guitarists

For their new record, Judas Priest turned back the clock to time warp some of their ’70s prog-metal spirit into 2024.

Photo by Simon Reed

On their new album, Judas Priest brandish an Invincible Shield of righteous heavy metal.

When people talk about Judas Priest, the band’s biggest hits easily spring to mind, and rightfully so. “Breaking the Law,” “Living After Midnight,” “Heading Out to the Highway,” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” were the songs that made the iconic British metal band a household name in the ’80s. But long before such MTV-friendly anthems catapulted them into superstardom, and more recently, earned them a nod from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category, Judas Priest cut a more progressive rug.

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The catalog that describes this guitar’s all-rosewood body as “jacaranda” makes the exact kind of rosewood used unclear.

Photos courtesy of Reverb/DK Factory

When it comes to rosewood, there’s a wide variety out there—which makes identifying it a bit of a challenge. On this K. Yairi guitar, the type of tonewood remains a mystery.

The jacaranda trees that line Australian sidewalks with bright violet blooms are a famous variety, but around the world, the name “jacaranda” can refer to many different plants. In Brazil, the word encompasses an incredible variety of shrubs and trees, including some species of rosewood.

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Reader: Jonathan C. Berndt

Hometown: New Kent County, Virginia

Guitar: Old Yeller


A 6-string hound that’s still barking nearly 40 years after it's birth.

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