Alabama guitar legend Wayne Perkins – who played with the Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, and Joni Mitchell – dies at 74
Perkins made his name as a Muscle Shoals session ace and would go on to have a storied career playing with the greats
Latest News
Alabama guitar legend Wayne Perkins – who played with the Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, and Joni Mitchell – dies at 74
Perkins made his name as a Muscle Shoals session ace and would go on to have a storied career playing with the greats
Richie Sambora reunited with stolen Gibson Explorer after 40 years
Sambora bought his original 1976 Gibson Explorer in his late teens, and it was stolen from a warehouse back in 1985
What makes a guitar worth $14.6 million?
Last week, David Gilmour's Black Strat sold at auction for an incredible $14.6 million. What could compel someone to spend that kind of money on a guitar?
Guitar World deals of the week: save over $1,000 on a PRS, grab an ESP LTD with $600 off, plus two of my favorite headphone amps for guitar just got a nice discount
Your weekly digest of the best deals on guitar gear from all corners of the web, hand-picked by Guitar World's team of guitarists
“Out of an abundance of caution”: AC/DC’s Stevie Young admitted to hospital in Argentina
The band expects the rhythm guitarist to play at AC/DC’s Buenos Aires show on Monday night
Guitar expert reveals the guitars that could surpass the new auction record held by David Gilmour’s Black Strat
Matthieu Lucas from Matt’s Guitar Shop in Paris gives Guitar World the lowdown on which guitars could likely break the Gilmour record one day
Radiohead's Ed O'Brien on using guitar playing as therapy in the midst of depression
Following decades of intense, non-stop touring, O'Brien was forced to face past traumas, and found a new way to cope through guitar playing, and unknowingly crafting a new solo record
Artists
How a new recruit turned Swedish adventure rockers Hällas into a band of gearheads
The latest addition to the ever-quirky prog outfit's lineup, guitarist Rickard Swahn made an impact at his first rehearsal among worn-out frets, weird pickup choices, and crumbling amps – and saved a song that was too Mark Knopfler for them
Varials’ Shane Lyons believes the band's new album is an “ear assault” that defines their pummeling sound
The Philly metalcore gearhead discusses his favorite toys, the balance between groove and brutality, making his guitar sound like it’s not a guitar – and the pedal that’s most underused in his genre
Francis Rossi on the Status Quo groove, Kempers, and his relationship with the late Rick Parfitt
The Quo’s motormouthed frontman had no intention of releasing a new solo album. But with The Accidental, Francis Rossi tells us he’s stumbled across his best work yet
I’m a drummer. You guitarists have made me hate being in bands
Your noodling, new toys, bad cables, and blasé attitude to learning songs is turning me into a rehearsal-hating retiree. But there’s hope for you yet…
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Melissa Auf der Maur on joining Hole amidst tragedy and her “Master’s in Music” with the Smashing Pumpkins
In her love letter to the ’90s – the last analog decade – the Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist shares how she fell in love with the low-end and became an integral part of the noise-making generation
Cory Wong on not buying the Klon hype and vintage unicorns lost and found
The modern-day funk maestro discusses his career in gear, and that means Strats, creative gear solutions, and why he never got swayed by the “mystique” of Klons and tube amp grails
How a Radio Shack pedal and a fiery Fall Out Boy guest spot helped Filth is Eternal live up to their name
After finding inspiration in an old Radio Shack analog reverb, guitarist Brian McClelland’s tonal experimentation has exploded – and it’s added more bite to the band's new release, Impossible World
Chicago bassist Peter Cetera reflects on opening for Jimi Hendrix and why Paul McCartney changed everything
The newly named Chicago were invited to open for The Experience on several dates during their 1969 US tour
Jason Isbell on the acoustic that was eons in the making and how a stolen guitar brought him into the Martin lineup
Country star Jason Isbell has played Martins ever since he was bailed out by the company after his van was looted… And now he presents new signature models based on his rare pre-war 0-17
Gear
PJD Origin Series Carey Apprentice and St John Apprentice review
It may appear stripped down and basic, but PJD’s new Origin Series Apprentice is sharply built – and seriously affordable. A new standard for affordable craft?
