CATEGORIES
Fretbuzz
A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world, from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Eccentric Echo
It might be small, but Free The Tone’s latest has all the facilities to really shape the sound of your delay trails
Fly Drive
A new approach to clipping circuits from Kernom aims to offer all the overdrive sounds you need in a single pedal
Look Sharp
Tanglewood Guitars in the UK commissioned veteran guitar designer Gary Levinson to create a range of affordable but contemporary guitars. Here’s the result
Sound Shapers
Zilla Cabs’ Paul Gough demystifies the humble baffle, and explores how different types can affect your combo’s sound
SUPER 'NAUT
If you can't make the world’s most influential acoustic guitar better, you can always make it bigger, explain Scott Sasser and Tim Teel of Martin
Cool Cats
There’s no pussyfooting around for new company KittycasterFX as it hits the ground running with a pair of serious tone-shapers
Clarity Redefined
Premium-quality USB audio interfaces designed for producers, engineers and artists.
Lustre For Glory
A trio of Gibson dreadnoughts with faded satin nitro finishes, vintage appointments and modern-day electronics. Serious players or mere novelty acts? Let the auditions begin...
ALTER BRIDGE
Guitar duo Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti discuss their new album, custom guitars, the art of crafting long songs, and why you really, really don't want tinnitus...
CHARLIE BURCHILL
He's the Glasgow guitar maverick who broke into the 80s stadium league with Simple Minds. Now, as the band return with 18th album, Direction Of The Heart, Charlie Burchill tells us about pushing the envelope, falling for the White Falcon, commandeering The Edge's rig, and why you won't catch him playing powerchords
EXTRA, SPECIAL
We devote so much thought to big gear purchases but it's the little things that make the difference from day to day, we argue
MXR CUSTOM SHOP CSP039 DUKE OF TONE
Plenty of players would like to get their hands on an Analog Man King Of Tone, the twin-channel stompbox based on heavily modded circuitry from the Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal.
UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAFX RUBY '63 TOP BOOST AMPLIFIER
Universal Audio has been on a stompbox roll recently. Following a trio of effects last year, the company has condensed the sound and features of three classic amps into three stompboxes.
FLOOR AMPS & MULTI-EFFECTS
Compact tone from world-class amps-in-boxes and feature-packed multi-effects processors
BLACKSTAR ST JAMES EL34 1x12 COMBO
In recent years we've seen many guitar amplification designs leveraging Class D technology to produce lots of watts from unfeasibly small packages.
AMPS
Portable power with vintage tone, modern features or both you're spoilt for choice
THE ACOUSTIC PARADOX
Are there times when a top-ofthe-range acoustic guitar is just foo good to use for the job in hand?
TAYLOR 724CE KOA
Taylor’s commitment to a more ecological approach regarding the use of timbers in its guitars is exemplified in its new koa-bodied 700 Series.
PRESTIGE ELECTRICS
The flawless electrics that reside at the peak of guitar design in 2022
MAINSTREAM ELECTRICS
Irresistible builds from both sides of the pond
THERE'S A STORM A'COMING
Rising prices are everywhere, including on our cherished guitars. VWWe discuss the background to the ongoing price hikes with the head of PRS Europe, Gavin Mortimer
GEAR YEAR OF THE
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN WE PRESENT OUR PICK OF 2022’S MOST OUTSTANDING GEAR
WALTER TROUT
Now in his 70s, having survived rock 'n' roll excess and a debilitating pandemic-induced depression, Walter Trout takes us on the emotional road he travelled to release his 30th solo album, Ride, a record that revisits the trials of his New Jersey childhood and affirms his place in the annals of blues-rock
Voice Leading
Richard Barrett shares some useful gradual transitions between chords around the fretboard
And Custom For All
Fender's Mod Shop offers buyers the chance to custom-build a new guitar andit’s cheaper than going the Custom Shop route. Our editors try it out
Under Pressure
This issue, Alex Bishop deals with the twin troubles of tension and playability that you may encounter when building a guitar
Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)
Neville Marten recalls how playing thousands of good and bad instruments has gained him a degree from the guitar university of life’
Albums
The month's best guitar music a hand-picked selection of the finest fretwork on wax