John McLaughlin has been playing a revolutionary new PRS guitar
The jazz legend has been testing one of two prototypes, and both big names have been blown away...
Latest news
John McLaughlin has been playing a revolutionary new PRS guitar
The jazz legend has been testing one of two prototypes, and both big names have been blown away...
All the new guitar gear that caught my eye this week, from digital oil-can echo to Fender’s new US range
We've got Fender electrics and basses hot out of Cali, a state-of-the-art "vintage" delay pedal, cheap acoustics, expensive acoustics, and maybe the headphones monitoring tech you've been waiting for...
"Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player – he was pure magic…" Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers has died, aged 48
Nu metal bassist Sam Rivers has died, Limp Bizkit confirm
How this bluesman linked up with Eric Clapton – and got him to play a solo on his album
They’ve forged a close friendship over the years, but getting Slowhand to play an “insane” solo on his record wasn’t easy
How Willie Nelson’s son convinced Neil Young to get back on the road
Micah Nelson recently related how he came up with the idea to form the Chrome Hearts, Young's new band, amid a trying time for the Godfather of Grunge
Strymon’s all-new digital stompbox offers an authentic recreation of classic oil can delays
The Olivera blends syrupy charm with modern usability, thanks to MIDI, presets, MultiSwitch, and expression pedal compatibility
Gibson aims to expand its retail and live presence with third global Gibson Garage location
Following its Gibson Garages in Nashville and London, the legacy brand is opening a new space in Miami which aims to feature “unique discoveries intertwined with Latin culture around every corner”
Artists
Robert Wilson had his step-out performance on this Gap Band classic, which features two bass parts, both cut on a flatwound-strung P-Bass
The main riff is likely familiar to many via Victor Wooten’s song Bass Tribute
How Squarepusher found a signature sound with a 1979 Rickenbacker bass, a DIY string mute and some heavy EQ
Iambic 5 Poetry features two separate bass tracks: the up-front melodic line, and another hidden low in the mix
Ted Turner on eating biscuits with John Lennon and how Deep Purple gave Wishbone Ash their big break
The Les Paul slinger shares the secret behind his twin-guitar sound with Andy Powell, why he quit the band not once but twice, and working as a session player on John Lennon’s Imagine
Jake E. Lee revisits Badlands, the album the music industry doesn't want you to hear
Why can't we buy Badlands' self-titled debut? Who knows. The record label buried it. But former Ozzy guitarist Jake E. Lee swears it's his best work
![Blood Incantation's Paul Rield [left] and Morris Kolontyrsky tear it up live in this artily shot action photos](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YCvQE8rCMG7uq7DQE88UJh-840-80.jpg.webp)
How Blood Incantation’s Paul Riedl and Morris Kolontyrsky are opening the Stargate to take death metal to a higher cosmic plane
On album number four, Paul Riedl and Morris Kolontyrsky are taking their “Morbid Angel meets Pink Floyd” concept to new creative heights
Nashville session bassist Travis Dykes spent $136 building a bass from Temu parts. Now he’s playing it on some seriously big gigs
From legendary Nashville sessions to performing on the world's biggest stages, Travis Dykes charts the surprise success of the budget bass he built in a day
How Christian McBride reunited The Police duo for his latest solo outing
Sting and Andy Summers joined McBride for a jazz-tinged version of a Synchronicity-era Police classic
David Immerman on moving from pure shredding to playing with American Idol stars and Avril Lavigne
The session and production specialist reveals how indulging his ‘90s dreams evolved into touring gigs with A-list pop-rockers, and what he does to match the studio sounds of Lavigne’s timeless hits
Gear
"A Bluesbreaker and a King of Tone walk into a bar… and I went home with both of them": Warm Audio Throne of Tone pedal review
Could this be the finest drive and boost pedal of the year?
“Scoring especially highly for its superb ergonomics”: Sterling By Music Man Kaizen 7 review
Progressive guitar icon Tosin Abasi's dramatic Music Man custom seven-string, re-imagined for those with lighter wallets
Meet the Tributo, the Italian super-guitar that turns the ’59 Les Paul formula on its head
Based on the home of Italian supercars comes a super-electric with serious boutique pedigree. The inspiration is obvious. The upgrades less so, and it could be the acme of vintage-inspired design. Luthier Nicolas Giordano explains his process
“Not only crisply made but really hard to put down”: Fender American Professional Classic Stratocaster review
Replacing the out-going Performer model, is Fender’s American Professional Classic Stratocaster the perfect vintage/modern hybrid?
