Best locking tuners 2024: improve your performance with these powerful upgrades By Matt McCracken last updated 26 July 24 Keep your guitar playing consistently with our top locking tuner picks from Fender, Schaller, Sperzel and more
“He went straight for that Les Paul. He closes the lid and goes, ‘That’s my guitar now’”: Scott Gorham nearly lost his 'Holy Grail' 1957 Gibson Les Paul to a customs officer just after he bought it – and he had to go to court to get it back By Matt Owen published 26 June 24 The Thin Lizzy guitarist bought the vintage guitar while in Boston with the band, but ran into a few issues when trying to take it overseas
“Full of history and stories from a pivotal era in British music”: Gibson honors Jeff Beck with a recreation of his historic 1959 ‘YardBurst’ Les Paul – before he gave it a radical makeover By Matt Owen published 24 June 24 Beck bought the original model – widely considered to be one of his most iconic instruments – when he replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, using it extensively both in the studio and on stage
Best guitars for small hands 2024: compact, thinline and slim-necked options for all ages By Richard Blenkinsop last updated 19 June 24 Our pick of compact electric and acoustic models from Fender, Taylor, Epiphone and more
“Leo wanted me to be partners with him, for it to be the Fender guitar – the Les Paul Fender”: Les Paul was once approached by Leo Fender to work together on a solidbody electric guitar By Matt Owen published 11 June 24 Before Gibson finally decided to work with Paul, the guitar innovator was sounded out by one of the firm's biggest competitors
“I would know if the ‘Red Eye’ was a good guitar even if I was stone deaf – you can feel it vibrating”: Gibson’s Custom Shop has recreated Jason Isbell’s prized 1959 Les Paul – formerly owned by Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ed King By Phil Weller published 6 June 24 The guitar has a Brazilian Rosewood fretboard and has put the Murphy Lab’s skillset to the test thanks to its unique finish quirk
“It breathed new life into a guitar I hadn’t played in years”: I top-wrapped my Les Paul to find out whether it actually made a difference – and I wish I’d done it sooner By Matt Owen published 24 May 24 Wrapping guitar strings over the top of a guitar's bridge or tailpiece is said to lead to more sustain, better playability and a slinkier feel. Is any of that really true?
“Ian was always ready to play a stylistically perfect solo for every track he was involved with”: The Les Paul behind the iconic guitar solo on Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights is now up for auction By Janelle Borg published 20 May 24 The late Ian Bairnson’s guitar was used across the first four Kate Bush albums, as well as classic records from the Alan Parsons Project and countless sessions
“I'm really dumb for doing this, but here goes nothing!” Nuno Bettencourt swapped his Washburn N4 for a Les Paul copy to shred onstage with Stone Temple Pilots – and still sounded exactly like Nuno Bettencourt By Phil Weller published 20 May 24 The Extreme guitarist was spotted playing a Nelson LP copy as he shared the stage with “one of the greatest rock bands of all time”
“That was the biggest regret. I booked the helicopter, and I stopped at Richie Friedman’s We Buy Guitars and sold it”: Ace Frehley sold his 1959 Gibson Les Paul to fund a gambling trip By Matt Owen published 26 April 24 The former Kiss guitarist bought the guitar for $4,000 and sold it for $18,000 – but in today's market, it's estimated to be worth $350,000
“For years we have been trying to find it”: Mark Tremonti’s cherished ‘My Own Prison’ Les Paul – which helped kickstart Creed’s career – has been found almost 26 years after it was stolen By Phil Weller published 19 April 24 Tremonti’s beloved Gibson, which played a crucial role in the recording of Creed’s debut album, was returned to its rightful owner on his 50th birthday
“The one beside it is actually $1,000, so it was surprising to see him take the wrong one”: Thief steals $300 Epiphone instead of the $1k guitar sitting next to it in strange Canadian guitar robbery By Janelle Borg published 16 April 24 The thief mixed up the price tags at Acorn Music Store in Salmon Arm, British Columbia
“The perfect partner for your musical journey”: Onboard effects, a 10W built-in speaker and app connectivity – is Enya’s carbon fiber Nova Go Sonic the all-in-one electric guitar of the future? By Phil Weller published 28 March 24 More than just a lightweight and ergonomic electric guitar, the $349 Nova Go Sonic comes loaded with futuristic features
“The figured tops of the future”: Epiphone has expanded its Modern Figured range with two brilliant burst finishes – giving the futuristic family perhaps its best makeover yet By Matt Owen published 20 March 24 “The SG of the future” and a contemporary take on the classic Les Paul template get a long overdue cosmetic pick-me-up thanks to a pair of eye-popping colorways
“Noel spat on his T-shirt, rubbed off the signature and said, ‘I’ll take it anyway!’”: Noel Gallagher once bought one of Peter Green’s Les Pauls – but erased Green’s signature to get back at the store owner who sold it to him By Matt Owen published 16 March 24 Bill Ryder-Jones, the guitar's current custodian, revealed how the Oasis man came into possession of the storied Les Paul, and stripped it of its notable scrawl
Best punk guitars 2024: straight-shooting, no-nonsense guitars for punk By Daryl Robertson last updated 13 March 24 From Gibson to Eastwood, Fender to Music Man, here’s our expert pick of guitars to help you cause some anarchy at your next DIY show
Best Gibson Les Paul 2024: The greatest Gibson singlecuts for every budget and style By Daryl Robertson last updated 13 March 24 We break down the latest offerings from Gibson to help you pick the right Les Paul for you
“To me, those are blues machines”: Joe Bonamassa picks his three quintessential guitars for playing the blues – and names his “Les Paul killers” By Matt Owen published 11 March 24 Bonamassa has one of the most expansive guitar collections around, but if he had to choose, which models would he select as the best bits of kit for playing blues?
I have 11 Gibson guitars in my collection and with a massive $600 off the Les Paul Traditional Pro V this Presidents' Day I want to add another By Daryl Robertson published 19 February 24 The Musician's Friend Presidents' Day sale has just dropped, and it includes this mammoth Gibson offer that will make the heart of any Les Paul fan race
“Effortlessly stylish”: Rapier’s latest madcap model blends elements of Les Paul and Strat builds into a single-cut, set-neck hybrid beast By Phil Weller published 5 February 24 The Alan Entwistle designs feature his signature mad-scientist wiring on okoume wood builds that nod to the past without breaking the bank