Paul Gilbert

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Paul Gilbert and Ace Frehley

“The solos are so perfectly composed... they remind me of what Bach would do if he had a Les Paul, a Marshall, and a space alien costume”: Paul Gilbert explains why he loves Ace Frehley’s playing

By Matt Parker published

The shred guru picks out a recording of the band’s “infallible feedback magic” as his highlight of the hard-rock icons’ remarkable 50-year run

Paul Gilbert

“Typical scale practice is downright damaging for expressive playing… That’s not how singers sing”: Paul Gilbert shows you how to make your guitar solos more vocal and expressive

By Jon Bishop published

In this exclusive video lesson, the legendary virtuoso treats you to a masterclass on transferring vocal phrases to the guitar

Positive Grid Spark MINI Paul Gilbert Limited Edition

“What’s a Spark?!” Paul Gilbert was so blown away by his students’ guitar tone, he became a Positive Grid convert – despite his “limited brain power”

By Jonathan Horsley published

We have Gilbert’s army of aspiring shredders to thank for his new limited-edition signature Spark Mini – the super-collectible digital amp for Gilbert and Dio fans

Paul Gilbert holds his new signature Positive Grid Spark Mini amp

Positive Grid continues its signature Spark Mini spree with a Paul Gilbert amp – and it's joined by custom presets of his “most iconic tones”

By Matt Owen published

Only 100 units will be made, and each will bear the virtuoso's signature and the dragon emblem from his Ronnie James Dio tribute album

Paul Gilbert performs onstage with Mr. Big at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on November 19, 2017

Paul Gilbert thinks freeform guitar solos are “pretty dangerous” – but he’s brought them back for Mr. Big’s farewell tour anyway

By Jackson Maxwell published

Though the virtuoso has admitted he's “a bit rusty with the artform” of freeform soloing, there's little sign of it in the electrifying examples that have surfaced from the band's ongoing final tour

Paul Gilbert holds both of his new Ibanez signature PGM guitars

Ibanez revives the Paul Gilbert PGM for 2023

By Jackson Maxwell published

The full-scale version of the virtuoso's classic signature has returned to the Ibanez lineup, and it's never looked better

Billy Sheehan interview with ScottsBassLessons

How Billy Sheehan learned to slap

By Nick Wells published

“I could never figure out where those notes were coming from. Then I’d go see Victor Wooten and just give up!”

Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert names 12 guitarists who shaped his sound

By Andrew Daly published

The Mr. Big guitar hero reveals how his strap length influenced his technique, why hearing Yngwie Malmsteen down the phone inspired him to give fast picking one more try, and what he considers to be "one of the biggest scourges" of modern guitar playing

Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert explains why 21-fret guitars can actually deliver higher notes than 24-fret models

By Matt Owen published

The Mr. Big virtuoso revealed how a 1983 Ibanez Roadstar II helped him tap into Ronnie James Dio's vocal tones – and hit notes higher than a modern-day 24-fret would allow

Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert reveals the surprising guitars he used to emulate Ronnie James Dio's voice, the lead that took 100 takes and his grand guitar solo plans for Mr. Big's farewell tour

By Andrew Daly published

The much-loved virtuoso details his approach to tackling parts by Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi and Vivian Campbell for The Dio Album, snapping up vintage Ibanez guitar bargains, and the younger players who are catching his ear

Billy Sheehan (left) and Paul Gilbert perform onstage with Mr. Big at KOKO on October 17, 2014 in London

Mr. Big announce farewell world tour

By Jackson Maxwell published

At each show, the band will perform their 1991 album, Lean into It – including the album's sing-along, chart-topping smash hit single, To Be With You – in its entirety

Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert tackles both Tony Iommi and Ronnie James Dio’s parts in new cover of Black Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell

By Matt Owen published

It follows the Mr. Big virtuoso's cover of Dio's Holy Diver, with his fully fledged Dio tribute record set to arrive April 7

Erica Dunn (left) and Gareth Liddiard of Tropical Fuck Storm perform at the Wide Awake Festival at Brockwell Park on May 28, 2022 in London

From the best prog since Rush to stank face-inducing bends: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Matt Owen, Sam Roche published

With face-melting new songs from Crown Lands, Paul Gilbert, Falling In Reverse, Tropical F*ck Storm, Safiyah Hernandez, Thrice, Demonstealer, Girl Ray and more, this week's playlist has something for everybody

Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert announces surprise Ronnie James Dio tribute album, releases Holy Diver cover as lead single

By Matt Owen published

Gilbert's The Dio Album, which covers the late vocalist's Rainbow, Black Sabbath and solo eras across 12 tracks, will arrive April 7

Paul Gilbert and his late cat, Juliette

Paul Gilbert’s guitar-loving cat, Juliette, has passed away

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Guitarists have paid tribute to Juliette, whose curious inspections of the virtuoso’s guitar racks and pedalboards made her an Instagram star

Paul Gilbert

Get your alternate-picking lines swinging with these triplet and sextuplet solo ideas

By Andy G Jones published

Humanize your lead playing with some rhythmic variety with this lesson inspired by the virtuoso solos of Mr Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert now drills holes in his picks for better grip – and you can see why in his latest blazing clip

By Matt Owen published

The Mr. Big virtuoso – who favors surprisingly thin picks – also gave viewers a close-up glimpse of his ingenious magnetic slide mod in action

Paul Gilbert demos the Yamaha THR5 guitar amp

Paul Gilbert’s secret weapon? Yamaha’s tiny THR5 desktop amp

By Michael Astley-Brown last updated

Legendary virtuoso details the surprising rig that’s accompanied him around the world

Paul Gilbert's hot-pink 1987 Ibanez “Ice-Stroyer” guitar

Paul Gilbert's hot-pink 1987 Ibanez “Ice-Stroyer” guitar has been put back up for sale on Reverb.com

By Jackson Maxwell published

The one-of-a-kind, autographed Destroyer/Iceman hybrid has been listed for $18,500

Try Free Guitar Lessons from Paul Gilbert and More with ArtistWorks

By Guitar World Staff last updated

The online lessons platform invites you to check out free sample lessons led by master teachers like Gilbert, Bryan Sutton, Guthrie Trapp and more.