There’s no official lower limit to how far a bass player can tune, but if you’ve reached drop F, you’ve probably gone far enough. This month, however, manufacturers have been doing their best to encourage us to venture further into the sonic abyss.

Highlights include Dingwall’s Amos Williams Signature Combustion, a BEAD-tuned four-string built for subterranean lows, and the Ron Petzke Cyclops Bass from Dunable Guitars. If you’ve ever thought your bass simply wasn’t capable of moving enough air, Dunable and Petzke would like a word.

Other artist-driven releases include Ashdown’s Combo of Doom, created with Black Sabbath legend Geezer Butler, La Bella’s Aston “Family Man” Barrett Signature strings, and JCA Audio’s Endless Bass plugin, which packs multiple amp tones, DI and sub channels and a parallel mixer into a single plugin.

With a host of new basses, strings, pedals and plugins designed to make your low-end even louder, here’s our pick of the biggest bass gear releases in July.

Dingwall Guitars Amos Williams Signature

Although most of us would sooner drop an SVT on our foot than venture into tunings as low as progressive metal band TesseracT, there can’t be many bass players who haven’t at least considered going lower.

TesseracT remain one of prog metal’s heaviest hitters, and anyone drawn to the low-end manoeuvres of bassist Amos Williams should take a serious look at his Signature Combustion from Dingwall Guitars.

The four-string version features Dingwall’s renowned 34.75–37-inch multi-scale design and comes factory-tuned to BEAD, offering plenty of extended low-end range straight out of the box.

There’s an environmental angle, too. In keeping with Williams’ commitment to reducing waste, each bass is constructed from carefully selected body offcuts that would otherwise be too small to build a complete instrument. The result is a sustainable approach that also means every bass is genuinely one of a kind.

Joe Calderone Audio & Toby Peterson-Stewart Endless Bass

Lauded as one of the modern-day heroes of the electric bass, Toby Peterson-Stewart has teamed up with Joe Calderone Audio to create Endless Bass, a custom plugin that’s designed to give you control over multiple amp tones, with a dedicated DI and sub channel, plus a full parallel mixer – all in one plugin.

“We made Endless Bass to provide the most complex bass tone, with the simplest workflow,” says Peterson-Stewart. “All modern bass tones are an amalgamation of different parallel channels that are combined together to make one big tone. So we decided to put it all into one plugin.”

The parallel mixer can be accessed from the plug-in’s Mix Page, with each channel featuring its own full parametric EQ. There’s also a Pre-FX page with fuzz and chorus, although crucially, these effects don’t affect the Sub channel.

The result is a streamlined multi-layered bass signal that would otherwise require several amp, effects and mixing chains, all from a single plugin.

Ashdown Geezer Butler Combo of Doom

Here’s one for the Sabbath fans – following Geezer Butler’s monstrous bass rig for Black Sabbath’s 2025 “Back to the Beginning” concert, Ashdown has unveiled the Combo of Doom – a UK-built 200-watt bass combo created in collaboration with the legendary bassist and limited to just 70 units worldwide.

The control panel features a five-band EQ, tube-emulated drive, Shape and Active/Passive switches, while an effects loop, Line In, balanced XLR DI, headphone output and optional footswitch provide plenty of flexibility for both stage and studio use.

Visually, it shares the same purple Tolex as Butler’s colossal Ashdown rig, but at just 10.5kg, and with a single 1x12-inch speaker, it’s a far more portable alternative – and a tempting proposition for Sabbath devotees and bassists alike.

Dunable Guitars Ron Petzke Cyclops Bass

If your idea of a sensible bass tuning ends somewhere around standard, look away now. Dunable Guitars has teamed up with Bongripper bassist Ron Petzke for a limited-edition USA Cyclops Bass built specifically for players who like their low-end to venture into truly ridiculous territory.

Designed with drop F in mind, the recipe is suitably stripped-back: a single D-Bird pickup, a charcoal finish and a hefty slab of swamp ash.

With its USA-built construction and limited-edition status, this latest model from Dunable looks less like a conventional bass and more like a dedicated piece of heavy-duty artillery for anyone who thinks drop G simply isn’t low enough.

La Bella Aston “Family Man” Barrett Signature Flatwound Bass Strings

La Bella reckons its 760FS Deep Talkin’ Bass flatwound strings played such an important role in Aston “Family Man” Barrett’s legendary tone that the company has developed a signature set in tribute to the late bassist.

"For decades, ‘Family Man’ relied on La Bella flatwound strings to deliver the deep and powerful tone that became the heartbeat of countless classic recordings,” say La Bella. “His basslines provided the foundation for some of the most influential music ever created, making La Bella strings an integral part of his unmistakable sound.”

The set uses .045, .065, .085 and .105 gauges, finished with distinctive red, gold and green silk ends – a nod to Barrett’s Jamaican roots and musical legacy.

Serek The Grand Batch #12

If you like your basses with a little more attitude than your average slab of mahogany, Serek’s latest limited-edition Grand should be firmly on your radar.

Batch #12 is the latest instalment in Serek’s semiannual series, and it arrives with a mahogany body finished in Wild Mountain Berry, accented with Cream stripes and topped with a custom-engraved “Four Thousand Holes” pickguard from Decoboom.

As with previous Grand models, Batch #12 features a TV Jones Thunder’Blade pickup and Serek’s “Skuzz Serkit” passive fuzz circuit. A roasted maple neck, Indian rosewood fingerboard and Hipshot hardware round out the spec.

Jad Freer Audio SARTO

We’re already partial to the Jad Freer Audio CAPO, and always pleased to see the Italian-based company release another of it’s studio-style preamp pedals. The SARTO is billed as a “channel strip in a small box” – a compact preamp/EQ pedal designed to bring clean-tone shaping to just about any instrument.

It’s based on the clean preamp circuit from the CAPO and is built around an ultra-high input impedance, making it particularly well suited to piezo-equipped instruments such as upright basses.

An extended EQ section and resonant high-pass filter give players plenty of control over the frequencies that can make or break a live or studio sound.

There’s also a balanced XLR output, making the SARTO a practical option for bass players who want to go straight to a desk or recording interface.

Winzz Guitars EBS714 & EBS715

Winzz Guitars is looking to bring neck-through construction and modern active electronics to a wider audience with its new EBS714 and EBS715 electric basses. Both combine an okoume body with a walnut top and sleek matte finish.

Winzz has fitted the pair with active dual-humbuckers and a three-band active EQ, giving players boost-and-cut control over the bass, middle and treble frequencies alongside a master volume.

Chrome hardware completes the package, but the real attraction is the combination of a 35-inch scale, neck-through construction and active dual-humbuckers.

Swiff Audio Maestro Series WT09B 5.8GHz Wireless System

If you’re tired of cables getting under your feet, Swiff Audio has another wireless option for your bass rig – and this one promises to keep things seriously stable.

The Maestro Series WT09B 5.8GHz Wireless Transceiver System arrives just two months after the 2.4GHz WT09A, upgrading to the less congested 5.8GHz frequency band for what Swiff describes as studio-grade tone and rock-solid wireless performance.

The launch also comes with some serious player endorsements. Guitar virtuoso Bernth Brodträger and slap bass extraordinaire Charles Berthoud have both officially joined Swiff Audio as global brand ambassadors for the Maestro Series – suggesting the company is keen to position its latest wireless system as a serious tool for serious players.

BOSS CB-EB15 Bass Guitar Gig Bag

It may be BOSS’s first bass guitar gig bag, but the CB-EB15 looks like the company has done its homework – offering plenty of protection and practical touches for bassists who need to get their instrument from A to B in one piece.

The exterior is made from durable 600D polyester, with thick padding throughout and extra reinforcement to protect the strap button on the lower bout. A cushioned end guard features an adjustable fit, allowing the bag to accommodate basses of different shapes and sizes.

Inside, your bass gets a velvet-lined interior and two detachable neck supports with adjustable straps, while heavy-duty zippers add another layer of protection. There’s also a sizeable external front pocket for accessories, along with a padded carry handle and two padded backpack straps for even easier transport.

Kramer has partnered with genre-blurring blues guitar hero Malina Moye for a historic signature guitar.

The arrival of Moye’s first signature electric guitar has been a long time coming. The underrated artist has melded blues, hip-hop, R&B, funk and soul across her four studio albums. Her 2023 record, Dirty, was voted one of the best guitar records of the year by GW readers.

With her flipped-southpaw style, Molina has channeled Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Elizabeth Cotten, Eric Gales, and many other greats of the instrument.

Now, having played everything from Flying Vs to Stratocasters, Moye has turned to the Kramer ranks for a milestone model that cements her place in the history book as the brand’s first woman of color signature artist.

Moye’s signature builds off Kramer’s S-type Pacer Deluxe platform and is available in left and right-hand configurations. At its core, there’s an alder body and maple neck with 10” radius fingerboard, as well as a TUSQ nut, 2-point tremolo and gold hardware.

Since it’s been designed to cover all bases from sultry soul to rootsy rock, it features Moye’s preferred DiMarzio pickups – specifically, Virtual Vintage Blues, Area 7 and Super Distortion.

Finishing touches include a Splash Blue finish – with color-matched headstock – a tortoiseshell pickguard, locking tuners and Moye’s signature on the rear of the headstock. Oh, and the Moye inlay at the 12th fret is a very nice touch indeed.

“I really wanted to make sure it was perfect – a completely different type of Kramer,” Moye says of her new signature. “And you know what? I think we nailed something really hot.”

The Malina Moye Pacer Deluxe is available now for $1,299.

Visit Kramer for more.

D’Addario has set the record straight after it found itself embroiled in an online AI controversy.

The string maker was recently accused of using AI-generated music in the demo for its new NYXL HD strings. It then came under fire for its response video, which showed the recording’s workflow in an attempt to confirm that AI had not been used in its creation.

The video was scrutinized by the online guitar community. Some believed the pitch and tempo discrepancies between the original demo and the response proved AI had in fact been used.

But now D’Addario has published a lengthy statement explaining the making of the demo track, asserting that generative AI was not used, but AI-assisted production tools were.

“We share the growing alarm that generative AI can remove the musician from the creative process,” the statement begins. “In a recent post featuring one of our products, many people questioned whether we employed generative AI in our demo track.

“The track was written and performed by one of our employees who was proud to create an original piece to show off a new string he helped to develop.”

D’Addario charts the “complex” way the track was created. It notes an excess of plugins to “compress, auto-tune, EQ and distort” the DI guitar that was used, alongside 12 programmed synthesizers and a drum track with four compressors.

“The result is a track that exhibits the hallmarks commonly found in generative AI music, and it is understandable that this sound would elicit such a response from the community,” D’Addario observes.

“There were excessive non-AI tools used to make the original composition sound ‘more produced’. This added a lot of extra noise and inorganic details to the mix which people misunderstood as signs of AI-generation.”

As for the discrepancies present in the session video, D’Addario explains the response clip showed a pre-mix and pre-master demo. The original, meanwhile, used two AI mastering tools that further muddied the water.

“This is where the confusion lies,” it says. “While Generative AI was not used in the creation of this music, by virtue of using Logic’s ‘Mastering Assistant’ feature and LANDR’s Assister Mastering, AI did assist with the mixing and mastering process post DAW export which caused noise and drift.

“Most of the digital artifacts that people online have taken issue with come from an unusual take on modern production techniques.”

D’Addario ends its statement by apologizing for the confusion caused, stressing it is, above all else, experts in music accessories – not audio production.

“We knew we had nothing to hide; we just needed the time to understand why our take on the situation was so different than others in the community before we responded,” it says. “We’re genuinely sorry for the delay in response and confusion it caused.”

D’Addario’s statement has gone a long way to de-escalate the situation, though opinion is still divided. Several D’Addario artists including Yvette Young, Plini and Mike Dawes have voiced their support, but some commentators are yet to be fully convinced by the company’s explanation.

Visit D’Addario’s Instagram page to read the full statement.

What is it?

It seems EarthQuaker Devices is in a constant flux between light and dark duality — call it Yin and Yang, if you will — across most of its recognized pedals. On one side, it's known for beautifully ambient pedals that create luminous soundscapes, while the other side unleashes bellowing, sonic mayhem. Its latest stompbox, the Sunn O))) HalfLife Octave Distortion & Booster, firmly falls under the latter description. The HalfLife stompbox (as you probably guessed with its play on words) is a more compact, condensed and pedalboard-friendly version of the Sunn O))) Life pedal, and lives on as a successful ongoing collaboration between Sunn O))) — the loudest of drone metal doomsayer bands — and EQD.

HalfLife is also the standard-issue successor to the extremely limited-edition Sunn O))) HalfLife Fer MMXXV, which featured a striking, cast-iron enclosure made using a centuries-old Nanbu-tekki casting technique. Like the Life Pedal before it, HalfLife is designed to capture Sunn O)))'s core front-end signal chain driving multiple vintage Sunn Model T 100-watt tube stacks into glorious saturation. As an aside, and as someone who owns the V3 version of the Life pedal, I can declare the current HalfLife stompbox doesn’t half-ass any of the chaos-inducing tones of its predecessor.

Specs

• Price: $259
• Type: Analog Octave, Distortion and Boost
• Made: USA
• Controls: Octave, Filter, Distortion, Magnitude, Amplitude
• Features: Three-mode clipping, octave-up, expression pedal control
• Connectivity: 2 x 1/4" instrument and 1 x 1/4" Octave Expression input
• Bypass: True bypass with Flexi-Switch technology
• Power: 9V DC center-negative; 15 mA current draw
• Dimensions: 127 × 70 x 57 mm
• Weight: 0.74 lb
• Contact: EarthQuaker Devices

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★★

Do I even need to talk about build quality? Like all the other stompboxes in its stable, this EQD is about as solidly built as they come and employs premium components. Housed in a rugged, textured enclosure with contrasting red and black spirals, the pedal pairs distortion with a blend-able octave up at the first stage with the Amplitude footswitch, while the Magnitude footswitch activates the second stage — an all-discrete MOSFET clean booster.

Controls for Octave, Filter, and Distortion occupy the top portion of the pedal, and just below that are Mag (output volume for Boost), Clip (Clipping switch for OpAmp, Asymm or Symm modes), and Amp (output volume for Octave/Distortion). I would also urge anyone to become very familiar with where each specific control is because the tiny UV screen-printed characters are nearly impossible to read from above — just in case you need to make any heat-of-battle adjustments on a dark stage.

Rounding out its features are standard 9VDC power, an expression jack for Octave blending, and EQD's proprietary Flexi-Switch technology for seamless momentary or latching true bypass operation.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★½

Inspired by the vintage Shin-Ei FY2 Companion and FY6 Super Fuzz boxes and a vintage white-logo RAT distortion-style circuit, with a low-pass filter control, there isn’t much to deal with in this triple-threat of a stompbox arriving in a more pedalboard-friendly size. Most of your guesswork will be made by using your ears and selecting which of the three clipping modes will provide the utmost in aural black magic.

The first OpAmp removes the clipping diodes entirely, unleashing its full output for an aggressively brighter, high-volume attack. Assym employs an asymmetrical clipping configuration using two silicon diodes and one LED, producing a slightly compressed, smoother amp-like crunch. Finally, Symm recreates the original double silicon diode configuration, delivering the classic, familiar rodent-like saturation that made the white-logo circuit a favorite.

Unlike the original Life Pedal, which features a dedicated Octave footswitch, HalfLife's upper octave is only controlled by dialing it in using the O knob or controlled dynamically with an expression pedal connected to the Octave EXP jack, allowing the octave to be blended in as needed.

The final Magnitude stage is designed to overload your preamp tubes with a clean, high-impedance boost while preserving your amp’s natural character, driving it harder without adding coloration or introducing distortion of its own.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Whether paired with single coils or humbuckers, HalfLife delivers a thundering octave/distortion experience tailor-made for doom architects and those who poke around in subterranean noise.

While it nods heavily to the classic ProCo Rat design, it departs from its saturation in a more symphonic fuzz-stortion that’s tightly layered and articulate. What’s interesting is you can hear the fuzzy textures become progressively darker in its clipping modes as you sweep from the brighter and grittier frequencies found on OpAmp, to the warmly compressed Big Muff-style saturation in Asymm, and finally plummeting down to the deep hirsute fuzziness in Symm mode.

I can only imagine that if I brooded in bands like Boris and Burning Witch, I would dwell within the sludgy depths of Symm mode.

The highly responsive Filter knob sweeps from dense darkness to the cutting slice reminiscent of a cranked Sunn Model T's Brite channel. The upper octave tracks clearly on single notes above the ninth fret, provided you are flying high with your neck pickup.

Here, the spiked upper octave tones add a clanging, metallic ring to the signal. It’s an intensely fun pedal that can easily coax the bottom-heavy fuzz found on Gish-era Smashing Pumpkins as well as the shimmering, furry pulse of My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless album (Yes, I’m dating myself).

Finally, the highly transparent Magnitude clean boost is loud with a capital “L.” Be mindful of your level setting, as its massive output — combined with the Amplitude stage — can quickly push an amplifier into explosive meltdown and endless sustain. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

Verdict

Whether it admits it or not, EarthQuaker Devices knows exactly how to weaponize distortion — and it's quite good at it. Any aspiring dirt purveyor worth their salt will naturally gravitate toward the HalfLife’s crushing wall of sound. For players seeking targeted drone strikes of blend-able upper-octave fuzz, aggressive distortion, and a powerful clean boost designed to push an amplifier into massive, amp-melting territory, the HalfLife delivers the droned, bottom-heavy fury inspired by Sunn O))) with uncompromising force.

Guitar World verdict: With its combination of brutality and flexibility, the Sunn O))) HalfLife Octave Distortion & Booster is a true “FAFO” pedal for sonic mayhem. It unleashes a full-scale assault of saturated ecstasy, proving once again that this Machiavellian alliance with those shadowy Sunn O))) guitarists is a notorious victory for EQD.

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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.

What is it?

It's the nature of electric guitar and bass design – no matter how brilliant the blueprint is, once it reaches the market, there will almost always be a subset of owners who find joy in tweaking, adding or removing components, and stamping their own identity on it.

The Fender Jazz Bass is one of those instruments whose design was nearly perfect from the off, and remains so after almost seven decades, but there's now a sizeable market for Jazz-inspired bass guitars with the added power and flexibility of active electronics.

It helps that the Jazz is such a versatile platform to begin with; further enhanced, it really can end up being the clichéd “everything you ever need” bass – comfortable and stylish but traditional, and distinctive-sounding but with masses of flexibility.

Strangely, for a company that has made inroads into so many diffuse areas of the guitar and bass market, Ibanez had never hopped aboard.

The company's long-running Soundgear and BTB ranges, and the newer EHB headless models, cater particularly well for the rock and metal crowd; its Talman range adds a couple of quirky retro models. But in between, there's a long-standing gap; we’ve never seen an Ibanez take on the do-it-all ‘Super Jazz’. Until now

In 2026, we're seeing a whole new range of basses from the Japanese giant - the Mode, or MDM (Mode Modern) series. A clearly Fender-inspired outline, and all-important Jazz-sized single-coil pickups, but with the accoutrements of modern bass guitar.

The £999 entry to the range is the solid-coloured MDM1000, available with four, five or six strings, but here we have a four-string example of the next model up - this is the sunburst-finished, ash-bodied MDM1300.

Specs

• Price: $1,299 | £1,099 | €1,199
• Made: Indonesia
• Type: Four-string active bass guitar
• Body: Ash
• Neck: Roasted maple, MDM profile
• Fingerboard material/radius: Roasted maple, 12” radius
• Scale length: 34”/864mm
• Nut/width: Plastic, 38mm
• Frets: 24, medium, stainless steel
• Hardware: Ibanez Aero-light tuners, MR5S bridge, black
• String spacing at bridge: 19mm - adjustable at bridge
• Electrics: 2x Delta S4J pickups, Ibanez Sonitech S preamp, controls for Volume, Balance, Tone (push-pull for activating EQ), Bass, Mid, Treble, 3-way Mid selector switch, 2-way Hexa Mid selector switch on rear panel
• Weight: 9.3lb/4.2kg
• Options: MDM1000 range (from £999) with solid-colour finishes, available in 4, 5 or 6-string. MDM1305 5-string (£1,189). MDM1600 range (from £1,189) with exotic wood top, available in 4, 5 or 6-string.
• Left-handed options: N/A
• Finishes: Natural Stained Amber Burst
• Case: Ibanez gig bag included
• Contact: Ibanez

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

The body shape is instantly recognisable as Jazz-inspired, but with a deep treble-side cutaway for access to all 24 frets. The prominent grain of the ash, and the subtle burst finish, are very attractive; like the best of this style of instrument, its aesthetics would be just as suited for a soul/R&B band as for a metal project.

The build is fantastic overall; the hardware is tactile and high-quality, and the fit and finish is extremely well-executed, with no real flaws to mention anywhere – not necessarily a given with basses around this price.

The only sticking point with this review sample is the weight – at around 4.2 kg, it’s more than most will want for a four-string Jazz-style bass.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★★

I’ve heard Ibanez’s slim, narrow Soundgear neck profile described as being “like playing bass on ‘Easy’ mode” – and that statement came back to mind immediately when I began playing the MDM1300’s roasted maple neck.

It’s a Jazz-spec 38mm nut width, with a slim profile and a very smooth satin finish, and its easy playability is exactly what we’ve come to expect from an Ibanez bass – really superb.

There’s even a detachable finger ramp supplied; it’s as if the bass is egging you on to play faster and more technical fingerstyle passages.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Another feature of the Mode series is an exhaustive EQ section – not satisfied with the conventional Bass/Mid/Treble layout, Ibanez has added a three-way mini-switch to offer a choice of midrange frequencies.

Then, set into the rear cavity cover, a second DIP switch for Ibanez’s new Hexa Mid circuit, which shifts the mid response to a lower register – combined with the first switch, this is a total of six possible frequencies for the Mid knob to boost or cut.

If you’re dialing in a very precise tone, it’s great news; if you’re prone to option paralysis, it’ll confound you. But you can pull up on the passive tone control and bypass the whole lot.

After you’ve found your way around the smorgasbord of midrange possibilities, the Ibanez starts to deliver on its promise of versatility, taking everything my bass test rig could throw at it – from a clean, compressed Gallien-Krueger to a gritty Sansamp tone, a vintage Ampeg overdrive to a modern-day Darkglass roar.

The Sonitech S preamp is clean, articulate and, of course, has that incredibly powerful EQ; fingerstyle, slapped, or picked, every note comes out with abundant punch and clarity. It doesn't sound like a vintage Jazz Bass, but you could immediately slot it into a recorded or live mix as a polished, professional modern Jazz-style tone – which is more the point.

There’s also something to be said for how much better it’s possible to sound on an instrument that simply makes playing smoother.

Verdict

It’s strange that Ibanez has never entered the ‘Super Jazz’ space before but, on this evidence, the Mode series stands as one hell of a first effort.

This example is a heavyweight, but makes up for it with stunning playability and a preamp that offers a borderline-excessive amount of adjustment.

At its price, it’s very difficult to rival the degree of quality and versatility shown here – if a modernised Jazz Bass is what you’re after, you’d be doing yourself a real disservice by not auditioning the Mode series.

Guitar World verdict: Ibanez has come into the modern Jazz Bass-style market for the first time, and pulled it off with quite some aplomb. The Mode series is a class-leading package – an excellent, unique preamp, good looks and the kind of silky-smooth playability that Ibanez fans will know and love.

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Harley Benton has hopped on the relic hype train with the launch of its Aged Series – which offers hand-aged electric guitars and bass guitars for as low as $238.

Love 'em or hate 'em, artificially aged guitars have experienced a boom in popularity over the past few years.

Gibson has pioneered the Murphy Lab. Fender has debuted the Heirloom treatment. Charvel, EVH, Solar Guitars, you name it. Almost everyone is leaning into the relic trend right now. Heck, there are even relic guitar stickers to make your box-fresh guitar look faux-damaged.

Nowadays, players want the best of both worlds; to have the battered aesthetic with a brand-new condition.

But these relic’d guitars can be quite expensive. Fender’s American Ultra Luxe Vintage guitars start from $2,849. Gibson’s Murphy Lab? An Ultra Heavy Aged 1959 Les Paul will set you back $10,699.

Enter Harley Benton. The affordable gear champion’s new Aged Series comprises a bunch of classic double-cut, single-cut and offset silhouettes, each of which offer a relic’d finish. The best part? They cost under $250 – and they’re all aged by hand.

The Aged Series has taken two years to refine, scale and finesse. Each model is available in Light Aged and Heavy Aged versions, with finishes such as Olympic white, Sunburst, Seafoam Green, Shell Pink and Black all on tap.

It’s the hand-aging thing that’s the real sell here, along with that incomprehensibly low price point. That’s almost custom shop-level attention to detail at an entry level budget.

Granted, it remains to be seen just how effective the aging looks up close, but from afar they look like the real deal. Kudos to Harley Benton for also aging the hardware.

The Aged Series includes S-type, T-type and offset electric guitars, as well as a P Bass-inspired four-string. Specs across the board include alder bodies, caramelized Canadian maple necks and laurel fretboards, as well as ISOLA alnico 5 pickups.

“We’ve always had ambition here at Harley Benton,” the company says. “The Aged Series is a dream that’s been years in the making. We’ve been working hard to develop a durable finish to nail the character and patina that make these guitars so breathtaking.

“The result? Authentic, hand-aged instruments, each one unique in aesthetic, all for incredible value, and we’re ever so deeply enamoured.”

Head over to Harley Benton for more info.

The inclusion of the S-types here is particularly notable, given the backdrop of Thomann's recent legal tangle with Fender over a high-profile copyright dispute. Depending on how that case develops, it remains to be seen how long these models will stick around for.

Jack White’s Third Man Hardware is back with another collaborative pedal, this time creating a buzz with Beetronics with the Old Zoo Lion Meat.

The bizarrely named pedal, which looks like a can of tuna, is a short-run fuzz pedal limited to just 333 units. It’s not the first time White’s left-of-center gear firm has spat out a fuzz box, but none have been this streamlined.

The stompbox redresses Beettronics’ tuna-can design, offering “thick, vintage-inspired tones” and a no-frills single-dial design. Turning the ‘Phlegmatic Roar’ dial sets the overall output volume, while the fuzz is dictated by the Volume knob of a player’s electric guitar.

When rolled back, it promises an articulate clean. When at its most extreme, expect a “roaring wall of vintage fuzz”.

In a quirky twist, the pedal’s underside features a transparent back cover, meaning Beetronics’ bee-bestowed circuit board is visible. And there’s not even a hint of tuna to be seen.

Artwork has been provided by Rob Jones, with whom White has worked before. The pedal ships in “an over-the-top blister pack” which is, fittingly, designed to look like a vintage meat label, and plays on the biblical story of Samson and the lion.

As a statement from the collaboration says: “Eat up, then plug in to give your guitar a belly full of bees, like the carcass of Samson’s legendary leonine corpse.”

Each pedal is priced at $150 and is exclusively available via Reverb.

However, at the time of writing, the drop has already buzzed off. As such, Reverb recommends users hit the heart icon in case any second-hand units appear on the site in the future.

For other eye-catching Third Man Hardware collabs, see its one-of-a-kind reverb, made with JHS Pedals, and the Knife Drop, a synth/octave/overdrive built with Eventide.

Beetronics, meanwhile, ventured beyond the usual analog delay paradigm with its recent release, the Bee Bee Dee.

D’Addario has come under renewed fire from the guitar community over its handling of a recent AI scandal the company found itself embroiled in.

Last week, the string and accessories giant was accused of using AI generated guitar music in a demo video for its new NYXL HD electric guitar strings. It was also criticized for deleting comments and blocking users who were leveraging the accusations.

D’Addario strongly denied the claims and defended deleting comments, saying it was safeguarding the guitarist who featured in the demo video from harassment.

While admitting it had made a mistake by using such a heavily processed track for the demo, D’Addario asserted it “was not created by AI” and that “all guitars were tracked in real-life”.

The company also shared a follow-up video of the recording’s workflow, which seemingly showed the multiple guitar tracks and production that was used.

However, the response has found itself at the center of renewed controversy, with commenters and YouTubers accusing D’Addario of further fakery with its BTS video.

YouTubers Danny Sapko and KDH have both scrutinized the clip, alleging the song depicted doesn’t match up to the original demo and claiming it is in fact a completely different recording.

Both Sapko and KDH highlight glaring differences between the original demo video and D’Addario’s response. In certain instances, the guitar playing doesn’t match up. There are inconsistencies between lead lines and rhythm parts throughout the track.

The audio between the two also drifts out of sync when played side by side. Sapko says this is particularly damning, as he notes that music generated by AI platform Suno – which many commenters are accusing D’Addario of using – doesn’t stick to an exact tempo and can drift.

“Whether it’s AI or not, the video evidence they have provided is clearly not the same as the original,” Sapko insists.

Sapko and KDH aren’t the only ones to voice their skepticism over D’Addario’s response. Big name YouTubers, musicians and producers have also weighed in on the Instagram comments.

“A generally pathetic attempt at saving face, and insulting to the musical community you serve,” bassist Adam Neely wrote. “Proof you shouldn’t let interns post on socials,” Music is Win’s Tyler Larson added.

YouTuber and producer Malyan wrote, “It really feels like you're insulting your customers (and endorsers) intelligence, and it’s such a shame. I’d stake on this being the real version, and the other being AI. As for the reasoning for the other existing in the first place, we can only guess.

“My best guess would be that this artist used generative AI in the creation process, re-recorded it in and played it, and then somehow the demo version made it onto the final video for release.”

When approached by Guitar World, D’Addario declined to comment on the fresh allegations and said it stood by its initial statement.

Back in the mid-1960s, Gibson’s cherry sunburst Les Paul Standard had been discontinued five years previously. But some devotees of blues guitar, such as a young Eric Clapton, knew that, if you could find one, the pre-SG Les Paul was an instrument to be reckoned with. The problem was finding one.

A post-war embargo on American luxury goods and musical instruments had ended only a few years previously, in June of 1959, and US guitars, such as Strats and Les Pauls, were rare birds and genuine examples coming up for sale were hunted down diligently by London’s leading guitarists.

So when Eric’s 1959 Les Paul Standard he used on John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton – aka ‘Beano’ – was stolen from a church hall in Brondesbury, London, where he was beginning rehearsals with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker for their nascent supergroup Cream, Eric needed to get his hands on a replacement in a hurry and there were very few to be had.

In the end, Eric turned to another young pro on the London scene, Andy Summers, and implored him to sell his 1960 Standard.

Despite Summers’ initial reluctance, money – to the princely tune of £300 – soon changed hands and Clapton had the guitar he needed to press on with recording Fresh Cream, the debut album for a group that would become every bit as influential as Clapton’s era-defining work with John Mayall.

