Ritchie Blackmore's first Strat came from Eric Clapton's collection
Blackmore might be a Stratocaster icon now, but if it wasn’t for a bargain deal courtesy of Eric Clapton’s roadie, he may never have been
Guitarists
What Paul McCartney taught Brian Ray about playing the Beatles’ songs: "One time in rehearsal I made a mistake in the chorus”
The Paul McCartney guitarist shares his hard-won advice on how to perform any Beatles song perfectly
Todd Rundgren says only one Beatle “survived” the breakup: “All the other guys had some sort of issues”
The guitarist looks back on the Fab Four’s post-Beatles struggles and the rehabilitation that helped one member move beyond the shadow of the band
In a brand-new interview, Ritchie Blackmore says Deep Purple reunion was like coming back from war
The legendary guitarist reflects on his surprise return to the stage with his former bandmates after 33 years and the overwhelming response to “Smoke on the Water”
Gear
We review the Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Overdrive, Fuzz and Booster effects pedals
Warm Audio shrinks Alex Saraceno’s larger Dirty Boy circuits into more compact, affordable pedals, bringing the sounds of the originals to a new generation of guitarists
Best FRFR speakers 2026: 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 Line 6, Fender, HeadRush, Blackstar, and more
Pink Floyd unveils $6,400 18-carat gold guitar pick
Only 10 of the $6,400 picks are being made by the Royal Mint, and yes, they’re designed to be playable
We review the Positive Grid Spark Pedal Amp and Effects Modeler
The tiny modeler packs 33 amp models, 43 effects, Spark AI and a surprisingly deep editing system into a pedal that can hold its own as a practice tool, recording rig or backup setup
With 30% off across the board in Guitar Center's Labor Day sale, you can afford to splash out on tasty exclusive finishes from Epiphone, Fender, Taylor, and more
The Labor Day weekend sales are hotting up with massive discounts on big brands like Fender, Epiphone, Squier, Gretsch, and loads more
Guitars
Best semi-hollow guitars 2026: my top picks for tone and feel
From affordable workhorses to dream guitar purchases, these are the semi-acoustic guitars that deliver
Best beginner acoustic guitars 2026: start as you mean to go on
My pick of tried-and-tested beginner acoustics from trusted brands including Taylor, Fender, Epiphone, and more
How the search for Mick Ronson’s Ziggy Stardust Les Paul ended in $200,000 and heartache
How Rick Tedesco found and lost his dream guitar.
We review the Silvertone 1446 semihollow and find a mid-priced steal that’s more than a handsome rocker
With a set neck, center block and Wilkinson-designed mini-humbuckers, RBI Music’s $999 reissue puts a decidedly muscular spin on the vintage Silvertone design
Best 3/4 acoustic guitars 2026: top short-scale options from Taylor, Martin and more
Here are the best short-scale acoustic options that don’t compromise on tone, build quality or performance
Martin shakes up its 16 Series with 11 new guitars and three wild finishes: “We’re going to get weird with it, brother”
The refreshed lineup embraces bold finishes and less-familiar body shapes while retaining the all-solid-wood construction the series is known for
I track guitar sales for a living, and these Guitar-A-Thon discounts are unbelievably good
Score up to 30% off top-tier gear during Guitar Center's massive fall sale with deals on Fender, Epiphone, MXR, Sterling by Music Man, and more
Makers
Guitar Center wants players to test its “revolutionary” guitar design as the launch of its in-house brand draws near
"We’re looking for genuine players who are willing to share honest opinions…"
New video shows Les Paul’s home and workshop in ruins just before demolition: “It made me sick”
Guitar collector Perry Margouleff filmed the Mahwah property in its final days, while Les Paul’s son questions why preservation was never pursued
Behind the Beatles’ Abbey Road cover with Paul McCartney and its designer: “I thought, I’ve got to do this and get it out on Wednesday?”
As Sam Mendes re-creates the iconic image for his new Beatles films, we revisit how the original cover photo became an icon
Roger Daltrey says the Who invented metal before Black Sabbath
The singer says the Who's pioneering use of volume, feedback and Marshall amps laid the foundations for metal years before Black Sabbath arrived.
Fender serves a cease-and-desist to PRS, but does this latest target meet Fender’s copyist criteria?
PRS confirms it received a cease-and-desist letter over the Silver Sky — John Mayer’s massively successful signature model. But does this latest target meet Fender’s copyist criteria?
Studio legend Glyn Johns on Paul McCartney's shocking request to work on what became the Beatles' final album
The album’s roots live on as 'Let It Be,' but Johns says the rest of the band didn’t get McCartney’s “really interesting” idea
From Taylor Swift to Phoebe Bridgers and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy — how indie rockers came to adopt a guitar bridge born from parts in Home Depot's toilet aisle
Rubber-bridge guitars have changed the sound of acoustic guitar over the past 10 years. And it's all down to one man's invention
Lessons
How I use the Melodic Minor scale by Phi Yaan-Zek
Supercharge your soloing chops with Phi Yaan-Zek’s six Steve Vai-esque examples
“Here’s how to make your guitar sing…” Larry McCray Blues Masterclass
Learn these 13 examples that span across gospel inspired moans and bends, the Chicago shuffle and Larry Carlton's super arpeggio approach to soloing
Joe Bonamassa explains his trick for finding the guitars you’ll want to keep forever
The blues guitar star has amassed more than 600 guitars, from rare Les Pauls and Strats to a $400,000 Flying V. But he says the secret to finding a keeper is asking yourself one simple question
Music
Eric Clapton doesn’t like this classic Cream track, even though it’s key to his legend: “I think there’s something wrong with it”
Producer Tom Dowd said the live recording may have been edited down from a much longer performance — but even Clapton can’t remember for certain
Brian May on Freddie Mercury and the mega-hit that changed Queen’s relationship with their audience
May recalls how Mercury’s vision challenged the band at first — then helped Queen realize just how powerful their audience could be
Rita Coolidge says Eric Clapton owes her a writing credit for one of the most celebrated songs in rock
The Grammy-winning singer helped pen the piano coda that closes "Layla," but was never credited despite her pleas to the guitarist
Dolly Parton wrote “9 to 5” with her fingernails: “I have a credit on the back of the album that says, ‘Nails by Dolly!’”
On Dolly Parton Day, we revisit how the country icon was stuck on the 9 to 5 set without her guitar — and turned her trademark acrylic nails into a percussion instrument
As Ed Sheeran deals with tour fallout, Macklemore announces Free Palestine tour: “What happened to me is bigger than one artist”
The announcement comes after Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s Loop Tour, prompting the remaining supporting acts to withdraw in solidarity; Sheeran has since resumed the tour with a new lineup.
How Alice Cooper spun a 1960s ballad into his own glam-rock anthem
As the lead track to 1973‘s ‘Billion Dollar Babies,‘ it served double duty as a dramatic opening number on the album‘s tour
How Neil Diamond and a bag of weed turned a pair of struggling young guitarists into global stars
The Bellamy Brothers say they were hurting for a hit when they befriended Diamond’s band. The rest is history
