Eric Clapton tried to invite Derek Trucks onto his album with JJ Cale – but he thought it was a prank call
Trucks was in the middle of a game of poker when Clapton came calling – but he didn't answer the phone
Latest News
Eric Clapton tried to invite Derek Trucks onto his album with JJ Cale – but he thought it was a prank call
Trucks was in the middle of a game of poker when Clapton came calling – but he didn't answer the phone
How Troy Sanders landed one of metal’s greatest bassists for a guest spot on Mastodon’s new album
Marrow Deep features an unexpected low-end hero – and according to Troy Sanders, it's the album’s defining bass performance
The Edge’s mirror ball Les Paul was one of his most experimental guitars – now it’s up for auction
It featured in the Discothèque music video as the band added electronic elements into their sound
Kiss to celebrate Ace Frehley's legacy with all-star tribute
The current members of the legendary band – Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer, and Eric Singer – are also set to perform
Kiesel continues the push to keep the electric guitar fresh by launching a daring metal offset
The Antares is seen as a spiritual sibling to one of Kiesel’s best-selling models
Phoebe Bridgers gives her new single a TV debut with a band of kids - and they nailed it
Bridgers brought a band filled with viral kid musicians to perform her new song
Gibson has revived one of the most sought-after guitars it has ever produced
Originally crafted for the 1972 Olympic Games, Schenker’s black-and-white version quickly became the stuff of folklore
Artists
He's worked with Grace Bowers and Cory Wong – now Devon Gilfillian wants to introduce “Nashville Soul” to the world
The Philly native’s new record, Time Will Tell, is “a soul album with little spices from the country spice cabinet” – and it’s loaded with guitar-work that's heavy, funky, weird, and, of course, soulful
Meet Ulrika Spacek, the nu-metalheads who transformed into hypnotic ’90s alt-rockers
Boasting three guitarists and an army of offsets, the UK alt-rock outfit are one of this year's most hotly tipped bands
How Greg Freeman is rewriting the country guitar rulebook
The maverick’s latest slice of alt-country-indie comes with an attitude that belies his whimsical portraits of small-town America
“Rock ’n’ roll is full of borderline despots”: Why does Bob Dylan get through so many guitarists?
Fret Buzz The rock icon has had no shortage of brilliant players lining up to follow him in the jingle jangle morning, but lately they’re dropping like flies
As arthritis creeps into the hands of aging guitar heroes, what can we do to prolong our peak playing days?
Joint disorder doesn’t mean a divorce from your beloved guitars – but you need to focus on prevention, not cure
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
Gear
Best beginner electric guitars 2026: top electric models for new players, reviewed and demoed by experts
So you're a budding guitarist? Get started with our pick of the best beginner electric guitars from Squier, Yamaha, and Epiphone
Sort out your ’board! 7 pedalboard accessories to tidy up your stompbox setup
Make your pedalboard easier to play, maintain and evolve with my go-to trimmings, from ultra-affordable to essential
"A very persuasive showcase for Fender's dark horse guitar model": Fender Vintera III Mid '60s Mustang review
The ultimate distillation of Fender's continuously underrated offset?
10 great guitar looping songs that will help you hone your playing
Looping these classic chord progressions will get you familiar with some fresh soloing concepts
Analog vs digital pedals: what's the difference? And is one really better than the other?
We break down what sets analog and digital stompboxes apart, how far they've come, and the groundbreaking designs that combine the best of both worlds
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
Lessons
“Resolving with a more conventional blues phrase sounds really cool and satisfying”: Corey Congilio on how to add harmonic depth to your solo improvisations
Congilio’s Blues Extensions column continues with a lesson in playing a five-minor-7 arpeggio over a dominant 7 chord
Manuel Gardner Fernandes breaks down the 5 techniques that define his sound
Manuel presents his percussive strumming, tapped harmonics, selective picking, and Hetfield-inspired downpicking approaches
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
Reviews
"A very persuasive showcase for Fender's dark horse guitar model": Fender Vintera III Mid '60s Mustang review
The ultimate distillation of Fender's continuously underrated offset?
“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
Buying Guides
Best beginner electric guitars 2026: top electric models for new players, reviewed and demoed by experts
So you're a budding guitarist? Get started with our pick of the best beginner electric guitars from Squier, Yamaha, and Epiphone
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