Beano’s replacement wasn’t perfect, however. Not that it mattered much at the time, but it featured a newer style of sunburst that Gibson had debuted in 1960 to avoid fading red tints in the finish – a process that customers didn’t like at the time, but which has since passed into ’Burst lore – and this newer finish had a gaudier ‘tomato soup’ tone to it.

Eric’s new Lester also had a malfunctioning bridge pickup that would need sorting out, too. But in the cut and thrust of the 1966 music scene none of that mattered much – it could all be fixed or overlooked – because the sound that guitar made was tarnishless gold.

By turns biting and mellifluous, the voice of that guitar is all over Cream’s debut album, recorded at London’s Rayrik and Ryemuse studios and released in the UK on 9 December 1966, which featured tracks that shaped what blues could be in a new, free-thinking era of psychedelic rock. Tracks such as Spoonful, I’m So Glad and the single I Feel Free, which appeared on Atco’s 1967 US release of the album.

But though the guitar’s story as a famous instrument began in London, it ended – or rather went dark – across the Atlantic in New York, where Clapton and Cream soon ended up, initially playing dates at the RKO Theater in March of 1967, before returning to record their follow-up album, Disraeli Gears, in May of that year.

Somewhere in among these New York trips, Clapton’s Les Paul suffered what is now believed to be the second of two serious neck breaks and he took it to Dan Armstrong’s repair shop, where it was given a ‘creative’ headstock replacement that was crafted to please the young guitarist but prompted him to dump the guitar at the shop after refusing to pay the bill.

And there, after changing hands a few times, the guitar came to rest – in New York, in a private collection, kept out of sight through all the years that saw original sunburst Les Pauls change from being somewhat obscure, niche collector’s items to icons of mid-20th century guitar making.

There it stayed, widely speculated about but seen only in scarce photographs. Until today. Now, Matthieu Lucas of Matt’s Guitar Shop in Paris has acquired the guitar, which has sometimes been dubbed the ‘Summersburst’, and wants to share it with the world while it remains in his keeping. We join Matt to pick up the story…

How did this guitar come into Clapton’s hands originally? And what was Andy Summers’ connection to it?

So this guitar was bought by Andy Summers originally, way before he went into The Police, in 1964, to the best of my knowledge, at Rose Morris in London. At the time, there were only about two Les Pauls available in London – or very few.

We all know that Keith Richards was already playing one [in The Rolling Stones], and I think his was the very first sunburst Les Paul to appear on [British] TV, so he was playing his. But in ’64, it was not easy to get one in London.

During my research, I’ve seen Andy talking about how he got the guitar at Rose Morris and Clapton was playing with John Mayall already at the time, and then Clapton saw this beautiful Les Paul that Andy had in the case, and he said, "Wow. Where did you get that?” Andy told him that he bought the guitar at Rose Morris’s shop, and so Clapton went right away and bought the guitar we all know as ‘Beano’.

Then Andy was not really using the guitar that much and, in the meantime, as we all know Eric’s ‘Beano’ ’Burst got stolen – and we are still wondering where that guitar is. So Clapton kept calling Andy Summers and reportedly he said something along the lines of, “You need to sell me your guitar. I’m going to record Fresh Cream, I need a Les Paul, that’s the sound I want.”

Andy initially said no because he wanted to keep the guitar for himself, but, apparently, Clapton [persevered] and pressed him to sell him the guitar and, in the end, Andy accepted. I think he charged him £300.

An interesting point to draw attention to is that when Andy sold the guitar to Eric, the bridge pickup didn’t work properly and Andy was already using a Tele at the time, which he still has today. So he sold him the guitar, and after that Cream were rehearsing in London and recorded Fresh Cream.

The headstock on the guitar today is very clearly non-original – what’s the backstory of the neck on this guitar and how did it end up with this mandolin-style headstock?

In my opinion, Clapton broke the headstock of the guitar twice. The first time was very early on after he bought the guitar from Andy Summers. I can’t tell where and when, but when you really search the archives, in the very early pictures of Clapton with that almost ‘bowl’ haircut, you can already see that the headstock has been badly repaired and it has already been broken off, in a major way, a first time.

Apparently, what happened – although of this we can’t be sure – is that the repair [of the first break] was so bad that when the guitar was dropped a second time Clapton went to Dan Armstrong’s shop in New York City to have the guitar fixed properly.

Dan Armstrong was there and a then-young luthier called Matt Umanov, who checked the guitar, said, “Well, it’s not possible to fix the [original] headstock on that guitar because that’s a really, really bad break that the guitar just had,” so they offered to replace the headstock for Clapton.

And that’s where Matt Umanov got very innovative with the way he replaced the headstock of the guitar. He removed the original headstock and we don’t know where it went.

But then he grafted a new headstock on, keeping the original binding and fingerboard intact, and what he did was create the [new-built] replacement in the shape of the headstock from an F-5 mandolin, which made the guitar unique because nobody ever did that again on a Les Paul, to my knowledge.

[He] put Eric Clapton’s name, with a mother-of-pearl inlay on the headstock, too, plus a [representation of someone’s] face. It’s unclear if it’s a woman or if it’s Eric Clapton’s face that Matt Umanov put on that guitar with mother-of-pearl inlay.

What happened next?

From what I can tell, Eric Clapton was very unhappy with the repair, and that way he didn’t pay for the repair, but he just said words to the effect that, ‘No, no, I don’t need the guitar any more anyway, I’m starting to use the ES and the SG,’ because he was already searching for another kind of sound. So the guitar just stayed in [Greenwich] Village of New York City, at Dan Armstrong’s shop.

Then the guitar went to a guy called Adrian Barber, who was the guitar player for a Liverpool band called the Big Three at the time. After he quit the band, he stayed in Germany and he became a sound engineer. When he passed away, the guitar went [back] to New York with his son, who was living there. He didn’t really want the guitar, so he called somebody named Chris Such, who had a small guitar shop in the [East] Village called Mojo Guitar.

Chris’s place was a little neighbourhood guitar shop, so he didn’t have the money to buy a sunburst Les Paul at the time, so that’s how he called [collector] Perry Margouleff to offer him the guitar, and Perry met the guy and just gave him money, and then owned the guitar since 1986.

Nobody saw that guitar for many years because, first of all, Perry was a curator for the largest guitar collection ever – and this was part of his private stash – but mainly because Perry was very attached to 100 per cent original ’Bursts, at the time, and he didn’t care so much about the fact it had been Clapton’s guitar. And, in any case, the market for star-owned guitars didn’t really exist back then.

It was kept in the collection for years and, eventually, when I first met Perry 13 years ago, he showed me a lot of those guitars, and I was very blessed that he kind of put me under his wing – he was always showing me and teaching me about [vintage] guitars, especially this one.

Back then, you know, I was never in a position even to imagine that I was eventually getting this guitar 12 years later, but that’s what happened. And we started talking, I would say, around October last year. It took a bit of time, but we arranged a deal a few weeks ago and then I went to New York City and picked up the guitar myself.

Tell us about the pickups. The bridge humbucker isn’t the Patent Applied For humbucker it left the factory with. So what’s the story behind that?

Well, what’s interesting is that when you look at the picture of [this guitar] in The Beauty Of The ’Burst book [Yasuhiko Iwanade]…

We all know that picture of Perry with the ’Burst wall behind him – there’s [famous ‘named’ ’Bursts] Red Eye, there’s the Stanley ’Burst, the red cherry [finish] ’59 Les Paul, all of those, and there is also Eric Clapton’s guitar on there and you can recognise the guitar immediately from the mandolin headstock, of course.

But what’s interesting is that this guitar – on that picture – has a zebra bridge pickup, which, of course, it doesn’t have today. That pickup is long gone and Perry doesn’t have any idea where it went.

But what Perry is sure about is the Patent Number pickup – because the pickup now in the bridge is one of those, a mid-’60s Gibson pickup, which is good news for the guitar because Perry remembers that this pickup was in the case of the guitar, in the case pocket.

And that matches Clapton playing this guitar with the double-black pickup in the bridge. So Perry said, “Okay, well, we have this pickup in the case and I think that’s the pickup that belongs to the guitar, I’m going to put it back, so it matches really what Clapton was playing at the time.”

Because if Perry had restored the guitar [to a generic period-correct spec] back then, based on his meticulous restoration work, he would just have put an original Patent Applied For [pickup in the bridge] that he had back then from his stash – he would never have put the Patent Number pickup in the bridge position [but for the Clapton connection].

The [otherwise anomalous] Patent Number pickup makes total sense because when you read Andy Summers’ biography, and the interviews that Andy gave on that guitar, that’s one of the reasons why he sold the guitar to Eric in ’65 or early ’66 – because the bridge pickup didn’t work on that guitar.

My guess is that Clapton obtained a pickup on Denmark Street – a Gibson pickup – from 1965 or early ’66, which was a Patent Number humbucker, and he put the pickup in the bridge position of the guitar and then went to record Fresh Cream with that pickup configuration because the neck pickup on that guitar is the original Patent Applied For pickup.

We checked the solder joints on the parts, and that guitar for sure has all-original solder, except for the volume pot in the bridge position – and that’s the only major electronic change that’s on the guitar. Back then, nobody cared about original [Patent Applied For pickups] – they were all players [not collectors], and so my guess is that he just put a working pickup in the bridge position and that was it, you know?

So that’s the journey of this guitar, and that’s interesting because I knew about it for years; I couldn’t tell anyone about it because that’s not how Perry is working – he wants his guitars to be top secret, if I can say.

But then I decided to make it public for several reasons because my theory is that guitars like this should be played, should be shared with people, and I think it’s not even belonging to me, or whoever is going to buy the guitar – it’s belonging to, I would almost say, humanity because that guitar is a major piece of the ’60s and the British music and a major piece of guitar history, so my feeling is that all those guitars need to be shared and played.

So that’s why at some point, I said to Perry, “I want to buy this piece, but in my opinion it’s just a shame that it stays off the internet because I think it’s a different time now and everybody should know what happened to this guitar,” because nobody knew where it was, basically.

Speaking of the guitar just as an instrument in its own right, what’s it like from a player’s perspective?

I have had the chance to play ‘The Fool’ SG, I’ve played Eric’s 335 and – with the exception of the Firebird – I’ve played a lot of instruments that he played in the Cream era. And it’s funny because all of them [have notably slim necks], except the 335, which has more like a ’64 neck but still a very thin neck.

So I think Clapton really loved a very thin neck on guitars, you know? This guitar is quite the same: it has one of the thinnest necks on a ’60 I’ve ever played.

I would say it’s a very late ’60, too, probably one of the last 1960 [Les Paul Standards] ever made because of that ‘tomato soup’ finish and other details. It’s not a lightweight guitar, but the neck is, as I say, super thin and, surprisingly, somebody did refret it at some point with huge frets – it would make sense if that was in the ’80s as they were all refretted with big frets back then…

But yeah, the neck is super-thin. I think maybe they shaved the neck a bit when they put that new mandolin headstock on [during the repair process by Matt Umanov] and a new finish on the neck – and I would say there is a very old overspray on the guitar, too.

Structurally speaking, it’s super-easy to play and super-fast because of that thin neck. I would say the neck pickup is one of the creamiest neck pickups that I’ve tried. It’s not like a woody sound, it’s very creamy, very dense. It makes total sense when you put the guitar into a Marshall and you put the tone at zero – you get exactly the Spoonful sound.

Also, the fact that on the bridge position you have a Patent Number makes total sense because it’s really brighter in those mid-’60s Gibson pickups. When you play the guitar, you really hear the Fresh Cream sound, which is very particular.

I would say this pickup had [originally come] from an SG – it’s so bright and it’s such a rock ’n’ roll-sounding guitar. And in the middle position, surprisingly, the tone is almost out of phase as well. Or rather, not out of phase but it’s almost there – it’s really close to that sound. When you play the guitar, it’s incredible because that’s the record, you know? It already sounds like the record.

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

It’s probably fair to say that very few guitar techs enjoy doing wiring work on Gibson semis. I attempted a repair on my old ES-330 for the first time a few decades ago. It took me about an hour to get the loom out and a fortnight to put it back in…

Some compare the task to putting a ship in a bottle, but once you know a few tricks and techniques, it can make wiring a little easier than you think.

Our subject is a late-’00s Gibson ES-335 with scratchy potentiometers and tone controls with no audible effect unless they’re almost completely backed off.

James, the guitar’s owner, decided it would benefit from a new wiring harness with Armstrong Music’s Premium 450 Series 550k potentiometers and a pair of Sprague Black Beauty replica capacitors from Luxe Radio.

Pulling Rank

Taking out a harness from any guitar of this sort begins with removing the strings, tailpiece, bridge and pickguard. If you aren’t able to measure and make a note of the action prior to disassembly (or you forget to do it), place some masking tape over the bridge-post thumbwheels to hold them in place.

Removing control knobs can be tricky, especially when they’re pressed tightly onto the pot shafts or there’s insufficient space to get the tips of your fingers underneath them. There are tools designed for the job, but I lever them up using a pair of teaspoons. If you try this, just remember to place some thick cardboard or, better still, cork tile between the spoons and the guitar body or you’ll probably end up with some nasty dents.

Undo the nuts holding the potentiometers and output jack, along with the ring nut securing the switch, and the harness should drop down inside the body. But before you can remove it, the ground wire will need to be disconnected. It’s usually soldered to the braiding of the bridge pickup’s leadout wire, so remove the four pickup ring screws, lift out the pickup and you should find the joint.

The wire is sometimes quite stiff and wrapped around the pickup wire, so you’ll need to unwrap it very carefully as you melt the solder. You might also want to place something over the guitar while you’re working to protect the finish from blobs of molten solder.

By looking inside the bridge pickup cavity, you’ll discover if it’s possible to pull the harness out through the pickup hole. On this guitar there was a wide gap through the centre block into the body, but some semi-solids will only have a narrow hole for the pickup wire. If that’s the case, the harness will have to be taken out through the treble-side f-hole.

Using my fingers and a wooden dowel, I coaxed the switch towards the pickup cavity. This pulled the neck-pickup control pots out, too, followed by the jack socket and, finally, the bridge-pickup pots. If things get tangled with the pickup wires, back up and move the wires out of the way. If things get snagged, stay calm, back up and think it through, rather than try to force anything.

With the full harness resting on top of the guitar, I de-soldered the pickup wires from the volume potentiometers and lifted it clear. Had we been keeping the original pickups, I would have left the neck pickup in place, but James was also upgrading the pickups so I removed them both.

Soldering On

Wiring up Teles, Strats, SGs and Les Pauls and so forth is relatively easy because you can attach the switches and pots to the body, plate or pickguard before soldering everything up. You can’t do that with Gibson thinlines or most other hollowbody guitars, but getting the component spacing correct is crucial for easy harness installation.

The solution is to make a template. I started by placing a sheet of A4 over the holes in the body and pressing down with my finger to make indentations in the paper. Although basic, it’s a quick and accurate way to register the control layout positions, and I marked the centre of each indentation with a pencil.

Placing the paper over a piece of MDF, I pressed a spike through all the pencil dots to transfer the layout. I then drilled holes through the MDF so I could mount and secure the socket, potentiometers and switch onto it before assembling the new wiring harness. For the jack socket and pots you’ll need a 9.5mm or 10mm bit, and a 14mm bit or step cutter for the switch.

I used MDF, which isn’t ideal as it’s too soft and powdery, so next time I’ll use Perspex instead. Since the harness has to be assembled from the ‘underside’, it makes sense to mark each template hole both front and back to avoid confusion.

Harnessing Up

Although the potentiometers James had provided were all nominally 550k, the stated value and the actual value rarely coincide. You can measure the true value of any potentiometer by taking a resistance reading across the outer solder tags. In my experience, vintage 500k pots tend to read way higher than 500k, and are sometimes closer to 600k.

If you want a little less mud from a neck pickup, use the pot with the highest actual value in the neck volume position. Conversely, you can use the pot with the lowest value for the bridge volume if it sounds a bit bright. Three of these pots read between 515k and 519k, and one was 529k.

With the switch, jack socket and all the pots mounted onto the template, it was time to start assembling the harness. While it might have been possible to install the harness through the bridge-pickup cavity, I prefer to go through the f-hole, and over the years I have learned a couple of things that make it easier.

Inside Track

The first trick is to solder the braided wires to the sides of the pot casings, rather than the backs. It’s hard to pinpoint when Gibson started doing this, but I discovered it when reassembling a chopped-up harness from a 1964 ES-335.

Getting potentiometers through an f-hole requires a twisting motion and there is relatively little wiggle room.

When the braided wires are soldered to the rear of the pot casings it can be an even tighter fit, but when they’re attached to the sides, it’s almost as if they aren’t there.

The second trick is to increase the length of the wires running from the neck tone control to the jack socket, and between the neck pickup controls and the bridge pickup controls. Just look at the photo of the assembled harness to see what I mean.

I do this because I prefer to install the harness in stages, rather than try to get it in all at once. Some guitar techs thread twine or string through the holes, tie it onto the parts and then pull them into position. The same can be done using surgical tubing, but I’ve ended up with a tangled mess whenever I’ve attempted this.

Instead, I started by getting the jack socket fixed in position while the rest of the components remained outside the body. To do this, I threaded some braided cable through the socket hole and pulled it out through the f-hole. I popped a star washer over the wire, pushed the wire through the socket and then tied a knot.

The star washer and socket went through the f-hole into the body, and I tugged the braided wire to pull them both into position. Maintaining tension, I ran a washer and nut down the wire before tightening everything up. So long as you’ve used enough wire for it still to be accessible at the f-hole, you can pull it out and phase one is complete.

Before installing the neck pickup controls, the pickup itself must be connected to the volume pot. I threaded the pickup wire through the f-hole and ensured there was plenty of protection between the pot and the paintwork while I made the solder joints. With that done, the switch and the neck pickup controls went in through the f-hole, too.

Once they were inside, I popped on star washers to prevent things from twisting around – you can use your fingers to manoeuvre the switch into position before securing it with its ring nut. You can do the same with the volume pot, but the tone pot is always just out of reach and out of sight.

When a harness is assembled on a template, you can be confident that the pot shaft will be within the vicinity of the hole. I manoeuvred the pot using a piece of dowel until the shaft was visible through the hole and I grabbed it using long tweezers to pull it through.

From here it’s straightforward – just solder the bridge pickup to the volume pot and push the pots through the f-hole. Both pots will remain within easy reach and you can lever them up through the holes using your finger to complete the installation.

Back In Control

The extra wire length on the harness is probably equivalent to a couple of pedalboard patch cables, so that doesn’t concern me. In addition to making the harness installation far easier, the volume pots can be taken out individually for cleaning or pickup swaps without having to remove the entire harness.

Despite only doing this job maybe once a year, I’m no longer daunted by it and these days it takes me closer to 45 minutes than a fortnight. Give it a go!

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

What is it?

For a brand that originally shut its doors in 1969, Danelectro’s rebirth some 30 years later has subsequently given us a huge number of reissues and mash-ups.

Although prices have crept up in recent years, Danelectro models still fall into the affordable part of the market with a retro vision and a reminder of a different time. Head over to the brand’s website and you’ll find a dizzying number of available models, not least this year’s new crop to add to the stew.

These 2026 models definitely fall into the mash-up category: they’re not model- or period-specific but come with features that span quite a period, from the get-go in the mid-’50s to the return of Danelectro in the mid-’90s and on to the present day.

All three new models centre on the double-cut Short Horn outline, with a 635mm (25-inch) scale length and – uniquely for any reissued model – a repro of the original and short-lived Full Bell headstock. More unusually, there’s even a logo change: as you can see these are branded ‘Dano’.

The three Dan O models offer subtly different themes. First, the Golden 50’s features “the show-stopping body/headstock graphic that is borrowed from an authentic 1950s kitchen table top”, the press release gushes, and is combined with a pair of hot Lipstick pickups.

There’s no scratchplate, which allows that “kitchen table top” feel to shine in four solid colours of Cream, Black, Maroon and Green. Next is the Dan O Cool, the first of our review models and effectively the same guitar with the ‘rare’ U3-style pickguard (originally from 1955) in Black, Maroon, Blue and Green. A 12-string is offered in Aqua Blue, plus there’s a baritone in Green only.

Finally, the Dan O Mano swaps the overwound Lipstick single coils for two soapbar single coils, there’s no scratchplate here and just three colours of Maroon, Black and Silver.

“With their Atomic Age styling – drawing heavily upon Danelectro’s boldly original 1950s roots – and turbocharged retro vibe, the Dano line might be the company’s most true-to-the-spirit guitars ever,” says Danelectro. Although exactly what the rationale here is, is far from concrete – the brand has been drawing on its ’50s roots since the guitars became available again in the late 1990s.

Conversely, Danelectro might well have created some of its more fit-for-purpose electrics in its now quite extensive history. For example, the so-called ‘Short Horn’ outline is a Danelectro classic, and although not mentioned directly in the marketing blurb – “back to the magic of the 1950s Daneletros” – was first unveiled in 1958.

It’s never been paired with that original and short-lived headstock, and with the Dano logo here it looks quite modern, far from 1950s. Likewise, the moulded ‘D’ logo plastic truss rod cover, which follows the pickguard, style-wise, and the electrics cavity cover on the back.

Construction is ignored by Danelectro’s PR, and indeed its own website. Alex Davis from the brand’s new distributor Strings & Things says: “The publicly available info does leave a little to be desired, but official build specs are pretty much unchanged in decades with the neck a hard Canadian maple and the fretboard in rosewood.”

While Alex states that “the body frame is solid spruce [and] the top and bottom panels are hardboard”, these look more like what we’d call MDF. Another original-style Danelectro feature is the vinyl tape applied to the sides, though here it’s virtually identical to the body colour whereas back in the ’50s it was typically contrasting.

Again, nodding back to the original design is the long heel, quite long and square edged, the strap button placed at its tip, so it’s not doing much to help upper-fret access or comfort.

The hardware certainly looks back and we have the original-style ‘four-way adjustable bridge’ with its one-piece rosewood saddle, liked by many for its sound, less so its accurate intonation. Uniquely, Danelectro is including the much later six (metal) saddle, fully adjustable bridge in the box so you can easily swap: a nice touch, not least that getting hold of Danelectro spares isn’t easy.

Another specific feature is the ‘Skate Key’ tuners. Well, we don’t have any from the ’50s to compare, but these have pretty basic Kluson-style backs with pressed metal buttons, quite thin and small-feeling though perfectly usable.

The nut, as per the originals, is aluminium screwed onto the end of the rosewood fingerboard. Details such as the fingerboard radius aren’t divulged, but historically Danelectro has quoted 356mm (14 inches), which is pretty much what we measure.

Internally, it’s all very clean, the rear cavity opening cut after the guitar is finished, we’d wager. As to how hollow, well, there seems to be a narrow centre block, less wide than the pickups with a pretty large block around the bridge. The actual sides – which are a part of this ‘frame’ – are quite thick, too, and the lower body is certainly much more hollow than the almost solid horns.

Specs

Dan O Cool

• PRICE: $599 | £689 | €669
• ORIGIN: Korea
• TYPE: Double-cutaway semi-hollow electric 
• BODY: Composite top and back over solid wood frame
• NECK: Maple, C profile bolt-on
• SCALE LENGTH: 635mm (25”)
• NUT/WIDTH: Aluminium/ 41.8mm 
• FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, small white dot inlays, 356mm (14”) radius
• FRETS: 21, medium
• HARDWARE: Hardtail rosewood saddle bridge, Kluson-style ‘Skate’ tuners – chrome/nickel plated
• STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 55.5mm
• ELECTRICS: 2x single-coil Lipstick pickups, 2-way lever pickup selector switch, master volume and tone controls
• WEIGHT(kg/lb): 2.81/6.24
• OPTIONS: None
• RANGE OPTIONS: There is a Dan O Cool 12-string (£759) in Aqua Blue only with different pickups, plus a Baritone (£759) in Green only
• LEFT-HANDERS: Not this model, but lefty versions of the ’59M NOS+ (the ‘Page’ model), Vintage 12-String and Baritone are available
• FINISHES: Green (as reviewed) Black, Maroon, Blue – all-gloss with vinyl-tape sides

Dan O Mano

• PRICE: $599 | £689 | $669
• ORIGIN: Korea
• TYPE: Double-cutaway semi-hollow electric 
• BODY: Composite top and back over solid wood frame
• NECK: Maple, C profile bolt-on
• SCALE LENGTH: 635 mm (25”)
• NUT/WIDTH: Aluminium/ 41.7mm 
• FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, small white dot inlays, 356mm (14”) radius
• FRETS: 21, medium
• HARDWARE: Hardtail rosewood saddle bridge, Kluson-style ‘Skate’ tuners – chrome/nickel plated
• STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 55.5mm
• ELECTRICS: 2x soapbar single-coil pickups, 3-way lever pickup selector switch, master volume and tone controls
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 2.83/6.23
• LEFT-HANDERS: See Dan O Cool
• FINISHES: Maroon (as reviewed) Black, Silver – all gloss with vinyl‑tape sides
• CONTACT: Danelectro

Build quality, playability and sounds

We’d call the setup functional, rather than dialled in. The nut’s slots are a little wide but not deep, and the strings are held by a good back angle to those tuners.

The string angle from nut slot to tuner post is fairly straight, too, splaying only slightly. The radius at the rosewood saddle bridge is closer to 305mm (12 inches), so with standard string heights at the 12th fret it does mean the inner strings are a little higher than most would set with separate saddles.

The intonation is nowhere near as ‘off’ as the one-piece saddle would suggest, and while you can tilt the saddle (there’s a small screw under the bridge that holds the saddle in place and allows this angle change), it really is pretty close as supplied.

The fretwork is pretty neat, too – a medium gauge, approximately 2.68mm wide by 1mm high. Overall, then, while not the most dialled-in setup that you should expect from a modern guitar, it ain’t bad, certainly if you live on the bluesier side of the style tracks.

Same with the neck, which feels a little wider than it actually is, perhaps because of the flatter radius. But it’s a pretty classic shallow ‘C’: 20.5mm deep at the 1st fret, 22.8mm by the 12th – no issues at all.

Despite the overwound claims of these new Lipsticks, they are still a pretty low output, although today that’s not really an issue – a little clean boost or whatever takes your fancy easily compensates. It’s the very clear tonality that impresses.

Add in a big reverb and it’s a twang-fest at the bridge, fuller and softer at the neck – which really is almost a middle position – but with a nice clarity.

The surprise (again due to the total lack of specification) is that in the both-on middle position on the selector we have more output and a bigger voice, instead of the expected bounce and funk.

A quick check with our multimeter and the pickups are wired in series (the pickup’s individual outputs are combined), which, of course, is typical Danelectro. There’s still some of the both-on character here, though; it’s just louder with slightly rounder highs.

So you really have some choices. Those individual coils are classic Danelectro; the middle series voice is certainly familiar if you’ve played any of the two-pickup models with stacked volume and tone controls.

However, with just the master volume and tone we have less ability to shade the voice, which might well be an advantage for many players. The controls give a very direct feel: the volume has a good taper, the tone less so, with not a lot happening until the near end of travel where we drop to a woolly roll-off rather quickly.

The same trick is pulled off on the Dan O Mano. The soapbar single coils have a fuller and warmer tonality overall compared with the Lipsticks and, from the off, seem to suit a little more grit.

Again, the middle position combines the pickups in series so there’s more heft and this one sort of has it all: power with clarity. But, again, the three sounds are distinct here – as with the Dan O Cool – and give both guitars their own voice.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★

The backstory here is a bit laboured as the majority of contemporary Danelectros since the late ’90s reference the ’50s. Nothing new there.

It is good to see the rosewood bridge back (with the modern six-saddle unit as back-up), which might not be perfect but really suits the lo-fi vibe.

In-store, these will drop below £600, with the exception of the baritone and the 12-string. Not exactly bargain basement but then neither are the guitars, which remain strangely unique after all these years.

Guitar World verdict: While these finishes give a contemporary and quite moody sheen, the sounds are anything but. The low-output soapbar single coils really suit the lightweight resonant platform; the Lipstick single coils are far from ‘hot’ but have a really appealing clarity and definition, and are archetypal Danelectro.

Hands-on videos

R.J. Ronquillo

Danelectro vs Death Ray Cat

Guitar Interactive

• Best electric guitars 2026: our top picks for every playing style, ability and budget

What is it?

It has to be said that we’ve been impressed by virtually every instrument we’ve seen from the Cor-Tek Corporation in recent years. The company is also responsible for building a number of guitars outside of its own Cort house brand (including PRS’s SE range) and the quality is always tip-top with playability that hits the mark every time.

This Gold A10 hails from the company’s highly automated acoustic guitar facility in the Jinzhou District of Dalian, Liaoning, China, and just reading the spec put us in a bit of a swirl even before opening its case. Cocobolo back and sides with a torrefied Adirondack spruce top? That’s a match made in heaven if ever there was one – on paper at least.

The company’s website proclaims that “the Cort Gold-A10 Cocobolo exudes boutique-style craftsmanship that extends beyond gorgeous tonewoods and distinguished accoutrements, with time-intensive hand-rolled fret edges, tone-enhancing torrefied materials, and Fishman Flex Blend electronics for unforgettable performance”. And at a price that won’t break the bank (too badly, anyway…).

So, what’s all the fuss about the woods that are involved? Well, first let’s take a look at cocobolo. To begin with, it’s a member of the rosewood genus Dalbergia retusa and is often employed by luthiers as a more than able substitute for that Dalbergia superstar, Brazilian rosewood.

There are tonal variations between the two, of course, with cocobolo being renowned for its bright tone, lower register resonance, articulation and note distinction. Native to Mexico and Central America, it is also renowned for its wild grain pattern, which often challenges all but the most sublime Brazilian variety.

As you can see from the pictures here, the back wood has a beautifully complex pattern with the paler sapwood running down the centre. It’s strange that all the fuss is made about the beauty of back woods on acoustic – and classical – guitars when it’s the part your audience never sees. But that’s all part of the fun of owning such an instrument.

The cocobolo’s running mate on the Cort A10 is torrefied Adirondack spruce, and this is another tonewood that goes hand in hand with exceptional levels of tone and performance.

Known for its “ringing yet complex and nuanced tone that carries right through high volume levels where other spruces start to break up”, according to the Wood Database, ‘Addie’, as it is affectionately known, has graced the tops of some celebrated pre-war Martin acoustics. Indeed, its legend continues, optimising as it does an acoustic’s dynamic and tonal ranges.

But the equation doesn’t end there as we find a mahogany neck, very good-looking reddish-brown padauk binding and maple purfling to both body and neck, plus an ebony fretboard – with mother-of-pearl and abalone inlays – to complete the body timbers.

