
Jonathan Horsley
Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to publications including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Total Guitar. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.
Latest articles by Jonathan Horsley

Alice Cooper’s new guitarist on why Glen Buxton is a seriously underrated guitar hero
By Jonathan Horsley published
The Alice Cooper Band’s Gyasi Heus argues that Buxton’s guitar is the essential ingredient in those classic Coop recordings – and the legend Bob Ezrin agrees

Best compressor pedals 2025: control your tone with the must-have utility pedal
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
With great options from Boss, Keeley, MXR, and more, there has never been a better time to add a comp pedal to your 'board
![[L-R] Eric Gales, Buddy Guy and Little Jimmy King: Gales has just announced a tribute LP to Little Jimmy King, aka Manuel Gales, covering his late brother's songs, and the first single features Buddy Guy.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5NgZoZgPfo6Gek5fuThzP8.jpg)
Eric Gales taps Buddy Guy to pay tribute to his older brother – a forgotten hero of blues guitar
By Jonathan Horsley published
A Tribute to LJK celebrates the life and legacy of Gales' brother, Manuel Gales, aka Little Jimmy King, and features guest spots from Joe Bonamassa, Josh Smith, and Christone "Kingfish" Ingram

Fender expands its presence in Asia with Fender Music Korea – is a retail store coming next?
By Jonathan Horsley published
Headed up by Jack Kim, FMK will exclusively distribute Fender, Squier, Jackson, Charvel, EVH and Gretsch guitars in Korea. CEO Andy Mooney says move strengthens the Big F’s global presence
![Peter Green wears a short-sleeved shirt and plays a gray Stratocaster [left] while Carlos Santana plays his PRS signature model, wears shades and is really feeling his solo onstage.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SfUV6MR5GDcXb9SvBGriYR.jpg)
Remembering Peter Green and Carlos Santana’s supernatural jam at the 1998 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Awards
By Jonathan Horsley published
Green wrote the tune. Santana made it his own. But on the night the music biz came together to honor Santana and his band, they shared the song, giving a performance for the ages
![Joe Satriani [left] fistbumps Steve Vai onstage as the pair perform together onstage with their Ibanez signature guitars](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bhz6U9AcPqgD7rUUDdUWFf.jpg)
Joe Satriani reveals how Satch/Vai’s onstage chemistry works – and why sometimes some songs are best left to Steve Vai
By Jonathan Horsley published
Satch says playing with Steve Vai is an opportunity to expand each other's material, but says maintaining one clear voice for melodies and solos is key

Best baritone guitars 2025: pick up the slack with these long scale guitars
By Matt McCracken last updated
Get low with my expert pick of the best baritone guitars from PRS, Gretsch, Chapman, Jackson, and loads more

Best guitar wireless systems 2025: set your playing free, from the rehearsal room to the stage
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
Fed up with cumbersome cables? Here's my pick of the best wireless guitar systems for every budget

Taylor unveils custom replica of the acoustic Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey play in The Last of Us
By Jonathan Horsley published
If this the apocalypse is all high-end Taylor acoustics with V-Class bracing, maybe it won't be so bad after all

Remembering when Josh Homme played George Harrison’s Rosewood Tele – and lost the ability to speak
By Jonathan Horsley published
We've all been there, one of the most legendary techs in guitar history hands you a Beatle's guitar and it is all too much

“It's probably this year's greatest metal guitar so far, even if it lacks the pointy edges to prove it": Jackson Pro Series Lee Malia LM-87 review
By Jonathan Horsley published
The most-anticipated metal guitar of 2025 is here but is it worth getting all offset about?

Watch two funk-rock guitar gods unite for the ultimate acid guitar jam
By Jonathan Horsley published
Woodstock '69 finally had some competition as the ultimate acid guitar jam when Rockpalast 1985 united two funk-rock guitar gods under a trippy groove

For IDLES’ Lee Kiernan, modding guitars is a gateway to sonic chaos – and Fenders make the perfect platforms
By Jonathan Horsley published
The post-punk trailblazer is one of the faces of Fender’s new Player II Modified series. He explains why he’s not interested in perfection while making music – to the point of not wanting a guitar to sound like a guitar at all

Is it country, bluegrass, folk, rock? The Rose City Band don’t play within a genre, but they do play with them
By Jonathan Horsley published
Ripley Johnson and Barry Walker on recording Sol y Sombra in a dark, vibey basement like the Stones, the irony of working hard to make a song feel mellow, and avoiding complex setups to deliver the music

“Everything a great beginner guitar should be”: Sterling By Music Man Intro Series Cutlass
By Jonathan Horsley published
The refreshed Cutlass is a sweet-looking vintage-ish S-style, but could this be the next apex predator in the market for entry-level electrics?

Best guitar picks 2025: awesome guitar picks to upgrade your playing
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
My expert guide to the best picks for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar

Gilby Clarke to replace Orianthi (who was replacing Nita Strauss) on upcoming Alice Cooper dates
By Jonathan Horsley published
Hello! Hooray! Let the show begin… the former Guns N' Roses guitarist has been drafted in for the Godfather of Shock tour after Orianthi suffered an injury

Gretsch refreshes flagship Professional Collection with 5 Japanese-built stunners
By Jonathan Horsley published
Sound the dream guitar klaxon as Gretsch gives a makeover to Falcon, Tennessean and Nashville hollowbodies and positions the Broadkaster LX as a high-end semi for high-gain antics

Jerry Cantrell on what really happened when his ‘Blue Dress’ G&L went missing last year – and why he’s happy he “cried wolf”
By Jonathan Horsley published
In a recent interview with Guitar World, Cantrell expresses his relief and gratitude that the ‘Blue Dress’ was found, and admits he thought it was gone for good

“It was too good to keep to ourselves”: MXR gives Eddie Van Halen’s favorite orange box the golden touch with its 50th Anniversary Phase 90
By Jonathan Horsley published
You've had the carrot-colored Phase 90. Here's the carat-colored one, available March for a limited time only

Jackson stealth-launches the Pure Metal range – a trio of limited edition single-pickup shred machines
By Jonathan Horsley published
Finished in Black with Creme binding, this Kelly, Rhoads and Soloist are packing a Fishman Fluence Modern humbucker, a Floyd, and that iconic six-in-line headstock

Best clip-on guitar tuners 2025: hit the right note with these cost-effective tuners
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
Whether you play acoustic, electric, or bass, these clip-on tuners offer a quick, easy, and affordable way to achieve concert pitch every time

Walrus Audio Mako M1 MKII High-Fidelity Modulation Machine review
By Jonathan Horsley published
A studio-quality greatest hits of modulation, now with a two-inch OLED screen
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