Welcome to Guitar World’s weekly gear round-up, your one-stop-shop for keeping up to date with what’s been happening in the big wide world of guitar gear over the past seven days.
From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay in the loop with every new launch.
To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.
Below you'll find my personal highlights from the week, along with plenty of honorable mentions for the new gear you might have missed. Agree with my picks? Have a highlight of your own? Let us know in the comments.
Fender American Professional
This is a biggie. 2026 has been a strange year for Fender. Its Stratocaster copyright dispute campaign hasn’t gone down well with players. How will the company rebuild?
Well, a good starting point would be to launch some killer new guitars, and in a year where much of the Fender chat has been about things happening off the pitch, it’s refreshing to see the firm revamp the American Professional range in the way it has.
New offset bridges. Updated Strat saddles. Upgrades that correct decades-long gripes. Classic finishes. It all makes for great reading on paper, and if Bud Cole’s insistence that quality control is on the up, they could make for great playing, too.
No doubt these will go under the microscope when they start shipping. The internet will try to find any flaw it can find. There’s a lot riding on this one. We at Guitar World HQ have put our heads together to discuss what it all means…
JHS Pedals Wanderer
I think I need to take a long hard look in the mirror. I have the JHS Pedals Morning Glory and the Notaklon, so why oh why am I tempted to buy the Wanderer? After all, it just puts both of those circuits in one unit.
I will justify it on grounds of saving space, and the fact that a twofer pedal looks much easier for gain stacking. Plus, the switching and connectivity options are handy. My honest answer, though, will probably be something along the lines of: ‘It just looks really cool.’
Who can blame me? This does look cool. And it sounds great. Both circuits are indispensable on my pedalboard. Someone please hide my wallet from me…
Jackson Legend Series
I’m not hugely keen on pointy metal guitars, but Jackson’s new Legend Series feels worthy of a shoutout – not least because it has recreated Randy Rhoads’ iconic V-shaped electric guitar in all its glory.
It’s joined by new models that honor iconic models wielded by Scott Ian, David Ellefson and Marty Friedman. The source material guitars all played an important role in metal – and Jackson – history.
The Legend Series will expand in the future with reissues of other influential Jackson guitars. Excited to see what gets rolled out in the future…
ALSO LAUNCHED THIS WEEK
Fender x George Harrison Dark Horse Records Collection
A limited edition capsule that honors George Harrison’s Dark Horse Records label. This limited-edition Strat is the highlight.
For more: Fender Japan
Gibson Original Collection
A new collection of Gibson acoustics that roll out the firm’s revolutionary new acoustic pickup system, designed in collab with Baggs.
For more: Gibson
Harley Benton Guitar MAX Fusion LH
A southpaw-configured Harley Benton signature guitar for YouTuber Guitar MAX. That Holographic finish is very nice.
For more: Harley Benton
Zoom Neurig
An uber-affordable modeler that offers NAM integration and AI-powered stem separation. A seriously impressive move from Zoom.
For more: Zoom
Line 6 Helix Stadium Eras update
Speaking of stem separation, that has now been brought to the Helix Stadium – along with a bunch of new amps, cabs and effects – with Line 6’s Eras update.
For more: Line 6
MXR Turbo Tuner
A new tuner from MXR, which is built around the original Sonic Research Turbo Tuner. The gold standard tool promises to be closer than close with its accuracy.
For more: MXR
Neko Pocket Wireless Guitar Studio
A must-have tool for guitarists? This pocket-sized studio offers wireless connection and instantaneous recording capabilities. This looks mega: it’s already raised 10x its goal on Kickstarter.
For more: Kickstarter
EHX Wailer Wah Pro
The latest entry to EHX’s wah pedal lineage, with an inductor-free circuit for reduced feedback and a die-cast chassis for ultra ruggedness. If a wah pedal was a tank, it’d look like this.
For more: EHX
Fulltone OCD’Lux
The OCD is one of the most popular modern drive pedals. Now it’s been amped up in the form of the OCD’Lux, which offers four voices from its two distinct surfaces. My pedalboard is going to be filled with twofer overdrives at this point…
For more: Fulltone
Taylor Legacy Collection Hawaiian Koa
Taylor has bought the Koa Series to is Legacy Collection for the first time with two new limited-edition builds – one of which is a Jumbo 12-string.
For more: Taylor
