Herrera has injected what the firm calls his “relentlessly DIY spirit” into this Artist Series StingRay Bass, and it’s an instrument stripped down to the raw essentials. It comes three years after a Ernie Ball Music Man signature run was limited to just 10 models.

A jabon body joins a hard maple neck and 21-fret fingerboard. Hardware includes a fixed bridge, a single passive ceramic humbucker for “punchy tone and road-tested reliability,” and open gear tuners.

The bass has one volume knob for functionality, and two dummy knobs that pay homage to Herrera's minimalist wiring preference without impacting the aesthetic heritage of the StingRay. It's punk, but it's also respectful of a widely adored instrument.

Its Orange Creamsicle finish also nods to the bass's early hue, with a color-matched headstock and a graphic pickguard that references the band’s Pokinatcha LP to complete its look.

“The result,” Ernie Ball says, “is a punk rock workhorse built for players who value simplicity, style, and stage-ready performance.”

“This is the bass I’ve wanted to make for years,” says Herrera. “After playing a StingRay for over two decades, I know exactly what I need from it. This Sterling bass sounds exactly like a StingRay should, with a look and color that’s instantly recognizable in a crowd.”

This being a Sterling by Music Man, the Mike Herrera Artist Series StingRay Bass costs just $449.99.

Head to Sterling by Music Man for more.

Herrera previously told Bass Player that his music career has been full of valuable lessons.

The drop follows the long-awaited Sterling version of Rabea Massaad’s signature Sabre guitar. The British virtuoso signed with Ernie Ball in 2023, and his well-spec'd Music Man Sabre launched at NAMM 2024.

In 2022, Lzzy Hale made history when she was honored with her first signature guitar, the Gibson Explorerbird – a spin-off of the Explorer, which in turn has been her go-to electric guitar for much of her career.

However, the Halestorm guitarist wasn't always such an Explorer loyalist. In fact, she started out on another Gibson model but ultimately switched ranks – after buying her first Explorer second-hand from Craigslist.

“Originally I was a Les Paul girl,” she reveals to Guitar World’s Paul Riario. “I fell in love with the Explorer shape while we were making our first album [2009's Halestorm] out in California.

“I ended up getting my first Explorer off Craigslist. This poor guy had to sell his guitar because of medical bills. So I went to see him, and he was so incredibly excited that it was gonna actually get played and go out on the road.”

The switch from Les Pauls to Explorers was a no-brainer, according to Hale. The Explorer just had the right vibe.

She continues, “What I love about the Explorer shape is that it doesn't matter whether you're front row or in the nose bleed [seats] section, you see that shape and it's undeniable. It's like, ‘Okay, this isn't going to be country. This probably isn't going to be pop. This has to be rock.’”

Shortly after unveiling her Explorerbird, Hale introduced the pointier-but-still-Explorer-inspired Kramer Voyager.

Elsewhere in her interview with Guitar World – for which she's joined by bandmate Joe Hottinger – Hale looks back on the band's involvement in Back to the Beginning, and recalls how they had to pivot to their plan B after Metallica ended up covering their first-choice Black Sabbath song.

Lzzy Hale has also singled out one guitarist as proof that the future of rock 'n' roll is in very safe and capable hands.

Australian acoustic guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel has issued a public service announcement by demonstrating what he believes is the best way to put on a capo in order to eliminate tuning woes.

“I try to make people aware of things that are important on stage,” he says in a new in-depth chat with Guitar World, during which he warns players of the tuning issues that can come with capos.

“I think tuning is the most important thing. You’ve got to be in tune. Every time you put the capo on wrong, you are going to pull the guitar out of tune.”

For Emmanuel, who incorporates lots of percussive techniques into his wide-ranging and ever-expansive sound, correct capo technique is paramount to his performances.

After all, for some of his arrangements, he equips and removes his capo mid-song. His inventive reimagining of George Harrison’s Beatles hit Here Comes the Sun is an example of that.

However, because capos apply extra pressure on the strings when depressed, it's all-too-easy for them to pull your guitar out of tune.

So, what is the correct way of doing it, and how does Emmanuel avoid such issues? For his GW demonstration, Emmanuel uses a Kyber-style capo with top-mounted levers. This, he says, helps with the mid-song changes.

“The capo has a spring in it, so it's going to push down on the strings a little bit,” he prefaces. “The best way you can get as accurate as possible is, put the guitar on an angle [slightly flatter against your knee].

“You look down at the fret where you want to put it, squeeze it, drop it on, and you'll feel it sit kind of flat. Now, take your right hand and with your palm just push down on the strings.”

Pushing down on the strings helps ensure all strings are being put under even pressure by the capo.

Check the video above at the 01:01:00 mark to see the technique in action.

For more valuable insights from Emmanuel, find out what he thinks is the difference between a guitarist and a guitar player – and why that matters – and how knocking on his hero's door helped kickstart his career.

Before becoming a solo artist revered for his virtuosic jazz/blues fusion chops, Ford had ingratiated himself into the music scene at a young age and became a go-to hired gun for many big-name artists.

He earned himself a place in George Harrison's live band for the Dark Horse tour, and worked closely with Joni Mitchell on stage and in the studio. His relationship with the Big Yellow Taxi singer is one he holds in high regard.

“She was lovely to work for. The musicians around her were all great – especially on the first tour, which resulted in the Miles of Aisles album. It was just a constant joy,” he tells Guitar World in a soon-to-be-published interview. “She never distanced herself in any way from the band, [there was the] feeling where you’re all in it together.

“And, of course, her next record was The Hissing of Summer Lawns, which is like frigging Sgt. Pepper’s, you know? It’s just a work of genius.”

When it came to recording, the gear that Ford and the rest of the band used on her albums was never a huge deal. They worked with what they had – and Mitchell had some maverick ideas for recording.

Ford continues, “I’ll tell you one thing that exemplifies what it was like to work with her: we used the volume pedal a lot in those days, but she said, ‘Robben, how about you just plug into a [Maestro FZ-1] Fuzz-Tone and then plug directly into the console and we’ll see what that sounds like?’

“I was like, ‘Oh, Joni, that’s gonna be terrible, we need an amp,’ you know?”

But the singer pushed back, argued the case for trying it out. Just to see.

“Begrudgingly, I was like, ‘Okay…’” he says. “And that turned out to be the guitar on In France They Kiss on Main Street. It’s different and cool, and it made me play a different way. So, she was creative, and never in a hurry, you know, patient, like that.”

https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/does-bad-guitar-tone-even-exist-anymoreMitchell understood that just because something wasn’t the ‘done way’, it didn’t mean it was necessarily the wrong way. It's a mindset that has shaped many contemporary trends, including the djent guitar movement, and the current obsession with plugging direct into multi-track recorders a la Mk.gee. Mitchell was ahead of the curve.

Ford’s full chat with GW will be published online in the near future.

In related news, session virtuoso Andy Wood recently recalled the time Ford brought his prized Dumble to a guitar retreat and let fans play it. Ford's jazz and blues-amalgamating guitar style has also been the subject of an in-depth GW guitar lesson.

The White Stripes, Bad Company, Soundgarden, Carol Kaye, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker, Outkast and Chubby Checker were all among the Rock Hall’s Class of 2025, along with Warren Zevon, Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, Lenny Waronker and Salt N Pepa.

Soundgarden were inducted by Jim Carrey, who paid tribute to the band’s late singer Chris Cornell, remembering the time they crossed paths on Saturday Night Live – and was gifted a prized electric guitar signed by all Soundgarden members.

“I met the band in 1996 when I was hosting Saturday Night Live for the very first time, and I insisted on Soundgarden as the musical guest,” Carrey remembered. “By then, the lineup was Chris [Cornell], Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron on drums, and Ben Shepherd on bass. They launched into the dark, epic beauty of Pretty Noose.

“I stood right in front of them, letting the waves of electricity wash over me, like an audio baptism. They pushed me under and when I came up I was free.

“After the show, they handed me what is to this day, one of my most prized possessions. The Fender Telecaster Chris played on the show, signed by the whole band.

“Tonight, we make sure that Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamamoto, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd go down in history as one of the most majestic, powerful and influential bands ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Long live Chris Cornell. Long live Soundgarden.”

Carrey’s tributes to Cornell and Soundgarden were accompanied by a performance from the surviving members of the band, who were fronted by Taylor Momsen and Brandi Carlile for covers of Rusty Cage and Black Hole Sun, respectively.

It was a heroic outing for grunge music. For Soundgarden’s set, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready – wielding a Gibson Les Paul for the occasion – doubled up Thayil’s riffs on Rusty Cage, while Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell layered up the leads for Black Hole Sun with his G&L Rampage.

It wasn’t the only performance dedicated to Soundgarden and Cornell. Toni, Chris’ daughter, was joined by Nancy Wilson for an acoustic rendition of Fell on Black Days, performed underneath an in memoriam photograph of the late vocalist.

Elsewhere on the docket, The White Stripes were honored by pop-rock duo twenty one pilots, who performed Seven Nation Army, and Olivia Rodrigo, who – fresh from her festival-stealing Glasto headline set – joined Feist with her acoustic guitar to sing We’re Going to Be Friends.

Flea also played bass for Stevie Wonder on a cover of Sly & The Family Stone’s Dance to the Music, and The Killers honored Warren Zevon with a performance of Lawyers, Guns and Money. Zevon was inducted by David Letterman, who, in his own speech, also recalled the time Zevon had gifted him a guitar.

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi closed out the show with a cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends. Bryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper and Chris Robinson were among the song’s guest stars.

Trucks and his trusty Gibson SG were on guitar duty for the song, and though the spotlight was firmly on the singers, he still found room for some trademark fingerstyle licks sans slide.

You can catch up on the 40th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony and rewatch all the action at Disney+.

When we consider all this in sum, we might be able to understand why Salas turned down not one, but two former Van Halen frontmen when they came calling.

That’s right. ‘Diamond’ David Lee Roth and the ‘Red Rocker’ Sammy Hagar, bona-fide rock legends, tried to recruit Salas. He said thanks but no thanks to both.

Salas is a self-described “Van Halen nut”, so how could he pass this up? Well, technically he did say yes to Hagar. At least, he played with him for a little bit. It just never went any further, as Salas explains in a new interview with Guitar World.

“With Hagar, I was a Montrose fanatic, so when he called me, he flew me to San Francisco, picked me up himself in his Porsche, and I stayed at his house,” says Salas. “We started to write together, and I wanted to write a Montrose album, and he wanted to write an album more like the Eagles – and I hate the Eagles. [laughs] No disrespect, but I didn’t like the Eagles, so that didn’t work for me.”

Salas has long said that Montrose’s self-titled debut album is his favorite rock album of all time. But there's no point in forcing a collaboration if you’re not on the same page. Besides, the timing was all wrong. This was the mid ‘90s and Salas’ solo career was doing well. Back from the Living was “blowing up” in Europe and he was still under contract to the label.

David Lee Roth? That’s a more surreal encounter. Salas knew Roth, met him when he was doing his thing with Rod Stewart. He and Eddie Van Halen were good friends.

At the time, Roth was in need of some six-string talent. Steve Vai had left his band for Whitesnake, so he gave Salas a call.

“I was a Van Halen nut, but when Roth called me, I was vacuuming, and I thought when he called, somebody was taking the piss,” says Salas. “But it was him. I turned the vacuum cleaner off, and was like, ‘Oh, shit…’ [laughs]”

Roth made him an offer. But all these years later, Salas is not so sure what Roth was looking for. It sure as hell wasn’t Eat ‘Em and Smile Part II.

“He talked to me for about an hour, but he kind of sounded like he was out of his mind,” says Salas. “He was talking about making a blues album, like B.B. King, and I’m thinking, ‘What am I doing?’ I had a recording contract, and I was like, ‘Shit…’ and didn’t like where Dave was going. I didn’t like the Skyscraper album, and I just didn’t think it was what I wanted to do.”

And so he didn’t, and the rest is history. You can read the full interview with Stevie Salas, coming soon to Guitar World.

From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay abreast of every new launch that may be of interest to you.

To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.

There is so much stuff to get through this week, so we really have no time to waste. Missed out on those new releases from Epiphone, PRS, IK Multimedia, Ernie Ball and Yamaha? You're in the right place...

Ernie Ball 9V Rechargeable USB-C Batteries

Every guitarist has at least one horror story involving a 9V battery, be that a pedal dying right before a gig or an active guitar packing it in at the worst possible moment. Whether we like to admit it or not, 9V batteries are a backbone of guitar playing, and with the amount we musicians go through, it’s not very eco-friendly. In fact, it’s very eco-unfriendly.

So Ernie Ball has done both players and the planet a solid by launching some new rechargeable batteries that look to reduce battery waste and lower guitarist stress. A commendable effort, and one that will appeal to each and every player out there.

For more: Ernie Ball

IK Multimedia TONEX Plug

Look out, Fender and Boss. You have some competition. IK Multimedia has entered the headphone amp arms race with the TONEX Plug – a pocket-sized addition to the TONEX ecosystem, which puts more than 40,000 digital rigs in the palm of your hand.

At $149, it’s competitively priced, and the spec sheet is incredibly enticing. Bluetooth for streaming backing tracks, USB-C for recording, companion apps for fine-tuning just about everything you’d want. Sure, it doesn’t have a screen where the Mustang Micro Plus and Katana:GO do, but it has the IK Multimedia AI Machine Modeling software at its core, so that’s a huge win.

For more: IK Multimedia

Taylor Guitars 4 Vets

Taylor has partnered with Guitar 4 Vets to release two special-edition acoustics that will go towards supporting G4V’s mission of helping veterans heal through the power of music. Proceeds from each of the appropriately styled 814ce and GS Mini models – which feature star inlays and a camo colorway, respectively – will go to G4V.

“Support like this great partnership with Taylor helps fund our program and raises awareness about the positive impact we can have on veterans' lives,” says Nigel Fischer, Director of Advancement for Guitars for Vets. “Customers who buy these guitars aren't just getting beautiful instruments; they're helping put guitars in the hands of veterans in need, where music can truly make a difference.”

For more: Taylor Guitars

Yamaha TAS3 C

Last year, Yamaha ushered in a new era for its TransAcoustic family with the next-gen TAG3 C – a dreadnought-sized intelligent guitar with a traditional acoustic vibe that came equipped with reverb, delay, chorus and looper functions.

