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Premier Guitar January 2013: We start the year with a gear-binge bang-15 reviews, including a mid-priced bass roundup with stellar 4-strings from Fender, G&L, Ibanez, Schecter, and Sterling by Music Man. Other reviews include the Campbell American Space Biscuit, Fender Cabronita Telecaster, Moog MFM-104M Analog Delay, L.R. Baggs M-80 acoustic pickup, KW Cabs ST-2m 2×12, Seymour Duncan ’59/Custom Hybrid, ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Junior, Laffing Dog Blue Dog overdrive, Ashdown CTM-300 bass head, and the Heptode Deep Crunch pedal. Our artist features this month include an interview with legendary slap-bass pioneer Larry Graham, a chat with prog-punk icons Darryl Jenifer and Dr. Know from Bad Brains, an in-depth talk with scorching bluesrocker Joanne Shaw Taylor, and an interview with bass chopsmaster Victor Wooten. We also take a look at some of Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson’s vintage basses, show you how to set up your 4-string, and profile boutique bass luthier Vinny Fodera.

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This month we talk to Rush’s legendary guitar-and-bass duo, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, about their new album, Clockwork Angels, as well as their favorite road and studio gear. We also interview Kim Thayil from Soundgarden about the band’s new comeback album, King Animal. We also find out how Dave Knudson of Minus the Bear creates tapped rhythms and synth-y tones with four Line 6 Delay Modelers. Other features in this issue include a do-it-yourself story on setting up a Strat to play like a dream, a how-to guide on choosing a 1/4 cable, and a profile of Dagmar Custom Guitars. Our gear reviews this month include the Gibson J-45 PureVoice Custom, TV Jones Spectra Sonic C Melody baritone, Yamaha BB1025X 5-string bass, Marshall JMP-1C, Fender Select P bass, Malekko Plus Ultra 213, JHS Panther, Brunetti Singleman, Jetter Red Square, and Electroplex Rocket 35-EL.

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Premier Guitar May 2012: Whether you’re a fan of delectable power pop, jaw-dropping old-school shredding, or all-out power-metal wailing, this month’s artist features have you covered. Our cover story finds shred gods Steve Morse and Dave LaRue detailing their stereotype-busting new supergroup with former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. We also talk to DragonForce’s Herman Li and Sam Totman, as well as jangle-pop judo master Matthew Caws from Nada Surf. Just in time for the warmer weather, Last Call columnist John Bohlinger serves up his top 10 tips for summer gigging, and we also talk to Kyle Chase-possibly the world’s most OCD builder of new-old-stock amps and effects. Reviews this month include the Fender Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar, Warwick Jack Bruce Survivor signature bass, Vox DelayLab, Fargen Retro, Blueridge Jumbo acoustic, EBS Reidmar bass head and cabs, Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider S, Source Audio Programmable EQ, Laney Ironheart IRT120H head, and Larry Alan Infinity Driver.

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Take a look inside the incredible Rickenbacker instrument archive and at some of the most visually striking, influential, and groundbreaking instruments in modern music. Our artist interviews this month run the gamut from Nashville session ace Brent Mason talking about his new instructional DVD to former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans discussing his new tell-all book to shredmeisters Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes giving us the lowdown on the new Animals as Leaders album. We also visit with Top Hat Amps’ Brian Gerhard about his vintage Vox- and Marshall-style designs that are used by such renowned players as Steely Dan’s Walter Becker and Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas. Reviews this month include the 3 Monkeys Virgil, MJ Guitars GrooveMaster, Hartke Kilo bass head, Mesa/Boogie Mini Rectifier Twenty-Five, Hagstrom Viking, Mario Guitars Serp, David Allen pickups, Spaceman Gemini III, Visual Sound Dual Tap Delay, and Two-Rock EXO 15.

In addition to talking to Gene Baker about his involvement with the boutique consortium of designers at Premier Builders Guild, we go back in time to look at the rise of B.C. Rich-one of the most iconic guitar brands of the 1980s. Dream Theater’s John Petrucci and John Myung talk about thriving after the apocalypse of founding drummer Mike Portnoy’s departure and their subsequent epic, A Dramatic Turn of Events. We also interview Primus’ bass-and-guitar freak show-Les Claypool and Ler LaLonde-to find out how friendship and new tone toys resurrected the most bizarre power trio of the last 25 years. And then we talk to mind-boggling classical guitarist Matt Palmer about his evolution from learning Yngwie tunes to redefining classical guitar with an incredible new nylon-string picking technique. We also take you way outside the box with Avant Guitar 101: Alternate Attacks-a how-to feature that explores the unorthodox playing approaches of iconic experimentalists Keith Rowe and Fred Frith. In the gear-review room this month, we take a look at the new Line 6 POD HD, the Collings 290 DC, the Dingwall Z3 bass, the Blackstar HT-5R, the Amptweaker TightMetal, the Yamaha A3M acoustic, the DV Mark DV40 212, the MXR M87 Bass Compressor, the Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 18, and the Gretsch G6128T-GH George Harrison Signature Duo Jet.