My Full Report from Guitar Summit

Guitar Summit 2025 was absolute chaos in the best way possible. For three days, a storm of riffs, feedback, and shredding descended upon Mannheim, and I dove headfirst into the eye of it with one simple mission: to play as many guitars as I could to find the gear that is genuinely worth your money this year.

After what felt like a hundred miles of walking and with fingers thoroughly numb, I came away with a clear picture of the current state of the metal guitar world. There were budget beasts that punched way above their weight, innovative new designs, and one undisputed king that I haven’t stopped thinking about since.

For those who want a closer look, the nitty-gritty specs, and my full breakdown of all the standout instruments, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it.

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TLDR: Everything I Recommend

TLDR: Everything I Recommend

👑 KING OF THE SHOW

Jackson USA RR24

Buy from Sweetwater

Buy from Thomann

👑 KING OF THE SHOW

Jackson USA RR

Buy from Sweetwater

💰 Best on a Budget

Harley Benton EX-84

Buy from Thomann

💰 Best on a Budget

Harley Benton EX-84

Buy from Thomann

🏆 Supreme 7-String

HAPAS Simon Signature

Find out more at Hapas

Release date: NOV

🏆 Supreme 7-String

HAPAS Simon Signature

Find out more at Hapas

Release date: NOV

Jackson USA RR24

After a full day of playing what felt like every pointy guitar in Germany, your senses start to get a bit fried. Guitars begin to blend together. And then, you pick up one that cuts through all the noise and delivers a jolt right to your system. For me, at Guitar Summit 2025, that was the Jackson USA RR24. This wasn’t just another guitar; it was a reminder of why I started playing in the first place. The undisputed king of the show.

The first thing that hits you is the feel. It’s perfectly balanced, with none of the neck-dive that can plague V-shaped guitars. The magic is in the neck-through-body construction. There’s no chunky heel, so access to the upper frets is completely effortless. It feels like one solid, resonant piece of wood that vibrates right through you. The quartersawn maple neck has that classic, lightning-fast Jackson profile that just begs you to play fast, and the ebony fretboard is slick and smooth under the fingers. Combine that with 24 jumbo stainless steel frets, and you have a playing surface that makes bends feel buttery and effortless. It’s the kind of neck that makes you feel like a better player.

And the sound is just pure, raw aggression. The model I played was loaded with a classic Seymour Duncan combo—a fiery JB™ TB-4 in the bridge and a warm ’59™ SH-1N in the neck. That JB is the sound of generations of metal. It’s tight, articulate, and has all the searing punch you could ever need for heavy riffing, but it never sounds fizzy or harsh. It’s the perfect match for the resonant alder body, giving the guitar a powerful voice that cuts straight through any mix.

Everything else on it is just top-tier. You get a Floyd Rose® Original bridge, so you can dive-bomb with total confidence, high-quality Gotoh® tuners, and the overall fit and finish that you expect from a proper USA-made instrument. You can feel the quality in every little detail.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Body Wood: Alder
  • Neck Construction: Neck-Through-Body with Graphite Reinforcement
  • Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple
  • Fretboard: Ebony, 12″-16″ Compound Radius
  • Frets: 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
  • Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan® JB™ TB-4
  • Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan® ’59™ SH-1N
  • Bridge: Floyd Rose® Original Double-Locking Tremolo

It’s the complete package. The guitar you dream of as a kid and aspire to as an adult. An absolute masterpiece of metal design.

Ready to explore the Jackson USA RR24?

KING OF THE SHOW

Harley Benton EX-84

Every year, I go on the hunt for the “Giant Killer”—the one guitar that delivers a massive knockout punch without costing a fortune. After diving into everything the budget-friendly market had to offer at the show, one guitar didn’t just stand out, it completely ran away with the prize. That guitar is the Harley Benton EX-84.

Now, I have to be up front: I’m lucky enough to actually own one of these, so I know how good it is. But playing a fresh one at the show just hammered the point home: this is the best value metal guitar on the market right now, bar none.

