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August 2026

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119 articles

August 31
- More people are visiting Guitar Center, but have its stores improved?
- Guitar World Editors’ Picks – our favorite tracks this month: “Who doesn’t like off-kilter, avant-garde, guitar-based pop that not only uses alternate tunings but is also microtonal?”
- “Don’t play, or even look at, this bass if you’ve got a hangover”: The biggest bass guitar launches this month
- “Coming back at this age, your fear is that you can’t do it anymore, and you’re going to be a compromised version of yourself”: Geddy Lee details the intense preparation behind Rush’s reunion
August 29
- My pick of the best guitar gear launched this week: holy grail tube tones, Sleep Token’s debut signature collab and a guitar that might be a bass
August 28
- Friedman honors one of the most iconic amp modders of all time with new Jose 20 amps: “A faithful interpretation of one of rock’s most influential amplifier voices”
- “Very few people in the history of the electric guitar have pushed the design forward more than Paul”: John Mayer to induct Paul Reed Smith into Guitar Center Rockwalk
- How Brian May ended up playing on Tony Iommi's forthcoming solo album: “I said to him, ‘Play on some other tracks,’ but he went, ‘Oh no, it's your album’”
- Guitar Hero’s spiritual successor is stacked with iconic tracks – but some big hitters are missing
August 27
- John Mayer pays tribute to Dolly Parton with instrumental I Will Always Love You cover
- “Every guitar has a story, and we make sure it continues to be heard”: Meet Very Nice Guitars – the Europe-based boutique on a mission to hunt down your dream guitar
- The Beatles’ Day Tripper almost didn’t have its iconic guitar riff – as a recently unearthed recording reveals
- Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to Tim Curry as he shares their unlikely connection: “It changed my career trajectory forever”
- Guitar Center unveils Crossroads 2026 collection with limited-edition Eric Clapton and John Mayer models: “These guitars are sacred things to me”
- Gibson launches its first baritone in a decade – and it’s got all-new pickups
August 26
- Tom Morello’s unique Arm the Homeless EMG combo gets a signature release for the first time: “This pickup has made fields of people bounce up and down over the last three decades”
- Polyphia announce new album Be Not Afraid, delay North American tour dates: “There are moments on the record that legitimately scare me”
- Orianthi’s new Band of Gypsys-inspired supergroup, The Power of 3, announce debut album with Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer: “We did a 25-minute jam, and he had to mix that. He was sweating afterward!”
- Marshall honors Jimi Hendrix with another limited-edition half-stack – and this one doesn’t cost $3.4k
- Sweetwater just launched its Labor Day sale 2 weeks early with up to 50% off Fender guitars, Line 6 pedals, Marshall amps, and loads more
- Sleep Token’s first signature guitars have landed – and IV’s custom Jackson baritone has been brought to the masses
- 16-year-old guitarist wins over America's Got Talent with Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun: “I think you could really win this competition – you can sing and you can play that guitar, insanely”
- John Mayer’s Neural DSP plugin joins the Quad Cortex as part of biggest firmware update in company’s history
- Johnny Marr responds to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham serenading Ukrainian soldiers with the Smiths riff: “It’s a victory for the guitar”
- Soundgarden announce live return with Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready and The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen
August 25
- Dolly Parton, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pop culture icon, dies at 80
- The Warning’s Dany Villarreal has launched her first PRS signature guitar – and she’s swapped out the Bird inlays for something else entirely
- Fender honors George Harrison’s legendary Beatles Bass VI with Custom Shop reissue: “It played a defining role in some of the most influential recordings ever made”
- Eric Johnson on what you need to look for to find the perfect guitar: “That’s probably the most important thing”
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham covers The Smiths with Ukrainian soldiers: “Not sure if they regret handing me that guitar now”
- Television guitarist Richard Lloyd diagnosed with cancer: “It has become very difficult on our own. Financially, we are strapped”
August 24
- Hotone’s do-it-all Pulze Jr. is set to be the most fully-featured practice amp for under $300 – and offers serious competition for Positive Grid and JBL
August 23
- “He fired the whole band at the end of that tour, and I managed to survive”: Albert Lee on his time as Eric Clapton’s sideman