Now, the lineup has been expanded with the concert-sized TAS3 C. It offers all the same bells and whistles of the original (which we saw Yvette Young demo at NAMM at the start of this year) though in a different ergonomic format. I for one am all about concert acoustics, so this one is definitely a bit of me.

For more: Yamaha

Epiphone SG / Les Paul Tribute Plus

With its Back to the Future ES-345 and Gem Archer and Bonehead signature guitars, Epiphone has been on a serious hot streak these past few weeks. Those drops have all focused on the upper end of the Epi price scale, so to even out the scales the company has dropped two affordable Les Paul and SG models.

Released under the Tribute Plus umbrella, these new models level up the entry level Tribute range and offer dressed-up takes on the single– and double-cut design, with flamed maple veneers, tasty binding and trapezoid inlays among the specs.

There are some really nice colors on tap – Cherry Burst and Ebony Burst among them – and at $349 they mark some of the most affordable Epis currently on the market.

For more: Epiphone

PRS 40th Anniversary Special Semi-Hollow

At this point in the PRS 40th Anniversary celebration, we would just like to quickly commend the company on its commitment to putting out special-edition six-strings so darn regularly. It genuinely has been something of a marvel with just how many new releases that PRS has managed to get into its launch calendar, so fair play, Mr. Smith.

The latest additions to the lot are unsurprisingly elegant in classic PRS fashion, and are said to be “the culmination of this year’s anniversary lineup”. HSH configurations, up to 12 pickup combinations, and an artist-grade figured maple top are just some of the stand-out specs on tap.

Only 280 will be made, and each will come with a certificate of authenticity signed by Paul Reed Smith. Only one more month to go until the 40th anniversary comes to an end. We’ll be sad to see these regular drops stop.

For more: PRS

Wylde Audio Wrathmaker

Every time Zakk Wylde’s guitar brand comes out with a brand-new body shape, I end up writing something along the lines of, ‘Wylde Audio’s most metal guitar yet.’ And every time it’s true. The issue is Wylde keeps outdoing himself. The Wrathmaker genuinely is the company’s most metal guitar yet.

It’s not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. The reverse pointed headstock, the elongated cutaways that look like dragon horns. It’s as if the Stratocaster went to the Upside Down and came back a monster. It should probably come with a health and safety warning.

For more: Wylde Audio

Jackson Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET7

When I caught up with Misha Mansoor at Guitar Summit to discuss all the new Juggernaut guitars he’d released during the first half of the year, his dedicated wall of signatures also had room for a mystery seven-string that we were under strict instructions not to publicize. Naturally, that became the guitar that everyone started asking about.

Now, the Evertune seven-string version of the Juggernaut has landed in all its glory, and it looks like it’s been worth the wait. Mansoor was keen to talk up the build quality of these beasts and made clear that he plays stock signatures himself on stage. The best Juggernaut to date? Possibly. Now we need the Surfcaster…

For more: Jackson

Duff McKagan Seymour Duncan signature PJ pickups

It’s been a busy few months for Seymour Duncan, which has expanded its artist pickup lineup considerably in 2025. The latest addition to that list is the Duff McKagan Precision Jazz Bass set, which channels the tone of the Fender PJ bass that powered songs such as Sweet Child O’ Mine, Welcome to The Jungle, and more.

For more: Seymour Duncan

La Bella x Ella Feingold Inverted Strings

Grammy-winning guitarist Ella Feingold has released a new set of signature strings with La Bella that brings her favored ‘inverted tuning’ approach to the masses.

First developed by Chris Wiesman in 2008, inverted tuning utilises the same tuning set up as standard tuning, though flips the pitch and gauge of the strings along the D and G string axis. The result is otherworldly voicings and a whole new way of looking at standard tuning. It also, in Feingold's view, frees up extra real estate for your hand.

For more: La Bella

Death by Audio Infinity Verb

Nothing beats a good reverb, eh? The Death by Audio Infinity Verb certainly looks like a Very Good reverb, too, capable of spanning the spectrum from subtle ambience to “cavernous atmospheres”.

There’s an Infinity footswitch, which prolongs verbs indefinitely, and plenty of filter, latching and stereo controls to really fine-tune the effect. It’s available exclusively at Reverb, fittingly enough.

For more: Death by Audio

Guild x Lollar HB-1

Kim Thayil’s signature Guild took a while to get here, but when it did, the ultra-exclusive USA Custom Shop S-100 Polara came with a pair of very special pickups. They were meticulously crafted in collaboration with Lollar, and only 30 sets were made – all of them factory-installed in the limited-run six-string.

Now, due to popular player demand, Lollar has made those exact pickups available to the masses. They were crafted by reverse engineering Guild’s original HB-1, which led to Lollar’s own interpretation of the humbucker.

They’re not a limited run, per se, but the materials that go into making them certainly don’t grow on trees, so the Guild x Lollar HB-1s won’t be around forever.

For more: Lollar

Trace Elliot Acoustic Clarity

The Trace Elliot Acoustic Clarity does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s designed to make acoustic-electric instruments sound more clear, and enhance their acoustic-ness. There are EQ-tailoring controls for Low and High and a footswitch. Not much more needs to be said, really.

For more: Trace Elliot

Furch Spectra Plus

Furch hasn’t just launched an all-new line of all-solid acoustics, it’s also introduced eight top colors that add “a bold new palette” to the company’s lineup.

The Spectra Plus acoustics, in their own right, look like solid players, but when crafting these single-cuts Furch wasn’t just focused on tone and playability. It also had one eye on their visuals. Why? Well, as Furch’s CEO Petr Furch says, musicians need to deliver the perfect show on stage – and that concerns “sonically and visually”.

To meet that criteria, these new Furch builds are available in Ricasoli Yellow, Siena Amber, Capri Blue, Bled Emerald, Provence Violet and more.

For more: Furch

Fender Mustang LTX

In Fender’s own words, the Mustang family is “the world’s most popular guitar amplifier line”. A bold claim, given the competition in the affordable digital combo market (ahem Boss Katana). Now it’s been expanded with two new amps – the LTX50 and LTX100 – which are 50 and 100 watt versions of the updated combos.

They bring the aesthetic appeal of classic black panel Fenders – save the small screen that depicts chosen presets – but offer some more modern appointments, most notably 50 digital amp models and effects, an onboard tuner and built-in Bluetooth.

For more: Fender

His PRS Silver Sky has become one of the best-selling signature guitars in recent years, having topped Reverb’s sales charts for 2022 and 2023. It took two years to fully develop, and speaking about that process in the new issue of Guitar World, Mayer detailed how the experience proved to be an education for him, too.

“Before creating this guitar, I didn't understand what neck radius meant,” he admits, “I just looked at the guitars I loved the most, and they were 7.25". That was my measuring stick. Now that I know the math behind it, I still don't think about it.”

In simple terms, 'neck' radius – or, more accurately, fretboard radius – relates to how much a fretboard curves. As conventional wisdom would have it, 'rounder' fretboards make fretting easier as they better trace the natural curvature of our fingers. Flatter necks are typically better at bends and guitar solos, because there's less resistance to move over.

Many firms have their preferred measurements. Very broadly speaking, a 7.25" radius offers a more 'vintage' style, while the likes of 9.5" and 12" are used on more modern builds. But Mayer doesn’t see it as the be-all and end-all.

“The difference between 7.25" and 9.5" is less significant than your guitar strap being an inch higher or lower,” he professes. “I'll fight anybody on that.

“Every guitar is different and has about 100 points of variation,” he explains. “Neck profile helps sort out neck profile, which is only one of many details. So the only way to truly compare radii is to build two molecularly exact copies of the same guitar with just that difference.

“I can do everything on this neck that I could do on a 9.25". If the guitar is set up correctly, if the frets are level, you can do anything you want.”

Elsewhere in his Guitar World interview, for which he was joined by Paul Reed Smith, Mayer looked back on the making of the Silver Sky. During the conversation, Smith recalled the unexpected discovery he made when he put Mayer's 1964 Strat under the microscope.

Head to Magazines Direct to pick up the new issue of Guitar World, which features a list of the best guitar gear of the 21st century.

However, that performance was far from a last-minute affair. In 2017, Brandi Carlile took the initiative to organize “Joni Jams” at Mitchell’s home – monthly jam sessions that assisted her recovery and encouraged her to entertain the possibility of playing on stage again.

It all culminated in a three-hour “Joni Jam” in 2023, at the Gorge Amphitheater in Washington State – billed as Mitchell’s first ticketed concert in 20 years. It was as miraculous a comeback as there ever was.

Despite Carlile's years-long efforts to get Joni back on stage, she admits she received her fair share of critique for her involvement.

“I took a lot of shit for my time with Joni in a way that just made me feel so beat down,” she tells Howard Stern. “And I don't know why, because most people were beautiful about it, and in some ways, I got too much credit. But any criticism at all just felt so unjust, because I knew people didn't understand what was happening.”

When asked by Stern what the backlash was exactly, Carlile replies, “People that didn't understand the situation wanted me to get out of the way and hear more of Joni or see more of Joni, and just didn't understand the dynamic that we had established.

“And I remember talking to Joni about it, and she was like, ‘Brandy. Those people [have] always been there. They'll always be there.”

“That was probably the hardest thing I've ever seen in terms of criticism about myself, which makes me lucky, because I think people can be brutal. That one set me back a little bit. I had to rethink some shit.”

Following her momentous return to the stage, Mitchell opened up about how she relearned guitar by watching videos online to “see where I put my fingers.”

Hey, it was ever thus, but take a look at the shortlist for year’s Best Rock Performance and you’ll find Australian punk-rock alive and kicking, with Amyl and the Sniffers up for U Should Not Be Doing That, and the Yungblud-led supergroup from Black Sabbath's farewell show, Back to the Beginning, nominated for their take on Changes.

Nuno Bettencourt might have to look out for his tux after all. Purple socks optional.

Yungblud’s crazy big year sees Idols nominated for Best Rock Album, and Zombie for Best Rock Song. We’d say that’s where the smart money lies but who can say with the judges?

If Yungblud is the tip of the spear for rock’s next superstar generation then the Best Rock Album category still has a bit of the ‘90s about it, with Deftones’ immaculate Private Music and Linkin Park’s blockbuster comeback LP, From Zero, both in the running.

They’ll all be up against Gibson SG-toting sister act HAIM, who are nominated for I Quit, and new-school hardcore champs Turnstile, nominated for Never Enough – the title-track is in contention for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. Open up that pit, yo.

Okay, heavy metal. Not that it is particularly metal to get excited about the Best Metal Performance award – well, not unless you’re actually nominated, then it might be kinda cool – but this year’s nominees include Dream Theater for Night Terror, the venerable John Petrucci’s extraterrestrial chops doing a number on the voters, while Mike Stringer’s Spiritbox are in the mix for Best Metal Performance.

There’s Sleep Token for Emergence and Ghost’s Lachryma, and, in a twist we did not see coming, Turnstile have turned metal with a nomination for BIRDS.

And then making a turn into Best Alternative Music Performance, where Seein’ Stars is in competition with Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers’ Wet Leg, who are up for mangetout. Representing Shecter guitars and Boss pedals (spiritually, if not in an official capacity), The Cure are nominated for Alone. Bon Iver and Hayley Williams will be keeping them company.

Wet Leg are proving that see-through neon B.C. Rich electric guitars are a charm. Moisturizer is deservedly up for Best Alternative Music Album. Can it pip The Cure’s Songs of a Lost World? Depends on what mood the voters were in.

Taking the fuzz and overdrive pedals out of the signal chain, let’s check in on Planet Bluegrass. Yessiree, Billy Strings is up for his superlative Highway Prayers. Not to editorialize or anything but he should be up for Best Metal Performance alongside Cryptopsy for their collaboration on the Blasphemy Made Flesh anniversary edition but there you go, there is no justice in this world – maybe there is if Gibson signature artist Sierra Hull wins for A Tip Toe High Wire.

Who knows. We will be happy if Buddy Guy gets his flowers for Ain’t Done With the Blues. If it was anyone other than the world’s greatest living blues guitarist, we’d say the Best Traditional Blues Album category would be keenly contested, what with the Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ collab, Room on the Porch, Charlie Musselwhite’s Look Out Highway, and Young Fashioned Ways from Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush all in the envelope.

We’ll wrap this up soon but can a list like this be truly complete without at least one former GW columnist among the nominations? Of course not. Well, we’ve got two this year.

First, step on up, Molly Tuttle, whose So Long Little Miss Sunshine is nominated alongside Larkin Poe’s Bloom and Willie Nelson’s Last Leaf On The Tree for Best Americana Album.

And among the Contemporary Blues Album category we have current GW columnist and all-round blues guitar superstar Joe Bonamassa, who is up for Breakthrough, and up against an album he co-produced, Eric Gales’ A Tribute to LJK, on which Gales pays tribute to his big brother and mentor Emmanuel Lynn Gales, aka Little Jimmy King. Samantha Fish is also in the running for Paper Doll. Don’t rule out pedal-steel virtuoso Robert Randolph for Preacher Kids.

You can check out the full nominations over at the Grammys.

The musician/producer turned YouTube star has welcomed scores of the greatest players in the world to his show. But, as he admits in a recent video interview with Guitar Player, having Gilmour sitting there beside him, playing through his Fender Stratocaster (not the Black Strat, that was sold at auction) was particularly surreal.

“Oh, I mean, that was unbelievable,” says Beato. “Because he has all the original [gear]. He’s playing through all the original gear that he used on these famous records.

“When you hear that Binson [Echorec] and he’s demonstrating his whammy bar and everything, it’s just, like, wow! And it sounds pristine. It was going through, like, five different amplifiers right near me.”

Just think of some of the famous players who have been on the Rick Beato Show, and the guitars they brought with them. But would you want to play your hero’s guitar?

Beato says he's had the chance and every time he has declined. Gilmour never asked him if he wanted to play his guitar, but if he had, Beato would have said no.

“Never. I try and never touch anyone’s instruments,” he says. “Even if they do [offer], I’m like, I don’t want [to]. I’ve had people hand me things.”

And it turns out these “things” he's been handed are pretty cool. Even with such a policy, there must have been a bit of Beato that wanted to see how Peter Frampton’s legendary Phenix would play.

