Latest articles by Matt McCracken
Best guitar amp headphones 2026: practice playing your guitar in peace
From studio stalwarts to fully-fledged amps you wear on your head, these are the best headphones for use with guitar amps
There's no need to wait for the weekend to find your dream guitar – Musician's Friend just slashed prices by up to 60% off in their early Presidents' Day sale
Celebrate National Guitar Day with a big saving on some fresh gear in the early Presidents' Day sale at Musician's Friend
Best classical guitars 2026: nylon-string guitars for every budget
From classical, flamenco and crossover, to acoustic-electric models and beyond, these are the best nylon-string guitars around right now
Best beginner bass guitars 2026: top starter basses for beginners
The best beginner basses for young players, newcomers, and the budget-conscious, picked by our experts – featuring Yamaha, Squier, Ibanez and more
Best guitar picks 2026: my choice of tried-and-tested plectrums to upgrade your playing
My expert guide to the best picks for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar covering new players through to guitar veterans
"Gives you more features than the comparable Boss and Line 6 units": HeadRush Flex Prime review
Review update with audio demos to include 5.0 Firmware - "Overall, it’s a brilliant update"
Best guitar wireless systems 2025: set your playing free, from the rehearsal room to the stage
Fed up with cumbersome cables? Here's my pick of the best wireless guitar systems for every budget
Best headphone amps for guitar 2026: silent practice solutions
You don’t need to sacrifice tone to practice quietly with my expert pick of the best headphone amps for guitar players
“For James Hetfield fans, this guitar is a no-brainer”: Epiphone Explorer 80s EMG review
Epiphone's latest Explorer delivers the ultimate unofficial tribute for Metallica fans
Best FRFR speakers 2026: transparent tone for multi-effects and amp modelers
Get the most out of your digital modeler with the best FRFR speakers, from on-the-go options to arena-filling mammoths
Best guitar amps 2026: tube, solid-state, and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets
These are the best combo amps and heads from Orange, Fender, Marshall, Boss, and more
Best impulse responses: the secret sauce of great recorded guitar tone
Take your recordings to another level with these high-quality cab IRs from York Audio, GGD, Ownhammer, ML Soundlabs, and more
Best reverb pedals: from spring to shimmer, these are our top picks for your pedalboard
Take a deep dive into the cavernous world of 'verb and explore the best reverb pedals for every budget
Best amps for metal 2026: my top picks for high-gain heroes
These powerhouse metal amps from PRS, Orange, Friedman, EVH, and more will have you primed to seek and destroy
Best acoustic guitar strings: our top-rated strings for your acoustic
We pick the best guitar strings for acoustic guitar from Ernie Ball, D'Addario, Martin, and more
Best metal guitars 2026: hell-raising electrics for shredders on any budget
From extended-range guitars to Flying Vs, here's our pick of killer metal guitars from Jackson, ESP, Ibanez, Strandberg and more
Best desktop guitar amps 2026: my top choice amps for portable practice
Improve your guitar playing with my pick of the most powerful yet portable amp solutions
Best electric guitar strings 2026: our top-rated strings for your electric
Keep your axe feeling fresh with the best guitar strings for electric guitar
Best practice amps 2026: hone your chops at home
My tried & tested pick of the best guitar practice amps to get your playing up to speed without any noise complaints, plus video demos of my top choices
"The build quality is outstanding, and the number of features gives younger and new players plenty to grow into": Boss GX-1 review
Boss' new entry-level multi-effects delivers pro-level features on a bedroom budget
The best electric guitars under $500
Our top cheap electric guitars that deliver killer tones, slick playability, and serious bang for your buck from Squier, Epiphone, Yamaha and more
Best acoustic guitars under $500 in 2026: get more for your money
These sub-$500 acoustic guitars are ideal for everything from folk and indie guitar to blues and country
Best beginner electric guitars 2026: top electric models for new players, reviewed and demoed by experts
So you're a budding guitarist? Get started with our pick of the best beginner electric guitars from Squier, Yamaha, and Epiphone
