News “‘Those old Beatle bashers?’”: Paul McCartney talks Vox amps, and his love of dirty tones In a 1990 GP interview, McCartney – typically pigeonholed as the Beatle most inclined to buttoned-up, old-school pop – expressed his personal preference for getting gnarlier rock tones out of his Vox amps, despite his reputation “I was 17 years old and found it in this local paper. It said, ‘Gretsch guitar, 100 bucks.’ I called the guy up and asked, ‘Is it like Eddie Cochran’s?’ He was like, ‘Who?’”: How Brian Setzer forged his trademark twanging tone The rockabilly legend attributes landing on his guitar and amp of choice at a young age mainly to “destiny” Positive Grid just launched a huge guitar month sale with 10% off Spark and free shipping on everything throughout April Get yourself an excellent discount on the Spark 40 as well as free shipping on everything over at Positive Grid Latest news “Young kids that buy their first really good guitar end up in a love relationship with it – I've never had that”: Why Pete Townshend won't apologize for his '60s-era guitar-smashing antics By Jackson Maxwell published 4 April 24 Rock's most famous guitar-smasher (mostly) abandoned that particular act over 50 years ago, but that doesn't mean he's wracked with guilt over his innumerable six-string beatings “It’s just one note, but it took my entire life to get to the point to where I could do that one note”: Steve Vai regarded this solo as his “ultimate achievement of phrasing on the guitar” By Jackson Maxwell published 4 April 24 No, it's not For the Love of God GP Presents John Scofield April 25 - April 28 in San Francisco – win tickets By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 Enter for your chance to see a double bill of deep fusion grooves at San Fran's SFJAZZ Center “I've tried to avoid playing like Eddie. I've never learned the songs on purpose so I didn't steal anything. Then I had to learn the songs – I was like, ‘This is gonna be torture’”: Joe Satriani on his preparations for this summer's Van Halen tribute tour By Jackson Maxwell published 2 April 24 Satch is intensely studying the intricacies of the late guitar hero's technical quirks and tone, while trying to avoid outright mimicry. The fine line between paying tribute and copying is an act of needle-threading the virtuoso says he also faced during his tenure in Deep Purple “I was using a Telecaster because it had a really clean tone for my fingerstyle approach. Fleetwood Mac's pre-existing sound was much fatter, and they felt the Tele really didn’t fit”: Lindsey Buckingham on his turn to Turner guitars By Jackson Maxwell published 26 March 24 Though numerous guitarists cycled through Fleetwood Mac in the years following Peter Green's departure, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood remained partial to the crunch of a Les Paul, which Buckingham was hesitant to adopt “If Seven Worlds had come out at the time it was ready, instead of being held back, he would have been as big as Jeff Beck”: Stevie Ray Vaughan details his friendship with Eric Johnson By Jackson Maxwell published 22 March 24 As fellow Austin, Texas-based, up-and-coming guitarists in the 1970s and '80s, Vaughan and Johnson developed a close friendship, and had great admiration for one another “Eddie Van Halen had me play his 5150 guitar, and then he asked me to show the solo to him, because he’d forgotten it”: Jennifer Batten recalls re-teaching EVH the Beat It solo By Jackson Maxwell published 14 March 24 “Not the most relaxed situation for me,” the former Michael Jackson guitarist told GP in a 1989 interview “Premium sound for everyday playing without the hassle of amps, pedals and computer interfaces”: With the Katana:GO, Boss has entered the headphone amp market with a bang By Jackson Maxwell published 14 March 24 The pocket-sized unit features 10 amp models, access to Boss's formidable effects library, and a “stage feel” control that allows users to position the amp's sound in different places in the sound field, “giving the impression of playing with a backline on stage or jamming in a room with friends” “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 13 March 24 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 GP Presents the Alan Parsons Live Project, March 21 in Oakland, California – win tickets By Jimmy Leslie published 12 March 24 The legendary songwriter and producer will be joined onstage by, among other top musicians, guitar hero Jeff Kollman 123456789Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors MOST READ1Best Travel Guitars 2024: Top Portable Instruments From Lowden, Furch, Martin and more2“‘Those old Beatle bashers?’”: Paul McCartney talks Vox amps, and his love of dirty tones3“I was 17 years old and found it in this local paper. It said, ‘Gretsch guitar, 100 bucks.’ I called the guy up and asked, ‘Is it like Eddie Cochran’s?’ He was like, ‘Who?’”: How Brian Setzer forged his trademark twanging tone 4“We’re the birthplace of blues, country and rock and roll music, and the guitar is at the core of all of it”: The America at the Crossroads exhibit charts the guitar’s history with instruments owned by Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and more 5“A lot of guitarists don’t consider themselves part of the rhythm section. I could always count on Randy to come up with great rhythm guitar parts”: Rudy Sarzo on the magic of Randy Rhoads' rhythm work, and the tonal quirks that set him apart
“Young kids that buy their first really good guitar end up in a love relationship with it – I've never had that”: Why Pete Townshend won't apologize for his '60s-era guitar-smashing antics By Jackson Maxwell published 4 April 24 Rock's most famous guitar-smasher (mostly) abandoned that particular act over 50 years ago, but that doesn't mean he's wracked with guilt over his innumerable six-string beatings
“It’s just one note, but it took my entire life to get to the point to where I could do that one note”: Steve Vai regarded this solo as his “ultimate achievement of phrasing on the guitar” By Jackson Maxwell published 4 April 24 No, it's not For the Love of God
GP Presents John Scofield April 25 - April 28 in San Francisco – win tickets By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 Enter for your chance to see a double bill of deep fusion grooves at San Fran's SFJAZZ Center
“I've tried to avoid playing like Eddie. I've never learned the songs on purpose so I didn't steal anything. Then I had to learn the songs – I was like, ‘This is gonna be torture’”: Joe Satriani on his preparations for this summer's Van Halen tribute tour By Jackson Maxwell published 2 April 24 Satch is intensely studying the intricacies of the late guitar hero's technical quirks and tone, while trying to avoid outright mimicry. The fine line between paying tribute and copying is an act of needle-threading the virtuoso says he also faced during his tenure in Deep Purple
“I was using a Telecaster because it had a really clean tone for my fingerstyle approach. Fleetwood Mac's pre-existing sound was much fatter, and they felt the Tele really didn’t fit”: Lindsey Buckingham on his turn to Turner guitars By Jackson Maxwell published 26 March 24 Though numerous guitarists cycled through Fleetwood Mac in the years following Peter Green's departure, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood remained partial to the crunch of a Les Paul, which Buckingham was hesitant to adopt
“If Seven Worlds had come out at the time it was ready, instead of being held back, he would have been as big as Jeff Beck”: Stevie Ray Vaughan details his friendship with Eric Johnson By Jackson Maxwell published 22 March 24 As fellow Austin, Texas-based, up-and-coming guitarists in the 1970s and '80s, Vaughan and Johnson developed a close friendship, and had great admiration for one another
“Eddie Van Halen had me play his 5150 guitar, and then he asked me to show the solo to him, because he’d forgotten it”: Jennifer Batten recalls re-teaching EVH the Beat It solo By Jackson Maxwell published 14 March 24 “Not the most relaxed situation for me,” the former Michael Jackson guitarist told GP in a 1989 interview
“Premium sound for everyday playing without the hassle of amps, pedals and computer interfaces”: With the Katana:GO, Boss has entered the headphone amp market with a bang By Jackson Maxwell published 14 March 24 The pocket-sized unit features 10 amp models, access to Boss's formidable effects library, and a “stage feel” control that allows users to position the amp's sound in different places in the sound field, “giving the impression of playing with a backline on stage or jamming in a room with friends”
“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 13 March 24 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
GP Presents the Alan Parsons Live Project, March 21 in Oakland, California – win tickets By Jimmy Leslie published 12 March 24 The legendary songwriter and producer will be joined onstage by, among other top musicians, guitar hero Jeff Kollman