Fender has just announced the Lee Sklar Precision bass – a faithful recreation of the highly customized P-Bass that has accompanied him throughout his decades-long career.

His one-of-a-kind bass has featured on records by James Taylor, Phil Collins, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker, and Rod Stewart, among many others. Now, Fender has captured the distinctive modifications that Sklar made to make his bass work for him – and a staggering number of records.

“I’ve used this guitar on about 2,000 albums. It is my go-to instrument when I go in the studio. It’s the first thing I think about when I hear a song,” Sklar says.

“That’s what made this project with Fender and EMG so meaningful to me. We put a lot of time, detail, and care into every part of this bass, from the pickups and electronics to the feel and response of the instrument, to make sure it captured what I love about this guitar.”

The signature bass includes some tasty, Sklar-approved specs like his signature Dual EMG active pickups, a slim 1962 Jazz Bass “C”-shaped neck paired with mandolin frets, a Hipshot BT-3 Bass Xtender, and a Badass II bridge – high-end hardware that provides an “instant” low-end tuning change.

To top it off, the alder body is finished in satin Heirloom nitro lacquer, which recreates the naturally worn aesthetic of Sklar’s original.

Priced at $3,499, the Lee Sklar Precision is available now. For more information, head to Fender.

An ex head of the Fender Custom Shop has seemingly issued a message to his former employer with a new S-style build.

After a court ruling gave Fender legal protection over its Stratocaster body design, Thomann, PRS, Yamaha and more have since received cease-and-desist letters, leaving the body shape’s place in the market uncertain.

Mike Eldred, who ran the Fender Custom Shop in the 1990s, has apparently reacted to the unpopular legal strategy. He’s unveiled his first S-Style guitar under his new firm, El Cabron.

Not only does its familiar S-shape fly in the face of Fender’s legal wrangles, but it also features an important message.

“Never let a corporation tell you what the rules are,” it says in all capitals. It’s serving Tom Morello’s Arm the Homeless guitar. Ironically, that’s an S-type too.

El Cabron’s Black Corp electric guitar features a Gotoh 510 tremolo, a single humbucker bridge pickup, and a single volume control. If anything, it’s a little more G&L Rampage than vintage Stratocaster. The message comes through all the same.

To top it off, the guitar also features Banksy artwork beneath the trem. It depicts a masked protester throwing a bouquet of flowers and is intended to symbolize prioritizing peace and love over anger and violence.

During his time in Fender’s ranks, Eldred built guitars for a feast of celebrated players, including Eric Clapton, Brad Paisley, John Mayer and Keith Urban.

Eldred isn't the only former Fender employee to take aim at the firm. Ex-Masterbuilder John Cruz also recently teamed up with Chinese guitar maker Farida for another S-style.

One of the smaller firms targeted by Fender’s campaign was LsL Instruments. It has since unveiled an all-new design, which it hopes will offset the lawsuit’s impact. In an age of small brands pushing the needle on new, original body shapes, it could signal the start of a wider industry trend.

Mid-gig string breaks are the stuff of nightmares for guitarists. Angine de Poitrine, though, recently turned tragedy into triumph by jamming their way out of trouble.

Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock since February, the microtonal mavericks have been 2026’s breakout act, with a double-neck guitar – now crafted by Godin – at the heart of their act.

But when a string broke on the six-string half of the instrument, the band made the best of a bad situation. Instead of carting the guitar off-stage for a tech to restring in private while they played on with their second double-neck, they kept things front-facing.

Godin actually made two custom models for guitarist Khn, so it was certainly possible. But that wouldn’t be as fun as jamming while the tech simultaneously restring the guitar in front of the crowd, would it?

The duo were playing at Le Poisson Rouge, New York, on September 9 when Khn’s high e string broke. Cue their tech, wearing a head torch and moving with a swift but calm efficiency, to enter the stage and attempt a restring while Khn played some pleasingly squelchy riffs atop Klek’s drum beats.

It was a fiddly job, one that could have put an end to the jam, but Khn and his tech pulled it off.

There’s a huge roar as the restring is complete, especially with how smoothly it’s done. At no point is the jam interrupted by the sound of a string slowly rising to pitch. Hats off, sir.

The band recently spoke to Guitar World, offering fascinating insight into their meteoric rise and self-described “freak show.” The story of Khn’s madcap guitar teacher is a big highlight and shows how the band's alien music came to be.

They’ve come a long way since sawing frets onto an S-type knockoff, and then in turn Frankenstein-ing it with a bass guitar. Rush guitarist and prog rock titan Alex Lifeson is the latest to heap praise on a band that no one predicted would have made 2026 their year.

Few guitars command the attention quite like the Gibson Flying V. As a young, aspiring guitarist, I remember that I was totally mesmerized by how aggressive it looked, only to realize that playing one sitting down was a total mess; it kept sliding right off my lap.

It’s a weird design that you have to adjust to, but that fine line between a trainwreck and a stroke of genius is exactly what Ted McCarty tapped into during Gibson’s ‘modernist’ push in 1957.

Crafted from African korina wood, featuring a split headstock and a body that cut away into a dramatic, sweeping arrowhead, the original Flying V was unlike anything else on the market. Released in 1958, the futuristic design was way too radical for the conservative jazz and country players of the era.

Gibson had quietly pulled it by 1960 after only shipping about 100 units. It reemerged in 1967, when Gibson brought it back with some crucial changes, trading the original korina wood for a mahogany body, adding a larger pickguard, and updating it with a stopbar or Vibrola tailpiece. This forgotten failure somehow clawed its way back to define everything from raw Delta blues to thrash metal.

Blues guitarists played a significant role in popularizing the Flying V. Lonnie Mack favored a ’58 model throughout his career. Albert King was famously a lefty who flipped a right-handed ’58 korina V upside down: the way he grabbed those massive, string bends out of his V proved the design had plenty of tone to back up its wild looks.

In the late ’60s, Jimi Hendrix dragged the V straight into the psychedelic stratosphere, hand-painting his ’67 Flying V and completely blurring the lines of what a rock guitar was supposed to look like.

By the time the ’70s rolled around, Rudolf Schenker had turned the V into a visual trademark for the Scorpions, while his brother Michael took it into absolute guitar shred territory.

Michael’s legendary half-black/half-white Gibson Vs became the ultimate symbol for blistering, lightning-fast solos, proving that this crazy V shape was more than worthy. By the late ’70s, Dean Guitars put its own stamp on the iconic shape with the Dean V. Boasting an oversized wing-shaped headstock and a massive string-through V-plate tailpiece, it was quickly adopted by heavyweight players such as ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons.

By the 1980s, music got harder and faster, and the V shape evolved and underwent its wildest mutation yet. Virtuoso Randy Rhoads teamed with Grover Jackson to develop an offset V-shaped guitar named ‘The Concorde’.

The look was so radical that Grover Jackson slapped his own last name on the headstock instead of his established Charvel logo. He did it purely to protect the Charvel name and avoid alienating his traditional customers if the guitar flopped, accidentally launching one of the most renowned guitar brands on Earth in the process: Jackson Guitars.

The sharp evolution of the Jackson models weaponized the V for the metal era, and the Concorde evolved into the iconic Randy Rhoads model that the metal community has fully embraced for the past four decades. Dave Mustaine of Megadeth made the Jackson King V his signature guitar for much of his career.

Even boutique brands are putting their own spin on the V, like the radical, custom-built Dirty Boy ‘Dirty V’ that completely twists the traditional shape. And, today, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram is carrying the torch for modern Delta blues, tearing up stages with a killer, custom-built V-shape from Banker Guitars.

C’est La V

To fully grasp why the Flying V remains an iconic tone monster, you have to look closely at how they’re constructed. Luthier Matt Hughes of Banker Guitars highlights the tonality and build variations separating generations of the V.

“The 1958 original Flying Vs were carved from a beefier 1 1/2-inch slab of korina, whereas the 1967 mahogany reissues were cut thinner at 1 3/8 inches,” he says. “The construction approach shifted completely. On the ’67 models, Gibson routed a massive electronics cavity right through the center to mount a giant pickguard, fundamentally hollowing out the footprint compared with a solid string-through ’58 korina body.

“Recreating those original specs requires rare, thick slabs of korina wood, but when it’s done right, that solid construction generates a distinctly snappier midrange and a unique resonance that you simply cannot achieve with thin mahogany.”

What fascinates me most as a player is how the V’s shape changes the physics of how you play, requiring you to wear it differently. Blues-rock powerhouse Jared James Nichols describes how plugging into a Flying V shatters conventional playing habits.

“When you first strap on a V, you realize it’s completely unlike any traditional guitar shape,” he tells us. “It feels less like a guitar and more like a sword. Standard instruments just rest on your leg or hug your hip, but a Flying V demands a different kind of choreography. If you try to position it traditionally, it simply doesn’t feel right.

“You have to pull the body directly into your frame, almost like you’re giving the instrument a physical hug. It forces you into a more personal, aggressive stance where you’re actively shaping the guitar to the contours of your own body. It’s deeply expressive, and commands you to play it with authority.”

The Gibson Flying V was never a failure; it was just waiting for the rest of us to catch up. Today, the value of those rare, pristine, 1958 original korina wood Flying Vs has skyrocketed.

They aren’t just vintage guitars any more, they’re pieces of six-string fine art that easily command jaw-dropping price tags into the hundreds of thousands.

Take Joe Bonamassa’s 1958 korina Flying V, affectionately known as ‘Donny J’, which he bought for over $400,000 – going down in JoBo history as the most he’d ever paid for a guitar when he bought it in 2019. Decades after it originally crashed and burned, the Flying V stands as a masterclass in why we shouldn’t judge a design by its first act.

Three to get ready: Descendants of the V

Epiphone Futura Flying V Custom – $899/£849

If you’re ready to steal the spotlight, the Epiphone Futura Flying V Custom is begging to cause a scene. This modern machine pays homage to the classic Flying V soul with a solid mahogany body, compound-radius ebony fretboard, string-through-body bridge, and stainless-steel frets. At a price that feels almost suspiciously good, it delivers boutique-grade performance without the boutique sticker shock.

Dirty Boy ‘Dirty V’ – $3,500

If you think traditional Vs are too polite, the custom Dirty Boy ‘Dirty V’ is here to pick a fight. This boutique monster gives the classic design a radical offset twist, matching its dangerous attitude with a mahogany body, heavily checked road-worn finish, and premium gold hardware.

Outfitted with dual humbuckers for maximum muscle, it’s a high-end, modern-day evolution of the V shape with built-in attitude.

Jackson RRT-5 Pro Series Rhoads – $1,099/£849

Pushing the boundaries of the original Flying V design, Grover Jackson and Randy Rhoads somehow made one of rock’s craziest shapes even more outrageous.

The Jackson Pro Series RRT-5 Rhoads sharpens the V’s silhouette with offset wings, a flat neck, high-output pickups, and 24 jumbo frets. This iconic heavy metal shred machine remains one of the most extreme and instantly recognizable V variants ever created.

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

Just outside the Czech city of Brno, known for its motor racing circuit, there are rolling fields and orchards dotted with hamlets and canals.

Pulling up to the white stone frontage of an old mill in the village of Velké Němčice, you might think we were about to enter some artisanal throwback to a hand-crafted past. But a quick look around inside tells another story.

