Orange Amps is expanding its Baby guitar amp line with the Baby Terror – a 20-watt solid-state lunchbox head built for backpacks, desktops and small stages.

Looking like something you could easily lose down the back of a sofa, it offers Gain and Volume controls, alongside a three-band EQ and Presence dial. The amp is specifically voiced to take in both “warm rounded cleans, classic crunch, and cutting drive.”

It’s also been designed with overdrive pedals in mind. A Tubby switch pushes the low end earlier into the signal path to increase the fullness and body of its tone, particularly with cleaner tones. Disengaging it brings a leaner sound to the fore.

A second footswitchable Volume control has also been added for when more thrust is needed in a mix, such as for lead boosts. Orange says this won’t color the gain in the process.

It’s generously kitted out round the back, with an effects loop and a balanced line out with ground lift for live use and home recording. It also offers the option to pair it with their preferred Impulse Responses. And for the cab enthusiasts, there are 8- and 16-ohm speaker outputs.

The Baby Terror features a single-ended, class A, JFET front end and comes with a quality padded custom-designed protective bag.

“It’s a pretty versatile little thing,” says Orange’s chief amp wizard, Ade Emsley. “It’s way more versatile than the previous offerings in this format.

“It’s essentially channel A from the Dual Baby, he adds, with two footswitchable Volume controls and four stages of cascading, single-ended JFET gain, so it sounds very tube-like.”

Orange’s Baby amps have proven to have a bigger bite than their diminutive forms suggest, making them a surprise hit, and so Orange revitalizing the recipe is nothing but a good thing.

It comes off the back of Ed Sheeran’s well-received signature acoustic amps, and the OR60 head, its purest-sounding head yet.

The Orange Baby Terror is available now for $249/£199/€229.

See Orange Amps for more.

It’s impossible to hear the line “Do you have the time to listen to me whine?” without immediately conjuring the sound of Billie Joe Armstrong’s palm-muted modded Marshall tone. Over the last 30 years, Green Day’s 1994 major label debut, Dookie, has become not just a cultural touchstone, but a tonal one.

The ultimate distillation of producer Rob Cavallo’s rock sound perfectly partnered with the Green Day guitarist’s chunky power chords, producing one of the most familiar and beloved tones in modern history.

It’s not surprising then that Armstrong and Marshall have teamed up to bottle that sound on a custom handwired signature head – the 1959BJA Billie Joe Armstrong Artist Signature, lovingly finished in a colorway inspired by the guitarist’s iconic Fernandes Strat, Blue.

What is surprising is that it’s taken this long. After decades of stagnation, and with new investment courtesy of its flourishing home audio wing, Marshall is beginning to look like a brand reborn. Steph Carter, director of Culture Marketing, and Jon Magill, Director of R&D, Amplifiers, tell us how the firm’s first signature amp in well over a decade came to be.

This is Marshall’s first signature amp in 14 years. Why now?

Carter: It started when we had Billie in one of our campaigns for the Monitor headphones. Most of the comments in those posts were, “This is great. Where's the Dookie amp?” So we ran with that.

We thought, “What better way to re-kick off signature products for the company?” It’s an amp that's talked about in so many different ways, with a band who have transcended from being a punk rock band to being a household name.

Given the long gap since the last Marshall signature amp, was there an element of having to rebuild the infrastructure before this could happen?

Magill: Yeah, a lot of the people who would have been involved in these signature things had moved on to other places since that time. It all had to be worked out fresh.

We had to work out, “How was it done in the past?” and “How are we going to put all of this in place to make this work so that we can make a really great product, satisfy all of these customers and do it in a kind of time- and energy-efficient manner?” So a bit of a challenge!

What was the starting point for the design then? Were you using an existing platform, a Plexi build, as a base?

Magill: Starting with the schematics and photos, which were sent over from Billie's team, it was about making sure that we got all of the bits that were important – certain capacitors and things.

We knew that one of Billie’s amps is based on not the handwire we do now, but the old SLP reissue, which was built on the ST1 PCB board. We didn't know how much that was a factor in the sound. So we built up an amp that way, and we compared those.

Then there was a third variant involving some changed modifications; we built all of that and it was, “Now we've got to ship those over and see what Billie thinks.”

If someone opened up the original and compared it side by side, would it look the same inside?

Magill: No – that wasn't quite the intention. Certainly, one of Billie’s amps is based on that ST1 board. But in terms of what he thought of the sound, there was a preference for the handwired over the old PCB, which is fortunate because it's closer to what we’re producing now.

We could have gone down either route, but there was a strong preference for handwired, so maybe it looks slightly nicer on the inside than Billie's amp! But what we’ve ended up with is something with high-quality craftsmanship – UK-built, handwired, all that stuff – but which sonically reflects the character of that original amp.

How many iterations did you go through?

Magill: I think there was a rough prototype, then these three different versions, and then when we narrowed it down to one version, we had to go through the process of getting that production-ready. We were pretty quick. I think we managed to do it all within about three or four months, which is good.

Carter: It was quite easy. They were really on board from the beginning. They loved the idea of it. No one’s ever done an official version of this with their seal of approval.

We got to the final three for them to make the decision, “Do we go down a handwired route? Do we go down one that's based off like a 2203 board?” So we sent them all three. They plugged into the handwired one first, and they were like, “That’s the sound,” straight away.

They tried the other two; went straight back to the handwired one and A/B-ed against his rig and it was like, “We want this in the rig. It sounds better.”

It felt good for us that not only have we been able to make this work and deliver it quickly, but the feedback coming from their team was that this possibly edged out his number one. That was a really good starting point.

What can you say about the mods and what they do compared to the traditional circuit?

Magill: The starting point was the 1959, which is the non-Master Volume, classic, very loud but maybe slightly uncontrollable Marshall sound. The mod converts it into a Master Volume model – something people did since the ’70s, converting them.

It’s kind of where the 2203 and then the Master Volume models come in – converting so that you have one gain and one master volume, rather than the two channels, which you can blend.

So it does that, but it also adds more gain and changes the filtering in the unit so you end up with something which sounds generally bigger and more exciting – more lively to play – than your standard Marshall Master Volumes.

I hadn't realized how much fun it was going to be to play until I plugged into one. It does its own thing. It’s incredibly versatile. It might be very much Billie’s sound, but it’s surprised so many people when they’ve plugged into it.

What sort of feedback have you had from Billie?

Carter: We took the amp over in January to shoot a video with him, and it was really interesting. He brought an array of guitars with him. He brought one of his Les Paul Juniors with him. I think it was a ’56 Custom, and he bought his Blue Strat.

His guitar tech, Hans Buscher, was doing a bit of a setup and playing through everything, then he turned around to everyone and was like, “Sounds good. Does anyone want a go on his guitar and amps?” I was like, “I'll have a go!” The first thing I did was play a Green Day riff and I was like, “It sounds like Green Day!”

Then Billie comes in a little later, plugs in, puts the guitar on, and plays When I Come Around. And he’s like, “That's the sound.” He just absolutely loved being with it, and it did exactly what we set out for it to do. This is the sound of that amp. Especially his hands with that blue guitar. It’s unbelievable.

It’s been great to see Marshall coming back into its own in recent years. This is another landmark moment. How has it felt working on this?

Carter: It’s been amazing. Internally, we know the power of the brand and we know what we can achieve. It's been great to take what we know we can do and bring it to fruition. We've made some amazing jumps in the last two or three years since the creation of the Marshall Group, and we haven’t even gotten started yet.

Magill: It's great to be involved in these things which are related to iconic moments in music history – to be making something that’s going to excite the guitarist community, and allow people to have their own contact with those musical things which are so special to them. Modifying amps is also great fun! As Steph says, we want to see how much more we can do.

So what’s next for the Marshall signature series? There’s clearly more to come…

Carter: I think that's about as much as I can give you.

Magill: I think Steph's got a to-do list for me!

Carter: Me and Jon have got a lot of good conversations coming in the future. There’s so much love for the brand – there always will be – and the more we’re coming into this space and showing up for the musicians, the more musicians are saying, “Hey, I've got this thing,” or, “What about this amp in my collection?”

There’s lots of exciting things in front of us. I just need to give Jon a couple of heart attacks first on how big the list is and see what we can come up with. Then we can share with the world what kind of crazy, mad scientist stuff we're going to do.

This is obviously a handwired UK build and is priced at the higher end of the scale. Are there conversations around a more affordable option coming at some point?

Carter: Maybe… maybe not!

I’ll take that as “watch this space.” Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Carter: Just going back to the things that Jon said about what this amp can do. When we did the video with Billy, we took it to Rob Cavallo. The history behind the amp is Billie used a modded Marshall in Rob’s studio that became the Dookie amp. Rob still has that amp.

We had the realization that while this is the Dookie amp, Rob has used that amp on pretty much every record he’s ever made. So this amp could also be the sound of My Chemical Romance, the sound of Paramore, the sound of the Goo Goo Dolls, the sound of Linkin Park. It's such a versatile amp in its own right.

• Find out more at Marshall.com.

Guitar World video demo

What is it?

Growing up watching MTV in the 2000s, the deluge of mega-hit singles from Green Day's American Idiot was inescapable.

The world was enthralled by the songwriting, attitude and visuals of the title cut, Holiday, Wake Me Up When September Ends and the epic Jesus of Suburbia – but don't forget the magnificent guitar sound too.

Of course, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong had years of form in that department already – the band's 1994 breakthrough album Dookie is also well-known for its tone; that sound has been replicated for several successful runs of MXR's Dookie Drive.

There's a common thread, and it's a pair of Marshall amplifiers - two Super Lead reissues which Armstrong acquired around the Dookie era and then had modified. These have formed the backbone of Armstrong's tight, percussive, snarling tone ever since; over Green Day's long, highly successful career, then, these two Marshalls have left a sizeable footprint on rock history.

Now, the British brand has chosen to commemorate Armstrong with a hand-wired signature amp, based on those long-serving Super Leads with their so-called ‘Dookie mods’.

Marshall's model code for the 100-watt Super Lead is 1959 (nothing to do with the year; a common misconception) - so this amp becomes the 1959BJA.

Specs

• Price: $3,999 | £3,099 | €3,699
• Type: Valve-powered amp head
• Origin: UK
• Output: 100 watts RMS
• Speaker: None
• Channels: 1
• Controls: Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master, Gain
• Connectivity: Front panel 2x ¼” instrument inputs - Low and High gain. Rear panel 2x ¼” speaker outputs (selectable impedance, 16, 8 or 4 ohm)
• Footswitch: None
• Weight: 20.1 kg / 44.3 lbs
• Dimensions: W 741mm x H 294mm x D 210mm
• Contact: Marshall

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

As expected, given its price and top-rung status, the head is put together with care and precision, in the factory that’s been turning out these big old amps for generations. It's a hand-wired, British-built Marshall; the componentry, assembly and finishing is all tried-and-tested.

The front panel has ‘Master’ and ‘Gain’ screen-printed in the style of a label-maker, a fun little touch that calls to mind modified amps of yesteryear. In the top corner, there's a commemorative plate in Marshall's trademark brass, bearing the model name, the ‘Dookie’ logo, and Armstrong's signature. It's a nice addition that stamps some artist personality onto the amp, without being overbearing.

Like other Super Lead models, though, the head shell's corners are unprotected. That's an oversight in terms of durability - it might not be such a worry on a normal, more functional-looking black Marshall, but do you want that tasty blue Tolex getting scuffed and torn?

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★☆☆

The construction is gloriously traditional, then, but so is the form factor - and that's not without its old-fashioned flaws. There's one central handle on top, and the amp’s substantial weight is unevenly-biased; it's tilting uncomfortably against you all the time you're carrying it. Practical it ain't - but once it's sitting on a cab, the BJA looks cool enough to forgive it for the backache… almost.

The front panel, meanwhile, offers some clues to the amp's character before you even switch on. For a kick-off, we've two inputs, not the Super Lead's usual four - just Low and High, for different gain stages. Importantly, there are also controls for Gain and Master Volume. These functions point not towards the Super Lead, but the later JCM 800 model. Interesting.

As for the rear panel - well, there are the speaker outputs, impedance and mains voltage selectors, as well as a nice silk-screen of Armstrong's signature, but not much else in the way of features. In particular, the lack of an effects loop seems a notable oversight; anyone using effects will have to do so through the amp input, which severely restricts functionality for delay or reverb pedals in particular.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★★

I tested the BJA through an industry-standard Marshall 1960A cab, with my humbucker-equipped Les Paul (the ideal pairing for most Marshalls) and my prized 1962 SG/Les Paul Junior. Armstrong has been relying on Juniors for many years, so this is surely the most appropriate guitar to start with.

The Low input first, with Gain and EQ controls around 12 o'clock. It's a bright, punchy and ringing clean tone; classic Marshall. Winding the Gain up, I ducked the Bass down to keep the low-end tight. The BJA began exhibiting those classic ‘Plexi’ overdrive characteristics we've heard on countless recordings.

The Master volume allows this to happen at *slightly* more sensible levels but, make no mistake, this amp is ridiculously, devastatingly, extravagantly loud. From my rehearsal room, I caused numerous earthquakes throughout Bedfordshire with the knob at a mere 10 o'clock. I once measured a dimed Marshall DSL100 at 124dB, and I've no doubt the BJA would top that. Earplugs are non-negotiable.

That's to say nothing of the High input. With the Gain only around 10 o'clock and the Master towards noon, there's already a hell of a lot of gain, the P-90 in my Junior tipping into feedback without any encouragement - but those ‘Dookie’ mods pay dividends, as this is the sound in every Green Day fan's head. Fat, and full of midrange punch, but with superb definition in the high-end.

At the upper reaches of the Gain knob, it's far beyond Green Day - well into classic metal territory with a Les Paul, for example. As the controls suggest, the BJA does operate much like a JCM 800, and has easily as much gain available, but the voicing is still Super Lead through and through. In a word? Magnificent.

Verdict

Artist signature Marshall amps don't come along all that often and, however good they are, they tend to be hard to get hold of - often amounting to little more than catnip for collectors, buying them to speculate while the general public gets barely a sniff. That may well prove to be the case here too - but does this amp deserve better?

Yes, it's far too loud for almost any situation short of Green Day’s stadium tours. Yes, it’s highly impractical and inflexible, lacking any modern conveniences whatsoever; forget power scaling or reactive load, it doesn't even have an effects loop. The most modern feature is the master volume.

If it were a series production amp, this would certainly be a limiting factor in its appeal, but the market for this hand-wired status symbol likely won’t care. And if you do happen to get into a room with one, and a decent guitar, you tend to forget about all that as it pulverises your brain and eardrums – into Brain Stew, if you will.

This review might be academic for many, who wouldn’t have any use for such an amp even if it were attainable. Imagine if it were a readily-available 20-watt Studio model with the same voicing, though. We can but dream.

Guitar World verdict: The Marshall 1959BJA is the first artist-signature Marshall amp in over a decade, and it might remain out of the grasp of many - but the modified Super Lead tone, in a format that apes the master-volume JCM 800, is truly a magnificent playing experience. Try it, if you can.

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• Best tube amps: unlock incredible tone with our pick of the greatest tube amps you can buy right now

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last 10 years or so, the rise in popularity of amp modelers is impossible to deny. Technology has advanced so much that it’s nearly impossible to distinguish a modeler from the thing it’s emulating. Now, modelers haven’t completely wiped out the need or desire for good old-fashioned tube amps, but it’s fair to say that in the current guitar-gear climate, modelers are giving them a run for their money.

After all, why wouldn’t they? The likes of Quad Cortex, Line 6 Helix Stadium, Kemper Profiler, and more are replicating tube-amp sound more closely than ever, and professional musicians are using them on the biggest stages in the world. They can also offer better consistency and easier transportation than tube amps, too. So, why am I here to sing the praises of valves?

As a gear reviewer, I’m lucky enough to have played loads of amps. As such, I’ve rigorously tested many different modelers and used a ton of tube amps across various scenarios. And, before we go too far, I own and use both tube amps and modelers myself. So I think I'm in a unique position to give my thoughts on the matter.

Below you'll find my reasons for choosing a tube amp over a digital modeler. Let's dive in.

1. Dynamics and feel

For some genres, this doesn’t matter too much, but if you rely on a deep level of touch sensitivity, then modelers can only get you so far. I’ve tried all the main players, and they’re incredible. When set right, they’re dynamic and super responsive, but for a lot of players, there’s something about the pure honesty of a tube amp that can’t be topped.

If you’re someone who relies on the interplay between your guitar’s volume knob and the thing that’s actually making the noise, then a tube amp is the way to go. There’s a more physical relationship between the pickups of your guitar and the components of a tube amp.

Things heat up, air moves, and wood vibrates. With a modeler, your tone is essentially represented by zeroes and ones. You’ll likely notice the improved dynamics of a tube amp when turned up. The old claim that tube amps come alive the more you increase the volume is somewhat true.

Depending on the guitar amp, there will be a point on the volume knob where you start to get more natural compression, and things start to feel a little different; it reacts instantly to your playing.

Some amps will ‘sag’ a little as you turn them up too; this is when you hit a chord or a note, and there’s a very quick dip in volume, shortly followed by the sound then blooming back up. Whilst it isn’t inherently a good thing, many players find it softens their sound and makes an amp more enjoyable to play through.

Now again, good modelers do get really close to this compression and sag, but it just isn’t quite the same.

2. Sound

Generally, I’d argue that in most instances, the sounds you can get from the modern, high-end modelers do stand up to those you get from a tube amp. Clean tones and distorted and high-gain tones are incredible, and I would happily use a modeler in any studio or live session if I’m after these sounds.

However, that middle ground, hovering somewhere in between clean and crunchy, is still won by tube amps. There’s a lot going on harmonically around the edge of breakup, and with a tube amp, the gradual shift from clean into dirty is more fluid.

There are lots of modelers that do this sound well, but if I’m using my guitar’s volume knob, turning up from clean to gradually more overdriven, that transition just sounds a little more stepped when utilizing digital technology.

It relates to my point above about feel and dynamics, too. Around that hallowed edge-of-breakup zone, you want every nuance of your picking hand – whether that be big or small – to come through your amp, which I would argue is a lot more prevalent with a tube amp.

There’s also a level of interaction happening within a tube amp setup that you don’t get with modelers. The amp pushes the speaker, which in turn affects how the cabinet resonates.

Impulse responses in modelers do capture a lot of this, and the choice of different IRs you can get now is staggering, but they’re only really a snapshot of a certain point in time. A real amp moves air; wood resonates, and that changes slightly with every chord stroke, so it’s constantly reacting to your playing.

3. Power

Now, I’m saying power here as opposed to volume because standing in front of a tube amp blasting one or more 4x12s is a powerful feeling – something that any rock or metal guitarist should try at some point in their life.

You can, of course, run a modeler through cabs or a PA system to reach whatever volume you want, but a tube amp feels more alive. You feel like you’re more in control of what that power does – again, it largely boils down to having a greater dynamic range.

Many players opt for a modeler in a live scenario because they’ve incorporated in-ear monitors into their rig and they want portability and consistency. On paper, a modeler is the perfect choice in this scenario, but I’d argue that you’ll probably have more fun flapping the legs of your 501s by pushing some serious air out of a battered old cab (boomer take over).

4. Less choice

This might sound counterintuitive, but bear with me here. Most modelers have tons of presets alongside options for amps, cabs, effects, virtual mics, and more. As a result, you’ll spend just as much time, if not more, browsing and tweaking digital menus than playing your instrument.

Even a tube amp with a number of different channels will have fewer options than most modelers, and you’ll still be able to get an incredibly wide range of tone. Does anyone really need hundreds of different amp emulations in one unit? After all, every guitarist managed before modelers with an amp or two and a selection of pedals.

You also have to commit to an amp and a sound, which, in turn, can help you become more inventive in your playing to achieve the results you desire. With a modeler, you’ve got the convenience of trying out another style of amp or effect. This is great for some players, but for others, the endless options can be overwhelming and can ultimately kill their creativity.

5. Aesthetic

One of the main modelers is known as a toaster – that’s not a great starting point. They’re pretty inherently uncool in terms of pure aesthetic. There are a great many benefits to using a modeler, but how they look on a stage is not one of them.

Orange amps are orange and emblazoned with a big ‘ORANGE’ logo. It’s a statement; granted, it’s not for everyone, but it’s bold, and it’s instantly recognizable. They look just as good on a stage today as they ever did. Also, is there anything more iconic and closely related to guitar music than a Marshall stack standing proudly on stage?

Even a small but mighty Fender tube amp can wear many suits – tweed, black panel, silver panel, etc. See one of these in the backline, and you know the players mean business.

We know that the look of an amp shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all, but in many instances, many people listen with their ears first.

What about you? Are you team tubes or team modeler? Vote below!

If Joe Satriani asks you to build an amp to make him sound like Eddie Van Halen – specifically the Eddie we hear and see in Van Halen’s Live Without a Net (1986) – it’s a request you’d better take seriously.

This is exactly what happened to Dylana Nova Scott, founder/owner of Minnesota-based 3rd Power, who was entrusted with handling Satch’s tones on this year’s Sammy Hagar-fronted Best of All Worlds tour. Together they created the DRGN 100 Custom Shop head, packed with a whole range of new features to bring the legendary tones of Van Halen’s 1968 Marshall Super Lead (serial number 12301, to be precise) into the modern age.

The results were so impressive, Satriani continued using the amp in the Satch/Vai band, which then led to Steve Vai switching over to 3rd Power cabinets. For Scott, who rose to fame in the late ’80s as the lead guitarist in San Francisco hard rockers Vain, it’s been a true labor of love – helping one of the world’s most respected living guitarists pay tribute to one of the world’s most sorely missed.

Then there are other 3rd Power designs like the Dumble-inspired Aurora 35 and the Fender-golden-era-rivaling Lyra, housing the sounds of a 1962 brown-panel and a 1965 black-panel in one box.

Here’s the story of how a glam-metal guitarist ended up becoming a specialist builder for the likes of Satriani, Lenny Kravitz, Joe Walsh and many more.

What made you want to start an amp company?

I’m a player myself. That’s what drives the amp company. You can design a tone in isolation to sound good, but there can be a moment when that isolation blows up. That’s where 3rd Power comes in. We live in between the artist and the audience, sitting in a very sacred place.

It’s the moment the lights come on and the audience is screaming. I also know what it’s like when the lights come on and everyone is silent because you have to prove yourself. My job is emotional translation. Whatever comes out of that quarter-inch jack needs to hit the audience.

Where did you learn how to build amps?

I’m self-taught, but I guess I’ve always been a tone-chaser tinkering with gear. I took electronics and computer programming in high school. As a recording artist, I started paying attention to the engineers working around me.

In between tours, I was working at a music store where DigiDesign specialists would train us. I also spent time with legendary sound guy Chip Davis, watching how he would analyze rooms.

He would clap and listen to the reflections, asking me if I could hear the flange coming out of the corner. Then I got into wireless systems, which led to me working at Sennheiser and eventually Line 6. But I started to become more interested in tube amps at a time when everyone else was converting to digital. I was the person listening to records while reading The History of Marshall: The First Fifty Years.

It clearly paid off. Joe Satriani is a big fan.

Joe has said a lot of wonderful things. Yes, I’m a nice person, but he’s not using my stuff because I’m nice. On our first call, he said he’d been talking to Edward’s techs, Zeke Clark and Tom Weber, describing the sound he was looking for.

The 5150 tour was actually Ed’s last tour with the famous Marshall. He had all the candy, but it hadn’t moved into the more modern Van Halen tone. On that tour, they played the old catalog next to the new catalog, and it all translated because the energy was right.

After that, the rig changed and maybe the old songs didn’t sound right – this is according to Sammy – so Joe had to be very specific. Ed’s own techs said the only person that could help was this girl outta Nashville called Dylana Scott. Joe called me and said, “Apparently I should be talking to you.”

What were the main considerations when designing the DRGN 100?

I said, “Let me build the perfect racecar for you to drive.” Did he want more horsepower at this turn or better traction over here or extra acceleration back there?

I’m a big fan of his work, so I also explained that I didn’t want to watch him play a covers set. He asked what I meant and I answered, “Joe, none of us need to see you play note for note; we need you to interpret the essence of the moment while honoring the king.”

Obviously I had to make sure he had all the tones he needed – the intro to Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love is like taking a flint and stone to make a spark.

It’s a two-hour set with moments that also sound creamier. This amp was designed to lift Joe up the whole way through, so that even someone in the last seat of the arena would feel the buzz and stand up.

Some of your other designs, like the Aurora 35 and the Lyra, are completely different.

The Lyra has two classic Fender circuits from the ’60s, alongside tube-driven spring reverb and attenuation. It’s a beautifully authentic amp that sounds great. The Aurora 35 starts out in the hi-fi Fender spectrum, like a Dumble, and then opens up.

The signal path is complicated because of the stacking and gain staging, but you don’t need a Ph.D. to get it right; it’s super-simple. But you still get the mid-switch, just in case you need to voice it differently.

Your amps also have modern functions like the HF Damp and HybridMaster.

The High Frequency Damp is geared toward working professionals. Imagine being a hired gun and the singer says you’re too bright. If you walk back to your amp and turn the treble down, you’ve just made sure you have a bad night. Leave it where it is and you might not get that gig again.

The HF Damp will keep all of your articulation but shave a little bit of treble from the power amp. Your gain structure hangs on your tone stacking, and with this all of your sonic decisions remain intact. It’s a gig-saver. The HybridMaster is a patented micro volume control that I refined over years. I looked at all the soaks out there.

Some were good for a 15-percent reduction, others maybe 10 percent, and some weren’t good at all. I decided to create a hybrid while only showing the customer one knob. Inside the amp, that knob is controlling a myriad of things.

When you turn amps down, you lose the weight of the moment. Everything gets smaller. I found a way to reduce the volume without sacrificing tone. When you attenuate the signal, I increase the volume strategically in different circuits so what remains feels more alive.

You don’t just design amps. You also have your own MagFRAG pickup line.

It’s my spin on what a pickup could be in this day and age. I jumped on forums and read the arguments, but I didn’t think like a regular winder, obsessing over wires, magnets, insulators and turns.

Instead, I learned about the variables and tried to imagine the sound of Alnico II on the treble strings, the sound of Alnico IV on the middle strings, which is where chords and chimes open up, and then Alnico V for the bass strings.

I wanted one magnet to address each pair of strings. Tracii Guns is a big fan; they’re now on his main guitars. The pickups sound beautiful, making your instrument come to life. It’s like throwing glitter on what you hear.

• For more info, head to 3rd Power.
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Marshall has partnered with Billie Joe Armstrong for the 1959BJA – a baby-blue signature head that pays tribute to the Green Day leader’s first guitar.

The amp received a soft launch at the 2026 Super Bowl five months ago, when the punk icons performed at the opening ceremony on February 8.

Eagle-eyed viewers were drawn to what Armstrong had plugged his Gibson Les Paul Junior into. A signature amp was speculated. Now it’s been confirmed.

The 1959BJA, “Marshall’s first signature amp in 14 years”, is inspired by one of punk rock’s most recognizable guitar tones, serving up a 100-watt head that features three ECC83 pre-amp valves and EL34 power amps.

Specifically, the amp draws from Armstrong’s 1959HW head, which boasts a custom “Dookie Mod” in a bid to recreate the sound of the record of the same name. The 1994 album introduced hits like Welcome to Paradise and Basket Case, and proved a breakthrough moment for the now-stadium-filling power trio.

The amp features a three-band EQ, Presence, Master Volume, and Gain, while there are High- and Low-gain inputs and two speaker outs for 16Ω, 8Ω and 4Ω impedences.

As for the color, which strays from Marshall’s usual black-and-gold chic, it's a nod to Armstrong’s first-ever electric guitar, a Fernandes S-type nicknamed “Blue”. Vitally, the amp ramps up the gain, and injects extra body and more low-end punch to its character.

“I’m so overjoyed to have my own signature Marshall amp,” Armstrong delights. “These amps have been a part of my musical life, from my heroes down to little old me. Turn it the f**k up!”

“From the moment you hear those opening chords on Dookie, you know exactly who it is,” adds Steph Carter, Culture Marketing Director at Marshall. “Working with Billie to create an amp that captures that punch, aggression, and clarity was an incredible project for our team.”

The Marshall 1959BJA Billie Joe Armstrong Artist Signature is priced at $3,999.99 / £3,099.99 / €3,699.

The amp is also tied to Marshall’s new Amplify loyalty program, which commits 1% of member purchases to support grassroots music, starting with independent music venues.

See Marshall for more.

What is it?

Smaller amps seem to rule the roost these days – definitely in the electric guitar world but also when it comes to acoustic guitar amps too. With acoustic guitars, however, if you’re using an amp it probably means you’re actually going to perform for some kind of audience beyond your bedroom.

Busking is still the most common way people get into performing live with an acoustic, but busking’s close cousins (as activities) are performing in small bars and coffee shops or quick rehearsals in your kitchen or lounge.

Those kinds of scenarios seem to be the target of the latest amp from Orange – better known for its rip-snorting tube amps – though the announcement that it is a collab project with Ed Sheeran was certainly a bit of a surprise. So what do we get?

The Outlowd ES60, whose portmanteau name hints at Sheeran’s other big partnership with Lowden guitars, is a 60-watt combo that can be powered by mains supply or the internal Li-ion rechargeable battery.

This is an upgrade over the numerous AA-size batteries required by busking-ready rivals such as the Boss Street Cube II – though let it be said, the Boss puts out only 10 watts and is considerably cheaper than the ES60, so you’d rightfully expect the Orange to have a beefier solution to al fresco power built in.

A compact, lightweight combo at just over 7kg and only around 28cm high and 30cm deep, it meets its first brief of being the kind of thing you could carry on a bus or on the subway – and it’s padded, quality gigbag with shoulder strap hints at serious have-guitar-will-travel ambitions.

In the US, this model is available exclusively through Guitar Center and Musician's Friend.

The ES60 is a dual-channel design, with one channel clearly intended to plug your guitar into and featuring a high headroom preamp based on that of the Orange Acoustic Pedal. This guitar channel features volume, Treble control, a flexible Mids EQ section with dedicated controls for adjusting ‘Q’ and the centre frequency of the mids, plus Bass and a hall-type Reverb.

Over on the second channel there’s a combination jack/XLR input for a vocal mic or alternate sound source, 48v phantom power switch for use with mics that need it, a high-pass filter switch to take the woof out of vocals, plus an EQ, Volume and, here, a plate-style reverb that’s meant to be optimized for vocals, a Mids EQ section similar to that of Channel One – though minus the ‘Q’ control – and a channel level control labelled Gain rather than Volume.

Round the back we’ve got an XLR line out, so the amp can run straight into a powerful PA rig while giving you local control over EQ and so on, a Ground Lift button, plus an FX loop if you want to expand the tonal palette and sonic capabilities of the combo.

In short, the ES60 sets its sights on enabling serious performance rather than casual, hobbyist play – which may justify, to some degree, its slightly austere lack of extra onboard effects that rivals often offer.

