Lose Your Illusion

Hot on the heels of its reimagined ’59 and ’60 Les Paul reissues come four new LP models built to the specs of the Guns N’ Roses legend

ED WYNNE

We touch down on planet Earth with the captain of Ozric Tentacles’ space rock craft, Ed Wynne, following the release of his debut solo album, last year’s Shimmer Into Nature

Mods & Rockers

The Stray Cat struts in once again with a litter of killer new signature guitars to sink your claws into. Just don’t expect them to bat like 50s throwbacks...

GIBSON ES-330s

We take an in-depth look at the background development and evolution of Gibson’s ES-330 models with George Gruhn, co-author of vintage guitar bible Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars and proprietor of Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, Tennessee…

Bursting With Pride

As the new Gibson Slash Collection is unveiled at this year’s NAMM show, we grab a moment away from the crowds with the man himself to chat about his latest collaboration with Gibson…

ALIVE & KICKING

Peter Frampton’s diagnosis with a degenerative disease means May’s UK tour is likely to be his last. The guitar icon looks back at the triumphs and knocks of his career, into the eyes of his illness, and onto the music still to come…

SE Uprising

They may be a lot more affordable than PRS’s USA guitars, but the SE range is on a roll, epitomised by the new Hollowbody models. We track down the man behind the mark: Jack Higginbotham

SWITCHTASTIC

If you’re after more sounds, look no further than the Brit-designed and manufactured Free-Way, reckons Dave Burrluck

ROCK SOLID

We take a close look at Gibson’s iconic SG range from past to present with Mat Koehler, head of Product Development at Gibson, and David Davidson, owner of Well Strung Guitars and COO and curator of the Songsbirds vintage guitar museum

THE LONG WAY

Raised by the banks of the Mississippi, Jonathon Long’s electrifying fusion of jazz, blues and country brings to mind Danny Gatton’s eclectic brilliance on a Telecaster. We joined the slick but soulful guitarist from Baton Rouge to talk bayou blues – and pick up some of his best licks…

JOEY LANDRETH

He’s lauded worldwide as a songwriter, vocalist and guitar stylist par excellence – and he’s no slouch as a slide player, either. We caught up with the Canadian guitarist to find out what makes him tick

IRON MAN

TONY IOMMI TRULY IS THE IRON MAN OF ROCK. AFTER A HAND INJURY THAT WOULD HAVE HALTED MOST GUITARISTS IN THEIR TRACKS HE BATTLED A CONSTANT “YOU CAN’T DO THAT” FROM PARENTS, RECORD COMPANIES AND GUITAR BUILDERS, SURVIVED A REVOLVING DOOR OF BANDMATES (SINCE 1968 HE’S BEEN BLACK SABBATH’S ONLY CONSTANT MEMBER), AND EVEN BEAT CANCER. TO HONOUR HIS ASTOUNDING CAREER, GIBSON HAS RECREATED HIS HEAVILY MODIFIED SG SPECIAL, THE ‘MONKEY’ GUITAR. HERE, TONY WEAVES THE TALE OF THIS INSTRUMENT INTO THE STORY OF A CAREER THAT, WITHOUT SUCH DOGGED DETERMINATION, MIGHT NEVER HAVE HAPPENED…

FYLDE GUITARS

If Roger Bucknall were a chef he’d have two Michelin stars, possibly three. After all, in nearly 60 years of guitar making he’s served up bespoke tonewood recipes to some of the world’s principal gourmets of acoustic guitar tone…

Whatever We Want

They might be controversial, but aged relic guitars are here to stay, because that’s what more and more of us want. We talk taste and trends with World Guitars’ Julian White…

Black Magic Box

Hughes & Kettner hits the floor with its latest amp, which combines digital control of analogue solid-state. A new benchmark? We plug in to find out…

The Art Of Ageing

When a vintage instrument is out of financial reach, or simply too precious to leave its case, the new-old guitar answers the call. Guitar expert and author Tony Bacon traces the history of artificial ageing to today’s relics from big names and independent makers

Hot Fuzz

Victory takes on USA boutique tone with a world-class EL84-powered head that’s compact and ready to take on any gig

GREG KOCH

Those of you who were lucky enough to see Greg on his recent UK tour will already be aware of his formidable six-string wizardry. For the rest of you, our exclusive video lesson should be proof enough of the man’s supernatural abilities…

ZILLA CABS

Look around any pro studio or stage set these days and you’re likely to spot a Zilla speaker cab. We tracked down the company founder, Paul Gough, to talk about the art of matching the right cab, speakers and finish to his customers’ varying musical needs…

The Build - Martin Mahogany Dreadnought Kit - Part 2

In part two of his quest to build a classic Martin acoustic, editor Jamie has a bracing experience – and gets thoroughly trussed up

The Gary Moore Collection

As a new auction brings a host of Gary Moore’s gear within reach of collectors on a more modest budget, we join Graham Lilley – Gary’s long-time friend and tech – for a trip down memory lane and a closer look at some of the kit going under the hammer

Mission Impossible

A half-century after the album’s original release, Dweezil Zappa’s forthcoming tour aims to recreate his late father’s mind-boggling Hot Rats in forensic detail. He told us about the ultimate labour of love, recreating stolen instruments and walking in a dead man’s shoes…

Royal Rumble

Gibson’s head of Product Development, Mat Koehler, and Fender historian Terry Foster explain how the two industry titans battled it out over the electric bass in the early days – and changed the course of popular music in the process…

Own Your Tone

Great tone is about sound, isn’t it? Or is it about how your gear responds to your touch? Actually, it’s both. In this month’s cover feature, we explain how to unlock the full potential of your gear by tailoring it like a Savile Row suit to your style of playing

J Mascis

WITH HIS ACOUSTIC SOLO ALBUM, ‘ELASTIC DAYS’, IN THE BAG, WE CATCH UP WITH THE DINOSAUR JR FRONTMAN ONBOARD BRISTOL’S THEKLA TO TALK GOLDEN ERA GIBSONS, VINTAGE MARTINS AND FUZZED OUT FENDERS…

The Doors: The Soft Parade

Jim Morrison was disintegrating, the studio bills were out of control and guitarist Robby Krieger hated the band’s new string-laden sound. But from the wreckage of The Soft Parade sessions came an album that lit The Doors’ fire once again…

Sound Shaper

A new audio interface featuring a valve preamp and cab simulations specifically aimed at guitarists

True Blues

Blues is the first language of rock ’n’ roll. But a century on from its first golden era in the 1920s, is it still possible to play blues guitar that’s distinctive, powerful and original? We joined some of the world’s finest exponents of 21st century blues to hear their advice on how to play the music with authenticity and flair – on your own terms – on the modern stage

Mary Spender

She’s one of the most dynamic, expressive young British singer-songwriters working today – and also just happens to have an army of fans for her YouTube musings on guitar culture. We find out how Mary crafts her sound and hear her advice on making it big online

Gibson Super 400CES

We take a close look at a stunning collection of Super 400CES electric archtops from Gibson’s golden era and trace the evolution of these superlative guitars with jazzbox expert and author Dr Thomas A Van Hoos