Music Instruments and Gear
Zakk Wylde to Launch Online Instructional Guitar Course
Zakk Wylde has announced an online guitar course, “Zakk Wylde Berserker Guitar Camp,” which launches October 14th via Riffhard. If you’ve ever wanted to shred like the imitable Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarist, now is your chance to learn from the man himself. Joined by fellow Black Label Society guitarist Dario Lorina, Wylde will teach aspiring guitarists the secrets behind his iconic pinch harmonics and vibrato, as well as riffs and solos from his most famous songs (including Ozzy Osbourne hits such as “No More Tears”). The complete course is separated into 10 sections with over 94 individual videos overall — a total of 12-plus hours of lessons. Much of the content sees Wylde and Lorina offering personal insight and tutorials straight to the camera, acting as virtual guitar te...
Vinnie Paul’s Estate Auctioning off Hundreds of the Late Pantera Drummer’s Items
The estate of the late Vinnie Paul is auctioning off hundreds of items and gear owned by the late Pantera drummer. Over 700 items are hitting the block, which will be hosted by Backstage Auctions. Highlight pieces include several drum kits played by Paul in Pantera, Damageplan, and Hellyeah; a collection of guitars (including a vintage Dimebag Darrell Washburn); slot machines; record awards; clothing; artwork; and a huge collection of sports memorabilia, as Vinnie loved hockey, football, and baseball. “Outside his impressive career, one that lasted nearly four decades, Vinnie Paul was a collector at heart, enjoying and appreciating every single memento,” the auctioneers noted. “This event is a tribute to his legacy, as much as it is an opportunity for all of his fans to continue that legac...
Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine and Gibson Unveil Signature Songwriter Acoustic Guitar
Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine and Gibson have teamed up for another signature model: the Gibson Songwriter acoustic guitar in ebony. The latest model in the Dave Mustaine Collection is the first Gibson acoustic guitar to be fitted with a 24-fret neck, which features mother of pearl teeth inlays. Touting a slightly thinner walnut body, the Songwriter also has a cutaway for easy access to the upper frets — essential for Megadeth-style shredding. Additional appointments include Grover Rotomatic tuners, a TUSQ nut, saddle, bridge pins, and a higher output LR Baggs VTC under-saddle pickup with soundhole mounted volume and tone controls. Vic Rattlehead artwork adorns the pickguard. Advertisement Related Video The guitar comes in a standard model and a limited-edition signed model, both with a c...
Tom Morello Admits He Doesn’t Know How to Use His Home Studio
Like many artists during the pandemic, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello was forced to work remotely and record music from home during lockdowns. The only problem: He doesn’t know how to use his home studio. In a recent interview with Guitar World, Morello said, “For the first four months or so [of the pandemic] I was absolutely adrift. You know, I have a nice studio in my house, but I don’t know how to work it. Like, I don’t know how to move any of the buttons around. So I was like, ‘I’m not going to be able to play shows. I’m not going to be able to record music.’” The lack of expertise with his gear didn’t stopped Morello from being extremely productive during the pandemic. In the past few months, he released two guest-heavy solo albums, The Altas Underground Fire and ...
2021 Heavy Metal & Hard Rock Holiday Gift Guide
Another holiday season is upon us, and for metal and hard rock fans, that means merch. As fans of heavy music, we support our favorite artists by purchasing physical media, apparel, and memorabilia. It’s an integral part of the heavy metal way of life, and rare are the occasions when we can ask others to buy these precious artifacts for us. Likewise, if you have a fan of metal and hard rock in your life, then you are probably well aware of the genre’s collector culture and obsession with iconography. We would willingly give our hard-earned money for multiple vinyl variants of Slayer’s Hell Awaits. Even better if such a blasphemous record was sitting under the tree on X-mas morning: the ultimate soundtrack to the burning of the yule log. After a year of covering vinyl reissues, book announc...
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong Unveils Epiphone Les Paul Junior Electric Guitar
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and Epiphone have teamed for the new Les Paul Junior electric guitar and Les Paul Junior Player Pack. Longtime Green Day fans will recognize the obvious similarities between the Les Paul Junior and Armstrong’s trusty white Gibson Les Paul. For beginners or longtime players alike, the new signature model offers some impressive professional appointments for its price range. The Les Paul Junior comes in at an entry level price of $549, and features a slab Mahogany body and a set neck, Indian Laurel fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, a PRO P-90 pickup, and master volume and tone controls with CTS potentiometers. Armstrong’s autograph is emblazoned on the back of the headstock, and the standard guitar package comes with a deluxe leopard, faux fur-...
