![Rick Parfitt [left] and Francis Rossi give their Telecasters a good thrashing during a 2010 live performance in Perth, Australia.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kUajqnE4SGm6cLFQRTgaEi-320-80.jpg.webp)
Francis Rossi opens up on the internal tensions between Status Quo’s two guitar greats
A decade on since Rick Parfitt's death, Rossi reveals how the Quo wasn't big enough for the both of them
Latest News
![Rick Parfitt [left] and Francis Rossi give their Telecasters a good thrashing during a 2010 live performance in Perth, Australia.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kUajqnE4SGm6cLFQRTgaEi-840-80.jpg.webp)
Francis Rossi opens up on the internal tensions between Status Quo’s two guitar greats
A decade on since Rick Parfitt's death, Rossi reveals how the Quo wasn't big enough for the both of them
All the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including a long-awaited Lamb of God Les Paul
All-new drops from Kiesel, Manson, Gibson, Eastman, Taylor and more…
D’Addario just launched a glove to clean your guitar
The Micro-Fiber Polishing Mitt might look like an overn glove, but it promises to help keep your favorite axes squeaky clean
“Blends performance and aesthetics into a single, uncompromising musical tool”: Harley Benton’s well-specced $285 eight-string finally gets a left-handed version
The multi-scale axe is well-spec' d for its price – and now southpaws can get in on the action
The latest in Gibson and Leo Scala’s Master Artisan Collection is a love letter to the O.G. Explorer – and our addiction to rare guitars
The legendary LA-based luthier digs into his reserves of korina for the '58 Addiction Explorer, 10 totally unique takes on the iconic Gibson electric
Prince’s signature Taylor is back for the first time in 15 years – but you’ll have to go to Paisley Park to get it
The guitar, which debuted on the 2004 Musicology tour, is being sold exclusively at Prince's former home
Blues gold unearthed as rare Freddie King live performance surfaces after 50 years
In October 1975, the Texas Cannonball wowed a French audience with a blues masterclass, and the recordings have been restored
Guitar World deals of the week: save $900 on a Gibson Les Paul, bag an all-solid Martin acoustic for less than a grand, plus all the best Presidents' Day sales
Your weekly digest of the best Presidents' Day deals on guitar gear from all corners of the web, hand-picked by Guitar World's team of guitarists
Artists
That time Dean Ween snuck into a storage space at 2 am, and recorded a solo through Carlos Santana's full guitar rig
A tip from a roadie led to a clandestine operation that, its lead perpetrator said, “resembled an early morning bank heist”
How Tal Wilkenfeld taught Sting the correct way to play an Aerosmith classic
Sting was performing alongside Steven Tyler and Jeff Beck at the MGM Grand when Wilkenfeld intervened
Prove your knowledge of the strangest guitars ever built
You're a no-nonsense guitar type? Sorry, this is all nonsense! OK, not all of it – some of these six- (and four, and... 17) string builds have serious functions, but they sure make it weird along the way
Rudolf Schenker’s 60 years with the Scorpions – Flying Vs, trading guitars with brother Michael, and anchoring one of the 30 greatest rock bands
He lost Michael Schenker to UFO and Uli Jon Roth to Jimi Hendrix’s ex, then Matthias Jabs helped him fulfill his ambition of being in one of the 30 greatest rock bands. But it might have been very different if his dad had bought him a motorcycle
April Wine's Brian Greenway on his hopes for a new album, and the pedal he couldn't live without
The last man standing from the Canadian band's best-known era recalls the making of classic songs, talks about being underrated, and explains how he’s modded the Les Paul Custom he’s had for over 50 years
Inside the (literally) blistering sound of British alt-rock’s cultest heroes, The Wedding Present
With a refreshed lineup, a new EP, and a boxset documenting the band's storied career, The Wedding Present founder/frontman Gedge and new guitarist Wood tell us why they're not afraid to bleed for their art – but they're not superglueing the wounds together
Dave Mustaine breaks down Megadeth’s final album, track by track – and why he paid tribute to Metallica
The thrash pioneer reveals the stories behind the thrash icons’ final songs
5 Comments
Marty Friedman on leaving Megadeth, reconnecting with Dave Mustaine, and why he wasn't a good fit for Ozzy
Friedman recalls 18-hour days working on his solo debut alongside Jason Becker’s first album, how Kiss were the blueprint for his career, and why he’s avoiding making a follow-up to 2024’s Drama
“I asked for a discount. The assistant said, ‘I could phone up Clapton and he’d buy it’”: Robert Fripp’s life in three guitars
The King Crimson founder has enjoyed the company of all kinds of guitars in his time – from the good, bad to the ugly – but these are the three that have meant the most to him
Gear
When is a Gibson Barney Kessel not a Gibson Barney Kessel? This 1967 unicorn explains all...
It looks like a Kessell and almost sounds like a Kessell, but upon closer inspection we have a custom order that’s a “total freak”…
“A very good guitar with an evocative backstory”: Gretsch Limited Edition Abbey Road RS201 Studiomatic review
One minute Gretsch wants to be the guitar for the ‘new generation’ and the next it releases an instrument with roots in the recording studio scene of early ’60s. Help!
“Delivers surprisingly good amp models and one of the best AI practice tools I’ve ever used”: JBL BandBox Trio review
The first foray into guitar amps from JBL combines room-shaking volume with the ability to dismantle your favorite tracks in real-time
Best guitar amp headphones 2026: practice playing your guitar in peace
From studio stalwarts to fully-fledged amps you wear on your head, these are the best headphones for use with guitar amps
"The combination of onboard multi-effects and a looper on a travel acoustic is an inspirational proposition here": Cort Earth GO 3/4 Dreadnought guitar review
Onboard HyVibe H2 effects with a looper on a mini travel guitar – too good to be true?
