What’s it like being the guitar player everyone’s talking about? We wouldn’t know… But that’s why we stopped by the Yamaha booth at NAMM 2026 to talk to Matteo Mancuso!
We got to chat all about his custom Yamaha Revstar, how he finds inspiration for the writing process, what guitar skills he’s jealous of, and what’s coming in the near future. Check out the Matteo Mancuso interview for yourself, right here at AMS!
Why the Yamaha Revstar?
When you think about iconic guitars, it’s easy to jump to the Gibson Les Paul or the Fender Stratocaster. But Matteo Mancuso decided against all the “legendary” guitars and went for the Yamaha Revstar. It might seem like a random choice for such a ridiculous player, but there’s a good reason — several, actually!
Matteo started playing on a Gibson SG. He liked the light, solidbody design with double cutaways for easy upper fret access. It also (obviously) has amazing distorted tones when you really want to rock out. However, he felt it lacked some of the cleaner tones he needed for jazz licks.
The Revstar, on the other hand, is super versatile. It can do the cleans, the distortion, and everything in between. It’s also incredibly dynamic, which is especially important for a fingerstyle player like Matteo Mancuso.
Matteo has also stated that he likes using the Revstar because it’s not associated with a “type” of player. When you play a Les Paul, people expect you to play stuff like Slash or Jimmy Page. But when you play a Revstar, it’s a blank canvas to be yourself.
At NAMM 2026, Yamaha was showing off the latest Matteo Mancuso Custom Revstar, but he got his start playing the regular ol’ standard model. And his custom model isn’t actually that much different! If you’re looking for a new guitar (like we all are), the Yamaha Revstar is definitely worth a look. Matteo has been a Yamaha artist since 2017 and is still a huge fan of the Revstar — along with many of their other models.
Finding Inspiration in All Forms of Art
How does Matteo Mancuso find inspiration to write his songs? Stealing from other artists! Okay, not really, but kinda.
We all browse social media from time to time. And if you’re a musician, you likely follow a lot of other musicians. If someone happens to post a tasty riff or lick, you might want to try and figure it out for yourself. Matteo Mancuso isn’t any different. Much of his inspiration comes from other musicians on the internet. If he hears something he likes, he’ll transcribe it and then add his own flare. It’s basically the modern equivalent of listening to that Led Zeppelin record a thousand times trying to learn that specific Jimmy Page solo section.
According to Matteo, transcribing is the best way to learn difficult parts. “If you get a line you don’t understand, I need to figure out how to do it.” By writing it down, you can see the music on the page, break it down into its parts, and study it more thoroughly.
Matteo also told us that he likes to find inspiration in some non-musical things. He likes to visit art galleries, read books, and go for walks, which often get the inspirational juices flowing. Food is also a form of art that can inspire the music — but where oh where can you find a good bite to eat in Italy…?
According to Mancuso, just getting away from the guitar for a little while is one of the best ways to get inspired.
Styles that Make Matteo Mancuso Green with Envy
Matteo can play. There’s no doubt about that. But he usually sticks with fingerstyle, either on a classical acoustic or his Yamaha electric. Does he ever see other techniques that he’s jealous of? Of course!
The biggest “jealousy” (if you can even call it that) comes from bluegrass and gypsy jazz players. Matteo says he sometimes wishes he could get the volume and projection out of his acoustic that they can get with a pick.
“There’s just something about the sound you get with a pick, especially with an acoustic guitar, that is not quite the same with the fingers.” Those bluegrass and gypsy jazz players can really crank the volume and get that percussive tone through their guitars. However…
“Of course, there’s also things you can do with the fingers that you can’t do with a pick.” That’s why you still won’t find Matteo rocking the pick any time soon. He’d rather stick with his own unique style — and for that, we’re grateful!
But if you want to learn new skills, Matteo says, “Some of the best lessons of my life were trying to play with a good drummer.”
Clicks are okay, but a real drummer is the way to go. That way, you learn to listen, adapt, and can react to what another musician is doing. You learn how to fit in a mix — which is incredibly important for any guitarists to learn.
What’s Coming in 2026
Matteo Mancuso is a very busy guy in 2026. When the NAMM show came around, Matteo was already most of the way through his U.S. tour that wrapped in February, and he has a European tour that starts in April. Both tours were to support his latest album release, which drops April 24, 2026 — so keep an eye out!
And, of course, he’s showing off a lot of new material on the upcoming shows, along with his new Yamaha Custom Revstar. If you want to check out Matteo Mancuso on the road, be sure to visit his website. And if you want to check out the Yamaha Revstar for yourself, stay right here at American Musical Supply! We have all the best Yamaha guitars and gear that are sure to fit any style.
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