Buying advice | Guitar World

Kid in a guitar store playing a Gibson Flying V

A parent's guide to buying a guitar for your child: kickstart their playing journey right with our 5 essential tips

By Daryl Robertson published 19 April 24

Give your child the best possible start with our top tips for buying a beginner guitar – plus our guitar recommendations

Gibson Les Paul next to Orange and Vox amps

Best Gibson Les Paul 2024: The greatest Gibson singlecuts for every budget and style

By Daryl Robertson last updated 13 March 24

We break down the latest offerings from Gibson to help you pick the right Les Paul for you

A Boss Katana 50 guitar amp on a yellow background

Best guitar amps 2024: tube, solid-state and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets

By Chris Corfield last updated 6 March 24

These are the best combo amps and heads from Orange, Fender, Marshall, Boss, and more

Best gifts for guitar players 2024: the ultimate gift guide for guitarists

By Daryl Robertson last updated 6 February 24

Treat them right with our pick of the 46 must-have guitar items, essential accessories, clever gadgets and instruments for every budget

Person wiping an acoustic guitar with a cloth

Best guitar cleaning kits and tools: keep your guitar looking and sounding sweet

By Richard Blenkinsop last updated 31 October 23

Take a look at our expert pick of guitar cleaning and maintenance products to help keep your instrument in tip-top condition

Gretsch G2220 Electromatic Jet Bass guitar on a black background

Best budget bass guitars: our top pick of basses under $500/£500

By Richard Blenkinsop last updated 15 September 23

Need to tackle the low-end on a budget? Not to worry, our experts have run the rule over our favourite bass guitars that come in under $500/£500

Best high-end electric guitars: the finest guitars money can buy

By Simon Fellows last updated 26 June 23

Discover your new favorite dream instrument with our pick of the high-end axes from Gibson, Suhr, PRS, Fender and more

Best pedal amps: including the top amp simulator pedals

By Chris Schwarten last updated 6 April 23

With an ever-growing list of small-yet-mighty options, just about every manufacturer has their own pedal amp. Here we bring you the top-rated options from Strymon, Blackstar and more

Best Strat-style guitars: 10 Strat-inspired models for all budgets and players

By James Farmer last updated 6 April 23

Don’t want a Fender? Here’s our expert pick of the top Strat-style electric guitars from the likes of Ibanez, Yamaha, G&L, PRS and more

Line 6 Catalyst 100 guitar amp in a room setting

Best modeling amps: recreate iconic guitar tones with these top amplifier picks

By Richard Blenkinsop last updated 16 March 23

Our pick of the best modeling amps from Boss, Fender, Line 6, Blackstar and more

Vox AC30 vs Vox AC15: Close up of Vox badge on an AC15

Vox AC30 vs Vox AC15: which of these diamond-clad icons should you choose?

By Daryl Robertson published 21 February 23

You know you want the legendary tone of Vox, but should you splash out on the AC30 or opt for the smaller AC15? Let's find out

Best microphones for recording guitar 2023: top mics for recording acoustic and electric guitar

Best microphones for recording guitar: top mics for recording acoustic and electric guitar

By Chris Corfield last updated 21 October 22

Our pick of the best microphones for recording guitar, both acoustic and electric, with top-rated guitar mics from the likes of Shure, AKG and Sennheiser

The transmitter of a Joyo JW-02 wireless guitar system plugged into the jack socket of a Strat-style electric guitar

Best cheap wireless guitar systems: liberate your playing on a budget, from bedroom to stage

By Simon Fellows last updated 21 October 22

Free yourself from that mess of cables with an inexpensive wireless system from AKG, Behringer, Yuer, Gemini and more.

Best basses for metal 2023: plus everything you need to find the metal bass for you

Best basses for metal: plus everything you need to find the metal bass for you

By Chris Corfield last updated 21 October 22

Need a bass capable of going heavy? We’ve picked out the best bass guitars for metal, including models from Rickenbacker, Warwick, Schecter and Ibanez

Strymon Flint and box on top of a foam soundproofing unit

Best tremolo pedals: 8 top pedal choices, from old-school vibe to chopped-up tones

By James Farmer last updated 21 October 22

The best tremolo pedals on the market right now, from the likes of TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss, Strymon and JHS

Two Notes pedals including the Le Lead on a pedalboard on a wooden floor

Best distortion pedals for metal: standalone and stacked gain stages, plus 'amps in a box'

By Alex Lynham last updated 21 October 22

Our pick of metal-friendly distortion stompboxes from Amptweaker, Friedman, Two Notes, Ibanez and more

Fender Acoustasonic Jazzmaster on a grey concrete floor

Best acoustic electric guitars: 11 electro-acoustics for all players

By Rob Laing last updated 21 October 22

The very best acoustic electric guitar models for beginners to pros and for every budget

Group shot of Ibanez electric guitars against a Friedman amp

Best Ibanez guitars: 13 standard and signature Ibanez models for every budget

By James Farmer last updated 21 October 22

Our pick of the best Ibanez guitars for beginner to pro players, along with useful buying advice

Three Epiphone Les Paul guitars, including the Epiphone AFD Les Paul Special II on a wooden floor leaning against a wall

Best electric guitars under $300: high quality at a low price

By Matt McCracken last updated 25 August 22

The best electric guitars under $300 prove that you don’t have to spend big to get a high-quality instrument

Best bass effects pedals: 8 of the best pedals for every type of bassist

By Simon Fellows last updated 25 August 22

Our guide to the finest sounding effects pedals for bass players, including fuzz, compressors and multi-effects