As soon as we heard Chris Cornell was entering the studio with hip-hop producer Timbaland, we came up with a long list of questions for the former Soundgarden/Audioslave lead singer.

Is it a coincidence that as album sales decline, more bands seem to be playing more concerts in more markets than ever before? Musicians are becoming hip to the fact that their new albums aren’t exactly burning up the charts like they used to, and that, perhaps, their back catalog is worth re-examining.

Asked about his devotion to the ES-335, six-string great Larry Carlton once said the instrument allowed him “to go between blues, and jazz, and rock, with the same guitar.”

The greatest debate in stomp boxes is also the dirtiest: whether germanium based distortion or fuzz pedals are better than pedals with silicon based transistors.

The Who’s Pete Townshend has played – and smashed – many different guitar brands over the years. But he had a ripe period when he played – and again smashed - Gibsons. From the mid’’60s to mid-‘70s – for many The Who’s glory days – Townshend relied on a variety of Gibson electrics and acoustics. Here’s a brief rundown.

For many Rolling Stones fans, favoring one period of the band’s career over another is a bit like choosing a favorite ice cream: all are pretty darn good. Still, especially from a guitar player’s standpoint, the eras during which Brian Jones, Mick Taylor and Ron Wood each put their respective stamps on the Stones’ music has its own distinct flavor.

With input into some of the world’s most iconic guitars, you may think Les Paul’s favorite Les Paul would be a “legendary” one. An original ’52 Gold Top, maybe? Or a sunburst ’59 Standard? But no. Les Paul’s favorite was the Les Paul Recording model of the 1970s. It never sold particularly well. But to Les himself, it was the ultimate Gibson Les Paul.

Last month, we ran Part 1 of our interview with Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and guitarist Jeff Schroeder, featuring guitar talk about the band’s choice Les Pauls. This month, we continue with Part 2, offering a glimpse into what Corgan was looking for in a guitarist when he brought Schroeder into the fold and how to get that classic Smashing Pumpkins tone. Check out the interview below, and go here to read Part 1 of our chat.

Many players who use standard tuning exclusively are interested in learning how to use a slide, but are discouraged by the prospect of absorbing the multiple new maps of the fretboard that employing open tunings requires. The good news is that standard tuning is also a very effective platform for slide.

The Gibson SG has been a much-loved classic for 50-plus years now. But the guitar was born of adversity. The SG only came about because single-cut Gibson Les Pauls were failing to sell well in 1960.