Luis Kalil recalls the time he met – and played for – Jason Becker, at the shred icon’s house
The Red Devil Vortex guitarist started uploading Cacophony covers to YouTube in 2014, and soon caught his idol’s attention
Latest News
Luis Kalil recalls the time he met – and played for – Jason Becker, at the shred icon’s house
The Red Devil Vortex guitarist started uploading Cacophony covers to YouTube in 2014, and soon caught his idol’s attention
Gary Holt once gave himself clinical-grade whiplash because he headbanged to his riffs too hard
The guitarist says he “dodged a bullet” by avoiding surgery
The moment Ritchie Blackmore knew he’d leave Deep Purple
Blackmore looks back on his Deep Purple departure
Mike McCready followed Duff McKagan to LA to make it big – but he nearly missed his shot in Seattle
Before Pearl Jam, the lead guitarist sought to make a success of his teenage hard-rock outfit, Shadow
Keith Richards shares his response to the Sunset Strip shredders of the 1980s
Richards never had any interest in becoming a lead player – and the early innovators of the shred movement did not change his mind
Greg Chaisson on his gruelling Ozzy Osbourne audition
Chaisson didn’t get the gig, but he did strike up a friendship with Jake E. Lee – which would be rekindled a few years later with Badlands
Misha Mansoor has a ton of amps. But one new design has blown him away
The Periphery tonesmith uses digital and analog gear in the studio, and one tube head in particular has knocked his socks off
Artists
The story of Joe Perry’s ’59 Les Paul Standard – his lost treasure and ultimate birthday gift
Joe Perry was forced to part with his beloved 'Burst in 1979, but it was his Aerosmith bandmate who found it again
How Butch Walker’s ear for killer tone took him on a journey from obscurity to in-demand producer
From Taylor Swift to Green Day, he’s worked with the world’s biggest stars, and still managed to make 16 of his own records – and, now, his own signature amp with Divided by 13
With the help of a stunning vintage Gibson acoustic, Jussi Reijonen is giving Western folk an Arabian makeover
The Finnish fingerstylist's acoustic reveries are essential listening for fans of Paco de Lucía, Omar Khorshid, and Lenny Breau
Back to the Future made them a household name, now they needed a followup – the making of Huey Lewis and the News’ last big rock ’n’ roll guitar record
By 1986, the heat was on. The success of the Power of Love required an artistic statement and fast. Guitarist Chris Hayes looks back on the making of Fore!, when Huey Lewis and co rose to the challenge
Simpsons icon Hank Azaria on his Springsteen tribute – and his custom Moe guitar from the Boss’ own builder
From Springfield to Springsteen, the Simpsons actor talks about becoming The Boss, performing with two guitar icons, and shows off a custom Petillo guitar, complete with Moe inlay. Worst. Interview. Ever? Not a chance
Why bassist Paul Samwell-Smith chose a short-scale Epiphone for his “rave-ups” with the Yardbirds
The blues-rock opener from the band’s 1966 debut album showcases a standout example of Samwell-Smith’s fluid, freewheeling bass work
How a new recruit turned Swedish adventure rockers Hällas into a band of gearheads
The latest addition to the ever-quirky prog outfit's lineup, guitarist Rickard Swahn made an impact at his first rehearsal among worn-out frets, weird pickup choices, and crumbling amps – and saved a song that was too Mark Knopfler for them
Warren Haynes remembers B.B. King – from being in awe to playing with him
Haynes was one of the many guitar greats whose lives have been changed by B.B. King, and thanks to Joe Bonamassa, he got to pay tribute to him on the song he would have chosen himself
Varials’ Shane Lyons believes the band's new album is an “ear assault” that defines their pummeling sound
The Philly metalcore gearhead discusses his favorite toys, the balance between groove and brutality, making his guitar sound like it’s not a guitar – and the pedal that’s most underused in his genre
Gear
Best beginner guitar amps 2026: my top picks from over a decade working in music retail
After nearly ten years working in a busy high-street music store, I’ve seen which beginner amps truly deliver, offering the best value, most useful features, and long-lasting popularity from brands like Blackstar, Fender, Positive Grid, and more
The holy grail of tone – three amps that built the sound of recorded guitar
From shimmering cleans to full throttle roar, these three classic amplifiers helped shape the sound of modern music and still define what great guitar tone means today
"It’s one of the most satisfying stacking combinations I’ve encountered in a dual-channel pedal for a very long time": Wampler Golden Jubilee review
Wampler is going for gold with a versatile, fun and pretty great-sounding dual drive pedal
“More aggressive, more physical, more raw and in tune with the animal kingdom”: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi 2 Dual Op-Amp Fuzz review
A schematic, lost in the shuffle, resurfaces with the help of JHS Pedals supremo Josh Scott, and presents us with a fresh slice of Pi
Best bass amps for practice 2026: top combos for working on your chops at home
