Doug Irwin, legendary maker of Jerry Garcia’s record-shattering Tiger and Wolf guitars, dies aged 76
Irwin made five guitars for Garcia, two of which became some of the most expensive guitars of all time when they sold at auction
Latest News
Doug Irwin, legendary maker of Jerry Garcia’s record-shattering Tiger and Wolf guitars, dies aged 76
Irwin made five guitars for Garcia, two of which became some of the most expensive guitars of all time when they sold at auction
How a luthier built an acoustic guitar that celebrates Palestinian heritage – raising money for medical aid along the way
Gary Leddington utilized his craft, and his surrounding community, to build a one-of-a-kind acoustic that features Palestinian motifs
Ziggy Marley on the whereabouts of Bob Marley’s iconic Les Paul Special – and why he prefers a Strat now
Marley Senior’s legendary Les Paul was his prime stage and studio guitar
Lindsey Buckingham teases reunion with Stevie Nicks following renewed interest in their pre-Fleetwood Mac album
The two publicly fell out in 2018 and Buckingham subsequently left Fleetwood Mac
The world’s first generative AI guitar creates playable parts from user prompts
It’s designed to help beginners master the basics via a rhythm game-like learning experience
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival announces 2026 lineup
Now in its seventh edition, the festival is set to take place in Austin, Texas – and features Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, and John Mayer, while Trey Anastasio, Tommy Emmanuel, Julian Lage and Pete Townshend are all making their Crossroads debut
Josh De La Victoria shows off new multi-scale 7-string S-type – and Misha Mansoor wants one
The custom build gives the classic guitar design an ultra-modern makeover, and it’s hard not to marvel at the results
Artists
The 10-string oddity that became one of Joe Perry’s most iconic guitars – even though he hardly played it in Aerosmith
Perry and B.C. Rich go way back. The Aerosmith guitarist looks back on the most outlandish guitar the brand ever made him, the ’70s Bich 10 Supreme
The story behind Intervals virtuoso Jacob Umansky’s signature bass – and why Avenged Sevenfold changed his life
The Intervals and Nita Strauss bassist’s personalized 6-string Dingwall was first made as a one-off artist build – only for it to turn into his first-ever signature model
Air-guitar playing AC/DC fan Doug Rappoport on how he fell into working with Edgar Winter and Paul Gilbert
Despite horrifying Winter at one point with his terrible tone, and only barely managing to keep up with Gilbert, the guitarist who was inspired by an Angus Young solo has kept himself incredibly busy
How Allen McGrier brought his Jamerson-approved Detroit swagger to a classic R&B ballad
Bassist Allen McGrier grew up in the shadows of Motown and the Jamerson family in particular
Meet STONE, the Liverpool alt-rockers who quit their major label, wowed Yungblud’s fans and wrote their new album on a Gibson missing a string
Second album AUTONOMY is a strike for freedom for the Liverpool quartet, who felt limited in their corporate environment
Jim Gustafson and Poobah endured decades in the dark, but now their early albums are selling for $1,000 a copy
Even though his band was produced by Billy Cox and opened for Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, and countless others, industry issues held him back. And yet, powered by his original Marshalls and pedals, Jim Gustafson's determination means he’s still out there today
Joe Perry gives us a decade-by-decade guide to the amps behind his Aerosmith tone
Is Joe Perry a Marshall guy, Fender guy, boutique guy, pedal amp guy? Answer: he’s all of the above
Jimmie Vaughan was a garbage man listening to B.B. King. Then he wound up touring with his hero
He once snuck into a B.B. King show aged 13. Now Jimmie Vaughan is part of Joe Bonamassa's all-star tribute to the King of the Blues – he explains how he approached tackling his hero's licks and what he learned from the master
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Gear
Best compressor pedals 2026: control your tone with the must-have utility pedal
My pick of the best guitar compressor pedals will enhance your tone with options from Boss, Keeley, MXR, and more
“A high-octane character that’s occasionally stubborn, but it stands out from the crowd”: Fender 75th Anniversary American Professional Classic Cabronita Telecaster review
The Telecaster’s “asshole cousin” trades traditional twang for a boutique growl that looks as sharp as it sounds
How EarthQuaker Devices went beyond the boutique pedal boom and took left-field tones mainstream
EQD founder Jamie Stillman on the pedal that made the company famous, why the overcomplicated is not for him, and the stompbox that serves death metal and country guitarists alike
“It really has everything going for it”: Faith PJE Legacy FG4 Earth review
Patrick James Eggle’s take on the OM body shape is built by Faith’s facility in Indonesia and based around PJE’s Linville model from his acoustic-building days. But does it rock our world?
“It’s the same, loud, high headroom amp but with a more open-sounding clean tone that boasts a little extra life”: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 30th Anniversary review
Fender celebrates 30 years of the ubiquitous Hot Rod Deluxe with an Anniversary edition that boasts a speaker change and a classy aesthetic
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EarthQuaker Devices Towers review
The latest entry into EarthQuaker Device's range of revolutionary ambience machines will make you rethink your relationship with reverb
The amp wizards who shaped the technology we use today, and gave the world great guitar tone
The designs and innovations created by Reinhold Bogner, Paul Rivera, Michael Soldano, and Jose Arredondo have shaped the amps of today, and continue to shape the amps of tomorrow
Lessons
How Joe Bonamassa and Slash channeled BB King and the Edge for an iconic cover of an iconic tune
In his latest lesson for GW, Joe Bonamassa celebrates B.B. King’s late '80s collaboration with U2
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
Reviews
“A high-octane character that’s occasionally stubborn, but it stands out from the crowd”: Fender 75th Anniversary American Professional Classic Cabronita Telecaster review
The Telecaster’s “asshole cousin” trades traditional twang for a boutique growl that looks as sharp as it sounds
“It really has everything going for it”: Faith PJE Legacy FG4 Earth review
Patrick James Eggle’s take on the OM body shape is built by Faith’s facility in Indonesia and based around PJE’s Linville model from his acoustic-building days. But does it rock our world?
“It’s the same, loud, high headroom amp but with a more open-sounding clean tone that boasts a little extra life”: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 30th Anniversary review
Fender celebrates 30 years of the ubiquitous Hot Rod Deluxe with an Anniversary edition that boasts a speaker change and a classy aesthetic
3 Comments
EarthQuaker Devices Towers review
The latest entry into EarthQuaker Device's range of revolutionary ambience machines will make you rethink your relationship with reverb
“The best Big Muff there’s ever been for bass”: Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi 2 review
A long-lost EHX Big Muff variant, made real – and now made for bassists to enjoy too.
“Arguably the most practical single pedal you can put in front of an amp”: Flattley The Outlaw review
Flattley combines the functions of two of its pedals into one chassis to create a Marshall-flavoured drive and boost
"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
Buying Guides
Best compressor pedals 2026: control your tone with the must-have utility pedal
My pick of the best guitar compressor pedals will enhance your tone with options from Boss, Keeley, MXR, and more
Best chorus pedals 2026: My pick of choices for your 'board at every price point
From analog to digital, and shimmery to subtle, let me show you the top chorus pedals you can buy today from the likes of Boss, Ibanez, MXR and Walrus Audio
Best 3/4 acoustic guitars 2026: small-bodied, short scale sensations from Taylor, Martin, Fender and more
I count down the best compact acoustics for new players, smaller guitarists and those looking for a neat 'couch guitar'
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
