“His music was determinedly and insistently unconventional”: Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel singer and guitarist, dies at 73 By Jackson Maxwell published 17 March 24 Harley wrote and sang the glam-rock band's mid-'70s smash, Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)
“Noel spat on his T-shirt, rubbed off the signature and said, ‘I’ll take it anyway!’”: Noel Gallagher once bought one of Peter Green’s Les Pauls – but erased Green’s signature to get back at the store owner who sold it to him By Matt Owen published 16 March 24 Bill Ryder-Jones, the guitar's current custodian, revealed how the Oasis man came into possession of the storied Les Paul, and stripped it of its notable scrawl
Guitar World deals of the week: get Amplitube for just $49.99, a $120 discount on a D'Angelico, plus all the week's best guitar gear deals By Matt McCracken published 15 March 24 Get the low down on the biggest savings and best deals from all the major music retailers
“Furthering Fortnite’s commitment to working with forward-thinking music brands”: Fender teams up with Fornite to bring its Stratocaster and Precision Bass to the digital realm By Phil Weller published 15 March 24 Fender’s collaboration with one of the world’s biggest video games brings the two timeless models to Fortnite’s 221 million players
“Advanced playability for the seasoned professional and the aspiring performer”: Charvel launches its latest Pro-Mod model – rolling out relic’d finishes to its standard range for the first time By Phil Weller published 15 March 24 Giving a worn-in look and feel to its flagship model, the firm looks to marry old and new with a guitar that is said to blend “sophisticated style with assertive tone for maximum playing enjoyment”
“What he did with it, it just brings you to tears”: Jeff Beck’s last-ever recording has been released – as Mark Knopfler’s sensational star-studded charity single finally arrives By Matt Owen published 15 March 24 More than 50 of the world’s finest guitar heroes have joined forces for the track, which has been recorded to raise funds for teenage cancer charities
Live Review: Knotfest, Sydney 25/03/23 By Australian Guitar published 27 March 23 "Knotfest is home for the maggots who never felt that they had a home anywhere else"
Live Review: Polaris, Melbourne 10/03/23 By Ellie Robinson published 13 March 23 “If there’s any band can take our expectations and shatter them in the most beautiful and brutal of ways, it’s Polaris”
Melbourne Guitar Show 2023: Phil Manning on his five favourite guitars By Ellie Robinson published 28 February 23 "I just love guitars and, although I’m definitely not a collector, I have quite a few, all of which are special in their own way"
Live Review: Good Things Festival, Melbourne 02/12/22 By Ellie Robinson published 5 December 22 “This edition offered one of the best festival experiences we’ve had in years”
NOFX’s Fat Mike on Australia, ‘Double Album’ and the power of pegging By Ellie Robinson published 29 November 22 Ahead of the punk icons’ hotly awaited return down under, Australian Guitar gets the lowdown on NOFX’s upcoming 15th AND 16th albums, what the future holds beyond their final tour, and… Lots of sex stuff
Adalita: “I thought the songs were just too good to not release” By Ellie Robinson published 29 November 22 Nine years in the making, Magic Dirt frontwoman Adalita has returned with her third solo album, ‘Inland’. Australian Guitar finds out why it’s worth the wait
Australian Guitar’s Fresh Frets: Vol. 12 By Ellie Robinson published 25 November 22 On the lookout for your next favourite Aussie band? You've come to the right place – here are five of the locals we're loving most at the moment!
Spotlight: Hallie By Ellie Robinson published 23 November 22 The new EP, ‘This Is Love’, is out in February
Devin Townsend: “I’m a pretty tranquil person, but that’s mixed with a constant undercurrent of anxiety and intensity” By Ellie Robinson published 17 November 22 Devin Townsend is back at his theatrical best, presenting his most refined self on ‘Lightwork’. Australian Guitar taps into the brightness
L.S. Dunes: “We needed a place to put our hearts and souls, musically, during the pandemic” By Ellie Robinson published 16 November 22 L.S. Dunes might comprise members of the most iconic bands in post-hardcore, but you shouldn’t dare call them a “supergroup”. Australian Guitar finds out why
Slowly Slowly: “I want to help people party through the pain” By Ellie Robinson published 15 November 22 On their game-changing fifth album, Slowly Slowly slam their darkest lyrics into their brightest songs, making for one hell of a musical rollercoaster. Australian Guitar takes it for a ride
Joji Malani, aka Pei: “As a solo artist, I’m able to be way more intentional about everything” By Ellie Robinson last updated 14 November 22 On his debut album as Pei, ex-Gang Of Youths strummer Joji Malani welcomes us to a world of technicolour indie-pop. Australian Guitar takes a first-class tour
Live Review: Enter Shikari, Melbourne 11/11/22 By Ellie Robinson published 14 November 22 "Even after six albums and 20-plus years of thrashing up a storm, Enter Shikari are still one of a kind"
Spotlight: Viktor Rufus of Kirklandd By Ellie Robinson published 11 November 22 The new single, ‘OTHERSIDE’, is out now
Nova Twins: “Half of my family is from Australia, so I’ve always wanted to go and see what the vibe’s like” By Ellie Robinson published 8 November 22 Less than a month away from their live debut Down Under, Nova Twins take Australian Guitar behind the scenes of their audio-visual assault
Sly Withers: “For however challenging it was to dive that deep into our songs, it was equally exciting” By Ellie Robinson published 3 November 22 Just a year on from their second album, Sly Withers have returned with clearer minds and catchier hooks. Australian Guitar journeys through the fierce rock foliage of ‘Overgrown’
Ocean Alley: “We’re definitely conscious of trying to give each other space” By Ellie Robinson published 1 November 22 Australian Guitar gets groovy with the kings of cruise-rock, Ocean Alley
Alter Bridge: “By learning how to turn down the noise in my brain, I can centre in on the music” By Australian Guitar published 28 October 22 As they wade through the waters of the new world around them, Alter Bridge have grown a new appreciation for their art, and developed new perspectives for how they should approach it
Spotlight: Bec Sandridge By Ellie Robinson published 26 October 22 The new EP, 'Lost Dog', is out now
Orianthi: “I wanted the verses to focus more on storytelling than aggression” By Australian Guitar published 21 October 22 Orianthi’s fifth studio album, ‘Rock Candy’, is pretty damn sweet. The Adelaide pop-rocker tells us how it came about
“I’m now running a dual rig – it’s like hearing Queens of the Stone Age and Guy Ritchie movies mixed together!” Meet Kid Kapichi – the UK beat-punks busting out Chuck Berry moves and opening for Liam Gallagher By Amit Sharma published 17 March 24 Ben Beetham is a pedalboard thrill-seeker whose tones make Kid Kapichi one of the most vital bands on the UK rock scene
Best free online guitar lessons 2024: Where learning guitar costs nothing By Simon Fellows published 15 March 24 Many of the finest online guitar tuition sites, apps and channels are yours for free. The only investments you need to make are time and effort!
