Latest articles by Matt Owen
Manson releases like-for-like recreation of Matt Bellamy’s main Muse guitar – complete with all the onboard effects
Three Black Edition models have been released, each paying tribute to the Muse maestro's go-to guitar – but you’ll need to start saving up...
Warren Haynes on the time he missed the chance to play with B.B. King
Haynes had witnessed the King play live years earlier – but when he first got the chance to jam with the blues icon, nerves got the better of him
Painted Neck Stratocasters? These Fender Custom Shop models put a distinct – and divisive – twist on the traditional template
Candy Green, Ice Blue Metallic and Shell Pink are just some of the finishes on offer in Music Zoo's exclusive Custom Shop drop
Brian Robertson sets the record straight on his Thin Lizzy exit
Robertson left Thin Lizzy amid conflict with Phil Lynott and a serious hand injury – but came back as a session hand on future albums and tours
Manowar founding guitarist Ross ‘The Boss’ Friedman diagnosed with ALS
Friedman has been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Fractal goes up against Neural DSP and IK Multimedia with ICONS – its first-ever plugin
ICONS is the first of a series of plugins, and offers 36 Fender-style amps and a load of effects lifted from Axe-Fx
Fred Smith, influential Television and former Blondie bassist, dies at 77
Smith helped define the proto-punk pioneers' sound, and had plans to return to the stage later this year
One of Scotland’s most popular guitar retailers set to return under new ownership
Kenny's Music closed its doors in later 2025 despite strong sales stats, against a bleak backdrop for brick-and-mortar guitar stores
Chris Buck responds to the backlash against his “Strat baggage” comments
The British guitar ace says the baggage is his own burden to bear
“An incredibly powerful, immensely versatile pedal that crams gold-standard modeler experiences and sounds into the smallest form factor possible”: Neural DSP Quad Cortex mini review
Neural DSP's third hardware launch is the one everyone has been waiting for. But what does a stripped back control layout mean for the overall playing experience?
Mark Morton’s signature Gibson Les Paul has been in the making for more than 3 years – now it’s finally here
The Lamb of God guitarist signed with Gibson back in 2022 and has been rigorously road-testing various pickup prototypes on the road
Search launched for Boston guitarist Brad Delp’s long-lost Taylor 12-string
The Taylor 885 went missing in 2009 – and Delp's family is trying to get it back
January 2026 Guitar World Editors’ Picks
Featuring an onslaught of leviathan power chords from Sunn O))), a bruiser of a blues rock romp from Jared James Nichols, a beautiful, heartfelt piece of desert blues from Imarhan, a genre-obliterating piece of twisty guitar genius from Tim Henson, and a whole lot more
Mötley Crüe score decisive legal victory in dispute against Mick Mars
Mars and Mötley Crüe have been embroiled in a bitter legal dispute after the guitarist sued his former bandmates in 2023 – and accused them of miming
“A brand-new guitar shape from one of the world’s oldest guitar companies. Will wonders never cease?” 10 things we learned at NAMM 2026
We scoured every corner of the Anaheim Convention Center to scope out the latest and greatest gear – and there were some telling signs about the current state of the guitar world
Ibanez shares first look at 2026 artist guitar lineup – and Nili Brosh’s long-awaited signature leads the charge
We got up close and personal with all the new signature guitars at NAMM 2026
NAMM 2026 live! The biggest guitar news as it happened
All the hottest news and biggest surprises from the world’s premier guitar gear trade show
NAMM 2026: rumors, predictions and breaking news from the world's biggest guitar gear show
All the latest and greatest gear drops coming out of the largest music trade show in the world – with new launches from Ibanez, Taylor, EVH, Marshall and more
Neural DSP takes control of the compact modeler market with the Quad Cortex mini
The Quad Cortex mini offers the full processing power of the flagship unit but crams it into a new form factor
ESP unveils Joe Duplantier’s eagerly awaited signature guitar in time for NAMM 2026
The Gojira juggernaut has been awarded his first ESP signature guitar, the LTD JD-1, 18 months after he made the switch from Charvel
John Mayer pays emotional tribute to Bob Weir at public memorial
Mayer paid homage to his Dead & Company bandmate during a public service over the weekend
Eastman enlists YouTuber to help create its most anticipated offset model to date
The third and final entry in the acclaimed FullerTone range has arrived – and Eastman had some high-profile help to get it over the line
All the guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including some huge early NAMM releases
It is the week before NAMM, and the gear drops are coming in thick and fast. This week, we have "the ultimate modern headless guitar", a recreation of Keith Richards' go-to six-string, John Mayer's new-favorite Silver Sky finish and more
