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March 2025

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289 articles

March 31
- Billy Corgan announces new solo project featuring Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Kiki Wong, and U.S. tour celebrating classic Pumpkins eras
- “Freddie King would ask me why I never tried using thumbpicks – I just couldn't play with one”: He took Jimi Hendrix's place in Little Richard's band, was idolized by Stevie Ray Vaughan, and is one of the most overlooked Telecaster slingers of all time
- “If any song can unite all generations of rock guitar fans, this is it”: March 2025 Guitar World Editors' Picks
- “They’re basically Les Paul copies, let’s be frank. It’s a Les Paul-style guitar and I already have amazing Les Pauls”: Kirk Hammett owns over 100 guitars but none of them are PRS. He explains why
- “I nicked some cymbals, the bass player’s amp head and some microphones. I got Bowie’s microphone with his lipstick on it!” On July 3, 1973, David Bowie retired Ziggy Stardust – that same day, Steve Jones stole his equipment
- “A stand-out performance by a group that changed the course of rock history in the 1990s”: The world’s most expensive guitar, Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged Martin acoustic, is set to go on display in the UK
- “Jeff was playing through his dodgy Marshall and didn’t like the sound. He said, ‘We’ll do it again, later on…’” Mick Rogers may be in possession of Jeff Beck’s last-ever studio recording
- “I could try and recreate his vibrato for the rest of my life. It’s never going to happen. If I got to play his guitar through his rig, it’s not gonna sound like him”: Tony Iommi changed his life – now Scott Ian is playing Sabbath’s last stand
- “Eric’s legendary performance sparked a resurgence in acoustic music”: Martin celebrates 30th anniversary of Eric Clapton’s first signature acoustic with a faithful recreation of his MTV Unplugged guitar
- How to find new approaches to blues soloing – using fingerstyle improv ideas and Roy Buchanan-inspired licks
- “If your taste in fuzz leans toward the extreme, Gary has the personality to remain your lifelong best friend”: EarthQuaker Devices Gary review
- “The six-string bass guitar was a dream – if Leo Fender could come back today I think he would approve”: 10 6-string bassists you need to know
- “It’s great to tap like Les Claypool and thump like Marcus Miller, but the world of a studio bassist is different”: Having graced hits by OutKast, TLC, and Usher, LaMarquis Jefferson carved a niche in a scene long dominated by synthetic low-end
- “A distinctive brightness that no other strings have been able to capture”: How Rotosound revolutionized the bass world with its Swing Bass 66 strings – and shaped the sound of rock music in the process
- “It’s always in the back of your mind saying, what can we improve on? What would I do? What would I dream of in an amp?” How Clapton collaborator and session great Nathan East is teaming up with Laney on a signature amp unlike any other
March 30
- “Walk Like an Egyptian was so silly. But solid players have asked, ‘What are you playing at the end?’” Vicki Peterson sees herself as “a bit of a hack player,” but she still made guitar-pop history with the Bangles – and guested with Tom Petty
- “We had 15 minutes left, and it was time to go… I just started playing that riff. Then Lenny goes, ‘Whoa, what’s that?’” Lenny Kravitz guitarist Craig Ross reveals the serendipitous roots of a Kravitz classic
- “The concept of the guitar duel at the end was just appalling”: Crossroads is an essential piece of '80s guitar lore, but not every guitar legend was a fan of the film
March 29
- “Zal is really nobody’s guitar hero. Fans say he’s the most underrated player ever; many guitarists rate him amongst the best... but I’ve never heard anyone call him their ‘guitar hero’”: Billy Rankin on lessons learned from the legendary Zal Cleminson
- “I had to use the same microphone that Gene Simmons used with all the blood coming out of his mouth. Can you imagine that!” Mick Rogers recalls Kiss supporting Manfred Mann's Earth Band in their early days
- “An investment-grade, pro-quality guitar that will provide decades of playing enjoyment before it becomes a treasured family heirloom”: Taylor Gold Label 814e SB review
March 28
- “All of a sudden, my occasional-use pedal has gone to something that can live on the ’board”: That Pedal Show’s Mick Taylor sparks inspired change that sees the Argo Boost Deluxe serve octave fuzz and boost tones in one unit
- “Satin Stratocaster dreams”: Fender and Thomann have produced two new exclusive Stratocaster lines – and their prices rival existing US and Mexico-made models
- Want to play Master of Puppets the right way? Here's how to get faster at downpicking so you can chug like James Hetfield
- “A new take on the classic”: Gibson gives its Les Paul Special an ultra-rare pickup overhaul with new Mini Humbucker models
- “It’s a game-changer for me”: Laney and Nathan East team up for a versatile signature bass head that ends a 40-year wait for the session legend
- “It had to capture that vintage clarity – the clean, expressive tone that lives in Ry Cooder’s slide work”: Manson unveils a Matt Bellamy Verona signature after an exhaustive pickup design process
- “It’s a whole new generation in sound. There’s nothing lacking”: Alex Lifeson reveals the gear that has finally converted him to digital modeling
- “The Strat is the most versatile electric guitar that there is; but the Les Paul is a perfect instrument”: Sting guitarist Dominic Miller weighs in on the Strat vs. Les Paul debate – says the Strat loses despite being a more versatile instrument
- “I’m extremely honored. It reminded me that it’s important to stick to my own playing style”: Her fans include Dave Grohl, Jack White and Eddie Vedder, and she’s the face of Fender’s Hello Kitty campaign. Why Yoyoyoshie is Japan’s next great guitar hero
- "The BTO sound is BACK!!" Bachman-Turner Overdrive release first new material in over 25 years – and it features a Neil Young guitar solo
- One of the UK’s biggest music retailers takes website offline and shuts store for “maintenance”, fueling closure speculation
