NAMM President John Mlynczak testifies about the impact of tariffs in Washington DC
Mlynczak says the tariffs will price beginners out of the market and harm the broader industry ecosystem as a result
Latest News
NAMM President John Mlynczak testifies about the impact of tariffs in Washington DC
Mlynczak says the tariffs will price beginners out of the market and harm the broader industry ecosystem as a result
The real reason Machine Gun Kelly chose a razor blade shape for his signature guitar
Mgk caused a stir when Schecter dropped his razor blade signature in 2024 – now he’s explained why he opted for the divisive design
Grace Bowers specs out her dream SG – is this what a potential signature Gibson could look like?
The guitarist has been flying the flag for Gibson SGs since the start of her career, so a signature model could very well be on the cards
Marshall honors Jimi Hendrix with limited edition drop
Marshall is celebrating 60 years since the late guitar legend first plugged into one of its amps
5 Comments
Steve Vai on the time Eddie Van Halen played him never-before-released material
Vai has also had his say on Steve Lukather's involvement in the much-anticipated new Van Halen record, which will revive old material
A Fender Masterbuilder, who’s made guitars for Mk.gee and Buddy Guy, has started their own guitar company
Levi Perry is the latest Fender Custom Shop alumni to set up his own brand
5 Comments
Eastwood launches Angine de Poitrine-inspired double-neck
The Microtonal Doubleneck 4/6 has already raised more than 233% of its target fund after it was launched as a Guitstarter campaign
Artists
“I’ve never concerned myself with the Big Four”: Gary Holt and Lee Altus on why Exodus will never be a legacy thrash act
The Bay Area thrash stalwarts return with the face-ripping Goliath, an album that finds them with nothing to prove but Holt's still out for blood anyway
The difficult birth of The Sisters of Mercy’s trailblazing goth classic
Billy Corgan loved First and Last and Always so much he invited guitarist Wayne Hussey to his home to jam it. Over 40 years on, Hussey and Gary Marx look back on its dark majesty
“Jaco said, ‘If you ever need a sub, call me!” When Chicago’s Peter Cetera met Jaco Pastorius
Peter Cetera tells the story of how he met Jaco – and got to know bass legends Willie Weeks, Carol Kaye and Duck Dunn
How Mike Dirnt honed his signature bass tone for Green Day’s Revolution Radio – and why it all starts with the wrist
Working with Fender, Dirnt built a bass rig that allowed him to ditch distortion pedals and harness his distinctive sound
Jackson Dean on playing in Nashville alongside some of the best
The viral star turned country hero discusses finding space as a picker surrounded by guys like Tom Bukovac, John Osborne, and the sideman who’s been with him since the beginning, Brandon Aksteter
![Tortoise: [from left] John McEntire, Dan Bitney, Jeff Parker, Douglas McCombs and John Hernon.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2YUmuCLFdmw3kARNUmCCBN-840-80.jpg.webp)
Douglas McCombs on the long-awaited return of post-rock trailblazers Tortoise
We had to wait nigh-on a decade for new album Touch but it demonstrates that Douglas McCombs and his six-string lieutenant, Jeff Parker, have not lost theirs, nor for their taste in retro-audio engineering techniques
Mark Collins on triumph, tragedy, and the long-awaited return of the Charlatans
Collins explains why the Britrock survivors still believe in albums and real amps moving air, and discusses their return to the formative Rockfield Studios after three decades
9 Comments
Gear
"Tired of run-of-the-mill guitars? Well, this may be the six-string for you": Epiphone Futura RD Custom review
Epiphone drags a ‘70s cult classic kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a tight modern build
"There’s a clear midrange presence here, but it never tips into that boxy territory that smaller-bodied acoustics can sometimes fall into": Martin LX1E Little Martin review
A three-quarter size acoustic that sounds bigger than most of its competition
Kemper Profiler Head MK2 review
A product that changed the game upon its initial release gets a long-awaited update. But can it keep up with the increased competition?
Best parlor guitars 2026: sofa-friendly acoustics for every budget
The grandfather of acoustic guitars – our top parlor guitar picks from Gibson, Martin, Yamaha, and more
Best guitar cleaning kits and tools 2026: Keep your guitar looking and sounding sweet
Keep your instrument in its prime with my pick of the best cleaning kits and maintenance tools
“As it was going up in the air, I thought, ‘Wow, that looks so cool.’ On the way down, I was thinking, ‘What did I do?!’ Joe Perry on his customized ‘50s Gibson Les Paul Junior that refused to die
The Aerosmith guitarist on the iconic Junior with the custom mother-of-pearl inlay, his desert island guitar – and why he reads Guitar World every month
Everybody knows B.B. King played a Gibson guitar named Lucille – but what model was it really?