We’re told the neck is also reinforced with strips of walnut either side of the truss rod underneath the ’board for extra stability and reinforcement. Factor in a bone saddle and nut, with Grover open-gear tuners and a factory-fitted Fishman Flex Blend pickup and you can see what excited us when we scanned the A10’s bill of goods in the first place.

Oh, and if you’re thinking that it would have been nice of Cort to include a scratchplate to protect the top from those wilder plectrum wielding moments, fear not, there’s one in the case for you to fit yourself if you want to. Nice touch.

Freed from its case and turning the A10 over in our hands, its finish and build look as exemplary as we’ve come to expect from Cort.

The cocobolo on the back and sides is the star of the show – and we mustn’t forget that the precise patterning of the wood will vary from instrument to instrument – but if this guitar sounds half as good as it looks, then we’re on to a real winner.

Specs

• Price: $2,599/£1,899 (inc case)
• Origin: China 
• Type: Grand Auditorium
• Top: Torrefied AA-grade Adirondack spruce
• Back/Sides: AAA grade cocobolo
• Max Rim Depth: 113mm
• Max Body Width: 402mm
• Neck: Walnut reinforced mahogany
• Scale Length: 648mm (25.5”) 
• Tuners: Grover gold open gear
• Nut/Width: Bone/44.5mm
• Fingerboard: Ebony
• Frets: 20
• Bridge/Spacing: Ebony with bone saddle/55mm
• Electrics: Fishman Flex Blend
• Weight (kg/lb): 2.4/5.2
• Left-Handers: No
• Finish: Natural gloss with satin neck
• Contact: Cort Guitars

Build quality, playability and sounds

Every player would agree that no matter how good looking a guitar is, it’s the playing surfaces – neck, fingerboard, et cetera – that either win or lose the day. In the case of the A10 we’re happy to report that the satin-finished neck is a very comfortable C profile that feels like it belongs in the hand.

It sits in that area where it’s neither too chunky nor too skinny, measuring 21.5mm deep at the 1st fret, broadening only slightly to 22mm at the 8th. The nut has been expertly cut and the ’board is very nicely finished, too, with those hand-finished rolled fret-ends adding extra boutique swish.

When we first tried a few pioneering chords the sound was a little compressed. But we concluded the A10 had very likely not been out of its case since it left China many moons ago and would probably respond to a day or two left on a stand to come up to room temperature and prevailing humidity.

We also made sure to give it the occasional campfire chord serenade each time we passed and it began to open up nicely. Basses became stronger, trebles noticeably sweeter and, although it’s impossible to measure, we could swear it got louder, too.

Of course, all this is in line with how new acoustic guitars can come out of storage hibernation and begin to blossom and bloom – everything we would expect from an Addie top backed with a nice member of an elite rosewood family. And, of course, it bodes well for the future as we’re sure there’s plenty more opening up to be done by the guitar in the months and years ahead.

The instrument responded well to both fingerstyle pieces and chordal workouts, the latter offering a very good blend of clarity and complexity.

The Fishman Flex Blend pickup and preamp system adds another important dimension to the sound. Combining an under-saddle piezo with an internal mic, the plugged-in sound reflected that of the A10’s acoustic nature when interfaced with our Boss Katana-50 EX.

The Fishman’s tone control added more colour with a variable midrange that you can adjust for chordal oomph or fingerstyle finesse. It has a built-in tuner, too.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

We were aware that this is a factory build with a degree of hands-on along the way. But it successfully escapes that stereotypical ‘cloned’ tone set that some factory builds succumb to and when it left us was well on its way to being a standalone individual with a very good portfolio of usable sounds.

Sure, if you gave a set of triple-A grade cocobolo and some Adirondack spruce to a boutique luthier you might find that further tonal refinements and build enhancements would become available. But then the price would very likely be five times what it is here.

Guitar World verdict: What Cort’s A10 offers is a step towards the upper echelon of acoustic guitar lutherie at a very reasonable price and, from what we’ve heard, once the guitar has fully opened up, your investment could be, quite literally, very sound indeed. Try one, we think you’ll like it.

Hands-on videos

Cort

WM Sound Guitars

• Cort Flow-OC and Gold-A6 Bocote review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

As the trade war escalates between the US and Canada, with the Trump administration applying a 50 percent tariff on selected goods imported from Canada, there will be some knock-on effects on prices paid by American consumers.

If you’re buying potash, salmon, and critical minerals from Canada, shop as usual. The 50 percent Section 338 tariffs do not affect you. If you’re buying, say, cars and aluminum, there’s no change – these are already covered. But say you are in the market for a guitar effects pedal from north of the border – or indeed an electric guitar or tube amp – then you might be in for a shock.

Empress Effects is the first of the high-profile Canadian gear brands to break cover and warn customers that from August 5, “tariffs, duties, or import fees” will be the responsibility of the customer.

This does not mean that, if you were to buy a ZOIA modular synth pedal for $549 from the Empress website, you would automatically be paying 50 percent on top of that (around $823, not including any local taxes etc), but that the US Customs department will calculate whatever duties are payable on the imported value of the item – and then those duties will be payable to your courier.

Of course, many retailers across the US will already have some of the Empress catalog in stock, so it might take some time for these costs to filter through, and in that time the tariffs could be paused or cancelled altogether. This is, however, another example of how the market for guitar gear is vulnerable to externalities such as this.

Steve Bragg, owner and designer at Empress Effects, says until now the company has been able to absorb the cost of tariffs, but not any longer.

“Because shipments can take up to two weeks to reach and clear the U.S. border, orders placed on or after August 5 may be subject to the new tariffs,” he writes. “Beginning August 5, any applicable tariffs, duties, or import fees will therefore be the responsibility of the customer.

“We’re hopeful that a resolution will be reached quickly. Until then, we’ll continue to cover all applicable tariffs on orders shipped to the United States before August 5.”

It will not just be Empress Effects that will be facing these difficult decisions. Revv Amplification, Godin, and other Canadian gear brands will be figuring out how all of this shakes out financially.

The economic rationale behind the tariff is that it will encourage US consumers to buy a rival domestic product, or for a domestic manufacturer to make one. Good luck in finding an alternative to the ZOIA.

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.

Below you'll find my personal highlights from the week, along with plenty of honorable mentions for the new gear you might have missed. Agree with my picks? Have a highlight of your own? Let us know in the comments.

Fender Japan Active Modern Series

Fender Japan has delivered the goods once again. Meet the Active Modern series – a collection of classic Big F silhouettes that have been on the receiving end of some choice FJ-style tweaks.

Chief among those Active Modern updates is the SILENCOIL system. Now, this looks to just be the same patent-pending Silent System that debuted on those USA models a few weeks ago, but with a different name. Either way, it promises true noise-free single-coil sounds through an independent coil under the pickups.

Elsewhere, it has an intriguing Turbo Tone Boost feature – which effectively simulates increasing the winding count of a single-coil pickup – as well as a new five-bolt neck plate.

There's also a nice new neck heel curve, and body binding across the collection (yes, that includes the Strats). It's like an American Ultra spin-off series, but with some even more desirable features.

Vemuram Las Lunas

Well, talk about dream pedal material. I’ve always admired Vemuram from afar – some of my favorite players swear by them – but I’ve never pulled the trigger. Why? Well, because they are very expensive. The Las Lunas, ‘70s/’80s style distortion, is no different.

With two sides for a choice of either “flat and detailed drive” or “edgy, sharp and full-bodied” gain, the Las Lunas looks like the pinnacle of boutique distortion design, with plenty of onboard controls to really dial in those tones.

Developed over “many years”, it looks to harness those old-school guitar sounds of the 1970s and 1980s, and while I don’t particularly lean into those sorts of waters for my own stuff, there’s just something about Vemuram pedals I find irresistible. Maybe one day…

Gretsch Streamliner CVT

When I reviewed the Gretsch Jack Antonoff Princess signature guitar, I pleaded for the return of a standard run Corvette. If you’d have told me back then that my dreams would not only be answered, but I’d be able to buy one for $249, I’d have called you all sorts of funny names.

However, I would’ve had egg on my face, because that’s exactly what has happened. After launching the affordable Electromatic CVT last year, Gretsch has now launched the even-more-affordable Streamliner version. And it looks very tempting indeed.

For $249, you get two humbuckers, that awesome CVT body shape, a mahogany build, and what Gretsch is calling a “Pitch Perfect Head Angle”. The Sea Foam Green is nice, but I kinda wish it had some more colorful finishes on tap.

ALSO LAUNCHED THIS WEEK...

Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Series FX Pedals

A new collaborative series of wallet-friendly recreations of legendary effects, covering classic overdrive, fuzz and booster circuits to boot. A nice entry point to the world of Warm Audio.

Gibson Cremona Burst Collection

2026 marks 100 years of Gibson flat-top acoustics, so the firm is keeping the party going with a limited edition Cremona Burst collection comprising five iconic silhouettes.

PRS Birds of a Feather Custom 24

PRS has celebrated 10 years of its Birds of a Feather inlay by bringing the intricate inlay – previously only available through the Private Stock collection – to its Core series for the first time.

Fender Player II New Finishes

These were announced a few weeks ago, but now two new Player II colorways – Cactus Grey and Rallye Orange – are now available. The former is giving serious Silver Sky vibes…

Mooer Meta FX

A three-in-one reverb, delay and modulation pedal, built around Mooer’s new X Algorithm platform. There are 40 stereo effects to play with, a 1.28” circular touchscreen, and a wild artwork that will look great on any pedalboard.

Martin 5-28 Terz

The smallest Martin ever made makes a return after the storied acoustic maker finally caved to player demands. The picture doesn’t really do it justice. This thing is tiny.

Epiphone Billy Joe Armstrong Les Paul Jr.

A week after Billie Joe Armstrong’s Marshall dropped, the Green Day leader has another piece of signature gear: a new-look red Les Paul Junior.

Catalinbread Jimothy

A gnarly new bitcrusher from Catalinbread, which has the power to degrade your guitar signal at an interval you choose. Only 50 will be made. Side note: it almost made it into the highlights spot for the name alone…

DOD Drag Analog Delay

A wild new Bucket Brigade Device analog delay pedal from the minds over at DOD, the Drag looks to be an all-in-one textural tool designed for ambient, shoe gaze, and experimental players alike. There's also some patent-pending time-warping tech, which sounds interesting...

Gibson Mod Shop High Five

Gibson has introduced five extravagant Heavy Flake Sparkle finish instruments to mark the fifth birthday of the Mod Shop.

• What's your favorite new gear release of the week? Let us know in the comments below.

Fender Japan is continuing to set the pace for the Big F when it comes to innovation by rolling out its new Active Modern collection.

Covering two Stratocasters, a Telecaster, and a Modern Jazz Bass, the quartet introduces some choice aesthetic, functional and electronic features that would certainly be welcome additions to the US lineup.

Key among the updates is a new Turbo Tone Boost. Activated by a push/push volume knob, it smartly simulates the effect of increasing the number of windings on a single-coil. There's also a new five-bolt neck plate and neck heel design, which looks like a refinement of the American Ultra II style and a neat way to grant further access to the upper frets.

Further still, the Stratocasters and Telecasters feature body binding – a novelty especially for Strats, and a rarity among Fender's regular collection. Here's hoping some similarly styled six-strings make their way to the US lineup.

Then we have the the all-new SILENCOIL. On paper, it looks to be the same, if not incredibly similar, to the patent-pending Silent System found Pro Classic Silent series announced last month.

In practice, the SILENCOIL promises to retain the original tone of the single-coil while also ensuring noiseless operation. Expect the “delicate nuances and clear attack inherent in single coil pickups,” with some extra wiring wizardry that sends a connection from the pickup’s ground side to cancel out only the hum noise picked up by the coils.

This results, Fender Japan says, in “a clear and three-dimensional sound”. The independence of the SILENCOIL means that its noiseless benefits will be injected into new pickups, should the stock ones be replaced down the line.

The DNA of the guitars remains defiantly Fender, with an alder body-maple neck tonewood combination at their core. The three electrics serve up rosewood fingerboards with 22 frets and abalone dot inlays, while the bass stands out with a Bluewood board. It also gets 22 frets, with a 34” scale length.

The Strats are available in SSS and HSS formats, with Two-Color Sunburst, Feather Gray, and Black finishes on offer for both. The SSS model throws in Sapphire Blue Transparent, and both cost ¥275,000 apiece. The Tele is priced the same, but drafts in a Vintage Natural look.

The bass, available in Sapphire Blue Transparent, Vintage Natural, Feather Gray, and Black, is priced at ¥275,000.

“Combining the precise craftsmanship unique to Made in Japan with modern functionality, this series inherits the traditional Fender sound while being a modern guitar for players seeking more freedom and expressive playing,” says Fender Japan.

The Fender Japan Limited Active Modern Series is available now but, as ever, is limited to a Japan-only release.

See Fender Japan for more.

Fender has been in the mood for pickup experimentation recently, with one of its 75th Anniversary Teles delivering its first-ever rail pickup.

Gretsch has unveiled the latest guitar to come off its production line, and the Streamliner CVT stays true to its name with a sleek, no-nonsense design.

The Fender-owned firm has been smashing out some very impressive budget builds of late, with the single-cut Premier Jet and Electromatic Jet baritone proof of that. At $249, its new stablemate is another axe that’s kind to your wallet, and this time, is geared primarily for rock and metal.

The key details to note, besides its simplicity, are the high-output HotWire pickups, which give it its voice, and a C-shaped neck built with fast playing in mind. The two humbuckers, which sit atop a solid and contoured mahogany body that nods to the Gretsch Corvette models, are wound with a mid-range focus for “fiery riffs”.

Both pickups are also wax-potted to kick signal buzz to the curb, and such heat should encourage players to dig in and get heavy. With that in mind, a pitch-perfect head angle, compensated wraparound bridge, and die-cast tuners mean it should take the beating with aplomb.

The headstock design helps reduce string tension and keep strings from slipping, and the NuBone nut promises to keep the guitar’s tone consistent and balanced, improving sustain. Those small details matter.

Mahogany features again with its bolt-on neck, which gets a rounded heel. It’s capped with a 22-fret Indian laurel fingerboard, a GraphTech NuBone nut, and thumbnail inlays.

While the more clichéd chic of Jet Black is catered for with its finish options, Sea Foam Green, Aged White, and Olive Drab also offer a splash of color. Black pickguards are a non-negotiable.

“This no-nonsense tone machine delivers exceptional performance, easy playability and rock-solid tuning stability at an incredible value,” says Gretsch.

The Gretsch Streamliner CVT is available now for $249/£299/€349.

See Gretsch for more.

[Update 24.07: D'Addario has posted a response video on Instagram that it says shows the workflow of the recorded demo.

"Setting the record straight, this string demo was certainly over-produced. However, it was not created by AI. All guitars were tracked in real-life, drums and synths were MIDI programmed, plus a whole lot of plug-ins and production."]

D’Addario has denied allegations that it used AI to create music in a promo video for its new NYXL HD electric guitar strings. It has also defended deleting comments and blocking accounts on its social media channels, saying it was protecting its employees from harassment.

In a statement to Guitar World, D’Addario confirms it never uses AI when making music for its video marketing content. “Our brand is grounded in authenticity, and doing so would be against our ethos,” says the strings and accessories giant.

The video in question is a slick production featuring some high-gain progressive metal. The launch offered the NYXL HD range as single high-density strings for seven-, eight- and nine-string guitars, while the XT Dynacore HD Classical Singles offered individual strings for seven- and eight-string nylon-string guitars.

The promo clip is undeniably super polished, super processed. That was the problem. It didn’t sound quote/unquote real.

There was a pile-on in the comments section. D’Addario got involved in the comments, denying the allegations, and then began deleting the comments relating to AI and blocking some accounts.

YouTubers soon picked up on the story, with Danny Sapko running a video titled, ‘Did the world’s biggest guitar string company just get caught?!’

D’Addario stresses that the video was created by real musicians. But perhaps this controversy tells us that these über-finessed productions, electric guitar tones that have been processed so far that they take on this sheen of artifice, don’t work for audiences anymore.

In replying to Guitar World, D’Addario acknowledges that it was a mistake to present the demo with full production.

“We have an organization filled with extremely talented musicians whom we rely on to compose, produce, and demonstrate our products,” said D’Addario.

“We made a choice to demo these products in a fully produced mix, it backfired. We have learned from this and will shoot and demonstrate the products again without that fidelity of production, so consumers will be able to hear a comparison of these strings both in a mixed and raw format.”

The company says it had to turn comments off after one of its employees’ personal accounts was identified and he was “being targeted with malicious comments and messages”. That crossed the line.

“We have a responsibility to protect our employees from harassment. As always, we are open to accepting criticism as a brand,” said D’Addario. “But there is no place for harassment of our employees on their personal social media accounts. It’s so important that we all behave in a responsible and respectful way given the volatile nature of social media.”

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.

Ned Steinberger did not invent the minimalist guitar – the ’60s La Baye 2x4 and the skeletal Gittler introduced during the ’70s both precede his design.

Nor was Steinberger the first to make a headless instrument – Les Paul invented a headless guitar with an aluminum body in the ’40s, Dave Bunker patented his headless “touch guitar” in the mid-’60s, and numerous Northern California luthiers built custom headless instruments during the late ’60s and ’70s. This writer vividly recalls seeing a few headless guitars and basses at Stars Guitars in San Francisco during the mid-’70s.

However, Steinberger was the first company to successfully mass produce minimalist, headless instruments.

Built from non-traditional composite materials – a graphite/carbon fiber blend neck and body and phenolic fretboard – the original Steinberger guitar design is noteworthy for its appealing combination of radical elements, familiar features, brilliantly engineered innovations, and comfortable ergonomics.

The first Steinberger GL Series guitars appeared on the market in May 1984, starting with the GL2 model featuring EMG 81 and 60 active humbuckers and a stop tailpiece. At 29 ¾ inches long, it was only a few inches longer than its 25 ½-inch scale length.

Standard features included 24 frets and master volume and tone controls. By 1985, the lineup expanded considerably, consisting of the dual humbucker GL2 and GL3 with three single-coil EMG SA pickups, both offered with either the standard S-Trem (GL2S/GL3S) or revolutionary TransTrem (GL2T/GL3T) vibrato systems. The popular GL4 model with an HSS pickup configuration then followed in 1986.

An instrument unto itself, the TransTrem is an engineering marvel that allows users to lower or raise pitch while keeping chords in tune. A metal stop piece can lock the strings in six positions that transpose the key to B, C, D, E, F#, and G. Both the TransTrem and standard floating S-Trem provide a lever that locks the tremolo arm for non-tremolo performance, which also maintains tuning when a string is broken.

One rarely mentioned feature of Steinberger GL guitars is the Co-x connector system that allows users to quickly swap EMG pickups using snap on-off connectors. The body's removable rear-mounted faceplate also made it easy to access the electronics and install other non-EMG pickups with minimal hassle.

Initially, the GL guitars came with a plug-in leg rest for comfortable playing in a sitting position, but later a simpler, improved fold-out leg rest was adopted. The double ball end string design radically simplified the process of changing strings, although the non-standard strings were not always easy to find.

Although Steinberger stopped offering composite versions of their GL models by the late ’90s, the timeless minimal design has become a classic that still lives on today via Steinberger's budget Spirit line.

Thanks to its prominent use by a wide variety of guitarists like Elliot Easton, Reeves Gabrels, Jerry Garcia, David Gilmour, Steve Hillage, Allan Holdsworth, Steve Howe, Mark Knopfler, Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls, Andy Summers, David Torn, and Eddie Van Halen – the latter two being among the few who truly mastered the TransTrem – the Steinberger GL model has become a desirable icon of both ’80s/’90s nostalgia and futuristic innovation.

Anthony Ferraro has proven to be a key activist for accessible guitar gear. As a blind guitarist, he’s managed to push for a vibrating guitar tuner, a specially made Braille amp, and now, the world’s first accessible guitar.

In a new social media video, Ferraro is seen unboxing an electric guitar with a difference: one that has tactile markers instead of the usual visual inlays.

“I just found out this year that sighted people have fret markers they can look at on the guitar. This is incredible!” Ferraro exclaims.

“You realize this is the first accessible guitar ever made in the world? This is amazing. I can feel where I'm at on the fretboard without having to look for the harmonics.”

And if the Sensory Navigation Neck wasn’t enough, NVision Guitars – the boutique guitar company behind this build – has also equipped it with volume and tone knobs featuring different textures to make it even more accessible.

“This is like musical freedom. Not to mention, it sounds amazing,” continues Ferraro.

Notably, the guitar doesn’t include any Braille, the tactile system that allows blind and partially sighted people to access literacy. By doing this, NVision Guitars is opening up its design to a wider audience of guitarists who might not necessarily understand Braille.

“My new friend Tristan just made the world’s first accessible guitar by adding tactile markers to the neck for frets so I can tell where I am without being able to see,” reads Ferarro’s caption.

“Not to mention he literally built this guitar from a piece of wood and flew from Iowa to New Jersey to hand-deliver it to me and make sure I like it.”

This is the third piece of accessible gear that Ferraro has championed – and helped turn into a reality – this year alone.

Canadian digital programming whiz Kieran Eglin managed to program a $33 Donner DT-1 chromatic guitar tuner so that it vibrates whenever the string reaches the correct pitch. Victory Amps also produced a one-off Braille tube amp – the first of its kind – especially for the guitarist.

One thing is for sure: Ferraro is helping reshape the industry by making guitar gear more accessible to all guitarists.

Guitarist and producer Chris Turpin of Ida Mae and his Jake Kiszka collab Mirador has an enviable selection of vintage guitars to work with, but one of his most frequently used instruments proves that buying vintage can be quite affordable.

His prized acoustic is a Gibson B-25 12-string, which began life as a budget instrument when it was first introduced in 1962. Glen Campbell used one and it appeared on the cover of his 1964 Capitol Records album The Astounding 12-String Guitar Of Glen Campbell.

It was clear, however, that when Chris bought his own B-25, it had seen a lot of action over the years.

“I really like Fanny’s House of Music In Nashville,” Chris says. “They have great stuff to play and they’re very friendly – good, honest folks. I went in and they had this particular 12-string, which had clearly lived a life.

“It’s had the back panel smashed in, and I felt it just had the energy, like it had been to a bunch of political protests or something in the ’60s and someone had played Simon & Garfunkel covers on it. I got it for not very much at all, 800 bucks or something, and it became quite an important guitar.

“I took it over to Jake [Kiszka’s] house, and he whipped out a case and he had the same one. I was like, ‘Oh my god, aren’t these the coolest 12-strings, or the best recording 12-strings?’ and it’s been on records ever since.”

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

The following feature first appeared in the March 2010 issue of Guitar World.

How a small California guitar parts and repair facility kick-started
the guitar custom shop revolution and became the premiere maker of super-fast guitars for everyone from Eddie Van Halen to Steve Vai to Warren DeMartini. Guitar World celebrates the storied history and glorious renaissance of Charvel.

Wayne Charvel unwittingly spawned a guitar custom shop revolution when he opened Charvel's Guitar Repair in 1974, in Azusa, California. The shop performed aftermarket customizations and sold parts that allowed guitarists, including an early customer named Eddie Van Halen, to build their own instruments.

At the time, the major guitar companies didn’t offer custom work to the public, and they typically turned over artists’ modification requests to independent luthiers, such as Charvel. In that respect, Gibson, Fender and the other big firms helped independents like Charvel prosper.

Ironically, the poor quality of those companies’ guitars during that era drove more business to the doors of Charvel and its ilk, as players sought competent luthiers that could turn their mediocre instruments into something special.

It didn’t take long for Southern California guitarists to appreciate the Charvel shop’s hot-rodded electronics and the superior playability that its modifications provided. By the late Seventies, when Charvel began to build its own guitars, the company’s aptly dubbed “superstrats”—with their flat, unfinished necks and large fret wire—had become synonymous with the rising trend of shredding.

As the Eighties gave rise to virtuoso shredders, Charvel guitars could be seen in the hands of players like Steve Vai, Jake E. Lee, Warren DeMartini and George Lynch. But Charvels weren’t exclusive to metal players. Fusion giant Allan Holdsworth played custom Charvels, and in the late Eighties Jeff Beck exclaimed, “These guitars made me want to start playing again!”

Charvels were built for speed, but they also had a sound all their own. “They never sounded like Fenders or Gibsons,” says Dweezil Zappa, who acquired his first two Charvels in 1982. “They always had their own sound and personality. The guitars were built with more dexterity in mind. It was easier to reach the top frets, and the vibrato systems were set up well.”

Credit for the company’s mainstream success is due to Grover Jackson, the man who is considered the mastermind and father of metal guitars. Though he’s known today for the brand that bears his own name, Jackson first made his mark with Charvel after he bought out Wayne’s interest in the company in November 1978. Jackson and his team of noted luthiers refined the instruments and instituted production facilities that allowed him to bring Charvels to the masses.

Under Jackson’s guidance, Charvel grew in popularity throughout the Eighties as the shred phenomenon took off. Production began to shift to Japan in 1986, and in 1989 Jackson sold his interest in the company to the Fort Worth, Texas investment firm, International Music Corporation (IMC).

Charvel’s numerous original employees went to work as master builders at Fender, where many of them still work today. High-quality Charvels continued to be manufactured in Japan, but the rise of grunge in the early Nineties reduced demand for the instruments. As the decade went on and sales waned, quality began to dip, and the brand became associated with inferior budget instruments.

By the time Fender acquired Charvel in the fall of 2002, the brand had been all but abandoned. Over the past seven years, Fender has managed to return it to its old glory, thanks in great part to those many original employees in Fender’s ranks. Charvel senior product manager Michael McGregor says, “Charvel is a brand steeped in history and tradition. Building these guitars again with the original recipe is a true labor of love.”

Charvel’s colorful story is a convoluted history of genius, serendipity, iconic players, third-party financiers and talented builders. But whatever the circumstances, there was something special about each Charvel, whether it was made in America or Japan.

Grover Jackson says, “There was a vibe and a team spirit at Charvel that I never experienced anywhere else. Sometimes the good intention of the creator gets into the product, against all odds, and this was certainly true of every Charvel that went out the door.”

Charvel’s Guitar Repair

The man whose name is on Charvel guitars was a part of the company for only four years, but Wayne Charvel’s contributions and importance to the history of player-centric guitars can’t be understated. He was a typical Southern Californian hot-rod enthusiast, whose innate mechanical and artistic talents inspired his desire to help players improve and personalize their instruments.

Originally a sign painter, Charvel discovered he had a remarkable aptitude for guitar refinishing. In the late Sixties and early Seventies, he began to perform custom work for Fender, including paint jobs and pickup installations.

Using other company’s parts, he also created two blonde Tele-style guitars for Billy Gibbons, a black Strat-style guitar for Ritchie Blackmore and a one-of-a-kind Plexiglas bass for the Who’s John Entwistle. Painting flames on guitars, as he did on several of Gibbons’ Fenders, became one of Wayne’s particular specialties.

Charvel says, “As far as I know, I was the first person to ever paint hot-rod flames on a guitar.” Over the years, attention-getting paint jobs would be a defining characteristic of the guitars that bear his name.

Wayne opened Charvel’s Guitar Repair in 1974 in the Southern California town of Azusa. There, he continued to take on work from Fender, sell aftermarket parts and offer some custom services to the public. One noteworthy player who wandered into Charvel’s shop in the early Seventies was a young hotshot named Eddie Van Halen.

“Eddie came by the shop a lot and sometimes would sit on the floor and play the guitar while we repaired some of his other guitars,” Charvel recalls. “One day, Eddie came over to the shop and asked if I had an extra body and neck. I told him that I had an extra Boogie Body neck and an old body in my shop.

“I gave Ed the parts, and the next time I saw the guitar he had used a spray can to paint it white with black stripes. He used nails to hold the pickup in the body.”

This was the first of Eddie’s fabled “Frankenstein” guitars, as was featured prominently on Van Halen, the self-titled debut from Ed’s group. It eventually served as the template for the Grover Jackson–built black-and-yellow-striped Charvel superstrat that Ed can be seen holding on Van Halen II.

Though Wayne couldn’t have imagined it at the time, his shop’s association with the guitarist would springboard Charvel’s success within a few years.

Although Wayne was well known for his paintwork, Charvel’s repair guru, Karl Sandoval was the shop’s main attraction. Sandoval is best known today as the innovator of Randy Rhoads’ polka dot V, but long before he worked on that guitar he was Charvel’s chief employee.

Sandoval, who routinely worked on Van Halen’s guitars, introduced Eddie to Charvel’s shop and turned him on to using a Variac voltage-regulating device with his amps, something that Eddie has long credited with helping him create his signature “brown sound.”

After a year in Azusa, Wayne moved the shop to San Dimas, which is now widely celebrated as the birthplace of shredder guitars. Even though the shop offered repair services, most of Charvel’s business was from mail-order sales of Boogie Body and Schecter Guitar Research bodies and necks, pickups from DiMarzio (then in its first years as a supplier of aftermarket guitar pickups), and replacement parts.

Many guitars of the time came stock with plastic and low-quality steel parts, and Charvel was among the first suppliers to offer superior replacement hardware, including brass bridges, stainless-steel tremolo arms and aluminum jack plates.

Unfortunately, parts and repairs didn’t bring in much money, so Charvel tried to expand into building guitars. For funding, he teamed up with an investment firm called International Sales Associate. Not much happened, however. By 1977, Charvel still wasn’t building its own guitars and was facing severe financial problems.

In the early months of that year, an Anvil Case employee named Grover Jackson came into the shop to purchase a Telecaster body. A skilled guitarist, Jackson had been trained in guitar building by an Atlanta luthier named Jay Rhyne. However, it was his business skills that interested Charvel.

The two men got to talking, and over lunch that day they decided to work together. In exchange for helping to turn around the company, Jackson would receive a 10 percent share of Charvel’s Guitar Repair.

Over the next year, the new partners worked together but disagreed vehemently about how to move the company ahead and begin building guitars in-house. In November 1978, after months of growing frustration, Charvel decided to sell the business to Grover for a total sum of about $40,000, which included Charvel’s debt load of nearly $33,500.

Grover Jackson takes over

On November 10, 1978, Grover took sole ownership of Charvel, with the monumental task of turning a faltering repair shop into a thriving guitar production facility. To begin paying off the company’s debt, Jackson borrowed $7,500 from his parents. He recalls, “My father said, if you piss this away, don’t come home again!”

Time was of the essence, and not only for financial reasons. The guitar world was finally becoming aware of Charvel: one of the first guitars built under Grover’s leadership was Van Halen’s yellow-striped, black Charvel superstrat. Van Halen’s first album had just been released, and guitarists were eager to get their hands on a guitar just like Eddie Van Halen played. Suddenly, everybody wanted a Charvel.

