News archive
December 2024
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130 articles
- December 21
- December 20
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- “One of our best-selling pedals for over a decade with an updated feature set”: Electro-Harmonix responds to sky-rocketing looper competition with the Pico 360+ – can this mini looper take the crown?
- “I got together all of my pocket money that I had saved up… it’s still my favorite guitar”: Blackpink’s Rosé on the acoustic guitar she bought when she was 14 and played at the most important audition of her life
- Is it too late to order a guitar in time for Christmas? We break down the important cut-off dates from Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Thomann, Andertons and more
- “Unparalleled comfort during extended play”: This bonkers new strap secures your guitar to your belt and lets you flip it 360 degrees – but it could also solve your back pain issues
- “I was changing my strings on the bed and I had all this garbage when I was done. My daughter said, ‘You should really do something about that’”: Why are D'Addario strings color-coded? CEO Jim D'Addario reveals the story behind the innovation
- Guitar World deals of the week: all the places you can shop a last-minute Christmas guitar deal, plus 5 stocking fillers below $99
- “We’ve been looking for it for 50 years, and I got it back”: Paul McCartney’s long-lost Höfner returns to the stage for the first time in 50 years, as he enlists Ronnie Wood and Ringo Starr for an epic tour finale
- December 19
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- “It was totally improvised. I had no idea that song would go out into the world and be his first single”: Veteran session guitarist Tim Pierce on how his off-the-cuff solo ended up on a Bon Jovi classic
- “An all-in-one power solution, on or off the grid”: D’Addario’s rechargeable XPND Pedal Power promises to make your ’board more portable – but only if you daisy chain
- “The message said, ‘This is Sharon Osbourne. Me and Ozzy have been checking you out, and we really love your guitar playing. We want you to audition’”: That time one of the fastest shredders in guitar history auditioned to join Ozzy Osbourne’s band
- Bob “Slim” Dunlap, guitarist for The Replacements, has died at 73
- December 18
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- “I think he’s wanting to jump into some circles that are a little more blues-oriented. We’re just happy to have him”: Slash makes surprise appearance with the Allman Betts Family Revival to cover Allman Brothers Band classics
- “Prized for its warm and rich character”: Cort brings unsung solid cedar to an accessible price point with 2 sleek $370 acoustics
- “He showed me chords, pinch harmonics, and was ceaselessly encouraging to me when I was a beginning guitarist”: Tom Morello reflects on his high school band with Adam Jones – and how the guitarist shaped him into the player he is today
- “Create the perfect loop”: Mooer stokes the compact looper market with the GL100 – an AI-equipped looper/drum pedal that's less than $150
- “We thought they were quite fun and funny. We weren’t thinking, ‘Oh, people are gonna hate this’”: Neural DSP co-founders reflect on the negative response to their Nano Cortex video campaign – which went viral for all the wrong reasons
- “Even better than the original”: Danelectro’s Spring King was the cult reverb pedal you could kick – now it’s back, but not as you remember it
- “I bring something really different to the band than Nita does”: Orianthi on returning to Alice Cooper – and why she'll take a different approach to Nita Strauss
- “It has 24 frets, which is rare even for a Stratocaster”: Fender Japan and J-Pop guitar hero Rei have launched one of the most inventive Strats in recent years – and it’s got 24 frets and the neck of an unsung 1970s model
- Turn $350 into $400 and save on your guitar of choice with this awesome free Fender gift card offer
- December 17
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- “My brain is like, ‘Guitar solos are dated because Metallica’s solos are from the ’80s…’ She was like, ‘No, I want a guitar solo’”: Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan producer Dan Nigro explains why today’s pop stars want guitar solos on their tracks
- “When we were little kids our dad would say, ‘Get your guitars and play for our guests.’ Someone would always say, ‘Maybe someday you can make a record together’”: Jimmie Vaughan on the only album he and Stevie Ray Vaughan ever made together
- “It’s time”: A Norman’s Rare Guitars documentary telling the story of the world's most famous guitar store is launching on Netflix – and some huge names are set to feature
- “We started doing that before there was a thing called ‘metal’ or the Seattle stuff, we just did it to save our voices. And then it became commonplace”: Gene Simmons says Kiss was one of the first bands to take downtuning into the mainstream
