Latest articles by Michael Astley-Brown
The best guitar songs of 2024 – as chosen by Guitar World editors and pro players
With the help of pals including Eric Gales and Vernon Reid, we run down the songs that lit up the guitar-o-sphere this year, including a remarkable hardcore breakthrough, a virtuoso collab for the ages and the prodigy that everyone’s talking about
Cyber Monday guitar pedal deals 2024: Our expert pick of Cyber Monday stompbox deals
Your place for all the Cyber Monday deals on guitar pedals, pedalboards, power supplies, and more
I hate restringing guitars, and that’s why I fit locking tuners to all my electrics – and with 26% off Fender locking tuners, you can improve your Strat or Tele for less
This limited-time Cyber Week guitar deal at Amazon gets you pro-spec locking tuners for less than half I paid for my last set – but it will end soon
Cyber Monday Positive Grid deals 2024: You can still save up to 50% off Spark Mini, BIAS software and more in the Cyber Week sale
Here's how to find the best deals on amps, software and accessories before Christmas
Black Friday guitar pedal deals 2024: We round up the very best Black Friday stompbox deals still live right now
Your place for all the greatest Black Friday deals on guitar pedals, pedalboards, power supplies and more
I built the Lego Fender Stratocaster and the detail blew me away – it just dropped to its lowest EVER price, and I need to tell every guitarist in my life immediately
Amazon has brought the sought-after Lego Fender kit down to its cheapest price ever for Cyber Monday
Fender's first-ever Player II deals sold out fast – but you can still grab a $200 discount on a Stratocaster in one last Cyber Monday offer
Fender's latest series only launched in July, so this is an unprecedented discount – and probably the last Player II deal we'll see this year
I’m shocked by how many newly launched guitars, amps and pedals are discounted this Cyber Monday – including my favorite electric guitar release of the year
Think Cyber Monday is a time for getting rid of old stock? Think again, as Yamaha, Fender, Boss and other big names serve up discounts on red-hot gear launched in the last year
I’ve been reporting on Cyber Monday guitar pedal deals for 7 years – and I’ve never seen discounts like these
Big brands like Boss, Line 6, MXR and Electro-Harmonix are offering rare reductions on standout pedals – and some companies are even slashing prices across their entire stompbox lines
Guitar Center just dropped a 15% off coupon for Cyber Monday – and it’s valid on thousands of guitars, pedals, amps and accessories
Could you snag a discount on the gear you’re salivating over?
I’ve tried every kind of earplug in my 20 years of gigging – and the best ones I’ve used just received their first-ever discount ahead of Cyber Monday
Loop’s Experience 2 Plus earplugs are the most comfortable earplugs I’ve tried for playing and going to shows – and they’re 20% off at Amazon right now
Fender drops highly limited new Eclipse Strat and Precision Bass for Black Friday – plus big discounts on the American Professional II range
The American Professional II Anniversary Stratocaster HSS HT and Precision Bass are limited to just 400 pieces worldwide, while the entire range has seen $200 price drops
Switching to a wireless system made me a better performer – and with big savings on the Positive Grid Spark Link for Black Friday, now is the time to cut the cord
The already affordable Positive Grid system has had its price slashed for Black Friday
November 2024 Guitar World editors’ picks
Fresh jams from GW faves like Ola Englund, Smith/Kotzen, Ally Venable – and the hottest new guitar acts you need to hear right… about… now
Think you can’t afford a Fender amp this Black Friday? You can snag one for $29 if you act now
This adorable Mini Deluxe is half-price for a limited time – and at this price, it makes the perfect gift for the guitarist in your life
Black Friday Positive Grid deals 2024: The first-ever Spark 2 discounts are here – plus, ways to save on the rest of the Spark line-up today
The official Black Friday deals are here, with discounts on nearly every smart amp in the line-up, plus big savings on software
Robert Smith’s 2024 guitar rig flies in the face of modern guitar culture – and sounds all the more majestic for it
As The Cure return to the stage with their first album in 16 years, their leader is employing a setup that defiantly rejects contemporary tonal wisdom
Ghost, Royal Blood and Pixies producer reveals “the biggest mistake guitar players make” when recording
Tom Dalgety has crafted some of modern rock’s biggest-sounding albums – and he has some sage words of wisdom when it comes to guitar tone
“The sonic equivalent of a fist-fight between James Hetfield and Alex Lifeson”: October 2024 Guitar World editors’ picks
The hot new tracks and deep cuts GW editors have been listening to this month
Surviving Grateful Dead members pay tribute to bassist Phil Lesh, who has died aged 84
Lesh didn’t play bass when he joined Jerry Garcia’s new band, leading to an innovative style that brought the instrument to the fore
From a virtuoso Tool support to Rabea Massaad’s new supergroup, meet the next generation of progressive guitar heroes
The UK’s ArcTanGent Festival is the world’s biggest celebration of heavy progressive music, and this year’s lineup featured epic sets from Meshuggah, Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. Could these 5 bands be the headliners of the future?
Mark Hoppus charts his bass origin story, embracing amp modelers and switching from Ernie Ball to Fender
In a rare interview, the blink-182 bassist shares his tone secrets, the bassline he still struggles to play, and how Ned’s Atomic Dustbin changed the way he approaches the bass
“He started playing bass… He got so into it he started bleeding”: Alex Van Halen reveals his and Eddie’s secret jams with Chris Cornell
Eddie Van Halen and his brother tried out the Soundgarden singer shortly before his death – and at one stage, an Ozzy Osbourne-fronted Van Halen album was also on the cards
Mark Hoppus explains why he switched to Kemper and Quad Cortex for blink-182’s mammoth arena shows
The blink-182 bassist conducted tone tests to make sure the modelers could match his previous tube rigs
David Gilmour explains why he still uses a 30-year-old Zoom multi-FX for his home demos
He may have once had a guitar worth $4 million, and you'll still see physical heads and cabinets at his live shows, but when laying tracks down at home, the Pink Floyd legend's tastes are far from expensive