August 22
- My pick of the best guitar gear launched this week – including an all-new species of pedal
August 21
- “At this price, there’s really no equivalent to the new Dan O models in terms of unique looks, sonic punch, and retro and modern cool”: Danelectro's new-for-2026 Dan O models perfectly blend vintage aesthetics with modern appointments
- “She entranced audiences and inspired untold numbers of blues-loving players from across the pond, like Eric Clapton and Keith Richards”: Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s performance at an English train station paved the way for the blues-rock revolution
- Session guitar great Chris Spedding diagnosed with lymphoma
- New footage of Jimi Hendrix’s iconic Woodstock performance unearthed after decades
- Why virtuoso Ichika Nito is impressed by this amp modeler-meets-electric guitar from ENYA MUSIC: “A fantastic instrument to play – delivering the exact sound I’ve always dreamed of”
- The Smiths held their label to ransom until Johnny Marr got this guitar: “As soon as I got that back to the hotel, I wrote Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now in about 10 minutes”
August 20
- Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell says his cancer has returned: “I did a donor transplant. Unfortunately, it didn't stick”
- Lzzy Hale’s new signature Epiphone Explorer Custom has an unmissable diamond finish – but there's much more to it than just mirrorball looks
- Joe Bonamassa reveals how many Gibson and Epiphone signature models he’s sold – and it’s a lot: “They weren’t expecting to sell those kinds of guitars that fast”
August 19
- Zombie fade finishes, Nazgul pickups… Charvel’s new, mid-price Pro Plus Dinky DK24 models are aimed straight at the metal market
- “There’d be a 20-foot fire going, and my bass and Tré’s kit are burning while Billie’s playing Time of Your Life”: Green Day's Mike Dirnt is selling iconic gear – from Dookie era and beyond – on Reverb
- Ibanez teams up with metal god Wes Hauch for a 7-string Iceman signature, and fans are all talking about one thing: the price
- Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee call Angine de Poitrine’s music the “most entertaining and exhilarating” they’ve heard in a long time
- Billy Gibbons vows ZZ Top will continue performing, following drummer Frank Beard's death
- Baritone Telecasters are back on the menu as Fender unveils new 75th Anniversary models
August 18
- The Canadian musician who co-wrote a Rolling Stones song without realizing it: “I got a call from my lawyer – she told me to sit down. She’d just gotten off the phone with the Stones’ manager…”
- No-one nails Eddie Van Halen’s playing quite like Jacob Deraps – now he’s the face of the new EVH Wolfgang: “This guy gets as close as I’ve ever heard anyone”
- Fender has just dropped the prices across all its brands with hearty discounts on everything from Jackson to EVH, Gretsch, Charvel and more
- Chris Buck and Mirador guitarist Chris Turpin team up to showcase some of the world’s most historic guitars at exclusive London event
- The night Stevie Ray Vaughan walked out of his own show to go watch his blues hero: “I got on the mic and said, ‘I’m gonna go see Albert King. If you got any brains, you will, too.’ And I picked up and went”
- Alex Lifeson reveals his struggles leading up to the Rush reunion tour: “I was sitting on the edge of my bed, at 2 o'clock in the morning, thinking if I made the right decision. Can I play? Am I good enough?”
- “The closest to my feel in that solo anyone ever got”: Brian May hails 17-year-old for his uncanny Queen guitar covers
- Carlos Alomar’s hazy first encounter with Paul McCartney: “Paul turned his back to me to get something. What emerged was a perfectly rolled ganja joint”
- King Gizzard’s Tiny Amp Destroyer is a $399 pedal that makes your rig sound like a $29 practice amp on the verge of blowing up: “It makes your massive amp sound tiny. It’s way better”
August 17
- Eastwood debuts the Micawber, a Keith Richards-inspired Tele-type factory-fitted with five strings
- How Peter Frampton ended up with one of Jimi Hendrix’s most experimental instruments: “The studio manager came out with a guitar case and said, ‘We have something here that Jimi might have wanted you to have’”
- “We made a lot of decisions that really pissed off our customers”: Guitar Center CEO explains how customer feedback is helping to turn the chain around
- “Playing with her taught me how it feels to situate oneself within great songs”: Phoebe Bridgers’ new album features one of the most eclectic guitar lineups we’ve seen in years – including an industrial-metal icon and the son of a rock legend
- Ritchie Blackmore opens up on his Deep Purple reunion performance: “I wasn’t there to play correct notes. I was there to see old friends”
August 15
- What’s the greatest singer/guitarist partnership of all time?