Five-axis robots cut precision neck joints, while humidity is micro-controlled in different areas of Furch’s factory to optimise the various processes taking place – from glueing bracing to soundboards, to fitting hi-tech climate-compensating truss rods to the guitars being built.

There is a certain boyish delight on CEO Petr Furch’s face as he explains how Furch engineers guitars as much as it crafts them. He’s a big believer in human hands doing the jobs that require lots of careful micro-decisions and judicious tweaks – like glueing binding to a guitar body.

But when it comes to the things that are at their best when they are simply deadly accurate, every time, like cutting a neck joint, he says without a shred of doubt that he prefers hi-tech robotics to do the job.

Like a football manager picking the best squad, he simply assigns people and machines to different stages in the construction of a guitar according to which choice will yield the best finished instrument, as he sees it.

It’s refreshing to hear after all the (admittedly compelling) emphasis on craft and legacy that established acoustic makers such as Gibson and Martin often employ. To be fair to them, they know that not only can they lean quite hard into history to sell their guitars but that people actually expect it of them – which can be its own form of gilded cage sometimes, if you want to branch out and try something new.

As a relatively young company that’s still building its profile around the world, Furch doesn’t have that problem. Instead, it has plenty of things to talk about concerning the future of acoustic guitar design, which is being defined in its workshops every day, according to the company.

Its guitars are now offered in one of two formats: Performance or Deluxe variants. The former comes with a high-quality LR Baggs pickup system, whereas the Deluxes are designed for an immersive unplugged experience and feature the elegant Booster Soundport system – a series of slots in the upper side of the guitar that spills some of the sound of the instrument back towards the player for a more immersive playing experience.

The company’s colour-coded system for indicating where each model sits in the overall range, from entry level to the highest spec the company offers, is perhaps the only unintuitive thing about their instruments (the cheapest guitars belong to the Violet range and the quality and features increase incrementally through the Blue, Green and Yellow ranges all the way up to the flagship, high-end Red range).

But what is common to all Furch guitars is perhaps more surprising than what differentiates them.

All have soundboards that have been individually analysed and tuned for the best resonance and performance, a high-end feature normally reserved for Custom instruments, and most of them feature some variation of the Bevel Duo system of a comfort armrest on the top edge of the guitar and a bellycut behind, again a feature normally only seen on high-end or custom acoustics but, at Furch, a pretty standard perk on its guitars.

With all this percolating in our minds, we managed to grab CEO Petr Furch – son of company founder, Frantisek Furch – for a chat amid various 45th Anniversary celebrations taking place at the factory during our visit, to talk about what it takes to be different and to genuinely move the state of the art forward in that most traditional area of lutherie: acoustic guitar design.

Furch has been around for 45 years now – what core values that were a feature of the company when it started are still true of it today?

I think even from the beginning, even in my father’s times, it was not really about making a copy of somebody else’s guitar. It was about improving the guitar in general. In the ’90s, we didn’t have so many possibilities. We didn’t have the budgets and the revenue we have right now, so we didn’t have so much possibility to invest in such great things [as we can do] today.

But still, I think the core [of our ethos] was: let’s improve the guitar somehow [with] things that customers need – or maybe they don’t know they need it, but it would be helpful for them – in terms of the ergonomics, durability or longevity of the guitar. Or, of course, the main thing: the sound.

I think these are our core values, which have been there basically since the first guitar. And these days, bigger-budget technology is available, and let’s say our internal knowledge – how to utilise that technology – these are new things and they’re opening new doors for us.

You have to consider that the guitar world and the world in general is a very dynamic place. Therefore, new ideas are coming, new technologies and new ways of how you can produce something. So if you mix it all together, you can always find some new way to improve [things], though that doesn’t mean that the older stuff was bad. It’s just that you have new possibilities, new knowledge, and so new opportunities. So that’s how I see guitar as well.

What’s interesting about Furch is that it isn’t just interested in the usual showpiece upgrades to a guitar’s tone such as a nice soundboard. You’ve spent just as much time coming up with a so-called Resonance-Enhancing Finish. What does that contribute to the sound of your guitars and why make it such a priority to get right?

The acoustic guitar generates its sound by vibrating the body of the guitar. Therefore, the physical properties of that ‘box’ are important and, of course, it has to somehow resonate the weight of the soundboard – and the flexibility of the soundboard is important.

So if you want to go deeper into the detail of the guitar construction, at some point you have to say to yourself, “Okay, how do I cover and protect this ‘box’?” And, at the same time, ‘How can I avoid compromising the sound?’

You’re trying to figure out, “What kind of protective cover should I put on it? What should be the material? Should it be soft or hard or thick or thin?” Years ago, that [question had] already prompted me to think about exactly what finish I’m going to use.

So we consulted with many companies that specialised in producing lacquers and finishes, and we came up with a formula for a material that is specific for us and specifically designed for a guitar body and guitar shapes. We had to really play with properties of the finish so it’s applicable, especially on round edges and sharp edges of the guitar.

Basically, we needed a lacquer that was as thin as possible and as hard as possible. But at the same time it must also be flexible somehow, though not soft, because the guitar body is always moving with humidity: the top is either lifting or dropping down, even the sides.

It took me more than a year in our spraying department, mixing different additives supplied by the manufacturer of the lacquer. And I was mixing and testing, spraying, curing, sanding and so on. After a year, we got to the [right] formula – I think it was in 2017 – where we started to apply this finish to all our guitars.

And actually these days we call it a Resonance-Enhancing Finish and we apply at least a little bit of that lacquer to all our guitars. Even if you have a [more basic] open-pore finish, we put a little bit of that lacquer on it because we found out that it really improves the sound.”

What tonal qualities does that Resonance-Enhancing Finish enhance, in your view?

Extra volume is the main thing that you can notice – but it’s improved balance as well, and enhanced high frequency a little bit, too. But the volume [boost] is really noticeable.

One of the most eye-catching innovations Furch has recently introduced is the CNR System Active neck joint and truss rod mechanism. It’s designed to automatically counteract changes to your setup that might happen when you take the guitar into different climate conditions, either drier or more humid. How does that work?

CNR Active System is a special neck-to-body joint. We made sure that it’s not visible from the outside, but inside there is this piece of wood that we call the Expansion Element. So the direction of the grain of this block of wood is set so it can absorb the humidity and expand and shrink with ambient humidity.

Basically, the expansion or shrinkage of that piece of wood [which is mechanically connected to the neck joint] is making the neck tilt backwards or forwards a little bit relative to the body…

If your top is exposed to high humidity and is lifting, the Expansion Element basically compensates for a change. And the other way around, if you have a guitar exposed to low humidity and the top is dropping [CNR Active will adjust the neck angle slightly to compensate], so the string action stays pretty much the same.

Also the added value to that concept is that you can use a special Allen key to perform what for years was termed a ‘neck reset’ in seconds. You very quickly adjust your neck angle and therefore your string action and playability in a couple of seconds, and this is very powerful.

It’s pleasing that amid all the hi-tech solutions Furch uses, a block of wood – albeit mounted in a precision-engineered mechanism – turned out to be the best material for automatically adjusting for changes in climate…

It makes sense. I mean, your top is also made of wood, and wood is reacting with certain dynamics and a certain speed to the humidity.

We were initially thinking about some artificial material [for the Expansion Element], for example, that probably could be more predictable than wood. But after all this, [wood] was the best solution. Because once you do a couple of tests, find the right length of that expansion element – basically, how big the expansion is going to be – then it really does the best job here.

Do you think of making acoustic guitars as a craft or a science?

I think it’s a little bit of both. I’m an analytical person, so I tend to work with data and I tend to [take steps to] obtain the data if I don’t have them.

But, of course, there are many things that I still don’t know about guitars and don’t understand about the guitar, so those are the blind spots for me, which still need to be explored. Those, for now, I just have to sort of intuitively decide – so in that way I would say it’s more like a craft.

What are the most interesting challenges that still lie ahead of you, in terms of crafting ever-better guitars?

Materials, for sure. Every year some materials become less and less available. That doesn’t mean that we will go away – or anybody should go away – from making wooden guitars because wood is still the best acoustically performing material out there and not every species is endangered.

But working with materials, that would be one topic not only for us [to expand our horizons on] but for all guitar manufacturers. Because when we are getting deeper and deeper in understanding the guitar and basically improving for guitar sound specifically, it’s getting tougher and tougher to make another step forward.

We have a couple of main [areas for evolving the art of making guitars] that we are still researching… there are always ideas. And there are also dead ends that we encounter, where we have to say, “Okay, we shouldn’t go this way because if the guitar would maybe end up being too expensive, the resulting sound improvement will be too small.”

So the [process of raising the game] gets more difficult with every new generation of our guitars. But I’m not complaining – this is the game and we’re gonna play it well. I like challenges and they give us the potential to improve ourselves.

• For more information, see Furch Guitars.
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

This has been the year when we have pondered the future for S-style guitars – but what if that future has been out in China working at Farida Guitars on a limited run high-end model?

John Cruz, former Master Builder at the Fender Custom Shop, has unveiled his first design with the Chinese guitar brand, the JC-1, and it is a relic’d vintage-inspired electric with some choice modern appointments.

This is a historic moment for the Chinese guitar brand. Hiring Cruz is something of a coup. And after 273 days of development, it has a borne fruit.

“It’s the first time a Chinese guitar brand has brought a world-class master guitar builder onboard,” says Farida. “And we believe it’s the start of something even better.”

Farida has put considerable resources behind this move. In the JC-1’s introductory video, Farida says it build Cruz a Custom Shop, and gave him time to get to work. Cruise himself walks through his process.

“To build a great guitar you have to start with great wood,” says Cruz. “I weigh every body blank to find the exact weight I’m looking for. Then I like to tap on them and listen to the voice that tells me which one will be used.”

The JC-1 has a two-piece alder body, a bolt-on Canadian maple neck fashioned into a “JC Comfy C” profile (“sized between a Regular C and a Larger C for an exceptionally comfortable grip”), and the Olympic White finish and tortoiseshell pickguard all speak to the design inspirations.

The fingerboard is rosewood. The finish, which will be a big selling point, is described as a light relic, “with every detail drawn from John Cruz’s own observations of how guitars wear through everyday use – as both a player and a luthier.”

The three single-coil pickups are a custom wind co-developed by Cruz and his team at Farida, and they promise a ‘60s-style sound. But the most interesting thing here is the control setup.

They are hooked up to a 5-way selector switch, master volume and tone knobs, with the second tone control operating as a blend knob, so that in positions 1 and 5 you can mix the neck pickup with the bridge and vice versa.

“I am a guitar builder but I am also a guitar player,” says Cruz. “I know the guitar is a working instrument, something you pick up day after day, that’s why playability is everything to me.”

Farida Guitars does not have a huge presence in the US or UK markets. And they are only making 60 of these.

But Farida’s Instagram suggests these will be priced $1,989, which for a relic’d electric guitar built by a former Master Builder, is a competitive price. You can see more of this guitar at Farida Guitars Instagram.

Innovation Week: In a recent interview with Guitar World, Ernie Ball’s Director of Engineering and Product Development, Drew Montell, said with a laugh, “Most people hate our best-selling guitars right out of the gate.”

The two defining electric guitars were both designed in the early 1950s. We pore over minute variations on the templates, but their inner workings have – to be honest – not changed all that much.

