
Jonathan Horsley
Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.
Latest articles by Jonathan Horsley

All Rhoads lead to California as Jackson brings one of its most-iconic metal guitars home for a high-end upgrade
By Jonathan Horsley published
A classic Jackson with a Seymour Duncan JB and ‘59 humbucker pairing, the American Series Rhoads RR24 is equally vicious with or without a Floyd, as Brandon Ellis and Jeff Loomis demonstrate...

Misha Mansoor teams up with Neural DSP for Archetype plugin that nails his Periphery tone – but does so much more
By Jonathan Horsley published
Neural DSP's most ambitious plugin yet? Archetype: Misha Mansoor X collects three amps, virtual stompboxes, from the everyday to exotic granular and pitch-shifting effects, CabSims, EQs and more

“Players have asked us to push further – into more adventurous, exploratory delay and reverb”: Source Audio dials up the ambience with the Encounter – six reverbs, six delays, one tricked-out pedal for “deeply immersive soundscapes”
By Jonathan Horsley published
Not your garden variety delay/reverb, Encounter is described as a "fully-loaded vessel of atmospheric discovery" with presents players with presets, tap tempo, deep edits via the app and more
![Joe Bonamassa wears a blue suit and plays his P-90 loaded Epiphone signature Les Paul [left] and BB King cups his hand to his ear to ask for some more from his audience at a 1991 show in Chicago.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pGzJdAHFic3RJjgCi33Ejh.jpg)
Joe Bonamassa announces all-star album celebrating life of BB King on the King of the Blues’ 100th birthday
By Jonathan Horsley published
BB King’s Blues Summit 100 is out Feb 6 and features guest spots from Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, George Benson, Eric Gales and more

Gibson teams up with Loog for child-friendly 3-string versions of its most famous electric guitars
By Jonathan Horsley published
Designed for kids aged three and above, these are super-accessible first guitars to give young players a start on the instrument

Fender’s Vintera II Road Worn series has Golden Era vibe, tone and feel with era-correct pickups and aged nitro finishes
By Jonathan Horsley published
The Vintera II '60s Stratocaster, '60s Telecaster, '50s Jazzmaster and '60s Precision Bass get the aged treatment for a limited time only

Warren Haynes on the Allman Brothers, Woodstock ’94, and finishing what Gregg Allman started with Derek Trucks’ help
By Jonathan Horsley published
The Whisper Sessions finds the Gov't Mule frontman paring his solo album back to its essence, and here he talks about how it all ties in with seminal experiences with David Allan Coe and the Allmans

“These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
By Jonathan Horsley published
Here's a collection of S-styles that take us back to the era of coin-op arcade machines, the arms race of technicality, and to the early days of an LA guitar brand that was weaponising electric guitar

Gibson expands acoustic Murphy Lab collection with five Light Aged classics – including a Nick Lucas 1929 reissue
By Jonathan Horsley published
Gibson's newest Murphy Lab arrivals include a 1963 Dove, a 1955 J-45, pre and post-war SJ-200s, and a Nick Lucas Special from 1929 in Argentine Grey

“I don’t think it found its true voice until now”: Revived, refreshed, PRS adds the Mira 594 to the S2 range
By Jonathan Horsley published
The all-mahogany Mira has been in and out of PRS production since the original 2007 model, but reborn as this super-versatile S2 model. is it finally here to stay?

Walrus Audio’s Canvas Power USB is the super-compact device for powering your rig with a laptop charger
By Jonathan Horsley published
Designed to work with Walrus Audio's modular pedalboard power supplies, the Canvas Power USB can be used for a wireless rig or as a single-pedal power supply for desktop use

Derek Trucks says Tedeschi Trucks Band have completed new album and have been sneaking in some of the tracks live
By Jonathan Horsley published
Trucks says TTB has “the best collection of tunes” they have written to date, with 17 in the can, an Atmos mix – and the crowd are liking what they are hearing when they've dropped them in the set

Seymour Duncan celebrates Spinal Tap sequel with custom pickup that has an “eye-watering” 111K DCR
By Jonathan Horsley published
But what will this monster one-off pickup sound like – and will we ever see it in production?

David Gilmour shares an essential tone tip for guitarists using a whammy bar with a delay pedal
By Jonathan Horsley published
The king of gourmet delay sounds shows us how vibrato works in cahoots with your repeats

Gibson gives the “King of the Flat-Tops” a whole new meaning with the $99,999 SJ-200 Monarch #100
By Jonathan Horsley published
Gibson just made its 100th Monarch and this one-of-one jumbo has real gold binding and hardware, actual diamonds, and it might just be the most opulent acoustic guitar it – or anyone – has made

Paul McCartney’s stolen bass was one of music’s biggest mysteries – and now they are making a film about it
By Jonathan Horsley published
The Beatle And The Bass chronicles The Lost Bass Project's search for McCartney's Höfner, which had been missing for over 50 years

Charvel and Rick Graham team up for Pro-Mod signature model with relic'd nitro cult colour finish
By Jonathan Horsley published
Made to look beat up, built to play fast, this HSS S-style has a sweet Shell Pink finish, a reverse Strat headstock, a Gotoh tremolo and a lot of shred potential

Jackson and Phil Demmel salute Randy Rhoads with limited run Pro Series King V in polka dot finish
By Jonathan Horsley published
Strapped with a pair of active EMGs, a recessed Floyd Rose 1000 Series, plus a mahogany body for "endless sustain", the thrash stalwart's new King V is unapologetically metal

Sterling By Music Man unveils affordable version of Tosin Abasi’s futuristic Kaizen signature model
By Jonathan Horsley published
A Kaizen for under $1,000? SBMM might have a smash hit on its hands with the Animals As Leaders' signature electric – available now in Firemist Purple Satin and Stealth Black

John McLaughlin on how his first encounter with Jimi Hendrix ended in “disaster”
By Jonathan Horsley published
McLaughlin has fond recollections of meeting Hendrix, even if his legendary 1969 Record Plant jam did not go to plan

Good news for Randy Rhoads fans – his MXR Distortion+ is back, and you have got to see its supersonic finish
By Jonathan Horsley published
All about the crazy train! This special edition reissue presents the late Ozzy guitarist's signature distortion in white with black pinstripes, gold knobs FTW...

Strymon unveils the PCH Active Direct Interface – the missing link for your amp-less pedalboard setup?
By Jonathan Horsley published
The digital stompbox specialist serve up an analogue solution for amp-free rigs, with a super-tough active DI box offering full stereo support and a headphones amp for practice and monitoring

“It’s analogous to Napster”: Brian Wampler on threat of digital disruption to pedal and tube amp market
By Jonathan Horsley published
One of the most respected names in pedal designs wrestles with the threat of digital disruption and says stompbox brands need to move with the times

Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel is open to swapping his guitars for cheese but here’s why you won’t sell him on amp modellers
By Jonathan Horsley published
As Spinal Tap prepare to make a triumphant return to the silver screen, lead guitarist Tufnel admits he's still addicted to pushing air

Blackstar Amplification unveils the BEAM SOLO – has the Fender Mustang Micro Plus found a rival?
By Jonathan Horsley published
The BEAM SOLO is a $129 all-in-one solution for silent practice, equipped with meticulously engineered digital models of Blackstar amps, with editing via the app and “pro-level” tone
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