Rob Laing

Rob Laing

Guitars Editor, MusicRadar

I'm the Guitars Editor for MusicRadar, handling news, reviews, features, tuition, advice for the strings side of the site and everything in between. Before MusicRadar I worked on guitar magazines for 15 years, including Editor of Total Guitar. I've currently set aside any pipe dreams of getting anywhere with my own songs and I am enjoying playing covers in function bands. 




Articles by: Rob Laing

Fender Tone Master Pro

Fender goes all-in on amps and effects modelling with its Tone Master Pro pedal – and FRFR cabs too!

By Rob Laing published

Fender's $1,700 answer to the Helix, Quad Cortex and Axe-FX is here, and it's ambitious – but is it too late to the party?

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 1844 -- Pictured: Musical guest John Mayer performs on Monday, October 2, 202

John Mayer reveals his least favourite album he's made, and the three that he thinks are "front-to-back perfect"

By Rob Laing published

He answers fan questions as part of a burst of chat show appearances ahead of the last leg of his solo tour

Joe Bonamassa performs at Fox Theatre on November 26, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan

Joe Bonamassa: "When I play live, I probably use the volume and tone pots 100 times in an evening"

By Rob Laing published

"Part of your gig is to know when to use the guitar as a weapon and to know when to use it as something that creates a very vocal type of sound"

BZ-7000 II NT bass guitar

Harley Benton lays the low-end gauntlet down with the 7-string BZ-7000 II NT bass

By Rob Laing published

It's ok, there's a four-string model too

McLaren

"The Speedtail was the perfect muse": $3.5 million McLaren supercar inspires a one-off guitar build

By Rob Laing published

Pole piece position

Harley Benton

Harley Benton previews new Tom DeLonge-influenced guitar with premium neck specs

By Rob Laing published

All the six-strings

Paul Rodgers

Interview: "I am really still a student of blues and soul" – the remarkable return of Paul Rodgers

By Rob Laing published

A new long-awaited solo album sees the Free and Bad Company legend re-emerging from huge adversity in triumph

Neural DSP Quad Cortex update

Neural is going to bring its first Quad Cortex-compatible plugin out soon with Archetype: Plini X

By Rob Laing published

The news is a huge plus for the amp and effects modeller – but there's a catch… for now

Megadeth

“When I finished the solo to this one, Mustaine came into the studio, listened to it once, turned around and, without saying a word, shook my hand" – the story of Megadeth's Tornado Of Souls

By Rob Laing published

Marty Friedman and a "watershed moment" for Dave Mustaine

UAFX Ox Stomp

The missing piece for your ultimate pedalboard rig? Universal Audio announces the OX Stomp Dynamic Speaker Emulator pedal

By Rob Laing published

Speaker, mic, 1176 compression, plate reverb, stereo delay emulation and EQ might just take your amp modelling to a whole new level

Pigtronix Cosmosis

The new Pigtronix Cosmosis ambient reverb pedal has an intriguing Morphing feature

By Rob Laing published

2023 has been a strong year for ambient reverb pedals, and Pigtronix has developed something to stand out from the pack

The Lottery Winners

"I've got that disease where I can't stop buying guitars" – The Lottery Winners show us their pedalboards and custom PJD guitars

By Rob Laing published

The UK chart-conquering indie band are big Boss fans

Paul Simon

Paul Simon demonstrates his Travis picking style on acoustic guitar: "The thumb is always moving"

By Rob Laing published

The legend called into Howard Stern's show with his Martin

Mike Campbell (L) and special guest Bob Dylan perform in concert during Farm Aid at Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center on September 23, 2023 in Noblesville, Indiana

Bob Dylan goes electric again during a surprise set with The Heartbreakers at Farm Aid 2023

By Rob Laing published

Bob's on the Tele

Line 6 HX Stomp XL

The designer behind the Line 6 Helix reveals the one thing you might not be doing 'right' with your guitar amp modeller

By Rob Laing published

Eric Klein on why what you plug into is so critical to your tone… and how you perceive it

Eric Gales, Samantha Fish and Christone "Kingfish" Ingram perform onstage during Day 1 of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival at Crypto.com Arena on September 23, 2023 in Los Angeles, California

See Eric Clapton joined by Stevie Wonder, Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to Jeff Beck while Gales, Fish and Kingfish unite at Crossroads Guitar Festival

By Rob Laing published

It's all going down at the Crossroads – literally in the case of Eric Gales, Samantha Fish and Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram who covered Freddie King's classic

John Mayer performs onstage during Day 1 of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival at Crypto.com Arena on September 23, 2023 in Los Angeles, California

John Mayer breaks out his Monterey Hendrix Strat, solos with H.E.R and guest with Sheryl Crow at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival

By Rob Laing published

A short but sweet set with Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan as the Trio, and two guest appearances

Nirvana In Utero cover

Nirvana session cellist Kera Schaley talks about playing on In Utero: "The funny thing about All Apologies is Steve kept trying to talk Kurt out of putting cello on it"

By Rob Laing published

In her first-ever interview about the Nirvana sessions Schaley, talks about her work on songs All Apologies, Dumb and Dave Grohl b-side Marigold

Electro-Harmonix Pico pedals

Electro Harmonix unveils the 9 mini Pico effects pedals for its NYC DSP Series – with reworked old favourites and new designs

By Rob Laing published

"It’s the most anticipated and ambitious one I’ve ever undertaken since first opening shop in 1968”

Ian Ly

Watch bluegrass guitarist Ian Ly become the 2023 US National Flat-picking Champion

By Rob Laing published

See footage from the 51st Walnut Valley Festival in Kansas

Matteo Mancuso

The Vai, Bonamassa, Di Meola and Abasi-backed guitar virtuoso Matteo Mancuso dazzles again on new song Silk Road

By Rob Laing published

His debut UK show has also been confirmed

Boss Katana Air EX

Boss returns to desktop practice amps with the Katana Air Ex – but is the price right?

By Rob Laing published

Five years on from the original Katana Air, what's new?

Headrush Core

What could the new Headrush Core offer that the multi-effects pedal competition doesn't?

By Rob Laing published

Guitarist/vocalists: you're going to be especially interested in this one

TC Electronic Ampworx pedals

TC Electronic Ampworx Vintage Series Combo Deluxe 65', DC30, and JIMS 45 preamp pedals review

By Rob Laing published

Value-packed with tone

Paul Rodgers performs onstage during the 2023 CMT Music Awards at Moody Center on April 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas

Paul Rodgers shared a simple tip with us that's helped him maintain his legendary singing voice

By Rob Laing published

Everyone can try this

Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions: