How Ritchie Blackmore came across an obscure string mod that introduced him to a whole new sound – and why it didn’t work for him

Burton proved it was possible to use banjo strings on guitar, but Blackmore’s early adventures with the hack got mixed ...
New Atlas

Spinning string picker gives Circle Guitar a sound all its own

Anthony Dickens had an idea for a new kind of guitar for more than 10 years, but work on a prototype only started two years ago. Now with the help of engineers from London's Makerversity, the Circle ...

Jacob Collier taught me how to play his 5-string guitar – but I learned so much more than just new shapes and tunings

Collier never learned on a six-string. Instead, he cut his teeth on a four-string tenor guitar. Then he had the audacity to imagine the existence of a five-string that could facilitate the sound he ...
MusicRadar

Try these 16 inspiring guitar chords that use open strings

Utilising open strings can add new dimensions to basic chord progressions. This simple and effective technique has been used to great effect by players as diverse as Alex Lifeson, Jeff Buckley, The ...
New Atlas

New guitar pickup design offers natural 3D sound

The incredible guitar virtuosity from the likes of Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Stanley Jordan all rely on their string-picking proficiency being registered by the instrument's pickups. These ...
Laweekly

Felix Martin's 16-String Guitar Sounds Like Nothing You've Ever Heard

When I catch up with Eagle Rock–based instrumental rock guitarist Felix Martin, he is three days away from flying to the East Coast for a two-week tour. “I travel light. I don’t pack at all. I just ...
American Songwriter

Gear Review: D’Addario XS Coated Acoustic Guitar Strings

Guitarists certainly have choices when it comes to strings, with each brand and line offering a unique sound, lifespan and price tag. Coated and otherwise treated strings offer the longest playing ...