Latest articles by Ross Holder
Best 5-string bass guitars 2025: from budget workhorses to high-end boutique beasts
Need that low B? We’ve handpicked the best 5-string bass guitars from Yamaha, Fender, Ibanez, and more – whatever your price range
Best Squier guitars 2025: Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jaguars and more for the budget-conscious player
From budget Teles, to vintage-spec’d Strats, I look at the best Squiers available today
There are few things in life I hate more than re-stringing my guitars, but with packs from as little as 83 cents per string this Prime Day, I've run out of excuses
Prime Day is the place to make bulk-buy savings on your favorite strings right now, including models for electric, acoustic and bass
I bought the HX Stomp years ago and it's still one of my smartest gear purchases - get up to $200 off Line 6 in the Sweetwater sale
Most Line 6 purchases will also come bundled with a free Eminence IR sampler pack
These are the best 4th of July acoustic guitar deals I’ve ever seen – here’s the 9 models I’d buy
Forget Prime Day! From Taylor and Martin to Yamaha and Alhambra, the best 4th of July acoustic guitar deals are here and they’re up to 40% off
Best guitar slides: every budget and material covered, plus how to choose the right slide for you
Getting into the bluesy world of slide guitar? From Shubb and Dunlop, to Taylor and Ernie Ball, these are our top choices
Best cheap looper pedals 2025: bang-for-your-buck loopers for your ’board
Score a looper for under $80 and spark your creativity with our pick of the best budget pedals from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss and more
Best guitars for beginners: epic entry-level acoustic and electric guitars
Start playing today with our pick of great beginner guitars from Squier, Ibanez, Yamaha and more
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
Best Strat-style guitars 2025: Our choice of the finest S-style guitars for all budgets and players
Don’t want a Fender? Here’s our expert pick of the top Strat-style electric guitars from the likes of Ibanez, Yamaha, G&L, PRS and more
Best pitch shifter pedals: an essential tool for channeling Tom Morello, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani
For face-melting solos and keeping your audience on their toes, pitch shifters are a surefire way to inject something different into your tone
6 signs it's time to upgrade from your first acoustic guitar
Is your first acoustic guitar holding you back? Here are six signs that it is time to upgrade your starter instrument to something better
5 common excuses for not learning the guitar – and 5 body and mind-boosting reasons you should
Always wanted to learn the guitar, but keep making excuses? These are the most common ones I've heard – and why they don’t hold up
Best budget multi-effects pedals: access a world of effects at a reasonable price
More is more with these budget do-it-all bargains from Zoom, Line 6, Mooer and NUX
Best parlor guitars: sofa-strumming acoustics for every budget
The grandfather of acoustic guitars – our top parlor guitar picks from Gibson, Martin, Yamaha, and more
“Trust me, the Hizumitas isn’t just a pedal – it’s an experience”: I swore off pedals, but Sweetwater’s time-limited 20% off EarthQuaker Devices Cyber Monday sale is too tempting to ignore
With 57 EarthQuaker Devices pedals on sale, this Cyber Monday is set to fill pedalboards across the land – here are my top picks
We think the Boss Gen 3 Katanas are some of the very best amps in the business – and there's still enough time to get up to 25% off these do-it-all amps
From the brand new Katana 50 Gen 3 to the gig-ready Katana-110 for bassists, Sweetwater has cut prices on a range of the best-selling amps
The ultimate Superstrat just got an amazing discount in the Sweetwater Black Friday sale – save a huge $400
There are massive savings to be had on select Charvel models at Sweetwater, including $300 off a 4.5-star model we rate
Our highest-rated online guitar lessons service just launched its best subscription bundle of the year – and it includes a massive $800 in savings
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better Black Friday guitar lessons deal than Guitar Tricks’ full-access annual membership for only $99
A Taylor acoustic for the price of a pair of sneakers? Buy one Taylor and get a second for as little as $99 in the ultimate Black Friday deal for acoustic players
Buy a Taylor 300 or 400 series and get a Baby Taylor for $99, GS Mini for $199, or an Academy model from $299
Guitar Center just kicked off this year’s Black Friday Epiphone deals super early with up to $150 off Les Pauls, SGs and ES-335s
Here’s my personal pick of four unique Epiphone models, offering pro features and player-friendly prices, with options for both starters and seasoned guitarists
7 stocking filler gift ideas under $20 that guitar players actually need
These recommendations come with our junk-free guarantee
I just found the first Boss Gen 3 Katana amp discounts in the wild ahead of Black Friday
From the brand new Katana 50 Gen 3 to the gig-ready Katana-110 for bassists, Sweetwater has cut prices on a range of the best-selling amps
