Latest articles by Matt Owen
NAMM 2025: rumors, predictions and breaking news from the world’s biggest gear show
With the likes of Fender, Gibson and Marshall returning to Anaheim at long last, this year’s event is set to be the biggest in five years – with secrets and surprises to match
Fender CEO Andy Mooney explains why the firm’s return to NAMM 2025 won’t be business as usual
Fender is one of the key brands returning to NAMM for 2025, but it’s taking a different approach this time
Mesa/Boogie resurrects a ’90s icon with its reissued Dual Rectifier – and the holy grail amp head has been given some upgrades
Beloved by a crop of elite artists over the years, the legendary Dual Rectifier is finally back... with a few choice tweaks
Martin overhauls its Standard Series for the first time in 7 years in response to player demands
Martin’s workhorse acoustics just got their first refresh since 2018 – and there are three new models to usher in the new era
Reverb reveals the most popular effects pedals in each US state – and a quarter of the country favors one brand in particular
Further reflecting the findings from the gear marketplace’s general best-selling pedals list, one company stood out above all others
Ibanez launches the $550 AZ Standard – a wake-up call for big brands in the mid-priced guitar market
The Japanese guitar giant has streamlined the spec sheet of its high-end AZ Premiums in a bid to marry high-end appointments with budget-friendly prices
Joe Bonamassa’s Nerdville West – one of the world’s largest collections of vintage guitar gear – is under threat from LA wildfires
Bonamassa’s Los Angeles-based home and guitar museum houses some of the world’s most famous pieces of vintage gear
José Arredondo built amps for Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and Mick Mars. Now Dave Friedman is honoring his legacy with a definitive amp
With the blessing of Arredondo’s family, Friedman will build a highly limited amp that encompasses most of the late amp guru’s elusive mods
Charlie Starr on the spiritual moment he played Gary Rossington’s famed ‘Free Bird’ 1961 Gibson SG
Starr had the chance to use Rossington’s iconic Gibson to perform a Lynyrd Skynyrd medley last year, after it was announced the Les Paul/SG would be loaned out to a host of players for live use
Mesa/Boogie is reviving the Dual Rectifier – the hallowed amp head that defined the sound of 1990s high gain music
The original Dual Rectifier arrived in 1992, and was championed by a huge array of guitar greats, from Foo Fighters to Tool and Korn
The Rockman amp shaped the sound of 1980s rock – now MXR is bringing it back in a new pedal form
The original Rockman revolutionized guitar recording and is widely considered to be the forerunner to today's multi-effects pedals
Andy Fairweather Low was personally recruited by the Pink Floyd legend – but didn’t know who he was when he came calling
In the 1980s, the rhythm guitar hero was sounded out by Waters for a new band, but there was a clumsy first introduction…
Monica Barbaro played Joan Baez alongside Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan – and Edward Norton encouraged her to take the 1929 Martin she used onscreen
Barbaro had used a vintage Martin 00-45 during her performance as the folk legend
Angus and Malcolm Young’s childhood home has been demolished – despite being on the National Trust Register of Historic Houses
The property was demolished to make way for a multi-million dollar residential development
Jerry Cantrell and James Hetfield have talked about making an album together
The two guitar heroes have recorded together in the past, and collaborated at a number of benefit concerts. Could a fully fledged album be next?
A Rory Gallagher statue has finally been unveiled in Belfast – but some fans aren’t too happy with it
The statue was green-lit in 2016, and recreates one of the late guitar great’s most famous poses from a 1972 Melody Maker cover
Kirk Hammett sent Jack White his signature Gibson Les Paul – and received the White Stripes legend’s wild Fender Triplecaster in return
The Metallica guitarist, who sent White one of his Greeny Les Pauls, seemingly can’t put down the innovative Telecaster revamp
Wayne Osmond, guitarist and singer of The Osmonds, dies aged 73
Osmond helped the influential family band reach success in the 1970s, performing hits such as Crazy Horse and One Bad Apple
How did Mesa get its iconic Boogie name? Founder Randall Smith explains
The famed Boogie began life as a modded Princeton, but a chance encounter with one of its biggest champions was what gave it its now-legendary title
Study names the electric guitar as the UK’s most popular instrument of 2024 – and it’s because of a Netflix show from 2 years ago
Gear4Music crunched the numbers to see which instrument came out on top last year, and it has some interesting theories to explain the results
How Jason Becker and Marty Friedman made one of shred music’s most celebrated albums with a little help from their pupils
When the two virtuosos went into the studio to record under the Cacophony name, they brought a bunch of gear that had been lent to them by students
Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman opens up on his role in one of the world’s biggest bands – and how he’s adapting his playing style
Berryman has discussed how he helps translate Coldplay’s studio sound to the stage, and why that lets him experiment with his technique
“I was literally in tears”: Rex Brown on the Dimebag Darrell guitar solo he fought to keep on record
The Pantera bassist picked his favorite Dimebag guitar solo, and recalled how it brought him to tears
