Articles by: David Mead

Cort Gold-OC6 review

By David Mead

An all-solid OM acoustic that's Fishman-powered, feature-packed, with a price that won’t break your heart...

Bernie Marsden looks back on his final encounters with Peter Green

By David Mead

The Whitesnake and UFO guitarist shares his memories of his hero, friend and fellow rock legend

Larrivée C-03R-TE Custom review

By David Mead

A tribute to a Tommy Emmanuel studio favorite, the Larrivée C-03R-TE pairs understated good looks with captivating tone

Mike Landau: "Some people drive fancy cars - I went with a cheap Ford and bought a Dumble instead"

By David Mead

Bought and Sold: He’s played with artists like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Phil Collins, Miles Davis and Pink Floyd - but Mike Landau still mourns the ’61 Strat that got away...

John Smith: “As soon as you take your bottom E string down to a D, you’ve got a different instrument”

By David Mead

One of the UK’s fastest-rising singer-songwriters on the magic of alternate tunings, his tonesome acoustic pedalboard, and not letting lockdown stop the music

Adrian Vandenberg: "At 16 you think if you’ve got a good guitar and a good amp, you’re going to sound like Jimi Hendrix!”

By David Mead

Bought & Sold: The ex-Whitesnake guitarist displays a fondness for Gibson Les Pauls and regret at selling an original Marshall Plexi...

How Gary Moore came to own Peter Green's iconic Les Paul, Greeny

By David Mead

In this 1995 interview, Moore reveals how Green's departure from Fleetwood Mac led him to sell his legendary guitar - for a surprisingly low price...

Tora Dahle Aagård: "Playing guitar is my meditation"

By David Mead

Norway's genre-shifting six-stringer talks gear, why she's not a typical guitar player, and how School of Rock changed her life

Cory Wong: "When I play a Stratocaster, it draws out my voice in an easy and effortless way"

By David Mead

The funk rhythm master goes deep on gear, playing with Vulfpeck and The Fearless Flyers and his unending love for the Fender Strat

Joe Satriani on his greatest used guitar find, Bonamassa-inspired buyer's remorse and why he just can't play SGs

By David Mead

Satch on his six-strings past and present, and a previously unthought-of attachment to a 1958 Fender Esquire…

Faith Neptune Blue Moon review

By David Mead

With a figured Java mango build, Faith’s new Neptune acoustic offers a fresh approach, but are the tones otherworldly?

Joey Landreth: “The first time I heard Derek Trucks was like, ‘Oh, s**t. That is really inspiring!’”

By David Mead

He’s lauded worldwide as a songwriter, vocalist and slide player par excellence. We caught up with the Canadian guitarist to find out what makes him tick

Takamine TSP138C SBB and Takamine TSP178AC TBS review

Takamine TSP138C TBS and Takamine TSP178AC SBB review

By David Mead

Two contrasting models from Takamine’s new Thinline range tell tales of superb player comfort and excellent onstage performance. Let’s see how they measure up...

Paul Gilbert talks buying and selling guitars

Paul Gilbert on his greatest used guitar finds, humbuckers vs single coils and his first serious guitar

By David Mead, Michael Astley-Brown

The first artist to appear in our new column on trading guitars, Paul reveals how he was outwitted by an '80s Ibanez…

Greg Koch: "At the end of time, there will be cockroaches and Telecasters - and the Teles will be in tune"

By David Mead

The master of hybrid country-jazz guitar on disappointing his dad, signature amps and the enduring appeal of the Tele

Lowden FMc review

By David Mead

Lowden presents a variation on the F35 theme with a guitar that’s aimed at fingerpickers who want to cut through any mix

Jennifer Batten: "Guitarists ask me about playing with Michael Jackson more than playing with Jeff Beck!"

By David Mead

The revered session player talks life in the fast lane, playing with some of music's biggest names, and why weight is everything when it comes to gear

Taylor 562ce 12-string V-Class review

By David Mead

Taylor’s revolutionary V-Class bracing system makes its 12-string debut

Mary Spender: "Record labels told me to put the guitar down. Luckily, I was stubborn enough to ignore them"

By Jamie Dickson, David Mead

The UK-based guitarist and songwriter on playing fingerstyle, the secret to her YouTube success and the pedal that changed her life

Steve Morse: "Guitarists need to create dynamics on their own and not rely on the sound guy"

By David Mead

The Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple and Flying Colors guitarist talks live rigs, vitamin supplements and nightmare desert treks

Gibson's Generation series comprises the G45 Standard [right] and slightly more affordable G45 Studio [left]

Gibson G-45 Standard and G-45 Studio review

By David Mead

With Gibson’s renaissance in full swing, the company is showing its hand in the acoustic market with two brand-new mid-priced models built in its Bozeman, Montana facility…