Brian May says this Queen song inspired Eddie Van Halen’s two-hand tapping technique By Matt Owen published 31 July 23 Along with Jimmy Page's Heartbreaker solo, May's tap-heavy lead effort from a 1977 Queen song proved to be an influential force in EVH's own approach
Kramer’s Hot Dogger ’84 guitar started as a joke but it’s now very real By Matt Parker published 24 July 23 “We think it’s a wiener,” says the US firm of its tasty new model, which is receiving a limited production run
Jason Becker is selling the guitar Eddie Van Halen gave him in their emotional first meeting By Matt Parker published 24 July 23 The Peavey Wolfgang is one of the first 100 produced – and was signed and played by the late great guitar god during his 1996 visit to Becker’s house
“If you’ve never heard this record but you can appreciate shredder music, oh my God it’s going to f**k you up”: Mutoid Man’s Stephen Brodsky reveals 10 guitarists who shaped his sound By Gregory Adams published 20 July 23 The Cave In, Converge and Mutoid Man guitarist on “sinister” fusion virtuosos, the genius of Jim Martin’s guitar tone and how Adam Jones taught him everything sounds better in drop B
Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: Wolfgang Van Halen – Believe The Hype! By Chris Bird published 14 July 23 Also in issue 373! Interviews: Nita Strauss, Jake Kiszka, The Lemon Twigs and more! Reviews: Gibson Kirk Hammett Greeny Les Paul Standard, Walrus Audio Fundamental Series, EVH 5150 Iconic Series 15w 1x10 Combo, IK Multimedia TONEX Pedal, Two Notes ReVolt Guitar, Apogee Jam X. Learn songs by Kiss, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Queens Of The Stone Age.
A Star is re-born: EVH’s limited edition offset is inspired by Eddie Van Halen’s mad Charvel and Danelectro combo By Matt Parker published 12 July 23 The single pickup Star reprises Ed’s 1980 fan favorite, The Star, as seen on that year’s World Invasion tour
Nuno Bettencourt shares his top tips for playing better guitar solos: “I always see the solo as its own song” By Jenna Scaramanga published 11 July 23 Having masterminded some of the greatest guitar solos in rock, the Extreme guitarist wants to pass on a little wisdom to help you when the spotlight is on
Wolfgang Van Halen explains the technique quirk he inherited from Eddie Van Halen By Matt Owen published 4 July 23 It's all over his most recent single, Take a Bow, but Wolfgang's approach to tapping is unlike many others – and he has his father to thank for that
Wolfgang Van Halen gives tap-heavy new single Take a Bow its live debut (and obviously nails the solo) By Matt Parker published 3 July 23 Fan footage shows the Mammoth WVH leader shredding up a storm during the song’s first live outing in Lisbon, Portugal
Eddie Van Halen's guitar rig rises again and a Seattle supergroup returns: this week's essential guitar tracks By Michael Astley-Brown published 30 June 23 Fresh cuts from Mammoth WVH, 3rd Secret, Becca Mancari feat. Brittany Howard, Ariel Posen, Ola Englund, L.S. Dunes… and loads more!
EVH pays homage to Eddie Van Halen’s Japanese guitar history with the MIJ Series Signature Wolfgang By Matt Owen published 28 June 23 The latest version of Van Halen's specifically spec'd signature sits between the US-made and Mexican-made Wolfgangs, but shares more similarities with the former
Wolfgang Van Halen dusts off the Frankenstein and Eddie’s original Marshall amp rig on epic new Mammoth WVH single By Matt Owen published 27 June 23 Take a Bow showcases some stunning solo work – two-hand tapping included – performed with the setup Eddie Van Halen used on the earliest Van Halen records
“A little tribute to Ed”: Neal Schon channels his inner Eddie Van Halen in jaw-dropping shred clip By Matt Parker published 27 June 23 Erupt-Schon! The Journey guitarist took Van Halen out on their first tour, now he’s issued a playing tribute to the departed guitar icon
Steve Lukather voices support for the ‘tone is in the hands’ camp: “There’s no magic guitar, just magic people” By Matt Owen published 23 June 23 The Toto hero says he's played through both Eddie Van Halen and Jeff Beck's rigs, and came to the same conclusion both times: he sounds like himself no matter what he plays through
The tiny Frankenstrat from Van Halen's Hot for Teacher video just showed up on Pawn Stars By Jackson Maxwell published 20 June 23 Given that the full-size Kramer Eddie Van Halen used in the same video recently sold for an astonishing $4 million, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised...
Move over, Steve Vai: Senior Apple software engineer shreds on triple-neck guitar at 2023 Apple Developers Conference By Jackson Maxwell published 9 June 23 It's not the first time that Apple exec Craig Federighi has incorporated guitar into the much-watched conference, either...
Watch Nuno Bettencourt shred Van Halen's Hot for Teacher – on a Strat By Jackson Maxwell published 8 June 23 In a long-form chat with Rick Beato, Bettencourt also discussed a part of EVH's guitar arc that “nobody talks about”
Wolfgang Van Halen used Eddie's Frankenstein through his original Marshall amp rig on one track from the forthcoming Mammoth WVH album By Matt Owen published 2 June 23 “It's kind of crazy – there are certain notes where it's like, ‘Wow, that sounds like Van Halen I,’” the Mammoth WVH leader said
Brian May and Eddie Van Halen's Star Fleet Project mini-album is finally coming to streaming – with unreleased EVH solos By Jackson Maxwell published 1 June 23 Among other never-before-heard gems, the reissued set will feature a dozen takes of Star Fleet, which together chart the course of a solo that May cites as "one of the greatest things" Eddie Van Halen ever did
Nuno Bettencourt once played through Eddie Van Halen’s rig, but said it was “a horrible nightmare” By Matt Owen published 30 May 23 “That was the biggest bitch slap of all time, when you realize, ‘Holy shit, it’s all about you. It’s all about your fingers,’” the Extreme virtuoso told Rick Beato