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“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
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
The up-and-coming blues ace stops by to talk all things gear: the buying, the selling, and the regrets along the way
“There does seem to be something of an obsession with lighter guitars”: Do lighter electric guitars sound better?
By Neville Marten published
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
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…
“Some guitars are just that little bit special that they work their way in, you know?” Mark Knopfler on why he had to keep his Sultans of Swing Strat – despite selling his Money for Nothing Les Paul and the rest of his collection
By Matt Parker published
The Dire Straits icon recently sold off his most famous and valuable instruments – but there were a few notable exceptions...
“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
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
Diggins was the mastermind behind Jaydee Custom Guitars and had over five decades of experience in making top-quality instruments
“I’m constantly going back to Davey Graham… He is massively neglected as an insanely creative player. For me, he’s like Jimi Hendrix – his stuff should be analyzed in forensic detail”: Henry Parker on his journey from metal to virtuoso folk
By Glenn Kimpton published
The English folk phenom returns with Lammas Fair, an album introducing proggy psych to his sound. He discusses his approach to open tunings, paying tribute to acoustic great Michael Chapman, and making the most of resonant strings
“Richard Fortus messaged me and said, ‘I’ve shown Slash your guitar and he likes it, too…’ After that, the phones didn’t stop”: How a small UK boutique builder became a Guns N’ Roses favorite and the next big name in retro-inspired electric guitars
By Jamie Dickson published
Ivison Guitars has only been in business for six years, but its Dakota model has already headlined Glastonbury with Guns N’ Roses star Richard Fortus. Founder Neil Ivison shares its story
Everything you need to know about acoustic guitar neck joints – how they work, and why they matter for your tone
By Huw Price published
There are all kinds of different ways the neck is attached to the body of your acoustic, and it’s one of the areas where luthiers are innovating to offer similar or better tone to traditional dovetail joints
“At some point I might come up with a new single-cut unique enough not to upset anybody”: Nik Huber on the perils of riffing on the classics and the evolution of his powerhouse boutique brand
By Dave Burrluck published
There’s always the risk that someone might object to a maker’s designs. In the case of Nik Huber’s Krautster, it came 15 years after the guitar was introduced…
“If the mini-humbucker had remained exclusive to Epiphone, it may have been a mere footnote. It developed a following because they ended up in Gibson guitars”: The mini-humbucker’s surprising history – and why it deserves more love
By Huw Price published
Often passed over in conversations about the greatest electric guitar pickups, the mini-humbucker has a unique tone of its own, its story inextricably linked to Epiphone and Gibson
“Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Ry Cooder, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Healey and Buddy Guy... I naturally gravitated towards a Strat because my main influences were all playing them”: Philip Sayce on why the best studio magic is live
By David Mead published
Returning with new solo LP The Wolves Are Coming, the blues ace discusses big studio energy during downtime for the world, his enduring guitar heroes, and his exacting standards for the Strat
“We lived on a train for 15 days and played 65 shows. The boxcar was a stage, and we would pull into towns that don’t get live music very often”: How Tenille Townes is taking her country sound to the people
By Glenn Kimpton published
The Canadian country star's latest EP is a journey in every sense, written on the road as she toured the country, playing boxcar gigs and raising money for a good cause
“I was gonna have a year off after Knebworth, but when John rang up saying, ‘Look, I’ve got these tunes,’ I thought, ‘I’m in, mate’”: Liam Gallagher on why John Squire is like Hendrix and the best guitarist of his generation
By Henry Yates published
The former Oasis frontman talks Gallagher/Squire and pays tribute to the Stone Roses guitar legend in an interview that is 100 percent gold
“I have the heaviest boost pedal in existence – it’s a Marshall half-stack that I switch on when the sound needs to be bigger”: DeWolff’s Pablo Van De Poel on his life in gear – and a rig that is not to be trifled with
By David Mead published
The DeWolff guitarist recalls a Les Paul that broke his heart and a spectacular deal on a vintage bass
“It’s the higher-profile artist associations that tend to attract the big money – things like your Pearly Gates and your Jimmy Pages”: Why Gibson’s replicas of famous Les Pauls are commanding almost as much as vintage guitars
By Jamie Dickson published
Gibson’s highest-tier replicas are seriously sought after on the collector's market. We find out what all the fuss is about and examine a rare recreation of Jimmy Page’s fiendishly complex #2 Les Paul Standard
“Jimmy Page once said to me, ‘Have Gibson not been onto you?’ And I said, ‘No, maybe I play too many Strats.’ I think it’s more likely they don’t know who I am”: John Squire opens up on his return to music with Liam Gallagher – and why he’s no guitar hero
By Henry Yates published
The reclusive guitar great invites us to his studio to talk classic riffs, career-ending injuries, what caused the Stone Roses reunion to fizzle out, and why music keeps pulling him back in
“I hate modeling, I think it’s wack. You can hear it right away”: IDLES explain why recording with an amp modeler risks messing with your tone, your head – and probably your dog
By Matt Parker published
UK post-punk heroes Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan reckon modelers are best consigned to the role of live backups – and you shouldn’t let them near your recordings