Dean parent company ordered to pay Gibson more than $4 million in legal costs
After losing its battle over trademark infringement, Armadillo, the company that owns Dean, must foot the bill for Gibson’s legal campaign
![Carlos Alomar shreds on a pink Superstrat [left]. Paul McCartney poses with a Goldtop.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vWJAGkGgeMbMB4YUpVDcR8-1200-80.jpg.webp)
Latest News
Dean parent company ordered to pay Gibson more than $4 million in legal costs
After losing its battle over trademark infringement, Armadillo, the company that owns Dean, must foot the bill for Gibson’s legal campaign
I've spent hundreds of hours tracking guitars, and with up to 50% off in Sweetwater's studio and recording sale, here's what I'd buy
Sweetwater's latest sale delivers huge savings on everything from audio interfaces to legendary microphones
Jim Root responds to backlash over Slipknot taking Marilyn Manson on tour
Fans have questioned Manson’s place on the bill for Slipknot’s stadium shows following allegations from multiple women accusing him of sexual misconduct
Dimebag Darrell’s confidential guitar designs could become a reality
Until very recently, the Pantera guitar icon’s longtime girlfriend and estate trustee, Rita Haney, was the only one who had seen the designs
Guitar Summit 2026: 10 highlights from Europe's biggest guitar show
Players from across the globe united under one roof to share their combined passion for the guitar, and what a show it was...
The hottest bass gear of the month, including the smallest signature bass money can buy
September’s bass arrivals are led by two 6-string artist models, while Ashdown shifts its focus from bass amps to bass guitars
“Amazon got two takedown orders”: Fender has hit 60 firms with cease-and-desists
The world’s biggest online retailer is one of 60 companies involved in Fender’s ongoing Stratocaster copyright dispute
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Artists
“If I don’t know it’s me I think, ‘Damn, that's pretty good. Wonder who that is?’ Then when I realize it’s me I kind of want to throw up”: Chet Atkins was his own harshest critic and hated what he played
From The Archive Atkins was one of the greatest of all time and yet he was never satisfied. We guitar players can be too hard on ourselves
Adaptable, sampled and revered, Leo Nocentelli shares stories from a session career that began at 13 years old
The Meters icon has worked with Motown, McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Otis Redding, Albert King and countless others, learning hard lessons to the point that he’s sick of playing guitar and booking shows
Mick Mars wasn’t even awake when he recorded parts for one of Mötley Crüe’s biggest tunes
From the Archive Mars looks back on the making of one of Crüe’s most popular tracks
Jim Adkins on the making of Jimmy Eat World’s Bleed American – and The Middle’s iconic guitar lead
In 2001, Jimmy Eat World were out of money but had a wealth of ideas, and put together an album that would change their lives for good
Jazz virtuoso Emily Remler has gone unnoticed for far too long – now, one filmmaker is bringing her story to light
Born in New Jersey, Emily Remler traversed the world with her talent, before her life was cut short at 32. Now, director Al Naffah is bringing her story to the screen
Laurence Juber on his bass lesson from Paul McCartney and the making of Wings’ 1979 swan song
As a Beatles fan, Laurence Juber was living the dream working with Paul McCartney, and with Denny Laine, formed a formidable team to support him on guitar for Back to the Egg
A degenerative nerve condition forced Amit Dattani to hang up his acoustic. A custom electric guitar saved his playing
Fans of Mississippi John Hurt and Big Bill Broonzy need to check the fingerstyle heroics of Amit Dattani, who is charting the blues’ future by exploring its past
“Crazy things happen when we play this song. Someone was crowdsurfing and threw out their prosthetic leg for me to sign”: How Drowning Pool made Bodies
Guitarist C.J. Pierce on how the life-changing 2001 track went from funk demo to nu-metal classic, and what people don’t understand about the song
The quintessentially French, impossibility brilliant Pierre Bensusan on the freedom of DADGAD and unpredictable magic of performance
We caught up with Pierre on the British leg of his current tour to discuss how to play guitar with freedom, heart and soul – without letting nerves or ego trip you up
Gear
HeadRush FRFR-12 review
One of the originators of the guitar-focused FRFR speaker finally gets around to updating its offering
"If you live to chug, you’ll find a lot to love here": Cort KX500 Baritone review
Cort’s new KX500 Baritone is a lightweight, low-action six-string built squarely for modern metal with Seymour Duncan humbuckers and a 28-inch scale
Best tremolo pedals 2026: from classic amp pulse to chopped-up stutter
Whether you need subtle vintage amp warmth or high-speed rhythmic chops, these are the tremolo stomps that belong on your pedalboard, from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss, Strymon and JHS
Eastman Kauffmann Series SC Classic review – individual new design
