How Kid Congo Powers fused jazz and punk with the Bad Seeds, the Cramps… and Ry Cooder’s amps By Mark McStea published 19 June 24 Powers reveals how drugs, jazz and lessons from the Cramps’ Poison Ivy were all brought to bear on Gun Club’s seminal 1984 album, The Las Vegas Story
Weird Al Yankovic guitarist Jim “Kimo” West on parody rock glory – and his Grammy-winning third act By Andrew Daly published 19 June 24 He found his way to fame via Frank Zappa, has scooped up multiple award nominations under his own name – and is so laid back that he didn’t mind when Rick Derringer played the leads on Al’s ’80s albums
“Delay is my security blanket”: Vinnie Moore reveals what’s on his ever-changing pedalboard By Andrew Daly published 19 June 24 The UFO man might switch things in and out all the time, but right here, right now, this is what he sees when he looks down
Meet Vincen García, the Spanish bass virtuoso who joined Cory Wong with 48 hours’ notice By Nick Wells published 18 June 24 Vincen García shares his bass heroes and how he went about “bringing the artillery” with Cory Wong
How to choose the right guitar cable: from length and connector considerations, to whether you should build your own, here’s everything you need to know By Connor Godfrey published 18 June 24 We've played enough bad cables to know what we're talking about – now you can plug and play with confidence using our guide
Guns N’ Roses producer Mike Clink on having a front-row seat to Slash’s most iconic guitar moments By Amit Sharma published 18 June 24 Having reunited with Slash for Orgy Of The Damned, the producer of Appetite for Destruction recalls the magical sessions with Guns N' Roses
Inside Cream Guitars, the no-copy Mexican brand shaking up guitar with color-changing finishes By Amit Sharma published 18 June 24 How a doctor (who also sidelined in designing suits for firefighters) ended up creating Cream Guitars, one of the most groundbreaking new brands in the industry
Is there a benefit to buying a more expensive guitar as your first? By Simon Fellows published 18 June 24 Entry-level or mid-grade? Which guitar offers better value for the beginner? If you’re just starting out, will an entry-level axe do, or should you invest in a fancier guitar with a price tag to match?
Fender amps explained: from tubes to modeling, here's everything you need to know about Fender amplifiers By Richard Blenkinsop published 18 June 24 On the hunt for a new amp? Here's our guided tour of everything Fender has to offer when it comes to guitar amps
Larissa Liveir on becoming a TikTok guitar hero – and why social media is the new demo tape By Joe Bosso published 18 June 24 The Brazilian guitarist is every inch the modern guitar hero – and hopes that other players will follow in her footsteps
Best 3/4 acoustic guitars 2024: small-bodied, short scale sensations from Taylor, Martin, Fender and more By Matt McCracken last updated 18 June 24 From beginner nylon string models to solid electro-acoustic travel guitars, there’s a 3/4 option here for every style of player
“Dime had wanted to do a solo project for years”: Inside the making of Dimebag Darrell’s final album By Alison Richter published 18 June 24 When the Abbott brothers’ main band collapsed, Dimebag’s solo record took on new meaning and became Damageplan’s New Found Power. Longtime associate and co-producer Sterling Winfield argues that triumph came out of the tragedies – even though it took fans years to realize it
Kerry King on his personal history with B.C. Rich and ESP – and why he switched to Dean By Jon Wiederhorn published 17 June 24 The former Slayer guitarist and bona fide metal god on his relationship with metal's heavyweight guitar brands, and what he wanted from his new partnership with Dean
Best acoustic electric guitars 2024: electro-acoustic picks for every type of player By Rob Laing last updated 17 June 24 Know your piezos from your transducers and experience the best of both worlds with models for beginners to pros and for every budget
Damon Johnson on playing with Thin Lizzy and Lynyrd Skynyrd – and why Eddie Van Halen gifted him a guitar By Andrew Daly published 17 June 24 From touring with Van Halen, to finding his own niche as a blood-and-guts player with some of rock’s biggest names
Martin Miller on how he recruited Paul Gilbert, Lari Basilio and Mateus Asato for his world-beating jams By Amit Sharma published 17 June 24 The Ibanez signature artist talks forsaking his shred roots, how to approach chord changes and those world-class live sessions with the likes of Paul Gilbert and Andy Timmons
Billy Sheehan explains his three-finger plucking technique By Nick Wells published 15 June 24 After almost 60 years of playing bass, Billy Sheehan is still learning – and still flooring listeners
“Sometimes the guitar will tell you what it likes the best”: How to choose the right strings for your guitar By Jamie Dickson published 15 June 24 String guru Curt Mangan busts myths and drops knowledge that will help us make better decisions when it comes to the most fundamental gear purchase we routinely make
Best distortion pedals 2024: the top 11 high-gain stompboxes for guitarists By Jonathan Horsley last updated 14 June 24 Crunch, filth, mayhem! Dive into our expert round-up of the best distortion pedals available today
How Peter Nordin navigated a 172bpm maze of nightmarish polymetric riffs on Meshuggah’s Future Breed Machine By Bryan Beller published 14 June 24 Original Meshuggah bassist Peter Nordin breaks down the tech-metal trailblazers’ 1995 underground classic