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The Latest Breaking News from Guitar World

“I probably had a better chance of getting struck by lightning”: Daron Malakian joins System of a Down tribute band onstage – after wandering into their gig off the street

The guitarist was enjoying a day off before SOAD’s Chicago show and suddenly found himself playing one of the band's classics in front of a shell-shocked audience

Guitar World

“There is a revolution taking place right now in guitar playing”: John Mayer posts surprise demo of JHS Pedals’ new Mk.gee-coded stompbox – and explains why it reflects a wider change in guitar music

Mayer – who has demoed the pedal while Josh Scott recovers from a serious bike accident – says the 424 Gain Stage has forced him to explore new ways of playing

Guitar World

“Since Clapton was in London, I was tapped to fill in the spaces – I was given credit in the ‘special thanks’ section”: He played with blues legends and taught Trey Anastasio. Now Paul Asbell is reflecting on 50 years as a player’s player

The Chicago-born guitarist has worked with Magic Sam, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Sitt and the Sun Ra Arkestra – and even found himself filling in for Eric Clapton…

Guitar World

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“I’ve got nothing but love for John. He was brilliant back in the day… We’ve just grown apart”: Steve Jones on the Sex Pistols’ legacy, their ill-fated second guitarist auditions and how a new singer has rejuvenated the band

Original Sex Pistols Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook are about to kick off a rare U.S. tour with 41-year-old Frank Carter on vocals. And Jones is finally enjoying himself

Guitar World

“Julian pushes the boundaries on the guitar. He’s got a specific sound and message he’s going for”: Meet the virtuoso axe-slingers from the Voidz – Strokes singer Julian Casablancas’ inventive other band

Amir Yaghmai and Jeramy “Beardo” Gritter on how Julian Casablancas’ high standards and vision for the Voidz is letting them stretch out and express themselves – hand fatigue be damned

Guitar World

“The guitar head poked through the ceiling. When I brought it out, the top of the neck was left behind... They were laughing their heads off”: Pete Townshend's guitar-smashing became a controversial onstage ritual, but it started by accident

The destructive antics began as an unwelcome byproduct of something else the Who guitarist helped add to the guitar lexicon: wild feedback odysseys

Guitar World

“Never in a million years did I think that doing those once-a-month Friends sessions would turn into the highest-paying gig I've ever had”: Elton John bassist Matt Bissonnette looks back on one of his best gigs – playing on the Friends soundtrack

Despite playing with bona fide stars, Bissonnette reveals that playing on the hit show was his most lucrative gig

Guitar World

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“One of the most dangerous myths in guitar culture is that barre chords are ‘advanced’ while open chords are ‘beginner’”: Stop hiding behind barre chords – use smarter voicings that serve the song

Barre chords might be hurting your song more than helping – switching up your shapes could better serve your emotional intent

Guitar World

“Before toe, my guitar was always distorted. The concept was to make music with cleaner tones”: Guitarist behind influential Japanese post-rock outfit toe, Yama made his career with cheap guitars – and barely any pedals

Despite his influence, the publicity-averse Yamazaki Hirokazu remains mysterious about his 30 years of being in bands – and doesn’t think of himself as a guitarist

Guitar World

“I may have swiped that guitar from underneath him”: Jake Kiszka once came close to finding an equal for his famed Number One Gibson SG – but his Mirador bandmate ‘stole’ it from him

The two guitarists have shared their tales of looking for great-sounding 1961 SGs – and they’ve gone to great lengths to find them

Guitar World

“Watching Tony Iommi play Iron Man to demo his signature pickup in person was a borderline biblical experience”: All the new guitar gear that caught my eye this week – and is that a new Epiphone double-neck?

