Tech 21 unveils Marty Friedman’s new signature SansAmp
The compact pedal offers the guitarist's core go-to tones in a simple-to-use format
Latest news
Tech 21 unveils Marty Friedman’s new signature SansAmp
The compact pedal offers the guitarist's core go-to tones in a simple-to-use format
Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer has been honored with signature Bare Knuckles – the same pickups from his new Aristides offset
The high-output Halcyon humbuckers promise the power of active pickups with the benefits of passive designs
Fender Japan unveils the Starmaster – a Jazzmaster/Starcaster hybrid that could be the most divisive Fender offset of them all
The Starmaster is even available in Antigua – one of the most loved/hated finishes in Fender history
Marcin shows an astounded Will Smith his virtuosic guitar technique
The acoustic guitar phenom has recently collaborated with Smith on his musical comeback
Jeff “Skunk” Baxter on the one studio session where he lugged a ton of guitar gear – and didn't use any of it
While being a session player can sometimes be a thankless job, Baxter recalls a particularly memorable session with Steely Dan producer Gary Katz
Guitar World deals of the week: save $366 on a Strandberg, $200 on a Fender Strat, plus all the week's best deals
Save yourself some serious money on gear with our pick of the biggest and best savings from all corners of the web
The tones of Joe Bonamassa’s obscure “Greenburst” Strat have been brought to the masses with new Seymour Duncan pickups
The single-coils feature period-correct wiring, staggered Alnico 5 magnets, and gray bottom flatwork to faithfully recreate the tones of the “star” guitar
The Black Dahlia Murder guitarist Brandon Ellis leaves the band after 9-year stint
Ellis has thanked fans for the “mountains of support” he’s received during his time with the death metal outfit, and teased a new chapter in his career
Two Notes’ reimagined Reload II seeks to end the reactive load box debate – and quash the competition from Universal Audio and Boss in the process
The Reload II is set to take on the Universal Audio Ox Amp Top Box and Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander Core as it aims to become to go-to recording tool for tube amp players
Artists
You’ve heard of AC/DC’s Angus and Malcolm, but a third Young brother was responsible for a ’60s classic
In George Young, guitarist for the oft-overlooked Australian band the Easybeats, Malcolm and Angus Young had a significant creative role model
Peter Hook’s ‘lead bass’ approach spawned a catalog of hits with Joy Division and New Order
One of the most influential bassists of the ‘80s, Peter Hook developed a style marked by open-string drones, and a dark, chorus-drenched tone
That time Miles Davis stopped his entire band to give John McLaughlin some unlikely advice
The famously blunt and temperamental jazz icon was determined to realize his boundary-pushing late-'60s creative vision, but nonetheless had great respect for the budding guitar virtuoso
How do you anchor a band like Pleasure? If you’re Nate Philips, you do it with a formidable slap technique
Pleasure’s fusion-influenced dance music reached its peak with Glide, the Top 10 R&B single from Future Now
When their lead guitarist was fired, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy had to step up to the plate. The result was an iconic record with a “panic attack” solo
Tweedy recalls 2004’s A Ghost is Born as a crash course in taking over lead guitar, as he breaks down his attitude to songwriting, explains why the best artists are experts in failure – and suggests modern players might be too good to be remembered
Is it country, bluegrass, folk, rock? The Rose City Band don’t play within a genre, but they do play with them
Ripley Johnson and Barry Walker on recording Sol y Sombra in a dark, vibey basement like the Stones, the irony of working hard to make a song feel mellow, and avoiding complex setups to deliver the music
Larkin Poe switched to blues-rock to cover their rent. Now the bluegrass revival has them revisiting their first love
With renewed confidence and a slew of new guitar-forward songs, Larkin Poe’s Rebecca and Megan Lovell are upping the ante on seventh album Bloom
When Dimebag Darrell answered Guitar World readers’ questions, he didn’t hold back – and revealed some ingenious playing secrets
The Pantera icon loved digging into his Riffer Madness “Feedback Sack” and answering readers’ questions. Here he offers gear tips and shares soloing wisdom – including how to nail his Walk ‘fake echo’ trick
Gear
“This may be the ultimate Superstrat-Tele hybrid”: Caparison Dellinger-JSM V2 review
Killswitch Engage’s Joel Stroetzel has debuted a signature guitar that presents itself as a miracle of high-performance guitar design – but it ain’t cheap
Sterling By Music Man Intro Series StingRay review
As a budget-friendly version of the US-made original, can this wallet-friendly StingRay really do the business?
