Godin announces the Session HT MN – adding new finishes and maple necks to the firm’s flagship solid body guitar By Matt Parker published 19 May 23 The Strat-like, Canadian-made guitar has been spruced up for 2023
Six of Eddie Van Halen's stage-played Charvel EVH Art Series guitars – and a Masterbuilt Frankenstein copy – go up for auction By Matt Owen published 19 May 23 Each Art Series guitar was played and signed over the course of Van Halen's tours in 2004, 2007, and 2012, and are being auctioned off alongside a Chip Ellis-built model as one mega collection
This week's essential guitar tracks: Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton's final collaboration is revealed, and psychedelic titans channel their inner thrash demons By Jackson Maxwell, Matt Owen, Matt Parker published 19 May 23 Hear fresh, vital new guitar work from Nita Strauss, Joe Bonamassa, Red Devil Vortex, R.L. Boyce, Bully, Creeping Death, and many more
Hear the previously unreleased Jeff Beck tracks that were played at the Stratocaster icon’s funeral By Matt Parker published 19 May 23 Two of the recordings by the late, great guitar hero that were played at the service have now been released on the Tribute EP
Andy Rourke: “If I wasn’t eating or in the bath, I had a bass in my hand. I played it constantly” By Joel McIver published 19 May 23 In this interview from 2016, the late low-end legend reflects on an influential career with The Smiths and beyond, why the Fender P-Bass won his heart, and how he developed his distinct playing style
Andy Rourke, bassist with The Smiths, dies aged 59 By Matt Parker published 19 May 23 Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has led tributes to the man he says “reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player”
"I thought, 'Wait a minute – we never practiced this…'" Jimi Hendrix bassist Billy Cox remembers Woodstock By Richard Johnston published 19 May 23 From the archive: Billy Cox on Hendrix, Band of Gypsys, his influences and that Woodstock show
Gibson adds Kirk Hammett’s 1960 “Sunny” Les Paul Standard to its Certified Vintage Collection By Matt Owen published 18 May 23 Sunny was used by the Metallica maestro up until last year, and joins the company’s growing cohort of ultra-exclusive vintage instruments to be sold to customers direct via the Gibson Garage
Benson expands its temperate-controlled fuzz pedal range with the vintage '60s flavors of the Stonk Box By Jonathan Horsley published 18 May 23 Inspired by the earliest fuzz boxes – think a Maestro FZ-1 or Tone Bender MKI – the Stonk adds some extra controls and Automatic Thermal Bias tech to keep it sounding consistent
Vito Bratta names 11 guitarists who shaped his sound By Andrew Daly published 18 May 23 The virtuoso behind White Lion’s platinum rock sound pays dues to the players who showed him what to do on guitar (and what not to do), and recalls an emotional encounter with Eddie Van Halen
Best solid state amps 2023: A killer selection for those who play, dirty, clean, or anything in between By Simon Fellows last updated 18 May 23 From futuristic modelling, to good old fashioned transistor tech, here’s our expert pick of the best solid state amps money can buy
Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo offer their track-by-track guide to Metallica’s super-heavy smash-hit new album, 72 Seasons By Jenna Scaramanga published 18 May 23 Fast stuff, bouncy stuff, thrashing riffs, evil tones, power grooves and ‘total noise’ solos included
Richie Faulkner says he used a Bigsby-equipped Fender Telecaster for his clean tone on Judas Priest’s Firepower By Jonathan Horsley published 18 May 23 The Gibson-loving Judas Priest guitarist maintains, though, that the Flying V remains his, err, elegant weapon of choice
Watch Eddie Van Halen explain how he figured out the two-handed tapping technique behind Eruption – all thanks to a little help from Jimmy Page By Matt Parker published 18 May 23 Guitar-in-hand, EVH demonstrates his most iconic technique and explains its origins in this insightful 2015 clip
Boss reinvents the SDE-3000 Digital Delay rack unit as two feature-packed pedals – and one is preloaded with Eddie Van Halen’s live settings By Matt Owen published 18 May 23 There is a standard delay and one co-developed with EVH – featuring the exact same presets found on the dual SDE-3000 rack setup that served as a key part of his Van Halen live sound
Has Zakk Wylde’s signature guitar brand spec’d up its most brutal electric guitar design yet? Meet the Thoraxe By Jonathan Horsley published 18 May 23 When you need to get all Wylde up onstage and chop the audience’s head off with a big ol’ grizzly bear riff, when you need to cut through the mix, reach for the Thoraxe...
Diamond Pedals is officially back with five compact new stompboxes featuring original circuits, and updated classics By Jonathan Horsley published 17 May 23 The much-loved Canadian brand returns with the Memory Lane delay, Diamond Drive, Tremolo, and the legendary tone-sweetening Comp/EQ for guitar and bass
Tony Iommi trades guitars with Brian May and faces the struggle of all left-handers, as he wields the Red Special upside down By Matt Parker published 17 May 23 The two British guitar heroes and friends spent the afternoon trading licks – and instruments – as part of a forthcoming documentary on riffs
Gretsch launches six celebratory 140th Anniversary models – see the luxuriously-spec’d guitars in action By Jackson Maxwell published 17 May 23 The stylish collection comprises three high-end, Japanese-made models and a trio of more affordable Chinese-built six-strings, and boasts striking Two Tone Platinum finishes
Slash once partnered with Jimi Hendrix’s bandmates for a stirring tribute cover of Hey Joe in honor of the guitar great By Matt Owen published 17 May 23 Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox supported Slash and Steve Winwood as the supergroup paid tribute to the guitar master in scintillating style at the UK Music Hall of Fame ceremony