The Ultimate Guide to Kirk Hammett: Gear, Solos, Tone & Metallica Legacy
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The Ultimate Guide to David Gilmour: The Guitarist Who Made Every Note Matter
Discover the ultimate guide to David Gilmour — his iconic tone, the Black Strat, his gear, the Comfortably Numb solo, his Pink Floyd years, and the techniques that made him one of the greatest guitarists in history.
History of the Riff: Why Whole Lotta Love Changed Rock Forever
More than 50 years after it first blasted out of speakers, the opening riff to Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love remains one of the most recognizable pieces of guitar music ever recorded. Here's why it changed rock forever.
How Brian May Got His Legendary Queen Guitar Tone: Gear, Secrets & Settings
From the homemade Red Special to the Vox AC30, the sixpence coin, and the treble booster — how Brian May built one of the most recognizable guitar voices in history.
Steve Vai: The Alien Genius Who Turned the Guitar Into an Entirely New Instrument
From Frank Zappa's boot camp to Passion and Warfare, the Ibanez JEM, and the PIA era — how Steve Vai reinvented what six strings can do.
TONE DECODED
TONE DECODEDHow Brian May Got His Legendary Queen Guitar Tone: Gear, Secrets & Settings
From the homemade Red Special to the Vox AC30, the sixpence coin, and the treble booster — how Brian May built one of the most recognizable guitar voices in history.
TONE DECODEDTone Decoded: Inside Kurt Cobain's Raw, Basement Grunge Sound
Kurt Cobain's tone wasn't pristine — it was angry, broken, loud, and human. Here's exactly how he built the Nevermind and In Utero sound from cheap Fenders, a Boss DS-1, and pure attitude.
TONE DECODEDTone Decoded: How John Petrucci Built One of the Greatest Modern Metal Tones Ever
Crushing heaviness, crystal-clear articulation, and violin-like sustain — without muddy chaos. We break down the amps, effects, and signature gear behind John Petrucci's surgical Dream Theater tone.
TONE DECODEDTone Decoded: The Wild, Dangerous Sound of George Lynch
Before modern metal became polished and hyper-produced, George Lynch created a guitar tone that felt raw, unpredictable, and alive. Inside the snarling Dokken-era sound that still bites today.
TONE DECODEDTone Decoded: The Atmospheric Genius of David Gilmour's Guitar Tone
From Comfortably Numb to Shine On You Crazy Diamond, David Gilmour built a tone around space, sustain, and dynamics. We break down the black Strat, Hiwatt amps, Big Muff fuzz, delay magic, and the phrasing that made his sound cinematic.
TONE DECODEDTone Decoded: How Slash Created One of Rock's Most Iconic Guitar Tones
Few guitar players have a tone as instantly recognizable as Slash. We break down the Les Paul into Marshall formula, the Appetite for Destruction sound, the Alnico II pickups, the phrasing, and why his sound still defines rock guitar today.
FEATURED GEAR
Fender, Charvel, and Line 6 — the guitars and gear we'd actually buy. Affiliate links support the magazine.
Fender Player Stratocaster
- ✓ Modern C neck with comfy 9.5" radius
- ✓ Player Series Alnico V singles cover most genres
- ✓ Excellent mod and upgrade platform
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
- ✓ V-Mod II pickups with push-push series wiring
- ✓ Rolled fingerboard edges and bone nut
- ✓ Locking tuners and Pop-In trem arm
Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 HSS 2PT CM
- ✓ Caramelized maple neck with compound 12-16" radius
- ✓ Seymour Duncan Custom Shop pickups
- ✓ Gotoh Custom 510 trem stays in tune
Line 6 Helix Floor Multi-Effects Processor
- ✓ Dual-DSP power for parallel rigs
- ✓ Pro-grade I/O for live and studio
- ✓ Scribble-strip switches readable on dark stages
Line 6 Helix LT Multi-Effects Processor
- ✓ Same HX modeling engine as the flagship
- ✓ Lighter and more pedalboard-friendly
- ✓ Best value in the Helix lineup
PENTATONIC PRECISION
MASTERCLASS
A one-hour-a-day practice system designed to lock your pentatonic shapes across the entire fretboard — with phrasing exercises, speed drills, and solo integration by Patrick Lawlor.
BEST OF
Best Electric Guitars Under $500 (2026 Guide)
Forget the snobbery — the best electric guitars under $500 in 2026 punch way above their price tag. Here are the models pros actually recommend, and what really matters when you're shopping at this level.
Top 25 Guitarists of All Time: The Guitar Plugged Definitive List
This isn’t just a “fast players” list—it’s about influence, innovation, tone, and legacy. These are the 25 guitarists who shaped how the instrument is played, recorded, and heard across generations.
The 10 Best Overdrive Pedals That Actually Sound Like Money
From transparent touch tools to iconic mid-humps and Klon chime, these 10 overdrives under $300 in 2026 punch above their weight with pro tones, tough builds, and real-world value.
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EXPLORE
GUITAR TALK
Deep dives into the players who shaped electric guitar history.
/ 02TONE DECODED
How the legends got their sound — rigs, settings, and secrets.
/ 03ICONIC SOLOS
Note-by-note breakdowns of the solos that changed everything.
/ 04SIGNATURE GEAR
The guitars, amps, and pedals behind the players you love.
/ 05BEST OF LISTS
Greatest guitarists, riffs, and rigs of all time — ranked.
/ 06GUITAR GARAGE
Guitar Garage is where The Guitar Plugged gets practical. From restringing a Floyd Rose to setting pickup height, fixing fret buzz, cleaning fretboards, and dialing in better tone at home, this is the hands-on section for guitar players who want to keep their gear playing right.
LATEST
The Ultimate Guide to Stevie Ray Vaughan: The Guitarist Who Brought the Blues Back to Life
Biography, gear, technique, tone secrets, top songs, and beginner tips for chasing the sound of the man who dragged the blues back into the spotlight.
How to Record Guitar at Home (And Actually Get a Professional Sound)
From your very first riff to a polished recording — everything you need to know without wasting money on gear you don't need.
How to Restring a Floyd Rose Without Losing Your Mind
A detailed beginner-friendly guide to restringing a Floyd Rose guitar — bridge blocking, fine tuners, locking nut setup, spring tension, diagrams, and common mistakes.
Billy Gibbons: The Bearded Blues Wizard Who Made Tone More Important Than Speed
As the driving force behind ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons proved that you don't need a thousand notes to create something unforgettable. Sometimes one perfectly placed note says everything.
Tony Iommi: The Man Who Lost His Fingertips and Invented Heavy Metal
How one factory accident changed guitar history forever. The incredible true story of the Black Sabbath legend who turned tragedy into the birth of an entire genre.
The Ultimate Guide to Eddie Van Halen: The Guitarist Who Changed Everything
The innovator. The showman. The genius. A complete guide to the life, legacy, tone, and gear of the guitarist who permanently rewrote the rules of rock.