
Jackson Maxwell
Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.
Latest articles by Jackson Maxwell

Eddie Van Halen on the time Billy Corgan played through his rig – and why his setup shocked the Smashing Pumpkins frontman
By Jackson Maxwell published
Finding EVH's rig almost impossible to wrangle, Corgan figured, mistakenly, that there was something he could quickly disable to tame it

How the producers of the Timothée Chalamet-starring Bob Dylan biopic nailed Dylan's unique tone – with a particular tweak
By Jackson Maxwell published
In partnership with the film's producers, Gibson gave Chalamet a collection of pristine, handcrafted guitars – but the movie's head music director needed, for accuracy's sake, to dim their natural sonic richness

Guns N’ Roses are hitting the road in 2025 – and they’re bringing punk and hip-hop legends with them
By Jackson Maxwell published
Having last played live in 2023, Guns N’ Roses will play stadiums around the world – incorporating a number of countries the band have never played in before

Bill Wyman reunited with the Rolling Stones on their Hackney Diamonds album, but didn't like the track he played on
By Jackson Maxwell published
Intriguingly, Wyman added that he also contributed to a second song that has yet to see the light of day

Body Count rip through their Comfortably Numb reimagining on the Tonight Show, as Ernie C does his best David Gilmour
By Jackson Maxwell published
In an interview with host Jimmy Fallon, Ice-T recalled getting the approval (and assist) for the modern-minded reworking from Gilmour – while also getting the go-ahead from Roger Waters

Before the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman needed a good bass guitar – so he built a proto-fretless model
By Jackson Maxwell published
It's a tale as old as time: three guitarists, a need for a bass player, and no one wants the job. Eventually, Wyman took it on, and built himself a proto-fretless model in the process

Scott Gorham's disastrous Thin Lizzy audition inspired a key tweak he makes to all of his Les Pauls
By Jackson Maxwell published
Gorham wasn't unprepared for his tryout with the future rock legends – he just had a guitar that almost seemed to have a vendetta against him

Cyber Monday guitar pedal deals 2024: Our expert pick of Cyber Monday stompbox deals
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Your place for all the Cyber Monday deals on guitar pedals, pedalboards, power supplies, and more

Black Friday guitar pedal deals 2024: We round up the very best Black Friday stompbox deals still live right now
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Your place for all the greatest Black Friday deals on guitar pedals, pedalboards, power supplies and more

Gibson launches new Custom Shop Jimmy Page 1969 EDS-1275 model that doesn't cost $50,000
By Jackson Maxwell published
While still exacting – with 3D scan rendering and molecularly accurate electronics – this replica of one of Page's most famous weapons diverges from its ultra-high-end predecessor in a few ways

Achieve Nirvana for less with this roaring Cyber Monday discount on Fender's Vintera II '70s Competition Mustang
By Jackson Maxwell published
We gave this super-fun Fender a five-star review, and for $999 this Cyber Monday, it's a killer choice for anyone looking for a weapon for garage-rock, punk, surf-rock, or, obviously, grunge

I’m in serious need of an acoustic upgrade. These are the Cyber Monday savings I have my eye on
By Jackson Maxwell published
These huge discounts on models from Martin, Taylor, Fender, and more – with savings of up to $350 – are perfect for anyone looking for the right acoustic

Guitar Center just dropped a 15% off coupon for Cyber Monday – and it’s valid on thousands of guitars, pedals, amps and accessories
By Michael Astley-Brown published
Could you snag a discount on the gear you’re salivating over?

Save a whopping $400 on D’Angelico's sleek Premier Bedford SH this Black Friday
By Jackson Maxwell published
With gorgeous vintage looks and a unique pickup lineup, this semi-hollow in beautiful Navy Blue looks and sounds like a million bucks, but will only set you back $399 at Musician's Friend

Start your or a loved one's guitar journey with 60% off Fender Play this Black Friday
By Jackson Maxwell published
Fender Play is the perfect one-stop shop for those looking to get started on the guitar. With 60% off this Black Friday, there's never been a better time to get yourself – or a loved one – started on guitar

Black Friday Positive Grid deals 2024: The first-ever Spark 2 discounts are here – plus, ways to save on the rest of the Spark line-up today
By Chris Barnes last updated
The official Black Friday deals are here, with discounts on nearly every smart amp in the line-up, plus big savings on software

The mod that made Kurt Cobain's $6 million MTV Unplugged Martin one of a kind
By Jackson Maxwell published
According to Nirvana guitar tech Earnie Bailey, Cobain was far from a vintage guitar fiend, and had no qualms with making his already weird D-18E even more unusual

Dimebag Darrell and Snake Sabo on their love of Ace Frehley, and how the Kiss legend shaped their playing
By Jackson Maxwell published
Both guitarists were recruited by Guitar World in 1993 for a roundtable of sorts with Frehley – during which Dimebag and Sabo even went to the trouble of donning “Spaceman” makeup themselves

Orianthi will re-join Alice Cooper’s band on tour as a fill-in for her successor, Nita Strauss
By Jackson Maxwell published
Orianthi toured with Cooper from 2011 through 2014, and will reunite with his band for a series of shows from late January through mid-February 2025

“I hit the first chord and my Marshall blew up”: Richie Sambora on Bon Jovi's nightmare arena debut
By Jackson Maxwell published
Reflecting on the experience decades later, Sambora said that – embarrassing as they are in the moment – mishaps like that are “what shape you as a pro”

Greg Suran on his time with Joe Walsh – and the Eagle’s passion for tonal tinkering
By Jackson Maxwell published
A veteran guitarist whose resumé also includes work with Sunny Day Real Estate, The B-52's, and Lionel Richie, Suran tells GW that he learned plenty from the Eagles legend, both tone-wise and solo-wise

A guide to everything David Gilmour used on his new solo album, Luck & Strange
By Henry Yates published
Gilmour's tech, Phil Taylor, provides GW with an exhaustive list of the guitar gear used to record the prog icon's first solo album in nine years – and there are some surprising pieces of kit

“The sonic equivalent of a fist-fight between James Hetfield and Alex Lifeson”: October 2024 Guitar World editors’ picks
By Michael Astley-Brown published
The hot new tracks and deep cuts GW editors have been listening to this month

Rory Gallagher’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster sells at auction for $910,000
By Jackson Maxwell published
The historic Strat – the sale of which attracted the attention of senior members of the Irish government, who hoped to keep the instrument in Gallagher's native country – went under the hammer along with dozens of other guitars from the legendary player's collection

AI-aided Eddie Van Halen solos could be a possibility, according to Alex Van Halen
By Jackson Maxwell published
The late guitarist's older brother says that he reached out to OpenAI about potentially analyzing “the patterns of how Edward would have played something” to help round out unfinished material
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
