15 essential pedals for live guitarists By Alex Lynham Want to play some gigs but unsure what guitar effects pedals you’ll need? Here's our definitive guide to the pedals you should consider for your ‘board
Mikael Akerfeldt on 20 years of Opeth's Blackwater Park: "I was bitter and beaten down – I didn’t have much hope for us. All I knew was I liked the music I’d written" By Amit Sharma The Swedish prog vet reflects on the gear picks, hybrid techniques and creative vision that led to the band's boundary-smashing landmark album
Ludic's Ayla Tesler-Mabe on classic rock epiphanies, stylistic detours and funk guitar as a “bed of sound“ By Gregory Adams With her new band, the former Calpurnia guitarist (and Weezer music video star) heads for understated groove-forward water
Best blues guitars 2021: these six-strings have the blues and they ain't bad By Jonathan Horsley Wondering what the best blues guitars are at the moment? Here we have 10 of the finest options from Gibson, Fender, Guild and more
Classic gear: 1950s Fender Stratocasters By Rod Brakes It did not take long before Fender’s iconic solidbody reached the heights of success
The new wave of classic rock: 15 guitar bands you need to know about By Brad Angle Meet the next generation of rock players putting their own spin on a retro sound
6 ways you can streamline your live guitar rig By Chris Schwarten With gigs finally back on the cards, now is the perfect time to lighten your load
The secrets behind Steve Lukather's guitar tone on Along For the Ride By Chris Gill A generous helping of gain is on the menu when recreating Lukather's tone on this choice cut from his latest album
Sam Kiszka: “The P-Bass has been proven to be the best bass, perhaps of all time. Leo Fender was one of the greatest revolutionaries of our time“ By Joel McIver As retro rockers Greta Van Fleet return with The Battle at Garden’s Gate, bassist Kiszka discusses his bass journey, GVF's influences and his essential gear
9 reasons you need a pedalboard power supply By Alex Lynham From ditching batteries altogether, to running different voltages and the potential for 'board expansion, here’s why we’re big fans of the humble PSU
DZ Deathrays’ Shane Parsons and Lachlan Ewbank: “It’s almost like the record opens up as you get further and further into it” By Matt Doria After what feels like the longest two years in history, DZ Deathrays bring their Positive Rising era to an explosive peak, delivering riffs aplenty on a tight and turbulent new long-player
Mick Jones looks back at producing Van Halen's landmark 5150: "It was a pretty intense experience – but we achieved something very special" By Paul Elliott The album's co-producer and Foreigner guitarist on the genius of Eddie Van Halen and a crazy, funky recording session
10 easy and practical tips for getting a great live guitar sound By Chris Bird Our guide to help you create a sonic storm onstage
11 best metal guitars 2021: hell-raising electric guitars for shredders on any budget By Guitar World Staff, Jonathan Horsley From 8-string guitars to Flying Vs, here's our pick of the best metal guitars from Jackson, ESP, Ibanez and more
How to protect your hearing – the most important part of your guitar tone By Jonathan Horsley High volumes over long periods increase the risk of hearing loss and tinnitus, but these risks are easily mitigated and a no-brainer for any guitar player
Beartooth's Caleb Shomo: "With this album, it was about working the choruses into all of the riffs. The riffs were always the priority in the writing process" By Chris Schwarten The mastermind behind the melodic hardcore punk outfit discusses his love of Gretsch, writing on the road, and changing his approach to riffs on new album, Below
Pierre Bensusan: “The way you tune the strings should not be used to hide a possible lack of imagination, but it should enhance it“ By David Mead The French-Algerian DADGAD maestro on letting inspiration find him for new record Azwan – an album inspired by bees
Indie-rock trailblazers Martin Courtney and Francis Lung wax lyrical on the gear and songwriting behind their new albums By Sam Roche The Real Estate guitarist and Manchester native sit down for an exhaustive, in-depth conversation about the guitars, recording techniques and solos that fuel Half a Human and Miracle
![[L-R] Martin Courtney and Francis Lung](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YYL2BUmtHkr6b7ayq8dkWb-1024-80.jpg.webp)
