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Industry-leading guitar string maker Ernie Ball has entered into a “definitive agreement” to acquire Massachusetts-based effects pedal company Source Audio.

Financial terms of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed, but the acquisition has been pursued in order to give Ernie Ball an “immediate and credible presence in the premium effects category”, while giving Source Audio access to Ernie Ball’s vast global distribution network, artist relationships, manufacturing discipline and more.

• READ MORE: “The most powerful delay pedal on the market”: Meet the Strymon TimeLine MX, the next generation of the king of digital delays

Founded in 2006 – by engineers who had previously worked with Analog Devices and Kurzweil – Source Audio has become a big player in the premium effects market, with top-level players including David Gilmour, U2, David Bowie, John Mayer, King Crimson and loads more incorporating its pedals on their ‘boards.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on one of the brand’s latest units, the Encounter delay/reverb pedal, earlier this year, and couldn’t help but give it a 9/10 in our review for its stellar build quality and brilliant sounds.

Despite the acquisition, Source Audio will continue to operate as its own brand, with existing products “expected to remain available”, and immediate focus on “continuity for customers, dealers, distributors, artists and partners”.

“Source Audio has built one of the most creative and respected effects platforms in our industry,” says Ernie Ball CEO Brian Ball. “What excites me isn’t just the technology; it’s the way their pedals inspire musicians to find sounds they didn’t know they were looking for. Ernie Ball has always existed to help artists create, and Source Audio gives us a powerful new way to do exactly that.”

“We’re not acquiring Source Audio to change what makes it special,” Ball continued. “We’re acquiring Source Audio because we believe in what it already is, and because we believe Ernie Ball can put that innovation in the hands of more players than ever before.”

“Source Audio has always been driven by innovation and the desire to give musicians new ways to create,” says Roger Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Source Audio. “From the beginning, our goal has been to combine world-class sound design with powerful technology in a way that inspires players. Ernie Ball understands musicians, artists, and the culture of guitar in a way very few companies do, and that alignment is what makes this such an exciting next chapter.”

“Ernie Ball gives Source Audio the scale, support, and reach to keep growing while preserving the spirit of what we built,” Smith added. “I am confident this is the right home for the brand, the products, the technology, and the community of musicians who have supported us from the start.”

The post Ernie Ball has acquired Source Audio in an effort to expand into premium effects appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Epiphone has teamed up with American Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and country artist Eric Church on a limited-edition Inspired by Gibson version of his prized Gibson Hummingbird, which has become a staple of his live shows.

Blending “iconic square-shoulder heritage” with “stage-forward aesthetics and modern performance detail”, the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird Dark is built to Church’s exacting specifications, boasting a solid Sitka spruce top with moody darkened accents, plus layered mahogany back and sides for warmth, punch, and focused midrange.

• READ MORE: “The most powerful delay pedal on the market”: Meet the Strymon TimeLine MX, the next generation of the king of digital delays

Completing the darkened aesthetics is a black binding framing the top and back, as well as a custom Hummingbird Dark pickguard.

Credit: Epiphone/Gibson

Eric Church needs his guitar to both sound good and feel comfortable when playing long sets, so his new signature model features a tapered body, from 4” to 3” at the neck joint. This keeps the guitar’s tone substantial and resonant, while improving ergonomics for superior comfort.

Meanwhile, the guitar sports a rounded C mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard with grey pearloid parallelogram inlays, a Graph Tech nut and saddle, and nickel Grover tuners.

“For me, a great guitar is about expression – finding something honest and putting it out into the world,” says Church. “We’ve been working on this Epiphone Hummingbird Dark, and it’s been with me out on the road for the past two years, part of that journey every single night.

“It’s where songs take shape, where ideas turn into something real. I’m excited for other players to get their hands on it and see where it leads them, because that’s what this is all about – finding your voice and having the right partner to help you say it.”

Credit: Epiphone/Gibson

Perhaps even cooler though, is that the launch is accompanied by a new whiskey under Eric Church’s own whiskey brand, JYPSI. Tonewood is a limited-edition whiskey developed by JYPSI in collaboration with Gibson, incorporating maple tonewood offcuts from Gibson guitar production into the finishing process.

Credit: Epiphone/Gibson

“The wood is only wood until it arrives in a master’s hands – that rule applies to distillers, luthiers, and songwriters,” continues Church. “I’m excited to see what song this collaboration between world-class masters will write.”

The whiskey comes in two varieties: Tonewood: Vol. 1, a 109-proof whiskey built from older whiskey stocks, including a 20-year-old straight bourbon and 14-year-old whiskey from a bourbon mash bill; and the 103-proof Tonewood: The Collective, which offers a “lighter, more lifted expression”.

The former is priced at $799, and comes in a custom Gibson case inspired by Gibson’s classic hardshell cases, along with a co-branded Gibson guitar strap and two JYPSI whiskey glasses, while the latter is $199, and comes in a Hummingbird-inspired design for display or gifting. A portion of the proceeds from each whiskey sale will go to Gibson Gives – the guitar giant’s philanthropic organisation.

Back to the guitar now… the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird Dark is priced at £699/$799.

Get it now at Epiphone.

Credit: Epiphone/Gibson

The post Country star Eric Church launches new whiskey made using maple tonewood offcuts from Gibson guitars – oh, and a brand-new signature Hummingbird, too appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

For 15 years, the Strymon TimeLine has staked its claim as the king of digital delay pedals. The stompbox first launched at the 2011 NAMM Show, and has found its way onto countless pedalboards ever since, with guitarists touting its vast array of delay algorithms, onboard 30-second looper and in-depth customisability.

But after those 15 years, it’s high time for an upgrade, and Strymon has delivered the goods with the new TimeLine MX, bringing a number of improvements to an already widely-loved design.

• READ MORE: Jim Root’s signature Telecaster is now available in Shoreline Gold – here are some images to whet your appetite…

“Full of fresh inspiration”, the Strymon TimeLine MX introduces new Oil Can, Spectral, Drum and Multitap delay engines, and even a new reverb engine, meaning the unit can now serve as a delay-plus-reverb pedal, too.

Credit: Strymon

Another significant improvement comes with the pedal’s looping capabilities; while the original TimeLine featured a 30-second looper, the new TimeLine MX ups that to five whole minutes worth of loop time.

Strymon calls the TimeLine MX the “most powerful delay pedal on the market”. Let’s take a closer look at what’s new and upgraded…

Strymon TimeLine vs TimeLine MX – what’s new?

At its core, the MX version features a more powerful processor (as you’d expect to handle all the upgraded and therefore more demanding features). Where the original was powered by a single 266 MHz SHARC DSP processor, the new model is loaded with a tri-core 800 MHz ARM chip, instead.

As stated, there are four new delay engines not previously found in the original TimeLine. Oil Can for vintage warble, Spectral for Strymon’s take on granular synthesis, Drum for complex and rhythmic delays, and Multitap for further complex delays and textural reverbs. The TimeLine MX also allows you to double up and use two delay engines at the same time, where you couldn’t with the original TimeLine.

There’s also a new reverb engine, too, allowing you to play around with everything from intimate room sounds to massive, seemingly endless atmospheric delays.

Credit: Strymon

Elsewhere, looper time has been increased 10-fold, no doubt a welcome change for guitarists looking to lay down longer self-accompaniments without interruption. This is accompanied by a new one-button looper mode for easier access.

In addition, there’s a host of I/O improvements, plus a new Audio Pan control for shifting your signal freely across the stereo field, plus an improved OLED display screen, where the original had an LED display.

