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Slayer’s Tom Araya charts his incredible 4-string journey
By Amit Sharma published
From starting on a Paul McCartney Höfner ripoff to pioneering some of the heaviest metal ever committed to tape, Tom Araya admits he's no bass virtuoso… but he “can play fast sometimes”

Seymour Duncan pushes the boundaries of its PowerStage series with dedicated bass unit
By Matt Owen published
The latest PowerStage offers an onboard preamp and built-in overdrive in a bid to cover all bases for bassists

Mooer’s Prime M2 crams amps, cabs, effects and a looper into an ultra-light, pocket-sized pedal with a touchscreen and rechargeable battery
By Matt Owen published
Mooer's latest Intelligent Pedal offers a bevy of tonal options, MIDI and Bluetooth functions, and much more in an immensely portable package

Created by the Ibanez Custom Shop in L.A., Thundercat’s double-neck bass guitar has a 6-string on top and an 8-string on the bottom
By Nick Wells published
It’s impossible not to notice Thundercat onstage, especially when sporting a custom-made double-neck bass

The Xotic AC Booster has long been a secret weapon stompbox for session players and pros – and now it’s been upgraded
By Matt Owen published
The original has been used by the likes of Mike McCready, Tim Pierce and Paul Gilbert, and now the AC Booster V2 promises to be even more versatile

Fender adds new period-accurate Stratocaster and Telecaster to its American Vintage II roster – plus stunning new finishes for existing models
By Janelle Borg published
The new models continue to honor the series' ethos of producing the highest-quality, period-accurate guitars from Fender's golden years of craftsmanship

After 50 years at the low-end, Stanley Clarke decided to part ways with his astonishing bass collection
By Nick Wells published
The bass virtuoso recounts his bass gear past and present, from his trademark Alembic to the bass equivalent of the Fender Stratocaster

Opeth’s Martín Méndez names the 5 albums that shaped his sound
By Nick Wells published
The low-end maestro for prog titans Opeth digs deep into fusion and soul as he names his favorite bass records

IK Multimedia answers players’ prayers and gives its best-selling TONEX units their biggest upgrade to date – a dedicated editor
By Matt Owen published
The TONEX ecosystem has become more manageable than ever before thanks to the dedicated TONEX Editor, which offers in-depth control over presets and more

How can Guitar Center improve its stores and reclaim its former glory? Guitar World readers have their say
By Matt Owen published
A recent interview with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto sparked an outpouring of comments from Guitar World readers, all of whom have offered their two cents on how the retailer can get back on its feet

The wildest bass solo you’ve never heard? Robert Sledge cranked the fuzz for this Ben Folds Five classic
By Stevie Glasgow published
Sledge describes the Big Muff as an extension of his hands – and he put it to good use on this searing solo

Gene Simmons is offering fans the chance to be his personal assistant and roadie for a day… for $12,495
By Phil Weller published
Duties/benefits include hauling gear and having lunch with the Kiss bassist

LCD Soundsystem used a ‘one-of-a-kind’ vintage pedal to define their fuzz tones – and now it’s been recreated by EarthQuaker Devices
By Phil Weller published
The Chelsea Low End Fuzz Driver is a close replica of James Murphy’s oddball vintage fuzz

John Paul Jones breaks down his Led Zeppelin bass approach – and what separated his and Jimmy Page's riffs
By Nick Wells published
The all-time bass great discusses his telepathic relationship with John Bonham, early influences, and why Stairway to Heaven's gradual speed-up is part of its magic

The Les Paul Recording Studio opens in Hollywood – bringing the innovator’s revolutionary gear to a whole new generation of musicians
By Phil Weller published
Aside from his work revolutionizing the electric guitar, Les Paul helped modernize recording methods, and this new studio honors his legacy with the gear he built

How Guitar Center plans to beat its online competitors and safeguard the future of its physical stores
By Matt Owen published
Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto has laid out the retailer’s plans to win the trust of prospective customers in the face of unprecedented online competition

Guy Pratt on the Jazz Bass he bought from John Entwistle and how he conjured a “massive octave-pedal freakout” with Madonna
By Nick Wells published
In addition to his main gig with David Gilmour, Guy Pratt has played bass on some monster hits, including Madonna’s Like a Prayer and Michael Jackson’s Earth Song

L7’s Jennifer Finch on touring with Nirvana, gigging with Courtney Love and donating her Ghost bass to the Punk Rock Museum
By Cheri Amour published
The athletic low-end of Sub Pop’s only Los Angeles band signing, Finch reflects on how picking up an instrument sparks disruption, that iconic Reading Festival 1992 set and loaning Krist Novoselic her storied Ghost bass