How 22-year-old Anna Cara landed the gig of a lifetime with Alice Cooper
At just 19, Cara was scouted by Cooper's longtime guitarist, Tommy Henriksen, on social media, and immediately flown out to Los Angeles
Latest News
How 22-year-old Anna Cara landed the gig of a lifetime with Alice Cooper
At just 19, Cara was scouted by Cooper's longtime guitarist, Tommy Henriksen, on social media, and immediately flown out to Los Angeles
Teen blues prodigy reunited with his stolen Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat
Rhys John Stygal received support from Joe Bonamassa after his Number One guitar was stolen in Austin, Texas, last month
Periphery’s Jake Bowen jumps ship from Ibanez and joins Strandberg
The move looks set to pave the way for a headless signature guitar for the progressive metal heavyweight
L7 bassist Jennifer Finch reveals aggressive brain cancer diagnosis ahead of band's farewell tour
The band, together with Finch’s family and friends, have set up a crowdfunding campaign to help cover her urgent medical expenses
Mastodon share new single with Josh Homme – and add another member to the band
The band will release their ninth album, Marrow Deep, on August 28
Bob Dylan debuts his third new guitarist in three weeks
Jad Tariq becomes the latest recruit as Dylan's ever-rotating cast of guest guitarists gets a new name
Marshall launches Billie Joe Armstrong artist head – and it’s inspired by his first guitar
It’s the Dookie sound on tap, with a colorway that nods to Armstrong’s origins
Artists
Hugh Cornwell on The Stranglers’ biggest hit, hating Twin Reverbs, and his bizarro Höfner
The punk/new-wave icon admits he’s never been certain about his guitar playing, although he’s proud of the legacy he’s left in music – and he’s not finished yet
How Rik Emmett tackled the Triumph reunion tour, with added Phil X
Speaking ahead of their dates earlier this year, Emmett discussed how the group had defied the odds – and his own statements to the contrary – to reunite and hit the road
Kirk Hammett on Gibsons, the magic of Greeny and why he thinks the age of active pickups is over
The Metallica lead guitarist discusses Peter Green's influence, the magic of a Gibson P.A.F. pickup, and how owning Greeny has been a life-changing experience
How Flea accidentally wrote one of his funkiest basslines
What began as absent-minded noodling became an enduring Red Hot Chili Peppers classic
18 of the greatest Irish guitarists of all time
Rory Gallagher, The Edge, Gary Moore of course, but who makes up the other 15?
In a rare interview, “The Humbler”, Danny Gatton, reflects on his trailblazing career
Now regarded as one of the greatest to ever play the Telecaster, the late Gatton was just starting to break through when Guitar World caught up with him for a chat about influences, and his time playing with “Elvis Jr.”
How Death overcame the odds to bring death metal to the world
In April 1995, Chuck Schuldiner looked back on how his ambitious style helped galvanize a movement that still resonates to this day
Gear
Best acoustic guitars 2026: 10 top options for guitarists of all ages and abilities
Guitar World’s pick of the best acoustic guitars from Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Epiphone and more
Shoegaze guitar has never been bigger – and these 5 pedals are a shortcut to its otherworldly tones
From do-it-all multi-effects to lush reverbs, glitchy delays, and a must-have My Bloody Valentine signature pedal, our guide to the ultimate shoegaze stomps
Pedal sales are booming despite the modeler movement, and this man can tell you why
Reverb’s fabled number-cruncher, Cyril Nigg, drills into the modern pedal market and explains the enduring pull of the stompbox. Just don’t mention the flange…
“A hard-to-put-down Les Paul with bags of character”: Gibson Les Paul Studio Double Trouble review
Gibson brings the Double Trouble treatment to a lower price-point with a weight-relieved Studio version. For skint rockers everywhere, it’s time to rejoice!
