About guitaristnextdoor.com

What We Stand For

-Serve The People. Have fun doing so.

-Constant improvement, strive for excellence.

-Work extremely hard, but smart.

-Only the strong survive.

guitaristnextdoor.com is an independent online publisher that helps people choose the best guitar gear possible.

We focus on reviewing different guitars, guitar amplifiers, and gear. All these reviews are unbiased, honest, and manufacturers don’t pay us directly to make reviews. We also produce how-to guides and answer specific questions with some of our articles.

Feel free to connect with us on social media:

On our Youtube channel, you can watch in-depth guitar and gear reviews.

How Do We Create Content?

We create content based on our own experiences and extensive research. We strive for the best, most informative, and most helpful guitar content on the internet. We can proudly state that we have tried and tested most of the guitars and gears we review. Not all have been in our deep testing, but still, we have laid our hands on the majority of the products we talk about.

We also let music and guitar experts review and fact-check our content. We work with guitar & music industry experts Steve Blundon and Altin Gjoni to make sure that we offer the best possible content for our readers.

Our Gear Reviews

We either buy, rent, drive to the music stores to test, interview someone who has used, and/or conduct extensive online research for the products we talk about.

We review guitars based on:

  • Sound
  • Playability
  • Quality
  • Value for money

We review guitar amplifiers based on:

  • Sound
  • Features
  • Usability
  • Quality
  • Value for Money

We also use various factors for all accessories we review, such as gig bags, guitar cases, guitar stands, etc.

After we have evaluated different aspects of a piece of gear we reveal the pros and cons, who is it for, and who is it not for. We also provide star ratings from 1-5 for each piece of gear to give it an overall verdict.

Discover GND’s full testing, reviewing, and recommending process here.

Here are some music stores we drive to test the gear:

What our amazing readers have to say about our reviews:

“I fell in love with my Fender Mustang 25 (which you recommended) and adore its sound quality, volume, and versatility! Thanks again!”

Thanks for the super deep dive and the comparisons to other guitars.

I just received the guitar and wow it feels so great! The tuning stability is good(used the bar several times). This is probably my best guitar. Highly recommended

Just to say great review – well written with useful info, and not simply copy/paste like most.

Our Current Guitar-Geek Team:

Backing up Guitaristnextdoor.com is a combined 100+ years of guitar experience.

photo reveals owner of guitaristnextdoor.com

Teemu Suomala

Founder, Senior Editor, & Gear Testings

Electrician, married, has a dog, and playing guitar since 2009. Mainly focused on electric guitars, although plays acoustics too. Has played dozens and dozens of different guitars through different amps and pedals over the years. That’s why he started this blog in January 2020 and started sharing his experience. Has written for many big guitar websites, such as Songsterr, Musicnotes, GuitarGuitar, and Ultimate Guitar.

Expertise: guitar learning techniques, electric guitars, guitar amplifiers

Electrical and automation installer professional degree. A business owner since 2019.

DL Shepherd

Senior Writer & Gear Testing

Darren has been playing guitar for over 25 years and teaching guitar since High-School. He fronted the metal band Suddenly Silence in the early 2000’s, and also achieved recognition as an award-winning bluegrass guitarist.

A native of southwestern Virginia, and has shared the stage with many big-name acts from various genres. When he is not playing one of his many guitars, he can be found riding his Harley through the mountains of Virginia.

Expertise: teaching guitars, electric guitars, acoustic guitars, guitar amplifiers, guide pedals, flatpicking, bluegrass, metal, rock, and blues

Darren has written content for big guitar websites such as Stringjoy and guitarguitar.

Bands Darren has been part of (click to check out):

2 Minute Warning

Suddenly Silence

Good College Try (editors (Teemu’s) favorite)

Bluefield University Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Human Services, GeneralBachelor of Science (B.S.)

  • Activities and societies: -Alpha Chi National College Honors Society
  • Published writings in “The Bluestone Review”
  • Member of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society
  • Maintained 3.9 GPA
Displays Tyler Connaghan - guitar player and writer

Tyler Connaghan

Writer

Tyler Connaghan is a guitarist, singer, producer, composer & engineer based in Los Angeles, California. Tyler has been playing the guitar since 2007. In between writing for guitar publications, he produces music for film and television. His favorite axe is his custom Pelham Blue Fender Stratocaster.

Expertise: music industry, producing, acoustic & electric guitars, songwriting

Bachelor of Science in Music Industry Studies, Music Industry

displays Justin Thomas and PRS Guitar

Justin Thomas

Content Uploader

Justin has played the guitar since 1986. His music tastes span from Metal to Rock and Jazz to Dubstep, with his favorite bands being the likes of Underworld, Iron Maiden, and Zero 7.

Since 2007, Justin has expertly managed CMS solutions such as WordPress and Magento, and has been overseeing 15+ websites. Justin is also fluent in coding languages from HTML to C++ (also talks guitar), he’s crafted content for sectors ranging from luxury yachts to fashion.

Expertise: PRS guitars, electric guitars, Wordpress

University of Westminster – Computer Programming, Specific Applications

displays guitar expert Steve Blundon

Steve Blundon

Fact-Checker

Steve has played guitar since 1975, has been a master guitar tech for over 30 years, and written about guitars since 2000. This experience is why Steve checks content on Guitaristnextdoor.com and makes sure it’s accurate and the best possible. Steve also runs his own website and YouTube channel under the name Guitarniche. It’s a go-to place if you are looking for some guitar maintenance tips.

Expertise: music industry, business, live performance, teaching, instrument service and repair, writing, publishing, web development.

photo displays Pranshu, who works as a writer at guitaristnextdoor.com

Pranshu Nigam

Content Planner, Writer & Graphics

Pranshu started playing guitar in 2014 after playing piano for 10 years.

