Christopher Scapelliti
Christopher Scapelliti is editor-in-chief of GuitarPlayer.com and the former editor of Guitar Player, the world’s longest-running guitar magazine, founded in 1967. In his extensive career, he has authored in-depth interviews with such guitarists as Pete Townshend, Slash, Billy Corgan, Jack White, Elvis Costello and Todd Rundgren, and audio professionals including Beatles engineers Geoff Emerick and Ken Scott. He is the co-author of Guitar Aficionado: The Collections: The Most Famous, Rare, and Valuable Guitars in the World, a founding editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine, and a former editor with Guitar World, Guitar for the Practicing Musician and Maximum Guitar. Apart from guitars, he maintains a collection of more than 30 vintage analog synthesizers.
Latest articles by Christopher Scapelliti

Robby Krieger reveals how breaking the rules resulted in the Doors' breakthrough hit, "Light My Fire"
By Joe Bosso published
The guitarist says his chart-topping song came about because Jim Morrison said "We need more originals"

Quincy Jones, who died Sunday, never forgot his infamous phone call with Eddie Van Halen or the hit track they created
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The celebrated producer was also behind George Benson's Grammy-winning album 'Give Me the Night'

Exclusive: Hear Phil Manzanera's demo that became a Pink Floyd cut
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Manzanera released the song as an exclusive to Guitar Player as he drops his new 50 Years of Music boxset

Guitarist Eric Bell announces a new Thin Lizzy album with original vocals from Phil Lynott
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The album features re-imagined acoustic versions of songs from the band’s first three albums, including “Whisky in the Jar”

Kirk Hammett show and discuss 17 of his rarest guitars in a new in-depth video from Gibson TV
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The guitarist presents his Les Paul Standards, Korina Explorers and Flying Vs, and much more in the Gibson TV documentary

“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 band
By Christopher Scapelliti published
McCartney says Lennon was impressed by his guitar playing and the fact that Paul knew all the words

Bob Ezrin reveals David Gilmour's most important guitar technique
By Ken Sharp published
The Pink Floyd producer offered his insights while sharing details about recording Gilmour's most famous solo

“Sometimes you are going to be so frustrated you'll hate the guitar." Jimi Hendrix shares his struggles in a 1968 Guitar Player interview
By Christopher Scapelliti last updated
Hendrix also discussed problems with his Stratocaster and band mates and offered advice for young musicians

Former Beatle John Lennon's weirdest guitar is one of the last he played
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Check out the bizarre guitar John Lennon used on his last solo album.

“I had just written a classic — and I was terrified I might never do it again.” John Fogerty on CCR’s "Proud Mary"
By Gary Graff published
Fogerty also names the classic rock-and-roll guitarists who influenced his roots-rock style

Brian Setzer played Eddie Cochran's guitar just as he left it in 1960: "He was way ahead of his time with how he strung it."
By Mark McStea last updated
Today is Eddie Cochran’s birthday. We asked Setzer what made the '50s guitar icon such an innovator. Here's what he told us

“Joe Walsh insisted that I buy it”: Jimmy Page on his “Number 1” 1959 Gibson Les Paul
By Christopher Scapelliti published
In this vintage chat, Page talks about his most famous Les Paul and some of its unique aspects, such as its sealed Grover tuners and bridge humbucker-splitting push-pull knob

“Joe Walsh insisted that I buy it”: Jimmy Page on his “Number 1” 1959 Gibson Les Paul
By Christopher Scapelliti published
In this vintage chat with Gibson, Page talks about his most famous Les Paul and some of its unique aspects, such as its sealed Grover tuners and bridge humbucker-splitting push-pull knob

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

Kris Kristofferson, who died on Saturday, tells how Johnny Cash gave him a break when he was a janitor
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Kristofferson, who died Saturday, recalled Cash’s generosity as an example of how he “always stood up for the underdog”

Cold water therapy inspired Sam Evian’s new album – which has so many guest guitarists, he wound up playing bass
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The vintage instruments and recording gear in his upstate New York studio let the singer-songwriter follow his muse where it leads. On Plunge, it swims in a wash of warm, overdriven guitars, with guests including Adrianne Lenker and El Kempner

Vote for the greatest rock guitar riff of all time
By Christopher Scapelliti published
In our December 2024 issue, Guitar Player will celebrate the 50 greatest rock riffs of all time – as chosen by you

Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his masterpiece, Field Day
By Christopher Scapelliti published
With the help of producer-of-the-moment Steve Lillywhite, Marshall Crenshaw made the guitar album of his dreams. Critics, however, panned its production, halting his rising career. Four decades later, Field Day is finally being reappraised

“We all knew it was really good… The guitar playing is just amazing”: How Dickey Betts made “Ramblin’ Man”, triumphed over tragedy and led the Allman Brothers to their greatest success
By Alan Paul published
Duane Allman’s death might have been the end of the Allman Brothers Band. Instead, led by Dickey Betts, it marked the start of a remarkable era in the group’s life – and rock history

Eric Clapton's "Beano" Les Paul, George Harrison's 1965 Rickenbacker, Joe Satriani's "Pearly" prototype: Six stolen guitars that are still missing
By Guitar Player Staff published
The stories behind six famous purloined axes.

"Do you know what happened to my lost bass, the one that got pinched?" How Paul McCartney's simple 2019 query over coffee in a studio led to a forensic hunt for the iconic Höfner 500/1 violin bass
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The theft of Paul McCartney’s 1961 Höfner bass is a 50-year-old mystery that spans from Hawkwind to the Who. Here's how the Lost Bass project filled a gap in rock and roll history.

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

Sound better now with the 2023 Ultimate Gear Guide
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Discover the best gear of the year including guitars, basses, pedals, amps, strings, accessories, and much more
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!