Steve Vai and Joe Satriani’s first joint studio album is finally coming out
The Sea of Emotion will arrive before the year is out
![Angus Young wears his school uniform as AC/DC play Donington Monsters of Rock [left]; Eric Clapton is suited and playing a pale blue Strat in the mid '80s.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QgAfKvcwAsJVc5suVA6JUK-1200-80.jpg.webp)
Latest News
Steve Vai and Joe Satriani’s first joint studio album is finally coming out
The Sea of Emotion will arrive before the year is out
Green Day, Rancid, and Blink-182 members celebrate the Ramones’ 50th anniversary with a set at a cemetery
Newly formed supergroup Cretin Family featured Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, Blink-182’s Travis Barker, and late-era Ramones bassist C.J. Ramone – and blazed through Ramones hits and deep cuts
Phil X on the time his pedals died moments before opening for Steel Panther
The guitarist was going through a battery phase when a forgetful tech left him in the lurch
Gibson recreates Billy Gibbons’ Pearly Gates Les Paul – and you’ll have to meet the ZZ Top legend in person if you want one
30 painstaking replicas are being sold exclusively through a private event at Gibson Garage Nashville
Bluegrass hero Billy Strings swaps Martin for Charvel to shred with death metal band
At a festival he curated, Strings showed the darker side of his shredding
Get the most powerful practice tool for guitar players for just $99 in this awesome early Labor Day deal
Positive Grid's Fall Tone Fest just dropped with some serious savings on smart amps and clever practice tools
Rush surprise themselves with new Fifty Something tour dates
The updated Fifty Something tour is scheduled to end in April 2027
Artists
The inimitable Robyn Hitchcock on the enigma of songwriting
The psych-folk pioneer tells us about the “sprawling mess” of his songwriting, the hell of forgotten tunings, and the Telecaster that almost broke his back
![The Descendents' Stephen Egerton [left] and Milo Aukerman do their thing at Coachella in Indio, California, April 13, 2013](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DdpYUDzKoAzLHkcexoMXQK-840-80.jpg.webp)
The secret to Descendents’ seminal punk guitar sound and why Milo stood the test of time
Downpicking like demons on all six strings, the Descendents tore through L.A.’s ’80s underground and launched a thousand punks-in-waiting
Graham Coxon on his unearthed solo adventures, the challenge of writing for Blur and Damon Albarn’s guitar skills
The Blur guitarist takes us down to Castle Park – his lost solo album that was made 15 years ago but is just seeing the light of day
Mike Campbell on what makes the Telecaster magic (even if he thinks they’re kinda ugly)
The former Heartbreaker and Dirty Knobs main man on his lifelong love affair with the world's first mass-produced electric guitar
From Blood Brothers to Evil Island’s horror-surf, the wild ride of hardcore hero Cody Votolato
Evil Island is a vampire-obsessed, POG-abusing new project from hardcore scene survivors
![Joe Satriani plays his Paisley Pattern JS signature Ibanez; Kirk Hammett [right] plays his ESP Mummy.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w4FRgR6B5Pv4bVmgRR4KYU-840-80.jpg.webp)
“They were the weirdest things. He was asking me, ‘What do you think I should play over this stuff?’” When Joe Satriani got an exclusive preview of new Metallica material during lessons with his student Kirk Hammett
When Joe Satriani got an exclusive preview of new Metallica material during lessons with his student Kirk Hammett
Manning the world’s first production fretless bass, Rick Danko had to be laser-sharp in the Band
Along with Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones and Boz Burrell of Bad Company, Rick Danko was one of the earliest players to take fretless bass guitar into the mainstream
Gear
Is this humble Ampeg the vintage tube combo to rival golden-era Fender amps?
We trace the history and influence of two cult classic amps from Ampeg, the R-12R Reverberocket and 1965-67 GS-12R Reverberocket II
“For under $600 it does something quite special”: Gretsch Electromatic CVT Baritone review
Gretsch’s Electromatic range offers plenty for under a grand including this compelling short-scale baritone
Inside the making of the ThorpyFX Kudu – the pedal that makes everything... better?