- “It’s a boy!” Rebecca Lovell and Tyler Bryant announce new baby with Stratocaster-themed gender reveal party
- “Designed with the next generation of heavy metal guitarists in mind”: Jackson updates the American Series Soloist with fresh finishes and an all-time classic pickup combo
- “The three of us plugged into my Marshall, passing the cord around. The one thing Eric said to me was, ‘Wow, there is so much gain!’” Joe Satriani on reuniting with Eric Johnson and Steve Vai and the devil in the detail of Eddie Van Halen's playing
March 27
- “Just add headphones”: Harley Benton’s latest Strat-style budget guitar comes with built-in effects – and costs just $140
- “No-one does it better than him. That’s what inspired me to do what I’m doing today”: John 5 likes to push his playing to the limit – but says Ace Frehley does one thing better than any shredder on the planet
- “Guitar hurts so bad – I have so much respect for guitar players”: Lizzo sets the record straight on why she's starring in the upcoming Sister Rosetta Tharpe biopic – and her guitar journey so far
- “Revitalizes the best elements from the past and combines them with exciting new features”: Gretsch sends its Streamliner series “into the modern era” with a limited-edition launch
- “I did everything I could to keep it as authentic as possible, as an extension to my tribute to Pink Floyd, without stealing from them in any way”: Corey Feldman personally sought David Gilmour and Roger Waters' blessings for his Floyd-esque album
- “Young talent is just as capable of doing justice to Hendrix’s legacy”: The next generation of guitar stars join legends of the game to honor Jimi Hendrix at the 2025 Experience Hendrix tour
- “I turned up at one of his shows with Greeny and said, ‘Bro, check it out...’” Kirk Hammett on the time Jack White played the original Greeny onstage
- “The tuning did not need tweaking for the entire time we spent trying to avoid playing Stairway To Heaven”: Faith Eclipse Venus E/Cutaway & Neptune E/Cutaway 12-String review
- “It can make you a legato monster like Satch, give you EVH-level tapping skills, or turn your guitar into a synth sequencer”: DigiTech HammerOn review
- “Being a guitar player is a way of life. Everything comes down to commitment": Tommy Emmanuel explains the difference between being a guitarist and a guitar player
- “Could I even afford a real-life amp that sounds like that modeler? I don’t think so. Living in L.A. makes this tough”: Session guitarist to the stars Justus West explains why plugins are essential even in high-profile studios
- “If you get the timing wrong, it’s wrong for the whole thing”: Ed Sheeran gives Jimmy Fallon a looper pedal masterclass – and offers his top tips for solo jams
- “I like that their appearance intrigues non-guitar players and bothers old-fashioned people”: Despite early love from Eddie Van Halen and Allan Holdsworth, headless guitars became a punchline – yet in 2025, they’re more popular than ever. We found out why
- “Once Dave got his Roland Space Echo, it changed the vibe… that, and a lot of marijuana”: They inspired everyone from Oasis to the Smashing Pumpkins. Now English post-punk luminaries the Chameleons are back for more
- “When I worked with Eric Clapton, I thought I was getting fired every tour”: Andy Fairweather Low on his first gig, a beloved dumpster guitar find and the mistake he made with Roger Waters that he can never forget
- “Redefining a winning formula”: TC Electronic upgrades its beloved looper with the Ditto 2 – but can it keep up in an increasingly competitive market?
- “I got a long text message praising the amp and talking about tone. I’m like, ‘Holy crap… I think this is Joe Perry!’” Why Silktone’s tube amp range is rapidly gathering big-name fans
March 26
- “If I told AI, ‘Write a load of Pete Townshend songs like he used to in 1973,’ a lot of Who fans would be really pleased”: Pete Townshend threatens to turn to AI if fans don’t stop asking him to play The Who’s hits
- “A rare bird with unique details”: Gibson Custom's 1964 ES-345 Select models offer ‘woulda, coulda’ mods and lavish Mist finishes on a vintage-style hollow-body build
- “For all those who’ve lambasted the Standard Series before playing one – you’re going to have to eat your words”: Fender Standard Telecaster review
- “You got it!” Rare footage of Andy Summers teaching John Mayer how to play Message in a Bottle surfaces online
- “I was very inspired by my Ibanez sister and the way she approaches her songwriting and her chords”: Nita Strauss reveals how Yvette Young inspired one of her favorite riffs she’s ever written
- “You can set up amplifiers and drums to your heart’s content”: Gene Simmons defends paid roadie scheme
- Brent Hinds plays first show since leaving Mastodon – and he has plenty more lined up
- “The ace up the sleeve of bass players around the globe since 1978”: Tobias instruments were trailblazers in the bass world. Now they’re back as part of the Gibson family
- “EVH would be so proud”: 16-year-old shredder nails Van Halen’s Live Without a Net solo at school talent show – and captures Eddie’s tone with a budget modeling amp
- “I woke up to a DM from Shirley Manson asking if I'd be interested in the gig. We had never met”: Former Smashing Pumpkins bassist Nicole Fiorentino on how she landed her role in Garbage – with no audition
- “Excuse me, Mr. Dylan”: How Reb Beach introduced Bob Dylan to the Floyd Rose – and taught him how to tune his guitar
- “Slightly unreal moment to sit with Lindsey Buckingham and see his genuine happiness for Mick to finally do his own album”: Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood reunite in the studio
- “If I brought that to Alter Bridge, they’d look at me funny… I don’t know if they like speed metal as much as I do”: Mark Tremonti on finding an outlet for his metal cravings and why nothing beats PRS and Dumble amps
- “The intensity of Rory’s guitar playing – the emotion, the sound and his incredible attack – was mindblowing for me”: Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to the late, great Irish blues-rock icon Rory Gallagher
March 25
- “Classic aesthetics with cutting-edge technology”: Are Seymour Duncan's new Jazzmaster Silencers the ultimate Jazzmaster pickups?
