No. 356 January/ February 2026

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Special Focus: The Sounds of 2025

The AG editors kick off the new year by spotlighting the guitars, makers, and musicians who carried the acoustic tradition forward in 2025.

Features include Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers’ interview with cover artist Patty Griffin, who talks about the challenges and revelations behind her latest album, Crown of Roses; a piece on classical guitarist Larry Del Casale and his connections with Carlos Barbosa- Lima and Leo Brouwer; and a Guitar Talk with virtuoso Rez Abbasi, whose steel-string explorations are extending the flattop’s role in jazz.

In the lessons department, our series on soloing basics continues with part four: How to guide your solos using chord shapes; guitarist Cameron Knowler breaks down the playing style of country guitar innovator Riley Puckett; Berklee professor Jane Miller leads a Weekly Workout on reharmonizing tunes; and Greg Ruby offers pro tips on how to be gig ready and prepared to bring your best to every performance.

Songs to Play: Learn a solo guitar version of the Kink’s snarky classic “Sunny Afternoon”; a newly found John Renbourn arrangement of the fiddle tune “Pipe on the Hob”; a campfire arrangement of Lead Belly’s “Goodnight, Irene”; and a flatpicking arrangement “Little Darling Pal of Mine” inspired by recordings from the Carter Family, Earl Scruggs, and Doc Watson.

Also inside: Apollo Picks founder Nik Monnin tells the story of how a kitchen table project turned into a lifelong pursuit of tonal perfection; James Volpe Rotondi test drives the heirloom-worthy Preston Thompson 0000-EIA; AG’s gear expert Martin Keith details the differences and benefits of short- and long-scale instruments; and Natalia Zukerman reviews Ace, a 14-song study in nuance and contrast by Madison Cunningham; and more!

Be sure to sign up for an annual subscription to Acoustic Guitar magazine to receive future issues!