Full disclaimer, if I’m coming across as a bit high and mighty, the designs of the two guitars that sit behind me as I write this are both old enough to collect Social Security payments. I’ve not, say, installed fuzz circuits in either of them – they’d be fully recognizable to anyone who bought them the year they first hit shelves.

Now, if you move away from the instruments themselves, you’ll find that our little universe has been quite amenable to leaps and bounds in technology. Marty McFly yourself into 1954 or 1961, and show the people buying a brand-new Stratocaster or Epiphone Casino a Neural DSP Quad Cortex mini – “yeah – you just use this touchscreen and there are almost a hundred amps, over a hundred effects, and... oh, right, so, a touchscreen is something where you...”

Elsewhere, one of the main reasons the Beatles quit touring 60 years ago was the inability of their amps to compete with the howls of tens of thousands of screaming fans – now, there are amps fitted with tone-shaping AI tech.

So, what would you like to see from the future of guitars? Do you want to see the instruments themselves leap forward technologically like the devices you plug them into? Should the Strat and Les Paul be joined on Mount Rushmore by new, more futuristic designs? Would you like to see the old giants knocked off their pedestal entirely? None of the above?

Let us know in the comments below.

• On Apple News? Head here to join the discussion.

Innovation Week: For most of the electric guitar’s history, frets were something players simply accepted would wear out. Bend enough strings, play enough gigs and sooner or later those shiny crowns develop flat spots and divots. Then came stainless steel: harder, smoother and so durable that, for many players, they’ll never have to worry about another fret job.

Traditional fretwire is generally a copper/nickel alloy. It’s easy for a repair tech to cut, seat, level and crown but it eventually wears down. Stainless steel is considerably harder, which is great once it’s on the guitar but much tougher for a tech to work with.

This is not a new invention. The Parker Fly helped put stainless frets on the radar in the early ’90s, and boutique builders have offered them for years. What has changed is availability. The feature has steadily migrated from custom order spec sheets to regular production guitars, including Fender’s American Ultra Luxe models, ESP’s LTD Deluxe 1000 Series and, more recently, Epiphone’s $899 Futura range.

So what do they actually feel like? When stainless frets are properly installed and polished, bends can feel exceptionally smooth, with less of the gritty drag that develops on softer, worn wire. Philip Sayce summed it up perfectly when I spoke with him: “It’s like putting on your skates and going out on a fresh sheet of ice. You can take these big, long strides.”

For a player whose vocabulary is built around huge bends and wide vibrato, that slippery feel is not a minor detail. Sayce said one of his older Strats once needed fretwork roughly every 18 months but with stainless steel frets, that interval stretched closer to five years. “Less wear and tear,” he said, “and I think they feel great.”

The shred crowd has reached a similar conclusion. Periphery’s Misha Mansoor highlighted the jumbo stainless steel frets on his signature Jackson So-Cal, describing its neck as “very easy to shred on.” The general consensus among many players is that bends feel “super-slippery” compared to the sometimes gritty feel of standard nickel frets.

There is, however, an important qualifier: material alone cannot rescue bad fretwork. Height, width, crown shape, fretboard radius and the quality of the level and polish all have a major effect on feel. A beautifully dressed set of nickel frets can play better than a mediocre stainless steel job. Stainless steel simply holds that polished surface much longer.

Then there’s the tone debate. Some players hear a slightly brighter, harder or more immediate attack while others hear no meaningful difference at all. Most players feel that the difference is subtle compared with swapping pickups, strings, picks or speakers. If you like the sound of your guitar now, stainless steel frets aren’t going to turn it into a different instrument.

The real drawback is the work involved. Stainless steel fret wire is tougher on cutters and files, takes longer to dress and can make a refret more expensive. It also demands an experienced hand, particularly on a bound fingerboard. But manufacturers know players are willing to pay for the result.

When ESP adopted stainless steel on their LTD Deluxe 1000 Series guitars, president and CEO Matt Masciandaro explained that it had become their customers’ number one request for a design update. Even budget brands like EART now come standard with stainless steel frets on all their guitars.

I can vouch for the appeal firsthand. A few years ago, I had my Les Paul refretted with jumbo stainless steel fret wire. The bends became noticeably smoother, almost effortless and the wear since then has been virtually nonexistent.

It didn’t change the guitar’s voice; it simply made it feel freshly dressed every time I picked it up. Theres little doubt that this guitar will need another fret job…at least in my lifetime.

That may be the real selling point here. Guitars are built to be played hard and for most of the guitar’s history it meant accepting that frets would eventually wear and need replacing every few years. Stainless steel doesn’t much change how a guitar sounds as it changes how long a guitar keeps feeling new. Smooth bends with nothing getting in the way between your hands and the note.

What is it?

You will always stand out with an Orange amplifier in your backline, not only because of its brightly colored aesthetic, but also because of a classic tone that has been powering players since 1968. With that sort of heritage, some brands would be content only to lean on past successes and put out re-issue after re-issue, but Orange has consistently launched creative new products alongside its classic amps. Case in point: the new Baby Terror.

It joins Orange’s ‘Baby’ line of products, which utilizes tried and tested solid-state tech but with interesting features aimed at the gigging musician. It’s stable mates include products such as the Pedal Baby, which is a rack-mount power amp built to work with the relatively modern convention of pedalboard pre-amps, and the two-channel Dual Baby, the first channel of which informs part of the Baby Terror's design.

Form factor-wise, Baby Terror takes obvious influence from the Micro Terror line and is an impressively tiny 20-watt guitar amp head. Like the rest of the Baby series, it is solid-state and boasts a couple of interesting features. Namely, the Tubby switch first found on the Dual Baby, a footswitchable volume boost and a balanced XLR output, all of which we will dive into.

If you are a tube amplifier aficionado, don’t let the solid-state thing put you off. Orange has form for using this tech in a way that feels impressively tube-like, not only in the Baby lineup but also in the Crush series of products.

In other words, the Baby Terror has a pretty high bar to meet.

Specs

• Launch price: $249 | £199 | €236
• Type: Lunchbox head
• Origin: China
• Output: 20 watts
• Channels: 1
• Controls: FS Volume, Volume, Gain, Presence, Treble, Middle, Bass, Tubby switch
• Connectivity: 1/4" input, speaker output, effects loop, XLR direct out
• Footswitch: Purchased separately
• Weight: 3.3lbs/1.5kgs
• Dimensions: 165x140x100mm/6.4"x5.5"x3.9"
• Contact: Orange

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

A metal chassis, a big, chunky metal handle, and some equally chunky rubber feet give this baby box a rather hardy feel. Being solid-state too, the internals are not as sensitive as fragile glass tubes, so it really makes an impression as a tough little thing.

Little being the operative word, as at 165 x 140 x 100 mm and just 1.5kg, it is delightfully small, even for a lunchbox-style head.

The controls on the front panel all feel robust in use, as do the inputs and outputs on the back, with the exception of the external power adapter. With a product designed to run straight into a mains socket and potentially gigged with, I would always rather see an IEC cable instead of the comparatively flimsy DC adapter included here.

All of this is protected within a handy soft case, which is thick enough to feel premium and offer some shielding from the inevitable scuffs that come with taking advantage of the amp's portability.

Usability and features

Usability and features rating: ★★★★☆

As a one-channel amplifier, the Baby Terror is, by nature, a simple beast. On the front panel sit the three-band EQ, Presence, Volume, and Gain controls, all of which are clearly labeled and self-explanatory.

I say clearly labeled, as Orange has forgone its trademark icons in favor of simple text to label these controls. Personally, having previously criticized those icons for their lack of beginner-friendliness, I am a fan of this choice.

Also on the front panel lie two of the features that make this amp interesting beyond its diminutive stature. Namely, the Tubby switch, which thickens up the low end on cleaner settings, and a second footswitchable Volume control.

The latter is particularly handy for providing a little boost to get your solos to rise above the mix in a live band. To be clear, it is not a second channel, but rather a second volume to control the single channel with.

What is a shame, though, is that, unlike a lot of amplifiers, the Baby Terror does not come with a footswitch, so you'll need to invest in an Orange FS-1 Mini or similar to make full use of this.

The rear of the amp sports the input for a footswitch, the 8/16ohms output, as well as an effects loop that is particularly handy on a single-channel amp that likes to break up, and a balanced XLR direct out.

It’s great to have that direct output, but it is not cabinet-emulated, so you will have to run your own Impulse Response or cabinet emulation externally to properly use this. With so many other options to go direct without this added hassle, un-emulated direct outs feel a little superfluous in the current market.

On a related note, Orange says that the Baby Terror is suitable for desktop practice. I disagree.

While of course you can use it at home, that unemulated output makes utilising the XLR out for this use a bit of a faff magnet, and for most, using the Baby Terror with a guitar cabinet at home will take up more room than is convenient. You could buy a small cabinet specifically for home practice, but it would make more sense to put that cash into one of the many, and generally very affordable, home practice amps on the market that tend to boast home targeted features such as Bluetooth connectivity.

It's worth mentioning the Orange Micro Terror here, as its auxiliary input makes it a slightly better option for jamming at home. However, its headphone output is also un-emulated, so it runs into the same issue.

Still, the Baby Terror is an amp that costs just $249/£199, so I am not expecting a smorgasbord of bells and whistles, and I am appreciative of those features that are here. Assuming that they don’t come at the expense of tone, of course.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★☆

Thankfully, there is nothing to worry about as far as that goes. I am putting it through its paces via an Orange PPC212V cab, a Gibson SG, Fender Elite Stratocaster, and a humbucker-loaded Orangewood Clementine semi (because, orange).

The Baby Terror possesses the familiar, mid-forward growl with a high-end presence that we have come to expect from Orange amplifiers. Like most Orange amps, it is built to drive, as it gets into edge-of-breakup territory relatively quickly at about halfway on the Gain control with my Stratocaster, and a little before that with my SG.

The Gain control needs to be set at least a quarter of the way up before any decent volume comes out of the amp too (even with the master volume set at full), meaning that there isn’t much clean headroom to play around with here.

So it's not for the country pickers, but perfect if you want an amp that breaks up without pushing too many decibels. Assuming you don't want to distort your time-based effects, this is where the effects loop comes in handy too and keeps the amp viable as a pedal platform.

Because of this, and as a solid-state amp with just 20 watts, it’s not suited to situations where you need things loud, but it will give you enough to monitor yourself on smaller stages, at rehearsals, or to do some studio recording with, while using the DI to send things to front-of-house.

Getting a clean tone, then, is all about rolling back the volume control on the guitar. Knocking just a little off the volume control with the amp set up on the edge of breakup gets straight into sparkly cleans with a little bit of grit as I dig in. It’s an old-school approach, but one that yields a very dynamic feel.

It does not quite have some of the luscious overtones of more expensive amplifiers, but that does not stop it from being a ton of fun to play.

Pushing the gain further reveals that the Baby Terror is capable of some meaty saturated tones, comfortably within heavy rock territory.

Throughout all of this playing, I find the amp to be relatively tight in the low end, with a tendency to get a little muddy as the gain gets cranked. For this, though, we have the Tubby switch, so I flick it to see if it solves the problem, and the answer is a resounding yes.

It reduces the low end, which results in those distorted palm-muted riffs sounding incredibly tight, and lends leads a little more cut. It is a subtle change, but one that is in exactly the right place. It’s almost as if Orange have been doing this for nearly 60 years.

