Classical guitar setup – get the most out of your nylon-string By Dave Burrluck published 19 April 24 Got an old nylon-string sitting about the house? With a little TLC it could be a real player. Here's how you can get your nylon-string or classical guitar playing its best
Best looper pedals 2024: go it alone with the greatest loop pedals for practice, live performance and jamming By Alex Lynham last updated 19 April 24 Whether you're writing songs or woodshedding solos, using a loop pedal will make you a better guitarist – these are the best looper pedals from Boss, TC Electronic, Line 6 and more
Best guitar picks 2024: recommended plectrums to upgrade your playing By Jonathan Horsley last updated 18 April 24 Our expert guide to the best picks for bass, acoustic and electric guitar
Fender's guitar models explained: we break down the entire Fender line-up from Player to Custom Shop By Richard Blenkinsop published 17 April 24 Get to know your Jazzmasters from your Jags and your Players from your Performers with our breakdown of the vast Fender catalog
Best amps for metal 2024: our top picks for high-gain heroes By Jonathan Horsley last updated 17 April 24 These powerhouse metal amps from PRS, Orange, Friedman, EVH, and more will have you primed to seek and destroy
Best FRFR speakers 2024: full range, flat response speakers that won't color your tone By Richard Blenkinsop last updated 17 April 24 Our pick of the best FRFR speakers for Helix, Kemper, Quad Cortex and other digital amp and effects modelers
How Martin threw away the tonewood recipe book to rethink acoustic guitar with the Inception By Jamie Dickson published 16 April 24 Martin's vice president of product management Fred Greene gives us the skinny on how the brand's latest acoustic presents players with some seriously innovative features
Paul Gough of Zilla Cabs takes a closer look at cabinet materials – and asks: what’s more important to you, consistency or quality of sound? By Paul Gough published 16 April 24 Paul Gough of Zilla Cabs takes a closer look at cabinet materials – and asks: what’s more important to you, consistency or quality of sound?
How the wah pedal changed electric guitar – but was originally intended for the trumpet By Huw Price published 15 April 24 Among the earliest guitar effects, made famous by Hendrix, Clapton and co, wah has remained a pedalboard staple for decades. This is its story
The history of Fender offset guitars By Huw Price published 12 April 24 Only now, over 60 years on from their launch, are the Jazzmaster and Jaguar becoming recognised as guitars for all players. We trace the innovations that mapped the offset’s long journey from misunderstood outsider to contemporary king
Heart performed Stairway to Heaven for Led Zeppelin – and reduced Robert Plant to tears By Matt Owen published 12 April 24 When Led Zeppelin were awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012, they were treated to an emotional rendition of their 1971 classic, performed by Ann and Nancy Wilson with the help of John Bonham's son
Amy Winehouse's passion for guitar was key to her distinctive songwriting style By Janelle Borg published 12 April 24 A little-known 2004 interview saw Amy Winehouse wax lyrical about all things guitar
“It was Clarkin alone who fed the band, writing the entirety of Magnum’s catalog and admitting in 2002 that he thought of little else”: Remembering Tony Clarkin, the driving force behind a British rock institution By Henry Yates published 4 April 24 The Magnum guitarist died following diagnosis with a rare spinal condition, leaving behind a staggering body of work and huge affection amongst fans and industry peers
“I’ve always favoured humbuckers. They’re what my heroes used – Clapton, BB King and Paul Kossoff”: Connor Selby on his greatest gear hits and misses, and the Gibson ES-125 that was the bargain of the century By David Mead published 4 April 24 The up-and-coming blues ace stops by to talk all things gear: the buying, the selling, and the regrets along the way
Best beginner guitar amps 2024: top guitar amplifiers for beginners By Chris Corfield last updated 4 April 24 Looking for one of the best guitar amps for beginners? We’ve rounded up our favorites for players of any style from brands including Blackstar, Orange, Boss, and more
“There does seem to be something of an obsession with lighter guitars”: Do lighter electric guitars sound better? By Neville Marten published 4 April 24 The debate surrounding the effect of weight on electric guitars and tone is long-running and often divisive. Our panel of experts, er, weigh in
“When I struggle with live sound, I think, ‘Oh God, I can play so much better when I’m just in a room and I can hear myself…’ But that’s when I dig in and try harder”: Tommy Emmanuel and Molly Tuttle give a tone, technique and touring masterclass By David Mead published 3 April 24 It’s not often that you find two of the world’s greatest acoustic players on tour together, and we couldn’t resist the opportunity to invite them for an interview and video masterclass…
"I was ill and when I picked the guitar up again, I wasn't playing Joe Satriani stuff – I was struggling to play Oasis!" Jack J. Hutchinson on how illness changed his playing style and his Black Crowes-inspired pedalboard By Tom Poak published 2 April 24 British blues guitarist and songwriter Jack J. Hutchinson on pedals, power trios, solos – and the illness that derailed his career
“We’re trying to avoid sounding like a conventional guitar band… Our goal has always been to expand what guitars can do”: Idles’ radical guitar duo dissect their “violent, dark tones” and explain why modeling is “wack” By Henry Yates published 2 April 24 Savage, socially charged and allergic to cliché, Idles are less categorisable than ever on fifth album, Tangk, and its dynamic guitar partnership Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan are holding nothing back
“John was constantly seeking better solutions, which manifested as astonishing woodwork and innovative electronics”: Remembering John Diggins – the luthier who built guitars for Tony Iommi and the first Red Special replica By Paul Balmer published 2 April 24 Diggins was the mastermind behind Jaydee Custom Guitars and had over five decades of experience in making top-quality instruments