- “I called looking for advice. He tells me, ‘Just wait, I’ve got a surprise for you’”: Gibson’s mystery Metallica-inspired Explorer hasn’t gone to James Hetfield – it’s been gifted to a Hollywood superstar
- Former London guitar store set to house homeless and at-risk families
- “He goes, ‘There’s one condition. You have to come to my house, and I’ll stripe it for you personally’”: That time Eddie Van Halen promised Dimebag Darrell a collectible EVH inspired by his beloved Bumblebee – which he vowed to paint himself
- December 16
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- Soundgarden’s surviving members reunite for charity set – with the help of Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan
- “Well, yesterday was nuts”: Metallica pull out all the stops for All Within My Hands charity gig – bringing out oddball Danelectros, Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament and rareties
- “I think a lot of this stuff is tailored towards big gearheads”: Sophie Lloyd shares her ambitions to make amp modelers “more accessible”
- “There’s absolutely no-one like him. I will cherish this for the rest of my life”: Isaiah Sharkey names his favorite guitar player of all time – and reveals he’s bought one of his most iconic guitars
- “I don’t think James would rip anything off from me, but the first time I heard that song, I was like, ‘That’s awfully close’”: Billy Corgan reckons this Metallica track sounds suspiciously similar to a Smashing Pumpkins deep cut
- “He says, ‘Hey Mike, come over about 1:30.’ And I thought, ‘Well, that’s going to work for me, a little lunch.’ Eddie says: ‘a.m.’”: Mike Rutherford reveals his secret studio sessions with Eddie Van Halen – and sheds light on their unreleased songs
- December 14
- December 13
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- “Unlimited looping for endless ideas”: Can Zoom beat Boss and TC Electronic at their own game and conquer the compact looper game with its latest MultiStomp pedal?
- “Blends Shergold’s rich bass heritage with contemporary appeal”: Shergold’s new Telstar Bass repackages one of the firm’s best electric designs of recent years into a low-end format
- “Clapton’s manager says, ‘George Harrison wants you to do the tour and play all the slide parts – he doesn’t want to do it’”: When rhythm guitar hero Andy Fairweather Low was recruited by a Beatle to play slide – even though he’d never played slide before
- “I was stunned and angry… They easily could have agreed to that, and the reunion would have been on”: Marty Friedman reveals the real reason he rejected Megadeth's proposed Rust in Peace lineup reunion
- “I was lucky to play with my heroes at 9 years old. I remember doing shows with Buddy Guy and Bob Dylan”: Derek Trucks recalls playing with the greats from an early age – and the lesson he learned from Buddy Guy that influenced his entire sound
- Quick! Guitar Center’s up 40% December Deals sale is your last chance to save before Christmas – including hundreds slashed off Fender, Yamaha, Line 6 and more
- “As a guitar collector, when you get the opportunity to buy one of your heroes’ guitars, you must do it”: Stone Sour guitarist Josh Rand’s guitar collection is an ode to the gods of ’80s shred – but he’s putting some of his prize pieces up for sale
- “It’s a testament to just how much utility it provides”: Reverb has revealed its best-selling pedals of 2024 – and it seems we have a winner in this year’s amp modeler race
- “Dick Boak called him and said Martin wanted to do a signature guitar for him. He paused and said, ‘I’ve been waiting for this phone call my whole life’”: The emotional moment Johnny Cash was offered his one-of-a-kind signature acoustic
- “I couldn’t be happier to come back after all these years”: Pantera’s Rex Brown rejoins Spector’s artist ranks – less than a year after dropping his first Epiphone signature
- “I plugged into my first Dumble at a PRS gig. I ran right for it. I beat Carlos Santana and David Grissom to it. I’m like, ‘Out of my way!’” Mark Tremonti on how Paul Reed Smith got him hooked on Dumbles
- December 12
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- NAMM 2025: rumors, predictions and breaking news from the world’s biggest guitar gear show
- “It blew my mind as a 12-year-old”: Dweezil Zappa shares the surprising beginner guitar lessons he learned from Eddie Van Halen
- “A lot of the time it was about how we get the guitar to sound almost worse”: The Timothée Chalamet-starring Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, uses an array of top-of-the-line Gibsons. Its producers had to find a way to make them truer to Dylan's tone
- “They thought they were going to lose me because my vitals were out of control. That’s when a miracle happened. The nurses were baffled”: Jamie Foxx says his daughter saved his life by playing guitar
- “Reveal coming soon”: At long lost, is Gibson finally working on James Hetfield signature guitars?