He’s all about acoustic & classical guitars and jamming around with unusual tunings. He mixes modern percussive fingerstyle technique and Flamenco music into his own playing. He also runs his own guitar blog Harmonyvine.com.

Expertise: guitar learning techniques, electric guitars, guitar amplifiers, fingerpicking, percussive fingerstyle

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur – Bachelor of Science – BS, Geology/Earth Science, General 2017 – 2021.

David Slavkovic Profile picture

David Slavkovic

Writer

David has been playing guitar since 1998, David’s main focus back then was hard rock and metal.

With years, his music tastes evolved and he eventually started appreciating all musical styles. Although officially an agricultural engineer, David began writing for Ultimate Guitar in 2017 where he’s currently working as a senior editor.

Expertise: electric guitars, guitar amplifiers, music theory, the guitar industry, metal, rock

Bachelor’s Degree in Fruit production and viticulture

We are also featured on Feedspot’s Top 100 Guitar Blogs and Websites-list!

Former Team members

Tommy Tompkins Profile Picture 2

Tommy Tompkins

Writer & Graphics

Playing guitar since 2004. Primarily an acoustic guitarist who plays and writes traditional American folk music, with a background in melodic metal and a solid foundation as a bassist. Has also taught guitar playing for years.

Expertise: teaching guitar, acoustic guitars, gig bags, guitar stands, folk, metal, rock

Music Performance (General) degree from Greenbrier East High School

Santiago Motto

Writer & Photos

Aka. Sandel. Telecasters and all-mahogany Martins lover.

Besides that, Sandel is a professional writer, guitar player, confessed guitar nerd, and all-things-guitar consumer. He has been playing for 25 years which makes him a nineties kid with serious low-tuning youngster years, and a pop palate for melodies, ballads, and world music.

Whenever Santiago is not pouring all that experience and love for the instrument into articles, you can find him playing live shows supporting his music and poetry books as “Sandel”. If he’s not doing either of those, you can also find him gigging with his band, “San Juan”, writing, reading, or enjoying the Sun.

Expertise: guitar industry, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, Fender guitars, songwriting.

Bachelor of Psychology, Psychology

displays Edward Bond and Gibson Guitar

Edward Bond

Editor

Edward has been playing the guitar since 2002. So Edward has over 20 years of experience as a guitarist, has authored 15 guitar books, has written for renowned music blogs, and spent a decade teaching music. He began merging his passion for writing and music in 2020 and has written for big guitar websites such as Guitar Head Publishing and KillerGuitarRigs.com.

Originally from Seattle, Edward moved to Norway in 2021 for a master’s in music. He’s studied at the Jazz Institute Berlin and Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and currently resides in Trondheim. His education includes a European Jazz Master’s, a diploma in Film and Game Scoring from Sofia, and a Bachelor’s in Jazz from University of Oregon.

Edward has played in numerous bands and currently, Edward works on his own project Starship Infinity

Expertise: guitar teaching, music theory, jazz, electric guitars, acoustic guitars

Master’s degree from Norwegian University of Science and Technology “European Jazz Master.”

Wesley Severson

Writer

Wes is a freelance writer and 2x Emmy Award-winning TV news journalist who has been surrounded by guitars since the day he was born. His father, Rich Severson, is an elite jazz guitarist and world-renowned guitar instructor. Wes has been creating video lessons, guitar reviews, and other content with his dad for more than 2 decades and is currently the manager of Rich Severson’s popular YouTube channel. Wes has been playing guitar, singing, and songwriting for almost 30 years and has recorded dozens of songs with various bands and as a solo artist.

Expertise: music industry, recording, journalism, acoustic & electric guitars, jazz guitars

Editorial Policies

At Guitaristnextdoor.com, our commitment is to provide our readers with informative, reliable, and engaging content related to all things guitars, amplifiers, and gear. We hold ourselves to high standards to ensure that our content is both accurate and valuable to you. Here’s how we do it:

Expertise Matters

We seek out authorities and specialists in the field. Whether it’s a seasoned guitarist who can break down complex techniques or a music industry expert who helps us navigate the world of gear, we tap into a broad spectrum of knowledge. All our articles, guides, and reviews are meticulously crafted and supervised by our dedicated editorial staff.

Independence

Your trust in us is paramount. We remain independent and impartial in our journalistic work. Our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. We maintain a clear separation between advertising and the content we create. Any “Sponsored Content” is clearly labeled, so you know what’s what.

Transparency

We hold every staff member and contributor to a high standard of integrity. Any potential conflicts of interest, whether financial or personal, are disclosed to ensure the delivery of fair and impartial information. We also disclose when we receive complimentary products or services for review purposes.

Sourcing

We are serious about the sources we use in our content. Our writers and editors adhere to strict standards, relying on reputable primary sources, including expert interviews, trusted magazines, and professional institutions. We back up our information with credible sources, ensuring you get the most accurate and up-to-date content.

Originality

Our goal is to provide original, factual, and unbiased content. All information is verified, properly attributed, and respects copyright and intellectual property rights. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited and is grounds for dismissal. We adhere to all relevant laws, standards, and accepted journalistic practices.

Fact-Checking

We hold ourselves to the highest journalistic standards to best serve our readers. Our experienced team of editors, copy editors, and fact-checkers review every story to ensure accurate, comprehensive, and properly sourced information. If you come across any issues you’d like to bring to our attention, please email us at: contact@guitaristnextdoor.com


Contact Info

Phone: +1 (323) 601 5935

Email: contact@guitaristnextdoor.com

Guitaristnextdoor.com
5101 Santa Monica Blvd Ste 8 PMB1016
Los Angeles, CA 90029
USA