Latest articles by Matt Owen
Dave Mustaine announces new Megadeth album will be his last
The band's final record will be followed by a global farewell tour next year
Steve Vai on how he joined David Lee Roth’s band – and Roth’s desire to “beat Van Halen”
In 1985, Vai was recruited to join Roth's post-Van Halen band – and the singer had lofty ambitions for his new project
Gibson launches signature version of Noel Gallagher’s mystery Oasis reunion Les Paul – one of 2025’s most talked about guitars
Only 25 will be made, each representing a classic Oasis track
Gretsch reboots the Corvette as the all-new CVT – a sub-$500 build based on the guitar beloved by Rory Gallagher and Jimi Hendrix
The CVT Double-Cut formally arrives after a run of signature models teased the Corvette's return
Brent Hinds says he was forced out of Mastodon – despite claims his departure was amicable
Hinds has seemingly shed more light on his surprise Mastodon departure in a recent comment on social media
Eddie Van Halen’s #1 Kramer guitar surfaces for sale – and is expected to reach $3,000,000 at auction
The early 1980s custom build, which was played on tour and once owned by Mick Mars, ushered in a watershed moment for Kramer and the guitar industry
Fender debuts the American Ultra Luxe Vintage range – taking on its boutique rivals and rolling out its new relic’ing process
The latest entry to the American Ultra ecosystem offers subtle Heirloom finishes and Pure Vintage pickups, and looks to make a mark in the boutique modern-meets-vintage guitar market
JHS Pedals has put Mk.gee’s beloved Tascam 424 multi-track tones into a pedal
After much speculation, JHS has finally unveiled the 424 Gain Stage – a preamp pedal based on the cult classic Tascam Portastudio beloved by Mk.gee
All the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – and I've just solved a problem I didn't even know I had
My favorite Silver Sky finish to date has been launched alongside new gear from Blackstar, Kiesel, Epiphone and more
JHS Pedals has teased a huge new drop with a riddle – and some gear fans think they’ve cracked the code
Is JHS about to release a pedal inspired by Mk.gee’s secret weapon? Some fans certainly think so
Eric Johnson on the time he got sacked as a session guitarist
The Cliffs of Dover icon spent the early years of his career cutting his teeth on the session circuit – but says he had a few studio disasters along the way
Keeley has invented a drive pedal that is also a weed vape – but he’s not allowed to release it
Keeley has been prevented from selling his Vapor Drive by the strong arm of the law
Ricky Byrd on the disastrous Joan Jett gig where they were wrongly accused of stealing gear – and the audience turned on them
Byrd and Jett were on the road with Scorpions at the time – and it’s not a gig that brings back fond memories
“A Katana killer? The jury’s still out, but one thing’s for sure – this is a great addition to the ID range”: Blackstar ID:X 50 review
Blackstar is gunning for the Katana crown and has launched a new modeling amp that it thinks will be worthy of the title
Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto is on a mission to win back guitar players’ trust
These are uncertain times for brick-and-mortar guitar stores, but Dalporto is leading the fight back against unprecedented competition for guitar stores – and he thinks he’s found a winning formula
“Thought the DIY pedal trend had run its course? Think again”: All the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week
A rival for Positive Grid, Walrus Audio's wild take on the looper pedal, an affordable build-it-yourself fuzz pedal and more...
How Ola Strandberg went from midlife crisis to revolutionizing headless guitars – and what he thinks could be next
When he burned out in the IT world, Strandberg rekindled his passion for guitar building via secret sessions in his employer’s workshop. The guitar industry hasn’t been the same since. He explains why it will keep changing
“Nuno Bettencourt isn’t the only one keeping Eddie Van Halen’s fire burning – the most underrated guitarist on the planet just gave him a run for his money”: July 2025 Guitar World Editors' Picks
New cuts from Deftones, Big Wreck, Wet Leg, Eric Gales and more...
Could PRS ever make a headless guitar?
Strandberg, Ibanez and Schecter have all been flying the flag for headless designs – could PRS be next?
Johnny Depp joins Alice Cooper onstage to cover Black Sabbath’s Paranoid in honor of Ozzy Osbourne
Depp and his Gibson Flying V lined up alongside Cooper and Nita Strauss for the performance
Fake Guitar Center websites set up to scam players are on the rise – here’s what you need to look out for
A player was recently scammed out of $1,000 after falling prey to a scam website – and the retailer’s CEO has shared the red flags you need to be mindful of
Pantera cancel tour dates to mourn Ozzy Osbourne
The Black Sabbath singer passed away earlier this month, weeks after completing his Back to the Beginning farewell show
John McLaughlin remembers gifting Jeff Beck the white Strat that featured on his seminal Wired record
The iconic Strat was reportedly stolen at a later date
