Guitar Summit 2025: Where Tone, Technique & Total Guitar Obsession Unite

Get ready: gearheads, luthiers, shredders, dreamers—Guitar Summit 2025 is here, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most electrifying editions yet. From boutique builds to all-star concerts, this year’s summit delivers a three-day immersion in guitars, tone, technique, and inspiration.

By Dara Christine

Why This Edition Feels Special

Every Summit has its own vibe, and 2025 looks like it’s pulling ahead: more international talent, bigger masterclasses, cutting-edge gear, and the kind of spontaneous moments that aren’t on the program but become the talked-about memories (that All-Star Jam, anyone?). For anyone serious about tone, technique, or just being inspired by what guitars can do—this is the one.

If you’re a player with even a sliver of the gear obsession, Guitar Summit 2025 is going to feed you. Make sure your rig is ready, your ears are primed, and your notebook is blank—because inspiration hits, and you’ll want to capture every freak-tone moment.

Dates, Location & Hours

• When: 26-28 September 2025 
• Where: m:con Congress Center Rosengarten, Mannheim, Germany (Rosengartenplatz 2, 68161) 
• Exhibition & Workshop Hours: • Friday: 11:00-19:00 daily • Saturday: 11:00-19:00  • Sunday: 11:00-17:00 
• Concert Nights: • Friday night: ~16:30/4:30pm until about 23:00/11pm  • Saturday night: ~17:00/5:00pm until ~23:00/11pm

Top Exhibitors & Gear Highlights

If you live for amps, pedals, boutique guitars and those rare pieces that make you drool—this is your playground. Some of the confirmed big names:

• Mayones Guitars & Basses will be at Booth 159, showing not just their regular lineup, but also premiere models earmarked for 2026. Expect killer craftsmanship and serious tone. 
• Harley Benton returns, bringing guitars, acoustics, pedals, amps—and yes, brand-new gear that probably hasn’t hit the shelves yet. Booth 189. 

There’s also a massive Exhibitor List section with layout maps (Electric, Boutique, Acoustic & Boutique, etc.) so you can plan your routes, try stuff, hang with the builders. Regular exhibitor spaces are fully booked; if you’re late you’ll be wait-listed.

Concerts & Live Action

This is where tone meets show-manship. The Friday & Saturday “Night in Concert” slots are included in the ticket price—no hidden fees. 

Here are some of the acts who’ll cause sparks:

Friday

• Sophie Chassée – modern fingerstyle + voice, beautiful nuance. 
• Petteri Sariola with special guest Mike Dawes – expect percussive techniques, open tunings, groove + melody. 
• Kaki King – visually stunning performance, experimental guitar, sonic textures. 
• The Bros. Landreth – soul, slide guitar, deep emotional weight. Andy Wood joins them. 

Saturday

• Wallis Bird – raw energy, honest songwriting. 
• INSTRA_MENTALS – fusion of funk, improvisation, tight musicianship with Yolanda Charles, Nick Linnik, Nicolas Viccaro. 
• “All-Star Jam with Andy Wood & Band” – possibly the highlight: Andy Timmons, Frank Bello, Billy Sheehan, Alex Skolnick, Plini and more on one stage. Expect surprises, spontaneous solos, tone fireworks. 

Masterclasses & Workshops: Deep Gear-Tech & Technique

For those who want more than just watching, the Summit offers masterclasses that go deep into playing, tone, sound design, and rig building. Think luthiery, fingerstyle, progressive techniques, tone shaping, and more. Here are some you can’t miss:

• “The Art of Melodic Guitar Playing” with Andy Timmons – phrasing, dynamics, solos, compositional voice. 
• Plini, Creative Guitar & Composition Insights – his process, chord choices, layering, tone, production. 
• Beyond the Genres with Andy Wood – blending rock, jazz, country, fusion; advanced techniques + stagecraft. 
• Jazz to Metal with Alex Skolnick – shifting from clean to distortion, navigating genre boundaries, improvisation and tone. 
• Other notable clinics include: “Percussive Fingerstyle Essentials”, “The Dumble Myth: Tone, History & Hands-On Experience”, “Sound, Feel & Inspiration” by Joey Landreth, “Philip Sayce’s Approach to Guitar”, etc. 

Workshops are limited-slot (especially masterclasses), so if technical depth, gear insights, or tone refinement is your thing, you’ll want to lock those in early. Tickets are required; many sessions already sold out or close to full.

Gear Nerd Highlights: What to Watch For

Here are some of the tech & gear things I’m most excited to see and try:

• New guitars and basses from Mayones + boutique makers: custom woods, finish, pickups, hardware combinations.
• Pedals & effects: both nostalgic analog stompboxes and new digital/amp-modeling hybrids.
• Boutique amps, especially ones with dynamic response / unusual designs. Possibly even rare vintage ones.
• Workshops that break down rig setups: from cable choice, amp tubes vs solid-state, speaker cabinets, cabinet impulse responses, etc. (for tone junkies, these are gold).
• Tone shaping live: with fingerstyle, slide, and ambient effects mixed with live looping or percussive techniques.

Tickets, Pricing & Extra Info

• 3-Day Ticket: ~ €79, includes both concert nights and workshops. 
• Day Tickets: ~ €55 for Friday or Saturday, Sunday is cheaper (~ €33) as concerts wrap up earlier. Kids / youth tickets available. 
• Masterclasses: separate fees (~€119) depending on class. Limited spots, some already sold out. 
• Getting There: • By train: Mannheim has good connections; special DB event-tickets around the period.  • Local transit / tram / bus options to Rosengarten (“Wasserturm” tram stops, etc.)
• Exhibitor booths are fully booked; waitlist possible. Price per sq meter ~ €259 net.

Key Sessions & Artists You Can’t Miss

This weekend Mannheim becomes the loudest, most inspiring city in Europe. Guitar Summit 2025 is not just an expo—it’s three days of pure tone hunting, masterclasses with the players who actually push the instrument forward, and gear you won’t find anywhere else. If you’re the kind of guitarist who needs to hear, touch, and feel every detail before calling it “your sound,” this is the place to be. Don’t just scroll through the highlights later—plug in, walk the halls, and join the summit while it’s happening.

Photo Credits : Guitar Summit.