Fender reveals the next-generation American Professional range – and fixes a “70-year gripe”
New offset bridges and overhauled pickups headline one of the most important drops in Fender’s recent history
Latest News
Zoom embraces NAM and AI stem separation with a $300 touchscreen amp modeler, the Neurig
Is this affordable do-it-all multi-effects from Zoom about to shake up the modeler market?
John Mayer shreds Van Halen with Dave Grohl on the Music Man Axis that made his childhood dreams come true
Mayer’s guitar is an exact replica of the Axis that accompanied Eddie Van Halen on the cover of Guitar World in 1991
What’s the best guitar jam you’ve ever seen?
It doesn’t have to have taken place in an arena with big-name players. It could’ve been at a club, a bar, hell, a garage. Tell us your story
Why Zakk Wylde isn’t convinced by the tonewood debate
The Black Label Society frontman says a guy stuck a pickup in a cinder block and it sounded the same, so just get on with it
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Stanley Jordan is writing a metal album on James Hetfield’s signature ESP
Some guitar players struggle to play one guitar. Stanley Jordan? He's using two of them simultaneously, and he's making a metal album
Test your Pink Floyd knowledge with our quiz
How well do you know Pink Floyd: the legendary gear, the iconic songs, and the guitarists who lent them an occasional hand along the way? Test your knowledge in our quiz
The week in gear, ft. Castle Rat’s medieval signature model, Joe Bonamassa’s digital Twin and much, much more
Fender, Dunable, Boss, Gibson and more come through with the goods in a very good week for the reputation of digital guitar amps
![Journey drummer [left] Deen Castronovo, plus keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain and lead guitarist Neal Schon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9kstjKg53FEL6BCbUpYMpR-840-80.jpg.webp)
Artists
Anthrax’s Jonathan Donais on what it’s like to shred for one of the Big Four
Anthrax’s lead specialist since 2013 talks about his role within the group and having to channel his inner Angus Young
Hideki Ishima on the Flower Travellin’ Band, inventing the sitarla and his near-miss with the Rolling Stones
Guitarist Hideki Ishima reflects on his career in guitar, the band's quest to conquer the west, and inventing his own instrument
Indie-rock mainstay Kevin Morby on his Green Day awakening and Midwest state of mind
Armed with an indestructible custom Seüf guitar, Kevin Morby’s new record roams our lost highways and finds humanity in the horror
Dolly Parton was the undisputed queen of country, but she was also a highly underrated guitar player
Dolly Parton leaves a rich legacy. From her quick wit to her remarkable fretting hand, there will never be another like her
Todd Huth wrote Primus’ early guitar parts, then left them to Larry LaLonde
He looks back on his reasons for leaving, his reunions with Les Claypool in Sausage and Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, their drummer struggles, a coffee psychosis with Kirk Hammett, and the Mesa Boogie amp he’d never be without
How a bass she borrowed (and never gave back) helped shape the sound of Rhonda Smith’s new supergroup
Rhonda Smith opens up about her new supergroup with Cindy Blackman Santana and Orianthi – and the lessons she learned from Prince
5 basslines that made Paul Simon a superstar
From David Hood’s deep Southern grooves to Bakithi Kumalo’s groundbreaking fretless work, Paul Simon has always known the value of a great bassist
Michael Hampton, aka Kidd Funkadelic, on the making of the band’s mysterious 1975 classic
Funkadelic history is a little fuzzy. The credits are disputed. But Hampton was there. He takes us back to 1975 to revisit the making of Let’s Take It to the Stage
Alek Darson was mixing a new prog project with Animals as Leaders’ drummer – then he found himself in the band
The Berklee-trained guitarist and producer was originally inspired by Dream Theater and went on to play on a Jordan Rudess album. When a cinematic prog metal project made its way to his studio, he found himself reaching for his WoodGuerillas
Gear
Best practice amps 2026: combos and mini amps tested by experts
I've tested dozens of the best guitar practice amps to find the ultimate home practice rig, from mini tube combos to digital modeling amps
Best patch cables 2026: top picks for your pedalboard
I put 14 different guitar patch cables, including flat, solderless, and premium options that reclaim pedalboard space and eliminate tone suck
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
"What it can do is make a very good guitar rig feel better": OctaKing Burstphonic PAF review
OctaKing takes on the holy grail of guitar tone with its vintage PAF-inspired Burstphonic pedal
Best guitar amps 2026: tube, solid-state, and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets
These are the best combo amps and heads from Orange, Fender, Marshall, Boss, and more
"Opting for the ever-popular 60s SlimTaper neck profile, this guitar is a dream to play": Epiphone SG Standard review
Epiphone’s recreation of this '60s powerhouse is sure to leave you Thunderstruck
A deep dive into the wild, booming world of online guitar giveaways
I took a punt and ended up receiving one of my dream guitars for less than the price of a pack of strings
Lessons
Eric Gales shows you 7 ways to get across the fretboard that unlock his secret to improv
The blues-rock maestro explains how position shifts can shape melodic ideas in his latest lesson column
I’ve been using a violin bow on my guitars for years. Here’s how to make it sound more “ethereal” and less “screeching cat”
Jimmy Page, Adrian Belew, Lee Ranaldo and Sigur Rós popularized the use of the violin bow on guitar, but there’s a knack to making it sound good
Don’t be intimidated by acoustic bluegrass – this lesson is the perfect primer (just watch out for the F6/9!)
