“Can never thank Bob enough. Rest in power my friend”: Bob Heil – the Talk Box pioneer who worked with Peter Frampton, Grateful Dead and The Who – dies aged 83 By Matt Owen published 8 March 24 Heil is widely credited for setting the blueprint for live sound systems in rock music
“More than a music store. It’s an industry icon”: Iconic gear retailer Sam Ash Music reportedly set to close 18 branches nationwide – including its flagship New York store By Phil Weller published 8 March 24 The 100-year-old family-run business is reportedly closing 18 stores as it battles the online gear boom
“So many people lost their guitars. I lost 44”: Peter Frampton recalls how he lost and recovered guitars through floods and plane crashes as he shows off his eye-watering gear collection on Gibson TV By Matt Owen published 8 March 24 The legendary “Phenix” Les Paul, and an Epiphone salvaged from the 2010 Nashville floods and used to pen Show Me The Way headline the latest episode of Gibson’s The Collection
Should you replace or upgrade your guitar? Fender just gave you the answer with a whopping 20% off official parts and pickups By Matt McCracken published 8 March 24 Here are the four discounted upgrades we'd choose from the official Fender shop
“A versatile, state-of-the-art instrument designed to push your playing to new heights”: Fender’s 70th Anniversary Ultra Strat HSS offers us a glimpse at the future of the world’s most popular electric guitar By Matt Parker published 7 March 24 The firm has unveiled the plush Ultra Strat alongside a new 1954 American Vintage II reissue – and a celebration of the once-maligned Antigua finish
”A jaw-droppingly Shredrageous performance”: Joe Satriani, Richie Kotzen and Nuno Bettencourt showcase their most outrageous licks for a standout rendition of Jeff Beck favorite, Going Down By Matt Owen published 7 March 24 The three virtuosos were onboard this year's Monsters of Rock Cruise, which played host to the all-star jam
“You have to take what he says with a grain of salt. He also said he wrote Eruption and came up with the Frankenstein stripes”: Wolfgang Van Halen responds to David Lee Roth jibes – and says a Van Halen tribute tour is “impossible” By Matt Owen published 7 March 24 The Mammoth WVH frontman has addressed Roth’s recent outburst, highlighting the former Van Halen vocalist’s previous outlandish comments in the process
“Uncompromising power and fidelity in stunning style”: Gretsch completes its latest limited-edition lineup with two drop-dead-gorgeous Pristine LTD Electromatic models By Matt Owen published 6 March 24 The special release specialist strikes again with some ultra-desirable axes – available in a host of eye-catching finishes – that take the Electromatic platform to new visual heights
“A ferocious, thunderous and now tame-able circuit triumphantly returns”: Death By Audio has rebooted its gnarly Octave Clang – and it’s bigger, bolder and more versatile than ever By Phil Weller published 6 March 24 Rebuilt with extended controls and a footswitchable octave effect, the firm’s pseudo-ring/noise/octave circuit returns in style
“If you were to listen to anything I do, you can see how big the blues influence is”: Slash is getting ready to unveil his blues solo album – one of the most anticipated guitar records of the year By Phil Weller published 6 March 24 The Guns N’ Roses icon is poised to reveal all about his forthcoming blues album – including the guest singers he's enlisted – which will follow the star-studded formula of his 2010 solo record
“It isn’t just a modern headless instrument; it’s a resurrection of a pioneering legacy”: Cort reinvents its “revolutionary” headless Artisan bass design with the upgraded Space 5 model By Phil Weller published 6 March 24 New five-string model pairs own-brand headless tech with refined sculpting for a compact and tonally balanced build
“A simple modeling device at a competitive price”: Line 6 makes a play for the most compact, easy-to-use multi-FX/amp modeler on the market with the HX-powered POD Express By Matt Owen published 6 March 24 Guitar and bass-specific stompboxes have been introduced –both priced at $179
“Forever ahead of its time”: Fender kicks off the Strat’s 70th anniversary party with star-studded Voodoo Child (Slight Return) mega-jam – featuring Tom Morello, Nile Rodgers, Mateus Asato, Ari O'Neal and Rei By Matt Parker published 5 March 24 The fiery, tag-teamed take on the Hendrix classic is designed to showcase the Strat’s enduring legacy – and tonal flexibility
“The bridge between at least three generations. He was genuinely happy to share the joy with those around him”: W. C. Clark – the ‘Godfather of Austin Blues’ who mentored Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others – has died aged 84 By Matt Owen published 5 March 24 Clark gave guidance to many of Austin's brightest talents, and remained an avid performer right up until his death
“A journey through Al's musical evolution, showcasing his virtuosity and vision”: Al Di Meola spent four years crafting his latest album – and its first single is a fusion-meets-flamenco masterclass By Matt Owen published 5 March 24 Twentyfour began life as a simple reflective acoustic record but soon turned into something far more expansive, as evidenced by its seven-minute lead single, Fandango
“The wait is over – now you can have it all”: Dave Grohl’s Epiphone DG-335, the most demanded signature model in its 151-year history, is finally here – and it costs less than you might expect By Matt Parker published 5 March 24 We got an exclusive look at the Foo Fighters’ man’s new signature back in January – and now it’s available to order
“We think Marshall represents the rock and roll attitude”: Amp sales accounted for just 5% of the Marshall Group’s revenues in 2023 – but it looks like new digital amps could be on the way By Matt Parker published 4 March 24 A recent Billboard report shows the Marshall Group’s home audio wing brings home the lion’s share of the newly merged firm’s revenues
“I think what we’ve had is an embarrassment of riches”: The first minute of Mark Knopfler’s star-studded charity single has been released – can you guess the guitar heroes from their chops? By Matt Owen published 4 March 24 The nine-minute extended cut contains contributions from over 50 guitar legends, and features Jeff Beck's final recording
“The approach and innovation had me locked”: Steve Vai names his favorite Joe Satriani song – an underrated deep cut that features radical Auto-Tuned solos By Phil Weller published 4 March 24 Speaking ahead of their upcoming co-headline tour, the two virtuosos shared their favorite songs from one another's repertoire, with Vai’s pick harking back to one of the pair's earliest memories together
“I was seriously excited to take this one over the finish line”: Feast your eyes on this acrylic Mustang-style build – Soccer Mommy’s out-of-this-world custom offset By Phil Weller published 4 March 24 Scale Model Guitars built this stunner to Soccer Mommy's specifications, with subtle metallic flakes that sparkle under the stage spotlight, an eye-popping nitrate pickguard, and faithful Mustang hardware