CATEGORIES

The Cort of Public Opinion

CORT G290 FAT II

Rockin’ Role Model

EVH 5150 ICONIC SERIES 40W 1X12 COMBO

C. 1981-1990 MARSHALL JCM800 2203

CATEGORY: AMPLIFIER HEAD

Molly Tuttle

EXPERIENCING A CREATIVE RUT? IT MIGHT BE A SIMPLE CASE

WHEN JIMI MET SPOCK

IN 1968, JIMI HENDRIX BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN — ALMOST BURNED IT DOWN, IN FACT — IN CLEVELAND. BUT THE STARS WERE IN ALIGNMENT THAT DAY FOR A MIND-MELD WITH ANOTHER COSMIC AVATAR, LEONARD “MR. SPOCK” NIMOY

Poly Vai

Want Steve Vai to play on your album? Polyphia’s Tim Henson and Scott LePage (and Steve Vai!) tell you how it’s done. Behold the epic saga of “Ego Death”

Pup

STEFAN BABCOCK AND STEVE SLADKOWSKI REVEL IN THE UNRAVELING OF PUP (THE BAND)

El Perro

WITH THIS NEW PROJECT, LONGTIME RADIO MOSCOW GUITARIST PARKER GRIGGS DOGGEDLY PURSUES HIS GROOVY, PSYCHEDELIC DREAM

Thunders Lightning

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF Johnny Thunders, THE NEW YORK DOLLS AND HEARTBREAKERS GUITARIST WHO CRYSTALLIZED THE ESSENCE OF STREET-COOL ROCK 'N' ROLL

Buzz Bin Fender Paramount PD-220E Dreadnought

WHEN IT COMES to mid-priced acoustics, your choices are boundless. And to make matters more complicated, once you've set your sights on a particular brand or model, along comes one of your trusted guitar-playing buddies to make a strong case for another. Well, let me be that friend for a moment.

William Bell – Ace Venturer

You may not know William Bell, but you'll know his co-writes - You Don't Miss Your Water, Born Under A Bad Sign, his hit duet with Judy Clay, Private Number - his samples (hello, Kanye), or his covers: his songs have been performed by everyone from The Byrds to Billy Idol. Garth Cartwright meets the Stax legend, now in the seventh decade of his career

BÉLA BARTÓK Romanian Folk Dances 1-3

Declan Zapala explores the folk music of Eastern Europe with Bartok’s delightful Romanian Folk Dances, full of colourful chords and delicious dissonances.

TOMMY EMMANUEL

This month Stuart Ryan gets to grips with just one of the styles of an Australian firebrand who’s become a superstar of the acoustic guitar.

CHARLIE GRIFFITHS Five Lead Licks

With a new solo album out, Haken guitarist and GT tutor Charlie Griffiths presents five examples to challenge your picking and fretting hands plus test your theory skills.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

This month Martin Cooper checks out the funky, rocking sound of Red Hot Chili Peppers, and their Hendrix influenced guitarist, John Frusciante.

ERIC JOHNSON

Crank up the delay and join David Gerrish as he takes a look at the bluesier side of Texan virtuoso and Grammy award winner, Eric Johnson.

JAZZ ARPEGGIO SOLOING PT1

In the first of a new series, Fundamental Changes author Tim Pettingale looks at how great jazz players use arpeggios as the basis for their solos.

THE GREAT BRITISH BLUES INVASION

Jon Bishop checks out styles of five British blues guitar icons. From the arena filling Jimmy Page through to the aficionados’ favourite Peter Green, there’s something here for everyone.

TIM LERCH Video Masterclass

We set sail for classy harmonic territory with Tim Lerch, whose solo performance features a glorious clean tone courtesy of his 1951 Gibson ES-350, fitting perfectly with Jason Sidwell’s pop-jazz groover, Soul And Roll. Jon Bishop is your guide.

IMPROVE YOUR BENDS

Simon Barnard explores one of the guitar’s most emotive techniques. It sounds great when you get it right, but dire if you get it wrong!

THE CROSSROADS Tomo Fujita

For this month’s Crossroads, John Wheatcroft explores the fantastic Tomo Fujita and shows you how you can integrate some of Tomo’s ‘Guitar Wisdom’ into your own playing.

GUTHRIE GOVAN

In our great erotic cake off, our star baker is the aristocratic Guthrie Govan. Here you’ll discover five finger licking licks from the UK master.

CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE COMES HOME

One of the most revered blues harp players, Musselwhite finds his way back to the guitar on Mississippi Son.

MOON SHOT

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi reveal the guitar secrets behind I Am the Moon, their ambitious (and massive) quadruple album project.

WALRUS AUDIO: Mira optical compressor

WALRUS AUDIO BROUGHT studiograde compression to guitar effects with Deep Six, a pedal inspired by Universal Audio's industry-standard rackmount 1176 FET compressor. Now the Oklahoma City-based company has introduced Mira, an analog optical compressor that offers smooth, transparent compression in a pedal that boasts studio-quality features, specs and headroom.

TAYLOR: 724ce Koa Grand Auditorium

SOME PEOPLE ARE obsessed with power; some are obsessed with fame. Taylor chief guitar designer, president and CEO Andy Powers is obsessed with koa, and that's the name of the game for the new additions to the 700 series: the 722ce Grand Concert and 724ce Grand Auditorium, the latter of which is on review here. It's a totally different take on the lovely Hawaiian hardwood from a manufacturer who is passionate about koa.

FENDER: Hammertone effects pedals

FENDER'S NEW LINE of Hammertone effects pedals features nine models, all in the same grey-finished 4.375 x 2.375 x 1.375-inch aluminum enclosure, with differently colored "F" logo "witch-hat" knobs derived from Fender's semi-hollow Starcaster guitar of the mid to late '70s.

A LEGEND COMES HOME

After a 46-year search, Randy Bachman is reunited with his long-lost 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins.

MY CAREER IN FIVE SONGS

With 22 Grammys, 20 studio albums and more than 40 charting singles, Vince Gill has had one hell of a career. Here are five songs he credits for its success.

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN Cutlass HT TESTED

BORN OUT OF the California bolt-neck electric guitar tradition, Ernie Ball Music Man has nevertheless continued to strive for originality and innovation.