EQ-wise, the Mid control is pretty subtle, leaving me feeling like I could do with a little bit more range here. The Bass, Treble and Presence controls, however, all offer enough to allow plenty of room for tweaking.

Lastly, I dig out my Browne Amplification Ethane pedal and find that the amp takes pedals incredibly well. Pushing it with the Tube Screamer-esque side of the overdrive pedal cuts the bass further, reduces airy highs and boosts the gain into a territory more than suitable for metal and heavier styles of music.

Alternatively, the Blues Breaker-inspired Carbon side of the pedal boosts the amp into more gain, with the pedal reflected in the way the tone stays bright, perfect for those classic rock riffs.

In short, it may not do clean all that well, but it can do just about everything else.

Verdict

The Baby line of products is proof that solid state can sound great, and the Baby Terror, as the newest addition to this lineup, is no different.

Built to rock, it is a low-headroom machine that reacts well to your guitar's volume control and responds dynamically to your pick attack. It has a delightfully old-school feel about it, furthered by the lack of modern digital wizardry that often complicates things.

The other side of that coin is that the Baby Terror doesn’t boast a ton of fancy features, but the footswitchable second volume control, an effects loop, and the Tubby switch are great additions that add facility in the places guitarists most need them.

For a lot of users, the Baby Terror is going to fall between the cracks as it does not have quite enough volume for big stages, nor is it practical for use as a home practice amp in the current market. But for studios, smaller gigs where space is often a premium, and rehearsal rooms, it’s a capable little thing.

Guitar World verdict: A tiny amp that delivers big, the Orange Baby Terror is perfect for the studio, small stages or rehearsals, when you need an amp that will happily break up at lower volumes. It’s the classic Orange bark, alongside some well-chosen features in a fun and affordable package.

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Hands-on videos

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Gear 4 Music

zZounds

Innovation Week: Ask a child to draw a guitar, and chances are they’ll draw a Stratocaster. Shop for guitars online, and S-types dominate your options. It is, by and large, the quintessential electric guitar silhouette.

But it’s not the only one, and Fender’s ongoing cease-and-desist campaign, as it bids to reaffirm its ownership of the Stratocaster body shape, will only force other manufacturers to think outside the box.

Changes had already started before Fender swung into action. In recent years, new body shapes have flooded the market. They offer fresh contours, curves, or angularity to sit alongside the classics.

Kiesel has introduced two new shapes – the Kyber and the offset Antares – over the last 14 months. Eastman has gone bold with the FullerTone Offset ’62. Taylor, Ibanez, Baum, Collings and Gavilan guitars (spearheaded by former Fender Custom Shop ace Levi Perry) have also stepped away from existing templates. Some designs are more familiar. Others, like the Valiant Mercury, hybridize the norms for something bold.

Indie builders are largely driving innovation. Tosin Abasi, the virtuoso behind Abasi Concepts and the bold Larada body shape, has a theory about why.

Risk and reward

“There’s been a lot of experimentation in the past,” he says. “But the percentage of what’s accepted is actually pretty low. The risk-reward analysis for large multinational corporations is different – it can limit how much experimentation they can validate. A lot of the artisan stuff is occurring on a small scale.”

He severed ties with Ibanez to launch his own brand in 2017, aiming to create an ergonomic eight-string guitar from the ground up. Before then, most were elongated versions of pre-existing concepts. Building on Strandberg’s game-changing ergonomics – now a buzzword in all guitar PR – he sees the tide is turning.

“Ergonomic-driven guitars are now feature sets that are pretty established, but they weren’t 10 years ago,” Abasi says. “Larger companies are leaving us to take the risk. Once something is validated, they can essentially copy and address a market that was created for them.”

When the Ibanez Alpha launched, swathes of people compared it to pre-existing designs; accusations of homework copying were flung around with abandon. Abasi himself has another take: he says there “isn’t a ton of permission to introduce new designs,” in a largely conservative market.

Nostalgia is easier to sell because of the legacies of those instruments. But extended-range guitar communities showed him that a sliver of the market had an appetite for purpose-built guitars. That market has grown to be one that Ibanez – and Kiesel – can no longer ignore.

Artist innovations

Music Man, however, has long been using its signature collaborations as a chance to break from the mould. Work with St. Vincent, Albert Lee, and Omar Rodríguez-López, as well as its tradition-skewing Kaizen for Abasi, proves the company doesn’t want to play safe.

“We’re the odd to everyone’s even,” says Drew Montell, Director of Engineering and Product Development. “We have a lot of brand equity in our artist roster, and we really pride ourselves on providing them with the tools they need. Sometimes they’re incredibly outlandish.”

Montell says those projects “are exactly what I live for” and he feels a big part of the market appreciates Music Man’s push to innovate. But it’s still a tough ask.

“When you’re making something, you don’t know if it’s just a weird blob or something that can become an aesthetic of its own,” he says. “The biggest challenge is, ‘What’s too outlandish versus what will people be willing to get behind?’”

Releasing a design in collaboration with a player who often colors outside the lines makes it easier. Still: “Most people hate our best-selling guitars right out of the gate,” Montell laughs. “I don’t want to say we don’t care what people think; we’re just confident that once someone puts it in their hands, they’ll recognize it’s not just a weird shape. It’s actually for a reason.”

He does concede, however, that the company’s reputation for quirky designs is both “a blessing and a curse,” as they’re now expected to push the envelope again and again.

That’s interesting, because Abasi compares the Kaizen to a Porsche 911, and says the core design will remain, with small adjustments expected in future generations. Now he has a design that nails its extended-range, ergonomic-focused brief, it’s evolution over revolution.

Augmenting acoustics

If electric guitar manufacturers feel that the shackles are always on them, acoustic builders are far more constricted when it comes to innovation.

With its Super Auditorium design, introduced with the Gold Label Collection last January, Taylor has found a way to get creative within the confines of acoustic guitar design. It builds on its Grand Auditorium concept, but boasts a slightly longer body and wider lower bout.

“I enjoy working with curves and proportions and studying how profile shapes are used to shape an instrument’s tone,” says Andy Powers, CEO and Chief Guitar Designer at Taylor Guitars. “Mechanically and structurally, the builder needs to work out the physics of the shape, its voicing, how the woods will be bent into form, and how the silhouette affects the design’s prospective voicing.

“With an existing shape, you have the known variables in mind. With a new shape, all the variables are on the bench for development. The shapes of acoustic flattop guitars are not arbitrary aesthetic decisions. Each curve and dimension brings a sonic impact.” Even the slightest deviation from the norm can have massive sonic side effects.

Additionally, Powers suggests that “many guitar shapes are popular because manufacturers prefer to build designs that fit an existing case.” It’s a point which can add outlay of buying into a new concept – another risk for the player.

Pleasingly, Powers says the playing community has “largely welcomed” his design, as it offers “a good blend of classic proportions” and has proved well-suited to a variety of genres. But there’s a long way to go. “Beyond this initial response, it will require years for the shape to become firmly established into the library of guitar designs.”

Our bodies in mind

All three manufacturers are forward-thinking, but form must always follow function. Powers says “the physical comfort and weight balance were paramount in the design” of his Powers Electric A-Type.

Music Man go through up to 10 iterations before electronics and hardware are even considered. Abasi notes: “You have to design within the confines of the human interfacing with the instrument.”

He adds: “Stratocasters were the first double cutaway I know of, and there’s an ergonomic benefit to the upper register, so I think ergonomics have always been the core of guitar design – within reason.”

More and more manufacturers are finding ways to let their creativity fly. Montell, for one, believes makers have a duty to accommodate players of all persuasions. It's likely that recent events – from Fender’s lawsuits to the increasing space for adventurous guitar designs – will see many more makers follow suit.

“I would hate it if the industry just said, ‘All distortion pedals have been done before; don’t make a new one,’” Montell says. “It’s fantastic that so many manufacturers, designers and players are willing to try new things. Our job is to create tools that people can actually use, and a guitar that someone always wants to go back to.”

Guitar Center has issued an open call for guitar players to test its new in-house electric guitar, but it comes with a few conditions.

The retail giant has been busy working on its own guitar brand for almost a year now, long before the project was publicly announced back in April.

For the as-yet-unnamed venture, Guitar Center asked players for their help, inviting ideas and feedback on social media platforms in an ambitious attempt to bring something new to the market. Now they’ve entered the next stage of development.

“We’ve been building and creating a new guitar line from scratch, and that new guitar line has been based on interactions with you and your feedback,” Dalporto says on Instagram. “You guys have been giving us tons of feedback on your aspirations and dreams and hopes of what you would like to see in a new guitar.

“We are now at the point where we’re getting prototypes into our office and we want real-world feedback – feedback from you.”

The call has been issued to those in the LA area. Testing will take place at Guitar Center’s office in Westlake Village, CA, in late September and early October. Those wanting to get involved can email info@GCPLB.com with some background information on you and your playing style.

However, there are a few things to note. Rich Thrush, lead on the Guitar Labs project, laid out the terms for getting hands-on with the prototype in a Reddit post.

“You'll need to visit our Westlake Village, CA office in early October, leave your phone outside the testing area, and sign a Non Disclosure Agreement before participating,” the post reads. “We're looking for genuine players who are willing to share honest opinions.

“If you're primarily an influencer or represent a brand, please let us know when you reach out. We'd still love to connect, but we'll likely involve you at a later stage of the project.”

Some guitarists were skeptical when the Guitar Labs project was announced, which CEO Gabe Dalporto directly addressed in an interview with Guitar World.

“Most retailers simply make copycat products and charge a little less,” he said earlier this summer. That’s completely uninteresting to me.”

The Guitar Labs project comes amid a years-long overhaul of Guitar Center’s business model. Guitar World sat down with Dalporto to discuss his plans for the retailer last year, discussing fan concerns in the process.

Recently, we asked you whether you thought Guitar Center had shown any signs of improvement following the chain’s restructure.

Head over to Guitar Center’s Guitar Labs Sub-Reddit for more information.

Gretsch has launched black limba versions its affordable and uber-desirable Electromatic CVT and Jet models.

The revamp not only introduces a new tonewood to the range, but gives both guitars a fetching appearance, with the West African hardwood’s famous, striking dark brown and black streaks shining beneath clear gloss finishes.

The CVT has become a major player in the affordable guitar market, and its new baritone model has received widespread praise. Here, the makeover is more than just aesthetic.

Lightweight and resonant, black limba has been used for both body and neck. The latter is sculpted to Gretsch’s Performance C-profile and capped with a 22-fret, bound rosewood fingerboard. Pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays keep things minimal and classy.

It also features a Wraparound bridge with adjustable saddles, die-cast sealed tuners, and a Graph Tech NuBone nut. The electronics center on golden Twin Six humbuckers, flanked by a Master Volume control with treble bleed, a Tone knob, and a three-way switch. Priced at $599.99 / £549 / €649, it keeps the competitive edge with a striking new look.

The Jet, meanwhile, dials things up a few notches. It again features a black limba body paired with a black limba Performance C-shaped neck.

Its 12”-Radius Bound Ebony Fingerboard gets the same inlays and 22 Medium Jumbo Frets, but elsewhere has slightly more premium specs. Here, the bridge is a LockDown locking version of the same wraparound design, with another NuBone nut and more die-cast-sealed tuners to keep tuning tight.

