Former Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes’ final recordings to be released as an EP this November
The esteemed guitarist passed away in 2024 at 65 after a battle with cancer
![Tailgunner [L-R]: Bones, Rhea Thompson, Craig Cairns, Zach Salvini and Eddie Mariotti](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9efNJrexXv7Gm4D5VwJVie-320-80.jpg.webp)
Latest News
Former Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes’ final recordings to be released as an EP this November
The esteemed guitarist passed away in 2024 at 65 after a battle with cancer
Bill Kelliher on what started Mastodon’s Silverburst love affair
A jilted Les Paul and a chance trip to a guitar store set Kelliher on the way to a life-long affection for the finish
![Tailgunner [L-R]: Bones, Rhea Thompson, Craig Cairns, Zach Salvini and Eddie Mariotti](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9efNJrexXv7Gm4D5VwJVie-840-80.jpg.webp)
Tailgunner address sexual abuse allegations against their bassist
The fast-rising heavy metal band – mentored by ex-Judas Priest veteran K.K. Downing – have faced the departure of their guitarist, Rhea Thompson, and abuse allegations against bassist Thomas Hewson
This Funkadelic solo was one of the band’s best – but who really played it?
Guitarist Michael Hampton has weighed in on the mystery solo that can be heard on the band’s 1975 record
Musician's Friend walks the line with its epic Labor Day sale by slashing a whopping $6,000 off a Johnny Cash Gibson acoustic, as well as up to 60% off big-name brands
The music retail giant has dropped its Labor Day sale, and it includes insane discounts on the likes of Gibson, Epiphone, Fender, Yamaha, Music Man, and more
This year's huge Labor Day guitar deals include up to 60% off at Musician's Friend, a crazy Guitar Tricks saving and super cheap Positive Grid gear – here’s 5 essential sales to shop today
There's juicy price cuts on everything from Fender to Gibson, PRS to Sterling By Music Man and more in these massive Labor Day sales
The Holy Grail guitars you can see up close and in action in London this month
Stellar guitarists Chris Buck (Cardinal Black) and Chris Turpin (Mirador) will be playing Holy Grail electric guitars, loud and live, at the upcoming Legendary Guitars event in London. Here’s what to look out for…
Artists
Nervosa’s Prika Amaral on her unconventional playing style and overcoming Brazil’s broken music scene
The self-taught Kramer fan on surviving unaffordable gear and substandard venues, becoming lead singer then adding a second guitarist, and blending digital with analog for definition and power
How Ralphe Armstrong unlocked Hendrix-inspired expression on one of Jean-Luc Ponty's most adventurous recordings
Armed with a Morley Wah pedal and a Maestro Bass Brassmaster, Ralphe Armstrong turned his bass into a psychedelic lead guitar
“I’m responsible for him being what he is today”: The man who transformed B.B. King from “terrible” to legendary
How the stepson of Robert Johnson took B.B. King under his wing as he workshopped his chops in Memphis
4 Comments
The genius of David Bowie’s guitar collabs in 9 classic tracks
Bowie’s most iconic six-string moments, featuring his all-star cast of top-tier players, from Mick Ronson to Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stone Temple Pilots bassist Rob DeLeo has experienced the death of his lead singer twice – and somehow found a way to keep playing
Robert DeLeo opens up on the loss of Scott Weiland and Chester Bennington, playing alongside Johnny Depp in Hollywood Vampires, and the ’65 P-Bass with a “fingerboard like a Rickenbacker”
Billy Duffy on staying true to the Cult’s manifesto and his vision for rock guitar
The Cult’s long-time guitarist on channelling Hendrix through a Gretsch, nailing his sound on She Sells Sanctuary, and keeping the spirit of rock alive
How the Ramones took New York punk round the world
From the Archive Starting from the repurposed CBGB’s club, and harnessing a style based on their utter inexperience, the NYC punk antiheroes rewrote a 40-year-old rule about playing guitar
Gear
“For metal, Solar’s big talk isn’t hyperbole”: Solar Chug Capo review
Old Englund reckons his pedal is the new gold standard for pitch shifters, but can it oust Boss and DigiTech from the top of the de-tuning tree?
