
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

Dweezil Zappa has some absolutely wild guitars in his vault – but his insane one-of-one fretless Gibson SG is one of his favorites
By Phil Weller published
Zappa has an eye for weird and wonderful instruments, and this heavily modded example – which began life as a Roxy SG – might be one of his finest

Kevin Bacon and Jimmy Fallon rewrite Bryan Adams’ Summer of ’69 – and make it all about six-strings
By Phil Weller published
There’s no room for Jimmy to quit, or for Jody to get married, in this version

Joe Satriani is selling an ultra-ambitious Ibanez Y2K Crystal Planet prototype from 1999
By Phil Weller published
The elite shredder is selling off a bunch of pre-loved gear, including a stunning see-through version of his Ibanez signature guitar

Kirk Hammett owns over 100 guitars but none of them are PRS. He explains why
By Phil Weller published
The Metallica guitarist has an enviously extensive guitar collection, but it doesn’t feature any of Paul Reed Smith’s builds

The world’s most expensive guitar, Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged Martin acoustic, is set to go on display in the UK
By Phil Weller published
The legendary acoustic became the most expensive guitar to sell at auction when it went under the hammer back in 2020

Martin celebrates 30th anniversary of Eric Clapton’s first signature acoustic with a faithful recreation of his MTV Unplugged guitar
By Phil Weller published
Two limited-edition acoustics celebrate three decades of partnership and pay homage to a set that made history

That Pedal Show’s Mick Taylor sparks inspired change that sees the Argo Boost Deluxe serve octave fuzz sounds and clean boosting in one unit
By Phil Weller published
Taylor was a fan of the original Argo, but when he discovered how it can double as a clean boost, he knew its recipe was worth a revisit

Laney and Nathan East team up for a versatile signature bass head that ends a 40-year wait for the session legend
By Phil Weller published
East, one of the most celebrated bass players in history, knows a thing or two about tone – and he’s put practicality at the forefront of his new signature model

Manson unveils a Matt Bellamy Verona signature after an exhaustive pickup design process
By Phil Weller published
The build offers the “exact and detailed specification” of the guitar that the Muse frontman has been playing on tour in recent years

Sting guitarist Dominic Miller weighs in on the Strat vs. Les Paul debate – says the Strat loses
By Phil Weller published
It’s a debate that has raged for decades, and Sting’s six-string foil has some interesting arguments

John 5 likes to push his playing to the limit – but says Ace Frehley does one thing better than any shredder on the planet
By Phil Weller published
Kiss first inspired the Mötley Crüe guitarist to take up the instrument

Gretsch sends its Streamliner series “into the modern era” with a limited-edition launch
By Phil Weller published
Three distinct Bigsby-bolstered models have been included in the drop

Ed Sheeran gives Jimmy Fallon a looper pedal masterclass – and offers his top tips for solo jams
By Phil Weller published
The guitarist lifted the lid on how he plays his smash hit Shape of You live and drafted Fallon for backing vocal duties

Despite early love from EVH, headless guitars became a punchline – yet in 2025, they’re more popular than ever. We found out why
By Phil Weller published
With wider options across a variety of price points and more signature artists than ever, has the headless axe’s time finally come?

TC Electronic upgrades its beloved looper with the Ditto 2 – but can it keep up in an increasingly competitive market?
By Phil Weller published
The Ditto was lauded for its simplicity, and now it’s back with more features than ever – and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to operate

Pete Townshend threatens to turn to AI if fans don’t stop asking him to play The Who’s hits
By Phil Weller published
The guitarist has multiple other focuses, but he says fans are irritated by his refusal to trade on his former glories – could AI could provide a solution?

Gibson Custom's 1964 ES-345 Select models offer ‘woulda, coulda’ mods and lavish Mist finishes
By Phil Weller published
The special order axes marry 1964 ES-345 authenticity with fresh, head-turning colorways

Brent Hinds plays first show since leaving Mastodon – and he has plenty more lined up
By Phil Weller published
Since departing the metal giants after 25 years, Hinds has already taken to the stage with his “psychobilly surf” outfit – and three of his bands will play the same show in April

Tobias instruments were trailblazers in the bass world. Now they’re back as part of the Gibson family
By Phil Weller published
Luthier Michael Tobias’ ergonomic and tonally versatile bass guitars were lauded in the late ’70s, and now Gibson has spearheaded their return

Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood reunite in the studio
By Phil Weller published
The guitarist was fired from Fleetwood Mac on the eve of a a 2018 tour, with his relationship with Nicks said to be the cause – but it looks like he’s set to feature on Fleetwood’s new solo album

“We’ve only changed the strings one time”: Travis Barker reveals the bass he uses on everything he records
By Phil Weller published
The Blink-182 drummer and producer has made a revelation about a go-to bass that has proved perfect for almost every record he's produced

Gibson's Double Trouble Les Pauls offer faded nitro finishes, with uncovered pickups – and a cheeky nod to its dispute with DiMarzio
By Phil Weller published
The two new models take the Les Paul Standard recipe down memory lane, with uncovered 'Double Classic White' humbuckers

Old Blood Noise Endeavors turns its flagship oil-can delay into a dark and mysterious “multi-tool”
By Phil Weller published
The Black Fountain Stereo benefits from greater control over parameters, MIDI compatibility, and a spellbinding stereo spread

Kiss announces unmasked Vegas show with former guitarist Bruce Kulick, as Gene Simmons postpones 17 solo dates
By Phil Weller published
November’s set will mark the 50th anniversary of their Kiss Army fan club and see Bruce Kulick reunite with the band after they snubbed the guitarist during their farewell tour
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