Uli John Roth on what you get when you cross a Strat and a Les Paul with a violin hybrid
After modifying Strats only got him so far, one luthier came to his rescue and they found that the sky's the limit
Latest news
Uli John Roth on what you get when you cross a Strat and a Les Paul with a violin hybrid
After modifying Strats only got him so far, one luthier came to his rescue and they found that the sky's the limit
Randy Rhoads became a legend with Ozzy Osbourne, but his incredible playing was evident long before then
Kelly Garni, Rhoads’ brother in arms in Quiet Riot, recalls the guitarist’s early days – and how he developed his iconic tone, in spite of his unorthodox gear
PRS celebrates Ed Sheeran’s collab with Dave Grohl and John Mayer on F1 movie soundtrack with one-off, racing-themed guitar
Sheeran has been playing PRS electrics since 2018 – with one of the guitars in his arsenal gifted to him by Mayer
Guitar World deals of the week: save $230 on a Fender Tone Master amp, get more than half off a guitar pedal, plus all the week's best deals
Your weekly digest of the biggest savings from all across the web
Two world leaders solidify diplomatic relations by delivering their own rendition of an Eric Clapton classic
The Philippines' President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Singapore's Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, showcased their musical chops during a recent presidential visit
SNL legend Fred Armisen has a signature guitar strap – but there's something not quite right about his guide to guitar chords
If punk guitarists only need one shape, why does anyone else need more? Armisen seems to agree...
Jim Babjak reveals he once bought a ’70s Les Paul without even trying it – and how it would go on to shape one of The Smithereens' biggest hits
The guitarist reveals that he's “kind of embarrassed” when it comes to trying out guitars in a music store – but his faith in his engineer was well-placed
Artists
“He’d already set everything up... The guitar was radically out of tune and the strings were virtually hanging off it”: Leo Abrahams on his Strat-wrestling initiation with Brian Eno, why he didn’t want to be famous, and what he learned from Paul Simon
The guitarist/producer has worked with Brett Anderson, Jarvis Cocker and Imogen Heap among others, but here he explains why his younger self might be slightly disappointed in his playing
Alex ‘V-Man’ Venturella on the secret to metal’s heaviest bass tone and nailing his Slipknot audition
Slipknot's low-end specialist discusses his epic amp collection, the brilliance of Eloy Casagrande and how James Hetfield shaped his technique
![Peter Green wears a short-sleeved shirt and plays a gray Stratocaster [left] while Carlos Santana plays his PRS signature model, wears shades and is really feeling his solo onstage.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SfUV6MR5GDcXb9SvBGriYR-840-80.jpg.webp)
Remembering Peter Green and Carlos Santana’s supernatural jam at the 1998 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Awards
Green wrote the tune. Santana made it his own. But on the night the music biz came together to honor Santana and his band, they shared the song, giving a performance for the ages
Charlie Starr on guitar collecting, his vintage Juniors theory – and the time he was gifted a ’58 Les Paul
The Blackberry Smoke guitarist reveals his greatest guitar triumphs, the pitfalls and blessings of his Les Paul Junior addiction, and his outright disdain of “bad amps”
Sludge titans Thou have never been afraid to tear up the rulebook – but they do need a spreadsheet for their tunings
Andy Gibbs and Matthew Thudium reflect on abyssal drop tunings, their DIY ethic, silly song nicknames and the value of having a tuning spreadsheet
Iron Maiden remain one of most domineering forces in heavy metal – and bassist Steve Harris has led the charge
Steve Harris has always pushed beyond the conventions of rock bass guitar, but in his mind, he’s no bass hero
He was described by Bert Jansch as “the most underrated guitarist ever” – the life and times of a beatnik folk pioneer
Wizz Jones may not be a household name but he came out of the same scene as Eric Clapton and influenced everyone from Keith Richards to Thurston Moore
Eric Bell tells the tale of how he joined forces with Noel Redding after leaving Thin Lizzy as a self-confessed ‘basket-case’
Northern Irish guitarist recalls his difficult departure from Phil Lynott’s band and the strange experience of connecting with Redding – who’d never, ever talk abut Jimi Hendrix
Decades after his death, Shawn Lane remains perhaps the greatest little-known guitarist of all time
He was made a guitar legend by his jaw-dropping speed, but Shawn Lane is more worth remembering for his sheer fretboard versatility – he aced country sessions, while blowing minds onstage equally with Southern rock bands and Indian classical-influenced ensembles
Gear
“Could this Dingwall convert newcomers to fanned frets? Well, why not?”: Dingwall SP1 review
This modern take on a classic design could open up new markets for Dingwall
Why more guitar builders are making their own pickups
We speak to Juha Ruokangas about why his company took pickup design into its own hands – and then retrofitted an old PRS Custom 24 with his humbuckers to see how they sounded
How Ibanez flipped the script for Japanese electrics with the Iceman
The story of an electric guitar so cool, there's no wonder they called it the Iceman
Tom Lieber apprenticed to Jerry Garcia's guitar builder Doug Irwin in the ’70s – now he’s raising the ’Dead once again
