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February 2024

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113 articles

February 29
- “This song presents a kind of revisionist history where guitar solos were cool after all in the early noughties”: February 2024 Guitar World editors' picks
- “He remembers my guitar sound clearly, end of story”: Dave Davies rejects Eddie Kramer’s Jimmy Page overdub claims and insists that he alone played all guitar parts on You Really Got Me
- Fender Play is the cheapest we’ve ever seen with this one-day-only deal - get a year’s worth of top-quality lessons for just $29
- “It far surpasses anything that I’d ever used before”: Ed Sheeran flips the looper market on its head with his own line of feature-packed loop pedals
February 28
- “It’s not just a guitar; it's a symphony waiting to be played”: Gretsch continues its signature guitar spree with yet another luxurious limited-edition Broadkaster Jr. – this time for worship music titan Chris Rocha
- “Nothing is held back or toned down”: Mdou Moctar has announced a new album that will be “louder, faster, and more wild” than anything before it – hear the electrifying title track, Funeral For Justice
- “The curator called me with tears in his voice – it’s a devastating mess”: Museum honoring legendary blues trailblazer Mississippi John Hurt destroyed in fire
- “This is like an intro to something Metallica wrote in the 1980s”: 11-year-old guitar hero breaks the internet with his original metal riffs – performed in front of his fellow fifth-graders
- “Vintage Firebird specifications at an accessible price”: Epiphone’s $1,799 Inspired by Gibson Custom 1963 Firebird V has landed – offering a high-spec take on Gibson’s first neck-through body build
- “So proud!” Olivia Rodrigo is gigging a custom purple St. Vincent Goldie signature guitar – and the one-off Music Man has a story behind it
February 27
- “The camp is very protective, and has extremely high standards”: Fender says gaining the EVH endorsement was a crucial benchmark for the Tone Master Pro
- “An exact replica of Ed’s personal stage guitar used on all of his stadium sized gigs during the Mathematics tour”: Lowden raises the bar with its most luxurious Ed Sheeran signature guitar to date, the fully hand-made Stadium Edition model
- “Inspired by the respected luthiers and artists who have helped trailblaze the rubber bridge sound”: Orangewood brings the rubber bridge mod to the masses with the purpose-built Juniper acoustic
February 26
- “An all-in-one solution to crafting your core tone”: The Chase Bliss Condor HiFi is the next generation of its “weird little EQ pedal” that it hopes you'll never want to turn off
- “A cinematic celebration of Joe’s music, a testament to his unparalleled standing in the blues-rock realm”: Joe Bonamassa plays with 40-piece orchestra on new live album
- “I could finally quieten down this noise in my head... the best in the room is sitting over there – and it doesn’t have to maybe be me”: John Mayer says that when Jeff Beck was in the room, he felt he could finally relax about his guitar playing
- “Bass players always are the last people to find out”: Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford doesn’t know if the band is over or not
- “There’s some contention about that, but that’s how I remember it”: Eddie Kramer says Jimmy Page did play on The Kinks’ You Really Got Me – but it might not have been the version we know today
February 23
- “Gritty, fast-paced and hectic”: Billy Morrison recruits Steve Vai, John 5 and Ozzy Osbourne for his first solo record in 9 years
- Steve Vai, Mateus Asato and Marcin Patrzalek delivered one of this year's most distinctive jams at Vai Academy 2024 – and now you can watch it
- “We had a blast in the studio – the blues resonates with me more than anything”: Orianthi taps up Joe Bonamassa for soulfully scorching new single First Time Blues
- “I chipped my tooth – my mom was so mad at me!” John 5 says playing a Jimi Hendrix-inspired version of Star Spangled Banner with his teeth as a kid led to a dental mishap – and shows he can still nail the tooth-picked tune
- “Limitless sonic flexibility of the modulation that has shaped rock ’n’ roll history”: SolidGoldFX channels Band of Gypsys and Dark Side of the Moon uni-vibes with the Aurras vibraphase
- “We talked about things like dampening, creating contrast, hand positions... There’s a bit of detective work involved”: Megadeth’s Teemu Mäntysaari explains the skillset that enabled him to leap into one of the most challenging roles in metal
- “Rest in peace, Bobby”: Veteran vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench – who worked with the likes of Jeff Beck, Peter Green, Humble Pie, Ginger Baker, Van Morrison and many more – dies, aged 79
February 22
- “We are so proud to have him in our Gibson family. From a little band called Queen…” Brian May is now working with Gibson – but what does it mean for the Red Special?
