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; Johnny Winter appeared on the cover. In its 27 year history, Guitar World has had interviews with some of the most influential guitarists in rock, including Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Angus Young, Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore, Joe Satriani, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai, Joe Perry, and Eddie Van Halen who has been featured on the cover 13 times, and twice on subsidiary magazine Guitar Legends.
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 August 2007 issue, Guitar World is including columns from its now defunct sister magazines Guitar One and Guitar World Acoustic.
