Players How a Rickenbacker and an empty toilet paper roll made one of the greatest guitar songs of the 1990s Ed Roland says he was thrilled when Dolly Parton — of all people — covered his post-grunge hit and won a Grammy "As much as I love gear and gadgets, there’s no substitute for what you can do with your fingers." Adrian Belew reveals six ways to change your guitar game right now, for free The guitarist also explains how he made a new instrument out of a child’s toy and used it on his latest album Nancy Wilson tells how blazing guitars, powerhouse riffs and Yes combined to make Heart's monster hit "Barracuda" The guitarist also recalls the controversial history behind the group's 1977 classic rocker Latest Players “One of the beautiful things about Leo is one of the hardest things to do – forget that you’re playing a guitar and just feel like you’re playing music. He embodies that transcendence”: The lessons Julian Lage learned from acoustic master Leo Kottke By Jimmy Leslie published 9 April 24 As Lage further explores his unplugged instincts, he reflects on some of Kottke's humorous nuggets of wisdom – one being that readings from sometimes-unreliable electric tuners are “only a suggestion” “The music I might hear, I can’t get on the guitar. It’s a thing of laying around daydreaming... If you pick up your guitar and just try to play, it spoils the whole thing”: Jimi Hendrix on translating his ideas to the guitar, and the joys of club gigs By John Burks published 8 April 24 In 1970, at the peak of his stardom, Hendrix sat down with GP for a chat about songwriting, informal jams, and some of his favorite guitar players “The best solos have soul, feeling and chops. Players concerned with only playing fast are missing the point...”: With heavy themes and cameos from Alex Skolnick and Vernon Reid, Jane Getter's new album features her most inspired playing to date By Andrew Daly published 5 April 24 Channeling a multitude of influences, Getter has delivered a spunky record that transcends genre and easy categorization “My 1939 Martin was in a garbage bag for 15 years prior to me getting it in pieces. The neck was off and the body was crushed”: How unplugging reshaped Julian Lage's electric approach By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 The jazz guitar virtuoso reveals how his Collings OM1 JL signature model came to be, and why a solo acoustic show can actually be more “raucous” than an electric-driven affair “I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster By Richard Bienstock published 26 March 24 The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead “I went to Mickie Most's office with an acoustic guitar and played it. It was almost like one of those clichéd movie moments: he said, ‘That’s going to be a hit!’”: Session guitar ace Chris Spedding reveals the stories behind five of his best songs By Mark McStea published 25 March 24 A long-standing sideman to Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry and the late Robert Gordon, Chris Spedding is a master of tasteful playing – just don't expect him to spend too much time looking back at his voluminous discography “Sister Rosetta Tharpe inspired artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry, and helped give birth to rock and roll, soul, and electric blues”: A brief look back at the career of a perennially under-appreciated rock guitar pioneer By Guitar Player Staff published 20 March 24 With her impassioned voice and twanging double-stop licks, Tharpe imbued her religious tunes with elements of jazz, blues, and a joyful, hard-driving rhythm “Slash came in with the riff, and I got behind the drum kit... we got it down real quick”: Lenny Kravitz breaks down 5 of his classic songs By Mark McStea published 20 March 24 High-octane collaborations, sudden, manufacturing-halting bursts of inspiration... the stories behind these songs are as eclectic as the tunes themselves “I had a ’60s Guild 12-string that was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Guild rebuilt the back for me... ever since, it sounds amazing”: How Rich Robinson used resurrected Guilds, and an unusual Fender amp, to make magic with the reunited Black Crowes By Richard Bienstock published 19 March 24 As the Black Crowes fly again with their first new album in 15 years, Rich Robinson reveals how music mended his relationship with his brother Chris, and kept the band true to their origins “Link Wray does it all, but his style also reminds us how captivating a few well-chosen riffs can be when combined with compelling tone, passion, and musicality”: Link Wray's Rumble (1956–62) is an essential document of ‘less is more’ guitar playing By Jim Campilongo published 14 March 24 A spin of this fantastic compilation will make you fall in love with the guitar all over again 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors LATEST ARTICLES1“The structural integrity is pretty amazing for cardboard. You can totally rock it.” Robby Krieger plays slide guitar on the world’s first cardboard Telecaster 2“I’ll just do a little bit of it and show you what got me in the Beatles.” Paul McCartney reveals the song he played for John Lennon that earned him a spot in the band3"As much as I love gear and gadgets, there’s no substitute for what you can do with your fingers." Adrian Belew reveals six ways to change your guitar game right now, for free 4Nancy Wilson tells how blazing guitars, powerhouse riffs and Yes combined to make Heart's monster hit "Barracuda" 5"It's a real pleasure to be here with my family and friends... 