- “We walked into your house, you had the case on the floor and you handed it to me – and then said, ‘No Stairway to Heaven!’” Gibson announces new multi-guitar series with Jimmy Page, kicking off with the signature 1971 EDS-1275 double neck
- “The question was, ‘Where would you go to get the ultimate Gibson experience?’ The answer was it didn’t exist – we had to create it”: We went behind the scenes at Gibson Garage London to find out why it’s unlike any other guitar store
- “It’s such a cool guitar in terms of history”: Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley has bought the ’68 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop used on some of Ozzy Osbourne, Hole, Korn and Social Distortion’s most iconic recordings – and it seems it holds a few secrets
- Mick Mars: “I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Mötley Crüe. I don't regret anything we've ever done – good, bad or ugly” – only in the new Guitar World
- Vox’s AC Custom amps get a 2024 glow-up with new Classic Vintage Red range
February 21
- “I still don’t find it easy! It’s one of the most unnatural riffs to play you could possibly imagine”: Brian May finds Bohemian Rhapsody difficult to perform – and he points the blame at “riffmeister” Freddie Mercury
- “A durable, space-saving device that holds your guitar wherever you are”: The CodaGrip is a clamping guitar stand you can hang anywhere you want
February 20
- “The most affordable guitar in the PRS catalog”: PRS’ new SE CE 24 Standard Satin costs $499 – but it’s more than just a beginner guitar
- “I would say it’s past… impossible”: Mick Mars has opened up about his relationship with Mötley Crüe – and a reconciliation is off the table
- “I was forced to play fretless because it was the cheapest bass available”: Paul Simon’s Graceland bassist Bakithi Kumalo defined the 1980s fretless bass sound – but the session pro says he knew nothing about it before making the album
February 19
- 5 epic Presidents’ Day sales for guitar players that you don’t want to miss today
- 5 brilliant pedals I rate as a guitar gear reviewer are on sale for Presidents’ Day, including my favorite octave pedal the Electro-Harmonix POG
- “We could hear Jeff playing right through the wall… I’d never heard anything like it”: Melvins’ Buzz Osborne once secretly listened to Jeff Beck’s warm-up routine – and it blew him away
- I have 11 Gibson guitars in my collection and with a massive $600 off the Les Paul Traditional Pro V this Presidents' Day I want to add another
- “Iconic classics reborn with an irresistible twist”: Gibson offers show-stopping finishes with 11 new vintage guitar reissues
- “Cliff Burton’s secret weapon, modernized to grow his legacy”: Morley reissues Cliff Burton’s trademark wah fuzz pedal in tribute to the revolutionary Metallica bassist
- “One of my favorite guitars. It carries a lot of history”: Gibson has reproduced the ‘78 Les Paul Custom that Johnny Marr gifted to Noel Gallagher – as heard on The Queen is Dead, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? and more
- “The legendary shred sled from the late ’80s, now with an exclusive pixel hearts finish inspired by the video games of the era”: Kramer pays homage to the 8-bit era with eye-popping new NightSwan model
- Presidents' Day is officially here and Guitar Center is the best place to go for a blues-based bargain – score a mind-blowing $750 off a Hagstrom hollowbody
February 16
- “John had to send a text with a photo of a piece of paper, where he scribbled, ‘Yes, it’s me!’” Before the Silver Sky was built, John Mayer cold-called PRS to discuss working on a guitar together – but the phone operator hung up on him
- “A powerful monster primed to nail the expectations of even the most demanding metal guitarist”: Cort unveils the KX707 EverTune 7-string – adding an ash top and some choice tweaks to its beloved KX700
- “An unforgettable, unmissable display of guitar mastery”: A new Jason Becker single fashioned from an old demo has been released – and it brings together a staggering cast of A-list guitar heroes
- “An identical replica of Bellamy’s Will of the People stage guitar”: Manson gives Matt Bellamy’s mesmerizing mirror mask model an ultra-limited release
- “Hi Swifties! Let us know what you think”: DragonForce drop outrageously shreddy Taylor Swift cover
- “Paul wants it to be fixed up, so he can play it… He was excited as a school boy”: Paul McCartney’s long-lost Höfner violin bass has been found after 50 years
- “Her roaring mastery of her trusty Gibson Les Paul Custom rivaled the best of her male contemporaries”: A lost Sister Rosetta Tharpe live album featuring never-before-heard recordings has been unearthed – and it’s set for release this year
- Fender is rising up to the challenge of their rivals with this stunning Tiger’s Eye finish exclusive to Guitar Center
- Fender issues major Tone Master Pro firmware update, including new features, enhancements, and bug fixes
- “The amps that defined modern guitar tone”: IK Multimedia releases 70 official Mesa/Boogie tone models for its TONEX modeler – including an exact recreation of Carlos Santana’s original Mark I