- December 11
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- “The pick that makes guitar easier”: Introducing the PickTwist – a new 3D pick that will make you a better player… and never slip out your hand
- “Match the tone of the short-pants rock God”: Crazy Tube Circuits bottles Angus Young’s tone in a pedal – including the secret sauce that shaped his guitar sounds (and Kiss, Pink Floyd and Metallica’s, too)
- “I went to Alexander Dumble’s home and plugged into all his amps. He let me play the first one he ever made”: Orianthi’s new signature Orange is inspired by a visit to the most coveted amp maker of them all
- “After leading our overall list for two years, it did not come in No. 1”: Reverb reveals its best-selling electric guitars of 2024 – and the previous top-seller has been toppled
- “Elevating the amplified sound to incredible new heights”: Faith has given its staple Eclipse acoustics a premium reboot – and they’re aiming to be the ultimate stage guitars
- “I came across this clip and I enjoyed watching. Great job!” Steve Vai gives his seal of approval to the viral Hungarian high-schooler who nailed For The Love of God at his school prom
- December 10
- December 9
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- “I went to a Fender event with her and they allowed the public into the exhibit. People were losing their minds. It kind of scared me”: Abigail Ybarra is a legend of the pickup world – but her daughter didn’t realize until she got mobbed by fans
- Guns N’ Roses are hitting the road in 2025 – and they’re bringing punk and hip-hop legends with them
- “I played and sang Suffragette City and everyone else was doing Foxy Lady – I was so drunk, I didn’t even know”: The Cure’s Robert Smith on his disastrous first show as a singer and guitarist... when he butchered a Jimi Hendrix classic
- “Jimi Hendrix came in with an old Duo-Sonic. I had just put together a Strat I’d strung up left-handed, and I went, ‘I’ll trade you.’ I was docked three weeks’ pay”: Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter recalls the questionable guitar deal he made when he met Jimi Hendrix
- “I blew it up and replaced it with a black-panel Deluxe. He probably doesn’t know...”: Steve Hill on the time he recorded at Foo Fighters’ studio – and broke Chris Shiflett’s prized Fender Princeton
- “The finest tone we’ve ever achieved. It’s knocking industry titans off pedalboards”: Keeley has launched a new Rotary pedal – and it could be the brand’s most significant launch in some time
- “We are both at the top of our game”: Steve Vai and Joe Satriani have formed a new band together – and will release new music ahead of upcoming tour dates
- December 8
- December 7
- December 6
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- “I got really sick, and in the hospital, I decided to teach myself how to play guitar. I was playing piano and violin classically, and it was a little intense”: Yvette Young on why choosing the guitar felt “magical” – and what it represents to her
- “Gilmour says, ‘I want to play on it’ – like, he doesn’t do this’”: Body Count rip through their Comfortably Numb reimagining on the Tonight Show, as Ernie C does his best David Gilmour
- “It’s everything the SLO is, all in a pedal”: Soldano’s SLO Plus could be the new hard rock pedal amp to beat – bringing both channels of the legendary SLO-100 guitar amp to the floor
- “Captures the very essence of British rock ’n’ roll”: The Masquerader Standard makes one of cult UK builder Shergold’s most distinctive guitars significantly more affordable
- “I hope that’s cleared up any curiosities about how we run the show”: Sleep Token’s guitar tech finally lifts the lid on IV’s entire live guitar rig – right down to his pick of choice
- “When she asked me if I would come be her lead guitar player, I just was like, ‘Um, how can I say no to Shania?’” Lindsay Ell on the “pinch me moment” she became Shania Twain's lead guitarist
- “This band has allowed me to diversify my playing 10-fold. I would consider myself a one-trick pony prior to joining”: Kiki Wong on how playing with Smashing Pumpkins has made her a better guitar player
- “You could tell it was gonna be a good group, but people wouldn’t even book the band”: Long-awaited Becoming Led Zeppelin documentary gets its first trailer – and hints at the band’s early struggles
- December 5
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- “An enhanced version of the classic”: Gibson has put an all-new spin on its traditional Les Paul Studio – and it was created in response to requests from players
- “An all-in-one suite for songwriting”: Mooer’s latest pedal is ridiculously light, insanely small… and could be the most portable multi-effects unit out there
- “I didn’t have a bass guitar, so I had to make one. Unknown to me at the time, I built the first fretless bass, about five years before they came out”: Before the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman needed a good bass guitar – so he created his own
