Matt McCracken
Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at Guitar World. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and pretty much anything else guitar-related. Responsible for over 60 buying guides, a large part of his role is helping guitarists find the best deals on gear. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog.
A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and writing and recording in bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the UK in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at. When he's not holed up in his home studio recording new songs or tweaking pedal settings, you’ll find him making a racket with Northern noise hounds JACKALS.
Latest articles by Matt McCracken
Best guitar amp headphones 2024: 10 options for when the neighbors need a break
By Amit Sharma last updated
From studio stalwarts, to fully fledged amps you wear on your head, these are the best headphones for guitar amps, from Boss, Audio-Technica and more
Best guitar straps 2024: play in comfort and secure your guitar in style
By Chris Corfield last updated
Our expert pick of straps for electric, acoustic and bass, covering all budgets and materials
Best guitar wireless systems 2024: set your playing free, from the rehearsal room to the stage
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
Fed up with cumbersome cables? Here's our pick of the best wireless guitar systems for every budget
“Plenty of great functionality to make your life easier and assuage any fears of signal or battery loss”: Boss WL-50 review
By Matt McCracken published
We put Boss’ pedalboard-friendly wireless guitar system to the test, seeing how it holds up to some stiff competition
Best looper pedals 2024: go it alone with the greatest loop pedals for practice, live performance and jamming
By Alex Lynham last updated
Whether you're writing songs or woodshedding solos, using a loop pedal will make you a better guitarist – these are the best looper pedals from Boss, TC Electronic, Line 6 and more
Best guitar picks 2024: recommended plectrums to upgrade your playing
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
Our expert guide to the best picks for bass, acoustic and electric guitar
“Very much at home with syncopated djent chugs, fast thrashy power chord riffing, and blazingly quick lead work”: Jackson JS22-7 DKA Dinky HT review
By Matt McCracken published
Should a beginner choose a 7-string as their first instrument? This extended-range guitar from Jackson looks to make its case
Best amps for metal 2024: our top picks for high-gain heroes
By Jonathan Horsley last updated
These powerhouse metal amps from PRS, Orange, Friedman, EVH, and more will have you primed to seek and destroy
Best FRFR speakers 2024: full range, flat response speakers that won't color your tone
By Richard Blenkinsop last updated
Our pick of the best FRFR speakers for Helix, Kemper, Quad Cortex and other digital amp and effects modelers
"Packed full of great sounds and options yet easy to navigate": NUX MG-300
By Matt McCracken published
Could this budget-friendly multi-effects pedal be the perfect match for the beginner guitar player who wants loads of tones on tap?
One of our favorite practice amps is 10% off and there's free shipping on everything in Positive Grid’s massive guitar month sale
By Matt McCracken published
Get your hands on some of the world’s most popular smart and desktop amps for less over at Positive Grid
“Completely shatters the expectations for a guitar geared toward modern metal”: PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN review
By Matt McCracken published
The Periphery guitarist’s signature model gives lovers of the low-end great specs and playability at a lower cost. We find out if it’s more than just a djent machine.
Best beginner guitar amps 2024: top guitar amplifiers for beginners
By Chris Corfield last updated
Looking for one of the best guitar amps for beginners? We’ve rounded up our favorites for players of any style from brands including Blackstar, Orange, Boss, and more
Gibson Les Paul vs Fender Stratocaster: Which is right for you?
By Matt McCracken published
We put these two titans of tone head to head, deep-diving into their similarities and differences so you can be sure you’re purchasing the right guitar
I use Helix Native every day for practice and recording and Line 6 just slashed $160 off the price
By Matt McCracken published
Line 6’s superb amp sim and effects software just got an absolutely humongous discount
Waves just dropped loads of its plugins back to Black Friday prices – record better guitar tones from just $9.99
By Matt McCracken published
We've hand-picked 7 essential (and discounted) plugins that will massively improve your home guitar recordings
Best headphone amps for guitar 2024: turn it up while keeping it down
By Matt McCracken last updated
You don’t need to sacrifice tone to practice quietly with our expert pick of the best headphone amps for guitar players
Best guitar tuners 2024: chromatic, polyphonic, and strobe options
By Chris Bird last updated
Find the best guitar tuner whatever your budget, with our top picks from the likes of Boss, Korg, TC Electronic and D’Addario
You can now get the coveted sound of a Gibson Les Paul for a whole lot less - save a mammoth $600 in the Musician’s Friend Guitar Fest sale
By Matt McCracken published
Get big money off huge brands like Gibson, Fender, Boss, Line 6 and more in this impressive sale
Best multi-effects pedals 2024: top do-it-all guitar effects units
By Alex Lynham last updated
The best floorboard FX modelers on the market for all budgets, including gear from Line 6, Boss, and Neural DSP
Should you replace or upgrade your guitar? Fender just gave you the answer with a whopping 20% off official parts and pickups
By Matt McCracken published
Here are the four discounted upgrades we'd choose from the official Fender shop
Best guitar amps 2024: tube, solid-state and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets
By Chris Corfield last updated
These are the best combo amps and heads from Orange, Fender, Marshall, Boss, and more
Fender Play is the cheapest we’ve ever seen with this one-day-only deal - get a year’s worth of top-quality lessons for just $29
By Matt McCracken published
Fender’s leap-day deal gives you a year’s expert tuition for less, but it’s only available for one day
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