Latest articles by Jamie Dickson
Steve Gunn: “I’ve played Fenders from the '50s, pre-CBS, and there’s an energy in the wood. There’s a lot of magic in older guitars”
Bought & Sold: The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter spins the tale of a voyage into the world of classical guitars and how he let a Silvertone slip through his fingers
When Rivers Meet talk cigar-box electrics, playing blues on mandolin, and ditching Americana for gloves-off rock ’n’ roll
Aaron and Grace Bond's debut, We Fly Free, is one of the most soulful roots-rock albums you'll hear anywhere. They tell us how they put their galvanic sound together
Jim James: “I wanted to create a guitar where people could be like, ‘Who the f**k is Jim James? I don’t really care, I just love this guitar!’”
The My Morning Jacket frontman has a new signature Gibson ES-335 that harks back to an under-celebrated era in the model’s history. We join him to discover why it’s a guitar for all seasons
Bernard Butler: “The best thing about a Tele is that when you bash them, they look even better. You don’t say that about the 355!”
As the Brit-rock guitarist releases a reimagined take on his 1998 solo debut, People Move On, he revisits the no-expenses-spared sessions, the vintage guitars and the ambition in the air
Cesar Gueikian: “Being at the forefront of innovation and evolution has been part of Gibson heritage for almost 128 years”
Under new leadership, Gibson has got its mojo back. We met up with brand president, Cesar Gueikian, to find out where guitar design is going next at the Nashville guitar giant
How Ola Strandberg redefined electric guitar ergonomics for a new generation
The guitars built by .strandberg may look unconventional, but they’re designed to be more ergonomic and playable than guitars of the past, says founder Ola Strandberg
Why guitar design is undergoing a renaissance in the wake of the pandemic
Supply chain issues and the drive for sustainable production are changing the way gear is made, but, as ever, it is ultimately the players who are steering where design is going next
Mike Rutherford: “The Strat can be anybody – it covers all kinds of moods. Other guitars like Gibsons have a sort of one-sound thing, I think”
The Genesis guitarist and bassist talks the gear that's powered the band's sound over the years – including a lowly £120 Strat – and reflects on touring for what may be the final time
Joachim Cooder on how his kids helped inspire his new album reimagining the folk-blues of Uncle Dave Macon
Joachim, son of slide-guitar legend Ry Cooder, enlisted the help of Vieux Farka Touré and others to accompany on a record that celebrates the greatness of the 1920s banjo king
![[L-R] Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Les Paul](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EwGpUKsiFckuzw3S83UDuU-840-80.jpg.webp)
Jeff “Skunk” Baxter looks back on his experience playing alongside Les Paul
The Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers legend on the man he describes as the “personification of excellence”
Joe Robinson: “I definitely come from the same school as Tommy Emmanuel, which is influenced by Jerry Reed, Lenny Breau, Merle Travis and Chet Atkins”
Robinson’s Chet Atkins-style playing needs to be heard to be believed. Here, he explains how he cut his latest album, Borders
Phil Manzanera: “I didn’t really want an incredible technique: I thought that would impede my ability to enjoy music for the whole of my life”
The Roxy Music icon on home recording, the art of songwriting and the limits of technicality
The incredible story and decades of dedication that gave birth to Les Paul’s ‘Number One’ Goldtop – the solidbody guitar that changed the world
Les Paul’s son Gene explains how the story of Gibson's most famous electric guitar began in the 30s, with a mysterious hand-written note that changed the course of guitar history
Why hardware is the key to great guitar tone
Handwound pickups and exotic woods may be sexier, but your guitar’s metal hardware is the secret, says Paul Reed Smith
Joan Armatrading: "When Mark Knopfler wrote Money For Nothing, he knew it was a hit. As the creator, if you don’t know, you need to do something different"
The legendary singer-songwriter on her approach to her craft, the importance of letting the song choose the instrumentation and why she can't put the guitar down
Teenage Fanclub on the art of constructing solos, emulating Robert Fripp, and the pursuit of tone
On Endless Arcade, Scotland's finest contemplate life, mortality and all in between. “Everything is going to fall apart but it’s not so bad,” says McGinley
The mods and myths of Les Paul's 'number one' Goldtop
Tom Doyle was recruited by Les Paul 57 years ago to make the master guitarist ’s ambitious modding projects come to life. Here he walks through the mods of this historic instrument
Jackson Browne: "It took me a long time to understand what guitars I preferred – sometimes it’s the beat-up old one that works and the spectacular thing doesn’t"
The laureate of the '70s Laurel Canyon scene talks old guitars and the new directions on Downhill From Everywhere
Mark Lettieri: "It’s funny that I have a guitar with so many options, because I like my amps as simple as possible. If there are switches on amps, I freak out!"
Lettieri discusses the creation of his new signature Fiore, which sees PRS debut a new body shape that's designed for all styles
Matt Berry: “I’m more interested in the songwriter-guitarists than the gymnasts. If you're sensitive enough as a guitarist then you'll be into songwriting“
The latest LP from the famed comedic TV actor and multi-instrumentalist is a complex Rickenbacker-infused affair in psychedelic color
Two-Rock Amplification: the tonal approach and philosophy behind the company's sought-after sound
The California amp builder has built a huge following of tone-conscious pros – co-owner Eli Lester delves into his love of high headroom and designing the Classic Reverb Signature
Ariel Posen: “When it’s my record, I want to play and feel like I do when I’m playing live – that’s really important to me”
Slidemeister, tone guru, master songwriter and all-round dude Ariel Posen offers us the lowdown on his newly released album, Headway
Yusuf/Cat Stevens: “Even today, I’m shy of playing in front of someone like Paul Simon because I never learned anything properly“
The legendary singer-songwriter looks back on a career that all started with a cheapo Eko and a cover of The Kinks...