Unfortunately, Grover had no means to mass produce the instruments and get them to market. So he began to assemble a team of gifted young guitarists who were willing to learn the trade, some of whom had backgrounds similar to Grover’s, in furniture building and woodworking.

A young guitarist named Mike Eldred was Grover’s first hire. He had initially and serendipitously come into the shop to commission a superstrat like the one his friend Eddie Van Halen showed him weeks earlier. Soon to follow were Tim Wilson, Mike Shannon, Todd Krause, Pat McGarry, Steve Stern, Mark Gellart, Pablo Santana and Kenny McCutchin, many of whom continue to work with Fender or Jackson today. This became Jackson’s dream team, and with it, he paved a future for Charvel.

While Charvel and his employees had built a few guitars, they had generally done so using parts from other manufacturers. That would quickly change under Jackson’s leadership.

Grover recalls, “We had started making bodies for Mighty Mite and DiMarzio to stay afloat, but we didn’t know how to make necks yet.” With interest in Charvel guitars soaring, they had to learn fast. Says Jackson, “It was eight to 12 months before Charvels actually started rolling off the line.”

Charvel guitars debuted in Atlanta at the 1979 summer NAMM show. The relationships that Jackson formed at Anvil Cases helped him sell the first guitars to a handful of dealers, including Musician’s Supply, which became Musician’s Friend. Guitar Center in Hollywood, a hot spot for up-and-coming stars, soon became another major retailer for Charvel.

In preparation for the expected demand, the company quickly moved its operations from San Dimas to a larger facility in Glendora. Many players think that U.S.-built Charvels were made in San Dimas because they all had a neck plate bearing the company’s San Dimas P.O. Box number and address.

In fact, almost every American-made Charvel built after Jackson bought the company came out of Glendora. He simply continued to put San Dimas neck plates on Charvels because the company’s San Dimas P.O. Box was close to his home and spoke to the company’s roots.

The new Charvel models received an enthusiastic reception from dealers and players. The company’s humbucker- and tremolo-equipped superstrat quickly became the favorite model and is still one of the most sought-after guitars on the used market. But Charvel also built an equally impressive San Dimas Tele and Explorer, as well as a guitar inspired by Eddie Van Halen’s modified Ibanez Destroyer, called the San Dimas Star.

Mike Shannon says, “We all worked for perfection and quality—shaping necks to be fast and comfortable, doing superb paint work, and meticulously dressing the frets… Each guitar had a personality for the player to discover.”

One of the superstrats’ key features was a compound radius fingerboard. Eldred describes the flattening arc of the radius as being “like an inverted ice cream cone,” where the lower frets have a smaller radius that’s comfortable for chording and the higher frets have a flatter or wider radius that facilitates speed, low action, high bends, hammer-ons and arpeggios.

Tim Wilson did the math to determine the measurements that made consistent production of a compound radius fretboard possible for the first time.

Early Charvel bodies were all made from heavy woods, typically ash. Lightweight woods didn’t become popular until Allan Holdsworth requested custom-built basswood Charvels. (A friend of Jackson’s, Holdsworth held rehearsals for his 1982 album, I.O.U., at the Glendora shop.) This was the first time that a lightweight wood was ever used by a major manufacturer on a solidbody electric guitar.

Another component featured on almost all Charvels was a modern tremolo from either Kahler or Floyd Rose. Most of the very early Charvels were built with Kahler brass vintage-style trems that were non-locking. A short time later, Charvel started mounting the double-locking Floyd Rose system that’s preferred by the majority of whammy and dive-bomb specialists.

Steve Vai was an early fan of the whammy-equipped Charvels. He says, “Before I created my signature Jem model for Ibanez in the early Eighties, Grover Jackson was working on innovative guitar designs. He was one of the first to put a humbucker and a whammy on a body that actually worked. This helped shape much of the early Eighties dive-bombing extravaganzas that pervaded the metal guitar scene.”

Like Van Halen’s striped Charvels, Vai’s “Green Meanie” Charvel became a highly visible example of the company’s work and growing influence, making appearances on Vai’s Flex-Able album cover, numerous magazines and, later, in the video for David Lee Roth’s “Yankee Rose.”

The guitar that became the Green Meanie was originally one of Grover’s personal superstrats. Vai borrowed the guitar to take on tour with Alcatrazz. A few months into the tour, he called Jackson and said that he didn’t want to part with the guitar and had painted it green. Jackson let him keep it.

While many players, including Vai, were content with an outlandish paint scheme on their Charvel, Randy Rhoads was not. He recognized the playability of a Charvel but wanted a guitar that had a more radical look, right down to the body shape. In December 1980, while in California on a break from the Blizzard of Ozz tour, Rhoads sat down with Jackson and began designing a new guitar.

The result was an offset-bodied white V-style instrument that they named “the Concorde.” The appellation was later changed to RR1, for “Randy Rhoads Model One.” It remains one of Jackson’s most popular guitars.

The guitar’s look was very unusual for the time, however, and Jackson, fearful of alienating customers, was hesitant to place the Charvel name on the instrument. Instead, he put his own name on the pointed headstock, and Jackson Guitars was born.

Jackson had made one V-shaped neck-through-body guitar for Swiss virtuoso Vic Vergeat that predated the Concorde, but Rhoads’ guitar was the first to display the Jackson logo. Going forward, Jackson became the sleekly insane brother to the wild, yet traditional, Charvel brand. From a construction standpoint, Jacksons were the company’s neck-through-body guitars and Charvels their bolt-on instruments.

Ironically, considering Grover’s original concerns about the RR1, the popularity of Jackson’s aggressive styling soon overshadowed the more conventional-looking Charvels. By the mid Eighties, MTV looked like a 24-hour advertisement for Jackson.

Of course, custom and sometimes wild paint jobs remained a highlight of the Charvel/Jackson guitar lines. Numerous graphic artists worked to bring customers’ visions to life on Charvel and Jackson guitars, the first of which was Ernie Predrigon.

Probably the best known and currently active of them were Dan Lawrence and Glen Matejzel. These artists painted everything from hot-rod flames, zebra stripes, snake skins and lightning bolts to skulls and blood, camouflage, and artist-specific paintwork.

Lawrence says, “After Eddie’s stripes and Randy’s polka dots, graphics became the most popular way for someone to truly personalize the instrument.” Adds Matejzel, “Fans sometimes didn’t know a player’s name, but immediately associated a certain graphic with a band.”

Among the most recognizable and requested paint jobs were George Lynch’s Bengal Tiger stripe and Warren DeMartini’s Japanese-themed Rising Sun graphics.

Even with the great demand for Charvels and Jacksons during the early and mid Eighties, the company was barely in the black. Jackson says, “I didn’t understand money. I was just thinking about product. I wanted to push the envelope. If I could do something better, I threw every nickel at it. There wasn’t enough margin built into the price, and we just weren’t turning a profit.”

In an effort to save the company and expand operations and distribution, Grover merged with International Music Corporation, a multi-product distribution and investment company based in Fort Worth, Texas.

In return for giving up sole ownership of Charvel/Jackson, he received a 12 percent share of the larger company. Like many outside investors, IMC was primarily interested in shaking every dollar out of the company’s potential profitability.

The first change was to move all standard Charvel production to Japan, while Jacksons and custom Charvels continued to be made in Glendora. The newly funded company launched eight new Japanese Charvels, simply denoted as a Model 1, Model 2, and so on.

By far, the most popular of these were the Model 4 and Model 6: the Model 4 was a bolt-on guitar with a humbucker and dual singlecoil pickups and a Floyd Rose–licensed tremolo; the Model 6 was a set-neck version of the Model 4, making it, essentially, a Japanese-built Jackson Soloist. Both models featured Jackson’s own active pickup system, an onboard gain-boosting preamp and a bound rosewood fretboard with shark-fin inlays.

By any standards, they were exceptional guitars for the money and set the early standard for overseas guitar production. The neckplates on the Japanese Charvels replaced the San Dimas address with “Fort Worth, TX” a nod to the location of IMC’s headquarters.

That soon changed. In 1986, in an effort to cut costs further, IMC moved Jackson production from Glendora to a facility in Ontario. With Charvel production situated in Japan, the Ontario facility was to produce Jacksons exclusively, although it did produce a few Charvels to satisfy a backlog of custom-ordered instruments.

The following year, as sales boomed, the Ontario facility reached its peak size with 135 employees, 28 of whom worked around the clock winding pickups, thereby making Charvel/Jackson the world’s largest pickup manufacturer—even if it was just making pickups for its own guitars. Both brands continued to sell extremely well for as long as metal ruled the airwaves.

However, IMC wanted to lower costs further, and in 1989 the company decided to fire 80 percent of the Ontario staff and move the bulk of Jackson production to Japan. Grover unceremoniously sold his interest in the company and grudgingly moved on to other ventures. In doing so, he lost the right to use his name on a guitar, just as Wayne Charvel had 10 years before when he sold Charvel to Jackson.

Charvel after Grover Jackson

Charvel continued forward after Grover’s resignation, but the popularity of guitar music was waning in the growing shadow of grunge. Musicians revered for their virtuosity just a few years before were now accused of overplaying the instrument and lacking “feel.” With Jackson production moving to Japan, the Ontario plant was becoming a ghost town. In 1990, Tim Wilson recalls, “we began to experience severe layoffs in Ontario. We went from 107 employees to about 35 by the end of the year.”

Wilson stayed on as plant manager in Ontario for the next 12 years, before eventually joining his friends and many of his former Charvel coworkers at Fender. During that time, Charvel introduced several new lines, including the Classic Series, Fusion Series and Contemporary Series, as well as the semihollow Surfcaster, which had lipstick pickups.

Most of these guitars were sleeker than their mid-Eighties counterparts and more like Jacksons in their body and neck styles. The logo was also changed during these years from the original guitar-shaped lettering to a whimsical and poorly received cursive style script that became known as the “toothpaste logo.”

Things weren’t entirely quiet at the Ontario facility. In 1993, Charvel began manufacturing a limited run of American-made San Dimas Series guitars for a store in New York City. Thanks to their popularity, IMC allowed Charvel to start taking custom orders.

Although production quality had remained high throughout the IMC years, it began to suffer in 1998, when IMC sold the brand to the Akai Musical Instrument Corporation, which was a part of the Chinese firm, Semitech Global. The company shifted the remaining production to Korea and India, in the process severely crippling Charvel’s quality, reputation and what was left of its diminished sales.

Charvel today

In 2002, Fender purchased Charvel and Jackson from Akai and began a concerted effort to bring the guitar maker back to its original form. Marketing manager Mike McGregor says, “We are fortunate to have many of the original Charvel builders and employees with their hands on these instruments. We also had access to a plethora of original Charvel guitars and numerous dealers and collectors.”

Eddie Van Halen’s striped EVH Art Series guitars were the first instruments to come out of the newly reformed shop, located in Fender’s Corona, California facility. The company also made a limited release of EVH Frankenstein replicas from the Custom Shop.

Next were a Warren DeMartini signature model, two San Dimas superstrats and a San Dimas Tele. Fender’s ownership makes it possible for these guitars to feature the Stratocaster headstock once again. In addition, the models sport an exact recreation of the San Dimas P.O. Box neckplate: although a Costco now sits on the space where the hallowed San Dimas shop once stood, Fender receives mail at the Charvel shop’s former San Dimas address.

And considering that Wayne Charvel set off the custom shop revolution, it’s only appropriate that the new Charvel has its own Custom Shop. Adding to the authenticity of Charvel’s customs, Dan Lawrence and Glen Matejzel are again painting many of Charvel’s graphics.

In one respect, the Charvel story has come full circle: It was more than 35 years ago that Fender commissioned Wayne Charvel to do his first official custom work on a Stratocaster. In another respect, the timing is perfect for the reborn Charvel brand. Virtuoso guitar playing has been on the rebound for the past several years.

And then there’s the nostalgia factor: a lot of those new players were inspired by guitarists who did their shredding in the Eighties on a Charvel. McGregor says, “I’m delighted that there is a whole new slew of shredders emerging, many of whom take direct inspiration from the Eighties players who invariably shredded on a Charvel.”

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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What is it?

Surely we already have enough options when it comes to guitar amp modeling? Well, now we have one more in the form of the Darkglass Anagram and its Guitar Essentials package and limited edition hardware. The thing is, this isn’t just any addition to what is a fiercely competitive market, as there are some twists to this launch that make it an interesting proposition.

First, Darkglass is already a household name when it comes to bass processing and has proven pedigree in tone. Second, one of the founders of Darkglass was none other than Douglas Castro, who has since moved on to work on another project - Neural DSP. You may have heard of the brand and its market-leading guitar amp modeler, capture device, and multi-effects - the Quad Cortex.

Then, (and some will see this as the biggest news) there's the inclusion of NAM A2 capture tech courtesy of Tone 3000. This is an open-source form of capture software that is completely free to use, and has been making waves as a genuinely impressive bit of software, regardless of its free nature.

Lastly, the Anagram Guitar Essentials has been put together in collaboration with seasoned guitar retailers Sweetwater and Andertons and is available exclusively through their stores. So, with plenty of knowledgeable brains behind this launch, expectations are, quite rightly, high.

But, before we dive in, let’s clear up exactly what we have here. The Anagram was originally aimed at bass players as a multi-effects and amp modeler that can run as part of a pedalboard or as an entire rig in its own right.

This Guitar Essentials Limited Edition version is exactly the same device, and comes with all that bass goodness. The differences are in the black finish and the inclusion of the Guitar Essentials package, which is a selection of amplifiers and effects essential to every guitarist.

Once the limited run of the hardware (which costs $100 more to cover the pre-loaded Guitar Essentials package) is sold, the Guitar Essentials will be available for every user of the original Anagram to buy and add to their device.

Specs

• Launch price: $1,299/£999
• Type: Bass amp modeler/multi-fx
• Controls: 6x rotary controls (assignable), 3x footswitches, 7-inch touch color screen
• Features: Amp modeler and multi effects, NAM captures, Darkglass Marketplace
• Connectivity: Input, outputs 1&2 (XLR), outputs 3&4 (1/4-inch jack), FX loop headphones (mini-jack) MIDI in/out (mini-jack), USB C
• Power: 9-12v DC, 2A
• Dimensions: 210mm x 105mm x 62mm/8.2" x 4.1" x 2.4"
• Weight: 815g/1.8lbs
• Contact: Darkglass

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

In the hands, the Anagram’s premium feel is the first thing that jumps out. It’s an aluminum chassis in a classy black finish, a look which I prefer to the original.

That aluminum carries the robustness of a piece of gear that can easily live through the rough and tumble of constant gigs, and this is followed suit by the knobs that turn with a reassuring resistance and click without any unwanted horizontal movement.

The footswitches are also clearly built with a gigging life in mind, and I have no concerns about the lights getting drowned out on bright stages. The same can be said for the screen, which shows off its high resolution with some pretty impressive renderings of its imagery.

The I/O at the back of the unit is also free of any looseness that may indicate a poor build, but this is what you would expect at the price point, and from a company with the pedigree that Darkglass has.

The soft-shell-style case continues the premium feel and houses the hardware neatly. It's not the sort of case you would chuck in with the rest of a band's gear on its own, but it is about as sturdy as lightweight soft cases can be.

Additionally, competitors such as the Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini do not come with a case at all, so this is an easy score for Darkglass.

The only minor complaint I have is that the mains adapter feels a little flimsy for a bit of gear that could potentially replace an entire rig. This is exacerbated by a 2A power draw, which, although not problematic on its own, will necessitate the use of the provided mains adapter as most pedalboard power supplies won't accommodate this demand even when combining outputs.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★½

Ease of use is make-or-break for these units. With so many different functions to get the head around and parameters to adjust across the vast number of blocks, avoiding a steep learning curve is no mean feat.

As we noted in our previous review of the Anagram, the unit does well here thanks to a small but intuitive suite of physical controls (six encoders and three footswitches) and a useful touchscreen. The Guitar Essentials version of the Anagram is exactly the same setup, with the only difference being the inclusion of those guitar sounds.

So, in terms of usability, there is no change from the mostly positive points in that previous review; however, it is still worth reiterating the highlights.

It’s the familiar three modes of Presets, Stomps and Scenes through which the footswitches change the entire rig, turn individual effects on and off, or seamlessly switch active blocks and parameters within one scene respectively.

You can also edit the way you view the rig by selecting Chain, Bindings, or Name. The first shows your entire 24-block chain, which can be zoomed into a more palatable and scrollable five at a time.

Bindings view is the highlight for me. It allows us to view exactly what we have set each footswitch to in text form, whilst additionally assigning whatever we want to the six encoders, whether that is activating/de-activating a block or changing individual parameters within a block.

These assignments can be stacked too, and you can set limits on the minimum and maximum amount of adjustment made to save some blushes caused by hasty editing at a gig. Pretty handy.

Name clearly displays the preset in big, easily-readable text as well as the footswitch assignments, making it the view that will be most useful in a gigging circumstance.

The touchscreen is intuitive and makes things easy when it comes to the functional stuff like saving presets, routing, adding blocks, and dragging effects around. The only tripping point is that when I'm scrolling through the icons that represent the effects, it's sometimes reliant on the text within the imagery to discern what the effect is. This text is quite small and is not always easy to read.

There's also a pretty comprehensive I/O featuring stereo ¼” and XLR outputs (separate L and R), MIDI connectivity, Bluetooth audio connectivity, a ⅛” Headphone output, and a TRS stereo effects loop.

Herein lies a limitation, as the Anagram does sport an expression input; however, this takes up the return of the effects loop. This is mitigated by the option to instead use a MIDI controller if you need to use that effects loop for some external stomp boxes, but I’d still much rather see a dedicated expression pedal input given the number of guitarists who own expression pedals.

Back to the positive, and what is particularly exciting about the Anagram isn't just its stellar sounds (more about that soon) but the way in which it can be expanded through NAM and Darkglass Marketplace.

NAM stands for Neural Amp Modeling, which should be noted as a totally separate thing from the closely named Neural DSP. NAM is instead an open-source, capture-based tech that is completely free.

The captures can be browsed and downloaded via Tone 3000’s website, and doing so is straightforward, but does require the Darkglass Suite software and a USB-C connection to link your Anagram to a laptop in order to import the files.

Marketplace is similar and is where third parties can share blocks they have created for the Anagram, some paid, some free. It’s important to note that all core firmware updates and standard blocks developed for the Anagram by Darkglass will remain free.

While it has Bluetooth, there is no mobile app as of yet, and at the time of writing, I'm unaware of any plans to include one. So, at least for the moment, making use of Marketplace and NAM will necessitate a laptop, which feels a little old school at this point, with devices such as the Line 6 Helix Stadium not only sporting Bluetooth apps, but also WIFI to allow similar functions to take place natively within the hardware.

Finally, and helpfully for those of us like myself who are lost on anything with less than six strings, there's the option to hide the bass-aimed blocks from the menus (this is the default on the limited edition model), saving on brain space and scrolling time by displaying only the guitar-relevant stuff.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

Making some noise is where things get really exciting. I’m going to preface it all by saying that the range of guitar sounds here is not as expansive when compared to guitar-first modelers like the Helix Stadium and Quad Cortex.

The clue is in the name. It really is the essentials, so if you are looking for an all-encompassing range of wacky guitar sounds, you will not find that here. At least not yet.

What you do have at launch is a range of 12 models of classic amps, going from classy Fender Cleans to all-out 5150-style distortion. In addition to the NAM models, too, of which there are thousands.

Then there are seven drives, three delays, five reverbs, 10 modulations, and 13 more effects under the EQ, Filters and Dynamics category. Again, all choices that fit the “essentials” moniker. I’ll reiterate that this is not as many as on other modelers, but it’s still more than enough for most.

The amp models are almost universally brilliant. I particularly like the Leonardo Twin, which gives an accurate feeling, mid-scooped Fender Twin Reverb clean, and the Admiral JJM800 with its biting, mid-forward hi-gain Marshall JCM800 thing. The only one I’m not as much of a fan of is the 5150-inspired Phoebe SISO, which, while it is still a good high-gain sound, on its own it lacks the tight low end of the real thing.

I find the amps in general to be impressively touch-sensitive, cleaning up on the volume control and reacting to my picking dynamics in a way that makes them feel truly alive.

As I do with a lot of modelers, I feel the need to add a low-pass filter to help with some high-end that comes across just a little digital on some of the amps. Depending on the amp model, I find around 7K works well, eradicating the 'digitalness' and leaving me with truly inspiring guitar sounds that undeniably put the Anagram in the same league as the market-leading modelers.

The drives are impressive too, with models such as the aforementioned Valve Crier 808 adding the rewarding mid-humped sound associated with the famous Tube Screamer, if slightly lacking in that weighty compressed feel, and the Kentauri Firenze happily fulfilling the role of Klon clone.

A particular highlight is the Green Pie Rate Fuzz, which is a hugely rewarding, thick, mid-scooped Big Muff sound, which includes the option to remove the tone circuit to add in some of that mid frequency, as per the common mod on the real Big Muff pedal.

There is no direct Fuzz Face model, which I find to be a bit of an omission given it's an essentials package. But included is the Duality fuzz, which is a fantastic, meaty-sounding fuzz pedal, with a useful Filter control to adjust its spitti-ness.

There are 10 modulation models - Chorus, Flanger, Whammy, Phaser, Tremolo, Pitch Shifter, Vibrato and then three Octavers (tell me you were originally a bass pedal without telling me you were originally a bass pedal).

I start by kicking on the Flanger, and find it easy to imitate that sound from the intro of Stereophonics’ Dakota. The other modulations follow suit in their rewarding and easy-to-use nature, with the only exception being the Pitch Shifter, which manages to impressively mitigate the odd artifacts these types of effects often add when moving things too far one way or another, but it loses a bit of high end at even small shifts.

We all like a bit of space around our sounds, but we are a little limited when it comes to delays here, with only three to choose from. These are named Analog, Digital, and Mod and expertly do as you would expect.

I am a sucker for an analog delay and the way the repeats darken as they go, keeping themselves out of the way of the mix. The Anagram nails this with buckets (pun absolutely intended) of analog tone and degredation.

The five reverbs are of similarly high quality, featuring Room, Plate, Hall, Shimmer and Spring. I particularly like the authentic drop of the Spring, but the Shimmer feels a little bit separate from the dry signal, resulting in a sound that comes across as unnatural. Useful for some things, but not to my taste.

Also included in the EQ’s, Filters and Dynamics section is a collection of envelope filters, compressors, limiters, EQ’s and autowahs.

The Luminal FET compressor is fantastic for funky compressed cleans, and the amusingly named 'Mo**erf***er' provides a Moog Moogerfooger-style envelope filter for those times when we want things to get a little outlandish.

Verdict

As I referred to earlier, compared to other guitar multi-effects, the Guitar Essentials package does not have a vast amount of options. But this is relative talk. It certainly has enough to cover all the essential sonic bases (and indeed, basses) a guitarist might need.

With the Anagram already established in the bass world, we six-stringers are getting the benefit of a pre-developed platform that has been up and running since April 2025. And it’s worth remembering that if you happen to play bass too (let’s face it, the world is already saturated with guitarists), this limited edition Guitar Essentials version contains all the same bass tones and effects that the already-available Anagram does.

When it comes to pro-level compact, pedalboard-friendly guitar modelers and multi-effects, Fractal, Neural, and Line 6 have some real competition here. For a lot of people, the Anagram’s stellar sounds, NAM compatibility, and ease of use will make it the best choice.

Guitar World verdict: Having already made waves as a bass product, the Anagram is now fully capable of taking it to the established leaders in the guitar modeling and multi-effects world with Guitar Essentials. Relatively speaking, it is not the widest selection of sounds, but what it does do is almost universally brilliant. It covers, as the name suggests, the essentials, and for many, that is all they will need.

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The introduction of relic stickers has reignited the debate on faux-damaged instruments. But why do some players find the concept of relics so, ahem, distressing? Answering that very question – through the medium of a snarky sort-of-interview – it’s this week’s Fret Buzz.

I'm new to relicing. Give me the elevator pitch?

Box-fresh, squeaky-clean, unblemished, and virginal are fine for a Jonas Brother. But what if your guitar could imply you’ve spent the past decade gigging a Deep South dive bar, swatting Hell’s Angels during set breaks, with a wildcat stripper named Candy stubbing Lucky Strikes on your scratchplate after your nightly lovemaking?

Yes. I want people to have that impression of me.

Trouble is, that kind of lifestyle wears you down. Alcoholism. Gonorrhoea. Country ’n’ western. Hence the rise of guitar relicing: an entire art and science dedicated to making your Tele look like Keith Richards’ kneecaps.

How did relicing start, anyway?

Back in the ’80s, repair men realized that putting fresh parts on vintage guitars was like jamming Simon Cowell’s veneers into the mouth of a mummified corpse from a Mesolithic peat bog. The industry sprang up from that first soiled hardware.

I'm sorry, but how is relicing different to vandalism?

Think of it more as willing sadomasochism. These days, guitarists will pay a premium for a good thrashing from a middle-aged carpenter named Kenny.

Hey, whatever your kink. Is there a relicing godfather I should know about?

Most people would cite Tom Murphy, boss and namesake of Gibson’s Murphy Lab. This man is the opposite of a plastic surgeon. An hour on his workbench would turn Harry Styles into Willie Nelson.

Is the Murphy Lab an actual laboratory?

More like a state-of-the-art torture chamber. They’ve got revolutionary lacquer formulations. Cutting-edge cooling chambers. Thermally aged soundboards. But Tom and the team get medieval too, using car keys and railroad spikes. The results are stunning – but controversial.

What's the problem?

There's a school of thought that players should earn their scrapes and dings. Take Rory Gallagher’s ’61 Strat...

Oh yeah. That thing looks like it spent the weekend on Miami Beach with no sunscreen.

That’s a good, honest flaying, right there. No cooling chambers in 1970s Ireland.

So this is about authenticity?

Yeah. It’s like if you found out Harry Potter’s scar wasn’t from battling Voldemort but done under anesthetic on Harley Street. Or that Henry Rollins’ Search & Destroy tattoo was actually one of those stick ’n’ peel jobs your mom applies with a wet sponge.

How about the defense for relicing?

As Murphy reminded Guitar World last year, relicing is more than skin-deep, with the Lab’s fretboard-rolling process giving the feel of a played-in classic. It’s also a feasible way to take a ‘vintage’ instrument out on the road. As for the looks, the only thing that's aged better is Michelle Pfeiffer.

Maybe it's time for an older model. How much is a Murphy Lab guitar?

Prices start around $5,600 for a 1957 Goldtop Reissue (Ultra Light Aged).

Christ! What’s next? Pay someone to scratch my car, smash my windows, and defecate on my lawn?!

Well, maybe you’d prefer those relic stickers we mentioned (yours for $6.20).

No. That's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard of.

Fine. Then go at it with a cheese grater. Start holding band practice in a sauna. Or simply pop your Strat in the Stones’ dressing room – three hours should take your finish from Olympic White to Cancerous Lung.

Although not as outlandish as the Explorer and Flying V, the SG’s pointy horns and sharp body contours were nevertheless radical for the era and it continues to divide opinions decades after its debut at the July 1961 NAMM Show in Chicago.

When analysing many of Gibson’s late 1950s and early ’60s designs, it’s often helpful to consider them in the context of the competition the company faced from Fender.

Flagship models such as the Stratocaster, Jazzmaster and Jaguar had popularised smaller lightweight bodies, double-cutaways for easier upper-fret access, and increasingly slim and fast-feeling necks.

In contrast, the Les Paul Standard and Custom were essentially heavy scaled-down jazz guitars, and while the semi-solids were easier to play higher up the neck, they were also bulky and feedback prone.

Slimline Tonic

The Les Paul Junior and Special models indicated where Gibson’s approach to guitar design and construction was heading when the double-cutaway body shape was introduced in 1958. In a sense, the SG can be seen as an evolution of the Special, with a solid mahogany body that was slimmed down from a nominal 1.5 inches to 1.375 inches and given pronounced contours to sharpen up the plank-like appearance.

Many players welcomed the enhanced playability these new features offered, but there were some drawbacks. The lighter bodies resulted in the SG’s notorious tendency towards neck heaviness and, for some, the long skinny necks made SGs feel more like longbows with guitar strings.

There were structural issues, too, that made the challenge of keeping them in tune second only to the challenge of keeping them in one piece.

SGs are just as vulnerable to headstock breaks as any other vintage-era Gibson model, but slimming down the body also meant that there was less wood and reduced glueing surface area where the neck joined the body.

As a consequence, many SGs have suffered breaks where the neck joins the body and extensive repairs are not uncommon.

Less Les

To his credit, Les Paul identified the SG’s structural issues from the get-go, and by the third year of production the embossed Les Paul logo was quietly removed from the truss rod cover.

The model name was also changed from the Les Paul SG Standard to the SG Standard. Les later suggested: “The problem that the SG had was the fact that you could pull back on the neck and it wasn’t strong enough. I don’t want no vibrato by bending on the neck. I want a good solid instrument, and it didn’t sustain as good. Otherwise, it’s a good instrument.”

It must be said that there’s no evidence the likes of Frank Zappa, Angus Young and Derek Trucks ever struggled with a lack of sustain. As for the whippy necks, Pete Townshend used them to create vibrato effects and control feedback, as you can hear on Live At Leeds.

He was eventually forced to stop playing SGs, however, because replacements couldn’t be found in sufficient numbers to replace those rendered unusable by his ferociously physical playing style and tendency to clout self-righteous hippies at music festivals.

Les Paul models of the 1950s ranged from entry-level Juniors and Specials to the flagship Standard and Custom models. SGs followed suit, with the same P-90/humbucker split but far greater consistency in the way they were constructed. And just like before, the two-pickup Standard model was far more popular than the glitzy gold-plated three‑pickup Custom.

For some collectors, the golden era of the SG Standard lasted from 1961 to ’63. Besides the kudos of retaining the Les Paul branding, SGs from that era stand a good chance of having those fabled ‘Patent Applied For’ humbucking pickups.

Although Gibson was granted its patent in 1959, it continued using up stocks of these pickups and Patent Applied For decals for years afterwards, and there are documented examples of gold-plated units still being installed as late as 1965.

This is where things become murky because not all Patent Applied For pickups were created equal. The version that Gibson was making after mid-’61 had shorter Alnico V magnets, which generate a fatter and more midrange focused tone.

Also, some examples have Patent Number decals, despite conforming in all other respects to the Patent Applied For formula. With so much money riding on them, the devil really is in the decals.

Cherry On Top

According to some SG aficionados, the ultimate year for the model was 1963, so we’re pleased to have got our hands on a ’63 SG. Better still, it’s one of those ever so rare examples that retains its full history.

