Guitarist
Purple Reign
In spring 2019, anticipation of a new Royal baby reached fever pitch. And here it is: the majestic new collaboration between Dream Theater’s John Petrucci and Music Man. Awwww…
3 min |
July 2019
Guitarist
Labour Of Lovetone
25 years after Lovetone’s first pedals launched, designer Dan Coggins explains how this tiny British brand’s effects ended up on U2 and Radiohead hits and acquired legendary status among tone heads...
9 min |
July 2019
Guitarist
Guitar Man
On the eve of JJ Cale’s first posthumous album, his widow and former bandmate, Christine Lakeland, gave us a tour of his guitar collection. This is the truth behind the legend’s one-off models, his refusal to release a signature guitar – and the gig that meant he never trusted a tech again…
9 min |
July 2019
Guitarist
King Of The Mods
With the release of PRS’s Paul’s Guitar, evaluated elsewhere in this issue, Dave Burrluck wonders if Paul Reed Smith is actually the ultimate modder…
5 min |
July 2019
Guitarist
ESP USA
What happens when you take exacting Japanese guitar design and craft it in California, the spiritual home of the electric guitar? We meet the elite luthiers of the ESP USA workshop to find out…
9 min |
July 2019
Guitarist
Ariel Posen
With his long-awaited debut album, How Long, now out in the wild, the Canadian songwriter joins us for his second Guitarist masterclass, sharing the tricks of his well-stocked pedalboard and his go-to guitar tunings
8 min |
July 2019
Guitarist
Sink Or Swim?
Scott Sasser, head of Martin’s Custom Shop, explains why sinker mahogany is taking its place alongside some of the world’s premium tonewoods
5 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
One For All
These three all-new pure class A combos from Blackstar put the output valve centre stage. Take your pick…
4 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
Session Diary Bittersweet Symphony
Session players should recognise their limitations, says Adam Goldsmith, and the karma will take care of itself
2 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
Raising The Tone Don't Fret
Frets have a huge influence on the feel of your guitar – but also its tone. Jamie Dickson finds out why...
4 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
Robin Trower
The guitar legend tells tales of scary snowfall and unexpected pyrotechnics on the road…
5 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
Family Affair
Another bolt-on PRS guitar joins the ranks, but is it the bolt-on we really want? Oh, yes…
5 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
Neville's Advocate
Nev ponders an upcoming rock ’n’ roll tour and what he needs to do to prepare. And realises he’s (sort of) in the charts
3 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
Lightning Strikes
Seldom given to false modesty, the Swedish shred maestro talks blues (kind of ) and gear (that he designed), and almost unleashes the fury on us. Twice…
10+ min |
June 2019
Guitarist
High Flyer
This US boutique builder presents an offset beauty that makes us dizzy in more ways than one…
6 min |
June 2019
Guitarist
Blow Wind Blow
Rory Gallagher Was the Original Irish Guitar Hero – but His Playing Was Deeply Rooted in the Rich Soil of American Blues, Which He Studied From Boyhood. Now, on the 50th Anniversary of His Recording Debut, a Treasure Trove of Previously Unheard Tracks Sheds Light on His Rare Gifts as a Player and Lifelong Disciple of the Blues. We Lift Open the Cases of Some of Rory’s Best-loved Guitars to Learn How They Helped Him Transport Listeners a Million Miles Away…
10+ min |
June 2019
Total Guitar
07 Ways To Play Better Gigs
From prep to performance, there’s simple ways to step up live
4 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
True Colours
From the whites of early prototypes and 50s hot-rod colours, through the many shades of Fiesta Red and beyond, we take a look at Fender’s colourful history with David Davidson of Songbirds Guitar Museum
8 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
The Darkness
15 years ago, Justin and Dan Hawkins of The Darkness swept the board at the BRIT awards. Catapulted onto the world stage, they arced high then crashed back to earth in flames when the band split in 2006. With the band now firmly back together and making joyous, hard-edged rock once again, we join the brothers to hear their advice on how to squeeze top performance from Marshall amps – and learn why they “didn’t come here to ride the teacups…”
9 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
Telebration!
Dave Burrluck celebrates the first, and still the best, modding platform: the Fender telecaster
5 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
Tailoring Your Tone
In the fourth part of our PAF focus, Mark Stow of OX4 Pickups explains how customised PAF repros can help you achieve the ultimate tone
3 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
Remembering Renbourn
John Renbourn’s death sent shock waves throughout the acoustic guitar world when he passed away in 2015. We asked Clive Carroll, who toured with John extensively, for his reminiscences about the man and his music
9 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
Longtermers - Fender American Professional Deluxe Shawbucker
A few months’ gigging, recording and everything that goes with it – welcome to Guitarist ’s longterm test report
3 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
Gibson Memphis 2013 ES-330
As readers who have followed previous installments of this Longterm Test will know, I sold an ES-335 that I was using for a Hendrix/ Cream tribute gig, plus used a bit of extra savings, to get a reissue ES-330.
2 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
Origin Effects
This issue, we venture to the leafy outreaches of Buckinghamshire to discover more about an effects manufacturer whose pedals are turning up on the ’boards of top players all around the world
8 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
Going For 'Gold
Designing a new guitar is one thing. Getting it made in a factory across the world is another matter entirely, even for the likes of Patrick James Eggle and the Shergold team…
5 min |
May 2019
Guitarist
70 Years Of The Telecaster From Prototype To Present
FEW DESIGNS EVOLVE FROM PROTOTYPE TO SHOWROOM FLOOR IN JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEN GO ON TO REMAIN RELEVANT – AND, IN THEIR ESSENCE, UNCHANGED – FOR THE NEXT 70 YEARS. SEVEN DECADES ON, WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE FIRST, AND JUST MAYBE THE GREATEST, SOLID BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR: THE FENDER TELECASTER. JOIN US AS WE TRACE ITS EVOLUTION FROM SINGLE-PICKUP ESQUIRE ANCESTRY TO THE LATEST ACOUSTASONIC INCARNATION OF THIS AGELESS ELECTRIC
10+ min |
May 2019
NOW
Are Ariana And Big Sean Back Together?
It looks like Ariana Grande and Big Sean might be getting close again, after splitting up in 2015. The duo sent fans into a frenzy last week after they were spotted leaving a recording studio together in LA.
1 min |
March 18, 2019
Guitarist
The Greatest Showman
As prog-metal titans Dream Theater raise the curtain on their ambitious new album, talismanic guitarist John Petrucci tells us about pressure, testosterone-powered jams and camaraderie on the road with Satriani, Collen and Roth…
9 min |
April 2019
Guitarist
The Bright Side
‘My strat is too bright,’ said a forumite. But compared to what? Dave Burrluck offers some basic advice about listening before you mod
6 min |