- “From Paul Kossoff to Eric and then to John Lennon and George Harrison”: Albert Lee reveals the history of his ’58 Les Paul Custom
- “A story of groundbreaking innovation, defiant passion and secret love”: Pop star Lizzo is set to play rock guitar pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in an upcoming biopic – and has been filmed jamming on a Suhr at shows
- “We’ve only changed the strings one time”: Travis Barker reveals the bass he uses on everything he records
- “It sounds church-organy if you’re just playing acoustic… then you add the dollar bill and the pen and it sounds like a steel drum”: Songwriter Sean Rowe on tonal experiments, modding acoustics – and why he keeps wearing out his Takamine dreadnoughts
- “There was a black Les Paul with three pickups and gold hardware on a pedestal. Elton said, ‘I'd better buy that guitar just to have in my house’”: One of Davey Johnstone's most prized guitars was once a piece of upscale decor for his superstar bandmate
- Guitar deals are thin on the ground in Amazon’s Spring Sale but if you need accessories, I’ve found 6 deals that are well worth checking out
- “The covers are off and it's time to rock ’n’ roll”: Gibson's Double Trouble Les Pauls offer time machine takes on ’50s and ’60s models, with faded nitro finishes – and a cheeky nod to its dispute with DiMarzio
- “She walked in and said, ‘My wife is Melissa Etheridge. She has cancer. I want to get her something special’”: Melissa Etheridge on how she came to own a “museum quality” Fender from Norman's Rare Guitars – which she played at the 2005 Grammys
- “A fully fledged Lowden that will relish everything from sofa noodling to professional gigs, once the pickup of your choice is installed”: Lowden F12 review
- “Is he gonna call Eddie Van Halen a boomer?” Kirk Hammett weighs in on Tim Henson and the boomer bends controversy
- “Simply put, it has become the most interesting and versatile pedal on my board”: Benson Amps and Deep Sea Diver guitarist Jessica Dobson launch the Fuzz-Echo pedal
- “Building on the pedal that put OBNE on the map”: Old Blood Noise Endeavors turns its flagship oil-can delay into a dark and mysterious “multi-tool”
- “Bill, Troy and I were rocking it – I took a step back, only to clip my heel on a monitor wedge. I went ass-over-teakettle”: How Ben Eller went from Mastodon super-fan to filling in for Brent Hinds – and taking it all in his stride
- “He only had that little spotlight in every Beatles song – George Martin telling him what he could or couldn’t play. That’s what helped create that later style”: Dhani Harrison on the making of Living in the Material World – and George’s slide style
- “People had warned me how Ritchie chewed up and spat out musicians. Rainbow had already auditioned 40 bass players!” From Ritchie Blackmore to Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Daisley has worked with rock’s heaviest heroes
- “My technique is terrible – I don’t even use my pinky. I’m worried that if I learn to play in a technically correct way, my creativity will disappear”: Manuel Gagneux on why you shouldn’t sweat the technique – and expanding Zeal & Ardor’s radical sound
March 24
- “I said, ‘Mr. Fender, I’m Dick Dale. I’m a surfer and I have no money. Can you help me?’ He looked at me and said, ‘Here, try this guitar’”: How Dick Dale made the Stratocaster the ultimate surf-rock weapon
- “If fashion brands and computer brands can do it, why can’t we?” I journeyed to the only dedicated Fender store in the world – and found out how it could change the future of guitar retail as we know it
- “I didn’t even know what we would play. He would just be like, ‘Honey, we’re in G.’ And I’d be like, ‘Okay, here we go’”: When she was just a teenager, Lindsay Ell was playing blues with Buddy Guy – and being mentored by Randy Bachman
- “We took 36 hours to cut Good Vibrations. We knew it was a big deal”: Carol Kaye’s 10 greatest basslines
- “I’ve always missed being in Kiss”: Kiss announce unmasked Vegas show with former guitarist Bruce Kulick, as Gene Simmons postpones 17 solo dates
- “The X100 is very good at what it does – some might say even too good”: MXR Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor Pedal review
- “The Food Network couldn’t spend all day mic’ing a guitar amp. Every time I went into the studio, the engineers would say, ‘Don’t bring your amp’”: Meet Tim Rockmore, the TV and session veteran who’s recorded entire tracks with a Fender headphone amp
- “I looked out into the audience and saw Neil Young sitting in the middle – I froze”: How Mike Campbell sideman Jason Sinay ended up playing with his hero after spotting him in the crowd
- “It licked me!” Nita Strauss gets licked in the face by Alice Cooper's snake while playing – but doesn't drop a note
- “Why didn't nu-metal bands do any solos? They couldn't do solos. Thank God that genre went away”: Dave Mustaine says nu-metal guitarists aversion to solos was down to a lack of lead talent – not stylistic choice
- “For some players, their approach to rhythm guitar is, ‘Oh, someone else gets to do all of the fun stuff while I do this…’” Think playing rhythm guitar is boring? Cory Wong is here to change your mind
- “It is clear that lawsuits like this in the guitar industry are just not worth the time and expense”: Dean owner issues response to court loss over Gibson trademark verdict
- “A lot of Slayer riffs aren’t really for bass players – there’s just too many notes”: Slayer’s Tom Araya charts his incredible 4-string journey
- “He was a one-off… We will never see his like again”: Paul ‘Wags’ Wagstaff, guitarist for Happy Mondays, Black Grape and Paris Angels, has died aged 60
- “I would bring this guitar out once or twice because it looked like a curvy version of my main guitar”: Marty Friedman takes us back to Megadeth’s Countdown to Extinction era to tell the story behind one of the rarest Jackson guitars ever
March 23
- “I used really weird things like the Tristan chord and the Prometheus chord to give some of the songs a mystical vibe”: With the return of Mike Portnoy, Dream Theater are fully reborn – and John Petrucci's still not done exploring new guitar frontiers
- “He fell in love with my SGs, so now I have to buy him one. I told him that one day it would show up at his door”: Looking to take his post-Cars career in a more guitar-heavy direction, Ric Ocasek formed an unlikely partnership with an alt-rock icon
- “We’re all looking for new inspiration. Some of us have been playing humbuckers for a long, long time”: Are we witnessing a P-90 renaissance? Warren Haynes has his say
- “A great choice for guitarists seeking an affordable semi-hollow electric that both looks and sounds different”: D’Angelico Premier SS review
March 22
- “I had a phone call from Paul McCartney, and he wanted me to come in and work with him…” How a Beatle helped Hans Zimmer conquer his stage fright with some priceless advice
- “I’m about 85 or 90 percent there. But it’s that 10 percent that sets me off. I can’t knock out those old solos as smooth as I used to”: Ace Frehley is practicing more than ever as he keeps his demons behind him and returns to arenas
March 21
- “The jury’s decision reinforces the validity and strength of Gibson’s intellectual property rights”: Gibson emerges victorious in copyright infringement retrial battle with Dean
