Dan Hawkins on the time he jammed “back to back” onstage with Brian May
The Darkness shared the stage with the Queen guitar legend back in 2011
Latest News
Dan Hawkins on the time he jammed “back to back” onstage with Brian May
The Darkness shared the stage with the Queen guitar legend back in 2011
Joe Bonamassa says “armchair quarterbacks” have turned guitar culture toxic
Endless vitriol for flubbed notes, seeing every performance as some kind of competition. Where does this stop? As Bonamassa says, it put one artist in therapy
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The pedal that JHS Pedals’ Josh Scott was working on before his horror bike accident has been launched
The $119 Short Circuit pedal has been designed in collaboration with Coppersound – and it’s a lot more advanced than the Notaklön or Notadümblë
My pick of the best new guitar gear launched this week – from free Line 6 plugins to a game-changing modeler update
Big new drops from HeadRush, Epiphone, Line 6 and more
Why Airbourne’s Joel O’Keefe swears by his Gibson Explorer onstage but never plays it at home
O'Keefe nearly knocked himself out with the Explorer, but insists that it's still his all-time favorite
Nikki Sixx confirms Mötley Crüe are using backing tracks, but says it’s fine because Queen are too
The band have been accused of miming in the past
Gibson's Mark Agnesi explains the difference between relic’ing and aging guitars
Gibson’s Director of Brand Experience gives his take on aged guitars – and explains why Murphy Lab is closing the gap with bona fide vintage models
Artists
James Burton on his electrifying tenure as Elvis Presley’s guitarist – and the tragic day it came to an end
The Tele titan anchored The King’s latter day backing group, the TCB Band, from 1969 until Presley’s tragic death in 1977
Nils Lofgren on how the Bruce Springsteen gig saved his life at his lowest point
Lofgren was broke, living back home in D.C. with his folks, when a call to jam turned his life around
“It was like seeing an instrument from outer space": The story of Eric Clapton's Cream guitars
Beyond the tales of Clapton’s lost ’Bursts, the guitarist reached for a variety of instruments during his tenure in Cream, from the iconic ‘Fool’ SG to a mid-’60s ES-335
Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy on his greatest gear bargains – and why Billy Gibbons now owns his two of them
The Wilco guitarist discusses his best gear finds and why he has his mom to thank for some of them
The life and times of game-changing guitar journalist Dave Burrluck
As Guitarist’s inimitable reviews editor, Dave's expertise and generosity will be greatly missed by the guitar community worldwide
10 classic Yngwie Malmsteen quotes – the maestro in his own words
The man who introduced Paganini to electric guitar, fired a gun in the studio, has a rig that can be seen from space… There is only one Yngwie Malmsteen
Billy Morrison on collaborator and best friend Ozzy Osbourne, his partnership with Steve Stevens, and his all-star new album
Hollow features guest spots from Dexter Holland, Nuno Bettencourt, Duff McKagan, and more, with a credits list that reads like a who’s who of rock royalty
Gear
"The only limiting factor here for any style of playing is technique": Harley Benton ST-62HA review
Harley Benton's budget relic S-type delivers supreme playability and classic tones, but what about that finish?
"Try to put yourself in the mindset of a music listener, not a music maker": Record better guitars at home with 8 of my pro tips
As well as advice on getting better results within your own home studio environment, I also cover the main gear you'll need and the pros and cons of recording your guitar by yourself
"The Floyd Rose genuinely feels like the finishing touch this model always needed": Gibson Victory Floyd Rose review
Gibson’s latest iteration of this cult, rediscovered ‘80s model is the big win fans have been waiting for
Are you prioritizing the wrong end of your signal chain? Two pro gear reviewers debate whether you should spend more on your guitar or amp
Armed with just a $2,500 budget, we’re duking it out to see which part of your rig is a better investment – which side are you on
Best FRFR speakers 2026: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your digital modeler with the best FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths
"It can go from barely there room sound to a drawn-out blooming reverberance": JHS 3 Series Reverb review
This budget reverb pedal delivers impressive tones, a handy pre-delay switch, and an ultra-rugged build quality, all for just $99
Harley Benton TE-62LA review
With superb playability and an awesome neck pickup for under $250, the finish may be divisive, but Harley Benton's new Aged series is undeniably great value for money
“A clever expanding pedalboard that solves a real gigging problem, but it isn’t without practical compromise”: D'Addario XPND 1 pedalboard review
D’Addario’s XPND range brings telescopic pedalboard expansion with a rugged design built for real-world use – but is it genuinely practical, or just clever engineering?