“Far, far from limited to our man in terms of its potential use”: Fender Johnny Marr Signature Special Jaguar review
It’s been 13 years since we saw the first Johnny Marr Jaguar, and with little fanfare his second signature landed at the end of 2025. What’s changed?
“Set your preconceptions of the band and brand aside – this is a very capable bass”: Epiphone Mike Dirnt Grabber G-3 review
A cult-classic Gibson bass gets a ressurection courtesy of Epiphone and Green Day's Mike Dirnt
Lessons
How to play slide guitar in standard tuning
Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke demonstrates how slide playing in standard and drop D tuning can be the best of both worlds
What is “Dead thumb” fingerpicking? Jared James Nichols explains
Jared James Nichols is a master of “Dead thumb” fingerpicking. The Blues Power fingerstylist explains how it gives the him freedom to cut loose
How to let it rip like the late, great Gary Moore
Time to show the Marshall amp no mercy and engage the Tube Screamer – this solo lesson works mid '70s Thin Lizzy into Parisienne Walkways and Still Got The Blues and doesn't hold back
![B.B. King [left] cups his hands to his ear as he asks the crowd for more. Joe Bonamassa, with a Les Paul, gives his crowd a thumbs up.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P3XrQLh86C27JfPp4AGp6n-840-80.jpg.webp)
“I met him in 1990 when I was 13 years old. We became lifelong friends”: Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to B.B. King
Bonamassa says King was the kind of player who could say it all with one note – “Just one stinging vibrato and you know it can only be him”
Players like Steve Hackett are masters of extended chords/harmony – here’s how you can use them too
Today in extended chords 101, we look at 11th chords – both minor and major – and explain how these “harmonically dense” voicings look on the fretboard
Cory Wong reveals how to solo over chords in a meaningful way
Wong explains how outlining notes in the chord progression helps find a solo that's melodically on-point and just what the song calls for
Best online guitar lessons 2026: I'm a professional guitar product reviewer and these are my top picks
Online lessons are the ideal platform for developing guitar skills at home or on the go – myself and our in-house experts have tested options for all playing levels, styles and budgets, including a free option
Reviews
“A very good guitar with an evocative backstory”: Gretsch Limited Edition Abbey Road RS201 Studiomatic review
One minute Gretsch wants to be the guitar for the ‘new generation’ and the next it releases an instrument with roots in the recording studio scene of early ’60s. Help!
“Delivers surprisingly good amp models and one of the best AI practice tools I’ve ever used”: JBL BandBox Trio review
The first foray into guitar amps from JBL combines room-shaking volume with the ability to dismantle your favorite tracks in real-time
"The combination of onboard multi-effects and a looper on a travel acoustic is an inspirational proposition here": Cort Earth GO 3/4 Dreadnought guitar review
Onboard HyVibe H2 effects with a looper on a mini travel guitar – too good to be true?
“Far, far from limited to our man in terms of its potential use”: Fender Johnny Marr Signature Special Jaguar review
It’s been 13 years since we saw the first Johnny Marr Jaguar, and with little fanfare his second signature landed at the end of 2025. What’s changed?
“Set your preconceptions of the band and brand aside – this is a very capable bass”: Epiphone Mike Dirnt Grabber G-3 review
A cult-classic Gibson bass gets a ressurection courtesy of Epiphone and Green Day's Mike Dirnt
“If a guitar looks like a dread, then it’s going to sound like one, too. But not here”: JWJ Chorale Select review
This latest acoustic from JWJ aims to provide a better blend between a singer’s voice and the guitar, all via cunning lutherie
“An outline that’s both striking and original with an almost bygone vibe”: West Valley Indiana review
A new name on the UK’s vibrant guitar-making scene, West Valley comes to market with a vision inspired by the golden era of guitar design
“At long last, a DAW puts the guitar at the very heart of its operations”: Fender Studio Pro 8 review
PreSonus' Studio One DAW has been rebranded and bestowed with a revised workflow, impressive AI features, and amp sims. Is this the DAW every guitarist has been waiting for?
4 Comments
“An incredibly powerful, immensely versatile pedal that crams gold-standard modeler experiences and sounds into the smallest form factor possible”: Neural DSP Quad Cortex mini review
Neural DSP's third hardware launch is the one everyone has been waiting for. But what does a stripped back control layout mean for the overall playing experience?
Buying Guides
Best guitar amp headphones 2026: practice playing your guitar in peace
From studio stalwarts to fully-fledged amps you wear on your head, these are the best headphones for use with guitar amps
Best amp modelers 2026: rack-mounted and floorboard options for every budget
Want a bunch of amp sounds packed into one unit? Start your research with our pick of the best amp modelers for guitarists
Best fuzz pedals 2026: add some filth to your sound with these essential pedalboard effects
Want to know your Fuzz Face from your Fuzz Gun, or channel your inner Jimi Hendrix? This guide is for you
Best classical guitars 2026: nylon-string guitars for every budget
From classical, flamenco and crossover, to acoustic-electric models and beyond, these are the best nylon-string guitars around right now
Best bass amps for practice 2026: top combos for working on your chops at home
Get the most out of your playing at home with one of these great bass practice amps
Best beginner bass guitars 2026: top starter basses for beginners
The best beginner basses for young players, newcomers, and the budget-conscious, picked by our experts – featuring Yamaha, Squier, Ibanez and more
Best cheap guitar pedals 2026: killer budget stompboxes you need to try
Stock up on new sounds for less with these incredibly cheap guitar pedals from Boss, NUX, TC Electronic and more