- "This seems like the missing link for anyone who uses an amp modeler at home": HeadRush FRFR-Go speaker cab review
- “For guitarists to push the boundaries of what’s possible”: Meet the SlideSaddle – a guitar slide that offers infinite sustain like an EBow
- “A lot of old-school guitar players can play amazing. But sometimes they’re not so innovative with the actual sound”: Steven Wilson on why guitarists need to switch up their tones to prevent their solos sounding stale
- Amps as furniture? This brand of high-end cabinets puts Celestion speakers into luxury furniture inspired by ’70s hi-fi consoles – and aims to blend guitar gear seamlessly into your life
- “A few poorly intonated sustained bends in a solo can make the guitar's most emotive technique sound bad”: Learning how to bend strings correctly is one of the quickest ways to make your playing sound better
- “Exceptional value while maintaining our high standards”: Heritage turns to the budget guitar market with its all-new Ascent range – which starts from just $195
- “I wanted a whole bunch of pickups, four or five. But Leo said they wouldn’t fit”: The creation and evolution of the Stratocaster, Leo Fender's greatest invention
- “He was interested but said, ‘I gave the guitar away. I feel stupid buying it’”: Norman Harris almost sold John Fogerty back his iconic ACME Rickenbacker – years before he was eventually reunited with it
- “Ozzy sang a bunch of songs and had a great time. It’s like, ‘I guess we’re gonna do another tour…’” Zakk Wylde is hoping for more Ozzy Osbourne shows – but he’s got his hands full with new Pantera music and upcoming Wylde Audio gear
- “We’ve added more versatility into the Strat footprint”: Lollar looks to breathe new life into Strat single coils with the Super-Casters – gold foil-covered pickups with a “larger than life” sound
- “I was too precious about what I was trying to do live. I have to remind myself onstage to just shut up and play”: Vicki Peterson on the invaluable lessons she learned with The Bangles – and how she stopped worrying about her guitar playing
- “This gives me the sound I am after in my head”: Spiro – the virtuoso tipped for greatness by Tim Henson and Tosin Abasi – shares the secrets behind his speed picking technique that will help you play faster
- “If you’re a young guitar player, that’s money well spent”: John Mayer names the pedal he thinks every young guitar player should consider buying
- “He's made of different stuff from the rest of us”: Snow Patrol guitarist performs live with two broken hands
- “Paul Jackson Jr. had me transcribe Chic and Michael Jackson guitar layers and listen to session players like Steve Lukather”: Former Chappell Roan guitarist Eliza Petrosyan on how to survive as a guitarist for hire
- “When you put your name on something, you’ve got to make sure it’s right”: Mark Tremonti is road-testing his highly anticipated pedal line on tour with Creed – and he knows which stompboxes he’ll be launching first
- “You may never want to live without this tone-shaping compressor on your pedalboard”: Abasi Concepts Micro-Aggressor review
- “My mate found the guitar in a skip down the bay in the early '70s. It had been in a fire”: Andy Fairweather Low’s favorite guitar was a dumpster find
March 20
- “I didn’t think I played that well. I had a hunch he could pull something out with the slide. I handed him the guitar, and he just did it”: The time Mike Campbell asked George Harrison to take over his own guitar solo
- “Excellent choice, Fender”: Fender gives its Player II Series a high-spec metal makeover with limited-edition FSR Advanced drop – complete with hardtail Strats and Seymour Duncan pickups
- “If I’m really, really honest with myself, it’s probably my second-best-sounding guitar”: Greeny will always be Kirk Hammett’s pride and joy. But this uber-rare 1959 Gibson ES-335 is a close second – and it has a surprising history
- “It was a complete and utter shock to my system – when his tech came in, he was like, ‘Keith’s using your rig!’” The night Keith Richards rocked up unannounced to an LA jam night
- “That’s changed my playing a lot. I feel like the two of us now have almost like a telepathic relationship”: After a decade playing together in Dead & Company, John Mayer and Bob Weir reveal the invaluable lessons they’ve learned from each other
- “People think we were manufactured by the music industry to make them loads of money. That would be one of the worst investments ever”: How Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer went from reluctant hometown hero to metal’s new seven-string phenomenon
- “I’m getting better day by day. The progress I’m making is excellent”: Brian Setzer says he’s recovering well after an autoimmune disease left him unable to play guitar
- “My lead skills are decent enough – but whoever we get is going to be light years ahead of me”: Brent Hinds’ exit left Mastodon at a crossroads. But for Bill Kelliher, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start with a new guitar wingman
- “A culmination of years of work”: Seymour Duncan pushes the boundaries of its PowerStage series with a dedicated bass unit – and it's so much more than just a companion for your modeler
March 19
- “Unforgettable”: Nuno Bettencourt joins Van Halen tribute band for blazing Hot For Teacher cover
- “I don’t think I got the intro right until halfway into the tour. It felt so odd to my fingers”: Joe Satriani reveals the Eddie Van Halen guitar parts he found most difficult to play
- “Mick Jagger called Prince and asked him to come back, but he said no”: What really happened at Prince’s infamous show supporting the Stones in 1981? Guitarist Dez Dickerson sets the record straight
- “The perfect addition to any traveling electric guitarist’s rig”: The new compact multi-FX to beat? Mooer’s Prime M2 crams amps, cabs, effects and a looper into an ultra-light, pocket-sized pedal with a touchscreen and rechargeable battery
- “It’s got this Pink Floyd-ish tone that’s really open. I used it with Michael McDonald at the Hollywood Bowl”: Created by the Ibanez Custom Shop in L.A., Thundercat’s double-neck bass guitar has a 6-string on top and an 8-string on the bottom
- “More tone shaping at your fingertips”: The Xotic AC Booster has long been a secret weapon stompbox for session players and pros – and now it’s been upgraded for the first time
- “It's a dummy solo I laid down – I was supposed to put down a real one later. But I never got time”: Ozzy Osbourne's Diary of a Madman is a landmark guitar album, but some of its final parts made Randy Rhoads “cringe”
- “An instrument on its way to becoming rock’s greatest electric guitar”: Fender adds new period-accurate Stratocaster and Telecaster to its American Vintage II roster – plus stunning new finishes for existing models
- “I played Brian Setzer’s personal guitars – the pickups give you more dynamic control. I thought, ‘I have to recreate this!’” How TV Jones revived That Great Gretsch Sound – despite being an underdog in the pickup world
- “I knew we could build some really special guitars. These are going to turn some heads”: PRS gives four of its most beloved SE electrics an exotic wood makeover with latest limited-edition drop