The electronics then go a step further with PureVolt Twin Six humbuckers, billed as “beautifully dynamic, exceptionally expressive, and addictively powerful.” The neck uses an Alnico IV magnet, and the bridge uses an Alnico V. Again, the treble bleed feature is wired into the Master Volume.

Beyond that, it has individual pickup controls and a push-pull for single-coil snap on each pickup. With the split coil activated and the three-way switch in the middle position, it makes for one hum-canceling ‘bucker. That’s all reflected in its $749 / £629 / €739 price tag.

See Gretsch for more.

When it comes to bang for your buck, I can think of few brands that are as budget-friendly as Harley Benton. Their guitars are designed to do one thing: give players great build quality and top-tier specs at prices that don’t break the bank. Now, you can get them even cheaper thanks to up to 60% off in the Thomann Guitar Days sale.

I’ve reviewed loads of Harley Benton gear over the past few years, and I spotted four bits of guitar gear in the sale that I’ve been personally hands-on with get discounts. For my money, Harley Benton guitars are amongst the best value you can buy right now, so I highly recommend checking these models out.

Innovation Week: Strandberg opened the floodgates to a whole new era for the electric guitar. Headless, ergonomic designs are threatening to become the new normal. But New Zealander Dom Pearson, the brains behind Pearson guitars, believes the company has “shot itself in the foot” with its business model. And he has eyes on its throne.

By 2031 he intends to outsell the Swedes and perpetuate his belief that headless guitars are the future. The days of headstocks and industry giants, he thinks, are numbered, and the Pearson Omega – a bizarre-looking metal build with insane upper fret access – is him putting his money where his mouth is.

“From a playability standpoint, headless guitars are objectively superior,” he says. “The only reason headstocks are still popular is because of the culture. The next generation are watching TikTok, and they’re seeing all these crazy headless guitars. When they’re 60-year-old dentists with money for a vintage guitar, they’re going to want a Strandberg, not a Fender. Les Pauls will be collectible art pieces.

“Maybe I’m just young and delusional, but I would bet on headless guitars, and that’s what I’m doing with business.”

In his early teens he bought knock-off guitar bodies, borrowed his dad’s woodworking tools, sand them down and spec them with Chinese parts. His first fully original build was carbon fiber, drawing on his uncle’s experience of making bike frames from the same material. Raw aluminum has since proven more affordable, and just as malleable.

“You can’t do anything interesting with wood anymore,” he states. “It’s all been done. And I don’t believe in the tonewood debate.”

Pearson assembles the guitars himself. Their powder-coated bodies are machined locally in New Zealand. Modern C- and Strat-style necks are custom-made in China, with standard and multi-scale options available.

The modified Hipshot bridge design is bolstered by a Gotoh/Floyd Rose locking nut. It’s wired in with easily-replaceable OEM Alnico 2 humbuckers with dedicated coil-split switches, a three-way selector, plus A500K pots sourced for Korea. He makes around 80 instruments a month.

There’s a wicked attention to detail, too. The Pearson headstock is compatible with wall-mounted stands and there’s a subtle body cut for traditional stands, countering a Strandberg setback. The strap weaves through the guitar’s open-plan body, which means strap locks aren’t needed, and it hugs the player’s form better.

The Omega dials back some of the absurdities of his earlier builds, like the purposefully alien Hyper B. It’s a guitar built for the future, without severing all ties with the past.

“I wanted a Stratocaster neck with Les Paul pickups and a Strandberg body,” Pearson says. “I know there’s a market for a Strandberg Boden, but I know there’s also a massive market for a Boden that has more traditional attributes.”

Ibanez has recognized that, hence its Quest series of guitars, replacing Strandberg’s trapezoidal EndurNeck with its Wizard profiles. The Omega aims to be even more accessible. “The Hyper B was about how weird and wacky I could get,“ Pearson says.

“It got a lot of hate – that was half the plan. The Omega is me asking, ‘How can I build 1,000 guitars a week?’ I’m thinking about mass scalability, because I want people from all over the world playing them.”

He also feels the Omega’s price gives it the advantage. At $1,075, it’s slightly cheaper than Ibanez’s Q Series, and nearly $100 less than the Strandberg Essential. Moreover, he doesn’t want to fall into similar preconceptions of who his builds are for.

“Strandberg really pigeonholed themselves with prog metal,” he says. “I want to be broader – I want jazz and blues players to play the Omega. I want to see it in Taylor Swift’s hands. I need that for the brand.”

Crucially, he’s backing the industry to shift in his favor. “Ibanez saw it was losing out on a market because of Strandberg,” he says of the firm’s pivot into headless builds. “Fender and Gibson are going to start dying out; they’re so driven by shareholders they’re not going to take any risks. Smaller companies are moving the needle.

“But Strandberg is owned by private equity now, so I don’t think they’re interested in selling 100,000 guitars a year; they want to stay niche. That’s how I’m gonna overtake them. I’m thinking massive scale, affordable workhorse guitars.”

His ambitions are lofty, but with Paul Masvidal already showing an interest in the firm, and Plini’s interest piqued, Pearson might not be building these guitars on his own for much longer.

• Find out more at Pearson Instruments.

Squier has unveiled its first Paranormal Series signature guitar – a 12-string Telecaster built for Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen.

The Paranormal Series has been Squier’s most reliable range for bizarre and bonkers builds since its inception back in 2020. It has produced everything from the Jazzmaster XII to the Super-Sonic.

It made perfect sense, then, as the home for Van Leeuwen’s new signature: a recreation of his Masterbuilt Custom Shop 12-string Telecaster that he’s played with QOTSA and Iggy Pop.

Perhaps too niche for a Masterbuilt reissue, maybe a bit too daring for a standard Fender run, the Squier Paranormal Series is the perfect place for this oddball. And since Van Leeuwen wanted to keep it as accessible as possible, it made sense for all involved.

“When creating my second signature with Fender, I wanted an instrument at an affordable price point that could inspire anyone who’s ever been curious about playing a 12-string,” he says.

“Having worked with the team for over a decade, they easily connected with my vision for a guitar that’s designed for functionality, aesthetically striking, and would sound great right out of the box.”

The result is a 12-string like no other, inspired by one of Van Leeuwen’s main workhorse guitars. It features a nyatoh body and maple neck, as well as a pair of Fender Designed Alnico single-coils.

The Custom Telecaster XII headstock is drafted to help with those six extra strings, while a 12-string top-load/string-through bridge shoots for maximum functionality. Again, that was important to Van Leeuwen.

“The Custom Shop has a more vintage-style bridge. I didn’t want that for this – I wanted something that was user-friendly right out of the box,” he tells Guitar World.

“Functionality is so important because it’s hard to get a 12-string bridge to work right. It had to be usable because when you’ve got 12-strings, you really need them to stay in tune.”

Other appointments include an Indian laurel fingerboard, 1.6875” wide nut, and gorgeous Copper colorway.

At $599, it’s a very tempting price point for an electric 12-string. And it’s no show piece, either. Van Leeuwen himself used the then-unannounced Squier version when he played with Michael Stipe on Jimmy Kimmel.

The Paranormal Troy Van Leeuwen Telecaster XII is available now for $599.

Visit Fender.com for more.

What is it?

There is only one show in town if you want a hot-rodded T-style guitar with active EMGs, a satin-smooth neck carved from caramelized flame maple, 24 stainless steel frets and contemporary ergonomics visited upon body and fingerboard alike – and you want all of this and some change from 500 bucks.

You know it. We know it. Harley Benton knows it. This is the German budget gear brand’s USP, doing more, charging less, and that is great. But can its guitars excite us in the same way as, say, a Charvel?

Charvel’s Standard Series San Dimas Style 2 postmodern Supertele is both a clear rival to the Fusion T-II, and it has mojo behind its build – the pop-cultural cachet that comes with being at the epicenter of the high-performance electric guitar revolution in the late ‘70s, early ‘80s.

Harley Benton does not have that but what its newly refreshed Fusion-T II series does have is options and plenty of them. It overwhelms us with numbers, with 18 new models released this year alone in a cornucopia of solid-color, metallic and translucent finishes.

Have yours with the choice of a six-saddle Babicz Z Series hardtail bridge or a Babicz 2-point tremolo. Locking tuners come as standard.

We think of the T-style as a blue-collar tool, the quintessential workhorse, and yet some of these Fusion-T II models present themselves as bona fide peacocks, such as the Quilt Raspberry Burst model with its bougie maple veneer giving it the rarified airs of a boutique build.

It looks just as ostentatious in Quilt Dusk Glow, a model that really speaks to the LA hotrod inspiration at play with a mismatched pair of Tesla Opus humbuckers, one covered, one uncovered with zebra bobbins. It’s as though you put it in the shop and asked them to swap the bridge humbucker out. Oh, and while you were there you got some coil-taps too.

We don’t have any of this fancy pants stuff here. The Fusion-T II EMG MN HT SBK is the made-for-metal option – and was evidently named by a cat walking across the Harley Benton keyboard.

Resplendent in Satin Black with black hardware and loaded with a pair of EMG Custom Retroactive Hot 70 humbuckers at the neck and bridge, and a Babicz hardtail, plus it comes with a reverse headstock that is kinda metal but really makes us think of something Joe Perry would play.

Specs

• Launch price: $479 | £429 | €499
• Made: Indonesia
• Type: Six-string electric guitar
• Body: Nyatoh
• Neck: Roasted Canadian flamed maple / Modern C profile (21mm thickness at 12th fret: 23mm at 12th
• Fingerboard: Roasted Canadian flamed maple, 12" to 16" compound radius
• Scale length: 25.5”/648mm
• Nut/width: Graphtech TUSQ XL / 42mm
• Frets: 24, Blacksmith stainless steel medium jumbo frets
• Hardware: Harley Benton-branded Jinho JN-07 locking tuners, Babicz Z-Series FCH-Fixed 6 hardtail bridge
• String spacing at bridge: 52.5mm
• Electrics: 2x EMG Custom Retroactive Hot 70 humbuckers (neck and bridge), 3-way pickup selector, volume, tone
• Weight: 7.15lb/3.25kg
• Options: The Fusion T-II series includes 18 models, with other options fitted with Tesla Opus-1 humbuckers at the neck and bridge and the choice of the Babicz Z-Series FCH-Fixed 6 hardtail or Babicz FCH 2-Point Special Z-Series C Full Contact Tremolo
• Left-handed options: Yes, Satin Black
• Finishes: Satin Black
• Cases: No
• Contact: Harley Benton / Thomann

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

It’s funny when we talk about T-styles and S-styles and all that jazz (topical, too, but let’s not go there). But no, it’s funny/weird because the shape tells us very little about the guitar itself.

I have this Harley Benton sitting alongside my Fender Classic Player Baja Telecaster, which is very much in the style of the original Butterscotch blackguard… It’s just a big ol' slab o’ ash. The Harley Benton looks like it has more in common with a B-2 stealth bomber. They feel completely different. They sit differently in your lap.

Like the rest of the Fusion-T II series, this has a solid nyatoh body with heavy contouring in the cutaway and a generous amount of sculpting on the heel. All of which is not only a concession to player comfort but helps keep the weight down. This is a lightweight instrument at just over 7lbs.

