Best budget guitar amps under $500 2023: cost-cutting amplifiers for the budget-conscious player By Michael Astley-Brown last updated 4 October 23 Get great sounds and features without blowing your budget – from affordable tube amps to wallet-friendly digital modeling amps and everything in between
Best metal guitars 2023: hell-raising electrics for shredders on any budget By Jonathan Horsley last updated 4 October 23 From extended-range guitars to Flying Vs, here's our pick of killer metal guitars from Jackson, ESP, Ibanez, and more
“I played a Japanese Les Paul copy on Teenage Kicks but, ironically, I still think it’s the best sound I ever got on record”: The Undertones’ Damian O’Neill looks back on the making of the band’s defining anthem – and the lost classic that followed By Mark McStea published 4 October 23 The Undertones’ out-of-left-field 1981 album, Positive Touch, was an about turn for the Northern Irish rockers, after Teenage Kicks gave a generation an anthem to rally to. This is its story
“All of Ace Frehley’s leads are memorable. Even though he’s not a shredder, he’s catchy, filled with melody, and exactly what a lead guitarist should be”: Type O Negative’s Kenny Hickey on how Kiss inspired his gothic metal masterpieces By Andrew Daly published 4 October 23 The down-tuning enthusiast on the making of landmark album Bloody Kisses, his criteria for good iPhone riffs and how he developed a Schecter that sounds like a down-tuned Les Paul without the mud
How rubber bridge guitars became the hottest trend for the next generation of players: 10 songs that tell the story of its unstoppable rise By Jackson Maxwell published 4 October 23 From its beginnings on tracks by alt-rockers like Phoebe Bridgers and Blake Mills, this fascinating mod made its way onto chart-topping albums by the likes of Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo
“We mic’d one of Steve Howe’s old Gibson guitars and mixed it with the bass. That’s what gave it such a bright sound”: Listen to Chris Squire’s isolated bassline on Roundabout By Nick Wells published 3 October 23 Learn the tone secrets behind Chris Squire’s iconic bassline on the Yes classic, Roundabout
“Dave Cobb’s ’40s Martin is one of my favorite guitars I have ever touched in my life – I really wanted to steal that guitar!” Grace Potter went on the mother of all road trips… then embarked on the mother of all recording sessions By Jonathan Horsley published 3 October 23 How Grace Potter put a new spin on rootsy Americana with famous friends, oddball vintage gear and DIY guitar hacks
Best Christmas gifts for bass players 2023: the ultimate gift guide for the lovers of low-end By Daryl Robertson last updated 3 October 23 Show your bass-playing buddy, parent, or partner some love this Christmas with these brilliant gift ideas for bass players
“I can’t build a guitar, I can’t wire an amp. Woodworking? That’s not my role here. My role is to push guitar culture forward”: Gibson’s Mark Agnesi is on a mission to create more guitar players By Matt Parker published 3 October 23 The vintage obsessive sits at the pivot point between fan and brand. We discuss Gibson’s hits, misses and the daily joy of curating its Certified Vintage program
“I always get compliments on my tone. It’s become a running joke: ‘Aren’t they gonna say I’m awesome? Is it all about my tone?!’”: Dirty Honey’s John Notto is back in the studio – and he’s still in search of “that great, elusive riff” By Joe Bosso published 3 October 23 The classic-rocker checks in to give us an album update, tells us what it's like to support Guns N' Roses, and reveals the secret behind his praise-worthy live sound
10 recording mistakes every guitarist makes By Matt McCracken published 2 October 23 Whether you’re recording at home or heading into the studio, these are the biggest recording blunders and how to avoid them
Gibson SG vs Gibson Les Paul: what's the difference between these Gibson heavyweights? By Daryl Robertson published 2 October 23 Not sure which iconic Gibson model is for you? Allow us to unpack the history, players and tones of the legendary Les Paul and SG to help you decide once and for all
“Epiphone will always be Gibson’s older brother, and its history is perhaps the most interesting of any guitar brand”: Celebrating 150 years of Epiphone – from luxury archtop maker to budget builder and rock icon By Tony Bacon published 2 October 23 As Epiphone commemorates a century-and-a-half in business, we enlist the help of vintage guitar experts and Gibson’s own archivists to tell its remarkable history
“Buckethead made me want to explore the idea of using a kill switch. I love how creative you can get”: How John 5 revolutionized one of Fender’s oldest guitar designs with the Ghost Telecaster By Amit Sharma published 2 October 23 The Mötley Crüe gunslinger explains how fashion brand Supreme inspired his latest signature guitar, what makes his favorite pickups ideal for everything from country to metal – and why no-one is a bigger Buckethead fan than he is
“When people say ‘jazz’, they get locked into ‘It's not this; it's this.’ I never looked at music that way”: Grammy-nominated virtuoso David Becker is nurturing the future of jazz guitar – and he’s encouraging them to break the rules By Alison Richter published 2 October 23 With two signature guitars to his name and multiple Grammy and Emmy nominations, Becker has notched up some serious accolades over four decades in the biz. He shares the secret to a long career – and explains how social media is (and isn’t) shaping the future of jazz guitar
The guitarists who recorded with Pink Floyd (whose names aren't David Gilmour, Syd Barrett or Roger Waters) By Jackson Maxwell published 1 October 23 A number of session kings – and a one-time member of Thin Lizzy – all made six-string contributions to the band's catalog
“I grabbed a diaper and shoved it under the strings near the bridge”: How Tony Levin came up with his muted bass tone on Peter Gabriel's Don't Give Up By Nick Wells published 30 September 23 Peter Gabriel called it the “super wonder nappy sound”
“It sounds like Lindsey Buckingham meets The Clash!” That time Duff McKagan played bass for the Manic Street Preachers By Nick Wells published 29 September 23 Nicky Wire on working with Duff and why Guns N’ Roses are the best band ever
“Every guitarist should be in search of their toothpaste tone!” Larkin Poe explain how good guitar tone can make your playing better By Amit Sharma published 29 September 23 Roots rock sister duo Megan and Rebecca Lovell on what makes drive pedals essential for shaping your soloing, why even blues players shouldn’t dismiss amp modelers – and what toothpaste tone actually is…
Are your drive pedals sounding the best they could? Here are 19 ways to get more from your overdrives, distortions and fuzzes – and make them work with your rig By Chris Bird published 29 September 23 Whether you’re using overdrive, distortion, boost or fuzz, there are plenty of ways you can tweak your setup for maximum tone