In terms of size, the TimeLine MX is marginally bigger than the TimeLine, but not by much. Where the original measured up 6.75” by 5.1”, the TimeLine MX measures 7” by 5”.

Strymon TimeLine MX – pricing & availability

The TimeLine MX is available now priced at $679, directly from Strymon and from authorised retailers.

For more information and to get yours, head to Strymon.

The post “The most powerful delay pedal on the market”: Meet the Strymon TimeLine MX, the next generation of the king of digital delays appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Is there anything more satisfying than putting a new set of strings onto your guitar and hearing its tone zing back to life?

Strings lose their integrity, tone and playability over time, and change yours around at least once every two or three months, or after an intensive period of playing. Hard strummers might need to restring more frequently – although you can get coated guitar strings that last longer (but cost more).

There are differences in the materials, construction and gauges (thicknesses) of guitar string sets, so the best guitar strings for one guitarist might sound and play wrong for another musician. Most of us find our way to a go-to guitar strings manufacturer and model, but it’s sometimes worth experimenting with alternative options as your taste and abilities evolve.

Think about playing style and musical genre. Heavier-gauge strings that sound good when down-tuned are often used for metal, while smooth-sounding flat-wound strings are a great pick for jazz, and similar subtleties can apply to every guitarist.

Assuming you know how to restring a guitar, getting a new set of strings may well be the quickest and cheapest way to make your instrument sound better. You can find our acoustic guitar strings recommendations below – and if you’re looking for electric guitar strings, don’t fret, as these are further down the page.

The best acoustic strings at a glance:

• Ernie Ball Earthwood 80/20 Bronze Alloy
• Ernie Ball Aluminium Bronze
• Ernie Ball Paradigm Phosphor Bronze
• DAddario Phosphor Bronze
• D’Addario Nickel Bronze
• Elixir 80/20 Bronze, 12-String
• Martin LUXE Kovar
• Jim Dunlop Zakk Wylde Phosphor Bronze
• La Bella Folk Singer Golden Alloy & Black Nylon
• Rotosound Jumbo King Phosphor Bronze

The best electric strings at a glance:

• Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky
• Elixir Nanoweb Nickel Wound
• D’Addario NYXL
• Jim Dunlop ‘Rev Willy’s’ Billy Gibbons 7-38
• La Bella Pure Vintage Pure Nickel
• Stringjoy Signatures
• Fender Bullets Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child Nickel 10-38
• Thomastik-Infeld George Benson Flatwound 14-55
• Ernie Ball Slinky Skinny Top Heavy Bottom
• DR Strings Drop-Down Tuning DDT-13
• Why you can trust Guitar.com

Ernie Ball Earthwood 80/20 Bronze Alloy

These widely-loved, mellow-sounding strings from Ernie Ball launched over half a century ago, and they’re still up there with the best. Their combination of copper (80%) and zinc (20%) gives plenty of brightness without overpowering the tonal qualities of your guitar’s wood. Jimmy Page and Frank Turner are among the many guitarists who use Earthwood strings, so you’ll be in decent company.

Ernie Ball Aluminium Bronze

Distinguishable by their excellent clarity (and acoustically distinguishable because of it), these strings are ideal for buskers and acoustic performers who want every trill and plucked note to stand out. While they’re great for playing loud, we’d argue that the best thing about these strings is how they emphasise fine details.

Ernie Ball Paradigm Phosphor Bronze

 

Tired of restringing? Designed with longevity in mind, this set of strings is treated to limit corrosion and grime buildup. If you’d like to change your strings less often without necessarily sacrificing tone and volume, they’d be a smart choice. High-durability strings haven’t always sounded great, but these ones come pleasingly close to Ernie Ball’s Earthwood tone.

D’Addario Phosphor Bronze

If you’re a D’Addario diehard, you’re probably already sold on the sound of phosphor bronze strings – one of the brand’s innovations dating back to the 1970s. In this set, the material sounds as zingy and bright as ever. One of the great things about D’Addario strings is that the ball-ends are colour-coded for easy restringing.

D’Addario Nickel Bronze

Something a little different for the tonally adventurous, these D’Addario strings let the character of your guitar’s wood sing (or mumble, depending on the guitar). They’re not especially bright and perhaps not best suited for busking, but their gentler sound and interesting harmonic qualities are a treat for the inquisitive ear.

Elixir 80/20 Bronze, 12-String

These are our pick for 12-string acoustic guitarists, with a classic 80/20 bronze wrap and a fairly light gauge that goes easy on the guitar’s neck (you try having twelve metal strings tensioned across you all at once!) Those of you who are familiar with the epic chore of restringing a 12-string will be pleased to hear that the Polyweb 80/20 Bronze are long-lasting, as well as lush-sounding.

Martin LUXE Kovar

Has the name of these strings adequately conveyed a sense of luxury? Featuring a unique nickel and cobalt alloy, the LUXE Kovar stand out silvery against the fretboard, with powerful lows and mids. A different mix of metals means a different tone, and these are decidedly steelier-sounding than the average acoustic string.

Dunlop Zakk Wylde Phosphor Bronze

If you’ve heard Zakk Wylde’s acoustic rendition of “Voodoo Child”, you’ll be well aware that an acoustic guitar can be a rock guitar, in the right hands and with the right strings. His full-sounding, hard-wearing signature set is great for assertive players. As Wylde himself puts it, “they can take a beating”.

La Bella Folk Singer Golden Alloy & Black Nylon

Warm and gentle, this folksy set combines golden alloy strings with nylon trebles. It’s a great compromise for acoustic guitarists who like nylon strings but don’t want to go classical. Nylon is gentler on the fingertips than the alloys typically used in acoustic guitar strings, so these could be good for beginners too.

Rotosound Jumbo King Phosphor Bronze

Favoured by the merry old likes of Noel Gallagher and Jarvis Cocker, UK-based Rotosound makes some of the brightest strings in the biz. The phosphor bronze Jumbo Kings deliver massive resonance and detail, perfect for expressive fingerpicking. And as a nice side benefit, they’re very approachably priced.

Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky

There are several excellent options in the Ernie Ball Slinky range, but these strings might well be the best. They’re called ‘Hybrid’ because the set is a combination of heavy-ish lower strings of the sorts that you’d typically find in a 10-gauge set, with relatively light higher strings. As a result, they’ll give you some low-end oomph and plenty of playability, especially if you’re into bends. The compiler of this guide uses them for post-punk and rock.

Elixir Nanoweb Nickel Wound

For vibrant tone that lasts and lasts, these coated Elixir strings are hard to beat. They cost a little extra, but their coating helps them to stay in good nick for several times the lifespan of your average string – and their clear, bright tone is a crowd-pleaser too. A side benefit to the coating is that it gives the strings a slick feel which lends itself well to slides or quickly changing hand positions.

D’Addario NYXL

If ultra-bright tone is the treasure you seek – not just straight after restringing, but for weeks or months – then these D’Addario strings could be your perfect jewel. They’re famously strong and long-lasting, but that strength comes from the carbon steel core within, rather than from a coating. Blues players and desert rockers take note: they have impressive mid-range power.

Dunlop ‘Rev Willy’s’ Billy Gibbons 7-38

Billy Gibbons’ stonking sounds are built on surprisingly slender strings, and this signature set from Jim Dunlop captures the ZZ Top legend’s particular brand of moonshine with light-gauge playability and brash tone. They’re worth trying for their bendability alone.

La Bella Pure Vintage Pure Nickel

Vintage electric guitar strings are absolutely a thing, and this set from New York-based La Bella is among the most faithful to its roots. Family-run for over a century, this brand makes strings using processes and machinery harking back to the 1950s and 1960s – and you can hear it.

