recorded an avant-garde album consisting solely of guitar feedback By Janelle Borg published 7 May 24 Metal Music Machine nearly cost Reed his reputation… over the years, it became a source of inspiration for Sonic Youth and Neil Young
The Clash's Paul Simonon reflects on that iconic London Calling moment By Nick Wells published 7 May 24 Paul Simonon smashed his Fender P-Bass during a concert at New York’s Palladium on September 20th, 1979
Blondie’s Chris Stein talks folk and jazz influences, fighting with early effects, and his MIDI future By Joe Matera published 6 May 24 The co-founder of one the most beloved bands of the '70s and '80s recalls taking advantage of the time when they could go crazy in the studio, the one guitar he wishes he’d never sold, and another that you’ll recognize if you own it
“It was really, really difficult”: Alex Lifeson looks back on Rush's classic album, Grace Under Pressure By Richard Bienstock published 6 May 24 Recorded during a brutal winter, Grace Under Pressure did not come easy, but all things considered, Lifeson can look back on it as a triumph. Rush had moved on, and that was the goal...
Matheus Canteri is shamelessly blending country with shred – and it’s working By Andrew Daly published 4 May 24 Brazilian who made the move to Nashville explains the connection between two genres that, on the surface, seem worlds apart
The magic of Rocco Prestia’s bassline on Tower of Power’s Only So Much Oil in the Ground By Chris Jisi published 4 May 24 How to play Rocco Prestia’s classic Tower of Power bassline
How the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier defined the high-gain guitar sound of the 1990s By Chris Gill published 3 May 24 Originally crafted for the hair metal crowd, but only finished after the grunge tidal wave, the Dual Rectifier was nonetheless an era-defining success
Vivian Campbell talks Dio’s guitar solo advice on the 1984 classic The Last In Line By Mark McStea published 3 May 24 How do you follow Holy Diver? That was the question facing Ronnie James Dio and his young band. The answer: is you double down on the metal anthems and record a stone cold classic
Meet Bella Rayne, the 16-year-old who jumped from Mom’s Strat to Jerry Garcia’s ‘Gator By Andrew Daly published 3 May 24 The Bay Area grunge fan, who started playing during lockdown, is loaded with advice for other young guitarists – and she’s even starting to heed it herself
Everything you need to know about fretwraps: what are they and do you need one? By Matt McCracken published 3 May 24 Get the low down on this simple yet essential tool for guitarists
Meet Anthony Pirog – the John Frusciante favorite who’s jamming with Fugazi’s rhythm section By Ellie Rogers published 2 May 24 The D.C. virtuoso has joined forces with his heroes as The Messthetics
How Prince protege Judith Hill excorcised her ‘black widow’ trolls with her guitar playing By Andrew Daly published 2 May 24 The vocalist, who also worked with Michael Jackson near the end of his life, has fed the negativity into her new album, which she describes as “the unleashing of a beast”