Guitarist of the Month: Guthrie Govan
Welcome to the first installment of Guitarist of the Month, a new blog series where we geek out over players who make the rest of us wonder why we even bother picking up a guitar.
To kick things off, we’re talking about a guy who somehow blends mad-scientist-level theory with “yeah, I just made that up” energy — the one and only Guthrie Govan.
🕶️ Who Is This Wizard?
If you’ve never heard of Guthrie Govan, here’s the quick pitch: he’s a British guitarist who can pretty much play anything, and make it look effortless. Metal? Check. Jazz fusion? Easy. Funk, blues, classical, spaghetti western soundtracks? Yep. Probably while drinking tea with his pinky up.
He’s played with a ridiculous range of artists (Steven Wilson, Hans Zimmer, The Aristocrats) and is basically the guitarist that other guitarists whisper about in awe.
🎸 What Makes Him So Dang Good?
⚡ The Guy’s Got Everything
Guthrie doesn’t just play fast (though he absolutely can). He plays clean, melodic, and musical. Every note sounds intentional, even when he’s flying across the fretboard like his fingers are on fire.
🎭 Genre-Blender Supreme
He can switch from a screaming rock solo to smooth jazz chords mid-song and make it sound like they were meant to be together all along. Seriously — it’s spooky.
🔧 Tone Tweaker Extraordinaire
Govan’s signature Charvel guitar and his use of Fractal Audio gear give him the kind of tonal flexibility that lets him sound like an entire record store full of amps and effects. But it’s not the gear — it’s what he does with it.
📀 Where Should You Start?
If you want to hear what Guthrie can really do, check these out:
"Erotic Cakes" – Yep, that’s the album name. It’s his solo debut and it’s full of clever melodies, crazy chops, and humor. Kind of like if Jeff Beck and Frank Zappa raised a kid on prog rock.
The Aristocrats – A power trio with top-tier players and song titles like “Boing!... I’m in the Back.” Expect amazing musicianship and a lot of smirking.
👨🏫 Side Quest: Guthrie the Teacher
Not only can he play circles around most people, but Guthrie is also a fantastic teacher. He’s done loads of clinics, magazine columns, and video lessons. Somehow, he makes terrifying theory stuff seem fun — like your super chill music professor who used to be in a prog band.
🚀 Why We Love Him
Guthrie Govan is the kind of player who reminds you that music is supposed to be fun. He’s technical without being robotic, expressive without showing off (okay, maybe a little), and always sounds like he’s having a blast.
And that’s our first Guitarist of the Month! Got a favorite guitarist you think deserves the spotlight? Let us know — and keep your ears open for next month’s feature.
P.S. Wanna level up your own playing? Our Maui ukulele and guitar lessons might not turn you into Guthrie overnight… but hey, it’s a start!