Stringjoy Signatures

At a little over a decade old, Stringjoy is a young whippersnapper in the guitar strings trade. As well as making high-quality strings, this brand has made its name by offering interesting sets of gauges, as with this set featuring a chunky 0.48 low E.

Fender Bullets Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child Nickel 10-38

Who among us would not wish to sound like Hendrix? This Fender set seeks to make the rainy daydream somewhat more plausible – at least tonally – with a light-gauge 0.38 low E that’s unusually bend-friendly and heavy-weight higher strings, as Hendrix preferred. Pair them with a wah and your favourite fuzz pedal.

Thomastik-Infeld George Benson Flatwound 14-55

If you’re a jazz head willing to invest in the best, then you could hardly do better than these Viennese George Benson signature strings. The gauge will feel on the heavy side for some guitarists, but it’ll help crisply picked melodies and crunchy chords sing. With a flat-wound construction that’s becoming quite a rarity, they feel suitably smooth to play.

Ernie Ball Slinky Skinny Top Heavy Bottom

A lot of guitarists swear by these Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Strings, but they’re arguably at their best when used to play metal or hard rock, where a heavy-gauge low E is needed for richer down-tuned sounds, and where dexterous lead playing is a must. As with all Ernie Ball Slinky strings, they feel easy to play and sound lively.

DR Strings Drop-Down Tuning DDT-13

For down tunings that go deeper than a drop D, a specially designed set of strings can make a huge difference to your guitar’s tone and musicality. This heavy-gauge set from DR Strings can handle drop C, drop B or even drop A tunings.

Why You Can Trust Us

Every year, Guitar.com reviews a huge variety of new products – from the biggest launches to cool boutique effects – and our expert guitar reviewers have decades of collective experience, having played everything from Gibson ’59 Les Pauls to the cheapest Squiers.

That means that when you click on a Guitar.com buyer’s guide, you’re getting the benefit of all that experience to help you make the best buying decision for you. What’s more, every guide written on Guitar.com was put together by a guitar obsessive just like you. You can trust that every product recommended in those guides is something that we’d be happy to have in our own rigs.

The post The best acoustic and electric guitar strings for folk, rock, pop and more appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Jim Root’s signature Fender Telecaster is one of the most eye-catching Tele’s in the brand’s lineup, notable for flipping the script and turning the timeless electric guitar design into a metal-ready machine.

It’s developed something of a cult following since its launch in 2010, and remains a key instrument in his Slipknot live arsenal. But after 16 years, it’s time for a reskin…

Enter the Limited Edition Jim Root Telecaster, now boasting a striking Shoreline Gold finish. It’s a slight deviation from the monochrome colour scheme Root’s Fender signature models usually adopt – which also include a Stratocaster and a Jazzmaster – but we definitely dig it…

Credit: Fender

• READ MORE: Slipknot’s Jim Root explains why Fender Telecasters are like sunglasses

Beneath its Shoreline Gold makeover, the guitar’s specs remain the same, including a mahogany body, maple neck with a 12”-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, active EMG 60 and 81 humbuckers with a single volume control and three-way switch, a string-through-body hardtrail bridge and sleek black hardware.

“Fender guitars have been a cornerstone of my rig since the earliest days of Slipknot and continue to be today,” says Jim Root. “Seeing my signature model in Shoreline Gold gives it a completely fresh character. It’s the same guitar I’ve relied on for more than two decades, but this new finish makes it feel exciting all over again.”

Credit: Fender

Earlier this year, Jim Root celebrated the timelessness of the Telecaster as a design, likening the classic shape to sunglasses, of all things…

“If somebody tells you to do something, you’re gonna do the opposite,” he said, referring to his decision to make a signature Telecaster as a metal guitarist all those years ago.

“Everybody thought I should be coming out with some pointy metal guitar that’s got 12 points or whatever. No, how about we just do a classic slab iconic guitar? Guitars, in my opinion, are like sunglasses. The classics never go out of style. They’ll always be there. People will make their version of it, but there’s only one Fender Telecaster.”

Credit: Fender

2026 celebrates 75 years of the Telecaster, following the original’s launch back in 1951. In March, the brand unveiled a range of new 75th Anniversary Teles, comprising five models across the brand’s Player II, American Professional and American Ultra II ranges, and even including a classic Cabronita model.

But back to Jim Root’s new Tele… Price-wise the new Shoreline Gold edition clocks in at £1,599.

You can learn more at Fender.

Credit: Fender

The post Jim Root’s signature Telecaster is now available in Shoreline Gold – here are some images to whet your appetite… appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Word on the grapevine is that those were the original lyrics Bryan Adams wrote for Summer of ’69, but due to a last minute lyric change, the concept of a Fender Cafe became lost in the pages of what could have been. Until now…

That’s right, Fender has just dipped its toes into the bistro business, opening up a brand new cafe in Japan – and the menu is full of guitar-themed items, from Telecaster Maple Lattes to Six-String Burgers.

While Fender’s Tokyo store currently has an in-shop cafe, this is the first time Fender has opened a fully fledged cafe in its own right. Situated in the Shimokitazawa neighbourhood, a trendy, creative area known for its thriving music scene, the Fender Cafe joins the area’s selection of basement jazz bars and quirky cafes.

• READ MORE: Bryan Adams reveals the story behind his “first real six-string” in hit song Summer of ’69 – and it actually wasn’t bought at a five and dime

While there wont be a selection of guitars to peruse, the Fender Cafe promises to offer a more guitar-centric flavour to the eccentric district regardless. Visually, there’s nothing too guitar-y about it; the cafe simply looks like a modern, modern version of Edward Hopper’s famous Nighthawks cafe painting, complete with huge glass windows and almost brutalist, exposed cement walls.

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But there are glimmers of Fender sprinkled across the stylish joint. The coffee machines are branded with Fender Cafe, while stools are plectrum-shaped and branded in ode to the Fender Heavy pick. There’s also a 1969 rosewood Tele mounted on a wall for good measure, considering it was the guitar that inspired Fender to set up the cafe in the first place.

“The new store adopts a space design inspired by the 1969 Rosewood Telecaster that has left its name in music history,” Fender Japan explains [via Guitar World]. “Fender combines the spirit of rock and roll with California coffee culture with Japanese sensibilities, craftsmanship, and subtle hospitality.”

“Fender Cafe Shimokitazawa aims to blend in with nature’s daily routine in this city and create a community place where music-loving people can connect at ease,” Fender Japan adds. “Musicians, community people, live house attendees, and musicians.”

The menu is also where things feel a little more Fender. We’re talking Stratocaster rose lattes, Six Strings Burgers, Chicken Overdrive Rice, and even a special coffee bean blend, First Set.

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The post I got my first real six-string… bought it at the Fender Cafe Shimokitazawa appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

As we all know, Megadeth are finally calling it a day after 43 years of thrashing. However, frontman Dave Mustaine seems to have one final card up his sleeve…

In an interview with Turkey’s Apaçık Radyo, Mustaine revealed that there’s a “fucking massive” Megadeth announcement on the horizon. With plans to reveal it later this month, Mustaine can hardly contain his excitement, teasing: “It’s out of this world, let me say it like that… I gave you a clue right there!” [via Blabbermouth]

• READ MORE: Megadeth drummer says Dave Mustaine “invented thrash metal”

For now, all we can do is speculate. However, last November, Mustaine did suggest a rather “out of this world” goal in conversation with Metal Hammer; when discussing his ultimate dream for the farewell tour, Mustaine said that he would love to see Megadeth out amongst the stars. “I hope we’ll be playing up in space,” he said. “I think that will be a really fitting climax.”

