Latest articles by Dave Burrluck
How PRS made the SE NF3 – and what makes it different from the Silver Sky
We catch up with PRS Guitars’ COO, Jack Higginbotham, to get the lowdown on the company’s hotly hyped new budget bolt-on – and whether a USA model is on the cards…
“Looks, feels and sounds thoroughly professional”: Yamaha Pacifica Standard Plus PACS+12M review
Yamaha’s long-running double-cut gets a high-end makeover, offering pro spec and radical new pickups – is this the new boutique S-style to beat?
“The whole guitar feels very alive in your hands”: PJD Guitars St John Apprentice review
There’s no shortage of great-quality UK-made guitars, but for under a grand, PJD’s new Apprentice model is leading the charge in terms of quality and cost
“A vibrant Fender-y voice, lightweight feel, original style”: Ancoats Guitars New Islington review
Proudly made in Manchester, England, Ancoats’ guitars mix up retro themes that stand out in the market. We take this third-generation New Islington for a spin
“Try a higher string action until you get used to using it”: How to set up your guitar for slide
Lights, camera... High action? We explore that and more as we walk through what you Cooder, woulda, shoulda do when getting your guitar ready for the slide
“His passing leaves a big hole to fill”: Remembering Nick Guppy, Guitarist magazine’s guitar amp guru
Mesa/Boogie, Bad Cat, Blackstar, Boss and more pay tribute to longtime Guitarist writer Nick Guppy, who died suddenly in April
“Comes across as very much a PRS guitar, not a retooling of someone else’s design”: PRS SE NF3 review
This new SE-exclusive NF3 uses a similar bolt-on platform to John Mayer’s Silver Sky model – but is a very different guitar. How so? Let’s find out
“The immaculate craft and lutherie is unmatched”: PRS S2 Standard 24 Satin and S2 Vela Satin review
As PRS’s more affordable USA-made S2 line moves into its second decade, the series gets a revamp with – at last – USA-made pickups and electronics. What took so long?
“Ted Newman Jones builds beautiful guitars. He made some five-strings for Keith. He’s great”: Played by Keith Richards and Billy Gibbons, Newman guitars are some of rock’s greatest secret weapons – and a new model seeks to preserve their legacy
Used by everyone from The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, Newman guitars have a unique place in rock history. And thanks to a new enterprise, they’re making a comeback
“Light weight, raw resonance, superb playability”: Manson Guitar Works Verona Junior review
The latest release from Matt Bellamy’s guitar brand is a single-pickup workhorse that comes in two body shapes with uncompromised playability and sound at an aggressive price. Prepare to be impressed
Gordon Smith Grande and Geist review
In its 50th anniversary year, British production guitar maker Gordon Smith is moving into a new workshop and expanding its already broad range with a brace of new designs
“A shoo-in for any gigging musician”: Gibson Les Paul Modern Studio review
Gibson’s long-running Les Paul Studio is the latest to get a Modern makeover. A valid new model or a minor refresh? Let’s find out
Classical guitar setup – get the most out of your nylon-string
Got an old nylon-string sitting about the house? With a little TLC it could be a real player. Here's how you can get your nylon-string or classical guitar playing its best
“A guitar we really can’t fault. Try one of these before someone realizes they’ve made a mistake with the price”: PRS SE CE 24 Standard Satin review
This new satin Standard version of the classic CE 24 ditches the bling and drops the price to just $499
“At some point I might come up with a new single-cut unique enough not to upset anybody”: Nik Huber on the perils of riffing on the classics and the evolution of his powerhouse boutique brand
There’s always the risk that someone might object to a maker’s designs. In the case of Nik Huber’s Krautster, it came 15 years after the guitar was introduced…
“You can’t help applauding Godin for trying something a little different”: Godin G-Tour review
As Canada’s foremost manufacturer of steel- and nylon-string acoustics and electros, not to mention an increasingly broad line of electrics, Godin has combined its past into the G-Tour
“While many contemporary offsets simply borrow the outline, there’s a lot more to these original recipes”: Fender Vintera II ’50s Jazzmaster, ’70s Jaguar and ’70s Competition Mustang review
Can’t afford a vintage Fender? Neither can we. So until we win the lottery, the Vintera range aims to satisfy our lust. Let’s jump on the offset train and go back in time…
“On playability alone it feels like we’re playing a much more expensive guitar”: PJD Guitars St John Standard Plus review
Back in 2023, revitalised Brit-maker PJD rejigged its range to start with the new solidbody hardtail Standards. Need an offset with a vibrato? No problem: here comes the Standard Plus
“A very endearing, characterful instrument… a guitar that looks and feels old, played-in and used but is perfectly fit for purpose”: Vintage Proshop V72 Custom Build review
With guitars seemingly getting more expensive by the day, is a bespoke build now just a thing for the very well-off? We go in search of a more affordable route from the UK…
“It’s not just immaculate craft on show – it’s a real-world player’s guitar and would be a crime to keep cosseted in a case”: Nik Huber Krautster III review
We take advantage of the rare chance to get our hands on a Nik Huber guitar and celebrate 15 years of the stripped-down Krautster. Does guitar making get any better?
“A punky-edged rock ’n’ roll machine that’s light on your shoulder but far from lacking in heft”: Gibson Les Paul Modern Lite review
This is the lightest solidbody LP we’ve ever encountered, and comes in snappy colors with classic rock tones
“The HSS super-S has always been a journeyman guitar and the Polaris certainly keeps that flag flying”: Cream T Polaris Custom review
Having relaunched its Aurora model in 2023, co-designed by Billy F Gibbons, the British luthier’s latest addition is the entirely new ‘super-S’ style Polaris Custom. But where’s the rockstar and the pickup swapping?
“The SE range is leading the charge in terms of new PRS model additions”: PRS SE CE 24, SE Swamp Ash Special and SE Custom 24 Quilt review
With no signature artists involved, the first wave of new PRS SE guitars for 2024 includes a couple of old favorites and a posh makeover for the classic Custom 24
Meet the Lightning Bar, the new Gibson Les Paul mod that might have just settled the top-wrapping debate once and for all
Les Paul aficionados have long been divided over the string-through method or top-wrapping their strings. With the Lightning Bar, you can screw the tailpiece and enjoy the more acute string angle
