Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac and ZZ Top basses top the biggest four-string sales at historic Jim Irsay auction
The late billionaire’s sensational instrument collection has gone under the hammer, including some very notable basses
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Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac and ZZ Top basses top the biggest four-string sales at historic Jim Irsay auction
The late billionaire’s sensational instrument collection has gone under the hammer, including some very notable basses
Derek Trucks plays Jerry Garcia’s ‘Tiger’ guitar on stage just hours after it sold for $12 million
The second most expensive guitar of all time is already playing out its new owner’s promise of an active second life
Former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent is charging $2 million for his new album
Buying Guitarmageddon might be financial armageddon, but there are some unusual perks to be had, too
All the guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including the answer to all your modeler tone woes
Fresh new drops from Taylor, Fender, Gibson, Eastwood and more...
Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell has died aged 64
The metal pioneers’ longest-serving guitar player has passed away after a major operation
“We thought, ‘He’s a massively successful artist – what could possibly go wrong?’ We really didn’t like the results, so we didn’t give permission for it to be released”: The folk-rock album recorded with an ’80s mega-star that never saw the light of day
When Richard and Linda Thompson entered the studio with Gerry Rafferty they thought only good could come of it. But creative differences saw the songs shelved... At least for a time
Gibson revives and refreshes its Songwriter Recording Artist acoustic range
Two new models, with and without cutaways, blend vintage Gibson tones with a modern dreadnought shape and L.R. Baggs electronics for a best of both worlds approach
Artists
How a Radio Shack pedal and a fiery Fall Out Boy guest spot helped Filth is Eternal live up to their name
After finding inspiration in an old Radio Shack analog reverb, guitarist Brian McClelland’s tonal experimentation has exploded – and it’s added more bite to the band's new release, Impossible World
If the Eagles quit this year, Vince Gill will leave with gratitude and great memories
His kids might have to make do with cheaper Christmas presents if his decade with the band is over – but for Gill, being on the road with Walsh and co has been one of the highlights of an illustrious career
How new Nine Inch Nails bassist Stu Brooks went from pop royalty to one of rock’s most sonically adventurous gigs
Brooks had previously collaborated with musical giants like Lady Gaga, 50 Cent, Danny Elfman and Iggy Pop
Noodling alone at home is fine. But you’ll never be a great guitar player unless you join a band
Leaving the bedroom for the rehearsal room exposed my flaws and smashed my confidence. But if you can stick with it, you’ll have the best laugh of your life and supercharge your playing
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“All I need is insurmountable odds. Give me your worst guitar”: Josh Homme is finally ready to talk tone
From flea market finds to amps that aren’t amps at all, the Queens of the Stone Age mastermind has begun to reveal his tone secrets – starting with the little Peavey that could. The self-proclaimed shepherd of the weird explains why it’s time to share
Glenn Tilbrook on the resurrection of the Squeeze concept album that never was
Demo’d in ’74, when their compositional skills wrote checks their chops couldn’t cash, Squeeze shelved Trixies for 52 years. Now, Tilbrook says he’s proud to pull this lost album from the time machine
He arrived on the shred scene with Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker and John Petrucci… then he vanished
After starting a family and his own company, Darren Housholder's priorities changed – but he’s gradually brought music-making back into his world
Gear
Best guitar straps 2025: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – top picks from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials
Best pedalboards 2025: perfect platforms for your pedals, tested
I used 10 pedalboards from Fender, D’Addario, Pedaltrain and more at home, in the studio and on stage to find out which ones are worth stomping on
Up close and personal with Prince’s $635,000 Yellow Cloud guitar
Flamboyant, elegant and built to rock – it can only be one of Prince’s touring guitars. We take a closer look at a guitar that might be shaped like a cloud but has a heft to it that's more Les Paul than cirrus minor
“The basic rotary sound is very convincing”: Cromar Burn review
Made by a keyboard company for use with its organs, this rotary simulator pedal has plenty to get guitarists in a spin
“Will appeal to high-gain players without unlimited budgets”: Victory MKX Lunch Box Head review
Victory’s most advanced compact amp to date promises huge tone-potential in a lunchbox-sized package. We’re feeling hungry…
The 16 most expensive guitars of all time
Fenders owned by Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan, Martins belonging to Kurt Cobain and David Gilmour, and one independently made axe headline the list of most profitable guitars sold at auction
