Chris Gill
Chris is the co-author of Eruption - Conversations with Eddie Van Halen. He is a 40-year music industry veteran who started at Boardwalk Entertainment (Joan Jett, Night Ranger) and Roland US before becoming a guitar journalist in 1991. He has interviewed more than 600 artists, written more than 1,400 product reviews and contributed to Jeff Beck’s Beck 01: Hot Rods and Rock & Roll and Eric Clapton’s Six String Stories.
Latest articles by Chris Gill

How the Danelectro/Coral Electric Sitar captivated rock and metal guitarists from Metallica and Steve Howe to Steve Vai and Eddie Van Halen
By Chris Gill published
With its buzz bridge design, this innovative electric gave rock players a new sound to play with

How the Beatles crafted the guitar and bass tones that forever changed the sound of rock music
By Chris Gill published
We chart the evolution of the Fab Four's sound through the key tracks and the gear that made them

Gretsch G5232T Electromatic Double Jet FT with Bigsby review
By Chris Gill published
The classic Gretsch double-cut has never been more affordable, nor has it looked so good...

PRS Horsemeat, Mary Cries and Wind Through the Trees pedals review
By Chris Gill published
Paul Reed Smith's pedalboard debut offers top-tier options for transparent overdrive, optical compressor and analog flanger

Decoding the magic of the Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive, the drive pedal of choice for Zakk Wylde and Josh Homme
By Chris Gill published
The classic overdrive was launched in ’81 and soon found its way onto the pedalboards of millions of players – including legions of pros

Wolfgang Van Halen and Matt Bruck on the future of EVH Gear: “Ed left a lot of ideas for us to develop – we are committed to delivering all of them”
By Chris Gill published
From the upcoming SA126 semi-hollow to legacy replicas and radical new spec sheets: Wolfgang Van Halen and Matt Bruck give us the skinny on what's next for the brand carrying the torch for Eddie's gear legacy

The 25 greatest Pantera songs of all time
By Richard Bienstock published
With Dimebag Darrell's no-holds-barred playing at the fore, these are the best tracks from the metal institution's catalog

Meris LVX Modular Delay System review
By Chris Gill published
The most advanced delay pedal ever built, the LVX produces sonic landscapes that simply must be heard to be believed

Why the Collings OM2H is beloved by so many acoustic fingerstylists
By Chris Gill published
With fans including Keith Richards, Julian Lage and Robert Earl Keen, this compact, sweet-sounding orchestra model acoustic is a bona-fide modern classic

Wolfgang Van Halen has inspired EVH Gear to release 24-fret and hardtail versions of its Eddie-inspired 5150 Series guitars
By Matt Owen published
The new models – which will be joined by Fujigen EVH Signature guitars – will drastically alter the DNA of Eddie Van Halen’s original Kramer 5150 axe

Supro Royale 1932R 1x12 combo review
By Chris Gill published
There’s headroom all the way up to the clear blue sky with this pedal-friendly tube combo from Supro

Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty 8-string review
By Chris Gill last updated
The king of progressive metal guitar, John Petrucci, has a new signature eight-string, and it's a typically regal work of high-end luthiery, packed with clever, player-friendly details

Why the Marshall JCM800 2203 was the amp head of choice for a generation of rock and metal guitar players
By Chris Gill last updated
As the ‘80s demand for crunch spiked, the JCM800 2203 cemented its position as a backline classic

EVH Iconic Series 40W 1x12 Combo review
By Chris Gill last updated
Meet the sub-$1,000 tube amp that everyone will be calling iconic in years to come

How the MXR Dyna Comp became the go-to compressor pedal for countless all-star guitarists
By Chris Gill published
Much loved by Andy Summers, Yngwie Malmsteen and legions of country players, the Dyna Comp is the little red box that became an evergreen choice for those looking for pro-quality compression

Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay 5 review
By Chris Gill last updated
The EBMM x Darkglass collab continues with a five-string version that augments the StingRay with onboard dirt and fuzz

Reverend Billy Corgan Signature Z-One review
By Chris Gill last updated
Featuring a chambered alder body and the Smashing Pumpkins frontman's signature Railhammer humbuckers, the Z-One is a versatile platform for high-voltage rock

Why the Maestro Echoplex EP-3 remains one of the most iconic guitar effects of all time
By Chris Gill published
A favorite of Joe Walsh, Brian May, Eddie Van Halen and many more, the Echoplex EP-3 has added its tape echo and preamp magic to countless classic guitar recordings

60 years of Ernie Ball: the history of a family business that changed the world of guitar and bass as we know it
By Chris Gill published
With the help of Sterling Ball, we unpack the history behind a great American success story

Jackson Concept Series Rhoads RR24 HS and Soloist SLAT7P HT MS review
By Chris Gill last updated
High-concept, high-performance electrics from Jackson that bring a Custom Shop vibe to production-line metal guitars

Gamma G25 and G50 guitar combo amplifiers review
By Chris Gill published
For about the cost of a stomp box, these are gig- and studio-worthy amps that place emphasis on outstanding, useful and musical pro-quality tones over gimmicky bells and whistles

30 years of Eastman: revisiting the golden age of handcrafted guitar making
By Chris Gill published
The history of Eastman Musical Instrument Company reads like a three-decade sprint through the evolution of stringed instruments, and it is a story shaped by hand tools and old-school craft

50 years of Ibanez in the USA: the unstoppable rise of the pioneering Japanese guitar brand
By Chris Gill last updated
How the Ibanez brand evolved in lockstep with guitar culture, leveraging artist partnerships to make new breakthroughs in design, sound and performance

The Beatles' Get Back gear: a guide to the guitars and amps seen in Peter Jackson’s long-awaited documentary
By Chris Gill last updated
The electrics, acoustics and amplifiers that accompanied George Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney in some of their final recordings as the Beatles
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