Latest articles by Phil Weller
![[L-R] Ozzy Osbourne and Jake E. Lee](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GsG64nBua4FkRe2KkMC4xc-840-80.jpg.webp)
Jake E. Lee on comparisons with Randy Rhoads – and what his fellow Ozzy shredder was better at
The virtuoso has weighed in on the decades-long debate that has pitted him against his Prince of Darkness predecessor
Ella Feingold auditioned to join Prince’s band – but was turned down because her playing was “too funky”
Feingold has discussed her 2005 audition, during which her chops proved to be too funky – and not enough ‘Elton John’ – for Prince
Meet Gore. guitarist Alex Reyes – the modeler-melting Texan metal player summoning djent riffs from six-strings
The Houston metal trio’s debut EP is turning heads as Reyes summons low-tuned maelstroms into stunning structures, making the most of his producers’ songwriting experience
Prince’s iconic custom ‘Parade Tour’ guitar, used in the America video, is up for auction
The eye-popping Sadowsky build starred in the America video and features artwork by reggae musician Wayne Jarrett
Supercool Pedals puts a new spin on the famed distortion box beloved by James Hetfield and Dave Grohl
With the help of expanded controls and a new Turbo mode, the Barstow Bat promises to nail the ProCo Rat’s tones and then some
Harley Benton introduces the $42 JAMster amp – one of the most affordable desktop amps to hit the market yet
Joined by an equally affordable and flexible bass amp, the JAMster Guitar offers Clean and Overdrive channels and Bluetooth connectivity
Charvel continues the expansion of its made-in-Japan operations with 3 new MJ Series Dinkys
The Superstrat-inspired shred machines seek to pay homage to the 1980s, when Charvel guitars were exclusively made in Japan
Tony Iommi has been experimenting with digital amp modelers – and he’s used one to record new material
The guitarist has been using a Kemper in the studio, and his new music features a blend of both tube and digital amps
Fender unveils a first-ever Road Worn finish treatment to help Andertons celebrate its 60th anniversary
Special edition Strats and Teles have been made with era-specific parts – and flash an exclusive finish that “has never been offered on a Fender Special Run product before”
Synyster Gates’ headless Schecter signature has finally been given a launch date
Gates’ Synyster Custom signature has been one of Schecter's best-sellers since its launch. Now, at long last, the headless variant is right around the corner
Harley Benton bolsters its growing signature range with two Agufish custom models
In a rare signature move, the affordable gear brand has dropped two ultra-stylish single-cuts for YouTuber Agufish
The Noise Pedal offers a “new take on the iconic Whammy sound” and transforms your tone into a nightmare
Metalcore group Alpha Wolf and Tallon Electric have bottled some nightmarish Whammy pedal effects into a stompbox that has parameters for Chaos and Panic
Thin Lizzy to release first new record in over 40 years
The Acoustic Sessions will feature stripped back acoustic reimaginings of some of the band's biggest hits
Schecter serves subtle Rickenbacker energy with its all-new Stargazer model
Available in six-string and 12-string variants, the Stargazer seemingly puts a Schecter spin on a rock classic
Les Paul’s Klunker has been revived as a meticulous one-off replica by Les Paul's personal tech
Renowned luthier Tom Doyle hopes it will deepen the public’s understanding of the guitar’s cultural significance
Tyler Bryant supercharges Supro’s flagship Black Magick combo for his new signature amp
Featuring more power, headroom, and a greater bass response, the Black Magick has been given some major upgrades to suit the guitarist’s needs
Cort takes a leaf out of Strandberg’s book and begins its true temperament experiments with the KX700 TT
With looks to kill – and tuning and intonation that promises to withstand even the most aggressive of play styles – Cort’s new high-end model drags the innovative fret design to a slightly more accessible price point
Tele obsessive John 5 provides the ultimate test for Fender’s new American Ultra II series
The versatile shredder owns over 100 different Telecasters, but he’s full of praise for the upgrades that have been fitted to its latest iteration
Bare Knuckle and Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood look to give PAF-style pickups a modern twist with new signature set
The vintage-voiced humbuckers have been tweaked to work with low-tuned modern metal music, and promise a dynamic and versatile tonality
Jerry Cantrell’s Alice In Chains tone in a box for $110? Funny Little Boxes' Dirt distortion promises just that
Made in collaboration with YouTuber Let’s Play All, Dirt looks to harness 1990s hard rock and metal tones without breaking the bank
Tosin Abasi has released his own compressor pedal that promises to fix common compression complaints
Said to help deliver the dynamic response of a driven tube amp, the Micro-Aggressor becomes only the second stompbox of Abasi's gear firm
Balaguer ushers in a new era of progressive offsets with headless Growler line
Fully customizable and available in multi-scale and extended range formats, the Growler Headless sees the high-performance offset specialist double down on its headless activities
EarthQuaker Devices’ new utility pedals are built to last a lifetime – and could be the key to a smooth-operating rig
Featuring five handy utility boxes, the new collection promises to help players get the most out of their pedalboards and live rigs