“I had Peter Frampton, the first time I met him, he handed me his black Les Paul and I handed it right back to him,” says Beato. “Larry Carlton handed me his [Gibson ES-] 335. I handed it right back to him. ‘I’m not going to play this.’ I’ve had so many people hand me their guitars, and I’m like, ‘No, thank you.’”

It’s not the guitars that wow Beato, it’s the players. That's why he'd rather prefer his guests play their gear, rather than spend the time playing it himself – seeing these guitarists up close with the equipment they used to make their music gives him an all-new appreciation of what makes them special.

That is certainly the case players such as Neal Schon from Journey, his latest guest.

“I’ve watched Neal play a thousand times but you can’t tell what people are doing unless you’re right next to them,” says Beato. “Like his right hand? I can’t… He showed me how he holds the pick, and how he picks and everything, and he kinds of uses it at an angle, but he is so relaxed.”

Elsewhere in his recent interview with Beato, Schon recalled the time Albert King yelled at him for picking up his Gibson Flying V. In a separate conversation, Beato also explained why he stopped playing solos for 25 years – and why it was good for his playing.

The experience left such a mark on him that it would inform the lyrics for Mammoth’s latest studio album, The End – a recording shaped by panic, anxiety and dread.

Speaking to the Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast, Van Halen elaborates on exactly how bad it was. He was already wound up pretty tightly before they took off. These shows were a big deal and they were being played at altitude. Mexico City is 7,350 feet above sea level. That got into Van Halen’s head big-time.

“Being a singer, anytime I’ve been in a place that has a really high-altitude elevation, it’s very tough,” he explains. “You’ve always got to prepare yourself, like, for a show in Denver stuff like that. And after looking at the elevation and seeing it was going to be the highest show I’d ever played, I was super nervous just for a show of that magnitude, obviously on that crazy stage.”

He had good reason to be nervous. Performing at altitude is not easy. It’s harder to breathe up there. The air is drier. Singers, in particular, have to be meticulous with their preparation. It didn’t help that Van Halen is a nervous flyer.

“I’m really good at psyching myself out anxiety-wise, and I didn’t get a lot of sleep before the flight,” he continues. “I already hate flying to begin with. I’m just a very anxious person.”

On the plane, Van Halen tells Rolling Stone that it was everything, everywhere all at once happening to his body.

“My vision started closing,” he explains. “I thought I had had a panic attack before. If you think you’ve had a panic attack, you probably haven’t. It’s like your body betrays you.

“My vision closed up. I felt like I was gonna throw up. I started sweating profusely, but I was freezing – and it was really crazy. I’d never been aware of how badly that could happen. That feeling of feeling like everything was over and ending.”

He has learned to use this anxiety in Mammoth’s songwriting. Speaking to Guitar World, he says writing is “therapeutic” – a release for all those tensions.

When writing for The End, he not only had the panic attack as source material, he had the Los Angeles wildfires of January 2025, when he had some of his late father, Eddie Van Halen’s most-sacred gear packed up and ready to go at a moment’s notice. All of that was weighing on his mind.

“With the way I write, it’s very much a therapeutic release. Working those thoughts out is a way of calming the voices in my head and subduing my anxiety,” he said. “I was working through a lot this time around. The vocals were recorded in January while we had everything in 5150 packed up and ready to go at any moment, because of the Los Angeles fires.

“There’s a lot of nerves, stress and anxiety there. I was thinking about all of my dad’s instruments and all of his belongings before I could even think about mine. We had a U-Haul truck filled with everything. It was tough to be creative in that environment.”

Wolfgang Van Halen's full interview with Guitar World is available to read online.

It's been a yearly challenge for Scallon and his co-writer and co-conspirator Andrew Huang since 2018. It finds them writing and recording an entire album in around 12 hours, with their trials and tribulations all captured on camera.

Seven years into the First of October project – which, shock horror, takes place on October 1 each year – they’ve opted for their most public setting yet.

There are pros and cons to this, naturally. There’s the huge risk of having a creative meltdown in front of a store full of people, but there’s also a rather plentiful supply of gear to dive into.

“You can just grab a bass from behind you and choose a different one every time,” says Scallon at one point, a plot forming in his mind. Anything the pair saw that took their fancy was fair game – Guitar Center gave them free roam to use whatever they liked.

And, of course, there are umpteen pedals to try out. Prioritising some of the more “crazy” options available, Scallon builds a pedalboard that includes a chrome Morley wah, a Daredevil Chicago Rat, and Boss’s new XS-100 Poly Shifter, paired, conveniently, with his signature Schecter and a Fender combo amp.

But away from the adrenaline rush of the project, the day also carried a note of sentimentality for Scallon.

“This is my hometown Guitar Center,” he says. “I grew up in Arlington Heights. My friends and I would ride our bikes here as kids. This is where I first started really playing instruments.”

Speaking previously about the video series and his “one day a year band,” Scallon told Guitar World how its success has completely inverted their expectations.

“The First of October had a terrible first day,” he says. “We were going to make the worst album ever, and that’d be why it would be a really fun video, but we made some songs we really liked, and we found that making a ten-track album in a day was actually achievable.

“You can’t spend time thinking, ‘What’s my amp setting?’ When you get rid of that part of the process, you actually make better music. It’s like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.”

It's also a great advertisement for the value of brick-and-mortar stores in the online gear shopping age, and a shrewd tie-in for the store. Chatting business strategy with Guitar World previously, CEO Gabe Dalporto has said the business's future must prioritize premium guitar.

“I think a solo should complement the song, rather than just jerking off,” Bell summarizes his philosophy in the latest edition of Guitar World.

“I still play that solo. I suppose people expect it. But it took a long time. It wasn’t blues, and it wasn’t rock. I was used to playing blues and rock, but when Whiskey came along, there was this huge question mark over my head, going, ‘What the fuck am I going to play?’”

Bell remembers that he got over that initial hump by humming the solo, which he admits is “the way I made most of my solos”.

“I’ll play the chords, and I’ll sing or hum it over and over again,” he explains. “It might take quite a long time to get the solo I want to hear, but it seems to work.”

The whole process took around two or three weeks – “I was trying to get the phrase, that little hook,” he explains – which took him to various, erm, places. Literally.

“I was going everywhere – on the toilet, the bath, the taxi, and walking down the street – going, ‘What do I hear coming in there after those chords?’ It took forever, but it’s stood the test of time.”

When asked whether nailing that solo took a couple of passes in the studio, Bell replies, “No. Because Phil [Lynott, Thin Lizzy vocalist/bassist] did a rough vocal, and then we went to listen to it, and I hadn’t a clue.

“I had no idea whatsoever. I just didn’t know anything about it. At first, it took me a long time, so they gave me a cassette of the rough song, and I worked on it day and night.

“Eventually, I came up with the whole song – the intro, the little phrase, and the solo. So when they put me in to play in the studio, I had every single note worked out. I knew it was going to work.”

Metallica would eventually breathe new life into the song by putting their own spin on it for their 1998 record, Garage Inc.

While the band invited Bell to perform the song with them in Dublin, he revealed in an extensive interview with GW last year that it was an experience he didn’t particularly enjoy.

For more from Bell, plus new interviews with fast-rising shred virtuoso Spiro Dussias and Jim Root, pick up issue 598 of Guitar World from Magazines Direct.

Isbell, echoing comments David Gilmour made last year, believes guitars sound better with age. And though he reckons Martin’s contemporary creations can grow to sound just as good as the builds from its golden age, that’s going to require some patience. Luckily, he has a method for speeding up the process.

“I think the guitars that they're making right now hold up with the pre-war guitars,” he says of Martin. “Especially as they age. I think they'll wind up sounding just as good, and that's a beautiful thing.”

Pre-war Martins are perceived by many as the pinnacle of acoustic guitar luthiery and tone. To get his newer acoustics in a similar tonal ballpark, he treat to some, erm, high volume exposure.

“It's one of those things that the longer it goes, the more the pores dry out and widen and the wood gets lighter and thinner over the years, the better the guitar is going to sound,” he accepts. “I recommend putting it in front of a couple of stereo speakers when you leave the house and turning it up really loud.

“I normally use Outkast or something, just so when I come home, Outkast is playing on the stereo. It makes me happy. But all my new acoustic guitars get to listen to Outkast for about 40 hours the first week they're in the house.”

The theory here is that sound vibrations help open up the wood of a guitar, essentially maturing it at a much faster rate. The science plays out at a molecular level, as it essentially helps dry out the wood as water molecules hinder an instrument's resonance.

With Martins in particular, Isbell feels there’s great value in this process.

“Martin is the quintessential American guitar company, certainly for acoustic instruments,” he states. “I've tried everything else and I still prefer Martins, old ones and new ones.”

Isbell’s Martin collaboration comes after the launch of his new Tim Shaw-voiced signature Telecaster pickups, and a Gibson Murphy Lab reissue of his famed “Red Eye” Les Paul.

He's also come to the aid of beginner guitar players, offering advice on how newbie strummers can get over the hardest part of learning the guitar.

Taking the Halloween spirit in full stride, Strings and his band were dressed in a smattering of different costumes, from a Phantom of the Opera nod, to a vampire and Frankenstein's monster, for their show at the CFG Arena in Baltimore.

Playing what looks to be a PRS McCarty electric guitar, Strings is bang on the money with the cover, nailing everything from the tone to the song's iconic guitar solo. It's excellent stuff.

As someone commenting on the cover writes, “You never know what you're gonna get when you go to a Billy Strings concert!”

It’s the latest in a long line of Ozzy tributes that have graced stages since his passing. Already, we've seen Nuno Bettencourt and Extreme get creative with a superlative medley, Wolfgang Van Halen’s tear-jerking Mama I’m Coming Home, and the somewhat divisive all-star medley at the MTV VMAs.

Meanwhile, Strings released two signature Martin guitars at the start of the year, both of which are based on his 1940 D-28 in a move that has parallels with the firm's new releases with Jason Isbell. It follows a signature pedal drop with Chase Bliss last year.

Strings has also had his ear pricked by a musical troubadour who's penned a song about buying guitars.

And if you're not over the Halloween frivolities yet, James Hetfield playing a thrash classic dressed as a Kangaroo might just be the remedy you need.

In an effort to reduce disposable battery waste and make the industry more sustainable, Ernie Ball is rolling out a new line of USB-C rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, designed specifically for musical equipment.

Available in AA and 9V formats, Ernie Ball USB-C Rechargeable Batteries were developed in collaboration with Paleblue, an expert in the field, and guarantee “consistent, full-voltage performance across instruments, wireless packs, pedals, tuners, and more.”

Each battery features USB-C direct charging, along with LED charge indicators, a rugged reusable storage case, and a lithium-ion design that Ernie Ball states is rated for over 1,000 recharge cycles.

Moreover, with recharge times as quick as 75 minutes to 80%, these high-capacity batteries promise “continuous, reliable power,” while aiming to reduce waste and long-term costs.

“I think rechargeable batteries are the only way forward in this industry,” comments Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jerry Cantrell guitar tech, Henry Trejo.

“There’s too much waste when it comes to conventional batteries. You also have the added benefit of carrying less bulk, which also reduces weight, especially when touring on a budget.”

To test drive these new rechargeable batteries, Ernie Ball has already placed them in the hands of guitar techs for artists such as the Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, Turnstile, and Nine Inch Nails for real-world performance feedback.

The Ernie Ball USB-C Rechargeable Battery line is available now through select retailers throughout North America.

For more information, visit Ernie Ball.

However, Dussias admits that he's secretly – or not so secretly – a “classic-guitar nerd,” and even has his heart set on releasing a blues album.

“I jam to Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and John Mayer all day long, going into a Plexi-style thing,” he discloses in the latest issue of Guitar World.

“It sounds like I’m joking, but there’s definitely a blues album in me, and it’ll come out before I turn 30. I might be doing hyper-modern stuff – maybe I’m playing into the hate I get from how cold it can be – but I will do a 180 at some point and make people cry with a version of Stormy Monday.”

Dussias is quick to note the division between more traditional guitar players and those committed to challenging the very boundaries of the instrument.

“There’s this whole narrative where you are either real-as-fuck and old-school or hyper-produced,” he observes. “I’m trying to push the envelope in both respects.”

As for what we can expect next, the virtuoso reveals that he's well into the process of launching his own “project” – and is knee-deep in studio sessions for what we assume to be a brand-new band.

“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be in my own band. I’ve also been in the studio with Polyphia, working on their next record, but my dream is to tour my own music and get this band off the ground.”

At Guitar Summit last month, Misha Mansoor joined Henson and Abasi in showering praise on Dussias, even going as far as to call his playing “alien stuff.”

For more from Spiro, plus new interviews with Henson and Jim Root, pick up issue 598 of Guitar World from Magazines Direct.

His cameo in Michael B. Jordan's Sinners says it all. The movie finishes with Ingram playing alongside Buddy Guy – a visual representation of the veteran and the rising star truly keeping the blues alive.

“I was mentored by older people who helped me with my songwriting and playing,” Ingram tells The Guardian.

“Blues isn’t just a guy with a guitar – it’s a feeling, and rap can be blues. See, blues is the foundation of so much American music – jazz and soul and rock and rap – but people tend to narrow it down to a guy with a guitar. I might be a guy with a guitar, but it’s more than just this.”

Hard times growing up pushed Ingram to immerse himself fully in the genre, which his classmates found odd.

“Everyone was into rap and R&B and, while I didn’t get bullied, they would ask me: ‘Do you really like that old music?’ I’d tell them: ‘Yeah, I do. You should check it out.’ Maybe they now are!” he adds with a laugh.

“I learned a lot in church as a child – my mom’s side of the family are all church people and gospel is a great teacher.”

Ingram's next-gen star status was recently solidified by the fact that he just landed his second signature guitar – a new-look Delta Day version of his original Telecaster Deluxe.

IK Multimedia has entered the headphone amps for guitars game for the first time with the launch of the TONEX Plug.

The pocket-sized headphone amp is IK Multimedia’s answer to the market’s leading contenders, with the TONEX Plug set to go up against the likes of the Fender Mustang Micro Plus and Boss Katana:GO.

Of course, not much can be done to reinvent the form factor of a headphone amp, so while the overall shape and weight of the TONEX Plug might not look too different from what else is on the market – aside from the fact it doesn't have a screen – IK Multimedia is relying on its audio expertise to make it stand out.

