Features

The black metal guitar icon inspired a generation of heavy players, including Dave Grohl and Mark Tremonti. Thomas Gabriel Fischer reveals what kindled his unending love of Ibanez, the benefits of writing bloodthirsty riffs on tiny practice amps, and the “absolutely crucial thing that people completely underestimate in achieving a guitar sound”

Carroll’s new double-album, The Abbott, sees him perform the late John Renbourn’s work – he explains why and how he did it, and offers an in-depth guide to performing Renbourn’s masterpieces

After stints with Miles Davis, Madonna, and Sting, Darryl Jones found a home on The Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge

It's called equalization for a reason: adjustments keep your sound consistent from venue to venue. These are the tweaks you need to keep in mind for top-quality guitar tone

Libertino is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and academic, and his latest album, Cartography, finds him chasing new musical horizons and facing the biggest challenge of his career

Peter Baron spent decades touring with Leslie West. He reveals what the Mountain guitar legend taught him (and vice-versa), and the one-of-a-kind guitar quirk West got from watching Porky Pig…

The ’90s were a golden era for box office productions from Page & Plant and AC/DC, not to mention a certain era-defining acoustic set from Nirvana

The boundary-breaking guitarist – aka Blake Stranathan – had an unlikely route to session guitar success. He reveals how gear shaped his collaborations with one of the biggest singer-songwriters of our age, his theory on how “the less paint or lacquer on the guitar, the better it will sound” and why the tone of a real Klon can’t be replicated

Derek Forbes was Simple Minds’ bassist from 1978 to 1985. Here he explains how he was inspired by Andy Fraser and Stanley Clarke, why he prefers Precision to Jazz, and the influence of magic mushrooms...

Paul Jackson’s big-bottomed stank came courtesy of his modified Fender Telecaster Bass, Geraldine

Ronnie Wood, Joe Perry and Dave Grohl all played Dan Armstrongs over the years – here's why it's one of the coolest guitars ever

Ben Wells and Chris Robertson on the gear and the tones behind one of hard rock's most engaging guitar double acts – and why it all goes back to Leo Fender

Give Bryant a Strat and he'll give you the blues straight, no chaser. He reveals the ‘death metal’ lessons Walter Trout taught him, and how to get the best out of your Strat

From Tedeschi Trucks to Knower to Saturday Night Live, how Tim Lefebvre became the bass player everyone wants to work with

In 1973 Bernard Edwards helped define one of the most distinctive sounds of disco

As the Stones return with Hackney Diamonds, we asked you for your favorite riffs from Keith Richards and friends. Here they are – plus the story of how they were created

He’s the godfather of shred, but over four decades into his career, Joe Satriani is busier than ever. He explains why he’s playing catch-up after avoiding Van Halen songs in the ‘80s, what his “intentionally excessive” collaborations with Vai have in store, and the biggest struggles he’s facing in covering “the greatest guitar player of all time”

Fresh off the release of her solo debut, Apocrypha, the Schecter signature artist dishes on her love of the Kemper Profiler, the first Iron Maiden riff she learned, and the lasting impact of grunge on her guitar approach

Chad Zaemisch has been the Metallica leader’s right-hand man for 20 years. He discusses the metal titans’ amp modeling sea change, why his boss “chickened out” with his new 72 Seasons ESP Vulture, and what happens when things go very, very wrong onstage…

The invention of the seven-string, emergence of digital modeling and rise of the boutique pedal industry all took place during the ‘90s, and provided the blueprint for the sound of guitar music to come