Was David Bowie a good guitar player? Adrian Belew, Peter Frampton and more weigh in
Bowie's various sidemen share their thoughts on what their former leader was like as a guitarist
Latest News
Was David Bowie a good guitar player? Adrian Belew, Peter Frampton and more weigh in
Bowie's various sidemen share their thoughts on what their former leader was like as a guitarist
Tony Iommi shares Ozzy Osbourne tribute on the first anniversary of his death
Iommi has paid a heartfelt tribute to his former Black Sabbath bandmate
Joe Perry on what it's like being in a band with Johnny Depp
From the silver screen to the studio, Johnny Depp’s ongoing tenure as one of three guitarists in the Hollywood Vampires is decades in the making
When David Bowie asked Robert Fripp to play like a Deep Purple legend
Fripp had made magical contributions to Bowie's masterpiece, Heroes, just a few years earlier – but this time the legend had something very different in mind…
Martin caves to player demand and revives its smallest guitar body shape
The 5-28 Terz is a tiny 12-fret acoustic that promises a distinct voice of its own
Wayne Charvel, legendary luthier who built guitars for Eddie Van Halen and gave rise to the Superstrat, dies aged 85
The revered guitar builder was one of the most influential modders and makers of his time, and sparked the custom shop revolution
L7 bassist Jennifer Finch, who changed the game on and off the stage, has died aged 59
The musical and cultural force passed away shortly after revealing a brain cancer diagnosis
Artists
Ozzy Osbourne on his special writing dynamic with Randy Rhoads
Blizzard of Ozz was the Prince of Darkness' solo debut – but it forever marked Rhoads as a guitar hero for the ages
Dive into the secrets behind Randy Rhoads’ guitar tone on Crazy Train – plus how to nail the sound on a budget
How a mids-heavy EQ and a triple-tracked solo gave Rhoads to the sound that launched Ozzy's solo career
Why The Edge was always destined to become a different kind of guitar hero
In 1996, U2's six-string sonic experimentalist offered a frank discussion of his influences – and why he felt disillusioned with the current guitar scene
The songs that made Tom Verlaine take the guitar seriously
Piano and saxophone were his first loves. The guitar came much later
Robbie Robertson on Bob Dylan's rocky electric transition
Though he was playing to some of the biggest crowds of his career, Dylan hadn’t consistently performed electric band shows since his teens – and those gigs certainly weren’t to cheering (and jeering) masses
The guitar solo Joe Satriani wished he never wrote
Tuning issues and a desperate need to blow off musical steam from limiting session work made it a lesson learned for the esteemed shredder
Inside the chaotic sessions that produced Jimi Hendrix's classic rendition of All Along the Watchtower
Recorded in London and New York, Hendrix's version of the Bob Dylan track would become the Experience's best-selling single – but it took many takes to get there
The Sweet's last man standing Andy Scott on wild times and triumphs in glam's most influential band
The guitar history of the Sweet, one of the best-loved bands of the glam era, who splashed color, fun and rock-solid riffs across the ’70s pop world – and influenced a generation in the process
Gear
“This is the sound in every Green Day fan's head”: Marshall Billie Joe Armstrong Signature 1959BJA review
The legendary Green Day frontman’s new amp – Time of Your Life, or a Basket Case?
Darkglass Anagram Limited Edition Guitar Essentials review
Darkglass goes guitar with the Guitar Essentials package and this limited edition, facelift version of the hardware, in collaboration with Andertons and Sweetwater.
What is guitar relic'ing, and why is it so controversial among guitarists?
Fret Buzz Sure, you can get the visual mojo of a heavily-played instrument – but some players insist you’ve gotta earn it…
What this Golden Era ’63 SG tells us about Gibson design
The Les Paul Standard may be the most iconic and the ES-335 the most versatile, but the SG remains Gibson’s greatest commercial success
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
"There’s something about the pure honesty of a tube amp that can’t be topped”: 5 reasons I think digital modelers still can’t win the gear war
I'm here to argue that the humble valve amp is still as relevant today as ever – here's why
3 Comments
How a glam-metal guitarist built Joe Satriani an amp that captured Eddie Van Halen’s tone
3rd Power’s Dylana Nova Scott leaned on an impressive production background to design boutique amps for some of the biggest names in the biz
Lessons
From B.B. King to Eric Clapton and Otis Rush, the blues is the core element of Joe Bonamassa's playing
In this essential video lesson with the guitar superstar, he explains why it doesn't matter what style he is playing – it always begins and ends with the blues
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
Two essential G chord shapes: when to use each finger position and why
You'll spend a lot of time playing this chord – thankfully, there are multiple ways to do it, and each has a distinct purpose
Why four notes and the truth are all you need for a great slow blues solo
In this lesson, we are using just four notes to construct four blues examples that put expression first
“Resolving with a more conventional blues phrase sounds really cool and satisfying”: Corey Congilio on how to add harmonic depth to your solo improvisations
Congilio’s Blues Extensions column continues with a lesson in playing a five-minor-7 arpeggio over a dominant 7 chord
Manuel Gardner Fernandes breaks down the 5 techniques that define his sound
Manuel presents his percussive strumming, tapped harmonics, selective picking, and Hetfield-inspired downpicking approaches
Mike Stringer on how 8-string guitars take him outside his comfort zone in search of creative dissonance
Using the low-end monster riffs of Spiritbox's Fata Morgana, Stringer offers up a rhythm masterclass in modern metal
Reviews
“This is the sound in every Green Day fan's head”: Marshall Billie Joe Armstrong Signature 1959BJA review
The legendary Green Day frontman’s new amp – Time of Your Life, or a Basket Case?
Darkglass Anagram Limited Edition Guitar Essentials review
Darkglass goes guitar with the Guitar Essentials package and this limited edition, facelift version of the hardware, in collaboration with Andertons and Sweetwater.
"Gives the Custom Shop pickups in my Strat a run for their money": Fender Vintera III Late '50s Stratocaster review
Fender sends a love letter to the golden age of guitars with an accessible vintage-inspired instrument
"Once I'm playing, the Hush X Live feels much more like a 'real' guitar than the novelty I was first expecting." Donner Hush X Live Pro review
An ambitious, affordable, and fully-loaded guitar that looks to be a one-stop shop for all your traveling needs
“Would work a treat with flat-wound strings”: Fender Vintera III Late ‘60s Precision Bass review
Fender's Vintera range receives another round of tweaks – and a new ‘60s-styled P-Bass
"A very persuasive showcase for Fender's dark horse guitar model": Fender Vintera III Mid '60s Mustang review
The ultimate distillation of Fender's continuously underrated offset?
“A hard-to-put-down Les Paul with bags of character”: Gibson Les Paul Studio Double Trouble review
Gibson brings the Double Trouble treatment to a lower price-point with a weight-relieved Studio version. For skint rockers everywhere, it’s time to rejoice!
Buying Guides
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
Best acoustic guitars 2026: 10 top options for guitarists of all ages and abilities
Guitar World’s pick of the best acoustic guitars from Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Epiphone and more
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
What's the best guitar cable in 2026? These are the tried & tested options I'd recommend to any player
There's a lot of snake oil when it comes to the top guitar cables – I'm a professional guitar gear reviewer and I've tested 11 of the best to help you find your perfect match
Best phaser pedals 2026: add swirling guitar tones to your rig with our expert guide
Looking to create that swirling sound effect? These are the best phaser pedals to try from MXR, Electro-Harmonix, Walrus Audio and more
