Latest articles by Jimmy Leslie
"It was all there in the parlor guitar: that depth and inspirational tone. The only reason guitars got bigger was to compete with barking dogs and juggling children in vaudeville…" The big history of small acoustics
Richard Hoover unravels the history and mystery of parlor guitars
"The Bryn Athyn Cathedral in Pennsylvania called me about a stack of leftover Brazilian rosewood that would have been a living tree in the 1700s": How Santa Cruz's Richard Hoover sources antique materials for his luxurious lutherie
Santa Cruz captain Richard Hoover applied his ultimate artistic expression to his historic Vault Series that made its stunning debut at NAMM 2024 last week.
“A little badass: ideal for a bit of bottom-end grooving without the weight of a full-scale bass or amp”: The junior-sized Martin DJR-10E acoustic bass reviewed
Perfect for players with small hands or working out bass parts on the fly, the great-sounding, cute-looking and affordable Martin DFR-10E Bass packs a ton of fun into just 24 inches
Excellent playability, affordability and “fabulous amplified acoustic tone”: Fender’s latest Highway Series’ Parlor and Dreadnought guitars reviewed
Discover why the Highway Series is an excellent crossover option for players who want a killer acoustic stage sound from an instrument with the playability of an electric guitar
”What I’m playing is like a string quartet, meaning that a mandolin corresponds to a violin”: Dave Grisman on his Acoustic America album and stunning exhibition of 90 iconic folk instruments at Arizona's Musical Instrument Museum
Musicologist and gear collector David Grisman talks through the historic mandolins, guitars and banjos he played on his Acoustic America album, but you can see them for yourself at Arizona’s Musical Instrument Museum
The Martin GPCE Inception Maple is state of the art in a market where a cutaway used to be considered outrageous – but is it any good? Oh yes…
The latest and greatest incarnation of Martin’s “openly vivacious” Grand Performance sets a new benchmark with its gorgeous design, honeycombed bracing and maple back and sides
GP Presents Julian Lage, January 18 - January 21 in San Francisco – win tickets
Lage epitomizes modern jazz guitar, and he’s going to be the Resident Artistic Director at SF Jazz over the third weekend of January, holding court at the Miner Auditorium
Gear of the Year: The best guitars, amps, pedals and more of 2023
Our guide to the greatest guitars, amps, pedals and accessories of 2023, handpicked by the Guitar Player team
GP Presents Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew’s Remain in Light, with X, December 30 in San Francisco – Win Tickets
GP Presents has joined forces with Goldenvoice for a Talking Heads rave up to round out the year at the Warfield Theatre
”If you don’t get your act together, then you can’t expect your band to be.” Session player and bandleader Ben Misterka shares his wisdom on playing savvy in the post-pandemic world
With performance budgets crunched to the max, life on the road these days is more challenging than ever. Here’s how to make the most of your opportunities
Plastic-free and fully FSC-certified, with a hemp gig bag, the Martin OM Biosphere must be one of the greenest guitars ever – but is it any good?
Martin’s second über-environmental guitar: the OM Biosphere reviewed
GP Presents Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel with GA-20, November 13 in San Francisco – win tickets!
Find out how you can win tickets to an evening of fiery Southern rock and blues
Adrian Belew recounts his audition with Frank Zappa: "We sat on his purple couch. I placed my Pignose amplifier face down on it so I could get a little bit of sustain... At the end of it, he reached out his hand and said, ‘You got the job’"
Belew got the gig in the end, but his audition was anything but smooth sailing...
Struggling to string bend on your acoustic? Here are 4 simple tricks that will help…
Outside of the box ideas for making string bending easier on an acoustic guitar
“Paul Reed Smith chooses wood like Stradivari, who used to walk around the Dolomites in Italy tapping on trees, saying, ‘I’ll take that one, not that one.’ He’s a maniac”: John McLaughlin on reuniting with Shakti, his bad year, and his signature PRS
As he reunites his Indo-jazz supergroup Shakti, John McLaughlin talks harmony, rhythm and good wood
GP Presents Pat Metheny, November 3-5 in Berkeley, CA – win tickets!
The jazz guitar legend is supporting his new solo guitar album, Dream Box, with solo shows in smaller venues, offering audiences an intimate look and listen to his signature style
How to Ditch the Pick and Engage Your Strongest Digits for Powerful Fingerstyle Action
Get inspired and expand your technique using this short lesson
The Acoustic Guitar Player’s Guide to Using Fake Nails
Once your nails are ready to roll, the power and flexibility of full fingerstyle will be literally at your fingertips
Hear These Fine Vintage Martins in Action on Collector and Bluegrass Ambassador Gary Brewer’s Latest Cut, ‘House of Axes’
‘House of Axes’ is a straight-shooting showcase for Brewgrass’s rarest and most prized acoustics from a collection of more than 100 vintage Martins
Bluegrass Master Gary Brewer of the Kentucky Ramblers Shares Some Guitar Pick Wisdom
Cop some plectrum pointers from a seasoned acoustic pro
L.R. Baggs HiFi High-Fidelity Acoustic Bridge Plate Pickup System Review
For ushering in a new chapter at one of the most innovative companies in the acoustic-electric arena, HiFi earns an Editors’ Pick Award
How to Advance Your Hybrid-Picking Technique in Four Easy Steps
Make the most of these simple exercises and tips and you’ll have a million songs in myriad styles at your fingertips
Five Great Ways to Improve Your Thumb Technique and Make Your Sound Stand Out
Free your thumb and fabulous fingerstyle will follow
“Success in Our Business Has Very Little Relation to Making Moving, Emotionally Meaningful Music”: Milk Carton Kids Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan Are Leading a Modern Folk Revival
While their exquisite new album, ‘I Only See the Moon,’ continues to draw high praise the Americana duo points the way for fellow artists and music fans with the ambitious Los Angeles Folk Festival