- “Ever since seeing Kiki Wong play it at Lollapalooza we want one bad”: My pick of the best new guitar gear launched this week – featuring a Dimebag-approved classic, Bonamassa signature acoustics and quite possibly the future of the S-style
August 14
- “When I saw he was the one buying it, it made selling it feel a little better”: Country star surprises seller as he personally shows up to buy Facebook Marketplace find
- Fender Japan’s new Stratocaster collection is inspired by Kyoto, katanas and matcha: “Designs that symbolize its unique world”
- “He stopped me after 15 seconds, visibly irritated, before grabbing my hand and filing down my nails to a good angle”: How Angine de Poitrine’s eccentric guitar teacher shaped their oddball sound
- Ronnie Wood joins Joe Perry and Johnny Depp for two blues rock classics with the Hollywood Vampires
August 13
- “We didn’t recognize him immediately – honestly thought it was James McCartney for a minute”: How a vintage guitar store in Malta landed Lewis Capaldi a rare Gibson acoustic
- Meet the Reverend Kingbolt Air 390 – the offset semi-hollow for those wanting to push the boundaries of their music
- “I had this gig with Slash. I didn’t have a guitar at my house, but Martin had just sent these two over…” Joe Bonamassa has a new Martin signature – and he's already played it live with a guitar legend
- Ritchie Blackmore reunites with Deep Purple for the first time in 33 years – watch him play Smoke on the Water
August 12
- Albert Lee reveals the guitar technique Eddie Van Halen was reluctant to try: “He said, ‘I can’t play on that!’ I said, ‘Yes, you can – you can do all that tapping!’”
- Is this the future of the S-style market? LsL Instruments shares first new model since Fender cease-and-desist – and it could be a sign of things to come
- Guitar Center names its best-selling electric guitar strings – and there’s a surprise silver medalist
- Chris Shiflett plays Randy Rhoads’ Gibson ‘Quiet Riot’ Les Paul with Foo Fighters
- Ritchie Blackmore to reunite with Deep Purple for the first time in over 30 years: “I changed my strings on my Strat, which I haven't done in over 25 years”
August 11
- Fans call for Wings guitarist Henry McCullough to be honored with hometown statue: “He deserves to be recognized for the very unique person he was”
- Why do PRS Guitars have a 25-inch scale length? Paul Reed Smith explains
- MXR revives Dimebag Darrell’s favorite rack unit in pedal form – and Zakk Wylde’s already used it live with Pantera
- Peter Frampton met one of his favorite new guitar players at George Lucas’s birthday party: “It was weird looking out and seeing Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg looking back at us”
- Angine de Poitrine on why they’re one of 2026’s biggest success stories: “It would be presumptuous to think that it’s only about the music”
August 10
- 16-year-old guitar prodigy blows America’s Got Talent away once again with crushing cover of Muse hit
- Billy Strings plays show wearing a helmet after being hit in the head by object on stage: “Maybe I shouldn’t have come back”
- D’Addario admits generative AI was used in controversial string demo video: “We got this wrong”
August 9
- Dan Hawkins on the time he jammed “back to back” with Brian May onstage: “I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’ve never done this before. If I move, he will fall over”
August 8
- Joe Bonamassa says “armchair quarterbacks” have turned guitar culture toxic: “What do you want him to do? Burn his guitar in effigy? The guy had to go to therapy! What’s wrong with people?”
