CATEGORIES

POSITIVE GRID SPARK 2

The sequel to the world's most popular smart guitar amp is here

JACKSON PRO PLUS XT SOLOIST SLAT HT6 BARITONE

We get low with this fast-playing, all-black modern metal machine

GUILD POLARA DELUXE

A’70s staple gets a bit of are-jig, o4 years after it was introduced

NEURAL DSP NANO CORTEX

Neural DSP's second pedal might be the ultimate compact all-in-one rig

EPIPHONE JIMI HENDRIX LOVE DROPS FLYING V

Prepare to kiss the sky with Epiphone's latest 'Inspired By...' model

JIMMY PAGE

\"I was using what was really meaty!\"

EDDIE VAN HALEN

“You either capture the vibe or you don't!”

MYTH BUSTERS: THE CABLE DESTRUCTION TEST

Need to know whether gear is worth your cash? Who you gonna call...

JOHN FRUSCIANTE'S LETTER FROM AMERICA

Our July 2006 issue featured none other than John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the cover, with a line of text promising discussion of meditation, drugs, Hendrix and some chat about the band’s then-latest album, Stadium Arcadium.

CHALLENGE CHARLIE

Ata time when TC's staff were getting, frankly, rather silly, one man stood up to take on the daftest of all our challenges...

THE DARKNESS

“People don't do guitar solos anymore. That’s the problem!”

MATT BELLAMY

“T wanted one guitar part to stand out and be just perfect”

MARK TREMONTI RECORDS TG AN EXCLUSIVE TRACK

December 2005: despite the rise of the Internet, print media still rules. And that means when magazines ask for a favour, sometimes extraordinary things happen...

THE GLORY YEARS: TOO DRUNK TO PLUCK

Cementing TG's reputation for quality educational content, this 2005 advert for clean living taught us... well, nothing really, but it seemed like a great idea at the time

DIMEBAG DARRELL

“Dude, I’ve been doing this my whole life!”

BRIAN MAY

“T just wanted to rock!”

NOEL GALLAGHER

“T never really wanted to play lead”

THE DAWN OF DIGITAL MODELLING

Just six months into TG’s life we were hit by what thought would be a revolution: The Roland VG-8 and GK-2A guitar modelling system. The GK-2A ‘hex pickup’ converted each string’s signal into a separate digital signal, avoiding tracking problems that had plagued earlier attempts at digital guitar modelling, while the V-Guitar System promised to be able to model anything at all. “Imagine,” wrote music editor Joe Bennett, breathlessly, “play a Strat at one end and out comes the sound of a Les Paul, acoustic guitar, or even a tinny banjo…”

IN THE BEGINNING: ISSUE 1

Hendrix, dirt boxes, new tech: TG's launch issue shows guitarists' interests are timeless

"AC/DC FAMOUSLY WROTE HIGH VOLTAGE. OUR VERSION IS MORE LIKE CORRECT VOLTAGE!!

Opeth leader Mikael Åkerfeldt and fellow guitarist Fredrik Åkesson love to experiment with new sounds. But in a surprising twist, the band’s latest album is a return to their roots. As Mikael says: “It’s that old death metal magic!”

"WHEN YOU START WITH A CRAPPY GUITAR IT BEGINS THE CYCLE OF GEAR ADDICTION!"

Blues star Kenny Wayne Shepherd owns some amazing gear bespoke Dumble amps and a pedal that reportedly belonged to Jimi Hendrix. In his new album, he’s still finding new ways to express himself as a player...

"MY HANDS HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR SIXTY YEARS SO THEY KNOW WHERE THE FRETS ARE! "

In the 1970s, Steve Howe became a hugely influential figure in the sphere of progressive rock as the guitarist for Yes. Now on his third stint with the band, he’s also created an experimental new solo album. The guitar,” he says, is a very tempting instrument to explore...”

"I DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE IS DOING THIS. AND IF THEY ARE, THEY'D BE STUPID!"

Long ago, the Pixies blazed a trail for Nirvana and others to follow.But now, as before, there is no masterplan. As guitarist Joey Santiago says: \"I still go by feel - and with my gut.\"

"IT'S COOL TO HEAR YOUR INFLUENCES COMING OUT ORGANICALLY"

Jerry Cantrell shaped the sound of alternative rock with Alice In Chains, but on his new solo album he’s taking inspiration from the heroes of his youth: for tone, Jeff Beck and blues-rock master Robin Trower, and for guitar harmonies, Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Indulgent implement of rock excess, or a valid, useful 'other' guitar? Meet the doubleneck you can afford

"You Can Imagine a Song in a Completely Different Genre" - The mysterious Lord Phobos, guitarist for TWRP, has covered everything from disco to Def Leppard in his collaborations with tongue-in-cheek duo Ninja Sex Party.

The mysterious Lord Phobos, guitarist for TWRP, has covered everything from disco to Def Leppard in his collaborations with tongue-in-cheek duo Ninja Sex Party. He explains what makes a great cover version - and reveals the one guitar and the one pedal he couldn't live without...

Some Things You Want to Tweak and Make Your Own- How the Foos' Chris Shiflett reworked two rock classics on his recent solo EP

Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett is also a solo artist in his own right, and his latest EP Starry Nights & Campfire includes Lights covers of two great old rock tracks - Thin Lizzy's Cowboy Song and the ballad Don't You Ever Leave Me by Hanoi Rocks, the Finnish band that did so much to inspire Guns N' Roses.

"It Gives Me Physical Satisfaction To Play Funk Riffs!" - Into the groove with Giacomo Turra, the Italian guitarist who made his name covering classics by Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars and more...

Into the groove with Giacomo Turra, the Italian guitarist who made his name covering classics by Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars and more... Born in Milan, his funk guitar sensibility can be traced back to the dance studio where his mother taught, and the tunes he heard blasting out of her boombox. "I like to experiment with a lot of genres, but the really interesting thing for me is I really grew up on funk, and a little bit of jazz and fusion music," he says.

- Try out these creative tips and make your cover versions stand out

Try out these creative tips and make your cover versions stand out

BEAUX GRIS GRIS & THE APOCALYPSE

Heavily requested on rock radio stations thanks to their unique twist on bluesy Americana, Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse are the kind of band that thrive in front of large crowds on hot summer days just as much as more intimate performances inside sweaty underground basements.