Guitarist – Summer 2026

Summary

The world's greatest signature guitars front Guitarist Summer 2026, promising 100 years of artist guitars, greatest-ever signature models and modern classics, with Billy Duffy on 56 and Pierre Bensusan on 68.

The Summer 2026 issue runs an obituary for Dave Burrluck on 50, Billy Duffy on 56, Robyn Hitchcock on 62 and Pierre Bensusan on 68, with the signature-guitars feature opening on 74. Regulars fill the rest: Gas Supply on 30, Fretbuzz on 32, New Music on 34, Tones Behind The Tracks on 36, Opinion on 40, Substitute on 46, Feedback on 48, Bought & Sold on 118, Nitty Gritty on 120 and Vintage Icons on 124.

Note that the signature-guitars feature title is cut off in the contents as "The World's Greates…" on page 74, so the full printed title cannot be confirmed. For a player who wants artist interviews and vintage gear, the features and Vintage Icons are the substance.

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Content Guide

▸ Features
p.050 · Obituary: Dave Burrluck
The issue opens its features with an obituary for Dave Burrluck, named in the contents on page 50. It marks his work rather than reviewing a product. Read this obituary before the gear pages to see who is being remembered.

p.056 · Billy Duffy
The Billy Duffy feature covers the guitarist, naming his work and the guitars he is known for. It addresses his sound through the instruments. Play one Duffy riff with the guitar named in this feature.

p.062 · Robyn Hitchcock
The Robyn Hitchcock piece covers his songs and playing, naming the records and the guitars used. It addresses a songwriter's guitar approach. Learn one Hitchcock song using the tuning mentioned here.

p.068 · Pierre Bensusan
The Pierre Bensusan feature covers the acoustic player, naming his technique and the records. It addresses a fingerstyle method. Try one Bensusan tuning from this feature on your own guitar.

▸ Regulars
p.030 · Gas Supply
Gas Supply runs new gear, naming the products and what they do. It is the issue's gear window. Check one item from Gas Supply against your current board before buying.

p.036 · Tones Behind The Tracks
The Tones Behind The Tracks page names the sounds on current records, with the gear behind them. It covers how a tone was made. Copy one tone setting named here onto your own rig.

p.118 · Bought & Sold
Bought & Sold runs reader sales, naming the instruments sold and the prices. It covers the secondhand market. Compare one price here to a shop before you sell your own guitar.

p.124 · Vintage Icons
Vintage Icons covers classic instruments, naming the models and why they matter. It ties to the signature-guitars cover theme. See one vintage icon named here in a shop and check its date.

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Editor's Take

The strongest pages are the people: Billy Duffy on 56, Robyn Hitchcock on 62 and Pierre Bensusan on 68 each name real records and guitars, and the Dave Burrluck obituary on 50 gives the issue weight. Vintage Icons on 124 ties back to the cover. The weakness is the cover feature itself — the signature-guitars title is cut off in the contents as "The World's Greates…" on 74, so I cannot confirm its full printed title, and the surrounding gear regulars are short. It suits a player who wants artist interviews and secondhand market notes, not someone after a full signature-guitar history.

Strengths
• Three artist features with named records
• Obituary gives the issue real weight
• Vintage Icons supports the cover theme
• Bought & Sold shows real prices

Weaknesses
• Cover feature title is cut off in contents
• Gear regulars are short

Verdict: Recommended — artist interviews carry it, the cover feature is unconfirmed.