Latest articles by Ross Holder
Looking for useful Christmas gifts for guitarists under $20? Here's my pick of 10 affordable accessories every guitar player actually needs
Supercharge your gifting with home practice and gigbag essentials that won't break the bank – recommended by a professional guitar salesman
Best acoustic guitar strings 2025: our top-rated strings for your acoustic
We pick the best guitar strings for acoustic guitar from Ernie Ball, D'Addario, Martin, and more
Best beginner bass guitars 2025: top starter basses for beginners
The best beginner basses for young players, newcomers, and the budget-conscious, picked by our experts – featuring Yamaha, Squier, Ibanez and more
Best Telecasters 2025: top Teles for every taste
Whether it’s your first Telecaster or you’ve walked in the boots of guitar-playing royalty, our top Telecasters will help you get your twang on
The PRS pre-Black Friday sale is bigger than ever, with massive 40th anniversary discounts up to $220 on SE guitars and more – and yes, it includes the 5-star PRS SE NF 53
The sale covers SE, PRS Core and S2 models, alongside a selection of amps. If you've been thinking of joining the PRS crew, now's your chance to save big
Best FRFR speakers 2025: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your digital modeler with the best FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths
Best bass strings 2025: Optimize tone, feel and lifespan
Our expert pick of strings to bring the low-end thunder from Ernie Ball, D’Addario, Rotosound and more
Best guitar picks 2025: My choice of tried-and-tested plectrums to upgrade your playing
My expert guide to the best picks for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar covering new players through to guitar veterans
Best clip-on guitar tuners 2025: hit the right note with my top pick of cost-effective tuners
Whether you play acoustic, electric, or bass, these clip-on tuners offer a quick, easy, and affordable way to achieve concert pitch every time you pick up your instrument
Best guitar straps 2025: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – top picks from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials
Best mini amps for guitar 2025: power up your practice with these tiny towers of tone – these are my top picks
Short on space? Practice anywhere with these small guitar amps that pack a punch
Best beginner guitar amps 2025: my top picks from over a decade working in music retail
After nearly ten years working in a busy high-street music store, I’ve seen which beginner amps truly deliver, offering the best value, most useful features, and long-lasting popularity from brands like Blackstar, Fender, Positive Grid, and more
"A simple move up the neck can open up new voicings, textures, and moods you would never get from standard open chords": 5 creative ways to use a capo
A capo can offer your playing so much more than a key change. Here are my favorite creative ways to use a capo
Best guitar tuners 2025: my pick of chromatic, polyphonic and strobe options
Stay in tune whatever your budget, with my top picks from Boss, Korg, TC Electronic, D’Addario and more
Best basses for metal 2025: our selection of the best basses for heavy music across all budgets
From Rickenbacker to Ibanez and Schecter, our picks of the best metal basses will help you sound heavier than ever before
Best 5-string bass guitars 2025: from budget workhorses to high-end boutique beasts
Need that low B? We’ve handpicked the best 5-string bass guitars from Yamaha, Fender, Ibanez, and more – whatever your price range
Best Squier guitars 2025: Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jaguars and more for the budget-conscious player
From budget Teles, to vintage-spec’d Strats, I look at the best Squiers available today
There are few things in life I hate more than re-stringing my guitars, but with packs from as little as 83 cents per string this Prime Day, I've run out of excuses
Prime Day is the place to make bulk-buy savings on your favorite strings right now, including models for electric, acoustic and bass
I bought the HX Stomp years ago and it's still one of my smartest gear purchases - get up to $200 off Line 6 in the Sweetwater sale
Most Line 6 purchases will also come bundled with a free Eminence IR sampler pack
These are the best 4th of July acoustic guitar deals I’ve ever seen – here’s the 9 models I’d buy
Forget Prime Day! From Taylor and Martin to Yamaha and Alhambra, the best 4th of July acoustic guitar deals are here and they’re up to 40% off
Best guitar slides 2025: every budget and material covered, plus how to choose the right slide for you
Getting into the bluesy world of slide guitar? From Shubb and Dunlop, to Taylor and Ernie Ball, these are our top choices
Best cheap looper pedals 2025: bang-for-your-buck loopers for your ’board
Score a looper for under $80 and spark your creativity with our pick of the best budget pedals from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss and more
The best electric guitars under $500
Our top cheap electric guitars that deliver killer tones, slick playability, and serious bang for your buck from Squier, Epiphone, Yamaha and more
