![[L-R] Ray Toro of My Chemical Romance plays a Gibson Les Paul onstage, and Jimi Hendrix plays a white Strat onstage at Woburn Pop Festival 1968.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MxusSYKCzTYKuQSyyQ3KwN-320-80.jpg.webp)
My Chemical Romance's Ray Toro was a Les Paul man, until he got his hands on one of Jimi Hendrix's Strats
A guy named Jimmy gave him a guitar owned by Jimi, and it was a revelatory experience
Latest News
![[L-R] Ray Toro of My Chemical Romance plays a Gibson Les Paul onstage, and Jimi Hendrix plays a white Strat onstage at Woburn Pop Festival 1968.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MxusSYKCzTYKuQSyyQ3KwN-840-80.jpg.webp)
My Chemical Romance's Ray Toro was a Les Paul man, until he got his hands on one of Jimi Hendrix's Strats
A guy named Jimmy gave him a guitar owned by Jimi, and it was a revelatory experience
Grace Bowers’ tone tips to get the most out of the Gibson SG
There’s one pickup position she hardly ever uses
Veteran producer Dann Huff on the unsung art of session guitar
Huff knows a thing or two about being a session guitarist, having contributed to records by A-listers such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and George Benson
What was your first guitar?
Maybe yours was a gift. Maybe it belonged to a parent. Maybe it was a hand-me-down. We all have to start somewhere
The Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi takes “temporary break” from the band's upcoming world tour
The band did not give a reason for the hiatus, but recruited a long-time friend of the band to take on guitar duties during Valensi's absence
EarthQuaker Devices CEO calls for musical instruments to be exempt from tariffs as industry continues to be negatively hit
Julie Robbins says money being spent on tariffs could be used to create “good jobs for Ohioans and provided our team with more resources to innovate”
Mateus Asato pictured with mystery Fender offset – could this be his new signature model?
We all thought that Asato's switch to Fender would bring us a Strat or a Tele. This offet is something else entirely
You can now get an official Ibanez Tube Screamer watch
Its design features a nod to one of the most iconic pedals of all time
Pocket mammoth savings on some of our favorite stompboxes in Sweetwater's ginormous pedal sale - including popular units from UAFX, Beetronics FX, DigiTech, Keeley, Maxon, and so much more
As well as lots of pedalboard savings, you can also score hearty discounts on a range of essential accessories
Artists
Paul McCartney’s greatest post-Beatles bassline
After the Beatles, Paul McCartney wasn’t done writing killer basslines – as L.A. session and Wings guitarist Laurence Juber can attest
How Richard and Linda Thompson regrouped to record a folk-rock classic after Gerry Rafferty tried to turn them “pop”
Is 1982’s Shoot Out the Lights the best album Richard Thompson ever made? Fans think it is. His own opinion might surprise you
When Stone Temple Pilots supported Megadeth and Dave Mustaine defended them from his own fans
STP’s 1992 debut album, Core, was just out in stores. Sex Type Thing had traction on MTV. But Dean DeLeo recalls those Megadeth support slots as a baptism of fire
“I don’t know if I got better or worse”: Jazz legend Bill Frisell reflects on his guitar journey at 75
Veteran jazz man Bill Frisell toasts his 75th birthday with a stellar lineup and questing new album, and the hope that maybe he's getting better...
How a young Blind Melon made it big with No Rain
Channeling Dickey Betts and using different gear paid off for the band in 1992. But it wouldn’t have happened if their label hadn’t been so supportive, guitarist Rogers Stevens says
When Bob Dylan invited Slash to record with him
Not only did Slash walk into a room full of legends, but Dylan also asked him to rip out a solo à la Django Reinhardt...
