Tony Iommi says Led Zeppelin's John Bonham meant to compliment Black Sabbath's Ronnie James Dio. It didn't go well
The Sabbath guitarist found himself at the center of a dispute after the drummer's comments were taken the wrong way
Guitarists
28 years ago John Rzeznick wrote this Goo Goo Dolls hit on a guitar with four strings. It’s now been streamed nearly 4 billion times
Rzeznik wrote the song for City of Angels, but its orchestral sweep and Tim Pierce’s unexpected guitar contributions helped turn it into the Goo Goo Dolls’ signature hit.
How Stevie Ray Vaughan won over David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ sessions — with guitar and Texas BBQ
Producer Nile Rodgers recalls how the young blues guitarist instantly understood his role on Bowie’s 1983 blockbuster
Buddy Guy on the endorsement that helped him more than any record company
As his 90th-birthday tour approaches its finale, the blues legend reflects on learning from Muddy Waters and B.B. King, influencing generations of guitarists, and why he never felt the need to change his sound
Gear
“I was one of Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix’s best-kept secrets”
The inventor described in detail how he crafted effects for Page and Hendrix based on their needs
“I was wrong!” Joe Bonamassa on why he’s changed his mind about digital amps
“I thought I'd be burning glass and filaments for the rest of my life," says Bonamassa as he launches his new digital Fender Tone Master '59 Twin-Amp
Prime Day guitar deals 2026: last chance discounts on guitar gear from Amazon
Take advantage of last-minute deals from the October Prime Day sale on guitars, amps, pedals, and more, guided by Guitar Player's gear experts
If you play through a modeler, don't buy headphones blind: I tested 15 pairs, and 2 of my top recommendations are on sale at Amazon
Whether you're using a modeling amp, multi-effects, or audio interface, a good pair of headphones makes your tone sound
Guitars
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
If Amazon's Prime Day guitar deals leave you underwhelmed, you should check out the Musician's Friend Rocktober sale, which has up to 50% off guitar gear
The Musician's Friend Rocktober sale is running from now until October 26, with up to 40% off big-name brands
“I found crazy chords I’d never played before.” We review the Martin Terz 5-28 acoustic
Dolly Parton made the tiny terz guitar famous, and Martin’s 5-28 brings the short-scale classic back with a bright, chiming voice and surprisingly versatile playability
Rare bootleg Gibsons will be up for grabs when the Outlaw Custom Shop Guitar Collection goes to the auction block on October 20
The 16 one-of-a-kind guitars were built by master luthier Roger Giffin and vintage-gear expert Brett Allen in the late ’80s and include experimental Les Pauls, hollowbodies, rare baritones and a Goldtop 12-string
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
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
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
Music
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.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr welcome a massive new Beatles experience in Liverpool
The 100,000-square-foot attraction will recreate key moments in the band’s history, with sets and props from Sam Mendes’s upcoming four-film Beatles biopic
Aerosmith reunites classic lineup with Joey Kramer: “The bad boys from Boston are back”
The drummer’s last show with the band was in February 2020. Rehearsal photos point to his return for the group’s upcoming Hollywood Bowl concerts
The Sony Walkman is back, and this time it’s $6,000
The price of nostalgia is pretty high if you want to return to the personal stereo era with the flashy-named NW-WM1ZM3
Bruce Dickinson forced backstage as Iron Maiden fans set off flares: “I can’t sing if you light flares!”
The Iron Maiden frontman, who recovered from tongue cancer in 2015, took cover behind the stage as smoke filled the crowd during a concert in Ecuador
Andy Summers saved a Police hit with his guitar riff. It’s now been streamed nearly four billion times
Summers contends the song was nothing without his iconic creation. And this recording bears him out
Metallica confuse fans with addition of new track to Sphere residency: “what the hell was that?
Giant screen shows man sharpening a blade as a goose sits nearby for their performance of 1988 classic Harvester of Sorrow
