Brian May will be on William Shatner’s surprise album – alongside a host of metal guitar heroes
The unlikely collaboration will be heard on the Star Trek actor’s upcoming record
Latest News
Brian May will be on William Shatner’s surprise album – alongside a host of metal guitar heroes
The unlikely collaboration will be heard on the Star Trek actor’s upcoming record
Tony Levin on how a Peter Gabriel session changed his trajectory – and led him to King Crimson
The bass juggernaut looks back on his session days and how a recording session in Toronto with an unfamiliar artist turned into one of the biggest chapters of his career
Two of Gretsch’s most affordable and desirable guitars just got an irresistible new look
Fan favorite CVT and Jet models are getting a glow-up
With up to 60% off budget guitar brand Harley Benton plus loads more big brands, the Thomann Guitar Days sale is the place to pick up an absolute steal on a guitar right now
If you want to save big on guitar gear, then this mega sale at Thomann is the one you've been looking for
Never-before-heard Van Halen demo from 1974 set for release: “Van Halen opens the family archive”
Glitter predates the band’s debut album by four years, making it the earliest Van Halen track to be released
Joe Bonamassa’s pawn shop SG changed his outlook on P-90s – now Seymour Duncan has recreated its pickups
The 1961 SG ended a years-long search for the perfect P-90 pickup
Former Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes’ final recordings to be released as an EP this November
The esteemed guitarist passed away in 2024 at 65 after a battle with cancer
![Tailgunner [L-R]: Bones, Rhea Thompson, Craig Cairns, Zach Salvini and Eddie Mariotti](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9efNJrexXv7Gm4D5VwJVie-840-80.jpg.webp)
Artists
Bernie Tormé’s turbulent eight-gig stint with Ozzy Osbourne
From the Archive Tormé was drafted in mid-tour after the tragic death of Randy Rhoads – and it was one of the most difficult periods of his career
How Geezer Butler helped define the sound of heavy metal on this eight-minute Black Sabbath opus
War Pigs/Luke’s Wall showcases Geezer Butler’s radical approach to bass guitar – and the Chris Squire influence that left Ozzy Osbourne baffled
Johnny Marr on the guitars he’s loved and is about to lose at auction – and the one that started it all
The indie-rock icon talks hungover shopping trips with Noel Gallagher, why some electrics feel like ‘living things’, and what he’ll do if a tech bro starts bidding at his forthcoming auction
Weezer’s Brian Bell on polarizing fans (and the band), proving the critics wrong, and making the Gold Album
Cuomo’s right-hand guitar man on the flashy Explorer he found in his bandmate’s basement, the development of their own standard tuning and his ability to identify what makes Weezer Weezer
Angine de Poitrine tell us the origin story of guitar’s most surreal band
They are the buzz band of 2026 – a perfect storm of wacky and weird, with a creative and technical flair that needs to be seen to be believed. It’s Angine de Poitrine’s world; we’re just living in it
Nervosa’s Prika Amaral on her unconventional playing style and overcoming Brazil’s broken music scene
The self-taught Kramer fan on surviving unaffordable gear and substandard venues, becoming lead singer then adding a second guitarist, and blending digital with analog for definition and power
How Ralphe Armstrong unlocked Hendrix-inspired expression on one of Jean-Luc Ponty's most adventurous recordings
Armed with a Morley Wah pedal and a Maestro Bass Brassmaster, Ralphe Armstrong turned his bass into a psychedelic lead guitar
Gear
“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
I admit it: I’m a wah-wah addict. It’s the greatest sound a guitar can make. And I have proof
The humble wah pedal is more than just Jimi Hendrix’s signature effect – it’s the ultimate way to speak and weep on the guitar
“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?
Ditch the soldering iron: you can swap pickups in seconds with these guitars
There was a time when swapping pickups meant turning your guitar into a small wiring project. Today, it can be almost as easy as swapping out a pedal
The 21st century guitar innovations that never caught on
Including robot tuners and the multi-effects pedals that invited us to stomp on iPads
"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
Ball-ends through the tuners? Meet the Steadfast Stopbar, the Les Paul tailpiece that strings your guitar backwards
The humble stopbar tailpiece rarely gets the spotlight, but the Steadfast string-locking design gives us a reason to reconsider how we restring our guitars
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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
“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
“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
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
Buying Guides
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
