Guitar Summit 2026 is now history: from September 25 to 27, Mannheim’s Rosengarten became the meeting point for the international guitar and bass scene for the eighth time, with 14,900 visitors according to the organizers. The next edition is already locked in too: Guitar Summit 2027 runs from September 24 to 26, 2027, and you can grab early bird tickets right now.
Guitar Summit 2026: Recap, Highlights, and All the Details for 2027Guitar Summit 2026: A Show Between Marketplace, Festival, and Classroom659 Brands From More Than 50 Countries on Four Levels123 Program Items With 80 Artists on Seven Stages25 Masterclasses and New Guitar Summit Academy CoursesConcerts in the Mozartsaal and the All-Star Jam40 Years of Gitarre & BassGuitar Summit 2027: Date and Early Bird TicketsMore Information
Guitar Summit 2026: A Show Between Marketplace, Festival, and Classroom
Guitar Summit 2026 was trade fair, festival, classroom, and community meetup all rolled into one, and the numbers back that up. Around 35 percent of the 14,900 visitors were there for the first time, a clear sign the event is growing well beyond its familiar core crowd. New this year: kids and teens up to and including age 14 got in free, a lovely gesture for the next generation of string players. Here’s a look at the individual areas.
659 Brands From More Than 50 Countries on Four Levels
Across four levels, 659 brands from more than 50 countries showed what’s driving the industry right now: from tonewoods and handcrafted guitars to tube amps and effects pedals, all the way to modeling and recording technology, from small workshops to global corporations. Everything was within arm’s reach, so you could get your hands on the neck of a dream guitar, test the newest pedal through headphones, and talk shop directly with the developers.
According to the organizers, Friday has long since become the key day for product premieres, and once again this year, plenty of manufacturers unveiled their new gear exclusively on site, which was naturally very exciting for us too. What we discovered ourselves and found worth a closer look is in our article on the new gear from Guitar Summit 2026.
For the first time, there was also a digital guide: the web app app.guitarsummit.de led visitors to every booth via an interactive floor plan, no download required, and turned the stage program into a personal schedule.
123 Program Items With 80 Artists on Seven Stages
Seven stages hosted a whopping 123 workshops, interviews, and concerts featuring 80 artists. Devin Townsend gave a look behind his famously dense sound, Peter Tägtgren and Kristian Kohle dissected modern metal production, and Darryl Jones, longtime bassist of the Rolling Stones, was on hand too. The lineup ranged from Matteo Mancuso, Greg Koch, and Opeth guitarist Fredrik Åkesson to Steve Di Giorgio and Marco Mendoza, plus Andy McKee and Mary Spender. On the ROCK ANTENNE Stage, Ace of Skunk Anansie, Danko Jones, and Phil Demmel sat down for live interviews. Simply put: wow!
25 Masterclasses and New Guitar Summit Academy Courses
Anyone who wanted to learn straight from their heroes could book one of the 25 masterclasses. In small groups, artists like Darryl Jones, Wes Hauch, and pedal steel virtuoso Sarah Jory went into serious detail, and some classes sold out early. If you’re eyeing 2027: don’t wait too long to grab your spot!
Back home, you can keep learning with the Guitar Summit Academy. The online platform had its own booth on site for the first time and introduced two new video courses: “Phrasing, Feel & Sound” with Martin Miller and “Metal Riffing Mastery” with Victor Smolski.
Guitar Summit in concert · Source: Guitar Summit
Concerts in the Mozartsaal and the All-Star Jam
In the evenings, the program wrapped up with concerts in the Mozartsaal. On Friday, Adam Miller & Friends, Mary Spender, Andy McKee, and the Koch Marshall Trio with Greg Koch took the stage, followed on Saturday by Don Ross & Julie Malia, Eric Steckel, and Matteo Mancuso.
As tradition dictates, the All-Star Jam was the highlight, this time with Jared James Nichols, Marco Mendoza, and Ronnie Romero, plus special guests Martin Miller, Fredrik Åkesson, Jack Gardiner, Mick Taylor, Marcus Deml, Luke Cyrus Goetze, and Greg Koch. It’s a format where nobody knows how the night will end, which is exactly why it produces those unforgettable moments.
40 Years of Gitarre & Bass
The host got its own program slot this year too: the German magazine Gitarre & Bass turned 40. Congratulations! Founded in 1986, the magazine has been the driving force behind Guitar Summit since 2017 and celebrated on Saturday with an anniversary talk and a meet and greet with its readers.
Guitar Summit 2027: Date and Early Bird Tickets
You can already mark the date in red on your calendar: the next Guitar Summit takes place from September 24 to 26, 2027, once again at Mannheim’s Rosengarten. Early bird tickets are already available here in the organizer’s ticket shop.
More Information
Guitar Summit 2026: We’re On Site for You!
Early Bird Tickets for Guitar Summit 2027
Guitar Summit Website
More From Guitar Summit
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