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PRS NF 53

Step aside, Silver Sky: PRS’ best-selling guitar of 2023 wasn't John Mayer’s signature guitar – it was its all-new ‘Telecaster’-style NF 53 and Myles Kennedy models

By Matt Owen published

Despite only launching in June, the two new entries to the PRS ranks rose straight to the top of the brand's best-selling six-strings of the year

Michael Lemmo

“The last person to really play it like that was Ed”: Eddie Van Halen personally gifted this guitar to Jason Becker in 1996. Now Norm’s demo whiz Michael Lemmo puts the #69 Peavey Wolfgang through its paces in a killer EVH-style demo

By Matt Parker published

The guitar is headed to auction later this month and was brought down to Norman’s Rare Guitars for a preview

Interstellar Audio Machines pedals

Achieve out-of-this-world tones with Interstellar Audio Machine’s Octonaut Hyperdrive, Fuzzsquatch Fuzzdrive and Marsling Octafuzzdrive effect pedals

By Guitar World Staff published

This trio of standout stompboxes offers up everything from super-clean boosts and singing drives to gnarly fuzz and octave-bending mayhem, with top-notch tones and first-class design

Tim Henson, Manuel Gardner Fernandes and Scott LePage

“3 God-tier guitarists on one track”: Tim Henson, Scott LePage and Manuel Gardner Fernandes make late plays for solos of the year on fretboard-melting new collab

By Matt Owen published

Featuring members of Polyphia and Unprocessed, Die on the Cross of the Martyr unites three of today's finest progressive virtuosos – and the result is “the ultimate guitar nerd’s wet dream”

A Sterling by Music Man John Petrucci signature electric guitar on a blue background

Quick! There are only 3 days left to take advantage of Sweetwater's unbelievable up to 80% off Cyber Week Sale

By Matt McCracken published

These sweet deals on guitars, pedals, and amps are still live but won’t be around for much longer

J Mascis and Warren Haynes perform live

Warren Haynes lends his epic solo chops to Dinosaur Jr. as he jams Neil Young and the Cure with J Mascis

By Jonathan Horsley published

The Gov’t Mule frontman became the latest high-profile guest on Dinosaur Jr.’s tour celebrating 30 years of Where You Been, when he joined them at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York

Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani

“He just could not be contained. That was what was so beautiful... If you’ve been tasked with the job of imitating him, it’s like, ‘Well, which moment?’” Joe Satriani says the biggest challenge in covering Eddie Van Halen is pinning him down

By Matt Parker published

The virtuoso has been sharing his thoughts on how to tackle covering one of the world's greatest guitarists – and how to find the sweet spot in EVH's rigs

Kiss

“The new Kiss era begins now”: Watch Kiss close out their 50-year live career with epic last-ever performance – before announcing plans for “digital immortality”

By Matt Owen published

A 23-song setlist filled with hits, some trademark displays of showmanship and a surprise cameo from the digital stars set to carry Kiss into their next era

Myles Goodwyn

Myles Goodwyn, April Wine frontman and Canadian rock legend, dies aged 75

By Jonathan Horsley published

Goodwyn had stepped down from touring with the Canadian Music Hall of Famers in recent months

James Hetfield with 1958 Gibson Les Paul Burst and Roman, his 1959 Les Paul Standard

“It’s called Roman because of the Roman numerals I etched into the back”: James Hetfield owns five ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard ’Bursts – and he’s carved a massive ‘12’ into one of them

By Matt Parker published

The Metallica man’s new guitar book Messengers showcases perhaps the ultimate example of zero-f**ks-given guitar ownership

Manson Verona Junior and MA Junior guitars

“A never-before-seen price point for the company”: Manson ushers in a new era with its all-new Junior collection – its most affordable series yet, which sees the debut of a Strat-style Verona model

By Matt Owen published

Sole humbucker six-strings help introduce the Junior collection, which arrives in a suite of eye-popping colorways

Harley Benton Custom Line N-150CE NT

Harley Benton’s new resonator costs less than $200 – and looks surprisingly classy for it

By Matt Parker published

The new acoustic-electric has looks to kill and a price that eats the competition for breakfast

Anna Calvi performs at TOdays Festival 2023 at sPAZIO211 in Turin, Italy on August 26, 2023

10,000 volt lead licks and the bluesier side of Peaky Blinders: This week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Killer new cuts from Ace Frehley, Judas Priest, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Anna Calvi, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Alkaline Trio, and many more

january 2024

Wolfgang Van Halen, the year's best gear and 2023's guitarists of the year – only in the new Guitar World

By Damian Fanelli published

Plus! The year's biggest and wildest guitar news, a transcription of Jeff Beck's final masterpiece, Dethklok, Buzzcocks, Paul Stanley's son and more!

Joe Bonamassa (left) and Kirk Hammett

“It found its right home. Collecting is about what you love and what you are gonna do with it”: Joe Bonamassa confirms he passed up the chance to buy the iconic ‘Greeny’ Les Paul before it ended up with Kirk Hammett

By Matt Owen published

Bonamassa was approached with the prospect of purchasing the prized LP back in 2013 – the same year he played it live at the Royal Albert Hall

Wolfgang Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar

“It felt like a really special moment to celebrate by using the Frankenstein. It was like having my dad right there with me”: Wolfgang Van Halen on how it felt to use Eddie’s OG Frankie and Marshall rig to record one of Mammoth WVH’s standout solos

By Matt Owen published

Found on the latest Mammoth WVH record, the lead effort on Take a Bow was recorded using one of the most iconic gear combos in music history

Alex Lifeson's MojoTone LERXST signature amp range

“There has been an explosion of guitar music in the past 5 years… LERXST amplifiers provide a platform for these players”: Alex Lifeson unveils LERXST amp range in collaboration with Mojotone – and there are new guitars, pedals and pickups to come

By Matt Parker published

The Rush guitar icon’s previously limited-edition Omega amp build is now available to all, alongside a new Chi head and combo – with more to come…

Shane MacGowan

“A true friend and the greatest songwriter of his generation”: The Pogues icon Shane MacGowan has died aged 65

By Matt Owen published

MacGowan was noted as one of the finest lyricists of his generation, and collaborated with Kirsty MacColl in 1987 for the classic Christmas hit, Fairytale of New York

Boss IR-2

“The sounds of classic tube amps and mic’d speaker cabinets in a standard stompbox”: Boss takes the fight to Universal Audio and Strymon with its smallest amp and IR pedal to date, the IR-2

By Matt Owen published

11 factory amp and cab pairings – including Fender, Soldano, Marshall and Mesa/Boogie-inspired amp models – and third-party IR compatibility head up the new unit

Slash

“The guitar riff is dying out”: New survey suggests the ‘majority’ of music fans believe the riff is on its way out

By Matt Owen published

A new research piece has concluded the humble riff may be on its deathbed – and identified Prince's Purple Rain as the second greatest riff of all time