This guitar can be traced back to Hessy’s Music in Liverpool where its original owner purchased it. That same owner consigned it to Gardiner Houlgate in Wiltshire to be auctioned, where it achieved a hammer price of £10,000 in December 2025.

It is clear that this SG saw a lot of action on the Liverpool circuit and the owner is known to have played for The Squares, The Renicks and The Twig. He also regularly performed at the iconic Cavern Club and even shared the stage with The Beatles prior to acquiring the guitar. One of the most charming features is a ‘Frank Hessy LTD’ sticker that the shop applied to the rear of the headstock.

Thankfully, this SG was spared the modifications that were so often done to guitars during the ’60s and ’70s. There is quite a bit of playwear on the back of the neck, along with finish rub-throughs on the edges, and the dings and dents that are typically acquired by gigging guitars. But the finish retains a vibrant cherry colour and there is no evidence of repairs or overspray.

The electronics are also all original, with a full set of 1963 potentiometers and two original pickups. Since 1963 was a crossover year for such things, it’s hardly a surprise to see a Patent Number pickup in the bridge position and a Patent Applied For in the neck. Guitars & Musical Instruments auctioneer Luke Hobbs suggested that the decal is the only significant difference and that both pickups sound exactly the same.

Other than one replaced tuner screw and a new switch tip, this SG is completely original. The owner’s son brought it to Gardiner Houlgate in a Frank Hessy-supplied hard case, which also contained the original Gibson strap.

Sideways Glance

Another reason ’63 SGs are so popular is that they retain most of the desirable early features, but most are unencumbered by Gibson’s notorious sideways vibrato. No doubt this device has its fans, but in most cases any attempt to use it in earnest is just a prelude to tuning mayhem. Since owners generally fold up the arm and tuck it out of the way, it makes one wonder why Gibson went to the bother of making these.

Gibson would have been aware of the popularity of Fender vibratos and maybe considered Bigsbys to be too expensive or too closely associated with Gretsch to be used on its guitars. Either way, the company devised its own vibrato, with a bar that moved side to side, rather than up and down.

As someone who has removed a few of these, this writer can also report that they are extremely heavy. And that’s possibly their best attribute because sideways vibratos do a fine job of counteracting neck dive, and some credit them with enhancing sustain.

Given the aforementioned tendency of SG necks to induce vibrato (whether you want it or not), vibratos on SGs may seem as superfluous as go-faster stripes on a Ferrari. But the Maestro Vibrola unit that features in this guitar is actually very effective, despite being as under-engineered as the sideways vibrato was over-engineered.

The Maestro, which replaced the sideways vibrato, is little more than a springy piece of metal that is screwed onto the body. So long as you respect its limitations, you can use it to apply gentle Bigsby-like vibrato with confidence that your strings will stay in tune. The trickiest part is finding the sweet spot where the screw-on arm stays tight enough to provide good feel but can swing out of the way when it’s not needed.

As for the sizable ‘lyre’ faceplate, it attaches to a metal frame that is also screwed onto the body. They serve no practical purpose, but they do look good.

Between 1963 and the end of the decade, the SG continued evolving. By 1965, Gibson had transitioned from nickel-plated to chrome-plated hardware, and soon after the neck joint was revised. Known as the ‘Stair Step’, the rejigged join was moved closer to the 19th fret and the heel was elongated for additional strength and stability.

The fretboard width at the nut gradually reduced from 1 11/16 inches to 1 9/16 inches, and ended up at 1 5/8 inches. Gibson also changed the headstock angle from 17 to 14 degrees, and the pickguard was enlarged to extend beyond the bass strings and eliminate the need for pickup rings. These days, you can choose whichever style or feature set you prefer from the current range of Epiphone and Gibson models.

• With thanks for Gardiner Houlgate for allowing us to photograph this guitar.
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Martin has brought back a gem from the archives in the form of the 5-28 Terz – a reissue of the smallest acoustic body shape it's ever produced.

Forget your parlor guitars and travel guitars, the 5-28 Terz is a different proposition altogether. With a pint-sized 21.28” scale length and a total fret count of only 18 – with a body joint at the 12th fret – this newly revived Size 5 model is officially the smallest guitar Martin has on its books.

Its return has been a long-time coming. Martin says the 5-28 Terz answers “long-standing player demand” for its comeback. And while at $3,599 it might not have returned in the form everyone was hoping (surely there’s a cheaper version in the pipeline?) it’s nice to see a bit of extra history in the Martin lineup.

As per the price tag, Martin has rolled out the red carpet for this one. There’s East Indian rosewood back and sides, a spruce top with “Aging Toner” top color for a vintage feel, and an ebony-topped dark mahogany neck.

Flourishes include mother-of-pearl fingerboard inlays, multi-stripe body binding, and a Style 28 multi-stripe rosette. There’s also an ebony bridge with bone pins, a compact 1 ¾” fingerboard width at the bone nut, and a Modified Low Oval neck with High-Performance taper.

Because of the tiny setup, this one features Terz tuning – which pitches it a minor third above standard. So, not only is this unusually small, it is also unusual-sounding. Plus, it kinda looks like that priceless 1870s acoustic that Kurt Russell mistakenly smashed in The Hateful Eight, so that’s a plus.

In its pitch, Martin writes, “The Martin 5-28 Terz answers long-standing player demand for the return of this uniquely voiced Size 5 model to the Martin lineup – now the smallest guitar we offer.

“With roots dating back to the earliest days of Martin, this ultra-compact 12-fret instrument features a short 21.38" scale length and is designed for Terz tuning – a minor third higher than standard – delivering a focused, bell-like voice that adds shimmer, clarity, and new sonic texture to any arrangement.”

The 5-28 Terz has been released alongside three other new acoustics – the OM-35 Inception, and Custom Shop 0-18 and 0-28.

Head over to Martin to find out more about the new models.

Wayne Charvel, the visionary guitar maker whose namesake brand changed the guitar industry, has died at the age of 85.

The news was announced in a statement posted to Dignity Memorial, which confirmed he passed away earlier this month on July 12.

Charvel leaves behind a legacy as one of the guitar world’s most influential change-makers.

“Beyond his remarkable craftsmanship, he was a devoted father, grandfather, family member, and friend,” the post on Dignity Memorial notes. “He will be remembered for his kindness, integrity, wisdom, and his great sense of humor.

“His greatest legacy is not only the beautiful guitars he built, but also the love, values, and inspiration he shared with everyone around him. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew and loved him. His impact in the music world, and his loving spirit will live on for generations.”

Few luthiers have had the same impact on the guitar scene as Charvel. When he opened Charvel’s Guitar Repair in 1974 in Azusa, California, he unwittingly sparked a guitar custom shop revolution.

Charvel originally performed aftermarket customizations and sold parts that allowed players to build their own instruments. He became a go-to partner for the likes of Gibson and Fender, who didn’t provide in-house custom work of their own, and quickly attracted some notable early clientele, Eddie Van Halen included.

“Eddie came by the shop a lot and sometimes would sit on the floor and play the guitar while we repaired some of his other guitars,” Charvel once said.

“One day, Eddie came over to the shop and asked if I had an extra body and neck. I told him that I had an extra Boogie Body neck and an old body in my shop. I gave Ed the parts, and the next time I saw the guitar he had used a spray can to paint it white with black stripes. He used nails to hold the pickup in the body.”

That guitar went on to be known as Frankenstein and changed the face of rock guitar as we know it.

By the dawn of the 1980s and the shred era, Charvel had already begun building its own guitars. They ended up in the hands of the biggest players of the age, including Steve Vai, Jake E. Lee, Warren DeMartini and George Lynch.

Outside the metal world, Jeff Beck and Allan Holdsworth were fans. At Van Halen's own request, Wayne Charvel also built the original Bumblebee guitar.

In 1978, Charvel’s interest in the company was bought out by Grover Jackson, who helped the company level up and delivered Charvels to the masses. But though he was part of his eponymous brand for only four years, Wayne had already left a huge impact on the scene.

A hot-rod enthusiast who inspired players to experiment with their instruments while emboldening them with superior mods and setups, Charvel prioritized speed, sound and quality, pioneering what would later be known as the "Superstrat".

The company’s own instruments continued to follow the precedent set by Wayne, and the resulting instruments virtually became synonymous with the shred scene.

“There was a vibe and a team spirit at Charvel that I never experienced anywhere else,” Grover Jackson once observed. “Sometimes the good intention of the creator gets into the product, against all odds, and this was certainly true of every Charvel that went out the door.”

In 2002, Charvel was acquired by Fender, which helped return the brand to its former glory after decades in the wilderness triggered by the rise in grunge and declining quality.

As such, Charvel’s name continues to be associated with some of guitar’s most iconic instruments and players. More recently, its legacy has been carried by a range of modern virtuosos, from Sean Long and Rick Graham, to Angel Vivaldi, Guthrie Govan and Jim Root.

Charvel is survived by his wife, Susan; his sons, Michael, Richard, and Robert; his daughter, Jennifer; and his grandchildren, Gavin, Glory and Giana.

In Chinese culture, 2026 is the year of the horse. In the guitar sphere, 2026 is the year of Angine de Poitrine and their brilliantly bonkers double-neck guitar/bass.

The band’s KEXP spot in March, in support of their second album, Vol.II, broke the internet with their microtonal guitar the centerpiece. Viewed over 17 million times, their stock continues to rise like a balloon that’s slipped through a child’s fingers. But therein lies a problem.

Their first microtonal experimentations were – by their own admission – a joke as they sawed extra frets onto an existing guitar. Then they turned to French-Canadian luthier Raphaël Le Breton, who made them the polka dot double-neck with which they’ve made their name. It’s served them well. But they never expected to get so big this quickly.

They needed a second guitar to accommodate their intense touring schedule. When Le Breton proved unavailable, they didn’t have to look too far for a solution: Quebecois guitar co Godin was already sliding into their DMs.

“My friend had shown me the band, so we’d sent their manager an email saying we were open to making them a guitar,” says CEO Simon Godin. “Two weeks later they were touring our factory.”

The band had ridden into town – presumably on a double-headed horse – for a show in Richmond, near one of Godin’s five Canadian factories. “They were blown away by all our tooling and the space,” he reports. “So they said, ‘We’re Quebecois, you’re Quebecois; let’s do it.’”

The local connection was important for the band, with Godin having produced the Limelight and Grace guitars for Alex Lifeson, and a signature guitar for fellow Canadian heavyweight Michel Cusson. But speed was essential, too.

“They asked if we could make the guitar in one month,” Godin says. “That’s pretty crazy – a normal production guitar takes eight weeks.” This, of course, wasn’t a normal production. “It should have been impossible, but we stopped everything. We had a lot of people working on those guitars.” They did it in 38 days.

It was Godin’s first foray into both double-neck and microtonal guitars, and they were handed a strict brief. The new instrument needed to be substantially lighter (considering the original is literally two guitars cut in half and stuck together) feature a smaller gap between the necks, and resolve some key playability issues.

“Because they’re so busy, I only got one hour with the original guitar,” Godin reveals. “We weighed it, took measurements, and that was it.” The resulting guitars – they made two with different pickups – were very much the firm’s own design.

Guitarist Khn wanted greater visibility of the fretboard, so Godin placed glow-in-the-dark fret markers on the back of the neck: white lines for the dotted frets and black for the rest. The microtonal frets are unmarked.

A purpose-built basswood body, with a chambered center, dramatically reduced its weight, and upper fret access was simultaneously improved. But Godin brought plenty more ideas to the table.

“Having the headstock six-in-a-row gave them more attack and dynamics because of the string tension,” he says, “especially with the reverse headstock, which also makes a triangle with the bass headstock. It’s got locking tuners and the necks are reinforced with carbon fiber, so they’re really stable.”

The guitar keeps its two inputs (Khn splits the guitar and bass signal between a Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120 and a Hartke HA2500) but they’re now placed alongside each other. That means the Strat-like input for the guitar, the upper of the two necks, stays well away from the bottom neck – a pain-in-the-butt feature on the original.

The guitar features a 25.5” scale length with a flat Godin bridge, while the bass has a 34” scale length with a Hipshot bridge. They both feature Graph Tech nuts and Richlite fretboards, with 37 and 35 stainless-steel frets on the guitar and bass respectively.

Frets 1-15 are quarter-tone, with standard half-tone frets until the 22nd. The quarter-tone frets were installed by hand – Godin claims that making the microtonal necks was the easiest part. It simply required “a formula you can do on an Excel spreadsheet.”

Electronics-wise, they’re saddled with unbranded noise-canceling pickups from major players. Godin assures us that “we put the best of the best in there.”

Beyond that are plenty of Easter eggs. “They wanted three of everything,” Godin confirms. “The dice knobs are all at three; even the serial numbers have 333 at the end.”

Previously, Khn’s makeshift guitar case (a sleeping bag) had caused problems at airports, so Montreal’s Boblen custom-built cases were sworn in. The guitar gets its own seat on every flight they take, so to keep things compact, its necks are removed for travel. The case is tactfully nondescript because “they wanted it to be under the radar.”

Godin notes, “If something happened to it, it’s not like you go to a music store and buy another one.” When GW jokes that their shopping list would need to consist of two guitars, extra frets, and a lot of glue, Godin laughs before adding a stern “It’s not that easy…”

So, the million-dollar question: is there going to be a signature model? “I get asked this every day,” he responds. “I’m speaking with their team. It’s not a yes or a no. Everything went very big, very fast, and now this is the instrument they’ve dreamed of.

“Maybe this is why, for now, they want to keep it unique. If we do make a signature version, it won’t be a big production. It will be more of a collectible item that you hang on your wall.

“One thing’s for sure: we would like to make single-neck microtonal guitars and basses for those who want that sound but prefer something easier to play.”

Other brands, like Eastwood, have hit the market with polka dot-laden, AdP-inspired guitars. For Godin, who sees its work with the band as a real badge of honor, it’s an unfortunate side-effect of their success.

“Counterfeit items like vinyl and t-shirts are a big problem for them,” says Vincent Cléroux, the project manager on the builds who oversaw fretting, shaping and electronics. “A lot of the counterfeit producers are just following trends, trying to make a quick buck. Do you want to vote with your money for that?”

Khn first played the guitar in Joliette, Canada, on June 20 in front of 20,000 people. A week later they performed to approximately 100,000 people at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Godin and Cléroux were among those in the crowd, witnessing history being made with a guitar they built.

“When I brought the guitar to Khn, he didn’t say much. He just kept playing it. I knew he loved it,” says Godin. “Seeing them play that stage with our guitar, the hairs on my arms went up. It was insane.”

“Of course, we’re biased, but I think our guitar sounds better,” Cléroux adds. “We’re really proud. It was a special moment.”

• See Godin for more info.

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.

The following feature contains excerpts from Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story by Brad Tolinski & Chris Gill, out now via Da Capo.

Iconic guitars aren’t necessarily dime-a-dozen (as proven by the results of Christie’s recent Jim Irsay Auction where several instruments sold for astonishing prices that beat previous records), but they are relatively plentiful as almost every player of note is associated with a particular famous guitar, or several.

However, instances where two or more legendary guitarists are associated with one single guitar are much rarer, with the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard that once belonged to Peter Green and Gary Moore (and is currently owned by Kirk Hammett) and the red “Lucy” Les Paul that passed from John Sebastian to Rick Derringer to Eric Clapton to George Harrison being notable examples.

A certain 1959 Fender Telecaster also enjoys legendary “two-timer” status for the roles it played in the early careers of Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page – two titans of the highly influential ’60s British blues-rock triumvirate, which also included fellow Yardbirds alumnus Eric Clapton.

This was the guitar that Beck played as he rose through the ranks of London’s burgeoning blues-rock/R&B club scene during the early ’60s through his beginnings with the Yardbirds and that later became Page’s main instrument on Led Zeppelin’s 1969 debut album and was featured on select later recordings, including the solo for Stairway to Heaven.

How or when this particular 1959 Telecaster ended up in England is unknown, but its earliest known history can be traced to sometime in late 1960 or early 1961 when John Owen purchased it as a used instrument for £107.

This was a late-1959 example, featuring a slab rosewood neck, white eight-screw pickguard, light blonde finish that looked almost white and an ashtray bridge with six holes for top-loading the strings (a short-lived, poorly conceived feature), although the late-’59 model also had holes for anchoring strings through the body.

Owen was a good friend of Jeff Beck during their teenage years, and when Beck got an offer to join a band called the Deltones he accepted only under the condition that they also hire Owen on rhythm guitar.

It was a bold move, but Beck’s loyalty ran deep. Owen had been one of his biggest supporters, often lifting his spirits during moments of self‑doubt. And then there was a more self-serving reason: Beck coveted Owen’s ’59 Tele.

During his tenure with the Deltones, Beck experimented with several different instruments, including a Hofner Futurama III and a 1960 sunburst Fender Stratocaster, the latter purchased in 1961 with his mother’s reluctant help as a guarantor.

Although both were solid, professional-quality instruments, he gravitated toward Owen’s Tele, borrowing it so frequently that it became less of a loan and more of a permanent arrangement. Eventually, Beck convinced Owen to part with it for good, most likely shortly after Beck traded his Strat for a 1953 Ford Zephyr in late 1962 or early ’63.

The ’59 Telecaster remained Beck’s trusty companion as he joined various bands during the early ’60s, including the Nightshift and the Tridents.

“When I first heard Beck, I just thought, ‘What the fuck was that?’” Tridents lead guitarist Mike Jopp, who Beck replaced, later recalled.

“There was this guy with a Telecaster and a Binson Echorec, and the notes were flying everywhere. Nobody at that point was doing anything like it. He was incredibly flashy, pressing the strings behind the nut, detuning them, making sounds that were just otherworldly. He was on a whole different level.”

At some point, Beck swapped the Tele’s original white single-layer pickguard for a black pickguard. Beck idolized the early ’50s black-guard Esquires he first saw as an impressionable 13-year-old in the hands of the guitarists in Little Richard and Gene Vincent’s bands in the film The Girl Can’t Help It. This simple cosmetic modification brought the Tele closer to those guitars of his dreams.

The Telecaster remained in this state when Beck replaced Clapton as the lead guitarist for the Yardbirds in March 1965. The guitar appeared in Beck’s highly capable hands in his early television appearances with the Yardbirds on shows like Ready Steady Go! and Top of the Pops.

It also appeared in a promotional film shot on June 16, 1965, for American television where the band campily mimicked a performance of For Your Love while dressed in Renaissance Faire regalia. Beck played the Tele on his earliest recordings with the Yardbirds, including the seminal raga-rock hit Heart Full of Soul.

When the Yardbirds returned from Paris, where they opened shows for the Beatles on June 20, 1965, the Telecaster temporarily went missing. While on a previous tour with the Walker Brothers, Beck noticed a 1954 Fender Esquire that belonged to Walker Brothers guitarist John Maus.

The Esquire had a blond maple neck – a feature rarely seen on Fender guitars imported to Britain as most Fenders that made their way to U.K. shores were later models with rosewood fingerboards.

Needing a quick replacement for the lost Tele, Beck made a beeline to Maus and bought the Esquire for £75. When Beck later replaced the white pickguard for a black one, he finally had an Esquire that cosmetically matched the ones he lusted after in The Girl Can’t Help It.

When the ’59 Telecaster was eventually recovered, Beck lost interest in it in favor of his new axe. That interest waned even further when Beck bought a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard in early 1966 and the Les Paul became his main guitar.

When the Yardbirds’ newly hired manager, Simon Napier-Bell, distributed funds from a large advance he negotiated for the band from EMI Records, Jeff bought a 1963 Corvette Stingray. The next day he drove it to his good friend Jimmy Page’s house along with the ’59 Telecaster.

“I was still living with my parents at the time in Epsom,” Page said. “And I heard this car come roaring up. I looked out the window and I saw this blue Stingray outside… and Jeff’s coming out and he’s holding this guitar. [I thought] ‘Oh, he’s come to have a play.’

“He knocked on the door and explained that [the Yardbirds] had just done a new deal and he bought the Stingray with it. Then he said, ‘Here, this is yours’ and gave me his 1959 Telecaster. He said, ‘This is yours for getting me in the Yardbirds.’ Well, obviously, I was really moved, you know, because there was a lot of love in that gesture of giving it to me.”

When Beck gave Page the Tele, Jeff had restored it to its original cosmetic appearance by replacing the black pickguard with either its original white pickguard or one he made himself. Later, when Page joined Beck in the Yardbirds – first on bass and soon as a second lead guitarist – he played the Tele with the band. Page perfected his signature use of the violin bow on this guitar while performing alongside Beck.

The ’59 Tele got the first of two significant cosmetic modifications Page performed to the guitar shortly after Beck left the Yardbirds in late 1966. First, Page acquired eight small circular mirrors and glued them to the guitar’s top on the upper bout and below the bridge as well as to the pickguard.

“After Jeff left, I started to think much more about my visual image with the band,” Page wrote in Jimmy Page: The Anthology (Genesis Publications, 2020).

“I wanted there to be more to the Telecaster than just the sound it made. I thought that maybe I could do something with light, maybe reflecting light from the guitar onto the audience to make a kind of kinetic sculpture. It started to become an art piece in its own right.”

Eventually, Page decided to make a second, even more dramatic modification to the Tele’s appearance by stripping off its finish, installing a custom reflective pickguard that displayed changing colors under bright spotlights and painting a multi-colored dragon image on the body.

“I painted it in one go over the course of an evening, finishing it the next day,” Page recalled in The Anthology. “The pattern took on the imagery of a dragon. I was quite happy with the way it ended up. Now it was the ‘Dragoncaster.’ I played it on the last Yardbirds recordings at the Anderson Theater in New York and on Led Zeppelin. Once it was created and painted it became like the legendary Excalibur as it traveled from the Yardbirds to Led Zeppelin.”

The “Dragoncaster” became a familiar sight at Led Zeppelin’s early shows up until April 1969 when Page bought a Les Paul Standard from Joe Walsh while the band was on tour in the United States. The Les Paul promptly became Page’s main guitar, and he left the ’59 Telecaster behind at his home after Led Zeppelin returned to England in June 1969.

Led Zeppelin’s North American tour resumed during July and August 1969, and when Page came back home in September he was greeted with an unwelcome surprise from his house sitter.

“It’s a tragic story,” Page told Guitar World in 1998. “When I got back, a friend of mine had kindly painted over my paint job. He said, ‘I’ve got a present for you.’ He thought he had done me a real favor. As you can guess, I wasn’t real happy about that. His paint job totally screwed up the sound and the wiring, so only the neck pickup worked.”

In despair, Page stripped off the paint once again. He managed to repair the wiring and used the Tele for one last hurrah in 1970 when he recorded his solo for Stairway to Heaven. “I salvaged the neck and put it on my brown (string bender) Tele that I used in the Firm,” he told GW in 1998. “As for the body, it will never be seen again!”

That statement led many guitar fans to believe that the guitar had joined the list of legendary “lost Teles,” a rumor that still persists to this day. Fortunately, Page broke his controversial promise in 2019, not only by resurrecting the Tele but also by painstakingly reproducing his original dragon artwork from detailed photos and his own memory.

“It was the Met (the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City) wanting to include this guitar in the Play It Loud exhibition that gave me the motivation to get it repainted,” Page wrote in The Anthology. “I’d been meaning to do it at some point but had had so many projects to do and now was the time.”

Later that year, Fender released signature models based on the “mirrored” and “dragon” versions of this legendary 1959 Telecaster, each offered as both a production model and as a limited-edition Custom Shop release.

The Fender Jimmy Page Dragon and Mirror Telecasters were long-overdue tributes to a truly iconic guitar that played a massive role in the historic British blues-rock movement during the ’60s by inspiring the development of hard rock and heavy metal, which made the electric guitar the leading voice of rebellion and free expression ever since.

• This feature contains excerpts from Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story by Brad Tolinski & Chris Gill, out now via Da Capo.
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

It’s fair to say that the third installment of a franchise is often the hardest. Every threequel wants to be Return of the King or The Last Crusade, but more often than not, it ends up being The Godfather Part III, The Matrix Revolutions, or The Dark Knight Rises – you either die the hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain, right?

In the realm of the electric guitar, looking to break the curse of the third-act slog is Fender and the hotly anticipated Vintera III series. The Vintera range has never claimed to be faithful vintage recreations. Instead, they opt to generalize the specs, going for a decade rather than a specific production year. This is an effort to capture the look, feel, and tone of golden-age guitars, without locking them into the demands of a fully period-correct build – let’s leave that to the Custom Shop.

Picking up where the II left off, this all-new slate of guitars keeps the original's premise, but takes it in a slightly different direction in terms of years. This time around, we have models inspired by the late '50s as well as the early, mid, and late '60s. The guitar I’m looking at today is the Late '50s Stratocaster.

As expected, this Strat features an alder body paired with a 1-piece maple neck and maple fingerboard. The neck is a '50s “D” profile and is peppered with 21 Vintage Tall frets with a retro 7.25" radius.

Tonally, the Vintera III Strat is powered by a trio of suitably vintage Late '50s Single-Coil Strat pickups, which look to get you as close to the charm of an old-school Strat as possible. That said, what isn’t period-correct is the switching. Original late-50s Stratocasters were wired a little differently from how they're wired today. The first tone knob controlled the neck pickup, while the second controlled the middle pickup; this meant the bridge pickup had no tone control, arguably where you need it most!

The Vintera III comes wired like a modern Strat, with a master volume and tone 1 controlling both the neck and middle pickups, while tone 2 takes care of the bridge pickup.

Rounding out the specs is a vintage-style synchronized tremolo and period-accurate split-post tuning machines.

The whole thing is finished in a gloss polyester lacquer and available in three finish options, from the classic 3-Color Sunburst, which I am reviewing today, to Knopfler-esque Dakota Red and the glittering Aztec Gold. The model also ships with a padded Fender gigbag.

Guitar World demo video

Specs

• Launch price: $1,249 | £1,029 | €1,249
• Made: Mexico
• Type: Six-string electric guitar
• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple, Late '50s "D"
• Fingerboard: Maple, 7.25" radius
• Scale length: 25.5" (648 mm)
• Nut/width: Bone, 1.650" (42 mm)
• Frets: 21 Vintage Narrow Tall
• Hardware: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles, Fender Vintage-Style tuners, 1-Ply pickguard
• Electrics: Vintage-Style Late '50s Single-Coil Strat pickups, Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck/Middle Pickups), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
• Weight: 7.5 lbs/3.4kg
• Left-handed options: N/A
• Finishes: -Color Sunburst, Dakota Red, Aztec Gold
• Cases: Fender Gigbag
• Contact: Fender

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

Right, first things first, this is a very handsome guitar, indeed. I’ve always had a soft spot for ‘50s Strats, personally owning a ‘54 Commemorative Anniversary model, and this one does not disappoint in the looks department.

While my own Strat is the earlier option with the more subtle 2-tone sunburst finish over an ash body, this model opts for alder and brings in a pop of red, turning it into the universally loved 3-tone sunburst – although there’s no woodgrain pattern showing through, making it look more like a solid finish than semi-transparent, like you would expect. Fender first introduced the 3-tone sunburst in early 1958, so it’s right on the money to match that “late ‘50s” moniker the guitar wears.

I’d say the poly finish feels good enough underhand, but I’d still prefer to see a full nitrocellulose lacquer on these guitars – in keeping with the vintage vibe they are going for. It would really complete the look for me, and some natural aging is an added bonus, too.

Another period-correct feature is the 8-hole, 1-ply pickguard. Yes, it may look a little basic, and dare I say cheap, but it is what guitars from this era looked like. Fender wouldn’t switch to the 11-hole, 3-ply pickguard until around mid-1959, so again, the company is authentically including the correct option here.

The overall fit and finish of this guitar is pretty spot on. In fact, I can’t really see anything out of place. The finish has been neatly applied, the sunburst has a satisfying fade through the three colors, and the neck joint is tight and flush. This build quality also extends to the vintage-style tremolo, which feels smooth and glides effortlessly. It also shows how well the real bone nut – an upgrade from previous generations – has been cut, as there’s no string stickage here.

Some players may notice that you can see the edges of the headstock decals, as they have been applied over the finish. This isn’t actually a mistake or carelessness from Fender, but another period-correct trait they have chosen to replicate.

That all said, I must say the frets could use a bit of attention. They are covered in patches of amber lacquer across most frets. For most glossy maple boards, Fender typically sprays the lacquer after the frets are installed, then cleans up the frets to a perfect polish.

The clean-up job isn’t great on my test example, and as a result, it feels dull and sticky when bending the strings – and generally looks pretty unsightly. I’m seeing this carelessness with frets more and more from the big names, and frankly, it’s something I’d like to see companies take more seriously.

At $1,249, this is most definitely not a cheap guitar, and as such, I really expect things like this to be done at the factory ahead of shipping.

However, it is an easy enough fix, and it doesn’t detract from what is otherwise a smartly built guitar that is teeming with vintage mojo straight out of the box.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★½

If you’re a modern player who likes modern necks, this Strat will not be for you. This is, by all metrics, a vintage-lover’s neck through and through – and I, for one, love it.

Billed as an “authentic late '50s ‘D’-shaped neck profile,” this neck is certainly rounder than contemporary Strats, but it’s not massive. We’re not talking baseball bat, Gibson Les Paul territory. It’s subtly rounded and very inviting to play, in my opinion.

Now, I have a couple of vintage reissue Fenders, mainly an AVRI Jazzmaster and Telecaster, both based on ‘64 models, so I’m pretty used to a 7.25" radius fingerboard and those smaller vintage-tall frets. But those not all that familiar may take a little bit of time adjusting to the rounder radius.

There’s a lot of common wisdom swirling online around the 7.25" radius fingerboard – some swear by it, others avoid it. The main argument in its favor is that its rounder profile makes chording a dream. Open chords, barre chords, and Hendrix-style thumb-over shapes all feel supremely comfortable, and that’s certainly true of this new Vintera model.

For me, the natural contour of the neck follows the shape of my hand, making rhythm work especially pleasant. That said, critics argue that these curved boards make big bends and low action more difficult, claiming that notes can “fret out” when you push a string up high on the neck – but that’s not something I found on this model.

Bending is easy and expressive. Fender’s vintage-tall frets give you just enough height to dig in for lead work, while the setup – around medium-low for me, at 1.55mm on the low E to 1.25mm at the high E – allows for easy bends and wide vibrato without choking out.

Yes, the neck has some meat to it, but ultimately, it still feels easy to navigate. Okay, so if you’re coming from a flatter, modern fingerboard, you might notice the difference, but for vintage fans this Strat sits in the sweet spot for both chord and lead work.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★★

Maybe it was because my first-ever guitar was a Strat, but I’ve always loved the sound of this famed Fender. Yes, the Telecaster is a straightforward tone machine – simply set it to stun, point and shoot. The Stratocaster, on the other hand, has a few extra sounds locked away inside, and this Vintera does a very good job of representing the best of what Leo's crowning achievement can deliver.

