Joe Bonamassa says “armchair quarterbacks” have turned guitar culture toxic
Endless vitriol for flubbed notes, seeing every performance as some kind of competition. Where does this stop? As Bonamassa says, it put one artist in therapy
Latest News
Joe Bonamassa says “armchair quarterbacks” have turned guitar culture toxic
Endless vitriol for flubbed notes, seeing every performance as some kind of competition. Where does this stop? As Bonamassa says, it put one artist in therapy
7 Comments
The pedal that JHS Pedals’ Josh Scott was working on before his horror bike accident has been launched
The $119 Short Circuit pedal has been designed in collaboration with Coppersound – and it’s a lot more advanced than the Notaklön or Notadümblë
Why Airbourne’s Joel O’Keefe swears by his Gibson Explorer onstage but never plays it at home
O'Keefe nearly knocked himself out with the Explorer, but insists that it's still his all-time favorite
Nikki Sixx confirms Mötley Crüe are using backing tracks, but says it’s fine because Queen are too
The band have been accused of miming in the past
Gibson's Mark Agnesi explains the difference between relic’ing and aging guitars
Gibson’s Director of Brand Experience gives his take on aged guitars – and explains why Murphy Lab is closing the gap with bona fide vintage models
Julian Lage reacts to surprise praise from Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy
The jazz ace has been a key inspiration for some modern heavy guitar heroes
Pepper Keenan on the time he got to play Malcolm Young’s legendary AC/DC guitar rig
The Corrosion of Conformity guitarist had the same tech as the late AC/DC legend
Artists
Billy Morrison on collaborator and best friend Ozzy Osbourne, his partnership with Steve Stevens, and his all-star new album
Hollow features guest spots from Dexter Holland, Nuno Bettencourt, Duff McKagan, and more, with a credits list that reads like a who’s who of rock royalty
The life and times of the late guitar expert Steve Clarke
A scrupulously accurate expert and author on historic instruments who authenticated some of the most iconic guitars in the world
Chrissie Hynde on the underrated guitar hero who defined the Pretenders
The guitarist died just a few years after the band’s debut album, but his imprint on their sound can still be felt today
How John Osborne fell down the B-bender rabbit hole and came out with a signature Fender Tele
Don’t do the B-bender thing, they told him... He did it anyway. Brent Mason has a lot to answer for
Satriani is guesting on his album, Tosin Abasi and John Petrucci are fans – is Baxty the future of shred?
Joe Satriani is guesting on his album. Tosin Abasi and John Petrucci are fans. Meet the Chilean YouTube virtuoso who is fast becoming the king of alternate picking
Kurt Vile on meeting Neil Young, his prized vintage offset and why he prefers dead strings
Kurt Vile’s 10th album, Philadelphia’s Been Good to Me, was written by night – but the prince of indie-psych says it charts his journey out of darkness
John 5 is a modern day master of the Telecaster – here are his 5 favorite Teles
The stories behind 5’s favorites, featuring the Mötley Crüe guitarist’s custom Ghost and Phantom builds, and a vintage doozy that convinced Fender he should be on the artist roster
11 Comments
Gear
The story of Muddy Waters’ “The Hoss” Telecaster, the guitar that helped define the sound of electric blues
Played by Waters throughout the final two decades of his career, this bright red Tele has been displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Metropolitan Museum of Art
"The only limiting factor here for any style of playing is technique": Harley Benton ST-62HA review
Harley Benton's budget relic S-type delivers supreme playability and classic tones, but what about that finish?
"Try to put yourself in the mindset of a music listener, not a music maker": Record better guitars at home with 8 of my pro tips
As well as advice on getting better results within your own home studio environment, I also cover the main gear you'll need and the pros and cons of recording your guitar by yourself
"The Floyd Rose genuinely feels like the finishing touch this model always needed": Gibson Victory Floyd Rose review
Gibson’s latest iteration of this cult, rediscovered ‘80s model is the big win fans have been waiting for
Are you prioritizing the wrong end of your signal chain? Two pro gear reviewers debate whether you should spend more on your guitar or amp
Armed with just a $2,500 budget, we’re duking it out to see which part of your rig is a better investment – which side are you on
Best FRFR speakers 2026: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your digital modeler with the best FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths
"It can go from barely there room sound to a drawn-out blooming reverberance": JHS 3 Series Reverb review
This budget reverb pedal delivers impressive tones, a handy pre-delay switch, and an ultra-rugged build quality, all for just $99
Harley Benton TE-62LA review
With superb playability and an awesome neck pickup for under $250, the finish may be divisive, but Harley Benton's new Aged series is undeniably great value for money
“A clever expanding pedalboard that solves a real gigging problem, but it isn’t without practical compromise”: D'Addario XPND 1 pedalboard review
D’Addario’s XPND range brings telescopic pedalboard expansion with a rugged design built for real-world use – but is it genuinely practical, or just clever engineering?
