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“I said to my tour manager, ‘I need 350 bucks,’ which he wasn’t happy about. That bass changed my career”: In 1981, Pino Palladino bought a fretless StingRay that altered the course of his musical life – now it’s been recreated as a signature model
By Matt Owen published
In 1981, Pino Palladino bought a fretless StingRay that altered the course of his musical life – now it’s been recreated as a signature model

Thunderstruck on bass? With slapping and tapping? Bass hero Toby Peterson-Stewart flexes his chops in tribute to AC/DC
By Nick Wells published
From parallel distortion to cutting-edge tapping, Toby Peterson-Stewart breaks down some of the highlights from his latest cover

Jack Bruce’s final encounter with Jaco Pastorius
By Nick Wells published
According to his brother, Rory Pastorius, Jaco was influenced by the late Cream bassist’s midrange sound and aggressive lead style

Nile Rodgers on what made Bernard Edwards a bass genius – and the making of some iconic 4-string moments
By Bill Leigh published
With Chic, Bernard Edwards delivered some of the most infectious basslines of all time

This is all the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – and it includes my new dream reverb machine
By Matt Owen published
Elsewhere, Ibanez shows its RG range some love and Dunlop hopes to make you a better player with some newly engineered guitar picks...

How Este Haim ended up buying her dream ’70s Fender Precision Bass on Craigslist for a bargain – from one of her favorite guitarists
By Janelle Borg published
Haim had been scouring the internet for years for her dream bass, until she spotted one on Craiglist for less than $2,500

Glen Matlock on how the Sex Pistols have changed, while his bass rig never has and never will
By Andrew Daly published
The punk icons’ most accomplished musician explains what Frank Carter has brought to the band, the financial advantages of not using a pick, and the chance of new music with their latest recruit

Irish guitar firm announces a new U.S.-based distribution hub to tackle tariff impact – will other manufacturers follow suit?
By Janelle Borg published
By setting up a States-based distribution hub, Emerald Guitars is hoping to better serve its American customer base by absorbing the tariff costs and eliminating any “surprise fees”

How Stevie Ray Vaughan's biggest hit benefitted from one of the baddest rhythm sections in blues history
By Jonathan Herrera published
Also known as Double Trouble, Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton laid down an unfaltering groove for SRV’s 1983 debut

Eddie Van Halen and Keanu Reeves nearly ended up on the John Wick soundtrack
By Janelle Borg published
The soundtrack that could have been...

Why The Cars' Elliot Easton believes a guitar's setup is more important than its price tag
By Janelle Borg published
Is it worth breaking the bank for a guitar? The Cars' six-stringer doesn't think so...

Why Andertons’ captain, Lee Anderton, believes there’s still space for dedicated guitar stores
By Janelle Borg published
A series of high-profile guitar shops have permanently closed their shutters over the last couple of months – but one of the UK’s most well-known music stores, Andertons, is navigating the storm

Chrissie Hynde warns how global warming will likely impact the existence of outdoor summer shows
By Janelle Borg published
The Pretenders icon recalls playing shows with Foo Fighters and Guns N’ Roses over the last few years amid intense heatwaves

Tye Trujillo dips into the signature stompbox world for the first time with the TruDrive
By Janelle Borg published
The Trujillo TruDrive Wah, designed in collaboration with Morley, promises to be a “cool new wah for the next generation of players”

Bootsy Collins and Buckethead reflect on their first meeting – but the guitarist speaks through his Les Paul
By Phil Weller published
Collins talks and Buckethead riffs in the strangest guitar interview of 2025

Why Paul Reed Smith isn't interested in chasing Fender or Gibson – but is focused on cementing PRS in history
By Janelle Borg published
Smith reflects on his decades-long involvement in the guitar making space

Joe Satriani’s best basslines (Yes, he plays bass, too)
By Nick Wells published
The phenomenal guitar playing of Joe Satriani needs no introduction, but he also handled bass duties on his first two albums

Alex ‘V-Man’ Venturella on the secret to metal’s heaviest bass tone and nailing his Slipknot audition
By Nick Wells published
Slipknot's low-end specialist discusses his epic amp collection, the brilliance of Eloy Casagrande and how James Hetfield shaped his technique

Randy Rhoads became a legend with Ozzy Osbourne, but his incredible playing was evident long before then
By Janelle Borg published
Kelly Garni, Rhoads’ brother in arms in Quiet Riot, recalls the guitarist’s early days – and how he developed his iconic tone, in spite of his unorthodox gear

“Rates are coming back up, rents very rarely go down, and suppliers are in straitened circumstances”: Is crowdfunding the answer to ensuring guitar stores’ survival? One family-run business has launched an innovative campaign to keep its stores alive
By Janelle Borg published
Guitar stores are struggling. Many of our biggest gear retailers have shut their doors. We hear how the UK’s Hobgoblin Music – where Paul McCartney is a regular – plans to buck the trend