Bluegrass folk blues can take many forms, incorporating influences from both sides of the Atlantic, but it all comes down to two hands and the acoustic guitar
How to make your guitar look and sound more vintage – for very little money
Era-specific parts, upgrades and mods can make all the difference
Alex Skolnick shares his legato secrets – and how Holdsworth made the technique his own
Returning as a GW columnist after a 30-year gap, Alex Skolnick is wasting no time with a lesson that'll expand your scalar vocab and work on your legato
Charlie Starr on why choosing the right guitar for the song makes all the difference
The Blackberry Smoke frontman on how sometimes it’s the guitar's tone that’ll unlock the secret to the song
“The most common mistake is thinking it’s an out-of-tune guitar”: What people get wrong about microtonal music
You might think Angine de Poitrine are pioneering a new form of composition. They’re actually popularizing a very ancient approach to creativity
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Reviews
"What it can do is make a very good guitar rig feel better": OctaKing Burstphonic PAF review
OctaKing takes on the holy grail of guitar tone with its vintage PAF-inspired Burstphonic pedal
"Opting for the ever-popular 60s SlimTaper neck profile, this guitar is a dream to play": Epiphone SG Standard review
Epiphone’s recreation of this '60s powerhouse is sure to leave you Thunderstruck
“At $25, having one in your back pocket to spark ideas seems like a bit of a no-brainer”: Devi Ever : fx Plugins review
Devi Ever is back, at least in plugin form
“An addictively playable, lightweight, lively guitar”: West Valley Fever Rambler review
An old-looking newcomer from UK brand West Valley – will this Fever get the mercury rising?
HeadRush FRFR-12 review
One of the originators of the guitar-focused FRFR speaker finally gets around to updating its offering
"If you live to chug, you’ll find a lot to love here": Cort KX500 Baritone review
Cort’s new KX500 Baritone is a lightweight, low-action six-string built squarely for modern metal with Seymour Duncan humbuckers and a 28-inch scale
Eastman Kauffmann Series SC Classic review – individual new design
Another sharp-looking model from the Eastman stable, hailing from across the North Sea in Holland and built from super-lightweight Oregon pine
Buying Guides
Best practice amps 2026: combos and mini amps tested by experts
I've tested dozens of the best guitar practice amps to find the ultimate home practice rig, from mini tube combos to digital modeling amps
Best patch cables 2026: top picks for your pedalboard
I put 14 different guitar patch cables, including flat, solderless, and premium options that reclaim pedalboard space and eliminate tone suck
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 guitar amps 2026: tube, solid-state, and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets
These are the best combo amps and heads from Orange, Fender, Marshall, Boss, and more
Best amp modelers 2026: rack-mounted and floorboard options for every budget
Want a bunch of amp sounds packed into one unit? Start your research with our pick of the best amp modelers for guitarists
Best acoustic guitars for beginners 2026: My top picks for new players, reviewed by a pro
I've tested epic affordable six-strings from Fender, Taylor, Yamaha, and more – read on for my best beginner acoustic guitar recommendations and watch my video demos
Best tremolo pedals 2026: from classic amp pulse to chopped-up stutter
Whether you need subtle vintage amp warmth or high-speed rhythmic chops, these are the tremolo stomps that belong on your pedalboard, from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss, Strymon and JHS
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 boost pedals 2026: lift your tone, push your tube amp and cut through the mix
Best boost pedals 2026: including the best clean boost pedals for guitar Vamp up your tone with the best boost pedals for guitarists, as well as the best clean boost pedals for making your electric guitar solos really sing