About The Guitar Plugged
The Guitar Plugged exists to help guitar players discover great gear, learn the stories behind legendary players and songs, and become better musicians through trustworthy, experience-driven content.
Why we built this site
The Guitar Plugged was founded by guitarist Patrick Lawlor after two decades of playing, recording, and selling gear professionally — including leadership roles at Guitar Center. Patrick built a 50,000-strong online community of guitar players, but he wanted a publication independent of any single platform's algorithm.
So he built one. The mission is simple: publish guitar journalism that's written by actual guitarists, judged against actual playing experience, and grounded in real-world gear knowledge — not search-engine fluff or AI-rewritten press releases.
Every article you read on this site is researched and written with that standard in mind.
Three things we do well
Gear that matters
Hands-on reviews, ranked buyer's guides, and honest verdicts on the guitars, amps, and pedals worth your money.
Tone decoded
Note-by-note breakdowns of how the legends got their sound — from Gilmour to SRV to Mateo Mancuso.
Player stories
The history behind the riffs, the solos, and the players who changed guitar forever.
How we publish
- Accuracy over hype. Always.
- Honest opinions backed by hands-on experience whenever possible.
- Recommend gear based on value — not just price.
- Stay useful for beginners while still serving experienced players.
- Update articles as new products, technology, and information emerge.
- Affiliate links never influence editorial coverage.
Read the full Editorial Policy, How We Test Gear, and Affiliate Disclosure.
Brands we've worked with or featured. Media kit & partnership opportunities →
Run by a guitarist, not a content farm
The Guitar Plugged is led by founder & Editor-in-Chief Patrick Lawlor. 20+ years of playing, retail gear expertise, 50,000+ social followers, and partnerships with Fender, DistroKid, TrueFire, Card Chords, and Enya.
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No spam. No gimmicks. Just great guitar content — stories, tones, iconic solos, and honest gear takes. Every week.