B.B. King will forever be known as the great bluesman who always played Lucille. But he had many Lucilles
Lessons
Joe Bonamassa breaks down the differences between P-90s and PAF humbuckers
In this lesson, the blues maestro demonstrates how pickup choice affects the tone and can be used for different purposes
The simple trick that adds sparkle to your songs: Nashville Tuning explained
David Gilmour, Keith Richards & Taylor Swift all do this…
Spiritbox's Mike Stringer shows you how syncopated bends can add extra spice to your metal playing
Your 21st-century metal workshop is in session, as Stringer shows you how to play Spiritbox's Holy Roller
Dare you join us at the crossroads? Welcome to the acoustic blues masterclass
Inspired by Big Bill Broonzy, Lightnin' Hopkins and the O.G. blues great Robert Johnson, this lesson just requires an acoustic guitar. Heartbreak optional
5 easy open-position alternate chord voicings that will give you extra jangle
James Honeyman-Scott of The Pretenders was a master at creating interesting parts from simple alternate chords. We look at five you can use in your playing
How to introduce hybrid picking into your lead playing
In his inaugural Guitar World column, the great Corey Congilio demonstrates how all players can benefit from a technique borrowed from country players
How to stop burning out before you stop the music
We all know it’s tough to survive in this industry. But do we all know what to do about it? Here are some ways to look after yourself better, suggested by welfare experts
Reviews
"Tired of run-of-the-mill guitars? Well, this may be the six-string for you": Epiphone Futura RD Custom review
Epiphone drags a ‘70s cult classic kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a tight modern build
"There’s a clear midrange presence here, but it never tips into that boxy territory that smaller-bodied acoustics can sometimes fall into": Martin LX1E Little Martin review
A three-quarter size acoustic that sounds bigger than most of its competition
Kemper Profiler Head MK2 review
A product that changed the game upon its initial release gets a long-awaited update. But can it keep up with the increased competition?
"Just the thing to fight back against the rise of amp modeling": Two Notes Torpedo Captor X Plus review
Two Notes' uber-popular tube amp companion just got even more powerful thanks to a swathe of additional features
“Holy smokes, it’s absolutely stunning in person”: Fender 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster
The Telecaster has a big birthday this year, commemorated by this golden wonder
“Of all the mini practice amps I’ve tried, this is easily my favorite”: Blackstar Beam Mini review
The world of mini practice amps just got serious, with Blackstar's new Beam Mini boasting impressive tones in compact form with some surprising twists
"Who thought we’d look to the kings of gritty bass for silky neo-soul tones?" Neural DSP Darkglass Ultimate review
Neural revisits its origins with an expanded suite of Darkglass emulations that have the power to become your go-to bass plugin
Buying Guides
Best parlor guitars 2026: sofa-friendly acoustics for every budget
The grandfather of acoustic guitars – our top parlor guitar picks from Gibson, Martin, Yamaha, and more
Best guitar cleaning kits and tools 2026: Keep your guitar looking and sounding sweet
Keep your instrument in its prime with my pick of the best cleaning kits and maintenance tools
Best ukuleles 2026: Acoustic and electric ukes for all budgets and playing styles
Get started or find your next upgrade with our pick of the best ukes from Mahalo, Martin and Cordoba, plus a cool Fender Jazzmaster ukulele
Best overdrive pedals 2026: from mid-hump to transparent tone
My pick of the top-rated overdrive pedals will get your gain tones on point
Best multi-effects pedals 2026: replace your entire rig with our top-rated multi-FX units
From the high-end Neural DSP Quad Cortex to the budget NUX MG-300, we’ve tested 17 multi-effects pedals to help you replace your rig with a single unit
Best Telecasters 2026: top Teles for all tastes
Whether it’s your first Telecaster or you’ve walked in the boots of guitar-playing royalty, our top Telecasters will help you get your twang on
Best blues guitars 2026: these six-strings are ideal for all types of electric blues covering various price points
Wondering what the best blues guitars are at the moment? Here we have 10 of the finest options from Gibson, Fender, Guild and more
