More stark reminders that we’re all just passing through

CYNTHIA MOORHEAD/GUITAR WORLD WE’VE BEEN EXPERIENCING a lot

READER ART OF THE MONTH

If you’ve created a drawing, painting or sketch of your favorite guitarist and would like to see it in an upcoming issue of Guitar World, email GWSoundingBoard@futurenet.com with a .jpg or screenshot of the image. And (obviously...), please remember to include your name!

DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH

Ron Reyes AGE: 58 HOMETOWN: Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Hit the Ground Runnin’

Jacob Deraps’ passion for Eddie Van Halen has taken his YouTube channel halfway to 100,000 subs. Might as well jump… to hit Subscribe

Steve Howe

The Yes, Asia and GTR legend explains why drinking and playing guitar are “stupidly incompatible”

Taz

School’s out for good ol’ Brandon Niederauer, a guitarist nicknamed after a famously insane cartoon marsupial

Getting Killed in Detroit

Geese’s Emily Green talks vintage guitars, practice routines and selling out

The Revstar Revolution

How Cardinal Black guitarist Chris Buck completely nailed his brand-new signature Yamaha Revstar

Music from “The Younger”

Bands formed by rock stars’ kids rarely work out — but this one does. Say hello to Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons, whose dads you might just recognize, despite all that Kiss makeup

Line 6 Helix Stadium XL

A massive touchscreen, new Agoura amp modeling and a host of other features. Can Line 6 take the modeling crown with its sequel?

Bare Knuckle Halcyon humbucker pickups

Could the Halcyon humbucker be the forceful sonic voice you’ve been seeking?

Fender Limited Edition Johnny Marr Special Jaguar

Thirteen years after Johnny Marr’s upgraded signature Jaguar launched, this new Special version piles on the sonic options with its trio of Lipstick single-coil pickups and some natty switching

TWA Source Code

A collaboration with the architect of the Tube Screamer to create an overdrive masterpiece

Strymon Olivera Vintage Oil Can Echo pedal

Strymon proves it’s a well-oiled pedal-making machine with yet another knockout delay unit

Cort G200SE

It might be built for beginners, but the G200SE’s quality and playability show that budget guitars are getting seriously good

FOLLOW THE GROOVE

Two-Bass Hit The power of doubling a bass

TALES FROM NERDVILLE

JEFF FASANO/GUITAR WORLD Thrill of a Lifetime B.B.

WORKIN’ MAN

JOBY SESSIONS/FUTURE On a Bender Mimicking B-bender licks

HARDWIRED

DAVID MCCLISTER Runnin’ with the Pack Melodic “storytelling”

Rickenbacker 360/12 1964–PRESENT

P O W E R T O O L S

Steve Cropper (1941–2025)

On December 3, we lost an M.G., a Blues Brother and a truly humble guitarist with one of the most impressive session-work resumes in history

Taylor Guitars

THE GEAR HUNTER

The Everyman

Brazil’s Mateus Asato — named one of Guitar World’ s 20 greatest guitarists of the decade back in 2019 — is finally releasing his debut album. As expected, it’s a thing of beauty.

Solar, So Good... So Hot!

Ola Englund does it all, playing with Swedish thrashers the Haunted, running his Solar Guitars brand and starring in a successful YouTube channel. Behold the guitarist who never stops.

Look What the Cat Dragged In!

A very Guitar World guide to some of the most significant guitar albums of 1986

RUN-D.M.C. FEAT. AEROSMITH

“Walk This Way”

THE BANGLES

Different Light

BILLY IDOL

Whiplash Smile

THE CHAMELEONS

Strange Times

DAG NASTY

Can I Say

DAVID LEE ROTH

Eat ’Em and Smile

EUROPE

The Final Countdown

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS

Tuff Enuff

THE FEELIES

The Good Earth

HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS

Fore!

METALLICA

Master of Puppets

OZZY OSBOURNE

The Ultimate Sin

PETER GABRIEL

So

PRINCE

Parade

THE SMITHS

The Queen Is Dead

VAN HALEN

5150

XTC

Skylarking

DAVID LEE ROTH “Shyboy”

AS HEARD ON EAT ’EM AND SMILE

“Hocus Pocus”

“HOCUS POCUS” WRITTEN BY THIJS VAN LEER/JAN AKKERMAN.