“If the mini-humbucker had remained exclusive to Epiphone, it may have been a mere footnote. It developed a following because they ended up in Gibson guitars”: The mini-humbucker’s surprising history – and why it deserves more love By Huw Price published 15 March 24 Often passed over in conversations about the greatest electric guitar pickups, the mini-humbucker has a unique tone of its own, its story inextricably linked to Epiphone and Gibson
Best guitar audio interfaces 2024: our top picks for every budget By Chris Schwarten last updated 15 March 24 These are the best audio interfaces for taking your guitar recordings to the next level, regardless of your budget or experience
Best practice amps 2024: 10 great picks for honing your guitar and bass chops at home By Chris Corfield last updated 15 March 24 These are the best practice amps for enabling you to keep the noise down when getting in some essential practice time with your electric guitar or bass
“Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Ry Cooder, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Healey and Buddy Guy... I naturally gravitated towards a Strat because my main influences were all playing them”: Philip Sayce on why the best studio magic is live By David Mead published 15 March 24 Returning with new solo LP The Wolves Are Coming, the blues ace discusses big studio energy during downtime for the world, his enduring guitar heroes, and his exacting standards for the Strat
Best electric guitar strings 2024: the finest electric guitar strings for every budget and playing style By Chris Corfield last updated 11 March 24 Keep your axe feeling and sounding fresh with the best electric guitar strings on offer right now
Best acoustic guitars 2024: 12 top options for guitarists of all ages and abilities By Chris Corfield last updated 8 March 24 Guitar World’s pick of the best acoustic guitars from Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Epiphone and more
Best acoustic guitar strings 2024: outfit your acoustic with the strings it deserves By Chris Corfield last updated 26 January 24 Our pick of the best acoustic guitar string sets, and everything you need to know about them
Best acoustic guitars under $500 2024: get more for your money By Chris Bird last updated 25 January 24 These sub-$500 acoustic guitars are ideal for everything from folk and indie guitar to blues and country
Best pedalboards 2024: budget-spanning picks to help organize your guitar effects By Jonathan Horsley last updated 17 January 24 Get the best from your effects with expert-recommended 'boards from Pedaltrain, Voodoo Labs, Boss, and more
Best reverb pedals: from spring to shimmer, our pick of the best reverb effects for your pedalboard By Michael Astley-Brown last updated 9 October 23 Take a deep dive into the cavernous world of 'verb and explore the best reverb pedals for every budget
“For the electric player who fancies some nylon sound, with a pick, it’s a simple drive and very fit for purpose”: Godin G-Tour review By Dave Burrluck published 15 March 24 As Canada’s foremost manufacturer of steel- and nylon-string acoustics and electros, not to mention an increasingly broad line of electrics, Godin has combined its past into the G-Tour
“This slant on the Bluesbreaker offers real flexibility at a manageable price point”: Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose review By Trevor Curwen published 14 March 24 We have a gander as Electro-Harmonix debuts its enhanced take on Marshall’s Bluesbreaker overdrive sounds
“While many contemporary offsets simply borrow the outline, there’s a lot more to these original recipes”: Fender Vintera II ’50s Jazzmaster, ’70s Jaguar and ’70s Competition Mustang review By Dave Burrluck published 13 March 24 Can’t afford a vintage Fender? Neither can we. So until we win the lottery, the Vintera range aims to satisfy our lust. Let’s jump on the offset train and go back in time…
“It’s one of Boss’ most eagerly anticipated pedals ever – but is this featured-packed reverb worth the wait?” Boss RV-200 Reverb review By Michael Astley-Brown published 12 March 24 The long-awaited twin-footswitch reverb pedal has taken the flagship RV-500 format and downsized it to pedalboard-friendly proportions, all while adding an all-new Arpverb algorithm
“On playability alone it feels like we’re playing a much more expensive guitar”: PJD Guitars St John Standard Plus review By Dave Burrluck published 11 March 24 Back in 2023, revitalised Brit-maker PJD rejigged its range to start with the new solidbody hardtail Standards. Need an offset with a vibrato? No problem: here comes the Standard Plus
“A very endearing, characterful instrument… a guitar that looks and feels old, played-in and used but is perfectly fit for purpose”: Vintage Proshop V72 Custom Build review By Dave Burrluck published 10 March 24 With guitars seemingly getting more expensive by the day, is a bespoke build now just a thing for the very well-off? We go in search of a more affordable route from the UK…