Best short-scale basses 2024: the ultimate guide to the greatest pint-sized bass guitars at all price points By Daryl Robertson last updated 25 April 24 From Fender to Gibson, Gretsch to Spector, here are our top picks for the best short-scale basses on the market right now
“This bona fide bird can’t wait to elevate Gibson amplifiers to the stature they’ve always deserved”: Gibson debuts all-new flagship Mesa/Boogie-designed Dual Falcon 20 combo By Matt Owen published 16 April 24 The Falcon family soars to new heights with a well-spec'd 2x10 that makes clear Gibson's intentions to claw its way into the amp market
“Bought by Bernie Marsden in New York at the end of the ill-fated Whitesnake, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden USA tour in 1981”: The rescheduled Marsden guitar auction offers insight into the journey of the famed collector By Matt Parker published 11 April 24 The auction will now take place on June 14, and showcases the enormous variety of the late guitarist’s collection
“This guitar has been with me since 1988”: Gibson unveils the Slash ‘Jessica’ Les Paul – a replica of the factory second that has become his go-to stage guitar for more than 30 years By Matt Owen published 9 April 24 The factory reject became Slash’s main on-stage instrument, and has been used extensively over the years with both Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver
“The Firebird V is closing in on Gibson’s own price points… however, there’s nothing we don’t love about these guitars”: Epiphone Inspired By Gibson 1963 Firebird I & V review By Neville Marten published 3 April 24 Two of Gibson’s most controversial designs, reimagined and rebranded with Epiphone’s moniker. Do they promise the ‘Cream’ of the crop or a ‘Winter’ of discontent?
“Now with the rich sonic allure of rosewood”: Three timeless Gibson acoustics have received a rosewood reinvention – bringing new visuals and tones to the table By Matt Owen published 3 April 24 The J-45, SJ-200 and Hummingbird have all been treated to a cosmetic and functional pick-me-up
“Updated and more authentic than ever”: Epiphone rolls out the Gibson headstock for its latest high-end Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop drop, including a new 1959 Les Paul Standard – and a pink J-180 By Matt Owen published 2 April 24 Epiphone has lifted the curtain on its “new crown jewels”, all featuring the iconic open book headstock
“I’d never buy one from the ’70s because I’ve always felt that there’s no such thing as a good guitar from that decade”: Robby Krieger on what makes his 1968 Gibson Barney Kessel special By Andrew Daly published 30 March 24 In 1983, the Doors guitarist and rock legend posed on the cover of Guitar World with a 1968 Gibson Barney Kessell. Krieger reveals the story behind his fellow cover star – and why it isn’t an SG
The Gibson ES-335 has been played by greats including Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Larry Carlton – here’s why guitarists can’t get enough of the iconic semi-hollow By Chris Gill published 29 March 24 Since 1958, the ES-335 has caught players’ imaginations as only great instruments can
Gibson Les Paul vs Fender Stratocaster: Which is right for you? By Matt McCracken published 27 March 24 We put these two titans of tone head to head, deep-diving into their similarities and differences so you can be sure you’re purchasing the right guitar
“These guitars influenced generations of musicians and world-renowned artists”: Gibson has revived the Everly Brothers’ J-180 – an iconic acoustic used to inspire The Beach Boys, Beatles and beyond By Matt Owen published 26 March 24 The revered flattop, as used by the influential rock 'n' roll duo, returns more than 6 decades after the signature model was introduced
“I think there were actually two paths. One was the wild pointy-shape things. The other was what I believe led to the 335”: The 1955 ‘missing link’ guitar designs that offer intriguing clues to Gibson’s Golden Era developments By Matt Parker published 26 March 24 The images inspired the recent production of the Theodore solidbody, but could also fill some crucial gaps when it comes to our knowledge of Gibson’s 1950s R&D process
Used Gibsons hold their value better than Fenders on the second-hand market – but there’s good news for Player Tele and Strat owners By Matt Parker published 26 March 24 A new study compares new asking prices to Reverb used sales figures for the top 40 best-selling guitars in the US
“Museum-grade works of art”: Gibson has unveiled its most ambitious set of Master Artisan instruments yet – trust us, you’ve never seen Custom Shop guitars quite like this before By Phil Weller published 25 March 24 Drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean, Middle East, Wild West, and beyond, these one-of-a-kind builds champion the unique craftsmanship of Gibson's master artisan builder, Rickie Hinrichsen
A beginner’s guide to the Gibson Byrdland – the cult classic archtop that took flight after a request from two Nashville guitar aces By Phil Gajewski published 21 March 24 Billy Byrd and Hank Garland were integral to the development of one of Gibson’s coolest ‘Thinline’ models – an “L-5, but with a thinner body and a bunch of other stuff” – and the rest is history
“The figured tops of the future”: Epiphone has expanded its Modern Figured range with two brilliant burst finishes – giving the futuristic family perhaps its best makeover yet By Matt Owen published 20 March 24 “The SG of the future” and a contemporary take on the classic Les Paul template get a long overdue cosmetic pick-me-up thanks to a pair of eye-popping colorways
“A just-right balance between pure, unadulterated vintage tube tone and modern conveniences”: Gibson Falcon 20 review By Chris Gill published 19 March 24 This sweet-sounding tube combo puts Gibson's amp range back on its perch
“Inspired by original drawings from 1957”: Gibson announces the Theodore Standard – bringing the unearthed archive design to the firm’s core USA line for the first time ever By Matt Owen published 19 March 24 First released exclusively as a Custom Shop model based on a sketch from the ’50s, the Theodore is back – and it’s come with some choice tweaks
“Gibson Supremes with Floyds!”: Neal Schon has rekindled his relationship with Gibson, bringing the Floyd Rose to the luxed-out Les Paul Supreme for a trio of potential signature models By Phil Weller published 18 March 24 The Journey guitarist is back working with Gibson – and details of the pair's new models will reportedly be announced later this week
“If the mini-humbucker had remained exclusive to Epiphone, it may have been a mere footnote. It developed a following because they ended up in Gibson guitars”: The mini-humbucker’s surprising history – and why it deserves more love By Huw Price published 15 March 24 Often passed over in conversations about the greatest electric guitar pickups, the mini-humbucker has a unique tone of its own, its story inextricably linked to Epiphone and Gibson