Strat’s life

Five Stratocasters, all sunbursts and all different – so what is the best vintage if you’re craving a classic?

From his early days in the repair shop to heading up one of the world’s leading pickup brands, the master pickup maker tells us how his problem-solving mindset led to him working with some of the biggest names in the biz, and why he humbly still seems himself as “crew”

Blackberry Smoke’s guitarist reveals his greatest guitar triumphs, the pitfalls and blessings of his Les Paul Junior addiction, and his outright disdain of “bad amps”

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

THOUGH HE’S RIGHTFULLY earned his place on electric guitar’s version of Mount Rushmore, Martin Barre has never been remotely interested in hero worship — especially when it comes to guitar heroes. “I

When the Irish band were a folksy blues three-piece, it was Eric Bell who defined Thin Lizzy on their 1971 self-titled debut and early 70s follow-ups, Shades Of A Blue Orphanage and Vagabonds Of The Western World