The secret weapon here, and it’s a massive one, is the pickup set. This doesn’t come with some generic, in-house active pickups. It comes factory-loaded with a genuine EMG JH “Het Set”—James Hetfield’s signature set. Those pickups alone would cost you a huge chunk of the guitar’s price if you bought them separately! It’s no surprise, then, that it absolutely nails that chunky, percussive, “Master of Puppets” thrash tone. It’s tight, aggressive, and has that classic EMG roar. It’s the real deal, right out of the box.

But it’s not just the sound; it feels like a much more expensive instrument. The satin-finished mahogany body and set-in neck are comfortable and resonant, giving it that classic, warm growl. And they’ve added features you just don’t see at this price. You get a proper ebony fretboard, which is smooth and slick for fast playing, and it even comes with Grover locking tuners for brilliant tuning stability. How they’ve packed all of this into one guitar for the price is honestly baffling.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Body Wood: Mahogany
  • Neck Construction: Set-in
  • Neck Material: Mahogany
  • Fretboard: Ebony
  • Frets: 22 Extra Jumbo
  • Pickups: EMG JH “Het Set” Signature Active Pickups
  • Bridge: WSC Tune-O-Matic
  • Tuners: Grover Locking

It’s a complete powerhouse that feels and sounds like it should cost three times as much. If you want the most metal for your money, the search is over.

Ready to explore the Harley Benton EX-84?

BEST ON A BUDGET

KING OF THE SHOW

Jackson USA RR24

After a full day of playing what felt like every pointy guitar in Germany, your senses start to get a bit fried. Guitars begin to blend together. And then, you pick up one that cuts through all the noise and delivers a jolt right to your system. For me, at Guitar Summit 2025, that was the Jackson USA RR24. This wasn’t just another guitar; it was a reminder of why I started playing in the first place. The undisputed king of the show.

The first thing that hits you is the feel. It’s perfectly balanced, with none of the neck-dive that can plague V-shaped guitars. The magic is in the neck-through-body construction. There’s no chunky heel, so access to the upper frets is completely effortless. It feels like one solid, resonant piece of wood that vibrates right through you. The quartersawn maple neck has that classic, lightning-fast Jackson profile that just begs you to play fast, and the ebony fretboard is slick and smooth under the fingers. Combine that with 24 jumbo stainless steel frets, and you have a playing surface that makes bends feel buttery and effortless. It’s the kind of neck that makes you feel like a better player.

And the sound is just pure, raw aggression. The model I played was loaded with a classic Seymour Duncan combo—a fiery JB™ TB-4 in the bridge and a warm ’59™ SH-1N in the neck. That JB is the sound of generations of metal. It’s tight, articulate, and has all the searing punch you could ever need for heavy riffing, but it never sounds fizzy or harsh. It’s the perfect match for the resonant alder body, giving the guitar a powerful voice that cuts straight through any mix.

Everything else on it is just top-tier. You get a Floyd Rose® Original bridge, so you can dive-bomb with total confidence, high-quality Gotoh® tuners, and the overall fit and finish that you expect from a proper USA-made instrument. You can feel the quality in every little detail.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Body Wood: Alder
  • Neck Construction: Neck-Through-Body with Graphite Reinforcement
  • Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple
  • Fretboard: Ebony, 12″-16″ Compound Radius
  • Frets: 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
  • Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan® JB™ TB-4
  • Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan® ’59™ SH-1N
  • Bridge: Floyd Rose® Original Double-Locking Tremolo

It’s the complete package. The guitar you dream of as a kid and aspire to as an adult. An absolute masterpiece of metal design.

Ready to explore the Jackson USA RR24?

HAPAS Guitars Simon from Nightmarer Signature

In a hall filled with incredible 7-strings from all the major players, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. But every now and then, you pick up a guitar from a boutique builder that just feels different—like it was forged with a singular, brutal purpose. That was my exact feeling when I got my hands on the new HAPAS Simon from Nightmarer signature model.

The first thing that strikes you is the weight. It is shockingly light. You expect a 7-string, especially a baritone, to be a bit of a beast to handle, but this feels nimble, resonant, and effortless to play. The craftsmanship is immediately apparent, with details like the beautiful neck binding giving it a real touch of class. It has that immediate, aggressive response that I love from my favourite high-end ESPs—it just feels precise and ready for war.

