“An accessible, contemporary tuition platform that screams quality”: Fender Play review 2024 By Chris Schwarten last updated 19 July 24 A beautifully executed, modern take on traditional guitar, bass and ukulele tuition
Mooer stuffs a pedalboard's worth of effects and futuristic features into its next-gen intelligent guitar, the M810 By Phil Weller published 19 July 24 Featuring 128 built-in effects and amp sims, drum tracks, metronomes and a looper, this Ibanez-indebted model promises modern specs and classic playability
Positive Grid confirms the Spark 2 will arrive within weeks – and, yes, it has a looper By Matt Parker published 18 July 24 The most-requested missing feature of the original amp has now been addressed – and it will be here sooner than you think
“Somebody handed me Mariah Carey’s record and said, ‘Would you sign this?’” How Adrian Belew ended up on a number one single without even knowing By Janelle Borg published 18 July 24 Belew’s playing on Tom Tom Club’s Genius of Love has been sampled 166 times by a host of artists, including Mariah Carey
Xvive has upgraded its flagship wireless system – how does it stack up next to the new challengers? By Phil Weller published 18 July 24 The instrument wireless system market is rapidly expanding and now Xvive has given its flagship product some choice upgrades to help the A58 standout
Jacob Collier on how his 5-string signature Strandberg guitar is forcing guitarists to rethink their approach to playing By Janelle Borg published 18 July 24 Collier sees his off-kilter five-string setup as a vehicle for guitarists to push beyond their limits
Steve Howe’s solo album, Guitarscape, is a love letter to the instrument that has held his attention for so long By Phil Weller published 18 July 24 Guitarscape benefits from a fresh compositional outlook provided by writing on keyboards, and an instinctive songwriting partnership with his son, Dylan
Mark Knopfler is giving away an extremely rare acoustic guitar to raise funds for charity By Janelle Borg published 18 July 24 The guitar, of which only 24 were made, is the result of a collaboration between Knopfler and Boswell Guitars
13 year-old Roman Morello proves his father right – he can shred circles around him By Phil Weller published 18 July 24 There’s certainly no need for a DNA test in this fresh clip showcasing Roman’s chops…
Elwood Francis on the origins of his 17-string bass – and why he regrets it becoming a ZZ Top staple By Michael Astley-Brown published 18 July 24 Elwood Francis reveals the origins of his preposterous 17-string bass – and why he’s disappointed it went viral
Missed out on Prime Day? Here's 16 guitar gear deals that are still live right now By Matt McCracken published 18 July 24 Don't fret if you dropped the ball on a Prime Day guitar deal, we've got all the sales that are still live right here for you
Melvins’ Dale Crover invents a new guitar tuning – and lands a Kim Thayil guest solo – on new single By Janelle Borg published 17 July 24 Thayil has consistently expressed his admiration for the Melvins, even crediting the band for introducing drop-D tuning to hard rock
Fender teams up with Knockaround for the perfect summer accessory – Fender sunglasses By Phil Weller published 17 July 24 Available in both Black and Surf Green, it’s easier than ever to keep your eyes on your guitar
Jason Newsted is selling the 10-string Alembic bass used on Metallica’s Black Album tour By Phil Weller published 17 July 24 The musician has collected some rare, weird, and wonderful instruments over his 40-year career, now he’s teamed-up with Reverb to get them into the hands of new players
The custom Fender Strat that helped launch Johnny Marr's post-Smiths career is up for auction By Janelle Borg published 17 July 24 The auction also includes Marr's 1980s Mesa/Boogie amplifier rig, which he used during his tenure with English post-punk band The The
Catalinbread’s Bitters reimagines Alesis’ cult sound-mangling DJ effects unit as a guitar pedal By Phil Weller published 17 July 24 The Bitters pedal offers a host of out there effects which can be tamed or intensified with a Mix knob
PRS has dropped its objection to Gibson’s Theodore trademark – but the dispute continues outside of the courts By Matt Parker published 17 July 24 The McCarty-era sketch that Gibson recently brought to life has caused ruptures with the McCarty estate
Deep Purple’s Simon McBride on the Ritchie Blackmore lick he found most difficult to learn By Janelle Borg published 17 July 24 McBride has also discussed where he thinks Blackmore's compositional strength lies
Meet the Guild Traveler, a solid mahogany travel acoustic that costs under $250 By Phil Weller published 17 July 24 The new small body acoustic looks like it’s making a serious play to be the best value travel guitar on the market
Dave Navarro finished an album with Taylor Hawkins – then he lost his friend, his band and his love of guitar playing By Matt Owen published 17 July 24 The returning Jane's Addiction guitarist opens up on his struggles to play guitar after the tragic passing of his collaborator in supergroup NHC