“Dad would never touch the gunk that had built up on the fingerboard. He told me, ‘The dirt keeps the funk’”: Inside the sound and style of Motown master James Jamerson trib.al/jkccSOx

“I instinctively dislike ‘try hard’ musicians. I pretty much learned my bass rudiments from Led Zeppelin II”: Why Squarepusher is an artist in a vast left-field league of his own trib.al/z4TqI9O

“He was a big driver of the band… I would consider him very underrated, too”: Jason Isbell and Luther Dickinson pay tribute to Dickey Betts with an extended take on In Memory of Elizabeth Reed trib.al/aBh4NBu

“Smile and keep going. That’s my message”: Watch the moment Kiko Loureiro’s strap falls off mid-solo – in front of Guthrie Govan trib.al/frw5UCB

“When we were trying out drummers none of them worked out because their drumming just didn’t click in with Johnny’s guitar style”: Tommy Ramone on why Johnny Ramone's playing forced him to switch from managing to drumming trib.al/IIe2dsw

“He said things like, ’Well, why does there have to be a guitar solo there?’… He has a wonderful lack of knowledge or respect for this past of mine”: David Gilmour’s first solo album in 9 years features a new producer tearing up the rulebook trib.al/vXeoUH6

“The relic on this guitar represents the destruction in Ukraine”: Guitarist whose home was hit by a Russian airstrike has finished his first build – and it's made with remnants of his destroyed apartment trib.al/RSydnkP

Gallop guitar is the metal equivalent of riding to war on horseback – and Iron Maiden are masters of the craft trib.al/CzuyRSr

“Eddie’s death rocked his son’s world, but Wolfgang solidified his music career with a sound all of his own while continuing to honor his father’s legacy”: New Behind The Music episode puts Wolfgang Van Halen's story front and center trib.al/MwJQDXp

“Voodoo Chile felt like breaking out of jail. Stevie played the song with so much soul and spirit”: Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton on the making of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Couldn’t Stand the Weather trib.al/ockuXzc

“People have always gravitated to guitars by Fender Japan because you get so much more choice… The build quality is the best Fender makes outside the Custom Shop”: How the Japanese Fender offset conquered the world trib.al/kY50esd

“Marvel said, ‘Whatever you’re playing has been floating around in the universe for a while…’ I said, ‘Well, why don’t you just mess this guitar up?’” Kevin and Michael Bacon on trashing Taylors for Guardians of the Galaxy and love of Fender Acoustasonics trib.al/v6kUNh7

“You might not be fooled into thinking it’s a tube amp, but it’s close enough for silent practice”: Blackstar amPlug 2 FLY review trib.al/qNn4og6

“Honoring Jimi Hendrix, the greatest guitar player of all time”: The Experience Hendrix Tour is returning for the first time in 5 years, with a mega lineup including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Samantha Fish and Zakk Wylde trib.al/eq4NIsR

“TONEX ONE represents a revolution for guitar and bass players”: IK Multimedia’s new $179 pocket-sized TONEX pedal packages the firm’s game-changing amp and rig modeling powers into an absurdly small format trib.al/wafIaFC

Guitar Center reveals Seymour Duncan-loaded Fender Player models in exclusive Daytona Blue finish - meet the Saturday Night Special Tele, Strat and P-Bass trib.al/YGK1ZPU

I’ve played IK Multimedia’s nano modeling amp, the TONEX One – and it could be the ultimate pocket-sized pedal platform trib.al/YzfBd9h

“Your voice has been heard”: At long last, left-handed versions of John Mayer’s PRS SE Silver Sky are officially on the way – and they’re arriving sooner than you might think trib.al/XyuJ4em

“I wanna say thank you Michael for an unbelievable catalog of music that has changed the history of rock 'n' roll”: Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt play Van Halen hits with ex-VH bassist Michael Anthony trib.al/rIewskZ

“I can’t play like me. There are things I can’t do”: Mahogany Rush legend Frank Marino damaged a nerve in his finger while starting his new hand-built pedal company – and it’s affected the way he plays guitar trib.al/4KRoOSi