In this issue

John Petrucci and Steve Morse.

Gibson Theodore.

IN HER NATURE

On Crooked Tree, Molly Tuttle bends the rules of bluegrass tradition. "It's fun," she says, "to stretch the limits."

5 mins

Better Call Walls

With old-school gospel roots and new-school guitar chops, Erick Walls has emerged as one of today’s most in-demand guitarists.

10+ mins

HIGHER SHREDUCATION

THEY WERE A FLEET-FINGERED MENTOR AND MENTEE WHO BECAME THE FASTEST OF FRIENDS. IN THIS GUITAR PLAYER EXCLUSIVE, STEVE MORSE AND JOHN PETRUCCI SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ADVICE ON THE ART AND CRAFT OF SHRED...WITH A FAIR AMOUNT OF MUTUAL ADMIRATION FOR GOOD MEASURE.

10+ mins

SKUNK WORKS

Over his 50-year career, he's been the change agent behind Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, as well as a formidable freelancer in the studio. As he drops his first-ever solo album, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter takes Guitar Player through his life's highlights, from playing with Jimi Hendrix to working on U.S. national security.

10+ mins

ONE-MAN JAM

Trey Anastasio’s first deep acoustic interview reveals how his classical roots inform Phish, and how an extraordinary gift inspired his premiere solo acoustic effort, Mercy.

10+ mins

FENDER - 60th Anniversary Jaguar

IN 1962, FENDER rolled out the Jaguar, a new top-of-the-line instrument that company literature said offered "faster, more comfortable" playing. The Jag's offset waist gave its body a look that was very different

4 mins

LAVA - Blue Lava Touch

LAST MONTH, WE took a look at Lava's first smart guitar, the ME 3, which won an Editors' Pick Award. This month, we'll carry on with the brand-new Blue Lava Touch, which promises Lava's considerable innovation in a slightly more conventional, smaller and far more affordable package.

5 mins

LINE 6 - Catalyst 100 1x12 Combo

AS MUCH AS tube amplifiers rule for tone, dynamic feel and raw punch, many players enjoy the benefits of modeling amps with their ability to deliver a multitude of sounds, not to mention their affordability and lighter weight. One of the newest contenders in the modeling arena is the Line 6 Catalyst series combos that include a 60-watt 1x12, a 200-watt 2x12 and the 100-watt 1x12 featured in this review.

4 mins

POSITIVE GRID: RIFF Guitar Interface and App

POSITIVE GRID EARNED a ton of well-deserved attention in 2020 with Spark, its groundbreaking guitar practice amp and app. The compact, 40-watt combo not only delivers a range of great amp emulations and effects powered by Positive Grid's BIAS Tone engine but also helps players practice, jam and learn with a variety of applications and features.

4 mins

SOURCE AUDIO: Zio analog front-end + boost

SOURCE AUDIO IS best known for its forward-thinking digital effects pedals, like the C4 synthesizer and Ultrawave distortion, as well as the Nemesis delay and Ventris reverb. But a few years ago, the company began working with Christopher Venter of Shoe Pedals to combine the "under the hood" tweakability of its Neuro editing system with more traditional sounds.

2 mins

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Guitar Player Magazine Description:

Guitar Player educates, empowers, and inspires obsessed guitarists to sound better and play better. Through its comprehensive print, online, and social-networking media—as well as community-rousing events such as Guitar Superstar—Guitar Player feeds a player’s passion for mastering tone, technique, gear, technology, composition, and live performance. Revered for its insightful artist interviews, multi-faceted music lessons, and trusted product reviews since 1967, Guitar Player has influenced generations of players— including some world-renowned guitar stars—and continues to encourage and motivate serious guitarists of all ages, styles, and skill levels.