- “I used to give myself a hard time about imperfections – the challenge now is finding out what makes it human”: Guitarists need to change their approach in the face of AI. Just ask Charlie Cunningham, the acoustic virtuoso fusing Meshuggah and fingerstyle
- “I was this short guy playing through a full stack, and the speakers were five feet from my head. It’s a miracle I can hear anything”: Buck Dharma on the Blue Öyster Cult story, his Gibson SG heroes, and what he really thinks of that SNL sketch
- “I saw other bands but no Anthrax… I said, ‘How about getting Anthrax on this? I’m not the only Sabbath fan in the band’”: Scott Ian on going from a lifelong Black Sabbath fan to playing their final show thanks to Tom Morello
- “Huge pickup-swapping potential… you can voice the guitar for different gigs – hey, even different songs”: Cream T Crossfire Standard review
March 18
- “Country players don’t get as much credit as the prog guys. Shining a light on how cool country guitar can be was important to me”: Bilmuri are fusing metalcore and country using Strats, ‘fighter jet’ solos and tone tips from Sleep Token
- "I'm not about to proclaim this to be the death of tube amps, but it does help an already good modeling tone get that little bit closer in terms of feel": IK Multimedia Tonex Cab review
- “Having my own signature Gibson guitar is one of the most surreal things”: Gibson teams up with country star Margo Price for a J-45 with a twist
- This easy chord trick appears on classic songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Passenger – discover new sounds with familiar chord shapes by using a capo at the 7th fret
- “Hendrix said, ‘Mike, I gotta quit. I want to form my own band.’” I said, ‘Then you’ve got to sing’”: Why Jimi Hendrix might never have started his solo career if it weren’t for Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews
- “Radiating timeless Fender charm”: Fender gives its Player II series some serious pizzazz by launching the ultra-desirable Limited Edition Sparkle range
- “A lot of the misconceptions were created by Paul and Gene. They still say in interviews that they fired me, but I was never fired from Kiss”: Ace Frehley sets the record straight on his multiple departures from Kiss
- “He would beat the crap out of the guitar. The result can best be described as Jackson Pollock trying to play like John Lee Hooker”: Aggressively bizarre, Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica remains one of the craziest guitar-driven albums ever made
- “I practice guitar ferociously”: Creedence Clearwater Revival's John Fogerty deploys Eddie Van Halen-style two-hand tapping on an Ibanez RG in unlikely guitar practice video
- “If he wasn’t doing what he’s doing, he’d be a natural fit”: Norman Harris hints Joe Bonamassa could take over Norman's Rare Guitars when he retires
- “This is going to merge into a very hot topic among guitar players”: Why John Mayer decided against ditching his tube amps for modelers for Dead & Company’s Sphere residency – despite the venue’s shortcomings
- “In the end, I did it too much – I was a one-trick pony! EVH brought that fire to the guitar”: He was an early two-hand tapping pioneer and one of John Mayall’s favorite guitarists, but Randy Resnick doesn’t consider himself an influential figure
- “I went into this looking at it as one of the coolest things I could ever be part of, but knowing the backlash could be brutal”: Ben Eller was wary of the reaction he’d get for stepping in for Brent Hinds in Mastodon – but that didn’t stop him saying yes
- “If we had tried to plan it, it would’ve never happened. The thing happened just by magic”: From Beatlemania to All Things Must Pass and beyond – the definitive guitar history of George Harrison's greatest recorded works
March 17
- “It could have been Jimi Hendrix, could have been all these other things, but weirdly enough, no”: Willow Smith reveals the unassuming album – and actor – that inspired her to pick up the guitar
- “He was very frightened, mostly from the volume. My new amplifiers now go to infinity, and I think that idea was very scary to him”: Nigel Tufnel had plenty of volume when he jammed with Joe Satriani, but “couldn't fathom” what the guitar hero was doing
- “I had to teach Jeff Beck a tune. Which was sort of like, ‘Give me your guitar… Oops, now I have to play!’” Hans Zimmer on the time he unwittingly gave Jeff Beck a guitar lesson
- “I’m a huge, huge fan of both of them”: Peter Frampton called Grace Bowers his favorite new guitarist. Now they’ve collaborated on a Beatles classic with Trey Anastasio
- “If you’re coming up against an ambush, you want her in your battalion”: Jack White has gifted his signature Fender Triplecaster to his new favorite guitar player
- “I will not ever play a note on a Van Halen song!” Steve Lukather sets the record straight on his reported involvement on a new Van Halen album
- “I always wanted to do one more Allman Brothers studio record, but that just wasn’t meant to be”: How Warren Haynes is finishing what Gregg Allman started with Derek Trucks’ help – and why he’s fallen for J Mascis’ Squier Jazzmaster
- “I was like, ‘I’m just going to move my hand around the guitar until it makes sense and sounds similar to the melodies in my head”: Meet Spiral XP, the indie shoegazers sparked by a game-changing guitar breakthrough
- “If you thought Godin only did lower-end ‘functional’ guitars, this might make you think differently. We certainly did”: Godin 5th Avenue TL Gold Foil and Lerxst by Godin Grace review
March 16
- "Brilliantly precise monitoring headphones with wide open-back sound": Audio-Technica ATH-R70XA review
- “I got rid of a lot of my electric basses – at one point I had over 100!” After five decades at the low-end, Stanley Clarke decided to part ways with his astonishing bass collection
- “It’s difficult to hear bass playing in metal, but players like Geezer Butler stand out – they try to do something different with their parts. If they don’t, I usually find it a bit boring”: Opeth’s Martín Méndez names the 5 albums that shaped his sound
- “Lonnie came into an Austin club where we were playing. I asked him if he would play, but Lonnie, the master of the Flying V, said he wouldn't touch anything but a Gibson”: When Stevie Ray Vaughan met his oft-overlooked, pioneering, V-wielding guitar hero
March 15
- “I think I sort of smoked something, and I didn't really know what I was doing”: George Harrison typically sketched out his solos in advance – his iconic lead break on this classic Beatles track was a notable exception
- “I’m as serious as a heart attack with Mastodon. I’m not ready to give it up yet. So, we’re going to keep looking”: Bill Kelliher is searching far and wide for Mastodon's next guitarist – here's what the band are looking for
- “Whether you’re an AC/DC fan or not, there are some classic tones to be found within this little box of rock”: Crazy Tube Circuits Heatseeker review
March 14
- “Scrapes and dings that let you know this axe has been around the block a few times”: Charvel gives its hot-rodded So Cal Superstrat the heavy relic treatment – and it won’t just appeal to shredders
- “Vintage charm and modern performance”: Gretsch and Guitar Center go green with an exclusive Streamliner that features some rather unusual f-holes
