Are Seymour Duncan's new Jazzmaster Silencers the ultimate Jazzmaster pickups?
Seymour Duncan's triple-coil design promises to succeed where others have failed, and deliver true single coil tone with no noise
Latest news
Are Seymour Duncan's new Jazzmaster Silencers the ultimate Jazzmaster pickups?
Seymour Duncan's triple-coil design promises to succeed where others have failed, and deliver true single coil tone with no noise
Albert Lee reveals the history of his ’58 Les Paul Custom
Gibson calls its replica the Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom, but Clapton is only one of the stars to have owned and played this storied guitar
Pop star Lizzo is set to play rock guitar pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in an upcoming biopic – and has been filmed jamming on a Suhr at shows
The movie – Rosetta – will focus on a significant period in Tharpe's life, culminating in her first stadium show which doubled as a wedding
“We’ve only changed the strings one time”: Travis Barker reveals the bass he uses on everything he records
The Blink-182 drummer and producer has made a revelation about a go-to bass that has proved perfect for almost every record he's produced
Guitar deals are thin on the ground in Amazon’s Spring Sale but if you need accessories, I’ve found 6 deals that are well worth checking out
I’ve rounded up the best deals for guitarists on Amazon with my favorite essential accessories that will save you money
Gibson's Double Trouble Les Pauls offer faded nitro finishes, with uncovered pickups – and a cheeky nod to its dispute with DiMarzio
The two new models take the Les Paul Standard recipe down memory lane, with uncovered 'Double Classic White' humbuckers
Melissa Etheridge on how she came to own a “museum quality” Fender from Norman's Rare Guitars – which she played at the 2005 Grammys
Since then, Etheridge has become a true disciple of the iconic guitar store – adding even more vintage guitars to her collection
Artists
Sean Rowe on getting steel drum tones with a pen, a pedal and a dollar bill – and why he keeps wearing out his Takamines
The New York singer-songwriter came up with a unique effect on a train in Europe, – and that’s just one example of his experimental approach to tone
Davey Johnstone's most beloved guitar was once a piece of upscale decor for his superstar bandmate
Johnstone did end up with the '50s-era beauty in the end, though not for a happy reason
Dhani Harrison on the making of Living in the Material World – and George’s slide style
If All Things Must Pass was Harrison in minor key, Material World is the sound of him turning towards the light. His son, Dhani, tells us about its creation, and its stunning (and essential) reissue
From Ritchie Blackmore to Ozzy, bassist Bob Daisley has worked with rock’s heaviest heroes
For more than 30 years, bassist Bob Daisley laid the foundations on which some of the greatest rock and roll ever was built
Manuel Gagneux on why you shouldn’t sweat the technique – and expanding Zeal & Ardor’s radical sound
Unorthodox, avant-garde, progressive and totally unique, Gagneux is taking black metal out of its total necro comfort zone. Dare you follow him?
How Dick Dale made the Stratocaster the ultimate surf-rock weapon
The surf guitar king was not only a Fender man to his bones – he had a close working relationship with Leo Fender himself
Meet Tim Rockmore, the TV and session veteran who’s recorded entire tracks with a Fender headphone amp
After recording jingles for Sprite, Sears and Pringles, Rockmore learned how to gain attention in a world where you can never overplay, and where the analog-vs-digital amp argument ended 30 years ago
Slayer’s Tom Araya charts his incredible 4-string journey
From starting on a Paul McCartney Höfner ripoff to pioneering some of the heaviest metal ever committed to tape, Tom Araya admits he's no bass virtuoso… but he “can play fast sometimes”
Marty Friedman takes us back to Megadeth’s Countdown to Extinction era to tell the story behind one of the rarest Jackson guitars ever
It was December 1991, and the cover of GW featured Friedman with a prototype Jackson that begged further investigation. Just where was his signature model? And what became of the Firebird-inspired design?
Gear
“There’s nothing about this guitar that’s not to like”: Lowden F12 review
A new model from Lowden is something of an event, and when that instrument involves a reimagined neck joint, we’re instantly intrigued
Best modeling amps 2025: iconic amp tones at your fingertips
I break down the best modeling amps for guitar, covering a range of budgets, brands, and sizes
“The X100 is very good at what it does – some might say even too good”: MXR Rockman X100 review
The legendary Tom Scholz headphone amp and signal processor gets reborn in pedal form
“A great choice for guitarists seeking an affordable semi-hollow that looks and sounds different”: D’Angelico Premier SS review
Because a super-classy, versatile semi doesn't have to break the bank
"This seems like the missing link for anyone who uses an amp modeler at home": Headrush FRFR-Go speaker cab review
Headrush was early to spot a demand for giggable FRFR cabs in the market, and now it has seen another one for home users – has it got it right again?