Lessons
How recycling chord shapes can unlock new and surprising sounds
By recycling open chord shapes in different positions, you will uncover a wealth of fascinating voicings – just ask Jimmy Page. Here are 5 chords to get you started
Feel is more important than accuracy. Just ask Kim Thayil, Alex Lifeson and Jimmy Page
Sofia Victoria on how imperfect vibrato, wrong notes and open string noise can add substantial character to conventional soloing
How to install LR Baggs’ HiFi Duet acoustic pickup – and yes, we’re gonna drill a hole in Chris Buck’s guitar
Chris Buck bought a new acoustic for tour, but he needed a pickup installed. Enter Huw Price and his drill
Why muting the low E string is one of the most important lessons any beginner guitarist can learn
Learning to mute individual strings makes all the difference when mastering your first guitar chords
Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer on how extended-range guitars open up new possibilities with chord voicings
Mike Stringer's progressive metal masterclass continues as he teaches you how to play Spiritbox’s Tsunami Sea
Charlie Starr on how to turn a simple, catchy riff into a killer song
The Blackberry Smoke guitarist pays tribute to the power of the almighty riff in his latest GW lesson
How to build a compelling rhythm guitar part with triads
Confused about triads? They are just chords with three notes, and as Corey Congilio demonstrates here, they can be the building block of a great guitar part
Reviews
"The only limiting factor here for any style of playing is technique": Harley Benton ST-62HA review
Harley Benton's budget relic S-type delivers supreme playability and classic tones, but what about that finish?
"The Floyd Rose genuinely feels like the finishing touch this model always needed": Gibson Victory Floyd Rose review
Gibson’s latest iteration of this cult, rediscovered ‘80s model is the big win fans have been waiting for
"It can go from barely there room sound to a drawn-out blooming reverberance": JHS 3 Series Reverb review
This budget reverb pedal delivers impressive tones, a handy pre-delay switch, and an ultra-rugged build quality, all for just $99
Harley Benton TE-62LA review
With superb playability and an awesome neck pickup for under $250, the finish may be divisive, but Harley Benton's new Aged series is undeniably great value for money
“A clever expanding pedalboard that solves a real gigging problem, but it isn’t without practical compromise”: D'Addario XPND 1 pedalboard review
D’Addario’s XPND range brings telescopic pedalboard expansion with a rugged design built for real-world use – but is it genuinely practical, or just clever engineering?
“Not your average digital delay by any means”: Beetronics Pollinator Hazee Delay review
Beetronics cross-pollinates delay and modulation to create textural sounds that blur the boundaries between them
"The build quality is superb, it plays like a dream": Sire Larry Carlton S7 Ash Top review
With a raft of premium features, Sire's super value-for-money S-style makes a concrete case for dodging the big brands
"Any aspiring dirt purveyor worth their salt will naturally gravitate toward the HalfLife’s crushing wall of sound" EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) HalfLife Octave Distortion & Booster review
EQD’s HalfLife pedal delivers the droned, bottom-heavy fury inspired by Sunn O))) with uncompromising force
Buying Guides
Best FRFR speakers 2026: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your digital modeler with the best FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths
Best guitar plugins 2026: my top plugins to level up your recorded guitar tones
Get better guitar tones for recording and practice with my pick of the best guitar amp plugins
Best bass preamp pedals 2026: consistently great tone, wherever you are
Unlock bass preamp power with our expert picks from Orange, Ampeg, Electro Harmonix and more…
Best acoustic guitar pickups 2026: electrify your acoustic with our expert picks
Whether it be for performing live or recording at home, the best acoustic guitar pickups from LR Baggs, Fishman and others will help you enhance your tone
Best online guitar lessons 2026: I tested 20+ apps and sites to help you play faster, smarter, and cheaper
Learning guitar online is cheaper and more flexible than traditional tuition, but only if you choose the right platform. Together with Guitar World’s expert team, I’ve put the top lesson sites to the test for every budget, genre, and skill level, including a fantastic free option
Best electric guitars 2026: our top picks for every playing style, ability and budget
Useful buying advice and our expert pick of the best electric guitars for newcomers to pro players
Best beginner electric guitars 2026: 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