But the real magic happens when you plug it in. That lightweight body produces one of the heaviest sounds I heard all day. The secret is the combination of its massive 28″ baritone scale length and Simon’s signature NIGHTMÆR pickup. It’s a high-output beast—we’re talking around 17kΩ with an AlNiCo 5 magnet—which translates to a sound that is incredibly powerful and aggressive, but still has that organic feel and clarity you only get from a great passive pickup. It’s a minimalist’s dream—one pickup, one volume knob, and a rock-solid Hipshot bridge. It’s not a guitar that’s trying to do everything; it’s designed to do one thing perfectly: deliver devastatingly heavy rhythm tones.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Scale Length: 28″ Baritone
  • Neck Construction: Bolt-On
  • Body Wood: Swamp Ash (Super light)
  • Pickup: 1x NIGHTMÆR Signature Humbucker (Bridge)
  • Pickup Specs: High Output, approx. 17kΩ, AlNiCo 5 Magnet
  • Controls: 1x Volume
  • Bridge: Hipshot Hardtail
  • Notable Features: Premium neck binding, minimalist design

It’s a masterclass in modern metal guitar design. For pure, unadulterated, low-tuned riffing, this was my absolute favourite 7-string of the show. I would 100% own this.

The release date for this model is expected to be November 2025. Check out Hapas website for updates: Hapasguitars.com

Supreme 7-String

BEST ON A BUDGET

Harley Benton EX-84

Every year, I go on the hunt for the “Giant Killer”—the one guitar that delivers a massive knockout punch without costing a fortune. After diving into everything the budget-friendly market had to offer at the show, one guitar didn’t just stand out, it completely ran away with the prize. That guitar is the Harley Benton EX-84.

Now, I have to be up front: I’m lucky enough to actually own one of these, so I know how good it is. But playing a fresh one at the show just hammered the point home: this is the best value metal guitar on the market right now, bar none.

The secret weapon here, and it’s a massive one, is the pickup set. This doesn’t come with some generic, in-house active pickups. It comes factory-loaded with a genuine EMG JH “Het Set”—James Hetfield’s signature set. Those pickups alone would cost you a huge chunk of the guitar’s price if you bought them separately! It’s no surprise, then, that it absolutely nails that chunky, percussive, “Master of Puppets” thrash tone. It’s tight, aggressive, and has that classic EMG roar. It’s the real deal, right out of the box.

But it’s not just the sound; it feels like a much more expensive instrument. The satin-finished mahogany body and set-in neck are comfortable and resonant, giving it that classic, warm growl. And they’ve added features you just don’t see at this price. You get a proper ebony fretboard, which is smooth and slick for fast playing, and it even comes with Grover locking tuners for brilliant tuning stability. How they’ve packed all of this into one guitar for the price is honestly baffling.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Body Wood: Mahogany
  • Neck Construction: Set-in
  • Neck Material: Mahogany
  • Fretboard: Ebony
  • Frets: 22 Extra Jumbo
  • Pickups: EMG JH “Het Set” Signature Active Pickups
  • Bridge: WSC Tune-O-Matic
  • Tuners: Grover Locking

It’s a complete powerhouse that feels and sounds like it should cost three times as much. If you want the most metal for your money, the search is over.

Ready to explore the Harley Benton EX-84?

Supreme 7-String

HAPAS Guitars Simon from Nightmarer Signature

In a hall filled with incredible 7-strings from all the major players, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. But every now and then, you pick up a guitar from a boutique builder that just feels different—like it was forged with a singular, brutal purpose. That was my exact feeling when I got my hands on the new HAPAS Simon from Nightmarer signature model.

The first thing that strikes you is the weight. It is shockingly light. You expect a 7-string, especially a baritone, to be a bit of a beast to handle, but this feels nimble, resonant, and effortless to play. The craftsmanship is immediately apparent, with details like the beautiful neck binding giving it a real touch of class. It has that immediate, aggressive response that I love from my favourite high-end ESPs—it just feels precise and ready for war.

