How luthiers voice an acoustic guitar top By Alex Bishop published 12 August 22 The dark art of ‘voicing’ a guitar top is part science, part art, but ultimately about adding and subtracting in all the right places
John Scofield: “When you’re playing without a band, all kinds of subtleties in your playing come out, maybe good and bad… You really hear what you’re doing” By David Mead published 11 August 22 On his latest album, Solo, the jazz guitar luminary plays alone with just a looper for company, and it turned out to be a learning experience that was a lot of fun too
How Blackstar’s St. James series made tube amps lightweight without sacrificing tone By Jamie Dickson published 11 August 22 Tube amps are old hat, right? If so, Blackstar didn’t get the memo – the St. James series transforms 50 watts of classic tone into a tech-enabled tour de force
Best guitars for kids 2022: top electric and acoustic guitars for children By Jonathan Horsley published 9 August 22 The top kid’s guitars available today and everything you need to know to get your child started with the guitar
40 Years of Squier: how Fender’s budget brand conquered the world By Tony Bacon published 9 August 22 Four decades on, we look back at the birth of Squier and Fender JV, and why Fender decided to go big in Japan...
Andrew Gabbard: “My love for Firebirds comes from Neil Young because he had a Firebird pickup in his Goldtop and they just cut through” By Jamie Dickson, David Mead published 9 August 22 The Black Keys sideman and songwriter says good things come in small packages: namely, mini-humbuckers and Fender amps
Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter on recutting his classics, mad-scientist modding and hustling Guitar Center for parts in the ‘70s By Henry Yates published 8 August 22 The Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers legend sits down to share gear war stories, explain what makes a good session player, and discuss his first solo album, the brilliant Speed of Heat
Best electric guitars under $1,000 2022: 10 killer options for beginners and pros By James Farmer published 8 August 22 From vintage-style classics to modern single- and double-cut options, here's our pick of electric guitars that deliver for less than a grand
Best guitar straps 2022: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style By Chris Corfield published 5 August 22 10 of the best guitar straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets
The magic of Fender Japan: how MIJ custom finishes and unorthodox builds dug a rabbit hole for collectors By Jamie Dickson published 2 August 22 Keith Anderson makes his livelihood bringing rare Fender Japan electrics into the UK and he’s seen thousands over the years. Here he explains the appeal
Best guitar picks 2022: 12 recommended plectrums to upgrade your playing By Jonathan Horsley published 1 August 22 Our guide to the best picks for bass, acoustic and electric guitar
How your guitar’s control pots affect its tone By Huw Price published 1 August 22 We twist them, we turn them, but how often do we think about our guitar’s controls? Switching them out can be a cheap upgrade and an easy win for improving our tone
Best desktop guitar amps 2022: 9 amplifiers for portable practice By Nick Guppy published 1 August 22 The desktop guitar amp market is getting crowded, but our top picks from Yamaha, Blackstar, Fender, and more might just be the finest money can buy
Ida Mae’s Chris Turpin: “Most guitars are good for something. Even bad guitars can be fantastic because they force you to play a different way” By Henry Yates published 28 July 22 The British folk-blues guitarist talks lost Teles, ugly SuperStrats and the gear treasure trove that is Norwich Cash Converters...
Best earplugs for musicians 2022: guitarist-friendly plugs to suit every budget By Chris Corfield published 28 July 22 Our pick of the best affordable earplugs to protect your hearing from the din of the rehearsal room to the stage
The story of Gibson’s Thunderbird – the tricky, difficult but brilliant design that modernized bass guitar By Rod Brakes published 28 July 22 This Thumpin' Thursday, let’s go way back to trace the history of an iconic bass with a body shape that remains radical to this day
How the advent of speakers using neodymium magnets enabled bigger sounds from lighter cabs By Paul Gough published 26 July 22 The neo kid in town revolutionized cab design, allowing smaller, lighter units to punch above their weight
Why Gibson’s Elvis SJ-200 has us all shook up By Neville Marten published 25 July 22 The King of the Flat-Tops does not get any more regal than this
Delicate Steve: “The only technical advice I have discerned about playing guitar is that I like it to be really, really loud” By Matt Parker published 25 July 22 Inside the mind of indie music’s most unpredictable, and under-rated, guitarist
Everything you need to know about the Bigsby vibrato By Huw Price published 22 July 22 Let's take a deep dive into the world of these revered vibratos, their history, and the popular mods and maintenance tips that will keep them running in perfect order for years to come