New launches from Boss, PRS, Fender and Third Man Hardware headline the biggest guitar gear drops this week

Guitar World

“Unusual chord voicings and inversions, which would be impossible in regular tuning, can be played relatively easily”: How Jimmy Page used open C tuning to open up a whole new world of acoustic blues

In this tab and video lesson, we show you how open C tuning is great for slide, it can present adventurous players with fresh chords and help them reach notes they couldn't in standard

Guitar World

“The band is called Guitar – that’s the pitch. Why are you still standing here?”: August 2025 Guitar World Editors' Picks

With killer cuts from Deftones, Lorna Shore, Big Thief, Young Dervish, Paco Peña, and many more, there was plenty of guitar greatness to pick from this month

Guitar World

“Icons reimagined”: Fender gives four Player II classics a stunning Shell Pink refresh – and this web-exclusive drop might be sweetest we’ve seen

The Player II Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster and Precision Bass get an aesthetic overhaul with a bona-fide "add to cart" finish – but they're only available in the US

Guitar World

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Guitar World

“Infused with contemporary upgrades while retaining classic Kramer DNA”: Can Kramer reclaim its place as world’s number one Superstrat brand? Enter the Pacer Deluxe Collection

Introducing three fresh twists on the high-performance HSS S-style, featuring Kramer's KeyLock necks, HSS pickups, some exclusive finishes and the promise of speed and comfort as standard

Guitar World

“My first concert that I attended as a young teen was Kansas. They were and remain my favorite band ever”: Kansas superfan becomes band’s new full-time guitarist – as Rich Williams scales back touring duties

He’s been a stand-in for Williams over the past year, but Scott Bernard’s appointment has been made permanent

Guitar World

“I was just kind of saddened by it. It’s beyond my control”: Rubber bridge guitar pioneer Reuben Cox breaks his silence on the Orangewood Juniper 'copycat' controversy

Orangewood had been accused of ripping off Cox's designs. Cox speaks out for the first time about the fallout and explains why he's not looking for a payout

Guitar World

“I realized I might pass the audition, and then they sent the cops over, came and picked me up, and took me to jail”: How C. J. Ramone landed the role of Ramones bassist while he was in jail

Christopher Joseph Ward, a.k.a C. J. Ramone, on how he deserted the Marine Corps to live out his rock ‘n’ roll dreams

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Guitar World

“Theory C: it’s a scoop knob... they built James’ parametric EQ into the amp”: Metallica spark a Mesa/Boogie mystery as unidentified amp spotted in 50th Anniversary message to ESP Guitars. Could this be a James Hetfield signature?

Speculation surrounding this unidentified chugging object has been ongoing since 2017 when it was spotted in Metallica's studio

Guitar World

“It was a foolish idea. I was heartbroken about my band breaking up… I gave it to a 12-year-old kid”: Why John Fogerty parted ways the iconic guitar he used on CCR hits – and how he got it back

The famed Acme Rickenbacker is the sound of Creedence Clearwater Revival, but when the band broke up and his heart broke, Fogerty gave it away

Guitar World

“Cat Stevens asked me to play on his recordings…it never got to the point where I felt like I could add as much as I wanted”: Eric Johnson reflects on his early session career with Carole King and Christopher Cross – and getting fired by Donald Fagen

While the Texas virtuoso loved session work, he preferred to take more time over his creations – and his experiences paved the way for him to become one of guitar’s all-time greats

Guitar World

“I don’t tune it like a normal guitar, and that’s gonna come and haunt me at one point in my life”: Daniela “Dany” Villarreal Vélez reveals the unconventional alternate tuning she used on The Warning’s latest album

The Warning's 2024 release, Keep Me Fed, is a masterclass in hard-hitting guitar riffs, delivered by Dany

Guitar World

“I was 18, strung out on meth and drinking every day. But I’d hear a song I loved by Slayer or Exodus, and it would save my life”: Robb Flynn set out to make Machine Head’s shortest record – but he hopes its four-minute songs will have a lasting impact

Some record exec told Flynn that he'd only last five years, but 30 years on he's still at it, reinventing Machine Head with a new lead guitarist, writing songs to those dark nights of the soul

Guitar World

"A solid player that looks a million dollars and doesn't sound too far off": Squier Classic Vibe Duo-Sonic HS review

The long-awaited return of the oddball Duo-Sonic heads up Squier's Class of 2025 Classic Vibe family and largely exceeds all expectations

Guitar World

“All the shiny, pointy guitars were gone, and this one was still on the wall… something just drew me to it”: How Khruangbin made Fender history with signature models of the first guitars they ever bought

Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee Ochoa are the first bandmates to get a signature Fender guitar and bass at the same time

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