Michael Astley-Brown

Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

Articles by: Michael Astley-Brown

Electro-Harmonix clip-on tuner

Summer NAMM 2019: Electro-Harmonix pushes further into guitar accessories market with clip-on tuner

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Cheap clip-on, EHX logo, job done

Gibson guitar strings

Summer NAMM 2019: Gibson unveils “the best possible strings to adorn a Gibson guitar”, developed and tested by master luthiers

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Vintage Reissue, Brite Wire and Acoustic Collections launched

Wild Custom Guitars Gyrock pickup system

Summer NAMM 2019: Wild Custom’s “revolutionary” Gyrock system allows you to switch between 6 pickups mid-song

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Are these revolving pickup modules a gamechanger for guitarists?

Gibson CEO James 'JC' Curleigh

Summer NAMM 2019: Gibson reveals collaborations with boutique guitar builders as it launches Authorized Partnership Program

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Meanwhile, CEO ‘JC’ Curleigh claims hundreds of knockoff websites have been taken down

Walrus Audio Kangra pedal

Summer NAMM 2019: Walrus Audio “maxes out the gain dial” with Kangra Filter Fuzz pedal

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Combined filter and octave fuzz co-designed with SNL guitarist Jared Scharff

Supro Silverwood electric guitar

Summer NAMM 2019: Supro revives its “finest electric”, the Silverwood

By Michael Astley-Brown published

New guitar tops off company’s Reissue Collection

Mr Black Mini Reverb pedal

Mr Black keeps it smart and simple with the Mini Reverb universal reverberator

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Latest mini pedal delivers a range of reverbs with minimal controls

PRS strings and cables

PRS expands its guitar accessories line-up with new strings and cables

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Signature Series Strings and Classic Series Cables now available

Death By Audio Evil Fuzz pedal

Death By Audio unleashes the Evil Fuzz pedal

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Limited-edition stompbox shrinks Evil Filter fuzz circuits

Blackstar amPlug 2 for guitar and bass

Summer NAMM 2019: Blackstar debuts amPlug2 Fly headphone guitar amps

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Feature-loaded guitar and bass versions of popular mini-amp now available

Martin Summer NAMM 2019 acoustic guitars

Summer NAMM 2019: Martin debuts 13 new acoustic guitars, including some… unusual one-offs

By Michael Astley-Brown published

American Chopper, Brexit and Fly Fishing

Boss RC-10R Loop Station looper pedal

Summer NAMM 2019: Boss launches its next-generation looper, the RC-10R Rhythm Loop Station

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Pedal takes on song-based looping and dynamic rhythms

Boss SY-1 effects pedal

Summer NAMM 2019: Boss crams 121 synth sounds into the SY-1 Synthesizer pedal

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Downsized SY-300 offers polyphonic tracking for guitar and bass

Martin D-16E Brexit acoustic guitar

Summer NAMM 2019: So, um, Martin has made a Brexit guitar...

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Acoustic giant turns satirist

The Beths' Elizabeth Stokes performs live

10 questions for The Beths’ Liz Stokes: “You can’t not air-guitar the solo break in Weezer’s Buddy Holly - it’s illegal!”

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Indie-rocker on her first guitars, essential gear and onstage nightmares

Gibson Explorer electric guitar

Gibson threatened dealers with legal action unless they stopped selling Dean guitars, alleges Dean

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Armadillo Enterprises seeks to cancel Flying V, Explorer and ES-335 shape trademarks

Fender Rarities Flame Maple Top Chambered Telecaster electric guitar

Fender’s Rarities Flame Maple Top Chambered Telecaster surfaces

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Glam electric guitar boasts Tim Shaw pickups

Eastman T386 review

By Michael Astley-Brown published

  • £999

An affordable hand-crafted thinline semi

Summer NAMM 2019: Vintage channels ’30s blues with affordable Paul Brett Statesboro ‘Whisky Sour’ acoustic guitars

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Acoustic and electro model available in orchestra, dreadnought and parlour body sizes

Summer NAMM 2019: Janktone’s Jankenstein promises “the first real and defining change to the humbucker pickup since 1955”

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Patent-pending guitar pickup boasts ‘variable stacking height bobbins’

Johnny Marr invites fan on stage to play guitar on This Charming Man… and he only goes and nails it

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Smiths guitarist temporarily relinquishes six-string duties

Supro Ozark electric guitar

Summer NAMM 2019: Supro reissues the Ozark electric guitar

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Jimi Hendrix’s first guitar recreated and reimagined

Robert Smith of The Cure performs at Glastonbury Festival 2019

Guitar sales surge following The Cure’s Glastonbury set

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Schecter guitars see major uplift

Pete Townshend pays tribute to late guitar tech Alan Rogan

By Michael Astley-Brown published

The Who tech dies on eve of band’s Wembley show

John Mayer performs live with a PRS Silver Sky electric guitar

Summer NAMM 2019: Is PRS about to launch a more affordable John Mayer Silver Sky?

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Strat-a-like signature guitar set to hit SE range