Latest articles by David Mead
How Marillion’s Steve Rothery forged a new musical alliance – and got addicted to buying pedals in the process
Rothery and Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning might have sounded like "a firm of accountants" to Rothery's mind but as Bioscope, the two prog icons are creating something new, a mesmerizing trip into the unknown
“If you’re heading off on holiday any time soon and want a guitar-shaped companion with a good pedigree, look no further”: Furch Pioneer-ER A review
The latest travel guitar from the renowned Czech builder may look small, but it packs a punch and benefits from some revolutionary new technology
How Robert Jon & the Wreck were living the dream – sleeping at the studio, firing up Holy Grail amps, and chasing tone
Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes is an old-school joint. Robert Jon Burrison and Henry James Schneekluth were holed up at Dave Cobb's studio, full immersion, and the results are clear to hear
Ally Venable on why the magic of choosing guitars and the Holy Grail overdrive Devon Allman gave her
The blues-rocker recalls the gift of a precious pedal from an old friend and a recent Hendrix-inspired guitar purchase that has blown her mind
“John Lennon’s 12-string has a similar trebly edge to it”: Framus Hootenanny 12-string and 6-string review
John Lennon famously used a Framus 12-string acoustic with the Beatles, and 60 years later the company has reissued the model in all its fab finery – and it comes with a little help from a friend!
Robin Trower on the secrets to his signature sound, his Strat headstock theory – and how 007 influenced his new album
Come and Find Me is another tour de force from the man who gave us Bridge of Sighs but it's a sign of the times that it all started with recordings on his phone
Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 Rosewood Reissue, 1960 Hummingbird Reissue and 1963 Dove Reissue review
Following on from the superb Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Custom instruments that wowed us, we look at have three from a sextet of new historic reissues. Expectations are high...
Molly Tuttle on her new kick-ass band, her jaw-dropping custom Martin – and why she’s taking her sound beyond bluegrass
With a diverse new album full of amazing playing, there are changes afoot for the Grammy Award-winning acoustic-guitar virtuoso as she takes a few steps away from her bluegrass roots
“The build and sound quality is all there”: Taylor Builder's Edition 514ce Kona Burst review
We take a look at the new Builder’s Edition 514ce to examine its upgrades and refinements. A worthy alternative? Let’s take a look
They were a pivotal band in prog’s golden age and split in 1980, but Gentle Giant still have a rabid fanbase
With Gentle Giant’s legendary Playing The Fool receiving a remix, the band’s Gary Green reminisces about the challenges of gear and gigging in the ’70s
Molly Tuttle reminisces on her first Martin – and how it ended up in Arizona's Musical Instrument Museum
The bluegrass and Americana phenom looks back on her long-term love affair with Martin
Joe Bonamassa on why volume is a tone super power and why they don’t make CTS pots like they used to
Amid the mayhem of his European tour, Joe gives us a guided tour around his 2025 live gear and tells us why his mighty multi-amp rig has to be run at breaking point. All in the name of tone
How a Gypsy jazz guitarist came to play George Harrison’s iconic Beatles guitars on a new tribute album
Recorded in Harrison’s home studio using his most famous instruments, Robin Nolan’s Gypsy jazz covers reimagine the quiet Beatle’s best moments – and finally completes Harrison’s ‘lost’ song…
How Bonnie Bramlett’s name ended up engraved onto JoBo’s prized 1955 Fender Strat
It has been his number one road Strat for years, but until the iconic singer put her Dremmel to the back of its body, it didn’t have a name
“Impossible to resist”: Fenech VT Camphor Laurel Auditorium & VT Professional Blackwood Dread D78 review
An Australian brand with a burgeoning reputation down under steps into the limelight with a pair of hand-built acoustics that incorporate premium tonewoods and a sharp eye for design
Alex Lifeson on throwing sonic curveballs with Envy of None – and why he’s all in on plugins
As Alex Lifeson launches the second album from his latest prog project, Envy of None, we delve deep into the mists of its sonic landscape
Up close with Fender Custom Shop’s ’59 Journeyman Stratocaster – a stunning vintage repro fresh out of the box
Eschewing the heavy relic work of many Custom Shop Strats, the Journeyman nails that ‘one careful owner’ vibe
Lita Ford on the only amp she ever returned, and why she didn't ask for her stolen Mockingbird back
The rock icon talks all things gear, like that time she lied about her age so she could earn money for an SG, Neal Moser's badass B.C. Rich custom jobs, and why she returned a Kerry King Marshall
Cory Wong on the making of his signature StingRay and how Vulfpeck just, y’know, made an album during a show
The funkmeister guitarist is back with a whirlwind of new recording projects in his wake, and a fresh new signature guitar by his side
How Samantha Fish used raw amp energy and “wild, funky, weird” guitars to make new album come alive
Paper Doll is the sound of Fish unleashing the riffs and working a newfound confidence with her vocals, and it has some seriously sizzling tones
Randy McStine reveals all behind his cosmically epic solo on Steven Wilson's The Overview
When Wilson asked McStine to redefine the guitar solo for the 21st-century, David Gilmour's greatest solo was the reference. The catch? No pentatonic minor blues. It was to be comfortably new
Is Toby Lee Britain’s next blues-rock superstar?
The Firebird-toting Blackstar endorsee's name has been mentioned ever since he recorded a track for B.B. King, aged 10. Here, he explains why he was always playing for keeps
Steven Wilson on his cosmic prog epic, expanding guitar's 21st century vocabulary, and lo-fi plugins
Wilson's new album is unlike anything he’s done before, a very proggy space odyssey that takes the listener on a journey to the outer reaches of the universe…
