Richard Fortus
Guitarist
|Summer 2019
<p>From antique Martins and golden-era Gibsons, to high-spec custom builds and mods, the Guns N’ Roses veteran talks hunting down guitars, nailing his tone and sharing a stage with Slash</p>
Richard Fortus is at his home in St Louis, Missouri. He’s recently returned from a spate of club gigs with electronic rock experimentalists Headtronics, and is currently in the midst of producing the new album for The Psychedelic Furs, before heading back out on the road again later this year for an arena tour around the United States and Mexico with Guns N’ Roses, with whom he’s been playing since 2002.
While being immersed in such a broad variety of gigs over the years, Richard has constantly strived to refine his tone and find inspiration with new sounds – often in the form of new guitars. After all, “We’re pushed and inspired by our own tone,” he reminds us. Guitarist swung by for a rare insight into some of his favorite instruments and was treated to a jaw-dropping collection that could rival the inventory of many a vintage guitar shop…
How did you amass such a great collection of guitars and amps?
“It just seemed to have happened. I guess I have a problem! But I figure it’s better to put your money into what you know, investment-wise. I follow Joe Bonamassa’s posts on Instagram and I’m just amazed at his collection. It’s staggering. How one person can amass that kind of collection is mind-boggling. I don’t have the resources to go for the big-ticket items; I try to turn Axl and Slash on to the stuff that I can’t afford.”
هذه القصة من طبعة Summer 2019 من Guitarist.
اشترك في Magzter GOLD للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة، وأكثر من 9000 مجلة وصحيفة.
هل أنت مشترك بالفعل؟ تسجيل الدخول
القصص الأخيرة من Guitarist
Guitarist
GEAR of The YEAR
THE BEST GUITARS, AMPS & PEDALS OF 2025
4 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
All Aboard
Reading a manual to find out how to connect your acoustic guitar to Bluetooth might deter some traditionalists, but there is treasure to be found for the adventurous
5 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
CONTROL SHIFT
The XS-100 and XS-1 pitch shifters set out to give modern players dominion over the wildest effect on the pedalboard. Boss's Matt Knight tells us more
7 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
The King's Head
The bombastic benchmark of the 'brown' sound has been channelled through a singleended EL34 power section and hybrid preamp, with significant volume and price savings
4 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
Fretbuzz
A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world, from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most
2 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
Go Getter
Blackstar's palm-sized audio interface is a godsend for players who want better audio on their phone-recorded videos
2 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
FLOOR AMPS & MULTI-EFFECTS
This year's new tech puts a world of effects at your feet
1 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
Affordable Flight
With plenty already in the line-up, Gretsch has released a new range of both Electromatic and Streamliner Jets that appear modern- aimed and very affordable. What's new?
4 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
DELAY & MODULATION EFFECTS
Electro-mechanicals revisited, analogue modulation refined and esoteric ambiences combined
1 mins
January 2025
Guitarist
1967 Gibson Barney Kessel
This isn't a guitar I would normally choose for an article, but I think it demonstrates just how extreme Gibson's custom division was prepared to get in order to make a customer happy back in the day.
3 mins
January 2025
المزيد من القصص من Guitarist
Los Angeles Times
Trump allies vote to rename Kennedy Center
The legality of the move is unclear, as the venue was established by a federal statute.
3 mins
December 19, 2025
Globe US
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
13-page tribute to the stars we lost in 2025
9 mins
December 29, 2025
Time
BEST OF CULTURE 2023
The art that entertained, moved, and inspired us this year
3 mins
December 29, 2025
Los Angeles Times
'Big Beautiful Bill' adds to state healthcare crisis
As Congress debates whether to extend the temporary federal subsidies that have helped millions of Americans buy health coverage, a crucial underlying reality sometimes is overlooked:
5 mins
December 16, 2025
Scoop USA Newspaper
Chester Township hosts Fourth Annual Holiday Luncheon
Every year, the residents of the Township look forward to the celebration that the Councilmembers host solely for their pleasure, and they were not disappointed.
1 mins
ScoopUSA Media, Volume 65 - Number 52
Scoop USA Newspaper
"Bells Across PA" public art installations to be placed throughout Philadelphia neighborhoods in 2026
As we approach the end of 2025 and the beginning of our 2026 celebrations, the city of Philadelphia announced the first of many featured 2026 initiatives.
4 mins
ScoopUSA Media, Volume 65 - Number 52
Los Angeles Times
TRACKING 16,600 DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS
Step by step, paleontologists study impressions left more than 60 million years ago by T. Rex and other theropods
3 mins
December 11, 2025
Elle Decor US
BEARS ON PARADE
If there is one piece of furniture that has captured the attention of our era more than any other, it's this one.
4 mins
Winter 2025
Los Angeles Times
Battle for Oscars glory has begun
Awards season comes into focus as Paul Thomas Anderson's film leads a wide field.
3 mins
December 09, 2025
Scoop USA Newspaper
Rolling Out Celebrates 25 Years of Culture, Creativity & Community launches Rolling Out Music with Debut Single "This Winter" by Kevin Ross
Rolling Out, America's leading Black-owned multimedia platform, proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary by launching Rolling Out Music, a new subsidiary that focuses on music.
3 mins
ScoopUSA Digital, Vol. 6, No. 41
