"WILDLY UNPREDICTABLE IN THE BEST OF WAYS"

Avenged Sevenfold: Life Is But A Dream... track by track

“NEW VARIATIONS OF A CLASSIC TWO-GUITAR ATTACK"

Queens Of The Stone Age: In Times New Roman... track by track

"I approached this record as a more rounded player"

Nita Strauss can shred with the best of them, but her new solo album features 'radio songs' with guest-star vocalists - plus a showdown with mentor Marty Friedman

FIVE WAYS TO...USE MINOR 7 ARPEGGIOS

Your riffs, rhythm parts, and solos can all benefit from an arpeggio injection

“WE'VE MADE THESE SONGS QUITE HARD TO PLAY LIVE!”

For the two guitarists in experimental post-punk band Squid, normal rules do not apply. As they put it: \"We've never wanted to come across like we're doing things properly!\"

DOUBLE PLATINUM

Gretsch marks 140 years with some tasty-looking anniversary guitars

MIJ SERIES EVH SIGNATURE WOLFGANG

RUNNIN' WITH THE NEW WOLFGANG MODEL

"We're borrowing amps for every show"

Island Of Love are signed to Jack White’s label, but the band’s two guitarists are still hustling for gear in the pursuit of ear-bleeding volume

"The first note I play, I miss the whole string completely!"

It’s the guitar solo that everyone is talking about – but as Nuno Bettencourt now reveals, it starts with a mistake…

Stevie Ray Vaughan – "He is going to shake the world!"

In the early 80s, when Eric Clapton first heard Stevie Ray Vaughan play, it took his breath away. What David Bowie heard was the most exciting guitarist since Jeff Beck…

"It's a girl and a guy both ripping on guitars!"

How Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton got together to create a new blues explosion

Stevie Ray Vaughan – "By playing, you can make yourself feel better"

In a 1988 interview, Stevie Ray Vaughan talked in depth about his life, his music and his guitars. “It’s about the excitement of playing,” he said. “Trying new things…”

COROOK

Why is everybody on the internet so mean? Nashville-based songwriter Corook ponders this relatable question in 2023’s unlikeliest hit, If I Were A Fish – a song bashed out in ten minutes to help them process online bullying.

VOX AMPLUG SET BRIAN MAY LIMITED EDITION

£149 | Vox’s mini headphone guitar amp gets a royal ascent

WALRUS AUDIO MELEE

£299 | A joystick-controlled reverb: slam-dunk or gimmick? You decide…

FENDER TONE MASTER PRINCETON REVERB

Fender’s iconic small combo is replicated in the digital domain

CORT G300 GLAM

£829 | Cort upgrades its G300 Pro with a posh-finished, all mahogany cracker

“IT’S CRAZY, BUT IT WORKS!"

Inside the weird world of Tigercub – catchy songs, ‘stinky’ riffs and oddball experiments in tone building

FIVE WAYS TO...START PLAYING JAZZ

Despite its reputation, playing jazz doesn’t have to be scary

"WE LIKE TO GO OFF THE RAILS!"

GUTHRIE GOVAN IS HITTING THE ROAD WITH THE ARISTOCRATS – AMP-FREE, AND WITH A SONG ABOUT A PENGUIN…

UNIVERSALLY SPEAKING

The kings of vintage gear-modelling are back with three new pedals

THE 30 GREATEST GUITAR SOLOS OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Featuring every kind of guitar hero - from old-school to cutting-edge. And not one but two Van Halens…

"Guitar is really emotional for me"

Indigo De Souza is Gen-Z alt-pop’s rising star – aided by guitar-playing best friend Dexter Webb

"Prog is perfect for Eurovision!"

Can Aussie rockers Voyager win Europe's favourite song contest like Lordi and Måneskin before them? "It's a dream," says guitarist Simone Dow

"I got used to playing one riff and then nothing for two minutes!"

The genresmashing sound of Enter Shikari requires a guitarist who always thinks outside the box

"When James puts that guitar in his hands he immediately wants to play fast riffs!”

Metallica's co-producer Greg Fidelman reveals how the new album was made - with Hetfield and Hammett using battle-hardened gear, and the whole band focused on capturing a 'live' feel

Rodrigo y Gabriela – "Our music can be experimental”

Rodrigo y Gabriela are breaking new ground - but for one half of the duo, going electric means less shredding...

A CERTAIN SHADE OF GREENY

The most iconic Les Paul of all time? Gibson drops a long-awaited USA production version of Greeny

"We use the guitar like a sound generator"

With a bizarre new concept album, HMLTD are defying the expectations of guitar‑based music. “We get excited by very stupid ideas!” says guitarist Duc Peterman

"IT'S JUST THE GUITAR AND THE AMP"

FOR A CLASSIC HEAVY METAL SOUND, JUDAS PRIEST’S RICHIE FAULKNER KEEPS IT SIMPLE