Guitarist

Latest Updates

Classical phenom Laura Snowden sits on a bed and plays her custom made Christopher Dean guitar
Laura Snowden on how downtuning makes classical guitar “creepy” and what she learned from the great Julian Bream

By Amit Sharma Published

The classical guitarist's solo debut, This Changing Sky, is a breathtaking work that finds her exploring altered tunings in search of drama

Guitarists
A black-and-white portrait of Ralph Towner with his acoustic guitar
The life and times of Ralph Towner, the endlessly curious frontiersman of acoustic jazz

By Henry Yates Published

Taking influence from Indian classical, Brazilian bossa nova and beyond, this late jazz master’s touch and vision equalled anyone on the fusion scene

Guitarists
Duesenberg Starplayer CBR in Catalina Green
How Duesenberg Guitars became a major player with original old-school designs – and a little help from Mike Campbell

By Dave Burrluck Published

We check in with Duesenberg Guitars’ co-owners, Dieter Gölsdorf and Ingo Renner, to chart 30 years of its best-selling Starplayer

Electric Guitars
B.B. King takes a solo on Lucille in this black-and-white live shot from 1974
The life and times of B.B. King

By Henry Yates Published

To celebrate the King of the Blues' centenary, we rewind the reels of a life story that’s equal parts pain and redemption…

Guitarists
This 1967 Martin D35S is a vintage treasure that would sound huge in a studio.
Decoding the mysteries of the 1967 Martin D-35S with the slotted headstock

By Dave Davidson Published

Martin’s slope-shouldered dread style meets innovative three-piece rosewood backs in this slept-on design from an undervalued period in the acoustic brand's storied history

Acoustic Guitars
Robben Ford is pictured with his 1960 'Whiteguard' Fender Telecaster
The mistake that led Robben Ford to buy his first great instrument – and how Miles Davis and Jeff Beck took him to the Strat

By David Mead Published

As Ford returns with Two Shades of Blue, the Californian guitar legend drops by for a video lesson and to talk all things guitar, from his adventures with big-box jazz models to Strats

Guitarists
B.B. King pumps his fist as he performs with Lucille in 1979
B.B. King in his own words – the blues’ greatest guitarist on heroes, influences and his philosophy

By Guitarist editors Published

The King of the Blues on amp choice, T-Bone Walker, how he got his vibrato and more

Guitarists
Fatoumata Diawara with her signature Epiphone SG
Fatoumata Diawara on Hendrix’s genius, the making of her Epiphone SG – and the message she wants it to send

By Amit Sharma Published

With its Malian-inspired graphic finish and expanded switching options, Diawara's signature model is one cool guitar

Guitarists
Alter Bridge's Mark Tremonti [left] and Myles Kennedy sit on flight cases as they're photographed with their PRS signature guitars.
How recording in Eddie Van Halen’s 5150 Studios inspired Alter Bridge to make their most riff-heavy statement yet

By Amit Sharma Published

The latest album from Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy finds Alter Bridge going full-throttle in EVH’s studio

Guitarists
Bruce Watson and Stuart Adamson of Big Country perform live on stage at Knebworth Park on June 9th, 1986 at Knebworth in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Big Country's golden guitar rule that steered them clear of the blues

By Phil Weller Published

The band drew great inspiration from Thin Lizzy’s sonic template, but they made a concerted effort to avoid being labeled as a blues band

3 Comments
Bands
Eric Johnson performs on stage during the G3 tour stop at The Magnolia on February 07, 2024 in El Cajon, California
Eric Johnson on why a guitar's age, value, and cool factor don't necessarily make it a better instrument

By Phil Weller Published

Flirtations with vintage gems haven't always yielded the results the virtuoso wanted

Guitarists
A 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard, made in 1960 but with 1959 parts, a mythical Double O
What this pristine 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard tells us about the myth of the ’Bursts

By Dave Davidson Published

A so-called Double-O, this 1960 Les Paul was made from ’59 parts, and is a bona-fide grail. But this was not always the case. Back in the day, players just didn't get the appeal

4 Comments
Electric Guitars
B.B. King looks approvingly at Bobby Rush as the latter takes a harmonica solo
Bobby Rush salutes his old friend B.B. King

By David Mead Published

In his own words, Rush reflects on the brilliance of B.B. and what he learned from the King of the Blues

Guitarists
Two angles of a relic'd Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster
The real reason why relicing is so popular, according to a Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilder

By Phil Weller Published

The pre-worn fad is sweeping the guitar community, but why do some deride the concept as ‘stolen valor’?

8 Comments
Electric Guitars
Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen, shot for Guitarist magazine
Adrian Smith on why making music outside of Iron Maiden lets him stretch his soloing wings

By Phil Weller Published

In Smith/Kotzen, he’s relishing the chance to improvise and color outside of his usual lines, but admits that keeping up with Kotzen isn’t easy

Guitarists
Kim Gordon performs in concert at Alcatraz, Milan 2024
Alt-rock icon Kim Gordon on the secret to making great music on bad guitars and why she never saw herself as a bassist

By Henry Yates Published

Returning with solo album Play Me – a stinging broadside against the modern age – the alt-rock talisman remembers the bad guitars and renegade tunings of her ’80s breakout with Sonic Youth

Guitarists
EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath pedal shot on a wooden backdrop
How EarthQuaker Devices went beyond the boutique pedal boom and took left-field tones mainstream

By Rob Laing Published

EQD founder Jamie Stillman on the pedal that made the company famous, why the overcomplicated is not for him, and the stompbox that serves death metal and country guitarists alike

Guitar Pedals
Jimmy Vaughan plays a Strat as he jams with his hero, B.B. King, who is playing his customary Lucille.
Jimmie Vaughan was a garbage man listening to B.B. King. Then he wound up touring with his hero

By Henry Yates Published

He once snuck into a B.B. King show aged 13. Now Jimmie Vaughan is part of Joe Bonamassa's all-star tribute to the King of the Blues – he explains how he approached tackling his hero's licks and what he learned from the master

7 Comments
Guitarists
Jussi Reijonen plays fingerstyle on his vintage Gibson acoustic
With the help of a stunning vintage Gibson acoustic, Jussi Reijonen is giving Western folk an Arabian makeover

By Amit Sharma Published

The Finnish fingerstylist's acoustic reveries are essential listening for fans of Paco de Lucía, Omar Khorshid, and Lenny Breau

Guitarists
Gibson Mick Ronson 1968 Les Paul Custom Collector's Edition
How Gibson made the ultimate tribute to David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson

By Neville Marten Published

This Collector’s Edition replica of Ronson’s Bowie-era ’68 Les Paul Custom transports you spiritually – and tonally – to the glory days of the Spiders from Mars (Hull) – but it does not come cheap

Electric Guitars
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives