Latest articles by Matt Parker
“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...
Buddy Guy says he’s not retiring until the blues gets a higher profile
The 88-year-old blues star says the lack of mainstream platforms for blues concerns him – but his Sinners cameo gives him cause for hope
BRONCHO’s Ryan Lindsey has built a career on unique melodic chug, and won fans in Josh Homme and Jack White. But he still owes Steve Stevens an apology
The singular indie-rocker uses a battered Silvertone and budget amps, and chases the demo to the nth degree. He explains how he developed a truly individual tone – and why he’s still traumatized after a run-in with the Billy Idol guitarist’s pedalboard
BRONCHO’s Ryan Lindsey on the time he toured with Billy Idol – and spilled booze on a guitar hero’s pedalboard
Lindsey has many fond memories from watching Stevens play every night on tour in the US – but one incident involving beer and a pedalboard isn’t one of them
Billy Gibbons shares the story of the “treasured moment” he sat in on a B.B. King session – as a child
Long before he got the chance to pick it up for himself, the ZZ Top man found himself in a truly formative session with an icon of electric guitar
June 2025 Guitar World Editors' Picks
There's been plenty of heat this month, and not just the temperature outside. Check out some of that six-string (and seven-string... and eight-string) fire from Muse, Rafiq Bhatia, Eric Gales & Buddy Guy, Wunderhorse, Haim, and many, many more
Chris Bird, Guitar World Lessons Editor and former Total Guitar Editor, has died aged 48
Our friend and colleague first joined Total Guitar in 2007 and spent nearly two decades sharing his passion and knowledge for the craft with readers
April 2025 Guitar World Editors' Picks
From Turnstile’s transformation from hardcore caterpillar to psychedelic New Wave butterfly, to a show-stopping Joanne Shaw Taylor solo, an emo slam dunk from Slow Joy, and a slice of acoustic wizardry from Salif Keita, this month had a bounty of guitar brilliance
Great Grandpa on moving slowly, song-glue – and the charm of $100 acoustics
The mercurial Seattle indie rockers have returned with their first album in six years, Patience, Moonbeam – they tell us how their lush, multifaceted arrangements all begin on the humble six-string
March 2025 Guitar World Editors' Picks
A round-up of March's best and most exciting guitar-led cuts from the likes of YUNGBLUD, Sleep Token, Samantha Fish, Great Grandpa, Rachel Chinouriri, Joe Bonamassa, Mickey Callisto, and many, many more
How Clapton collaborator and session great Nathan East is teaming up with Laney on a signature amp unlike any other
Sponsor Content Created With Laney
The lauded bassist has mixed-up a new double trouble head that could be a game-changer for any player with a regular gig
Guitarists need to change their approach in the face of AI. Just ask Charlie Cunningham, the acoustic virtuoso fusing Meshuggah and fingerstyle
In defiance of the huge recent advances in tech, the UK guitarist’s new album In Light focuses on simplified sounds, less technical performance and embracing imperfection in the face of self-congratulatory AI
February 2025 Guitar World Editors’ Picks
A round-up of the best new guitar releases from the month of Feb, with new cuts from Sam Fender, Tash Sultana, Los Pirañas, and... Buddy Guy and Switchfoot?
Rosanne Cash on her father’s six-string salute to Dylan – and why it’s the ultimate country music honor
The country legend says her father was not precious with instruments – instead, he respected the players
Steve Lukather on his secret supergroup with Eddie Van Halen, Albert Lee and Steve Morse
In a recent chat with Rick Beato, Luke tells the story of his all-star jam band based around a group of Ernie Ball Music Man players
These are the gear trends that will shape your guitar buying in 2025
NAMM 2025 was one for the history books, with an avalanche of surprise announcements as industry titans broke their own rules, the neck humbucker took a backseat and guitar stars started seeing other companies – here’s what we learned
ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis was saddled with his 17-string bass after a joke appearance went viral – now he’s experimenting with a 2-string build
The former guitar tech turned ’Top man is continuing to tinker with his live setup, with amusing results
In 1992, Steve Lukather was still getting over meeting his Beatles icon – then there was a knock on the stage door
For one night, the Toto icon wound up onstage with Eddie Van Halen – and his guitar hero
Dean Guitars unveils a Kerry King Overlord for under $500 – and an affordable Misfits signature that’s not afraid to make a point...
The guitar builder is firming up its footing for 2025 with new signature models for King, Michael Amott, and Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein
Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez has launched his own guitar brand – and designed his own signature model from the ground-up
The Evil Instruments Jackhammer is the latest wild creation from the mind behind Coheed and Cambria and The Armory Wars series – and he’s teamed up with Dunable on the builds
Newly reunited with both Korn guitarists, Ibanez’s 2025 signature line-up is bringing back an old friend
Korn’s Head is back in the Ibanez fold and has a new 7-string model, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Joe Satriani, Lari Basilio, Josh Smith, George Benson and, of course, his bandmate Munky…
NAMM 2025: rumors, predictions and breaking news from the world’s biggest gear show
With the likes of Fender, Gibson and Marshall returning to Anaheim at long last, this year’s event is set to be the biggest in five years – with secrets and surprises to match
Fender launches new $599 Standard Series lineup – and it marks a major shift for one of America’s most iconic guitar brands
The Indonesian-built Standard series brings the concept of an affordable Fender back to the table – and it’s the greatest show of faith yet in its facility