For testing, I start by plugging into my '68 Custom Twin Reverb reissue, set a mild amount of verb, and get to playing.

Labeled as “vintage-style late ‘50s” pickups, there’s plenty of woody warmth here, especially from that neck pickup. There’s a moderate output and a real vintage authority to the pickups as a whole. Which I really appreciate. As I said up top, the model forgoes the 3-way pickup selector that would’ve come on a vintage example and swaps it out for the far more useful 5-way switch. This means I have access to all the sounds typically found in the Strat’s sonic palette.

Arguably the most beloved Strat tone is the combination of the bridge and middle pickup, which results in a smooth, slightly out-of-phase tone that just begs you to play your favorite John Mayer licks.

On the Vintera III, this position is bright, with plenty of attack and a slightly hollowed mid-range. Simply put, it sounds fantastic. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it gives the Custom Shop ‘54 pickups in my own Strat a run for their money.

For the funk-masters out there, you'll most definitely want to stick to the percussive attack of the middle position, which again sounds as good as ever in this new model. The bridge pickup is, obviously, where the majority of the treble lives, and here it manages to stay on the right end of harsh. Never sounding too brittle or thin, for that matter. It certainly helps that I can roll down the tone if needed – something players in 1958 couldn’t do!

Moving on, I switch things up and plug into a Vox AC30, stomp on a Tube Screamer, and see how this Strat handles with more gain. To my surprise, it takes it in its stride. The guitar almost takes on a somewhat throaty vocal quality that is perfect for bluesy lead lines and even alt-rock riffage.

I dare not push the gain much higher, as things are on the cusp of getting too noisy, but I’d say this late '50s Strat does more than rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly or country. It would be easy to write this guitar off as a one-trick pony, but actually there is a wealth of tones here, and it’s a pretty versatile guitar all things considered.

Verdict

If you’re after a Strat that leans hard into its old-school DNA, the Vintera III Late ’50s is a love letter to Fender’s golden era, wrapped in a handsome sunburst finish. This is not a guitar for a shred set – after all, there are plenty of them available elsewhere – it’s for those who want their instrument to feel like one from the past, but with a few choice contemporary updates.

The feel of this guitar is very specific. That late-’50s “D” profile, paired with a 7.25" radius and vintage-tall frets, creates a playing experience that’s tactile, inviting, and packed with character. Is it for everyone? No, definitely not. If you’re coming from modern, flatter necks, you’ll feel the difference immediately. But for those who love wrapping their thumb over the top, digging into big chords, or coaxing out expressive bends, this Strat rewards your effort with a feel that’s perfectly old-school. Personally, I think the frets could stand a better polish from the factory, and at this price, that’s worth noting.

Sonically, the Vintera III goes toe to toe with higher-end Custom Shop models, in my opinion. The pickups capture the warmth, snap, and sparkle you want from a late-’50s Strat, with enough output to handle blues, classic rock, and even a touch of alt grit if you push it – and better yet, the modern wiring is a thoughtful update, putting tone control right where you need it.

The bottom line is that the Late ’50s Strat is a fantastic entry into the now long-running Vintera series, proving that some third installments are most definitely as good as the original.

Guitar World verdict: The Vintera III Late ’50s Stratocaster is a loving tribute to vintage Fender, offering authentic late-’50s feel, sound, and looks in a package that’s both inspiring and approachable. The neck is comfortable, the pickups are lively and versatile, and period-correct details are tastefully done.

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• Best Stratocasters: The best Strats for every budget and playing style

It’s hard to imagine a world without the Gibson flat-top. But as senior product development manager, Robi Johns, reminds us, you have to wind back the dials of the time machine a full century to find the Michigan luthier on the brink of arguably its most exciting quantum leap (at least, until the electric revolution of the ’50s).

“It’s amazing to think that it’s 2026 now,” considers Johns, “and although they’d existed before that, for those in the know, the first time a flat-top appeared in a Gibson catalogue was 1926. I don’t attribute the death of the banjo and the rise of the guitar so much to the crash of the US economy. I think it was influenced highly by the development of the radio in 1919. Most people didn’t know the guitar prior to that.”

From that leap of faith, the flat-top made a perfect landing. Today, scanning the Gibson website reveals acoustics sprawling into the hundreds. And yet everybody still wants to own the models that made the legend, and the luthier’s latest cache of vintage-modern collectibles will certainly scratch that itch (for those who can afford the ticket).

As the branding implies, the three-strong Century Collection – comprising the punch-above-its-weight L-00, populist J-45 and cult-hero J-185, each with a thin satin finish – salutes that formative era when it seemed that every year heralded another stone-cold classic.

And while there are concessions to modernity, the period-correct authenticity spans from the minutiae (hide glue in place of PVC) to the freshly introduced 12-fret neck-to-body joint that gives these acoustics a striking look and feel.

First, let’s talk about that 12-fret neck-to-body joint. It was ultimately overtaken by the 14-fret format, but what are the selling points of that earlier design?

Number one, it’s more comfortable. I mean, this is hypothetical – I’m not sure everyone would agree with that. But it’s a little bit closer to the player. As you know, there’s a [standard] scale length to the instrument, which is 24.75 inches for short scale and 25.5 inches for long scale. But when you get rid of a couple of frets and move the neck into the body, you have to move that bridge further out to make that 24.75-inch scale length.

It’s more than a theory. I’ve noticed over time that moving that bridge into the widest part of the lower bout just opens up the sound even more. It’s much more responsive, more resonant, more vocal-sounding – it just sounds better.

That’s why we went to the 12-fret Century Collection models. We wanted to make these amazing, early-designed guitars sound as beautiful and resonant as possible. And the 12-fret neck-to-body accommodates that, by virtue of its construction.

It’s common to hear pre-war necks described as ‘baseball bats’. But the Century Collection models have adopted the more modern Gibson SlimTaper.

Yeah, it’s much more comfortable for the player. Although the theory might be with some people that the more mass of a neck [the better]. Like, the 1928 models and the 1942 J-45 had some really big V necks.

Now, some people like the V neck because of the way they can put their thumb over the top of the fingerboard. The resonance of that neck is something that can be attributed to a better-sounding instrument. The lighter neck works for us beautifully.

However, some people say that the heavier neck transfers more of the vibration. There’s more vibration going down that neck; it’s like a giant wooden tuning fork, if you will. And it’s vibrating into the body, which is why that dovetail is so important to transfer that into the body.

These three Century Collection models look stunning, from the subtle finish to the old pre-war Gibson logo on the headstocks.

Well, [it’s] the vibe of these guitars – and I say ‘vibe’ in the sense of the allure of the style of the guitar, and the simplicity of it, and the size of it. We put a light satin finish on them, which makes it sound even older because the old finishes kinda dissipate over time and therefore the body resonates even better. So we were very pleased.

Let’s look at the individual models, where they fit into Gibson’s history and how you’ve approached them for this new collection. Starting with the L-00…

Well, the L-00 was an evolution, it seems, from the Nick Lucas Special and the L-1. It’s a little bit elongated instead of round. That came out in 1932 – in my opinion, to supply the American market with a really nice, relatively affordable (at the time) acoustic guitar made by a manufacturer, with mahogany back and sides. The Nick Lucas Special was more expensive.

The L-00 became one of the more long-term sustained models that we do. One of our most popular small-bodies today is the L-00, still. A lot of people like the L-00 because it’s really comfortable to sit with. And it’s so resonant, with that 12-fret body and its bridge pushed out. It’s very popular with blues players – a very focused sound.

The construction is virtually identical to what was happening in the 1920s or 1930s. That can be identified in two ways: we still use the dovetail joint, and we still use organic hide glue to bond that neck to the body.

Nowadays, it’s PVC glue, typically, but in those days we used hide glue and we still use that. And we do that on our Custom Shop models so they sound even more authentic because of the bond between the hide glue and the wood – which is much more molecular than PVC glue.

With the next model, we’re moving on a decade, with the iconic J-45.

“We had already developed the J-45 body. But it wasn’t called a J-45 in 1934: to compete with our competitors, who were building bigger guitars at that time, it was called the Jumbo. This was the first round-shouldered Gibson acoustic. And it eventually turned into the J-45 by 1942.

“The J-45 is so versatile. You can use it for blues. You can use it for rock. It’ll growl at you if you hit it hard. But it can also sound nice and warm and balanced if you play it lighter. You can fingerstyle it. So that round-shouldered dreadnought rose up from the 1930s, and by 1942 it became the J-45 – and it stayed and it’s our biggest seller.

“My hypothesis is that the J-45 became embedded in society not just by virtue of its sound but because we saw it in the broadcasts of the early ’60s. I was just at the edge of that. And I have to attribute it to the Brits coming to America in the ’60s with all this amazing music. I remember Donovan playing a J-45 on his legendary songs.”

There’s a Beatles connection with that model, too, isn’t there?

Yeah. What did The Beatles use on the orchestration of Love Me Do, one of their first recorded songs? An acoustic guitar. And that acoustic guitar looks like a J-45 because it was a J-45, with a single-coil pickup, called the J-160E at that time. I think The Beatles had a lot to do with the exposure of the J-45 – even though it was a J-160E, which was the J-45 design.

In 2026, we just re-released the J-160E in our core line-up. And it’s still revered. It’s kinda retro for young people playing modern music. They say, ‘Oh, that’s kinda cool.’ It’s a very distinctive acoustic-electric sound: not fully acoustic, a little bit of both. That J-160E is still popular because of George Harrison and John Lennon – and rightfully so.

Moving on another decade, we’ve got the J-185, which is probably lesser-known relative to the Hummingbird, Dove, J-45 and so on. It’s almost a bit of an unsung hero, isn’t it?

Yes. It was released in 1951. From my perspective, the J-200 became quite famous from the 1930s on as the big, extravagant model. You know, Elvis played it.

It was the biggest thing available, the most pronounced. But the J-185 is actually just a one-inch-smaller version of the J-200: the J-200 was 17 inches across, the J-185 was 16-inches across with the exact same proportions.

So now you could have this J-200-looking guitar, beautifully balanced looking, pretty big sound but one inch less depth. And the idea was that it was a wonderful rhythm guitar. You have a little less bottom-end, which makes it very balanced in the lows, mids and highs – but the J-200 has more depth.

And then, in the early ’60s, the Everly Brothers wanted to use the J-200 as a [signature] model. But Gibson wisely said, ‘No, let’s leave that alone. Use this body instead, it’s a little bit smaller but it’s very balanced.’ So they used the J-185 body to create what was the Everly Brothers model. Without that low-end – and due to the fact it had warm lows, mids and highs – it became an excellent rhythm guitar.

But the other connection is that the body mould that was used for the original L-5 jazz guitar was also used for the J-185. That was 16 inches across, too, so we had that available. With the flat-tops, we didn’t want to get much bigger than 17 inches. I think that might have been risky.

We did do the Super 400 [in 1934], which is 18 inches across – but that was an archtop. So, anyway, I like to say that the J-185 Century Collection model has all these connections to our history.

How has the popularity of the J-185 ebbed and flowed over the years?

When we first started this Gibson plant in Bozeman, Montana, in 1989, I was the only one here in sales and marketing because it was all builders. I was getting calls from the UK, from the wonderful artists there – George Harrison’s group and Eric Clapton’s group. They were working together doing some unplugged things. And what were they interested in? The J-180 and the J-185.

That’s a fact. That’s what they were talking about. That’s what they wanted. I remember that vividly. It was the J-185 that all the artists were talking about, saying, ‘It was off the market for so long. Thank you for building it again, Gibson.’ That’s what I heard on the phone.

And that wasn’t just coming from the Brits. There were American artists contacting me, too. I remember Jackson Browne calling me up because he’d heard a rumour that we were building the J-185 again.

Are there more Century Collection models coming down the line?

We have a few models prototyped, but what’s really happening is that our historic models – which started 100 years ago – are a part of our Custom Historic line-up in our Custom Shop, where we replicate as much as possible the sound, the feel and the look of those models back when they were first released. So what you’re really seeing is an extension of our historic revival of these models, going back to 1920.

You know, we have a 1942 J-45, a pre-war Super Jumbo 200 like the original, a 1942 Southern Jumbo, a 1960 Hummingbird – which is when that model appeared. And that was made popular from The Rolling Stones playing a Hummingbird back in the day. So when people ask me, ‘Why did these models become famous?’ I always like to say – it’s your fault! It was [because of] the popularity of British music in the ’60s onward and the love that the British artists had for American blues and jazz. And, therefore, the interpretation of that coming from England is indelible.

But, yes, we are going to continue this resurgence of the historic models. The Century Collection is limited to the models that reflect more of what was happening during what is typically called the Depression era.

We wanted to capture the love of those old original models that came out closer to the beginning of the broadcast industry. Gibson grew out of that – which is why those models became so famous.

• “The lower mids and bass vibrate through your body – it’s tone you can feel”: Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret and J-45 Century 12-Fret review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

Donner is probably the best-known of the budget-friendly Chinese brands out there. It makes everything from beginner electric guitars to multi-effects, keyboards, electronic drum sets, and even did a collab with Jack White's Third Man via the Triple Threat pedal. Donner’s got its finger in a lot of pies, but arguably its most popular product is the Hush line of travel guitars.

Now, this model comes in a couple of flavors. There’s the more advanced Pro X, the acoustic EVO2, and the classical-inspired Hush C Nylon. But the one I’ve got my hands on today is the Hush X Live.

​At its core, it’s built around a mahogany body. The neck is a (club) sandwich of five pieces of mahogany with two 1mm maple strips, and you get Donner’s own Alnico V humbucker at the bridge and an Alnico V single coil at the neck. But honestly, that’s about where the traditional guitar stuff stops.

​The vaguely Telecaster-esque outline comes from a detachable metal wing that slots onto the main core, while a built-in speaker module, tucked away right where you’d usually find the controls, completes the silhouette. This turns the Hush X Live from an already portable headless electric guitar into a truly “go-anywhere” instrument.

But it’s not just a speaker; there are actually five amp models baked in, from a Marshall to a Mesa/Boogie, Fender Twin, Roland Jazz Chorus, and Vox AC30. Plus, you get a built-in multi-effects with modules including delay, reverb, modulation, and a noise gate, all tweakable with little controls on the bottom horn.

​And if that’s not enough, there’s built-in Bluetooth streaming, so you can hook up your phone or tablet for backing tracks or online guitar lessons. Of course, since it’s a travel guitar, you can break it down in seconds, and it comes bundled with a slim but well-padded gig bag, and it’s available in two classic finishes, Black or White.

Specs

• Launch price: $499.99 | £423.99 | €499.99
• Made: China
• Type: Six-string electric travel guitar
• Body: Mahogany
• Neck: Mahogany/maple
• Fingerboard: HPL
• Scale length: 25.5"/647.7mm
• Nut: Bone
• Frets: 21
• Hardware: Donner Headless Tuning System with a Full Block 6-Saddle Fixed Bridge
• Electrics: Hush X '23 Original Alnico V humbucker/ single coil
• Weight: 4.4 lbs / 2.0 kg
• Options: N/A
• Left-handed options: No
• Finishes: Black or White
• Cases: Gig bag
• Contact: Donner

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

Opening the skinny oblong box immediately lets me know that this is no ordinary guitar. Housed inside is a padded rectangular gig bag that is in no way guitar-shaped; in fact, it looks more like the type of case you’d find PA speaker poles carried in. It’s a pretty good-looking gig bag, though. It’s well padded, and there are enough compartments to hold everything you need.

As you’ve probably guessed, the guitar comes disassembled with the main body and neck being one piece, and the metal horns and speaker section bolting-on to complete the guitar.

​Overall, the whole thing feels impressively well made and finished, much more so than I expected from a modular design, especially at this price point. The fit and finish are genuinely tight, with all parts locking together with a satisfying click, no rattles or play anywhere. All the joints line up neatly, and the paintwork and hardware look and feel above the usual travel guitar standard.

The main body is made of solid mahogany, which, in this case, is actually pretty lightweight; it’s not until I add the detachable horns that the guitar gains some heft. The satin finish on the neck has been smoothly applied with no sticky spots or rough patches, and the fretwork is impressively tidy, too. There are no sharp fret ends to be found.

As this is a headless design, the tuners are located at the guitar's bridge, and they hold pitch well and turn smoothly, without any grinding or slack. The bridge is a solid and pretty substantial thing, and feels robust under my hand.

I must say, this is a very easy guitar to put together, taking just seconds to complete. It’s a pretty straightforward affair, and there’s no need to reach for the manual, as it’s very obvious how it all connects – and, honestly, there's something deeply satisfying about how quickly it all snaps into place – and it has the added benefit of making me feel like Jason Bourne assembling a rifle on a rooftop.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★☆

The first thing I notice when I pick it up is how lightweight and balanced it feels, even when fully assembled. It’s easy to forget I’m holding a modular instrument, and that’s a compliment. It sits comfortably on my lap or hangs well on a strap, and thanks to its missing headstock, it has none of the awkward neck dive that plagues so many travel guitars.

Now, the neck is finished in a super-slick satin that borders on, dare I say, plasticky. Some players will love how fast and effortless it feels, and shredders especially will appreciate the lack of resistance. But there’s no denying it’s almost slippery, so if you prefer a bit of grip or a more organic feel, it might take some getting used to. It certainly took me a while to gel with it, if I’m totally honest.

The fingerboard, for its part, has a distinctly synthetic vibe, too. It's billed as HPL, which stands for high-pressure laminate, and even though it is smooth and even, the texture is closer to Richlite than to rosewood or ebony. Of course, this isn’t a dealbreaker, but it’s definitely something you'll notice, especially if you’re coming from more traditional fretboards.

The guitar comes with a plethora of built-in effects and controls, which are located on the speaker module, making it pretty easy to grab and tweak while playing, well, that is apart from one control. One of the more unusual design choices is the placement of the Tap-Tempo button for the delay on the back of the guitar. While this keeps the front face clean, it does make adjusting tempo mid-song very awkward – I have to reach around with my fretting hand, which is not exactly intuitive if I'm performing or even just practicing. It’s a strange oversight, in my opinion.

The built-in speaker is a brilliant feature for truly portable practice, but don’t make the same mistake I did. I, somewhat naively, thought that once I clicked the speaker module in place, that was it and it would just work, but that is not the case. It requires a cable connection to the guitar itself; thankfully, the guitar does come with a small patch cable in the bag.

Once I'm playing, the Hush X Live feels much more like a 'real' guitar than the novelty I was first expecting. The fretwork is solid, bends are smooth, and the intonation is impressively good across the neck, and it doesn't take long to forget I'm jamming on an instrument I've just slotted together.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★☆½

Okay, so now on to the sound, and I’d say it’s a tale of two halves for the Hush X Live. On one hand, you’ve got a genuinely decent pickup and electronics setup, plugged into a real amp, in my case a Fender Blues Junior, it sounds good. Is it mind-blowing? No, not really, but the Alnico V pickups are responsive enough and exactly what I’d expect at this price.

On the other hand, the built-in speaker is somewhat of a limited practice tool, in my opinion. Through the speaker, everything comes across a bit boxy and narrow. It’s not unpleasant, and it does the job for late-night noodling or hotel room jams, but I'm definitely not getting the full character of the instrument. There’s a midrange hump and a lack of real depth, so chords can sound a little congested, and single notes don’t quite sing the way they do through a proper amp, and things only get worse the more gain you add. For cleaner, more bluesy settings, it works pretty well, but the high-gain shred settings aren’t quite up to par.

Of course, none of this is surprising. The Hush X Live really comes alive when plugged it into a real amp or an interface. The tone opens up, the boxiness disappears, and I get a much clearer sense of the guitar’s true voice.

It’s worth noting that there are a few ways to run the Hush. There's a traditional output on the main body, like a normal guitar, giving you the pure sound of the pickups. I can hook up the speaker module and use the amp models and effects without an amp, or I can take a line out from the module into an amp or audio interface to use the effects at a much louder volume. I chose to go with the latter, so I could really hear what was going on without it being coloured by the boxy speaker.

The Hush X Live comes loaded with a surprisingly ambitious lineup of onboard amp models, including a Marshall JCM-800, a Fender Twin, a Roland Jazz Chorus, and a Vox AC30. It’s an impressive roster on paper and is pretty much all the amps I’d ever need. I’ll admit, these aren’t dead-on replicas. Put them side by side with the real amps, and I’d be hard-pressed to identify which was which based on tone alone. The voicings are more like broad strokes of the originals, capturing a bit of the character and flavor, but not the full depth or nuance.

That said, they’re undeniably fun to play with. The JCM-800 model gives a satisfying crunch, the Mesa setting delivers plenty of gain, and the Fender and Roland flavors are bright and lively enough for clean playing. The Vox model offers some nice chime, though it can get a little fizzy if you push it too hard. For most practice and jamming scenarios, they sound pretty good, and swapping between them can spark a lot of inspiration. None of them are going to fool a purist, but for a compact, all-in-one setup, it’s hard not to be impressed by what Donner managed to pack in.

Moving on to the effects, and again, we have plenty to play with, from reverb to delay, chorus, tremolo, and a noise gate. Again, like the amp models, these aren’t the greatest effects ever made, but they sound pretty good for the most part. The chorus is lush, the delay has tap-tempo, and the reverb can get pretty big if you want it to. For a guitar you can assemble in seconds, it’s almost surreal how much sonic territory you can cover with just a few twists of a knob.

Verdict

For me, I’d say the Donner Hush X Live is a clever bit of travel gear. It’s a genuinely impressive piece of kit that goes far beyond its portable ambitions. Is it perfect? Of course not; no guitar is, and the Hush X Live has its quirks. The neck is slicker than some will like, the fingerboard feels a touch synthetic, the built-in speaker, while handy, won’t be replacing your favorite amp anytime soon, and the tap tempo button’s placement on the back is an odd design call. But none of this derails the overall experience.

The build is solid, it’s genuinely well-finished, and assembly is fast and intuitive. Plugged in, the Hush X Live is more than capable. The pickups deliver tones that certainly don’t embarrass themselves next to full-sized guitars, and while the onboard amp models and effects won’t fool a tube amp or boutique pedal lover, they’re a blast to experiment with and more than good enough for practice, jamming, or writing on the go.

For anyone who travels, likes to play anywhere, or just wants a minimalistic rig that still feels like a proper instrument, the Hush X Live is a winner.

Guitar World verdict: With the ability to shrink into a seriously compact little gig bag, the Hush X Live is a fun and pretty well-made travel guitar that can really go anywhere. Okay, so the built-in speaker isn’t the greatest, but the on-board amp models and effects do sound pretty decent when played through a traditional amp – and we can’t forget about its affordable price tag.

Also try

Hands-on videos

Guitar Interactive Magazine

Donner Music

• Best travel guitars: top acoustic and electric travel guitars for portability and performance

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.

Below you'll find my personal highlights from the week, along with plenty of honorable mentions for the new gear you might have missed. Agree with my picks? Have a highlight of your own? Let us know in the comments.

Marshall Billie Joe Armstrong 1959BJA

At a time when the whole world is going digital there is something reassuringly punk rock about putting your name to a signature 100-watt tube amp that is the descendent of a ‘60s design – especially one that was originally intended as a form of public address.

But then Billie Joe Armstrong plays big venues – like the Super Bowl, where he debuted this signature Marshall amp – and this particular amp is elemental to the Green Day sound.

The 1959BJA is a hand-wired heavyweight with a gang of four EL34s in the power amp that ships out from Marshall’s Milton Keynes factory pre-modded with the so-called ‘Dookie Mod’.

In other words, master volume has been added to the control panel, and we have cascading gain stages under the hood for extra crunch and tighter low end to make hand grenades of your power chords.

Don’t be fooled by the baby blue vinyl covering, the white piping giving it a slight baby’s-first-tube-head vibe. This is a hostile animal. It’ll give you that Dookie tone. So of course, it’s essential for Green Day superfans (the colorway, the nameplate on the front et cetera adds up to what is a very attractive package for fans), but this be used in service to all kinds of different styles, anything where you think a hot-rodded Marshall might come in handy. Check out our demo video above.

I am yet to get my hands on this but this might be a great candidate for replicating Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All tone, for all manner of high-gain hi-jinks. It's an amp for when you feel the need to give the FOH sound engineer a nervous breakdown or when you are in a band with a bona fide zoo creature on drums and it’s time to turn it up.

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

For more: Marshall

Gibson Custom 1971 Flying V Medallion Reissue

This has to be in contention for the most hard rock guitar of this year so far, or of any other for that matter. Granted, I have a weakness for Flying Vs, especially those in cherry. But this really is a tip-top VOS job from the Gibson Custom Shop, a meticulous reproduction of one of the Nashville-based guitar brand’s earliest limited edition models.

Originally released to commemorate the 1972 Summer Olympics in Berlin, with a medallion embedded in the upper wing of each instrument, this became one of the most sought-after vintage guitars.

The fact that Michael Schenker played one just added to the allure (he is pictured on the back of UFO’s Force It with one of these Medallion Flying Vs). It certainly did for Kirk Hammett of Metallica. He grew up idolizing Schenker, and remarkably, now owns the very Flying V that Schenker had on the back cover of Force It, that had subsequently been refinished in black-and-white, and was recently given the deluxe Murphy Lab treatment for a super-limited release back in March.

So, do you paint it black and white? That’s on you. But with 1968 T-Top humbuckers, the mahogany body that’s shallower and lighter than its korina forebears, the super cool white pickguard against the cherry finish, black witch hat control knobs – and, of course, that medallion, Flying Vs don’t get much better.

Hey, it would go well with that Billie Joe Armstrong modded Super Lead above. And if you wanted to shove the V into your right arm and play it like Dave Davies of the Kinks then that’s cool, too. Just make sure your suit is back from the dry cleaners.

For more: Gibson

EHX Deluxe Big Muff Pi 2

The “final boss” of the Big Muff Pi 2 has arrived, with the “lost” Dual Op-Amp fuzz circuit expanded into a Electro-Harmonix’s Deluxe presentation, which means this noticeably more aggressive take on the classic Muff sound is not more versatile, with considerably more EQ’ing options at your disposal.

We’ll get to them in a second. But new to this release we have an onboard noise gate, all controllable via a single knob. We have a Blend control, which might not sound like the sexiest knob on the enclosure but is often the most useful, especially for an effect like a fuzz, where you might want some more of your unaffected signal in there for a bit more clarity. We also have the original three-knob controls of Volume, Sustain and Tone – and for many of us that is enough.

But lo, this is the Deluxe, and the NYC-based guitar effects pedal brand adds a three-way Wicker switch, for opening up the high-end bandwidth, and there are footswitchable mids. You can adjust the level and center frequency of those mids via the dedicated knobs, then set the Q switch to Hi or Lo to set the resonant bandwidth of the midrange. Hook up an expression pedal and you can sweep these mids with your foot.

For more: Electro-Harmonix

ALSO LAUNCHED THIS WEEK...

Tom Anderson Direwolf

Did someone say the B-word? Yes they did. Come on down, and bring some dog biscuits, because Tom Anderson has just unveiled the Direwolf. It's a descendent of the Wolfhound but has a thicker body and a flat neck angle, all of which allows it to be customizable with a greater range of bridge options (a Floyd Rose? Why not!?) and pickups and switching. It's a beauty.

For more: Anderson Guitar Works

D’Addario fret cleaner set

Because the last time we looked your frets were, frankly, unsanitary, and quite possibly a health-code violation waiting to happen... C'mon people, let's get 'em shiny again. Your feel, your tone, your self-esteem will thank you.

For more: D'Addario

Boss gig bags

We love Boss pedals. They sound great and can even save your life. But did you know the effects specialist also makes gig bags – and it has just refreshed the lineup, with thicker padding, and improved design to protect upper bouts, and there are options for acoustic guitars and bass guitars too.

For more: Boss

IK Multimedia Brown Panel signature collection

The latest Tonex collection from IK Multimedia collects the iconic sounds of nine F_____ a__, from a transitional period betwixt the Tweed and black panel eras. You know the drill. You know these tube amps sounds, and they've been recreated using IK Multimedia's Tonex V2 AI Machine Modeling technology.

For more: IK Multimedia

Behringer Real McCoy WahWah

Behringer's latest vintage-inspired effects pedal takes us back to the original wah pedals, and as per the demo video it reminds us that the wah was not originally designed for guitar players.

For more: Behringer

Blackstar Doug Aldrich DA5 Ruby

Doug Aldrich's signature Blackstar head is brilliant but it is loud. Can you really play it at home? Well, if you live on the farm, maybe. So this 5-watt combo might just be the solution. Aldrich says it nails the tone.

For more: Blackstar Amplification

Harley Benton Fusion-T II HH

This new T-style line is Harley Benton guitars doing that high-end, hotrodded thing, offering the choice of their flagship Tesla humbuckers or EMGs, and the choice of Babicz tremolos or hard-tails. The alter switch gives you more tone options. The Fusion T vibe is high-performance.

For more: Harley Benton

LCO Take Your Time

Got time for a new delay and reverb pedal twofer? This one launches on July 21, it's priced $275, has a five-knob control surface and allows you to cut the pedal in half, with both sides having thei own blend, three modes on the delay side, and you can open it up and reverse the order of the effects.

For more: LCO Industries

Catalinbread Crooner Console Preamp

One of the great things about this new golden age of effects pedals is that you can get the sounds of classic studio equipment in a compact stompbox. This is what Catalinbread is doing here with the Crooner inspired by the RCA mic preamp BA-31. Clean boost, drive, distortion, fuzz, console magic sauce.

For more: Catalinbread

D’Addario NYXL & XT HD: New High-Density Singles for Extended-Range Guitars

D'Addario has come through for all you sickos with extended-range guitars, with specially developed sets for electric and nylon-string guitars that optimize tension on those lower strings, promise better intonation and a more balanced tone.

For more: D'Addario

Dusky Proxima A

Let's finish up with a preview of coming attractions, a smart little boutique amp and cab that is now available to preorder through till October. It's a compact sibling to the D₂O, fitted out with 6V6GT power tubes, a lower but respectable 12-watt output, and it weighs just 18lbs.

For more: Dusky Electronics

• What's your favorite new gear release of the week? Let us know in the comments below.

IK Multimedia’s latest amp sim plugin dusts off nine rare-breed Fender amps for 80 new Tone Models based on elusive and oft-overlooked brown-panel amps.

The amps in question, built between 1959 and 1963, sit slap bang in the middle of Fender’s Tweed and black-panel eras, and tonally melded the warmth of the former with the latter's cleanliness and clarity.

They were built for and used on some classic surf, country, blues, and early rock records, offering a distinct tone unlike other Fender amps.

