Latest articles by Rob Laing
Best practice amps 2025: hone your chops at home
My tried & tested pick of the best guitar practice amps to get your playing up to speed without any noise complaints
“Fender has stripped back the price – but has it gone too far paring back the sounds, too?” Fender Standard Acoustasonic Telecaster review
The Acoustasonic finally gets much more affordable for players, and some things have had to give to get there
"This seems like the missing link for anyone who uses an amp modeler at home": HeadRush FRFR-Go speaker cab review
HeadRush was early to spot a demand for giggable FRFR cabs in the market, and now it has seen another one for home users – has it got it right again?
"This could well be Harley Benton's most impressive electric guitar platform yet when it comes to value": Harley Benton ST-Modern HSS review
Can a more affordable version of its 2024 success story raise the bar for Benton?
"I'm not a big amp plugin user beyond recording – but my time with these three changed my playing habits": Universal Audio UAD Dream '65 Reverb, Ruby '63 Top Boost and Lion '68 Super Lead Amplifier plugins review
UA's acclaimed amp modeling pedals are channeled into native plugins – is the recipe right for recording and more?
Best acoustic electric guitars 2025: electro-acoustic picks for every type of player
Know your piezos from your transducers and experience the best of both worlds with models for beginners to pros and for every budget
"This is an upgrade in every sense": Boss Katana-Mini X guitar amplifier review
Boss makes its mini amp bigger – and worthier of the Katana name
“This is the most appealing combination of sounds I’ve heard on an Acoustasonic Player model to date – but there are still caveats”: Fender FINNEAS Acoustasonic Player Telecaster review
The first Acoustasonic signature model debuts onboard chorus and a new combination of sounds with it – but can it win new guitarists to Fender's hybrid guitar?
Best Squier guitars 2025: Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jaguars and more for the budget-conscious player
From budget Teles, to vintage-spec’d Strats, we look at the best Squiers available today
Best acoustic guitars under $1,000 in 2025: get great tone for less
Enjoy superb playability and sound with our guide to the top mid-priced acoustics
Best travel guitars 2025: top acoustic and electric travel guitars for portability and performance
Top travel guitar choices and buying advice for musicians on the move
18 ways to improve your guitar tone
Tone is one of the most hotly debated aspects of guitar playing. Read on as we look at the best ways to optimize your setup and get more from your guitar rig
Martin Shawn Mendes 000JR-10E review
Shawn Mendes's signature 000 Junior foregrounds sustainability but also offers a tone that's bold and ready for open mic night
Fender Mustang LT40S review
The Big F's desktop amp presents guitar players with an affordable and inspiring tool for practice. But how does it measure up in an increasingly crowded field?
Fender Acoustasonic Player Jazzmaster review
The American Acoustasonic was widely regarded as the most versatile of Fender's bold hybrid range yet, but how does it translate to the more affordable Player Series?
Harley Benton Evil Twin review
An uber-affordable dual-drive pedal that doubles down on the value to help you stock up that pedalboard for less
Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 1 review
Blackstar gets serious about scaling down with a pedalboard amp that has all the mod cons
Squier 40th Anniversary Jazzmaster Gold Edition review
The classic Fender offset gets the gold treatment for Squier's big birthday
Positive Grid Spark Mini review
The Spark 40 has got a smaller 10W sibling and it offers a similarly audacious range of sounds and functions in a non-more-portable format – and [spoilers] it sounds huge
Positive Grid Spark review
With features such as Smart Jam and Auto Chord, is this the future of desktop amplification?
SoundLad Liverpool Scran review
One of the most versatile Brit-rock in a box drives at this price? Definitely maybe
Fender Paramount PD-220E review
Is this stunning all-mahogany dreadnought the new benchmark for electro-acoustics at this price? The evidence suggests as much