The caramelized maple is nicely figured and well-fired to a deep reddish walnut. The neck joins the body with a four-bolt joint and a separate piece of roasted figured maple forms the fingerboard. It looks like a veneer on the headstock just to finish it off nicely.

Everything on this guitar is tidy, the fingerboard with its circle dot inlays on a figured piece of maple makes us think of high-end Ernie Ball Music Man designs such as the Sabre. The glow-in-the-dark fretmarkers along the side of the fingerboard is a welcome sight too.

The frets are smooth, their tangs disappearing into the fingerboard edges which has been left unbound. As per the fashion of high-performance electrics, the truss rod adjustment wheel is found at the top of the fingerboard.

The volume and tone controls are knurled metal and sit in recesses on the body’s top. The absence of a pickguard just adds to the minimalism. The Babicz bridge is a really tidy piece of kit. This and the quality tuners keeps things nice and steady. Tuning this up took no time at all – and it held its tune. What did take forever was trying to open the battery compartment on the back of the instrument. It’s either a footery contraption or I'm getting old. Both are probably true.

The only thing, however, to catch the eye is the misalignment of the pickup pole pieces and strings. They align on the neck pickup, but it is especially noticeable that the low E, A and D strings do not at the bridge. Would Harley Benton have been better to go for the Hot 70 with the wider Floyd/Fender spacing of 52mm?

Maybe. But the plot thickens. These are Custom Hot 70s, where all the pole-pieces are black and fixed (a regular Hot 70 humbucker has one slug with plain pole pieces, one with adjustable screw pole pieces). Sonically, they are the same pickup but are evidently made to Harley Benton specs, perhaps to support mass production.

The body is routed for a regular-sized humbucker – it’s doubtful whether a Trembucker sizing would fit better. Now, this does not make any appreciable difference to the tone in this instance, but it does look strange.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★★

I’m no stickler for a guitar’s weight but at the same time you will get no complaints from me at a 7lb guitar, especially one that's built for zippy playing styles.

Upper fret access is superlative on this instrument. It’s strange how this sits on the lap. The Fusion-T II feels as though the 12th fret within easier reach than my Tele. This could be an illusion, or it could be subliminal design cues to encourage players to tear up the fingerboard.

With all of the Fender-owned shred, rock and metal brands (EVH Gear, Charvel and Jackson) all widely using the 12” to 16” compound radius fingerboard, we can probably call this the industry standard, and it’s hard not to like as the fingerboard flattens towards the summit of the neck. Many a player will find these fingerboard dimensions the Platonic ideal.

The best compliment I can pay this neck – heck, this guitar – is that it at times it reminded me a little of the Fender American Ultra II Tele, although that has a D profile neck with a bit more wood on the shoulders.

Maybe a buttery smooth satin finished neck with a crowd-pleasing shape and stainless steel frets is all your need for that hyper-luxurious sports guitar vibe.

Also, don't worry about this neck being one of those obscenely thin profiles where it's a bit like running in carbon-plated shoes and you start cramping up after three songs. There's comfort baked into the menu.

Finally, kudos to Babicz for designing a bridge with no scratchy grub screws to catch your hand when palm muting. Epicurus was right all along; it's the little things...

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

The thing with Harley Benton is that it sometimes all feels like it is all too good to be true. The prices, the specs, all that.

And so, as a skeptic, it is almost disappointing to test out the controls and find that they do their job, that the tone knob does indeed roll back some of that bridge pickup top-end, making those clean tones more palatable when playing solo – more Les Paul-esque than anything else. What were we saying about the shape of the guitar telling us very little? Yeah, that x100.

The middle position, both humbuckers in play, is a superb voicing for hot and crunchy, kinda woolly ‘70s rock sounds, with the active EMG pairing invoking the decade that gave them their name.

And here’s the thing. I must make a confession. The Fusion-T II’s 21st-century design, the matte black finish and athletic ergonomics, the prospect of being sonically steamrollered by the merciless power of active EMGs, was not overwhelmingly enticing – it's like you’d need to be guitar's very own Chuck Yaeger to fully test this instrument's capabilities. But five minutes was all it took to change my mind.

There’s something pre-mastered about the Hot 70 humbucker tone, that gives you that trademark EMG bloom and clarity when played clean. Those of us introduced to EMG by Metallica et al will be relieved to know that the neck humbucker with a Boss Waza Craft CE-2W Chorus and a short delay gives you those Hetfield-esque clean tones – thick, splashy, box-office stuff.

Those a little bored of that sound might then be genuinely excited that this guitar is way more than that. Okay, they’re too beefy to be properly skronky but there’s a nice trebly scratch to that bridge humbucker that’s fit for CCR chord work.

You can access much of the Dazed & Confused tone universe, the talky throatiness of Aerosmith and Foghat, by pumping up the gain and rolling back on the volume. Playing around with the tone pot will even unearth some pseudo-cocked wah sounds.

And then, say, when Friday night arrives, you can look forward to playing on 10 and working with all the harmonic volatility that a great high-output pickup gives you.

Personally, I can take or leave active pickups. A passionate yearning for them as a teenager has given way to this feeling that I'd rather someone put a battery in me, not my guitar. But the low-noise, high-output performance makes me happy to have them here.

You can be extreme on this. You can be a little more tucked in. You can absolutely nail that early ‘80s metal tone without too much effort. Even on this old Blackstar tube amp combo with a little chorus and Catalinbread tape echo emulation, it’s all there. Vivian Campbell, Eddie Van Halen, George Lynch eat yer heart out.

Verdict

That misalignment of polepieces and strings caused a minor existentialist panic that there was something fundamentally wrong with this picture. But there wasn’t. And there was, in truth, nothing really wrong with this picture at all; that an electric guitar under $500 can play and sound as this does – it’s remarkable.

We musicians can be a snobbish about brand recognition. We want to play what our heroes play. But a little time spent with a guitar like this changes the calculus, especially in an inflationary economic environment.

No matter how competitive the market for guitar gear has become, it is not exactly saturated with T-styles at this price point with top-tier pickups from a market-leading brand, with guitars that combine an ambitious spec with an effective execution. There’s no question that the closure of the Harley Benton Reverb store is a kick in the backside for players in the US but, even so, this EMG-equipped Fusion-T II could still present great value.

It’s not without drawbacks. There is only one finish option. You have to stick a battery in it. You’ll have to buy a gig bag or a case separately and the visual of that pickup alignment is hard to get by. But that’s like going on holiday for two weeks and complaining about a day of rain. Did you have fun? Yes. Would you go back? Also yes.

Guitar World verdict: Harley Benton beefs up the T-style but avoids the pitfall of muscle above all else, with an active pickup that balances power with dynamics. And it puts the ball in the court of more established brands, challenging them to follow suit and officially make roasted figured maple, stainless steel frets and EMGs, y’know, a thing on guitars at this price.

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Hands-on videos

Harley Benton

• "This could well be Harley Benton's most impressive electric guitar platform yet when it comes to value": Harley Benton ST-Modern HSS review

With Labor Day upon us, it can mean only one thing – huge savings on your favorite guitar brands! With hearty discounts on everything from Gibson to Epiphone, Fender to Schecter, now might be the best time to treat yourself to that special piece of musical equipment you've been eyeing. Whether that's a shred-worthy electric guitar, an angelic acoustic guitar, or a thunderous new bass, there’s plenty to get excited about this Labor Day.

It seems the biggest names in music retail have gone all in this year, with the likes of Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Positive Grid, and more slashing prices on some of their most popular products, but we think the most exciting offers come courtesy of Musician's Friend. Right now, you can score a whopping up to 60% off a huge range of music-making goodies.

As you’d expect, if you want to take advantage of these tasty deals, you'll want to be quick, as the sale ends on September 9. Below, I’ve highlighted a few of my favorite discounts so you can save some time and go straight to the good stuff.

Okay, so the headline offer from this sale is a colossal $6,000 off the stunning Gibson Johnny Cash SJ-200 Signature acoustic, a rare tribute to the Man in Black. Handcrafted by Gibson’s Custom Shop, this limited-edition guitar captures Cash’s signature tone and style with an AAA Sitka spruce top and stunning AAA flamed maple back and sides. The jumbo body delivers bold sound and projection, perfect for cutting through any mix. Whether you’re a collector or a player chasing authentic Cash vibes, this deal is an unmissable chance to own a piece of music history at a massive discount.

My favorite gigging guitar is my beloved Gibson Flying V. I take it to every gig, and it never lets me down. I've always thought about getting another as a backup for shows, but I've always found it difficult to justify – that was until I saw $120 off the Epiphone Flying V '70s. The T-Type Pro pickups rock, the body is incredibly well-balanced, and, of course, it looks fantastic!

Next up is a whopping $300 off the quirky D'Angelico Premier Series Bedford. It's got retro charm a-plenty, plus a seriously flexible P-90 pickup setup that gives you access to a huge range of tones.

If you want something more metal, this Schecter C-1 Platinum has a humongous $200 reduction, making it one of the best-value guitars in the whole sale for metalheads.

Looking for more epic guitar deals? Below is a list of the sales you don't want to miss

Today is the big one; Labor Day 2026 is delivering the goods left, right and center with all manner of guitar deals popping up to help you satiate your GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Some of the discounts I've spotted so far today are right up there with what I'd expect to see at the end of November when the Black Friday guitar deals roll around, so if you can't hold out until then, you're in luck as now is a great time to shop.

With hearty discounts up to 50% on a huge range of gear from Fender to Gibson, Jackson, Martin and Blackstar at Sweetwater, through to potential 60% savings, plus discount coupons, at Musician's Friend, now is the best opportunity of the year so far to save money on some new guitar goodies; whether that's a shred-worthy electric guitar, an angelic acoustic guitar, or a thunderous new bass.

More of the biggest names in music retail have gone all in on the Labor Day sales this year too, with big hitters like Guitar Center, Positive Grid and Guitar Tricks all slashing prices on some of their most popular products and services.

In my experience, most sales should hang about for at least a couple of days after Labor Day, but if you see something you like, I'd recommend picking it up as soon as possible before the sale ends or potentially limited stock runs out.

Below, I've highlighted what I think are the best Labor Day guitar sales in town right now.

When the DragonForce shredder launched his first-ever signature guitar collaboration with PRS in the summer of 2025, it caused quite the stir online. Its bold style was completely different from anything Paul Reed Smith had put out before, with an all-new body design, Fishman Fluence Signature pickups, and even ditched the birds-in-flight inlays for a brood of dragons. It doesn’t get more DragonForce than that!

Speaking of his new model, Herman Li said, “With the PRS SE Chleo, we set out to create the best affordable professional-quality guitar unlike anything out there. It delivers a unique combination of effortless playability, outstanding craftsmanship, and versatile tonal range.

“It combines modern innovations with classic style, giving players the tools they need to create everything from classic tones to cutting-edge, new sounds,” he continues. “The SE Chleo was tour-tested to withstand night after night of intense live shows, in any touring conditions.”

The model is currently available in a trio of eye-catching finish options, from the striking green and yellow Mantis Burst to the pink Orchid Dusk and the gothic Charcoal Purple Burst, all of which show off a fierce flame maple top – but today there’s a new finish option being added to the list.

Sweetwater has just announced an exclusive Black Satin colorway of the SE Chleo. As expected, all other specs remain the same, with only the color difference being the distinguishing factor. So you can expect figured maple-topped mahogany beneath that jet-black paint job, a bolt-on maple neck reinforced with carbon-fiber rods, and a 20-inch-radiused ebony fingerboard.