Moving back up to the top panel there’s a button for pairing the combo with Bluetooth devices for music playback – useful when rehearsing songs and, of course, if your performance makes use of backing tracks – plus 1/8-inch headphone and line-in sockets if you need them.

Specs

• Launch price: $699 (exclusively via Guitar Center and Musician's Friend) | £499 | €599
• Type: 60-watt RMS solid state acoustic combo
• Origin: China
• Output: 60 Watts RMS
• Speaker: 8-inch Voice Of The World ‘Whizzer’ speaker
• Channels: TwoControls: Ch 1: Volume, Treble, Middle, Q, Mid-Freq, Bass, Reverb; Ch 2: +48v Phantom Power Switch, HPF Switch, Gain, Treble, Middle, Mid-Freq, Bass, Reverb; Master: Volume
• Connectivity: 1/4" jack Input, Combi XLR /1/4"Jack Input, Balanced Line Out (XLR). Effects Loop 1/4" Send & Return, Aux Input 3.5mm Jack, 3.5mm Headphone Output
• Footswitch: NoWeight: 16.18 lb / 7.34 kgDimensions: 355 x 280 x 295mm / 14 x 11 x 11.6”
• Contact: Orange Amplification

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

The ES60’s angled cab feels chunky and robust. Impressively, it’s made from 15mm birch plywood rather than MDF or similar, underscoring the combo’s roadworthy credentials. The control knobs and switching feel positive and avoid flimsiness.

The fact the Bluetooth pairing button is metal not plastic is a nice touch, too. The chunky top-mounted handle is more than tough enough to lug the amp about on, given its light weight.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★½

In terms of usability, the feature set on both channels is relatively straightforward though there are some quirks.

The Mid-freq and Q controls work as a double act in terms of tailoring the amplified voice of the guitar but do feel very slightly vague in operation – the Q effect certainly isn’t dramatic, though you could argue that allowing the player to apply gentle tweaking to the mids to match personal taste is completely valid and maybe more practical in the real world than making those controls overpowered.

If they’d called the two controls ‘sweetness’ and ‘focus’ it might make more intuitive sense as a subtle but audible rounding, opening or tightening of the mids is really what’s going on here. It grew on me the more I used it.

The Treble control really could have more authority, though - while I like the woody, warm voice of the amp, it would be nice to have just a little more crystalline edge on tap here to provide clarity and snap.

Bluetooth pairing is easy and intuitive and the Reverb couldn’t be simpler with just one Hall-type reverb on offer on the guitar channel, though the upper limit of the ‘verb is tastefully atmospheric rather than cavernous.

With rivals such as the aforementioned Boss Street Cube II or the Laney A-Fresco 2 offering additional effects such as chorus and more, you will either view the ES60s feature set as admirably straightforward with little to confuse you during performance – or a bit sparsely equipped.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Plugging in my Beard Decophonic Southside with magnetic LR Baggs M1 soundhole pickup and my Martin Custom 000-14 (with an unknown but good-sounding under-saddle piezo system fitted by a previous owner), the roundness and warmth of the ES60’s sound is genuinely flattering and easy on the ear.

I may instinctively want a little more treble to be available but there are no unpleasant or unsatisfying sounds here, especially with the wiggle room for fine adjustment offered by the Mids controls – if Sheeran’s part in the project was to help dial in a very pleasant, usable overall sound, I’d say he did a great job.

The mic channel was similarly warm, supple of tone and usable with my test Shure SM57 and the few frills on offer didn’t hinder me from thinking the combo is a very capable tool for street performance and playing small venues.

Verdict

The ES60 is a purposeful and roadworthy acoustic / street performance tool that has a really attractive sound. It feels curiously over-specced in some areas and under-specced in others.

And, let it be said, it does face some keen competition at this price and below and you can’t help but wonder how much that famous moniker alone is adding to the hangtag price.

But if you view it as a piece of no-nonsense, capable kit with an emphasis on core quality rather than a showy spec sheet bursting with gimmicks it makes solid sense.

Guitar World verdict: This punchy little amp is a more serious tool than it might seem at first glance – just make sure you are happy to embrace its high core quality and simple but purposeful, performance-focused feature set.

Also try

Hands-on videos

Orange and Ed Sheeran

Thomann

Guitar Center

• ​​Best acoustic guitar amps 2026: let your acoustic tone shine

What is it?

Orange has long been known for its iconic brand of sonic savagery, and its punchy low-end served up with crispy treble has helped define the music of a great many artists.

While the primary drive of the valve-amplifier industry is towards refined vintage tone, Orange filled the niche for a more aggressive sound. Styles such as punk, doom-rock and indie-rock embrace the more cutting frequency range and punchy response these characterfully coloured cabinets exude.

However, with this new amp Orange offers its take on a more refined all-valve design, aiming to please a wider range of tastes while sticking with brand-building features such as pedal-friendliness and huge overdrive ability.

The all-valve refinements carry through to the ECC82-buffered effects loop to provide enhanced clarity and coherence when using modulation-based effect processors, always best placed in the effects loop.

We have two wattage options incorporated into the standby switch, selecting between the full 60-watts output or 30 watts to better match smaller environments.

Improved top-end tailoring comes in the form of a redesigned presence circuit that works more effectively across the amp’s entire volume range, and a three-position Bright switch allowing for neutral, narrow-band (think ‘sparkle’) and wide-band (including some upper mids) options.

Orange has also included a bass Resonance control – a feature becoming de rigueur for modern high-gain amps. This, along with the Presence control, functions within the negative feedback circuit to tighten or extend the range at both ends of the frequency spectrum. And, yes, we’re looking at you, detuned metal players!

A second footswitchable volume control (not master volume as, strictly speaking, this is not a master volume-equipped amp) allows solo boosting for stage use, an indication of the type of environment Orange foresees this amp being used in.

Built in England using the same familiar chunky cabinets that have become a visual trademark, the brand continues its reputation for hardy, giggable construction quality.

An assembly inspection shows care was taken to withstand the rigorous routines of the road. A heavy-duty PCB board lies at the heart of this cathode-following, self-biasing design using two 6L6 valves to produce 60 watts.

The amp can be biased to accept other common output valves such as the EL34, though the real-world wattage that will be achievable would be governed by the valves’ output rating. Worthy of mention is that the smaller OR30 30-watt version turns into Class A operation with the wattage switch at half power, imparting a highly musical touch-sensitivity.

Specs

• Price: $2,499 | £2,099 | €2,399
• ORIGIN: UK
• TYPE: All-valve, single-channel head with switchable output and valve-buffered FX loop
• VALVES: 3x ECC83, 1x ECC82, 2x 6L6 (EL34 possible with re-biasing)
• OUTPUT: 60W, switchable to 30W
• DIMENSIONS: 550 (w) x 245 (d) x 270mm (h) 
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 19.3/42
• CABINET: Baltic birch
• CHANNELS: 1 with an additional switchable volume
• CONTROLS: Resonance, Presence, FS Volume, Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Gain, Bright Switch
• FOOTSWITCH: Not included
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Valve‑buffered FX loop, footswitchable volume
• OPTIONS: No
• RANGE OPTIONS: OR30 (£1,799)
• CONTACT: Orange Amps

Build quality, usability and sounds

Plugging in our Les Paul, we spent a few bemused moments checking out the pictures that label the controls. We’re undecided if the quirky fun is worth the brain resources needed to convert these cryptograms back to knob names, but it’s something die-hard Orange aficionados might enjoy.

First, we were astonished by the range of gain available from the first control as the second and third gain stages are being controlled by this one knob. From spanky cleans to all-out Armageddon, whatever your particular gain needs are, this amp has you covered.

If you are, however, the kind of player who simply has to put a boost before anything, the OR60 is more than ready to play ball. The Orange reputation for pedal-friendliness is fully in evidence. However, there isn’t a great necessity to add extra gain for most sounds.

That solid, almost compressed sound for which Orange amps are famed is still very much in evidence and, as expected, our Stratocaster’s single-coil pickups came punching through with impressive authority. A rich and full sustain renders lead licks with plenty of fluidity of the bravado-inspiring kind.

We found the Bright switch well tuned to best present a variety of guitars. The sparkle setting introduced the chimey top-end that flatters cleaner sounds wonderfully.

The neutral position is recommended to get the most flexibility from tone-shaping pedals and the full-bright position introduces a wider band of top-boost starting lower down the frequency spectrum where upper-mids reside.

This setting brings back some of the traditional treble aggression that metal and punk players will expect from Orange but with an altogether more refined air. The sandpapery grittiness, long described as an Orange hallmark, is less apparent and a smoother, more fluid voice takes its place.

As the gain level gets irresistibly nudged further clockwise, the Resonance and Presence controls help sculpt the response and we found it a doddle to dial up mosh-pit-approved tight low-end. With the Bright switch and the Presence control it was possible to get an appropriate, aggressive top-end from any of our guitars.

We found the frequency response of the mid-control well tuned to either get that US scoop or, at the other extreme, the British mid-forward classic rock sound. Indeed, the range of sounds achievable from the OR60 is huge, not due to channels and switches but simply from the power of the gain and EQ controls.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Like a fist in a velvet glove (granted, that’s quite a barbaric metaphor) the OR60 – and its smaller sibling, the OR30 – brings a newly refined clarity to the brand’s sonic palette.

Worth noting is that this is a weighty beast to lug around, and with the price coming to around £2k this amp will very much be a deliberate choice for purchasers. The same range of musical styles can be played through the OR60, of course, as with previous models due to the abundance of gain and the touch-sensitive response.

However, now they’ll be imparted with a smoother, posher high-end and improved touch-sensitivity. To reappropriate the words of another cultural classic, the OR60 is an ‘elegant weapon for a more civilised age’.

Guitar World verdict: If the abundant punch and gain of the Orange sound appeals but the trademark top-end sizzle doesn’t, the OR60 could be the solution for you.

Hands-on videos

Orange Amps

Sweetwater

The Guitar Geek

• Best tube amps: unlock incredible tone with our pick of the greatest tube amps you can buy right now
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Deep Purple may be one of the last bastions of the golden age of rock still churning out top-quality albums, but Simon McBride isn’t afraid to drag the band into the future. That’s why he’s ditched tube amps for amp modelers on their latest album.

The Irishman succeeded long-serving fusion ace Steve Morse in the band in 2022, adding to a lineage that includes Ritchie Blackmore (twice), Tommy Bolin, and Joe Satriani, who was their touring guitarist for a short spell.

With his addition, the band have returned to their blues rock roots, with McBride comparing their latest album, SPLAT!, to a “freight train” – and it’s the first Deep Purple album to use modelers.

“Steve [Morse] is a great player, but he’s a different sort of player, so that was a big thing for me – to get that big, powerful sound,” he tells Guitarist of his tonal task as the band’s chief shredder. “I have a lot of amps, but for most of the Purple stuff I use my live rig, which is the [Neural DSP] Quad Cortex.

“I can hear a lot of Ritchie Blackmore fans crying out, going, ‘No! He’s using digital stuff!’ But it’s brilliant.”

On his debut album with the band, 2024’s =1, McBride was cranking Engl amps for the required locomotive heft. But a year later, he slimmed his live rig down to a Quad Cortex, with a DigiTech Ricochet and a Formula B Vintage Vibe among the picks on his minimalist pedalboard. The Engl cabs, however, survived the overhaul.

So, why the change of heart?

“I had to change my sound a bit because you’re dealing with Don Airey, who plays keys, the Hammond and Leslie, and a Marshall head and cabinet,” McBride explains. “He’s in a very similar frequency range to [my] guitar, so I had to figure something out to make the guitar sound more powerful.

“I was talking to the guys at Engl, who made Steve Morse’s signature amp, and Engl gave me an Artist Edition head,” he adds, having been turned off by Morse’s amps for having too many buttons.

“I asked them to tweak it and put a lot more power in the lower mids and low-end. I knew the Leslie and Hammond didn’t have that, so that could be my little space and would cut through but also make me sound powerful when we play a riff together.”

Although he doesn’t say as much explicitly, we assume that Engl has been captured, and it now lives on in his QC, which is a smart way to honor Deep Purple’s heritage while also bringing something new to help him better weave around Airey’s ivory tickling.

There will likely be Purple fans who sit firmly in the amp purist category, but with even Joe Bonamassa warming to digital tones, it’s clear that modelers have more than earned their place in the pantheon of tone.

McBride also has a particularly hot truss rod take (yes, you read that correctly). But listening to SPLAT!, he might be onto something.…

Grab a copy of Guitarist from Magazines Direct to read the full interview and much more.

Fender is shining the spotlight on its oft-forgotten era of ‘brown-panel’ guitar amps with a new ’62 Deluxe reissue.

The Big F’s black-panel and tweed amps are household names for guitarists, and their history and lineage is widely revered. There was, however, a niche subsection of Fender amps from the early 1960s that bridged the gap between the two.

As such, the short-lived brown-panel amps have often been overlooked in favor of their more popular siblings. Fender has recently been giving brown-panels their flowers, and last summer revived the “hidden treasure” American Vintage ’62 Super Amp.

Now, it’s joined by the more affordable ‘62 Deluxe Amp. Like its predecessor, the ’62 Deluxe looks to bring the unique brown-panel amp sound – defined by its distinct woodiness, warm pokiness, and gritty overdrive when cranked – to the masses.

In other words, Fender says we should expect something that sits between the “raw sound of its ’50s-era tweed” amps and “sparkling clean tones” of mid-’60s black-panel amps.

This one has two 6V6 output tubes, offers 20 watts of power, and comes packing with a custom-designed Celestion 12” speaker. It’s a slightly more streamlined Brown Panel, with Normal and Bright channels (Volume and Tone controls for each), as well as Speed and Intensity controls for the tube-bias tremolo.

“The brown-panel amps are one of those eras not many players have experienced,” Fender Senior Product Manager, Rick Heins, told Guitarist last year of Fender’s mission to bring the amps back.

“They’re rare, expensive, getting harder to find and almost unobtainable at this point.”

“Browns have a punchiness, a sort of immediate feel,” he adds of their tone. “They don’t sag like tweeds. The power section feels more robust. Crank one and it’s a warm, fat overdrive. Not thin, not ‘paper tear’ distortion, but a fuller, fatter sound. That midrange and warmth sits perfectly in a mix, whether live or recording.”

The '62 Deluxe Amp is available now for $1,699.

Head over to Fender for more.

Fender has had a busy few weeks. Alongside the '62 Deluxe, it also recently dropped its annual mid-year gear lineup, which included the return of the Squier Paranormal series, the limited-edition Player Fusion range, and a boatload of pedals, amps, acoustics and more.

What is it?

For those of you under the age of 30, Kustom with a “K” is most likely an unfamiliar guitar amp brand to you. But if you need a little history, Kustom was one of the very first “trendy” brands to integrate solid-state technology into its amplifiers and PA systems in the early Seventies. Its signature “Tuck-n-Roll” amplifiers, covered in padded Naugahyde, had an unmistakable look that resembled something between an overstuffed armchair and the "Michelin Man" tire mascot. Even so, these distinctive amps arrived in eye-catching, metallic-sparkle colors and were adopted by many popular artists of the time, from John Fogerty to the Jackson 5, and not too long ago, Sheryl Crow.

Kustom eventually went bankrupt but resurfaced with new ownership during the late 1990s and 2000s, reviving the nostalgic Tuck-n-Roll amp series. While not a barnstorming relaunch, the amps faded away once more but still resonate among those who valued their retro looks and punchy tones.

Now, while it seems the Tuck-n-Roll line is temporarily shelved, Kustom has returned with a new line of amps that look surprisingly… well, basic. Gone is the plushy visual flair that’s been replaced by a line of boxy, vintage-style combos that will undoubtedly appeal to players who don’t want their amplifiers to look like car upholstery. Looks aside, that shouldn’t stop you from further investigating Kustom's brand new and enticingly affordable Carbon Series — the company’s first digital modeling amplifiers, which come in full-featured 25-, 50-, and 100-Watt combos, as well as a 100HD head.

For this review, I spent some time with the Carbon 100 1x12 combo, which, as far as new digital amps go, is a bit of a throwback for its minimalist design. What I mean by that is there’s something satisfying about an amplifier that lacks a touchscreen or a display and operates entirely without the need for a companion Android or iOS app.

All of the Carbon 100's functionality is accessible directly through a straightforward set of physical knobs on the front panel. You’ll find, like me, the Kustom Carbon 100 to be the ultimate plug-and-play solution — a stellar-sounding modeling amp that delivers authentic, tube-inspired tones and a versatile array of effects easily accessed with minimal effort.

Specs

• Price: $429.99 | £335
• Type: Digital combo amp
• Origin: China
• Output: 100W
• Channels: 2
• Speaker: 1 x 12” Kustom Design
• Controls: Ch1 Volume, Ch2 Amp Model select, Gain, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, FX select, FX Level, Master Volume. Ch select button, Tap Tempo button, Tap Tempo LED
• Features: 12 onboard digital effects and 12 onboard amp models
• Connectivity: External Speaker Output jack, Footswitch Jack (Channel switch / Effects On/Off), Effects Loop, DI Balanced Out, Ground Lift Switch, Aux In, Headphones Input and USB Audio Interface
• Weight: 27 lbs / 12.3 kgs
• Dimensions: 340 x 510 x 471 mm
• Contact: Kustom

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

When you think of a 100-watt combo, you might imagine it to be a behemoth of an amp, not so with Kustom’s Carbon 100, which is astonishingly compact and rather boxy. In fact, it’s very much a portable cube of an amplifier, ruggedly handsome and classic-looking with its black tolex covering and vintage silver-and-black woven grille cloth, miniature “Kustom” logo, durable rubber handle, chrome corners, and a grey steel control panel with classic Kustom knobs.

Compared to other black-on-black digital amps with multiple black plastic parts and black panels, there’s a nice contrast here. However, considering the brand’s colorful past, I feel that Kustom missed an opportunity here, where this new series could have been offered in bright custom colors and contrasting-colored grille cloth.

The amplifier also features a semi-open back design with a small oval perforated grill on the rear, which houses a custom-designed 12-inch Kustom speaker. Overall, the amp belies its actual 27 pounds and is surprisingly lightweight and easily transportable.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★☆☆

The Carbon 100 is all about good ol’ fashioned knob-twisting of familiar amp controls and nary a LCD screen with exhaustive menus to reckon with. The amp features two distinct channels with a shared 3-band EQ (Bass, Mid and Treble) to bounce between (using either a footswitch or the channel select button), but there is a slight catch: Channel one is a pristine clean channel with a single volume knob that works in tandem with the master volume control, but this channel is divorced from any of the effects and Amp modeling rotary selections found on channel 2.

This separation results in a cleaner character that differs significantly from any of the three modeled clean tones available on channel 2. In essence, channel 1 provides an unadulterated, pure tone, making it an excellent foundation for guitarists who rely heavily on pedalboards.

Most players will immediately vibe in the digital backyard of Channel 2, where the amp thrives in its amp modeling and effects capabilities. Here, you have separate Volume and Gain controls to tailor your sound, and a rotary Amp model knob to select 12 different amp types. This rotary knob breaks up the amp types into four categories — Clean, Drive, Lead, and Hi-Gain — with three differently voiced amp models in each. Keep in mind, there is no indication of what the actual amps are or what kind was modeled, but you can certainly tell by the gain structure and EQ curve that each falls in its appropriate category.

Moving over to the FX rotary knob, it functions similarly to the Amp knob, separating the effects into four categories and options. For example, Multi-Effects has four groupings (Reverb, Delay, and Chorus; Reverb and Chorus; Reverb and Delay 1; Delay and Boost), and Mod FX also includes four options (Chorus; Flanger; Phaser; Tremolo and Reverb). Two choices are offered in Verb (Long and short reverb) and Delay (one repeat and long delay), and if you’re wondering, the delay sounds very much like an analog tape echo, and the tap tempo button and the tap LED help with on-the-spot tweaking.

For better or worse, your only means of adjusting any amount of depth, rate, or output to the effects is with the sole FX Level knob, which is not terrible; you just have to use your ears. The other drawback is once you adjust your personal setting on any effect you’re using — whether it’s a delay time or a warbly chorus — you can't save that sound, and it reverts to the default effects setting once you switch channels. A bit of a bummer.

Finally, the amp’s back panel offers better-than-average connectivity with an external speaker output jack, a footswitch jack (channel toggle and effects on/off), an effects loop, DI balanced out, a ground lift switch, an aux In, headphones input, and a USB audio interface.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★½

Despite my minor grumblings that you can’t save sounds and the inherent limitations of fine-tuning an effect with just a sole FX Level knob, let me reiterate definitively that this is a great-sounding combo with responsive amp modeling and a solid effects selection that complements your tone. In fact, just plugging into channel 2 with each EQ set midway (or noon), and sweeping through each of the 12 modeled amp types, from clean to hi-gain, all sound stellar for this price point.

But let’s say you just need a bold and foundational clean tone devoid of any effects, where you get to hear how your guitar sounds in its purest form, or maybe hear how your pedals respond and react, and I’d point you toward the Carbon 100’s channel 1 as a solid starting point. It’s impressive how loud you can crank this channel to get the cleans to sound firmly pristine without the amp crumbling into breakup. I’ll say it again: it’s a different type of clean sound here on this channel, one that jazz players might gravitate toward because it sounds so warm and full — and hell, jazzbos love digital amps for their consistency, which the Carbon 100 delivers in spades on this channel.

When you turn the amp on, it automatically defaults to channel 2 on the first clean amp model setting with the short reverb from the effects. Right off the bat, it’s a sparkling clean sound with a splashy spring reverb adding some musical depth. So far, nothing to complain about here, and as you rotate your way toward the drive settings and upping the drive using the Gain knob, you’ll run the gamut of classic rock bark and bite, and warmly overdriven textures, no matter what guitar you use.

The Lead section is also quite good and has a slightly mid-focused EQ to its saturation. Once you add the longer delay setting or the multi-effect grouping of delay and reverb, you’ll be one step closer to nailing some cool Lukather-style solo tones.

The Hi-Gain models were the only section that I felt was kinda “mid” (as the kids say), where I found myself sticking with one model that was decent for metal and Dimebag-inspired riffing. I did run the Carbon 100 through various speaker cabinets using the external cab out with great results, allowing the amp to sound fuller and louder, and I’ll be the first to say the onboard Kustom speaker is voiced perfectly in not making this cubed combo sound boxy.

Finally, the onboard effects are good to great in tones and texture, and sound just as you’d imagine as digital representations of chorus, flanger, tremolo, delays and reverbs, but you are limited in scope in how much you can fine-tune and tweak. You’re stuck with, more or less, setting and forgetting the effect type you will use sparingly or all the time.

Verdict

At the end of the day, digital is no longer a dirty word. Even Joe Bonamassa has opted for a digital reproduction amplifier over his vintage Fender tube combo for his live performances, signaling a significant shift in how players regard digital amps. The truth is, digital amplification has evolved substantially since the solid-state era of Kustom’s classic Tuck-n-Roll models.

The Carbon Series, in my opinion, represents a fresh chapter for Kustom, offering a no-nonsense digital amplifier alternative that avoids the overly complex options currently trending and quickly becoming the norm in this space.

Guitar World verdict: The Kustom Carbon 100 stands out as an affordable plug-and-play modeling combo that offers the touch-sensitive responsiveness of a traditional tube amp, making its digital guts easy to forgive. There are a few drawbacks to this simpler approach, but whether you are in a rehearsal space or performing live, this compact combo proves to be an impressively capable performer.

Also try

• Best guitar amps 2026: tube, solid-state, and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets

Even if he had achieved nothing else as an amp builder, Lyndon Laney’s legend status was cast in stone on 13 February 1970.

That was the day that Black Sabbath released their self-titled debut album, driven by a tone so heavy, crushing and malevolent that it seemed to capture the doomy clank of Birmingham’s sheet-metal factories (an industry that had already cost Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi two of his fingertips).

Of course, that call-to-arms for heavy metal couldn’t have happened without Iommi’s vision and riffs. Equally, there’s a case it wouldn’t have landed so hard without the guitarist’s custom Laney LA 100 BL: among the first of many fabled amplifiers created by the Midlands-based company following its formation in 1967.

“You used to be in there night and day, dedicated to it,” reflected Iommi in a recent head-to-head interview with his great friend Laney, who died in April at the age of 77. “I’m not going to use anything else and, without you, we wouldn’t be here.”

In fact, Laney achieved plenty more, both before and after his association with Sabbath. Born in 1948, by the mid-’60s he was playing bass with The Band of Joy – familiar to Led Zeppelin scholars as the proving ground for vocalist Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham.

But it was the art of valve-amp tone that held the greatest fascination, and so Laney began working on early designs in his father’s garage, fine-tuning the punch and character of his circuitry to stand out in a market already dominated by Vox, Marshall and Fender.

What seemed like a huge gamble – “Two days before I was due to go to university to study electronic engineering,” Laney recalled, “I decided to carry on for a couple of years making amplifiers, see how it went” – soon paid off. One of the young engineer’s first commissions was building the PA for Zeppelin’s first US tour of 1968, while word-of-mouth saw his powerful, affordable amps proliferate on home turf.

The quality of Laney’s tone was such that it even drew Iommi away from his original Marshall backline, the Sabbath man settling on six 4x12 cabinets fed by four 100-watt heads. Perhaps there was also an element of Black Country solidarity.

“I switched to Laney because they started up around the same time as us and they’re a Birmingham company,” the guitarist told MusicRadar. “To be honest, they offered to give us all this gear when nobody else did. What do you say to that? ‘Okay!’ So I used them.”

It was typical of a canny operator who went on to prove both his innovative spirit and head for business. With Laney’s finger on the pulse, 1973’s KLIPP amp range was the first of its kind to feature a boost channel, while the early ’80s saw the firm develop the AOR series whose extra stage of pre-gain was a favourite among the Sunset Strip set.

In the ’90s, the British builder scored again with the VC range of retro-styled Class A valve combos, while developing hybrid amplification with the Tube Fusion series. By that decade’s end, Laney counted Joe Satriani, Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Gambale and more among its A-list endorsers (today the roster includes Billy Corgan, Vernon Reid and Guthrie Govan).

Post-millennium, Laney added the Class D bass amps to its remit, later joined by further guitar-sector successes including the Lionheart, Ironheart and A acoustic ranges. Moving with the times, 2015’s T-USB-equipped L5-Studio interfaced directly with DAW, before the Bluetooth-compatible MINI series shrank signature Laney tones into an ultra-compact, desktop-ready, battery-powered chassis.

Most recently, the brand diversified again with its Black Country Customs pedal range, while the Laney Sound System series tapped into the lucrative Bluetooth speaker market, snapped up by many non-musicians for partying, not playing.

None of these career milestones, it seemed, went to Laney’s head, with the founder remaining a warm, hands-on presence on the MI scene while passing more responsibilities to his talented son, James (who took control of the company several years ago).

His loss is profound but his legacy undeniable – and while Iommi declared himself “devastated” in a farewell post, during their shared interview, Laney had nothing but happy memories of his life less ordinary: “We’ve had some fun along the way…”

• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

As Converge’s in-house gear nerd and owner of God City Studios, Kurt Ballou knows his gear. As such, he never settles for second best, and he’s adopted digital gear into his live rig for one main reason.

Converge have had a busy 2026, having released two studio albums in just four months. While appearing on Chris Garza’s podcast recently, Ballou has underscored why amp modelers have usurped tube amps for touring.

“I kind of love it when people show up expecting me to have JMPs, V4s and other vintage stuff, or boutique amps,” he explains. “I played Bad Cat for a long time. I still play the cabinets. I love that company.”

Yet, when Ballou looks down on tour these days, he doesn’t see a Marshall amp footswitch; he sees Line 6’s Helix Stadium floor modeler. He isn’t letting his reputation precede him.

“There’s something about disappointing the gear heads with using this modeler, “ he chuckles. “I don’t necessarily want to disappoint them, but I think this thing sounds sick. It lets me focus on the song.”

He admits that having “all the gear in the world” is an appealing prospect. But as someone who owns a lot of gear and understands the rigors and the nuances of touring, he sees things from a different angle.

“How many times have you gone to see a band and watched them set up their full stacks and massive pedalboards, and then they just suck?” he asks. “Or everything is breaking all the time, and it’s detracting from the show?

“Let’s just get to the songs, because that’s the thing that I really care about. This lets me do that.”

The Helix Stadium, which also boasts some powerful, gig-minded features, is an ideal one-stop shop.

Recording in the studio, though, is an altogether different matter. Speaking to Guitar World as Converge released their first album of 2026, Love is Not Enough, in February, Ballou noted he saw analog sounds making a comeback.

“People want real experiences,” said Ballou. “Young people ask about recording on tape way more than older people. There’s definitely a backlash to this era of digitally perfect music, and I appreciate it.”

Still, the value of modelers in the modern age is now being embraced by the most ardent amp supporters, with Joe Bonamassa a high profile recent convert to the digital amp world.

Fender has rolled out its annual mid-year gear drop for 2026, lifting the curtain on the electric guitars and beyond that will look to define what has been a turbulent year for the company so far.

Against the backdrop of intense legal furore, Fender’s catalog for the latter half of the year will look to set the course straight, and it goes without saying that because of this public spotlight, the 2026 gear collection will be met with an especially critical eye from guitar fans.

But Fender is committed to cut through the noise with a lineup it believes will help propel the company to a strong finish to 2026. As is the case with every year, there is a lot – and we mean a lot – to get through.

We’ve already taken a look at two of the lineup's big hitters – the Squier Paranormal Series and the Fender Player Fusion models – so consider this a round-up of the rest – the bits you might have missed. Let’s dive in…

Updated Fender Player II finishes

The Player II range has been treated to two new finishes that will be available across the board in varying configurations. Rallye Orange is definitely the most daring of the two, Cactus Grey far more muted.

Dare we say Cactus Grey is giving subtle Silver Sky vibes? It’s definitely got the Apple/Tesla/tech vibe aesthetic that John Mayer has so far run with at PRS. Whatever the case, it’s nice to see something different, and not another Sunburst Strat.

Fresh American Vintage II colors

If Cactus Grey ain’t your thing, don’t worry, there’s some new finishes for the American Vintage II range, which are all very old school. Surf Green, Olympic White, Vintage Blonde, Candy Apple Red, 3-Color Sunburst and Lake Placid Blue have been introduced across a series of Strats, Teles and Jazz Basses. The gallery above has a few of the Tele configurations.

Pro Classic Silent

As for tech advancements, Fender is rolling out its patent-pending Silent System on the new Pro Classic Silent series. On paper, it could be a game-changer, utilizing a newly developed passive setup that promises to eliminate single-coil hum without affecting the tone.

How are these different to Noiseless Pickups, you ask? Well, whereas Noiseless pickups used a stacked humbucker design, these Silent System alternatives are true single coils. Details are sparing at the moment, but we will be investigating further.

The system can be found on the Pro Classic Strats and Teles, both available in some sweet finishes to boot. Expect it to be rolled out to other models down the line.

