Jackson Maxwell
Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.
Latest articles by Jackson Maxwell
Ritchie Blackmore recalls the first time he saw two-hand tapping – at a wild show in 1968
By Jackson Maxwell published
Years before Eddie Van Halen put it in the early pages of the guitar textbook, Harvey Mandel was highlighting his performances with flourishes of two-hand tapping – grabbing the attention of onlookers in the process…
Peter Yarrow, guitarist, singer for Peter, Paul & Mary, and co-writer of Puff the Magic Dragon, dies at 86
By Jackson Maxwell published
A folk icon and dedicated political activist, Yarrow helped bring the songs of Bob Dylan to the wider public, but his career was later tainted by his conviction on child sex abuse charges
Jeff Beck took the Yardbirds in a new direction, but the constant Eric Clapton comparisons took years to shake
By Jackson Maxwell published
In the first stages of his career, Beck's relationship with Clapton was just as much (if not more) defined by Clapton's already-legendary reputation than it was by the man himself
James Hetfield explains the controversial mixing of Metallica’s …And Justice for All
By Jackson Maxwell published
The band's first album with Newsted, ...And Justice for All was marked by the band's increasingly progressive and technically intricate bent – and barely audible bass parts
Remembering the guitarists we lost in 2024
By Jackson Maxwell published
This year, we've sadly had to say goodbye to many guitar greats from across the world of music. Here, we recognize some of those guitarists, and their contributions to the instrument
The best guitar albums of 2024
By Jonathan Horsley published
The guitar albums that had the biggest impact in the guitar world and beyond, as chosen by GW editors and pro players
The best guitar songs of 2024 – as chosen by Guitar World editors and pro players
By Jonathan Horsley published
With the help of pals including Eric Gales and Vernon Reid, we run down the songs that lit up the guitar-o-sphere this year, including a remarkable hardcore breakthrough, a virtuoso collab for the ages and the prodigy that everyone’s talking about
Eddie Van Halen on the time Billy Corgan played through his rig – and why his setup shocked the Smashing Pumpkins frontman
By Jackson Maxwell published
Finding EVH's rig almost impossible to wrangle, Corgan figured, mistakenly, that there was something he could quickly disable to tame it
How the producers of the Timothée Chalamet-starring Bob Dylan biopic nailed Dylan's unique tone – with a particular tweak
By Jackson Maxwell published
In partnership with the film's producers, Gibson gave Chalamet a collection of pristine, handcrafted guitars – but the movie's head music director needed, for accuracy's sake, to dim their natural sonic richness
Guns N’ Roses are hitting the road in 2025 – and they’re bringing punk and hip-hop legends with them
By Jackson Maxwell published
Having last played live in 2023, Guns N’ Roses will play stadiums around the world – incorporating a number of countries the band have never played in before
Bill Wyman reunited with the Rolling Stones on their Hackney Diamonds album, but didn't like the track he played on
By Jackson Maxwell published
Intriguingly, Wyman added that he also contributed to a second song that has yet to see the light of day
Body Count rip through their Comfortably Numb reimagining on the Tonight Show, as Ernie C does his best David Gilmour
By Jackson Maxwell published
In an interview with host Jimmy Fallon, Ice-T recalled getting the approval (and assist) for the modern-minded reworking from Gilmour – while also getting the go-ahead from Roger Waters
Before the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman needed a good bass guitar – so he built a proto-fretless model
By Jackson Maxwell published
It's a tale as old as time: three guitarists, a need for a bass player, and no one wants the job. Eventually, Wyman took it on, and built himself a proto-fretless model in the process
Scott Gorham's disastrous Thin Lizzy audition inspired a key tweak he makes to all of his Les Pauls
By Jackson Maxwell published
Gorham wasn't unprepared for his tryout with the future rock legends – he just had a guitar that almost seemed to have a vendetta against him
Sweetwater Cyber Monday deals 2024: last chance to save at Sweetwater
By Chris Barnes last updated
Cyber Monday is over but you'll need to move quickly if you want to seal these deals
Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals 2024: last chance to save
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Cyber Monday has officially ended, giving you your final call for guitar gear discounts
Cyber Monday guitar deals 2024: Your last chance to save on guitar gear
By Chris Barnes last updated
Find all the biggest savings on guitar gear from the remaining Cyber Monday sales across the web
Black Friday guitar deals 2024: You can still pick up these bargains in the biggest sale of the year
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Don't worry if you missed out yesterday, we've gathered all the best post-Black Friday guitar deals in one place
Cyber Monday guitar pedal deals 2024: Our expert pick of Cyber Monday stompbox deals
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Your place for all the Cyber Monday deals on guitar pedals, pedalboards, power supplies, and more
Cyber Monday Fender deals 2024: Last chance to bag yourself up to 50% off Fender gear
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Cyber Monday is over, but you can save on iconic Fender gear
Black Friday guitar pedal deals 2024: We round up the very best Black Friday stompbox deals still live right now
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Your place for all the greatest Black Friday deals on guitar pedals, pedalboards, power supplies and more
Musician's Friend Black Friday deals 2024: Last chance to get up to 60% off gear!
By Chris Barnes last updated
Get the lowdown on all the Black Friday sales action at Musician's Friend
Black Friday Fender deals 2024: The official sale is still live! Last chance to save big on guitars, amps, pedals, and more
By Daryl Robertson last updated
This Black Friday, we're seeing some fantastic Fender deals crop up across the web, including discounted Player II guitars
Gibson launches new Custom Shop Jimmy Page 1969 EDS-1275 model that doesn't cost $50,000
By Jackson Maxwell published
While still exacting – with 3D scan rendering and molecularly accurate electronics – this replica of one of Page's most famous weapons diverges from its ultra-high-end predecessor in a few ways
Achieve Nirvana for less with this roaring Cyber Monday discount on Fender's Vintera II '70s Competition Mustang
By Jackson Maxwell published
We gave this super-fun Fender a five-star review, and for $999 this Cyber Monday, it's a killer choice for anyone looking for a weapon for garage-rock, punk, surf-rock, or, obviously, grunge
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