Ditch the soldering iron: you can swap pickups in seconds with these guitars
There was a time when swapping pickups meant turning your guitar into a small wiring project. Today, it can be almost as easy as swapping out a pedal
The 21st century guitar innovations that never caught on
Including robot tuners and the multi-effects pedals that invited us to stomp on iPads
"It does not feel like a budget guitar": Harley Benton Fusion-T II EMG MN HT SBK review
The German budget gear brand's latest go-faster T-style is a shred machine with pro-quality appointments at a beginner's price point
Ball-ends through the tuners? Meet the Steadfast Stopbar, the Les Paul tailpiece that strings your guitar backwards
The humble stopbar tailpiece rarely gets the spotlight, but the Steadfast string-locking design gives us a reason to reconsider how we restring our guitars
4 Comments
What are impulse responses? A guitarist’s guide to the secret sauce of great guitar tone
Demystify cabinet impulse responses and learn how to unlock authentic amp tone in your amp modeler, multi-effects pedals, and plugins
What happened to Syd Barrett’s Mirror Disc Telecaster?
We investigate the many mysteries of the former Pink Floyd leader’s psychedelic guitar
Lessons
Have you been putting your capo on wrong? Tommy Emmanuel says this is the right way to do it – and it could save your tuning
Do it the wrong way and your tuning will suffer, the acoustic great warns
Meet the ‘no 5’ chord – the jazz-friendly option for guitar solos
Sometimes finding the right chord is a process of subtraction. Here are five examples of how you can jazz up your chord vocab
Joe Bonamassa explains how “hiding” your guitar pick can make you a more expressive player
Want to find your voice? Switch up your pick attack and put some character into your phrasing
If you learn one thing from Angus Young it should be this…
For those about to solo, you’ll be thunderstruck with the AC/DC guitar legend’s whole lotta use of open strings
Drop D is not just for grunge and metal – Joe Bonamassa explains how he uses it for blues guitar
The blues guitar superstar unpacks his drop D approach and explains how you can use it in your own blues jams
Mastodon masterclass: Nick Johnston reveals his insane soloing techniques
Luscious legato, hot hybrid picking, busy blues bends and creative chromaticism are the trademarks of Nick Johnston. Here are five of his favorite lead approaches
Why you don’t need open tunings to play slide guitar
Blues legends like Muddy Waters often preferred playing slide in standard tuning. This lesson might convince you, too – and it makes a great introduction to slide
Reviews
“For metal, Solar’s big talk isn’t hyperbole”: Solar Chug Capo review
Old Englund reckons his pedal is the new gold standard for pitch shifters, but can it oust Boss and DigiTech from the top of the de-tuning tree?
"It does not feel like a budget guitar": Harley Benton Fusion-T II EMG MN HT SBK review
The German budget gear brand's latest go-faster T-style is a shred machine with pro-quality appointments at a beginner's price point
"The sounds here are absolutely the cream of the crop": Eventide H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 review
With world-class, studio-grade algorithms in a pedalboard-friendly chassis, Eventide's new multi-FX is built to handle any style or genre
“For under $600 it does something quite special”: Gretsch Electromatic CVT Baritone review
Gretsch’s Electromatic range offers plenty for under a grand including this compelling short-scale baritone
Thorn Soundlabs Flex Series pedals review
This new range of pedals straight out of Music City, USA, is designed for flexibility – meet the Bad Cash, Silver Spurs, Black Swamp, The FreaQ, Steam and Tremonator
“Compares well with instruments costing at least twice as much”: Epiphone Marcus King Dorado review
Epiphone revives its early 1970s Japanese-made El Dorado acoustic in the form of a very special Marcus King limited-edition
“It’s staggering that a $329 bass can play like this”: Sire Marcus Miller V1 review
Marcus Miller-approved bass range gets a new baby sibling – is it worthy of the name?
Buying Guides
Best baritone guitars 2026: extended-range guitars for all styles and budgets
Get low with my expert pick of the best baritone guitars from PRS, Gretsch, Jackson, and more
Best Gibson SGs 2026: Our budget-spanning picks of Gibson’s famous Solid Guitar
From retro reissues to contemporary shredders, here are the best Gibson SGs on the market right now
Best overdrive pedals 2026: from mid-hump to transparent tone
My pick of the top-rated overdrive pedals will get your gain tones on point
Best cheap acoustic guitars 2026: budget acoustics with genuine pedigree
Great tone doesn’t have to break the bank – these are the best cheap acoustic guitars from Fender, Yamaha, Cort and more
Best tube amps 2026: unlock incredible tone with my pick of valve amplifiers for stage, studio or home
Plug into legendary dynamic response and organic warmth with my top-rated valve amplifiers for every budget and playing style
Best clip-on guitar tuners 2026: hit the right note with my top pick of cost-effective tuners
Whether you play acoustic, electric, or bass, these clip-on tuners offer a quick, easy, and affordable way to achieve concert pitch every time you pick up your instrument
Best FRFR speakers 2026: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your modeler with my pick of FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths – these active speakers from Fender, Laney, IK Multimedia and more are tonally transparent beasts
