Chaka Khan is holding open auditions to find a new guitar player – but she’s got some very specific requirements
The legendary disco vocalist has announced a worldwide audition to find an additional guitarist
Latest news
Chaka Khan is holding open auditions to find a new guitar player – but she’s got some very specific requirements
The legendary disco vocalist has announced a worldwide audition to find an additional guitarist
Chrissie Hynde on that one time she bought her own signature guitar off the shelf
Turns out having your own signature Fender Telecaster stocked in shops is pretty handy when you're caught without your own...
Sterling by Music Man completes its trilogy of Joe Dart signature models with a trio of made-to-order basses that cost less than $500
The Vulfpeck funk maestro has unveiled two all-new models that slash more than $2k off the price of his Ernie Ball Music Man basses – and revived the OG Sterling Dart I that proved such a hit last year
The April Fools Day guitar gags are out in full force this year – and we've rounded up the best
Andertons, Orange, Positive Grid, and more have all taken the festivities seriously this year, with a range of silly stompboxes and wacky gadgets that will tickle your funny bone
New documentary appears to confirm that Trump Guitars are being manufactured in China
Amid the ongoing tariff war impacting the guitar industry, a new documentary alleges that Trump Guitars – the line endorsed by President Donald Trump – are being manufactured by Shenqu Guitars in Zheng'an County
Joe Satriani is selling an ultra-ambitious Ibanez Y2K Crystal Planet prototype from 1999
The elite shredder is selling off a bunch of pre-loved gear, including a stunning see-through version of his Ibanez signature guitar
Billy Corgan announces new solo project featuring Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Kiki Wong
The tour, titled A Return to Zero, promises to be a career celebration – with a setlist that draws from seminal Pumpkins albums – and kicks off this summer
Artists
Made men: the bassists of James Brown
Fred Thomas, Ray Brundidge and Bootsy Collins dig into what it meant to play with Soul Band No. 1
The Vapors’ hit Turning Japanese was born at 4AM, but came to life when two guitarists were stuck into the same booth
Parkinson’s disease has forced him to change his Tele for a GS1, but Fenton’s still going strong. He tells us about the dream-like, dual-guitar inception of his 1980s hit
That time Stevie Wonder jammed with Stevie Ray Vaughan... and played SRV's number one Strat
The two musical giants traded licks before Wonder picked up Stevie's guitar
“There’s an art to simplicity, and Jason Newsted brought that art”: The bassists of Metallica
From Ron McGovney to Robert Trujillo, we trace the evolution of Metallica’s low-end sound
Sampled by Grandmaster Flash, De La Soul and the Fugees, Cymande shaped the sound of hip-hop. Now they’re back to claim their legacy
Cymande’s influence on hip-hop culture is huge. But with new album Renascence, the spotlight returns to the funk institution, and Patrick Patterson is here to play
![[L-R] George Harrison, Aashish Khan and John Barham collaborate in the studio](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VANJajEM56nLiJATg4P5Po-840-80.jpg.webp)
John Barham on orchestral manoeuvres with George Harrison, Indian music and the spectre of Spector
Barham's arrangements sweetened everything from 1968’s Wonderwall Music to 1973’s Living in the Material World and beyond, and in this rare interview he talks Harrison the songwriter, producer and collaborator
He was idolized by Stevie Ray Vaughan, and remains one of the most overlooked Telecaster slingers of all time
Extracting inimitable, stinging tone from his Tele with just his fingers, Albert Collins carved a hugely influential sonic path for himself, though he's still often left out of discussions of the greatest blues guitarists of all time
Gear
Best pitch shifter pedals 2025: an essential tool for channeling Tom Morello, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani
For face-melting solos and keeping your audience on their toes, pitch shifters are a surefire way to inject something different into your tone
“Flawlessly executed”: Heritage Guitars Custom Shop Core Collection H-137 review
There is something very Special about this retro electric from a Kalamazoo factory with some serious history
“Wins out on battery life, aesthetics and its Cable Tone feature”: Blackstar Airwire i58 review
The UK amp firm has got in on the new golden age of guitar wireless systems. But can it match up to the increasingly impressive competition?
“Our goal is to stay at the forefront of amplification innovation”: How Seymour Duncan set out to create the ultimate bass amp solution by pushing its PowerStage lineup to greater heights
Sponsored by Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan has expanded its revered PowerStage line with a do-it-all amp head designed specifically for bassists – but it's so much more than just a companion for your amp modeler
Best offset guitars 2025: slanted-waist wonders from Fender, G&L, Duesenberg, Epiphone and more
We dive into the wondrous world of offset guitars – from surf-rockers to shoegaze noise machines – to bring you the top picks on the market today
“Great two‑in-one value in a compact box that won’t hog space”: EarthQuaker Devices Gary review
Lee Kiernan of IDLES' signature pedal is a Jekyll and Mr Hyde drive/fuzz twofer inspired by EQD's legendary Gray Channel
How Rotosound revolutionized the bass world with its Swing Bass 66 strings – and shaped the sound of rock music in the process
Sponsored by Rotosound
The story of how Rotosound founder James How worked with one of the brightest minds in bass history to produce a string that has stood the test of time – and defined music history as we know it
Lessons
How to find new approaches to blues soloing – using fingerstyle improv ideas and Roy Buchanan-inspired licks
Jim Oblon takes an eight-bar rhythm and applies some fingerpicking ideas that could help get you out of a jam and put you right in the jam
Want to play Master of Puppets the right way? Here's how to get faster at downpicking so you can chug like James Hetfield
Downpicking is a fundamental and powerful pick stroke, and one of the mainstay techniques in metal and punk
![Joe Bonamassa [left] wears a deep blue suit and polka-dotted shirt and plays his green refin Strat; the late Irish blues legend Rory Gallagher [right] screams and inflicts some punishment on his heavily worn number one Stratocaster.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cw28h7UBcTVfTLs7p7eiLe-840-80.jpg.webp)
Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to the late, great Irish blues-rock icon Rory Gallagher
He might have only just learned how to pronounce Gallagher's name properly, but JoBo is a player who idolized the man, and will pay tribute to him in three shows this summer in Cork, Ireland
Think playing rhythm guitar is boring? Cory Wong is here to change your mind
In his inaugural Guitar World column, Cory Wong establishes the principles – and the mentality – of good rhythm playing, and how you can make yours fun
Learning how to bend strings correctly is one of the quickest ways to make your playing sound better
String bending is a core technique for lead playing. Here's how to take it from beginner to pro
This easy chord trick appears on classic songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Passenger
Why the 7th fret is the magic position for your guitar capo
Marcin's percussive fingerstyle is dropping jaws. The warm-ups that fuel his virtuosity are guaranteed to boost your own playing
Acoustic phenom Marcin Patrzałek shows you his favorite warm-up exercises
Reviews
“Flawlessly executed”: Heritage Guitars Custom Shop Core Collection H-137 review
There is something very Special about this retro electric from a Kalamazoo factory with some serious history
“Wins out on battery life, aesthetics and its Cable Tone feature”: Blackstar Airwire i58 review
The UK amp firm has got in on the new golden age of guitar wireless systems. But can it match up to the increasingly impressive competition?
“Great two‑in-one value in a compact box that won’t hog space”: EarthQuaker Devices Gary review
Lee Kiernan of IDLES' signature pedal is a Jekyll and Mr Hyde drive/fuzz twofer inspired by EQD's legendary Gray Channel
“An investment-grade, pro-quality guitar”: Taylor Gold Label 814e SB review
The American guitar giant delivers a 4K Dolby Atmos version of a classic flat-top with a new Super Auditorium body style and tone to spare
“The tuning did not need tweaking for the entire time we spent trying to avoid playing Stairway To Heaven”: Faith Eclipse Venus E/Cutaway & Neptune E/Cutaway 12-String review
“Designed as the ultimate stage guitars, with workhorse reliability and maximum performance capability,” these look the part, but how do they deliver in terms of quality and tone?
“It can make you a legato monster like Satch, give you EVH-level tapping skills, or turn your guitar into a synth sequencer”: DigiTech HammerOn review
Time to get wacky with this unique legato-generating, pitch-shifter-slash-sequencer
“For all those who’ve lambasted the Standard Series before playing one – you’re going to have to eat your words”: Fender Standard Telecaster review
I put Fender’s most affordable guitar to the test to see once and for all what all the internet hubbub is about
Buying Guides
Best pitch shifter pedals 2025: an essential tool for channeling Tom Morello, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani
For face-melting solos and keeping your audience on their toes, pitch shifters are a surefire way to inject something different into your tone
Best offset guitars 2025: slanted-waist wonders from Fender, G&L, Duesenberg, Epiphone and more
We dive into the wondrous world of offset guitars – from surf-rockers to shoegaze noise machines – to bring you the top picks on the market today
Best solid state amps 2025: Our amp picks for those who play, dirty, clean, or anything in between
Save your back and your wallet with the best solid state amps from the likes of Fender, Boss, Yamaha and more
Best octave pedals 2025: fast track your way to fat guitar tone with these powerful pedalboard additions
Make your riffs slap harder and solos fly higher with our expert selection of the best octave pedals you can buy today
Best mini amps for guitar 2025: power up your practice with these tiny towers of tone
Short on space? Practice anywhere with these small guitar amps that pack a punch
Best modeling amps 2025: iconic amp tones at your fingertips
I break down the best modeling amps for guitar, covering a range of budgets, brands, and sizes
Best electric guitars under $1,000 in 2025: 8 killer options for beginners and pros
Find the ultimate workhorse with our pick of the best electric guitars you can currently buy for less than $1,000
Best desktop guitar amps 2025: my top desktop amps for portable practice
Improve your guitar playing with my pick of the most powerful yet portable practice solutions
Best online guitar lessons 2025: remote learning for guitar players – every platform tested by experts
Online lessons are great for developing your guitar skills from the comfort of your home or on the go – myself and our in-house experts have thoroughly tested options for all playing levels and budgets, including a free option