About Guitar World

Guitar World writer Richard Bienstock goes guitar shopping with Guns N' Roses legend Slash
Guitar World writer Richard Bienstock goes guitar shopping with Guns N' Roses legend Slash (Image credit: Future)

Guitar World has been the ultimate resource for guitarists since the publication of its very first print issue in July 1980. Whether you want to learn the techniques employed by your guitar heroes, read about their latest projects or simply need to know which guitar is the right one to buy, Guitar World is the place to look.

February 2022

(Image credit: Jeff Fasano/Future)

GuitarWorld.com continues the magazine’s rich history online, and is now the home of the world’s greatest authorities on guitar playing, featuring articles not only from Guitar World, but also highly respected publications including Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar Techniques and Bass Player. The site reaches 3.8m players each month.

Both the Guitar World print edition and website offer interviews and insights from the hottest new players and the legends of guitar playing, with lessons from some of the world’s greatest tutors, for all levels of guitarist. We host expert reviews of the latest guitars, amps and effects, with classic gear and tones dissected and explained, as well as providing essential buying advice to suit all budgets.

And, naturally, we cover all the breaking news from the world of guitars, making sure you’re up to date with the products, players, tones and techniques you need to know about.

Contact details

Email (for news tips and general editorial enquiries): guitarworld@futurenet.com

Subscription enquiries: help@magazinesdirect.com

New York City, USA
Address: 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036
Telephone: +1 212 378 0448

London, UK
Address: 121 - 141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, London W2 6JR
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7042 4000

Bath, UK
Address: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA
Telephone: +44 (0)1225 442244

Sydney, Australia
Address: Level 10, 89 York Street, Sydney 2000
Telephone: (02) 9955 2677

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Who we are

Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

Damian Fanelli
Damian Fanelli

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor, and his non-Pulitzer-Prize-winning stories have appeared in Guitar Aficionado, Vintage Guitar, Total Guitar and countless other publications, including 13.7 metric tons of daily newspapers. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton and Ty Tabor chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums (one of which appears in the 2015 Disney film 'Tomorrowland' starring George Clooney and Britt Robertson). He's in two NYC-area bands and plays Teles with four-way switches, B-benders and semi-snazzy aftermarket pickups. He quotes Terry-Thomas twice daily.

Jackson Maxwell
Jackson Maxwell

Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.

Matt Owen
Matt Owen

Matt is a Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.

Matt Parker
Matt Parker

Matt is a staff writer for GuitarWorld.com. Before that he spent 10 years as a freelance music journalist, interviewing artists for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.

Paul Riario
Paul Riario

Paul Riario has been the tech/gear editor and online video presence for Guitar World for over 25 years. Paul is one of the few gear editors who has actually played and owned nearly all the original gear that most guitarists wax poetically about, and has survived this long by knowing every useless musical tidbit of classic rock, new wave, hair metal, grunge, and alternative genres. When Paul is not riding his road bike at any given moment, he remains a working musician, playing in two bands called SuperTrans Am and Radio Nashville.

Jimmy Brown
Jimmy Brown

Over the past 30 years, Jimmy Brown has built a reputation as one of the world's finest music educators, through his work as a transcriber and Senior Music Editor for Guitar World magazine and Lessons Editor for its sister publication, Guitar Player. In addition to these roles, Jimmy is also a busy working musician, performing regularly in the greater New York City area. Jimmy earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies and Performance and Music Management from William Paterson University in 1989. He is also an experienced private guitar teacher and an accomplished writer.

Chris Barnes
Chris Barnes

I'm Guitar World's eCommerce Editor. It's my job to manage buyer's guides on the site and help guitarists find the right gear and the best prices. I'm a guitarist and a drummer and I've worked in the music gear industry for 16 years, including 7 years as Editor of the UK's best-selling drum magazine Rhythm, and 5 years as a freelance writer working with brands including Roland, Boss, MusicRadar and Natal.

Daryl Robertson
Daryl Robertson

First and foremost, I'm a guitar enthusiast – a fanatic, some might say. I'm a firm believer that most of the world's problems can be solved with a Gibson SG and a catastrophically loud amp. As Senior Deals Writer on Guitar World, I write about guitars for a living, but in a past life, I worked in music retail for 7 years, advising customers on the right guitars, basses, drums, pianos, and PA systems for their needs. I also have a passion for live sound; I'm a fully qualified sound engineer with experience working in various venues in Scotland, where I live with my wife and dog.

Guitar World author Matt McCracken
Matt McCracken

Matt is a Junior Deals Writer at Guitar World and has been playing guitar as his main instrument for well over 20 years. He also plays drums, bass, and keys producing out of his home studio in Manchester, UK. He has previously worked for Dawsons Music, Northwest Guitars, and freelanced for various magazines and blogs, writing reviews, how-to's, and features. When he's not downloading the latest VSTs or justifying yet another guitar pedal purchase, you'll find him making a racket with Northern noise hounds JACKALS

Advertising contacts

Brian Preston (Head of Industry): brian.preston@futurenet.com

Robert Dye (Account Executive): robert.dye@futurenet.com

Jeff Donnenwerth (Account Executive): jeff.donnenwerth@futurenet.com

Subscription contacts

Email: help@magazinesdirect.com
Guitar World telephone: 1-800-456-6441
UK subscription telephone (Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar Techniques): +44(0)330 333 1113
For more information: Magazines Direct

Editorial independence

No outside party determines what products we review or the content of our reviews. Our experienced reviewers have tested countless guitars, amps, pedals and plugins over their decades of playing, enabling us to deliver an honest verdict you can trust.

Affiliate & Advertising disclosure

We always aim to provide unbiased editorial created by our journalists and writers. We also need to pay our teams and website costs so we make money in a number of ways. We sometimes use affiliate links to products and services on retailer sites for which we can receive compensation if you click on those links or make purchases through them. From time to time we also publish advertorials (paid-for editorial content) and sponsored content on the site. When this is the case the content is clearly marked as sponsored or promoted, so you’ll always know which content is editorial and which is not. Future PLC is our parent company and has an in-depth terms and conditions page with a lot more information that you can read right here

IPSO Regulated 

Guitar World is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact guitarworld@futurenet.com. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk.

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(Image credit: IPSO)

Privacy policy

Guitar World is part of Future PLC. We are both fiercely committed to protecting your privacy. Please take a look at our in-depth privacy policy to find out more.

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