"It’s not the cheapest solution, but it’s one of the most fully featured volume pedals available": Walrus Audio Canvas Volume review
The newest addition to the Canvas family is a versatile, feature-rich volume pedal loaded with capabilities you never knew you needed
The magical mystery of the $1.3m Gretsch that might have recorded a Beatles classic
Amelia Walker of Christie's takes us behind the scenes at the Jim Irsay auction to look at the 1963 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins that was rumored to have been used on Paperback Writer
I attended the biggest guitar auction in history – and witnessed a new dawn in the value of the instrument
The monumental bidding wars that took place on the first night of the Jim Irsay Collection auction at Christie’s New York were a testament to the power of the instrument and the aura of the classic rock gods, and left attendees spellbound
John Lennon’s ’64 Rickenbacker is officially a $1.3m guitar – but it was originally a replacement for a Beatles live show
This stunning stand-in Ricky was owned by both John Lennon and Ringo Starr in its time, and was one of the big sales in the Jim Irsay auction at Christie’s
Best Stratocasters 2026: The best Strats for every budget and playing style
Find your fit with our top pick of the best Fender Strats
“It’s clearly had a lot of thought put into making it as flexible and useful as possible”: Laney Digbeth DB-EAST review
Over a long, distinguished career, Nathan East has never had a signature amp. Until now…
Lessons
“It’s about building intensity… think of Jeff Beck shifting to Billy Gibbons!” How to solo over one-chord blues
Soloing over changes is cool, but sometimes the blues is all about exploring melody over a single chord
Charlie Starr on the origins of the B-Bender – and how you can play those licks without one
No B-Bender, no problem, as the Blackberry Smoke frontman shows us 9 licks for that faux pedal-steel sound
5 altered chords you need to know – and how they get their names
Altered chords can be intimidating at first, but here we demystify the naming conventions, and once you understand that, you can easily find your own
Cory Wong on why doubling the bassline is one of the “most badass” things a guitarist can do
Cory Wong uses Vulfpeck's Jaco-inspired Dean Town to teach us the value of doubling a bassline on guitar
How to play B.B. King’s greatest song (with some help from Joe Bonamassa)
Bonamassa says B.B. King’s The Thrill Is Gone is so perfect that he initially couldn’t find anyone to cover it on his tribute album. Here, he unpacks the tones and approaches of the King of the Blues
Bopping blues and greasy grooves: Ally Venable's rhythm guitar tips and secrets
Learn how to boost your blues to pro levels of authenticity with a handful of great chords and a rock-solid rhythm technique
Big jumps for a bigger sound: Steve Morse’s masterclass on wide intervals
Deep-dive your technique for powerful intervals with six string-jumping, fretboard-stretching examples from one of the world's most influential super-pickers
Reviews
PJD Origin Series Carey Apprentice and St John Apprentice review
It may appear stripped down and basic, but PJD’s new Origin Series Apprentice is sharply built – and seriously affordable. A new standard for affordable craft?
"It’s not the cheapest solution, but it’s one of the most fully featured volume pedals available": Walrus Audio Canvas Volume review
The newest addition to the Canvas family is a versatile, feature-rich volume pedal loaded with capabilities you never knew you needed
“It’s clearly had a lot of thought put into making it as flexible and useful as possible”: Laney Digbeth DB-EAST review
Over a long, distinguished career, Nathan East has never had a signature amp. Until now…
“The basic rotary sound is very convincing”: Crumar Burn review
Made by a keyboard company for use with its organs, this rotary simulator pedal has plenty to get guitarists in a spin
“Will appeal to high-gain players without unlimited budgets”: Victory MKX Lunch Box Head review
Victory’s most advanced compact amp to date promises huge tone-potential in a lunchbox-sized package. We’re feeling hungry…
“A lot of deceptively clever craft”: Duesenberg Starplayer CBR review
It’s been a while since we’ve dropped into the world of Duesenberg. German ingenuity, retro style and some big-name users – what’s not to like?
“It’s a pedal I didn’t even know I needed”: EHX Effects Interface review
From the creator of the Big Muff comes a handy unit for getting your pedalboard and your DAW effects talking to each other
“A cost-effective way of accurately amplifying your modeled tone, which is exactly what many guitar players need”: Blackstar Artist FR Special review
Bypassing some of the fancy features of other FRFR cabinets, Blackstar gets straight to the point with a no-frills solution for amplifying your modeled guitar tones
Buying Guides
Best Stratocasters 2026: The best Strats for every budget and playing style
Find your fit with our top pick of the best Fender Strats
Best guitar capos 2026: These are the tried & tested options I'd recommend for acoustic and electric players
I tested 10 of the most popular capos on the market. Here’s my expert picks for electric, acoustic, 12-string and beyond
Best short-scale basses 2026: the ultimate guide to the greatest pint-sized bass guitars at all price points
From Fender to Gibson, Gretsch to Spector, here are our top picks for the best short-scale basses on the market right now
Best electric guitars under $1,000 in 2026: find your ultimate workhorse guitar
Get more for your money with my pick of the top-rated electric guitars below the $1,000 mark
Best guitar straps 2025: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style – top picks from a guitar salesman
My expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials
Best pedalboards 2025: perfect platforms for your pedals, tested
I used 10 pedalboards from Fender, D’Addario, Pedaltrain and more at home, in the studio and on stage to find out which ones are worth stomping on
Best pedalboard power supplies 2026: juice your ‘board with my pick of pro-grade power for every budget and size of 'board, fully tested
I put budget-spanning pedal power supplies from Fender, Cioks, Walrus Audio and more through their paces – these were my standouts
