Harley Benton launches new DIY guitar kits – and one lets you carve the body yourself By Jonathan Horsley published 27 November 23 Forget dry-walling and tiling the bathroom. Here's a DIY project we can all get behind
Paul McCartney’s “Paul McCartney Woz Here!” Hofner bass and a ’62 Strat played by the Beatles are headed to the auction block – and big money bids are forecasted By Jonathan Horsley published 27 November 23 Elvis’ “Loving You” Gibson LG-1 acoustic has left the building, too – a little less conversation, a little more auction…
The best discounts I've seen this Cyber Monday are almost all on bass guitars – with up to 44% off some of our best-reviewed models By Matt Parker published 26 November 23 Bass discounts eclipse the offers on guitars this year – with almighty savings to be had on Fender, Spector, Guild, Squier, Sterling by Music Man and many more, it's a good time to go bass shopping
“There’s no better time than now to make your move”: Line 6 continues to set the pace in the modeling arms race with yet another free feature-packed Helix firmware update By Matt Owen published 17 November 23 A sought-after stock sim based on the Marshall JCM800 2203 and a suite of new effects heads up the “game-changing” update that looks to tempt players to the Line 6 ranks
“The ultimate multi-tool for guitar players”? Taylor’s upgraded Beacon might just be the most versatile clip-on tuner ever made By Matt Owen published 15 November 23 Don't be fooled by its humble appearance – this five-in-one playing companion does so much more than just help keep your guitar in tune
“The music we created is going to outlive us all. It’s time we go out and serve the fans that music, while we still can”: Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony announce The Best of All Worlds – the next best thing to a Van Halen tribute tour By Jackson Maxwell published 14 November 23 Though not explicitly a tribute, Hagar promises that the summer 2024 trek will feature a very Van Halen-heavy setlist
“When they shot smoke, the crowd went wild!”: Dusty Hill’s Hot Rod car bass, custom built by Wayne Charvel for ZZ Top’s Eliminator tour, hides a few secrets beneath the hood – now it’s up for auction By Matt Parker published 10 November 23 Check out the automobile-inspired build that powered some of the band’s most iconic appearances in the early-’80s
“The game-changing pick you never knew you needed”: Offset fever reaches guitar picks as Fender launches Offset Picks By Michael Astley-Brown published 6 November 23 The offset guitar boom shows no sign of abating, and Fender reckons its wonky shape results in “the most versatile pick ever”
“A backline in your gigbag and a macrocosm of next-level tonal excellence”: Could the Two Notes Opus be the only guitar amp your pedalboard needs? By Matt Owen published 2 November 23 The feature-packed unit takes the Torpedo CAB design to new heights, with an expanded preamp and power amp simulation section and greater connectivity options
Sweetwater’s massive early Black Friday sale just launched with up to 70% off guitar gear – these are our top picks By Chris Corfield published 2 November 23 With big reductions on PRS SE electrics, 25% off selected Mesa/Boogie amps and rare reductions on this year’s UAFX pedals, why wait until Black Friday itself?
“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear. It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it – it’s a genuine Beatles recording”: The final Beatles song, Now and Then, has been released at last – but is it any good? By Jackson Maxwell published 2 November 23 Built from a John Lennon demo, Now and Then features newly recorded contributions from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, with additional guitar work from the late George Harrison
“The perfect meld of versatility and precision”: Walrus Audio’s ultra-accurate Canvas Tuner lets you upload your own photos for ultimate personalization – and we want one By Matt Owen published 1 November 23 A screenshot of your setlist? How about some positive affirmations? Walrus Audio's new tuner has a screensaver mode that lets you get mighty creative
Mooer’s pocket-sized Prime P2 unit is an effects pedal, amp modeler and audio interface all in one that has apparently “refined the concept of a digital effects device” By Matt Owen published 1 November 23 Is this touchscreen-equipped Swiss army effects interface the future of multi-function guitar units?
Ernie Ball Music Man just dropped the Retro ‘70s StingRay bass range – and Brazilian thump master Fernando Rosa has demoed them in impeccable style By Nick Wells published 1 November 23 Ernie Ball's new throwback StingRay combines ‘70s-inspired features with modern playability
“An excellent gift for anyone with more pedals than necklaces. Because spoiler: they're ALL necklaces now”: This patch cable chain turns any pedal into neckwear By Matt Parker published 1 November 23 The Signal Chain ingeniously converts any pedal into a highly fashionable necklace
“The pedal your ’board has been waiting for”? Zoom unveils the next generation of its cult classic MultiStomp pedal, cramming 100 effects into a $129 compact stompbox By Michael Astley-Brown published 30 October 23 The MS-50G+ multi-FX can be any effect you want it to be, including an amp modeler with impulse responses – and it offers serious competition to the Line 6 HX One
“Punk rock should be accessible – I think it’s very cool to be somebody’s potential first bass”: Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz partners with Sterling by Music Man for its first full-scale passive bass By Nick Wells published 26 October 23 Spotlighting his punk roots, the Pete Wentz Artist Series StingRay is visually inspired by watches and skateboards
“I’m trying to show the world that a bass player can do many things”: Watch the first trailer for Geddy Lee’s new docuseries, featuring Les Claypool and Robert Trujillo By Nick Wells published 26 October 23 Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too? also stars Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic and former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur
"We were still gluing the fur on the tuning keys when the FedEx driver showed up to pick up the guitars": The iconic fur-covered spinning bass from ZZ Top's Legs video is going up for auction By Jackson Maxwell published 24 October 23 Made by Dean Zelinsky, the bass is the crown jewel of a forthcoming auction of the late Dusty Hill's instrument and memorabilia collection
Bassists, ditch your pedalboards: the Sterling by Music Man DarkRay features two Darkglass distortion circuits in one bass By Nick Wells published 24 October 23 The Music Man DarkRay is now available as a more budget-friendly Sterling offering