These are amps that have pushed air for everyone from Chris Stapleton and Billy Gibbons to Mark Knopfler. And as Fender Senior Product Manager, Rick Heins, told Guitarist last year, these amps are getting rarer by the day, and are “almost unobtainable at this point.”

So a digital recreation of nine of them is the next best thing. The collection takes in new Tone Models based on three 1960 amplifiers: A Concert combo, a Bandmaster, and a 1x10 Princeton combo.

There’s a Deluxe and a Pro Amp from 1961, a 1962 Vibrolux and Super Amp representing 1962, and a Vibroverb and Vibrasonic from 1963.

IK Multimedia says, “Together, they deliver a wide palette of authentic American tones, from expansive cleans and sparkling small-combo response to bold 1x15 authority, smooth breakup, and pedal-enhanced lead sounds.”

The real amps have been captured using the latest TONEX V2 AI Machine Modeling technology through an SSL 4000G console with “carefully selected dynamic, ribbon, and condenser microphones”.

A score of the Tone Models also pair the amps with choice pedals and signal chains, including a Klon Centaur, a TS9 Tube Screamer, and the preamp section of a Fender 6G15 Reverb unit.

The Tone Models can be used across the TONEX ecosystem, including in a DAW, a TONEX amp-in-a-box pedal, the TONEX Plug headphone amp, and beyond.

The new IK Multimedia Brown Panel Signature Collection priced at $/€99.99 pre-tax.

See IK Multimedia for more.

The news comes after Alex Lifeson revealed he’s been capturing the tones of classic Rush albums for the Fifty Something tour, with his signature TONEX pedal sitting at the heart of his updated live rig.

Fender has fired back at Thomann’s lawsuit against the guitar company by suing the musical instrument retailer for copyright infringement.

In a statement, Fender announced it had responded to the Declaration of Non-Infringement action by filing a formal infringement action against the Harley Benton owner.

Fender says its own infringement action is “the expected next step in the legal process” and a result of the legal proceedings instigated by Thomann.

Last month, Thomann sued Fender after it sent cease-and-desist letters to Harley Benton, Yamaha, PRS Guitars, LsL Instruments, and other firms it believed to be producing Stratocaster “copies”.

Thomann said it was acting on behalf of other prominent brands and smaller manufacturers, specifically naming companies including Tom Anderson, Suhr, Pensa and Maybach.

Fender argues that Thomann’s in-house Harley Benton guitars copy the Stratocaster, and that Thomann initiated litigation in a bid to obtain legal protection to continue selling such designs.

Fender says it attempted and failed to “discuss practical ways to differentiate products while respecting Fender’s intellectual property” with Thomann, leading to the legal filing and Fender’s subsequent countersuit.

“Thomann isn't a small independent guitar builder,” Fender argues in response to Thomann’s claim it’s suing Fender for the good of the industry.

“It is one of the world's largest musical instrument retailers, one of Fender's largest retail partners, and the owner of Harley Benton, one of Europe's largest guitar brands.

“Our preference has always been dialogue and practical solutions – not litigation. Unfortunately, Thomann chose a different path.

“Rather than continuing that dialogue, it initiated legal proceedings asking the court to determine that it can continue selling guitar body designs that Fender believes copies the iconic Stratocaster. Today's filing is Fender's response and the expected next step in the legal process.”

In its own statement issued alongside its Declaration of Non-Infringement, Thomann asserted it had sued Fender “for the many manufacturers, dealers and guitar makers who have shaped our industry for decades and continue to shape it”.

“We urge Fender to stop issuing cease and desist demands against manufacturers, distributors and dealers and to return to a fair, cooperative partnership,” the retailer said.

However, Fender continues to argue that cooperative partnership is at the heart of its legal strategy, previously seeking to frame its actions as “working directly with companies to find practical paths forward”.

The company now says it has already experienced success in working with other builders to differentiate certain designs from the Stratocaster.

“Our preference has always been to resolve these matters through direct dialogue rather than litigation,” Fender continues. “In many instances, companies have chosen to work collaboratively with us to explore practical solutions, including design modifications that clearly differentiate their products while continuing to serve musicians. This matter is different.”

It’s the latest development in the ongoing copyright dispute surrounding the Stratocaster. Events were set in motion when Fender scored a default ruling in German court, which granted “enforceable rights against any guitars using the Stratocaster body shape” in the EU.

Thomann has been approached for comment.

You can read Fender’s full statement below:

Fender's statement in full

Following Thomann's recent Declaration of Non-Infringement action, Fender today filed its infringement action in the Regional Court of Düsseldorf in response to the litigation Thomann chose to initiate.

Earlier this year, the Regional Court of Düsseldorf recognized copyright protection for the Fender Stratocaster® body shape as a work of applied art under European law. Following that decision, Fender engaged manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and online marketplaces across Europe whose products feature body designs that Fender believes are confusingly similar to the protected Stratocaster design. Our objective has been straightforward: protect Fender's intellectual property, reduce consumer confusion, and explore practical solutions—including modifications that clearly differentiate products from the Stratocaster.

Those conversations continue today, and our preference has always been to resolve these matters through direct dialogue rather than litigation. In many instances, companies have chosen to work collaboratively with us to explore practical solutions, including design modifications that clearly differentiate their products while continuing to serve musicians.

This matter is different.

Thomann isn't a small independent guitar builder. It is one of the world's largest musical instrument retailers, one of Fender's largest retail partners, and the owner of Harley Benton, one of Europe's largest guitar brands.

From the beginning, our goal was simple: have a conversation. Like many other companies across Europe, we reached out to Thomann to discuss practical ways to differentiate products while respecting Fender's intellectual property. Our preference has always been dialogue and practical solutions—not litigation.

Unfortunately, Thomann chose a different path. Rather than continuing that dialogue, it initiated legal proceedings asking the court to determine that it can continue selling guitar body designs that Fender believes copies the iconic Stratocaster. Today's filing is Fender's response and the expected next step in the legal process.

For more than 70 years, the Stratocaster has been one of the most influential and recognizable guitar designs in history. It has inspired generations of musicians, helped shape modern music, and become an enduring symbol of creativity around the world.

Fender has proudly served as the steward of one of the most iconic instrument designs in music history. We don't take lightly our responsibility to protect that legacy. We believe that responsibility extends beyond Fender itself—to the artists, players, dealers, builders, partners, employees, shareholders, and the broader music community who have made the Stratocaster an enduring part of music history.

Let's be clear: competition isn't the issue. Fender has competed—and thrived—for nearly 80 years because musicians have choices. We welcome companies that challenge convention, develop new technologies, and create original instruments that inspire players. That's how this industry grows.

What doesn't move the industry forward is copying someone else's iconic design instead of creating the next iconic design. We believe the guitar industry is strongest when innovation flourishes, musicians have meaningful choices, and companies compete by bringing new ideas to players around the world.

We're proud of what the Stratocaster has meant to generations of musicians, and we believe it's worth protecting. At the same time, we believe the future of the guitar industry depends on original thinking, bold ideas, and the next generation of great instruments. That's the future Fender has always believed in—and it's the future we'll continue to support.

Pedals Week 2026: In late 2021, I lugged my 39lbs tube amp to play a basement gig in East London in front of 50 people. Fast-forward to summer 2025, and I was playing in front of 30,000 people at Portman Road Stadium.

This time, I left my amp at home. The venue may have been 59,900% bigger, but my rig had gotten smaller – probably by about the same rate.

Why? Because I had stumbled upon a pedal I thought I’d never find: one that convinced me to ditch my tube amp.

I grew up believing in the gospel of the tubes. I couldn’t envisage my rig without one. I thought ‘tube amps just sound better’ was a fact.

Given my line of work, I was well aware of modelers and the players who used them. But I never considered making the switch.

That reluctance was exacerbated when, after being forced to use my HX Stomp as a modeler for a silent stage show, I was left feeling underwhelmed with my tone. It was an uncomfortable and sobering experience.

But between the basement gig and stadium show, I realized that something a bit more practical probably would be a good idea, especially with my gigging calendar filling up. Traveling with my amp and pedalboard became tedious.

I also began dreading soundchecks, having had some poor shows with bad mics and dodgy FOH systems. Tone anxiety and insecurity became a big issue for me, and I was losing confidence in my rig.

Convenience and consistency became my main concern. I wanted to be able to turn up to a venue and plug in knowing exactly what my tone was going to sound like.

It was around this time that I reviewed the Nano Cortex. Without mincing my words, I was staggered at how good it sounded out of the box. An all-in-one rig station with a load of digital amps, cabs and effects from a pint-sized package, it proved to be the tipping point for me, and a watershed moment for my guitar rig.

I didn’t think it would happen to me. But it gave me what I thought modelers inherently lacked: a dynamic, expressive tone that sounded and responded like a genuine tube amp. It was the same feeling I had when I played my Strat for the first time; it just felt right, like I’d found the missing piece of a puzzle.

My pre-conceived notions well and truly challenged, I took the Nano Cortex to its first rehearsal, hoping it could replicate that performance in the mix. Lo and behold, it excelled where my HX Stomp had fallen short, and, perhaps more importantly than just sounding good, it gave me a renewed feeling of confidence in my tone.

I knew that, whatever the venue, and whatever the occasion, my rig was going to sound largely exactly how I dialed it. I didn't have to worry about mic placements, stage volume, how the amp would react in the room, or anything else. I could simply focus on playing.

After trialing it at a few smaller sets, I rebuilt my pedalboard around the Nano Cortex just in time for the biggest gig of my life.

The Nano Cortex was revelatory for me because I needed something quite specific: a hybrid amp pedal I could use alongside my existing pedalboard, which I didn’t want to ditch completely. Hence my reluctance to play a floorboard a la the Quad Cortex, Tone Master Pro or Helix. The Nano Cortex landed in my lap at the right time.

Ultimately, it proved to be a stellar pedal platform that not only sounded like my real amp, but responded to my pedals like an amp as well, giving me the confidence to further experiment with my sound and setup, and arguably making me a better player.

The Nano Cortex was small, light, looked the part, and its companion app was highly effective. It fit the bill.

I’m now at the point where I can turn up to a show at the drop of a hat, bring everything I need in one bag, and confidently play with a solid and consistent sound. That, to me, is far more important than the romanticism of “pushing air” through my amp on stage.

Since first making the move to the Nano Cortex, I’ve done two headline tours, and a number of support shows at venues such as London’s Roundhouse and Eventim Apollo. I haven’t gigged with an amp in nearly three years, and I don’t think I will again. The confidence I have in my rig has never been higher.

Pedals Week 2026: Every now and then, a pedal comes along that leaves guitarists wondering what they just plugged into. Maybe it looks different. Maybe it works differently. Or maybe it solves a problem that nobody was really thinking about at the time.

Whatever the reason, some of the most interesting effects ever made didn't become favorites overnight. In fact, quite a few were overlooked, misunderstood or simply ahead of their time.

Looking back now, it's easy to see just how many of these once overlooked ideas helped shape the way guitarists think about effects today.

1. Boss SG-1 Slow Gear

The SG-1 has always been one of Boss's most misunderstood pedals. Instead of adding gain, delay or modulation, it simply fades in every note automatically, creating smooth violin-like swells without touching the guitar's volume control.

When it arrived in 1979, most players had no idea what to make of it. It didn't fit into any familiar category, and there wasn't much music calling for that kind of effect. Fast forward a few decades and it suddenly makes perfect sense.

Ambient players, soundtrack composers and experimental guitarists all discovered something Boss had quietly introduced years before anyone was really ready for it.

2. EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine

Few pedals have left guitarists scratching their heads quite like the Rainbow Machine. The controls seem almost random at first, and the sounds range from subtle pitch modulation to noises that don't sound much like a guitar at all.

That's probably why so many players weren't quite sure what to make of it when it first appeared. Anyone expecting a conventional harmonizer was likely disappointed.

Dial it back and it adds movement and texture that few pedals can match. Turn it up and things get weird in a hurry. The Rainbow Machine isn't for everyone, and that's exactly the point.

3. Electro-Harmonix Attack Decay

The Attack Decay is one of those pedals that almost defies explanation until it's plugged in. On the surface, it recreates the automatic volume swells of Electro-Harmonix's original late-'70s design, but that's really only the beginning.

With adjustable attack, reverse-style envelopes, fuzz and expression control, it can drift from violin-like swells to synth textures and sounds that barely resemble a guitar. That's probably why it never became a mainstream hit. It asks players to experiment instead of reaching for familiar tones.

Those willing to spend the time are rewarded with one of the most creative and inspiring pedals Electro-Harmonix has ever produced.

4. Boss DF-2 Super Feedbacker & Distortion

The DF-2 is one of those pedals that's much easier to appreciate today than it was when it first appeared in the mid-'80s. Most players saw the word "Distortion" on the enclosure and treated it like another gain pedal, but the real innovation was hidden under the footswitch.

Hold it down and the DF-2 generates controllable amplifier-style feedback, even at volumes where natural feedback would be impossible. At the time, it felt like an odd feature that few players really needed.

Looking back, Boss was solving a problem decades before the rest of the industry caught on. Fast forward a few decades, and what once seemed like a gimmick now feels surprisingly innovative.

5. Boss TE-2 Tera Echo

Trying to describe the Tera Echo is almost impossible because it isn't really a delay, a reverb or a modulation pedal. It borrows ideas from all three, creating spacious, blooming echoes that react to the player's touch in a way that's still difficult to explain. That may be one reason it slipped under the radar.

Guitarists naturally tried comparing it to traditional delays, only to discover it played by its own rules. Give it a little time, though, and its strengths become obvious. The Tera Echo isn't trying to sound like a delay or a reverb. It really does its own thing.

6. Electro-Harmonix HOG

One look at the HOG was enough to intimidate a lot of guitarists. Between all the sliders, switches and expression pedal options, it looked more like a synthesizer than a stompbox. This is probably one reason why it never caught on with the average player.

Spend a little time with it, though, and it starts to make sense. It can create everything from convincing organ sounds and rich octave layers to swelling pads and sounds that barely resemble a guitar.

Most players simply weren't looking for a pedal that could do this much. The HOG wasn't overlooked because it lacked great sounds. It was overlooked because many players never got far enough to it to discover them.

7. Boss DA-2 Adaptive Distortion

At a glance, the DA-2 looks like just another distortion pedal, and that's probably why so many players passed it by. Hidden beneath the familiar controls, however, is Boss's Adaptive Distortion technology, which constantly analyzes your playing and adjusts the distortion across the frequency range. The result is a surprisingly balanced sound that stays articulate whether you're playing open chords or single-note lines high on the neck. It never enjoyed the cult status of classic Boss dirt boxes but that may have had more to do with timing than tone. There's a really good distortion pedal hiding underneath all that technology.

8. Pigtronix Mothership

One look at the Mothership and it's pretty obvious this isn't your average pedal. Part analog synth, part octave generator and part fuzz, it can produce everything from thick octave sounds to quirky synth tones that barely resemble a guitar.

It's not a pedal you can just stomp on and expect instant results. The Mothership rewards clean, accurate technique, and if your playing gets sloppy, you're probably not hearing it at its best. That alone was enough to turn some players away. Those who spent the time with it discovered one of the most expressive and creative analog synth pedals ever built.

9. Z.Vex Seek Wah

The Seek Wah doesn't resemble or behave anything like a traditional wah pedal. Instead of a rocker pedal that sweeps back and forth, you're greeted by a row of lights, knobs and switches that hint at something completely different. It steps through a series of programmable filter patterns that can sound rhythmic, random or somewhere in between. This confused many guitar players.

But the Seek Wah wasn't trying to replace a Cry Baby or Vox wah. It was trying to do something completely different. Players willing to think beyond a traditional wah discovered it could do things no Cry Baby ever could.

10. DigiTech FreqOut Natural Feedback Creator

Initially, creating controllable feedback with a stompbox sounded more like a novelty than something guitarists would actually use. That's exactly why so many players overlooked the DigiTech FreqOut when it first appeared.

Instead of relying on a loud amp, it electronically recreates natural harmonic feedback at almost any volume, with controls that let you choose different feedback harmonics and even adjust how quickly the feedback blooms into each note.

Back then, if you wanted endless sustain, you simply turned the amp up. Today, with lower stage volumes, modelers and home studios becoming the norm, the FreqOut makes more sense than ever.

What is it?

A few years ago, Fender upended its range hierarchy and discontinued its long-serving Mexican-built Classic range of electric guitars and basses, replacing it with the Vintera line.

The new name carries a similar ethos – vintage-inspired specs, without American reissue prices. To its credit, Fender didn't simply stop there.

The subsequent Vintera II refresh saw numerous spec upgrades, plus new models and finishes. Now, in 2026, we're starting to see the introduction of the Vintera III range, with yet further updates.

I use the word ‘updates’ somewhat loosely, though, as these are still vintage-inspired instruments; the old-school specs and finishes are really the point. But, of course, Fender's long history provides a seemingly never-ending stream of models and era-specific features, ripe for reissue.

Here, then, is the Vintera III Late ‘60s Precision Bass, and its name states a clear goal - to capture the vibe of Fender's early ‘CBS’ period, after that giant American broadcasting corporation bought the company in 1965.

Many changes were made to Fender's range, not all of them for the better, but the distinctive style of the era is now highly sought-after.

Specs

• Launch price: $1,249 | £1,099 | €1,229currency retail prices
• Made: Mexico
• Type: Four-string electric bass
• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple, ‘Late ‘60s C’ shape
• Fingerboard material/radius: Round-laminated rosewood, 7.25”
• Scale length: 34”/864mm
• Nut/width: Bone, 41.3mm
• Frets: 20, vintage tall
• Hardware: Vintage style ‘Lollipop’ tuners, vintage style 4-saddle bridge with threaded steel saddles
• String spacing at bridge: 19mm
• Electrics: 1x Late 60s split-coil pickup, volume, tone
• Weight: 7.9lb/3.6kg
• Left-handed options: N/A
• Finishes: Black with matching headstock and rosewood fretboard (as reviewed), Firemist Gold with rosewood fretboard, Lake Placid Blue with maple fretboard, 3-Color Sunburst with maple fretboard
• Case: Fender Deluxe gig bag, included
• Contact: Fender

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

Fender hasn't put a specific year on it, as it always has on the upmarket American Vintage lines; presumably, such year-specific features are hard to achieve at this significantly lower price point.

It's arguable that, because the ‘60s Precision aesthetic is so enduringly popular, that this latest take looks like many of Fender's other P-Bass models - especially if you unscrew the plastic tug bar on the scratchplate.

Luckily, this black example benefits from a matching headstock - a rare and desirable custom feature on original ‘60s Fenders, and undoubtedly one that does some heavy lifting aesthetically.

A downside, on our review sample, is that the Fender logo has noticeable rough edges from application - not something you'd be especially pleased about on a £300 instrument, leave alone one retailing for £1,099.

Other than this cosmetic issue, however, the build quality is excellent – the neck pocket is tight and the whole instrument resonates strongly.

The maple neck is finished in a vintage-looking amber tint, and crowned with a lovely, super-dark, round-laminated rosewood fretboard. The radius is an old-school 7.25”, with narrow and tall frets.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★☆

The alder body is a comfortable weight, and the neck's ‘Late ‘60s C’ shape is superb, the usual P-Bass nut width creating enough substance, but the profile slim enough to be comfortable for those with smaller hands. The steep fretboard radius and the slightly sticky-feeling gloss finish might not appeal to all, however.

Out of the box, the action is fairly high; I choose to drop the bridge saddles for an easier playing experience. Just as well the truss rod doesn't need adjusting – it's one of the old-school style with a screw head located at the neck heel, meaning the whole neck might need to come off.

Once the saddles are lowered a little, the playability improves; much easier to enjoy the comfortable neck profile, and the familiar feel of a classic P-Bass.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★☆

I plug into my usual Line 6 HX Stomp test rig, and dial up a couple of favourite presets for vintage-style bass tones – an Ampeg B-15, an Acoustic 360 and a gritty Ampeg SVT for some higher-gain exploration.

The beauty of an old-school Precision Bass is that there's basically no learning curve. You can plug it straight in, with both controls on full, and it immediately sounds like… an old-school Precision Bass.

There's that thick low-midrange boom, and the growl of the upper mids (emphasised here by the fairly new strings). Fender's Late ‘60s split-coil pickup provides a full-bodied bass and low-mid response that would undoubtedly work a treat with some flat-wound strings.

Conversely, the high frequencies are a little more subdued than you'll find in some other P-Basses; it's far from woolly, but it's certainly a little more polite than my own go-to Precision-style bass.

If you're routinely playing more modern rock styles, then, you might consider a hotter or brighter pickup but, for the era-specific sound that Fender is invoking here, it's ideal.

Verdict

The Vintera III Late ‘60s Precision Bass, then, does what it says on the tin. It's a fine-playing and good-sounding P-Bass with a subtle vintage vibe.

To play more to its strengths as a retro instrument, you might consider a different finish (there's a gorgeous, and very ‘60s, Firemist Gold available, for example); even with the matching headstock, this black example just blends a little too readily into the sizeable crowd of other black P-Basses.

That's a bit of a shame, as the whole point of a vintage reissue is to evoke a specific era; a brief that this bass otherwise confidently hits.

Guitar World verdict: The new Vintera III range brings with it another fine 60s-style P-Bass, offering excellent old-school tone and playability. Choose your finish carefully for the right amount of retro charm - but beyond that, it's difficult to go too far wrong here.

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• "Hits the sweet spot of Fender’s heritage, sound, practicality and price": Fender American Professional Classic Precision Bass review

Pedals Week 2026: Guitarists are contrary beasts. We spend hours honing tones, then declare it’s all in the hands. Pine for a simpler time, while excitedly downloading firmware updates. Form unbreakable bonds with gear, while simultaneously looking over our shoulder at the next shiny object. It’s part of the fun.

Sometimes, then, I think the most telling way to judge gear is just to see what has actually made enough of a difference to stay with us as players and writers – to set up residence in a little bit of our musical brains.

With Pedals Week in full swing, I set about badgering the inboxes of Guitar World’s hard-working staffers, demanding responses to the somewhat tenuous brief of ‘the pedal that changed me’.

To their credit and my surprise, they did not immediately get together and demand my dismissal – instead, their responses have resulted in a bunch of tips, insights and a little window into the slightly unhinged consciousness of the GW team.

Damian Fanelli, Editor-in-Chief – Fender ’63 Reverb reissue

This big brown box entered my life in 2004, when my band, Mister Neutron, didn’t know if we were destined for They Might Be Giants-inspired indie rock or full-on, Dick Dale-inspired instrumental surf-rock. You know, the usual dilemma for New Jersey bands in 2004.

But, as soon as I plugged into the ’63 reissue, my TMBG aspirations packed their witty little bags and never returned. The seas parted before me, leaving a small walkway between two restless 90-foot waves. I walked forward about 15 steps when suddenly the walkway disappeared, the waves crashed down upon me, and I was awash in gloriously lush tube-driven spring reverb. Mister Neutron dived into the world of surf, released three albums, toured quite a bit and even scored an alt-radio hit in Ohio.

But is the ’63 Reverb even a pedal? Yes and no. It’s a big brown practice-amp-sized box that does the job of a pedal, but — because it was invented when pedals weren’t a thing — it looks more like a pipefitter’s lunchbox. Luckily, there are now plenty of normal-sized spring reverb pedals that’ll make you feel like you’re drowning. In a good way!

Michael Astley-Brown, Digital Editor-in-Chief – DigiTech Whammy

I was about to turn 14, and there was only one thing I wanted for my birthday: a DigiTech Whammy pedal. At last, I could perform songs from my favorite bands – Rage Against the Machine and Muse – with the same siren squeals.

But as I have grown as a player over the past 20 years, so too has the way I use the Whammy. It’s very rare you’ll find me dialing in the two-octave-up Killing in the Name death-screech anymore. The octave up/down blend has become my perennial sidekick – a cheat code whose glitchy warble transforms on-the-verge-of-cheese leads into something edgier, more alternative.

Just about every song I have recorded with my band Maebe features the Whammy in some capacity. It has become my voice on the instrument. I have had countless, painstakingly wired pedalboard setups in my lifetime, but the Whammy has been the sole constant. I could gig without it, but it just wouldn’t sound like me.

Jimmy Brown, Senior Music Editor – Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere (MK1)

If there’s one pedal that has inspired my guitar playing more than any other, it’s the original Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere (MK1).

The thing I love most about this pedal, other than the impressively authentic way it emulates the sound and texture of a real Leslie rotating speaker cabinet better than any other pedal I’ve ever tried or heard, is its breaker button, which gradually slows down the low and high rotors (which ramp up and down at different speeds, just like the spinning woofer drum and tweeter in a real Leslie cabinet).

The breaker button is a momentary switch, which means it slows the modulation speeds to a complete halt if you keep your foot pressing on it for more than a few seconds. As soon as you lift your foot off the button, the low and high rotors begin ramping up to full speed again, with the high rotor (emulating the spinning horn tweeter in a Leslie cabinet) accelerating more quickly than the low rotor, which emulates the massive drum with a hole cut in the side that spins around a stationary woofer speaker.

To me, there’s nothing as musically expressive as the sonic magic of the “ebb and flow” that happens during the acceleration and deceleration of the trippy, swirling, phase-y tremolo and Doppler effect of a two-way rotary speaker effect. I’ll often play an entire ballad, such as Thank You by Led Zeppelin, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds by the Beatles or my own capo-5 guitar arrangement of The Eagles’ Desperado with my foot on the breaker button the entire time, using it to create a quasi-rubato effect without actually slowing down or speeding up what I’m playing.

The pedal is big, heavy and expensive, and it requires a special 12-volt AC power supply. But to me it’s worth keeping on my pedalboard, more than any other pedal. It’s the ultimate expression pedal and my secret weapon.

Rob Laing, Reviews Editor – Boss DM-101 Delay Machine

I'm not an analog snob – I'm a pragmatist. So modeling works for me, but I appreciate why a player would insist on a tube amp. But one area of delay I love... well that's an exception. There are lots of great digital delay pedals but the Boss Delay Machine reminded me that nothing beats warm, slightly wild bucket brigade analog delay.

And I really think this is the final destination for it – this black and chrome beauty is packing eight BBD chips and it's using 'em. It sounds glorious and with 12 varied modes, each with variations, I'm still using it as a creative tool with endless possibilities. Oh, and if you have a stereo rig you really are in for a treat.

Paul Riario, Tech Editor – MXR Phase 90

When I was a young, budding guitarist with my very first electric guitar and amplifier, the next step in my journey was to color that sound with an effect. Was it going to be a chorus? Nah, too boring. Delay? That was still a mystery to me. Distortion? Overdrive? Pass. My amp already handles this.

Seeking to replicate the cool onboard phase shifter from my bandmate's Peavey Deuce amp, I initially picked up a Boss Phaser. However, its piercing, square-wave phase left me uninspired.

It wasn’t until I eventually discovered the venerable MXR Phase 90 that all my swirly dreams came true. Yes, the day the Phase 90 landed on my pedalboard, all the mysteries of the Divine and supernatural made sense – “Oh, that’s how Eddie Van Halen did that!?!” was a consistent, resounding cry from me.

Using its solitary Speed knob, I’ve continuously adjusted it to shift from a gentle sweep to an increasingly dramatic swirl. Whether delivering a warm, chewy texture for solos, throbbing rhythmic stabs, or acting as subtle as an F-15 shattering the sound barrier, its lush, accelerated swoosh always satisfies. Word of advice: For a genuinely organic tone, the original “Script logo” version is the one to get.

Matt Parker, Deputy Editor – Danelectro Black Licorice

At some point around the age of 18, dipping a toe into stompboxes, I ordered up a set of fun-looking Danelectro pedals with weird names, like the PB&J Delay, the Milkshake Chorus and Bacon and Eggs pedal amp (which literally had a speaker in the pedal). They came in a fetching purple plastic carry case (complete with a pretty much useless tuner), had shells of bright moulded plastic, and sounded so much better than they had any right to.

The best of the bunch was the Black Licorice ‘Beyond Metal’, an utterly unhinged high-gain distortion and octave effect. As an indie rock-type, I was not dropping Dimebag riffs on the regs, so every time I hit the sponge-y footswitch it was a ride-the-tiger moment: I never knew what it would do next. The tiny controls made it pretty impossible to commit to a specific setting. Live, it would feed back with a glorious, anarchic bloom that made me whoop.

It got me playing and writing differently, too. I began leaning on more arpeggiated melodies that played well with its octave tracking. I wrote my favorite self-penned riff on it, and those intervals are still a big part of my playing, even now. For an all-black pedal, it had a truly colorful character.

Jackson Maxwell, Operations Editor - Boss DS-1

When I first started hacking away on the guitar, my heroes were alt-rock wizards like Jonny Greenwood and Kevin Shields. Because of them, I knew what a guitar pedal was, but I thought that they were the domain of six-string world-builders like them – not for plebes; you could only have one if you had 100.

But I also, of course, loved Nirvana. I wanted to sound like Kurt Cobain when I played Smells Like Teen Spirit, but I couldn’t turn the volume knobs on my little Strat and amp up to 10, lest my weary parents take their gifts to me away. ‘Isn’t that what he’s doing?’ I thought.

Then my friend said, “you know the Smells Like Teen Spirit sound is just a DS-1, right?”

“A what?”

“The Boss DS-1 pedal.”

“Isn’t that really complicated and expensive?”

“Nah dude. Try the one I have.”

The DS-1 was my first pedal – and with it came the first thrilling moment of “That’s how he got that exact sound!! I can do it too!” We all know how amazing that feels.

Matt Owen, News Editor – Xotic SP Compressor

I could use this time to talk about some of the pedals that revolutionized my rig, but fundamentally there really is one stompbox that actually changed the way I play. So I would like to give the Xotic SP Compressor its flowers. Ever since I bought one back in 2018, it is the only pedal that has never left my rig.

The HX Stomp has come and gone in waves. Even my Nano Cortex has been demoted. But I simply will not consider my pedalboard complete without the SP. I set Volume at 11 o’ click, Blend just after noon, the toggle locked in the middle.

It just makes everything sound and, even more importantly, feel better. Tonally, it is magic; a tonic to thicken and sweeten both my single-coil and humbucker guitars. More importantly, it gives any guitar a lovely expressive touch that feels spongy and reactive.

As such, it has injected my six-strings with a load more dynamic response that has me feeling more in touch with the instrument as a whole, more expressive in lead playing, and more confident when digging in for rhythms. When I turn it off, I'm a completely different player.

Daryl Robertson, Senior Deals Writer – Electro-Harmonix Big Muff

When I think of pedals that changed my life, I instantly think of the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff. I bought my first Big Muff at a pawn shop, bundled with a few other pedals for dirt cheap when I was about 14, and it's the only one I kept.