“And I’m not talking about on the side of a vomit comet!” he insisted. “A gig on the moon – a full moon landing. That would be cool!”

Of course, there’s no guarantee as to what the plan really is. While we are yet to find out if Mustaine is going to be knocking out a space suit, we do, however, have confirmation that he’ll be hopping into a set of swim shorts in the near future.

That’s right, there’s going to be another Megacruise. “We got another Megacruise we’re starting to work on… the Peace Sails cruise,” he reveals.

Back in 2019, Mustaine was unfortunately too ill to join fans on the Megacruise due to his throat cancer diagnosis. This time around, he’s keen to hit the high seas. “[Missing the first cruise] was a real shame for me…” he reflects. “That was the beginning of the evidence that I was developing [throat] cancer. And so I had to stay home.”

Megadeth’s Farewell tour has kicked off without a hitch, with many fans lapping up the band’s cover of Metallica’s Ride The Lightning in particular.

For more info on the band’s final world tour, head to Megadeth’s official website.

The post Megadeth are currently on their last tour ever after 43 years – but Dave Mustaine is teasing another “f**king massive” announcement appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Smiths legend Johnny Marr has issued a dig at FedEx, after the shipping company allegedly lost a guitar belonging to Grammy-winning guitarist Ella Feingold.

Feingold recently revealed that one of her guitars had gone missing in transit, and quickly got in touch with FedEx to find out what had happened. In a screenshot shared to social media thereafter, it seems the company was less than helpful in locating the instrument.

• READ MORE: “I choose guitars that stay out of the way of the vocals”: how Ella Feingold became the most versatile rhythm guitar player on the planet

“I completely understand where you’re coming from and I sincerely apologise for the trouble and frustration this situation has caused,” read a message to Feingold from FedEx.

“The package was marked as lost only after the investigation team conducted a thorough search and ultimately determined that they were unable to locate it. Thank you.”

Johnny Marr reposted the screenshot with a dig of his own at FedEx: “We lost your guitar… Deal with it,” he wrote.

‘We lost your guitar…deal with it’ @FedEx https://t.co/RzkE4oTVxH

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) July 6, 2026

Afterwards, Feingold took to Instagram to vent her frustration at the seemingly automated reply and limited avenues she was offered to try and track down her guitar.

“FedEx loses guitars,” she wrote. “The real disappointing thing is how you never get to speak to a human being, just an automated AI copy and paste response for the last week. No communication and no humanity involved. Like, how do you lose a guitar that’s literally scanned onto a truck and supposed to show up on my front door [saying] it’s arriving within a half an hour to the guitar just being lost forever.

“All I get is automated messages and then asking me to fill out a survey if I’m pleased…”

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Johnny Marr followed up again, writing: “So FedEx just ‘lose’ guitars now? Belonging to renowned guitarist Ella Feingold, too. And one that was scanned and reported to be on the truck? How does that happen? Shocking. You need to DM her and find her guitar.”

At the time of writing, it doesn’t appear that Feingold’s guitar has been found, but hopefully with the pressure placed by high-profile musicians like Johnny Marr, the instrument will be returned to her soon.

Unfortunately, this is far from the first time a company involved in transportation has treated guitars without the care they deserve.

Back in March, a viral video sparked outrage showing an airport baggage handler throwing guitar cases on the tarmac. And a number of other artists have faced damage to their instruments over the years following flights, too, including Emily Wolfe, Madi Diaz, Pete Thorn, and more.

The post “We lost your guitar… deal with it”: Johnny Marr blasts FedEx for losing Ella Feingold’s guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

The SG is one of Gibson‘s more beloved, timeless models. Countless iconic guitarists have sang its praises over the years, from Jimi Hendrix to Tony Iommi – and dynamic blues guitarist Samantha Fish is a modern guitar great to sing the guitar’s praises.

In a new interview with Guitarist, the Grammy-nominated Fish explains that her Gibson SG has become her most prized axe in her collection. Her reasoning? It’s the ultimate all-rounder. “I find that the SG is the most versatile guitar in my whole arsenal,” she explains. “Some people might disagree and think, ‘No, it can only sound a certain way.’ But I feel like I can just apply it to a range of songs and I can shape the tone in a way.”

• READ MORE: The Close Up: Muse guitarist Matt Bellamy’s most iconic and beloved guitar, the Manson 007

With the American guitarist’s palette spanning from country rock to bouncy funk, the adaptability of the SG is crucial. “When I first got it, it just felt like me, and I’ve had [the one I’m using live] since 2015,” she says. “I really love this guitar. It feels good in my hands. It’s expressive when I need it to be. I can tame it when I need to… and it looks cool!”

When considering how she first wound up with an SG, Fish isn’t quite so sure. But she is certain there was some influence from Angus Young, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Derek Trucks, who have all wielded their own SGs over the years.

Though Fish has other beloved guitars in her arsenal – namely her sparkly Gibson Custom ES-335, which sounds so beefy she has to almost “tame” it onstage – the SG will always be her top dog. Even if just for how natural the SG feels to perform with. “It’s my most comfortable guitar,” she adds. “The way the neck feels… I just feel the most comfortable playing it. When I stretch out on solos and everything, it fits my personality.”

Considering how personally Fish is invested in her SG it begs the question… will Fish ever receive a signature SG? We’ve collated a list of artists who deserve their own signature SG in the past, but Fish might be a late addition. Perhaps it could even emulate the look of her personal model, which she explains has been “relic’d [herself] through the sweat and everything, just playing it” without the need of “[taking] any tools to it”.

Fish’s recently released a live version of  2025’s Paper Doll, which was nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album at this year’s Grammy Awards. Paper Doll (Live) is out now.

The post “Sometimes you’re just naturally called to things”: Samantha Fish explains her love of the Gibson SG – and why it’s the most “versatile” guitar in her arsenal appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Oasis, Sunday roasts, a cuppa tea… these are but a few staples of the quintessential British experience. With that in mind, it only makes sense that this year’s World Cup has seen the England team celebrating their wins to the sound of Oasis’ Wonderwall – and Liam Gallagher is pretty chuffed about it.

The Three Lions team most recently kicked off a full stadium singalong to Wonderwall following their 3-2 win against Mexico on 6 July, earning them a ticket to the quarter-finals. The celebration was so fierce that it left team captain Harry Kane with a sore throat from singing along too enthusiastically. In a post-match interview with the BBC, Kane apologised to presenter Kelly Somers for his (hilariously) rough voice, explaining: “My voice is gone!”

• READ MORE: The Close Up: Muse guitarist Matt Bellamy’s most iconic and beloved guitar, the Manson 007

As the interview cut back to the BBC team all laughing at Kane’s hoarse voice, Liam Gallagher was quick to hop onto X. “It’s hard work that singing, Harry Kane,” he wrote. “C’mon ENGLAND! C’mon WONDERWALL!”

It’s hard work that singing Harry Kane cmon ENGLAND cmon WONDERWALL

— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) July 6, 2026

The final was also nearly predicted by the Oasis star earlier in the day. While he didn’t quite land the Mexico score, he guessed that England would win with three goals. When a fan pointed it out, Liam simply replied with a smug: “I told you”. Liam was also responding to saddened Mexico fans in his typical sarcastic fashion, joking simply ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’.