75th Anniversary Collection additions

Fender is continuing to celebrate some 75th anniversaries with yet more limited-edition models. The highlight is the 1951 Nocaster, an exhaustive reissue of the guitar that landed between the Broadcaster and Telecaster eras.

There are also celebratory Player II models in the form of a Precision Bass and Telecaster, as well as a killer Baritone Telecaster that offers the potential for drop-tuned riffage from a conventional-looking package (yes, it comes in Butterscotch Blonde).

Fresh Fender amps

There are two new Fender amps to report on, including the sub–$270 Champion II 50 Blackout. This one is pitched as both an ideal starter practice amp and an entry-level band combo, with Blackout cosmetics, and a Fender Special Design speaker designed for “smoother highs and a tighter low end”.

It’s joined by the more premium ’62 Deluxe Amp, another ‘hidden treasure’ amp that heralds from the early 1960s. Brown panel amps bridged the gap between silver and black panel amps, and are renowned for a warmer, woodier tone. This has a pair of 6V6 output tubes, 20 watts of power, and a custom-designed Celestion 12” speaker.

New Fender pedals

Fender has given its best-selling effects pedals an aesthetic revamp, treating the Bends Compressor, Pelt Fuzz, Santa Ana Overdrive and Pugilist Distortion to fresh new artwork and an updated chassis. They’re more compact, with convenient top-loaded jacks, and if I may say, a massive upgrade on how they looked before.

Under the hood, they offer largely the same tones, but a few tweaks have been introduced, including streamlined controls and fine-tuned circuits.

Fender acoustic additions

As for acoustics, there is now an all-new California Deluxe range to tuck into. Available in a host of body shapes – including the dreadnought-inspired Redondo and Orchestra/Auditorium-sized Monterey – the new acoustics join the California Standard lineup.

They’re slightly more expensive, starting from $319 and rising to $499, but look to justify that slight premium with Fishman electronics, solid tops, and a range of mahogany back and sides.

For more info on all the new ranges, head to Fender.com.

What is it?

When it comes to guitar players, there are simply none more iconic than Jimi Hendrix. His otherworldly tones and raw energy on stage were backed up by the roar of an almost equally iconic Marshall amplifier. The combination of the two yielded sounds that still influence guitar players 60 years later. So, to mark the 60th anniversary of this pairing, Marshall has launched a rather fetching Hendrix signature amp - the Marshall X Jimi Hendrix 60th Anniversary JMH Half Stack.

Based on a Marshall Plexi, specifically the 1959 Super Lead, which Hendrix famously used, the amp is a hand-wired limited edition with only 300 being made available.

Befitting of its collector's status is the striking purple and black “cosmic swirl” finish and the accoutrements that come along with it - a poster, a letter from Janie Hendrix, a handkerchief, some picks, and, most notably, a Fuzz Face pedal.

Hendrix’s Fuzz Faces are things of lore, thanks to the way engineering guru Roger Mayer would curate and mod them, leading to fuzz sounds that would often vary.

The pedal included in this bundle is inspired by the aggressive sound used by Jimi in his final UK performance on the Isle of Wight in 1970, and is adorned with the same purple and black swirls as the amplifier. It's also not available to buy separately.

It would be remiss of Marshall to put out such a unique-looking head without a matching cabinet. Given that this is from the days when guitar amps needed to fill a venue, that cab is, of course, a 4x12 and loaded with Celestion G12H 30 speakers.

In short, we have a Fuzz Face, a Plexi, a 4x12, and a hell of a lot of volume. This should be fun.

Specs

• Launch price: $4,999 | £3,799 | €4,399
• Type: Tube amp head and cab with Fuzz Face
• Origin: UK
• Output: 100W
• Speaker: 4x12 Celestion G12H 30
• Channels: 2
• Controls: Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble, Volume 1, Volume 2
• Connectivity: ¼” instrument input
• Footswitch: No
• Weight: 20.5kg/45.1lbs (head)
• Dimensions: 29.1”x12”x8.2”/740 x 305 x 210 mm (head)
• Contact: Marshall

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★★

At $4,999 or £3,799, I am expecting this head and cab combo to be nothing less than premium. Thankfully, that is exactly what we get.

Both sport thick birch plywood sides, hard-wearing tolex, and robust carrying handles that are clearly built to last. The controls on the head are all satisfying to turn, and the rotary selectors that control the impedance and mains power settings operate with a reassuring clunk, as do the power and Standby switches on the front.

The limited edition Fuzz Face is built to the overblown size of the vintage models, complete with the hardy metal chassis. These are both collector's items that will happily last the foreseeable future if they are looked after and properly maintained.

Maintenance for the head will include swapping out those tubes at some point, of which we have three ECC83s/12AX7’s in the preamp (one of which is a phase splitter) and four EL34s kicking out those 100 watts.

This is all within hand-wired circuitry. Some will debate how much difference this makes tonally, but either way, it is certainly an indication that care has been taken here, and it’s this sort of attention I would expect an amp in this price range to be getting.

For me, the star of the whole thing is that swirling purple finish against the more traditional black of a Marshall amp. While it’s not a reference to a specific album cover or such like, in my opinion, it nails the psychedelia associated with Hendrix and rounds off what is a great-looking bundle.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★½

One of the joys of a good ol’ tube amp is that you just plug in, turn up until it sounds good, and go. Given that this amp is essentially a Marshall 1959 Super Lead, it would be rude not to start the same way here.

As one of the most iconic amps of all time, many of us will already be familiar with this setup. But for the uninitiated, we have two channels - a High Treble and a Normal channel, each with a high and low sensitivity input.

The high sensitivity is designed for low-output pickups, and the low sensitivity is designed for high-output pickups.

These channels can be jumped with a patch lead (by, for example, connecting the low-sensitivity input of the High Treble channel to the high-sensitivity input of the Normal channel) and mixed to taste.

On the front panel, you will find everything you need to tweak the tone - a three-band EQ, a Presence control, and a Volume for each channel, in addition to a power and a standby switch.

Then, around the back are two ¼” speaker outputs, an output selector allowing for 4, 8, and 16 ohms outputs, and a mains selector that switches between 100, 120, and 230 volts.

So, nothing fancy. A faithful re-issue of traditional amplifier technology that is bound to please the purists, resulting in an easy-to-use piece of gear, free from the complications that modernity can bring.

The only thing you need to be careful with is that you select the correct impedance for the cab you are using. Marshall helpfully includes a few notes on this in its manual.

It’s worth noting that with no master control or modern tech, breakup is achieved via pushing the valves with the volume controls. Wattage is not a measure of volume, but even in the context of 100W amps, believe me when I say this amp is loud!

So, in pushing it into breakup, you are going to want to make sure you are in a big room that can handle the level, or employ some modern tech to tame it. In our case, a Torpedo Captor X Plus.

Aiding in that volume is that 4x12 cab, which helpfully comes with castors. Not that I found those helpful while lugging it up the stairs to our studio's testing room.

The Fuzz Face follows the vintage correct approach with an unwieldy size, no power input, and a 9V battery compartment that requires removing the backplate to access.

As much as these vintage correct appointments are kind of a pain compared to pedals with mains inputs and easy-to-reach battery compartments, the result is a bundle that feels like it pays real homage to the time and player, which is entirely the point here.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Playing these amps is a visceral experience. It is not the smooth, produced sound that many will have heard in digital versions of a Plexi-style amp. It is brash, unforgivingly touch-sensitive, and undeniably addictive.

The High Treble channel is very bright, unpleasantly so until you get the volume around the halfway point. Here, the low-end increases and starts to complement that very present treble, creating a more balanced sound, but one that is still very forward in the treble and high-mid range.

The Normal channel is the opposite and remains quite dark until similarly pushed, with much less of that high end. For me, the best results are gained by using both and jumping the inputs.

That three-band EQ is relatively subtle in the Presence, Bass, and Mid, giving enough to tweak the amp to the room whilst preserving its character. The Treble has a much wider sweep, going from dull and dark to ear-piercingly bright.

I am testing with a Les Paul Classic, a Custom Shop Telecaster, and, of course, a Stratocaster. Setting both channels to around seven creates a snappy drive with that mid-forward, present high end that is typical of that Marshall-style, as you would expect.

It is wonderfully dynamic, responding to the different pickups in the guitars and reacting faithfully to the guitar’s volume pots, perhaps more than any other amp I have played.

This sort of touch sensitivity and detailed high-end make the amp feel like it is truly connected to your fingers and your guitar. However, a word of warning, it also makes the amp an unforgiving beast, recreating every bit of a player's nuance and therefore every imperfection. Not for the faint of heart.

It's a sound that makes most sense in a band context, where that presence will serve to cut nicely, and the low end is filled by other instruments. I suspect that many would find these tones to be too bright on their own.

Indeed, it took me a moment to properly adjust and start appreciating it during testing.

I am, of course, playing through as many Hendrix riffs as I can remember, and it isn’t long before I am plugging in that Fuzz Face with the Strat.

A traditional Fuzz Face will change as you turn the volume up, opening more high-end as you get louder. For me, the best way to use them is to gun the volume, set the Fuzz control just a little back from full, and control the amount of Fuzz with your guitar's volume control.

This Hendrix Isle Of Wight festival set-inspired Fuzz Face possesses the aggressive high end as promised, and certainly cuts. There is a little more gain than on some other versions of the Fuzz Face I have played, so I find myself running the Fuzz control back a little further than usual in order to have it clean up properly on the guitar's volume control.

With the guitar's volume gunned, it is a full and fat fuzz, obviously reminiscent of that Foxey Lady and Voodoo Chile sound. And with the volume rolled back, the circuitry of a Fuzz Face allows the signal to clean up spectacularly well whilst staying bright, forming an essential part of Hendrix’s cleaner tones. All in all, I am having a lot of fun here.

But let's not forget, the Marshall Plexi sound was also used by the likes of Paul Kossoff, Jimmy Page, and many others. If you want those sounds, get some humbuckers and dial in some more gain from the volume controls, and you're there.

Additionally, in more modern contexts, this sort of amp works well as a pedal platform. Using a Thorpy Kudu overdrive pedal, I am able to push the amp into high-gain territory, useful for some more modern sounds.

Having no effects loop does somewhat limit the amp in this context, so you will need to be comfortable running your time-based effects into the front end, especially considering that there is no onboard reverb.

Verdict

The Marshall 1959 Super Lead is an undeniably influential sound and is the sort of amplifier that I think every player should experience at least once.

Not only to provide some context to what people really mean when they talk about that Marshall thing, but to gain a better understanding of the type of amp that contributed to the history and development of the guitar.

While the amp is impractically loud, and the fuzz is way too big for most boards, as a tribute to the time and player, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Guitar World verdict: The Marshall X Jimi Hendrix 60th Anniversary JMH Half Stack provides purist-satisfying 1959 Super Lead tones and feel, in a bundle that pays a poignant tribute to the Hendrix/Marshall pairing. For collectors and enthusiasts, this will be a much-coveted purchase.

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Mixwave has teamed up with ethereal guitar and math rock sensation Yvette Young for her first signature plugin.

The Mixwave: Yvette Young package is a faithful recreation of Young’s signature sound, which relies heavily on hand-wired Vox AC30 combo amps. It’s a simple one-amp-and-cabinet setup, bolstered by Alnico Blue and Greenback speaker options, with a range of mic selection options and Impulse Responses in place to maximize its mileage.

It comes fully loaded with nine pedals and effects, bringing Young’s trick-filled pedalboard and live rig to the digital realm. There’s an “immersive” reverb, “dark analog delay”, and a harmonic tremolo, with a “classic analog-inspired chorus”, and a compressor promising “exceptional sustain” also on offer.

The lot is rounded out with a modern-voiced overdrive, a “raw and reactive” fuzz pedal, and a synth-like octaver, while a lo-fi modulator – by far the most unique pick of the bunch – makes dialing in Young’s most hazy and dreamy tones as easy as pie.

That pedal has been crafted to deliver a “warped and unpredictable character” which adds texture and movement to guitar signals, complete with Speed, Depth, Offset, and Mix controls, as well as Wave, Bright, and Sync mini-switches.

Players can rearrange their signal chain as they wish. But the collab hasn't called it quits there.

The plugin also benefits from a built-in EQ and compressor, a Transpose feature, plus controls for Focus, Contour, and Vibe, which smooth out harsh frequencies, provide “elegant” EQ-ing, and enhance top-end harmonics, respectively. And there’s a tuner, of course.

“You can customize like crazy,” Young says. “There’s a whole lot to explore, and I’m just at the tip of the iceberg!”

The plugin is priced at $139 but is currently sold at the introductory price of $99, with a 14-day free trial for the tonally curious.

It joins Yvette's growing stable of signature gear, which currently includes her Ibanez Talman and Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer pedal.

See Mixwave for more information.

Elsewhere, Young recently discussed how she ended up in a Super Bowl commercial and the realities of going viral.

What is it?

For any rock guitar player, Eddie Van Halen and the 5150 moniker are nothing less than Iconic. As the title of the Van Halen album that ushered in the Sammy Hagar era, the name of Eddie Van Halen’s home studio, and his signature series of amplifiers, 5150 is synonymous with the influential, high-gain, high-octane rock that Van Halen propagated.

The original 5150 tube amp started life in 1992 as a signature amplifier built by Peavey for Eddie. After moving on from Peavey in the early 2000’s, he took the 5150 trademark with him into his own brand - EVH (Peavey continues to produce its take under the 6505 name).

Fast forward a few decades, and the 5150 III 6L6 amplifier has been brought into the modern era with the release of the EVH 5150 III Hypersonic 6L6 combos. The EVH Hypersonic series follows in the footsteps of parent company Fender’s Tone Master range, turning to digital modeling technology for the amplifier but marrying it with a real guitar cabinet to create a digitally modeled combo amp.

These digital versions of the 5150 III 6L6 should, on paper, be about as accurate as it is possible for digital modeling to be for two reasons. Firstly, all of the digital processing power is dedicated to recreating one amp well, rather than a collection of iconic amps and effects and fancy (but useful) routing in floorboards such as the Quad Cortex.

Secondly, utilizing a real cabinet bypasses digital cabinet emulation and puts the player directly in front of two 12” Celestion G12H speakers, reducing the number of digital steps between the modeled tone and your ears. We should note here that there is cabinet emulation for a direct-to-desk sound on the amp, should you need it.

So far, the Hypersonic range consists of the 5150 III FRFR speaker, the 5150 III 6L6 1x12 combo, and what I have here, the 5150 III 6L6 2x12 combo. Looking forward to getting stuck into some high-gain tones, let’s see if it delivers what it should.

Specs

• Launch price: $1,699 | £1,399 | €1,625
• Type: Three-channel digital combo amp
• Origin: China
• Output: 50 watts
• Speaker: 2x12, Celestion G12H 30W anniversary series
• Channels: Three
• Controls: Independent three-band EQ, Gain and Volume for each channel, Presence, Resonance and Reverb, Power Mode switch, IR selector
• Connectivity: 1/4" input, IR-loaded XLR output
• Footswitch: Included
• Weight: 56lbs/25.5kg
• Dimensions: 27.5”x11.8”x24.4”
• Contact: EVH

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

Generally speaking, one of the biggest upsides of digital technology is increased portability, but this does not apply in quite the same way when you start making digital combos big enough to house two 12” speakers. Even considering this, the EVH 5150 III Hypersonic is pretty big at 27.5”x11.8”x24.4”.

At 56lbs/25.5kg, it is also relatively heavy in the context of digital equipment (for example, the 2x12 Boss Katana Gen 3 is 43lbs), but, when compared to the 85lbs of the tube equivalent, it is a significant, back-saving reduction.

So, best avoid if you need to work with a relatively small space on stage, but thankfully, there is a 1x12 version for those who need a smaller footprint.

I say on stage, because unless you're playing live, there would be little point in buying the oomph of the 2x12 over the smaller 1x12. And, EVH has built the chassis with live use in mind, as evidenced by the thick plywood sides and reassuring metal bracings on the corners.

Big clunky switches for the power and mute functions also offer an impression of industrial strength, as do the sliders, rotary selectors, and knobs that control the I/O on the back of the unit.

The only place where I feel there is a little room for improvement is the chicken head controls that form the top half of the dual concentric setup on the top panel. They feel a little loose in use relative to the other controls, so they don't quite have the same premium feel as the rest of the amp.

The lower of the dual controls for the Green channel (channel one) and the standalone chicken head knobs for the Red channel (channel 3) happily don’t have this issue and meet the high bar that the amp sets.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★☆

Another benefit of digital technology is the ability to include some extra features. The Hypersonic EVH 5150 III makes use of this, but builds it around a faithful recreation of the real thing, which includes three footswitchable channels, each with its own Gain and Volume control, plus a master Presence and Resonance control, an effects loop, a sturdy footswitch, and MIDI connectivity.

A little note, as we go forward, the three channels are canonically called the Green, Blue, and Red channels. Green for clean, Blue for rhythm, and Red for lead.

The extras on this digital version include a three-band EQ for each channel (on the tube version, channels one and two share an EQ), a noise gate for each channel, and a speaker-emulated XLR out with two built-in Impulse Responses.

For running a silent stage and utilizing just the XLR output, there is a mute switch around the back.

These IRs can be swapped and changed with the EVH IR manager app. Using the app requires a firmware update for the amp, which is easy enough to do, but finding out how requires some browsing around on the EVH website's support page. I would rather have this outlined in the included manual, as it is an operation everyone who buys this amp will need to carry out.

Additionally, instead of the Power Level control featured on the tube amp, the Hypersonic version has selectable 1, 5, 25, and 50-watt outputs.

In short, there are plenty of features for almost everyone. The only omission in my eyes is a Master volume control, as with three channels that have their own independent volume, a master volume would be handy in changing the overall output of the amp without having to worry about accidentally changing the balance you have set between each of the channels.

Adding a Master to a tube amp can bring some compromises depending on its placement in the circuit, but this is a digital amp, so I can’t help but feel this is a missed opportunity.

However, the benefit of the amp being styled after something more traditional is that there are no menus to scroll through or screens to look at. It’s the upside of digital modeling with the plug-and-go sensibilities of old school tube amps.

For the most part, it’s plug your guitar in, tweak the EQ, gain, and volume to your liking, and go. A breath of fresh air in the context of digital floor boards that are getting increasingly complicated.

But that’s not to say there aren’t a few awkward quirks.

The biggest issue being the chicken head knobs positioned on top of the dual concentric controls for EQ, Gain, and Volume on the first two channels (the Green and Blue channels). The Green channel is tweaked by the lower control, and the Blue channel by the chicken head control on top (the Red channel gets its own dedicated knobs).

The top and bottom of the chicken head knobs are bigger than the control below it, and therefore, get in the way when trying to turn the lower control.

This is more than a little annoying. These controls can be done effectively, as demonstrated by Boss in pedals such as the JHS Angry Driver. So on the EVH, I find this to be a good idea that falls short in its execution.

Switching channels with the footswitch is easy, with the channel you are on properly indicated by the LED alongside the switches. Without the footswitch, the LED that indicates what channel you are on is built into the mini rotary knob that is each channel's noise gate control.

I found this confusing, initially believing, as most would, that an LED lighting up a noise gate control would indicate the noise gate being on. Nope, the noise gate is always active (turn the dial to zero to effectively have it off) and the LED indicates which channel is currently being used.

Getting back to the positive, the noise gates themselves are straightforward to utilize and a godsend on an amp with this much gain on tap. EVH has elected to avoid in-depth parameters like attack and release, and has just included one mini knob to control how severe the gate effect is.

Assuming the more in-depth parameters have been set well (we’ll cover this later - spoiler alert - they have), the result is we only need to turn the relevant gate up until the hiss goes away. Easy. And I particularly appreciate having three of them that are independent for each channel.

Having three channels with independent EQ and volume controls makes the amp a versatile beast when it comes to live use, by providing clean, rhythm, and lead sounds without the need for pedals.

Having said that, I’m sure that most of us would prefer to have a pedalboard with perhaps a nice phaser and delay to spice things up a bit, and for this, you will find an effects loop around the back, should you prefer to run things that way.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Making some noise, when it’s run squeaky clean, the Green channel is a little lacking in those harmonic overtones that make a clean tone feel lively.

However, turn the Gain control up until it growls a bit, and there is a healthy, but not unpleasant, amount of high-end that is complemented by a tight low end, making for a very rewarding pushed clean tone.

Testing with both my Gibson SG and Music Man Silhouette Special, things get a little bit muddy in the low mids when that gain is pushed beyond halfway, so be careful here.

For tone shaping, the channels three band EQ sports powerful High and Mid controls, but is more subtle on the Low control. And then we have the master Resonance and Presence controls, which are both quite conservative in their effect, but help control the low-end thump and airy high end of the amp's character, without giving you enough to ruin a tone with.

Let’s face it - most of us will be looking at this amp for its driven sounds. And it does not disappoint. The Blue channel immediately adds a ton more gain, with the control ranging from a heavier crunch to all-out distortion in the first half of its travel, and then adding more than you would ever need as you push it further.

What makes it so much fun to play is that it stays tight throughout. No flubby low end here, so use that neck pickup to your heart's content. On a bridge humbucker, it’s perfect for the chuggy, high-gain, eighties rock thing, with palm mutes benefiting from that tightness.

The Red channel is similar to the Green but gets into distortion territory even earlier and has a slightly more pronounced mid-range, whilst staying super tight in the low end. In short, the perfect high-gain lead.

We also have a little space, courtesy of some digital reverb. Again, this is kept simple with just one control to adjust the amount, and is voiced with a controlled low end that keeps things mud-free even at higher settings. Being picky, I’d say it feels a little bit separate from the dry signal at lower settings, but not problematically so.

As previously mentioned, the XLR out on the back comes with two stock IRs. These are based on the EVH 5150 III cab and speaker, one with an off-axis SM57 and the second an on-axis SM7B.

Testing both, they are impressive IRs. I find myself preferring the on-axis SM7B as it is just a little rounder and has less of that digital fizz. In both cases, utilising the high cut built into the IR Loader app is a good option for mitigating that.

When compared to the real cabinet, there is a little less beefy mid-range in both, which is the sort of thing I would expect when hearing a cabinet through a microphone rather than standing in front of the real thing.

The IR loader app allows for the user to load in their own IR’s, too, so if these don’t do it for you, you are covered. Personally, with a little bit of that high cut, I would happily use the built-in IRs as a direct-to-desk solution.

Verdict

The provenance of the 5150 moniker means that there is a certain expectation on gear that bears that title, as we immediately think Van Halen and great high-gain tones. Thankfully, that is exactly what the EVH Hypersonic 5150 III 6L6 provides.

While I’m not a massive fan of the Green (clean) channel, the super tight, high-gain sounds of the Blue and Red channels are what we are all really here for.

Having three channels, each with its own individual noise gate and EQ, plus the benefits of a direct-to-desk XLR output equipped with decent pre-loaded IRs, makes the amp all any high-gain shredder will need to get through any gig. And that is in both high-volume and silent stage contexts.

The real win here is in taking cabinet emulation out of the digital equation and running a modeling amp into a real guitar cabinet and speaker. A lot of that amp in the room thing comes from the experience of being in front of a real cab, so it makes sense that this would result in a digital combo that feels real.

In short, when playing through the cab, I forgot it was digital.

The uncomfortable truth is that tubes are not going to be around forever. But if this is the future of guitar amplification, I’m okay with it.

Guitar World verdict: The EVH 5150 III Hypersonic 6L6 blends the benefits of a modeling amp with the feel of a real speaker cabinet. It plays like a real amp in a room, but with some of the upsides of digital technology, such as an IR-loaded XLR out and lower power modes. In short, despite a few usability-related shortcomings, it’s an ideal gigging solution for any high-gain player.

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John Nathan Cordy

Joe Satriani has never been someone to do things by halves, so when he was tasked with honoring Eddie Van Halen in Sammy Hagar’s Best of All Worlds tour, he knew he needed a custom amp to nail his tone.

Naturally, he went straight to the source for help, and the late virtuoso’s electric guitar techs all pointed to one person: 3rd Power’s Dylana Scott.

“Ed’s own techs said the only person that could help was this girl outta Nashville called Dylana Scott,” the amp builder tells Guitar World. “Joe called me and said, ‘Apparently I should be talking to you.’”

Satriani is a huge Van Halen fan, and he had a specific era of Eddie’s tone in mind, since he was to be playing both David Lee Roth- and Sammy Hagar-era material.

“On our first call, he said he’d been talking to Edward’s techs, Zeke Clark and Tom Weber, describing the sound he was looking for,” Scott details. “The 5150 [in 1986] tour was Ed’s last tour with the famous Marshall. He had all the candy, but it hadn’t moved into the more modern Van Halen tone.”

After conversations with Hagar, Satriani had homed in on the band’s Live Without a Net live album from that tour, because it captured such an important tonal transition and was, err, the best of both worlds of the band’s two most distinct eras.

The resulting amp – and the one that Satch has been pushing air with on the road – is the DRGN 100. To bring it to life, Scott had one request: “Let me build the perfect racecar for you to drive.”

“Did he want more horsepower at this turn, or better traction over here, or extra acceleration back there?” she posits. “I’m a big fan of his work, so I explained that I didn’t want to watch him play a covers set. I said, ‘None of us need to see you play note for note; we need you to interpret the essence of the moment while honoring the king.’

“Obviously, I had to make sure he had all the tones he needed – the intro to Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love is like taking a flint and stone to make a spark,” she adds. “It’s a two-hour set with moments that also sound creamier.

“This amp was designed to lift Joe up the whole way through, so that even someone in the last seat of the arena would feel the buzz and stand up.”

With the DRGN 100, Scott more than lived up to her reputation, with Satriani later purring that the “harmonically rich and touch-sensitive” tube amp is “my favorite new amp.”

After a raft of choice guitar mods, it was the final ingredient needed to Van Halen-ify his rig.

Elsewhere, Satriani has opened up on the failed Van Halen tribute tour that would have seen him take EVH’s place in a Roth-fronted Van Halen, and named the two guitarists he felt would have nailed the gig better than him.

Scott’s full interview can be found in the latest issue of Guitar World. Print and digital copies can be ordered from Magazines Direct.

After a charming soft-launch in his hometown of Ipswich over the weekend, Ed Sheeran and Orange have officially unveiled his latest pieces of signature gear: a compact series of combo amps built for buskers.

The loop pedal-loving hitmaker traveled to Ipswich Waterfront for a surprise street performance, before giving his then-unannounced amp – from his all-new Outlowd ES series – to a young fan.

It turns out the collaboration has produced three separate models – the ES3, ES60, and ES100 – with Orange saying their work together “focused on sound portability and performance.”

It pairs Orange Amps’ “analog heritage” with “a modern, musician’s approach”, with the 60- and 100-watt models delivering dedicated guitar and vocal channels, the latter with +48V phantom power and a high-pass filter and Bluetooth, all in a compact package.

The ES3 is a more streamlined model with a single-channel guitar input, Shape, Reverb, and Volume controls, as well as Bluetooth connectivity, a Li-Ion battery with USB-C charging, a leather strap, a metal grille, and a 4” speaker. It’s a 3-watt practice amp and Bluetooth speaker, but as you travel up the range, things get more exciting.

The ES60 is billed as the all-rounder, packing enough power for busking performances and ideal for home practice. Its EQ expands to include Volume, Treble, Middle, Q, Mid-Freq, Bass, and Reverb for the guitar channel, and Phantom Power switch, HPF switch, Gain, Treble, Middle, Mid-Freq, Bass, and Reverb for the vocal channel. There’s also a Master Volume.

The amp can plug directly into PA systems and adds an Effects Loop, XLR input/output, and a powered DC adapter for those who don't want to rely on its built-in Li-Ion battery.

Packing 100 watts, the big daddy ES100 takes things up a level with premium Celestion neodymium speakers, delivering “clean headroom with natural, warm voicing” for its guitar channel, and plenty of clarity for vocals.

Notably, it does away with the battery, meaning it needs to be plugged into the mains.

The ES100, Orange says, “is built for serious acoustic players in professional environments worldwide”, and is inspired by Sheeran’s countless hours of experience playing both high streets and stadiums alike.

“Music doesn’t start in arenas or on streaming platforms. It starts in bedrooms, youth clubs, pubs, schools, parks, living rooms, and street corners,” says Sheeran. “I wanted this project with Orange to feel honest to that – celebrating local musicians, local communities, and the idea that anyone can start somewhere.

“With this collaboration, it was like, would I use this? Is this something that I need in my life as a musician? And the answer was yes.”

The series, as Orange explains, was built around Sheeran’s journey from streets to stadiums, with each model proving “approachable, inspiring and genuinely useful for musicians at different stages of their musical lives.”

They look like incredibly well-spec'd and well-designed street corner combos, and the fact they've been built in collaboration with one of modern music's most famous buskers, they could give the Roland Cube – widely seen as the busking amp to beat – a run for its money.

The Orange ES3 ($199), ES60 ($699), and ES100 ($1,499) are available now and are Guitar Center exclusives in the US.

It’s another gear collab for Sheeran, adding to his two PRS baritone models, including a surprisingly versatile hollowbody, his own line of loopers, and busker-oriented PAs.

See Orange for more.

Ed Sheeran is on a signature gear rampage, and he can’t be stopped with his latest signature, an Orange amplifier built for buskers.

The loop pedal whiz started out playing on UK streets, and he’s since used his stadium-selling status to launch his own gear firm, including a PA made for busking musicians. This new collaboration continues that mindset, and he’s soft-launched the compact amp during a surprise street performance in his hometown of Ipswich.

Back home after a bumper run of shows in South America, Sheeran treated shoppers at the Ipswich Waterfront to hits like Photograph and Shape of You, but it was the Orange amp that – for gear nerds at least – took the spotlight.

Playing his signature Lowden acoustic, Sheeran was plugged into the angled combo, which Orange, in its own Instagram post, has confirmed will be officially unveiled this Wednesday, June 10.

Initial impressions are that the amp is small, with its angled form perfect for busking and small acoustic performances, and that it appears to have a second input for a microphone.

Its size also makes it super-transportable, and it’s set to become Sheeran’s first signature amp in a growing list of gear he’s brought into existence. A second amp was spotted on site, into which singer-songwriter Lianne Kaye plugged for a duet. After the show, Sheeran gave his amp to a young fan.

“I asked for a signed guitar for Christmas,” he said. “That didn’t happen, but this is better than that. I wanna be a musician; my friend Isaac is really good at playing the guitar, and I want to follow his line.”

It’s heartwarming stuff, and an ideal way to tease the amp ahead of its official launch.

For Sheeran, it continues a rich vein of form in signature gear release. Earlier this year, he dropped not one but two signature baritone guitars with PRS – the Cosmic Splash and a hollowbody variant – following on from his own line of loopers.

Joe Bonamassa may be coming around to the prospect of playing digital modeling amps after he seemingly took a Fender Tone Master amp on tour.

Bonamassa’s affection for tube amps is well known. He owns a legion of high-end Dumble amps, and has played everything from early 1950s Fender tweeds and even Gary Moore’s old Soldano.