Despite its massive size and impracticality for my tiny homemade pedalboard, I was hooked. I just love its thick, fat sound. It’s not fizzy or brittle like a Fuzz Face, it’s smoother and fuller. Over the years, I've owned several versions, from the green Russian one to the more pedalboard-friendly Nano.

When I was playing bass live in a band, I, of course, got the bass version, which featured a handy clean-through to preserve the low-end. I actually ended up using it on guitar too, because it sounded so good.

Back when I had a ridiculously complicated rig and ran two amps, I used the bass Big Muff’s dry out through an overdrive, then into a Fender Blues Jr, while the fuzz signal went through a Vox AC30.

I must admit, my signal chain is a lot simpler now, but I always keep a Big Muff handy for when I want to get fuzzy.

Janelle Borg, Staff Writer – Line 6 M9

The pedal that changed my life has to be the Line 6 M9, for many reasons. From sweaty punk shows back in my native Malta to my first tentative gigs abroad, and eventually a full move to another country, it's been a core part of my setup (even though it's currently very much on its last legs) and my love affair with reverbs and delays.

This is (I believe!) the second Line 6 M9 I've owned, as the first one got stolen. Thanks to a crowdfunding effort, I managed to buy the one I currently have. Safe to say this pedal has been through a lot, and even though I probably need an upgrade – and soon – I can't imagine selling it, if only for the memories and the lore.

Pete Emery, Reviews Writer – Mooer Pure Boost

Like most guitarists, I enjoy the process of chopping and changing things and seeing what the newest addition to the board can do. Thinking back on all the pedals I’ve owned, there is one that sticks out as instigating an important penny-drop moment – the Mooer Pure Boost.

It’s a cheap, transparent boost pedal that I bought early on in my playing days, with the intention of using it to make my solo tones louder. Naively, I put it in the front of a distorting Peavey practice amp, and stamped on it, ready for the room to shake with the extra earth-shattering volume.

This did not happen. Instead, all I got was more distortion. Confused, I looked into why and discovered what is probably the most important part of building a guitar tone: gain staging.

This opened the door to understanding how signal chains work, and what to do to get the intended results. Important knowledge that I’m still using 15 years later.

Matt McCracken, Junior Deals Writer – Line 6 POD XT Live

Back in 2009, when modeling was something attractive people did, and metalcore was all the rage, I purchased a Jackson seven-string. I absolutely hated it. When a guitarist in another band asked to trade, I couldn’t wait to get rid of it. He offered me a Line 6 POD XT Live; it had lots of buttons and lights, so I figured, why not?

Little did I know I was exchanging a guitar I hated for every amp and effect I could ever want. It let me craft dream signal chains as a broke student and gig nationwide without a car, packed right into my backpack. I recorded multiple albums with its USB output.

I eventually gifted it to a friend who still uses it today, but it remains the most transformative piece of gear I’ve ever owned, and its influence continues with the legacy models found in Line 6’s modern amp and effects modelers.

The Edge’s unique mirror-tiled Gibson Les Paul has re-emerged at auction, 27 years after it was last sold.

The reflective Gibson featured in the music video for 1997 U2’s track, Discothèque, lifted from their Platinum-rated album, Pop, which marked an experimental stylistic departure from their earlier work.

All four members had signed the back of the guitar before it was auctioned off for charity in 1999. While the figure it went for nearly three decades ago hasn’t been publicized, the guitar’s second time under the hammer could see it sell for as much as $150,000.

A close look at the guitar shows that the individual tiles look pretty thick, meaning the guitar likely weighs a considerable amount – it’s more of a wall piece (or playable disco ball) than it is a workhorse in waiting.

Gotta Have Rock and Roll is handling the auction, with the bidding sitting at $80,000 at the time of writing.

The band’s Pop album, the auction house states, “marked a significant phase in the band’s evolution, incorporating dance and electronic elements into their music.”

It’s not the only one of the Edge’s Les Pauls to have been auctioned off. His ‘75 Alpine White model sold for $228,000 in the early 2000s. Soon after, Gibson surprised him with a virtually identical replica. The replica would go on to feature on No Line on the Horizon.

Oddball guitars have been the Edge’s bread and butter throughout his career, with an ultra-rare modded Fender the secret weapon behind some of the band’s biggest hits.

The guitar’s auction runs until Friday, July 17.

See Gotta Have Rock and Roll for more.

Pedals Week 2026: There comes a time in every guitarist’s life when, really, you have everything you need. No stone unturned on the amp front; no room on the wall for more guitars; no glaring holes in the pedal chain. How on Earth do you feed your GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) if you already have everything? Enter: the pedalboard accessory.

We’re looking beyond the addictive collectability of the pedal itself, towards something a little more… practical. Even with your ideal effects chain in situ, your pedalboard might not be quite at its best, whether due to inefficiency or overall scruffiness. You need accessories.

These items are not always the most glamorous of pedalboard accoutrements, nor are they always the most thrilling of guitar-related purchases. Between them, though, they represent a quiet and constant improvement of a pedalboard in progress, making it easier for you to play, to maintain and to evolve your signal chain whether you’re a home musician or a gigging pro. And they might temper that GAS a little, too. Here’s a handful of ideas for plussing up your pedalboard.

What is it?

Is it a hot take to suggest the Mustang is Fender’s most underrated guitar? Often overlooked in the release schedule over its larger-bodied offset siblings, the Jazzmaster and Jaguar, the Mustang is nevetheless a crucial design for Fender. Like the Jaguar, it’s a short scale, but a smaller-bodied single-cut.

Designed as a student guitar by Leo Fender and introduced in 1964, its potential for younger beginner players is still significant as a result of the compact dimensions and easier bends from the shorter 24" scale compared to the Strat, Tele and Jazzmaster's 25.5". The Squier Bullet and now Sonic series Mustang models have been a testament to that continuing appeal, but for me, the Mustang isn’t just an excellent 'beginner guitar' option; it’s my favourite Fender.

Both my main guitars are hardtail Fender Player Mustang models, and the dimensions of Leo's design just feel right for me. To be honest, I wish I'd come around to it sooner.

I’ve modded my own guitars’ specs to my own taste around that core appeal – the modular nature of Fenders is always good for that. But when I saw the Vintera III Mustang update on the review slate it was a great chance to get back to a real Mustang that echoes a golden era ‘60s spec. A time long before Kurt Cobain's patronage gave the Mustang a much-deserved reappraisal.

Still, the model remains strangely under the radar even within Fender's own walls – I'm somewhat surprised to report at the time of writing this review that with Performer models phased out, the company doesn't currently have a US-made Mustang in its production model catalogue. Isn't that odd?

So the pressure is on for the Vintera III to deliver, but what’s notable about this iteration that the previous iterations didn’t quite grasp?

In short, it’s truer to the inspiration. Vintera III models are now honing in on specific eras within the decade they take inspiration from – and that means specs reflective of that. And for a mid-‘60s slant on the Mustang, we’re at the very genesis of the model that was launched in August 1964… mostly.

We’re moving beyond just the standard Mustang 24-inch scale and vintage 7.25” radius and vintage-tall frets here with ‘mid-’60s’ pickups and neck profile, and even true-to-era Fender decals added on top of the headstock lacquer. The rosewood fingerboard gains the unmistakable vintage vibe of clay fret dots too. This being a Mustang, there’s much more going on elsewhere too.

Specs

• Launch price: $1,249.99 | £1,029 | €1,199
• Made: Ensenada, Mexico
• Type: Six-string solid-body single-cut electric guitar
• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple, Mid '60s C-shape, gloss urethane
• Fingerboard: Laminated rosewood
• Scale length: 24" / 610mm
• Nut/width: 42mm / bone
• Frets: 22, Vintage Tall
• Hardware: Vintage-style tuners with vintage white buttons, six-saddle vintage-style Mustang tremolo, four-ply tortoisehell pickguard
• Electrics: Vintage-Style Mid '60s Single-Coil Mustang bridge and neck single-coil pickups, master tone and volume controls, two on/off slide switches (one for each pickup)
• Weight of test model: 7lb/3.17kg
• Left-handed options: N/A
• Finishes: Dakota Red, Sonic Blue, Olympic White (as reviewed)
• Cases: Padded gig bag
• Contact: Fender

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

I personally think we have the choice finish of the three here. The options reflect the initial trio available at the Mustang's original launch with Sonic Blue now replacing the 1964 Daphne Blue, alongside Dakota Red and Olympic White. While purists may argue the pickguard should be a lighter, brighter red for vintage authenticity, I really like the darker burgundy tortoiseshell shades here. If anything, it looks a little more lived-in and well… vintage.

While the originals were first offered by Fender in two scale length options with 22.5" (like the existing Duo Sonic and Musicmaster student models) and the Jaguar's 24" – with the latter soon winning out as the popular choice. The Fender logo here is the transitional type from that time, in the gold with black outline style. And while the decal being stuck over the finish may look jarring to some, it is vintage correct. As are the off-white plastic tuner buttons.

The bridge cover from 1964 is absent here, a '60s idiosyncracy with Fender models there's little demand for now, but aftermarket spares can cater for. The nut is bone – a step up from the Vintera II's synthetic example. Again, true to the vintage era.

The fingerboard is round-laminated rosewood rather than slab here. This allows for the radius to be followed at the top and bottom, rather than just the slab's top. There's less mass of rosewood with laminate, which means – in theory – that this Mustang might sound brighter than a Vintera II equivalent. But you know the score with electric guitars – there are so many variables at play elsewhere, it's difficult to prove in this kind of testing situation.

I am immediately drawn to the dark rosewood and clay dots – it has all the vintage vibe I'd hope for, but it really needs a feed of lemon oil. While this isn't uncommon for guitars coming out of storage and varying conditions of humidity before they reach us for testing, the frets looking like they need a polish is less forgivable. It's taking the closet classic fantasy a bit far.

Still, that coffee dark fretboard really does make my Player II Mustang's rosewood look disappointingly caramel by comparison. Lovely stuff.

The dot placement draws from the '64 pre-CBS era but, more noticeably, the headstock does not – it's the larger late '65 shape . So the 'mid '60s' period is very much reflected here, rather than a specific year. This may not to everyone's taste, but Fender certainly isn't misleading anyone with the name.

At 7lbs, this test model is definitely bang on an ideal alder Mustang weight for me – my own Player II is half a pound lighter but that's without a floating tremolo system. However, looking at the stock Sweetwater has at the time of writing, this example is one of the lightest, though there's not much in it.

Apart from the frets and a tremolo issue I'll talk about next, fit and finish are sound. Would I have liked to see a nitro finish for a truer vintage reflection and much more desirable aging over time? Absolutely, and it would have bumped the price up a bit for sure, but I'm a little frustrated that nitrocellulose is only being rolled out on relic'd Road Worn Mexican-made models right now. However, this is Olympic White is very well delivered and is in the right territory of some vintage examples I've spotted.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★☆

There are a lot of opinions about what a 7.25" radius neck is good, and not good for when it comes to guitar playing. John Mayer entered the chat recently to stir the pot with some sound reasoning, but the fact is, our tastes, styles and hand sizes are all so different. So, I personally don't go in for sweeping statements when it comes to radius and suitability for certain styles of playing.

I do, however, have a period of adjustment whenever I go from my usual 9.5" Mustang modern C necks to this kind of vintage spec. The last time was for the Mike McCready Strat review for our sister site MusicRadar, and I really came around to the charms of a rounder radius. I certainly didn't find bending an issue with it.

The action is higher than I'd like on this test guitar at 1.8mm clearance from the low E and, more surprisingly, 1.85mm from the high E. After checking the truss rod relief and finding all is well (thankfully too, as this is vintage spec with the truss nut at the bass of the neck requiring neck removal), I decide to tweak the string action more to my liking.

Unlike my own Player Mustangs with block steel saddles, the six-barrel examples here aren't individually adjustable in height. It's a case of bass and treble bridge height adjustment with one of the three included allen/hex keys and a quick process even with a cautious approach of small changes. Because of the rounder 7.25" radius I'm careful not to go as low as I would with my 9.5" Fender necks and soon find a pleasing compromise.

Unsurprisingly, those frets feel a little scratchy at first but soon play in, and there's no getting around the fact that a short scale and this radius will be too cramped for some players. But equally, it will be a great fit for many, and a Goldilocks scenario for some smaller-statured players with smaller hands. At the end of the day, this is a vintage spec and of course, other options are available.

I prefer bending on a 9.5" radius, but I found myself coming up with more arpeggiated parts with this Mustang because of the ease of more complicated shapes. It feels like a deeper, more rounded C than modern Mustang necks I've played (at the first and 12th fret I measure the depth at 21.3mm and 23.4mm on the Vinter III vs 20.8 and 22.4mm with my calipers on my Player II's Modern C carve), but the lighter 9-gauge strings it ships with definitely help it feel friendly. Most experienced players will want to move to 10s on a short scale like this, or even 11s.

My testing with Vintera III Mustang covered a really strange period of weather in the United Kingdom – from 15 degrees up to the hottest June day on record here at 36 degrees. While my Player Mustangs with their hardtail bridges and fairly springy tensions with 10-gauge strings were surprisingly solid through it all, this Vintera was a challenge. And that's with light tremolo use - though that kind of more subtle wobble is what this type of tremolo is really meant for unless you want to be tuning every between every song, or even solo .

A safe bet would be that the floating tremolo needs calibrating. Not uncommon and often part of the deal with this design – and the 'cigar bar' for the tremolo leaning back, as you can see in the pic above, suggests that is the case. The strings tremolo plate needs to be removed for access to do this. But it has to be done to fully enjoy the sensitivity and thrills of the tremolo here without gritting your teeth in tuning anxiety every time.

It's worth mentioning that the floating design here requires a hex key to fit, adjust and remove the tremolo arm from the cigar bar every time – so keep a spare handy!

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★★

The obligatory Mustang controls recap is needed here – the pickups are selected and turned off with a pair of three-way switches above them. In the middle the pickups are turned off (no sound), when either is switched left or right they are activated. Switch them both to the left or right together and they're in phase, switch one to the left and one to the right (it doesn't matter which as long as they're both opposites) and they're out of phase.

This out-of-phase position is the least desirable of the options for me. But it's not undesirable either. The low-end drop and reduced output does have some lo-fi charm and useful application for strumming. Especially when contrasted with the other positions.

The Mustang is not a short-scale Strat in tone, it's distinct – in a good way too. And it's just as much an iconic Fender sound for me as its more popular siblings. I'm going to go all-out and say the in-phase position is my favourite 'middle' position on any Fender, and my experience here only highlights that further.

Mustang single-coil pickup polepieces are usually flat, not the staggered heights of a Strats and the Tele's bridge. The result is a finer balance between the strings, certainly to my ears, and it brings detail to chords I find immensely satisfying. I've also found it makes for a great pairing with the addition of a P-90-sized Firebird bridge pickup in one of my Mexican Player models. However, I should note for all you potential modders out there that unlike the Player models, this Vintera III is only routed for single-coil-sized pickups.

For a change, I start on the neck pickup and soon start sighing - there's an added dimension here that my own Player II's neck pickup doesn't have. And I really like that pickup. The round, focused response I love is there, but it's sharper and livelier. I'm an instant fan, the strings ring out for chords so fully, and throwing a touch of plate reverb and some light harmonic tremolo is such an inspiring sound, I think it could convert Mustang newcomers.

It's not the instantly identifiable strat spank, but a very interesting alternative that's more adaptable to my ears. It bodes well for further investigation.

I've found bridge pickups on some Mustangs to be quite gnarly affairs, requiring bespoke dialling on the tone control, and sometimes the amp, to get the best out of them. While I chose to swap out the bridge pickups on both by own Player Mustangs for Sunbear Soapbird P-90-size Firebird humbuckers, what I find with the Vintera III gives me some pause.

The twang and snap I expect has that fullness again and yes, I do reach for the tone control to dial the top off things a little, but I find a voice that's meatier under overdrive than I expected through a clean Princeton and then a Neural Plexi model with my trusty little Wampler Tumnus. The volume control proves super responsive with these setups, revealing a guitar that would be a vibrant tool in a power trio, or a dynamic foil alongside a second, humbucker guitar player.

It's not really a surprise to find the highlight is the 'middle' in-phase position here. A shimmering sound for strumming chords that really laps up light modulation – a Boss CE-2 and Crowded House's Don't Dream It's Over intro and Johnny Marr's Smith arpeggios are addictive stuff here! It's a sublime and expressive experience for Knopfler-esque fingerstyle too, responding sensitively.

As I mentioned earlier, the out-of-phase option is a wiry, lo-fi and lower-output voice in comparison. Though hanging back in a mix or as a contrast in an intro or passages before kicking back into one of the other three voices, it could find useful favor.

Verdict

There's a lot to like about the latest addition to Fender's more affordable vintage-spec'd range, a reminder of why it remains my favourite Fender model. The third-generation additions make it distinct and perhaps the most focused Vintera Mustang we'll see unless the company decides to hone in on specific years for the next iteration.

A couple of setup issues with this test model notwithstanding, this is a persuasive showcase of Fender's dark horse model if you want vintage spec without the eyewatering price tag.

GuitarWorld verdict: This is a great place to go for an authentically full-fat Mustang experience – and the new Mid '60s pickups are a big part of the appeal here, alongside the evocative looks and feel of Fender's golden era.

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Kiesel is back with an all-new guitar shape, which is set to serve as the spiritual sibling to its flagship Aries range.

The Kiesel Antares takes its name from Ancient Greek, and essentially means “rival to Ares”, the god of war. That, then, should tell you what you need to know about this guitar: it’s a weaponized metal guitar ready to step into battle.

It continues the ongoing movement to keep the electric guitar fresh, which in recent years has been spearheaded by brands such as Eastman, Abasi Concepts, Ernie Ball Music Man, Powers Electric and more.

The push to release new body shapes seems to be gathering serious momentum. More variety in metal guitars, especially when it comes to the S-type-dominated extended range market, is always welcome.

Visually, the Antares has a chiseled offset body akin to other popular modern metal guitars, while its scythe-like headstock is taken from the Kiesel Kyber.

This being a Keisel, its specs are extremely customizable, with seven different body woods on offer including alder, mahogany, walnut, and regular or roasted swamp ash. There are also 15 top and fingerboard woods to choose from.

It’s available in 25.5” and 26.5” scale lengths for six-string variants, 25.5” and 27” for seven-string, and 27” for eight-string, with multi-scale options available for all three string counts.

As standard, there are 24 frets, but Kiesel is also debuting its first-ever 27 fret fingerboards here, because more is most certainly more.

There are four bridge options: an Ever-Tune, Floyd Rose, Hipshot trem, and Hipshot fixed. For electronics, choose from active Fishman Fluence humbuckers or passive Kiesel Lithium, Thorium, and Vantium ‘buckers.

Kiesel also believes the new body shape, via a purposeful bevel, is as comfy as it gets, which isn’t always something that guitars with such wild silhouettes can say.

“In 2015, the Aries marked a notable turning point for the Kiesel brand, shifting from classic, soft shapes to an aggressive, metal-leaning design,” says Kiesel. “Now, with over a decade cemented in the scene and partnerships with industry legends, Kiesel Guitars takes the next step.”

“It’s got a more aggressive, totally ground-up styling,” adds founder Jeff Kiesel. “It’s more angular, and I’m excited about this guitar”

The Antares’ wildly varying specs mean prices vary, but the starting price is $1,699 with a deposit of $340 deposit.

See Kiesel for more.

Gibson is revived a totem of 1970s rock with the limited edition 1971 Flying V Medallion Reissue.

The '71 Flying V Medallion has been described by its maker as "one of the most sought-after and historically significant guitars ever produced by Gibson" – and for good reason.

It was a standout in the early hard rock era. Michael Schenker, with his black and white Medallion, quickly became the guitar’s poster boy. Kirk Hammett also has close ties to the model.

The reissues’s recipe is, of course, an echo of the past, with a two-piece mahogany body, three-piece mahogany neck with volute, and a 22 medium jumbo fret rosewood fingerboard and corian nut.

But there’s a touch of premium exclusivity to boot: the guitars each feature individually numbered 1.5” gold medallions.

Tonally, it has a pair of authentic unpotted 1968 T-Top humbuckers with Alnico 5 magnets. They’re flanked with two Volume and one Tone knob, and a three-way selector.

Hardware specs, meanwhile, include an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge with Stop Bar, Kluson Deluxe tuners, and Black Witch Hat control knobs. Its pickup covers are chrome.

Handcrafted in Nashville, the body features a thinner two-piece mahogany design to mirror the original. The guitar is said to simultaneously deliver reduced weight and premium resonance and sustain.

The Flying V Medallion was originally created to commemorate the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, with an estimated run of 350 models produced. That makes it one of the rarest Gibsons around town, which only added to the mythos of Schenker’s monochrome companion.

“The 1971 Flying V Medallion holds a special place in Gibson history,” says Mat Koehler, Vice President of Product at Gibson.

“As one of Gibson’s earliest limited-edition instruments, it helped establish a lasting legacy within hard rock guitar culture. This reissue brings back the details, feel, and sound of the original, giving players the opportunity to experience an iconic instrument.”

Speaking to Gibson Gazette, Kirk Hammett, who now owns Schenker’s #56 V, likened it to a “religious relic.”

“I spent so much time as a teenager just staring at this guitar on the back of UFO’s Force It album,” he says. “There’s a picture of Michael Schenker playing this very guitar – it’s red, you can see the medallion – and I used to stare at the guitar and go, ‘I need to get a Flying V.’ Little did I know that, decades later, I would have the very Flying V that I was staring at.”

The Gibson Custom 1971 Flying V Medallion Reissue is priced at $4,999/£4,399.

See Gibson for more.

Yamaha has been confirmed as one of the companies to have been targeted by a cease-and-desist letter from Fender as the copyright dispute surrounding the Stratocaster continues.

Since scoring a default copyright ruling in German courts in March, Fender has sought to police its legal rights to protect the Strat body shape by issuing a wave of cease-and-desists to US and EU guitar builders.

LsL Instruments and PRS Guitars were among the first to be publicly confirmed as recipients of such orders. Now, Yamaha has confirmed to Reuters that it’s also been hit.

Yamaha says it received the letter in May. No specific model names were named in the comment, but Yamaha said it was “reviewing the notice and weighing how to respond”.

Despite no confirmation from Yamaha, there can be no doubt that the letter formally drags the Pacifica S-type into the dispute. Alongside John Mayer’s PRS Silver Sky, it becomes the most significant guitar to be targeted by Fender’s ongoing legal campaign.

First launched for LA session players in 1991, the Pacifica was pitched as Yamaha’s entry into the Superstrat world and a direct response to the heavy metal and hard rock scene.

“That was a big thing around that time,” Yamaha’s Electric Guitar Product Manager Yusuke Ota told Guitar World earlier this year. “We wanted to create something that was ultra-versatile and able to cover just about any kind of sound and genre.”

35 years on from its launch, the Pacifica is widely recognized as one of the most popular, best and beloved beginner guitars on the market. The 112V variant has become a household name. In 2024, the Pacifica received a premium update in the form of the Yamaha Pacifica Pro – again, one of the best guitars in its price range.

In taking on Yamaha, Fender is going up against the largest music instrument maker in the world. Pair that with the fact Fender has also been sued by the largest music instrument retailer in the world, it raises the stakes of the Big F’s legal strategy considerably.

Fender has maintained it wants to work “work directly with companies to find practical paths forward”, and CEO, Bud Cole, has downplayed some of the more draconian measures referenced in the letters.

That said, the company has attracted widespread backlash from the guitar community, receiving criticism from Guitar World readers and prominent YouTubers.

Yamaha has been approached for comment.

Pedals Week 2026: Looper pedals are undoubtedly one of the best writing tools a guitar player can have in their arsenal, but they’re also invaluable for anyone looking to sharpen their skills as a soloist, both technically and theoretically.

You could take the chord progression from one of your favorite songs, for example, and start testing out new ideas – which will help you find your voice and identity on your instrument.

As any Guitar World reader already knows, it can be highly rewarding to learn your favorite solos note for note, but studying the chord progression underneath them will help you put your own spin on things. And this is precisely where a looper will come in handy.

Some of the world’s greatest solos were written over movements that allowed the players to create something truly astounding and unique. The more attention you pay to chords and rhythms, the more impactful your solo might end up sounding.

Play the chords into your looper and start experimenting with different sounds and feels. You might notice how some tracks stay in one key and allow you to build your story a scene at a time without any radical harmonic departures.

In other situations, you might notice that some of the chords you’re playing over allow you to add in other tonalities and venture outside of the key, with options for more ear-catching notes from a different scale – from the introduction of Dorian, Aeolian or Mixolydian flavors to more dramatic-sounding harmonic and melodic minor scales.

So, even if you feel like music theory isn’t a strong point, just a little bit of due diligence can go a long way to impress listeners and help you learn how to deliver a solo that truly soars and sings. Your ear is the most important thing here.

Here are 10 tracks that are great for looping, with repetitive progressions that give you plenty of opportunities to conjure up something extra special.

1. Eagles – Hotel California

It’s one of those songs that’s always in the running for the greatest guitar solo(s) of all-time, with Don Felder and Joe Walsh going head to head before joining forces for some lavish harmonized arpeggios at the end.

The minor chord progression underneath is what gives ample opportunity to create something dramatic, with the V chord being changed to dominant (F#7 instead of F#min) and the IV chord alternating between major and minor instead of staying minor.

This is what allows soloists to switch between B pentatonic and Aeolian to harmonic minor, especially on the substituted chords Ultimately, the goal here is to not stick with one scale – make your solo more fluid and unpredictable to catch listeners off-guard.

2. John Mayer – Slow Dancing In A Burning Room

If you’re looking for the perfect song to master your C# minor pentatonic chops, as well as its E major relative, this could very well be it. Unlike Hotel California, the progression is completely diatonic and therefore feels like it’s all in one key, so it’s more about phrasing and delivery than note choices when targeting chords.

With a laid-back tempo and slinky feel, it’s the kind of musical scenario that calls for big pentatonic bends, and therefore works as a practice tool for pitch accuracy. It’s worth asking yourself what note are you trying to bend up to and how close are you getting.

3. Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb

Often cited as one of David Gilmour’s greatest moments, this final single from Pink Floyd’s 1979 rock opera The Wall is an absolute masterclass in how to speak B minor pentatonic.

Pay attention to your vibrato and note choice, because these are two areas where Gilmour is known to excel, and see if you can find your own lines that feel natural and avoid over-complication.

The bar where the chords drop from G to F#min and Emin calls for something extra special – think about what you can play to emphasize the movement underneath you and have some fun with it.

4. B.B. King – The Thrill Is Gone

Anyone trying to master the art of 12-bar blues will undoubtedly come across this Grammy-winning hit from 1969. This is another B minor progression that’s all about the bends – know exactly what you’re aiming for and see what happens when you undershoot or overshoot to unlock “the in-between notes” on the fretboard, like the original blues masters.

The minor pentatonic will be your friend here, but if you’re looking to spice things up, try introducing B melodic minor or A# half-whole diminished scales over the dominant chord (F#7) to create tension before the progression returns to root. This resolution from the V chord to the I is often referred to as a perfect cadence.

5. Metallica – Wherever I May Roam

Arguably one of the most famous heavy metal tracks written using the Phrygian scale, the fourth single from Metallica’s self-titled landmark album of 1991 is a great way of introducing yourself to more outside ideas.

For his solo, Kirk Hammett chose to use a mixture of E minor pentatonic and E Phrygian Dominant – which is the fifth mode of A harmonic minor – to great effect. The big jump from a minor second to a major third is a surefire way of capturing people’s attention.

Use it too much, however, and it loses its effect. So try switching between Phrygian, which has a minor third, and its dominant sibling to mix things up – essentially swapping a G for a G# wherever you think it feels right. Follow your ears and have fun.

6. Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven

Maybe don’t try this one while testing looper pedals in your local guitar shop, but if you’re hoping to explore the world of natural minor, this hit provides a perfect backdrop.

The A minor pentatonic scale will do the trick for most of the chords, but highlighting the F chord with an F note will add a sense of sophistication to what you play, showing everyone how you understand the song’s inner workings by targeting the sound of a minor 6th at exactly the right time.

If you listen to the last note of Jimmy Page’s opening line, you’ll hear how it creates an atmosphere of tension after the familiarity of more bluesy sounds.

7. Free – All Right Now

Some of the world’s greatest guitar solos aren’t strictly major or minor, with the player blending ideas from both worlds into one seamless package. This 1970 hit is one of those, thanks to Paul Kossoff’s iconic fretwork halfway into the song.

Maybe start off in A major pentatonic and work your way into A minor pentatonic as your solo builds towards its grand crescendo, or try using both in a ‘call and answer’ fashion. Kossoff’s vibrato also played a huge part in his solo’s overall feel, so experiment with how you shake the notes you’re choosing to let ring – there’s plenty of space to get creative and express yourself here.

8. Joe Bonamassa – Sloe Gin

The New York blues maverick is one of the undisputed titans of the long-form solo, and the title track from his 2007 album is the perfect example of why that is. Once you’ve recorded the chords into your looping pedal, begin with some simple phrases in D minor and slowly build your ideas in terms of intensity and dynamics.

The original solo is almost three minutes long and never outstays its welcome. Holding back is an art form in itself – and playing along to a progression like this is a great way of learning how to flow naturally through control and discipline, keeping the listener on the edge of their seats every step of the way.

The chords to Purple Rain by Prince would also work very well for this – look at it as telling a story with a beginning, middle and end, rather than going in all guns blazing.

9. Joe Satriani – Flying In A Blue Dream

If you’re mainly used to pentatonic scales, Lydian – which is the fourth mode of the major scale – can present some serious challenges when it comes to phrasing.

Jamming along to the chords from this title track on Joe Satriani’s third full-length, released in 1989, is a great way of familiarizing yourself with these shapes and sounds. You can look at C Lydian from a G major perspective, which is its parent scale, or think of it as C major with a sharpened fourth, or even C major pentatonic with the inclusion of a B and an F.

Ultimately, different ways of visualizing a scale can help you explore new sonic horizons. Experiment with every possibility, even the ones that feel more confusing and less natural, because they might push you in a completely new direction.

10. Gary Moore – Parisienne Walkways

Much like Moore’s most famous track Still Got The Blues, this late ’70s hit is a great way of getting used to cycle-of-fifth progressions, also typified by songs like Autumn Leaves and I Will Survive.

Parisienne Walkways is in the key of A natural minor but at the end of the main progression, the perfect cadence of a V chord (E7) into the I chord (Amin) provides an opportunity to use the A harmonic minor scale for extra tension, which is then released by resolving back to the root.

Like Stairway To Heaven, it’s a great way of learning how to change just one note over the right chord and provide more depth for the listener to appreciate, taking them on a journey that travels further and therefore exceeds expectation.