CATEGORIES

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

TV Tones

In the last two instalments of Mod Squad we’ve installed new active and plug-in passive humbuckers. In this issue, Dave Burrluck is looking for a different voice…

Vince Gill

Bluegrass maestro and parttime Eagle reflects on his love for the Ryman Auditorium and how golf has kept him sane…

Raising The Tone - Stringing Along

In the first of a series on strings and their influence on tone, editor Jamie meets blues-rock heavyweight Philip sayce

The Mexican Connection

American instruments with a Mexican twist: the story of Fender’s journey from Fullerton, California to Baja California

True Colours

A pair of acoustic guitars at contrasting price points from a builder based in the Czech Republic – how will they fare in today’s highly competitive marketplace?

Pickup Lines - Custom P-90s

In the third part of our focus on P-90s, we meet with Lindy Fralin to find out how his classic pickup design can be tweaked to meet the needs of today’s discerning guitarist

Out Of This World

This new design from Supro – with collaborative input from Keeley Electronics and amp legend Bruce Zinky – could well end your quest for the perfect tone

No Solder

It’s 50 years since man landed on the moon, but when it comes to the electrics in your guitar,we’re still in the dark ages, reckons Dave burrluck

Long Termers

A few months’ gigging, recording and everything that goes with it – welcome to Guitarist ’s longterm test report

The Mexican Connection

American instruments with a Mexican twist: the story of Fender’s journey from Fullerton, California to Baja California

The Hit Parade

The latest in Fender’s ongoing makeovers sees the morphing of the popular Mexican-made Classic and Classic Player guitars into the new decade-specific Vintera series. New name aside, has anything actually changed? We investigate…

Session Diary Happy Together

As the pace slows down a little, Adam spends quality time with his latest go-to guitar

Neville's AdvocAte

This month Nev confesses to buying another strat while trying to convince himself of the many valid reasons to do so

Martin Style 18

From mid-19th-century parlours to MTV, we retrace the history of Martin’s all-American 18-series flat-tops with CF Martin & Co’s museum and archives specialist, Jason Ahner

Larkin Poe

With ecstatic slide guitar and gutsy, juke-joint riffs, sisters Megan and Rebecca Lovell have distilled their own brand of musical moonshine from the tangled roots of American blues – and it’s potent stuff. We joined them on tour to talk Dobros, Deluxes and laying waste to convention…

Crimson Guitars

David Mead hits the road again with a troubled Gibson SG in hand to see if he can learn enough about the luthier’s dark arts to restore it to life and optimum playability

Kickstarter

Brit builder Leigh Dovey is making waves with his PJD Guitars. Barely into his second year of production, a tie-up with a UK store means he’s a busy man

Jakko Jakszyk

It’s been 50 years since King Crimson released seminal album In The Court Of The Crimson King and so, as they prepare to blow out the candles on their celebratory cake, we enlist the services of Jakko Jakszyk to give a personal overview of the legendary band’s half century…

Blues Run The Game

Martin simpson is one of the finest fingerstyle guitarists working today. With a new album, Rooted, in the can, he explains why a chance encounter with a vintage Martin D-28 that belonged to american troubadour Jackson c Frank changed his musical life – and walks us through the vintage and custom guitars that keep inspiration flowing…