He also partnered with Fuchs for a signature valve amp, and once worked with Fender on an artist edition ‘48 Dual Professional combo.

As a vocal critic of modeling tech, it seemed unlikely – nay, borderline impossible – that Bonamassa would ever warm to the idea of playing anything digital whatsoever.

Well, the tide may be turning. A few weeks ago, Bonamassa shared a photo on Instagram of a pair of Fender Twins. However, some eagle-eyed fans noticed the Tweed had a ‘Tone Master’ plate on the grille.

“Well, Well, Well! What do we have here?” Bonamassa wrote. “Fresh in from the Arizona territory of Scottsdale. Beta testing something new and exciting on this tour. @fender Spot the difference and you might win a prize (prizes will not be honored).”

Why is this a big deal? Because Fender Tone Master amps are completely digital – and if Bonamassa is confident enough to play a digital combo live on stage, then that’s a huge seal of approval for the range.

Fender rolled out the Tone Master lineup in 2019, presenting them as modeling amps that captured authentic tube amp tones associated with its most iconic designs, including a number of Tweeds and Twins.

JoBo is a through-and-through tube traditionalist, so the fact he’s playing a digital recreation of a valve amp (which he probably owns) is telling. He’s spoken in the past about his aversion for such tech, particularly modelers, previously reasoning why he’d never play one.

But it seems the tech has finally convinced him, encouraging him to U-turn and embrace modern amps. Replying to Jason Isbell on the post, Bonamassa offered further praise, writing: “It's honestly really amazing what they did digitally. I wanted to dislike it!”

Just how far Bonamassa will lean into the modeling amp world remains to be seen. Playing one at home is one thing, taking it on tour is another. But this doesn’t look like a one-time-thing. Bonamassa could be in it for the long haul – just don't expect him to play a Tone Master Pro any time soon.

Keep an eye on Joe Bonamassa’s Instagram page for sightings of his new Tone Master in action.

What is it?

It seems that every piece of gear that comes across my desk to review these days is leaning into artificial intelligence. Gone are the good ol’ days of plugging into a tube amp, cranking the gain, and playing the guitar. We’re living in a bold new era of prompt-driven sounds, AI-generated signal chains, and on-demand tonal tweaks that can be achieved with nothing but an app and your imagination. You’d be forgiven for feeling slightly overwhelmed in today’s modeling amp market.

Positive Grid – the biggest name in the practice amp game – was one of the earliest champions of this burgeoning tech. For its near-perfect Spark 2 practice amp, for example, it explored AI tone generation through the Spark AI feature.

Now, Positive Grid is back with a brand new amp range, hinging on a newly developed AI feature, which is promising to push the boundaries of artificially intelligent amps into new frontiers.

Enter the Reactor – a fully fledged, 50 or, as reviewed here, 100-watt combo that is offering near-instantaneous signal creation that, in theory, will give you any and every tone you could ever need.

It’s a big move from Positive Grid, and arguably its most important launch since it swept to market domination with its widely acclaimed Spark family. It's a huge statement of intent, doubling-down on the firm's commitment to developing gig-level amps, which has been explored in the past with the likes of the Bias Head and Spark Cab.

As such, there’s a lot riding on the Reactor, even more so given the ambitious nature of the amp itself. Here, Positive Grid is rolling out what it’s calling Amp Intelligence – a new “sound engine” that promises uber-authentic tube amp tones, and which uses AI to give you a number of novel ways to build sounds and signal chains on demand.

There’s also a dedicated new Reactor app to shout about – complete with a new user interface and tone exploring experience – as well as a Tone Memory function that learns your playing style and refines your tone over time. So, yes, plenty from Positive Grid to announce this brave new era. Let’s see what the Reactor is made of…

Specs

• Launch price: 100W $449 | £379 | €449
• Type: Digital amp
• Origin: China
• Output: 100W with 1W and 25W power selector
• Speaker: Custom 1x12" guitar speaker
• Channels: Clean, Warm, Grit, Crunch, Hi-Gain, Extreme
• Controls: Amp selector, Push/Smooth, Heat, Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master, Effects, Volume
• Connectivity: Input, Foot Control, MIDI In, Power Amp In, Line Out, Headphones, FX Loop, USB-C, Bluetooth audio, Bluetooth connection to Reactor Control
• Footswitch: Reactor Control | sold separately ($149)
• Weight: 29Lbs / 13.3kgs
• Dimensions: 530 x 450 x 205 mm
• Contact: Positive Grid

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

If the name wasn’t enough to let you know that this is a completely different kettle of fish from the Spark family, the Reactor itself will confirm it. It looks like it could have been made by an entirely different brand altogether. Here, Positive Grid has opted for frills-free styling, playing down company branding and opting instead for a bombastic silver ‘R’ logo that feels like it’s meant to give minimalist vibes.

This ‘new-range, new-look’ feel is extended through the silver top control panel, which houses the generous array of bells and whistles (more on those later, natch), and silver bars at the top and bottom of the silver/grey grille.

But is it a good look for a new lineup? The words I would use are “sterile” and “inoffensive”. Dare I say “uninspired”. I get what they’re going for, but it’s a bit jarring to have something that promises such advanced, futuristic, problem-solving AI tech look… a bit dated.

Maybe that’s a bit harsh. Positive Grid clearly needed to make a big departure from the Spark range – a range literally every guitar player out there could identify – so I’ve got to give them kudos for trying something bold here. Still, it might not be to everyone’s tastes.

Aesthetics aside, there’s no denying that this is built really well. I have no qualms with the actual quality of the build here. No surprise, really, given Positive Grid’s expertise. It’s lightweight yet solid, and because of the power level you could easily rehearse and gig with this thing. I’d have no hesitation taking this on the road, and wouldn’t fret over its safety.

The amp itself is constructed from a solid wood build and nicely finished in a robust tolex outer shell, which is further supported by small but effective corner covers issued to prevent any damage directly to the amp itself. These have a nice matte finish, too, so seem relatively immune to scuff marks with heavy usage, even if they don't elevate the amp itself from the ground too much.

Likewise, the rubber carry handle feels reliable and more than up to the task of carrying this humble 29lbs amp around, and the finishing inside the open-back cab is commendable – no rough edges, dodgy joints or loose screws to report.

To that end, all those aforementioned bells and whistles feel firm and robust; the rotary switches are solid, the parameters have a good secure sweep, and the buttons to trigger effects aren’t falling off anytime soon. I’d expect nothing less from Positive Grid.

Making a combo is an entirely different challenge to making a small desktop amp, and Positive Grid is clearly not a one trick pony. It knows how to build amps. This means business.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★½

Despite its digital prowess, the amp itself looks and (broadly) functions like a conventional guitar amp, so if you don’t want to get in the weeds with the AI stuff, you don’t have to. App-free, there’s plenty of features to tuck into.

You have a rotary switch to move between six amp types; a three-band EQ; knobs for Gain, Master and Volume, and a sole level parameter to dictate the six onboard effects. The open-back combo features an actual guitar speaker, rather than an FRFR speaker, with a connectivity port for all the I/Os.

Oh, and there are two toggle switches for Push/Smooth and ‘Heat’ functions, which adjust harmonics and feel, as well as response types for lead and rhythm playing. It’s a unique feature I’ve not really seen elsewhere, and I like it.

From this alone, you can dial in some really stellar tones, and the fairly familiar control panel – which isn’t a far cry from Blackstar ID:X and Boss Katana combos – is easy to get around, albeit not the most seamless and intuitive. The effects section can be a bit head-scratching, though, especially with its system which relies on colored, flashing and solid lights. It’s a bit tedious at first, but a necessary hump to get over.

But the real USP of the Reactor is what’s going on under the hood. The new partner Reactor app gives you access to a Creator Hub, which gives you three main ways to generate a signal chain: text, audio, and photo. There's also a 'Fix My Tone' function that can critique your preset and suggest improvements.

I try the text-based prompt function first, because that’s the most common and perhaps the easiest to get right. Unsurprisingly, it works well. It has no problem coughing up an edge-of-break-up clean tone, nor does it break a sweat when I ask for a '80s rhythm sound drenched in chorus and reverb. I get similarly excellent results with higher gain stuff, too.

What’s most interesting about the Reactor, though, is that it can generate tones based on an image. It sounds cool on paper, and it’s pretty fun to work with, but after the novelty of the new function wears off, I can’t help but wonder when this would actually come in handy.

For example, I uploaded a picture of Slash, and it rightly identified the picture, generating a raft of actually-very-good Marshall-y tone presets that did a commendable job of recreating a high-gain lead Guns N' Roses sound. But… I could have just asked for a Slash tone, right? Why go through the ceremony of providing a picture? It’s a nice novel approach, but I’m not sure I’d ever actually get much use out of it in practice.

But, to play devil's advocate, that's probably not the point of the image tone generator, and Positive Grid's intentions for this function no doubt go beyond this. My skepticism and obvious hiccups aside, this feature can work well, and could certainly be an engaging and novel approach to guitar tone that could hook beginners and more seasoned players alike.

After all, the idea here is to get creative and have fun with your tone, so what better way to test than to give it the most random image possible and see what it comes up with?

With that in mind, I uploaded an image of a weird Spider-Duck figurine laying around the house (don’t ask), and not only did it actually work out what I was showing it (yes, I was trying to catch it out) but it gave me some great presets to boot, and justified its selection.

So, you can definitely have fun with it, even if it’s not the most useful feature out there. What is far more useful is the audio function, which listens to an audio excerpt or screen recording and curates some presets either directly based on, or inspired by, the source material.

Again, the Reactor has no real problems with this, but it’s not perfect. I gave it an audio recording of a tone I’d created using my gigging rig in rehearsals, and although it didn’t come back with a like-for-like tone, it impressively identified the vibe and got close to the ball park.

As for actual songs, I fed it John Mayer’s Slow Dancing…, and it gave me a nice Fender-y clean tone. Conversely, I then gave it 30 seconds of Mk.gee’s guitar tone from Daisies and it offered up a “Modern High Gain Lead” preset that boasted “aggressive compressed saturation”. Not quite the same vibe.

So, it’s a tech that clearly needs refining, but the potential is certainly there. Like I say, I had some great success stories with an abundance of superb sounds, but also a fair few howlers that let the overall experience down.

To that end, what I like about the AI stuff is that each prompt gives you a few different presets to play with. What I really don’t like is how the app looks and feels. Again, it’s such an aesthetic clash with the hardware itself, using some, er, eye-catching AI-generated images of amps and pedals. There’s no real cohesion there and it all feels weirdly mish-mash – like two separate products that have been hodge-podged together.

That said, the additional Reactor Control footswitch is a clear extension of the Reactor cosmetic, and is a great add-on to the playing experience. It's built as equally robust, and transforms the Reactor from a tone-tinkering tool into a sound-recalling piece of gear that you could use to play an entire set.

Oh, and a quick word on 'Tone Memory', which adapts and refines tones based on your playing over time. I don't think I've played the Reactor enough to reap the rewards, but Positive Grid's slightly terrifying 'It Remembers' marketing tag line sounds oddly like a threat. It'd be interesting to see just how effective that is.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★☆

Despite my misgivings over looks and the AI, there was no denying that the vast majority of the presets I played through sounded really good. I’m incredibly picky when it comes to dynamics and response, especially from soft-driven clean tones, and where many modeling amps of this ilk fail to impress me, I found the Reactor to be incredibly receptive, balanced and warm.

As mentioned, you can get great tones straight from the amp without having to navigate the Reactor amp, and the addition of the Push/Smooth and Heat toggle switches really do bring something new and genuinely useful to the table. It’s an easy way to give a basic clean tone a bit of a harmonic bump, and add some additional attack and squishy responsiveness when using something a bit more dirty.

I had similar success moving along the gain spectrum. I’m a huge fan of how the Spark 2 sounds, and I get the same amount of joy here, especially with the abundance of effects on tap. There are delays, reverbs, modulations and drives, with plenty of each flavor to explore in the app. Naturally, you get digital clones of popular pedals, including the Rat, Big Muff and beyond.

I’m also actually impressed with how often I find myself in the higher-gain amp models on the Reactor, specifically the Extreme. I’m always put off by heavy drives on digital amps, on the basis they don’t always feel authentic or respond to my playing in a natural way, but here I have no such problems. It isn't fizzy and doesn't get away from me, which I like.

However, given the ambitious, signal chain-building nature of the AI tone generator, it’s easy to come across some presets that aren’t as good as others. Not a problem, really, because these can be ignored altogether or refined using the Creator Hub, but for every 10 good presets you play through, you’ll come across one that disrupts the flow.

Now, that’s a pretty low ratio, so nothing that hampers the overall tonal experience. But these are usually the ones that look to layer effects and create complex tones, often neglecting simple things like a decent EQ setup or taming some of the effects. Again, that can be remedied, and maybe I'm being too harsh looking for perfection, but with Positive Grid making a big deal about getting "finished, playable sound in seconds", it's an important caveat to note.

Whatever the case, the sounds are by and large the best aspect of the Reactor. Even without all the app and AI additions, it could quite easily stand on its own as a genuinely good practice amp.

Verdict

As far as amp launches in the modern age go, the arrival of the Positive Grid Reactor is a pretty big deal. Having already blown the competition out the water with its ever-growing Spark lineup, expectations for a new Positive Grid amp will be sky high.

Will the Reactor ever live up to the lofty expectations set by the Spark? Right off the bat, it’s got a bit of work to do before it gets there, but there’s no reason why it can’t – especially as the AI software develops and the app (hopefully) improves. There are some very promising signs here that hint at a very bright future for the Reactor family.

Sure, the AI thing might not be the most reliable, but when it's in full swing it can be helpful. It works more often than it doesn't, which is a relief, and even if you never use the app with the Reactor (probably not advisable, admittedly) you're still left with a mostly intuitive combo amp.

But, with all that said and done, there’s one thing that needs to be hammered home: this is a great sounding amp, and the stellar tones you can get from the Reactor are worth the price of admission alone. It’s just a shame that, if you go down the AI route, it can be a bit of a mission to get them.

Guitar World verdict: This is a strong start for Positive Grid's new outing, and indicative of the firm's amp expertise outside the Spark family. Although there may be a few teething problems with the ambitious artificial intelligence infrastructure that might put players off, there's no doubting that at the core of the Reactor is a great-sounding combo with some exceptional modeling amp tones.

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Positive Grid

Positive Grid has announced its first new amp range outside of the Spark family, with the Reactor series of intelligent 1x12” combos arriving with some new ambitious technology advances.

Available in 50- and 100-watt packages, the Reactor amps become Positive Grid's closest rivals to the Boss Katana and Blackstar ID:X platforms, though look to get ahead of the competition with some market-first features.

Indeed, the Reactor lineup is offering “a new approach to amplification that builds tone from the ground up”, with its 'Amp Intelligence' – notably not 'Artificial Intelligence' – engine building on the success of the Bias X plugin’s prompt-generated tones.

Dedicated signal chains are said to be generated in seconds, thanks to the all-new companion Reactor app, with entirely custom amps sometimes created in the process – and they all promise to be dynamic under a player’s fingers.

Importantly, though, all tones are fully tweakable, with a fairly comprehensive set of controls on the amp itself. There’s an Amp dial for Clean, Warm, Grit, Crunch, Hi-Gain, and Extreme flavors, alongside Gain and Master controls, a three-band EQ, and six on-board effects including a noise gate, compressor, overdrive, delay, reverb, and modulation.

But there are also “two controls you won’t find on any other amp” via the AI-powered Push/Smooth and Heat mini-switches. The former is a three-way switch, with the middle position the default. In Push mode, it adds more bite to “cut through the mix without touching your gain,” while Smooth makes tones a little warmer.

The Heat control, on the other hand, has five stages for affecting the amp’s response. More heat increases attack and harmonics, while less heat yields a more “elastic, open” tone.

As for how those tones are generated, the Reactor app offers three distinct modes for sound creation via its Amp Intelligence tech: by text prompt, by image, or by audio snippet. In turn, eight effects be stacked simultaneously, adding wah and EQ to the mix, with the signal chain fully customizable.

By extension, there's also a new Tone Memory feature that analyses and adapts to your unique playing style over time, filtering in automatic tonal refinements to best fit your own sound.

“The more you use it,” Positive Grid says, “the more it sounds like you.”

On the flipside, the back panel is heartily decked out. A USB-C input allows players to plug directly into their DAW, while there's also a 3.5mm headphone out and 1/4” jack line out, which sends its in-built cab sim along the line.

And for good measure, there’s an input for the partnering Reactor footswitch (sold separately), which can also connect wirelessly via Bluetooth and has an expression pedal input and a MIDI input.

In addition, it can serve as a Bluetooth speaker and has built-in Wi-Fi for downloading updates without needing to connect to a computer.

There are unlimited preset slots in the app, too, which makes it a handy storage system for the tones that don’t make the eight onboard slots saved on the amp itself.

It’s packing a lot, then, with the 50W model costing $349, and rising to $449 for twice the power. The footswitch is priced at $149. Those are very competitive prices indeed.

In Guitar World's early review, the ambition of the project was applauded, and despite some AI teething problems, the package was deemed a worthy companion to the Spark and a superb addition to the Positive Grid family.

See Positive Grid for more.

There are few pairings in rock more iconic than a top-hatted Slash wailing on a Les Paul in front of a stack of Marshall amps. Maybe that’s why, when he switched to Magnatone, he brought them into the band’s sphere in secret.

Marshalls have powered the sound of both Slash and Guns N’ Roses’ most iconic records, which made his switch to Magnatone in 2023 – a change inspired while working on his blues record, Orgy of the Damned – very surprising.

“It was a big deal for me,” he says of the switch in the new issue of Guitarist. “When we went in to do the record and started pre-production, I started jamming these arrangements, and I just didn’t want to use my normal Marshall sound. I had a couple of Fender Twins, a couple of Fender Deluxes, a Vox half-stack, and a vintage Vox combo.

“I went through different amps, and when I got to the Magnatone, which had been given to me but I’d never used before, I ended up using it for every song.”

Cue his eureka moment.

“It was a big revelation because it gave me a kind of clarity,” Slash continues. “I think I was starting to get tired – as much as I hate to say it – of the very predictable Marshall sound, which I’m sort of known for.”

Slash’s signature 100-watt, British-voiced Magnatone arrived ahead of his bluesy solo record, joining an artist roster that includes Billy Gibbons and Mike Campbell. A purple snakeskin practice amp also arrived earlier this year. But when returning to GNR after Orgy..., the amps were given little fanfare.

“Unbeknownst to anyone else, I actually replaced my Marshalls on the next Guns N’ Roses tour with the Magnatones, and that became my thing,” he reveals. “I got together with Magnatone a little later, and we designed the 100-watt [SL-100] model, which is what I’m using now.”

Orgy of the Damned, a musical side quest that saw Slash reconnecting with his blues roots, felt like fair game for him to try other amps and even, heaven forbid, play a Strat or two. With GNR, it was a different story, so he’s found a way to have them work side by side.

Slash’s full interview features in the new issue of Guitarist, which celebrates 100 years of the Gibson Flat-top acoustics. Head to Magazines Direct to grab a copy today.

The years following Creedence Clearwater Revival’s disbandment in the early 1970s were difficult for John Fogerty. The breakup hit him so hard that he gave away his prized ACME Rickenbacker and lost the rights to his own music, plunging him into his darkest days.

Half a century later, he’s got both vital pieces of his legacy back. But there was another piece of the puzzle that has gotten less attention in the wake of CCR’s demise – and Fogerty spent 45 years chasing it.

Speaking to Guitar World in 2023, Fogerty, who turns 81 today (May 28), reflected on the band’s “whirlwind” year in 1970, which saw them racking up hit singles and playing London’s historic Royal Albert Hall. The amps that went on the road with them were paramount to their success.

“I was playing a Kustom K200A[-4], which was an amazing rig,” he reflects. “It was roughly 100 watts and was solid-state, but it was probably the best-sounding solid-state amp ever made.

“It didn’t sound hard and cold and sterile the way so many other solid-state amps of that era sounded. And I’m just talking about when I used it clean…”

The amp had four built-in effects, but curiously, engaging the reverb increased the amp’s volume, so it was never used. Besides, CCR had more natural 'verb to play with.

“I felt there was enough reverb in the big room; I didn’t need to add more,” he says.

“But the other things [effects]– I used all of them,” he adds. “They were wonderful.”

The amp's built-in fuzz tone was a doozy, and a treble-bleed was reminiscent of a chicken-head knob on a Gibson ES-355, while its resistors gave the amp a “nasally ‘honky’ kind of a sound” which can be heard on Keep On Chooglin’.

“Mostly, I just like what a guitar sounds like straight into an amp,” Fogerty expands. “But the most mind-boggling effect was the fourth one, which was a vibrato-tremolo effect – and you could blend between tremolo and vibrato. I didn’t want to use too much vibrato – vibrato meaning pitch-bending, so I’d turn it to the right a little bit.

“It would sound like a normal tremolo, but with the addition of a kind of spooky sound that came out of vibrato.

“It was a blend,” he continues, “and they were on the same clock, happening at the same time. I used that sound on Born on the Bayou and Midnight Special. There are so many songs I recorded plugged into that amp, using that vibrato-tremolo thing.”

It’s unclear what happened to the Kustom following the tour. What is clear is that he was left longing for it, saying, “I spent the next 45 years trying to get someone to replicate that.”

But his track record of getting his precious belongings back – his Rickenbacker was a tear-jerking Christmas gift from his wife, and the legal wranglings over his song rights took some 50 years of perseverance – suggests he’ll complete the hat trick soon enough.

Partly buoyed by the long-awaited return of Oasis, Britpop is back in the music spotlight. But Blur guitarist Graham Coxon has some concerns regarding his classic rig.

When they were fighting for top spot in the British rock food chain during the height of their powers, Oasis and Blur waged war with hodgepodge pedalboards, haphazard rigs, and massive tunes.

Oasis played to 125,000 people at Knebworth in 1996, and Noel Gallagher's pedalboard at the time was literally a piece of plywood. Coxon’s rig was just as basic – but even harder to operate.

“I had this disgraceful pedalboard during the Blur years,” he tells Guitar World in a new interview. “It was this big fucking thing that, when we turned it on, it would be brighter than the stage lights. I’d be stabbing my foot away, trying to turn on a Rat pedal, but you couldn’t see it!”

A lot has changed in the gear world since the early and mid-’90s, and it’s left Coxon’s rig looking a little dated. He isn't looking back on his Blur gear with rose-tinted glasses. He's embracing the new.

“Back then, I had everything I needed,” he says. “But now, in my older age, I’m thinking, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have been playing Marshalls for 35 years.’

“It sounded great. But it was loud… it was a 100-watt mofo, right? So, lately, I’ve been thinking, ‘Oh, what about more Fender amps? What about headroom?’ I’ve thought an awful lot more about it.

“When I turn my fuzz pedal off and on, I want it to take people’s heads off. So, it’s this crazy dance of headroom, and if I should use a Marshall, a Fender, or a 20-watt Hamstead, which I use with [his band with Rose Elinor Dougall] The Weave.”

Pedal choices have led Coxon to forge a partnership with JAM Pedals, which has also collaborated with Greg Koch and turned heads with its take on the Rat. Coxon's also experimenting with new sounds.

“When I was growing up, I had a Rat pedal,” Coxon reiterates. “I would just hit that in the chorus and turn it off for the verse. That’s how simple it was.

“Now there’s phasers, flanges, compressors… crikey, everybody is making stuff. Then, there’s the Third Man pedal, the [Gamechanger Audio x Third Man Hardware] Plasma [Coil]… I can’t live without that.”

The Plasma Coil, a distortion/overdrive pedal built by Jack White’s Third Man Hardware and Gamechanger Audio, is very much the antithesis of the busy and ever-inventive pedal market in the 2020s.

It’s a world that Coxon, though a tad overwhelmed by, is diving headfirst into regardless.

Elsewhere in his Guitar World interview, Coxon looked back on the time Damon Albarn rejected an entire album of Blur songs – and accidentally kickstarted his solo career.

Coxon’s full interview with GW will be published online in due course.

Rick Beato is something of a bastion for the glory days of rock recording, when tube amps were king. So Nate Atmos was taken aback when his amp sim-powered tones drew praise from the man himself.

The Water from Your Eyes guitarist recently released It’s Beautiful, a three-track EP that follows on from the 2025 album, It’s a Beautiful Place, and it’s had the producer turned YouTuber saying just as much about his guitar tones. It turns out he had no idea it came from a simulation.

Asked by Guitar World how the band’s new obsession with watching gear demos on YouTube has affected the spangly experimentalist's new music, Amos confesses that it has had a big impact.

“A lot of it was exploring amp sims for touring,” he details. “I was worried about recording all the guitars on the last Water album with amp sims, when you have Rick Beato on YouTube talking about how nothing sounds as good as a tube amp.”

Indeed, the real-versus-digital amp debate continues to rage on. This, despite some ardent tube amp fanatics recently conceding ground. John Mayer has recently dropped a plugin with Neural DSP, and used a Quad Cortex at Coachella last year, while Slipknot’s Jim Root has also gone back on his anti-modeler word.

Yet Team Tubes still has many supporters, and Beato is one of their most vocal. In this instance, Beato was fooled.

“He ended up posting one of the songs, and he said, ‘Sick guitar tone!’” Amos reports. “I was like, ‘Dude, that’s a Walrus Audio amp sim with the stock IR!’”

Impressively, Life Signs, from last year’s record, featured in Beato’s list of top songs of 2025. Now, it’s unlikely that Beato will be binning his boutique amps and clearing space on his hard drive for a feast of new plugins, but it does show that amp modelers and amp sims are improving at an exponential rate.

One of the biggest bands in the world has been using them for over a decade. Modelers outsold traditional amps and combos in 2025. But there's still plenty of fight left in tube amps, as evidence suggests.

As Converge’s Kurt Ballou attests, the two can live symbiotically. It needn’t be one or the other.

Amos’ full interview will be published online in due course.

What is it?

It’s the stuff of fantasy for tone-chasing guitarists – a tube amp that lets you remove the preamp and slot another one straight in. A single amp chassis that can be transformed from a Fender into a Peavey 6505, a Dumble clone, an Engl… it’d be quite something.

This is the idea behind Synergy Amps, part of the larger Boutique Amps Distribution roster operating out of California. Synergy’s bread and butter is its modular preamp system, with roots in designs by Bruce Egnater in the 1990s; that technology was also licensed by Randall for its MTS amplifier range in the 2000s. Both the Egnater and Randall systems still retain a following for their innovation and tonal quality.

As well as the company’s own preamp modules (mainly based on classic US circuits), there have been officially-licensed collaborations with several amp makers, often from the BAD group of brands. We’ve seen Fryette, Bogner and Soldano modules, to name just a few.

The most recent chapter, though, brings a classic British brand into the picture. So far, several Synergy preamp modules have been based on Marshall topology - the Friedman Brown Eye and Dirty Shirley, the Metropoulos Metro-Plex, and the Fortin Killer Kali. Today’s headline is that Marshall itself has now co-developed a pair of preamp modules with Synergy; and I'm putting both to the test here.

We need something to run them, though; the modules are neatly-packaged devices about the size of a large effects pedal, and contain all the essential components of a valve preamp, including a pair of 12AX7s, shrink-wrapped into a compact, uniform design. It’s truly innovative, and very accomplished. But the module itself has no form of power, so it’s not much use on its own.

Luckily, there’s another recent arrival in Synergy’s range for just this purpose. Last year, the SYN-20IR amp head broke cover - the smallest that the company has made yet. It’s also the most advanced, by quite a distance.

Specs

• Price: $1,099 | £999 | €1190
• Type: Tube amp head with modular preamp design
• Origin: China
• Output: 20 watts
• Channels: 3 (1x built-in clean, 2x channels on each available module)
• Controls: Clean Volume, clean Tone, power amp Reactance, Master, power amp Structure push-button, Channel Store button, IR select/bypass button. Rear panel - Headphone level, Ground/Lift button. Preamp Module Controls for JMP Module (per channel) 60s/70s mini-switch, Vol 2, Bright switch, Vol 1, Bright switch, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master volume. JCM 800 Module controls (per channel) High/Low gain mini switch, Preamp gain, Bright switch, Bass, Middle, Treble, master Volume, Presence
• Connectivity: ¼” instrument in, IEC power in, USB out, MIDI in, XLR direct out, ¼” headphone out, Effects Return, Effects Send, speaker outputs (1x 16ohm, 2x 8ohm, 2x 4ohm).
• Footswitch: 3-button MIDI footswitch included
• Weight: 16.4lb/7.4kg 
• Dimensions: 356 x 216 x 191 mm
• Options: Marshall JMP Preamp module (as reviewed) is priced $399 | £399 | €429; Marshall JCM 800 Preamp module (as reviewed) priced $449 | £449 | €459, see Synergy for full list of brands
• Contact: Synergy Amps

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

Its steel shell is sized like a typical ‘lunchbox’ amp head. It runs like one too, with dual EL84 power valves. The similarities end there. Instead of a front panel, there’s a gaping hole into which your choice of preamp module can be inserted.

The modules are quite intricate, with some exposed components at the rear, but most of the guts are housed in a sturdy metal enclosure.

These Marshall models’ faceplates are finished in the British brand’s trademark gold rather than the black of most others in Synergy’s range; a nice touch.

The head is smartly built and finished; little to criticize in terms of quality, certainly not in terms of spec – it’s stuffed with features.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★★

There are controls to either side of the module slot, dealing with the power amp response, overall master level, plus Volume and Tone for the in-built clean channel.

The rear panel plays host to a balanced XLR out, a headphone jack, an effects loop, and comprehensive speaker output options. There’s a MIDI socket into which the supplied three-button footswitch can be plugged. USB, too, for loading IRs and other deep-editing work.

Slotted in, the module is secured by two thumb-screws – despite having its own cleans, the head won’t work without one installed.

From there, all the module’s controls can be dialed in just like any other amp. Unlike the Marshall circuits they’re based on, each of these modules boasts two entirely independent channels.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

You could run directly to an interface, or a powered cab, but I plugged into my 2x12 Marshall 1936 cab, with a Celestion Vintage 30 and Creamback. I primarily used my Tele and my Les Paul for testing.

Before delving into the modules, let’s try that so-called ‘American-style’ clean channel. The description conjures up images of Fender Twin Reverbs; it’s not quite that. It’s perfectly serviceable, and far better to have it there than not, but with a single Tone control it’s not the richest or sparkliest of clean sounds. Add modulation or time-based effects for better results.

One thing’s for sure though - the SYN-20IR is plenty loud enough. Even with the master volume barely above zero, it’s punchy - I reckon even 11 o’clock on the dial would be more than sufficient for many shows. That’s certainly in keeping with the Marshall ethos, so it seems time to try out the first module.

The JMP first – based on the classic ‘Plexi’ sounds of yore, each channel offering dual volumes to mimic the Bright and Normal inputs of the old non-master-volume amps. Each volume has a three-position Bright switch. Each channel, a ‘60s/70s’ mini-switch for overall response and gain structure.

