Guitarist

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine. You'll find authoritative gear reviews, artist interviews, technique lessons and advice. Plus, Guitarist's digital edition now includes all of the same audio and video content as the print edition; available to download from a special area of the Guitarist website!

Heroes & Halos

Editor’s Highlights

Guitarist

African Queen • Grammy-nominated Malian singer and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara joins forces with Epiphone to produce a vivid-looking and wicked-sounding SG that’s a celebration of her style

On Your Marks • Victory’s most advanced compact amp to date promises huge tone-potential in a lunchbox-sized package. We’re feeling hungry…

Earth Song • Patrick James Eggle’s take on the OM body shape is built by Faith’s facility in Indonesia and based around PJE’s Linville model from his acoustic-building days. But does it rock our world?

Criminal Crunch • Flattley combines the functions of two of its pedals into one chassis to create a Marshall-flavoured drive and boost

Red Hot Rotary • Made by a keyboard company for use with its organs, this rotary simulator pedal has plenty to get guitarists in a spin

the Wishlist • Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...

Gas Supply

Fretbuzz • A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world, from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most

Albums • The month’s best guitar music – a hand-picked selection of the finest fretwork on wax

Tones Behind The Tracks • Recorded at Edward Van Halen’s fabled 5150 Studio, the latest album from Alter Bridge could very well be their most riff-laden to date

Starry Eyed & Laughing • Neville Marten recalls an early guitar influence that no-one else ever seemed to have heard of. Until an illuminating musicianly encounter…

Master Class • Alex Bishop reflects on 20 years at the workbench, and considers the lessons he has learned along the way

Five-Figure Woods • Rare and beautiful woods are common in the world of handmade guitars, many fetching eye-watering prices. Michael Watts asks why

Alternative Voicings • This month Richard Barrett embellishes some open-position chords to find that satisfying jangle

Feedback • Your letters to the Guitarist editor. Drop us a line at guitarist@futurenet.com

RALPH TOWNER 1940 – 2026 • Taking influence from Indian classical, Brazilian bossa nova and beyond, this late jazz master’s touch and vision equalled anyone on the fusion scene

ROBBEN FORD • With a long-awaited studio album, Two Shades Of Blue, poised for release, the master of jazz-flavoured blues dropped by the Guitarist studios to talk about his new record and the guitars he’s used during his career, and record two exclusive videos

ICONS • Jim Irsay, the late owner of the Indianapolis Colts American football team who died last year, amassed an astounding collection of iconic guitars that outstrips that of the world’s top museums. Following his passing, this extraordinary trove, which also includes Holy Grails of pop culture such as the hand-written lyrics to Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ and more, has come up for sale. In the following pages, we explore the crown jewels of Jim’s collection, including the most famous guitars the world is likely to see – now or ever.

ABOVE & BEYOND • Jim Irsay’s collection of iconic guitars rivals that of the world’s major museums. We speak to Amelia Walker of Christie’s about the complexities of cultural stewardship and preparing this unique treasury of tone for auction, tracing every modification and major stage appearance that these historic instruments underwent over thousands of miles of touring

ERIC...