The TONEX Plug is powered by the company’s AI Machine Modeling, meaning it packs the same tonal punch as the acclaimed TONEX One and TONEX Pedal.

In practice, it offers over 40,000 Tone Model rigs (read: amps and pedal rigs) that can be accessed through the ToneNET. Here, artists, songs and well-known amps can be searched and selected.

That is, simply put, an eye-watering amount of digital rigs to play with. Based purely on a numbers game, IK Multimedia has made a serious statement. The fact these are the same model found on the TONEX pedals makes it even more impressive.

There’s also a Tonex Control partner app for fine-tuning the selected signal chain. Here, amps, cabs, IRs, EQs and effects can all be tweaked.

These curated Tone Models can be organised into 30 user presets across 10 color-coded banks. That’s the same number as the Katana:GO, but less than the Mustang Micro Plus, which has space for 100 user presets.

There are a handful of other general headphone amp specs that IK Multimedia has diligently included, such as Bluetooth compatibility for streaming backing tracks, a built-in tuner, and USB-C for using the TONEX Plug as an audio interface.

Comparisons with the competition aside, the TONEX Plug looks like a genuinely powerful addition to a market that has, in recent years, been given more and more attention.

In terms of price, the TONEX Plug sits very nicely at $149. For reference, the Mustang Micro Plus is $134, while the Katana:GO is $139.

Visit IK Multimedia for more.

The band appears to have transcended the niche and are now firmly making their way into the mainstream, becoming one of those “artists’ favorite artists” and turning everyone from actor Cillian Murphy to St. Vincent into fans.

Back in 2022, following the release of their sophomore album, Projector, Guitar World interviewed the guitar duo of Emily Green and Foster Hudson, who described that record by saying, “There’s a lot of youthful energy in the record. We were in high school and just doing our thing. And we’re still babies, we’re still only 19.”

Hudson's weapon of choice for that era was a Les Paul Special, equipped with two P-90s. And, while the guitarist announced his departure from the band in 2023, Green can still be seen rocking her black Reverend Double Agent with a humbucker in the bridge and a P-90 in the neck position – a key part of her guitar arsenal.

“I was very close to buying a Fender when I was looking for a guitar,” she said. “Then I found this in a store, and it sounded amazing. It cost about $500 less than a Fender would, so I got it!”

And, speaking of Reverend, the guitar brand's founders recently spoke to Guitar World about their wild signature collaborations with the Smashing Pumpkins, Vernon Reid, and Reeves Gabrels – and what it takes to make an artist’s dreams come true.

The late Whitesnake guitar great, whose influence spans generations of blues and rock guitar players, bought the 1959 Les Paul Standard in 1979 for £600. He played it relentlessly and used it to record every one of his Whitesnake guitar parts, including the singing-into-your-hairbrush classic Here I Go Again, which he co-wrote with David Coverdale.

Marsden once put the guitar up for auction with a weighty $1.3 million asking price, but pulled it away from any potential bidders after a change of heart. It therefore remained in his possession until his passing in 2023.

A year later, Marsden's wife, Fran, entrusted Buck with the famed electric guitar, which he played during an all-star event in honor of the Whitesnake legend.

Now, the Les Paul is enjoying another foray as part of the Cardinal Black guitarist's live rig, as Buck – who was once namedropped by Slash as the GNR rocker's favorite upcoming British guitarist – revealed during a gear rundown on his YouTube channel.

His rig, he says, has changed “fairly significantly” since the group's recent US tour. The most significant change, naturally, was the fact The Beast was a special guest for the band’s show at Camden, London’s gorgeous Koko venue.

“The Marsdens – Liv, Charlotte, and Fran – very kindly offered for me to play the guitar this evening,” Buck says.

“My friendship with Bernie aside, it's such a beautiful guitar. It's particularly poignant to play it at such a big show,” he continues. “There's not much more to say that hasn't been written or said already; it's a stunningly beautiful guitar. Scarcity and value and everything else aside, it just sounds great.”

There were around 1,500 crammed into the venue for the band’s biggest London show to date. Reflecting on his second dance with the LP after the gig, he couldn’t help but think of the added personal poignancy it held.

“Bernie was a wonderful man, musician, and songwriter who, in a strange twist of fate, passed away on the same day as my father,” he wrote on Instagram. “Closing the show with Bernie’s iconic ‘Burst on Push/Pull – a song about my dad’s passing – and Tied Up in Blue was not only an honour but deeply moving.”

Shortly before Marsden's passing, Guitarist was granted an up-close-and-personal tour of the electric guitars he was willing to sell, including a 1950 Gibson ES-5 in remarkable condition and an early Les Paul Goldtop from 1952 saddled up with P-90 pickups.

Buck recently explained why Yamaha Revstars have usurped Fender Strats in his live rig, believing the Strat comes with plenty of “baggage”. He also recalled the time Slash came to his band's aid when they needed to sort visas for their US tour.

However, the genre-hopping guitarist cut his teeth playing the blues, trading licks with Carlos Santana in Santana’s classic lineup, and becoming a keen student of B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Michael Bloomfield.

“My roots were R&B and blues, and it's so crazy that I've never been in a band that did that!” Schon says in a recent interview with Rick Beato.

One of the blues greats he regularly jammed with was Albert King, the Flying V-slinging player and one of the Three Kings of Blues.

“I played with B.B. quite a lot,” Schon reveals. “I played with Albert even more so. He was a funny human being. Had his little wine bottle at the back of the amp.

“I played with him so many times. [One time] we were downtown in San Rafael, close to where I live in Marin County, and he was in town. He was playing Uncle Charlie's – a cool little blues club – and so I went down to see him for the soundcheck and said, ‘Hey, man, I would love to come by and jam tonight.’

“He said, ‘Sure, man. Bring your guitar and I'll bring you up in the second set.’” However, the jam didn't quite go as planned...

Schon continues, “So I go up, and I'm talking to him, and he goes off to the bar to get a drink, and I pick up his V. And he screams across from the bar, ‘What you doing, boy!’ I jump out of my shoes. He goes, ‘Put that guitar down. Nobody knows my tuning!’”

As for what he noticed about King's guitar from that very fleeting encounter, Schon remembers, “[His strings] were light but tuned [way] down, and in a weird tuning.”

It was clearly a careful setup that lent itself well to the bluesman's penchant for dramatic bends.

Earlier this year, the Journey guitar hero took his jaw-dropping, 9-string Ibanez Custom Shop model out for a spin across a series of Instagram videos.

Ever since Fender’s flagship Telecaster became the world’s first mass-produced solidbody electric guitar almost three-quarters of a century ago, the design has remained relatively constant.

Sure, the recipe has been refined to the nth degree, and there have been whole tiers of Teles over the years, but the overarching spirit has largely remained unchanged.

That was until Slipknot’s Jim Root came along and completely flipped things on their head with a signature that reimagined the traditional T-type as a no-nonsense, frill-free heavy metal machine.

It pushed the boundaries of what a Tele could be, bringing it into the modern age and alleviating the stigma that came with tweaking traditional Fender builds. John Mayer even praised it as what “every Tele should look like in this day and age”.

Speaking in the new issue of Guitar World, Root recalled the making of his signature Tele and explained why it came at a pivotal time for him and Fender.

“I was endorsed by the Fender Custom Shop, and they wanted to push me toward Charvel,” he remembers.

“Their prototypes weren’t landing, so I talked to Alex Perez [from Fender's research and development team] – who, if it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be a Fender artist – and I said, ‘Can we just come back to the Fender side of things?’”

The Slipknot guitarist had his eye on the Tele, so when Perez helped him bring things back to the Fender fold, he knew where to start.

“If I walked on stage with a Jackson or B.C. Rich, that would be typical, so I wanted to take something classic and iconic and make it functional for what I do,” he explains of his decision.

“And I think Fender, at the time, needed something to, not erase the stigma of being an iconic, older company, but bring them into more modern times. It made sense, and Fender was down. I got lucky. The stars aligned!”

The concept of the Root Tele was simple. It had to pay homage to the original design, but in a way that would cater to Root’s aesthetic and tonal needs.

“I wanted to be minimalist with it. I almost thought about trying to see if we could lose the pickguard, but I wanted it to be traditional-looking,” he states. “I went with the modern string-through, hardtail bridge and the EMG pickups I was already using.

“I wanted it to be a workhorse I could bash around, beat up, hit with metal pipes and get thrown into kegs without breaking in half.”

Root’s Tele is one of Fender’s most notable signature releases, and was later followed by a similarly radical Jazzmaster and Stratocaster. And, although the Slipknot guitarist initially wanted to steer clear of the Charvel route, he did launch a signature guitar with the company a few years ago.

Visit Magazines Direct to pick up the latest issue of Guitar World, which features a list of the best guitar gear of the 21st century.

‘Marshall Nights’ is set to be a UK-wide series of over 20 gigs – each shining a spotlight on emerging talent and the local communities that support them.

“Marshall was born from the live stage, and that’s where we belong,” comments Kevin Penney, Marketing Director at Marshall EMEA. “Grassroots venues are where every great band starts, and we’re proud to help keep those stages alive for the next generation of artists and fans.

“This isn’t just about sound – it’s about community, creativity, and giving back to the music that made us.”

‘Marshall Nights’ will feature more than 60 breakthrough artists performing across some of the country's most well-known venues, including the Green Door Store in Brighton, Fuel in Cardiff, The Rum Shack in Glasgow, and Yellow Arch in Sheffield.

Beyond the live shows, Marshall and Music Venue Trust will also collaborate on live sessions, interviews, and behind-the-scenes content that will continue to amplify the artists and the independent venues that make it all happen.

This initiative continues to build on Marshall's previous commitments to grassroots music, including Marshall co-founder Terry Marshall and his wife Leslie Marshall's £100,000 ($130,361) donation to Music Venue Trust’s ‘Own Our Venues’ campaign, and supplying backline equipment to 20 grassroots music venues and counting.

And, speaking of Marshall, it's been more than 40 years since Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel cranked his Marshall amp to 11, so it was only fitting that, for their silver screen reunion, Tufnel (aka actor Christopher Guest) re-enlisted the help of Marshall to craft an amp that goes to Infinity.

The band’s bassist was a surprise guest at the lesson, which was hosted at the musical instrument store and headed up by Dave Kushner of Velvet Revolver fame – who is now Senior Director of Music Education at Guitar Center – and Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto.

In footage from the lesson, Kushner shows a semi-circle of students the basics of the metal banger’s main riff. Then Trujillo, with a cheeky grin across his face, barges in saying, “No, that doesn’t sound right.”

He was then handed his signature Godin A4 Ultra electro-acoustic bass in Yellow Flame – very convenient – to help guide the students through a playthrough of the riff at a nice, accessible tempo.

There is some irony in a guitar shop encouraging customers to play one of the fabled forbidden riffs – no Stairway, denied! – but it makes for great viewing. And why not learn from the best?

Trujillo, who has also played with Ozzy Osbourne, Suicidal Tendencies, and Jerry Cantrell, joined Metallica in 2003 and has since played on four studio records with the heavy metal titans.

Dalporto, meanwhile, has been tasked with leading the store into a bold new era and has told Guitar World that he's on a mission to win back the trust of his fellow guitar players.

This comes in the face of uncertain economic climate and rising online markets, which is putting a strain on running brick-and-mortar stores. Last year, for example, Sam Ash go out of business after nearly a century of operation. The iconic retailer has since been acquired by Gonher Music.

The Seattle heavyweights toured the US in 2017, but the run of dates was cut short following Chris Cornell’s death in May that year. Even before they hit the road, Shepherd felt uneasy.

“I always thought we were going to be weird old men sitting out in the cabin he owned in the woods, laughing about everything. He really wanted to meet my son Noah, and he never got to,” Shepherd tells Bass Magazine of the impact of Cornell's passing.

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how the night before we left for the tour, I knew that something bad was going to happen,” he continues. “Something came over me, and I deeply felt like I couldn’t do it. I went around and said goodbye to my family. I could feel it.

“We were making the same mistake we always did, which was interrupting making our record in the studio to go play some tour for some reason.”

The band's last album, King Animal, came in 2012. At the time, it was their first record in 16 years, and landed after Soundgarden reformed in 2010. That was later followed by a collection of B-sides and rarities, Echo of Miles, but the record they were writing before that ill-fated tour was never finished.

At first, the band was hesitant to continue without Cornell, and have only taken the stage for a string of charity shows in the intervening years, including one fronted by Guns N’ Roses’ bassist and fellow Seattle native Duff McKagan. But the situation has since shifted.

Speaking to MusicRadar in 2019, guitarist Kim Thayil confirmed that they were looking to complete their demoed material, but the Cornell estate was holding onto the frontman's recordings.

The dispute, which stretched several years, was resolved out of court in 2023, and back in May, Thayil said the new album “would be a great gift to the fans.”

In his Bass Magazine chat, Shepherd confirmed that Terry Date – who has worked with Korn, Deftones, and the Smashing Pumpkins – will be producing the new LP. He first worked with the group on 1989's Louder Than Love, and its 1991 follow-up, Badmotorfinger.

"The first song we did together, the mighty one – seems when you first hear the demo, it’s not powerful at all," Shepherd says of the new material. "And then when you start playing it you’re like, Holy hell! I blistered my hands trying to play those parts.

"I was like, Thanks, Cornell. He and Kim always throw some wild riff in there that you have to nail. It’s just intuitive for them. I’ve always been amazed by those two, and that song is just whomping. These songs have been flooring me with how powerful they are."

The band is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this weekend, alongside a Seattle-heavy cast of vocalists, including Brandi Carlisle, the Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen, and Jerry Cantrell.

Soundgarden has previously performed with Carlisle, who said she hoped to be the band’s new singer in 2021.

The Black Sabbath guitarist and forefather of heavy metal was diagnosed with lymphoma at Birmingham’s Heartlands Hospital in 2012. He would go on to battle the disease for four years, entering remission in 2016.

Now, he’s hoping the sale of his personal SG will contribute to the hospital’s £150,000 (approx $195,000) fundraising appeal, which will fund the refurbishment of its cancer treatment center.

Fans will have a one-month window to purchase a raffle ticket for the electric guitar, with Iommi set to announce when the raffle is live via his Instagram.

“It was a terrible shock,” Iommi says, speaking to the BBC of his diagnosis. “It's really hard when you're going through that. You just never think until you're in that situation, and I know how difficult it is, and how they feel. I like to be able to give something back and be involved and help.”

Chief on the refurbishment’s shopping list are special chairs designed for chemotherapy patients.

“The more comfortable you can make the patient, the better,” Iommi reflects, looking back at his own experiences. “I know when I was in, they treated me so well, that everybody was so nice, the nurses were nice, everybody was great. To have the right environment means a hell of a lot.”

Iommi, who re-released his signature pickup set with Gibson over the summer, is back at work on his new solo album following Black Sabbath’s history-making Back to the Beginning bow out. He has admitted he’s in no rush to finish a record that’s set to involve orchestrations and Kemper amp modelling.

He’s also spoken about his long-running love affair with the SG, including why he shunned Les Pauls for them despite craving an LP for years, and the disappearance of two of his special white models.

Meanwhile, another SG – the mystery axe that Kirk Hammett played at Back to the Beginning – is headed to auction.

The truth of the matter is that the Silver Sky was the result of two years of research and development, during which Mayer and Paul Reed Smith worked to redesign and retool the classic S-type template.

Their success developing the Silver Sky paid off, and it has been one of the best-selling electric guitars on the market for the past few years. It not only speaks volumes of how public opinion towards the model has warmed in recent times, but also how highly players rate it.

A lot of that is down to how good it sounds – largely thanks to its specially voiced pickups, which were inspired by one of Mayer’s prized vintage Fender Strats.

To land on that winning formula, Smith turned his attention to Mayer’s 1964 Fender Stratocaster – the famed vintage sunburst model that ranks second only to the Black One in the list of Mayer's most well-known Fenders.

It is the model that's most closely associated with Slow Dancing In a Burning Room, and one that became a mainstay in Mayer's pre-PRS guitar rotation. When it went under the microscope for inspection, though, Smith ended up stumbling upon something he’d never come across.

“We went to a soundcheck with a Silver Sky prototype at this huge indoor arena in Washington, D.C,” Smith says in the new issue of Guitar World. “I was standing on the stage, and John had his ’64 Strat that he played Gravity on, and he compared it to the Silver Sky prototype.

“And the Strat’s pickups had 6 dB more bass and 6 dB less harsh high end – they were louder. Everything about them was different. I had wound the Silver Sky pickups exactly the way you see on the internet, but they were off by 6 dB in every direction.”

Tapping into the Strat’s sounds was a critical part of the process. They had to get it right. Smith needed to go deeper.

“I said to him, 'If I can measure the Strat’s pickups on my pickup machine, I can do it.' John said, 'I can live without it for one day.' His tech, René Martinez, gave me the Strat. I put it in the back of our car and said to my wife, 'Whatever you do, don’t get in a rear‑end accident.'”

The Strat arrived in one piece at PRS HQ, where Smith made an unexpected discovery after performing some rather heinous surgery on the single-coils.

“I did the sacrilegious thing: I unsoldered the bass pickup, which I don’t think had ever been done before, took it out, and put it in my pickup machine,” he remembers. “What came up on the screen was something we’d never seen the likes of.

“I was like, ‘Whoa!’ We soldered the bass pickup back in, put the guitar back together, took it back to John, and I started calling electrical engineers about why I was seeing wildly different results.”

Smith plays it coy on what exactly made the bass pickup so special – a magician never reveals his secrets, after all – but the lengthy process was worth it. They ended up nailing the design brief.

“We got it. Not only did we get it, you’re talking about having to do it exactly the same – it’s not easy,” Smith says. “The magnets, wires and bobbins are from different factories. But we got it. It was very difficult, but it also was joyful.”

As for what he wanted those pickups to sound like, Mayer explains to Guitar World, “I wanted to sound like I’ve been known to sound, but with a little less midrange dip. As I get older, I understand and enjoy a little more midrange.

“It’s pleasant to me now. Those deep EQ carve-outs are super-fun, but after thousands of hours of playing, certain frequencies have made permanent grooves in my brain, and I want to cut new ones next to, but not on top of them. Maybe that’s the definition of evolution, I don’t know.”

Pick up the latest issue of Guitar World at Magazines Direct to read John Mayer and Paul Reed Smith’s full recollection of the Silver Sky’s origins, along with a list of the best guitar gear of the 21st century.

The singer and guitarist took to social media to explain his absence. “My hope was to be at the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and to perform for the fans, but at this time I have to prioritize my health,” he wrote in a statement posted to the band’s official Instagram.

“I have no problem singing, it’s the stress of everything else. Thanks for understanding. Simon along with some outstanding musicians will be stepping in for me – guaranteed to rock.”

The rock supergroup is set to be inducted into the Rock Hall this weekend at the Peacock Theater in L.A., alongside Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, the White Stripes, Salt-N-Pepa, Warren Zevon, Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, Carol Kaye and Lenny Waronker.

And while the other surviving original member of Bad Company, former Free drummer and co-founder Simon Kirke, revealed the two intended to reunite on stage on Saturday, plans have now changed due to Rodgers' health.

The reunion would have marked the duo's first public performance since 2019, with the drummer previously confirming the news with Gold Derby, “I’m not at liberty to say which songs. I mean, quite honestly, I don’t give a shit. We’re going to play, and whatever Paul chooses is fine by me! Just to play with him again is going to be a real thrill for me. I missed him.”

Over the past decade, Rodgers has suffered 11 minor strokes and two major strokes, and in 2023, even told CBS Mornings that the band was likely done due to various health issues.

The 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will stream live on Disney+ on November 8 at 8 p.m. ET and will be available on-demand shortly after.

At last year's ceremony, Peter Frampton stole the show by busting out his signature talk box and treating audiences to a collaboration with Keith Urban.

She’s come a long way since her early years, from being mentored by a certain British new wave legend and cutting her teeth on the Detroit blues scene, to her present-day life and career in Music City – Nashville – and beyond.

As Taylor herself recounts in a heartfelt interview with Guitarist, she practically grew up in the business, having been discovered at the age of 15 by Dave Stewart, one-half of Eurythmics.

“Dave Stewart came about because, unfortunately, my mom had breast cancer when I was 15, and she was part of a support group,” she shares. “One of the chaps from [English reggae band] UB40s' wife was in it, and they wanted to do a fundraiser, so they asked me if I wanted to play.

“And it just so happened, a friend of Dave's was there. So we did the gig, and he got a demo CD, [did] like a little three-track demo CD somewhere in Birmingham, and he passed it on to Dave. He phoned the house, spoke to my parents, and we were off to London the next day to talk about a record deal.

“I had no idea who he was,” Taylor admits. “I'd heard of Annie Lennox, but I had no idea who Dave was, which his wife found very funny.”

Taylor was signed to his label for the next two or three years, and was also out on the road with him and his band, D.U.P.

“We toured around Europe for about two years,” she recalls. “He got me out with B.B. King doing some shows. But the most important thing with Dave was, he was really the first guy to tell me he didn't think I was just a guitar player. He thought I was going to be a songwriter and singer that played guitar, which, at the time, I'd only been singing [for] a few months.”

Stewart shared plenty of advice with Taylor, but one piece of wisdom stuck out: “He said, ‘You know what always gets voted the most popular guitar solo in the world?’ I said. ‘No,’ and he said, ‘It's Hotel California – because it's great solo, but it's a great song.

“‘You can write the best solo in the world, but if it's not a good song, no one's ever going to hear it.’ So he was very fundamental in mentoring me towards being more than just a guitar player.”

Speaking of career advice and mentors, Taylor recently looked back on that one time Joe Bonamassa’s haggling skills helped her land a signed signature model of her favorite player.

As such, it should come as no surprise that Van Halen took the development of the amp very, very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he developed a mad-scientist torture test to ensure the amp was borderline indestructible.

As EVH leaders Wolfgang Van Halen and Matt Bruck recall in the new issue of Guitar World, that test involved plenty of volume, lots of feedback, and (above all) patience.

“The process was long and difficult, because the amp was reimagined from the ground up, which meant we had to establish a new foundation to build up from,” Bruck says of the amp, which has been selected as one of the most influential pieces of gear of the 21st century.

He adds, “This meant a new chassis and formulating the transformers, which are amazing, built like a tank and over spec’ed – the way they should be if you’re going for something great.”

While Bruck is quick to point out the lengthy R&D phase, Wolfgang highlights the testing phase, for which his father devised “the most rigorous testing an amp could go through”.

“I remember Dad testing it up in the studio. You could hear it from the bottom of the house, this slight feedback,” he remembers. “As you went up toward the studio, it started to get louder. Then you opened the door to the first room, and it was a little louder.

“When you opened the door to where the guitar was, there was a guitar sitting there, with every knob pinned, feeding back. He literally kept it there for a week, just to crash-test it and make sure it didn’t explode.”

Bruck says Eddie called it the “crash testing” phase, and while those around him were a bit skeptical of his methods, Van Halen himself held his nerve.

“It was where he would just try to destroy a piece of equipment,” Bruck adds. “It was so when it went to market, it would be reliable. He just dimed the thing, left it leaning against the cabinet and created this eternal feedback loop. I was terrified the place was going to burn down.

“I was saying, ‘It’s going to get hot. It’s going to explode. We’re going to have a fire.’ He was like, ‘Don’t worry about it. We’ll see how long it goes.’

“After about five days, he was like, ‘Okay, it passed the test.’ That gives you insight into the uncanny genius and how much of an outside-the-box thinker Ed was.”

Safe to say Eddie Van Halen’s “crash testing” methods left an impression. A few years ago, his rig builder Dave Friedman spoke about his guitar amp “torture test”.

Visit Magazines Direct to pick up the latest issue of Guitar World, which features a rundown of the most important gear releases of the 21st century.

G&L – the company established by Leo Fender in 1979 after he left his namesake brand in the mid-1960s – was the subject of intense online speculation last month when word of staff furloughs and an impending sale began to spread.

The lack of an official statement from both G&L and Fender – the party that was heavily rumored to have bought G&L – gave way to mounting rumors that the company was in the middle of a quiet shutdown.

These rumors were further fuelled when reports emerged online that G&L was quickly clearing its inventory, and that Fender had bought G&L's intellectual property – including the trademark for the ‘Leo Fender’ name.

Now, Steve Araujo – the frontman of The Bass Hang YouTube channel who worked for G&L for almost a decade – has shed light on the situation, as new court filings confirm that Fender has indeed successfully filed for the ‘Leo Fender’ trademark.

In a new video on his YouTube channel, Araujo revealed he resigned from G&L on August 1 after nearly 10 years with the company, and that rumors of staff furloughs were indeed true. This comes after court documents confirming the dissolution and termination of BBE Sound, the parent company of G&L, were published.

“The majority of people watching this will know that G&L is no longer and we still have a lot of unanswered questions,” Araujo begins, “so I'm going to try to give my side of the story and just maybe dispel some myths.

“G&L is dissolved, or gone, as of right now,” he explains. “I don’t think it’s a big mystery that financial issues were the problem, [and] have been the problem.

“I resigned on August 1. Fast-forward to Monday September 15, the employees were furloughed. To their understanding – and everyone’s understanding – they were going to be furloughed for two weeks, and they were going to come back to work on Monday September 29.

“A week and a half into the furlough, the employees that were owed money actually got paid. There were a lot of employees that were not paid and hadn’t been paid for a few weeks. But at the time of the furlough there were some employees that pressed to receive their payment, and they actually did get paid.”

Araujo continues to allege that on Friday September 26, G&L employees who were furloughed were told they needed to attend meetings on the following Monday, where they were informed that they were being let go.

“They were told that they were killing the company, killing G&L. They received severance and they had to sign some paperwork," Araujo alleges. “So Monday September 29, everybody’s let go. No more factory workers, no more G&L.”

The situation surrounding G&L between September 15 and September 29 was, as Araujo puts it, “up in the air”. People – dealers and G&L fans included – were reaching out to him to see if he had answers, but he didn’t.

As for reports that the G&L factory was being wound down over the past few weeks – which were brought to light by the Guitarcheology Instagram account – Araujo confirms the facility is “pretty much gutted”, and that “machinery, everything is out of most of the units”. That means G&L as we know it has come to an end.

“No more G&Ls will ever be produced out of that Fender Avenue factory,” Araujo adds, referencing the historic site on which the firm has operated since its inception. “And we still don’t know what’s going on as of today.”

One thing that has been confirmed, albeit under the radar, is that Fender now owns the trademark for the ‘Leo Fender’ name and likeness, having first filed for the trademark at the start of October. This was confirmed in court filings that can be found on the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and were brought to light by YouTuber Phillip McKnight.

For Fender, that is perhaps the most valuable G&L asset it could own. It is now free to use the brand founder’s name in any of its operations going forward – and internet sleuths have spotted that Fender.com has already had a Leo-heavy makeover.

What all this means for the rest of the G&L inventory, and some of the company’s more cherished models – such as the Jerry Cantrell-approved Rampage – remains to be seen.

Fender has been approached for comment.

Halestorm were one of the bands that made up the historic lineup, which also included Mastodon, Anthrax, Tool, Alice In Chains, Guns N' Roses, and Metallica, to name a few. However, as they reveal in a recent interview, the show's set list wasn't cemented until just a few weeks before the event.

"When we got the call, ‘Sharon's asking you to be a part of this,’ we're like, is this real?” Lzzy Hale tells Guitar World's Paul Riario.

“There was this email. It was like, ‘Hey, Sabbath is gonna play one last gig with the original four members, and maybe Metallica might be there. Do you guys wanna be on the show?’” relates lead guitarist Joe Hottinger.

“We're like, ‘Well, yeah, of course.’ And that's all we knew about it. Then they announced it, and we were like, ‘Oh, this is a whole thing.’”

Halestorm ended up putting their own spin on Perry Mason, from Ozzy's 1995 record, Ozzmosis. However, it wasn't their original choice – or what they had prepared for.

“That wasn't what we were going to be playing until about two weeks out. We were going to be playing A National Acrobat off Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” explains Hale.

“We worked up A National Acrobat, and then Morello was like, ‘Hey, you can't do that. I think Metallica was gonna [do that]...’ ‘All right, fine,’” continues Hottinger.

