Why Anthrax’s riff-writing isn’t like other bands’
Scott Ian might be their figurehead, but he’s not always the one driving the riffs
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Why Anthrax’s riff-writing isn’t like other bands’
Scott Ian might be their figurehead, but he’s not always the one driving the riffs
Steve Lukather recalls his first studio session with Joni Mitchell
Mitchell is just one of the illustrious names the Toto guitarist and session legend has worked with – alongside Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Ringo Starr
Pink Floyd has a gold Dark Side of the Moon guitar pick – and it’s one of the most expensive guitar picks ever
The British prog legends have teamed up with The Royal Mint for a very expensive accessory that is apparently completely playable
Primus’ original guitarist, Todd Huth, recalls the band's early pre-fame days
Huth co-founded Primus with Les Claypool – and was also the one who picked the band’s longest-serving drummer, Tim Alexander
My pick of the best guitar gear launched this week: a new era of Gibson beckons and Squier makes history with a 12-string
Big new drops from Squier, Gibson, Positive Grid, Walrus Audio and more...
Why Lenny Kaye only needs one under-appreciated pickup position
The legendary Patti Smith guitarist has a simple reason for why he wants a simple setup on his Strat
Ex-Fender Master Builder John Cruz and Farida unveil his first guitar (yup, it’s an S-style)
The JC-1 was 273 days in the making and is a vintage-modern S-style with five-way switching and a blend control for combining the bridge and neck pickups
Artists
How Bootsy Collins and his James Brown alumni brought the J.B.’s back to life for the Superbad soundtrack
With guitarist Lyle Workman at the helm, Bootsy Collins reunited with the J.B.’s for the 2007 Superbad soundtrack
Mark Holcomb on how Periphery harnesses super-heavy guitars for a super-heavy album that takes djent to a dark place
After burning the playbook and facing his demons on Periphery’s jet-black new concept album, A Pale White Dot, Holcomb tells us he owes a big apology to his guitar tech
Neil Giraldo on how a push from Rick Derringer led him to the B.C. Rich Eagle
Giraldo beat out 200 other guitarists to get the coveted spot in Derringer’s band, but there was one condition
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From teenage rigs to stage disasters – the life and times of Eddie 9V – the player Bonamassa says can bend it like King
The South Carolina guitar phenom was cooking up some barbecue when GW called to talk dream collabs, Strats vs Les Pauls, and all kinds of guitar stuff
Why Billy Gibbons started using a peso as a guitar pick
From the Archive It pays to keep some change in your pocket. You never know when your tone will need it
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On the trail of Paul McCartney, the Beatles’ not-so-secret guitarist
He’s one of the most celebrated bassists in rock history. But throughout the Beatles years, the guitar remained Paul McCartney’s clandestine obsession
Noah Kahan was an unknown when his guitarist got the gig. Now he’s playing Fenway Park with his own signature guitar
Armed with a new John Page signature baritone, guitarist Noah Levine shares the moment that captured the magnitude of Kahan’s ascent and the solo career that’s taking shape behind the scenes
Gear
“Gibbons has used his frequently on ZZ Top albums – he often plays through two at once”: Meet the world’s first ‘pedal’ – a steampunk wonderland you need Windex to use
Introduced in 1946, produced through the mid–1960s, the DeArmond Tremolo Control is the O.G. guitar effect and was used by Muddy Waters, Billy Gibbons and Canned Heat
Petr Furch on 45 years of acoustic guitar innovation – and the challenge to make his guitars better
Czech guitar maker Furch celebrates its 45th birthday this year – but it’s what acoustic guitars will look like in the future that spurs the company on, CEO Petr Furch tells us
The rise of stainless steel frets: why players are making the switch, and what makes them better than traditional nickel
Stainless steel fretwire has moved from boutique upgrade to mainstream selling point. Here’s what it changes and what it doesn’t
Best fuzz pedals 2026: add some filth to your sound with these essential pedalboard effects
Want to know your Fuzz Face from your Fuzz Gun, or channel your inner Jimi Hendrix? This guide is for you
“A tiny tone machine that proves solid-state can sound great”: Orange Baby Terror review
Orange expands its Baby line of products with the Baby Terror. A 20-watt solid-state amp head that is as mighty as it is mini
Why pedal artwork matters – and how it impacts your sound without you even realizing
JHS Pedals founder Josh Scott explains how the artwork you're stomping on might be affecting more than just the way your pedalboard looks
We’re in a golden era for new body shapes, but they still split opinion – we speak to the brands risking it all in a nostalgia-led market
The most established guitar body shapes are all over 70 years old. So why are more and more manufacturers turning their backs on tradition to boldly go where no-one has gone before?
Lessons
The ultimate guide to sus chords: the secret sauce shapes for the Edge, Andy Summers and the Beatles
Some of guitar’s biggest names swear by suspended chords. Learn why they’re not so sus after all…
Have you been putting your capo on wrong? Tommy Emmanuel says this is the right way to do it – and it could save your tuning
Do it the wrong way and your tuning will suffer, the acoustic great warns
Meet the ‘no 5’ chord – the jazz-friendly option for guitar solos
Sometimes finding the right chord is a process of subtraction. Here are five examples of how you can jazz up your chord vocab
Joe Bonamassa explains how “hiding” your guitar pick can make you a more expressive player
Want to find your voice? Switch up your pick attack and put some character into your phrasing
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
Drop D is not just for grunge and metal – Joe Bonamassa explains how he uses it for blues guitar
The blues guitar superstar unpacks his drop D approach and explains how you can use it in your own blues jams
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
Reviews
“A tiny tone machine that proves solid-state can sound great”: Orange Baby Terror review
Orange expands its Baby line of products with the Baby Terror. A 20-watt solid-state amp head that is as mighty as it is mini
“Inspired generations of guitarists”: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi review
This mid-scooped fuzz has been around for nearly 60 years, and it deserves to be around a whole lot longer
“Nigh on impossible to craft a bad tone”: Positive Grid Spark Pedal review
The firm’s celebrated Spark series of modelers and multi-effects units finally gets an amp-in-the-box format
“For metal, Solar’s big talk isn’t hyperbole”: Solar Chug Capo review
Old Englund reckons his pedal is the new gold standard for pitch shifters, but can it oust Boss and DigiTech from the top of the de-tuning tree?
"It does not feel like a budget guitar": Harley Benton Fusion-T II EMG MN HT SBK review
The German budget gear brand's latest go-faster T-style is a shred machine with pro-quality appointments at a beginner's price point
"The sounds here are absolutely the cream of the crop": Eventide H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 review
With world-class, studio-grade algorithms in a pedalboard-friendly chassis, Eventide's new multi-FX is built to handle any style or genre
“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
Buying Guides
Best fuzz pedals 2026: add some filth to your sound with these essential pedalboard effects
Want to know your Fuzz Face from your Fuzz Gun, or channel your inner Jimi Hendrix? This guide is for you
Best baritone guitars 2026: extended-range guitars for all styles and budgets
Get low with my expert pick of the best baritone guitars from PRS, Gretsch, Jackson, and more
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