- “I did almost die. I needed 29 stitches on my face. I did all this right before that”: The pedal that JHS Pedals’ Josh Scott was working on before his horror bike accident has been launched
- “We are witnessing a digital guitar tone revolution in real time”: My pick of the best new guitar gear launched this week – from free Line 6 plugins to a game-changing modeler update
August 7
- Why Airbourne’s Joel O’Keefe swears by his Gibson Explorer onstage but never plays it at home: “It should come with a warning label that says, ‘Might cause physical harm’”
- Nikki Sixx confesses Mötley Crüe do in fact use backing tracks on stage – but promises they play all instruments live: “We enjoy being able to do what we did in the studio live”
- “I hate the term relic’d guitars. We don’t relic guitars. We age guitars”: Mark Agnesi explains the difference between relic’ing and aging guitars – and Gibson’s vision for making the vintage guitar experience more accessible
- “I don’t think Ronnie and Keith really like me doing it, but I do it anyway”: Mick Jagger on how his guitar playing adds another element to the Rolling Stones – even if his bandmates aren’t so keen
- Julian Lage reacts to surprise praise from Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy: “I find it hard to believe. They’re monsters”
- Pepper Keenan on the time he got to play Malcolm Young’s legendary AC/DC guitar rig: “It scared the crap out of me. There’s no overdrive – it’s just volume”
August 6
- “My medal looks like a guitar pick”: Elite swimmer wins Commonwealth Games gold – then uses medal to play Megadeth
- When a 12-year-old Joe Bonamassa played with his blues hero: “He pointed his Telecaster at me. It was his way of saying, ‘Welcome to the big leagues kid. I’m testing you to see if you have it’”
August 5
- “Even without a guitar in my hands, the music just comes to me. I had 80 or 90 tracks”: Yngwie Malmsteen announces 23rd studio album, Hell or High Water – hear the first single
- “It carried me through some of the earliest and most important moments of my journey”: Marcus King’s new Epiphone signature recreates the prized childhood acoustic his father gave him
- “Billy shared that the Pumpkins had confirmed headlining Lollapalooza. He said sweetly, ‘If you wanna join us for a song, please do’”: Melissa Auf der Maur lifts the veil on her surprise appearance at Lollapalooza with the Smashing Pumpkins
- Line 6 launches free Helix Stadium plugin: every amp and effect you can play at zero cost
- Fender CEO responds to backlash after comparing cover bands to AI: “Great songs are born out of people’s lives – something no machine can ever replicate”
- Glenn Hughes announces retirement from touring due to health issues: “I really have no option”
- Steve Vai and Adrian Belew announce new BEAT tour, with lineup change
August 4
- “I’m afraid if I started jamming on it, people would go, ‘What is he doing? That’s wrong! Is he having a moment?’”: Don Felder says playing the Hotel California solo note-for-note is his “obligation” to Eagles fans
- “I kept this under my bed. Then one day I was like, ‘What are you doing?’ I took it out… within a night or two, it fell off the stand and got a chip”: How Keith Urban found Clarence, the Telecaster that's still his number one
- Gibson Garage Vegas offers chance to make a whole different kind of drunken decision on the strip
- Bob Dylan recruits Jimmie Vaughan as blues legend becomes final guest guitarist during hectic US tour
- Steve Vai and Dave Navarro champion 16-year-old folk guitarist who has blown them away: “You have what it takes”
August 3
- The fastest rising digital amp tech has been added to another mainstream modeler – could this be a tipping point?
- “I’ve never had to cancel a tour. Not even when I had my face totally ripped open in an early morning traffic accident in 1987”: Former Whitesnake guitarist Adrian Vandenberg cancels tour due to serious health issues
- “It is a daunting task, but it’s totally doable. Once you get it, it’s like breathing”: Eric Johnson has a valuable lesson for players “trapped in patterns”
- The Smashing Pumpkins reunite with Melissa Auf der Maur at Lollapalooza – and treat fans to a surprise team-up with Olivia Rodrigo and Yungblud
August 2
- “I came out to Los Angeles with $20. I was homeless. I lived off of two tacos and water a day”: Malina Moye reflects on the hardship that shaped her historic career
August 1
- Who's the best guitar duo of all time?
- “As far as guitar players go, he’s one of the best conversationalists on the planet”: What Samantha Fish learned from trading licks with Buddy Guy
- “If you’re a guitar player out there, go listen to her – that is the way you should play guitar”: Brian Fallon on the lick that every guitarist should know
- “Harley Benton might have outdone itself. This is custom shop-level detail for under $350”: My pick of the best new guitar gear launched this week – and the new drops you might have missed