“He's like, ‘Tony Iommi hasn't made up the set list... It's up in the air with that one,’” adds Hale.

When A National Acrobat was axed, Perry Mason felt like a natural choice, since, as Hottinger relays, “When we came up, listening to rock ’n’ roll in the ’90s, Ozzmosis was out, [and] that song was the one on the radio.”

In more Halestorm news, Hale recently revealed how a “fluke accident” resulted in her band opening for Heaven & Hell during what would be Ronnie James Dio’s last show before he died.

“The reason all guitar music sounds the same is because people just put their hands in the same position,” he tells Cory Wong on the Wong Notes podcast. “On a piano, you write melodies and chords. On a guitar, it's built so weird with that one string in the wrong position, and so everybody plays the same crap all the time.

As he succinctly describes it, “It's all the square, the box, the blah, blah, blah.” His solution, which is allegedly on full display in his upcoming material, is writing “all this guitar music on the piano, which is what I used to do in the old days.

“I used to write everything, a lot of stuff, on the piano, and then I'd learn it on the guitar, and then I recorded it. And once it was all recorded, it sounds really melodic and very, very unique – unlike any guitar music I've really heard before.”

Speaking about how his early inspirations shaped his thought process and approach to composition, Anastasio waxes lyrical about how he “loved Brian May. I was just obsessed with Queen. So, Queen, Zeppelin, Fripp, Broadway, classical music, Ravel, and all that kind of added into this.

“I wrote a lot of this stuff on the piano… these chords and these melodies... Brian May and Fripp, that was the [guitar] tone I was going for. I wanted a mid-rangy, sustaining [tone] that sounded like a voice.”

Earlier this year, Anastasio contributed to a stunning rendition of The Beatles' While My Guitar Gently Weeps in New York alongside Peter Frampton and one of the guitar world's fastest-rising stars.

Erin Phelan showcased her musical talents in front of a hall full of her schoolmates during the farewell ceremony, for which she played what looks to be Fender's Nebula Noir 70th Anniversary Player Strat. Slick tapping, screaming whammy bar harmonics, and lyric-imitating licks are all a part of Phelan's trick bag, and the video has since gathered widespread attention.

The clip was posted on her school’s official page and has gained over 41,000 likes and nearly 1,000 comments. Her showcase was part of a school leavers' event, with the school drawing attention to the “iconic moment” the teenage shredder provided.

What’s perhaps most impressive, beyond the superlative showing of what she can do on an electric guitar and a pretty tasty tone, is just how at ease she looks while doing that. Phelan is locked in.

Some commenters have described her as “absolutely fearless” and praised her “great phrasing”, while another writes, “This kid does not know how good she is, and that's why this is so good.”

The future of shred guitar looks to be in safe hands. Alongside Phelan, 10-year-old Bay Melnick Virgolino recently made waves on America's Got Talent this year, and he's been benefiting from the coaching of ex-Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro. Youngster Maya Neelakantan – who has been praised by Adam Jones – also made a serious name for herself on the show in 2024.

There's also a nine-year-old who can play arpeggios at insane speeds despite being smaller than his electric guitar, while Tom Morello's son, Roman, has been melting faces on the road with his dad.

Feingold, who made her name playing with the likes of Bruno Mars, Kanye West, and Jay Z, has become one of the foremost champions of a tuning that was first explored by Chris Weisman around 2008.

As its name suggests, the tuning flips the electric guitar on its headstock for a whole new world of harmony.

The set has a 46-11 gauge – .046W (low E), .032W (B), .017 (G), .026W (D), .016 (A) , .011 (high E). It is strung to mimic a standard six-string's tuning setup, though flips the pitch and gauge around the D and G string equator. In essence, the low E becomes the high E, while the A and B strings also have their pitch and gauge 'inverted'.

Notably, the D and G strings are not inverted, and keep the same orientation as standard. That also means that the high E is in the place where the low E is usually found – and Feingold has previously discussed how that helps combat strumming issues found with traditional guitar designs.

“What I love about playing upside down is the fact that there's all this real estate for your hand to go anywhere it wants to,” Feingold once told Rhett Shull, having first played a guitar that was quite literally flipped upside down in order to try inverted tuning. “You don't have to worry about hitting the pickup selector.”

The Grammy winner, who once auditioned for Prince, has made quite a name for herself with the tuning. This new signature set empowers others to experiment with it, although La Bella recommends getting a custom nut to aid fitment. Flipping the nut has worked a treat for some and is a lot cheaper.

“Inverted tuning is a treasure trove of undiscovered harmonies and colors waiting to be called upon,” says La Bella, which becomes the first big brand to make an official set for the tuning.

The Ella Feingold signature string set is available to order now and is priced at $9.59 per pack. They are made with American Wire and packaged using MAP Technology (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) to maximize freshness.

Head to La Bella to learn more.

Elsewhere, Feingold has explained why every up-and-coming guitarist should learn from this “gentle genius,” and has also revealed how her Prince and Bruno Mars auditions proved to be worlds apart.

Musician's Friend is one of the biggest names in the U.S. when it comes to music gear, with something for everyone – whether you’re looking for electric guitars, acoustic guitars, guitar amps, pedals, or something a little different. This early-Black Friday sale is underway right now, meaning that it’s extremely likely that the piece of guitar gear you want has already been highly discounted – and you can get it now rather than waiting until the big day.

Not in a position to buy right now? Well, you may want to bookmark our Musician's Friend Black Friday deals hub page. From now until the end of Cyber Weekend, we’ll be updating the page with the very best Black Friday offers we find. Below is a selection of my favorite deals from across the entire sale.

Beck, who had offers to join both the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd during his career, is considered as one of the world’s greatest – and distinctive – guitarists, but he often didn't see it like that.

Blackmore and Beck first crossed paths in the mid-’60s during their session player days. They both played on a track produced by Jimmy Page, who, after his brief stint in the Yardbirds, would find fame with Led Zeppelin.

“I couldn't believe how incredible he was,” Blackmore recalled of that session following Beck’s passing in January 2023. “He could reach up into the stars and make magic with his playing. His choice of notes was always absolutely perfect.”

Now, in a fresh interview with Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern, the Deep Purple legend has spoken more about the late guitar great and his struggles with imposter syndrome.

“ Jeff was a great guitar player. That was a big blow, him going,” he says. “He had a very special way of playing. It was so different from anybody. I always used to go and see him play, because I found him very refreshing.”

But despite Blackmore and the rest of the world drooling over his tradition-skewing chops, it seems he didn’t always feel the same about his craft.

“He would always put himself down,” Blackmore continues. “I'd say, ‘How is your latest record, Jeff?’ And he'd go, ‘Oh, it's a lot of rubbish.’ He would always say that about anything he put out. He was always reaching for something he couldn't find.”

The story harmonizes with Mick Rogers' claim that he owns the last recording that Beck ever made, but added that it's unlikely to see the light of day because Beck didn't like his guitar tone and had planned to re-record it.

Joe Satriani has also spoken about nearly getting Jeff Beck on a G3 tour, but he pulled out late on. Satch says he's one of the few bucket list players to have turned the gig down.

After the record-breaking sale of Beck's guitar collection, one of his most iconic guitars has gone on to pass through the hands of contemporary players to keep his legacy alive. His infamous Yardburst Les Paul, which was given a Custom Shop reissue last year, has been gigged with by Marcus King and Lenny Kravitz's foil, Crag Ross, since its $490,000 sale.

Meanwhile, Blackmore is back on the road again after his wife and musical partner issued some updates concerning his health back in April.

“Honestly, the first adjustment I made when we were putting the specs together for this guitar was to get rid of the tone knobs,” she tells Guitar.com.

“It was like the very first thing I told them, because in all the years I’ve been playing since I was a child, I don’t remember ever adjusting a tone knob for literally anything. So, I’m like, you know what? Clearly, I’m not going to miss it. So, I just did two volume knobs.”

Tone knobs (or no tone knobs) aside, the guitar does come fully equipped with the classic metal pairing of the EMG 81 in the neck and EMG 85 in the bridge – and Rowe has a bone to pick with those who think active pickups can ruin your tone.

“I gravitated towards playing what my favorite bands played because when I was 11, I didn’t know anything about, you know, different pickups, active, passive, string gauges, nothing like that,” she continues.

“It was just like, oh, Kirk Hammet plays EMGs, so that’s what I want to play. So my first guitars had them in there. And I feel like it just became a part of my sound.

“Whenever I play EMGs, it just it’s that metal sound that everyone knows,” Rowe elaborates. “And some people like that about them and some people don’t. They feel like it might take away some of like the uniqueness of their playing or whatever. I don’t. I love them. I plug and play EMGs and I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s what I need.’”

Earlier this year, the fast-rising guitar star revealed the name of the metal legend who asked her for a guitar lesson.

Metallica's set at Optus Stadium, Perth, on October 31st saw half the band get into the spooky spirit early on in their performance, surprising fans at the 70,000 capacity venue.

Hetfield the Kangaroo, with a spring in his step, was joined by bass player Robert Trujillo in a hi-vis vest and builder's helmet. The items were likely cobbled together from crew members backstage, but he gets marks for trying. Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich’s casual attire, though, didn't quite nail the brief.

“Let’s hop to it!” Metallica posted on Instagram, accompanied by footage of the Ride The Lightning cut. Hetfield’s vocals are a little muffled by the costume, but, playing an Electra Guitars 2236 Flying Wedge inscribed with the band's Scary Guy logo, he handled its guitar parts with aplomb. He’s set a high bar for next year.

The guitar is a cheap Japanese copy of the Gibson Flying V, and the original featured on their debut album, Kill 'Em All. Speaking to Ultimate Guitar in 2023, the band's guitar tech Chad Zaemisch revealed that he and luthier Bill Nash had recently been tasked with tracking down several of these guitars and modifying them to recreate the tonal magic of the band's early days.

He also revealed that the original V was dusted off and put back into circulation around this time, so the one Hetfield is playing here could be the one that was such a key part of the band's formative years.

In related news, Kirk Hammett's mystery Back to the Beginning SG is headed to auction, along with more than 150 guitars from his personal collection. He'd used the Custom Shop Gibson SG to cover Black Sabbath's Hole in the Sky during the historic event.

In more recent Metallica-related news, Dave Mustaine has revealed that the last song on Megadeth's forthcoming final album will be a reimagining of Ride the Lightning, a song he helped write before leaving the band in 1983.

How did AC/DC's first ever concert go? What's the story behind Bon Scott's music career pre-Acca Dacca? How the hell did the group bounce back so powerfully after Bon Scott's death, and what is the magic behind the success of Back In Black? All this is covered (and much more) as well as interviews with Malcolm Young, Angus Young and Brian Johnson. Check out the full table of contents at the bottom of this page.

Classic Rock AC/DC Special Edition: Aussie Power Up Tour Edition is out now for AU$22.95 at all good newsagents. Go and grab yours before the Power Up Tour hits proper: it'll get you in the mood and then some.

Contents

The Ballad Of Bon Scott
Bon’s brief tenure in folksters Mount Lofty Rangers prior to joining AC/DC and a near-fatal premature ending…

The First Gig!
The original line-up recall seeing in the new year of ’74 with a bang.

TNT
The Australia-only release of their second album.

First Steps
Growing up down under: aggro in the arvo.

Let There Be Rock!
The band’s first proper album release confirms their status as a definitive force in rock’n’roll.

Riff Raff
Laying waste to the UK: on tour in ’77 with Bon leading the charge.

Bad Boy Boogie
The last few years of the 70s, AC/DC consolidated their name as the ultimate good time rock’n’roll band – both on record and on stage.

Shot Down
Working towards the peak career of the band’s Bon Scott era, AC/DC recruited new album producer Mutt Lange.

Highway To Hell
The full story behind the making of the band’s most well-known and enduring album.

A Touch Too Much
The tragic passing of the AC/DC frontman and how his death passed into legend – and conspiracy.

The 80s
The exit of Bon and the entrance of Brian ‘Beano’ Johnson: how AC/DC rose again to reach even greater success.

Back In Black
Beano’s debut: the iconic album that saw AC/DC break new ground whilst remaining true to their roots.

Hell’s Bells
Exactly how did Back In Black become such a classic album? Geoff Barton of Classic Rock explores its longevity.

For Whom The Bell Tolls
How the band fared with new guy Beano out front.

Every Home Should Have One
Buckcherry frontman Josh Todd on why Back In Black was such an important album for him – and his career.

For Those About To Rock, We Salute You
The stress and strain of following up Back In Black as new era of rock approached.

Bring Out The Big Guns
The pitfalls of playing on stage with firing cannons.

Rock’N’Roll Damnation
Dealing with inter-band conflict, surviving the vagaries of music fashion, censorship in the USA… and a serial killer.

In The Badlands
How Flick Of The Switch and Fly On The Wall saw AC/DC falter in the decade that saw pop overcome rock.

Going Into Overdrive
Drawing inspiration from an unlikely source, AC/DC revitalise their career with Who Made Who and Blow Up Your Video.

High Voltage
The resurgence and the cleaning-up of their act.

Malcolm Young
The older brother interviewed in 1992, following the release of The Razor’s Edge and Ballbreaker albums.

Rock Your Heart Out
Back to basics: the making of Razor’s Edge, Ballbreaker and into the new millennium with Stiff Upper Lip.

Can’t Stop Rock’N’Roll
The renaissance of AC/DC: how the band thrived in the new millennium by outliving their peers from the 70s.

Black Ice
For almost a decade with no new music, the band exploded back onto the scene with a “comeback” …then went supernova.

Train Kept A-Rollin’
Revisiting Black Ice and Rock Or Bust – the band’s latest (or final?) – two albums that brought the band’s career full circle.

It’s A Long Way To The Top…
He’s not bitter: Brian Johnson’s career in full and how he successfully filled the big shoes of Bon Scott, when no one though that was possible.

Let There Be Rock. Again
Angus Young and Brian Johnson on ressurecting the one of the greatest hard rock bands ever and unleashing Power Up.

The 30 Greatest Songs
The all-time classic cuts. From Lemmy to Aerosmith, from Clutch to Kiss, the great and the good choose their favourites.

Beato is best known for chatting guitars and gear with pretty much every big-name player on a YouTube channel that, at the time of writing, has 5.3 million subscribers. But before launching the channel in 2016, he was a session player and producer, helping break Shinedown to the masses, as well as a lecturer and tutor.

