Latest articles by Alex Lynham
The Australian instrumentalists created beauty from tragedy with Departure Songs. Hard-fought third album A Single Flower is a breathtaking product of the journey they’ve been on so far, delivered via aluminum guitars and boatloads of pedals
The secret weapon behind LCD Soundsystem's bass tone is here at last, and it's... a Big Muff?
Score a looper for under $80 and spark your creativity with our pick of the best budget pedals from TC Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Boss and more
Walrus' latest Canvas pedal looks to take control of your MIDI-equipped pedals. A silver bullet, dream come true, or too niche by far?
For face-melting solos and keeping your audience on their toes, pitch shifters are a surefire way to inject something different into your tone
Make your riffs slap harder and solos fly higher with our expert selection of the best octave pedals you can buy today
Three all-American boutique pedals, at under $100 a pop. Too good to be true?
More is more with these budget do-it-all bargains from Zoom, Line 6, Mooer and NUX
Somehow Boss has condensed an iconic '80s rack unit down to a compact pedal – has something got to give?
IK Multimedia shrinks its AI-powered modeling tech into a micro pedal – and it sounds as awesome as anything in the TONEX family
The tiny modeler is not perfect, but it’s going to solve a lot of problems – particularly for players who are willing to put in a little time upfront
The Empire State Bastard riff-meister and Biffy Clyro guitarist has produced some of his best work with his latest solo album, Forgiveness & The Grain. He breaks down his otherworldly tone secrets, and explains what made The Verve’s Nick McCabe a guitar Jedi – and why the Pro Co Rat is the only distortion pedal you need
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
Whether rocking a Whammy or setting up for low-end drones and glitchy madness, these approaches can yield some dramatic results
These days, we take the tones for granted – the look and feel of modelers is the new battleground, and Fender is at the head of the pack
The Big Muff and Fuzz Face are the two most famous fuzz pedals ever produced. Let's compare the two
Considering one of these iconic Boss distortion pedals? Here's everything you need to know before you take the plunge
Ibanez Tube Screamer not doing it for you? Here’s our expert pick of killer Tube Screamer alternatives from EarthQuaker Devices, Mooer, JHS and more
My Bloody Valentine's sonic architect on how he made a fuzz pedal that responds like an amp, that time he gigged without his rig, and why he has an entire pedalboard for one part in one song…
The My Bloody Valentine guitar genius and offset expert says he has a method that achieves tuning stability without aftermarket components
A good compressor is a guitarist's best friend and this compact optical comp is the sort of pedal you might never turn off. Do the market-leading Boss and MXR comps need to be worried?
And now for something completely different: a cult pedal that combines ring modulation and distortion
For those who find the wah too much work, the envelope filter is a godsend. You'll get plenty of vocal, squelchy synth joy here – but does this DOD classic work better for bass?
