Latest articles by David Mead
Laura Cox on taking her sound from YouTube to the studio and the stage – and the release from playing with “real people”
Now a fully fledged touring artist with three albums to her credit, the French blues-rocker talks Les Pauls vs SG, studio pressure and Marshall amps
“A step towards the upper echelon of acoustic guitar lutherie at a very reasonable price”: Cort Gold-A10 Cocobolo review
Cort introduces a gold standard to its acoustic line with a grand auditorium model that pairs two of the mightiest tonewoods
The inside story of Gibson's Century Collection acoustics – and the role the Rolling Stones and Beatles played
Period-correct in (almost) every detail, the Gibson Century Collection’s 12-fret format is addictively playable. Gibson's Robi Johns tells us it’s all down to the Brits
Samantha Fish on finally meeting her fans’ demands and why the SG is the one
With a new live album out now, we sat down with the blues-rock fireball to hear about the gear and attitude that fuels her stage performances
Eric Bibb on why happiness is a good acoustic guitar – and what makes the electric a different species
The country blues master pays a mid-tour visit to Guitarist to talk touring acoustics and the foundation of his amazing fingerstyle technique
Laura Cox on the challenges of transitioning from YouTube to the studio – and how to conquer them
The French guitarist made her name with classic rock videos on YouTube, but when it came to cutting her teeth in the studio, Cox admits it was another story altogether...
Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret and J-45 Century 12-Fret review
A pair of historic acoustics from Gibson’s illustrious catalog to celebrate its century of flat-tops. But wait, these are 12-fretters. What’s going on?
Guitar tone gourmand Ariel Posen spills the secrets to his sound
The sonic adventurist’s latest album used a treasure trove of guitar, amp and pedal exotica, resulting in his best recording yet
“A fine, gig-ready instrument with premium build quality”: Taylor Gold Label 710E review
As part of an ongoing revision to its esteemed catalog, Taylor has introduced a deep-bodied dreadnought into the fold. Let’s take it out for a spin
Why being an acoustic guitarist doesn't necessarily make you an electric player – according to Eric Bibb
Bibb admits he won't be calling himself an electric guitar player anytime soon
Eric Johnson tells us why vintage is not always best (even if he regrets selling his ’54 Strat)
The guitar-tone guru reflects on the instruments that have passed through his hands, and offers some advice for anyone shopping for a new guitar
“It will certainly take some beating”: Taylor Next Generation 324ce review
Taylor has introduced a raft of changes into its Grand Auditorium range, including revised bracing, an easily adjustable neck system, and a new pickup
The mistake that led Robben Ford to buy his first great instrument – and how Miles Davis and Jeff Beck took him to the Strat
As Ford returns with Two Shades of Blue, the Californian guitar legend drops by for a video lesson and to talk all things guitar, from his adventures with big-box jazz models to Strats
Bobby Rush salutes his old friend B.B. King
In his own words, Rush reflects on the brilliance of B.B. and what he learned from the King of the Blues
“It really has everything going for it”: Faith PJE Legacy FG4 Earth review
Patrick James Eggle’s take on the OM body shape is built by Faith’s facility in Indonesia and based around PJE’s Linville model from his acoustic-building days. But does it rock our world?
How Robben Ford helped Fender design their short-lived answer to the Gibson ES-335
The short-lived build aimed to compete with one of Gibson's flagship models
![Joanne Shaw Taylor pictured with a Les Paul [left] and B.B. King, taking solo on Lucille at the Chicago Theater in 1991](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xcyUro4TZ38XsPtW6NxmwJ-840-80.jpg.webp)
Joanne Shaw Taylor on her life-changing first meeting with the great B.B. King
Joanne Shaw Taylor was just a young kid when she met B.B. King. Now she is paying tribute to the King of the Blues on Joe Bonamassa’s all-star album
![Joe Bonamassa [left] wears shades takes a solo on vintage Gibson Les Paul; B.B. King [right] wears a cream suit and takes a solo on a red Gibson ES-355 at the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fcHMzdytCgLhP6ivPZHUih-840-80.jpg.webp)
Joe Bonamassa on his friendship with the ultimate bluesman, B.B. King – and paying the ultimate tribute
B.B. King would have celebrated his 100th birthday in September last year. But when Joe Bonamassa discovered that the centenary was going almost unnoticed, he swung into action
What really happened with Cream behind the scenes? Ginger Baker’s daughter reveals all
Nettie Baker’s new book Cream Chronicled debunks a few myths about one of rock’s most influential power trios
“If a guitar looks like a dread, then it’s going to sound like one, too. But not here”: JWJ Chorale Select review
This latest acoustic from JWJ aims to provide a better blend between a singer’s voice and the guitar, all via cunning lutherie
How acoustic wizard John Smith went back to the future in search of acoustic transcendence
Celebrating 20 years as a pro musician, singer-songwriter John Smith reimagines personal and fan-favorite songs for his latest album – and changed his choice of acoustic in the process
“You may feel that the whole TransAcoustic thing is a novelty… we’d urge you to put aside your preconceptions”: Yamaha TAS3 C review
Reading a manual to find out how to connect your acoustic guitar to Bluetooth might deter some traditionalists, but there is treasure to be found for the adventurous
Joanne Shaw Taylor on how the blues helped her find her voice, and why she'll always choose Teles
Having embarked on a journey from classical guitar to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert Collins, Taylor is determined to keep the blues alive... until she can open that dog shelter