Speaking to Kuhn, Beato revealed that his career path and prevailing cultural trends led him to neglect the upper parts of his fretboard for years.

“I was a jazz musician for a living ’87 to ’92, when I was teaching jazz studies up in Ithaca, New York, and I would play jazz gigs five, six nights a week,” he says. “When I quit, I didn't play a guitar solo until 2016, when I started my YouTube channel.

“So from 1991 to 2016, I did no lead playing at all. I never practiced a scale, an arpeggio, nothing,” he continues. “By the time I started playing again, it was like I'd forgotten everything I knew. So, I started from scratch.”

That, he believes, actually worked to his benefit. It wiped the slate clean.

“I had no licks that were under my fingers, so I was able to start fresh,” Baeto details. “And it was actually good because my playing, I thought, was far more interesting than it was from what I remember it was.

“I knew a lot more about music; I was very closed off in the music that I liked back in my twenties. I only listened to jazz, but playing in rock bands and writing songs required me to know how to write really good melodies. It’s much more natural to sing a solo, because you put breaks in to breathe rather than just play scales.”

While on the subject of solos, Beato recently celebrated the return of the guitar solo in pop music, with Chapelle Roan and Olivia Rodrigo leading the charge. And when Justin Hawkins recently guested on his channel, the Darkness guitarist named the super shredder that, if he were born a decade earlier, would have rivalled Eddie Van Halen.

Its flagship, patent-pending creation latches onto a pedal’s potentiometer shafts, replacing the outer covering and allowing players to increase or decrease settings – like the gain on an overdrive pedal, for instance – by rolling their foot up and down. The Knobyfier sports two rollers on its side, making it easy to tweak a pedal without having to stoop down and do it by hand.

“Guitarists, you know the drill: Aching knees from hunching, long hunting for tone with knobs, or no room for that crucial expression pedal,” says the firm. “It burns your flow. You deserve better.”

They’re small enough to accommodate multiple Knobifyers per pedal, and it’s feasible to adjust two pedals at once if placed close enough together. Especially if you have big feet.

Indeed, the firm also sees its invention as a handy alternative for those who can’t squeeze typically sizable expression pedals onto their ‘boards. In this case, attaching one to a pedal's Volume control can turn an analog or digital pedal into a more expressive stompbox without breaking the bank.

And for those who get a headache just thinking about MIDI programming, this is a far simpler and cheaper solution.

“The Knobyfier instantly transforms your standard guitar pedal knobs into responsive, foot-operated wheels, giving you precise, on-the-fly control over any parameter, without ever taking your hands off your guitar,” it says. “Get instant, precise control right under your foot.”

Available in Dirty Red and Cobalt Blue, the gizmos are priced at 106,00 zł PLN (approx. $30) apiece. There are variants specifically for a range of manufacturers’ pedals, including Boss, Strymon, and MXR, ensuring a tailored fit.

The Knobyfier ships worldwide with DHL. Head to Knobyfier for more.

It follows other handy inventions in recent months, including a similar device for controlling pedals with your breath, and a capo that unlocks alternate tunings without having to touch the tuning pegs.

Thanks to its innovative approach to ergonomics and playability, Strandberg Guitars has helped pave the way for a whole new era of electric guitar design. Not only has it changed the way people are viewing the headless guitar concept, it’s also pushing the limits of what a guitar actually can be.

Such radical experimentation, though, inevitably comes with some resistance and skepticism, not least from those rooted in a more traditional background, who may be more comfortable and familiar with guitars of a more orthodox design.

Likewise, some corners of the guitar ecosystem are, naturally, more receptive to the Strandberg school of thought. As such, the angular, headless, EndurNeck profile-equipped instruments have become a go-to choice for some of the biggest and brightest progressive guitarists – Plini, Sarah Longfield, Per Nilsson among them.

Because of this – and because of their overall sci-fi-esque appearance – Strandberg guitars are often associated with particular types of music, prog metal being the most common.

That’s an association, Ola Strandberg says, that the brand is keen to move away from, because as he notes – and as this writer can corroborate – Strandbergs are more than just metal guitars. The mission now? Make the average player realize this.

“Obviously, we're somewhat pigeonholed still in the prog metal scene, so there's a lot of room to grow,” Strandberg told Guitar World at Guitar Summit 2025. “We try to build a product range that will meet everyone's needs regardless of music genre.

“I think the visuals, that's the last barrier we have to tear down, because in terms of playability, in terms of sounds, we have it. It's more in the minds of the players that we have more work to do.”

Some of that work is already being done thanks to a select few players far removed from the metal scene who have made Strandberg their go-to guitars. Multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier – who has his own signature five-string model – is an example.

And with the way the guitar world is going, there is more opportunity to preach the Strandberg message in areas outside of prog metal, as Strandberg himself observes.

He continue, “I think the evolution of the guitar as an instrument has always been in tandem with some new musical genre coming out and new needs from the player, whether it's being louder in a particular setting or achieving some new kind of sound.

“I'm just hopeful that with the player community that we have already we can follow that and tag on to something new. That's what really the genesis of the brand was.

“I came along when Chris Letchford, Misha [Mansoor], Tosin Abasi… they were the ones that spearheaded the growth. That was an entirely new style of music and they had new requirements for the performance of the instrument.

“And there are other genres of music developing in that same way and I think currently we're seeing a lot of players moving away from being too technical, or moving away from eight-strings, with no expectation of playing a million notes per second.

“With the younger generation growing up now, we want to make them feel inspired, and we're going to evolve with them and meet whatever needs they might.”

In related news, Ola Strandberg recently revealed how his game-changing EndurNeck profile had been partly inspired by a TV remote.

T. Sato, the man behind Moonshine Craft & Custom, has stumbled upon a winning formula for making cases compatible with Androids and iPhones. They look ultra-realistic, with each one costing around £50 (approx $67).

Often complete with 'burst finishes and accented by the edges of pickguards, each one seems to be inspired by a specific guitar, with everything from relic’d Strats and Teles through to Gibson SGs and Les Pauls on the menu. There’s also a faded TV Yellow design, which just oozes vintage charm.

The attention to detail is exquisite, with rusted screws and flaking paint on many. It's all real, as opposed to a flat image superimposed onto plastic.

Unsurprisingly, they’ve proven hugely popular, with each listing on the firm's Mercari store currently sold out. The one-man production team is struggling to keep up with demand.

It all started a few months ago, when Sato’s old phone case bit the dust. He crafted himself a new one before posting the results on Instagram. It’s been a whirlwind since.

“I'm truly delighted to have received such an overwhelming response for these smartphone cases crafted by a guitar maker,” he writes on Instagram. “I handle guitar-making, repairs, and custom work all by myself. In my spare time, I strive to create smartphone cases with the same care and dedication, hoping to share the joy with everyone.”

The demand has lead to a 2-3 month lead time for each order, with Guitars Japan drafted in to handle requests.

This way, players can take the spirit of their favorite six-string with them, wherever they go.

Head to Moonshine Craft & Custom for more.

From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay abreast of every new launch that may be of interest to you.

To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.

What's in store this week, you ask? Oh, well, just three Oasis signature guitars, the evil twin of the Gibson Hummingbird, Manson's first-ever effects pedal and an Ibanez that channels serious SRV energy. No biggie, then...

Gibson Noel Gallagher Les Paul Standard

Oasis came back this year. Noel Gallagher’s been playing a drop-dead gorgeous Les Paul on tour. The internet can’t stop talking about it. You know the score.

It is one of 2025’s most talked-about builds. But for those Oasis fans wanting to channel some Big Gallagher Energy, their only option was to either a) fork out for one of the 25 ultra-exclusive Murphy Lab models, or b) cut corners and get a Les Paul that came close to the source material.

Now, Gibson has answered the calls from those fans, reissuing the Gallagher Les Paul as a more affordable Standard USA model. It looks the part, right down to the chrome P-90s – which, apparently, took some time to get right – and chrome poker chip toggle switch.

It’s still a limited edition, but there’s more of them, so we imagine there will be plenty more happy Oasis fans this time around. We kinda want those pickups as aftermarket mod accessories, though…

For more: Gibson

Epiphone Gem Archer Masterbuilt Sheraton and Bonehead Riviera

The Oasis signature guitar ecosystem doesn’t just contain the Gallagher Les Paul, though. This week, two Oasis stalwarts received signatures of their own. Co-founder Bonehead got an Epiphone Riviera, based on the vintage model he used to help shape the Oasis sound, while Gem Archer received a recreation of the original Sheraton that was gifted to him by Noel.

Both are incredibly classy and are inspired by some truly great instruments. These are the Epiphones that have helped carry the Oasis sound, after all, and the ones that have played a huge part in making the reunion tour sound so darn good. We’re on the fence, but the sunburst finish of the Bonehead model is sooo pretty…

For more: Epiphone

Fender Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Delta Day Telecaster Deluxe

Blues maestro Kingfish is fast becoming synonymous with the Fender Telecaster. In years to come, when people have conversations about the Tele greats, Kingfish's name will be well in the mix. If we're honest, he already really is.

His loyalty to the Tele Deluxe template was further rewarded this week with a new-look version of his flagship signature. It's called Delta Day, has a sleek Daphne Blue colorway, and looks (and sounds) killer.

Funnily enough, though, Kingfish wasn't sold on the Telecaster when he first got his hands on one...

For more: Fender

Gibson Kirk Hammett Raven

Gibson’s homepage has been proudly taken over by the brand’s new Back to the Future ES-345s, and for good reason – the hunt for the film’s OG guitar has been high up on Gibson’s priority list this year. However, space was made for another new launch this week, which happened to be Kirk Hammett’s latest signature acoustic.

The release was eventually given plenty of fanfare and gothic grandiose, which seems appropriate for the guitar itself – those are some of the cleanest pickguard designs we’ve seen grace the top of a Gibson dreadnought, fully befitting the heavy metal guitar icon. It’s been dubbed a counterpart to the Hummingbird. Think if the Hummingbird had an evil twin.

For more: Gibson

Martin Jason Isbell 0-17

Jason Isbell has joined Jeff Tweedy on the (very short) list of ‘artists who got a Martin signature guitar this month’, partnering with the company for two acoustics of varying prices that look to recreate his prized pre-war acoustic.

The more expensive $5k version was a particular challenge to get right. For that one, Martin used the very-hard-to-source Brazilian rosewood – something that Isbell is particularly grateful for. It’s been joined by a more accessible $1,049 model, which channels the spirit of Martin’s Road Series, and a signature string set that looks to “set the standard for acoustic tone and playability”.

“They’re well made, they’re easy to play, and it encourages beginner guitar players and singer-songwriters to have something that is quality,” Isbell said. “I could take this guitar and make a living with it.”

For more: Martin

Donner x MIYAVI signature pedal

MIYAVI – the Japanese super shredder who worked with Fender to produce one of the wildest Telecasters we’ve seen – now has a few more pieces of signature gear under his belt: two multi-effects pedals, designed in collaboration with Donner.

MIYAVI, who is now both a Donner signature artist and the firm’s creative director, debuted his pedal pairing at Shanghai’s Music Show last weekend, with both promising to deliver “a distinctive tone beyond limits”.

The Dimension Weaver concerns itself with reverb, chorus and delay, while the Rage Breaker offers boot, fuzz and overdrive. Both follow the precedent set by Jack White’s surprising and uber-affordable $99 multi-effects – one of the White Stripe legend’s more unexpected partnerships – which came out at the start of last year.

Like White, MIYAVI is something of a maverick when it comes to gear, technique and tone, so both pedals here are pretty intriguing. Plus, with Donner pulling no punches in its artist ranks, we wonder which big-name player could be its next collaborator…

For more: Donner

Sterling by Music Man Rabea Massaad Sabre

When Ernie Ball Music Man announced Rabea Massaad as a signature artist back in 2023, promising at the time that they’d work together on some exciting new builds, it piqued our interests. After all, you had a goliath in the online progressive guitar scene working with a company unafraid to push the boundaries of guitar design – see the St. Vincent Goldie and Kaizen for evidence.

While not as radical as those two models, the resulting Sabre was unique in its own way. Highly refined and engineered for Massaad’s style, the guitar put a modern spin on the classic Sabre – and ever since the $4k model landed, fans have been waiting patiently for an affordable Sterling by Music Man version.’

Now, after a brief NAMM preview, it’s finally here, and it slashes more than $3,000 off the OG’s price tag. Of course, some cost-cutting measures have been adopted to hit that price point. The premium tonewoods are gone. So are the Bare Knuckle humbuckers. Still, it’s a Massaad Sabre, with all the feel and playability of the real deal.

For more: Sterling by Music Man

Korn Indigo Sludge

Korn’s self-titled debut album shaped the very fabric of nu metal. Oft described as the first nu metal album, the record included tracks such as Blind, Blown and Need To, which introduced the world to the band’s distinct sound – spearheaded by visceral, downtuned seven-strings and a raw, bone-rattling heaviness.

It’s been the muse of many tone-chasers over the years, but now the hunt can be called off. Korn has released its own self-branded pedal, which promises to put those exacting tones into one box. Unsurprisingly, it’s been deemed a pedalboard essential for many Korn fans. So much so, in fact, that it’s already sold out. Shame.

For more: Korn

D’Addario Pick Holder 360

There are a handful of certainties in the life of a guitar player, the most obvious one being that if you buy a pack of 20 guitar picks on a Monday, chances are you’d have lost all 20 come Sunday. Those things seem to vanish into thin air. It’s not our fault.

To resolve those woes and provide an answer to the missing pick conundrum, D’Addario is aiming to promote greater pick organization skills with its Pick Holder 360. As the name implies, the gizmo can spin 360 degrees for immediate access to up to 12 picks, with space underneath for storage. That is, if you can remember to put them back in the spinner and keep the tine stocked up with picks…

For more: D'Addario

Positive Grid Spark NEO Core

Positive Grid’s Spark NEO wireless headphone amp was one of the biggest stories to come out of NAMM this year, so it’s no surprise to see the practice amp expert expand its lineup with a wired version that keeps all the sought-after sonic specs of the flagship pair but slashes the price down to a very tasty $159.