But the real magic happens when you plug it in. That lightweight body produces one of the heaviest sounds I heard all day. The secret is the combination of its massive 28″ baritone scale length and Simon’s signature NIGHTMÆR pickup. It’s a high-output beast—we’re talking around 17kΩ with an AlNiCo 5 magnet—which translates to a sound that is incredibly powerful and aggressive, but still has that organic feel and clarity you only get from a great passive pickup. It’s a minimalist’s dream—one pickup, one volume knob, and a rock-solid Hipshot bridge. It’s not a guitar that’s trying to do everything; it’s designed to do one thing perfectly: deliver devastatingly heavy rhythm tones.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Scale Length: 28″ Baritone
  • Neck Construction: Bolt-On
  • Body Wood: Swamp Ash (Super light)
  • Pickup: 1x NIGHTMÆR Signature Humbucker (Bridge)
  • Pickup Specs: High Output, approx. 17kΩ, AlNiCo 5 Magnet
  • Controls: 1x Volume
  • Bridge: Hipshot Hardtail
  • Notable Features: Premium neck binding, minimalist design

It’s a masterclass in modern metal guitar design. For pure, unadulterated, low-tuned riffing, this was my absolute favourite 7-string of the show. I would 100% own this.

The release date for this model is expected to be November 2025. Check out Hapas website for updates: Hapasguitars.com

ESP LTD Mick Thomson MT-1

Every show has a ‘most talked-about’ guitar, and this year, it was Mick Thomson’s new LTD. After putting it through its paces, I can confirm it’s not just hype—it’s a serious contender for one of the best high-performance metal guitars on the market today. It’s an instrument that knows its job and does it flawlessly.

The guitar’s secret weapon is its deceptive simplicity. Many players might hesitate at a single-pickup design, but the new signature Seymour Duncan Blackout is a masterpiece of aggression and clarity. It delivers all the brutal, high-gain power you’d expect for heavy riffing, but with a surprising amount of dynamic range that prevents it from ever sounding one-dimensional. It powerfully makes the case that you don’t need a neck pickup when your bridge pickup is this perfectly voiced.

What makes this such a fantastic buy is how reliable and comfortable it feels straight away. It has that classic, road-tested LTD playability that so many of us trust, with a lightweight body and a fast, smooth neck that feels built for performance. The build quality on the model I tried was exceptional, with rock-solid tuning stability that you can depend on. Even in E-standard, you could feel its inherent potential for low-tuned brutality; it’s a guitar that just begs for heavy riffs.

For players who want a zero-fuss, all-aggression instrument built for the stage and studio, this is one of the smartest buys of the year. It delivers pro-level performance without unnecessary complications.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Body Wood: Mahogany
  • Neck Construction: 3-Pc Maple, Neck-Thru
  • Fretboard: Macassar Ebony
  • Scale Length: 25.5″
  • Pickup: Seymour Duncan Mick Thomson Signature Blackouts
  • Bridge: Hipshot Hardtail w/ String-Thru Body

It was a definite winner and one of the highlights of the show for me.

See for yourself why this was one of the most talked-about guitars of the show. You can check out the full specs and latest pricing at the links below.

Ready to explore ESP LTD Mick Thomson MT-1?

THE HYPE IS REAL

THE HYPE IS REAL

ESP LTD Mick Thomson MT-1

Every show has a ‘most talked-about’ guitar, and this year, it was Mick Thomson’s new LTD. After putting it through its paces, I can confirm it’s not just hype—it’s a serious contender for one of the best high-performance metal guitars on the market today. It’s an instrument that knows its job and does it flawlessly.

The guitar’s secret weapon is its deceptive simplicity. Many players might hesitate at a single-pickup design, but the new signature Seymour Duncan Blackout is a masterpiece of aggression and clarity. It delivers all the brutal, high-gain power you’d expect for heavy riffing, but with a surprising amount of dynamic range that prevents it from ever sounding one-dimensional. It powerfully makes the case that you don’t need a neck pickup when your bridge pickup is this perfectly voiced.

What makes this such a fantastic buy is how reliable and comfortable it feels straight away. It has that classic, road-tested LTD playability that so many of us trust, with a lightweight body and a fast, smooth neck that feels built for performance. The build quality on the model I tried was exceptional, with rock-solid tuning stability that you can depend on. Even in E-standard, you could feel its inherent potential for low-tuned brutality; it’s a guitar that just begs for heavy riffs.