I set one channel for a lower-gain break-up/’crunch’ sound and am immediately, dead impressed – the strident, hard-edged snarl of an overdriven Plexi is right there.

There’s higher-gain potential and, of course, a master volume, but the tone is unmistakable. The controls for power amp response and reactance on the head are great for fine-tuning too.

As I set the other channel to a much hotter, modded Plexi tone, it provides all the fabulous, harmonically-rich saturation one would expect – ideal for your best Van Halen or Malmsteen impersonations. The other party piece, true to Marshall form, is the touch-sensitivity; a very natural response to picking dynamics, and fabulous with the guitar’s volume backed off too.

From there, I jump to the JCM 800 module. The same faceplate, with different controls – this time, each channel gets a High/Low input gain switch, emulating the dual inputs of the original amp.

From there, the Preamp gain pot and the Bright switches combine for a similarly broad range of gain structure – again, I dial in a lower-gain sound and am wowed by the glassy, defined crunch that pairs so brilliantly with a Telecaster. That same touch-sensitive quality is, if anything, even more pronounced and impressive here.

Moving to a high-gain sound, with Preamp drive around 1 o’clock and the EQ mostly flat with a slight Mid push, the Synergy emits a brutal roar. It’s tight, it’s percussive but it also possesses the same barely-controlled, feral edge as a real JCM 800 - it’s no mere facsimile, it truly sounds and responds like the original.

Verdict

The Synergy amp system is really impressive, and a fantastic solution for guitarists wanting multiple different amps without taking up too much space, or spending too much.

It’s still not the cheapest approach, but it’s certainly a lot more practical and financially viable than a collection of full-size original models. With its direct output and IRs, it’s great for recording too.

As for the Marshall modules – the two-channel design offers way more flexibility than the original amps. There’s masses of potential for tweaking, and the archetypal Marshall tone and response are present and correct – with higher gain on tap for those who want it, too.

All in all, a fantastic package for those seeking versatile Marshall tones, while keeping options open for transforming their amp into a Dr. Z, or a Diezel, the next day…

Guitar World verdict: The SYN-20IR feels like a next-generation Synergy head, truly unlocking the potential of the technology. And they’ve played a blinder with the new Marshall modules; the sound and fury of the classic amps, but in a format that’s incredibly easy to get the best from.

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• Best guitar amps 2026: tube, solid-state, and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets

Randall Amps is readying its “next generation” of gear after an extended period of inactivity.

The classic metal amp brand – which has been championed and beloved by the likes of Kirk Hammett, Dimebag Darrell, and Scott Ian, among others, over the decades – has faded into the background in recent years.

Randall was a major player in the 1980s and 1990s, and Mike Fortin was hired in 2011 to make new signature amps for Hammett and Ian. But since his departure circa 2016, the amp-building heavyweights have had a diminishing presence.

Posting on its newly revived Instagram page, the firm is talking up an exciting second coming.

“To the Randall family, thank you for your continued support, loyalty, and patience over the past few years as we reignite our product development and production efforts,” the statement reads.

“In the coming weeks, you'll begin to see many of our recent models become available again, followed by the return of some of the most iconic Randall products from the past – all delivering the signature high-gain Randall tone you know and love.

“As we shape the next generation of Randall gear, your feedback and support continue to motivate and inspire us,” it adds. “Stay tuned, this is only the beginning.”

Hammett’s latest signature head, the KH103, arrived in 2015, so a successor seems like an obvious choice, as do potential collaborations with Scott Ian and another Randall champion, Kirk Weinstein.

The post also hints at the revival of classic models, so could we see the return of the RG100ES and Century 200 heads used by Dimebag? Or the O.G. Warhead that the Pantera guitar great played? It remains to be seen.

Aa recent (ish) Instagram post also hints at a very different signature release being on the horizon.

The first post on its refreshed social page, 10 weeks ago, featured Dimebag’s signature guitar, the Dean Razorback, leaning against a Randall cab.

“Working on a tribute to the man who started it all for me as a musician,” the caption read. Following that were a trio of posts that confirmed the firm was back “back and louder.”

The news comes after some other surprising amp restorations, first with Gibson’s return to the amp game, and then with Dumble’s surprise comeback.

NAMM President John Mlynczak has delivered testimony in Washington, DC, regarding the impact of Donald Trump’s tariffs on the music industry.

Speaking before the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Section 301 Committee in the Capitol on May 8 on behalf of the NAMM and the 10,000 companies it represents, Mlynczak echoed sentiments he expressed last year.

He had said that the “unpredictability and suddenness” of the tariffs did not give firms “the time to plan, adapt or evolve,” leaving a lasting, negative impact on a multi-billion-dollar industry.

“Tariffs are tilting the playing field against American businesses and the millions of students who rely on affordable access to musical instruments,” Mlynczak said in his statement. “Our industry depends on a global supply chain built over generations.

“Policies that increase costs without expanding domestic capacity ultimately reduce participation in music education and weaken long-term U.S. competitiveness.”

Guitar, amplifier, and pedal manufacturers often buy at least some of their parts from overseas, meaning that even US-made products are being affected by the tariffs. That's seen Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews question whether it could continue to turn a profit, and EarthQuaker Devices speak of fears of bankruptcy.

And as firms were left to debate whether to absorb the increased costs or pass them on to consumers, Morgan Amps said the tariffs would add an extra $1,000 to the cost of its amp heads.

As such, Mlynczak has emphasized that the US music products industry accounts for $9 billion of the $19.5 billion global market. Global supply chains for musical instruments, he adds, rely on specialized materials and craftsmanship that cannot be replicated domestically, which ultimately gives foreign competitors pricing advantages.

Entry-level instruments are said to be “disproportionately affected” with imports of wind instruments down 27% and pianos down 20% in 2025, with Mlynczak also underscoring that reduced access to beginner instruments “threatens the pipeline that sustains US-made professional instruments and the broader music ecosystem.”

“With 44% of all global musical products sold in the US, there is not enough domestic capacity to meet the demand,” he details. “Many companies that manufacture professional instruments in the US also rely on overseas production to meet the demand of entry- and mid-level students and musicians, creating American brand and retailer loyalty from the first touch.

“Tariffs will not shift purchases to US-made beginner instruments. Instead, they will price beginners out of the market, which will hurt the American students, retailers, and manufacturers that depend on today’s students becoming tomorrow's customers.”

NAMM is one of 151 associations and companies making the trip to Washington to deliver in-person testimony, with the United Auto Workers Association among them.

As announced on March 17, the Administration has indicated this investigation could lead to the restoration of tariff levels previously imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Marshall has announced its celebrating the 60th anniversary of its historic association with Jimi Hendrix by rolling out a host of special edition releases.

Aside from his flipped Fender, Hendrix is largely associated with one piece of gear: a Marshall stack. Indeed, the image of Hendrix wielding his Stratocaster in front of a Marshall amp is one of the most enduring and recognizable symbols of rock ‘n’ roll.

Hendrix first plugged into a Marshall in 1966, and would use the brand’s amps over the course of his life during some of the most iconic gigs in history. Monterey 1967. Woodstock 1969. Ronnie Scott’s in London. The list goes on.

As Marshall puts it, “Hendrix didn’t just play through Marshall amps, he redefined what they could do. From London and Monterey in ’67 to Woodstock ’69, he tamed the raw power of the Marshall stack to shake the world.”

To honor its world-conquering collaboration with Hendrix, Marshall has released a limited-edition 1959 JMH 100W Half Stack and 1960 AJMH 4x12 cab, as well as a limit-edition Fuzz Face pedal.

Both have been inspired by “Hendrix’s iconic sound and cosmic aesthetic", meaning there’s an appropriately psychedelic Purple Haze-esque artwork given to the amp, cab, and pedal, as well as a nifty purple LED indicator and silver detailing inspired by Hendrix’s jewelry.

As for how they channel Hendrix’s sound, Marshall tells Guitar World that the amp remains as standard for a 1959 hand-wired half stack, while the pedal utilizes BC183 silicon transistors for a more aggressive, snarling tone.

The pedal, Marshall says, offers a fuzz tone more akin to Hendrix’s 1970 Isle of Wight performance, with a vintage-style wire harness and hand-stuffed components to boot. It is available exclusively with the stack.

“Jimi was a formidable musician, a real force of nature. He took everything to a new level and carried everybody with him,” says Terry Marshall, Co-founder, Marshall Amplification.

“When he played, it was an emotional time for everybody because everyone was thinking, if he can do it, I could maybe do it. And he’s using Marshall, therefore we want Marshall.

“It was a really special time for us all and there’s no doubt that we grew with him and his fame, it was a natural tie-up. The rest is history as they say.”

The half stack and pedal are joined by a similarly styled Action III wireless speaker, complete with the same purple-on-black, water-on-oil style aesthetic.

The Hendrix head is available now for $3,400, while the matching cab is priced at $1,1599.99. The bundle, which includes the pedal, is priced at $4,999.99.

Head over to Marshall to find out more.

What is it?

Every now and then, a piece of technology comes along that changes the landscape of how we do things. It’s no exaggeration to say that, in the digital guitar amplifier world, the Kemper Profiler MK1 is one such technology. Its revolutionary approach to digital guitar amplification gained the company a legion of followers in both the professional and serious hobbyist realms.

So, it’s to more than a little excitement that Kemper releases the most recent iteration of the Profiler Head - the Kemper Profiler Head MK2.

Rather than modeling the components of an amp, the Kemper Profiler 'profiles' the amplifier by playing a selection of other-worldly sounds through the amp that are picked up via a microphone and then processed by the Profiler. The result is a profile of the amp in its current state. Combined with a suite of high-end effects, it provides all the tones one may need for a gig.

The downside of this approach is that it is not as flexible as digital amp modeling. With profiling being a snapshot of the amp in its current settings and modeling digitally recreating the components of an amp (it's also worth noting here that both methods are recreating a mic'd up guitar sound), it means that the amp's controls and how they affect the sound when changed are not reflected in the profile as they would be in a model. Instead, we have a more subtle, generic EQ and gain controls that can be applied after the fact.

However, Kemper changed this in 2023 with the introduction of Liquid Profiling. This combined digital modeling and profiling to allow a digital model of a specific amp's gain structure and EQ stack to be applied to profiles.

For example, if you are profiling a Vox AC30, you would tell the Profiler where the controls are currently set and select the AC30 amp model from the list. The Profiler will then apply that modeled tone stack and gain structure to your profile, and voila, you have a modeling/profiling hybrid with flexibility that accurately reflects how the amp would act as you change the controls. Assuming the amp you are profiling has been modeled, of course.

Fast forward a bit, and the Kemper Profiler MK2 is released. Which, to quote Kemper, provides “more power, more flexibility, more of everything you love from the Profiler.”

What this translates to for the user is faster boot times (around 20 seconds), an extra seven effects slots (20 audio blocks in total), a lighter chassis, eight-channel USB audio (previously two-in/two-out), an increased maximum loop time from one minute to two minutes, and the ability to run and create the (new for 2026) Profile 2.0 profiles.

It is a much-needed update, as the digital amplification market is currently fierce. The years since the Kempers' launch have seen products such as the IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal, the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and the Line 6 Helix Stadium all sport capture (the more generic term for profiling) technology that directly challenge the Kemper Profiler’s authority here. So, needless to say, with the Profiler Head MK 2 in for review, it is going to be interesting to see how it stacks up.

Specs

• Launch price: $1635|£1194|€1398
• Type: Amp profiler and multi-effects
• Origin: Germany
• Features: Run and create Kemper Profiles, Kemper Profile 2.0 technology, high-end multi-effects, free user-created profiles via Rig Exchange, tactile interface, Liquid profiling
• Connectivity: Two ¼” inputs, XLR and ¼” return input, left and right XLR and ¼” main outputs, USB Type A and USB type B, Cat 5 network port, two expression pedal/switch ¼” jacks, MIDI in, out, and through, SPDIF in and out, ¼”, monitor output
• Footswitch: Bought separately
• Weight: 5.32 kg/11.73 lbs
• Dimensions: 14.7”x6.3”x8.1”/374x162x207mm
• Contact: Kemper

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

The most immediate thing that catches the eye about the Kemper Profiler is how it looks. Its front panel is an assortment of 52 buttons and knobs of various shapes and sizes, with a healthy dose of different colored lights, all contained in its not-quite-rectangular chassis. To some, it’s a retro impression of future chic, to others it’s a space-age toaster.

It certainly stands out, and while it is divisive, I fall into the former camp as I can’t help but enjoy its rather brave aesthetic. With the exception of the large section of unpainted metal at the back, which makes the reverse feel a little less than premium.

The same can be said of the LCD screen, which, although functional, doesn’t feel as modern as the color alternatives of other pieces of digital gear from the likes of Neural, Line 6, or Fractal. As I said, the competition is fierce.

In terms of longevity, I have no worries there. While the buttons have a bit of a plasticy feel, they and all the rotary knobs have a resistance that gives me confidence that they will last.

Combine that with a hard-wearing aluminum chassis that looks well built with no visible defects, and it’s a bit of gear that will survive all but the most unreasonable of abuse.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★☆

As we have come to expect from high-end digital gear, the I/O is extensive. Featuring two ¼” inputs, an XLR and ¼” return input (primarily intended for profiling), left and right XLR and ¼” main outputs, USB Type A and USB type B, Cat 5 network port, two expression pedal/switch ¼” jacks, MIDI in, out, and through, SPDIF in and out, and a ¼” monitor output.

So, as far as the guitar goes, all bases are covered. We are seeing digital gear begin to push into doing more, with the likes of the Helix Stadium being capable of running backing tracks and stage lights.

However, personally, I prefer Kemper's approach, as I'd rather see features remain focused on processing the guitar sound. We already have equally good, sometimes better, options for dealing with these other aspects of being a musician elsewhere.

On the front panel, while the sheer number of controls could be a little intimidating at first glance, after a bit of time with the unit, it’s not as complex as it initially appears.

For example, the buttons across the top represent the blocks in your signal chain. Press to turn the block on or off, and hold to edit it. When editing blocks, amps, or anything else you need to change, the relevant parameters are neatly displayed along the bottom of the LCD screen and are aligned with the four rotary knobs beneath it. These are then used for making adjustments, while the Page left/right buttons navigate to a new set of four parameters if needed.

From multiple routing options to in-depth parameter editing and features, the Profiler is inevitably quite menu-heavy. However, the way access to menus and functions is spread across a number of controls splits things down into digestible chunks.

For example, buttons like System (system settings), Rig (Rig settings), and Browse (for browsing through Rigs) make those three separate menus just a single press away. Also, separate controls for Exit, Store, Copy, and Paste provide quick access to those functions, and the four soft-touch buttons across the top of the screen align with different filters and check boxes, again making browsing through those menus much easier.

The result is that, once you get used to where everything is, getting around the hardware isn’t too taxing on the brain. This is something I’m appreciative of, as I don't really fancy a deep dive into the 417-page manual.

Similarly, the large chicken-head knob on the left of the unit separates the three main functions. Browser for searching through and editing presets, Performance for playing live, and Profiler for creating profiles.

Browse mode allows for browsing through more Rigs than you will ever need, with the hardware's total capacity being up to the four-figure range.

Switching to Perform mode allows me to set five Rigs per performance slot, with 125 slots in total. Handy for setting up quick access to a bank of sounds for a gig, or parts of a song for live use. However, you are going to want to purchase the separate Kemper Remote foot controller for switching Rigs during a live performance.

So far, so easy, but there are a few quirks that get in the way. The new Fixed Effects, of which there are two blocks, the first consisting of six effects set before the amp section and the second containing two effects post-amp, are not accessible from the signal chain section on the hardware like the rest of the effects, but instead are accessed from the Rig menu, which is a little confusing.

The blocks pre the amp section are all mono and labeled A, B, C, and D. The post amp effects blocks are stereo and labeled X, Mod, DLY, and Rev (this is all outside of the new fixed effects). The Mod DLY and Rev blocks have two quick access knobs each for adjusting vital parameters - for example, Time and Mix for the reverb.

That’s pretty handy and well thought out; however, we can assign any effect to any of these blocks, meaning, for example, the Rev block may not be reverb, in which case the Time and Mix controls are then no longer Time and Mix. I can’t help but feel that with this level of functionality, a bigger screen and fewer buttons may be the easier way for most users to interact with the unit.

The biggest issue is that there is a bit of a delay between turning a rotary knob and the associated parameter change. There is a lot to browse through here, so having this dead zone in the control makes things feel quite clunky.

As a result, most are going to want to do the bulk of their setting up via the Rig Manager app and reserve front panel tweaking for rehearsals and gigs.

The app is fairly simple, consisting of your libraries to the left, browser in the middle, search function to the right, and then your signal path and Rig editor at the bottom. The libraries include the Rig Exchange, which is where you can seamlessly download user-created Rigs and profiles that have been uploaded there by users for free.

Downloading profiles from online stores outside of the Rig Exchange is a matter of dragging and dropping the profile from your operating system's file manager into the app. The ease with which these are added is important, as the Kemper Profiler lives and dies on the quality of created profiles, so users are likely to be frequently experimenting to get the best out of the unit.

Rigs and Performances can also be edited from the mobile version of the app; however, you will need to establish a connection by hooking up the Profiler to the same router as your device via an Ethernet cable. A method that feels a little old school at this point. On that, though, it's worth noting that the more portable Kemper Stage and Profiler Player have built-in WiFi capability.

Getting stuck into editing Rigs within the app, there are a ton of options here. For example, the Output block contains multiple parameters across its many outputs for things like pads, turning the cabinet emulation on and off, EQ settings, USB re-amping, output level control, and much more. But it is all nicely displayed and easy to decipher.

On both the Rig Manager app and the hardware itself, the interface for adding effects and profiles to the blocks in the signal chain is not as visual as something like the Line 6 Helix or Quad Cortex, and instead opts for text-heavy menus. This makes the Rig Manager feel a little dated, and perhaps for some, a bit overwhelming at first glance. But, again, once time is spent here, the menus are well laid out and relatively simple to navigate through.

What all this adds up to is a unit that will take a bit of time to get used to, but one that is easier to use than initial impressions may suggest.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

The first thing to make clear about the sounds of the Kemper Profiler is that we are completely beholden to the creator of the profile being used. A good amp, set nicely, mic’d well, and profiled correctly, will result in a great sound. If the person doing the profiling falls short on any one of these steps, there's not much that can be done to rescue it.

Thankfully, the Kemper Profiler MK2 comes preloaded with over 300 Rigs, with plenty more available through curated and free packs that are easily accessible from the Rig Manager.

For the most part, they are very gig-able. Particularly, the Michael Britt profiles, with the Mars Silvie Jubi 2 6 being an immediate favorite. Testing with my Fender Stratocaster through a Tonex Cab FRFR speaker, it’s a huge, mid-forward, Marshall sound, perfect for those heavy rock tones of the eighties.

I find that in the Rigs I am enjoying less, it’s usually because of a low mid build-up that muddies things up a bit. The LL Big Rock Rig is a good example of this, as another high-gain, classic rock rig that is fun at home, but just a bit too woofy to gig with.

However, all of the pre-loaded Rigs are of the Classic Profiling technology, rather than the new Profiling 2.0 way of doing things. Kemper claims this is a more accurate process, analyzing over 1,00,000 individual frequency points with other highlights including Cabinet Resonance detection and control, Smart D.I profiling to automatically detect when the user is profiling an amp without a cabinet, and automatic matching of the Gain and Definition controls.

Testing this, I’m doing three things - creating a profile of a Fender 30th Anniversary Hot Rod Deluxe using both the Classic and Profile 2.0 processes for direct comparison, downloading two free Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb profiles from Tone Junkie, again one being a Classic Profile and the other being a Profile 2.0, and getting stuck into a 2.0 Rig back from Thomas Dill.

With some direct comparison available in the first two cases, the 2.0 was just a little clearer in the low mids and, as a result, feels more open. Additionally, the 2.0 is slightly more reactive under the fingers, increasing its amp-like nature. These differences are subtle, probably difficult to detect outside of an A/B test, but they are certainly there.

When it comes to accuracy, the Profile 2.0 is closest, if a little brighter than the recorded version of the Hot Rod Deluxe. A little tweak of the Definition control gets things indistinguishable outside of a direct comparison.

It’s worth mentioning that the Tone Junkie Deluxe Reverb profile is excellent. It’s a lively, clean sound that, by utilizing the Liquid Profiling, can be pushed with the Gain control into some classic Fender crunch. Liquid Profiling, as promised, allows for plenty of tweaking within the EQ, just like using an actual amp and removing the restrictions usually associated with amp captures.

There are a lot of fun sounds in the Thomas Dill pack too, especially when it comes to the heavier Peav V Sixty-Five Five and Mars SLP, although I find the high end to be a little brash on some of the cleaner models.

It’s not all about the profiling, however, as we have a healthy selection of effects here too. A quick bit of housekeeping before we get stuck in, though. Kemper separates effects by category (Drive, Modulation, Delay), then Effect Type, which is the individual models (e.g, Screamer, Rat, Memory Man), and then Preset, which is a suggested setting for the Effect Type.

Drives are always a good place to start, and as I load the Green Scream, what comes out is a great imitation of the Tube Screamer, with that compressed mid-forward hump we all know and love coming through well. Other highlights include the Mouse and Muffin, which has me spending way too much time enjoying Big Muff and Pro Co Rat flavored tones.

The Kemper Drive and Kemper Fuzz effect types are interesting, as they are Kemper-specific Effect Types that are built to imitate a host of pedals via a surprisingly small suite of powerful controls, or allow the user to come up with something unique.

It’s the latter that’s a bit more fun, as I don’t feel the presets do as good a job as the specific models. For example, the 808 presets in the Kemper drive lack the same compressed feel of a real Tube Screamer that is reflected in the Green Scream.

But the Definition and Slim Down controls of the Kemper Drive add extra tweak-ability to the low and high ends, and when coupled with a traditional tone control and a wide sweep of gain, make the Kemper Drive extensively shapeable.

Similarly, the Transistor Shape and Transistor Tone controls in the Kemper Fuzz can take it from all-out spitty, angular type of chainsaw fuzz, to a smooth Big Muff-like sound. In short, there is a lot of fun to be had here.

Getting into the more wobbly and space-creating stuff, the Vintage Chorus is an immediate favorite for some subtle widening of a tone thanks to the way it preserves the quality of the original signal while adding a little movement.

Other highlights are the Phaser, which lends itself well to EVH-style sweeps, as well as the simple Single Delay that’s great for some lightly modulated slap-back. Again, I am impressed by how the fidelity of the original signal is maintained, allowing plenty of high-end to come through and still cut in a mix.

Onto some reverbs and to what is perhaps my favorite effect in the Profiler - The Natural Reverb. It does what it says on the tin - adds a natural feeling reverb to your tone, genuinely feeling like a real verb from a guitar in a room, encapsulating the tone without getting in the way.

There are, of course, more outlandish options, such as the Ionosphere Reverb, which can take us into infinite ethereal halls, with no fewer than 19 parameters to adjust. The only reverb I’m not a fan of is the Spring reverb, as it just feels a little separate from the original signal, rather than part of it.

Verdict

Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way first. In the current market, the small LCD screen and its lack of color, along with the sheer number of buttons on the front panel, make the Kemper Profiler MK2 feel a little dated compared to the sleek, efficient interfaces of its competition, namely the Quad Cortex and Line 6 Helix Stadium, which both now sport capture technology. Additionally, the aesthetic, whilst I am a fan, is divisive, and hasn’t seen any real update since MK1.

However, after spending some time with the Profiler Head MK2, it quickly starts to feel familiar and easy to use.

Yes, there is a learning curve, but it's one that most will be able to navigate through. And if you don’t like screens and would rather tactile buttons and controls, the Profiler Head is perhaps the perfect option for you.

And spending that time is worth it, as looking past the dated interface will reveal some killer tones. Kemper’s Profile 2.0 technology is a bona fide improvement over the classic capture method, even if it is a subtle change, and the effects are of the high-end nature you would expect from a company like Kemper.

The flexibility of Liquid Profiling also opens up the Kemper to those who prefer the tweak-ability of modeling, although it is worth noting that you still need to start with a good profile as a foundation.

And that is the crux of what makes the Kemper Profiler MK2 a worthwhile consideration. The profiling is accurate with an amp-like feel. If you have the facility to create good profiles yourself, you can take your favorite amp on the road. If not, you can find a profile that someone else has expertly crafted, and ensure you have a great tone at every gig.

Guitar World verdict: The look may not be for everyone, and the small LCD screen makes the Kemper MK2 feel a little dated compared to the competition, but it delivers when it comes to tone. With new Profiling 2.0 leading the way, and a suite of high-end effects, it is a formidable competitor in the digital amplification world, once you get that initial learning curve out of the way.

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Hands-on videos

Ola Englund

Kemper

Tone Junkie

What is it?

If you’re one of those guitarists who refuse to let go of your tube amp in exchange for an amp modeler, you can make your amp much more usable in low-volume environments with the addition of a load box, or to give it its more modern moniker, a reactive load. The Two Notes Torpedo Captor X Plus is much more than just a simple tube amp attenuator, however, offering a plethora of features and functionality that make it just as useful on stage as it is at home.

Its primary function is to allow you to play your tube amp without it being too loud, whilst still retaining that sweet spot of tube saturation. But it also expands connectivity. You can put it in between your amp and your speaker, using it as an attenuator, or you can use on-board impulse responses (or your own) to replace your cabinet entirely.

It’s got stereo XLR outputs so you can send direct signals to front-of-house, or into an audio interface for recording, and it also features a headphone output so you can plug a 100-watt tube head in and practice silently. My review model is rated for 8 ohm speakers, but there’s also a 16 ohm version available if that’s what you need for your particular setup.

The original Captor X was released in 2020 and has been a favorite for tube amp users ever since, but there was a definite wishlist of features from players that Two Notes appears to have appeased with this latest version. The original had a fixed reactive load, with a specifically tuned hardware circuit that meant you couldn’t change the ‘feel’ of the amp. This is fixed for the new version with a changeable impedance curve that lets you manipulate how the transformer of the amp responds.

It’s also got true stereo operation, replacing the linked system from the original Captor X. This means you can set up a wet/dry operation, pan each channel independently, and apply differing EQ and post effects to each channel. The addition of a USB-C port is also welcome, and Captor X Plus supports longer static IRs and offers increased memory capacity, with 512 slots available for users to store their own IRs.

Specs

• Launch price: $599.99 | £479 | €549
• Type: Reactive load box
• Origin: China
• Power handling: 100 watts
• Impedance: 8 ohms
• Controls: Out level, Voicing, Space, Preset, Ground Lift, Volume
• Connectivity: Inputs - 1 x 1/4" (speaker), 1 x 1/8" (MIDI), Outputs - 2 x XLR, 1 x 1/4" (speaker), 1 x 1/4" (headphones), 1 x USB-C
• Power: 12V DC power supply (included)
• Weight: 1.3 kg / 2.9 lbs
• Dimensions: 128 x 175 x 64 mm
• Contact: Two Notes Audio

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

Taking the Torpedo Captor X Plus out of the box, I find it has a decent heft to it, feeling very robustly put together. It’s made from steel, which aids its ability to handle the high temperatures incurred when acting as a load box for a tube amp. It’s got more than a little in common with the DI boxes you might find in studios and on live stages, so I have zero qualms about its ability to put up with abuse.

On the front, there are the main controls with output level, voicing, space, and preset knobs for making quick changes. I do find these knobs very small, and in particular, the Preset knob is difficult even for my relatively small hands to manipulate due to its proximity to the outer edge of the casing and its stiff operation. The flip-side to that, of course is that the controls are less precarious in transit and more likely to stay where you put them.

Moving to the back, there’s an array of outputs, a Ground Lift switch, and a small fan to help keep the temperature down. On the bottom of the unit are four rubber feet, which prevent it from going anywhere once you’ve placed it on top of your amp. Combined with the decent weight, I see little chance of it moving around much when using it live.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★½

Starting off with the Captor X Plus in its simplest form, I opt to use it with a Fender Princeton Reverb, taking the built-in speaker cable out and plugging a 1/4-inch speaker cable from the internal speaker output of the combo to the Speaker Input of the load box. I then plug the hardwired speaker cable from the amp itself into the Captor X Plus' Speaker Output, which allows me to attenuate my amp’s original speaker to a more usable volume.

The next way I can use the loadbox is to remove the speaker output from the Captor X Plus, and put a pair of headphones into the headphone jack in order to get a silent practice tone. This utilizes the onboard speaker emulation, which means you can drastically alter the tone of your original amp by putting it through a variety of different cabinets and microphone combinations.

The simplest way to do this is by changing the controls on the front, with the Voicing knob acting as a global tone control. All the way to the left is brighter while turning it clockwise darkens the tone. The Preset knob allows you to change through six different cabinet sounds, while the Space knob controls the width of whichever reverb is selected on your preset.

Another way to use the Captor X Plus is in conjunction with an audio interface. Using two XLR cables, I connect to inputs one and two of my Universal Audio Apollo X4, and then, opening up Pro Tools and creating two mono tracks, I’m able to get the sound of the amp directly into my DAW. This allows for a lot deeper sound sculpting in conjunction with the onboard sounds, adding compressors and EQs into the mix to tighten everything up.

There is also a Torpedo Wireless Remote app, which can be downloaded from the Play or Apple stores to offer wireless control. I download it onto my Google Pixel 9, and after a brief confusion over what it wants from me in terms of the PIN, I’m able to get up and running fairly quickly. Here, I can get deeper into the tweaking of the cabs, changing the mic axis or distance, adjusting the panning, and adding effects to the chain including EQ, reverb, and room ambience. It also features a built-in tuner, which could come in handy in a pinch.

Here I also find more control available on the Virtual Load Shaper, which allows me to change the Resonance and Presence gains, as well as the frequency and Q of the former and frequency of the latter. The idea here is to add a more realistic amp response, typically by adding a bump in the low and high end to add a sense of realism to these simulated tones, making them less flat than the sound of the original Captor X. There are also presets if you don’t want to get stuck in a hole tweaking these settings.

Another clever usage of the Captor X Plus is the ability to send two separate signals from a single guitar amp. The dual mono function is selectable via the Remote, and lets you apply different settings to each signal, which adds usability both for players playing live, and those who are recording and want to split their signals.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Using it just purely as a load box, the Captor X Plus does sound like my amp, but quieter. When I turn the dial up to 8 on the Volume knob, I’m able to reduce the output from my speaker by flicking the Volume switch down to low on the back of the unit, and eke out some glorious tube saturation at a volume that doesn’t invoke any complaints from my partner working upstairs. The response to picking dynamics is there, and adding some of the amp's Spring Reverb and Tremolo, it sounds just as glorious as it does when I play it normally.