The pickups are also the same, with a duo of Fishman Fluence Omniforce humbuckers onboard. These unique active, multi-voice pickups feature a copper-free, layered PCB design and, along with a 5-way pickup selector with push-pull functionality, generate a wealth of tonal options. The guitar is available now at Sweetwater for $1,949, that’s $50 cheaper than the originals.

In other Sweetwater news, the company has just kicked off its Guitar Month sale, where customers can access limited-time discounts, special financing options, and some tasty six-string bargains. In case that wasn’t enough, there’s also a Labor Day sale running now, with up to 50% off selected items. So we highly recommend heading to the site to see what goodies you can grab while the offers last.

Innovation Week: Every guitarist with a Tune-O-Matic and stopbar tailpiece setup knows the ritual. Feed the string through the bar, over the bridge, up the neck, then wind three full wraps around the tuning post and wait for the thing to settle down over the next few hours of playing.

Steadfast Designs looked at that ritual and decided to run it in reverse. Its debut product, the Steadfast Stopbar, is a patented aluminum tailpiece that locks the ball end of the string at the tuning post and clamps the other end at the tailpiece with a small set screw.

Pull each string tight, then secure it with the supplied hex driver. It’s a mechanical flip, but one aimed squarely at anyone who has ever dreaded restringing the day before a gig.

By anchoring both ends of the string instead of relying on friction and wraps around a post, the company claims you get tuning stability quickly after restringing, along with a restring that takes a fraction of the usual time.

Stability is improved by eliminating the wraps of string that can settle around the posts. You still need to stretch the strings and retune, as the company’s own instructions point out, but you arrive at stable tuning much faster. For touring players and guitar techs, that difference alone could be worth the upgrade.

The stopbar is CNC-machined in the USA from solid billet aircraft grade aluminum rather than the die cast zinc most factory stopbars are made from, and it shows on the scale. The Steadfast bar weighs in at 37 grams against roughly 88 grams for a typical Gibson zinc unit.

Less mass moving around under string tension means that more vibration reaches the guitar body rather than getting soaked up by the hardware, according to Steadfast. This contributes to better sustain and a clearer top-end.

Steadfast has also hinted at future titanium and stainless steel versions for players chasing even more sustain. Tone arguments involving guitar hardware are almost always subjective, so you’ll have to hear this with your own ears.

Installation is easy – it’s a drop-in replacement with no drilling required. Steadfast says it fits the vast majority of Tune-O Matic guitars from Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch, ESP, Ibanez, Schecter and plenty of others, in both US and metric post spacing.

Prices run from $99 for a faded finish model up to $169 for a 24k gold plated Custom model. The company backs it with a limited lifetime guarantee.

Steadfast joins a crowded field of stopbar variations – the top-wrap-friendly Lightning Bar, for one – with an idea that’s worth trying for yourself. The question now is whether guitarists will warm to its backwards approach enough to make it a keeper.

• For more info, head to Steadfast Stopbar.

The life and times of Pink Floyd co-founder Syd Barrett is filled with much mystery and weirdness, so it’s fitting the guitar most closely associated with him also has a similar reputation.

This guitar was a ’60s Fender Esquire often called the “Mirror Disc Telecaster” that Barrett modified by covering the body with silver-colored mylar foil wrap and polished circular metal discs that reflected light (but weren’t actually mirrors).

Pink Floyd guitar enthusiasts often describe this guitar as a 1962 model due to its laminated rosewood fretboard (identifiable by the straight angle of the edge of rosewood protruding past the nut).

However, highly detailed photos and video that have emerged recently clearly show that the headstock decal has three patent numbers below the “Esquire” (damaged to read “Esquipe”) name, which didn’t appear on the Esquire until 1963.

Allegedly Barrett bought this guitar brand new in either 1964 or ’65, so it’s most likely a 1964 model. The Esquire originally had a stock light blonde (almost white) finish before Barrett covered the body.

Barrett used this Esquire almost exclusively on Pink Floyd’s first singles and debut album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

It became famous in its own right during Pink Floyd’s early concerts, where the metal discs reflected lights and colors from the psychedelic light show. Barrett played it on A Saucerful of Secrets as well, but shortly after the album’s release he stopped using it for shows, preferring a white Tele he recently purchased.

In late 1968, after the release of A Saucerful of Secrets, Barrett traded his “Mirror Disc” Esquire for a black Telecaster Custom. From that point onwards, the guitar’s whereabouts have remained unknown.

It’s possible that Barrett or the person he sold it to removed all of the distinctive modifications, so even if the guitar were discovered today it would be very difficult to verify as actually being the Pink Floyd founder’s guitar.

Syd’s Esquire might be gone forever, but, as he once sang, “Isn’t it good to be lost in the wood?”

• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Finding the first one of anything can be a tricky business. It can make your head hurt. Try this, for example: Who made the first guitar? Impossible to know, especially as you can tie yourself in knots defining ‘guitar’ before you even get to brands and time periods and… well, you get the picture.

But let’s try something that ought to be simpler. What was the first signature guitar?

You know what a signature guitar is, of course. One that bears the name of a well-known musician, usually alongside a popular brand name, offering some kind of connection to a guitar that this particular guitarist is or was known to play, and is manufactured as a production item and offered for sale to us mere mortals.

Replace that phrase “well-known musician” with “your guitar teacher”, however, and some early examples come into view. The Bambina, which dated from about 1870, was a tiny classical-like instrument with a 13-inch scale, designed by Catharina Josepha Pratten.

She was a well-known guitar teacher in London at the time and had a brilliant scheme: she signed labels and sent them to her French guitar maker, who stuck them inside the guitars that she would then sell on to pupils eager to have an affordable instrument with a hint of teacher’s magic. Maybe the Bambinas qualify as the first signature guitars?

This kind of idea continued, for example with Martin’s special Style 44 for Vahdah Olcott-Bickford, a Hollywood-based teacher – only a touch over 30 were made, starting in 1913, the majority in Martin’s size 0. Other signatures in this category followed, always with the aim of the teacher having an answer ready for when the student asks the inevitable question: “What guitar should I buy?” Ah! Here’s one specially for you!

There were more early acoustic instruments that qualify as signature trailblazers, and the first Gibson signature guitar, if a vanishingly rare one, was probably the Walter Boehm harp guitar of 1923.

Walter, a successful musician and businessman based in Buffalo, New York, was an early adopter of Gibson’s mighty harp guitars and helped the company’s development of the instrument, popularising its role in mandolin orchestras and standardising tuning.

The idea was to play the instrument’s regular six strings as normal, while the extensive set of sub-bass strings – in Gibson’s design supported by an extension connected to the body and the headstock – added sustained bass accompaniment and drones.

A few years later, and still at Gibson in Kalamazoo, we’re greeted by the man who seems the most likely contender for the title of First Famous Guitarist To Get His Own Signature Model.

Nick Lucas was known as America’s Singing Troubadour, and he became a big star with catchy hits, including his 1929 smash Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips With Me – almost as off-the-rails as the much later cover version by Tiny Tim. Some of Nick’s more sensible cuts, such as Teasing The Frets, show off his assured guitar playing, too.

Gibson’s extravagant ’29 catalogue blurb for its Nick Lucas guitar looks very much like the model for every piece of signature-guitar hype that followed.

“The wizardry of Nick Lucas and his guitar is known to all music lovers,” it says. “Combining his ideas and knowledge with the skill of Gibson Artist-Craftsmen has given birth to a truly magnificent guitar. To play it is to know a measure of the same inspiration that has carried Nick Lucas to great heights.

“You love the feel as it comes to life with the touch of your fingers. Your regard grows like a rare flower watered by the crystal drops of purest melody. It is indeed an instrument by an artist, for the artist.”

There were other signature acoustics from this era, including a Harmony guitar named for Roy ‘Wizard Of The Strings’ Smeck, the lute-shape Vita-Guitar launched in 1928. Roy was a widely popular star from the vaudeville days who played ukulele and banjo as well as steel and Spanish guitar.

Gibson, too, made a deal with Smeck a few years later for the Roy Smeck Radio Grande and Stage Deluxe Hawaiian flat-tops, first seen in 1934.

A few signature models turned up in Gibson’s contract brands around this time. The company repurposed a flat-top from its budget Kalamazoo line for a Recording King model, the Carson J Robison, introduced in 1933 for the New York-based country singer-songwriter. Recording King was a house brand of the hugely successful Montgomery Ward mail-order operation.

At the end of the ’30s, Gibson produced a pair of short-lived Recording King signature models for the singing cowboy Ray Whitley, who helped Gibson with the introduction of its SJ/J‑200 jumbo flat-top.

During the early years of electric development, there was an obscure Harmony-made Rickenbacker electric flat-top, the Ken Roberts of 1935. More or less all we know about Mr Roberts is that his first name was Ken and that he wasn’t Alvino Rey.

A year later, Epiphone launched the fabulous if hefty Electar Rocco double-neck electric lap-steel, although history insists we remember Anthony Rocco as an effects pioneer thanks to his Tonexpressor volume/tone pedal.

Toward the end of the ’30s, the tireless Roy Smeck signed off on a couple more Recording King guitars, his Professional and A104 electric steels.

Big In America

As the memories of World War II began to fade and the 1950s arrived, Gibson noticed that the novel solidbody electrics Leo Fender and his team were making over in California were becoming popular. The firm’s bosses decided to compete by developing Gibson’s own electric solidbody, and then made a signature deal with Les Paul, the best-known guitarist in America.

Les had chopped up several guitars in an effort to get nearer the kind of electric instrument he wanted and the sounds he had in mind. But of prime importance for Gibson was his fame. He’d bagged a No 1 hit with Mary Ford, the 1951 multi-vocal multi-guitar How High The Moon.

At Gibson, the design team came up with the new Les Paul Model (apart from Les’s own trapeze tailpiece, which was soon replaced). This typifies the approach of many guitar makers before and since: slapping a famous name on an instrument that the company either already made or devised itself.

It was a step beyond the ads and catalogues of the ’50s featuring this well-known player with that particular guitar: Laurindo Almeida and a Vega E-300, say; perhaps Jimmy Bryant and a Broadcaster; or maybe Mary Osborne and a White Falcon.

Other brands sought their own Les Paul and associated model as the decade progressed. An early one was the Framus 5/120 Billy Lorento (aka Bill Lawrence) archtop, introduced in 1953.

Also in ’53, Hofner’s UK agent Selmer unusually opted for a combined effort, introducing the aptly named Committee, designed with six leading British guitarists: Frank Deniz, Ike Isaacs, Jack Llewellyn, Freddie Phillips, Roy Plummer and Bert Weedon. In ’57, Kay introduced a trio of Barney Kessel models, complete with the brand’s wonderful Kelvinator headstocks.

A little later, when Barney shifted his allegiance to Gibson, Kay simply omitted the ‘Barney Kessel’ pickguards and kept the Kessel-less model names.

Naturally, it was exciting to be honoured with a signature model – a promo boost rarely does a musician any harm. Gretsch launched its Chet Atkins 6120 and solid 6121 in 1955 and the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman and Tennessean three years later. Chet recalled some 40 years later how much it meant to have a signature model.

