Nick Johnston
Latest Nick Johnston news, guitars, gear, music, performances, and collaborations covered by Guitar Radar.
Guitar Radar has 3 stories about Nick Johnston, tracking new music, tours, collaborations and gear. Most of it sits under industry, learn and music. The most recent story, from Sep 14, 2026, is “Mastodon responds after Brent Hinds' estate sues the band”. Coverage here goes back to Aug 31, 2026.
About Nick Johnston
Nick Johnston is a Canadian-born instrumental guitarist known for melodic, technically precise playing, and he now also plays guitar with Mastodon. His main instrument is the Schecter Traditional, a Stratocaster-style design built around his own preferences. Schecter's Custom Shop built his first signature guitar, after he wanted a closer working relationship with a maker than he had experienced before, and the Diamond Series Traditional line has since become one of the brand's best-known signature models.
The current Traditional HSS pairs a Schecter Diamond humbucker in the bridge position with two Nick Johnston single-coil pickups in the middle and neck.
He is an Orange Amplification ambassador and plays an Orange Rockerverb 100 MKIII. For the album Child of Bliss he fed his guitar into a mix of Orange, Friedman, Mesa/Boogie and Marshall amps.
Sources: Guitar World: Nick Johnston, Schecter, Child of Bliss · Orange Amps: Nick Johnston becomes an ambassador · MusicRadar: Me and my guitar, Nick Johnston
Stories
Mastodon responds after Brent Hinds' estate sues the band
The estate claims Hinds was never bought out of his ownership share before his death and objects to the band's public comments and use of his likeness.
Sep 14, 2026
Nick Johnston breaks down five lead-guitar approaches in a new Mastodon-era masterclass
The newly published lesson moves from hybrid picking and legato to sweep picking, tapping and chromatic blues phrasing, with Johnston demonstrating how he connects the techniques musically.
Sep 3, 2026
Mastodon release 'Marrow Deep', their first album with guitarist Nick Johnston
The August 28 record is Mastodon's ninth, their first as a five-piece, and their first since founding guitarist Brent Hinds left the band and later died.
Aug 31, 2026