Daryl Robertson
Daryl is a Senior Deals Writer at Guitar World, where he creates and maintains our 200+ buyer's guides, finds the best deals on guitar products, and tests the latest gear. His reviews have been featured in prominent publications like Total Guitar, Future Music magazine, and MusicRadar.com.
During his career, he has been lucky enough to talk to many of his musical heroes, having interviewed Slash and members of Sum 41, Foo Fighters, The Offspring, Feeder, Thrice, and more. In a past life, he worked in music retail. For a little under a decade, he advised everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned pros on the right gear for their needs.
Daryl's world doesn't just revolve around guitars either; he also has a passion for live sound. Daryl is a fully qualified sound engineer who holds a first-class Bachelor's degree in Creative Sound Production from the University of Abertay and has plenty of experience working in various venues around Scotland.
Latest articles by Daryl Robertson

How to sell your guitar online: 5 handy tips for selling an instrument on the internet and common scams to avoid
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Looking to cash in your old gear to fund a shiny new axe or amp? We have some expert guidance for you

Best pitch shifter pedals 2025: an essential tool for channeling Tom Morello, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani
By Alex Lynham last updated
To Whammy or not to Whammy? That is the question we’re answering with our guide to the best pitch shifters for guitarists

Best Precision Bass 2025: P-Basses from Fender and beyond
By Chris Corfield last updated
Our top picks of the most recognizable bass in history, including models from Fender, Sire, Sterling by Music Man and more

Prime Day guitar deals 2024: all the post-Prime Day sales that are live right now
By Chris Barnes last updated
Prime Day is officially over, but if you're late to the party there are still some big savings on guitar gear to be had

5 things people with organized pedalboards always do – and what they buy from Amazon
By Daryl Robertson last updated
With Prime Day in full swing, we’ve searched the site for the pedalboard essentials to keep your rig neat and tidy

$500 off a range of stunning Breedlove guitars at Guitar Center is by far the best Prime Day acoustic deal we've seen this year
By Daryl Robertson published
Guitar Center proves the best Prime Day acoustic deals aren't on Amazon this year - save big on Breedloves most popular models

Sick of spending too much on guitar strings? Stock up for less with these Prime Day discounts from Ernie Ball, D'Addario and more
By Daryl Robertson published
With discounted options for both acoustic and electric, there's never been a better time to stock up on strings

Fender's Prime Day-beating sale has up to 10% off the Ultra range and Squier Contemporary models as well as 20% off many Squier Affinity guitars
By Daryl Robertson published
With healthy discounts applied to everything from Strats and Teles to Jazzmasters and Starcasters, there's no need to wait for Prime Day for a great deal

Best ukuleles 2025: Acoustic and electric ukes for all budgets and playing styles
By Chris Corfield last updated
Get started with our pick of the best ukes from Mahalo, Martin and Cordoba, plus a cool Fender Jazzmaster ukulele

How to test out a beginner acoustic guitar in a guitar store
By Daryl Robertson published
A former guitar salesman gives you valuable advice for buying your first guitar

6 of the best 4th of July sales for guitarists: Save up to 60% off guitars, amps, FX and accessories
By Chris Barnes published
Explore hundreds of dollars in discounts at Musician’s Friend, Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Positive Grid and more

Best P-90 pickups 2025: Rejuvenate your guitar tone with a fresh set of P-90s covering various price points and styles
By Daryl Robertson last updated
The P-90 is one of the most versatile single coil pickups ever made and here's the very best from Seymour Duncan, Fishman, Mojotone and more

Best acoustic guitars under $1,000 in 2025: get great tone for less
By Rob Laing last updated
Enjoy superb playability and sound with our guide to the top mid-priced acoustics

Best distortion pedals 2025: the top 11 high-gain stompboxes for guitarists
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
Crunch, filth, mayhem! Dive into our expert round-up of the best distortion pedals available today

The Guitar World team dishes out some encouraging words about learning the guitar
By Daryl Robertson published
Members of our team dish out some encouraging words for newbie players and share the advice they wish they had known at the beginning of their playing careers

Should you learn acoustic guitar before electric guitar? Plus 3 other beginner guitar myths busted
By Daryl Robertson published
Beginner guitarists often wrestle with this age-old question, so we’re here to answer it once and for all – as well as a few others

“Our mission at Orange Learn is to make education accessible to all”: Orange launches FREE guitar and vocal courses through Orange Learn
By Daryl Robertson published
Unlock your musical potential with free courses from Orange Learn as well as 15% off all graded books

Best travel guitars 2025: top acoustic and electric travel guitars for portability and performance
By Rob Laing last updated
Top travel guitar choices and buying advice for musicians on the move

Best reverb pedals 2025: from spring to shimmer, these are our top picks for your pedalboard
By Michael Astley-Brown last updated
Take a deep dive into the cavernous world of 'verb and explore the best reverb pedals for every budget

How we test beginner acoustic guitars
By Daryl Robertson published
We take a deep dive into our testing process for beginner acoustic guitars

Fender's unmissable Memorial Day sale promises up to 30% off Player, Paranormal, Affinity, and loads more
By Daryl Robertson last updated
From Kurt Cobain’s outlandish Jag-Stang to Steve Lacy’s People Pleaser Stratocaster, Fender's Memorial Day sale has something for everyone

Guitar Center's Memorial Day sale has landed with up to 35% off a host of guitar gear – including $200 off the P90-loaded Gibson Les Paul Standard
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Update or upgrade your setup for less on Memorial Day, thanks to Guitar Center's mega sale

Best Memorial Day guitar sales 2025: today's most epic deals on acoustic and electric guitars, amps, effects and more
By Chris Barnes last updated
Explore all the best Memorial Day guitar savings in one place – massive savings from Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, Positive Grid and others

"My first guitar was a beat-up flamenco-style acoustic that my grandmother had in her closet": Slash, Jimmy Page and more remember the guitars that set them on the path to six-string immortality
By Daryl Robertson published
We dive into some of our classic interviews to rediscover the stories of how famous players got started - featuring Slash, Jimmy Page, Stone Gossard, Albert Lee and more
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