Industry
Guitar industry news updated every day — manufacturers, acquisitions, technology, NAMM, company changes, partnerships and business developments.
Court orders Dean parent Armadillo to pay Gibson more than $4 million in legal fees
The September 25 ruling adds a major bill to Armadillo’s long-running trademark fight while the Dean owner remains in Chapter 11 reorganization.
Oct 12, 2026
Slash Receives the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award in Hollywood
The Les Paul Foundation and Gibson Gives honored Slash at Les Paul’s Hollywood recording studio with a one-of-a-kind award made from acoustic boards built by Paul himself.
Oct 9, 2026
Fender rebuilds Fender.com around AI gear guidance and upcoming sound demos
The brand's new global platform combines products, editorial content and player services, with Ask Fender launching first in the US.
Oct 6, 2026
Guitar Summit 2026 Recap Puts New Signatures, Modelers and Live Players Side by Side
The Mannheim show’s post-event highlights range from Matteo Mancuso’s Revstar and Eventide’s H9 Gen 2 to artist performances and boutique builders.
Oct 4, 2026
Lari Basilio Joins the 2027 She Rocks Awards Honoree Lineup
The guitarist will be honored alongside Joan Osborne and Wendy Parr at the January 30 ceremony during NAMM in Anaheim.
Oct 4, 2026
Asia International Guitar Festival Opens Its 26th Edition in Bangkok
The October 2–4 program marks the festival's 25th anniversary with concerts, competitions, masterclasses and a luthier exhibition.
Oct 3, 2026
Acoustic Guitar Village Fills Cremona With Builders, Performers and Hands-On Luthiery
The October 2–4 gathering combines live stages, rare-instrument exhibitions, masterclasses and the New Sounds competition across Cremona's fairgrounds and historic center.
Oct 3, 2026
Rick Nielsen opens more than 300 pieces of his guitar archive for a St. Jude benefit auction
The October sale includes more than 70 guitars, led by a stage-used five-neck Hamer and the 1975 Hamer Standard that helped define Cheap Trick’s image.
Oct 1, 2026
Paul Reed Smith joins Guitar Center’s RockWalk after five decades of guitar building
John Mayer inducted the PRS founder during Crossroads in Austin, placing a living instrument designer alongside RockWalk pioneers such as Les Paul, Jim Marshall and Robert Moog.
Sep 30, 2026
Fender CEO says the S-style cease-and-desist campaign should have been handled differently
Bud Cole says Fender should have talked with builders before sending letters, while the company continues defending its Stratocaster-shape strategy.
Sep 28, 2026
Ashdown makes Guitar Center and Musician's Friend its exclusive U.S. retail partners
The British amp maker says the deal puts its widest American range yet into 300 Guitar Center stores and online through Musician's Friend.
Sep 28, 2026
Rocky Mountain Archtop Guitar Festival puts 30-plus builders and 60 hours of music in Arvada
The September 18–20 gathering combines an archtop luthier showcase with more than 30 workshops and clinics, making the instrument itself the center of the weekend.
Sep 20, 2026
Johnny Marr's guitar collection sells for £3.65 million at Christie's
The 111-lot London sale more than tripled its estimate, led by Marr's Smiths-era 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo at £358,400.
Sep 18, 2026
Mozarteum Guitar Festival masterclass and luthier applications close September 15
The Salzburg festival runs December 3–5, but today's deadline is the last call for its international masterclasses and eight-place guitar-maker exhibition.
Sep 15, 2026
Mastodon responds after Brent Hinds' estate sues the band
The estate claims Hinds was never bought out of his ownership share before his death and objects to the band's public comments and use of his likeness.
Sep 14, 2026
Guitar Center opens prototype testing for its new in-house guitar brand
Players near Los Angeles can apply to test early Guitar Labs prototypes under NDA as the retailer moves its house-brand project into hands-on R&D.
Sep 12, 2026
BluGuitar sets the AMPX for its long-awaited Guitar Summit launch
After years of development, the hybrid analog/digital floorboard amp is moving from prototype status toward a limited first production batch.
Sep 7, 2026
LR Baggs drops the initials and rebrands as “Baggs” for its 50th anniversary
The acoustic-amplification company is changing its name and bringing in founder Lloyd Baggs' daughter, Jenny Luckett, as creative director.
Sep 3, 2026
Paul Reed Smith Joins the Guitar Center RockWalk, With John Mayer Presenting
The PRS founder's handprint ceremony is set for September 26 at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Austin.
Aug 29, 2026
PRS names its first-ever CEO — a guy who started in the woodshop in 1985
Jack Higginbotham, PRS's president for 15 years, takes the newly created role while founder Paul Reed Smith stays on as Managing General Partner.
Jul 27, 2026
Ernie Ball buys Source Audio, its first move into effects pedals
The string and accessories company is acquiring the Massachusetts pedal maker, which will keep operating under its own name.
Jul 8, 2026
Gibson's CEO of 13 years is stepping down; Anne Rohosy takes over on an interim basis
Cesar Gueikian moves to a strategic advisor and artist-ambassador role effective July 31, while the board searches for a permanent successor.
Jun 25, 2026
Tariffs pushed Fender to raise prices — and it is not done adjusting
A new S&P Global analysis shows how much of Fender's cost increase is landing on retail shelves, and why dealers are staying cautious into 2026 anyway.
Sep 25, 2025
The business behind the instruments
Industry follows the companies, factories, technology and commercial decisions that shape what guitarists eventually see in shops, studios and on stages. Keeping those stories separate from ordinary product launches makes it easier to follow the bigger picture behind the gear.
Business news needs context: an announced acquisition is not the same thing as a completed one, and deals can still depend on approvals or closing conditions. Ownership changes, closures, restructurings, legal disputes and similar stories are reported from company statements, filings, court records or reliable publications that document them. Rumours stay out until there is something solid to cite.
Trade shows such as NAMM and Guitar Summit also sit at the intersection of business and gear: the wider industry story belongs here, while individual products are covered in Gear. Explore related brands, Gear coverage and trade shows and events.