Al Di Meola becomes the latest guitarist to play Jerry Garcia's “Tiger” on stage
Since going under the hammer for $11.56 million at the Jim Irsay auction, “Tiger” has also appeared on stage with Derek Trucks
Latest News
Al Di Meola becomes the latest guitarist to play Jerry Garcia's “Tiger” on stage
Since going under the hammer for $11.56 million at the Jim Irsay auction, “Tiger” has also appeared on stage with Derek Trucks
Former Turnstile guitarist Brady Ebert faces potential life sentence after indictment on attempted first-degree murder
The indictment follows Ebert's arrest in March on charges of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault, after he allegedly hit former Turnstile bandmate Brendan Yates’ father with his car
Reb Beach on why crafting guitar solos with Whitesnake was more challenging than Winger
Beach looks back on his career and how he employed his guitar chops differently in his two major bands
Why Nels Cline fell in love with Jazzmasters
The Wilco guitarist explains the enduring appeal – and remarkable endurance – of his Jazzmaster, a guitar for all seasons
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How Joe Holmes got the coveted Ozzy Osbourne gig
Holmes rocked up fully prepared for his audition thanks to his teacher
All the new guitar gear that caught my eye this week – including Chase Bliss’ “most foolish” pedal yet
The rebirth of B.B. King's first acoustic, a leading Dumble clone in plugin form, another spin-off of the famed Big Muff – all that and more in this week's round-up
A stage-used and tour-worn Les Paul becomes the most expensive Slash guitar ever sold at auction
The Gibson Les Paul ’59 Custom Shop guitar, used during the band's blockbuster Not in This Lifetime… Tour, went under the hammer for $307,692
Artists
The making of the Smiths’ 1986 classic The Queen Is Dead
It was a square peg amid the shred scene and almost sank Johnny Marr, but the Smiths’ majestic third album ended up as the jewel in their crown
Why P-funk legend Michael Hampton is keeping an open mind in search of his solo sound
The P-Funk veteran takes us inside his latest life stage, a much more mellow place than the frenzied funk days of his past
How the Dirty Nil’s sound runs on vintage Marshall power and a healthy serving of the Rat pedal
Weaned on the Stooges, Luke Bentham developed a taste early on for any player who could “peel paint” from the walls. Here, he walks through the high-volume approach behind the Dirty Nil's latest, which originally provoked a cease-and-desist from the Holy See...
Richard Oakes on the making of Suede’s 1996 Brit-pop classic Coming Up
Guitarist Richard Oakes arrived in the band as Bernard Butler's replacement – a relative rookie. Suede were supposedly cooked. And yet in songs like Trash and Beautiful Ones, they had something special indeed
Marshall Crenshaw on his Karen Carpenter tribute, why collecting is "infantile" and how he was made in Detroit
From the Hellhole collects deep cuts and EP tracks from the ’10s and it presents a unique insight into an artist who believes FM ruined radio – and who would do as many takes as it took
Joe Perry tells all about that “too cool” electric you saw on MTV when Walk This Way came on
The Aerosmith guitarist's mid-’80s X-100 Blade Runner is so cool it makes you wonder why Guild doesn't bring it back
Gary Shea’s never-say-never approach to Alcatrazz, New England… and maybe even Vinnie Vincent
The left-handed bassist discusses the pitfalls of being with Kiss’ management, selling his Ampeg gear to Malmsteen’s band, and releasing a record that shows what might have been with Vincent
Gear
"Who thought we’d look to the kings of gritty bass for silky neo-soul tones?" Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate review
Neural revisits its origins with an expanded suite of Darkglass emulations that have the power to become your go-to bass plugin
“It does those Spaghetti Western sounds just as well as it does the crushingly heavy stuff”: Sterling by Music Man StingRay Baritone review
The iconic StringRay shape makes its debut in the new world of baritone guitar with some seriously impressive results
“This is the one processor that brings me significantly closer to joining the virtual amp modeling dark side”: Nux MG-50Li review
It’s glaringly apparent that the new comparitvely affordable multi-effects and amp modeler pedal is a significant leap forward for Nux
How a Smashing Pumpkins superfan made the only amp Billy Corgan has ever truly loved
Brian Carstens spent 30 years obsessing over Corgan’s guitar tone. Then he ended up making amps for his hero – not to mention John Fogerty, Tool and Misha Mansoor
“The new vibrato only adds to the appeal – it’s easy to see how this guitar could do the business equally well for metal, jazz-fusion or function gigs”: Strandberg Boden Standard N2.6T review
A new vibrato design, on a guitar we loved already – will we be tickled pink?