- “I think people are cottoning on to the fact that it’s just a good idea”: Why are so many players turning to headless guitars? We asked Plini, one of the biggest names in the game, to find out
- “I’m sitting on the couch with a guitar, and Jeff is standing over me. He pulled out a notebook with lyrics and doodles, started singing, and that was Grace”: How Gary Lucas made guitar magic with Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart and Chris Cornell
- “Remove the barrier between you and your music”: Revv collaborates with modern blues hero on new signature amp
- “It must have been a big shock when little Peavey in Mississippi got the biggest guitar hero out there. But Ed just appreciated the quality of craftsmanship”: The story of Peavey and its era-defining Van Halen collaborations – and why they came to an end
- “This time, we’re going beyond 11”: Spinal Tap sequel’s teaser trailer reveals Nigel Tufnel’s surprise new electric guitar of choice
- “I don’t think I have the agility on the neck to do a traditional guitar solo – I’m more from the Kurt Cobain school”: Interpol frontman Paul Banks on making landmark records, his favorite John Frusciante solo and why he’s no fan of the Fender Twin
- “Captures the essence of cherry blossoms”: Fender Japan stakes a claim for 2025’s most breathtaking electric guitar with the Sakura Telecaster
- “An effortless way to customize your TONEX pedals for the stage”: IK Multimedia answers players’ prayers and gives its best-selling TONEX units their biggest upgrade to date – a dedicated editor
March 13
- “My tone was brighter compared to using a cable – but to my surprise, I actually preferred it”: Fender Telepath Wireless System review
- “People think I’m not a good guitar player because it sounds really sloppy. I play in an avant-garde death metal band – you shouldn’t be comfortable”: How Imperial Triumphant became one of the most garishly experimental metal bands of a generation
- “There is no-one who can do this process with me as well as he can”: Alex Van Halen says a new Van Halen album is in the works – and he’s recruited Steve Lukather to help him complete it
- “It can give you pristine cleans, crunchy classic rock, slapback slathered blues, and even modern metal”: Blackstar Fly 3 review
- “I used to visit my local GC frequently. That all stopped when they started locking everything up”: How can Guitar Center improve its stores and reclaim its former glory? Guitar World readers have their say
- “Dime recorded tons of unfinished riffs, and there were things he had lying around... hidden gems”: Zakk Wylde says there have been talks about recording new Pantera material based on unreleased Dimebag Darrell demos
- “When I met Billy, I didn’t really have an amazing guitar. He said, ‘Oh, you gotta have a Les Paul, mate’”: Steve Stevens on why the ’80s were Hamer time for the Billy Idol guitarist – and it was all thanks to Paul Stanley
- “Jimmy was still playing the Telecasters that he played in the Yardbirds. I laid it on him and said, ‘Try this out.’ I gave him a good deal, about 1,200 bucks”: How one of rock's most storied Les Pauls changed hands from one guitar hero to another
March 12
- “I brought a musicality that Tom wasn’t capable of. I had techniques that I could express to him in his songs that he couldn't have done on his own”: Mike Campbell on what he brought to the Heartbreakers as Tom Petty’s guitar foil
- “I’ll have to scratch my chin to think about it. Can I still make a profit?” Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews reveals legendary pedal firm’s struggles in the face of Trump’s tariffs
- “The guys were like, ‘Just go for something crazy, and then make it crazier.’ They just couldn’t stop me, man!” The wildest bass solo you’ve never heard? Robert Sledge cranked the fuzz for this Ben Folds Five classic
- “You can get up there and be a rockstar”: Gene Simmons is offering fans the chance to be his personal assistant and roadie for a day… for $12,495
- May 2025 Guitar World lesson videos and more
- “It’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us”: Bill Kelliher opens up on Brent Hinds’ surprise Mastodon departure
- “I’m glad I found these performances. I hadn’t seen them in decades”: Footage of Dweezil Zappa and Jack Black’s cover of Crazy Train, featuring Eddie Van Halen’s ‘Rasta’ guitar, was never released – but now it’s been unearthed
- Marcin’s percussive fingerstyle is dropping jaws with its stunning mix of speed, complexity and explosive dynamics. The warm-ups that fuel his virtuosity are guaranteed to boost your own playing
- “I’ve used Teles and Strats, but I always find myself going back to that Jag – something about the Cobain Jag just sounded extra-beefy”: Courtney Barnett is one of indie-rock’s most celebrated southpaws – and the Nirvana Fender connection runs deep
- “A cult classic is reborn”: One of Gibson’s most obscure designs makes a comeback with the revival of the RD – and it's unlike any other Gibson Custom model around
- “I can play barre chords and my dad couldn’t. He had a strum that was identifiably his, but I learned from the Carter women. Mine is more of a Carter scratch”: How Rosanne Cash found her sound – and captured Johnny’s design flair in her signature Gibson
March 11
- “It sounds great, bridges the gap between guitar and bass-playing very nicely, and does so with heaps of character”: Shergold Telstar Standard Bass SBT14 review
- “Being mostly a humbucker guy, it’s a really cool tonal change”: Warren Haynes’ transition from humbucker loyalist to P-90 fan is complete – with the launch of his signature Gibson Les Paul
- “I did a shred solo on his cover of Billie Jean. That’s controversial among the fans… but he loved it”: When Chris Cornell left Audioslave, he turned to Jeff Buckley’s guitar foil to make his mark
- “Delivers uber-satisfying edge of breakup tube saturation that won’t annoy your neighbors”: Marshall DSL1CR review
- “I didn’t know the solo was that iconic beforehand! It was only when I started seeing all the comments that I realized”: Shane Fontayne isn't “a Jimmy Page kind of player” – but he had to play the Stairway to Heaven solo… in front of Jimmy Page
- “I remember thinking, ‘I’ll show them – they don’t realize they made a mistake.’ It’s not just the wins, it’s the determination you build from the losses”: Tommy Thayer’s junior high disappointment fired him up for success with Kiss
- “If tariffs persist, they could be highly disruptive and costly for the company”: Fender’s credit rating downgraded by Moody’s – with operating costs speculated to rise by $20 million
- It’s the flamenco technique that lit the rhythmic fire under Marcin and Paco de Lucía, and treats all four fingers and thumb as separate plectrums – why learning rasgueado will give your picking hand a huge turbo boost
- “All the idiosyncrasies of the original but without the threat of total collapse”: LCD Soundsystem used a ‘one-of-a-kind’ vintage pedal to define their fuzz tones – and now it’s been recreated by EarthQuaker Devices
- “I want some people to be outraged – I feel like that would be a true way to honor Type O”: Welcome to Nate Garrett’s Neon Nightmare, the Spirit Adrift guitarist’s ’80s horror-inspired tribute to Peter Steele
- “This combo could be a contender for the loudest, smallest amp… and it held its own against our loud rhythm section”: Orange O Tone 40 review