Richie Kotzen and Adrian Smith on absurd volume, improv and how long a solo should be
We meet Smith and Kotzen pre-show to talk gear, their new album Black Light/White Noise, and find a pair whose chemistry makes this a hard-rock project with legs
Gear
“The sound and fury of a classic Marshall amp, but in a format that’s incredibly easy to get the best from”: Synergy SYN-20IR Amp Head with Marshall JCM 800 and JMP preamp modules review
Synergy’s range of modular marvels has been dialled up to 11…
The making of the Telecasso – the Telecaster-Picasso mashup that has driven guitarists crazy
Les Godfrey has been crafting guitars for over 30 years, and with his latest creation, he brings a Cubist take to a timeless model
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
“Despite its toy-like dimensions, it comes across as a very grown-up guitar indeed”: Taylor BT1e Baby Taylor review
Has Taylor’s travel pioneer retained the top spot three decades on? We get hands-on to find out if it’s still the best sofa strummer out there
“One of the best electrics out there, at any price”: Yamaha Pacifica SC Professional and Standard Plus review
Yamaha’s Pacifica range has been a stalwart of the company’s electric guitar lineup since 1990. These new SC models could well represent the pinnacle of that journey
"Tired of run-of-the-mill guitars? Well, this may be the six-string for you": Epiphone Futura RD Custom review
Epiphone drags a ‘70s cult classic kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a tight modern build
75 years of the Telecaster: the evolution of the original solid-body electric guitar that started it all
As the Telecaster turns 75, we chart its history – hardware, parts, and all – from the Nocaster days to the Wide Range era
Lessons
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…
Spiritbox's Mike Stringer shows you how syncopated bends can add extra spice to your metal playing
Your 21st-century metal workshop is in session, as Stringer shows you how to play Spiritbox's Holy Roller
Dare you join us at the crossroads? Welcome to the acoustic blues masterclass
Inspired by Big Bill Broonzy, Lightnin' Hopkins and the O.G. blues great Robert Johnson, this lesson just requires an acoustic guitar. Heartbreak optional
5 easy open-position alternate chord voicings that will give you extra jangle
James Honeyman-Scott of The Pretenders was a master at creating interesting parts from simple alternate chords. We look at five you can use in your playing
Reviews
“The sound and fury of a classic Marshall amp, but in a format that’s incredibly easy to get the best from”: Synergy SYN-20IR Amp Head with Marshall JCM 800 and JMP preamp modules review
Synergy’s range of modular marvels has been dialled up to 11…
“Despite its toy-like dimensions, it comes across as a very grown-up guitar indeed”: Taylor BT1e Baby Taylor review
Has Taylor’s travel pioneer retained the top spot three decades on? We get hands-on to find out if it’s still the best sofa strummer out there
“One of the best electrics out there, at any price”: Yamaha Pacifica SC Professional and Standard Plus review
Yamaha’s Pacifica range has been a stalwart of the company’s electric guitar lineup since 1990. These new SC models could well represent the pinnacle of that journey
"Tired of run-of-the-mill guitars? Well, this may be the six-string for you": Epiphone Futura RD Custom review
Epiphone drags a ‘70s cult classic kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a tight modern build
"There’s a clear midrange presence here, but it never tips into that boxy territory that smaller-bodied acoustics can sometimes fall into": Martin LX1E Little Martin review
A three-quarter size acoustic that sounds bigger than most of its competition
"Look past the dated interface, and you will discover killer tones": Kemper Profiler Head MK2 review
A product that changed the game upon its initial release gets a long-awaited update. But can it keep up with the increased competition?
"Just the thing to fight back against the rise of amp modeling": Two Notes Torpedo Captor X Plus review
Two Notes' uber-popular tube amp companion just got even more powerful thanks to a swathe of additional features
Buying Guides
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
Best multi-effects pedals 2026: replace your entire rig with our top-rated multi-FX units
From the high-end Neural DSP Quad Cortex to the budget NUX MG-300, we’ve tested 17 multi-effects pedals to help you replace your rig with a single unit
Best Telecasters 2026: top Teles for all tastes
Whether it’s your first Telecaster or you’ve walked in the boots of guitar-playing royalty, our top Telecasters will help you get your twang on