There’s a bit of a balancing act at play here, though, because the output volume only lets you select between three different settings. This means if I want to crank the volume knob on the amp, it makes the middle volume setting much louder. And vice versa, if I’m playing a clean tone with the amp volume around 3 or 4, the lowest setting becomes too quiet, as there’s not enough flexibility in the volume control. Ideally, I’d prefer it if this were a volume knob that could be more finely adjusted to accommodate the gain from the amp.

When I switch to a silent practice mode with a pair of headphones, there’s a definite change in feel when using the Captor X Plus this way. It’s subtle, but I feel as though it’s ever so slightly softer in its response to my pick attack, like there’s a layer between me and the amp, which makes sense as that's what the Captor X Plus is.

Some of the presets sound phenomenal though, especially those stereo tones. The ability to turn a single-speaker amp into a stereo beast is a really great addition and in headphones, it makes the amp sound absolutely humongous. Plugging in two XLRs to get a signal into Pro Tools, I do find a lot of the presets are unbalanced in terms of gain, with one channel typically being louder, but it’s nothing that can’t be adjusted with a move of a fader in the DAW.

Panning the sounds far left and right, I get an instant double-tracked tone that sounds fantastic, with the majority of the heavy lifting done tonally for me via the built-in presets. While some of these aren’t a great match for my particular amp, many do an excellent job with minimal tweaking required, sounding like well-mic’d guitar amps in a room at the touch of a finger on my smartphone.

There’s a lot of flexibility here through the Wireless Remote, and I can turn the mics off-axis for a warmer tone, or pull them back to get more of the room in the sound. Some of the presets definitely needed tweaking for my ear and amp. In particular, I find a lot of adjustability available from the Virtual Load Shaper, which, while it can be tweaked manually, I found it a lot simpler to use the baked-in presets to get the amp responding how I want.

Verdict

If you’re the sort who’s going to the grave clutching your tube amp, adding a loadbox like the Two Notes Torpedo Captor X Plus will do a lot of heavy lifting if you want to actually make use of your amp at home. Whether you want to play with your own speaker at a normal volume, or just practice silently with a wealth of quality cab sounds at your fingertips, it’s a brilliant tool to add to your arsenal.

I do wish there was a better volume control when using it as an attenuator, as I found the three-setting switch to be quite inflexible with varying gain levels on my amp. If you're just looking for attenuation for your amp, then there are cheaper ways to go about it than this. Despite these small flaws, having a variety of ways to connect to other devices or just use it as a silent practice option makes it a very worthwhile purchase for tube amp enthusiasts.

Guitar World Verdict: The Two Notes Torpedo Captor X Plus is very much a sequel to the original Captor X. That said, the addition of true stereo operation makes it an incredibly powerful upgrade. The ability to turn any tube amp into a double-tracked guitar setup for recording, or a powerful live sound, alongside the usual attenuation option, makes it very flexible indeed. Add in a deep and intuitive editing software, and you’ve got just the thing to fight back against the rise of amp modeling.

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Hands-on videos

Tom Quayle

Taylor Danley

Leon Todd

Whether he’s scoring Hollywood blockbusters, touring with Marilyn Manson and Jerry Cantrell, or jamming at home, one amp never leaves Tyler Bates’ side. And he got it for free.

Before he made his name penning thousands of hours of TV and film, from Californication to Rob Zombie’s horror films and John Wick, Bates was a struggling guitar teacher. So when he was offered some gear, free of charge, he grabbed it with both hands.

“In the early ’90s, when I was playing clinics and NAMM shows, I met this guy who worked at Peavey,” he says in a new conversation with Guitar World. “He offered me some stuff, and I was broke, so I really appreciated it.”

Among his haul was a Peavey Classic 50 combo amp. The unassuming amplifier did little for him at first, but when he assembled his alt-rock band, Pet, it suddenly became his secret weapon.

“In Pet, I found it was the only way to get a distorted sound with some chime on top,” Bates continues. “Often I’d be playing two different guitar parts at once; one in the bass range with broken melodies on top. I’d split the signal with a modded Marshall stack, playing a Schecter Hellcat prototype.”

The combo shone in ways other amps couldn’t, and it’s carried through with him throughout his journeyman career, including a stint in Jerry Cantrell’s solo band.

“The Marshall didn’t serve the more ethereal guitar stuff,” he says of his scoring work. “So I always had this amp by my side. There’s no time to experiment, but I found a way to explore the versatility of the amp.

“But because the Peavey’s not super-saturated, all the little artifacts and weird kinks that I want to pop out are there,” he adds. “And it's really well articulated when it's not super-distorted. It’s on every Manson album I’ve done.”

Bates has played on four Manson albums, with the second part of the One Assassination Under God album series and his final record with the Pale Emperor set to release later this year. After that, he's stepping away to work on new projects, where his Peavey, as ever, will not be too far away.

“The music I’m making right now, I’m creating a story in my mind, and the visuals are going to follow me,” he explains. “So it’s an interesting role reversal. It’s not a score, and it’s not songs; it’s somewhere in between.”

His championing of the amp is another win for blue-collar champion Peavey, coming off the back of the Decade Too, a reprise of its tiny combo amp that has been fueling Josh Homme’s sound for years.

Guitar World’s full interview with Tyler Bates will be published later this month.

Jared James Nichols has left Blackstar to join the Marshall family, and he says he believes his playing is better for it.

The blazing blues-rock guitarist has had a long-standing relationship with the British amp firm, which was founded in 2007 by two former Marshall employees, Ian Robinson and Bruce Keir.

The announcement was made on the No Cover Charge podcast that Nichols co-hosts with Tyler Larson, AKA Music is Win, and with it, it brings an end to one of Blackstar’s most endearing artist partnerships.

“I’ve switched over to Marshall amps,” he confirms, with Larsson thrilled by the news: “It’s like everything is in its right place in the world,” he returns.

“I’ve had a faithful relationship with Blackstar Amps for about 15 years,” Nichols continues. “About a year ago, I started supplementing my rig with different amps. I was trying everything: Fenders, Supros, even some old-school Sunn and EVH amps.

“But a friend of mine gave me a 1968 Plexi on permanent loan, and that was the sound. When I played, it was almost like I made every note count even more. It was rejuvenating; I could still feel my fingers, no matter how much gain I stacked on top of it. Marshalls are the heartbeat of rock n' roll and the sound that I love.”

Nichols can be heard revving his Plexi on his forthcoming solo album, Louder Than Fate, which releases on June 5. And it sounds like the Blackstars have been sidelined outright.

Nichols and Blackstar made the surprise move to announce his signature amp, the JJN 50, and its sister plugin software on the same day in 2024, following a practice amp collab in 2022.

Whether Nichols is due for a signature Marshall release, like Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, remains to be seen. He joins a long, illustrious list of Marshall artists either way.

Blackstar, meanwhile, just made a serious splash in the mini amp market, with the game-changing BEAM Mini.

What is it?

There is no substitute for practice, so a convenient home practice tool is vital for honing those chops. But the reality is most of us do our playing in the home, and something compact, flexible and portable will encourage to play even more. Enter the mini practice amp. These compact, neighbour-friendly solutions offer a convenient way to put in the hours whilst taking up minimal space in the home, but have in the past been compromised when it comes to tone. Thankfully, this has changed in the last few years with products like the Positive Grid Spark Go and Laney Prism Mini pushing the boundaries of what mini amps can do.

Looking to push those boundaries even further is Blackstar with its brand new Beam Mini amplifier. The British company blazed a trail years ago with its Fly 3 mini amps, but is now returning with a significant upgrade to the format. But following on from the well-reviewed Beam Solo headphone amp with a similar ‘Light Beam’ interface, this compact practice amplifier will feel familiar to some.

With two full-range two-inch custom drivers alongside two passive bass radiators, squeezed inside a tiny acoustically tuned cabinet, Blackstar is promising big things with the Beam Mini in operation as both a guitar amplifier and a Bluetooth speaker.

As far as guitar tone goes, Blackstar is on a roll with products like the ID:X Floor and ID:X combo amps, sporting amp modeling and ‘Cab Rig’ IR-based cabinet, along mic simulation that impressively outperforms the price tags. With that form, the Beam Mini is an exciting prospect.

The open-minded folks at Blackstar have not just limited the tones to their own technology, however, as in what is some pretty big news, the Beam Mini can run Tone 3000’s NAM captures.

Neural Amp Modeler is an open-source project that allows players to capture their amplifier and then upload that capture for anyone to use via free community platform Tone 3000. It has been gaining popularity over the last few years but Blackstar is the first company to actually build it into an amp, giving players access to literally hundreds of thousands of tones.

All of this is very promising, but products like the JBL Bandbox, the aforementioned Laney Prism Mini, and Positive Grid Spark Go make this a competitive market. Let’s see if Blackstar can take it to them.

Specs

• Launch price: $229 | £169 | €169
• Type: Mini practice amp
• Origin: China
• Output: 2 x 12W RMS
• Speaker: 2 x 2" full range
• Channels: 5 on board presets
• Controls: Patch, Gain, EQ, FX, Volume, app for in depth editing
• Connectivity: 1/4" input, USB-C, Bluetooth
• Weight: 733g/1.6lbs
• Dimensions: 5.9"x3.5"x2.9"/150x90x75mm
• Contact: Blackstar

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

At 733g/1.6lbs, the Beam Mini is a little heavier than you might expect. Not problematically so, as I find this heft to be somewhat reassuring. The sides feel reasonably thick and are wrapped in a soft-touch, textured rubber, which not only makes it look premium but also gives the impression of a well-built piece of gear that will survive some rough and tumble in a rucksack.

The downside is that this rubberized, textured finish is prone to little specs getting stuck to it, so you might want to keep it in a case when you're on the move.

The top panel consists of a rotary control that satisfyingly clicks as it is turned and is textured to offer grip, adding to the premium feel. There are seven buttons too - Patch, Gain, EQ, FX, Volume, Power, and Bluetooth. They all have that soft, rubberized finish that is satisfying to use and a resistance that indicates quality.

Those buttons all surround the Light Beam interface, which is bright and easily readable. I’ll get more into how it is to use it later, but for now, it gives a healthy impression of modernity to the little Beam Mini.

I/O wise, we have a ¼” instrument input, USB-C connectivity, and a ⅛” headphone output. Nothing fancy there, but the ¼” instrument input is oddly placed at the bottom of the right side panel. This creates some considerations in use, which we’ll come back to, but the upside is that it feels a little neater to have cables at the side rather than hanging out the top.

Finally, the front panel is reminiscent of traditional amplifier design with a mesh and that Blackstar logo. Rounding off what is an aesthetically pleasing piece of gear.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★½

Getting started with the Beam Mini is simple. Plug in your guitar, turn it on, and go. It’s neater, but a little awkward to have that ¼” jack on the side panel, as if you are on a busy desk or table, it puts the cable directly in the way of your desk clutter. Or at least it does on my admittedly untidy desk.

Mind you, this could be argued to be the lesser of two evils when compared to other small amps that can topple with the weight of a top-mounted cable. However, the Beam Mini is heavy enough that I don't think this would have been an issue.

You are going to want to use the Beam mobile app to get the most out of the amp, but starting with what is available on just the hardware, the amplifier is delightfully easy to use.

There are five adjustable parameters from the top panel, which are accessed by the aforementioned Patch, Gain, EQ, FX, and Volume buttons, a large rotary control to adjust the parameters, and a single LED strip that forms the ‘Light Beam’ interface to let you know what stage each setting is at.

The Light Beam utilises animations that differ depending on the parameter that is being adjusted, in what is a surprisingly intuitive and elegant way of letting the user know what the amp is doing.

For example, push the Patch button, and the LED turns into a narrower band that steps through five locations on the strip to let you know which patch it is on. Press the Volume button, and it turns into a bar that gradually fills as the Volume is increased. Pretty ingenious.

The drawback is that only one parameter of the EQ and FX is available for adjusting this way. Just the Mix on reverb, for example, or the Treble control on the amplifier's EQ.

This parameter cannot be swapped, and although I would prefer the option to define which parameter this is in the app, the set ones still allow plenty of scope to get tones for a quick session. If you want to tweak a little deeper or swap out any amp or effect in the chain, you will need the app.

Admittedly, I find myself a little app-fatigued these days. Everything seems to have one. However, this is mitigated by the ease and stability with which the Bluetooth connection is made here - just press the button and select the Beam from your devices list - and the stylish, highly visual nature of the app.

I am immediately greeted with artistic representations of the gear rather than text-heavy menus, an easily understandable depiction of the signal chain that is split into sections and therefore stops too much information from being displayed at once, and controls that can be moved and pressed in the same way as they would be on physical gear.

It’s an interface that will feel familiar to anyone who has used guitar pedals and amplifiers before, and takes no time at all to get the head around.

What is perhaps less familiar to some of us is the Tone 3000 library of NAM captures. As I mentioned earlier, NAM stands for Neural Amp Modeling (no, not that Neural) and is Tone 3000’s open-source capture software. We’ll get to how it sounds later, the point for now is that browsing through the captures is seamlessly integrated into the amplifier menu within the Beam app, and only requires a quick sign-up to get it working. Easy.

Across the top of the app are the tools for recording to your device via the app over USB, saving new tones to either your device or one of the patches in the amp, and uploading your sounds for sharing in the cloud.

The last tab on the right is interesting, as it basically operates as a built-in YouTube player, with suggestions from Blackstar for backing tracks to jam along to, lessons, and Drum loops. I’m often utilizing YouTube for this anyway, so it’s handy to be able to use it in the same app as the amplifier.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

First, let's talk volume. The Blackstar Beam Mini is so much louder than a speaker of its size has any right to be. As a solo home practice amp, it has more than you could ever need, and as a Bluetooth speaker, it could easily fill any busy room in an average house.

For the latter use, I’m streaming music from my phone, and tonally, the most impressive thing is the level of bass response. Those passive bass radiators are certainly doing their job, and I actually find myself looking for a way to turn the low end down.

The mids and highs are well represented, without being shrill. As a speaker, it is nothing short of impressive, which can only mean good things for the guitar tone.

Recent experience with some of Blackstar's modeling range - namely the ID:X Floor - has taught me not to underestimate Blackstar here. Hoping to be equally as impressed with the tones in the Beam Mini, on offer within it are models of Blackstar's own St James (OD, Crunch and Clean), Artisan 30, HT Club 50 MKII, and Series One MKII amplifiers, as well as six Blackstar Ampton models that imitate everything from a clean Fender Twin (Ampton Twin) to all-out, Peavey 5150 (Ampton 6l6) distortion.

Adding to that, we also have Classic, Modern, and Flat bass preamps to play with, as well as an acoustic preamp.

In short, the tones are addictively inspiring. I’m immediately drawn to the ‘Clean’ and ‘OD’ models of the St James amp. The clean offers plenty of those gorgeous overtones with a good helping of low end, in what is a lively-feeling model. The OD goes the other way with a relatively heavy distortion in the eighties classic rock realm, which manages to maintain note clarity and a tight low end.

For all-out metal, look no further than the Series One model. It features a similar tight low end, but one that feels a little thicker for those chuggy riffs, and has all the gain you could ever need.

I’m not as big a fan of the Crunch version of the St James model, as it feels a little brittle in the high end, but here the HT Club 50 has me covered, with a nice, thick overdrive, perfect for that classic rock rhythm thing.

Impressive too are the Ampton models. An easy highlight is the Amton 800, which is unmistakably Marshall in its present high-end. The only one I feel falls a little short is the Ampton Twin, which doesn’t have the same life that I would expect from a Twin model, although it does sport that lovely mid scoop.

All of these models have the full suite of controls and switches that you would expect from the amplifier they are modeled after. This, on the Blackstar models, includes Blackstar’s ISF control, which moves between an ‘American’ and ‘British’ style sounds, making for a versatile collection of amps.

What sticks out most, however, is the way that the amps clean up on the volume control. This is where a lot of cheaper modeling gear will fall short, but here, models such as the St James EL34 can yield a chimey clean from a relatively driven sound, with the player in complete control of the amount of grit, using nothing but that volume control.

The amp models are only half the story, however, as the other, often underappreciated half, is in the cab sim. In this area, Blackstar is, again, doing things a little differently with its IR-based CabRig technology.

We have six Blackstar cabs to choose from. Open and closed back versions of a 1x12’ and 2x12’, plus a modern and vintage versions of a 4x12. For me, the biggest highlight and the aforementioned difference is Blackstar’s new “In The Room’ technology. With this, rather than modeling a microphone, Blackstar has aimed to “recreate the natural way your ears perceive the tone and feel of an amp in a physical environment.”

And it works. The tone has that low mid presence that I would often associate with being the difference between standing in front of a cab rather than hearing it through a microphone, and happily lacks the shrill high end that I often find myself dialling out of digital modelers. It’s an incredibly enjoyable experience.

There is the option of adding a dynamic, condenser, or ribbon mic, but all of these sound somewhat brittle compared to the In The Room mode, and more reminiscent of the digital thing often negatively associated with modeled guitar tones. In short, stick with the In The Room mode.

More than this, the tech also includes a Room control that allows for bringing in, you guessed it, some room sound, resulting in a subtle ambience that adds some rewarding space to the tone.

When it comes to effects, there is a suite of 28 that cover all the drive, utility, ambient, and wobbly needs you may have. There are three Pre-FX slots consisting of Gate, Filter/Comp and Drive/Fuzz, and three Post-FX slots that are Modulation, Delay, and Reverb.

They are chained in that order and cannot be moved, so perhaps lacking a little flexibility compared to the largely moveable signal chain of something like the Laney Prism Mini.

Most are great fun, like the Envelope Filter, which is very reactive to my picking and tweakable with a simple set of three controls. The Pie Fuzz does an excellent job of that thick Big Muff sound, and the Hall Reverb adds a subtle ambience whilst not getting in the way of the dry signal.

However, some, while still great, aren’t quite up to the high standard of the rest. For example, the TS Drive (Tube Screamer) and K Drive (Klon) are a little thin on their own, but good for boosting an already overdriven amp, and it’s tricky to get enough springy drip out of the spring reverb for that surf sound.

Lastly, we have the Tone 3000 NAM amp captures to consider. Like all capture tech, it is dependent on the person doing the capturing, as the amp needs to be set nicely, mic’d well, and captured properly in order to get good results. What is potentially game-changing here is that the software is completely free, with thousands of captures available. So its integration into the Beam Mini is a big deal.

Browsing through some tones, the results are mixed. In general, I find the sounds to have a little more of that digital high end when compared to Blackstar's own modeling, but I am having fun on an excellent capture of a Roland Jazz Chorus with some lucious cleans, and a JCM800, boosted by a Klon into a 4x12 that kicks out that huge, Marshall overdrive.

Equally, there are some that aren’t as impressive, for example, a 1977 Fender Super Reverb capture that has a strange, underlying distortion and feels a little lifeless.

So, as expected, you will be doing a bit of browsing to get the best out of the Tone 3000 stuff. However, this is an emerging bit of software integrated in an amp here that is quickly gaining traction in its own right, and again, is completely free to download and create captures with.

Its inclusion in the Blackstar Beam Mini is welcome, and it feels like this could be an exciting year for Tone 3000. It is worth noting, however, that we can't yet add any of the Beam Mini's drives in front of the NAM captures, but perhaps a future update from Blackstar could address this.

Verdict

To put it bluntly, the Blackstar Beam Mini feels like a significant step forward in mini guitar amplification. It has an impressive low-end for an amp of this size, an app that is the magic combination of in-depth and easy to use, an ingenious interface on the top panel, and a volume that is astounding coming from something so small.

But it’s the quality of the amp modeling combined with the impressive speakers in this tiny thing that makes the Beam Mini a leader in its class. The sounds are genuinely enjoyable, not just in the context of a small amp, but as guitar sounds in their own right.

At around $229, it's more expensive than the likes of the Positive Grid Spark Go, but the serious tones on offer justify the price. The only real downside is that you will need to use the app to get the most out of it.

Worth mentioning too is what the future holds for this amp, as upcoming is the integration of a live version of Moises, able to separate stems from an audio source streamed over Bluetooth. We got a sneak peek at this, and it is exciting. Keep an eye out, as we will be updating this review when it surfaces later this year.

As it stands, of all the mini practice amps I’ve tried, this is easily my favorite. It is a competitive market, but Blackstar has smashed the competition.

Guitar World verdict: With huge sounds coming out of something so small, mini guitar amplification just got serious, and the competition has some catching up to do. The Blackstar Beam Mini is an easy choice for anyone in the market for a new practice amp.

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What is it?

Neural DSP and Darkglass are intrinsically linked as brainchildren of Doug Castro, who co-founded Darkglass in 2009 before doing the same with Neural DSP in 2020. While he officially left Darkglass after a majority buyout from Korg in 2022, which has since brought the world the excellent Darkglass Anagram multi-fx/modeler.

Neural DSP’s Darkglass Ultimate plugin is the continuation of its previous Darkglass Ultra emulation, which saw Darkglass’s modern-classic B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra bass overdrive/preamp pedal designs ported into software by the man who designed them.

But, far from just ‘the same but better’, Darkglass Ultimate expands on Ultra with some impressive looking new features that turn this into a complete suite for bass tone.

First up is a collection of pre-FX virtual bass effects pedals, which allow you to hit the B7K/Ultra Vintage with additional color from Compressor, Auto-Wah, Octaver and Fuzz pedal emulations.

Neural has also paired the preamps with expanded cab options, allowing you to choose between emulations of the Darkglass 210C 2x10 cab of the original Ultra plugin, and a recreation of the Darkglass DG810ES 8x10 - new for Darkglass Ultimate.

But it doesn’t stop there, because on the other side of the preamp section sits a nine-band graphic EQ, and the signal chain is book-ended by the new Post-FX section, home to Chorus and Delay effects.

There’s great news for Ultra owners, too, because if you’re reading that thinking ‘Sounds great, but I don’t want to pay again!” you don’t have to. Darkglass Ultimate is a free upgrade for current owners of Darkglass Ultra. At the time of writing, Neural is also celebrating its birthday with a whopping 50% discount across all of its plugins.

Specs

• Launch price: $99 | €119
• Type: Bass plugin/FX suite
• Formats: Plugin (VST2, VST3, AU and AAX), standalone
• System requirements: (Mac): Intel Core i3 processor, OS 13, 8GB RAM (Windows): Intel Core i3 processor/AMD quad-core R5 2200G processor or higher, Windows 10, 8GB RAM
• Contact: Neural DSP

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★½

It's fair to say Neural DSP has had a phenomenal rise to the top of the modeling game, and to some users this reputation is based on its hardware such as the Quad Cortex and Nano Cortex.

But to many, Neural is a plugin brand first thanks to its vast array of software offerings. Indeed, Darkglass Ultra was actually Neural’s first release back in 2018, making it a software brand before anything else. As such, Neural is well-versed in making software that’s perfectly primed for this section of the review: intuitive to use, while also bursting with features.

Darkglass Ultimate can run as a plugin inside your DAW (VST2, VST3, AU and AAX formats), but it can also function in standalone without a host. The layout of Darkglass Ultra follows a similar template to Neural’s other plugins. Along the top of the pane sit five icons which switch the main screen between Ultimate’s key sections (Pre-FX, Preamp, Cabinet EQ and Post-FX).

It’s all heavily graphically-led which makes navigation incredibly simple. The preamp screen feels like ‘home’, treating the B7K and Vintage Ultra as the ‘amp’ in the chain, and a quartet of selectable buttons at the bottom allow you to switch between the B7K/Ultra Vintage as well as choosing whether you’re running through the 2x10 or 8x10 cabs.

Using everything is as simple as making quick selections and tweaking, and there’s a lot to tweak. The preamps include three-way selectors for Attack and Grunt, allowing you to tailor the punch of your notes when the distortion is engaged by filtering how much high end (Attack) and low end (Grunt) signal hits the saturation stage.

As well as this, there are toggles for selecting the centre-frequency of the midrange EQ controls, and if you’re so inclined, you can set the preamp to mirror your EQ selection between clean and driven sounds for a uniform tonality when shifting between clean and driven tones.

Neural has also included a host of utility features which includes a Transposer (capable of shifting the incoming signal up or down by 12 semitones), a Gate for minimizing noise, Tuner, Metronome and full MIDI control.

Put simply, the graphical representation and signal flow feels like having hardware in front of you. Neural’s handy Tooltips give you a quick description of any of the icons or controls you don’t understand, and the only thing I’d change about the way it functions would be adding the ability to change the order of the Pre-FX pedals.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★★

Collectively, Neural and Darkglass conjure words such as ‘modern’, ‘contemporary’ and ‘aggressive’ to mind. In other words, tones that will ensure note clarity, punch and the ability to be heard in a dense, heavy mix.

Upon loading the preset menu, there’s no doubt that these things are present in spades. We get presets designed by modern prog/metal titans including Karnivool bassist, Jon Stockman, Adam “Nolly” Getgood, Forrester Savell (Karnivool, Tesseract, Aristocrats) and more, as well as a selection created in house.

What’s quickly apparent is that the quality of the presets – which cover the B7K and Ultra Vintage fairly evenly – means that you'll be able to find most core sounds without having to create your own. From weighty, wooly heft, to spiky, punchy, blended distortion through to gritty vintage overdriven tones, there’s a lot on offer and helpfully pre-made for you.

The B7K is likely to be the preference for many players, offering surgical, grinding distortion, while allowing you to keep your low end intact by blending in the clean signal. The attack control is a great offering too, particularly if you want to achieve a heavier ‘pluck’ without imparting too much dynamic processing from the Compressor.

All of this is almost to be expected, though, particularly if you’ve used the original hardware or Darkglass Ultra for these applications before. The big surprise, however, comes when loading some of the Neural preset sounds. Here, you’ll find a bit more tonal breadth, designed to showcase just how versatile the Darkglass Ultimate suite can be.

There’s ping-pong delays, synth sounds and my particular favorite, Dub Joggler. This preset delivers an extra-smooth, fat bass sound that’s addictive as it is satisfying. Somehow, it manages to remove the bulk of your high end while still remaining entirely articulate, producing a huge sine wave-like tone.

Placing a touch of Auto-Wah in front and playing palm-muted lines with my thumb sends me down a dynamic rabbit hole of crystal-clean, filtered pops, squiggles and slides, enhanced even further by adding the Transposer to take the pitch into pseudo-five-string territory. Who thought we’d look to the kings of gritty bass for silky neo-soul tones?

Turning to the effects, and it’s a similarly intuitive story. Dialing-in sounds from the Compressor’s three controls (Compression, Level and Blend) is simple, perhaps too simple for some, but it clamps down nice and quick, while experimenting with the Blend control helps tame things to retain some dynamics if you go too squishy.

The Auto-Wah has controls for Sensitivity, Range, Attack and Decay speeds, and as with the Compressor, it produces usable, musical results quickly. Likewise, the Octaver follows the tradition of Octave 1 (-1) Octave 2 (-2) and Dry controls.

I found Octave 2 to be a little overpowering unless you’re playing on the upper frets, but it’s perfectly capable of the classic Boss OC-2 synth bass effect where you play an octave up and dial-out everything apart from the -1 octave signal. Run that into the Fuzz pedal and you’ve got a big, synth-y square wave sound which I’d love to have placed the auto-wah after.

After the preamp comes the Cab, EQ and Post-FX sections. The cabinets can be mic'd in stereo with a host of options for microphone types, including classic dynamic and condenser microphones as well as bass drum mics and a specialized SubKick mic for channelling the ultra-lows. You can drag the mics around, or get finer control using the settings for each, which even includes panning them and phase inversion. It adds an entire extra dimension to the variety on offer and in a world increasingly reliant on speaker IRs, it's great to have this much control.

The EQ is straightforward and allows for forensic sculpting of your tone. Finally, there's the Chorus and Delay Post-FX, and both aim to deliver analog-style approximations of modulation and echo. The delay in particular is very impressive, with controls for tempo syncing, Modulation and Ping-Pong between left and right channels. Neural describes it as "simple" in the manual, but it sounds great – instantly leading me to some drop-D Justin Chancellor-style riffs – and offers a lot considering it's 'only' part of this plugin.

Verdict

The EQ is straightforward and allows for forensic sculpting of your tone.

At a glance, it’d be easy to think you have Darkglass Ultimate figured out before plugging in as a heavy-focussed source of gained-up bass sounds. It does that, of course, but the reality is there’s so much more on offer here. So much, in fact that Neural has already announced that Darkglass Ultimate won’t be joining its Plugin Compatibility line of hardware-compatible plugins.

That’s due to a licensing agreement with Darkglass, which effectively stops the plugin from threatening Darklass’s Anagram hardware modeler/multi-FX. So, it’s worth knowing if you’re already pondering purchasing the plugin to stock your Quad Cortex or Quad Cortex mini: this is likely to remain as a software-only product.

But, it doesn't seem fair to penalize Darkglass Ultimate for what it can't be, especially when it performs so well. This is a fully-formed product in its own right, and it's upright on its own two feet as a DAW-based bass solution or standalone plugin.

Guitar World Verdict: Think Darkglass is only for heavy genres? Think again. Yes, this plugin has you covered for vintage and modern overdrive tones, but it'll also walk the walk for many other styles, to overlook that would be a missed opportunity. It delivers brilliant sounds and excellent usability at a price that makes it great value for money.

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We’ve all come to terms with the concept of mini amps that punch well above their weight, but Blackstar’s BEAM Mini – first debuted at NAMM – has officially launched and looks set to seriously up the ante, offering a mini amp/modeler with Tone3000 NAM capture support and AI stem separation.

What does all the jargon mean? Well, NAM stands for Neural Amp Model, which essentially means users will have access to a library of over 200,000 amp/rig captures available from Tone3000’s massive open source library.

This is in addition to Blackstar’s own “component-level” modeling tech, which incorporates six models of core Blackstar amps, plus the firm’s Ampton line, which includes benchmark digital models of amps like the Vox AC30, Marshall JCM800, Fender 1969 Twin Reverb, Mesa/Boogie Dual Recitifier and Peavey 5150.

All of which means that when it comes to the BEAM Mini’s tonal range, the options are pretty much endless.

Meanwhile, Moises AI stem separation enables players to isolate or remove instruments from tracks on playback (similar to JBL’s BandBox), so you can isolate guitars to learn parts and then play along to the track with the original parts removed.

A significant caveat is that this is not available at launch, but will be coming in an August software update.

Then you’ve got the other mini amp staples: Bluetooth streaming, battery power (up to 18 hours), app support, 35 studio grade effects, headphone output, audio interface capabilities, user patch library (in addition to the NAM capabilities), IR CabRig speaker/mic emulation and IP66 weatherproofing. You can even record vocals via the headset mic hook-up.

Despite the app editing capabilities, there’s still a surprising amount of control available on the unit itself, with Patch, Gain, EQ, FX and Volume buttons, plus the oversized SpeedDial (perhaps inspired by the hefty wheel on the Positive Grid Spark GO), which is multifunctional.

The diminutive cabinet itself is also worth mentioning, featuring two 60mm full-range drivers, two passive bass radiators and Blackstar’s Super Wide Stereo tech to “create an immersive, room-filling tone you won’t believe is coming from something this small.”

