Dave Mustaine on why he left Jackson Guitars… then tried to buy the company
The Megadeth frontman jumped ship to ESP in 2003, but what could have been if his takeover bid had been successful?
Latest News
This weekend’s 4th of July guitar sales blowout is officially the biggest wave of discounting I’ve seen outside of Black Friday – shop 10 mega sales with up to 60% off here
The 4th of July sales are in full flow, and it's one of your biggest chances to save on guitar gear in 2026
Jeff Tweedy on the two guitars he regrets selling – and how Billy Gibbons ended up with them
The sharp-dressed guitar hero doesn’t seem to be in the mood for letting them go...
Kirk Hammett bought Neal Schon’s Les Paul for so little that he offered it back to his hero
The guitar sold for a five-figure sum, but Hammett feels it was a bargain
Mick Jagger on recruiting Paul McCartney to play bass on the Rolling Stones' upcoming album
The Beatles bassist lent his chops to Covered in You, a track featured on the Stones' forthcoming twenty-fifth studio album, Foreign Tongues
The Jam bassist Bruce Foxton reveals Parkinson's Disease diagnosis
Following recent speculation about his health and show cancellations, Foxton has publicly talked about his life-changing condition
Gibson gives the Les Paul a Fender twist with the Long Scale Custom
Gibson has matched Fender's favorite scale length with an extended Les Paul that boasts a 25.5" setup
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Would you like some guitar with your fretboard? Jackson has just introduced a 27-fret monster signature model for Brandon Ellis
The KE27 is a monstrous metal guitar with a beastly fretboard primed for shred
As a hopeless Gibson and Epiphone addict, these 4th of July deals are seriously testing my willpower – score up to $899 off a Gibson Les Paul Modern, as well as hundreds off Epiphone Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Beck and Jerry Cantrell signature models
I've searched high and low to find the very best Les Paul deals this 4th of July!
Artists
Bentley Anderson is imagining a strange new future for guitar music
The underground NYC guitarist leans into his strengths on new album Valence – and those strengths involve making a whole lotta glorious, trance-inducing noise
Mike Campbell on finding purpose in The Dirty Knobs, and why we should listen to what our guitars are telling us
With a title track inspired by Brian Wilson, Mission of Mercy is the sound of Campbell piecing his heart – and ours – back together again
How Michael Anthony went from playing backyard parties to sellout crowds with Van Halen
From humble beginnings to one of rock’s biggest bands, Michael Anthony revisits the defining moments of his Van Halen story
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Bill Frisell on why the Telecaster beats the arch-top as the touring jazz guitarist’s best friend
The Blue Note jazz legend checks in to pay tribute to the original mass produced electric guitar – the guitar that trends and airlines cannot kill
Joe Perry on the one guitar he regrets selling
It's not a rare vintage instrument by any means, but for Perry, the sentimental value of the long-gone guitar is priceless
With a parts-caster from the street, and TikTok-inspired rhythm work, hardcore phenoms Hammok are reinventing the genre
Guitarist and songwriter Tobias Osland is more concerned with responding to an audio idea than building a gear horde, and for the failed drummer, it’s all about rhythm before everything else
D12 are back with red-hot flows, real guitar riffs and Eminem’s right-hand guitar man
Jeff Bass is the Grammy-winning guitarist behind Eminem’s Lose Yourself. He explains how he ditched samples for genuine performances, and how his son Jake is continuing the tradition on new album D12 Forever
Eric Bibb on why happiness is a good acoustic guitar – and what makes the electric a different species
The country blues master pays a mid-tour visit to Guitarist to talk touring acoustics and the foundation of his amazing fingerstyle technique
She’s worked with Courtney Love and Radiohead’s producer. Now Bethia Beadman is embarking on a baritone guitar adventure
Beadman’s hypnotic solo work unlocks something primal in all of us – which might be why she equates her songwriting to “a cat bringing in a dead bird and leaving it on the mat”
Gear
How the Maestro PS-1 Phase Shifter changed the face of popular music – but it sure was bulky
Tom Oberheim’s ingenious device fast became a studio essential upon its launch in 1971
Best phaser pedals 2026: add swirling guitar tones to your rig with our expert guide
Looking to create that swirling sound effect? These are the best phaser pedals to try from MXR, Electro-Harmonix, Walrus Audio and more
Celebrity guitar auctions: teenage dreams or billionaire boys’ club? How A-list gear sales became the hottest ticket in town
Fret Buzz From Johnny Marr to Mark Knopfler, big-name guitars seem to have become so valuable that even their owners don’t want to play them anymore…
"Proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a pro instrument": Gretsch Electromatic Premier Jet review
Is Gretsch's new attempt at a Les Paul killer the perfect blend of features and single-cut affordability?
