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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

Joe Bonamassa

“The narrative is I grew up in a rich family – wrong. The narrative is it was handed to me – wrong. It’s sweat equity over 35 years”: Joe Bonamassa sets the record straight on the humble beginnings of his world-famous guitar collection

By Matt Owen published

In a conversation with Rick Beato, the gear connoisseur revisits the roots of his collecting journey – and responds to those quick to claim his buying habits take stock away from aspiring players

Charvel's new, Japanese-made San Dimas models

“A brazen new model designed for the progressive guitarist seeking a spectrum of sound beyond the norm”: Charvel gets in on the made-in-Japan hype with new Superstrat-inspired MJ San Dimas models

By Jackson Maxwell published

The speed-friendly HSH six-strings showcase the Fender Corporation's recent focus on Japan

Kiss playing live

“They said they invited us to perform at that show. I never got a phone call. They just said that to sell tickets”: Despite reports, Ace Frehley says he hasn’t heard from Paul Stanley or Gene Simmons about joining Kiss’s last-ever gig

By Matt Owen published

The glam rock heroes will take to the stage for the last time ever later this week – but Frehley won't be there

Catalinbread Knight School Overdrive

“A dirt device that covers all the gain bases”: Catalinbread sees the JHS Pedals Notaklön and raises the Knight School Overdrive – an $85 DIY pedal kit based on a timeless circuit favored by Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer and Paul Gilbert

By Matt Owen published

The $85 kit can come ready for assembly or readymade for your pedalboard, and harks back to an early overdrive circuit that has been tweaked by EHX, Way Huge and many more

Neil Young performs live at Hyde Park in London on July 12, 2019

Neil Young showcases his savage overdriven tones and channels Hendrix in the most menacing solo rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner you’ve ever heard

By Jackson Maxwell published

Wielding his legendary 1953 Gibson Les Paul, Old Black, Young put his own spin on the US national anthem, nodding to a certain Woodstock performance along the way

Marty Friedman and Ozzy Osbourne

“Being in a band is so much more than the playing. Actually, the playing is down on the list”: Before Megadeth, Marty Friedman says he auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne – but “failed miserably”

By Matt Owen published

Shortly before he became Megadeth's lead guitar player, Friedman took part in an ill-fated Osbourne audition – here's why it didn't work out, according to the man himself

These 38 epic Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are still live - including electric guitars, acoustics, pedals, amps and software

These 38 epic Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are still live - including electric guitars, acoustics, pedals, amps and software

By Daryl Robertson published

Missed out on a Cyber Weekend deal? You can still save big on a whole host of brilliant guitar gear

Various bits of Fender gear on a red background

Cyber Monday Fender deals 2023: you can still get up to 50% off guitars, pedals, and amps

By Daryl Robertson last updated

Cyber Monday is officially over but there is still time to grab a great saving on Fender gear

Sundragon Super Dragon

“A faithful recreation of my ‘Number 1’”: Jimmy Page’s latest Sundragon signature amp is here – and it’s a meticulous recreation of the modded ‘68 Marshall Super Bass that became his main Led Zeppelin amp

By Matt Owen published

The second Sundragon amp turns its attention to Page's go-to modded Marshall, which became the guitar god's no. 1 studio and stage amp from 1969 onwards

Lots of musican instrument gear on a purple background

Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals 2023: for a limited time you can still get up to 40% off guitar gear

By Daryl Robertson last updated

Cyber Monday is done but you can still bag some big savings on guitar gear until November 29