Art Thompson
Art Thompson is senior editor of Guitar Player magazine and he has authored stories with numerous guitar greats, including B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Billy Gibbons, Steve Miller, Prince, Reeves Gabrels, Joe Perry, Robben Ford, Brian Setzer, Sonny Landreth, Zakk Wylde, Eric Johnson, Robin Trower,
Scotty Moore, James Burton, Merle Haggard, Roy Nichols, Jimmie Vaughan and many others.
He has interviewed gear innovators such as Paul Reed Smith, Randall Smith, Mark Sampson and Gary Kramer, and he wrote the 1998 GP cover story/review of 150 vintage stomp boxes – an article that helped spark renewed interest in pedals from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. He also wrote the first book on the subject, Stompbox.
As a guitarist, he has shared stages with Gregg Allman, Stray Cats, Joe Ely, Dick Dale, Robben Ford, Lonnie Brooks, Kansas, Marshall Tucker, Foghat, Little Charlie and the Nitecats, Kenny Vaughan and Clarence Clemons, and he maintains a busy performing schedule with three stylistically diverse groups, all of which provide ample opportunity to test-drive new guitars, amps and effects, many of which are featured in the pages of GP.
Latest articles by Art Thompson
The DOD 250 Overdrive/Pre gets an appealing 50th anniversary makeover
By Art Thompson published
This welcome revision of an American classic is limited to just 1,974 copies
Tom Petty shared his greatest advice on rhythm guitar playing in a long-lost 1997 interview
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The guitarist, who died on October 2, 2017, also gave his insights on Telecasters and Rickenbackers and the art of songwriting
“A satisfying pedal that’s loaded with cool distortion textures”: Danelectro Nichols 1966 review
By Art Thompson published
A reissue of a stompbox that company owner and Foxx founder Steve Ridinger designed and started making when he was just 14, the Nichols 1966 has plenty of retro flavor, with just as many modern applications
“The ne plus ultra of LP Junior–style axes”: Knaggs SSC-J Steve Stevens Signature review
By Art Thompson published
This well-built, sonically-pleasing six-string has become, the Billy Idol guitarist tells us, Steve Stevens' recording guitar of choice
Back from the brink, Dean Guitars is here to bring the ruckus to guitar craftsmanship
By Art Thompson published
After years of external and internal legal battles – some of which remain ongoing – Dean is back with a new lease on life, fresh ideas, and an even more rebellious attitude
Before he became a reliable rock hitmaker, Steve Miller was a child protégé of Les Paul
By Jackson Maxwell published
In an interview with GP, the Steve Miller Band leader recalled the monumental impression Paul left on him as a youngster
Fender 70th Anniversary Ultra Stratocaster HSS review
By Art Thompson published
Graced with a stunning, sports car-like finish, this guitar is a versatile salute to the genius of Leo Fender
Keeley Electronics Super Rodent, Muse Driver, Blues Disorder and Angry Orange review
By Art Thompson published
The ability to mix and match different drive and tone stacks on these pedals gives them impressive sonic range and flexibility
Donner Triple Threat review
By Art Thompson published
The Triple Threat is an ideal thing to put in your gig bag when you need just a few effects, in a package that takes up less floor space than a lot of single-effect pedals
PRS SE CE24, SE Custom 24 Quilt and SE Swamp Ash Special review
By Art Thompson published
Based on two models that date back to the 1980s, and a late-90s/early-'00s-era outlier model, these new offshore-built guitars have playability, build quality, and tonal versatility in spades
“The Brown setting is the closest you’ll get to playing one of Eddie Van Halen’s Super Leads – at least in a pedal”: UAFX Lion ’68 Super Lead Amp review
By Art Thompson published
The Lion’s ability to replicate the attitude, pureness of tone and touch responsiveness of vintage Marshalls, and then combine it all with emulations of the right speakers and cabs, makes it one impressive package
“Elvis loved the way we took his stuff and went into another dimension with it”: James Burton on his time with Elvis Presley, and the origins of “Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building”
By Jackson Maxwell published
Burton – a major influence on classic rock guitar luminaries like Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and Brian May – was held in very high regard by Presley
"A reminder of just how far ahead of the curve Leo Fender was in 1950": Here's why the Vintera II series guitars sound as good as they look
By Art Thompson published
Reviewed: Vintera II ’50s, Jazzmaster ’60s, Telecaster and ’70s Mustang.
