Tony Iommi almost launched Black Sabbath's heavy metal crusade with a Fender Stratocaster
If it weren’t for two events, the band’s debut album and the genre it shaped would have sounded very different
Guitarists
Harvey Mandel wants credit for introducing Eddie Van Halen to tapping
The guitarist has no beef with Van Halen, but he wouldn't mind getting his due for using the technique long before Eddie and most other rock guitarists
Robby Krieger reveals how breaking the rules resulted in the Doors' breakthrough hit, "Light My Fire"
The guitarist says his chart-topping song came about because Jim Morrison said "We need more originals"
Joe Satriani: "She can shred any guy out there"
Satch points to Alyssa Day as an example of how the digital age has leveled the playing field for women and others who once had to rely on record labels for success
Gear
I found 3 deals at the Musician's Friend’s Presidents' Day sale that might just be too good to pass up
Get your hands on a new guitar, amp, or effects pedal at a healthy discount in this early Presidents’ Day sale
Best FRFR Speakers 2025: The best full range, flat response speakers for your digital effects and modelers
Our pick of fantastic FRFR speakers that won’t color your tone from Kemper, Line 6, Fender, Mission Engineering and more
Amp guru Cesar Díaz revealed Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar and amp secrets in this deep dive into his gear and tone
César Díaz shared the several notable improvements he made to SRV's gear with Guitar Player in this classic interview
Ritchie Blackmore got the loudest Marshall amp ever made. All he had to do was keep two secrets
The guitarist said his volume while testing amps was distracting to Marshall's workforce, even when he was in a soundproofed room
Guitars
What do you get when a car designer builds a guitar?
This custom, one-of-a-kind Jon Trickey Comet electric guitar takes its styling cues from cars and designs from 1950s American culture
“When I saw this 'Let It Be' footage, I noticed how easy it looked to play.” Paul McCartney on why he pulled his Höfner bass out of mothballs after ignoring it for nearly two decades
McCartney credited Elvis Costello for encouraging him to return the instrument to his lineup when the two began working together in 1987
Dweezil Zappa laments the absence of riffs in modern music and what it means for future guitar players
He’s mused on how songwriting has changed over the years, which has come at the expense of the riff and people’s exposure to the instrument
“I had him mix some paint there on the spot, and finally we came up with Fiesta Red!” With one decision, Fender increased the desirability — and future value — of a select few guitars
Fender custom colors were offered for a small upcharge after a handful of customers requested their guitars in special finishes
John Lennon’s legendary Framus 12-string gets an official reissue just months after its landmark sale
The guitar, used on a string of Beatles hits and missing for 50 years, has since become one of the most expensive guitars sold at auction
"Cover just about anything." We review the PRS SE Custom 24 Semihollow Piezo
The new addition to the PRS lineup raises the performance bar for this icon of six-string artistry
The Best Acoustic Guitars of 2025! These are the guitars that got our attention at the 2025 NAMM Show
With notable entries from Martin, Gibson, Taylor, Breedlove and many other makers, this year's offerings have something to please everyone
“What if I started with the pickup and built the guitar around it?” We tried the new L.R. Baggs AEG-1 and discovered an acoustic-electric guitar unlike any we've ever seen before
Its two pickup systems reproduce string vibration and body resonance while capturing ambience and offering resistance to feedback
Makers
Ciari Guitars is rising high as the industry’s premier travel guitar maker
Ciari founder Jonathan Spangler tells the story behind his company's innovative folding guitar design and technology
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
Lessons
The whammy bar is a magical device for bending strings; Carl Verheyen shows 6 stunning licks and riffs for you to learn
Verheyen said Beck's album "made me realize it would be nice to know what intervals would happen when I pulled on the bar”
Oz Noy explains the one thing every guitar player needs to unlock fretboard knowledge
The guitarist also tells why it's important to tune your guitar by ear, along with five other top tips
Amplifying your acoustic? Here's how to get the best sound using two signal paths
With one signal path for true acoustic tone and another for effects, you'll have maximum control over your live sound
Music
Ronnie Baker Brooks, son of Lonnie Brooks, stakes his claim to a place in the Chicago blues hierarchy
On the album's cover, Ronnie holds the 1967 Gibson SG his father held on his 1979 album, ‘Bayou Lightning’
Black Sabbath will reunite for one final show, with all-star support acts
Dubbed Back to the Beginning, the all-star event will take place on July 5 at Villa Park, Birmingham
He kickstarted 1970s power-pop with a Gibson SG, a rented acoustic and a gem of a song that remains a classic
Todd Rundgren’s “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” helped revive 1960s-style power-pop in the era when hard-rock and heavy-metal ruled the airwaves
Rudolf Schenker on Scorpions’ “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and the guitar Slowhand couldn’t own
The guitarist says the 1984 hit went through nine revisions before it was ready to record
Eric Clapton hated Cream’s “Crossroads." But is there an even longer version of it?
Producer Tom Dowd said Cream never played “Crossroads” for less than seven minutes in concert and was certain the 'Wheels of Fire' recording was an edit
Les Dudek on “Ramblin' Man,” “Jessica” and Dickey Betts' plans when Duane Allman died
The guitarist also recalls how an argument between Betts and Gregg Allman derailed the “Jessica” sessions
Bob Daisley credits Randy Rhoads' faulty equipment for inspiring Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train"
The bassist and lyricist said he wrote the 1980 song about world events and the looming threat of another world war