- “A lot of them need to be played. They have souls”: One of California’s top music entrepreneurs has left behind one of the finest vintage guitar collections we’ve ever seen
- “I got a chance to play the guitar that David Gilmour owned with serial number 0001 – and I was actually disappointed”: Why one of David Gilmour’s most iconic Strats underwhelmed Fender’s CEO – who tried to buy it at auction
- “It was finally time to see if we could do a second build of this revered Boogie”: The iconic Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ is officially back – 40 years after the holy grail high-gain amp was last produced
- “He said, ‘That was a great take, but would you like to do it again?…Are those P-90 pickups?’” That time Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon was a total guitar nerd and solved a pro player’s persistent feedback problem in minutes
- December 4
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- “If I was only doing blues, we wouldn’t be sitting here. The mix of what I do is what makes it stand out”: Bonnie Raitt on why pushing beyond the blues was key to her success – that, and making her guitar “sound like bacon smells”
- “Phil and I were both on our knees trying to find this screw”: Scott Gorham's bootleg Les Paul fell apart during his disastrous Thin Lizzy audition, but his struggles inspired a key tweak he now makes to all of his Les Pauls
- “No other company delivers as many innovative and affordable products as we do”: Behringer blasts critics and announces return to NAMM after 10 years away
- “This album has been thousands of years in the making”: 80-year-old blues guitarist and singer-songwriter wins Australia's top music prize – beating Nick Cave and Amyl and the Sniffers
- “What do you say when you meet Vernon Reid by chance at the Memphis airport and he suggests you swap signature guitars? You say, ‘Yes sir, coming right up’”: Jack White and Vernon Reid exchange signature guitars after serendipitous airport encounter
- Fulltone founder allegedly posts and deletes graphic comment encouraging suicide, directed towards Michigan State Senator
- “From metal machines to versatile all-rounders”: Explore the Ibanez GIO range – a powerhouse of the high-performance guitar market that caters to every discerning taste
- December 3
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- “His guitar work can be heard all over iconic tracks from their internationally acclaimed Mezzanine album”: Massive Attack guitarist Angelo Bruschini's guitars and gear are currently up for auction
- “The Kemper came into play obviously as a convenience. But when I profiled my first Marshall, it sounded identical. I couldn't tell the difference”: Bad Religion's Brian Baker on his switch to a Kemper – and why he swears by it for his live setup
- “Jimmy was the player who defined the EDS-1275 from the day it was delivered to him”: Gibson launches new Custom Shop VOS Jimmy Page 1969 EDS-1275 model – a meticulous recreation of the Led Zeppelin man's iconic double-neck that doesn't cost $50,000
- “I get disrespected before I even play”: Guitar prodigy Grace Bowers on how she’s won over the critics who underestimate her
- “Trump Guitars is not in any way officially connected with Gibson”: Trump Guitars backtracks after Gibson cease and desist and takes Les Paul-style guitars off the market
- I've just scoured the post-Cyber Weekend sales and found 64 guitar gear deals that won't be around much longer
- “A new dimension of creativity”: Controlling your pedalboard with head movements and your breathing? This potentially game-changing new device lets you do just that (sort of)
- “My friend talked to a roadie, and they said to come back the next day to meet at Steve Howe’s hotel room in downtown Detroit”: When he was a teen, Duane Denison tried to sell a vintage jazz box to one of his guitar heroes
- December 2
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- “Whether it’s clean chords or aggressive fuzzed-out solos, this Mustang takes it all in its stride”: Achieve Nirvana for less with this roaring Cyber Monday discount on Fender's Vintera II '70s Competition Mustang
- “Trust me, the Hizumitas isn’t just a pedal – it’s an experience”: I swore off pedals, but Sweetwater’s time-limited 20% off EarthQuaker Devices Cyber Monday sale is too tempting to ignore
- “When I pull up, Ed is standing there with the wah. He goes, ‘Why does John Frusciante want a piece of crap like this?’” Eddie Van Halen’s tech helped John Frusciante track down a rare wah pedal – but the guitar hero didn’t approve of his gear choice
- I built the Lego Fender Stratocaster and the detail blew me away – it just dropped to its lowest EVER price, and I need to tell every guitarist in my life immediately
- I’ve been reviewing this Telecaster/Les Paul mash-up and have fallen in love with it – now the Squier Paranormal Troublemaker is 25% off un the Fender Cyber Week Sale, and I’ve got it in my basket
- I already thought this Sterling by Music Man was the smart buy of the beginner guitar market, but now that it’s under $200 at Sweetwater for Cyber Monday, it’s a no-brainer...
