Guitarist Features

Bibi McGill: “Every night before I went on stage with Beyoncé, I meditated until it was just me and the guitar“

By Rod Brakes

The former lead guitarist and musical director for Beyoncé on creativity, playing with Pink, performance tips, and finding her life-shred balance

The 8 best amps for metal 2020: the loudest and proudest metal amps from PRS, Orange, Marshall and more

The 8 best amps for metal 2020: the loudest and proudest metal amps on the market

By Guitar World Staff, Jonathan Horsley

These powerhouse guitar amps from EVH, Peavey, Orange and more will have you primed to seek and destroy straight from the box

The 8 best fuzz pedals 2020: a guitar effects essential for your pedalboard

By Alex Lynham

Want to know your Fuzz Face from your Fuzz Factory, or channel Hendrix? You’ve come to the right place

The best guitar capos 2020: 10 top choices for acoustic and electric guitar

By Chris Bird

From electric or acoustic guitar, to ukulele and 12-string, a capo is a great way to boost your creativity on the instrument

The best electric guitars under $2,000: top spec guitars for intermediate and pro players

The best electric guitars under $2,000: high-end guitars for intermediate and pro players

By Guitar World Staff, Chris Corfield

Discover superior tone and playability with our round-up of sub-$2k axes – from Strats to seven-strings

Is it worth modding a cheap guitar?

By Dave Burrluck

Upgrades can elevate inexpensive guitars, but what should you consider before reaching for the parts catalog?

The best Stratocasters 2020: expert advice on the best Fender Strats around

The best Stratocasters 2020: expert advice on choosing the best Fender Strat for you

By Amit Sharma

These are the best Fender Stratocasters for every budget and playing style

8 great guitars for kids: the best electric and acoustic guitars for children

By Jonathan Horsley

Everything you need to know to get your child playing the guitar today

Best pickups for metal 2020: our guide to upgrading for high gain heaven

By Amit Sharma

Looking for more firepower? Our round-up of the best pickups for metal guitarists has you covered…

10 best compressor pedals 2020: enhance your electric guitar tone with compression

10 best compressor pedals 2020: Tame your tone's dynamics with compression

By Jonathan Horsley

With great options from Boss, Keeley, MXR and more, there has never been a better time to add one of the best compressor pedals to your pedalboard

Close-up of the neck plate on a Squier electric guitar

How are cheap guitars priced so low?

By Dave Burrluck

We take a look at the typical retail chain for affordable guitars, from the factory to your front door

Best distortion pedals 2020: the top 10 high-gain stompboxes for guitarists

By Jonathan Horsley

Crunch, filth, mayhem! Dive into our expert round-up of the best distortion pedals around today

6 ways to improve the performance of your pedalboard

By Chris Schwarten

Want to get the best from your pedals? Here are 6 pedalboard hacks every guitarist should try

Historic Hardware: Blackguard Fender Teles

The history and mythology behind Fender's rare Blackguard Telecasters

By Rod Brakes

Historic Hardware: Tele expert Richard diZerega walks us through the Blackguard era of Esquires, Broadcasters, Nocasters and Telecasters

Mike Landau: "Some people drive fancy cars - I went with a cheap Ford and bought a Dumble instead"

By David Mead

Bought and Sold: He’s played with artists like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Phil Collins, Miles Davis and Pink Floyd - but Mike Landau still mourns the ’61 Strat that got away...

Billy F Gibbons discusses his extensive collection of hot rod-inspired guitars

By Jamie Dickson

We joined the ZZ Top man for a personal tour of his garage, which naturally includes a few classic cars...

The rise, fall and rediscovery of the Fender Jaguar

By Rod Brakes

From clean-cut surf to punk, the Jag is an offset with a lot of history. Guitar historian Martin Kelly unpacks its story

Khruangbin discuss their musical process, uniting styles and cultures, and their favorite guitarists from around the world

By Jamie Dickson

The Texas three-piece return with an album replete with impeccable funk and richly embroidered guitar sounds from around the globe

7 of the best desktop guitar amps you can buy today

By Nick Guppy

The desktop guitar amp market is getting crowded and these from Yamaha, Blackstar, Fender and more might just be the finest money can buy

The 10 best pedalboard power supplies 2020: overhaul your pedals with our recommended power supplies

By Michael Astley-Brown

Power up your guitar effects with our pick of the best pedalboard power supplies on the market today