How Mike Campbell ended up reconnecting with a classic piece of Heartbreakers gear
Turns out, the missing piece of his ideal tone was closer than he thought...
Latest News
How Mike Campbell ended up reconnecting with a classic piece of Heartbreakers gear
Turns out, the missing piece of his ideal tone was closer than he thought...
When the Eagles’ founding guitarist knew it was time to leave
Bernie Leadon left the band amid a changing lineup and creative differences
Paul McCartney's guitars allegedly held up in England ahead of major Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibition
The seven guitars, which are part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's “Paul McCartney and Wings” exhibition, are central to the showcase, which opens in two days
The crazy method a thief used to steal 50 bass guitars – including one belonging to Guy Pratt
The session ace lost his beloved during a spree of thefts, and he’s still looking for it today
The metal amp brand beloved by Dimebag Darrell, Kirk Hammett and Scott Ian is on the cusp of making a comeback
The once-giant amp firm has quietly reignited its product development in recent years
NAMM President John Mlynczak testifies about the impact of tariffs in Washington DC
Mlynczak says the tariffs will price beginners out of the market and harm the broader industry ecosystem as a result
The real reason Machine Gun Kelly chose a razor blade shape for his signature guitar
Mgk caused a stir when Schecter dropped his razor blade signature in 2024 – now he’s explained why he opted for the divisive design
Artists
How Andrew Gouche rose from playing church halls to become the guru of gospel bass with Prince
Gouche met Prince in 2011 while leading Chaka Khan’s band
Richie Kotzen and Adrian Smith on absurd volume, improv and how long a solo should be
We meet Smith and Kotzen pre-show to talk gear, their new album Black Light/White Noise, and find a pair whose chemistry makes this a hard-rock project with legs
“You could scrape that guitar, smoke the residue and get strung out”: Walter Trout’s life in three guitars
The Strat-addicted bluesman describes the three guitars he couldn’t, can’t or won’t live without
“I’ve never concerned myself with the Big Four”: Gary Holt and Lee Altus on why Exodus will never be a legacy thrash act
The Bay Area thrash stalwarts return with the face-ripping Goliath, an album that finds them with nothing to prove but Holt's still out for blood anyway
Linda Perry on the enduring success of 4 Non Blondes’ What’s Up?, and the Goldtop she wouldn't sell to Slash
The veteran hitmaker recalls attending guitar class without owning an instrument, and reveals why she decided to re-record the smash she wrote for Christina Aguilera
The difficult birth of The Sisters of Mercy’s trailblazing goth classic
Billy Corgan loved First and Last and Always so much he invited guitarist Wayne Hussey to his home to jam it. Over 40 years on, Hussey and Gary Marx look back on its dark majesty
A rare look inside Prince's world – record label battles, 3am sessions and wildfire guitar genius
The year is 1994: Prince has changed his name to O(+>, is at war with his label, and is readying a smoldering, guitar-heavy blues/funk trio album. GW was given rare access to his inner sanctum – his band, his studio, and even the elusive man himself
Gear
The making of the Telecasso – the Telecaster-Picasso mashup that has driven guitarists crazy
Les Godfrey has been crafting guitars for over 30 years, and with his latest creation, he brings a Cubist take to a timeless model
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
“Despite its toy-like dimensions, it comes across as a very grown-up guitar indeed”: Taylor BT1e Baby Taylor review
Has Taylor’s travel pioneer retained the top spot three decades on? We get hands-on to find out if it’s still the best sofa strummer out there
“One of the best electrics out there, at any price”: Yamaha Pacifica SC Professional and Standard Plus review
Yamaha’s Pacifica range has been a stalwart of the company’s electric guitar lineup since 1990. These new SC models could well represent the pinnacle of that journey
"Tired of run-of-the-mill guitars? Well, this may be the six-string for you": Epiphone Futura RD Custom review
Epiphone drags a ‘70s cult classic kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a tight modern build
"There’s a clear midrange presence here, but it never tips into that boxy territory that smaller-bodied acoustics can sometimes fall into": Martin LX1E Little Martin review
A three-quarter size acoustic that sounds bigger than most of its competition
"Look past the dated interface, and you will discover killer tones": Kemper Profiler Head MK2 review
A product that changed the game upon its initial release gets a long-awaited update. But can it keep up with the increased competition?
Lessons
Joe Bonamassa breaks down the differences between P-90s and PAF humbuckers
In this lesson, the blues maestro demonstrates how pickup choice affects the tone and can be used for different purposes
How to survive setbacks when music is your identity, not just your job
Australian metal veteran Glen Phillips on what he wished he knew when he was starting out
The simple trick that adds sparkle to your songs: Nashville Tuning explained
David Gilmour, Keith Richards & Taylor Swift all do this…
Spiritbox's Mike Stringer shows you how syncopated bends can add extra spice to your metal playing
Your 21st-century metal workshop is in session, as Stringer shows you how to play Spiritbox's Holy Roller
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
Reviews
“Despite its toy-like dimensions, it comes across as a very grown-up guitar indeed”: Taylor BT1e Baby Taylor review
Has Taylor’s travel pioneer retained the top spot three decades on? We get hands-on to find out if it’s still the best sofa strummer out there
“One of the best electrics out there, at any price”: Yamaha Pacifica SC Professional and Standard Plus review
Yamaha’s Pacifica range has been a stalwart of the company’s electric guitar lineup since 1990. These new SC models could well represent the pinnacle of that journey
"Tired of run-of-the-mill guitars? Well, this may be the six-string for you": Epiphone Futura RD Custom review
Epiphone drags a ‘70s cult classic kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a tight modern build
"There’s a clear midrange presence here, but it never tips into that boxy territory that smaller-bodied acoustics can sometimes fall into": Martin LX1E Little Martin review
A three-quarter size acoustic that sounds bigger than most of its competition
"Look past the dated interface, and you will discover killer tones": Kemper Profiler Head MK2 review
A product that changed the game upon its initial release gets a long-awaited update. But can it keep up with the increased competition?
"Just the thing to fight back against the rise of amp modeling": Two Notes Torpedo Captor X Plus review
Two Notes' uber-popular tube amp companion just got even more powerful thanks to a swathe of additional features
“Holy smokes, it’s absolutely stunning in person”: Fender 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster
The Telecaster has a big birthday this year, commemorated by this golden wonder
Buying Guides
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 parlor guitars 2026: sofa-friendly acoustics for every budget
The grandfather of acoustic guitars – our top parlor guitar picks from Gibson, Martin, Yamaha, and more
Best guitar cleaning kits and tools 2026: Keep your guitar looking and sounding sweet
Keep your instrument in its prime with my pick of the best cleaning kits and maintenance tools
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