"Very well put together, and fantastic value for money": Baum Guitars Carve review
Is this Danish-designed, P-90-equipped double cut the ultimate retro-modern rock machine for under $1,000?
Why Furch’s new Red Series acoustic is the $7,000 guitar that dreams are made of
The Furch Red Deluxe GC-LI 2026 combines high-end aesthetic flourishes with some seriously well thought-out design elements – and we don't want to hand it back.
"A tale of two halves – I found the clean tones to be quite lackluster": Gretsch Electromatic Jet Baritone review
Gretsch's gargantuan scale metal machine gives players an option to downtune without resorting to a 7 or 8 string, but it surprisingly leaves traditional tones in the dark
Lessons
Joe Bonamassa on the Eric Clapton classic that’s essential learning for any blues soloist
Written by Memphis Slim, covered by Slowhand with John Mayall, Steppin’ Out is one of the tracks that all blues players should know. Bonamassa teaches you how to play it
Mike Stringer gives us an “unapologetically heavy” lesson in how to combine power chords with hammer-ons and pull-offs
The Spiritbox riff-master shows you how to chug along to Angel Eyes
Pinch Harmonics made easy: how to get the perfect squeal
Our definitive guide on how Billy Gibbons, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and Zakk Wylde make their guitars scream
The secret to great guitar solos isn’t technique – it’s rhythm
All the greats put themselves into their phrasing, and that identity was not only note choice but rhythm. Here are four ways you can add rhythmic interest to great effect
If you learn one thing from Jake E. Lee it should be this: bigger stretches for better shredding
Try this enhanced lesson to strengthen your fourth finger and use your thumb for wide fretting like the iconic Ozzy Osbourne guitarist
How to funk up your blues solos
Taking cues from John Mayer, Jimi Hendrix and Nile Rodgers, this lesson offers three examples of phrases that add rhythm and movement to blues
“To some people, this is more of a ‘jazzy’ sound”: How to use dominant 7 arpeggios in a guitar solo
Because you can't have enough exit ramps from traditional blues phrases, here's how you can use the notes of a dominant 7 chord to spice up your solos
Reviews
"Proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a pro instrument": Gretsch Electromatic Premier Jet review
Is Gretsch's new attempt at a Les Paul killer the perfect blend of features and single-cut affordability?
"Very well put together, and fantastic value for money": Baum Guitars Carve review
Is this Danish-designed, P-90-equipped double cut the ultimate retro-modern rock machine for under $1,000?
"A tale of two halves – I found the clean tones to be quite lackluster": Gretsch Electromatic Jet Baritone review
Gretsch's gargantuan scale metal machine gives players an option to downtune without resorting to a 7 or 8 string, but it surprisingly leaves traditional tones in the dark
“A no-nonsense digital amplifier”: Kustom Amplification Carbon 100 review
Is this simpler approach to modeling amps a breath of fresh air?
Mad Professor Little Green Wonder review
"An impressive drive pedal with a unique Body control": Mad Professor Little Green Wonder review
“A much more versatile pedal than you might think”: Strymon Canoga Vintage Silicon Fuzz review
The wizards of digital stompbox design conjure more analog magic with a two-knob fuzz box promising vintage Hendrix flavors and then some
Flattley The Joker review
The latest from the UK-based pedal company gives you licence to rock with the choice of dirt or filth
Buying Guides
Best phaser pedals 2026: add swirling guitar tones to your rig with our expert guide
Looking to create that swirling sound effect? These are the best phaser pedals to try from MXR, Electro-Harmonix, Walrus Audio and more
Best bass compressor pedals 2026: expert picks for the ultimate in low-end control
From studio-style levelers to stompboxes that squash, we put the market-leading compressor pedals for bass to the test
Best amps for metal 2026: my top picks for high-gain heroes
These powerhouse metal amps from PRS, Orange, Friedman, EVH, and more will have you primed to seek and destroy
Best pedal amps 2026: top preamps, power amps, and amp modelers
We rank and review the best guitar amp pedals from Strymon, Universal Audio, Blackstar, and more
Best guitar plugins 2026: my top plugins to level up your recorded guitar tones
Get better guitar tones for recording and practice with my pick of the best guitar amp plugins
Best guitar straps 2026: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – budget-spanning choices from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials. Plus, buying advice to help you decide
Best single coil pickups 2026: from trailblazing designs to vintage traditionalists
From Fender Telecaster twang to Gibson P-90 bite, we’ve compiled our pick of the best aftermarket single coils your money can buy right now