For players who want a zero-fuss, all-aggression instrument built for the stage and studio, this is one of the smartest buys of the year. It delivers pro-level performance without unnecessary complications.

The Nitty-Gritty:

  • Body Wood: Mahogany
  • Neck Construction: 3-Pc Maple, Neck-Thru
  • Fretboard: Macassar Ebony
  • Scale Length: 25.5″
  • Pickup: Seymour Duncan Mick Thomson Signature Blackouts
  • Bridge: Hipshot Hardtail w/ String-Thru Body

It was a definite winner and one of the highlights of the show for me.

See for yourself why this was one of the most talked-about guitars of the show. You can check out the full specs and latest pricing at the links below.

Ready to explore ESP LTD Mick Thomson MT-1?

Honourable mentions

Jackson Misha Mansoor HT7P

Jackson Misha Mansoor

The Man himself

Schecter John Browne Tao-6

John Browne

Wylde Audio Warhammer

Wylde Audio

The Best of the Rest: Honourable Mentions

While the guitars above were my absolute top picks, the hall was filled with incredible instruments that deserve a serious look. Here are a few other standouts that left a massive impression on me.

John Browne’s Signature Schecters After hearing them demoed by the man himself, it’s clear John Browne’s latest Schecter signatures are the real deal for technical metal. With stunning finishes and the versatility of 6, 7, and 8-string options, they offer a direct path to a proven, pro-level modern tone.

Wylde Audio Guitars Honestly, these were the biggest surprise of the show for me. Don’t let the wild shapes fool you; the Wylde Audio guitars are incredibly solid, comfortable, and fun to play, delivering a massive rock and metal tone that is seriously impressive for the price.

Misha Mansoor’s Signature Jackson 7-String This is easily one of the smartest buys for any modern prog-metal fan. Misha Mansoor’s new Jackson is packed with high-end specs for its price, offering the most direct and affordable path to achieving the signature clarity and aggressive tone of a genre-defining player.

Honourable mentions

Jackson Misha Mansoor HT7P

Jackson Misha Mansoor

The Man himself

Schecter John Browne Tao-6

John Browne

Wylde Audio Warhammer

Wylde Audio

The Best of the Rest: Honourable Mentions

While the guitars above were my absolute top picks, the hall was filled with incredible instruments that deserve a serious look. Here are a few other standouts that left a massive impression on me.

John Browne’s Signature Schecters After hearing them demoed by the man himself, it’s clear John Browne’s latest Schecter signatures are the real deal for technical metal. With stunning finishes and the versatility of 6, 7, and 8-string options, they offer a direct path to a proven, pro-level modern tone.

Wylde Audio Guitars Honestly, these were the biggest surprise of the show for me. Don’t let the wild shapes fool you; the Wylde Audio guitars are incredibly solid, comfortable, and fun to play, delivering a massive rock and metal tone that is seriously impressive for the price.

Misha Mansoor’s Signature Jackson 7-String This is easily one of the smartest buys for any modern prog-metal fan. Misha Mansoor’s new Jackson is packed with high-end specs for its price, offering the most direct and affordable path to achieving the signature clarity and aggressive tone of a genre-defining player.

Got the Guitar? Time to Learn the Riffs

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Check out my “Metallica Made Easy” course and grab your FREE trial now. No commitment.

Final Slay

And there you have it—a full-throttle tour of the heaviest and pointiest gear from Guitar Summit 2025. After days of walking, talking, and playing until my fingers were numb, it was an incredible experience to see what the industry has in store for us. It’s the ultimate “kid in a sweet shop” feeling, and it’s easy to get lost in a blur of incredible riffs and stunning finishes.

But my biggest takeaway, after all was said and done, was a simple one. While it’s amazing to find standout instruments like that Jackson RR, the real magic of an event like this isn’t just about finding your next purchase. It’s the massive dose of inspiration you get. It’s that renewed excitement that makes you want to rush home, pick up whatever guitar you own—whether it’s worth £200 or £2,000—and just play for hours. That, for me, is the real prize.

At the end of the day, the “best” guitar is always a personal choice, and this was just my take from the floor. I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. Did any of the guitars on my list stand out to you? Is there a hidden gem that I completely missed? Let me know!

Thanks again for reading, and for joining me on the hunt.

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