Silent practice is just a cold hard necessity of guitar-playing – you can’t always crank amps, unfortunately – so practice amps and headphone amps are excellent ways to keep playing late into the night. The NEO Core looks like a solid option in that regard.

For more: Positive Grid

To The Stars: The Adventure Box

Is there an award for the best-named effects pedal? There should be. The Adventure Box would win. The latest creation from To The Stars and designed with Tom DeLonge himself, this 2-in-1 compressor and delay (a rather obscure blend for a twofer stompox, we note) puts “the tones you’ve been listening to for 20 years right at your feet”.

Specifically, the tones are born from DeLonge and producer Aaron Rubin’s recording sessions, and are especially voiced for humbuckers. It also offers six studio-approved settings for songs such as The Adventure and Adam’s Song.

For more: To The Stars

Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz

We know what you’re thinking: Manson? Making a fuzz pedal? Based on a Muse hit?! The Matt Bellamy-backed British firm has been flexing its guitar-making nous for some time now, but now it’s decided to show off its newfound effects pedal expertise by branching into the stompbox game for the first time ever.

And what a way to start. The grizzly, gnarly fuzz tones of Muses’ Supermassive Black Hole are what inspired the aptly named Supermassive Black Fuzz, which has been years in the making. With a chassis that wouldn’t look out of place on a Beetronics shelf, the Supermassive fuzz was concocted with the help of ThorpyFX’s Adrian Thorpe, and was fine-tuned by Bellamy himself at various studios around the world.

We are so here for Manson’s pedal era. We can’t wait to see what the firm does next.

For more: Manson Guitar Works

Ibanez Gaofunk GF1

Ibanez certainly has a few Strat-y guitars on its books. The AZ Essentials line, for example, is inspired by the classic double-cut design. But the GF1 – built for Japanese blues funk maestro Gaofunk – might be its Strattiest build to date. That sunburst finish. The tortoiseshell pickguard. The rosewood fingerboard. It all screams Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bravo, Ibanez.

For more: Ibanez

Kenny’s Music operated stores in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dunfermline, and sold gear online. Its store in Dunfermline had only reopened in 2022. It was no analog holdout either; its ground game on social media was strong. Check out the Kenny’s Music Instagram page; they knew how to market gear.

The closure of Kenny’s Music is part of a dismal trend that is observable on both sides of the Atlantic.

In 2024, one of the great icons of musical instrument retail in the US, Sam Ash, closed its doors for good, initially shuttering 18 of its 44 locations, before closing them all entirely. Sam Ash had been welcoming customers for a century. How many players bought their first electric guitar there? It was later bought by Mexican retail firm Gonher Music for $15.2 million and operates entirely online.

This year, in the UK, PMT (Play Music Today), was placed into administration in June, with 11 stores, its website, and warehouse all shuttered, GAK, a Brighton institution since opening its doors in 1992, went bust in April. Its assets and stock were picked up by Gear4Music for estimated £2.4 million ($3.26 million).

Now Kenny’s Music. And the irony is that its 2025 sales figures have been their best ever, with MD Alex Martin telling The Courier that its transition to selling secondhand stock also proving a success. The problem is not the sales; it’s the costs retailers face. Their margins have disappeared.

“Costs – particularly wages and online marketing costs – have risen so sharply that even record sales can’t offset them,” says Martin.

Martin says the stats speak for themselves. A quarter of music retail space has been lost this year alone. He tells The Courier that worse is to come.

“The reality is that it’s become impossible to operate sustainably as a predominantly brick and mortar musical instrument retailer in the UK in 2025,” says Martin.

It’s the same story we heard when PMT went bust. Rick Harrison, the managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said the economic conditions were affecting retailers across the board.

“It’s been a tough few years for specialist music equipment retailers who have battled headwinds including rising costs, dwindling margins, and the rising cost of living affecting consumer behavior,” he said.

The malaise is not confined to the UK. In April, Dutch gear retailer Bax Music filed for bankruptcy. Gear sales may well move fully online but at what cost?

The guitar store experience – much improved over the years, more welcoming – is a rite of passage, part of guitar culture. And it is still in demand. The sales data bears that out. But if the costs are prohibitively high, the margins squeezed further, Martin could be right. The brick-and-mortar store could be lost.

In other words, it is designed for engineering the kind of extra-terrestrial electric guitar tones that co-creator Matt Bellamy relies on for his day job fronting Muse. It looks like this is one of those cases of nominative determinism in action; how it sounds is “supermassive” – a tone big enough to swallow a planet, gaseous giant, or Chthonian, terrestrial, whatever. It’s not fussy.

For those who have been keeping score, the Supermassive Black Fuzz has been years in development. They made the Space Shuttle in shorter order. Bellamy has been workshopping it, fine-tuning it with the Manson R&D team since, well, forever.

But then he is kinda scrupulous about tone, and he has an interest in all this as a majority shareholder at the company. Adrian Thorpe of Thorpy FX collaborated on the project, ensuring that each of the units is built in the UK.

When Guitar World spoke to him in 2022 about this very fuzz, he said it was close, but there was an EQ profile that was just out of reach, and they had been seeking wisdom from studio pros, producers, anyone with a background in electronics to square the circle.

“It will have an EQ curve that you can slide from left to right or invert to create more of a scoop,” said Bellamy. “I usually find most fuzz pedals to be a little bit too full-range. Especially in how they sit in relation to the bass, drums, and vocals.”

Bellamy said the battleground frequencies for this fuzz sat around the 600 to 900Hz mark – the “low, kind of girthy and middley” set of frequencies sit comfortably under his vocal. Having a fuzz that sat in the mix and stayed out of the way of the vocal was a non-negotiable.

“I don’t like too much crossover with where my vocals sit,” he explained. “Finding the right fuzz pedal to push that low-mid area was something we spent time on. And even after recording, whatever pedal we use, there will also be a lot of intense EQ work.”

This process took the Manson engineers all over the world. They even visited Abbey Road when testing this thing. And all this work you can now hear in the Supermassive Black Fuzz.

It is a dual-footswitch fuzz. Peak turns on your “dynamic band-pass emphasis and boosted tones.” Power engages/disengages the effect. LEDs let you know what’s going on. And you have knobs for Magnitude, Warp, Dimension (a Q control), and Gravity.

It’s designed to sound equally at home when going into a guitar amp or straight into a mixing board.

Nested amongst these dials is a heavy-duty toggle switch for selecting a classic fuzz voicing or the modernistic sci-fi neo-fuzz sounds a la Bellamy in full Battlestar Galactica mode, laser synth gauntlets on, ordering Door Dash via his Korg Kaosspad, communicating on WhatsApp with our space brothers and sisters on the outer Delta Quadrant.

Okay, back to planet Earth. It’s worth mentioning the build quality on this again.

Manson says its control knobs have been fashioned from 6082T6 aluminum, which any engineer undergrad will tell you is tough enough to be used in bridge construction, and said knobs sit on a super-solid steel grub screw.

Manson Guitar Works is releasing two editions of the pedal. The Standard Edition is priced £259 ($349 approx). The Gold Edition is limited to 100 units, each signed by Bellamy, and comes with a guitar pick tin and polishing cloth, and is priced £349 ($458 approx).

For more details, head over to Manson Guitar Works.

With the aid of our Spotify playlist below, we’ve rounded up all our favorite new releases from the month of October, and put them under the microscope to wax lyrical on the playing, tones, and songwriting that have set our six-string senses a-tingling.

It's Halloween! So why not drop the needle on some six-string (and five-string) sorcery. With terrific new tunes from the likes of Conjurer, Alter Bridge, The Orielles, Eric Bibb, Jacob Collier, Slow Joy, and many more, you're spoiled for choice.

Michael Astley-Brown – Editor-in-Chief

I’m back from my travels to Fender Japan and after meeting some awe-inspiring Japanese guitar players (shoutout Rei, Chilli Beans. and Miyavi), I’ve been furiously catching up with the month in new music.

First up, that new Alter Bridge single is one of the best the band has produced in years imo. Maybe recording in 5150 Studios has shaken up their blockbuster hard-rock template, maybe some of EVH’s magic has rubbed off, but Tremonti and Kennedy’s guitars have never sounded bigger, especially on that outrageous ‘melody-shred-melody-shred’ solo.

The latest album from UK sludge metal merchants Conjurer has also been bowling me over. A precision-engineered take on all things doom, it gives the genre a welcome shakeup, with earthen riffs that cascade into proper choruses.

Flipping the script, PRS-toting virtuoso Mei Semones’ latest banger Kurayami is ticking all my math-jazz-pop boxes. Semones treats the guitar almost like an orchestra, her picking hand the conductor’s baton, as dizzying alternate-picked phrases rush on by, accompanied by live string sections. Nobody is making music quite like it.

If Mdou Moctar has recently introduced you to the magic of Tuareg ‘desert rock’ guitar playing, Imarhan should be the next band you check out. With intricate fingerpicked electric lines over pulsing ’80s synths, new single Derhan N’Oulhine is what I imagine Dire Straits would sound like if Mark Knopfler grew up in the deserts of Algeria rather than the streets of Newcastle.

Finally, as a grunge die-hard, I’m thrilled that the ’90s alt-guitar revival has continued to bear fruit – and LA’s Rocket have swooped in as perhaps its brightest stars. New album R is for Rocket is full of explosive dynamics, catchy solos (those tricksy outro pull-offs in The Choice make it one of my faves of the year), and a heck of a lot of fuzz. File next to Momma, early Wolf Alice, and Smashing Pumpkins.

Matt Parker – Deputy Editor

October is a traditionally nutty month in the music industry. Everyone releases everything and then tours everywhere, but this year feels like it’s been particularly bonkers. And then to top it all off, Mike went off to Japan to meet Fender’s new brand ambassador, Godzilla.

On the plus side, I’ve caught shows from Irish alt-rockers SPRINTS, melodic hardcore OGs Strike Anywhere, and punk’s harmony-guitar heroes A Wilhelm Scream, plus my favorite UK post-rock pedalboard-hawkers Alpha Male Tea Party – and all without having to leave the comfort of my hometown of Liverpool.

On the listening front, our staff writer Janelle tipped me to Karma Sheen – a London band who make a mash-up of Hindustani classical and classic rock – and I’ve spent a lot of time admiring the blend of wailing bends and sitar sibilance on Without You (Raag Jog). I’m not the only one, either – Jimmy Page was spotted at a recent gig.

The Orielles were one of those bands that formed when they were about 5 and, thanks to their sibling-based musical shorthand, have evolved at a breakneck rate ever since. Their sound is a psychedelic paint splat that has Pollock-ed everything from post-punk to disco, funk, and a dreamy 90s baggy vibe at the canvas. Newbie Three Halves is a darker number with some driving, urgent, Echo-like guitar work from Henry Carlyle Wade.

Elsewhere, I’m overjoyed to see The Cribs are back. I’m broadly done with the sound of EHX POG, but their return single A Point Too Hard To Make uses it (or something very like it) to make the chorus arpeggio really chime – and now I love it all over again.

Jackson Maxwell – Associate Editor

Happy Halloween, dear readers! Sure, I’ve accessed my inner goth teen here and there this month, but more than that my listening has been mostly fall – comforting and pretty. I said “mostly,” though. Plenty of blues, punk, and shoegaze has made its way into my ears as well.

I can start with nothing other than Whitney’s autumnal gem, Damage. If people knew how much I’ve been listening to this tune they’d probably think me fit for a towering asylum around which lightning is omnipresent and thunder is always cracking. It is Halloween, I guess.

If you’re in any way partial to the slide work of George Harrison, stop what you’re doing. Damage truly has some of the sweetest slide work I’ve ever heard, period. It’s so dynamic, so smooth, and does so much of the melodic heavy lifting – practically every phrase is its own knockout hook. It’s ridiculous.

On an extremely different note, but keeping (it’s a stretch, I know) with the Halloween theme is Jared James Nichols’ Ghost. He’s ostensibly a bluesman, but this all-the-way-into-the-red belter belongs squarely in the here and now. The riff is 18-wheeler size, the chorus radio-friendly, and to cap off its versatility – its solo is perfectly bite-size. Nichols could rear back and let it fly for as long as he wants, but he keeps it – especially the displays of Formula 1 speed – perfect for the song. The highlights, frankly, are the individual notes – listen to the man’s vibrato!

On the pure blues note, meanwhile, props must be given to Eric Bibb’s proudly simple This One Don’t, which features my second favorite display of slide work of the month.

Also on rotation for me this month – Searows’ hypnotic, grunge-y epic, Dearly Missed, Ratboys’ punk earworm Anywhere, and Strange Heaven, the ethereal and jangling new single from the always-brilliant Orchid Mantis.

Matt Owen – News Editor

I won’t be the first person from Team GW to tell you all about how hectic October has been. Mike went to Japan. Janelle saw some 1959 Les Paul Bursts. Jackson met Tommy Emmanuel. It’s been all go these past few weeks, but I had some fun, too: I had a guitar lesson with Jacob Collier.

I met Jacob in NAMM in January, where I was lucky enough to chat to him about his five-string signature Strandberg. It was truly enlightening, so when I caught wind that he’d be releasing a new album centered solely on the acoustic guitar, I was desperate to sit down with him again to talk about five-string Taylors. He showed me his five-string guitars, discussed his relationship with the instrument, and even gave me a tutorial on how to play one of the songs from his new album.

You’ll have to wait to find out which song that was, but in the meantime go and listen to his new album: The Light for Days is a guitar fan’s dream, putting on display Jacob’s singular approach to the musicality of the instrument, which lends itself to some kaleidoscopic, awe-inspiring songs. Sweet Melody is a particular highlight.

Back in more orthodox six-string territory, I’ve been obsessed with Militarie Gun ever since I heard them being interviewed on BBC Radio 1 the other week. Throw Me Away is excellent, as is their latest single God Save The Gun. In fact, it’s been a particularly rock-heavy month for me: Slow Joy is one of my favorite emerging artists, and Mugshot – the opener from new record A Joy Even Slower – has been on repeat since it dropped.

Of course, I’ve needed some technical guitar insanity in the mix (just to keep myself grounded whenever I get too comfortable with a new riff or lick), and who better than Unprocessed – the band headed up by percussive fusion virtuoso Manuel Gardner Fernandes – for that fix? Head in the Clouds literally sent my head to space. Some of the guitar playing on display is just… words don’t do it justice.