Latest articles by Matt McCracken
Best tremolo pedals 2025: Top pedal choices, from old-school vibe to chopped-up tones
The best tremolo pedals on the market right now, from the likes of TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss, Strymon and JHS
Best octave pedals 2026: fast track your way to fat guitar tone with these powerful pedalboard additions
Make your riffs slap harder and solos fly higher with our expert selection of the best octave pedals you can buy today
“It can make you a legato monster like Satch, give you EVH-level tapping skills, or turn your guitar into a synth sequencer”: DigiTech HammerOn review
Time to get wacky with this unique legato-generating, pitch-shifter-slash-sequencer
“For all those who’ve lambasted the Standard Series before playing one – you’re going to have to eat your words”: Fender Standard Telecaster review
I put Fender’s most affordable guitar to the test to see once and for all what all the internet hubbub is about
Guitar deals are thin on the ground in Amazon’s Spring Sale but if you need accessories, I’ve found 6 deals that are well worth checking out
I’ve rounded up the best deals for guitarists on Amazon with my favorite essential accessories that will save you money
“It can give you pristine cleans, crunchy classic rock, slapback slathered blues, and even modern metal”: Blackstar Fly 3 review
I got hands-on with this low-budget practice amp designed to deliver killer tones at below the $/£100 mark
Best desktop guitar amps 2025: my top choice amps for portable practice
Improve your guitar playing with my pick of the most powerful yet portable amp solutions
“Delivers uber-satisfying edge of breakup tube saturation that won’t annoy your neighbors”: Marshall DSL1CR review
Is there still a place for 1-watt tube amps in the modern age of modeling? I got hands-on with the DSL1CR to find out
“A veritable cornucopia of modulating textures”: Kernom Elipse review
We check out a multi-modulation pedal with a difference
“If you’re looking for unique tones paired with modern build and playability, it’s an amazing guitar”: Fender Player II Jaguar review
Getting to grips with what could be the highlight of Fender’s Player II Series
The Line 6 HX Stomp just got a $100 discount at Guitar Center – here's 5 reasons it's been on my 'board for the past two years
My favorite multi-effects pedal has got a cheeky discount for Presidents’ Day, here are some great reasons it can enhance your playing experience too
9 Presidents' Day guitar sales to shop before they’re gone for good
Find the best last-minute Presidents' Day deals across the web, including huge discounts on Gibson, Fender, Martin, Line 6, and loads more
Quick! Positive Grid's huge $50 Riff audio interface discount ends today – here are 5 reasons it’s worth your money
Start recording your guitar playing for less with this amazing deal exclusively for Guitar World readers
The best deals of 2025 so far? Save big in the Musician's Friend’s Presidents' Day sale with up to 40% off guitar gear
Grab yourself a big saving on some fresh guitar gear with this early Presidents’ Day sale
Best guitar plugins 2025: my top plugins to level up your recorded guitar tones
Get better guitar tones for recording and practice with my pick of the best guitar amp plugins
Positive Grid Spark 1 vs Spark 2: which one should you choose?
With the release of Spark 2, we've put the new amp and the original Spark head-to-head in a clash of the practice amps titans
Best budget multi-effects pedals 2026: access a world of effects at a reasonable price
More is more with these budget do-it-all bargains from Zoom, Line 6, Mooer and NUX
Best combo amps 2026: the best all-in-one amps for every budget
The ultimate tube, solid state, and modeling combo amps for every genre, from Motown to metal and everything in between
Best delay pedals 2025: our pick of the coolest delay pedals for your pedalboard
Whether you prefer digital or analog delay pedals, the options in this round-up will help boost your creativity on the guitar
Best chorus pedals 2026: top choices for your 'board
From analog to digital, and shimmery to subtle, let us show you the top chorus pedals you can buy today
“For players who want to get lairy, experiment with the interactions between stompboxes, and create auditory chaos”: Eventide x Third Man Hardware Knife Drop review
Time to get weird with this synth/octave/overdrive from FX masters Eventide and Jack White's Third Man Hardware
Best Neural DSP plugins 2026: 10 Neural plugins tested with sound samples
From bass to hi-gain, get the lowdown on some of the top guitar amp modeling plugins with our favorite Neural DSP plugins ranked
Grab yourself a guitar like no other with huge 20% discounts on these web-exclusive Squier guitars
Snag a limited edition finish from just $159.99 with these online-only deals on some stunning looking instruments you won’t find anywhere else
“Playing the Bass VI is a really strange experience”: Squier Limited Edition Classic Vibe Bass VI review
Part bass, part guitar, we get to grips with the Classic Vibe version of Fender’s very own dichotomy of tone
The best guitar songs of 2024 – as chosen by Guitar World editors and pro players
With the help of pals including Eric Gales and Vernon Reid, we run down the songs that lit up the guitar-o-sphere this year, including a remarkable hardcore breakthrough, a virtuoso collab for the ages and the prodigy that everyone’s talking about
