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For seventy years Gibson humbuckers have run on Alnico 2, 3, 4 and 5. The new ELEV8 series finally reaches for Alnico 8 — and it is aimed squarely at high-gain players.
Positive Grid has taken the Spark idea off the desk and put it on the floor: 33 amps, 43 effects, a 60-second looper, direct outs, USB-C recording and a seven-hour battery in a pedal that costs $199.
Joe Perry turns 76 today. From the swampy grind of “Sweet Emotion” to the reunion that saved a band, this is the career of the guitarist who taught American hard rock how to strut.
The 1974 deep cut “Give Me Strength” disappeared from Clapton’s concerts after 1975. Now he’s played it on consecutive nights — 51 years later.
Tommy Thayer confirms fresh studio activity as KISS move beyond their farewell tour. It’s also a moment to revisit the guitarist who helped make the band essential listening.
IK Multimedia brings touchscreen control, AmpliTube effects, and dual-amp routing to its newest floorboard. For guitarists, the real question is how much simpler it makes getting through a gig.
An acoustic guitar in an unusual tuning, a stray broadcast and a melody that seems to hang in the air: inside the construction of Satriani’s 1989 masterpiece.
Kirk Hammett's "Fade to Black" solos turned thrash into something emotional. Here's why the outro is still the most quoted lead in Metallica's catalog.
The Black Sabbath guitarist says Ozzy was exhausted after the band's emotional farewell — but determined to give fans one final show.
The biggest stories in the guitar world, updated automatically as new articles publish.
Gear LaunchFor seventy years Gibson humbuckers have run on Alnico 2, 3, 4 and 5. The new ELEV8 series finally reaches for Alnico 8 — and it is aimed squarely at high-gain players.
Gear LaunchPositive Grid has taken the Spark idea off the desk and put it on the floor: 33 amps, 43 effects, a 60-second looper, direct outs, USB-C recording and a seven-hour battery in a pedal that costs $199.
BirthdayJoe Perry turns 76 today. From the swampy grind of “Sweet Emotion” to the reunion that saved a band, this is the career of the guitarist who taught American hard rock how to strut.
Breaking NewsThe 1974 deep cut “Give Me Strength” disappeared from Clapton’s concerts after 1975. Now he’s played it on consecutive nights — 51 years later.
TributeTommy Thayer confirms fresh studio activity as KISS move beyond their farewell tour. It’s also a moment to revisit the guitarist who helped make the band essential listening.
Breaking NewsIK Multimedia brings touchscreen control, AmpliTube effects, and dual-amp routing to its newest floorboard. For guitarists, the real question is how much simpler it makes getting through a gig.
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Positive Grid has taken the Spark idea off the desk and put it on the floor: 33 amps, 43 effects, a 60-second looper, direct outs, USB-C recording and a seven-hour battery in a pedal that costs $199.
Joe Perry turns 76 today. From the swampy grind of “Sweet Emotion” to the reunion that saved a band, this is the career of the guitarist who taught American hard rock how to strut.
The 1974 deep cut “Give Me Strength” disappeared from Clapton’s concerts after 1975. Now he’s played it on consecutive nights — 51 years later.
Tommy Thayer confirms fresh studio activity as KISS move beyond their farewell tour. It’s also a moment to revisit the guitarist who helped make the band essential listening.
TONE DECODEDInside the fearless Texas guitar language, brutal-but-musical tone, and melodic instinct that made Dimebag Darrell impossible to imitate — and impossible to replace.
TONE DECODEDNo fuzz pedal. No stack of distortion boxes. Just a 1955 Strat, a 1969 Marshall Super Lead, and Billy Gibbons’ hands. Here is how the dirtiest-sounding riff in Texas blues-rock actually works.
TONE DECODEDHow a 1959 Les Paul, impossibly light strings, vicious right-hand technique and an almost supernatural understanding of space turned three chords into one of the most recognizable sounds in rock.
TONE DECODEDNo crowd. No spectacle. Just Stevie Ray Vaughan checking levels at the Syria Mosque in 1986 — and sounding absolutely monstrous. What the footage reveals about tone, touch and the myth of the rig.
TONE DECODEDYou bought the guitar, the amp, and the pedals — so why doesn’t it sound right? The last 10 percent of guitar tone is the most important part, and it’s almost never about the gear list.
TONE DECODEDOne note is all it takes to recognize Carlos Santana. We decode the PRS guitars, Mesa/Boogie and Dumble amps, humbucker choices, controlled feedback, and singing vibrato behind the most vocal lead tone in electric guitar.
Fender, Charvel, and Line 6 — the guitars and gear we'd actually buy. Affiliate links support the magazine.
Every guitarist has one: the song that made a guitar feel less like an object and more like a doorway. These 20 didn't just become classics — they created players.
One unforgettable guitar moment can turn a great player into a permanent part of rock history. These are the 20 guitarists most defined by a single solo.
The Grammys do not hand out trophies for individual guitar riffs—but these 10 riffs from Grammy-winning songs made their recordings impossible to forget.
Rock history is full of guitarists who became greater because of the person standing on the other side of the stage. These are the 15 partnerships that changed the sound of electric guitar.
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Deep dives into the players who shaped electric guitar history.
/ 02The latest album announcements, releases, and essential news from the guitar world.
/ 03How the legends got their sound — rigs, settings, and secrets.
/ 04Note-by-note breakdowns of the solos that changed everything.
/ 05The guitars, amps, and pedals behind the players you love.
/ 06Greatest guitarists, riffs, and rigs of all time — ranked.
/ 07Guitar 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.
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Joe Perry turns 76 today. From the swampy grind of “Sweet Emotion” to the reunion that saved a band, this is the career of the guitarist who taught American hard rock how to strut.