March 10
- “These $99 pedals are excellent not only for their price, but also their sounds”: Keeley x Sweetwater Soft Reverb, Super Bass Overdrive Aand Distortion and Suns Ultravoid Fuzz review
- “You already have your own distinct sound, which normally people take decades to find”: 11-year-old shredder stuns with Eddie Van Halen and Brian May solos during relentless Britain’s Got Talent audition
- “Didn’t know this would trigger so many folks”: Cory Wong says you’re not an advanced guitarist unless you can ace this one test
- “The tone of the note has so many moving parts to it. There are so many parameters”: Steve Vai on how players can instantly change their guitar tone – without buying new gear
- "Upgrading from your entry-level acoustic opens the door to an entirely new world of tonewoods, body shapes, and brands": 6 signs it's time to upgrade from your first acoustic guitar
- “He was my Michael Jordan growing up. I’m in it because of him”: D’Wayne Wiggins, influential Tony! Toni! Toné! guitarist who helped pioneer neo soul, dies aged 64
- “It began as a sharp abdominal pain. A decade later I received the shock diagnosis – I had ‘Telecaster Rib’”: I spent thousands trying to identify the source of my pain – it turned out to be my Fender Telecaster
- “Can you learn 17 Mastodon songs immediately?” Mastodon recruit YouTuber for first show following Brent Hinds’ shock departure
- “It was under my dad’s bed when I was a kid. When it slid out from underneath the bed… it was like the heavens were opening up”: How Zakk Wylde’s sparring partner Dario Lorina started a new chapter – with the help of a holy grail Les Paul
- “I put large erasers under the pickups. I play pretty loud with Mr. Big, so I take extra precautions to keep feedback to a minimum”: Paul Gilbert names his three favorite guitars – including one that was stolen very recently
March 9
- “Bonzo and I were great groovers. People would dance to our music. There aren't many hard rock bands these days that people dance to”: John Paul Jones breaks down his Led Zeppelin bass approach – and what separated his and Jimmy Page's riffs
- “Bruce goes, ‘Man, that's a lot of twang.’ I said, ‘Too much?’ And he said, ‘Uh uh!’” Joining Bruce Springsteen's post-E Street Band group, Shane Fontayne had the unenviable task of filling the shoes of Stevie Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren
March 8
- “The guitar was in horrible shape. The paint job was all flaked off, it didn’t have the original tailpiece... at one point, the headstock snapped off”: He's a hitmaker who owned Eric Clapton's “The Fool” SG, produced Meat Loaf, and played with Ringo Starr
- “You really can’t completely replicate what she does, which is a beautiful thing. She took it to her grave”: Sue Foley has spent 25 years researching the unsung female pioneers of guitar – these are the most important players she discovered
March 7
- “We’re deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we’ve shared, and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors”: Mastodon part ways with Brent Hinds
- “We’ve painstakingly restored Les Paul’s original gear”: The Les Paul Recording Studio opens in Hollywood – bringing the innovator’s revolutionary gear to a whole new generation of musicians
- “The Culprit, designed by Dimebag Darrell”: We finally have our first official look at the first Dime Guitarz model – and it revives a rare design masterminded by the Pantera great
- “I remember sitting with Gene and him saying, ‘You need to start growing your hair again.’ That was the discussion!” The moment Tommy Thayer knew he would be officially joining Kiss
- “He flips a bass upside down, and we do Otis Redding. Then I got a phone call, ‘Jimi’s in the studio. Would you come down?’” How a 3am jam with Hendrix led Andy Fairweather Low to guest on a Jimi classic
- “The real cost of Trump’s tariff tax”: Morgan Amps says new tariffs will add up to $1,000 to the price of its amp heads
- "I'm past my prime": 5 common excuses for not learning the guitar – and 5 body and mind-boosting reasons you should
- “Not many people will let you go as hard as they let us go. With Cobra Kai, it’s like, ‘Turn the gain all the way up!’” How Cobra Kai’s soundtrack senseis brought black-belt guitarists Tim Henson, Tosin Abasi and Charlie Robbins to their musical dojo
- “The musicologist looked me square in the eye and said it couldn’t be done”: Meet Lowen, the heavy trailblazers defying metal rules by playing prog-doom in Middle Eastern and North African styles – scoring them a support tour with Zakk Wylde
- “The most symbolic electric guitar of the ’70s”: Played by Rick Derringer and Aerosmith, effortlessly cool, the B.C. Rich Mockingbird was the ultimate ’70s guitar
- “This is no clichéd P.A.F.-repro pickup – it’s completely reinvigorated”: Bare Knuckle PolyPaf humbuckers review
March 6
- “One of the true pioneers of music – guitarist, songwriter, and true gentleman”: Brian James, punk rock guitar legend who played with The Damned and The Lords of the New Church, dies at 70
- “Are you kidding me?!” Amanda Seyfried shows off her dulcimer chops as she covers a Joni Mitchell classic on Jimmy Fallon
- “I had a huge cue sheet up on my amps. Except for the Comfortably Numb solo, there were no moments where I could say, ‘Forget everything. Just play’”: For David Gilmour, Pink Floyd’s wildly ambitious the Wall tour was a blast – and a challenge
- “That is a victory, as far as I’m concerned. That’s very exciting”: Jacob Collier’s five-string Strandberg is proving the doubters wrong – it’s outselling the six-string version
- “That’s where we can win against Amazon. We’re not going to compete with the factory direct-from-China stuff. It’s not a winnable space”: How Guitar Center plans to beat its online competitors and safeguard the future of its physical stores
- “We were out to satisfy our animal instincts onstage. I think we spent $40,000 on gear that we smashed on Lollapalooza”: Nine Inch Nails made their name with infamously destructive live shows – this is the true story behind their epic guitar smash-a-thons
- “Phil Lynott said, ‘Gary Moore is out the band. Could you come over tomorrow?’ My initial reaction was, ’I’m not the guy you should be asking’”: When Midge Ure joined Thin Lizzy on a make-or-break US tour, he had just one day’s notice and no rehearsals
- “For Pink Floyd songs, David is happiest when I play an old Fender with a pick”: Session legend Guy Pratt on the Jazz Bass he bought from John Entwistle and how he conjured a “massive octave-pedal freakout” with Madonna
- “This is a technique that has been used to great effect by some of my biggest blues heroes”: By thumb-picking bass notes while playing a melody, you can be your own rhythm section – Jared James Nichols shows you how
March 5
- "If you’re starting out and practicing at home, you might be self-conscious about playing through even a small practice amp until you’ve got your chops up to speed": 7 low-volume ways to play and practice guitar without an amp
- Industry expert and YouTuber Adam Saunders launches new books to break down the barriers of music theory to make songwriting simple
- “A brand-new fuzz experience”: Why Wampler thinks its Swiss army Cryptid fuzz pedal is a “classic in the making”
