Deal alert! These are the cheapest Fender Player IIs on the internet right now
Some big deals have now sold-out but there are still some major discounts on these beautiful limited edition Racing Green models
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Deal alert! These are the cheapest Fender Player IIs on the internet right now
Some big deals have now sold-out but there are still some major discounts on these beautiful limited edition Racing Green models
I've never really understood the Les Paul hype – until this ’60s-inspired Gibson Les Paul Standard totally changed my mind
Jimmy Page was right, and as a new Les Paul convert, I was on the hunt for a price-meets-quality LP that doesn’t break the bank... and Sweetwater has delivered on all fronts
Black Friday guitar deals 2025 LIVE: today's biggest savings at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Fender, Amazon and more, as they happen
I'm rounding up all the hottest guitar, amp, pedal and accessory deals in the Black Friday sales. Stick with me for all of today's biggest news, deals, tips and tricks for saving money
I’d be a worse guitar player without a looper pedal. Here’s why I think every guitarist should own one – especially with deals starting at $59
It will make you a better player and help you write songs. Here are this year’s best looper pedal deals
I've never modded a guitar but now the cheapest Squier Strat on the planet is even cheaper – so I think I've found the perfect DIY project platform
For $208 you get a Fender-backed Strat as part of a killer starter kit, including an amp, gig bag, and instructional DVD
Stuck on a Christmas present? Give the gift of music with these budget-friendly guitar starter kits for kids and adults alike
Kick-starting your musical journey doesn't need to cost a fortune… and luckily, these Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on Fender, Epiphone, and Donner guitar starter packs have made your rockstar dreams even more possible
David Gilmour’s iconic Black Strat sold at auction for nearly $4,000,000 – but you can get one that looks the part for just $649 thanks to Guitar Center
We think the Player II Strat is one of the best Strats you can buy – and this one is a dead-ringer for Gilmour’s iconic Fender and doesn’t cost six figures
Steve Vai doesn’t leave the house without this mini amp – and now you can pick up his new favorite piece of gear for $50 less
I picked up Steve Vai’s favorite mini amp and it revolutionized my guitar practice – and at this price, I might just buy another…
This 20% Black Friday discount on the PRS SE Custom 24 has me considering taking the PRS plunge
I've never quite clicked with the look of PRS guitars, but this discount puts the SE Custom 24 in exactly my current price range – and my co-workers' praise of the model is starting to make me reconsider my views...
Artists
How a hypnotic ‘Mani’ bassline propelled one of the Stone Roses’ finest moments
Mani famously played a paint-splattered Rickenbacker El Dorado bass through a Mesa/Boogie rig on this 1989 indie-pop classic
L.A. session bassist Pops Magellan walked away from stadium shows with megastars to shine the spotlight on her own material
Following career-defining gigs with Adam Lambert and Avril Lavigne, Brazillian-born Pops Magellan is forging ahead with a short-scale Fender and an MXR Phase 90
Inspired by Kiss, Metallica and Dokken, DRAIN’s Cody Chavez is the hardcore hero who isn’t afraid to shred
The Jackson die-hard thought he’d never be good enough to solo – then he surprised himself. He explains how his playing on new album …IS YOUR FRIEND was influenced by Dimebag Darrell, James Hetfield – and one specific George Lynch guitar solo
He was a guitar god at 8, then he disappeared – the unlikely story of Thomas McRocklin
Vai handed him the Passion and Warfare guitar and produced his debut album, only for his protégé to give it all up. Decades later, McRocklin came back stronger – and pursued his own guitar path
“One promoter just bailed… So we stole his PA”: The life and times of infamous Philly punk icons Ink & Dagger
With a comprehensive retrospective announced via Trust Records, and the band back in session, Don Devore returns to the Ink & Dagger story and the “psychedelic hardcore” sound that made them
How Juan Alderete’s infatuation with bass gear made him one of the world’s greatest authorities on pedals and effects
The Mars Volta and Racer X tone wizard imparts decades of wisdom on stompboxes and all things bass effects
What Guthrie Trapp learned while escaping the country player label – and how the fretboard can change your life
The session ace explains what’s wrong with modelers, why anyone emulating SRV is doomed to fail, and how he nearly missed out on jamming with Billy Gibbons
Gear
“Once you get the hang of it, this looper has many practical applications and is a fun creative tool”: Walrus Audio Xero Polylooper review
Walrus Audio’s new stompbox looper offers a smart option for unlocking your creativity
You know Greeny, now it’s time to meet Stripe – Gary Moore’s other go-to ’59 Les Paul, and a guitar of incalculable vibe
With some of the most phenomenal buckle rash you will ever see, Stripe is a holy grail to end all holy grails. As it is being sold privately via Bonham's, we get evaluator Steve Clarke to spill Stripe's secrets
“Not your typical guitar pedal”: Gamechanger Audio Motor Pedal review
Synth sounds for the guitar from a real spinning motor, packaged in a striking, car-themed aesthetic. Can it live up to its looks?
