Latest articles by Michael Astley-Brown
Jackson officially launches its affordable Surfcaster reissue
The surprisingly budget-friendly offset finally arrives after it was first unveiled back at NAMM this year
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
Guitar pedal footswitch toppers explained – and why they could be your pedalboard’s new best friend
We dive into the pedal topper trend and what’s behind it, highlighting the key types you need to look out for
Best modeling amps 2025: get iconic amp tones at your fingertips with these top picks
I break down the best modeling amps available, covering a range of budgets, brands and sizes
Joe Satriani plays For the Love of God? Steve Vai and Satch tackle each other’s most iconic leads in first SatchVai Band rehearsal footage
Always With Me, Always With You and If I Could Fly are among the classics getting the dual-guitar treatment
“Wins out on battery life, aesthetics and its Cable Tone feature”: Blackstar Airwire i58 review
The UK amp firm has got in on the new golden age of guitar wireless systems. But can it match up to the increasingly impressive competition?
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
I journeyed to the only dedicated Fender store in the world – and found out how it could change the future of guitar retail as we know it
From all-star guest appearances to the world’s biggest collection of Custom Shop and made-in-Japan guitars, Fender Flagship Tokyo is the guitar store I’d always dreamed of
Greeny will always be Kirk Hammett’s pride and joy. But this uber-rare 1959 Gibson ES-335 is a close second – and it has a surprising history
What’s rarer than a Burst, rarer than a korina Flying V, and even rarer than a korina Explorer? A vintage guitar that Kirk Hammett believes is second only to Greeny when it comes to the best-sounding instruments in his arsenal…
Fender Japan stakes a claim for 2025’s most breathtaking electric guitar with the Sakura Telecaster
Get us to Fender Flagship Tokyo immediately
“A near-perfect compact wireless system”: Fender Telepath Wireless System review
After taking over the guitar cable market, Fender has turned its hand to its debut wireless system – and it has a secret weapon onboard
When Chris Cornell left Audioslave, he turned to Jeff Buckley’s guitar foil to make his mark
When Gary Lucas got the call to play guitar on Chris Cornell’s first post-Audioslave release, he was only supposed to be there for one day. But Cornell had other ideas…
Nine Inch Nails made their name with infamously destructive live shows – this is the true story behind their epic guitar smash-a-thons
It was the tour that made Nine Inch Nails – and destroyed countless guitars. In an exclusive extract from Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival, Trent Reznor, Richard Patrick and Dave Navarro look back at their all-star guitar-smashing rituals
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?
After his spiritual awakening, Tim Henson is ready for anything – heavy Polyphia, trippy solo records and A-list film collabs
One of today’s premier guitar talents opens up on the future of Polyphia and their upcoming signature models, his debut solo record and how Machine Gun Kelly made guitar cool again…
Rhythm guitarists are harder to identify on recordings than lead players. But there’s one rhythm king that Cory Wong can pick out without fail
The Minneapolis maestro is a self-confessed rhythm guitar junkie, but one player bends his ear more than any other
“One of the best legitimately new guitars Fender has produced in decades”: Fender American Ultra II Meteora review
The Meteora is that rarest of things: a new body shape from one of the oldest electric guitar manufacturers. As this “sports car version” of the Fender Jazzmaster joins the Big F’s most high-performance range, is it a match made in offset heaven?
We asked Tim Henson and Tosin Abasi who is blowing their minds right now. They both named the same guitarist
This progressive virtuoso has already been labeled shred’s next hope – now he’s been tipped for greatness… and a Polyphia guest spot
Phil X confirms new Bon Jovi material will feature one seriously ripping solo – and a tour is also in the works
Guitar World caught up with Phil X to discuss rumors of a new Bon Jovi record, and the guitar ace dished out some spoilers on one of his standout contributions
Why Fender is building its $599 Standard Series in Indonesia – and how its ideological shift delivers better value for players
Fender’s EVP of Product Justin Norvell explains what convinced Fender to change its mindset on where its guitars are built – and what makes the new Standards different from the Player Series (apart from where they’re built)
Why Yvette Young was afraid of pedals – then ended up with a signature one
Young also talks about what inspired her signature Qi Etherealizer multi-effects pedal, and why it's the ultimate “ambient machine”
Polyphia’s next album is going to be brutal – and some big-name metal artists are already slated for guest appearances
Tim Henson let us in on what’s next for the boundary-smashing instrumental band – and it’s all in the name of blowing festival crowds away (and maybe, just maybe, selling more guitars)
January 2025 Guitar World Editors’ Picks
2025 has kicked off with an explosion of new guitar releases, led by Joe Bonamassa and Sammy Hagar, G3, Alex Lifeson, Billy Gibbons, Joanne Shaw Taylor and so very many more
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