- Guitar Center return policy: Worried about buying a guitar online? Here’s everything you need to know about the retail giant’s return policy
- Fender's first-ever Player II deals sold out fast – but you can still grab a $200 discount on a Stratocaster in one last Cyber Monday offer
- “It’s a great piece for your arsenal. I did some recording with mine and it worked great”: Joe Perry names his new favorite amp company
- Selling a Cry Baby was my worst-ever pedal deal. Now Guitar Center is offering a 20% discount on the classic wah – is it finally time to let go of my very real pain?
- Quick! ALL JHS Pedals are 25% off – they’re selling out fast, but you can still grab some Cyber Monday stompbox bargains
- I’m shocked by how many newly launched guitars, amps and pedals are discounted this Cyber Monday – including my favorite electric guitar release of the year
- I’ll always love my plucky little Yamaha, but I’m in serious need of an acoustic upgrade. These are the Cyber Monday savings I have my eye on
- One of my favorite headphone amps for guitar just got a last-minute discount for Cyber Monday
- Not to be outshined, Guitar Center just dropped the best Cyber Monday deal for Chris Cornell fans: Score $120 off the Epiphone ES-335 Bigsby in gorgeous Olive Drab while stocks last
- This Jim Root-approved hardtail Fender Strat is now 30% off for Cyber Monday – and it's your very last chance to buy this super-rare model
- We think the Boss Gen 3 Katanas are some of the very best amps in the business – and there's still enough time to get up to $150 off these do-it-all amps with this last-minute Cyber Monday deal
- Musician’s Friend’s Cyber Monday 15% off coupon is now live and it applies to thousands of guitars, pedals, amps, accessories and more – but you’ve not got long left to bag yourself some bargain gear
- “The easiest upgrade you can make to your guitar”: I hate restringing guitars, and that’s why I fit locking tuners to all my electrics – and with 26% off Fender locking tuners, you can improve your Strat or Tele for less
- Harley Benton is the champion of cheap guitars and gear, but I just spotted these dirt-cheap Cyber Monday deals that make them even cheaper
- “I will make sure Steve Vai sees this video”: Hungarian high schooler goes viral with flawless performance of For The Love of God at his prom
- “Everything the modern musician needs to record great-sounding guitars”: Grab a first-ever Cyber Monday deal on one of our top-rated guitar audio interfaces
- The Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour signature’s $10k price tag leaves me uncomfortably numb. Instead, I’d spend $549 on this Limited Edition Player model from Guitar Center – and make my own Black Strat...
- “I depended on Mike – on how he maintained my guitars and amps show after show, and hour after hour in the studio”: Joe Satriani pays tribute to his long-time guitar tech with new video
- "Straight out of the box, the build quality of the D'Angelico Premier Gramercy was immediately impressive, especially considering its price point": Score $160 off one of our top-rated beginner acoustics this Cyber Monday
- December 1
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- Guitar Center just dropped a 15% off coupon for Cyber Monday – and it’s valid on thousands of guitars, pedals, amps and accessories – including one of our favorite signature models, a fire-breathing EVH lunchbox head, and that Hello Kitty strap you wanted
- “I used to sit in the back seat of the rental car while I was on my radio tour at 16 writing songs”: Taylor Swift learned to play guitar on this acoustic – now you or a loved one can too, with $100 off her pint-sized Taylor signature for Cyber Monday
- I’ve been reporting on Cyber Monday guitar pedal deals for 7 years – and I’ve never seen discounts like these
- Cyber Monday Les Paul deals are starting to heat up – and I’ve picked out the best of the bunch so far
- I’ve tried every kind of earplug in my 20 years of gigging – and the best ones I’ve used just received their first-ever discount ahead of Cyber Monday
- Public service announcement: Fender straps have been discounted to as little as $5 for Cyber Monday – but not for much longer
- Fender’s Squier Debut Stratocaster took the fight to cheap Amazon guitars when it arrived earlier this year – now it’s dropped below $100 for the first time ever
