I use Helix Native every day for practice and recording and Line 6 just slashed $160 off the price By Matt McCracken published 20 March 24 Line 6’s superb amp sim and effects software just got an absolutely humongous discount
“A high-octane instrument for guitarists who demand the best”: Dean reimagines the Zero with a top-of-the-line rebrand – adding new depth to the firm's range of metal guitars By Phil Weller published 20 March 24 A natural deep gloss mahogany finish marries gold hardware and a white pickguard for a $5k guitar that Dean is calling “aggressive and sophisticated”
“I thought, ‘Oh, God, this could go really bad…’ I’m telling him that I can’t remember playing with him on a No. 1 record”: Earl Slick says he was too high to remember meeting John Lennon during David Bowie’s Fame recording session By Matt Parker published 20 March 24 The guitarist and session man met The Beatle while recording David Bowie’s Young Americans and was invited to play on Double Fantasy
“It doesn’t take a million dollars. You take this to any studio or venue, and you’re Band of Gypsys”: Joe Bonamassa attempts to recreate Jimi Hendrix’s iconic live rig on a budget – with a $319 Squier Strat and Peavey Classic By Phil Weller published 20 March 24 The gear guru is challenged to capture Hendrix’s legendary live tones with two vastly different budgets – and reveals some Hendrix tricks along the way
“When I first went to England, there was Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton sleeping in a van. They all bought Strats after they saw me play”: Buddy Guy reflects on his relationship with the Strat during a jam with Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram By Phil Weller published 20 March 24 In Fender's new Strat Sessions series, the two blues greats come together for a stripped-back take on a Willie Dixon classic – and to discuss the enduring influence of the Stratocaster
“Absolutely mind-blowing”: Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith rips through the blues on a ‘55 Gibson Les Paul Custom previously owned by Paul Kossoff and Eric Clapton By Matt Owen published 20 March 24 The early-years Black Beauty was reportedly Kossoff's first “real” guitar, and paved the way for the many Burst LPs that the Free great later became synonymous with
“The figured tops of the future”: Epiphone has expanded its Modern Figured range with two brilliant burst finishes – giving the futuristic family perhaps its best makeover yet By Matt Owen published 20 March 24 “The SG of the future” and a contemporary take on the classic Les Paul template get a long overdue cosmetic pick-me-up thanks to a pair of eye-popping colorways
“Who better to mod the mod than the engineer who designed the circuit in the first place”: Original Tube Screamer designer Susumu Tamura just overhauled one of the most popular Ibanez TS9 mods By Matt Parker published 20 March 24 The latest collaboration between Godlyke and the venerated designer attempts to offer a level mod that doesn’t compromise the classic TS tone
“We decided to try and make that sonic signature available to the guitar community without the $100k price tag”: J. Rockett launches the Airchild Six Sixty – a new pedal inspired by “the best compressor ever made” By Matt Owen published 19 March 24 The audio specialist has set its sights on harnessing the performance of a studio stalwart that was used during the Beatles' recording sessions
“Perform like traditional guitar amps, while providing the increased versatility of modern amplifiers”: Line 6 takes the fight to the Boss Katana once again with the upgraded Helix-powered Catalyst CX range By Matt Owen published 19 March 24 Double the number of HX amps and improved effects functionality headline the latest Catalyst family, which starts at $299
“Because vast ambient sounds shouldn’t just be for larger pedals with vast price points”: Walrus Audio democratizes atmospheric reverb tones with the affordable Fundamental Ambient By Matt Parker published 19 March 24 The boutique builder’s back-to-basics line offers a cheaper alternative to high-concept, high-priced atmospheric pedals
“A set of humbuckers from one of his favorite ES-335s”: Seymour Duncan and Joe Bonamassa have produced another set of signature pickups – a pair of PAFs that replicate the tones of “one of the finest instruments in his collection” By Matt Owen published 19 March 24 The Blonde Dot 1960 ES-335 humbucker set seeks to channel the sonic spirit of JoBo's prized semi-hollow
Waves just dropped loads of its plugins back to Black Friday prices – record better guitar tones from just $9.99 By Matt McCracken published 19 March 24 We've hand-picked 7 essential (and discounted) plugins that will massively improve your home guitar recordings
“Inspired by original drawings from 1957”: Gibson announces the Theodore Standard – bringing the unearthed archive design to the firm’s core USA line for the first time ever By Matt Owen published 19 March 24 First released exclusively as a Custom Shop model based on a sketch from the ’50s, the Theodore is back – and it’s come with some choice tweaks
Van Halen, Metallica, SRV, Iron Maiden, Rush, Dio, Yngwie, Vai and the greatest guitar albums of 1984 – only in the new Guitar World By Damian Fanelli published 19 March 24 Featuring new interviews with Ace Frehley, Alex Lifeson, Adrian Smith, Adrian Belew, Earl Slick, Mike Ness, Steve Vai, Vicki Peterson, Vivian Campbell, Yngwie Malmsteen and more
Classic Jazz Bass tones minus the buzz? Lollar’s new hum-cancelling pickup offers a “fuller bass sound that’s still vintage-faithful” By Nick Wells published 19 March 24 Lollar’s new DC J-Bass pickups are designed to help reduce noise and add “clarity, presence, and punch” to your low-end tone
“I thought, ‘He’s got to be joking,’ because John Paul Jones is God on bass, as far as I’m concerned”: How Lita Ford almost ended up joining Led Zeppelin – on bass By Matt Owen published 18 March 24 In the early '70s, Jones was poised to take a step back from his role as the band's bassist – and Jimmy Page and Robert Plant eyed up The Runaways lead guitarist as a potential successor
“Stands at the crossroads of utility and elegance”: Bourgeois Guitars collabs with Eastman for the Touchstone Signature – a historically-styled model that pays homage to prewar acoustics By Phil Weller published 18 March 24 Available in dreadnought and OM variants, the new addition to the series offers historically inspired features and a torrefied tonewood top
“Bruce Springsteen was in the next studio… He had a Gretsch Country Gentleman, and I asked him if I could borrow it”: How a loaner from The Boss powered the iconic spaghetti western line in Blondie’s Atomic By Matt Parker published 18 March 24 Former Blondie guitarist Frank Infante has revealed that he recorded the twanging lick using a Gretsch belonging to the blue collar rock icon
“Gibson Supremes with Floyds!”: Neal Schon has rekindled his relationship with Gibson, bringing the Floyd Rose to the luxed-out Les Paul Supreme for a trio of potential signature models By Phil Weller published 18 March 24 The Journey guitarist is back working with Gibson – and details of the pair's new models will reportedly be announced later this week