Stop crying your heart out

— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) July 6, 2026

Another X user insisted that it was “mandatory” to have Oasis flown out if England manage to reach the World Cup final to perform Wonderwall live. “We’ll see… I’m ready,” he wrote.

The Wonderwall singalong also saw a more serious injury on the team; footballer Jordan Henderson attempted to hop over a short wall mid-celebration, unfortunately leading to an injured his wrist – the half wall was the opposite of a “wonderwall”, we suppose.

“He injured his wrist,” England coach Thomas Tuchel told reporters [via NBC news]. “He’s at the moment in the hospital, so it’s a quite serious injury. And it just doesn’t fit to the evening that Jordan is now not with us. I don’t know the procedure, what’s going on. I just did the press, and the doctor told me that he’s in hospital.”

While Liam is clearly loving the England team’s celebration anthem being Wonderwall, his brother, Noel Gallagher, has also been in favour of Wonderwall being England’s unofficial 2026 World Cup anthem. Following the England team’s win 4-2 win against Croatia back in June, Noel told The Sun: “Wonderwall belongs to the people, and it was a magical moment between the people and the players… Best of luck to everyone who’s made the trip out there.”

England are set to play against Norway this Saturday (11 July). If a win is on the cards, we’ll have to see if Wonderwall makes yet another appearance.

The post “I told you”: Liam Gallagher nearly predicted the England Mexico result – as Wonderwall once again soundtracks Three Lions win appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

€119, neuraldsp.com

Bass distortion is, famously, difficult. There’s a tightrope walk of pleasingly articulate aggression that hangs over two canyons of failure: sounding like a sub-sonic fart, and sounding like a wasp in a tin can. One of the most sure-fire ways to sound good is to grab literally any Darkglass product, bass preamp/distortion pedals that have long been the go-to for bassists looking to raise any amount of hell.

• READ MORE: Fender Studio Pro 8 and Quantum LT 16 interface review: a guitar-recording match made in heaven?

On the digital side, Neural DSP has already offered a suite recreating the B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra pedals – which makes sense, given that Neural founder Doug Castro was also a co-founder of Darkglass. That was Darkglass Ultra – and now for 2026, we have Darkglass Ultimate, an expanded version of the suite.

Image: Press

Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate – what is it?

The core idea is not particularly new, nor are there any new preamps on offer here. What is new is the more extensive signal chain – where Ultra just had the preamps and speaker simulation, Ultimate adds a set of pre- and post-effects to bring the full signal chain more into line with the rest of the Neural suites. The full signal chain – which will be familiar if you’ve ever used another Neural plugin – now consists of a set of pre-effects, the preamps, speaker simulation, post-EQ and post-effects.

The pre-effects are a pretty standard – but unsurprisingly well-executed – set of virtual pedals. You’ve got a compressor, auto-wah, octaver and a fuzz – each of which with the bass-friendly bells and whistles you’d expect, including a clean blend for the fuzz and compressor. The post-effects aren’t as extensive as some of Neural’s more guitar-focused plugins – there’s only a chorus and a delay, so no reverb here, but that’s not too surprising given its bass focus.

The two preamp pedals simulated are the B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra. The former is much more in the realm of modern, tight, clanking distortion and bright cleans, while the latter is more rounded and full for the cleans, and has a more old-school approach to its saturation – a little more ragged and tube-like. And finally the cabs – there’s a choice between a 2×10 and an 8-10, for similar applications –one brings a focused sound, the latter brings an excess of weight and impact.

Image: Press

Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate – usability

Neural has had years to tweak their own take on the ‘virtual gear suite’ format and interface, and its experience in this regard is pretty evident. Everything is exactly where you’d expect it to be, and the virtual gear all presents clearly. There are even tooltips that appear (unobtrusively in the bottom bar) to explain each virtual knob as you mouse over them. Neat!

I’m also happy to see some changes made to how the base suite software is working – you can now lock the output gain and transposition intervals so that when you scroll through presets, you’re not constantly re-adjusting. This isn’t totally new for this plugin, Neural has been doing this for a while – but it’s a welcome result of the upgrade from Ultra to Ultimate. All of the other features of Neural’s full suites – transposition, a tight noise gate, a tuner, a metronome and so on – are also good to see.

Image: Press

Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate – sounds

So, you may be unsurprised to hear that Darkglass Ultimate sounds pretty damn excellent. The sounds you’d want from a modern bass plugin are all here – all the way through from the glassy, bright cleans to the more chuggy, bright and articulate heavy tones. If you’ve heard a real Darkglass pedal before, you’ll know they have a particular knack for keeping that articulation present while never really undermining their own aggression – this is faithfully recreated here.

The preset library is pretty extensive, mostly thanks to the artist side of things – each one is well-considered and does what it says on the tin, which is ideal for both finding a good sound quickly, and for having a starting point to tweak from. The nature of the two preamps – and not to mention the sheer size of the bucket of positionable mics Neural provides – means that an unbelievable amount of sonic ground is covered, and, to be honest, I couldn’t really find a bad sound within it.

Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate – should I buy it?

So, is it a totally transformative upgrade? Yes and no – there’s obviously a lot of good things added in terms of sounds and usabilities, but the core appeal remains the excellent simulations of the B7K preamps. So would I recommend grabbing an upgrade if you already own the first version of the plugin? Well, given that Neural has generously made this a free upgrade for people who already own it – absolutely. For everyone else, give the free trial a spin and see how it goes.

The post Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate review – the best in-box heavy bass tones you can get? appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

With two single-coils and a humbucker in the bridge position, an HSS-configured electric guitar is an indispensable option to have in your tonal palette. And if your arsenal is currently lacking in the HSS department, now might be the time to plug the gap.

Right now at Thomann, you can get this Mooer GTRS Standard 800 SB – complete with hundreds of onboard effects, guitar simulations, a looper and even a drum machine – for just £175 down from £289.

That’s right. Until 14 July, you can get this impressively spec’d entry-level HSS guitar at a 39% discount, or £114 off.

Obviously, chief on the spec sheet is its onboard electronics, which include 126 guitar effects, nine guitar simulations, four selectable and editable presets, an 80-second looper, a drum machine and even Bluetooth 5.0, but it’s decently spec’d in the hardware department, too.

It features an American basswood body, roasted maple one-piece C-shape bolt-on neck, rosewood fingerboard with 22 nickel silver jumbo frets, and a cream pickguard, which beautifully accentuates the guitar’s striking Sonic Blue finish.

In terms of pickups, the guitar sports GTRS SC-1N and SC-1M Alnico V single coils in the neck and middle positions, and a GTRS HM-1B Alnico V humbucker in the bridge position, with singular volume and tone controls and a five-way selector switch.

There’s also an accompanying Mooer GTRS app for additional tonal control plus a handy tuner, too.

So whether you’re looking for your first guitar, or an HSS model to plug that hole in your collection, with the Mooer GTRS Standard 800 SB, you won’t go far wrong – certainly not at this price.

Learn more at Thomann.

The post An HSS S-type for under £200? Yes, please appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

One by one, it seems the amp purists are falling. Some of rock’s most notable old guard – who tend to prefer tube amps over their modern-day digital counterparts – have been experimenting with amp modellers as of late, and have been mightily impressed with the results.

Take Joe Bonamassa, as a prime example. The blues maestro is an avid collector and lover of vintage gear, so much so that he has two museum-style locations in Nashville and LA – Nerdville East and West, respectively – dedicated to the stuff. But even JoBo recently revealed he’d made the switch to digital, at least partially, after sharing that he’d been using Fender Tone Master amps on tour.