“Could make your pedalboard truly portable with enough power to get you through a gig”: Walrus Audio Canvas Power USB review
The latest in Walrus Audio’s Canvas accessory range enables your pedalboard to run from USB power delivery
6 Gibson USA Les Pauls we love that won’t break the bank
The Gibson USA line has plenty of affordable options. We take a look at a half-dozen single-cuts that punch above their price tags
"If heaps of retro charm and a sound that truly stands on its own are what you’re after, then you’ve just found your new delay pedal”: Strymon Olivera Vintage Oil Can Echo pedal review
Strymon proves it's a well-oiled pedal-making machine with yet another knockout delay unit
Celebrating 30 years of the Blues Junior – the Fender combo that came, saw and conquered the tube amp market
Compact, affordable and full of Fender DNA, the Blues Junior celebrates three decades as one of the company’s most iconic and celebrated tube amp designs. This is its story
“A no-brainer purchase for ambience freaks, shoegazers and experimentalists – and a practical unit, too”: Source Audio Encounter review
Building on what it started with its Collider delay/reverb pedal, Source Audio delivers a close Encounter of the ambient kind
"I feel closer to what I'm playing, more connected in a way I've never really felt with other semi-hollow guitars": Orangewood Clementine review
Orangewood's second-ever electric guitar release leans into its acoustic roots and a high spec, but can it win you over from the established giants of semi-hollow guitars?
Lessons
How to use triads in blues solos like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix
When you’re the only guitarist in the band, triads are your best friends in a guitar solo – and Hendrix and SRV were the masters
Jared James Nichols shows you how to build a guitar solo to a powerful climax
Ditch the pick and crank the amp for this Jared James Nichols masterclass in blues solo composition
Great tone starts with the pick – just ask Steve Vai. Here’s how honing your picking can improve your tone for free
Unlock every pick color – from warmth and brightness to the secretive clarinet tone
Best online guitar lessons 2025: I'm a professional guitar product reviewer and these are my top picks
Online lessons are the ideal platform for developing guitar skills from the comfort of your home or on the go – myself and our in-house experts have tested options for all playing levels, styles and budgets, including a free option
"The quality of tuition remains second to none, the user interface is slick, and the amp feature is both practical and entertaining:" Gibson: Learn To Play Guitar app review
The sophisticated Gibson tuition app sets the tone for players aspiring to dial in as much gain with as little pain as possible - with oodles of feedback always on tap
Sue Foley shows you how to nail classic blues turnarounds – and how to come up with your own
In Foley's final column in the series, she completes her turnarounds masterclass – an essential skill for any blues player
Joe Bonamassa on the vintage Gibson that makes a great power chord guitar
What makes the Gibson ES-350 so good for rock? Bonamassa says they are a real live wire, with “a lot of pop” and no shortage of low-end
Reviews
“Once you get the hang of it, this looper has many practical applications and is a fun creative tool”: Walrus Audio Xero Polylooper review
Walrus Audio’s new stompbox looper offers a smart option for unlocking your creativity
“Not your typical guitar pedal”: Gamechanger Audio Motor Pedal review
Synth sounds for the guitar from a real spinning motor, packaged in a striking, car-themed aesthetic. Can it live up to its looks?
“Could make your pedalboard truly portable with enough power to get you through a gig”: Walrus Audio Canvas Power USB review
The latest in Walrus Audio’s Canvas accessory range enables your pedalboard to run from USB power delivery
"If heaps of retro charm and a sound that truly stands on its own are what you’re after, then you’ve just found your new delay pedal”: Strymon Olivera Vintage Oil Can Echo pedal review
Strymon proves it's a well-oiled pedal-making machine with yet another knockout delay unit
“A no-brainer purchase for ambience freaks, shoegazers and experimentalists – and a practical unit, too”: Source Audio Encounter review
Building on what it started with its Collider delay/reverb pedal, Source Audio delivers a close Encounter of the ambient kind
"I feel closer to what I'm playing, more connected in a way I've never really felt with other semi-hollow guitars": Orangewood Clementine review
Orangewood's second-ever electric guitar release leans into its acoustic roots and a high spec, but can it win you over from the established giants of semi-hollow guitars?
“A really musical effect, perfectly implemented in a tiny footprint”: Electro-Harmonix Pico Swello review
Electro-Harmonix takes one of the best-loved features of its POG2 and puts it into a standalone pedal
"Some players may bemoan its Chinese origin, but if it looks like a Falcon, plays like a Falcon, and squawks like a Falcon, it must be a Falcon": Gretsch Synchromatic Falcon review
The Falcon has finally landed in a more affordable price bracket, let's see if Gretsch's big bird can fly economy
Buying Guides
Best headphone amps for guitar 2025: silent practice solutions
You don’t need to sacrifice tone to practice quietly with my expert pick of the best headphone amps for guitar players
Best pedalboard power supplies 2025: juice your ‘board with my pick of pro-grade power, fully tested
I put budget-spanning pedal power supplies from Fender, Cioks, Walrus Audio and more through their paces – these were the standouts
Best looper pedals 2025: options for practice, songwriting, and live performance – tried and tested by an expert
Whether you're writing songs or woodshedding solos, using a loop pedal will make you a better guitarist – these are the best looper pedals from Boss, TC Electronic, Line 6 and more
What's the best guitar cable in 2025? These are the tried & tested options I'd recommend to any player
There's a lot of snake oil when it comes to the top guitar cables – I'm a professional guitar gear reviewer and I've tested 11 of the best to help you find your perfect match
Best online guitar lessons 2025: I'm a professional guitar product reviewer and these are my top picks
Online lessons are the ideal platform for developing guitar skills from the comfort of your home or on the go – myself and our in-house experts have tested options for all playing levels, styles and budgets, including a free option
Best multi-effects pedals 2025: replace your rig
Our pick of the best multi-fx pedals from Neural DSP, Kemper, Line 6, Boss, and more
Looking for useful Christmas gifts for guitarists under $20? Here's my pick of 10 affordable accessories every guitar player actually needs
Supercharge your gifting with home practice and gigbag essentials that won't break the bank – recommended by a professional guitar salesman
