Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year (12 monthly issues and a holiday issue).
The magazine debuted in July 1980, with Johnny Winter appearing on the cover. In its 29 year history, Guitar World has had interviews with some of the most influential guitarists in rock, including Alex Lifeson, Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Arthur Rhames, John Frusciante, Steve Morse, Robert Ward, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Tony Iommi and Eddie Van Halen who has been featured on the cover 16 times, and twice on subsidiary magazine Guitar Legends.
Formerly owned by Harris Publications, Future US bought the magazine in 2003.
In the January 2005 issue, Guitar World began selling some issues of the magazine with CD-ROMs containing video lessons, gear demonstrations and other self-produced and third-party content. Magazines that contain the disc sell for three dollars more ($7.99 rather than $4.99) and are packaged in plastic sleeves to prevent theft of the CD-ROM. Each issue used to come with a centerfold poster of an artist or band featured in the magazine for that month, but these are no longer included (magazines have stayed full price). In 2007 Guitar World started to produce a new DVD magazine Guitar World presents...Guitar DVD
As of the January 2009 issue, Guitar World is including columns from its now defunct sister magazines Guitar One and Guitar World Acoustic. Some of the columnists include:
* Shred Alert by Paul Gilbert of Racer X
* The Alchemical Guitarist by Richard Lloyd of Television
* Time to Burn by Michael Angelo Batio
* Practice What You Preach by Eric Peterson of Testament
* Left-Hand Path by Ihsahn of Emperor
* All That Jazz by Vic Juris
* Talkin' Blues by Keith Wyatt
* Dominion by Mark Morton of Lamb of God