The creation and evolution of the Stratocaster
Timeless, iconic, yet also indisputably a product of the era in which it was designed, the Stratocaster was shaped in huge part by a few oft-overlooked players – one of whom suggested the whammy bar so he could get more money as a session guitarist
“You may never want to live without it on your pedalboard”: Abasi Concepts Micro-Aggressor review
Tosin Abasi's gear company drops a new type of compressor for 21st-century playing styles – and it could be the tone-sweetener you've been looking for
Greeny will always be Kirk Hammett’s pride and joy. But this uber-rare 1959 Gibson ES-335 is a close second – and it has a surprising history
What’s rarer than a Burst, rarer than a korina Flying V, and even rarer than a korina Explorer? A vintage guitar that Kirk Hammett believes is second only to Greeny when it comes to the best-sounding instruments in his arsenal…
Lessons
Think playing rhythm guitar is boring? Cory Wong is here to change your mind
In his inaugural Guitar World column, Cory Wong establishes the principles – and the mentality – of good rhythm playing, and how you can make yours fun
Learning how to bend strings correctly is one of the quickest ways to make your playing sound better
String bending is a core technique for lead playing. Here's how to take it from beginner to pro
This easy chord trick appears on classic songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Passenger
Why the 7th fret is the magic position for your guitar capo
Marcin's percussive fingerstyle is dropping jaws. The warm-ups that fuel his virtuosity are guaranteed to boost your own playing
Acoustic phenom Marcin Patrzałek shows you his favorite warm-up exercises
Rasgueado is a game-changing flamenco strumming technique – and it will give your picking hand a huge turbo boost
Learn the strumming style that will give your playing bravado, fire and passion
6 signs it's time to upgrade from your first acoustic guitar
Is your first acoustic guitar holding you back? Here are six signs that it is time to upgrade your starter instrument to something better
5 common excuses for not learning the guitar – and 5 body and mind-boosting reasons you should
Always wanted to learn the guitar, but keep making excuses? These are the most common ones I've heard – and why they don’t hold up
By thumb-picking bass notes while playing a melody, you can be your own rhythm section – Jared James Nichols shows you how
The pickless blues-rock powerhouse demonstrates some picking hand independence strategies that gets it working up a rhythm that works a treat for the solo musician
Reviews
“There’s nothing about this guitar that’s not to like”: Lowden F12 review
A new model from Lowden is something of an event, and when that instrument involves a reimagined neck joint, we’re instantly intrigued
“The X100 is very good at what it does – some might say even too good”: MXR Rockman X100 review
The legendary Tom Scholz headphone amp and signal processor gets reborn in pedal form
“A great choice for guitarists seeking an affordable semi-hollow that looks and sounds different”: D’Angelico Premier SS review
Because a super-classy, versatile semi doesn't have to break the bank
"This seems like the missing link for anyone who uses an amp modeler at home": Headrush FRFR-Go speaker cab review
Headrush was early to spot a demand for giggable FRFR cabs in the market, and now it has seen another one for home users – has it got it right again?
“You may never want to live without it on your pedalboard”: Abasi Concepts Micro-Aggressor review
Tosin Abasi's gear company drops a new type of compressor for 21st-century playing styles – and it could be the tone-sweetener you've been looking for
“The slightly bland exterior hides the huge pickup-swapping potential”: Cream T Crossfire Standard review
The UK builder brings quick and easy pickup swapping to an offset platform – and it might just convince you to take the plunge…
"I'm not about to proclaim this to be the death of tube amps, but it does help an already good modeling tone get that little bit closer in terms of feel": IK Multimedia Tonex Cab review
In an ever-growing sector of viable monitoring solutions allowing us to hear our carefully crafted digital guitar tones, IK Multimedia enters the fray
![Lerxst Grace [left] and Godin 5th Avenue TL Gold Foil: Grace is a red HSS S-style with a mirror pickguard and a Vega tremolo system. The 5th Avenue model to its right sits beside a houseplant and is an arch-topped hollowbody with f-holes and gold-foil pickups.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6w2NUh4RxvR5ajrc52sFCB-840-80.jpg.webp)
Buying Guides
Best modeling amps 2025: iconic amp tones at your fingertips
I break down the best modeling amps for guitar, covering a range of budgets, brands, and sizes
Best electric guitars under $1,000 in 2025: 8 killer options for beginners and pros
Find the ultimate workhorse with our pick of the best electric guitars you can currently buy for less than $1,000
Best desktop guitar amps 2025: my top desktop amps for portable practice
Improve your guitar playing with my pick of the most powerful yet portable practice solutions
Best online guitar lessons 2025: remote learning for guitar players – every platform tested by experts
Online lessons are great for developing your guitar skills from the comfort of your home or on the go – myself and our in-house experts have thoroughly tested options for all playing levels and budgets, including a free option
Best acoustic guitars 2025: 10 top options for guitarists of all ages and abilities
Guitar World’s pick of the best acoustic guitars from Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Epiphone and more
Best acoustic guitars for beginners 2025: top picks for new players, reviewed and demoed by experts
We've played epic affordable six-strings from Epiphone, Taylor, Fender, Yamaha and more – read on for our best beginner acoustic guitar recommendations and watch our video demos
Best punk guitars 2025: straight-shooting, no-nonsense guitars for punk
From Gibson to Eastwood, Fender to Music Man, here’s our expert pick of guitars to help you cause some anarchy at your next DIY show
