
Matt McCracken
Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at Guitar Player. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and pretty much anything else guitar-related. Responsible for over 60 buying guides, a large part of his role is helping guitarists find the best deals on gear. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for many music sites including MusicRadar, Guitar World, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog.
A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and writing and recording in bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the UK in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at. When he's not holed up in his practice space jamming new songs or ogling yet another guitar, you’ll find him making a racket with Northern noise hounds JACKALS.
Latest articles by Matt McCracken

Sweetwater is skipping the Memorial Day sale this year - but you can still get up to 50% off guitar pedals and amplifiers
By Matt McCracken published
There might not be a Sweetwater Memorial Day sale this year but for guitarists, there are some great deals to take advantage of

Best PRS Guitars 2025: PRS models for every playing style
By Daryl Robertson last updated
From the iconic Custom 24 and top-of-the-range signature guitars to budget-friendly SE models

Best electric guitars 2025: top quality electrics for all budgets
By Daryl Robertson last updated
My pick of the finest electric guitars at every price point from the likes of Gibson, Fender, PRS, Reverend, Music Man, Jackson, and more

Best acoustic guitars 2025: My pick of the very best beginner, intermediate, and top-end acoustics
By Matt McCracken last updated
From high-quality entry-level models to top-of-the-range collector’s pieces, I look at the best acoustic guitars available today

Musician’s Friend is leading the charge for guitarists with up to 50% off for Memorial Day – get $450 off a Gibson Les Paul and over $1,000 off a Taylor acoustic
By Matt McCracken published
From premium acoustic guitars to budget-friendly offsets, Musician's Friend is the place to be if you want an early Memorial Day deal on guitars

Best tube amps 2025: My top tube amps for the ultimate guitar tone
By Richard Blenkinsop last updated
Whether you're a tube traditionalist or chasing a more modern sound, these are the best tube amps from Fender, Marshall, Vox, and more

Fender just fired up its Memorial Day sale early with up to 20% off – these are the 5 best guitar and accessory deals I’m grabbing
By Matt McCracken published
Grab an early deal well ahead of Memorial Day with this excellent sale over at the official Fender shop

Best wireless guitar systems 2025: unshackle yourself from cables, it’s time to go wireless
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Unlock the freedom of the stage with our pick of the best wireless guitar systems from Boss, Line 6, AKG, Behringer, Sennheiser, NUX, and more

Best pedalboard power supplies 2025: quiet and efficient power for your pedals
By Richard Blenkinsop last updated
Say goodbye to unwanted hiss and ground loop hum as we hand-pick the best guitar pedal power supplies for every budget

Best bass amps 2025: low-end tone machines
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Our pick of the best bass amp combos and heads from the likes of Fender, Blackstar, Orange, Darkglass and more

Best guitar slides 2025: my picks to unlock classic slide tone
By Daryl Robertson last updated
Achieve the ultimate slide sound with the best slides for guitar on the market from Dunlop, Fender, MojoTone, Rock Slide and Shubb

Best Telecaster pickups 2025: Expert recommendations for perfecting that unmistakable Tele twang
By Richard Blenkinsop last updated
From traditional tones to modern high-gain options, these should be your go-to pickups to breathe new life into your Telecaster

Best guitar cables 2025: Hard-working cables that will preserve your tone
By Matt McCracken last updated
The ultimate plug in and play guide: the best guitar cables from the likes of Mogami, Ernie Ball, D’Addario and more

Best Fender amps 2025: The finest Fender amplifiers you can get your hands on
By Ross Holder last updated
Tube warmth or modern modeling? I've taken a look at the best Fender amps for all players and budgets

Best amp modelers 2025: Get your dream guitar tone with my top picks
By Connor Godfrey last updated
Amp models so good, you’ll think they’re the real thing

Best guitar amps 2025: Tube-driven triumphs and peerless pedal platforms for home, studio, and stage
By Daryl Robertson last updated
From solid-state practice amps to all-tube stage amps, here’s our pick of the best amplifiers on the market – featuring Boss, Blackstar, Orange, and more

Best chorus pedals 2025: the best options from Boss, Universal Audio, Ibanez, and more
By Richard Blenkinsop published
Digital or analog; bypass or buffered? We look at the best chorus pedals you can buy right now

I found 3 deals at the Musician's Friend’s Presidents' Day sale that might just be too good to pass up
By Matt McCracken last updated
Get your hands on a new guitar, amp, or effects pedal at a healthy discount in this early Presidents’ Day sale

Best mini amps 2025: tiny amps for powerful tones
By Connor Godfrey published
Our pick of the best small guitar amps will get you great big tone in a teeny-tiny package

Best guitar amps under $500 2025: Premium tones from budget-friendly amplifiers
By Matt McCracken last updated
Who said great tone has to cost an arm and a leg? These amps from Boss, Marshall, Fender, Blackstar, and more deliver incredible sound – all for under $500

Best Semi-Hollow Guitars 2025: The Top Choices From Gibson, PRS, Fender, Eastman and More
By Rob Laing last updated
We give our expert opinion on the top semi-hollow body guitars available today

Best acoustic guitar mics 2025: our expert pick of the best mics for recording acoustic guitar
By Simon Fellows last updated
Capture every nuance of your playing with these microphones for recording acoustic guitar from Shure, AKG, Neumann, Fishman, and more

Best Martin guitars 2025: Top-tier acoustic guitars for all
By James Farmer last updated
Considering a Martin? Here's Guitar Player’s pick of the best Martin acoustics for every type of player
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