“When I first plugged into it, I realised this s***’s good. I really wanted to dislike it! But I couldn’t,” the guitarist said last month. He also revealed that he was prepared to “take a lot of s**t” for his adoption of digital modelling gear.

• READ MORE: “Dreams come true”: Gojira guitarist reacts as Kirk Hammett uses his Jackson signature model onstage with Metallica

Deep Purple guitarist Simon McBride has also made the switch to digital, and like Bonamassa, acknowledges fans who might criticise him for doing so.

“I have a lot of amps, but for most of the Purple stuff I use my live rig, which is the [Neural DSP] Quad Cortex,” he tells Guitarist in a new interview.

“I can hear a lot of Ritchie Blackmore fans crying out, going, ‘No! He’s using digital stuff!’ But it’s brilliant.”

As for why he chose to incorporate a Quad Cortex into his rig in 2025, the decision ultimately came down to a desire to streamline his setup.

“I had to change my sound a bit because you’re dealing with Don Airey, who plays keys, the Hammond and Leslie, and a Marshall head and cabinet,” McBride explains. “He’s in a very similar frequency range to [my] guitar, so I had to figure something out to make the guitar sound more powerful.”

Guitar World notes that McBride asked Engl – who made Steve Morse’s signature amp and gave him his own Artist Edition head – to tweak it and give him more power to occupy his own areas of the frequency spectrum.

“I asked them to tweak it and put a lot more power in the lower mids and low-end. I knew the Leslie and Hammond didn’t have that, so that could be my little space and would cut through but also make me sound powerful when we play a riff together.”

GW notes that while the guitarist doesn’t explicitly say so, he insinuates that his Engl amp has been captured and incorporated into his Quad Cortex.

Many high-profile guitarists have now adopted amp modellers, including James Hetfield, Nita Strauss and Mike McCready.

The post “I can hear Ritchie Blackmore fans crying out!”: Deep Purple’s Simon McBride on switching from tube amps for amp modellers appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Psychedelic metal band Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats allegedly had their set cut short at Roskilde Festival after Damon Albarn “threw a hissy fit” and accused them of being “too loud”.

This is according to Uncle Acid themselves, who shared a statement on social media after the alleged incident took place, in which they apologised to fans and thanked the festival crew for “trying to intervene”.

• READ MORE: “I am going to take a lot of s**t for this”: Joe Bonamassa reveals he’s using digital amps for his new tour

Gorillaz were headlining the Danish festival’s Orange stage on Thursday 2 July while Uncle Acid’s played on the Legune stage. Danish media outlet Politiken reports (via NME) that Albarn spoke to the crowd during his set, saying, “Is it supposed to be possible for me to hear the other music so clearly? We can just stop playing and listen to the other thing instead, that’s fine with me.”

Uncle Acid’s statement reads: “Apologies to everyone who came to Roskilde festival hoping to see us play a full set last night. Pop diva Damon Albarn of the novelty cartoon act Gorillaz threw a hissy fit while we played, threatened to storm off stage before finally getting our set shut down because we were ‘too loud’.

“They were the only headliner of the whole weekend who couldn’t cope with playing at the same time as other artists. Unfortunately we only managed 25 minutes of assaulting his precious ears from our stage half a mile away before his goons came over and pulled the plug.”

They conclude, “Despite us being below the festival dB limit and offering to turn down FOH to continue the show, they wanted us off. Thanks to the Roskilde crew and stage manager who tried their best to intervene but it was ultimately out of their hands. Orders from above. p.s to our Danish fans….we love you and we’ll see you next year in Copenhagen.”

View this post on Instagram

While Gorillaz fans in the comments are disputing the claims, Roskilde Festival has provided a statement on the matter to NME. It calls the incident an “extremely unfortunate situation for everyone involved”.

“We are sincerely sorry for the disappointment caused to both our participants and the artists, all of whom had been looking forward to a fantastic experience. The decision was made as a result of a combination of wind conditions and technical factors that adversely affected the sound production. When staging a large outdoor live event, shifts in weather and wind conditions can occasionally create operational challenges.”

It adds, “As the weather forecast indicated that windy conditions would continue Friday, we decided to make a series of adjustments and rotations to the programme. These measures were taken in order to reduce the risk of similar situations and ensure the best possible experience for both our participants and the artists.”

Guitar.com has reached out to representatives of Gorillaz for comment.

The post Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats accuse Damon Albarn of being a “pop diva” after he allegedly forced their set to end early appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

It already houses Greeny – the legendary ‘59 Les Paul Standard once owned by Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green – and a host of other now-iconic instruments like his ‘79 Flying V and ESP “Ouija” guitar – but it seems Kirk Hammett’s Metallica guitar arsenal just got a little bit bigger, as he’s added Gojira guitarist Christian Andreu’s newest Pro Plus Series signature model.

Andreu’s new signature arrived back in March, and boasts the unique accolade of the first-ever Jackson Rhoads model to feature an EverTune bridge, the patented design favoured by metal guitarists for rock-solid tuning stability.

It turns out Andreu’s love affair with the Rhoads shape started at just 15, when he saw Kirk Hammett wield the two-pronged design onstage with Metallica. Now, that moment’s come full-circle, after Hammett played Andreu’s own signature model onstage during one of Metallica’s London shows at the weekend.

• READ MORE: Metallica have donated $100,000 to earthquake relief in Venezuela

Metallica hit London Stadium in the British capital this weekend for two back-to-back no-repeat sets to conclude their massive M72 World Tour. Gojira and Knocked Loose were in support.

Sunday’s show saw the likes of For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ride the Lightning, Blackened and Enter Sandman, while Friday’s set included Creeping Death, Fade to Black, Master of Puppets and Seek & Destroy, the latter of which Hammett wielded Andreu’s signature model for. Watched fan-filmed footage below:

A starstruck Christian Andreu takes to Instagram in a wholesome new post: “London, you fought fire with fire! Thank you Kirk for using my custom Jackson Rhoads guitar on Seek! Dreams come true.”

View this post on Instagram

Gojira’s own set on the night packed in 11 tracks, including Stranded, Silvera, Amazonia and Mea culpa (Ah! Ça ira!), the song with which the French metallers won a Grammy after performing it during the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

Metallica’s M72 World Tour has now wrapped, but the metal titans will head to Las Vegas for a residency at the Sphere later this year. For a full list of dates, head to the band’s official website.

The post “Dreams come true”: Gojira guitarist reacts as Kirk Hammett uses his Jackson signature model onstage with Metallica appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Wet Leg’s Rhian Teasdale is a big believer that some of the best songs have just two chords, and that music doesn’t need to be overly complicated to be respected.

Looking back on her own journey into music, she’s faced a “demystifying” process after coming up against musicians who feel guitar music in particular should have vast numbers of chords and complex solo arrangements.

• READ MORE: How Women Are Giving Metal Guitars A Mainstream Moment

Speaking of her own early listening habits, Teasdale’s own interests in guitar music piqued with music that felt fun and even at times a little bit trashy. In an interview with The Cut, she recalls learning songs by Kings Of Leon and revelling in the indie rock era of the 2010s.

“The first song I ever tried to play on guitar was Molly’s Chambers by Kings of Leon — back when the band was super-trashy and fun. It was a real epiphany to learn that you don’t have to be a virtuoso guitarist to enjoy playing music with your friends,” she says.

“It’s been a bit of a journey demystifying music-making for myself. I’m not from a musical household, and I even got kicked out of my GCSE music course because I was too far behind the rest of the class, which is kinda hilarious.

“There are so many loser gatekeepers who want you to believe that you need 20-plus chords in a song for it to be worthy. In reality there are so many bangin’ songs that literally are just two chords.”

She goes on to add, “I was also a big fan of PJ Harvey before I realised that I could make music myself, and Björk. Everyone in the band is a fan of Big Thief. When I started going to gigs and festivals, it was very much that indie rock era: Alt-J, Mystery Jets, the Wave Pictures. I love the Strokes.”

Find out where you can catch the band on tour via the official Wet Leg website.

The post Wet Leg frontwoman disagrees with guitar’s “loser gatekeepers” who think songs need “20-plus chords” to be good appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless has been reflecting on the genius of Chris Cornell and her love of Soundgarden.

The Pretty Reckless toured with Soundgarden on the last tour with Cornell in 2017, which was cut short due to his sudden passing. Her reflections about his work land after the release of new album Dear God from The Pretty Reckless, in which she explores grief and depression.

• READ MORE: “I thought, this is not me”: Kim Thayil explains why Chris Cornell played guitar during the verses of Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun

Speaking to NME, she says, “I can only speak for me, I can’t speak for the world, but for me all of Chris Cornell’s work speaks to me on a level that nothing else does. When something touches you that way, it’s hard to put into words just exactly why.

“There is just this connection, and it’s like it is speaking to you on a level that is so deep that it feels like a part of you. I’ve listened to his solo work and to Soundgarden so many times, but every time I listen to them, it evokes something different in me.”

She adds, “There is the sheer amount of depth and sensitivity and aggression… [but] also, it’s so smart. It’s musically exquisite and complex — like this never-ending onion where you discover something new about it and about yourself every time you listen to it. I think that is so powerful and so fucking rare. It’s coming from a place that’s so deep and so powerful that it touches your soul.”

Momsen is also asked about the recent news that Soundgarden are hoping to release the final album they worked on with Cornell before his death. According to guitarist Kim Thayil, it had always been a goal for the band to complete the record, and releasing it would feel like a gift to the fans, and to Cornell too.

Momsen says, “Oh, man, I don’t think that’s my place to talk about. But what I will say though is that I love those guys. I’m so excited and proud of them and everything that they are doing, and just stay tuned.”

The news of the project arrived alongside the announcement that Soundgarden were due to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Speaking to Rolling Stone at the time, Thayil said: “Our objective and goal was always to complete that. I probably have OCD enough to not want to leave something unfinished or incomplete like that, so I think the more we can attend to our body of work and our catalogue…

“I think everyone in the band feels that way. I don’t just want to attend to my work, but the collective work, and in this case specifically, the work of Chris.”

The Pretty Reckless’ new album, Dear God, is out now. Find out where to catch them on tour via their official website.

The post Taylor Momsen on “powerful and rare” Chris Cornell: “His work speaks to me on a level that nothing else does” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Gamers of a certain age might remember FIFA 06 for its legendary intro movie, or the faces of a young Wayne Rooney and Brazil legend Ronaldinho gracing the cover. But for a young Towa Bird, the thing that had the most impact was the twanging electric guitar riff of LCD Soundsystem’s Daft Punk Is Playing At My House that blasted from the title screen.

Towa Bird on the Guitar.com Cover. Image: Kristen Jan Wong for Guitar.com

Towa Bird is far from the only one initiated into the world of guitar thanks to a video game soundtrack, but with her its influence was a profound one. Today, the Hong Kong-born, British-Filipino artist is an internet-moulded guitar star, adored by both the music and fashion industries. She opened for Billie Eilish on her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour and appeared as a guitarist on Olivia Rodrigo’s Driving Home 2 U documentary. She’s a regular face for Italian high fashion brand Miu Miu, and has toured with her girlfriend Reneé Rapp.

It all feels a long way from when she would sit on livestreams sharing personal coming-out tales, cool viral guitar covers and original songs online to a few hundred followers. So, as Bird fizzles onto our Zoom screen for her Guitar.com cover interview, there’s plenty to celebrate.

Most pressingly, there’s her brand-new second studio album, Gentleman, which has been lauded for its riffy, hot queer tracks in the guise of 60s-meets-70s rock, dipping into riot grrrl territory as well as alt-pop and synth palettes.

Image: Kristen Jan Wong for Guitar.com

“It’s hard to sort of summarise two years,” Bird ponders casually, flicking through album anecdotes – flying between Los Angeles and New York, working with producer Patrick Wimberly (the former member of Chairlift who has credits with MGMT and Blood Orange), finishing writing last November and getting ready to let go of a year-long project.

“It’s really difficult not to attach your entire self-worth and the reception right before I put it out. I was so giddy, like a child, with excitement and joy,” she smiles. Soon after Gentleman dropped, however, Bird was ready to step aside and let fans and critics alike leave their mark on the album. “I knew I needed to anchor myself in this feeling, because I know as soon as it goes out, people put their two cents in and tell me their opinions and the feeling sort of changes,” she explains.

“Being a guitarist, that’s really fucking important to me. It’s the reason why I got into music in the first place”

Poster Girl

Bird’s star began to really rise with her debut album, American Hero, back in 2024 – but she never really imagined that songs like the amped up B.I.L.L.S or the lusty, smirking Drain Me would resonate with an audience so powerfully.

“It’s all truly been really fucking mind-blowing, to be honest,” she reflects. “I had no fantasy of where I would be; I know that a lot of artists grow up being told I’m going to become a pop star or a rock star, but I never felt that way.” That doesn’t mean she lacked ambition. Bird was working hard to build her career long before her solo career took off, most notably playing guitar on tour with Cassyette, before things fell into place.

Image: Kristen Jan Wong for Guitar.com

“I care so deeply about what I do and I put so much effort into it, but I never really had the fantasy element to it,” she explains. “I think that comes from a place of insecurity rather than security, because I never really gave myself the permission to have those big, big dreams.

“Coming from a mixed family, immigrant parents, and there’s a level of realness, and in their culture and that’s what they passed down to me. It’s much more of an American ideology to dream big and wish for what you want, and in the UK that’s not necessarily the case.”

The hard work has won Bird a broad and incredibly active fanbase – one that transcends the usual online guitar audience – and she admits that she perhaps downplayed her guitar artistry as a result.

Image: Kristen Jan Wong for Guitar.com

“With the first record, I had such a deep desire to prove myself,” she says. “I wanted people to take me seriously as an artist and as a singer-songwriter, and move away from the guitarist label. Now, in the second album, I feel much more excited about being a guitarist and that’s really fucking important to me – it’s the reason why I got into music in the first place.”

If her previous music wasn’t about celebrating technique, it still showed something fundamental and important – inspiring connection, resonating with the hum of the guitar, and finding a level of self-acceptance that she continues to build on.

“I definitely feel so much more aligned with who I am and, with the next album, I hope I’ll continue to get even closer,” she says. “I fell in love with this instrument, so I think it would be a disservice to myself and the audience to put that in the background. I think that comes with growing up a bit, becoming more confident in yourself, and remembering who you are.”

“I had no fantasy of where I would be… I never really gave myself the permission to have those big, big dreams”

Chord Theory

To understand how entwined Towa Bird’s artistry is with the guitar, and how she thinks about music, it’s worth noting that she chooses to talk about her musical evolution through her favourite guitar chords.

Back in the day, she proudly told an interviewer of her love of the Emaj7 chord. “I think that is sort of funny!” she reflects now. “It’s like a representation of where I was. The E major seven is a wonderful and colourful chord. It’s an extended chord, so there are more notes in the actual chord itself.

