Future Moves

It's been a busy year so far for PJD Guitars, setting up a new workshop, designing and redesigning guitars, creating and winding in-house pickups... We drop in for a chat

1958 GIBSON FLYING V

Gibson only made 98 Flying Vs during the 1950s, so when Wiltshire auctioneers Gardiner Houlgate told us it had a 1958 example, we dashed straight over

SOUND OF THE SOUL

John McLaughlin said of Debashish Bhattacharya that \"he has no equal\" on slide guitar. High praise indeed but fully justified by his 28-album career of serenely virtuosic guitar. We meet the master himself to talk about the hard road he took to pioneer Indian classical music on guitar, the deep spiritual connections between American blues and the rāgas, and his sublime new album, The Sound Of The Soul

MATTEO MANCUSO

Steve Vai has called him 'the evolution of the guitar' while Al Di Meola said his playing was light years ahead'. Is it something they put in the water in Sicily, we ask, as we meet the young guitarist redefining virtuosity

Skinted Or Minted?

Pro guitarist Stuart Ryan owns both a cheap 90s Epiphone and a high-end Gibson 'Murphy Lab' ES-335. But which is better?' asks Jamie Dickson

Tones Behind The Tracks

From playing shock-rock with Alice Cooper to landing an explosive second solo album, Nita Strauss talks us through her shred-heavy sound

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

Yamaha FG9M FROM £3,299

CONTACT Yamaha PHONE 0344 811 1116 WEB http://uk.yamaha.com

Track Mate

It's not a pedal, but the latest from Walrus Audio can still help change the sound of your guitar

Slap Happy

Electro-Harmonix resurrects a rare pedal from 1978 and puts it into a modern, 'board-friendly format

Modern Icon

EVH adds a compact newcomer to the affordable Iconic series with this 15-watt 1x10 combo

Road Runner

Originally designed by Trev Wilkinson, the Eclat single-cut gets a makeover for 2023 and a signature tie-up with Brit virtuoso Paul Rose

Back To The Source

Marshall adds another amp to its popular Studio collection, alongside compact recreations of classic designs such as the 25/50 Silver Jubilee, JCM800 and 1959SLP

DISTORTING HISTORY

These days, players can choose from hundreds of replacement pickups. But back in the early 70s Larry DiMarzio single-handedly kickstarted the entire industry with his hot-output Super Distortion humbucker. We met NYC's king of tone to find out more

Role Model

IK Multimedia's Tonex tone-capturing ecosystem expands with a hardware box to take those sounds on stage

Top Notch

We talk to Dana Bourgeois about the new Touchstone range, the importance of tuning in a guitar top, and what lies in the future for the series

Experience In Sound

The sonic adventures of Paul Reed Smith show no signs of slowing down. We drop in for a catch-up, but can we keep up?

Back In Black

While PRS has been making its mark on the bolt-on market, we finally get a new Core model, the shapeshifting modern Eagle V. But is it really new?

RIGHT PLACE, RAITT TIME

Bonnie Raitt on her new guitar sideman

DUKE LEVINE

What makes a great professional guitarist? Excellent chops, world experience, all-round versatility, eclectic taste in music, superb tones and the ability to blend seamlessly into a new band - all talents of Duke Levine, who recently took over guitar duties in Bonnie Raitt's band of premier musicians

JIMMY PAGE NON-REVERSE c.1968 GIBSON FIREBIRD III|

A 'Bird in the hand could be worth more than you think - especially if it has a colourful history involving a Led Zeppelin drinking game. We ask vintage specialist Mike Long of ATB Guitars about the provenance of this Page-owned beauty and the buoyant market for Gibson's underloved cult hero

HEAVY TRIP

Bare Knuckle MD Tim Mills on the breakthroughs and bumps in the road behind Rabea Massaad’s seismic new Triptych Strat single coils

VINTAGE ICON

David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars talks us through an experimental 1967 Semi-Hollow Fender Stratocaster Prototype from Fender's R&D department made with zebrawood

Ultimate STRATS

The Strat is the most famous electric of all time - the original guitar for all seasons. But which version represents the pinnacle of its evolution? We take a deep dive into Leo's masterpiece, in the company of experts, to try to find an answer...

IN THE NAME OF LOVE

When it came to remaking 40 classic U2 tracks for Songs Of Surrender, The Edge was guided by his heart and one grand idea - \"to make intimacy the new version of punk rock\"

Under The Knife

As a last resort, Alex Bishop prepares to operate on a vintage Yamaha acoustic - but will it recover from the ordeal?

Blues For Greeny

Being invited to speak and play at the preview of Peter Green's guitar sale at Bonhams was a huge privilege - and a worry, says Neville Marten

Tones Behind The Tracks

The latest album from jazz guitarist and composer Ralph Towner enchants with beautiful playing on new pieces and jazz standards

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

the Wishlist Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...

Fender Mod Shop Telecaster £2,179