10 reggae records that every bass fan should know By Nick Wells published 12 April 23 The 10 best reggae albums from Jamaica’s main bass men. From Sly and Robbie to Bob Marley and the Wailers
Misha Mansoor, Jake Bowen and Mark Holcomb on how they lost sleep and cast aside some of the best riffs they’ve ever written to make Periphery V “as awesome as possible” By Ellie Rogers published 11 April 23 Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre finds progressive metal's most daring trailblazers rediscovering analog, rejecting perfection and producing their most ambitious album to date
Vivian Campbell on Jeff Beck: “It was equally inspiring and depressing to witness him live. You go there thinking you’re a guitar player and leave realizing you’re a guitar owner!” By Jenna Scaramanga published 11 April 23 The Def Leppard guitarist pays tribute to a singular guitar talent, and explains why it wasn't just what Beck played but how he played and the idea behind it that made him great
Nita Strauss: "A guitar solo is a way for the guitarist to tell a chapter of the song's story. That dictates my approach, rather than, 'Here's a bunch of cool notes'" By Andrew Daly published 11 April 23 The Ibanez signature shredder on reuniting with Alice Cooper for her latest single, how working with singers made her a less selfish musician, and why people got her departure from Cooper's band so wrong
Kiss's Tommy Thayer names 11 guitarists who shaped his sound By Andrew Daly published 10 April 23 The Spaceman offers his pick of the greatest riff-masters, salutes the player who invented the power chord and reveals the guitarist his bandmates compare him to (and it's not Ace Frehley)
Joe Bonamassa on why he loves the Gibson Les Paul: “Pretty much all of the English guitar legends of the 1960s, that’s what they were holding” By Amit Sharma published 10 April 23 Joe Bonamassa has a dazzling array of guitars – but he always goes back to the ’59 LP he describes as “perfect” for him...
The Lowlist: Def Leppard's Hysteria, the album that changed melodic rock By Mike Brooks published 9 April 23 Real bass, sampled bass: how Hysteria redefined a genre's production standards.
“I had been warned I might be shot immediately but I decided to do it anyway": The unstoppable Charlie Haden By Jim Roberts published 8 April 23 One from the archive: Bass Player’s July 1991 profile of legendary jazz bassist Charlie Hayden
Watch Donald “Duck” Dunn as Booker T and the MGs blow minds in Norway in 1967 By Tom Poak published 7 April 23 On 7 April 1967, the Stax/Volt Revue hit Europe. Norwegian TV caught them in action in Oslo. What’s Norwegian for “locked in”?
Joe Perry on his longstanding love affair with the Gibson Les Paul: “The neck is just right, the radius across the fretboard. It’s just an amazing thing they stumbled on” By Jenna Scaramanga published 7 April 23 The Aerosmith legend demystifies the myth of the vintage classics and discusses his own signature models, and just where the iconic single-cut figures in finding his sound
Jeff Beck – the lost interview: “There are many guitarists who can play like a typewriter. Technically they’re great, but that’s not my style” By Chris Gill published 7 April 23 In this interview from 1999, Jeff Beck talks candidly of how it might all end before staring a career downturn in the face and getting back on the horse with the spectacular Who Else!
Best pedal amps 2023: including the top amp simulator pedals By Chris Schwarten last updated 6 April 23 With an ever-growing list of small-yet-mighty options, just about every manufacturer has their own pedal amp. Here we bring you the top-rated options from Strymon, Blackstar and more
Watch Brian May make a TV presenter's day with an unaccompanied Bohemian Rhapsody solo through his epic Vox AC30 rig By Jackson Maxwell published 6 April 23 Iain Lee was like a kid in a candy store as the Queen guitarist demonstrated – up-close and personal – the magical, singing tone of one of his most famous solos
Best Strat-style guitars 2023: 10 Strat-inspired models for all budgets and players By James Farmer last updated 6 April 23 Don’t want a Fender? Here’s our expert pick of the top Strat-style electric guitars from the likes of Ibanez, Yamaha, G&L, PRS and more
Fender CEO Andy Mooney: “I think the guitar today is in a better place than it’s ever been. I’m hugely optimistic about the future” By Matt Owen published 6 April 23 From a souped-up signature guitar strategy and the expansion of the Acoustasonic range to a digital amp development that will “blow peoples’ minds”, Mooney looks ahead to what could be a pivotal year for Fender
The Van Pelt: "Skill does not write a good song. Louie Louie is better than any song Joe Satriani’s written, but the more skillful you are, the easier it is to execute your vision" By Gregory Adams published 6 April 23 Armed with a Music Man Silhouette copy, Tele Deluxe, and a Walrus Audio reverb pedal, returning indie guitar titans Chris Leo and Brian Maryansky showcase their unique musical language on the Van Pelt's electrifying new LP, Artisans & Merchants
Best Epiphone Les Pauls 2023: Our pick of the greatest budget-friendly versions of Gibson’s iconic single-cut By Jonathan Horsley last updated 6 April 23 Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned guitarist, our list of the best Epiphone Les Pauls is sure to inspire you
Remembering Tom Verlaine, the cult hero who reconfigured guitar and inspired generations of alt-rock players By Jonathan Horsley published 6 April 23 Inventive, wiry, elusive, genius, Tom Verlaine's guitar playing was a lightning rod for the artistically bold, and in partnership with Richard Lloyd, it gave Television a unique, thrilling sound
Dunlop Cry Baby Bass Wah: the most recognizable effects pedal ever made? By Nick Wells published 5 April 23 Classics don’t come much more heavyweight than the Cry Baby wah-wah and the 105Q Bass edition is no exception
Best Gibson guitars 2023: Our pick of the guitars that embody Gibson’s quality, prestige and innovation By Daryl Robertson published 5 April 23 From the Gibson SG to the gorgeous Les Paul, ES-335, Firebird and Explorer, here's the best of the best from this American institution