This is the story of Tom Lieber, the aspiring guitar builder who wouldn’t take no for an answer and ended up learning how to make some of the rock world’s most prized instruments
“More than just a metal machine and I would have no qualms in taking one out for gigs, fresh out of the box”: Spira T-450 TDB review
A T-style with a twist, and there’s plenty of bang for your budget metal buck here
Best acoustic guitar pedals 2025: pedals to transform your tone and boost creativity
Improve and shape your tone with the best acoustic guitar pedals from the likes of Boss, Fishman, MXR & LR Baggs
The history of the Guild Starfire: “the ultimate blues guitar”
By the late '50s, rock ’n’ roll was in full swing – and so for Guild, a ‘jazz guitar’ maker, it was time to catch up. Enter the Starfire electrics…
Lessons
How 440Hz became the “concert pitch” – and the argument to change it to 432Hz
A=432Hz – also known as “Verdi’s A” – is said by advocates to be in tune with the laws of nature and mathematically consistent with the universe
How to get the most sought-after sound in indie rock – without permanently modifying your guitar
A DIY rubber bridge project can help you get the distinctive tone beloved by the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, The National, Wilco, and many more
Jared James Nichols explains why we should all be using the blue note in our solos
The irrepressible Mr Nichols pays tribute to the flatted 5th, and explores the myriad ways that he uses it in his playing
How to play slide guitar: 5 essential techniques every aspiring slide player needs to learn
At the beginning, slide guitar can be tricky. Here are five technical tips to get you started
Here is everything you need to know about learning 8-string guitar
Six different ways to get the most from your 8-string guitar by Haken’s Charlie Griffiths
Joe Bonamassa on the influence of the great Eric Johnson
What’s so special about Eric Johnson? “The tone, the technique, everything!” says Joe Bonamassa, and in this video lesson he shows us what he’s taken from the Texan virtuoso
Cory Wong on why approaching rhythm guitar like a drummer makes you a better guitar player
One of the great rhythm guitar virtuosos teaches us how not only to play to the beat but to be the beat itself. This video and tab lesson explains all...
Reviews
“Could this Dingwall convert newcomers to fanned frets? Well, why not?”: Dingwall SP1 review
This modern take on a classic design could open up new markets for Dingwall
“More than just a metal machine and I would have no qualms in taking one out for gigs, fresh out of the box”: Spira T-450 TDB review
A T-style with a twist, and there’s plenty of bang for your budget metal buck here
“A precision tool for modern metal and a well-honed surgical blade for the studio”: Jackson Pro Plus Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET6 review
Jackson's latest collab with prog-metal royalty Misha Mansoor results in a double-cut powerhouse with a difference
"Even if you’ve never used a looper before I’d wager it wouldn’t take most guitarists more than 5 minutes to get up and running with it": TC Electronic Ditto 2 Looper review
TC Electronics's ubiquitous compact looper gets a well-deserved update - I find out whether it's kept up with some stiff competition
"Engaging the pedal transformed my previously thin and uninspiring tone into a beautifully fat, warm, and full-bodied sound": Audio Sprockets ToneDexter II review
If you're ready to get nerdy about your acoustic tone, this intelligent pre-amp is the unit for you
"With a little patience and dedication to experimenting, you’ll unlock a satisfying range of serviceable sounds": Harley Benton DNAfx GiT multi-effects pedal review
Harley Benton's budget multi-stomp looks to deliver the building blocks of tone, but it requires you to tweak the presets on a molecular level
“It’s a bit of an investment, but I think these power supplies will truly go the distance if you let them”: Walrus Audio Canvas Power series review
I trialled three pedalboard power supplies from Walrus Audio’s Canvas series of utilities – and found some stunning practicality in the process
Buying Guides
Best acoustic guitar pedals 2025: pedals to transform your tone and boost creativity
Improve and shape your tone with the best acoustic guitar pedals from the likes of Boss, Fishman, MXR & LR Baggs
Best locking tuners 2025: improve your performance with these powerful upgrades
Keep your guitar playing consistently with our top locking tuner picks from Fender, Schaller, Sperzel and more
Best guitar slides 2025: every budget and material covered, plus how to choose the right slide for you
Getting into the bluesy world of slide guitar? From Shubb and Dunlop, to Taylor and Ernie Ball, these are our top choices
Best pedalboard power supplies 2025: juice your ‘board with my pick of pro-grade power, fully tested
I put budget-spanning pedal power supplies from Fender, Cioks, Walrus Audio and more through their paces – these were the standouts
Best cheap looper pedals 2025: bang-for-your-buck loopers for your ’board
Score a looper for under $80 and spark your creativity with our pick of the best budget pedals from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss and more
Best baritone guitars 2025: pick up the slack with these long scale guitars
Get low with my expert pick of the best baritone guitars from PRS, Gretsch, Chapman, Jackson, and loads more
Best beginner electric guitars 2025: 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