This all obviously sounds like marketing hyperbole, but is genuinely impressive in action. Everyone from the GW team who got their hands and ears on one of these at NAMM and Guitar Summit was seriously impressed by its sonic capabilities.

All in all, it’s the first time we’ve seen a tiny mini amp from a trusted amp builder that combines this level of cutting-edge tech into such an impressive-sounding unit. Indeed, the early word from our reviewer Pete Emery is that “it's easily the best mini-amp on the market right now”.

Positive Grid has long stolen a march on the more traditional builders, but if the BEAM delivers on its promises it looks like the Spark GO is about to get some serious competition.

At $229, it’s priced right between Positive Grid’s Spark Mini and GO platforms, too.

UPDATE 05/06/26: You can now read our full Blackstar BEAM Mini review.

For more information, head to Blackstar.

When Billy Corgan announced his first-ever signature amp, the Grace, at the height of the pandemic, Brian Carstens became one of the most talked-about amp builders on the planet, seemingly overnight.

“It's like, this is what happens to other people, right? It doesn't happen to you,” he says. “You couldn't make it up. And for him to be genuinely so excited by it that he's like, ‘I want to put my name on it, and this is my first and only signature amp I've ever done’… it’s amazing.”

But like most overnight successes, Carstens’ journey is one of grit, determination and some curious twists of fate.

In fact, Smashing Pumpkins were the band that first inspired Carstens to pick up a guitar as a teenager in Michigan. By the time he moved to Chicago as an adult, he was determined to make it in music.

After a miserable stint at Guitar Center (“the worst job I ever had”), he wound up working at the Music Garage, the city’s premier rehearsal space. Amp repair guru Tim Schroeder hit him up to tech at the attached music store, where Carstens got his first taste of electronics.

“Whenever I had to replace pickups and stuff, I was like, ‘Oh, this is fun.’ Not making the nut or filing frets. And I was like, ‘I think I want to get into more amps.’ Two weeks later he fired the amp tech and said, ‘You’re the amp tech now. There's Wilco’s gear – fix it.’”

Carstens taught himself on the job and was soon hired to repair amps at Chicago Music Exchange. During his seven-and-a-half year stint, he worked on gear from Deftones, Mastodon, Joe Bonamassa – and no fewer than three Dumbles (“one I didn't jive with at all. One was cool. And Jackson Browne’s sounded amazing”).

All the while, he was picking up on what he liked from different circuits. Taking photos. Making notes. He started his own company, Carstens Amps, in 2015.

During this time, he started working on Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder’s gear [no relation]. Then he began fixing up Corgan’s. The pair met briefly backstage at a Pumpkins show. It inspired the builder to reach out.

“I just said, ‘Hey, I was at the show and saw you backstage with my friend Jeff and just wanted to let you know as a fan, thank you for always innovating. That's what art's all about.’

“He wrote me back like a minute later and he said, ‘Thank you. By the way, amazing amps. Used them on the latest Pumpkins. Well done.’”

Carstens offered to build Corgan a custom amp. But it quickly became clear that this would not be a straightforward commission.

“He told me what he didn't want. He didn't want a Marshall. Billy does not like to repeat himself. He wasn't super-descriptive, but he gave me a couple points. I said, ‘OK, give me a few months and I'll come at you with something beautiful.’ And he said, ‘I’ve never played a high-gain amp that I like.’”

No pressure. But Carstens and Corgan align in their quest for high standards. And as someone who had obsessed over the Pumpkins leader’s guitar tone for 30 years, he knew he was the man for the job.

Months later, his creation was ready. He brought it to Corgan in his Chicago studio.

“We go into this room and he's like, ‘Yeah, put it on that cabinet.’ It's a silver Marshall 4x12 from the Mellon Collie tour. He fires it up, starts playing through it. Jimmy's there and we're all just listening and tweaking knobs.

“At one point I was moving one of the controls and he goes, ‘Stop right there.’ He turns and looks at Jimmy, gets this big smile on his face and starts playing Shiva. And he’s like, ‘Can we keep it? I love it.’”

Corgan was so impressed with what he has since dubbed Carstens’ “savant-level understanding of gain and power” that he offered to make the Grace his first-ever signature amp. Yet the 100-watt head’s name was very much Carstens’ vision.

“Most things that have gain get so compressed. They get so narrow. This needed to be the opposite. It needed to be wide and harmonic and open and big. All my amps are that – there's an air around the notes. There's space. And there's a transparency. It allows you to shine.

“I didn't want to name it ‘Hellfire’. I didn't want to name it ‘The Dragonslayer’. I named it Grace. There's nuance to it. It changes your relationship with this piece of gear.”

Carstens invites an intimate relationship between the player and the amp. His creations are resolutely single-channel. He wants players to control the amp with their fingers, with their guitars, rather than rely on channel switching.

“The best amps are the ones that [players] have an interaction with. It's not just ‘click channel one, click channel two, click channel three.’ There's no inspiration with that for me. If I made two-channel amps, I would sell a lot more amps. But it's not about that.”

Instead, Carstens seeks to crystallize the ideal versions of each amp in his head with each subsequent release. The Empire is a modern metal amp designed for extended-range guitars and developed with input from Misha Mansoor. The Cathedral was designed to be “the ultimate clean, chimey, glassy, beautiful clean amplifier”.

His creations have attracted some major-league fans outside of the Pumpkins universe. Tool and Slipknot rave about them, after super-producer Joe Barresi picked one up. Will Putney always has a Grace ready to go in his studio. Greta Van Fleet are messing around with them. And it’s not all rock and metal bands, either.

“My phone rang and it was John Fogerty,” Carstens says. “He’s like, ‘I just played one of your amps at the Vault at Chicago Music Exchange. It wasn't for sale and I’d like to buy one. I’m in the cab right now going to my hotel, but I’ll send you my PayPal. I really, really like it.’”

The Grace, meanwhile, is currently reaching a new group of players as part of Laney’s Supergrace – a pedal amp that bottles Corgan’s live rig: one side Grace, one side Laney Supergroup. But Carstens had his reservations when the iconic British amp firm first proposed the idea.

“I have this thing with pedals. Playing that for an extended period of time, you get ear fatigue – there’s nothing like the tube-rich harmonic character that tubes have. But they did a great, great job with this thing.

“It doesn't replace the real, genuine article, but it allows people to access it at a price point where they can get the idea of what it is and where it comes from.”

Any future affordable collaborations weigh heavy on the Chicago builder’s mind – that tightrope between quality and accessibility. He equates the difference between amps and pedals to vinyl and streaming.

And no wonder: Carstens doesn’t want to make anything he’s not 100 percent happy with. Heck, 99 percent isn’t good enough. And maybe that’s why it took his uncompromising determination to finally unite Billy Corgan with an amp he not only likes but actively endorses.

“I don't want to create an amp to be in the middle somewhere. It's easy to get 90 percent there. To get that extra, it's hard. What separates the good from great? That's what it’s all about. Can I crack the code? If I can, hopefully I can make an amp for it.”

• For more information, head to Carstens Amplification.

What is it?

For those who are used to the sound and feel of a real tube amplifier, the digital thing can be a little tricky to adjust to. This can, partly, be attributed to the fact that impulse responses and cabinet emulations necessitate a microphone to create them, meaning that what is being simulated is a mic on an amp, rather than the cab itself.

Victory’s new PowerValve 200 aims to solve this problem. It’s a power amp that allows us to utilize a traditional guitar cab with our digital rigs, whilst making use of a real tube (an EF91) to add potentially some of that tube feel and warmth. Perhaps opening the digital world to the analog inclined.

The PowerValve 200 is a tube/solid state hybrid, designed primarily to work with a digital pre-amp from your modeler of choice. But, if you happen to be using one of Victory’s V4 series of valve-driven preamps, or something like the Tone King Imperial Preamp, this could be the ideal way to get those tones into a real cabinet, too.

Featuring Resonance, Body, and Presence controls for some EQ tweaking, Input Gain, Output Level, and Headphone dials to control levels, an on-board cab sim, and a Valve React Circuit (more on this later), it’s your standard power amp with a couple of extras.

I/O follows suit, with a ¼” balanced input, ¼” speaker output, ⅛” headphone output, XLR cab sim output, and an IEC socket for power.

Personally, I am frequently switching between modelled tones and real tube amps depending on the requirements of the gig. While I am happy in both worlds, there are differences between the two experiences in terms of feel and sound. If the PowerValve 200 does what it claims to do, it may well narrow that gap.

Specs

• Launch price: $599 | £499 | €579
• Type: Class D power amp
• Origin: UK
• Output: 200W RMS into 4 Ohms, 100W RMS into 8 Ohms, 50W RMS into 16 Ohms
• Channels: 1
• Controls: Resonance, Body, Presence, Input gain, Headphones, Output level, VRC, Cab sim
• Connectivity: ¼” balanced input, ¼” speaker output, ⅛” headphone output, XLR cab sim output
• Weight: 1.9kg
• Dimensions: 191x90x150mm/7.5”x3.5”x5.9”
• Contact: Victory Amplification

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★★

Coming in at 1.9kg, it is a hefty thing, as you would expect a tube-equipped power amp to be. Part of this heft is a metal chassis that gives an impression of industrial-level strength, so there are no worries about dragging it through the ups and downs of a busy gigging life.

The knobs and switches all feel just as solid as the chassis, and so does the I/O on the back of the unit. It's a Neutrik XLR output jack too, which is nice to see given Neutrik’s reputation for quality. It's the kind of high-quality UK we have come to expect from Victory.

Aesthetically, it’s a fairly plain, solid black finish. In my opinion, this brings an element of minimalist cool, as I am not looking for any flamboyance in a power amp. However, I did expect the Victory logo and grilles to light up brightly when powering it up but they don't – it would have been a nice visual touch.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★½

One of the benefits of traditional guitar amplifiers is that they are, generally, quite easy to use, especially when compared to their modern, digital modeling counterparts. So, given the tube-equipped nature of the Victory PowerValve 200, I expect getting to grips with it to be a simple process.

This is indeed the case. Take an output from your modeler/capture device of choice, and run it into the input of the PowerValve 200. Then, take the clearly labeled speaker output and plug that into your cabinet via a speaker cable. Easy. Just remember to turn off the cab sim on your modeler.

To get some volume, dial in the Input Gain control until the Input Level meter is beginning to flash red when you are playing at your hardest, then raise the Output Level until you have the volume needed. I particularly appreciate that LED input meter, as it makes it easy to get the tube working at the sweet spot of compression.

The three EQ controls are fairly self-explanatory and are helpfully notched in the center to indicate when they are flat.

The VRC switch brings in the Valve circuit, and the Cab Sim switch turns the cab sim on or off. The sim is on a separate XLR output, which is also clearly labeled, as is the ⅛” headphone output.

The only slight tripping point is that the cab sim output level is controlled by the Headphones level knob. This isn’t indicated on the front panel, so although I was able to guess that I needed to turn this up to get some volume from the sim, it was not clear.

There's not much here to get to grips with, but what more does a player need from a power amp? Especially considering that the PowerValve 200 is built to run outputs from modellers, which, in a lot of cases, already sport all of the complicated routing and fancy features that one could need.

With that in mind, the cab sim seems a little superfluous, as these can already be found on almost all modellers and can generally run separately from the unemulated output being fed to the PowerValve.

But, in products such as Universal Audio’s amp pedals that don’t have the ability to do this type of routing, I can see where this may be useful.

On Victory’s website, the blurb states that the PowerValve 200 is pedalboard-friendly. I would argue that this may be overstating things somewhat. Don’t get me wrong, in the world of power amps and considering that it boasts a real tube, it is a compact, portable unit, but it'll be interesting to see where this section of the market develops in terms of considering pedalboard-based rigs as it inevitably grows.

But pedalboards are for, well, pedals. At 191x90x150mm and 1.9kg, the PowerValve 200 is obviously multitudes bigger and heftier than your average pedal, so most will be doing some significant reshuffling to accommodate it on their 'board.

Personally, I don't see this as an issue. With a modeller doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to tone, I’m not going to be tweaking the Powervalve much during a gig, so I would happily have this sitting atop the cab at the back of the stage.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Before we get into sounds, it is important to note the difference between a real cab and an IR/Cab emulation. As I’ve already mentioned, the latter always necessitates the use of a microphone to create the emulation or to capture the IR. As a result, what is being simulated is a mic on a cab, rather than the cab itself.

These are fundamentally different things. Therefore, playing in a room with a real cabinet is a different experience from playing through an emulation monitored by something like an FRFR speaker.

It’s not necessarily better or worse. A real cab is a visceral guitar sound, whereas the modeled version can have a more produced, studio-like sheen. You may prefer one over the other, but this difference, arguably, is part of the reason many don’t get on with digital rigs. The PowerValve aims to solve this issue by allowing the player to run into a traditional guitar cabinet while adding the benefits of a real tube.

In Victory’s video, giving an overview of the PowerValve 200, Victory’s Chief Designer and guitar amplification guru, Martin Kidd, states that the EF91 tube was chosen to enable the unit to deliver that tube warmth, without getting in the way of the tone that the user has probably spent hours carefully dialing in on their modeler.

Testing this with a Fender Telecaster and a Line 6 Helix preset I regularly play live with, I can happily say that, in this regard, the PowerValve 200 is a roaring success. The foundation of my tones remains intact, but with just a little added warmth from the tube and a full, lively sound from the Zilla 1x12 cab I am using.

Setting the input gain so that the LED meter starts to flash red (as per the manual) creates a cushiony, compressed feel that is inspirational under the fingers. The volume can then be adjusted via the Output Level control.

The VRC switch allows us to take the tube out of the circuit, thinning out the tone. Perhaps useful if you find that the PowerValve 200 is making things a little muddy, but in that situation, I would much prefer to retain that tube feel and lose the mud through the EQ.

I can do this because those three onboard EQ controls are powerful. Resonance controls the sort of low-end thump that is felt in the chest, Presence deals with the airy high end, and Body tweaks the mid frequencies.

They each have more than enough sweep to adjust things for the cabinet or room you are using/in. However, be overzealous here, and it is easy to dial yourself out of a good tone, so use them with caution.

The last thing to consider is the cab sim that is featured on a separate XLR output. Whilst it’s not the worst cab sim I've ever used, it’s lacking a little low mid punch and is a bit on the fizzy side. In most cases, you will get better results from the more tweakable cabinet simulations in the majority of digital amp modelers. So if you need a separate output for a direct signal, best to route it from your modeller if you can.

Verdict

In short, the PowerValve 200 does as it promises to do. It lends a digitally modelled or captured preamp some tube warmth and feel, and brings the benefits of running a real cab on stage.

The PowerValve's only real weaknesses are in features that feel a little unnecessary. For example, the cab sim, whilst not useless, is only going to be useful in a few niche cases where you need a separate, emulated output for the desk and you are running a modeler (such as Universal Audio’s amp pedals) that can’t do that routing. And the VRC switch arguably removes the PowerValve 200’s biggest selling point from the circuit - the EF91 tube.

The elephant in the room here is buying a modeler and a power amp to run through a traditional guitar cab in the first place – why not just get a real amp? Two of the biggest advantages of digital rigs are their portability and the ability to run a silent stage. When you start adding cabs and FRFR speakers to your rig, you can lose both of these.

But the upsides of modeling gear go beyond this. Having a wealth of effects, amplifiers, and presets, all changeable at the press of a footswitch, offers valuable versatility to those who need to cover a lot of sounds over a single gig. Then, there is the consistency and durability of digital preamps to consider, too.

If those benefits sound tempting, but you don't get on with the more produced feel that digital rigs often have (for many of us, this is not a bad thing), I think this might just be the missing analog link to complete your amp modeling rig.

Guitar World verdict: Power amps are simple things, and the Victory PowerValve 200 is simply good at what it does. For those who want to bring some tube feel, warmth, and the visceral tone of a real guitar cab on stage to their digital rigs, this is the perfect way to do so.

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Hands-on videos

John Nathan Cordy

Rabea Massaad

Doug Aldrich has spent most of his life standing in front of loud valve amplifiers. From learning how to coax tone out of vintage Marshalls to filling theatres and arenas with Whitesnake, Dio and The Dead Daisies, his sound has always been about feel and authority.

But taking vintage guitar amps on the road comes with some compromises: ageing components, inconsistent behaviour night to night, and the constant worry that something irreplaceable might fail mid-show or even get stolen.

The Blackstar DA100 Ruby grew out of that reality. Rather than cloning his vintage Marshalls, Aldrich wanted an amp that captured the response and punch of his favourite amps while meeting modern demands – volume control, reliability, modern switching capabilities and, of course, world-class tone and feel.

Built around the DNA of Blackstar’s HT Stage 100, the DA100 Ruby evolved through months of hands-on tweaking, in-person R&D sessions and real-world testing. The result is a three-channel, dual-voiced 100-watt head, designed not just to reflect Aldrich’s signature tone but to function as a practical working amp.

We sat down with Doug to talk through the full journey, from his long-standing relationship with Blackstar, to the technical decisions behind the amp and cabinet, and how his approach to tone has evolved throughout his career.

How did this collaboration with Blackstar come about?

I’ve known those guys since the beginning when Blackstar was formed. A couple of them came from Marshall and back then I was playing Marshalls full-time and starting to build a relationship with Jim Marshall himself. Blackstar first reached out to me years ago, but the timing was bad because I was fully in with Marshall at that point.

Over the years I kept running into Blackstar amps in stores or I’d hear some of my buddies playing them. Every time I plugged in, I thought, ‘Man, these amps are killer.’

Later, when The Dead Daisies were looking for someone to work with that was genuinely excited about the band, Blackstar stepped up. They loaned us some amps for a tour and I loved them. After that, they asked me if I was interested in collaborating on something.

Had you ever seriously considered doing a signature amp before this?

I had thought about it. I was always looking for something that could replace my vintage amps on the road. Those old Marshalls sound incredible, and I still have them, but parts fail, capacitors go, transformers get tired… all the stuff that comes with old gear. I talked to a few different companies about doing something. I messed around with some ideas with Marshall.

I spoke to Engl, and had conversations with John Suhr about doing a Custom Audio amp, but it never really took off. With Blackstar, it felt different right away. They wanted to come to me, hear what I liked and actually work through it together.

From a design standpoint, where did you start with your amp?

The starting point was the Blackstar HT Stage 100. I was already a big fan of that amp. It has a great tone and touch response that I really like, so I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel. The idea was basically, ‘You like this amp, so let’s start here and tweak it.’

That’s really what the DA100 Ruby is. It’s not a radical departure; it’s kind of a refined version of something that already worked. People think of me as a hard-rock or metal player, but I love a lot of different styles, so flexibility was a huge part of the design. I didn’t want a one-trick metal amp.

What were the first things you wanted to adapt and in what way?

Mostly subtle stuff. We talked a lot about the midrange and just nudging certain frequencies slightly down so it wasn’t overly forward. We also talked about gain structure. I wanted plenty of gain, but I didn’t want it to feel buzzy or overly compressed. Everybody knows me for heavier sounds, but I also play a lot of straight-up rock. I wanted the amp to cover that ground without sounding too heavy.

What was the R&D process like?

One of the coolest R&D sessions was around NAMM 2023. A few of the Blackstar engineers from England were in town to work on some stuff with Jared James Nichols, so we met up at a studio in LA that Jared was working out of.

[Blackstar design engineer] Paul Stevens had this prototype where the main circuit board was pulled out and wired, so we could tweak things in real-time. He’d ask what I thought, I’d listen and suggest changes, and then he’d swap components or adjust things with a screwdriver. That kind of hands-on experience was really cool.

How long did the full development process take?

About eight months from the first serious conversations to the final version. After the session, they went back to the UK, refined everything and sent prototypes over. I didn’t want to ask for a completely different chassis or layout. Blackstar already had a solid blueprint with the HT100, so we worked with that to get the sound and feel right.

Blackstar has a facility here in the LA area so it was easy to get in there and test things. But they also sent a prototype from England. The cool part was that the prototype was basically exactly where we’d left off from our initial session.

So there were basically two prototype test sessions before I said, ‘This is it, let’s go for it.’ From there, it was like, ‘How do we make this work with the electronic parts and keep it in line with how Blackstar actually manufactures amps?’ They had a good outline to start with, so we just tweaked it.

Did you bring your own cabs along to test the prototypes?

Blackstar asked me what cabinets and speakers I liked. I told them Celestion Greenbacks and Vintage 30s. When we toured, they let us borrow some cabs and they sounded great.

They thought I would like the UK Vintage 30s better, so they brought 4x12 cabs loaded with those speakers for me to test the amps. There are different versions of the Vintage 30, but I think the UK-made version sounds the best.

Was there a feature you were adamant about adding beyond the tonal changes?

“A footswitchable effects loop was a big one for me. I didn’t want to run a long cable from a delay pedal on the floor and then back to the amp, just to get to the effects loop. I wanted that stuff back by the amps, and I liked the idea of being able to switch the loop off and on from a pedalboard.

In the beginning, we focused on the tonal aspect and got that right. Then they went back, worked out the loop switching and built the first proper prototype that combined the tonal tweaks with a switchable effects loop, along with a five-button footswitch.

I also wanted to make sure the amp’s distorted sound wasn’t too buzzy. I play more hard-rock than metal these days, and I wanted a really pure note coming off the guitar. You can always add aggression with a pedal, but the core tone has to be right.

Volume management is a big issue with high-wattage valve amps. Did that influence the amp design at all?

Yeah, the volume issue was a big deal. In rehearsals, when the amp was loud, it sounded incredible. On tour, the FOH soundman is always on me to turn down. But it’s a tube amp and you have to wind it up a bit to hit that sweet spot where it doesn’t sound fizzy.

So I told the Blackstar guys that I wanted to make sure the amp stays full and articulate, even at lower volumes. It also has a switch that lets you go from 100 watts down to 10, which really helps sometimes.

There’s something about the tone of running four EL34s in a 100-watt head that you just don’t get with lower-wattage amps. They sound very different. 100 watts just sounds bigger and feels better to me, so I usually stick with that.

Tell us about the matching 4x12 cabinet.

We experimented with different speakers and landed on the UK-made Celestion Vintage 30s that we tried initially, but the cabinet itself is different from Blackstar’s standard HT cab. They had to redesign it to get it tuned right with the amp and the Vintage 30s.

They used thicker wood for the baffle, which makes it heavier but more solid. The thinner baffle from the HT cab was moving a bit too much from vibration. The heavier construction on the DA412B cab sounds much tighter and way more focused. It sounds insane!

How do you typically run the amp live?

It’s a three-channel amp with two modes per channel, so there’s a lot of flexibility. I tend to live on the Crunch channel and use my guitar volume constantly.

For heavier parts I’ll hit a boost or switch to the lead channel. The transitions – switching between channels – are really smooth, which is something I’ve struggled with on other channel-switching amps. No problems at all with this one.

So you’re still using pedals for gain?

Definitely. You don’t really need pedals for gain because there’s plenty there, but the amp responds really well to boosts and overdrives. A Tube Screamer-style mid boost works great.

Lately, I’ve also been experimenting with fuzzes and different overdrives. The key thing is that the amp has great low-end and clarity, so using various pedals is more about adding different colours and textures.

How has your tone changed or evolved throughout your career?

Early on I was all about maximum gain and aggression. Over a period of time I realised you don’t want to always be on 10. Dynamics are now a big part of my sound: I want something that responds to my hands first and then gives me the option to go over the top when I need it. This amp is extremely versatile and really reflects where I am now as a player.

Looking back at everything you’ve played over the years, where does the DA100 Ruby stand?

It feels like the amps I grew up with but with features that fit today’s world of touring, recording and volume limits. It inspires me every time I plug in and it works night after night without any drama. That’s the ultimate goal. It’s a killer amp!

• “A new benchmark for heavy guitar sounds at a relatively accessible price point”: Blackstar DA100 Ruby review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Fukkaudio has launched a browser-based guitar amp and effects tool that creates guitar tones via text prompts.

Now, if you’re reading this thinking, “that sounds familiar,” that’s because Positive Grid’s Bias X plugin works off a similar concept, while the Polyend Endless does likewise with the pedal format.

The USP here, though, is that the software is free to use via a web browser. There are plans to expand into the plugin world eventually, but right now it’s available without downloads, installs, or other tech. You just need an interface, a cable, and your guitar. And the internet, of course.

Developed by a small team of Finnish techs, it’s aimed at “players using amp sims and plugins who want to get to a usable tone fast, without dialing in chains or tweaking presets”.

Prompts need to be in plain language, but can be as basic as “‘80s lead tone,” or as oddly specific as “neon chainsaw in a cathedral” or “tight modern rhythm – angry, controlled, zero flab.”

No generated tone is based on a specific amp. Instead, Fukkaudio uses its own “high-quality tone engine (amp character + effects + IR/cab modeling)” to turn prompts into playable sounds.

It’s also been designed not to be limited to any particular genre and can accommodate six-, seven-, and eight-string guitars.

If you already have an interface hooked up, connecting the guitar should be lightning-fast, with tones generated in under a minute and benefiting from the FX Intensity, Drive, and Output dials. We did experience some latency issues, but it’s likely these can be ironed out with smaller buffer sizes and by playing through headphones rather than speakers.

There is a small catch, though. Presets can also be saved and shared with friends, but those features are paywalled for pro members at €6.90 per month (approx. $8).

Of course, one could argue that these tools mean players miss out on the experience of dialing in guitar tones and understanding the nuances around that. But it's certainly handy when in a pinch.

Generative music tools, including TemPolor's Melo-D guitar and Mooer’s AI-powered practice amps, are dropping more and more regularly. Fukkaudio throws its hat into the ring here with the free-to-play angle likely to pique the interest of many.

Curious tone explorers can give it a go via Fukkaudio.

Mesa/Boogie has just expanded the Subway line with an all-singing, all-dancing sequel to its super high-end DI and bass preamp pedal.

There are many reasons to get excited about the launch of the Subway+ Bass DI‑Preamp II. For a start, this thing is compact. The picture up top gives you an idea of the scale – this comes in at some 40 per cent smaller than its predecessors.

Also, it’s stacked with features.

And we mean stacked. Fully kitted out for life on the road, everything you need to dial in a bass guitar sound in the studio. You know the drill; it is fundamentally the front end of a Mesa/Boogie Subway bass amp in a pedal format, complete with studio-quality DI and more EQ controls than the desk at Abbey Road.

Well, not really, of course, but you’ve got ample tone-sculpting capabilities with its 4‐band Baxandall EQ offering you plus or minus dB of Bass, Low‐mid, High‐mid, and Treble.

This being a Boogie design, you’ve got control over those battleground frequencies, with the low-mids adjustable between 150Hz and 1.8kHz, and the high-mids sweepable between 300Hz and 5kHz. You can really get forensic detail on this thing.

There’s also a Deep switch, so you can, y’know, get a deeper sound (but seriously, that ramps up the chonk considerably), and a Bright switch to tease out those high frequencies. A variable Hi-Pass filter (30Hz to 150Hz) can tighten up the low-end. There’s a footswitchable boost with level control, too, while the all-important mute switch allows you to tune your instrument silently – your audience, and bandmates, will thank you.

And it is designed to play equally well with active and passive bass guitar pickups. Under the hood, you’ve got an “extended-range” JFET preamp doing the heavy lifting.

Around the back you’ve got a cornucopia of connections, including the XLR with ground lift, power input (it runs on 9V to 18V from a pedalboard power supply drawing a minimum of 40mA), headphones output for silent practice and monitoring, preamp output, auxiliary input, and your 1/4” in for your bass guitar cable.

And last but not least, there’s a pre/post EQ switch that allows you to send either a wholly unprocessed signal straight to the desk – allowing you to easily reamp it later when recording, or to give the sound engineer full control over it – or to give you your settings through the PA. It’s a useful option to have.

And this is one useful bass pedal to have. The Subway+ Bass DI‑Preamp II is available now, it’s priced $199, and you can find out more over at Mesa/Boogie.

What is it?

For an amplifier that has been around since the ‘90s, the Compact 60 is as close to an ‘industry standard’ for acoustic amplification as that overused moniker can claim. Of course, AER, the self-proclaimed Acoustic People, hasn’t sat idle, resting on its reputation. Today, I’m looking at the fourth-generation Compact 60.

It remains a small-footprint, 60-watt combo acoustic amplifier, but this latest iteration introduces a pre/post FX switch for the direct signal, along with an aux-in featuring its own level control. Equipped with an 8-inch twin-cone speaker, the Compact 60 weighs a remarkably light 16lbs (7.3kg) and is housed in an ergonomically compact cabinet.

There's onboard reverb, chorus, and delay that can be used across both channels. Speaking of which, Channel 1 features a ¼-inch input, while Channel 2 offers a combination jack for microphones, ideal for singer-songwriters, along with 48V phantom power for condenser mics and 9V power for instrument preamps.

This is just a snapshot of the many features packed into this humble yet sophisticated amplifier. As I pulled it from the included padded gig bag, I was keen to see whether the Compact 60 could live up to its stellar reputation. After all, it boasts Tommy Emmanuel and Eric Johnson as users. Is this an acoustic guitarist’s dream amp? Let’s find out.

Specs

• Price: $1,499 | £1,099 | €1,000
• Type: Combo acoustic amplifier
• Origin: Germany
• Output: 60 Watts RMS
• Speaker: 1x 8” (200 mm) twin cone speaker
• Channels: 2
• Controls: Three-band EQ controls for both channels, Colour switch, ‘mid-cut-treble-boost’-filter, Reverb, Delay, and Chorus with Level control, Effects Pan, Aux line level, 48V phantom power, high/low -10dB attenuator on each channel, DI out pre/post fx switch
• Connectivity: 1x ¼-inch input, combi-XLR/jack input, Aux in, XLR DI out, ¼-inch line out, Headphones out, FX loop, ¼-inch footswitch input, Tuner input
• Footswitch: Available but not included
• Weight: 7.3 kg / 16.09 lbs
• Dimensions: 260 mm x 325 mm x 235 mm
• Contact: AER

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★★

First things first, I'd say the Compact 60 feels top-end the moment it comes out of the case. The cabinet is Finnish birch ply, finished in a textured water-based acrylic rather than the typical vinyl wrap you’ll find on other amps at this price. It lends a rugged feel to the amp, which is more in keeping with a hard-working PA speaker than a small portable guitar amp.

The top-mounted carry handle is held in place by eight chunky bolts, so there’s no risk of it ripping off, no matter how rough you are with it. The amp chassis itself is rugged metal, the knobs are firm and reassuring under the fingers, and the whole thing has a solidity that belies its compact dimensions. I'd say that if you’re planning to take this on the road, the Compact 60 is one of the more confidence-inspiring options out there.

One thing that will genuinely surprise you is the weight. The Compact 60 tips the scales at just 16lbs, remarkable for something that feels this solid in hand. That’s partly down to the digital power amp section, the neodymium speaker, and, of course, the compact cabinet dimensions.

Thankfully, that lightweight construction doesn’t reflect how solid this amplifier feels. Sure, it’s what you’d expect at this price point, but it's still good to see.