“A veritable cornucopia of modulating textures”: Kernom Elipse pedal review
We check out a multi-modulation pedal with a difference
“If you’re looking for unique tones paired with modern build and playability, it’s an amazing guitar”: Fender Player II Jaguar review
Getting to grips with what could be the highlight of Fender’s Player II Series
The essential guide to New York City guitar stores – a bucket-list destination for vintage gear enthusiasts
Nashville and Chicago get a lot of attention as hotspots of vintage guitar treasure, but don’t discount the Big Apple, where you will find some of the coolest stores on the planet
Best acoustic guitars for beginners 2025: top picks for new players, reviewed and demoed by experts
We've played epic affordable six-strings from Epiphone, Taylor, Fender, Yamaha and more – read on for our best beginner acoustic guitar recommendations and watch our video demos
“One of the best legitimately new guitars Fender has produced in decades”: Fender American Ultra II Meteora review
The Meteora is that rarest of things: a new body shape from one of the oldest electric guitar manufacturers. As this “sports car version” of the Fender Jazzmaster joins the Big F’s most high-performance range, is it a match made in offset heaven?
Lessons
Why rhythm is as important as the notes you play in a blues guitar solo
Inspired by Eric Gales, Joe Walsh, Earth, Wind & Fire and Motown, this blues lesson puts the rhythm first
Palm muting is an essential guitar technique – but there’s a lot more to it than just chugging. Are you using it to its full potential?
First used by ’50s legends Chet Atkins and Les Paul, it is rock, metal and punk that have made palm muting so popular today
How to introduce “murder mystery” guitar chords to your playing – without getting your fingers in a twist
Altered chords should not scare anyone. Here are five shapes to explore when looking for a chord with some dramatic dissonance
Dimebag Darrell wrote 42 lesson columns for Guitar World. Here’s the best advice he shared
We’ve collected the best of Dimebag’s “Riffer Madness” columns for the ultimate masterclass in the late Pantera guitarist’s trailblazing style
Embellishing guitar chords is the best way to liven up your rhythm work – learn 5 Eric Johnson-inspired chord voicings
Because sometimes you need a chord with a little more harmonic intrigue, we take a look at the theory behind embellished chords and how they can be used in everyday playing
Learn the soloing strategy that T-Bone Walker, B.B. King and Albert King all used, and will instantly make your blues solos sound more pro
Jim Oblon drops some blues science, demystifying the practice of alternating between parallel minor and major pentatonics
Jared James Nichols shows you how to use call-and-response blues phrasing
This Blues Power-up for your playing will help your solos speak to the audience
Reviews
“This may be the ultimate Superstrat-Tele hybrid”: Caparison Dellinger-JSM V2 review
Killswitch Engage’s Joel Stroetzel has debuted a signature guitar that presents itself as a miracle of high-performance guitar design – but it ain’t cheap
Sterling By Music Man Intro Series StingRay review
As a budget-friendly version of the US-made original, can this wallet-friendly StingRay really do the business?
“A veritable cornucopia of modulating textures”: Kernom Elipse pedal review
We check out a multi-modulation pedal with a difference
“If you’re looking for unique tones paired with modern build and playability, it’s an amazing guitar”: Fender Player II Jaguar review
Getting to grips with what could be the highlight of Fender’s Player II Series
“One of the best legitimately new guitars Fender has produced in decades”: Fender American Ultra II Meteora review
The Meteora is that rarest of things: a new body shape from one of the oldest electric guitar manufacturers. As this “sports car version” of the Fender Jazzmaster joins the Big F’s most high-performance range, is it a match made in offset heaven?
“An almost timeless design from the hands and ears of one of the greats”: Lowden GL-J review
A Lowden electric? The GL-10 – originally introduced in 2018, and recreated for Ed Sheeran – now gets a semi-solid sibling
“We’re not hearing $1,750 difference”: Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard and Gibson Les Paul Standard ’50s Mahogany Top review
Two recent Les Paul launches from Gibson and Epiphone take a nod back to the ’50s in style. But not only are they made on different continents, they’re very different in price. Which is best? Let’s find out
Buying Guides
Best acoustic guitars for beginners 2025: top picks for new players, reviewed and demoed by experts
We've played epic affordable six-strings from Epiphone, Taylor, Fender, Yamaha and more – read on for our best beginner acoustic guitar recommendations and watch our video demos
Best punk guitars 2025: straight-shooting, no-nonsense guitars for punk
From Gibson to Eastwood, Fender to Music Man, here’s our expert pick of guitars to help you cause some anarchy at your next DIY show
Best guitar picks 2025: awesome guitar picks to upgrade your playing
My expert guide to the best picks for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar
Best guitar plugins 2025: my top plugins to level up your recorded guitar tones
Get better guitar tones for recording and practice with my pick of the best guitar amp plugins
Best budget multi-effects pedals 2025: access a world of effects at a reasonable price
More is more with these budget do-it-all bargains from Zoom, Line 6, Mooer and NUX
Best guitar cables 2025: recommended instrument cables for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar
Plug in with confidence using our expert guide to the best instrument cables from, Mogami, Ernie Ball, George L’s, and more
Best combo amps 2025: the best all-in-one amps for every budget
The ultimate tube, solid state, and modeling combo amps for every genre, from Motown to metal and everything in between
