“Come on, get a move on!” John McLaughlin recalls the night Ginger Baker started throwing drumsticks at Jack Bruce
Before forming Cream with Eric Clapton, the volatile duo were already clashing nightly onstage.
Guitarists
Grace Bowers says she’s abandoning the sound that launched her career
The 19-year-old guitar star says her funk-driven debut no longer reflects who she is — and her next move leans heavily into punk and modern rock.
“They said we were just girls ripping off riffs.” How the Donnas fought rock’s double standard
Long before Olivia Rodrigo or the Linda Lindas, the Donnas proved women could dominate hard rock. Guitarist Allison Robertson said the criticism only made them heavier
Lucinda Williams reveals the surprising rock legends who turned out to be fans of her music
The singer, who is currently on tour with Heart, says she didn’t expect artists like Robert Plant, Joey Ramone and David Byrne to be listening to her
Gear
Best combo amps 2026: my pick of solid-state and tube combos for all budgets
No matter your genre, budget or skill level, these top combo amplifiers from Fender, Orange, Blackstar, EVH, and more will make your guitar sing
Best pedalboard power supplies 2026: quiet and efficient power for your pedals
Say goodbye to unwanted hiss and ground loop hum as we hand-pick the best guitar pedal power supplies for every budget
Best pedalboards 2026: budget-spanning 'boards to help you organize your effects
Level up your rig and get the most out of your pedals with ‘boards from the likes of Pedaltrain, Boss, Temple Audio, Friedman, and more
The Presidents' Day celebrations have arrived early at Musician's Friend with massive discounts of up to 60% off guitar gear, including some sweet deals on Fender, Epiphone, and Martin guitars
Get your hands on a new guitar, amp, or effects pedal at a healthy discount in this early Presidents’ Day sale
Guitars
Best guitar capos 2026: acoustic and electric options for every budget
Boost your creativity and explore new horizons with our pick of the best capos from Shubb, Ernie Ball, G7th, and more
Best beginner bass guitars 2026: starting you off on your low-end journey
Great models for budding bass stars from Squier, Ibanez, Gretsch, Sterling by Music Man and more
Best acoustic guitars under $500 in 2026: top-rated acoustic guitars for less
My wallet-friendly picks of the best acoustics under $500 from the likes of Epiphone, D'Angelico, Gretsch, Yamaha, and more
I didn’t expect much for guitarists in the Amazon Presidents’ Day sale, but these 6 deals are well worth checking out with big savings on Boss, Fender, D'Addario, and more
There are loads of deals in the Presidents' Day sale, but not all of them are great, here's my top picks to get you straight to the good stuff
Grab yourself some historic savings with the 5 best Presidents’ Day sales for guitar players, including hundreds slashed off Fender, Gibson, PRS, and more
We round up the greatest sales for guitarists at Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, and beyond
The price of golden-era guitar tone just plummeted with a staggering $600 saving on a Vintera II guitar at the official Fender Presidents' Day sale
Grab yourself some historic savings on period-correct guitars at the mega Fender Presidents' Day sale
Guitar Center pledges to make guitars cheap again this Presidents' Day, and with a staggering $900 off a Gibson Les Paul, they've got my vote
From Fender to Gibson, Epiphone, Martin, Gretsch and D’Angelico you can score giant discounts on killer guitars and more
Makers
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
Recording engineer Glyn Johns on why he never used click tracks when working with the Stones, Beatles, and Led Zeppelin
He’s recorded and mixed seminal records by some of rock’s biggest artists, and click tracks were always left out in the cold
Tommy Emmanuel reveals everything you need to know about his upcoming Guitar Camp U.S.A.
Presented by Dreamcatcher Events this October, the camp is a hands-on learning experience unlike any other, featuring the acoustic virtuoso and other noted guitarists
New tariffs are having a negative impact on Fender’s credit rating
The taxes affect production at Fender’s facilities where guitars, amps, pedals and other electronics are made
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
Lessons
Learn five essential fingerstyle patterns and timeless techniques in Eric Bibb’s blues masterclass
From rich chords to articulate fingerpicking, this tutorial will elevate your acoustic blues vocabulary and deepen your musicality
B.B. King on his trick for getting more sounds out of your guitar
The King offered invaluable advice that any guitarist can put to use
Session guitar ace Shane Theriot shows how to elevate your rhythm and lead chops with bluesy licks, soul grooves and jazzy chromaticism
Inspired by Joe Walsh and bebop, these examples are perfect for a range of genres, including rock, blues and jazz
Music
How Elvis Costello and a Whitney Houston movie turned a failed song into a million-dollar payday
The pub-rock icon thought his tune had vanished for good — until a few seconds in ‘The Bodyguard’ changed everything.
Machine Gun Kelly stops the show at London’s O2 Arena after a fan falls through a hole in the stage
The frightening moment happened at London’s O2 Arena when fans were invited onstage during the performance of “Bloody Valentine”
Barbra Streisand recorded over 30 takes of “The Way We Were.” Nothing worked. Then the bassist tried something different
Session legend Carol Kaye says the song came alive the moment she ignored the written part
Chris Cornell wrote “Black Hole Sun” after one producer told him to stop writing for fans
Producer Michael Beinhorn says the Soundgarden singer’s songwriting changed overnight — and within weeks he delivered “Fell on Black Days” and the band’s biggest hit.
How Neil Diamond, a bag of weed and a twice-rejected song turned a pair of struggling young guitarists into global stars
As the Bellamy Brothers reveal, they were hurting for a hit when they befriended Diamond’s band. The rest is history
Scotty Moore on the night Elvis Presley walked into Sun Records — and the session that launched the King’s career
As Baz Lurhmann’s new ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ comes to screens, we revisit Guitar Player’s classic interview with Presley’s first guitarist
Julian Lage says noise from cellphone towers made recording his guitars impossible. Just by luck, he had a fix
The guitarist was cutting his new album near the Empire State Building, where interference from 5G towers was excessively strong
