Latest articles by David Mead
Yamaha LS-TA Transacoustic
The acoustic guitar world has witnessed many innovations over the years in terms of pickup design and amplification.
Huey Morgan talks Fun Lovin' Criminals, guitars and Come Find Yourself
We talk to Huey following the 20th anniversary of their debut
Huey Morgan: 10 guitar albums that blew my mind
The Fun Lovin' Criminals have been back on the streets once again in the form of a major tour and a 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of their classic first album, Come Find Yourself
Ben Monder talks playing on David Bowie's Blackstar and the New York jazz world
It's a Cinderella story - you're a jazz guitarist eking out a living in New York and then, one day, you're invited to play on the new David Bowie album…
John Scofield's 9 tips for guitarists
Wise reflections from the fusion fret wizard
Chris Rea on his guitar origins, Strats, the blues and La Passione
The re-release of Chris Rea's La Passione is a supremely deluxe package, but it also forms a kind of closure for the celebrated bluesman…
John Petrucci reveals his almighty live rig and the key to astonishing solos
We talk to fretmeister John Petrucci about Dream Theater's most recent album and takes a peek behind the scenes at the live rig fuelling his brand-new signature amp…
Gary Moore: the lost interview - in-depth with a guitar legend
It's hard to believe that February marked five years since Gary Moore's death. We hear from the man himself in a previously unpublished interview that was originally carried out in 1995
John McLaughlin on his ethos, PRS and Paco de Lucía
John McLaughlin is one of the truly unique voices on the guitar. To define him merely as a jazz-fusion pioneer is only telling half the story, as his playing defies categorisation
Paul Kossoff's 1959 Les Paul - in pictures
Before the auctioneer's hammer fell on another iconic instrument back in December, we caught up with now-previous-owner Arthur Ramm to reveal the story behind the Paul Kossoff Les Paul...
Trey Gunn on starting out, King Crimson and playing a 10-string guitar
With the release of the 16-disc Thrak box set, we asked King Crimson's Trey Gunn to fill us in on the intricacies of playing a 10-string
One for the road: Status Quo's Rick Parfitt on first gigs, pratfalls and stage rigs
Status Quo's Rick Parfitt explains the perils of getting your wings, the mysterious 'mush', and reveals his favourite venue
Taylor 562CE-TF 12-String
Just to give you some idea of exactly how new this model is, the paper label in the soundhole merely bears the word 'proto' – short for 'prototype', of course – instead of a model number.
Martin Barre talks joining Jethro Tull and his guitar collection
"It was a moment of clarity - I thought, 'I'm going to be a guitarist…"
Tommy Emmanuel's 8 tips for guitarists
Essential ideas from a master musician
Under the microscope: Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells 1966 Fender Telecaster
In pictures: the six-string behind the record-breaking album
50 years of the Marshall stack: the birth of the 100-watt stack
We talk to Marshall's head of heritage and archive, Phil Wells, about the background to the birth and the early days of the iconic 100-watt stack…
8 classic BB King albums you need to hear
They say that the first cut is the deepest, and that certainly proved true for BB King's inaugural LP...
Start me up: Tash Neal
The formidable lead guitarist with The London Souls, Tash Neal, was born into a musical household. His mother was a pianist and his father a multi-instrumentalist jazz musician
One for the road: Phil Hilborne
Avoid the Dauphinoise potatoes and check your DI box impedance are just two useful lessons learned by this seasoned guitar slinger after playing hundreds of gigs, including We Will Rock You...
Erja Lyytinen on her first guitar, campfire classics and the Hairy Bikers
She's the Finnish queen of blues slide who numbers TV's Hairy Bikers among her fanbase - but what will happen when we cook up the 10 questions we ask everyone?