Best ukuleles 2026: Acoustic and electric ukes for all budgets and playing styles
Get started or find your next upgrade with our pick of the best ukes from Mahalo, Martin and Cordoba, plus a cool Fender Jazzmaster ukulele
"The AI-assisted future of guitar effects pedals? In its current form, not quite. But its ambition is massive": Polyend Endless review
NAMM 2026's Best in Show winner promises to provide an immersive insight into the future of guitar effects pedals – but is the potential of this stompbox well and truly endless?
Lessons
Dare you join us at the crossroads? Welcome to the acoustic blues masterclass
Inspired by Big Bill Broonzy, Lightnin' Hopkins and the O.G. blues great Robert Johnson, this lesson just requires an acoustic guitar. Heartbreak optional
5 easy open-position alternate chord voicings that will give you extra jangle
James Honeyman-Scott of The Pretenders was a master at creating interesting parts from simple alternate chords. We look at five you can use in your playing
How to introduce hybrid picking into your lead playing
In his inaugural Guitar World column, the great Corey Congilio demonstrates how all players can benefit from a technique borrowed from country players
How to stop burning out before you stop the music
We all know it’s tough to survive in this industry. But do we all know what to do about it? Here are some ways to look after yourself better, suggested by welfare experts
Charlie Starr on the magic of the B-Bender – and 5 bender-inspired licks you can play on any electric
The Blackberry Smoke guitarist gives us a lesson in how to sound like you've got a B-Bender, even if you don't
A blues guitar hero showed me how he held his pick – and it changed the way I played guitar
Some sage advice has shaped my entire playing journey – and anyone can give it a go for immediate results
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Philip Sayce: The 5 techniques that define my sound
Turbocharge your fretting hand stretches, screaming bends and blues-rock intensity with the core techniques that shaped Philip Sayce’s signature sound
Reviews
"Who thought we’d look to the kings of gritty bass for silky neo-soul tones?" Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate review
Neural revisits its origins with an expanded suite of Darkglass emulations that have the power to become your go-to bass plugin
“It does those Spaghetti Western sounds just as well as it does the crushingly heavy stuff”: Sterling by Music Man StingRay Baritone review
The iconic StringRay shape makes its debut in the new world of baritone guitar with some seriously impressive results
“This is the one processor that brings me significantly closer to joining the virtual amp modeling dark side”: Nux MG-50Li review
It’s glaringly apparent that the new comparitvely affordable multi-effects and amp modeler pedal is a significant leap forward for Nux
“The new vibrato only adds to the appeal – it’s easy to see how this guitar could do the business equally well for metal, jazz-fusion or function gigs”: Strandberg Boden Standard N2.6T review
A new vibrato design, on a guitar we loved already – will we be tickled pink?
"The AI-assisted future of guitar effects pedals? In its current form, not quite. But its ambition is massive": Polyend Endless review
NAMM 2026's Best in Show winner promises to provide an immersive insight into the future of guitar effects pedals – but is the potential of this stompbox well and truly endless?
“I find it to be a very playable guitar indeed, despite its huge dimensions”: Danelectro Dan O Cool Baritone review
This retro-inspired semi-hollow baritone offers a refreshing departure from your typical extended range guitar
“You hear the ‘Lowden effect’ immediately – even the simplest of chords seems to ring for days”: Lowden GL-J 2026 review
Ed Sheeran’s acoustic builder introduced its first production electric model to the lineup in 2018. We check in on its progress
Buying Guides
Best ukuleles 2026: Acoustic and electric ukes for all budgets and playing styles
Get started or find your next upgrade with our pick of the best ukes from Mahalo, Martin and Cordoba, plus a cool Fender Jazzmaster ukulele
Best overdrive pedals 2026: from mid-hump to transparent tone
My pick of the top-rated overdrive pedals will get your gain tones on point
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
Best Telecasters 2026: top Teles for all tastes
Whether it’s your first Telecaster or you’ve walked in the boots of guitar-playing royalty, our top Telecasters will help you get your twang on
Best blues guitars 2026: these six-strings are ideal for all types of electric blues covering various price points
Wondering what the best blues guitars are at the moment? Here we have 10 of the finest options from Gibson, Fender, Guild and more
Best acoustic guitar amps 2026: let your acoustic tone shine
Our expert pick of acoustic amplifiers for all budgets, from AER, Boss, Fishman, and others
Best noise gate pedals 2026: clean up your signal with the best noise gate pedals for guitar
Unwanted noise in your chain? A noise gate pedal could be the solution
Best 7-string guitars 2026: the ultimate guide to extended range instruments
Navigate scale lengths, active pickups, and multiscale fretboards with our expert-vetted selection of the best seven-string guitars
Best beginner guitar amps 2026: my top picks from over a decade working in music retail
After nearly 10 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