- “I knew the pre-choruses would be a challenge with all the percussive bits”: Mike Dawes plays every part of Foo Fighters’ Everlong on one guitar – transforming the Dave Grohl anthem into a breathtaking acoustic fingerstyle masterclass
February 15
- “I just sent one of these to Joe Perry. He loves it”: Introducing the Danelectro Nichols 66 fuzz – a reissue of the first pedal that brand owner Steve Ridinger ever designed
- “A groundbreaking electric guitar amplifier that sets a new standard”: Ritter’s new Encore might just be the most luxurious guitar amp ever made – but it’s going to cost you $40,000
- “When it got stolen, he said he felt as if he had lost a part of himself”: Guitarist reunited with his vintage Gibson Les Paul, 27 years after it disappeared
- Did Fender just drop the best Presidents' Day guitar deal? Score an impressive 50% off gear and a huge $399 off one of our favorite models
- “Accurate recreations of some of guitar's most notorious and niche tones”: Warm Audio’s newest pedals aim to sound (and look) like two cult stompboxes – and there are no prizes for guessing which ones
February 14
- “The sonic essence and rebellion of Earth AD”: Misfits team up with Prague’s Distortion Inc for a drive pedal marking the 40th anniversary of their iconic second album
- “The first time we heard it back in our studio we just stared at each other with our mouths open”: The Dandy Warhols reckon you've never heard Slash play like he does on their new single
- “This is a dream – it’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a guitar”: Gretsch reveals its signature Broadkaster for Portugal. The Man’s John Gourley – and debuts a show-stopping black rainbow sparkle finish
- “I was approached to audition for Megadeth and Machine Head, but I'm not sure I'm made for being a hired gun”: Gus G explains why he turned down the opportunity to audition for two of the biggest metal bands in the game
February 13
- “One of the most exciting new releases of the year”: The Gibson SG Supreme is officially back – and it looks better than ever
- “One of my top favorite guitars of all time”: Epiphone debuts the Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom – and it's got a Gibson-style headstock
- “I loved Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Then something happened where it was like you had to be in the guitar Olympics”: Billie Joe Armstrong explains why he rekindled his relationship with the guitar solo on Green Day’s newest album
February 12
- “Strikingly sleek and aggressive”: Schecter bestows genre-bending guitarist Sullivan King with two grisly blood-splatter signature models
- “It’s probably the only time in my career I bowed out, because I knew it was going to be a fight… most of that heavy guitar was lost”: Brian May says David Bowie removed his electric guitar riffs on Under Pressure – and he never liked the results
- “Saying it was an honor to be up there is a wildly drastic understatement”: Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai have wrapped up the G3 2024 tour – here are the biggest guest guitarists who joined them along the way
- “This innovative instrument transcends boundaries, offering a sonic palette that's as diverse as your musical vision”: Cort and Hedras collaborate once again for the Triality X700 – an HSS twist on the pair’s progressive playing platform
- “We are so grateful that we had the opportunity to make music with such a talented and generous artist for two decades”: Incubus announce formal departure of bassist Ben Kenney – and unveil his official replacement
- “Can’t spell Usher without H.E.R.”: Armed with a newly-customised Fender signature Stratocaster, H.E.R. performs a scene-stealing guest guitar solo – amid a rollerskating Usher – at Super Bowl LVIII
- AC/DC announce new bass player “to carry the torch for Cliff” ahead of long-awaited Power Up tour
February 9
- “You achieved more in one lifetime than most people could achieve in ten”: Renowned 12-string guitarist and vintage guitar expert Paul Brett dies at 76
- Win great gear courtesy of Hercules, the first name in premium guitar stands
- “The heart of the Skronk remains true, the upgrades just help keep the blood pumping more efficiently”: Blammo Electronics updates the mid-'60s Zonk Machine fuzz for modern usability with the Skronk Machine
- On sale now! Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: Queen's Greatest Songs Track By Track – By Brian May
- Musician’s Friend just dropped their Presidents’ Day sale more than a week early – massive up to 40% savings on gear
- Double trouble: Watch Felix Martin and Joan Torres devastate with dual twin-necked guitar and bass action on aptly titled new single Thundertap
- “All I took to studios was a 335 and a Princeton Reverb”: Ray Parker Jr. on the ultra-rare Yamaha prototype he used on the Ghostbusters theme, and the helpful trick he learned from Grant Green, George Benson, and Melvin Sparks
February 8
- Darkglass heads deep into low end territory with its new Infinity 500 and Microtubes 500 digital and analog bass combo amps
- “Didn’t want to re-invent the wheel, just wanted to make a wheel that could sound beautiful... or rip faces off”: Silktone unveils the Overdrive+, a drive/boost twofer that plays naughty or nice
