
Phil Weller
A freelance writer with a penchant for music that gets weird, Phil is a regular contributor to Prog, Guitar World, and Total Guitar magazines and is especially keen on shining a light on unknown artists. Outside of the journalism realm, you can find him writing angular riffs in progressive metal band, Prognosis, in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original, churning that low string through a variety of tunings. He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy, mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot.
Latest articles by Phil Weller

JHS Pedals once mistakenly put an ultra-rare Dumble boost circuit into one of its DIY pedals – now it’s been launched as an $89 standalone stompbox
By Phil Weller published
A clone of John Mayer's elusive Dumble BBC-1 has been released after it was accidentally put in the Notadümblë

Paul McCartney is challenging fans to work out the mystery guitar chord that inspired his new album – and we’ve figured it out
By Phil Weller published
The unusual chord that opens The Boys of Dungeon Lane has been fuelling a hearty debate. So, what is it?

TONE3000 rolls out potentially game-changing new A2 NAM modeling tech
By Phil Weller published
Open-source Architecture 2 is promising to deliver “the best sounding amp modeling technology in history”

Positive Grid branches out from the Spark with the Reactor – an AI-powered combo that can generate tones from images and adapts to your playing
By Phil Weller published
The firm’s first major foray outside of the Spark family could become a fierce new force in the smart amp market

Eddie Van Halen’s soon-to-be-released recordings are going to blow you away, according to Steve Lukather
By Phil Weller published
The highly anticipated project could be the ultimate Eddie Van Halen honor record

Billy Duffy on the one guitar he wish he never sold
By Phil Weller published
Duffy’s timing could hardly have been worse

Korn have released another pedal that channels the sound of their genre-defining debut record
By Phil Weller published
The pedal captures the iconic sound of their Indigo Ranch era and will release in limited numbers

Alex Lifeson used TONEX and Fractal to recreate classic Rush tones
By Phil Weller published
Lifeson has become a digital modeling convert in recent years after IK Multimedia cloned his amp collection – and the results blew him away

Slash took his new favorite amp brand on the Guns N’ Roses tour without telling anyone
By Phil Weller published
Slash pivoted from Marshall to Magnatone in a high profile move back in 2023

Paul McCartney on the time he gave Paul Mescal a Beatles guitar lesson
By Phil Weller published
Mescal is set to portray Macca on the big screen, which afforded him a guitar lesson with the man himself

Tosin Abasi on the art of designing cutting-edge instruments that keep the guitar’s core
By Phil Weller published
The Kaizen – which Abasi designed in collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man – looks to drag guitar design into a bold new future

John Fogerty on the long-lost amp that was the key to his Creedence Clearwater Revival tone
By Phil Weller published
The unique amp packed some unusual built-in effects that can be heard across the band’s discography

Derek Trucks on the challenge of playing Jerry Garcia’s Tiger
By Phil Weller published
The 14lbs beast needed some taming, and it taught Trucks a valuable history lesson

DOD and Morley team up for the triple threat Wah-ocTo-Fuzz pedal
By Phil Weller published
DOD’s synthy sub-octave circuit and Morley’s wah and fuzz circuits are 2026’s most unexpected power trio

Steve Morse on how a gear nightmare lead him to Ernie Ball
By Phil Weller published
Morse has become one of Ernie Ball’s most loyal and high-profile endorsers – and it all started with a broken volume pedal

Wes Borland’s Jackson King V went from factory floor reject to Limp Bizkit icon – now it’s been released as a signature guitar
By Phil Weller published
Borland’s Custom Shop V started out as a left-handed factory reject – and this signature reissue replicates it in all its glory

That time Ronnie James Dio offered to front ’70s glam-rock outfit The Sweet
By Phil Weller published
Internal disagreements led Dio to very different gig as he sought an escape from Blackmore’s Rainbow, while The Sweet were grappling with their frontman's drinking problems

Tyler Bates on creating chaos with Reba Meyers in Marilyn Manson, and the gear he uses to score blockbusters
By Phil Weller published
The guitarist and film score composer has had a varied career – but he can’t seem to escape one amp and a “god box” pedal

Matteo Mancuso reveals the advice his hero gave him
By Phil Weller published
The two virtuosos trade licks on Mancuso’s new song, Solar Wind

Why Graham Coxon is questioning his classic Blur guitar rig
By Phil Weller published
The Britpop icon is reassessing his gear choices

David Lee Roth fights tears as he recalls his partnership with Eddie Van Halen
By Phil Weller published
The singer spoke of the touching “full circle” moment that bookmarked their final chapter together

Alex Lifeson is taking a Metallica signature guitar on the road with him for Rush’s reunion
By Phil Weller published
The gift from Kirk Hammett is about to make prog history

You’ve seen it in the JHS Pedals demos – now you can get a signature version of Josh Scott’s custom Bilt Relevator
By Phil Weller published
The first 100 models sold out in 15 minutes but more are on their way
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