Latest articles by Jacob Paul Nielsen
How Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews encouraged Jimi Hendrix to start his solo career
The pedal guru tells Guitar World he convinced Jimi to go solo, and claims he saw Hendrix recording with a Big Muff
How Ken Lawrence came to build some of James Hetfield’s most iconic guitars – including one using wood from Metallica’s former home
The luthier specialized in bass guitars before he met Hetfield via Mesa/Boogie. It would land him his most challenging but rewarding collaboration
When their lead guitarist was fired, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy had to step up to the plate. The result was an iconic record with a “panic attack” solo
Tweedy recalls 2004’s A Ghost is Born as a crash course in taking over lead guitar, as he breaks down his attitude to songwriting, explains why the best artists are experts in failure – and suggests modern players might be too good to be remembered
James Hetfield's luthier on how he went from crafting basses to becoming the Metallica guitarist's go-to axe maker
And why we have Doug West from Mesa/Boogie to thank for Ken Lawrence and Papa Het's now-iconic link-up
Reverend Guitars’ founders on their wild signature collabs with Billy Corgan, Vernon Reid and Reeves Gabrels
Reverend is fast becoming the go-to brand for artists looking for something different. Ken Haas and Joe Naylor explain what it takes to make an artist's dreams come true...
“We didn’t have another band to point to and say, well, Sabbath is using it or the Scorpions are using it. James had the foresight to say, ‘Let’s try it. Maybe we’re the people to embrace it’”: James Hetfield’s tech shows you his 72 Seasons live rig
Chad Zaemisch has been the Metallica leader’s right-hand man for 20 years. He discusses the metal titans’ amp modeling sea change, why his boss “chickened out” with his new 72 Seasons ESP Vulture, and what happens when things go very, very wrong onstage…
