MARTIN TAYLOR

Known Unknowns

If you were paying attention to the news

Back To School

Fender’s student amp returns in digital guise as part of the brand’s exciting and thought-provoking Tone Master series. But can it match the real thing? We take a look

Northern Light

A new guitar-making venture in the North East of England promises some boutique-like style at everyday prices

SLO Motion

You can now get the legendary high-gain sounds of Soldano’s Super Lead amplifier at your feet

Dino Stomp

Dinosaur Jr’s J Mascis gets his own signature Big Muff based around the ’73 ‘Violet’ Ram’s Head circuitry

Gibson Custom BB King ‘Live At The Regal’ ES-335 £8,799

Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...

Sounds Of The 60s

Rapier launched in 2022 with the well-received 33 model. Can the 60s stylists hit the target again with these two new additions for this year?

Forgotten Gems

Our obsession with PAF humbuckers and Fender single coils means many pickup designs from the 50s and 60s have long been lost

Living The Dream

Taylor describes its American Dream guitars as “spartan and minimalist” by design, but does this add up to any shortcomings in tone? Let’s find out

California Dreamin’

Taylor’s chief designer, president and CEO, Andy Powers, talks us through the choice of body woods for the AD12e

Top Ten

Gibson expands its Maestro pedal range to double digits with five new analogue offerings

Gas Supply

Our pick of the month’s most delectable and wallet-bothering new gear

ALSO OUT NOW...

WALRUS AUDIO MELEE £305 Shoegazers, rejoice! Walrus Audio’s

Fretbuzz

A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world, from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most

Albums

The month’s best guitar music – a hand-picked selection of the finest fretwork on wax

Tones Behind The Tracks

Blazing instrumentalist Vinnie Moore found himself inspired to include vocals on a solo project for the first time with his latest album

Brand Awareness

Neville Marten recalls moments when his gear, no matter how fantastic its pedigree, was not quite enough to impress certain onlookers

Hold The Line

Alex Bishop takes extra special care to “measure twice and cut once” in the crucial task of neck joining

’Bear Necessities

Jamie Dickson asks Stuart Robson of Sunbear Pickups for advice on getting more from your magnets

THREE TO GET READY

A trio of Firebird-style pickups

Major 7th Options

Richard Barrett helps you navigate the fretboard as he demonstrates different versions of a major 7th chord

Feedback

Your letters to the Guitarist editor. Drop us a line at guitarist@futurenet.com

WIN ONE OF THREE PINEGROVE STRAPS

One of these distinctive guitar straps, hand-crafted from premium leather, could be yours

WHAT’S ON YOUR TELE?

Is that a whammy bar I see before me on Fender’s finest? Close to sacrilegious (unless it’s a Bigsby), a vibrato just doesn’t belong on a Telecaster. Until now, suggests Dave Burrluck

FINISHING TOUCH

A reader and luthier offers some finishing advice following our recent StewMac offset kit build

Nitty Gritty

Recording Microphones

MIC UP

Huw helps you find the best microphone for recording electric and acoustic guitar

Point Of View

Have you ever considered how you assess your speaker cab’s sound? Zilla Cabs’ Paul Gough suggests you shift your perspective

Gibson Melody Makers

Gibson’s “greatest value ever” electric solidbodies appeared in an array of designs

1951 Fender Telecaster

The amazing story of a prototype Bigsby Tele in an unusual sunburst finish

DAVID CROSBY 1941-2023

As the architect of two 60s supergroups – and spokesman for the peace and love generation – David Crosby will be remembered for his contribution to the counterculture, not the darkness in his life

THE MAN FROM UTOPIA

A mercurial six-string psychonaut, Kavus Torabi wields his Jazzmaster in some of Britain’s most out-there bands, from fronting Gong to sharing stages with Steve Hillage and former snooker champion Steve Davis. We join him on his quest to find musical Utopia…

TONE HEAVEN

Sounding great on guitar is about bringing together two things – gear and the player – in such a way that the expressive potential of both is maximised. In the following pages, both top tone-techs and players tell you how to unite gear and technique to reach sonic nirvana…

TOM VERLAINE

1949-2023

Blues Headlines

Richard Barrett is on a mission to make you a better blues player – with full audio examples and backing tracks