H.E.R.

“I think this will inspire a lot of young black girls – and actually a lot of young girls in general – to pick up the guitar,” says Grammy-winning RnB artist H.E.R., when TG asks about her Fender signature. The new Strat will feature a mid-60s C-shape maple neck, Fender’s own Vintage Noiseless pickups, and an anodized aluminum pickguard. Then there’s that dazzling Chrome Glow finish.

The Future Sound Of Fender

TG talks tone, gear and songwriting with Black Pumas, Yola, Girl In Red and IDLES – the Fender Next artists who are building new sounds from fresh approaches

Fender 2020 Back To The Future

How the world’s biggest guitar company takes some of the guitar world’s most-loved instruments and remakes them anew

Free Your Mind… And Your Ass Will Follow!

Funk legend James Brown used to call himself ‘the hardest working man in show business’. In 2020, that guy is cory wong, the modern funk master who’s made five albums within a year – four solo records and one a collaboration with pianist Jon Batiste. Here, in his own words, cory outlines his ever-expanding “artistic journey” via 10 key tracks...

SOCCER MOMMY

Nashville’s Soccer Mommy has had quite the rise over the last half-decade.

MIXING TIPS

Wrapping up our miniseries on home recording, we turn our attention to the mixdown process with tips from Grammy-nominated rock and metal producer Romesh Dodangoda

MXR TIMMY £139

Meet the accessible version of a cult classic

MORSE POWER!

AS ROCK LEGENDS DEEP PURPLE CELEBRATE ANOTHER HIT ALBUM WITH WHOOSH!, GUITAR VIRTUOSO STEVE MORSE TALKS TONE, TENSION AND TECHNIQUE – AND EXPLAINS HOW JAZZ MUSIC CONTINUES TO INSPIRE HIM

“WE'RE COMPLETE PEDAL GEEKS!”

WITH A NEW IDLES ALBUM, ULTRA MONO, JUST RELEASED, THE BRISTOL BAND’S GUITARISTS LEE KIERNAN AND MARK BOWEN DISCUSS THEIR LOVE OF FENDERS, WALLS OF AMPS AND GIANT PEDALBOARDS, BUT THEY ADMIT: “ALL OUR GUITAR PARTS ARE REALLY SIMPLE”

Heart of Darkness

IRISH POST-PUNK HEROES FONTAINES D.C. ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST-RISING BANDS IN MODERN ROCK. BUT WHEN THEY MADE THEIR HIT NEW ALBUM A HERO’S DEATH THEY WERE IN “A BAD PLACE”, STRUGGLING TO COPE WITH THEIR OWN SUCCESS. FENDER-TOTING GUITARISTS CARLOS O’CONNELL AND CONOR CURLEY EXPLAIN WHY THEY RECORDED THE ALBUM TWICE, WHY THEY FAVOUR UNORTHODOX PEDALBOARDS, AND WHY, SOMETIMES, A “SH*TTY” SOUND IS BEST

EPIPHONE SG SPECIAL P-90 £349

Inspired by Gibson… and could it be the perfect compromise?

THE HUMAN RIFF

Follow TG’s guide to The Human Riff’s open G riffing, acoustic work and weaving rhythms

Record Your Electric Guitar

Recording your guitar doesn’t have to be a brain-melting experience. With the help of legendary producers, we take the pain out of capturing the sounds of your electric guitar...

ADAM BLACK ROUTE 61 CE

If you’re at a crossroad, this affordable cutaway-electro could help make your deal

JAVIER REYES

Javier Reyes demonstrates his signature fingerstyle technique and progressive influences in this specially recorded track for TG

HAKEN'S RICHARD HENSHALL & CHARLIE GRIFFITHS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

GRETSCH G5410T ELECTROMATIC ‘RAT ROD'

A stripped-down Hollowbody boasting plenty of attitude and authentic tones

Man of The World

IN HIS HEARTFELT TRIBUTE TO PETER GREEN, METALLICA’S KIRK HAMMETT EXPLAINS HOW THE FORMER BLUESBREAKER AND FLEETWOOD MAC GUITARIST'S VIRTUOSO PLAYING, EAR FOR DARKNESS, AND LEGENDARY ’59 LES PAUL – AKA GREENY – CHANGED HIS LIFE, AND WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT HE TOOK IT ALONG FOR A SPECIAL REUNION

IK MULTIMEDIA Z-TONE DI

IK makes going direct more fun

BB KING THE THRILL IS GONE

Take a ride with the King as TG and Rockschool take a look at BB’s classic minor blues ballad

HYBRID THEORY

WHEN LINKIN PARK SINGER CHESTER BENNINGTON DIED IN 2017 HE WAS PLANNING A REUNION ALBUM WITH HIS PRE‑FAME BAND GREY DAZE. NOW, THAT ALBUM HAS BEEN COMPLETED – WITH VOCALS BENNINGTON HAD RECORDED, AND GUEST APPEARANCES BY GUITARISTS FROM KORN, HELMET AND BUSH. GREY DAZE GUITARIST CRISTIN DAVIS LEADS THE TRIBUTES...

RECORD YOUR ACOUSTIC GUITAR

RECORDING YOUR OWN MUSIC CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST FUN AND REWARDING EXPERIENCES YOU’LL HAVE WITH YOUR GUITAR – IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE DIFFICULT OR EXPENSIVE! OVER THE NEXT FEW PAGES, WE’LL SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT GEAR YOU NEED AND HOW TO GET A GREAT SOUND FROM A SIMPLE ACOUSTIC SET-UP...

TASH SULTANA

“You could say my set-up has come a long way from an RC-30 and a milk crate!” laughs Tash Sultana.

MANSON META MBM-1 £569

When a signature guitar belongs to the company’s owner, it’s gonna be good…

Nahko Bear

“THE JOURNEY WITH THE GUITAR IS NEVER-ENDING. I AM ALWAYS LEARNING,” SAYS NAHKO BEAR, THE OREGON-BORN GUITARIST AND LEADER OF MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE. WITH A NEW ALBUM, TAKE YOUR POWER BACK, INSPIRED BY HIS NATIVE AMERICAN ROOTS, NAHKO LOOKS BACK ON HIS DEVELOPMENT AS A PLAYER AND EXPLAINS HOW ONE NEW CHORD CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING...

ORANGE CRUSH ACOUSTIC 30 £319

Small and perfectly formed?

NEW ADVENTURES IN Sound

“We like sounds that are slightly askew and wrong!” says Biffy Clyro’s guitarist/vocalist Simon Neil. With the band’s powerful and experimental new album, A Celebration Of Endings, released this month, he discusses his love of the Strat and his “life-changer” new pedal, his go-to gear and tones, the influence of Soundgarden and Rush, and the art of writing a rock anthem...

FREE SPIRIT

Robby Krieger’s new solo album The Ritual Begins At Sundown finds The Doors legend still testing the boundaries of feel, technique, and genre. But to understand Krieger’s playing today, you have to take it back to the start, to Los Angeles, 1965...

CORT LITTLE CJ WALNUT OP £369

The small guitar that goes large on value?

25 ACOUSTIC SONGS

From summer strummers and campfire classics to more advanced fingerstyle workouts, expand your repertoire withtips and tricks for 25 of our favourite acoustic songs...