Tool’s Adam Jones Unveils Gibson 1979V2 Les Paul Custom Signature Model Guitar
Tool’s Adam Jones has teamed with Gibson for the 1979V2 Les Paul Custom signature model guitar. The axe is a new take on Jones’ prized original Silverburst 1979 Gibson Les Paul. We previously reported on the guitarist’s previous collab with Gibson — also a replica of his original 1979 Les Paul — a number of which were stolen during initial shipping. The 1979V2 Les Paul Custom is an updated version, featuring Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab lightly-aged antiqued Silverburst finish along with custom artwork designed by artist Korin Faught on the rear of the headstock. Included in the guitar package is a removable headstock mirror like the one Jones uses in Tool. Advertisement Related Video The V2 features a reverse-mounted Custombucker neck pickup and a custom-wound Seymour...
Fart-Sound Guitar Pedal a Big Hit on Kickstarter: Hear It Rip on GN’R, AC/DC, Nirvana, and Zeppelin Classics
Introducing the Fart Pedal, the guitar pedal that makes fart noises. Yes, a pedal that sounds like farts is now a thing, thanks to Chicago-based creator Steve Gadlin. He crushed his $30,000 Kickstarter goal to fund the first 250 units. If you’ve ever wanted to loosen up the bottom end of your guitar tone, or make music that sounds like literal ass, look no further. Gadlin even shared convincing sample playthroughs of iconic songs by AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, and Gun N’ Roses. Imagine, perfectly controlling your flatulence to the tune of “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” There’s even a knob control to adjust the amount of “gas” and a switch for “wet” or “dry” output. Advertisement Related Video Gadlin is right when he says the fart noises generated by the pedal “aren’t your run of the mill Spencer...
Slash and Epiphone Launch New Collection of Electric and Acoustic Guitars
Slash and Epiphone have launched a new collection of electric and acoustic guitars, continuing the Guns N’ Roses guitarist’s ongoing partnership with Gibson Brands. Epiphone’s Slash Collection follows last year’s Gibson collection, but offers the guitars at a more accessible price point. Epiphone prides itself as being known as “the leading accessible guitar brand For Every Stage,” and the new axes are ideal for beginners or seasoned vets. The new line introduces two electric guitars and five variants: the Epiphone Slash Les Paul Standard (finished in Appetite Burst, November Burst, Anaconda Burst, and Vermillion Burst) and the Slash “Victoria” Les Paul Standard Goldtop in Gold. The acoustic Epiphone Slash J-45 (in Vermillion Burst and November Burst) rounds out the Epiphone collection. Al...
Fender Announces Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang Guitar to Mark 30th Anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind
Fender is reviving its signature Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang electric guitar to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s seminal album Nevermind. The guitar was originally designed by Cobain for Fender in 1993. It combined the late grunge legend’s favorite aspects of his two go-to instruments: the Jaguar and the Mustang. Per Cobain’s specs, the Jag-Stang features an alder body, 24” short scale length, 7.25” radius rosewood fingerboard, and vintage-style single-coil and custom humbucking pickups. It will be produced in both sonic blue and fiesta red colors, and left-handed and right-handed models will be available. The guitar’s expected release is October 2021 with a suggested retail price of $1,249.99, and it’s available for pre-order via Reverb. Related Video The Jag-Stang was originally i...
Lucy Dacus Unveils New Album Home Video: Stream
Lucy Dacus has just released Home Video, her highly anticipated new album and the third full-length LP of her career. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. The 11-track album was inspired by Dacus’ coming-of-age years in Richmond, Virginia and is described as evoking the “specific moment in time growing up where emotions and relationships start becoming more complex.” Listening through the songs, two of which feature Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, it’s clear that Dacus captured those feelings in an intimate and genuine way. Fans got a preview of such when she rolled out the singles “Thumbs”, “Hot & Heavy”, and “VBS”. Dacus also got to preview Home Video with a handful of live performances on TV. She stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for a gripping rendition o...
Rush’s Alex Lifeson Unveils New Epiphone Les Paul Guitar and Two New Songs: Stream
Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has announced a new signature model Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar and shared two new songs, “Kabul Blues” and “Spy House”. The tracks appear to be the first new music from Lifeson since the passing of Rush drummer Neil Peart in January 2020. The Alex Lifeson Epiphone Les Paul Standard Axcess electric guitar is the culmination of an extensive collaboration between Lifeson and Epiphone’s parent company Gibson. The guitarist added his signature touches to the classic Les Paul design, improving on an already legendary guitar. “The introduction of the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Axcess model based on my Gibson Les Paul Axcess model has all the same attributes and characteristics that I desired so much when we originally designed it,” Lifeson said in a press release on ...
