“It's cobbled together, but it has an aura to it.” Jeff Beck's 'Blow by Blow' Oxblood Les Paul is not all that it seems
It was the star of his most famous album's cover, but the ‘54 Les Paul — like its owner — defies convention
Guitarists
Ace Frehley goes behind the scenes of rock's greatest TV interview — when Tom Snyder interviewed Kiss in 1979
“Kiss had a weird chemistry back then,” the Space Ace says. “Which is one of the reasons that group worked”
Zakk Wylde reveals the origins of the first riff he wrote for Ozzy Osbourne
The guitarist also names some of his favorite Randy Rhoads and Jake E. Lee tunes from their Ozzy eras
Mark Tremonti reveals the way to create unique-sounding solos
The guitarist shares his secrets for soloing and crafting metal guitar dynamics as his self-titled band drops its new album, 'The End Will Show Us How'
Gear
“The best Binson Echorec emulation ever made.” Dawner Prince tackles the king of all delays with its new Boonar Tube Deluxe. Repeat after us: It's a winner
Built by hand, and available in limited quantities, it’s a gorgeous emulation of the delay unit famously used by David Gilmour
We reviewed the Dixon Hummingbird 15 tube combo and decided less is definitely more
Boasting top-notch build and minimal features, it's an ideal pedal platform and a solid performer that morphs from rhythm to lead via your picking or guitar volume
Mitch Colby resurrects the amp that gave Paul McCartney his start and put the Kinks on the hit parade
The Colby Elpico AC55 1x12 combo is a modern take on the 1950s/'60s Elpico AC55 that launched young British guitarists into the world of rock and roll
“‘Those old Beatle bashers?’”: Paul McCartney talks Vox amps, and his love of dirty tones
In a 1990 GP interview, McCartney expressed his personal preference for getting gnarlier rock tones out of his Vox amps, despite his pop reputation
Guitars
Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian teases the return of a forgotten ‘70s Gibson guitar and a brand-new Mesa/Boogie amp on the eve of NAMM 2025
The CEO has used Instagram to hint about new releases before, and this time looks to be a double whammy
It's ugly and beat to hell, but Adrian Belew's Stratocaster is behind landmark albums
The guitarist told us the history of his Strat, which he bought off the wall after his previous axe disappeared
Gibson's ES-345 struck a middle ground between the 335 and 355. It remains an underrated gem worth your time
Our reviewer hijacked an Abernethy Sonic Empress THC on its way to Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. He found it hard to let go
Inspired by 1960s budget axes, Justin Abernethy’s Sonic Empress THC combines vintage and modern in an offset design that’s built for these times
Fame's Forum IV Modern 20th Anniversary lets you rock like a star without having to spend like one
The Forum IV Modern 20th Anniversary offers stunning looks, fine craftsmanship and broad tonal versatility at an exceptional value
Best Semi-Hollow Guitars 2025: The Top Choices From Gibson, PRS, Fender, Eastman and More
We give our expert opinion on the top semi-hollow body guitars available today
Fender proves it's the season of giving - score an extra $50 when you buy a $350+ gift card this Christmas
Top up your gift card to $400, and save on popular models such as Player Plus, American Professional II and Vintera II
Makers
Paul Reed Smith explains why it doesn’t matter where guitars are made
Calling Carlos Santana and Jimmy Herring up as witnesses, the luthier continues his electric guitar myth-busting streak
Gibson revamps the Les Paul Studio with tonal, playability, and aesthetic upgrades
A lighter body, plain maple cap, updated electronics, and new finishes give the affordable LP a new lease on life
Fender launches the first-ever Certified Pre-owned Reverb store – offering its second-hand instruments at a discount
All guitars are professionally inspected before being listed, come with a one-year warranty, and are on average 25 percent cheaper
After the 2010 Tennessee floods, Keith Urban had to abandon his ruined guitar collection for last-minute eBay buys in the studio
Urban says he was forced to buy a Clapton Strat to fill the void, but felt like he was “cheating” on his beloved guitars
Vote for the greatest rock guitar riff of all time
In our December 2024 issue, Guitar Player will celebrate the 50 greatest rock riffs of all time – as chosen by you
Guitar Center employees find thousands of dollars worth of cocaine, and methamphetamine hidden inside a guitar amp
The Atlanta-area store was listed as the shipment’s return address to minimize suspicions, but it ended up at the store by mistake
Claudette King to celebrate B.B. King’s 100th birthday with funk-infused 2025 tour
The blues legend’s daughter will front a 10-piece band including Grammy-winning bluesman Grady Champion and King’s longtime drummer as they celebrate his legacy “with a flavor of funk”
Fernandes Guitars, Japanese brand loved by Kirk Hammett and The Edge, files for bankruptcy
The budget guitar builder, founded in 1969, cited a poor performance in the second-hand market and increased competition for its $2.75m debt
Dean Guitars wins the right to a retrial in its ongoing trademark dispute with Gibson
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Dean Guitars is entitled to a retrial after it appealed against a 2022 ruling that went in Gibson's favor, but it does not overturn a 2022 injunction preventing Dean from using the disputed shapes for the time being
Lessons
Bumblefoot says his top guitar tips will help you break out of ruts and engage with the music
The shred virtuoso also talks about working with Steve Vai and Brian May for his new album, 'Bumblefoot....Returns!'
"That's where you control your tone." Sue Foley's five game-changing blues guitar tips
A Grammy nominee for her latest album, 'One Guitar Woman,' Foley offers essential advice for electric and acoustic blues players
"I realized there was something in them very appealing to the listener. It's a richer sound." George Benson shows how he uses octaves in this lesson from Guitar Player's August 1976 issue
Music
"We hit this one lick, and the lighting director came rushing forward: 'Don't change a thing!”’ Billy Gibbons reveals how a soundcheck jam turned into ZZ Top's breakthrough hit
Gibbons says he has new music in the works with ZZ and the BFGs, whose new single — "Livin' It Up Down in Texas" from the Paramount+ series Landman — comes out today
It took 50 years, but this guitarist's tune has become an inescapable hit. You've probably heard it at least once today
David Paton's "Magic" was a number-five hit in 1975. Ozempic turned it into a 21st century pop-culture phenomenon
“The best Van Halen album — period.” Lzzy Hale tells us the 10 records that changed her life
“It’s one of the magical things about music,” she says. “If it gets inside you, it’s yours, and nothing can take that away”
What Charlie Christian did with his reasonably sized toolbox was incredible. Here's what I learned
Jazz guitarist Jim Campilongo reflects on Christian's groundbreaking guitar work on the 1987 compilation 'Charlie Christian – The Genius of the Electric Guitar'
Andy Summers reveals his role in the making of the Police hit “Every Breath You Take”
The former Police guitarist says his riff should have earned him a writing credit
Randy Bachman tells us how an inside joke gave him a hit even bigger than "Takin' Care of Business"
Not many artists can boast that their song won an award from the Stuttering Foundation of America
Zakk Wylde cracks us up with tales of Ozzy as he reveals the stories behind his greatest tracks
The heavy metal shredder also explains how he fuses together Pat Martino and Jimi Hendrix in his practice sessions