How the Gibson ES-5 paved the way for a new wave of electric blues (and maybe even the Strat, too)
In the vintage market, the big-box jazz guitars are less sought after but this pair of Gibson ES-5s are holy grails in anyone’s book – especially disciples of T-Bone Walker
Lessons
5 altered chords you need to know – and how they get their names
Altered chords can be intimidating at first, but here we demystify the naming conventions, and once you understand that, you can easily find your own
Cory Wong on why doubling the bassline is one of the “most badass” things a guitarist can do
Cory Wong uses Vulfpeck's Jaco-inspired Dean Town to teach us the value of doubling a bassline on guitar
How to play B.B. King’s greatest song (with some help from Joe Bonamassa)
Bonamassa says B.B. King’s The Thrill Is Gone is so perfect that he initially couldn’t find anyone to cover it on his tribute album. Here, he unpacks the tones and approaches of the King of the Blues
Bopping blues and greasy grooves: Ally Venable's rhythm guitar tips and secrets
Learn how to boost your blues to pro levels of authenticity with a handful of great chords and a rock-solid rhythm technique
Big jumps for a bigger sound: Steve Morse’s masterclass on wide intervals
Deep-dive your technique for powerful intervals with six string-jumping, fretboard-stretching examples from one of the world's most influential super-pickers
What we can learn from Mike Oldfield about breaking free of the pentatonic box
In this lesson, we reimagine folk, jazz, blues and Celtic music for a blues roadmap that takes the road less traveled
KT Tunstall’s 5 guitar tips to boost your songwriting skills
Learn KT's five go-to guitar techniques: from power strumming to rich chords, colorful picking, and unison vocal/guitar riffs.
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Reviews
“The basic rotary sound is very convincing”: Cromar Burn review
Made by a keyboard company for use with its organs, this rotary simulator pedal has plenty to get guitarists in a spin
“Will appeal to high-gain players without unlimited budgets”: Victory MKX Lunch Box Head review
Victory’s most advanced compact amp to date promises huge tone-potential in a lunchbox-sized package. We’re feeling hungry…
“A lot of deceptively clever craft”: Duesenberg Starplayer CBR review
It’s been a while since we’ve dropped into the world of Duesenberg. German ingenuity, retro style and some big-name users – what’s not to like?
“It’s a pedal I didn’t even know I needed”: EHX Effects Interface review
From the creator of the Big Muff comes a handy unit for getting your pedalboard and your DAW effects talking to each other
“A cost-effective way of accurately amplifying your modeled tone, which is exactly what many guitar players need”: Blackstar Artist FR Special review
Bypassing some of the fancy features of other FRFR cabinets, Blackstar gets straight to the point with a no-frills solution for amplifying your modeled guitar tones
“Amp and cab models that surpass some expensive units from bigger brands”: Blackstar ID:X Floor Three review
Blackstar swerves the touchscreen for a tactile, amp-style workflow
“Great neck shape, playability and setup – and it’s gig-ready, something we don’t always say about Epiphone, or indeed Gibson”: Epiphone Fatoumata Diawara SG review
Grammy-nominated Malian singer and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara joins forces with Epiphone to produce a vivid-looking and wicked-sounding SG that’s a celebration of her style
“It may not have the same EQ options as other FRFRs, but the Laney LFR-110 amplifies your digital tone in a way that will easily get you heard on stage”: Laney LFR-110 review
Laney introduces its most compact FRFR guitar cabinet yet, in what could be the perfect on-stage companion to your carefully curated modeling tone
Buying Guides
Best guitar straps 2025: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – top picks from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials
Best pedalboards 2025: perfect platforms for your pedals, tested
I used 10 pedalboards from Fender, D’Addario, Pedaltrain and more at home, in the studio and on stage to find out which ones are worth stomping on
Best pedalboard power supplies 2026: juice your ‘board with my pick of pro-grade power for every budget and size of 'board, fully tested
I put budget-spanning pedal power supplies from Fender, Cioks, Walrus Audio and more through their paces – these were my standouts
Best delay pedals 2026: our pick of the coolest spacey pedals for your pedalboard
Whether you prefer digital or analog delay pedals, the options in this round-up will help boost your creativity on the guitar
Best electric guitars 2026: our top picks for every playing style, ability and budget
Useful buying advice and our expert pick of the best electric guitars for newcomers to pro players
Best acoustic guitars for beginners 2026: My top picks for new players, reviewed by a pro
I've tested epic affordable six-strings from Fender, Taylor, Yamaha, and more – read on for my best beginner acoustic guitar recommendations and watch my video demos
Best cheap acoustic guitars 2025: 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