Adrian Thorpe designed the Kudu to be a different type of overdrive, a flatter of amps with switchable clipping and a name from the safari
Roy Buchanan inspired countless players to pick up Teles – his favorite was defined by a fascinating tonal “flaw”
Nicknamed “Nancy”, the Telemaster’s beloved ’53 model had a bridge pickup that mystified pickup designers for years
Thorn Soundlabs Flex Series pedals review
This new range of pedals straight out of Music City, USA, is designed for flexibility – meet the Bad Cash, Silver Spurs, Black Swamp, The FreaQ, Steam and Tremonator
“Compares well with instruments costing at least twice as much”: Epiphone Marcus King Dorado review
Epiphone revives its early 1970s Japanese-made El Dorado acoustic in the form of a very special Marcus King limited-edition
How Blind Guitars is redefining the traditional blues acoustic guitar
The B-24L has a price tag to send anyone down to the crossroads in search of a deal – but it delivers a sumptuous playing experience
Lessons
If you learn one thing from Angus Young it should be this…
For those about to solo, you’ll be thunderstruck with the AC/DC guitar legend’s whole lotta use of open strings
Mastodon masterclass: Nick Johnston reveals his insane soloing techniques
Luscious legato, hot hybrid picking, busy blues bends and creative chromaticism are the trademarks of Nick Johnston. Here are five of his favorite lead approaches
Why you don’t need open tunings to play slide guitar
Blues legends like Muddy Waters often preferred playing slide in standard tuning. This lesson might convince you, too – and it makes a great introduction to slide
Country icon Dolly Parton’s ‘thumb and flick’ playing style is essential learning for acoustic players
The late music icon had a distinctive approach to country rhythm, using alternating bassline picking and bluegrass soloing techniques
Learn “pendulum” strumming – the secret to natural-sounding chords
Take your rhythm playing beyond beginner with this simple exercise
How to write a “song within a song” with your guitar solos
Blackberry Smoke frontman Charlie Starr demonstrates how the solo really can serve the song – by being the song
Who’s afraid of the Mixolydian mode? Here’s how you can use it for triads
Corey Congilio wasn't that fussed about the Mixolydian mode at first but now he's a believer – and this lesson shows you just how practical it can be
Reviews
“For under $600 it does something quite special”: Gretsch Electromatic CVT Baritone review
Gretsch’s Electromatic range offers plenty for under a grand including this compelling short-scale baritone
Thorn Soundlabs Flex Series pedals review
This new range of pedals straight out of Music City, USA, is designed for flexibility – meet the Bad Cash, Silver Spurs, Black Swamp, The FreaQ, Steam and Tremonator
“Compares well with instruments costing at least twice as much”: Epiphone Marcus King Dorado review
Epiphone revives its early 1970s Japanese-made El Dorado acoustic in the form of a very special Marcus King limited-edition
“It’s staggering that a $329 bass can play like this”: Sire Marcus Miller V1 review
Marcus Miller-approved bass range gets a new baby sibling – is it worthy of the name?
"A touch-responsive, dynamic drive that reacts like a good amplifier": Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Overdrive review
Warm Audio teams up with a boutique legend to bring a sought-after drive to the masses
"An unusual pedal that's trying to do something new": DOD Drag Analog Delay Pedal review
The spiritual successor to the DOD Rubberneck is just as weird
Charvel Sleep Token III Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass V review
Behold – a five-string offering from Charvel, on behalf of mysterious modern metal outfit Sleep Token
Buying Guides
Best Gibson SGs 2026: Our budget-spanning picks of Gibson’s famous Solid Guitar
From retro reissues to contemporary shredders, here are the best Gibson SGs on the market right now
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 cheap acoustic guitars 2026: budget acoustics with genuine pedigree
Great tone doesn’t have to break the bank – these are the best cheap acoustic guitars from Fender, Yamaha, Cort and more
Best tube amps 2026: unlock incredible tone with my pick of valve amplifiers for stage, studio or home
Plug into legendary dynamic response and organic warmth with my top-rated valve amplifiers for every budget and playing style
Best clip-on guitar tuners 2026: hit the right note with my top pick of cost-effective tuners
Whether you play acoustic, electric, or bass, these clip-on tuners offer a quick, easy, and affordable way to achieve concert pitch every time you pick up your instrument
Best FRFR speakers 2026: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your modeler with my pick of FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths – these active speakers from Fender, Laney, IK Multimedia and more are tonally transparent beasts
Hang about! If you're in the need of something to display a single or multiple guitars and to always have an axe to hand, this is my pick of the best stands and hangers for your guitars right now
Hang about! These are the best stands and hangers for your guitars right now