Based on a prized guitar from Bonamassa’s vintage collection, The Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1963 SG Custom is an obvious choice for anyone who’s been priced out of the market for a vintage Gibson
By Art Thompson published
”The SG Custom was a class act back in the day, and Epiphone’s latest version is every bit as appealing”: The Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1963 SG Custom reviewed
Shelved for 15 years of tinkering, Totally Wycked Audio's homage to the early ’70s Maestro Bass Brassmaster, the Krytical Mass KM-01 Reactive Octave Fuzz, is finally here. And it's totally Wycked…
By Art Thompson published
Totally Wycked Audio's Krytical Mass KM-01 Reactive Octave Fuzz is modern, but with a vintage soul and if you're a fuzz fanatic this stompbox has to be high on your audition list
"When I play with a pick and without a capo, I have a tendency to go right over to B.B. King's or Buddy Guy's house. I can't help it. But when I use the capo, I think I sound more like me." Jimmie Vaughan's wicked tone secrets
By Art Thompson published
One from the Guitar Player archives: a 1998 interview with Jimmie Vaughan on tone, recording secrets, fat strings and more…
Gear of the Year: The best guitars, amps, pedals and more of 2023
By Dave Hunter, Jimmy Leslie, Christopher Scapelliti, Art Thompson published
Our guide to the greatest guitars, amps, pedals and accessories of 2023, handpicked by the Guitar Player team
“I did just build a Chena with World War II fighter planes on it for a guy”: With celebrity fans including Billy Morrison and Steve Stevens, luxury guitar maker Joe Knaggs sets his sights on six-string perfection
By Art Thompson published
Joe Knaggs started at PRS guitars before forming his own company. Their goal? To make high-end instruments that “ignite the senses and summon the muse”. Discover his unique take on guitar design and plans for the future
The iconic Batwing-shaped axe made famous by Soundgarden: the new Guild Polara Kim Thayil Signature reviewed
By Art Thompson published
Hard rock guitarists will be rushing to get their hands on this new affordable, signature version of the S-100 Polara from China
"An amp worth auditioning if you’re in the market for a gig-worthy, low-watt combo that punches above its weight class": Does Fender's Tone Master Princeton Reverb amp live up to the lofty precedent set by its tube-powered sibling?
By Art Thompson published
Considering that it's significantly cheaper than a standard Princeton Reverb, there’s enough true-to-form realism here to make the Tone Master Princeton a sweet deal
“I dreamt up the Super Distortion because I wanted to improve my guitar without chiseling a hole in the body!” On its 50th anniversary, guitarist and inventor Larry DiMarzio remembers how his company changed electric guitars forever
By Art Thompson published
A massive hit with everyone from Kiss to The Grateful Dead, Larry DiMarzio’s pickup was the start of something big
The mission: create a better kind of S-style guitar. Joe Knaggs on the inspiration behind his stunning hardtail-bridge-toting Severn Trem SSS
By Art Thompson published
"I had a ’61 Stratocaster and wanted the same style of guitar with a fretboard radius of eight and a half inches, so it wouldn’t fret out when I’d bend strings…" Meet the drool-some "Telecaster-version" yellow Severn Trem SSS
‘‘Creating dreamy sounds that were once only possible in world-class recording studios…’’ The new award-winning range of stompboxes from Universal Audio will blow your mind
By Art Thompson published
Four super-versatile state-of-the-art compact effects pedals –the Evermore Studio Reverb, Heavenly Plate Reverb, Orion Tape Echo and the 1176 Studio Compressor – tested
Fender’s ’48 Dual Professional Combo Lives Again in a Near-Original Reissue, Courtesy of Mr. Joe Bonamassa
By Art Thompson published
Seventy-five years later, this classic guitar amp design continues to stand the test of time
“It’s Like This Six-String Swiss Army Knife”: Myles Kennedy Tells ‘Guitar Player’ How PRS Rose to His Challenges With His Signature Model
By Art Thompson published
“The most important thing was for it to be vocal and have that midrange that would cut in a mix,” highlights the Alter Bridge frontman
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