George Harrison on the '60s guitarist who could outplay them all
The former Beatle explained why he preferred musical subtlety to sheer volume and virtuosity — even when discussing one of rock's most formidable guitar players
Guitarists
Brian May names his favorite Freddie Mercury song: “It always pulls something out of you”
The guitarist explains why one of the band's biggest hits remains so rewarding to perform — despite initially having reservations about the song.
Why Steve Vai refused to play Eddie Van Halen's solos with David Lee Roth
The guitarist reveals why he chose to make Van Halen's parts his own when he joined Roth's band — rather than try to outshine one of rock's greatest players
“We had different ideas." Jack Bruce on how Eric Clapton was the odd man out in Cream
Bruce said the band's label saw Cream as a quick cash grab and had no idea the group would be as influential as it was in England and abroad
Gear
Positive Grid just dropped prices to double digits on two of its best portable guitar practice tools
Positive Grid’s already-affordable feature-packed practice amps just got even cheaper in this early Black Friday sale
Sweetwater just dropped the best early sale of Black Friday season so far, with $500 off a five-star Fender and $800 off an ESP baritone 7-string
The first huge Black Friday guitar sale just landed at Sweetwater with discounts hitting up to 60% off
We review the LiquiSlide Jules Leyhe Signature glass slide
Filled with a proprietary liquid and golden shimmering flakes, it looks and feels fabulous while delivering smooth, balanced and refined tone
Black Friday guitar deals 2026: The lowdown on the biggest sale of the year and early deals
Black Friday is nearly here, and you can grab massive guitar gear savings right now
Guitars
George Michael’s “Faith” guitar sparks family feud as it goes up for auction: “She would be horrified”
The late singer’s former assistant owned the Gretsch seen in his iconic video, but her brother says she never would have agreed to sell her cherished memorabilia.
Best Telecasters 2026: top-rated Fender & Squier Tele's for all players
Shopping around for a Fender Telecaster? Here’s a list of our top choice Teles from Fender and Squier
Best wireless guitar systems 2026: my top picks for stage, studio, and home
Unlock the freedom of the stage with our pick of the top-rated wireless guitar systems from Boss, Line 6, AKG, Behringer, Sennheiser, NUX, and more
Vince Gill tells how a tragedy brought him his prized 1959 Gibson Les Paul ’Burst
In a 2017 interview with Guitar Aficionado, the country-rock six-string ace revealed how a sad and deeply personal twist of events brought a prized '59 Les Paul into his life
Test your knowledge with The Ultimate Eric Clapton Guitar Quiz
Think you know everything there is to know about the guitars of Eric Clapton? See where you end up on the leaderboard of the GP quiz…
Steve Vai had a three-necked guitar, so Michael Angelo Batio built one with four. It was stolen before he ever played it
The shredder tells the story behind his most outlandish creation — and what remains of it
The 145-year-old Martin acoustic Kurt Russell smashed in The Hateful Eight may not have been destroyed by accident after all
Martin historian Dick Boak claims the guitar tech had gone home before the scene was filmed, and the prop instruments were never brought to the set
Makers
Metallica’s And Justice for All mix engineer says burying Jason Newstead’s bass guitar was stupid
Steve Thompson says he fought to keep Newsted’s bass audible on Metallica’s 1988 classic, but James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett ultimately got the mix they wanted
Led Zeppelin wanted this record destroyed. A rare copy has just showed up
It’s one of the band’s most iconic songs, but it was forbidden from being released as a single in the U.K.
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?
Lessons
"You want to play blues? Well, here's a better way to do it." Keith Wyatt: What I learned at GIT
Keith Wyatt was both a student and tutor at LA's GIT. Here he demonstrates how the CAGED system boosted his blues playing, fretboard knowledge and how you can benefit too
Sue Foley serves up five game-changing blues guitar tips: “That’s where you control your tone”
Foley offers essential advice for electric and acoustic blues players
Add jazz flair to your 12-bar blues with this time-tested shortcut from GIT master tutor Les Wise
Jazz chord pairs add sophistication to your sound while improving your knowledge of dominant 7th and extended chords
Flair, fluidity and fire: Allen Hinds' legato style will help you create your own stunning solos
From sequential patterns to doubling notes for unique phrasing, this tutorial will provide you with many new lead ideas
"Everybody was going crazy about Yngwie Malmsteen. Joe Satriani told me, ‘Don’t get too into him.'" Alex Skolnick's top five tips to becoming a better guitarist
Testament's Alex Skolnick on why you should be honest with yourself, never listen to negativity and focus on creating your own identity as a guitar player
Music
Rita Coolidge was cut out of a massive hit before Eric Clapton's “Layla”: “I've been telling this story since 1970”
Coolidge helped write “Groupie (Superstar),” recorded by Delaney & Bonnie in 1969. Two years later, the Carpenters turned it into a hit under the title “Superstar”
Steven Tyler pushes back on claims Aerosmith is finished: “You can't get rid of Aerosmith”
The singer responded after Bill Burr introduced the Hollywood Bowl concerts as the final two shows in the band's history. But Tyler's farewell speech left some questions unanswered
Stevie Nicks has revealed what she was really thinking when she wrote “Landslide”: “Should Lindsey and I continue?”
With her music career in limbo and her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham at a crossroads, Nicks recalls the Aspen experience that inspired her 1973 classic.
Ian Gillan hospitalized after medical emergency as Deep Purple postpone two concerts: “I don't want to be an embarrassment to anyone”
The 81-year-old singer previously discussed the possibility of retirement as his eyesight deteriorated. The band has yet to reveal details of his condition
When Dolly Parton shocked heavy metal legend Rob Halford: “She goes, ‘I love your beard,’ and starts to clean it!”
The Judas Priest frontman never expected to meet his longtime idol, let alone have her fuss over his facial hair. Their unlikely encounter eventually led to a duet on Parton's Rockstar album.
Jack White mourns his older brother who helped shape him as a guitarist: “The world lost a beautiful soul today”
Eddie Gillis, the longtime manager of Third Man Records’ pressing plant, died after a battle with cancer.
Fleetwood Mac authorized documentary arrives as Lindsey Buckingham hints at future activities: “Quite a few things will reveal themselves”
The Chain revisits the band's complicated history as Buckingham says he and Nicks are talking regularly again, fueling speculation about a possible reunion.