The guitarist's guide to MIDI: how to get more from your pedalboard and stop the tap dancing
A no-nonsense guide to switching presets, automating tone changes, and fully utilizing your digital pedals
12 iconic stompboxes that built the boutique pedal boom
How a dedicated group of DIY tone chasers changed the face of the guitar industry
“A must-have producer’s plugin for how much ground it covers”: MixWave Yvette Young Plugin review
Yvette Young’s first signature plugin brings every aspect of her technicolor tones to a versatile toybox of a plugin
"It’s deceptively versatile”: Jackson Pro Series Signature Wes Borland King V review
The Limp Bizkit guitarist's new signature is a single-pickup riff machine designed for live playing, and it's capable of more than you might think
When should you change your guitar strings? We asked the world’s biggest string brands to get the definitive answer
Experts at Ernie Ball, D'Addario and more explain when it’s time to break out a new set, how environmental factors play their part, and what you can do to make your strings last longer
Lessons
Mike Stringer on how 8-string guitars take him outside his comfort zone in search of creative dissonance
Using the low-end monster riffs of Spiritbox's Fata Morgana, Stringer offers up a rhythm masterclass in modern metal
Charlie Starr on the joys of fingerpicking in Csus2 – the open tuning that doesn’t have a bad chord anywhere
The Blackberry Smoke frontman unpacks the tuning he learned from Levi Lowery
Joe Bonamassa on the Eric Clapton classic that’s essential learning for any blues soloist
Written by Memphis Slim, covered by Slowhand with John Mayall, Steppin’ Out is one of the tracks that all blues players should know. Bonamassa teaches you how to play it
Mike Stringer gives us an “unapologetically heavy” lesson in how to combine power chords with hammer-ons and pull-offs
The Spiritbox riff-master shows you how to chug along to Angel Eyes
Pinch Harmonics made easy: how to get the perfect squeal
Our definitive guide on how Billy Gibbons, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and Zakk Wylde make their guitars scream
The secret to great guitar solos isn’t technique – it’s rhythm
All the greats put themselves into their phrasing, and that identity was not only note choice but rhythm. Here are four ways you can add rhythmic interest to great effect
If you learn one thing from Jake E. Lee it should be this: bigger stretches for better shredding
Try this enhanced lesson to strengthen your fourth finger and use your thumb for wide fretting like the iconic Ozzy Osbourne guitarist
Reviews
“A hard-to-put-down Les Paul with bags of character”: Gibson Les Paul Studio Double Trouble review
Gibson brings the Double Trouble treatment to a lower price-point with a weight-relieved Studio version. For skint rockers everywhere, it’s time to rejoice!
“A must-have producer’s plugin for how much ground it covers”: MixWave Yvette Young Plugin review
Yvette Young’s first signature plugin brings every aspect of her technicolor tones to a versatile toybox of a plugin
"It’s deceptively versatile”: Jackson Pro Series Signature Wes Borland King V review
The Limp Bizkit guitarist's new signature is a single-pickup riff machine designed for live playing, and it's capable of more than you might think
Orange Outlowd by Ed Sheeran ES60 review
Busking-ready acoustic amp with an organic, woody voice and star appeal
Gibson Les Paul Special with Mini Humbuckers review
Trading the usual P90s for Mini Humbuckers, this Les Paul Special is bound to raise a few eyebrows with a different sound for a classic guitar
“A smoother, posher high-end and improved touch-sensitivity”: Orange OR60 review
Orange swaps the grit for growl to make this new release its purest-sounding premium all-tube head yet
"Proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a pro instrument": Gretsch Electromatic Premier Jet review
Is Gretsch's new attempt at a Les Paul killer the perfect blend of features and single-cut affordability?
"Very well put together, and fantastic value for money": Baum Guitars Carve review
Is this Danish-designed, P-90-equipped double cut the ultimate retro-modern rock machine for under $1,000?
"A tale of two halves – I found the clean tones to be quite lackluster": Gretsch Electromatic Jet Baritone review
Gretsch's gargantuan scale metal machine gives players an option to downtune without resorting to a 7 or 8 string, but it surprisingly leaves traditional tones in the dark
Buying Guides
Best acoustic guitars 2026: 10 top options for guitarists of all ages and abilities
Guitar World’s pick of the best acoustic guitars from Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Epiphone and more
Best multi-effects pedals 2026: replace your entire rig with our top-rated multi-FX units
From the high-end Neural DSP Quad Cortex to the budget NUX MG-300, we’ve tested 17 multi-effects pedals to help you replace your rig with a single unit
What's the best guitar cable in 2026? These are the tried & tested options I'd recommend to any player
There's a lot of snake oil when it comes to the top guitar cables – I'm a professional guitar gear reviewer and I've tested 11 of the best to help you find your perfect match
Best phaser pedals 2026: add swirling guitar tones to your rig with our expert guide
Looking to create that swirling sound effect? These are the best phaser pedals to try from MXR, Electro-Harmonix, Walrus Audio and more
Best bass compressor pedals 2026: expert picks for the ultimate in low-end control
From studio-style levelers to stompboxes that squash, we put the market-leading compressor pedals for bass to the test
Best amps for metal 2026: my top picks for high-gain heroes
These powerhouse metal amps from PRS, Orange, Friedman, EVH, and more will have you primed to seek and destroy
Best pedal amps 2026: top preamps, power amps, and amp modelers
We rank and review the best guitar amp pedals from Strymon, Universal Audio, Blackstar, and more