Get the most out of your playing at home with one of these great bass practice amps
How Gibson made the ultimate tribute to David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson
This Collector’s Edition replica of Ronson’s Bowie-era ’68 Les Paul Custom transports you spiritually – and tonally – to the glory days of the Spiders from Mars (Hull) – but it does not come cheap
How the Rickenbacker 360/12 revolutionized the sound of ’60s guitar
Introduced in 1964, the jangle of the 12-string Ricky inspired generations of players, with the likes of Tom Petty, Mike Campbell and Johnny Marr all making it their own
Lessons
Jared James Nichols on the melodic soloing ideas every guitar player can take from Eric Clapton
In his latest Guitar World column, the blues powerhouse channels Slowhand (and uses his own track Threw Me to the Wolves) for a lesson in lyrical leads
“It’s about building intensity… think of Jeff Beck shifting to Billy Gibbons!” How to solo over one-chord blues
Soloing over changes is cool, but sometimes the blues is all about exploring melody over a single chord
Charlie Starr on the origins of the B-Bender – and how you can play those licks without one
No B-Bender, no problem, as the Blackberry Smoke frontman shows us 9 licks for that faux pedal-steel sound
5 altered chords you need to know – and how they get their names
Altered chords can be intimidating at first, but here we demystify the naming conventions, and once you understand that, you can easily find your own
Cory Wong on why doubling the bassline is one of the “most badass” things a guitarist can do
Cory Wong uses Vulfpeck's Jaco-inspired Dean Town to teach us the value of doubling a bassline on guitar
How to play B.B. King’s greatest song (with some help from Joe Bonamassa)
Bonamassa says B.B. King’s The Thrill Is Gone is so perfect that he initially couldn’t find anyone to cover it on his tribute album. Here, he unpacks the tones and approaches of the King of the Blues
Bopping blues and greasy grooves: Ally Venable's rhythm guitar tips and secrets
Learn how to boost your blues to pro levels of authenticity with a handful of great chords and a rock-solid rhythm technique
Reviews
"It’s one of the most satisfying stacking combinations I’ve encountered in a dual-channel pedal for a very long time": Wampler Golden Jubilee review
Wampler is going for gold with a versatile, fun and pretty great-sounding dual drive pedal
“More aggressive, more physical, more raw and in tune with the animal kingdom”: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi 2 Dual Op-Amp Fuzz review
A schematic, lost in the shuffle, resurfaces with the help of JHS Pedals supremo Josh Scott, and presents us with a fresh slice of Pi
“Lo-Fi and Pitch modes take you well beyond the usual analog delay paradigm”: Beetronics Bee Bee Dee review
The first delay pedal from Beetronics offers analog sound with digital control for some time-warped creativity
PJD Origin Series Carey Apprentice and St John Apprentice review
It may appear stripped down and basic, but PJD’s new Origin Series Apprentice is sharply built – and seriously affordable. A new standard for affordable craft?
"It’s not the cheapest solution, but it’s one of the most fully featured volume pedals available": Walrus Audio Canvas Volume review
The newest addition to the Canvas family is a versatile, feature-rich volume pedal loaded with capabilities you never knew you needed
“It’s clearly had a lot of thought put into making it as flexible and useful as possible”: Laney Digbeth DB-EAST review
Over a long, distinguished career, Nathan East has never had a signature amp. Until now…
“The basic rotary sound is very convincing”: Crumar Burn review
Made by a keyboard company for use with its organs, this rotary simulator pedal has plenty to get guitarists in a spin
Buying Guides
Best beginner guitar amps 2026: my top picks from over a decade working in music retail
After nearly ten years working in a busy high-street music store, I’ve seen which beginner amps truly deliver, offering the best value, most useful features, and long-lasting popularity from brands like Blackstar, Fender, Positive Grid, and more
Best bass amps for practice 2026: top combos for working on your chops at home
Get the most out of your playing at home with one of these great bass practice amps
Best Stratocasters 2026: The best Strats for every budget and playing style
Find your fit with our top pick of the best Fender Strats
Best guitar capos 2026: These are the tried & tested options I'd recommend for acoustic and electric players
I tested 10 of the most popular capos on the market. Here’s my expert picks for electric, acoustic, 12-string and beyond
Best short-scale basses 2026: the ultimate guide to the greatest pint-sized bass guitars at all price points
From Fender to Gibson, Gretsch to Spector, here are our top picks for the best short-scale basses on the market right now
Best electric guitars under $1,000 in 2026: find your ultimate workhorse guitar
Get more for your money with my pick of the top-rated electric guitars below the $1,000 mark
Best guitar straps 2025: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – top picks from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials
