Steve Vai considers this solo to be his “ultimate achievement” – and one fan’s cover has left him in awe
Vai has singled out an aspiring player on Instagram for their flawless cover
Latest news
Steve Vai considers this solo to be his “ultimate achievement” – and one fan’s cover has left him in awe
Vai has singled out an aspiring player on Instagram for their flawless cover
Marcus King takes Rory Gallagher’s legendary Isle of Wight Fender Telecaster for a spin on stage
King previously played Jeff Beck’s iconic YardBurst Les Paul thanks to French vintage guitar dealer, Matt’s Guitar Shop
29 Prime Day guitar gear deals still live right now – including 15 patch cables for just $45
Don't fret if you dropped the ball on a Prime Day guitar deal, I've got all the deals that are still live right here for you
A stolen Rolling Stones ’59 Les Paul that has been missing since 1972 has surfaced – in a museum
The guitar, also played by Keith Richards on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 before it was stolen by drug dealers, has been identified by its fingerprint-like flame top
That time a 14-year-old Eric Gales won a battle of the bands competition that got him signed
It was a gig that changed Gales’ life forever
Tim Henson addresses Kirk Hammett’s mixed response to his ‘boomer bends’ comments
Hammett recently had his own say on the boomer bends controversy, questioning how accessible the Polyphia virtuoso’s style is for casual listeners
Prime Day guitar deals 2025: Final day to save! This is your last chance to shop the best Prime Day deals on guitars, amps, pedals, accessories, and more
Amazon's biggest Prime Day ever has now finished, but don't worry if you're late to the party, you can still pick up some seriously big savings
Artists
We Lost the Sea channeled grief into a landmark post-rock album – then they had to face the pressure of how to follow it
The Australian instrumentalists created beauty from tragedy with Departure Songs. Hard-fought third album A Single Flower is a breathtaking product of the journey they’ve been on so far, delivered via aluminum guitars and boatloads of pedals
“That whole Dark Horse tour was a really weird thing”: Robben Ford on touring with George Harrison
Blues/jazz maestro Robben Ford reflects on his time touring with George Harrison in the fall of 1974
Billy Duffy on the Les Paul ’Burst he sold on the cheap – and why player-grade beats all-original every time
Think of Billy Duffy and it’s Gretsch White Falcons, Les Paul Customs or maybe an LP Junior. Here he explains why these three iconic six-strings have been the tools of his trade for over 40 years
Before Robert Trujillo and Jason Newsted, Cliff Burton set the musical bar for Metallica and established an indelible legacy
Cliff Burton’s playing style may have been an offbeat fit for the cutting-edge thrash of Metallica, but it worked perfectly
Alex Lifeson on throwing sonic curveballs with Envy of None – and why he’s all in on plugins
As Alex Lifeson launches the second album from his latest prog project, Envy of None, we delve deep into the mists of its sonic landscape
![Goose’s Rick Mitarotonda [left] and Peter Anspach at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall, June 25, 2022](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tUcaeZE77iRm3AJSfFSZkK-840-80.jpg.webp)
How Goose took flight to become the world’s hottest jam band
Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach play without fear, reading the room, letting their improv instincts guide them. But those rooms are getting mighty big. Just how did a Connecticut jam band reach Madison Square Garden?
Thunderstruck on bass? With slapping and tapping? Bass hero Toby Peterson-Stewart flexes his chops in tribute to AC/DC
From parallel distortion to cutting-edge tapping, Toby Peterson-Stewart breaks down some of the highlights from his latest cover
Gear
“There’s something here for all drive lovers. Bit of a game-changer, this one”: Crazy Tube Circuits Venus review
Crazy Tube Circuits takes on a classic tube overdrive pedal and makes it accessible and relevant for the modern ’board
This 1960 Gibson ES-335 proves that there’s always something to learn from vintage guitars
Can you teach an old guitar new tricks? The jury's out on that. But an old guitar can teach you, just like when Dave Davidson picked up this vintage semi-hollow with a secret
"Crisply built and shines like a gem on the live stage": Taylor 314ce Studio review
An attainably priced “serious” Taylor with high-end touches
“Not just another copycat design”: Eastman Fullertone SC ’52 and DC ’62 review
Last year’s D’Ambrosio series guitars signified numerous firsts for Eastman, not least that they were US-made with boutique prices to match. These new FullerTones capture the magic at a fraction of the price
"This is the kind of guitar that encourages you to play your best, allowing you to perform faster, smoother, and more expressively than you thought possible": Gibson Marcus King ES-345 review
Marcus King delivers a royal reimagining of an ES classic – and it may take the crown as the finest signature guitar of the year
ESP LTD RZK-III OW review
Rammstein’s riffer-in-chief Richard ZK returns with his third signature guitar, marking a departure from its predecessors with an arsenal of fun features
“If you think PRS just makes guitars for well-heeled doctors and dentists, you might have to change your opinion”: PRS SE NF 53 review
A new month, a new PRS. This time the USA NF 53 gets the affordable SE treatment
Lessons
What funk maestro Cory Wong learned from James Hetfield
Papa Het has got a brand new bag when it comes to downpicking, and it’s full of lessons for the funk guitar player
The secret behind Marcin, Matteo and Paco? How rest note picking can improve your tone, speed and volume
Paco Peña, Marcin Patrzałek and Matteo Mancuso all use rest strokes to play powerful single notes – here's how to make them work for you
Buddy Guy influenced Clapton, Page and Hendrix – here’s what you can learn from the blues icon
No-one plays the blues like Buddy Guy – but that doesn't stop us trying. We look at four ways the blues icon approaches his solos. Warning: it's going to get fiery
Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones explains what people get wrong about his Black Dog riff
In his inaugural Guitar World lesson column, authored in 1996, the legendary bassist also revealed why he used pick to lay the song down in the studio – and why he later would use an eight-string bass to play it live
Can you keep up? 6 minor pentatonic licks that go FASTER!
Turbo-boost your pentatonic lead playing by learning from Nuno Bettencourt, Joe Bonamassa, Jimmy Page and more
Sue Foley pays tribute to blues icons Johnny Winter and Muddy Waters with 4 essential soloing licks
Sue Foley returns to help us navigate the I-IV-V changes and come up with some soloing ideas that enhance your melodic sensibility – and add a bit of fire along the way
30 beautiful acoustic guitar chords every player needs to know – and how to play them
Increase your musical vocabulary and expand your compositional horizons, in each and every key
Reviews
“There’s something here for all drive lovers. Bit of a game-changer, this one”: Crazy Tube Circuits Venus review
Crazy Tube Circuits takes on a classic tube overdrive pedal and makes it accessible and relevant for the modern ’board
"Crisply built and shines like a gem on the live stage": Taylor 314ce Studio review
An attainably priced “serious” Taylor with high-end touches
“Not just another copycat design”: Eastman Fullertone SC ’52 and DC ’62 review
Last year’s D’Ambrosio series guitars signified numerous firsts for Eastman, not least that they were US-made with boutique prices to match. These new FullerTones capture the magic at a fraction of the price
"This is the kind of guitar that encourages you to play your best, allowing you to perform faster, smoother, and more expressively than you thought possible": Gibson Marcus King ES-345 review
Marcus King delivers a royal reimagining of an ES classic – and it may take the crown as the finest signature guitar of the year
ESP LTD RZK-III OW review
Rammstein’s riffer-in-chief Richard ZK returns with his third signature guitar, marking a departure from its predecessors with an arsenal of fun features
“If you think PRS just makes guitars for well-heeled doctors and dentists, you might have to change your opinion”: PRS SE NF 53 review
A new month, a new PRS. This time the USA NF 53 gets the affordable SE treatment
“It can definitely zero in on the Beatles’ retro tones. But there’s more to it than that”: Aclam Go Rocky Go review
Aclam releases its third pedal inspired by vintage Vox amps and the Fab Four’s guitar sound
Buying Guides
Best compressor pedals 2025: control your tone with the must-have utility pedal
With great options from Boss, Keeley, MXR, and more, there has never been a better time to add a comp pedal to your 'board
Best acoustic guitar pedals 2025: pedals to transform your tone and boost creativity
Improve and shape your tone with the best acoustic guitar pedals from the likes of Boss, Fishman, MXR & LR Baggs
Best locking tuners 2025: improve your performance with these powerful upgrades
Keep your guitar playing consistently with our top locking tuner picks from Fender, Schaller, Sperzel and more
Best guitar slides 2025: every budget and material covered, plus how to choose the right slide for you
Getting into the bluesy world of slide guitar? From Shubb and Dunlop, to Taylor and Ernie Ball, these are our top choices
Best pedalboard power supplies 2025: juice your ‘board with my pick of pro-grade power, fully tested
I put budget-spanning pedal power supplies from Fender, Cioks, Walrus Audio and more through their paces – these were the standouts
Best cheap looper pedals 2025: bang-for-your-buck loopers for your ’board
Score a looper for under $80 and spark your creativity with our pick of the best budget pedals from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss and more
Best baritone guitars 2025: pick up the slack with these long scale guitars
Get low with my expert pick of the best baritone guitars from PRS, Gretsch, Chapman, Jackson, and loads more