Another sharp-looking model from the Eastman stable, hailing from across the North Sea in Holland and built from super-lightweight Oregon pine
"It's a bit of an acquired taste, aesthetically": Washburn Scavenger SB4R review
A classic US brand shows some new signs of life…
Best mini amps for guitar 2026: power up your practice with these tiny towers of tone
My top picks of small guitar amps that pack a punch and let you practice when you're short on space
The story of Gary Moore’s ’55 Les Paul Junior – a bargain buy from a Sex Pistol
The Les Paul Junior was a stripped-down student solidbody that became a professional favourite – and an iconic Thin Lizzy-era Moore electric
Best boost pedals 2026: lift your tone, push your tube amp and cut through the mix
Best boost pedals 2026: including the best clean boost pedals for guitar Vamp up your tone with the best boost pedals for guitarists, as well as the best clean boost pedals for making your electric guitar solos really sing
Lessons
How to make your guitar look and sound more vintage – for very little money
Era-specific parts, upgrades and mods can make all the difference
Alex Skolnick shares his legato secrets – and how Holdsworth made the technique his own
Returning as a GW columnist after a 30-year gap, Alex Skolnick is wasting no time with a lesson that'll expand your scalar vocab and work on your legato
Charlie Starr on why choosing the right guitar for the song makes all the difference
The Blackberry Smoke frontman on how sometimes it’s the guitar's tone that’ll unlock the secret to the song
“The most common mistake is thinking it’s an out-of-tune guitar”: What people get wrong about microtonal music
You might think Angine de Poitrine are pioneering a new form of composition. They’re actually popularizing a very ancient approach to creativity
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5 ways to make the C chord much more interesting
Because guitarists are limited by fretboard geometry, it pays to get creative with chord voicings – as Jimi Hendrix and Nile Rodgers show, clever inversions can make rhythm parts pop
If you learn one thing from Johnny Marr it should be this…
The Smiths’ chord secrets revealed
Joe Bonamassa on how to saddle up a capo and get more out of your cowboy chords
The blues maestro demonstrates how a change of key can change your perspective and give your chord work new life
Reviews
HeadRush FRFR-12 review
One of the originators of the guitar-focused FRFR speaker finally gets around to updating its offering
"If you live to chug, you’ll find a lot to love here": Cort KX500 Baritone review
Cort’s new KX500 Baritone is a lightweight, low-action six-string built squarely for modern metal with Seymour Duncan humbuckers and a 28-inch scale
Eastman Kauffmann Series SC Classic review – individual new design
Another sharp-looking model from the Eastman stable, hailing from across the North Sea in Holland and built from super-lightweight Oregon pine
"It's a bit of an acquired taste, aesthetically": Washburn Scavenger SB4R review
A classic US brand shows some new signs of life…
“Truly an amp improver – you’d instantly miss it if you turned it off”: ThorpyFX Kudu review
Named after a huge antelope, the colourful new ThorpyFX drive pedal is a versatile tone-enhancer designed for stacking
“A game-changer? In some ways, absolutely”: Steadfast Stopbar review
If you have a guitar with a stopbar tailpiece, this changes everything
“Something genuinely original in a world of copies”: Steelyjam Delta Junior review
Is aluminum the future of guitar bodies? We put the Steelyjam Delta Junior, a hollow metal double cut with a single P-90, to the test
Buying Guides
Best tremolo pedals 2026: from classic amp pulse to chopped-up stutter
Whether you need subtle vintage amp warmth or high-speed rhythmic chops, these are the tremolo stomps that belong on your pedalboard, from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss, Strymon and JHS
Best mini amps for guitar 2026: power up your practice with these tiny towers of tone
My top picks of small guitar amps that pack a punch and let you practice when you're short on space
Best boost pedals 2026: lift your tone, push your tube amp and cut through the mix
Best boost pedals 2026: including the best clean boost pedals for guitar Vamp up your tone with the best boost pedals for guitarists, as well as the best clean boost pedals for making your electric guitar solos really sing
Best combo amps 2026: all-in-one tone, power, and versatility
From stage-ready tube icons to powerful digital modellers, here's our pick of expert-tested combos for every budget and playing style
Best 12-string guitars 2026: our pick of 12-string acoustic and electric guitars
Our expert guide to the best 12-string guitars from Taylor, Rickenbacker, Fender, and others
Best guitars for kids 2026: top electric and acoustic guitars for children
The top kid’s guitars available today and everything you need to know to get your child started with the guitar
Best reverb pedals 2026: from spring to shimmer, these are our top picks for your pedalboard
Take a deep dive into the cavernous world of 'verb and explore the best reverb pedals for every budget