“It’s kind of funny because that’s representative of how I was trying to prove myself. Now, I’ve simplified, so I go for an E power chord, which is essentially the same. It’s basically all of the same notes, minus two, so it’s much more straightforward – it’s the people’s chord!”

Image: Kristen Jan Wong for Guitar.com

When it comes to her instrument of choice, while she’s become synonymous with her black and gold Gibson Firebird, she’s moved into a more semi-hollow direction of late – leaning on the indisputable charms of a cherry red ES-335.

“I’ve been really enjoying using it; it’s a big body,” she explains. “They’re just big and kind of like Beatlesy and like very 60s. The reason why I love it so much is because it’s huge and so resonant because of the acoustic body. You can feel the vibrations against your stomach and chest as you play it.

“It’s more of a holistic experience where you can feel the music. Instead of an extension, it feels much more like an attachment, and has a warm and nice sound. It’s very classic, and one of the oldest electric guitars, so it’s been around for most of popular music history.”

“I fell in love with this instrument, so I think it would be a disservice to myself and the audience to put that in the background”

Security Blanket

Bird’s first brush with guitars came at a young age, during school lessons when she lived in Thailand. In those early days, she persevered because of her dad’s insistence that she had talent, but nowadays the instrument is an extension of her sense of self. “It gives me a sense of security. When I’m on stage, and I don’t have my guitar, I feel fucking naked,” she admits.

There’s a throughline in her life and art, where instrument, identity and sound mesh. Bird had no intentions of becoming “the lesbian Mick Jagger”, but after watching an awe-inspiring Jimi Hendrix documentary (and plenty of old YouTube tutorials), Bird picked up enough tricks. Flipping the script, then, with Gentleman, was playful subversion, bringing her own queer lens to gender.

“When I was growing up, I never really saw myself fitting into any specific box in terms of sexuality or gender identity,” she says. “My androgyny comes from a place of comfort in the same way that a guitar made me feel really comfortable.”

Image: Kristen Jan Wong for Guitar.com

Olivia Rodrigo is a pop artist who is also credited with inducting a new generation of fans to the magic of guitar, and the celebration of music from a bygone age. It’s something that Bird got to experience up close, and has clearly left an impression.

“Honestly, one of the things that I feel about Olivia – while she’s on a different level – we’re sort of doing [things] in tandem,” she says. “I had Kathleen [Hanna] on my record and [Olivia] has Robert Smith, and she did something with David Byrne as well, recently. We’re bringing these legacy artists and bringing it to people who are maybe under 21.”

The Hanna collab in question is the track All Gone, which sees Bird and the Bikini Kill icon revel in skittering drums, power chords and buzzed-up vocals. It’s a demonstration and a reminder that riot grrrl music is thriving and the guitar scene is anyone’s game.

“When we were writing this record, we were sending reference playlists back and forth, and on every single playlist was a Bikini Kill song or one of Kathleen’s records,” Bird recalls. “So when we were looking for collaborations, we thought we should just fucking swing for it and it happened – I got my dream.”

“My androgyny comes from a place of comfort in the same way that a guitar made me feel really comfortable”

Making Gentleman was a long process for Bird – it took nearly 12 months for her to get the music to a place where she felt revived and authentic. You can hear that fresh enthusiasm in the guitars across the album, positively thrumming with hope and panache.

And Towa Bird is in no hurry to plan her next move – the thoughtfulness that has come to epitomise her guitar style playing out in her career, even as she jets around the world from New York to LA, Hong Kong and beyond.

“I’m not really rushing to make a decision. I’m trying to be okay with living in the unknown a little bit,” she says. “I’m doing well as a person and that is a foundation that is going to really help inform my next project. I’m writing from a place of security and joy, instead of desperation and approval seeking. I think a listener can really tell when it’s writing for oneself rather than writing for the world.”

Words: Z. Raza-Sheikh
Photography: Kristen Jan Wong
Location: 503DTLA

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Aerosmith’s Joe Perry has shared there’s one guitar of sentimental value that he’s hoping to be reunited with, after selling it on a whim and regretting it just a matter of months later.

The guitar, a red Höfner S-style guitar, was played by Perry in the 1990s when he would perform on the 4 July each year for Lake Sunapee locals with a rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.

• READ MORE: “It’s alright, I’ve got another one”: Wings engineer remembers Paul McCartney’s relaxed reaction when he told him his Höfner Violin Bass had been stolen

Speaking to Guitarist, he says, “I did that for a couple of years with that particular guitar, and as the years went on the guitar ended up getting back with my main collection. I was kinda in one of those moods at the end of the tour, and I had like 400 of these guitars that I never played.

“I said, ‘I gotta get rid of some of these things. It’s time to clean house a little bit.’ I earmarked a few guitars to go and somehow that guitar got on the list. And like three or four months later, I found out that it was gone and was like, ‘Next time, I gotta pay more attention to this. I’m not getting rid of anything else for a while.’”

Strangely enough, it was just a couple of years later that Perry came across the guitar again in a fleeting moment on a bullet train in Japan: “As the bullet train is pulling out 30 or 40 people follow us up there. As the train was moving along, I saw a kid holding that guitar out for me to sign it,” he remembers.

“The train was already moving, slowly pulling out, and the kid was holding it out with a Magic Marker. I’m thinking, ‘Man, I gotta get the kid’s number to see if I could buy it back or trade it for something else,’ because it did have some sentimental value, you know?

“But we were off to the next city, and at that point I didn’t have any ideas about how to get in touch with the guy. I suppose I could have tracked him down through the fan club and tried to figure out who it was, but it was lost.”

Perry is still hoping to get it back somehow. He says, “I’ll buy it back. I’ll trade it for something else, you know? It would be fun to get that back… I regret having lost that.”

The post Joe Perry is still hoping to buy back a red Höfner guitar that he regrets selling: “I saw a kid holding that guitar out for me to sign it… I regret having lost that” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Kirk Hammett once copped a rare Les Paul owned by Journey’s Neal Schon for an uber-low price at an auction, and felt so guilty that he offered it back to him.

The guitar in question was sold via Heritage Auctions back in 2021 as part of a Neal Schon Collection. The model, which sold for $87,500 according to reports, is a 1957 Les Paul Standard fitted with P-90s, which had a rare factory black colour. Despite Hammett’s offer to give it back, it remains in his collection today.

• READ MORE: Alex Lifeson is taking a Kirk Hammett Greeny on the road with Rush: “The relic’ing is just spectacular”

Speaking at his live show in Dublin for Gibson’s The Collection: Kirk Hammett book tour, Hammett recalls (via MusicRadar), “This guitar used to belong to one of my all-time star heroes, a huge source of inspiration, Neal Schon. I got this in an auction, and I don’t know what was up, but I got this for like half the price that it was worth!”

He continues, “I felt kind of bad about it because I should have paid a fair price, but I paid a price that was lower than it should have been. So, I actually called Neal. I said, ‘Neal, do you want the guitar back?’ And he said, ‘No, man, you keep it. You buy it; you keep it.’

“Neal Schon, he’s such a cool, cool guy. I mean, he’s an amazing guitar player. He lives and breathes music. And to me, he’s just such an inspiration. I see how he conducts his life and how he plays, and his commitment and dedication to music. I was just like, ‘Yeah! That’s what I want to do, too.’ So I’m doing it.”

Watch the full conversation from The Collection live in Dublin below:

You can order The Collection: Kirk Hammett directly from the Gibson website. Find out where to see Metallica live on their M72 world tour.

The post “I felt kind of bad about it”: Kirk Hammett offered Neal Schon’s Les Paul back to him after buying it for “half the price it was worth” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.