Rick Beato

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“I actually never learned how to play with a pick. It’s my weak point”: Matteo Mancuso is revered for his virtuosic fingerstyle approach – but what happens when he tries to play with a guitar pick?

By Matt Owen published 5 February 24

Mancuso has developed a reputation as one of the most formidable fingerstyle players on the planet, but in a new video with Rick Beato and Mateus Asato, the young virtuoso was confronted with the prospect of playing with a pick

Steve Morse with his own string mute device

“These bones don’t have the cartilage any more, so they’re very painful. Rather than roll over, I’m like, ‘No, I still want to play’”: Steve Morse is plagued with pain when playing guitar – so he innovated a new string mute to help him adapt his technique

By Matt Owen published 3 January 24

The virtuoso revealed the lengths he's gone to in order alleviate pain caused by arthritis and years of playing – which also includes a changing approach to picking

Andy Summers and Eric Clapton composite image

“Eric’s Les Paul gets stolen, and he knows I’ve got the other one. He starts calling me relentlessly. I charged him £200. It’s worth about two million now”: Andy Summers recalls selling Eric Clapton his Gibson Les Paul ‘Burst for a bargain price

By Phil Weller published 21 December 23

After Slowhand‘s legendary Beano ‘Burst was stolen in ‘66, Summers reluctantly sold his own Les Paul to the bluesman for a measly £200

“Jimi turned round and said, 'Hey man, mind if I play the guitar for a while?' We played for about half an hour. That was probably the last time I saw him”: Andy Summers recalls his “outrageous” jams with Jimi Hendrix

By Phil Weller published 20 December 23

In a new interview with Rick Beato, The Police guitarist also discussed his abandoned duet with Robert Fripp, and what he learned from a guitar lesson with “the world’s greatest guitar player” Lenny Breau

“The narrative is I grew up in a rich family – wrong. The narrative is it was handed to me – wrong. It’s sweat equity over 35 years”: Joe Bonamassa sets the record straight on the humble beginnings of his world-famous guitar collection

By Matt Owen published 29 November 23

In a conversation with Rick Beato, the gear connoisseur revisits the roots of his collecting journey – and responds to those quick to claim his buying habits take stock away from aspiring players

Yngwie Malmsteen plays electric guitar in front a Marshall amp stack

“I never wanted to be a violinist. I wanted to play electric guitar with smoke bombs and flash pots and Marshall stacks”: Yngwie Malmsteen says he is definitely not a frustrated classical player

By Matt Parker published 19 October 23

The virtuoso takes issue with the misconception that he wanted to be anything other than a smoking shred guitarist

“Designed to be something special”: Gibson just made Rick Beato’s signature Les Paul Special Double Cut even more desirable

By Matt Owen published 23 August 23

Sparkling Burgundy Satin has joined TV Blue Mist on the finish list for the model, which sports a thinner, lightweight mahogany body

“I hate admitting this but I started bawling like a baby”: Kirk Hammett says his iconic ‘Greeny’ Les Paul recently had another gut-wrenching injury

By Matt Owen published 18 August 23

Another footnote has just been added to the iconic Les Paul's long medical history – but, as the Metallica maestro explains to Rick Beato, it could have been a whole lot worse

Rick Beato, John Petrucci, Tosin Abasi and Devin Townsend talk digital modelers vs real guitar amps

“The biggest challenge for digital products is not the tone”: John Petrucci, Tosin Abasi and Devin Townsend explain what modelers don’t do as well as amps – yet

By Matt Parker published 25 July 23

The trio of prog metal guitar titans sat down with Rick Beato and went deep on the state of modeling

Nuno Bettencourt taps on Rick Beato's Fender Stratocaster

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”

"Don't practice it for too long, because you're going to get tendonitis": Watch Rick Beato break down Nuno Bettencourt's jaw-dropping Rise solo

By Jackson Maxwell published 17 March 23

Go inside the inner workings of the volcanic lead break – the highlight of Extreme's recent comeback single – that has the guitar world abuzz

Rick Beato sits with his new signature Gibson Les Paul Special

Rick Beato's signature double-cut Gibson Les Paul has finally arrived

By Jackson Maxwell published 13 September 22

The YouTube guitar giant's new signature model sports a lightweight mahogany body (just 7.2 pounds), and a custom TV Blue Mist finish

Rick Beato debunks claims that Wolfgang Van Halen was playing to a backing track of Eddie at Taylor Hawkins tribute

By Matt Owen last updated 7 September 22

Wolfgang's timing, tone and delivery on Hot for Teacher and On Fire was so good some viewers couldn't quite believe it

Rick Beato gives viewers a guided tour of his studio – including the ‘secret stuff’ he keeps behind the camera

By Matt Parker published 1 August 22

The YouTube superstar shows off his gigantic gear collection, plus some before and after shots of the studio’s construction

[L-R] Rick Beato, Phil X and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal

Rick Beato, Phil X and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal rewrite Angus Young’s Back in Black solo

By Sam Roche published 22 June 22

Beato and Phil X stay faithful to the original, wielding AC/DC-appropriate Gibson SGs for a flurry of pentatonic runs, while Bumblefoot takes a different approach...

We need to talk about boomer bends: why the backlash to Tim Henson's technique preference represents more than just a generational divide

By Matt Parker published 12 November 21

The Polyphia guitarist’s comments about avoiding "boomer-ish" bends sparked a reaction that speaks to larger issues for us guitar players, and how our treatment of the past shapes the future of the instrument

“No-one said you couldn’t bend!”: Polyphia's Tim Henson addresses “boomer bends” controversy

By Matt Parker published 22 October 21

Henson catches up with Rick Beato to discuss the fallout from a throwaway comment about “boomer-ish” guitar bends

Rick Beato, Tosin Abasi, Tim Henson and Misha Mansoor

Tim Henson reveals he's never heard Metallica's Black Album – much to the amazement of Tosin Abasi and Misha Mansoor

By Michael Astley-Brown published 26 August 21

Rick Beato hosts a modern guitar summit, complete with a number of surprise revelations from the Polyphia, Animals as Leaders and Periphery guitar heroes

Rick Beato unveils his new signature Gibson LP Special

Rick Beato's signature Gibson Les Paul Special is officially in production

By Richard Bienstock published 16 April 21

The YouTube personality and musician shares a sneak peek at the first Pelham Blue model off the assembly line

Rick Beato is getting a signature Gibson Les Paul Special DC

By Sam Roche published 4 January 21

The YouTuber lifted the lid on the new collaboration during his New Year's Eve livestream