Lessons
Don’t barre the F chord. Try embellishing it instead
John Frusciante and Lindsey Buckingham are both advocates for alternative F chord shapes that give you extra options for color
How recycling chord shapes can unlock new and surprising sounds
By recycling open chord shapes in different positions, you will uncover a wealth of fascinating voicings – just ask Jimmy Page. Here are 5 chords to get you started
Feel is more important than accuracy. Just ask Kim Thayil, Alex Lifeson and Jimmy Page
Sofia Victoria on how imperfect vibrato, wrong notes and open string noise can add substantial character to conventional soloing
How to install LR Baggs’ HiFi Duet acoustic pickup – and yes, we’re gonna drill a hole in Chris Buck’s guitar
Chris Buck bought a new acoustic for tour, but he needed a pickup installed. Enter Huw Price and his drill
Why muting the low E string is one of the most important lessons any beginner guitarist can learn
Learning to mute individual strings makes all the difference when mastering your first guitar chords
Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer on how extended-range guitars open up new possibilities with chord voicings
Mike Stringer's progressive metal masterclass continues as he teaches you how to play Spiritbox’s Tsunami Sea
Charlie Starr on how to turn a simple, catchy riff into a killer song
The Blackberry Smoke guitarist pays tribute to the power of the almighty riff in his latest GW lesson
Reviews
"The only limiting factor here for any style of playing is technique": Harley Benton ST-62HA review
Harley Benton's budget relic S-type delivers supreme playability and classic tones, but what about that finish?
"The Floyd Rose genuinely feels like the finishing touch this model always needed": Gibson Victory Floyd Rose review
Gibson’s latest iteration of this cult, rediscovered ‘80s model is the big win fans have been waiting for
"It can go from barely there room sound to a drawn-out blooming reverberance": JHS 3 Series Reverb review
This budget reverb pedal delivers impressive tones, a handy pre-delay switch, and an ultra-rugged build quality, all for just $99
Harley Benton TE-62LA review
With superb playability and an awesome neck pickup for under $250, the finish may be divisive, but Harley Benton's new Aged series is undeniably great value for money
“A clever expanding pedalboard that solves a real gigging problem, but it isn’t without practical compromise”: D'Addario XPND 1 pedalboard review
D’Addario’s XPND range brings telescopic pedalboard expansion with a rugged design built for real-world use – but is it genuinely practical, or just clever engineering?
“Not your average digital delay by any means”: Beetronics Pollinator Hazee Delay review
Beetronics cross-pollinates delay and modulation to create textural sounds that blur the boundaries between them
"The build quality is superb, it plays like a dream": Sire Larry Carlton S7 Ash Top review
With a raft of premium features, Sire's super value-for-money S-style makes a concrete case for dodging the big brands
"Any aspiring dirt purveyor worth their salt will naturally gravitate toward the HalfLife’s crushing wall of sound" EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) HalfLife Octave Distortion & Booster review
EQD’s HalfLife pedal delivers the droned, bottom-heavy fury inspired by Sunn O))) with uncompromising force
Buying Guides
Best FRFR speakers 2026: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your digital modeler with the best FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths
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 bass preamp pedals 2026: consistently great tone, wherever you are
Unlock bass preamp power with our expert picks from Orange, Ampeg, Electro Harmonix and more…
Best acoustic guitar pickups 2026: electrify your acoustic with our expert picks
Whether it be for performing live or recording at home, the best acoustic guitar pickups from LR Baggs, Fishman and others will help you enhance your tone
Best online guitar lessons 2026: I tested 20+ apps and sites to help you play faster, smarter, and cheaper
Learning guitar online is cheaper and more flexible than traditional tuition, but only if you choose the right platform. Together with Guitar World’s expert team, I’ve put the top lesson sites to the test for every budget, genre, and skill level, including a fantastic free option
Best electric guitars 2026: our top picks for every playing style, ability and budget
Useful buying advice and our expert pick of the best electric guitars for newcomers to pro players
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