That said, one genuine gripe I have is that there are no corner protectors on the cabinet, which feels like an oversight on an amp aimed squarely at working musicians. Combined with the slightly flimsy carry bag, it's a minor but noticeable inconsistency in an otherwise well-thought-out build.

Usability

Usability rating: ★★★★½

I think an acoustic amp should follow the same ethos as the guitar it is amplifying, and be simple and effective. Acoustic guitars have their own natural voice, and a good acoustic amp's job is to faithfully reproduce that voice. Simplicity in the signal chain means fewer things getting between the guitar and the listener.

Thankfully, the Compact 60 leans fully into that philosophy. It’s a two-channel design, with the first channel offering a straightforward ¼-inch input, while the second handles both instrument and microphone duties via its combo input, complete with phantom power.

Each channel mirrors the other, with Gain, Bass, Middle, and Treble controls, making it easy to dial things in quickly without overthinking. The EQ has a useful amount of sweep without feeling too sensitive, meaning small tweaks make a noticeable difference without throwing your tone completely off balance. The control panel is clean and familiar and, crucially, never gets in the way, whether you’re mid-performance or just trying to find a solid baseline tone.

There’s a bit more depth here if you need it. Both channels feature a High/Low switch, which acts as a -10dB attenuator, handy if you’re dealing with hotter pickups that can push things a little too hard. Alongside that is the tone Colour filter, essentially a quick EQ contour that scoops the mids slightly while adding a touch of top-end sparkle. It’s particularly useful for fingerstyle players, as I've found it helps bring out extra detail and articulation, though it can feel a touch scooped if overused in a mix.

Around the back is where the Compact 60 flexes its versatility, and to AER’s credit, the layout makes intuitive sense in use. The sockets are logically grouped – like, the 3.5mm Aux input sits close to its own dedicated level control, so you’re not hunting across the panel when you need to nudge the backing track volume mid-set. The phantom power and FX routing switches are clearly labeled and easy to locate in low light, which matters more than it sounds when you’re setting up on a dim stage.

It is worth noting that the effects loop is global rather than channel-specific, which keeps things simple but means you can’t, say, run your favorite reverb pedal on the guitar without it affecting your mic as well.

The Neutrik XLR DI out, headphone output, tuner input, and footswitch connection round out a rear panel that covers everything from home practice to small-stage performance without ever feeling cluttered.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

In theory, an acoustic amp has a pretty straightforward job: accurately represent your instrument, louder. Unlike an electric amp, where the amp itself is a core part of the tone, an acoustic amp walks a trickier line; it needs to be transparent enough to honor your guitar's natural voice, while still offering enough tone-shaping to flatter it in a live environment. I think the Compact 60/4 does both. If you want it to be purely transparent, you can, but there’s still plenty of tone-shaping onboard.

For testing, I reached for my Yamaha LS6. This guitar has a slightly scooped midrange with a present, articulate top end that can verge on being too bright for some. Being a slightly smaller jumbo body, it still offers plenty of projection and a strong bass response. Going in, I hoped the AER would preserve that top-end clarity without tipping it into shrillness, while keeping the low end tight and controlled.

Since I am very aware of the limitations of lower-end acoustic amps, I wanted to use a passive pickup and rely solely on the amplifier’s ability to project my guitar’s tone. With no onboard preamp, the passive pickup in the LS6 was, in my mind, the hardest test I could put this little AER through. After 30 minutes of playing through channel one, with the EQ section more or less at noon, I chuckled to myself for ever thinking the amplifier couldn’t handle it.

The tone felt open and three-dimensional, with an almost hi-fi character that AER is known for. The low end stayed tight, the mids were smooth, and the high-end remained detailed and alive without ever becoming brittle. Diving into the EQ section while digging into cowboy chords, rolling back the bass further tightened the low end, which was needed to reduce creeping feedback as I had the volume around three-quarters.

When it comes to volume, the Compact 60 has a ceiling, and it’s worth being honest about where that ceiling sits. Switching between a passive pickup and a Sigma 000M-15E with a Fishman Presys onboard made little meaningful difference to the perceived output; the amp’s character stays consistent regardless of what’s feeding it. In practice, this amp is well-suited to coffee shop gigs and smaller, more intimate venues. It delivers enough headroom to stay clean and present in those settings, but it’s certainly not designed to compete with a full band or a heavy-handed drummer.

Testing it in a rehearsal space alongside an active 12-inch PA speaker made the Compact's volume limitations more obvious. In louder environments, it will struggle to fill the space on its own. That's where the DI out becomes essential, and it's worth knowing that it's post-tone, meaning the signal going to the PA has already been shaped by the Compact's preamp and EQ. This turns the amp into an incredibly high-quality tone-sweetener and personal monitor in one. Thankfully, though, when pushed towards higher volumes, it stayed impressively clean with no obvious breakup or distortion.

As for the built-in effects, most players will immediately reach for reverb, which comes in two options – Long and Short. This allows you to choose between a tighter, more immediate wash or a slightly more spacious bloom, depending on your preference. Now, the onboard chorus was a personal highlight, with a level control that lets you blend it as subtly or prominently as you like.

The delay, similarly, offers level control but no adjustable rate or feedback. These are preset voices rather than fully tweakable effects, which keeps the interface simple but does limit how far you can push them. Crucially, you can only run one effect at a time, which feels like a genuine limitation at this price point. That said, being able to pan the effect between channels is a smart touch, particularly useful when running a microphone through channel two, keeping the reverb off the vocal while the guitar gets the full treatment.

Verdict

Having now sunk far more hours into playing the Compact 60 than I could ever have imagined, I can honestly say I am in love. As far as natural, encompassing acoustic amplification goes, this is one of, if not the best, options I have personally used. The simple layout, compact size, and beautiful tone have made me excited to pick up my acoustic guitar again and again.

The features it does have, including DI out, Colour switch, tuner in, and headphone output, are all things I, and other acoustic guitarists, will actually use. AER hasn’t felt the need to overload this amp with unnecessary extras, instead letting the sound do the talking. It has been beautifully built, feels worth every penny, and weighs only 16lbs. For a working singer-songwriter, acoustic jammer, or anyone looking for professional-sounding acoustic amplification, this is the real deal.

That said, it’s not without its limitations. The volume ceiling means it won’t suit every live scenario on its own, and the inability to combine effects feels like a missed opportunity at this level. However, for the acoustic players playing coffee shops or intimate venues without a drummer, the volume from this little amplifier will be more than enough. And if it’s not, just use the DI out. Simple.

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Hands-on videos

Strings Shop

Joonas Widenius

• Best acoustic guitar amps: let your acoustic tone shine

Marshall Amps have teamed up with the Sex Pistols to celebrate the punk icons' 50th anniversary with a limited-edition tube amp that’s begging to be cranked to 11.

The special reimagining of a JCM800 Half Stack is being described as “a bold tribute to the sound, attitude, and cultural impact of one of music’s most disruptive bands,” and Steve Jones was a key figure in its creation.

Jones is powering a new era for the band, with Frank Carter as their well-chosen frontman, and this amp stays true to the band's sound – and to punk on the whole.

Clad in an “anarchic pink” and yellow colorway, which nods, in a fittingly unsubtle manner, to the band’s culture-shaping record, Never Mind the Bollocks, the head pairs with a matching 1960A 4x12 Angled Cabinet with Celestion G12T-75 speakers. And there’s a custom 50th anniversary badge to boot.

Of the head itself, there’s “100W of unmistakable British valve tone,” and it pushes the punk spirit with a no-bullshit single channel, Master Volume, effects loop, and vintage, late ‘70s firepower. The eagle-eyed will have seen it on Sex Pistols stages during their latest reunion.

Produced in Marshall’s Bletchley factory in the UK, only 81 units are being made, so expect this thing to sell like hot cakes.

“I've been using Marshall for a long time now, and the 800 series is my workhorse – always reliable, always consistent,” says Jones. “I like to keep things simple, as the saying goes: It’s only rock ’n’ roll.”

“The JCM800 became a defining voice of British punk,” adds Steph Carter, Culture Marketing Director at Marshall. “Working with Steve to reimagine this amp for the band’s 50th anniversary has been a powerful tribute to the sound that changed everything.”

Head to Marshall for more.

Jones, meanwhile, says he has “nothing but love” for original frontman John Lydon, who has been excluded from their reunion.

What is it?

Since Blackstar’s inception in 2007, its guitar amplifiers have become synonymous not only with relative affordability but also the wide range of progressive features to be found onboard, such as impulse response outputs and USB computer control.

But back in the summer of 2024 Blackstar launched the simplistic 1x12 TV-10 A combo amp that “with its 6L6 power valve and boutique aesthetics, promise[d] authentic American tones and vintage styling”.

Following later that year, the EL34 TV-10 B did the same trick but with a British flavour. Now, for 2026, Blackstar has added a head version in both flavours, with matching cabinets.

This pair of amp heads is so basic in its controls, it’s impossible to imagine greater simplicity. In full disclosure, your humble reviewer was not entirely convinced, merely from the specifications, that these amplifiers would be cause for huge excitement. However, from the moment the packing was unsealed, all expectations were thoroughly exceeded. Let’s take a closer look.

First off, sat atop their colour-coordinated cabs, these handsomely finished outfits look stunning. The beautifully detailed and constructed blonde-covered TV-10 AH head and TV-112 A cab setup has more than a whiff of vintage Fender to its aesthetic, while the UK-oriented TV-10 BH and 112 cab, in its subtle deep blue, has a regal air all its own.

These diminutive setups, while compact, are stylishly designed and appointed, right down to the soft and comfortable leather-style handle.

Construction quality appears top-notch, too, with some thoughtful yet invisible inclusions, such as solid-backed screw cups for the backplate that prevent the vinyl being cut over time. The valves used are from the reputable TAD (Tube Amp Doctor) brand, produced in China.

Under the hood, both amps employ single power valves: a 6L6 for the TV A and EL34 for the TV B, both operating in Class A configuration. This method is known to provide a more touch-sensitive chiming quality, imbued with plenty of high-frequency harmonic magic – with a trade-off by way of a reduction in clean headroom. This style of circuit design is often employed by boutique amp builders whose customers are prepared to forgo high headroom in favour of a sweeter overall tone.

The minimal control panel features just four knobs – Master, Reverb, Tone and Gain – with a push-button for the Drive feature.

The only extra accoutrements are the post-power amp, cab-emulated jack output, for isolated PA and recording uses, and the included one-button Drive footswitch, while its pre-set speaker outputs provide for 16- and eight-ohm cabinet impedances.

Specs

Blackstar TV-10AH

• PRICE: $749 | £499 | €699
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: All-valve compact head
• VALVES: 1x EEC83 1x 6L6
• OUTPUT: 10W
• DIMENSIONS: 404 (w) x 203 (d) x 230mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 9/20
• CABINET: MDF
• CHANNELS: 1 with Boost
• CONTROLS: Master, Reverb, Tone, Gain, Boost switch
• FOOTSWITCH: 1-button included
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Effects loop, speaker-emulated output
• OPTIONS: Matching TV-112 A cab with Celestion A-Type speaker (£379)
• RANGE OPTIONS: TV-10 A combo (£579)

Blackstar TV-10BH

• PRICE: $749 | £499 | €699
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: All-valve compact head
• VALVES: 1x EEC83 1x EL34
• OUTPUT: 10W
• DIMENSIONS: 404 (w) x 203 (d) x 230 (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 9/20
• CABINET: MDF
• CHANNELS: 1 with Boost
• CONTROLS: Master, Reverb, Tone, Gain, Boost switch
• FOOTSWITCH: 1-button included
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Effects loop, speaker-emulated output
• OPTIONS: Matching TV-112 B cab with Celestion V-Type speaker (£379)
• RANGE OPTIONS: TV-10 B combo ($799/£579)
• CONTACT: Blackstar Amplification

Usability and sounds

Kicking off with the TV A mini-stack, our Fender Telecaster immediately sprang out with an instantly recognisable American twang, chiming sympathetically to the touch and softening any potentially icy sounds produced by the Tele’s famously brusque bridge pickup.

The high-end sparkle promised by the Class A circuitry is a joy to hear, bringing harmonic excitement without sharp, ear-poking transients. Dialling in the onboard digital reverb, an entirely believable spring-styled medium length halo bathes the notes via a single control for depth.

Incidentally, the timing of this review coincided with this writer’s production of a country album for UK artist Russel Kitchin. With a roomful of classic Fender amps, from the historic to the contemporary to choose from, perhaps surprisingly, it was this Blackstar TV A setup that was the most-used Fender-styled sound of them all.

Eager to see what other tricks the TV A is capable of, we pull out a humbucker-equipped Stratocaster. As we push into break-up, the smoothness available is a wonderful surprise.

Fender amplifiers are not known for their inherently pleasing overdrive; however, this proves an incredibly inspiring playing experience. With the boost engaged, there’s more than enough gain for solo sustain and heavy riffage.

The matching 1x12 Celestion Type-A equipped speaker cabinet plays its part in the sound by way of its slightly softer midrange, possibly due to the cab’s MDF construction.

It’s an effective choice to lessen any pokey harshness, though possibly at the expense of producing strong, beaming mids. That said, funk and country players will likely be delighted by the subtle accommodation for their peakier transients.

Over to the TV B rig and, with a Les Paul in hand, we find the amp has similar chiming overtones yet a more filled-in midrange, bringing a gutsier heft to chords and sinuous single notes. The range of the gain control begins fully clean with the sustaining midrange of very British derivation, rapidly moving through to the onset of classic crunch.

These semi-distorted tones are delivered with a silver lining of euphonic Class A high-end, adding life where comparable non-Class A amps can sound somewhat dry and unresponsive.

The higher end of the gain range brings the kind of levels we might expect from a 70s-era master volume British amp head: it’s full-bodied with a tight feel under the pick. Pushing the Boost button delivers a slab of extra gain that’ll have those 80s and 90s riffs leaping from your strings.

To check the performance of the series effect loop, with a simple digital delay plumbed in, a healthy dose of solo gratification can be achieved via a subtle 600ms repeat, which is rendered cleanly with minimal noise.

The emulated output is perhaps the only feature that left us slightly underwhelmed since it sounds somewhat less than lifelike. Nevertheless, a more usable sound can be achieved by processing externally using a further cab-IR profile.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Both amps dazzle equally in their own distinct ways. Blackstar has captured the very essence of the most recognisable UK and US amplifier styles and distilled them into these budget-friendly studio, rehearsal and small-gig companions. Taking up almost no space in a studio, this pair alone could cover the lion’s share of guitar sounds that are commonly called for.

Worth mentioning is that a slight hum, not dissimilar to mains hum, was audible upon plugging in our guitar, irrespective of settings or guitar volume. It wasn’t loud enough to present an issue at reasonable volumes, but it was noticeable at quiet volumes.

The cabinets and speakers sound smooth and almost like they’ve already been broken in. That smoothness might lack enough bite for darker-sounding guitars, but trying different speakers can coax a wide range of tonalities from each of these amplifiers, depending on your needs.

If you’re looking for a tighter sound, a closed-back design may be needed for the low-end punch. But it’s the beautiful, classic valve tones produced that make the TV range so appealing.

Guitar World verdict: These are not merely budget approximations of classic sounds but fully inspiring tone machines packed with sparkling harmonics and juicy valve overtones and compression. Whether your appetite is whetted by Blackstar’s American cousin or its British compatriot, the chances are every studio would do well to grab the pair and be secure in the knowledge that you’re covered for pretty much every tonal eventuality.

Hands-on videos

Blackstar Amplification

Noisegate

• Best Blackstar amps: Everything from practice amps to studio quality gear

Lyndon Laney, the founder of Laney Amplification and “one of the true pioneers of British musical equipment manufacturing,” has died at the age of 77. The news was announced on social media via the official Laney Amplification channels.

“It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Lyndon Laney, founder of Laney Amplification,” the statement reads.

“Lyndon established Laney Amplification in 1967 and, through vision, dedication, and an uncompromising commitment to quality, built the company from modest beginnings into an internationally respected and successful brand. His work helped shape the sound of generations of musicians, most notably that of his long-term friend Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.”

Laney built his first amplifier in his dad’s garden shed, with little thought of turning it into a bona fide business – that is, until his friends began asking for his amps, and Laney Amplification was born.

In 1970, he built the custom Laney LA 100 BL for local musician, Tony Iommi, who used it on the first two Black Sabbath albums. It set the template for the much-loved Supergroup amp – and, more importantly, the sound of metal guitar as we know it.

Since that point, the UK-based company has steadily grown and now has distribution channels around the world, building a reputation for innovative solid-state and tube amplifiers, with an eye firmly set on the next thing.

Other Laney innovations include the KLIPP, the first amplifier to feature a boost channel in 1972, the DP Range, the first bass amplifier with a graphic EQ in 1988, and the “studio” amp range equipped with T-USB technology.

While best known for his eponymous amp brand, Laney also developed numerous other industry ventures, under the umbrella of the Headstock Group, as the statement explains:

“First expanding into the Pro Audio sector with the acquisition of HH Audio, then with the development of Headstock Distribution to represent the Hoshino Gakki brands Ibanez and Tama, and then attracting further leading brands such as Zildjian, Vic Firth, and DiMarzio.

“Lyndon’s influence extended far beyond business success; he was admired for his warmth, integrity, humour, and quiet determination.”

Moreover, Lyndon “was not only a founder,” but a “creator, innovator, and trusted figure whose passion for industry was at the heart of his working life.”

Speaking about his journey from playing bass to building an amplifier empire, Laney told My Guitar Lessons in 2015:

“I had a deep interest in electronics and a fascination for tubes in particular, which was stimulated by the amplification requirements to gig at night,” he explained.

“At that time, I was playing in a local band, The Band of Joy, with John Bonham on drums (you never did get over John) and Robert Plant on vocals. Robert always held his own up front despite the racket behind him. Great times... and Robert and John went on to bigger and greater things.

“My interest turned more and more to amplifier construction and working at that time in my father’s garage... Two days before I was due to go [to college], I decided to carry on for a couple of years making amplifiers.”

Laney’s intention was to head back into education soon afterwards, though as he noted, in 2015, “40 years later... I still haven’t made it to university.”

Lyndon’s legacy, as well as the business, continues through his son, James Laney, who “proudly carries that vision forward”, currently working with signature artists including Billy Corgan and Lari Basilio.

Larry Carlton has recalled the moment he first crossed paths with a Dumble – and how it was unexpectedly demoed to him by a fellow guitar great.

Carlton, who is perhaps best known for his work with Steely Dan – as well as his collaborations with Michael Jackson, Joni Mitchell, and Sammy Davis Jr., among others – was a loyalist to the Mesa/Boogie Mark I combo throughout the 1970s.

At some point during the following decade, though, he began to hear whispers from the guitar community of another amp that he needed to check out.

“Dean Parks [Steely Dan contributor] had met him first, and he said to me, ‘You’ve got to check out these amps, man. They’re really cool,’” Carlton relays of his first meeting with the late legendary amp maker, Howard ‘Alexander’ Dumble, in conversation with Vertex Effects.

Parks, himself an established rock and jazz session musician, didn’t have one of his own, but he knew their reputation was on the rise for a reason.

And so, when the opportunity came for Carlton to enter the orbit of Dumble, he didn’t think twice. And he ended up bumping into a guitar great who just so happened to be testing a Dumble amp at the time.

“I got a call one evening from somebody, and they said, ‘Dumble's in the Valley over at so-and-so rehearsal studio, you’ve got to go over and meet him and check out his amp,’” Carlton continues.

“My cousin Steve was with me, and he was my assistant engineer at the time. We drove to that studio to check out this Dumble, and Eric Johnson was there, playing up on a stage. It was all carpeted, and nobody was there.

“Eric's up there doing all his stuff, so I met Eric that night, and I got to experience the sound of the Dumble. And it was great. It had tone for days.”

However, there was a slight reservation for Carlton, stopping him from pulling his wallet out right then and there. A huge part of the Dumble Amps mythos is built around the fact that only Howard Dumble himself, by and large, builds and knows how to dial in the amps.

The same applied when something goes wrong. Dumbles were never mass-produced, and for much of his lifetime, there was a huge waiting list for anyone who wanted one of their own. Demand was huge, but they were extremely specialist.

Carlton continues, “I said, ‘I love your amp, man. I'd love to have one, but I've heard stories that you're the only one that can fix it, and if I can't get to you – I was touring the world at the time…

“And he was beautiful,” he adds. “He said, ‘If you want the amp and you buy the amp, I guarantee you that if something goes down, I'll take care of you immediately.’ And he did. For a number of years. It went out in Japan, and we shipped it back. He fixed it. He shipped it back, and I had it on the fourth day.”

The amp would become his workhorse for touring, but he's busted the myth that he regularly recorded with it, revealing that its incredible loudness would often “overwhelm” the rooms he recorded in. It was only recorded on special

In related news, while Eric Gales is yet to buy into the Dumble hype, Keith Urban has been left rueing the one that got away.

Hello, and welcome to Guitar World’s weekly gear round-up, your one-stop-shop for keeping up to date with what’s been happening in the big wide world of guitar gear over the past seven days.

From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay in the loop with every new launch.

To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.

This week, we have the guitar release I personally have been waiting years for, a nifty collab between Keeley and Guitar Center, Zakk Wylde's first own-brand guitar amp, and much more...

Jackson Limited Edition Misha Mansoor Surfcaster

I've literally been waiting years for this. And that's no exaggeration. I've been writing stories about Misha Mansoor's custom Surfacaster since 2023. I interviewed him about it twice. Now, the most desirable metal offset ever created (there, I said it) is finally here.

Unfortunately, it's a Custom Shop limited edition model that costs $9k. However, Misha did tell me eons ago that the potential roll-out of a signature Surfcaster would be prefaced by a Custom Shop build and, if that was successful, it would be then followed by a production run.

A man can dream. Because this thing is a beaut. That heavy relic'd Army Drab finish is exquisite. The Bare Knuckle pickups? Delightful. Misha has said it's been an infinitely inspiring instrument, and that doesn't surprise me.

Jackson, if you're reading this: please, please, please do a production run. Can I get a ‘Hell yeah!’ in the comments, please.

Charvel Jake E. Lee Pro-Mod San Dimas Blue Burst

This week, Charvel honored Jake E. Lee's Ozzy Osbourne era by giving the veteran shredder a new signature Pro-Mod San Dimas that doffs its cap to the Blue Burst Superstrat that Lee wielded at the peak of his Prince of Darkness years.

It's got slanted pickups because of Jimi Hendrix, and a lush colorway that came about when Lee decided he wanted something unique that would set him apart from the crowd. As if his playing didn't do that enough already. A really, really good-looking guitar.

Bad Cat PurePath

When we talk about speaker simulation, IRs, all that stuff, it’s always digital, digital, digital – in-the-box solutions that are really convenient and all that, but are, essentially, artificial, a facsimile writ large in 1s and 0s, when really you just want to capture the sound of your tube amp in all its glory.

The Bad Cat PurePath passive analog cabinet simulator, does just that. And it’s clear there is a market for it. The PurePath was winner of NAMM 2026’s Best in Show award. The PurePath will be a blessed relief for anyone who wants to cut down on screen time. There is no need for a laptop, or an app – there isn’t even a power socket. It features a mechanical reactive load; everything is powered by your amp.

It is designed for studio use, home recording, silent stages, and “for players who want the most realistic direct sound possible”. In other words, it sounds like a real guitar speaker cabinet, and feels like your amp, with the same sag and dynamics.

The PurePath can handle up to 150-watts, impedances of 4, 8 or 16 ohms, and has a 20dB pad for tamping down super-powered amps whose output is making your console clip. It has switches, not dials, 2-way microphone “placement” at the edge or center, plus open and closed-back cabs, alnico and ceramic speakers, and there’s an onboard presence boost and XLR with ground lift. It’s priced $449 street. (JH)

PRS Limited Edition Mango Top guitars

PRS has never shied away from a little experimentation. It's one of the core values of the firm: to continually push the boundary of conventional guitar making and further elevate its builds. We've seen it previously with the reinvention of the tuning machines, as well as the development of the Narrowfield pickups.

Now, PRS is championing a new tonewood, mango wood. It's been used for a run of six limited-edition guitars, each of which boast the exotic wood top in a variety of colors. It's been an instant hit in the PRS factory: firm workers love it, and it's already found its way onto Mark Holcomb's signature guitar.

We're not surprised, really. Just look at how nice they are...

Ernie Ball Music Man Axis 30th Anniversary

Okay, so many of us get confused when we see the Axis, because of the Eddie Van Halen association, because while the Axis we have here officially became the Axis in 1996 – happy birthday – that shape, a sort of ‘90s shreddable reinvention of a T-style, was the great man’s signature guitar. It bears his design preferences. And from 1991 to ’95 Eddie Van Halen was happy with it, only reportedly moving to Peavey because they could make more units of them.

Anyway, EBMM didn’t retire the instrument. It rebranded it the Axis (a name that had been kicking around already), made some adjustments, let it evolve over the years, and if the brand’s high-profile artist endorsements from John Petrucci et al have overshadowed the Axis then what better than this limited run to remind us that it is one of the best electric guitars that EBMM have made.

These take it back to the start, with quilt-maple tops, matching headstocks, and black sparkle-finish backs. Finish options include Translucent Gold Black, Pink, Red, Blue, and Purple, and you’ve got a pair of custom DiMarzio humbuckers, a double-locking tremolo system, and a typically bougie made in the USA build. At $3,799, it’s a serious instrument. (JH)

Revv Generator G25

So, Revv Amplification has given its pretty much ground-breaking G20 series of high-gain tube amps a refresh… Who’s ready to chug!? Well, come on in. But the Generator G25 does a lot more than just atom-splitting gain – though we’ll get to that. It presents players with two channels, both sharing an EQ (these heads are really quite compact), but each with their own independent volume controls. There are some familiar touches, such as the Aggressive and Fat switches, which do what you’d think they would do to your tone.

Design-wise, Revv knows what’s what, placing almost everything you need to turn and control on the front panel – including the five-way rotary dial for selecting your virtual cabinet. But of course this is a Revv amp, so you can access 128 virtual cab presets via MIDI and program that five-way dial with your favorites.

Speaking of favorite things, the G Series Purple channel is one of those, and it has been suitably redesigned, and made to sound bigger. This is now a 25-watter, yet still switchable to 4-watts, but Revv says we’ll get more headroom and punch.

Elsewhere, you’ve got the tube-buffered effects loop, an XLR output. Under the hood there are a pair of 6V6s doing the heavy lifting, a pair of 12AX7s in the preamp, and if a tube amp head equipped with onboard Two Notes Torpedo tech sounds good in 2026 then head over to Revv Amplification for more details. This will set you back $1,499. Oh yeah, there’s an onboard noise gate, too. Yup, it’s ridiculous. (JH)

Mooer StemLab Intelligent Amps

Mooer Audio’s StemLab technology has arrived for its Future Series Intelligent Amps, and will soon be rolled out across more of its smart products, and it is a very clever AI tool that allows players to de-mix an audio track and isolate instruments, making it a potentially transformative proposition for practice sessions.

Now, we’ve seen something like this before, and we liked it. The JBL Bandbox Trio had this feature on the actual device, allowing players to mute vocals or guitars or whatever in real time and play along to what’s left. Time will tell if we actually see that on a piece of Mooer Audio hardware (you can bet on it). But for now, those with the F Series amps should update their app, and they can take advantage of the StemLab features. You can split the track six ways, adjust volume on each, and export the de-mixed track as a .wav file. Very clever. (JH)

Guitar Center x Keeley Red Nectar

Guitar Center has done plenty of brand-exclusive guitar drops in the past (any excuse to bring up those uber-popular Violet Widow Les Pauls, eh?) but now it's partnered with a Keeley for an exclusive stompbox.

And the Red Nectar looks like a really cool pedal. It's an overdrive/compression twofer, combining two of Keeley's celebrated circuits under one roof. Two of Keeley's most trusted tone-shaping tools in one chassis? It's a simple sell, but a strong one. And it's red. That's pretty cool.

Wylde Audio Hybrid Mini Amp

Zakk Wylde has spent the past 10 years honing his craft as a guitar builder under the Wylde Audio banner, masterminding some of the most outrageously metal guitars to ever see the light of day.

Now, he's turned his hand to amp designing, producing the first Wylde Audio mini amp head, which is said to deliver authentic Zakk Wylde tones in a super-small format. Only 275 will be made, and each comes loaded with Wylde-appointed specs including the same single ECC83 preamp tube he's always used, and a built-in cab sim voiced after his EV-loaded stacks.

It's an exciting turn for Wylde Audio. A new website has been set up and everything. Expect more amps to follow...

When Kurt Cobain gear hits the auction block, it tends to fetch a pretty penny, and the grunge icon’s Bleach-era touring backline could be the next lot to do so.

For evidence, before the mega bucks auction of Jim Irsay's humongous and historic gear collection earlier this year, his MTV Unplugged Martin D-18E and Smells Like Teen Spirit Fender Mustang, which originally sold for a collective $10.5 million, were the world's two most expensive guitars.

Granted, there are some outliers: his 1989 Takamine acoustic, featured in one of the most recognizable photos of the late guitarist, was estimated to sell for ‘just’ $500,000 last year. Still, there’s an aura that surrounds Cobain-themed bidding wars.

This lot is expected to turn a few heads. It features black-and-silver-paneled Fender Twin Reverb combo amps, each kitted out with JBL speakers, and a Marshall 4x12 speaker cabinet. For good measure, bassist Krist Novoselic’s Ampeg SVT has also been thrown in.

The amps are being sold off via London’s Denmark Street Guitars today (April 10). Posting on Instagram, it tempts those with cash to spare to bid on its auction to “own a piece of grunge history,” although there is no mention of expected prices; it’s an open book.

As MusicRadar points out, Bleach – Nirvana’s ear-gratingly raw debut album recorded for just $600 – was recorded with a Utah speaker-leaden ’67 Fender Twin. Cobain pivoted to a slightly different flavor for the proceeding tour.

Released in the summer of ‘89 (not to be confused with the Bryan Adams song), Bleach initially sold a respectable 40,000 copies, but when the polished powerhouse that is their sophomore album, Nevermind, dropped two years later, the record enjoyed a retrospective glow-up. It's since been certified Platinum in the US, UK, and Australia.

Live tracks from the tour were included in the record's 20th-anniversary deluxe edition, suggesting that this backline was put through its paces at – among many other shows – the Pine Street Theatre in Portland, Oregon, on February 9, 1990. Their set included Love Buzz, About a Girl, and their Vaselines cover, Molly's Lips.

Cobain once described Bleach as “straight-ahead garage grunge”, and its raw, abrasive textures, coupled with Cobain's lyrical themes of alienation, societal standards, and mental health, made for a powerful statement. Machine Head would go on to cover the hammerblow track Negative Creep, giving the song a thrashy makeover.

The auction takes place today (April 10). Interest can be registered by emailing sales@londonvntageguitars.com.

And don’t worry, Aaron Rash has already been informed.