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My pick of the best new guitar gear launched this week – and the new drops you might have missed
My personal highlights from a week filled with Fenders, Epiphones, pedals and more. Have a highlight of your own? Let us know in the comments
Latest News
Chad Gilbert riffs with New Found Glory again as he returns to the stage in wheelchair mid-cancer battle
Gilbert performed for the first time after undergoing emergency brain cancer surgery in February
Prime Day guitar deals 2026: the latest early savings uncovered, predicted deals, and everything you need to know about Amazon's biggest sale
Prime Day 2026 is just days away. Guitar World's gear experts are here to help you separate the real bargains from the filler with the best early savings on guitars, amps, pedals, accessories, and more
Guitar World deals of the week: grab the best early Prime Day guitar deals with essential guitar gear starting from just $4.99, plus the ideal last-minute Father's Day gift for guitar-playing dads
Our gear experts track down the best weekly deals on guitar gear, bringing you hand-picked savings on guitars, pedals, amps, and more
You can now watch the Norman’s Rare Guitars documentary online for free
Featuring all-star interviews and crazy stories, the film charts the rise of Norman Harris’ legendary store and the vintage guitar market boom
Fender's limited edition Player Fusion range has taken its entry level electrics in a radical hard rock direction
High-output pickups, Floyd Rose bridges, baritone Jaguars – the Player Fusion range might be the final piece in the Player puzzle
The Fender legal furore is a damn shame, because Squier just launched its coolest guitars in years
The Paranormal range is back, and it’s bringing baritones, Bigsbys and a 6-string that thinks it’s a 12-string
Matt Pike quits doom-metal icons Sleep – and his surprise replacement has been announced
Pike's departure comes alongside the band's first new single since 2018, which debuts a new-look lineup ahead of a North American tour
Artists
“There’s a lot of gear I had to get rid of because rent was due”: Marc Ford’s life in guitars
The former Black Crowes and current Lucinda Williams blues-rocker talks shred-guitar mistakes and his love for custom Asher axes
Billy Squier on saving his ’59 Les Paul from a fire, the world’s greatest Marshall and why he stopped practicing
The man behind The Stroke and Lonely Is the Night checks in to talk all things guitar, imposter syndrome and the enduring appeal of his 1960 Tele Custom
The notorious final tour of the Zappa band, and his bassist’s role in its demise
Though many regard the 1988 lineup as one of Zappa’s most musically formidable bands, the tour ended in disaster, with Zappa returning home, never to tour again
“We started talking about Black Sabbath, and Buzz goes, ‘You know they did this thing called drop D.’ We said, ‘What’s that?’” Kim Thayil on how Soundgarden took rock guitar into the superunknown – and the unfinished Chris Cornell tapes
With the Soundgarden guitarist‘s memoir, A Screaming Life, out now, he unpacks the story behind one of the most influential rock bands of the ’90s
Was Neal Schon the godfather of ‘80s glam metal? Tracing the origin story of Mötley Crüe’s seminal Looks That Kill riff
We time-travel back to the era of zebra stripes and ripped jeans to investigate the mystery of Crüe’s Looks That Kill and the riff that changed the world
The thrash metal bands who deserved to make it – but didn’t
For every success story like Metallica from the ‘80s metal movement, there are countless bands who didn’t make it. Some of them never gave up
5 Comments
How James Hetfield wrangled Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax for metal's biggest reunion
James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett explain the origins of the Big 4 shows – which united Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax on one historic bill
Gear
Marshall x Jimi Hendrix 60th Anniversary JMH Half Stack review
Paying tribute to 60 years of one of the most iconic pairings in guitar history, Marshall releases a signature Hendrix amp bundle, featuring not only an amp and cab, but a Fuzz Face and some very collectable extras.
