Articles by: Alex Lynham

Alex Lynham

Alex Lynham is a gear obsessive who's been collecting and building modern and vintage equipment since he got his first Saturday job. Besides reviewing countless pedals for Total Guitar, he's written guides on how to build your first pedal, how to build a tube amp from a kit, and briefly went viral when he released a glitch delay pedal, the Atom Smasher.

Articles by: Alex Lynham

The best delay pedals 2021: 11 top recommendations for your pedalboard

By Alex Lynham

Whether you prefer digital or analog delay pedals, the options in this round-up will help boost your creativity on the guitar

The 8 best fuzz pedals 2021: add some filth with this guitar effects essential for your pedalboard

By Alex Lynham

Want to know your Fuzz Face from your Fuzz Factory, or channel Jimi Hendrix? This guide is for you

The 7 best cheap looper pedals 2021: essential budget loopers for your ‘board

By Alex Lynham

Yes, it really is possible to land a budget looper pedal from just $79 – we’ve got options from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss and more

The best reverb pedals 2021: 12 great options for your pedalboard

By Michael Astley-Brown, Alex Lynham

Take a deep dive into the cavernous world of 'verb and explore the best reverb pedals for every budget

Best distortion pedals 2021: the top 11 high-gain stompboxes for guitarists

By Jonathan Horsley, Alex Lynham

Crunch, filth, mayhem! Dive into our expert round-up of the best distortion pedals available today

5 ways My Bloody Valentine changed the sound of guitar playing forever

By Alex Lynham

A deep dive into the forces behind MBV's formidable shoegaze approach, and how their pioneering take on the electric guitar changed the future of the instrument

The 8 best noise gate pedals 2021: clean up your signal with the best noise gate pedals for guitar

By Alex Lynham

Unwanted noise in your chain? A noise gate pedal could be the solution

Best Klon clones 2021: Our pick of the best Klon Centaur Klones for every budget

By Alex Lynham

From straight-up klones to full reimaginings, here are some of the best Klon Centaur-inspired pedals on the market today

The 13 best guitar amps 2021: the top tube, solid-state and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets

By Chris Corfield, Alex Lynham

These are the best combo amps and heads from Marshall, Fender, Orange, Boss, Kemper and more

11 best looper pedals 2021: become a more creative live guitar player with a loop pedal

By Alex Lynham

From channeling Ed Sheeran to boosting your live performances, these are the best looper pedals from TC Electronic, Boss, Pigtronix and more

12 best multi-effects pedals for guitarists 2021: top do-it-all guitar effects units

By Alex Lynham, Chris Corfield, Daryl Robertson

The best floorboard FX modelers on the market for all budgets, including gear from Line 6, Boss, Neural DSP and Fractal Audio

12 killer cheap guitar pedals you need to try

By Alex Lynham

Stock up on new sounds for less with these awesome cheap guitar pedals, starting from just $19

Blackstar Live Logic review

By Alex Lynham

A compact MIDI controller for Ableton that's designed especially for guitarists

Alpha Male Tea Party's Tom Peters: "Throwing a simple major-key riff together wasn't doing it for me any more… I thought, 'How can I use melody differently?'"

By Alex Lynham

The instrumental riff-meister and keen-eared producer details the personal struggle behind making monumental new album, Infinity Stare, and his secret formula for killer guitar tone

The best guitar pedals for beginners: everything you need to know to kickstart your pedalboard

By Alex Lynham

Don't know your RAT from your Whammy? Your Tube Screamer from your Big Muff? We're here to help you take your first steps into the world of guitar effects

The 11 best mini-pedals for guitarists 2021: our pick of space-saving effects

By Guitar World Staff, Alex Lynham

Short on space? Try these miniature marvels for your pedalboard

El Ten Eleven's Kristian Dunn: "I'm not even a guitar player, I'm a bass player. I'm faking my way through it!"

By Alex Lynham

The post-rock duo's leader on how he builds a blockbuster bass sound, his expansive live rig and why Tautology ended up as a triple album

9 best patch cables 2021: tidy up your ‘board with the best patch leads

By Alex Lynham

Need to organize a messy pedalboard? Patch cables are a simple and creative cable solution for your guitar pedals

Best wah pedals 2021: add an essential tone-shaping effect to your pedalboard

By Alex Lynham

Get to know your Cry Baby from your Bad Horsie and choose the best wah pedal for you

9 best boost pedals 2021: including the best clean boost pedals for guitar

By Alex Lynham

Vamp up your tone with the best boost pedals for guitarists, as well as the best clean boost pedals for making your electric guitar solos really sing

The 7 best flanger pedals 2021: the best flange pedals from Strymon, Boss, TC Electronic and more

By Alex Lynham

From jet flange to old school tape cool, we've got the lowdown on the best flanger pedals on the market

The best overdrive pedals 2021: explore which drive pedal is right for you

By Alex Lynham

Overdrive is one of the most essential guitar effects pedals. These are our top picks for every budget

Close-up shot of Boss Loopstation RC-1 pedal

7 creative ways to use a looper pedal

By Alex Lynham

Everything you need to start creating with a guitar looper, from stutter effects to drones

The best amp modelers 2021: rack-mounted and floorboard options for every budget and type of guitarist

By Alex Lynham

Think you need an amp modeler but not sure how they work or where to start? We've got you covered

Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer overdrive pedal

Classic gear: Ibanez Tube Screamer

By Alex Lynham

Everything you need to know about the world's most iconic overdrive pedal