- “The world’s most convenient all-tube amp head”: Steve Vai-backed firm Synergy has unveiled a tiny amp head that lets you swap in tones from some of the world’s biggest amp builders
- “The guitar that should never have been made”: Spinal Tap’s monstrous six-neck behemoth, The Beast, is headed to auction again – and it probably won’t go for as much as you think
- “They were like, ‘Is that going to be OK?’ I said, ‘Yeah, we’re both adults’”: Phil X on playing Livin’ on a Prayer with Richie Sambora – and how his predecessor plays the Bon Jovi classic differently
- Never-before-seen footage of Van Halen hanging with Black Sabbath and shredding at early shows surfaces after decades
- “One of the most distinctive looking guitar designs ever”: Gibson’s 1965 Firebird Platypus was the oddball model that marked a moment of transition for the guitar giant – now it’s been revived
- “USA-made craftsmanship at an exceptional value”: Gibson’s new Acoustic Specials series brings hand-crafted examples of its most beloved acoustic designs to lower price points
- “A sophisticated ambient soundscape-generating device that’s like an instrument unto itself”: Mooer Ocean Machine II review
- “I collaged it together on my phone, then said to my guitar tech, ‘Hey, you’re a luthier – could you make a prototype of this?’” How Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez started his own guitar company, Evil Instruments
- “This is the band that I always list as my favorite band”: Nita Strauss on the Swedish melodic death metal group she considers her “Beatles”
- “I don’t have my original Epiphone Casino anymore. It was stolen out of a dressing room. I was really heartbroken”: Daniel Kessler on making Interpol classics, the lessons he took from Fugazi and the art of six-string minimalism
- Jimmy Reed was one of the most influential blues guitarists to ever live – and his fingerpicking style makes an incredible launching pad for improvisation
March 4
- “George asked, ‘Is it OK if I do a little slide?’ I had a ’63 Strat, and that’s what he used. He was one of the best slide players ever”: They flew high with the help of the Beatles, and a few hits, then collapsed in a mess of mismanagement and tragedy
- “The Custom 24 has been our flagship design. Updating the 24-08 version for our 40th anniversary allows it to ‘sing’ in a beautiful voice of its own”: PRS's new semi-hollow stunner brings enticing updates to one of the company's very first models
- The gallop is the most important metal rhythm of them all – learn the breakneck guitar technique behind classic Metallica, Slayer and Iron Maiden riffs
- “More than an instrument”: Fender has announced its latest surprise brand collab – a St. Patrick’s Day Telecaster created with Jameson Irish Whiskey
- “My rig broke on live TV. I started hitting it as hard as I could, but the bass would not break… so I threw it in the ocean”: L7’s Jennifer Finch on touring with Nirvana, gigging with Courtney Love and donating her Ghost bass to the Punk Rock Museum
- “I had doubts about the Red Special – I knew it sounded different from what everybody else was using, from a Strat and a Gibson. But hearing it back was thrilling”: Brian May on reworking Queen’s regal debut, bad reviews, and Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Magic”
- “I take the job of curating this very seriously. Not just to honor the living members of Black Sabbath but also Randy Rhoads”: Tom Morello is honoring one of Ozzy Osbourne’s greatest collaborators at the Sabbath legend’s final show
- “From fit to finish, it’s staggering how good this guitar feels and sounds – making it nearly impossible to fault”: Cort G250 SE review
- “George gets up and says, ‘Andy was not the first choice. There were seven guitarists and he was the seventh choice’”: Before Andy Fairweather Low joined George Harrison’s band, the Beatle was eyeing up Gary Moore and Alvin Lee
March 3
- “They said, ‘We need a good singer.’ We said, ‘What’s the matter with James Hetfield?’” NWOBHM survivors Raven on giving insecure Metallica their first national tour, and pioneering the 8-string bass and bass trem
- “I hope people hear these albums and go, ‘Oh, this is where that legendary American rock guitar archetype is from’”: This unsung guitar hero's band was called the American Led Zeppelin, and his virtuosic playing paved the way for Van Halen and Satriani
- “If someone had taken my riffs without acknowledgment or payment, it would have been deemed theft. The same standard must apply to AI”: Jimmy Page blasts new Artificial Intelligence proposals from UK Government
- “I carry my finger pick around all the time now, because it reminds me that I want to keep playing guitar”: After playing Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown, Monica Barbaro claims she is a guitar player for life
- “His expertise and vision have always set the standard for what a great amplifier should be”: Matchless Amplifiers and Bad Cat Amps luminary Mark Sampson – one of the leading minds of the boutique amp movement – has passed away
- “That’s a little nod to a friend of mine. Freddie’s always with me”: Brian May’s new Gibson 12-string signature guitar has a subtle tribute to Freddie Mercury that you might have missed
- “Add a dash of smokin’ style to your tuning game”: Keef and Clapton fans, rejoice – Tunerette honors the heyday of rock ‘n’ roll with a clip-on tuner that looks like a cigarette
- “I can perform a screaming guitar solo while comfortably holding a conversation with an engineer, even though the beast seems to be screaming out”: Prog legend Steve Hackett explains how he conjures power without volume
- “Wanna sing with me?” Phil X and Richie Sambora team up as two eras of Bon Jovi combine to perform Livin’ on a Prayer at LA benefit concert
- “Gary’s approach to soloing was like placing a brick on a car’s gas pedal. Like SRV and Jimi Hendrix, he had infinite passion and musical ideas”: Joe Bonamassa explains the expressive soloing secrets of his hero Gary Moore
- “On Footloose, and Love Will Follow, I also use it. I do my impersonation of a guitarist”: How session veteran Nathan East managed to make his bass sound like a guitar on these Kenny Loggins hits
March 2
- “An unbelievably special musician, and an amazing person”: Joey Molland, guitarist, singer, last surviving original member of Badfinger, dies at 77
- “It was very much a management thing – ‘Find somebody to replace Clapton.’ Rory wouldn't have any of it”: When Rory Gallagher was asked to fill Eric Clapton's shoes in rock's pioneering power trio
- “The role of the bass guitar is groove and support: it’s about getting the most impact from the fewest notes”: As a member of the Saturday Night Live house band, James Genus is the best-kept secret on bass
March 1
- “The Boys Are Back in Town is at least as memorable for its guitar breaks as for its chorus”: Thin Lizzy inspired Metallica, Iron Maiden, and the Cure, practically invented twin lead guitar, and have had 15 guitarists. Here’s your guide to all of them
- “I’ve got Fenders of various ages and they all sound different. That’s not a Spinal Tap thing – they just do!” Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris on staying loyal to Fender, and the Gibson that sounded “horrible”