How to get a bargain on a Gibson Les Paul Standard ’Burst reissue
High-end guitar expert Julian White offers some serious buying advice for some of the most sought-after Les Pauls of the modern era
“These days I would be reluctant to say that Gibson invented the archtop”: The untold history of German guitar building
The author of German Jazz Guitars shares the country's proud history of archtop design – and questions whether the classic jazz box actually originated there
Best bass compressor pedals 2026: expert picks for the ultimate in low-end control
From studio-style levelers to stompboxes that squash, we put the market-leading compressor pedals for bass to the test
Everything you need to know about 1950s Telecaster pickups – and how to build your own replicas
Not all Blackguard Tele pickups are alike. Here's what you need to know to keep that twang in your sound
EVH 5150 III Hypersonic 6L6 2x12 review
Following in the steps of parent company Fender's Tone Master range, EVH releases a digital combo version of the coveted 5150 amp, combining digital modeling and a real guitar cabinet
25 tips for tracking down your dream guitar (for the right price)
Buying a guitar can be tricky enough before you even consider the vintage market, and whether a refin is a good or bad thing. Here we unpack some dos, don'ts and things to consider when trading
Lessons
Pinch Harmonics made easy: how to get the perfect squeal
Our definitive guide on how Billy Gibbons, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and Zakk Wylde make their guitars scream
The secret to great guitar solos isn’t technique – it’s rhythm
All the greats put themselves into their phrasing, and that identity was not only note choice but rhythm. Here are four ways you can add rhythmic interest to great effect
If you learn one thing from Jake E. Lee it should be this: bigger stretches for better shredding
Try this enhanced lesson to strengthen your fourth finger and use your thumb for wide fretting like the iconic Ozzy Osbourne guitarist
How to funk up your blues solos
Taking cues from John Mayer, Jimi Hendrix and Nile Rodgers, this lesson offers three examples of phrases that add rhythm and movement to blues
“To some people, this is more of a ‘jazzy’ sound”: How to use dominant 7 arpeggios in a guitar solo
Because you can't have enough exit ramps from traditional blues phrases, here's how you can use the notes of a dominant 7 chord to spice up your solos
5 chords that sound like they’re in an open tuning (but aren’t)
Because sometimes retuning your guitar is, well, a pain in the backside – and there are workarounds
Charlie Starr on how to play “Piedmont” fingerstyle guitar
The Blackberry Smoke frontman goes unplugged to give us a lesson in the fingerstyle techniques he applies in his day job
Reviews
Marshall x Jimi Hendrix 60th Anniversary JMH Half Stack review
Paying tribute to 60 years of one of the most iconic pairings in guitar history, Marshall releases a signature Hendrix amp bundle, featuring not only an amp and cab, but a Fuzz Face and some very collectable extras.
EVH 5150 III Hypersonic 6L6 2x12 review
Following in the steps of parent company Fender's Tone Master range, EVH releases a digital combo version of the coveted 5150 amp, combining digital modeling and a real guitar cabinet
Yamaha 60th Anniversary RSP20B and RS02CB Chris Buck review
After redesigning the ‘new’ Revstar back in 2022, Yamaha has added two models to the line-up: a 60th Anniversary knees-up and Chris Buck signature model
“I’ve been playing B-benders since 1999, so I was eager to get my mitts on this guitar”: Fender John Osborne Telecaster review
The country-rock star’s Tele tears up the template – and could be your fastest ticket to B-bender tone
"A genuinely brilliant guitar that can do far more than its heavy metal aesthetic suggests": Ibanez Iron Label AZ41B1 review
Ibanez's pitch-black metal machine is hiding a secret beneath its stealthy exterior
Ancoats Granada Special review – a unique modern-retro design with a fresh approach to relic’ing
This UK boutique build references the long-gone Granada Television, another Manchester oddity, and creates a new spin on the T-style
“A fine, gig-ready instrument with premium build quality”: Taylor Gold Label 710E review
As part of an ongoing revision to its esteemed catalog, Taylor has introduced a deep-bodied dreadnought into the fold. Let’s take it out for a spin
Buying Guides
Best bass compressor pedals 2026: expert picks for the ultimate in low-end control
From studio-style levelers to stompboxes that squash, we put the market-leading compressor pedals for bass to the test
Best amps for metal 2026: my top picks for high-gain heroes
These powerhouse metal amps from PRS, Orange, Friedman, EVH, and more will have you primed to seek and destroy
Best pedal amps 2026: top preamps, power amps, and amp modelers
We rank and review the best guitar amp pedals from Strymon, Universal Audio, Blackstar, and more
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 guitar straps 2026: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – budget-spanning choices from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials. Plus, buying advice to help you decide
Best single coil pickups 2026: from trailblazing designs to vintage traditionalists
From Fender Telecaster twang to Gibson P-90 bite, we’ve compiled our pick of the best aftermarket single coils your money can buy right now
Best budget guitar amps under $500 2026: cost-cutting amplifiers for every player
Get great sounds and features without blowing your budget – from affordable tube amps to wallet-friendly digital modeling amps and everything in between
