Latest articles by Jonathan Horsley
Best Fender amps 2025: famous tube combos to digital headphone amps
From beginner practice amps to touring-grade tube combos, these are the best amplifiers from the industry's most famous brand
How King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard made a left turn – into blues rock
Flight b741 sees the prodigious band making nasty sounds beautiful and “going for the take that had the boogie!” on a trip that reimagines ‘70s rock nostalgia
Amyl and the Sniffers are one of the hottest rock bands on the planet – and they got there by breaking punk’s no-solos rule
The fast-rising Australian outfit’s guitarist Declan Martens aims to sound like Angus and Malcolm Young together. He discusses his love of chunky strings, how to make guitar solos punk, and using Dave Grohl’s guitars while recording in the Foo Fighters’ studio
Michael Schenker on triangle guitars, bad playing habits – and why he is rerecording UFO with Axl Rose
Rock legend Michael Schenker checks in to talk My Years with UFO, the appeal of the V-shaped guitar and why he does not sweat the technique (and maybe you shouldn't either)
Best metal guitars 2025: hell-raising electrics for shredders on any budget
From extended-range guitars to Flying Vs, here's our pick of killer metal guitars from Jackson, ESP, Ibanez, and more
Carmen Vandenberg and Rosie Bones explain the joy and challenge of playing with the late, great Jeff Beck
In 2019, Jeff Beck broke with tradition and looked for a vocal record to complement his peerless playing, and he looked to Bones UK for collaborators. Here, Vandenberg and Bones look back on a life-changing collab
Kirk Hammett on why bad solos are dying – and dealing with armchair guitar critics
Towards the end of 2023, we caught up with Metallica's affable lead guitarist to take stock of one of the greatest years in the Bay Area metal behemoth's history, and to talk guitars, songwriting and gear
Michael Schenker reveals the story behind his longstanding love affair with Flying Vs
The UFO guitarist recently signed with Gibson and revealed that a Michael Schenker signature guitar is in the works
Best baritone guitars 2025: pick up the slack with these long scale guitars
Get low with our expert pick of the best baritone guitars from PRS, Gretsch, Chapman, Jackson, and loads more
King Gizzard’s new album was recorded with $30 amps from pawnshop chain Cash Converters
King Gizzard's Stu Mackenzie reveals that they didn't use a single pedal on this guitar, relying instead on cranking up small practice amps
How Ibanez raised the bar for high-performance electric guitar with the RG
In partnership with Ibanez
With its quick Wizard neck and super-stable Edge tremolo, the RG arrived in '87 to deliver speed and the promise of the spectacular – and decades on, it remains the go-to electric for virtuosos and shred radicals
Joe Knaggs on the tonewoods, inspirations and story behind his high-end guitar craft
In partnership with Knaggs
For Joe Knaggs, making guitars was the opportunity to combine a love for art and music, and it is writ large in his designs. With Knaggs about to turn 15, he discusses the brand's evolution and explains the search for “the Knaggs ring”
How Laney brought volume and best-in-class tone for digital rigs with the world’s loudest active guitar cabinet
In association with Laney Amplification
Developed with a little help from Devin Townsend and Guthrie Govan, the LFR-412 is the first active 4x12 for digital rigs, giving players old-school power and volume to make their amp modeler sing
“Anyone looking for a budget retro acoustic will be charmed”: Gretsch Jim Dandy Concert review
Vintage catalog chic for under $200. We’ve found the mojo, but have we found the tone?
Kirk Hammett doesn't pay attention to solo trolls – and thinks “bad” solos are a thing of the past
The Metallica guitarist's lead effort in Lux Æterna came under intense fire from online commenters upon its release, with some even recording their own 'improved' versions
“This super-playable, stage-ready electro is hard to put down”: Martin X Series GPC X2E review
A cutaway above the rest? This ‘Remastered’ crowd-pleaser presents high-end finesse at high street prices
“All the main food groups of electric guitar tone… The sounds are stellar”: Line 6 Catalyst CX 60 review
Get serious tonal DNA and features from this Helix-powered combo
10 songs you should never cover (or at least think twice before trying)
“Good evening, Long Island! Are we havin’ a good time? All right. Now we’re gonna do a song by the Killers. This is Mr. Brightside!” Not tonight, Satan…
Giacomo Turra’s energetic guitar skills evolved from his love of dance – and his self-taught style might just be the future of funk
That Turra is self-taught and oblivious to theory is one of the biggest guitar flexes in history – but as he explains, playing funk is all about connecting with an audience
Best 12-string guitars 2025: our pick of 12-string acoustic and electric guitars
Our expert guide to the best 12-string guitars from Taylor, Rickenbacker, Fender, and others
Best acoustic guitar pickups 2025: electrify your acoustic with our expert picks
Whether it be for performing live or recording at home, the best acoustic guitar pickups from LR Baggs, Fishman and others will help you enhance your tone
The 50 greatest acoustic guitar songs of all time
As voted for by you, this list spans some of the most significant acoustic moments ever committed to tape – and features a controversial winner…
Best compressor pedals 2025: tame your tone's dynamics with compression
With great options from Boss, Keeley, MXR, and more, there has never been a better time to add a comp pedal to your 'board
Best distortion pedals 2025: the top 11 high-gain stompboxes for guitarists
Crunch, filth, mayhem! Dive into our expert round-up of the best distortion pedals available today
With Strats, Magnatones, and an all-star lineup of friends, Slash embraces the blues – with one of the last Dumbles ever built
Turning to spontaneity, and changing habits both gear and playing-wise, Slash's new record is a laid-back, charming tribute to an ever-lasting strain of guitar playing