- “It’s a beautiful floating technique”: Watch Molly Tuttle and Tommy Emmanuel share the secrets of their right-hand technique and banjo-inspired rhythms in this acoustic guitar video masterclass
- “He’s the best!”: Watch Andy Timmons and Paul Gilbert have big fun trading Robby Krieger licks on a helter-skelter guitar jam of the Doors’ Light My Fire
- “It’s like an artifact from an ancient technological civilization”: Tosin Abasi and Music Man unveil two new eye-catching finishes for the Kaizen and tease some “exciting and progressive” updates in the near future
- “Eric came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Jeff Beck’s contribution was spellbinding”: Mark Knopfler enlists Clapton, Townshend, Iommi, Slash and dozens more for all-star charity single
February 7
- “Absurd amount of talent”: Andy Timmons is in the studio with Joe Bonamassa – and the two melody masters are cooking up a virtuosic solo storm
- “I tried SGs and Flying Vs, and they might look cool, but it's like playing a piece of Styrofoam”: Bill Kelliher explains why he prefers his guitars to be as heavy as possible
- “A true country inspiration to us”: Country singer-songwriter Toby Keith dies aged 62
- “Eddie was down in the pit watching every move I made”: Ace Frehley says his early displays of tapping prowess “probably” inspired Eddie Van Halen to develop his trademark two-hand technique
February 6
- NAMM 2024: “We like to build special basses just for NAMM that show off what we're capable of. What we love to do”: Spector’s USA Custom Shop is here to inspire your own custom bass build – and, as they tell us, “we love new challenges”
- “This year’s collection will set a new standard for excellence in the world of custom guitar”: Fender pays homage to golden era guitars and pushes the boundaries of contemporary design with 2024 Custom Shop collections
- Two years on from their landmark battle over body shapes, Gibson and Armadillo are back in court as the Dean producer seeks to appeal 2022 jury decision
- “A limited-edition collection showcasing the rich heritage and legacy of this incredible instrument”: Fender continues its 70th Anniversary Stratocaster celebrations with ultra-luxurious Custom Shop drop
- “This cherished model has now been refined”: Gibson’s sleek Les Paul Modern Studio brings the Modern line’s player-friendly features to a proper mahogany body and maple cap USA build – and all for under $2K
February 5
- “Technology is coming along. It's going to keep getting better to the point that maybe they will replace tube amps for a lot of people”: Eric Johnson has been experimenting with amp modelers, but he still isn’t fully convinced – here’s why
- “This is the Super Bowl of trips for the lifelong Dead Heads”: John Mayer and Dead & Company are officially returning for a 6-week residency at the MSG Sphere
- “The most sounds we've ever shoved in a single pedal enclosure”: With its upgraded Herculean Deluxe dual overdrive, has Mythos cracked the code for packaging Dumble and BluesBreaker tones in a pedal?
- “I actually never learned how to play with a pick. It’s my weak point”: Matteo Mancuso is revered for his virtuosic fingerstyle approach – but what happens when he tries to play with a guitar pick?
- “Effortlessly stylish”: Rapier’s latest madcap model blends elements of Les Paul and Strat builds into a single-cut, set-neck hybrid beast
- “We were all delusional enough as kids to think this might happen to us”: boygenius, Metallica, Paramore, Larkin Poe, Jason Isbell and Joni Mitchell win big at the Grammys 2024
February 2
- NAMM 2024: “Sing through it and get your killer guitar sounds… and run an acoustic guitar, or a bass, or even keyboards”: Up-close with the Positive Grid Spark LIVE – the smart amp that can handle your whole band
- Wayne Kramer, influential MC5 guitarist, dies at 75
- NAMM 2024: the 10 biggest things we discovered at this year's show
- NAMM 2024: “A pedal that can withstand the crushing boot of metal’s most relentless lead guitarist”: Dunlop reissues Zakk Wylde's Cry Baby wah as they celebrate 20 years of partnership
- NAMM 2024: “I’ve never played any other guitars like that”: Jack White’s Fender Low Rider is one of the wildest Telecasters ever created – take an exclusive tour of its absurd spec sheet with his guitar tech
- “This feels life-changing and gives me, as a very hard-working indie artist, inspiration that anything is possible”: Gibson launches its Artist Spotlight program, with Austin Sexton the first beneficiary
- “I had the cast on, my fingers were set about a centimeter apart... I got a plectrum and glued some thick rubber either side so I could hold it”: The Stone Roses’ reclusive guitar hero John Squire says he once feared he’d never play again
February 1
- Ernie Ball Music Man’s upgraded Steve Lukather Luke 4 SSS offers “supreme tonal firepower” thanks to its brand new HT pickup technology
- “Staggering”: Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Collection has sold at auction for over $11 million – with a record-breaking ’59 Burst sale and 28 guitars fetching over $100k
- “Whichever model you choose, you’ll never be underdressed”: Four of Gibson’s most enduring acoustics have received the Custom Shop tuxedo treatment inspired by the Les Paul Custom