Ace Frehley on his greatest gear finds – and the guitars he regrets selling By Andrew Daly published 4 June 24 The former Kiss guitarist on that time he sold a ’59 Les Paul to fund a gambling trip, and the price-boosting power of his personal signature
“Sitting at an Ikea desk, shredding guitar, day after day… I don’t want any part of that”: Tracii Guns on his favorite modern players By Andrew Daly published 4 June 24 The LA Guns veteran has added to his long list of collaborations as he teams up with hard rocker Jack Russell for new album Medusa
Art-rock’s elder statesman Bill Nelson on his wildest guitar stories – and why he still swears by the Line 6 Pod By Richard Barrett published 3 June 24 The Be-Bop Deluxe icon invites us into his guitar-packed home to talk about his endless drive to write and record, his six-string war stories, and why he hasn’t used guitar amps for years
“Coated strings definitely mitigate finger noise”: How different strings affect your acoustic guitar tone By Jamie Dickson published 3 June 24 Strings have a major influence on your acoustic sound – here’s how to choose the right ones for your guitar
Nat Myers is making rootsy blues guitar relevant again – and keeping the one-man ramblin’ band tradition alive By Glenn Kimpton published 3 June 24 Nat Myers’ debut album, Yellow Peril, was produced by the Black Keys frontman – and it’s a modern-day classic of its genre
The life and times of Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, the true guitar original who inspired everyone from Hendrix, Zappa and SRV to Ice Cube, Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige By Denny Ilett published 31 May 24 From urban blues maverick to ‘Superfly’ funkster, Watson’s 40-plus-year career saw him negotiate his way through the most explosive period in musical history and, unlike so many, he managed to keep his ear to the ground and his music relevant to the times
Best delay pedals 2024: classic analog and modern digital delays to give your tone new life By Alex Lynham last updated 31 May 24 Whether you prefer digital or analog delay pedals, the options in this round-up will help boost your creativity on the guitar
Acoustic vs electric guitar: which is better for beginner guitarists? By Jonathan Horsley last updated 29 May 24 For new guitarists this is one of the biggest questions. We’re here to help you choose the right path and find the right guitar for you
5 Fender signature guitars you need to try – and 5 we can't believe they haven't made yet By Richard Blenkinsop published 28 May 24 Our pick of Fender artist collaborations, plus the five players whose autographs we’d like to see adorning signature guitars in the future
From digital amps, to modelers and mods – Marshall’s new CEO has big plans to win back guitarists By Matt Parker published 28 May 24 Jeremy de Maillard has gone from Marshall headphones to the head of the iconic amp firm – now he’s tasked with raising a sleeping giant
The Liverbirds played alongside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones – and paved the way for women in rock By Janelle Borg published 28 May 24 From booting Chuck Berry’s manager off stage and proving John Lennon wrong, to touring Japan and blazing a screaming trail across Europe, The Liverbirds took Merseybeat beyond British shores, on their own terms
Mdou Moctar is one of Africa’s premier guitar heroes – and he’s using his Stratocaster to spark a revolution By Henry Yates published 28 May 24 As the Niger guitarist releases a bristling new collection of protest songs, he explains how injustice puts the fire in his fingers, what keeps him loyal to the Strat, and why everybody in his hometown wants to play guitar
Hank Marvin on what he loves about the Fender Stratocaster – and what he would he change By Hank Marvin published 24 May 24 Shadows legend Hank Marvin looks back at his favorite guitars – and the models that didn’t quite work for him – to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster
Used by The Beatles and Brian May, the Vox AC30 is one of the all-time great amps – what makes it sound so good? By Joe Dean published 23 May 24 What's behind the AC30's coveted chime, and why has it remained a consistent amp choice for generations of guitar greats?
Matteo Mancuso talks tone, technique and Guthrie Govan’s key to improvising By Amit Sharma published 23 May 24 The Sicilian guitar prodigy discusses the fingerstyle techniques, arpeggios and gear choices that have made him one of the most exciting names in modern guitar
“Ted Newman Jones builds beautiful guitars. He made some five-strings for Keith. He’s great”: Played by Keith Richards and Billy Gibbons, Newman guitars are some of rock’s greatest secret weapons – and a new model seeks to preserve their legacy By Dave Burrluck published 23 May 24 Used by everyone from The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, Newman guitars have a unique place in rock history. And thanks to a new enterprise, they’re making a comeback
"My first guitar was a beat-up flamenco-style acoustic that my grandmother had in her closet": Slash, Jimmy Page and more remember the guitars that set them on the path to six-string immortality By Daryl Robertson published 23 May 24 We dive into some of our classic interviews to rediscover the stories of how famous players got started - featuring Slash, Jimmy Page, Stone Gossard, Albert Lee and more
Nile Rodgers on how he found The Hitmaker – and how the Fender Strat changed the world By Matt Owen published 21 May 24 The funk guitar superstar looks back at trading in his old Barney Kessel for the budget Strat that would go on to become The Hitmaker – the fabled instrument heard on Get Lucky, Le Freak and countless others
Guitar tuning pegs: everything you need to know about the machineheads that keep your guitar in tune By Huw Price published 20 May 24 Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar's tuning pegs, repair them, or just want to understand the differences between models, read on and let this guide demystify the tuning key
How hemp cones affect guitar tone and why Derek Trucks and Carlos Santana are fans By Paul Gough published 17 May 24 Over the past few years, speakers with a hemp cone have increased in popularity – and they have a distinctive sound, explains Paul Gough of Zilla Cabs
