Lieber guitars

Fifty years on from their first successes, Roger McGuinn, the 12-string architect of THE BYRDS , tells Uncut about their exceptional first 18 months – and his relationship with Gene Clark. As the young group make their jet-powered escape from the folk think tank, we hear about making the scene on the Strip, outraging Iowa and a muted response in the United Kingdom. But ultimately how “Eight Miles High” became the spectacular conclusion of the band’s first era. “I almost left The Byrds entirely to go and be in this space band With Dino Valente,” McGuinn tells John Robinson

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My Focus – Live Under The Rainbow

Not quite into Custom Shop territory, these beautiful builds possess just as much charm

COMPARED TO THE “holy triumvirate” of the Gibson Les Paul Standard and Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster, the Gibson SG Standard is the solidbody guitar equivalent of Rodney Dangerfield — it doesn’t

Best known as Billy Idol’s collaborator of 40-plus years, Steve Stevens transcends the punk-rock guitarist mould, taking in flamenco, jazzfusion, prog and classical styles – and he remains as excited about guitar today as he was when he first picked one up