Mark Knopfler reveals the one song he misses playing with Dire Straits: “People go bananas”
The guitarist has no apparent desire to reunite the band, but says this tune reminds him of the thrill of playing to huge crowds
Guitarists
Brian May says Queen’s touring days are over after a friend’s death
The Queen guitarist explains how a family tragedy made him rethink life on the road — and why he’s now considering an immersive Queen show at the Sphere.
Sass Jordan, powerhouse Canadian rock singer and bass guitarist, dies at 63
The Juno Award winner toured with Aerosmith, AC/DC, Van Halen and the Rolling Stones
Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell died from multiple-organ failure after “necessary” surgeries
The guitarist, who spent more than 30 years in the band alongside Lemmy Kilmister, died in March at 64
Gear
Here's 11 dirt-cheap Big Deal Days finds every guitarist needs in their gig bag
I've found 11 essential accessory deals from the Amazon Prime Day 2 sales that every guitarist should get their hands on
The cheapest tone upgrade you'll make all year – stock up on multi-pack guitar strings from just $4.99 in Amazon's Big Deal Days sale
Save big on multipack guitar strings in the huge Amazon Prime Day 2 sale
Forgo the five-year waiting list for Analog Man’s elusive King of Tone and score the MXR Duke of Tone for an unbeatable $127 in Amazon's Big Deal Days sale
Designed in collaboration between MXR and Analog Man, this is the best way to get the legendary sound for a whole lot less
With discounts hitting up to 50% off, Sweetwater's recording sale is live with some mega reductions on interfaces, mics, and studio monitors
Upgrade your tracking rig with unmissable savings on industry-leading hardware in the Sweetwater studio and recording sale
Guitars
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
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
Rick Nielsen on the origin of his Hamer five-neck guitar: “I wanted a 12-string and a fretless, and...”
The Cheap Trick guitarist’s custom 2004 Hamer is going to auction for the first time. But the story of its 1981 predecessor arose from an even crazier idea
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
Makers
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?
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
Lessons
"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
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
Music
Greta Van Fleet sparked fears they broke up. Now they’re launching a massive world tour
The Michigan rockers have announced a 59-date 2027 tour after a cryptic May post had fans wondering if the band was finished, with North American dates beginning February 3 in Savannah
John Lennon hated it. Behind the Rubber Soul track he wished he'd never written
As Rubber Soul gets a Super Deluxe reissue, we revisit the surprising Elvis-inspired origins of Lennon’s darkest Beatles cut
How the Beatles reinvented the recording studio with Rubber Soul
The making of Rubber Soul marked the moment the Beatles began taking control of the recording process, launching the sonic experimentation that would define Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
How Cheap Trick ripped off an iconic riff from the Who to make two of the all-time greatest power-pop hits
Producer Tom Werman admits he was the guilty party: “Pete Townshend was always my main musical inspiration”
Rival Son’s Scott Holiday on the hit-and-run accident that inspired his new solo album
The Rival Sons guitarist goes solo with Topology, a cerebral, exploratory record that finds him singing, embracing prog and fusion, and pushing his guitar playing into new territory
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
“I won’t watch the films.” Paul McCartney’s ex has no interest in the new Fab Four biopics
Jane Asher was engaged to McCartney and became the subject of several songs before their relationship ended in 1968
