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Keanu Reeves reveals the most important bass lesson he learned from Flea
The Hollywood A-lister made his musical comeback in 2023 with his band, Dogstar, and looks back on the rare occasion when his music and acting matrices collided
Latest News
Keanu Reeves reveals the most important bass lesson he learned from Flea
The Hollywood A-lister made his musical comeback in 2023 with his band, Dogstar, and looks back on the rare occasion when his music and acting matrices collided
How Geezer Butler's P-Bass survived a Black Sabbath hater's attack
Butler’s iconic tone – sculpted by blasting his bass through a blown guitar cabinet – was made possible thanks to a beat-up 1968 Fender Precision Bass
Guitar World deals of the week: shop the best Father's Day gifts for all the guitar-playing dads out there, hand-picked by a guitarist with over 20 years playing experience
Our gear experts track down the best weekly deals on guitar gear, bringing you hand-picked savings on guitars, pedals, amps, and more
The most advanced gig bag ever created? D’Addario has launched climate-controlled guitar cases with integrated humidity control
The premium bag looks to be the ultimate solution for guitar players on the go
What are your thoughts on the new Polyphia single?
Tim Henson and co have released a surprise new single that ushers in a whole new genre – and CAN YOU FEEL IT has got guitar fans talking
Polyphia have invented a new genre with their rave riffing new single, CAN YOU FEEL IT
Dance-djent becomes a thing as Polyphia gear up to release their hotly anticipated new record – and as they promised, it’s sounding heavy
Charvel returns to California with new USA-made Neo-Classic Superstrats
Two distinct models help mark a triumphant return to the Corona factory
Artists
Jerry Cantrell on the magic and mods of his iconic 'Blue Dress' G&L Rampage – and the gift from Eddie Van Halen
Back in January 1996, Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell was on the cover of Guitar World with his “Blue Dress” Rampage. 30 years on it's still going strong
Lenny Kravitz on the time he blew Prince’s mind with his guitar tone
Kravitz's straight-into-the-amp setup – which has been at the core of his sound for most of his career – left pedal fan Prince with his jaw on the floor
10 Comments
Guitar tone gourmand Ariel Posen spills the secrets to his sound
The sonic adventurist’s latest album used a treasure trove of guitar, amp and pedal exotica, resulting in his best recording yet
Greg Chaisson waited years to reunite with Jake E. Lee. But then he had to quit, and couldn’t say why
The bassist, who failed his Ozzy audition but wound up in Badlands instead, recalls pushing boundaries with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, falling into the music business despite sport aspirations, and being forced to use a substandard bass in the studio
The call that ended Flea’s days as a pick-playing punk and set him on the path to worldwide fame with the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Flea went on to have major success with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who released their self-titled debut album later that year
Failure’s Ken Andrews on teaming up with Hayley Williams and his return from near-death
After a scary hospital experience, the guitarist lost his mojo for a while – but he’s back with Location Lost, an album that features new twists and turns, along with classic attitude
The moment Jack Gardiner realized Giacomo Turra had lifted his licks
The serial solo thief targeted a range of virtuosos, but Jack Gardiner was one of the first to realize he’d been a victim
Gear
25 tips for tracking down your dream guitar (for the right price)
Buying a guitar can be tricky enough before you even consider the vintage market, and whether a refin is a good or bad thing. Here we unpack some dos, don'ts and things to consider when trading
The Gold Caged Steelcaster is a $15,000, 24-carat T-style inspired by a Cadillac
Just look at all that gold – and the pickups are pretty special, too. But for $15,000-plus, it might be a little rich for most
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
Best guitar plugins 2026: my top plugins to level up your recorded guitar tones
Get better guitar tones for recording and practice with my pick of the best guitar amp plugins
Best guitar straps 2026: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – budget-spanning choices from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials. Plus, buying advice to help you decide
Give your guitar-obsessed dad something he'll actually use this Father's Day – including a best-in-class desktop amp, an intriguing way he can recycle old guitar strings, and more
Save your papa from yet another boring Father's Day with my 9 hand-picked gift ideas for the guitar-playing dad in your life
Lessons
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
How to funk up your blues solos
Taking cues from John Mayer, Jimi Hendrix and Nile Rodgers, this lesson offers three examples of phrases that add rhythm and movement to blues
“To some people, this is more of a ‘jazzy’ sound”: How to use dominant 7 arpeggios in a guitar solo
Because you can't have enough exit ramps from traditional blues phrases, here's how you can use the notes of a dominant 7 chord to spice up your solos
5 chords that sound like they’re in an open tuning (but aren’t)
Because sometimes retuning your guitar is, well, a pain in the backside – and there are workarounds
Charlie Starr on how to play “Piedmont” fingerstyle guitar
The Blackberry Smoke frontman goes unplugged to give us a lesson in the fingerstyle techniques he applies in his day job
Reviews
Yamaha 60th Anniversary RSP20B and RS02CB Chris Buck review
After redesigning the ‘new’ Revstar back in 2022, Yamaha has added two models to the line-up: a 60th Anniversary knees-up and Chris Buck signature model
“I’ve been playing B-benders since 1999, so I was eager to get my mitts on this guitar”: Fender John Osborne Telecaster review
The country-rock star’s Tele tears up the template – and could be your fastest ticket to B-bender tone
"A genuinely brilliant guitar that can do far more than its heavy metal aesthetic suggests": Ibanez Iron Label AZ41B1 review
Ibanez's pitch-black metal machine is hiding a secret beneath its stealthy exterior
Ancoats Granada Special review – a unique modern-retro design with a fresh approach to relic’ing
This UK boutique build references the long-gone Granada Television, another Manchester oddity, and creates a new spin on the T-style
“A fine, gig-ready instrument with premium build quality”: Taylor Gold Label 710E review
As part of an ongoing revision to its esteemed catalog, Taylor has introduced a deep-bodied dreadnought into the fold. Let’s take it out for a spin
"The price might be chunky, but the playing experience, build and sonic delivery are tough to argue with": Ibanez Alpha A528 review
It’s already caused a stir online, but does the Alpha eight-string multi-scale prove itself in person?
Positive Grid Reactor 100 Intelligent Guitar Combo Amp review
Positive Grid is branching out from the market-conquering Spark family with a bold new lineup that could spell trouble for the Boss Katana
Buying Guides
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
Best guitar plugins 2026: my top plugins to level up your recorded guitar tones
Get better guitar tones for recording and practice with my pick of the best guitar amp plugins
Best guitar straps 2026: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – budget-spanning choices from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials. Plus, buying advice to help you decide
Best single coil pickups 2026: from trailblazing designs to vintage traditionalists
From Fender Telecaster twang to Gibson P-90 bite, we’ve compiled our pick of the best aftermarket single coils your money can buy right now
Best budget guitar amps under $500 2026: cost-cutting amplifiers for every player
Get great sounds and features without blowing your budget – from affordable tube amps to wallet-friendly digital modeling amps and everything in between
Best octave pedals for bass 2026: Pitch-shift your playing with my pick of essential pedalboard additions
Looking for a new octave pedal to add to your bass rig, or are you entering the world for the first time? Here's are my top choices along with expert buying advice
