Latest articles by Matt Owen
Fender’s elevated Player II Modified line brings the firm’s most sought-after guitar upgrades to the masses
Speedy satin necks, upgraded pickups, expansive electronics and Floyd Rose tremolos headline the drop, which lifts the humble Player II line to new heights
John Mayer has been spotted playing a Neural DSP Quad Cortex live for the first time – could this be his new amp modeler of choice?
Mayer swapped his usual Fractal for a Quad Cortex for his guest performance with Zedd at Coachella
The guitar gear releases you might have missed this week, from Martin and Fender to Tone King and D'Angelico
A double dose of signature guitars, a highly anticipated pedal amp from Tone King and a comprehensive Martin Junior series overhaul headline this week's drops
Bring Me the Horizon’s Lee Malia is no stranger to signature offsets – but he wasn’t too fond of his first
Years before launching one of 2025's most desirable builds with Jackson, Malia partnered with Epiphone for a range of signature guitars back in 2014
Giacomo Turra used their solos note for note for his own viral content. Now the guitarists who had their songs “stolen” are speaking out
Turra was accused of lifting solos for his social media output, and responded to the allegations in an apology video – but guitarists are continuing to find evidence of his repurposed playing
This 12-year-old heavy metal prodigy never expected to be mentored by a former Megadeth guitar player – but that’s exactly what happened
Vox Realis has already starred on The Kelly Clarkson Show, amassed thousands of social media followers and jammed with a big-name shredder
Martin’s Junior Series has been given its most significant upgrade yet
Updated electronics, solid tonewoods and new models make up the 2025 edition of Martin's humble Junior series, which starts from $699
Fender and Mike Campbell recreate the Red Dog – The Heartbreaker’s heavily modded 1972 Telecaster
Campbell bought the Red Dog from one of his students, and used it across his career on some of his most notable works
Popular social media guitarist Giacomo Turra accused of stealing other musicians’ songs for content
The funk and R&B guitarist has responded to the accusations
Dave Allen, former Gang of Four bassist and post-punk heavyweight, dies aged 69
Allen’s work on Gang of Four’s first two albums would inspire generations and influence the likes of Nirvana, REM, and Flea, who has paid tribute to the late bass icon
Ritchie Blackmore suffered a heart attack last year
The Deep Purple legend is set to play six shows in the US this Spring, but has been told not to fly by his cardiologist
Billy Corgan on why he plays off-the-shelf Reverends – and isn’t fussed about playing expensive guitars
The Smashing Pumpkins frontman plays his stock signature guitars for the band's biggest gigs
Phil Manzanera tried to relearn one of his classic riffs after it was sampled by Kanye West and Jay-Z – and even the Pink Floyd hero couldn’t help him
The Roxy Music legend was ultimately saved by a younger player, who helped him get to grips once again with the iconic hook
The incredible untold story of the mystery Martin that was specially commissioned in 1973 – and went viral with John Mayer 50 years later
Mayer's viral performance with Sheryl Crow in 2023 sent the guitar world into a frenzy when he took to the stage wielding on unidentified small-bodied 12-string acoustic – now its astonishing history has finally come to light
Chaka Khan is holding open auditions to find a new guitar player – but she’s got some very specific requirements
The legendary disco vocalist has announced a worldwide audition to find an additional guitarist
How Andy Summers formed one of the 1980s’ most unlikely guitar partnerships with Robert Fripp – despite not being especially keen on some of his work
The worlds of stadium rock and prog came together for a time in the early 1980s, when The Police and King Crimson guitarists teamed up for a handful of avant-garde records
Sterling by Music Man completes its trilogy of Joe Dart signature models with a trio of made-to-order basses that cost less than $500
The Vulfpeck funk maestro has unveiled two all-new models that slash more than $2k off the price of his Ernie Ball Music Man basses – and revived the OG Sterling Dart I that proved such a hit last year
The April Fools Day guitar gags are out in full force this year – and we've rounded up the best
Andertons, Orange, Positive Grid, and more have all taken the festivities seriously this year, with a range of silly stompboxes and wacky gadgets that will tickle your funny bone
“Our goal is to stay at the forefront of amplification innovation”: How Seymour Duncan set out to create the ultimate bass amp solution by pushing its PowerStage lineup to greater heights
Sponsored by Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan has expanded its revered PowerStage line with a do-it-all amp head designed specifically for bassists – but it's so much more than just a companion for your amp modeler
March 2025 Guitar World Editors' Picks
A round-up of March's best and most exciting guitar-led cuts from the likes of YUNGBLUD, Sleep Token, Samantha Fish, Great Grandpa, Rachel Chinouriri, Joe Bonamassa, Mickey Callisto, and many, many more
How Rotosound revolutionized the bass world with its Swing Bass 66 strings – and shaped the sound of rock music in the process
Sponsored by Rotosound
The story of how Rotosound founder James How worked with one of the brightest minds in bass history to produce a string that has stood the test of time – and defined music history as we know it
Fender gives its Player II Series a high-spec metal makeover with limited-edition FSR Advanced drop
A range of finishes have been rolled out to UK retailers as Fender gives its humble Player II line a serious revamp
Brian Setzer says he’s recovering well after an autoimmune disease left him unable to play guitar
The Stray Cats’ rockabilly legend dreams of returning to the stage as soon as possible
Seymour Duncan pushes the boundaries of its PowerStage series with dedicated bass unit
The latest PowerStage offers an onboard preamp and built-in overdrive in a bid to cover all bases for bassists
Mooer’s Prime M2 crams amps, cabs, effects and a looper into an ultra-light, pocket-sized pedal with a touchscreen and rechargeable battery
Mooer's latest Intelligent Pedal offers a bevy of tonal options, MIDI and Bluetooth functions, and much more in an immensely portable package