How the Fender Jazzmaster became the one offset to rule them all – even if no one really used it for jazz
Joe Pass was one of the few jazz cats who used the Jazzmaster for what it was designed for. But that didn't stop it being a sleeper hit for Fender, and a future classic
"No matter what type of fuzz you enjoy, you’ll find something to love here": Kernom Moho Fuzz review
Kernom delivers a detailed sweep through the many faces of fuzz
Neural DSP Archetype: Misha Mansoor X review
The Finnish firm’s new signature plugin for Periphery’s chief riffer is its most feature-packed to date, and it serves up utilitarianism and uncanny weirdness in equal measure
Lessons
Learn the chord secrets of Joe Pass, Barney Kessel and Wes Montgomery with this iconic jazz progression
Want to add sophistication to your chords? Master this essential chord progression as played by 5 guitar legends
Joe Bonamassa on his love for the Gibson ES-350 – and why it's a blues powerhouse
The ES-350 was a big favorite of Chuck Berry's. Well, well, well, it's no surprise that Joe Bonamassa loves it too. And here he puts it through is paces, and takes us to the B.B. Box in the process
How to master the art of tremolo picking – the indispensable picking technique heard in everything from death metal to surf rock that can power up your playing
Sharpen your chops and ramp up your speed with our technique-focused workout inspired by power pickers Dick Dale, Jonny Greenwood and Kerry King
How to layer guitar parts like a pro (with a little help from Cory Wong)
In this exclusive video and tab lesson, the funk maestro serves up a big ol' slice of rhythm layer cake that reimagines the guitar as keyboard, bass, as everything in the band
Power up your inner shredder: Gus G shares his ultimate guitar warm-ups
Before every gig, Firewind and Ozzy's virtuoso hones his chops with focused drills for sweeping, slurring, and string jumping. Steal his six essential exercises to level up your own metal technique
Rush’s Alex Lifeson was a master of first inversion chords – here are 5 voicings you can use in your playing today
Don't be intimidated by the terminology. First-inversion chords is the fancy name for slash chords and they can add some range and spice to your songwriting
Jared James Nichols teaches you the wild drop D blues stomp he wrote with Tyler Bryant
Learn Hard Wired, a fingerstyle blues-rock riffing masterclass that has groove for days
Reviews
"A Bluesbreaker and a King of Tone walk into a bar… and I went home with both of them": Warm Audio Throne of Tone pedal review
Could this be the finest drive and boost pedal of the year?
“Scoring especially highly for its superb ergonomics”: Sterling By Music Man Kaizen 7 review
Progressive guitar icon Tosin Abasi's dramatic Music Man custom seven-string, re-imagined for those with lighter wallets
“Not only crisply made but really hard to put down”: Fender American Professional Classic Stratocaster review
Replacing the out-going Performer model, is Fender’s American Professional Classic Stratocaster the perfect vintage/modern hybrid?
"No matter what type of fuzz you enjoy, you’ll find something to love here": Kernom Moho Fuzz review
Kernom delivers a detailed sweep through the many faces of fuzz
Neural DSP Archetype: Misha Mansoor X review
The Finnish firm’s new signature plugin for Periphery’s chief riffer is its most feature-packed to date, and it serves up utilitarianism and uncanny weirdness in equal measure
"A really clever bit of kit that makes playing along with drum beats an absolute breeze": Singular Sound BeatBuddy 2 review
The BeatBuddy is back with a host of new features that might have you wondering whether it’s finally time to sack your drummer
"Adding a few tweaks to the winning formula… The perfect pedal platforms": Victory V40 The Duchess Mark II review
Learning some tricks from the development of the super high-end MK Clean, Victory upgrades the Duchess range
Buying Guides
Best guitar stands and guitar hangers 2025: options for single and multiple acoustic and electric guitars
Hang about! These are the best stands and hangers for your guitars right now
Best bass guitars 2025: long and short-scale bass options for beginners to pros
Our pick of the world’s finest low-end monsters, with the best bass guitars from Fender, EBMM, Yamaha and more…
Best acoustic guitars under $1,000 2025: expert picks for great tone on a budget
Enjoy superb playability and sound with our guide to the top mid-priced acoustics
Best overdrive pedals 2025: from mid-hump to transparent tone
My pick of the top-rated overdrive pedals will get your gain tones on point
Best guitar wireless systems 2025: set your playing free, from the rehearsal room to the stage
Fed up with cumbersome cables? Here's my pick of the best wireless guitar systems for every budget
Best budget reverb pedals 2025: wallet-friendly ‘board buys for the thrifty guitar player
Pick up an essential piece of gear without dropping big bucks - our list of the best budget reverb pedals
Best guitars for kids 2025: top electric and acoustic guitars for children
The top kid’s guitars available today and everything you need to know to get your child started with the guitar
Best acoustic electric guitars 2025: electro-acoustic picks for every guitarist whatever your budget
Stand and be heard – embrace the creative opportunities an acoustic electric guitar presents, whether live on stage or in the studio
Best beginner guitar amps 2025: my top picks from over a decade working in music retail
After nearly ten years working in a busy high-street music store, I’ve seen which beginner amps truly deliver, offering the best value, most useful features, and long-lasting popularity from brands like Blackstar, Fender, Positive Grid, and more