Latest articles by Matt Owen
Jackson drafts the Rhoads V into its high-end American Series – bringing Randy Rhoads’ iconic metal guitar back to the States
The third entry into Jackson’s made-in-Corona collection revisits the Ozzy Osbourne guitarist’s legendary design that helped launch the brand
The playing advice Glenn Tipton gave Richie Faulkner on his first tour with Judas Priest
Faulkner brought a huge array of influences to the Priest gig but worked to shake them off so he could find his own voice
The VP-1 Dark Fang is a space-age Super Guitar that introduces a wild new fretboard capable of ‘outward string bending’
Inspired by the Indian sitar and Chinese pipa, the The VP-1 Dark Fang looks to facilitate an entirely new way of playing the guitar
Fender’s Road Worn guitars have become a dying breed – but now they're back as limited-edition Vintera II guitars
An all-new aging process that offers a subtle 'closet classic' vibe is paired with era-correct pickups and authentic neck shapes
“I have long harbored a slight obsession with this hugely underrated guitar. The new finish doesn’t help with that one bit”: All the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including... an urn that fits inside an acoustic?
A whole load of new Jacksons, Charvels, Yamahas and Gibsons headline the last seven days of guitar gear drops
Nuno Bettencourt remembers his final exchange with Ozzy Osbourne – a reminder of the gig he once turned down
As a 15-year-old, Bettencourt auditioned to become Randy Rhoads’ replacement. When the gig presented itself years later, he declined
When Joe Bonamassa was introduced to Joanne Shaw Taylor – who “offended” him on their first meeting
The two blues guitar greats crossed paths at a festival in 2008 – but Taylor wasn’t interested in what Bonamassa had to show her
Rita Coolidge alleges she helped write Eric Clapton’s Layla – but never got credit for it
In a resurfaced interview, Coolidge recalls the time she sought a songwriting credit for composing the song’s piano coda – but was rebuffed
Jackson pays homage to its early days with Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – featuring newly developed era-accurate pickups
Four new models boast fresh pickups based on early Jackson innovations
The Boss PX-1 Plugout FX backlash has gone viral – but is it justified? We put the biggest criticisms to Boss
We leveled 5 of the internet’s most common issues with the divisive PX-1 to its maker. Now Boss has set the record straight
The Darkness’ Dan Hawkins blasts Yungblud, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry for their VMAs Ozzy Osbourne tribute
Yungblud led an all-star cast of music greats for a medley of Prince of Darkness classics – but Hawkins wasn’t impressed
The one time David Bowie ordered Earl Slick to swap his Fenders for Gibsons
Slick went into the recording of 2003's Reality armed with a Telecaster, but his guitar of choice didn't cut it with Bowie
All the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including the most extravagant acoustic you will see all year
A $99,999 SJ-200, two Randy Rhoads tributes, and some visionary electrics from Ibanez – here are all the gear launches that you might have missed from the past seven days
Phil Demmel’s new Jackson Polka Dot signature King V pays homage to his first Randy Rhoads Jackson model – and the guitar god himself
The Rhoads-honoring model serves as a full-circle moment for Demmel, who acquired his first Jackson – also a Randy Rhoads V – under some sketchy circumstances
David Gilmour remembers the first time he ever saw Hendrix play
A broke, pre-Pink Floyd Gilmour rocked up to a free jam evening at a music club – and had his entire guitar world rocked
Sterling by Music Man and Tosin Abasi bring the futuristic Kaizen to a new low price point
Three years after the boundary-pushing build was first unveiled, the long-awaited Sterling spin-off has arrived
Brad Gillis remembers the moment he got the Ozzy Osbourne gig
The Night Ranger guitarist stepped in to help Ozzy complete his tour after the tragic death of Randy Rhoads
Blackstar’s Beam Solo takes on Fender and Boss – is this the new headphone amp to beat?
Blackstar is calling the Beam Solo the ultimate headphone amp for guitarists. But what sets it apart?
MXR’s latest Randy Rhoads Distortion is inspired by another of the guitar great’s iconic axes – the Jackson Concorde
The second pedal honoring the Ozzy Osbourne guitarist was painstakingly spec’d from Randy’s original Distortion+
For Spinal Tap’s reunion, Nigel Tufnel needed an amp that went beyond 11 – so Marshall made him one that goes to Infinity
Tufnel has a new amp – and some new guitars – to showcase in the forthcoming Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
How Ibanez became the one of the biggest metal guitar makers on the planet, beloved by players and pros alike
Sponsored by Ibanez
The RG, RGA, RGD and IronLabel guitar collections are at the foundation of Ibanez's metal guitar efforts
Gibson’s Certified Vintage manager on his most memorable guitar safari discovery (and it wasn’t a guitar)
Mitch Conrad paid a visit to a guitar fan who was in the possession of a vintage Gibson SG – but ended up finding more than he bargained for
Behind the rise of Strandberg, the firm that ushered in a headless guitar revolution – and changed the concept of guitar design in the process
Sponsored by Strandberg Guitars
Ola Strandberg has had an interest in guitar building for his whole life, but when he started developing his own designs in his small workshop, he paved the way for an electric guitar that has since changed the indsutry
How Blackstar shook up the amp establishment – and cemented its place in the upper echelons of the industry
Sponsored by Blackstar
Founded by four former Marshall employees in 2007, Blackstar tows the line between tradition and innovation – resulting in a first-class amp lineup that spans fire-breathing stacks to pedal amps
How Laney went above and beyond with its LFR range to create the ultimate speaker solution for guitarists with digital rigs
Sponsored by Laney
Laney has amassed one of the most respected and sought-after lineups of FRFR speakers on the market, beloved by players and pros alike – here’s how