'cause this is a special year for me too." Lost for over two decades, this clip shows Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and Jimmie Vaughan performing together in 1989
“One of the beautiful things about Leo is one of the hardest things to do – forget that you’re playing a guitar and just feel like you’re playing music. He embodies that transcendence”: The lessons Julian Lage learned from acoustic master Leo Kottke By Jimmy Leslie published 9 April 24 As Lage further explores his unplugged instincts, he reflects on some of Kottke's humorous nuggets of wisdom – one being that readings from sometimes-unreliable electric tuners are “only a suggestion”
“The music I might hear, I can’t get on the guitar. It’s a thing of laying around daydreaming... If you pick up your guitar and just try to play, it spoils the whole thing”: Jimi Hendrix on translating his ideas to the guitar, and the joys of club gigs By John Burks published 8 April 24 In 1970, at the peak of his stardom, Hendrix sat down with GP for a chat about songwriting, informal jams, and some of his favorite guitar players
“The best solos have soul, feeling and chops. Players concerned with only playing fast are missing the point...”: With heavy themes and cameos from Alex Skolnick and Vernon Reid, Jane Getter's new album features her most inspired playing to date By Andrew Daly published 5 April 24 Channeling a multitude of influences, Getter has delivered a spunky record that transcends genre and easy categorization
“My 1939 Martin was in a garbage bag for 15 years prior to me getting it in pieces. The neck was off and the body was crushed”: How unplugging reshaped Julian Lage's electric approach By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 The jazz guitar virtuoso reveals how his Collings OM1 JL signature model came to be, and why a solo acoustic show can actually be more “raucous” than an electric-driven affair
“I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster By Richard Bienstock published 26 March 24 The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead
“I went to Mickie Most's office with an acoustic guitar and played it. It was almost like one of those clichéd movie moments: he said, ‘That’s going to be a hit!’”: Session guitar ace Chris Spedding reveals the stories behind five of his best songs By Mark McStea published 25 March 24 A long-standing sideman to Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry and the late Robert Gordon, Chris Spedding is a master of tasteful playing – just don't expect him to spend too much time looking back at his voluminous discography
“Sister Rosetta Tharpe inspired artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry, and helped give birth to rock and roll, soul, and electric blues”: A brief look back at the career of a perennially under-appreciated rock guitar pioneer By Guitar Player Staff published 20 March 24 With her impassioned voice and twanging double-stop licks, Tharpe imbued her religious tunes with elements of jazz, blues, and a joyful, hard-driving rhythm
“Slash came in with the riff, and I got behind the drum kit... we got it down real quick”: Lenny Kravitz breaks down 5 of his classic songs By Mark McStea published 20 March 24 High-octane collaborations, sudden, manufacturing-halting bursts of inspiration... the stories behind these songs are as eclectic as the tunes themselves
“I had a ’60s Guild 12-string that was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Guild rebuilt the back for me... ever since, it sounds amazing”: How Rich Robinson used resurrected Guilds, and an unusual Fender amp, to make magic with the reunited Black Crowes By Richard Bienstock published 19 March 24 As the Black Crowes fly again with their first new album in 15 years, Rich Robinson reveals how music mended his relationship with his brother Chris, and kept the band true to their origins
“Link Wray does it all, but his style also reminds us how captivating a few well-chosen riffs can be when combined with compelling tone, passion, and musicality”: Link Wray's Rumble (1956–62) is an essential document of ‘less is more’ guitar playing By Jim Campilongo published 14 March 24 A spin of this fantastic compilation will make you fall in love with the guitar all over again