“I was thrilled to have my name on a guitar,” he told this writer, “like Les Paul had his name on the Gibson. I was so thrilled by that – and now I don’t know why. Now, it wouldn’t mean that much to me.

“At the time, I was fired up with ambition and I was so anxious to be known all over the world, to be known as a great guitarist. And that deal with Gretsch was one brick in the edifice that would help that happen.”

Band Aid

The modern idea of the signature guitar was taking shape as the 1950s rolled into the ’60s. More artist models hit the shops, tempting players who wondered if some of their hero’s fairy dust might be lurking under the frets or inside the pickups of the instrument bearing the big star’s name.

In the ’60s, as rock and pop exploded, a slew of new signature models appeared, and one new trend underlined the popularity of the band over the individual musician: Mosrite gave us its Ventures model in 1963, Gretsch introduced a Monkees guitar in ’66, and Guyatone hooked up with Japanese heroes Sharp 5 a year later.

Is it the player, or is it the guitar? That debate around the value of a signature model will run and run. In the meantime, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start practising your signature. There’s a knack to make it fit snugly on the headstock of your choice without grazing the brand logo or the tuners. Why not do some advance planning? Then when the call comes you’ll be ready.

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

If you mention the words Fender and Esquire, most guitarists these days will picture a Telecaster-style guitar with no neck pickup. Fender’s Esquire model actually predated the Telecaster, and indeed the Broadcaster, having first been produced in the spring of 1950.

Although a single bridge pickup was standard, Fender soon began offering a two-pickup ‘double Esquire’ version for a modest upcharge.

Some Esquires were also returned to the factory to have neck pickups installed, and others were converted by owners themselves – often years later. Fender paused Esquire production between late summer 1950 and January 1951, offering only a two-pickup model newly dubbed the Broadcaster. When Esquire production eventually resumed, it became Fender’s official single-pickup single-cutaway option – and things have remained that way ever since.

Single-pickup guitars were nothing new when the Esquire was released, but most were lap steel or jazzbox-style instruments with the pickup in the neck position. Paul Bigsby was clearly an influence on Leo Fender and during the 1940s he made a single-bridge-pickup guitar for Merle Travis.

Merle’s guitar had what appears to be a three-way selector switch that operated in line with the strings and three control knobs. Leo Fender’s approach was similar and was a laudable attempt to provide Esquire players with instant access to three distinctive preset tones. We’ll discuss those settings later on.

It’s hard to identify any big-name players who have used a single-pickup Esquire throughout their careers. The likes of Steve Cropper, Jeff Beck and Billy Gibbons have all played them at some point, but they graduated to Telecasters and other models. Bruce Springsteen’s Esquire already had a neck pickup fitted when he bought it, and there’s no evidence to suggest he ever changed it back.

Toto Gesture

Although better known for playing his Rosanna ’Burst and his more recent affiliation with Music Man, session ace and Toto founding member Steve Lukather also owned and played a 1951 Esquire for decades.

In an interview with Vintage Guitar magazine, Steve revealed how he acquired the guitar in the late 70s: “I already had the Goldtop and ’Burst, and I began to look into other vintage guitars. The Esquire just fell into my lap; I paid 600 bucks for it.”

Steve was acting on the advice of his friend Paul ‘Jamo’ Jameson who persuaded him that collecting vintage guitars would be a sound long-term investment. “He actually hipped me to a lot of stuff,” he said. “Had I listened more than I did – because I thought paying a couple of grand for a guitar was insane back then – I would’ve bought everything.”

The Esquire became a studio staple for Steve and he recalled using it extensively on Toto IV. “Anything that sounds remotely like a Tele is that Esquire. It’s me doing my impression of Keith Richards.” He also used the Esquire on sessions with Joni Mitchell and Dolly Parton, and played it on Ringo Starr’s single Let’s Change The World.

When we contacted Steve, he seemed to have few regrets about selling it. “It was clean and sounded and played great,” he says, “but I was cleaning house and some guy offered me a shit ton of dollars for it and I said yes. Vintage gear is getting to the point where it’s so expensive, the crash will occur and values will drop so…”

French Connection

The Esquire now resides in Paris and is owned by Matthieu Lucas of Matt’s Guitar Shop. It’s in fairly remarkable condition for its age with the dirty yellow butterscotch lacquer that is so typical of Blackguards from this timeframe. The finish itself is semi-opaque and the ash body’s grain pattern is clear to see.

There are a few scratches and nicks on the surface, along with a small patch of buckle rash adjacent to the string ferrules, but the guitar certainly hasn’t endured decades of hard gigging in the honkytonks. While there is some finger wear on the fretboard, the lacquer on the back of the neck remains largely intact.

Fender began transitioning from flat-head to cross-head screws in 1951, and this Esquire has a mixture of both. The neck, bridge and control screws are all cross-heads, but the pickup, pickguard and switch screws are flat-heads.

David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars in New York had the opportunity to examine the guitar and told us that there was a 1mega-ohm potentiometer in the volume position and he believed the 7.24k pickup had been rewound.

The neck was initialled ‘TG’ with December ’51 pencil dates on the neck and body. Dowel plugs in the neck pickup cavity indicated that a second pickup was installed at some point and, in addition to a refret, a set of Schaller tuners has been fitted.

The Esquire is housed in a 1970s Fender case with a ‘Steve Lukather’ stencil and case candy that includes a note from Steve along with a photo of him playing the guitar and other documentation.

Is Less More?

Some guitarists hold the view that single-pickup electric guitars are tonally superior, and the most commonly cited examples are Les Paul Juniors versus Les Paul Specials, and Fender Esquires versus Telecasters.

In short, it’s the ‘all I need is one pickup and a cranked up valve amp and I can get every tone I need’ school of thought – and if that works for a player, it’s hard to dispute.

Regarding Juniors, there’s also the simplified controls argument, but if the complexities of a three-way pickup selector flummox you, there could be other issues at play. The touted sonic benefits include greater brightness and clarity, enhanced resonance and improved sustain. Focusing solely on Fenders, it might be interesting to analyse why that may be the case.

The fundamental differences between an Esquire and a Telecaster are one pickup, rather than two (obviously), and different control wiring. Addressing the pickup disparity first, the two factors to consider are lower weight and less magnetic pull on the strings to inhibit vibration. Popping a Telecaster neck pickup on some digital scales we get a reading of 62.4g (2.2oz).

Telecaster guitars vary considerably in weight, but let’s assume they range from 2.7kg to 4.5kg (roughly 6lb to 10lb). Running the numbers, the weight of a neck pickup equates to between ¹/43 and ¹/72 of the overall weight of the guitar. To put that in context, a set of vintage-style Kluson tuners weighs 135g and a set of die-cast tuners is around 175g, which makes the weight argument seem a bit moot.

The decreased magnetic pull factor may have more to it. As someone who has spent more time than is healthy swapping magnets in humbuckers and P-90s, this writer can report there are audible differences in sustain characteristics.

In short, the same pickups hang onto notes noticeably longer with weaker Alnico III than strong Alnico V magnets. This is only discernible, however, with clean or mildly overdriven tones. If you crank up the gain or use a compressor or overdrive pedal, everything evens out.

What’s more, a lack of sustain in Les Pauls with Alnico V-powered Patent Applied For pickups is not a noted characteristic. It’s also worth remembering that Telecaster neck pickups have traditionally been made with relatively weak Alnico III slugs. On balance, the improved sustain argument does seem to have merit, but it’s fairly marginal.

Switching Stuff

Turning to the electronics, Esquires and pre-1968 Teles both had one setting with a preset treble roll-off. Whether it’s applied to a neck or bridge pickup doesn’t make much difference because they’re both dull to the point of impracticality. So let’s keep things simple and assume we’re comparing Esquires with Telecasters with neck/both/bridge switching options.

In this instance, the Esquire’s middle setting corresponds to the Telecaster’s bridge setting because the tone control is out of circuit on the Esquire’s back setting. Whenever a tone control is connected to a pickup there’s some degree of treble roll-off – even when the control itself is turned fully up – and this may be why the Esquire is noted for having a brighter and more cutting tone.

The trade-off is that, for obvious reasons, an Esquire can’t give you neck pickup or neck and bridge in combination tones. A Telecaster can, however, do the wide open Esquire thing if you disconnect the bridge pickup from the tone control or fit a no-load tone potentiometer.

In recent years, the ‘Eldred’ mod has become popular among Esquire players. The ‘neck’ setting is slightly revoiced to produce a mid-heavy cocked-wah tone with ample clarity and more than a hint of P-90 heft.

The question ultimately boils down to whether Esquires justify their ‘too cool for school’ reputation or if they’re guitars that are precisely one third as good as they could be. Esquires have a unique vibe that some players genuinely prefer, but when this writer performs Esquire conversions for clients he invariably finds himself converting them back to Tele specs within weeks.

If you’re a T-type enthusiast, you’ll probably want to own an Esquire as well as a Telecaster, but if it has to be one or the other, then a Telecaster may be the better option.

• With thanks to Matt’s Guitar Shop in Paris for allowing us to photograph this guitar.
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Ola Strandberg has spent most of his career pioneering the modern headless guitar space. Now, he’s announced bold plans to create an electric guitar with a headstock.

Strandberg making guitars with headstocks is an unexpected move. After all, the company single-handledly revived the headless electric guitar space with models such as the Boden and Salen.

Some hugely influential progressive guitarists all play Strandbergs. Plini, Jacob Collier, Jordan Rudess, Jake Bowen, Liso Lee… the list goes on.

That’s why Ola Strandberg’s latest blog post came as such a surprise. In it, he teases he’s now working with another big-name player to bring his latest creation – affectionately named UME – to life.

The UME concept can be traced back to over a decade ago, when Ola experimented with a radically modular guitar that had interchangeable layers and adjustable components. The initial plan was scrapped, though.

“I could not bring myself to complete the design,” Ola says. “My ideas were solutions looking for problems to solve, instead of the opposite.”

That changed when Ola met a player who set him down a path that would lead to the revival of the UME experiment.

“At the 2026 NAMM Show, I met someone with needs that are beyond what any current guitar on the planet can meet,” he continues. “Just like when I met Tosin Abasi when I was just starting out, and the extended range Boden design was born.

“Talking to them more and more and understanding the limitations of current instruments, and the problems to be solved, I realized that I was answering the open design questions for the UME design.”

The new UME is set to be a completely modular design, with body modules, neck modules and adjustable components that will allow for complete player-based configuration. Another key design element will be that headstock.

“A headstock!?" you say? Well, current Strandberg guitars are headless for a reason… but there are also reasons and design justifications for a headstock,” Ola explains.

These include how it impacts the feel of the instrument – “bending strings, for example” – as well as how a headstock contributes to a guitar’s tone. There’s also the question of personal taste.

“The lack of mass at the headstock can [make] some players feel unfamiliar to the point that it is not enjoyable,” says Ola.

“To this player, all of these things were real issues that need to be resolved,” he says. “So the pieces fell into place, and the UME design now has a modular headstock that will address all these issues.”

The blog post has shared a heavily blurred render of what the UME could look like. Safe to say it might take us a while to get used to a Strandberg with a headstock.

Ola has promised to keep readers up to date with his design in future blog posts, which will also eventually reveal the identity of the mystery player.

Visit the Strandberg Lab to find out more.

When it comes to guitars, I’d say I’m a traditionalist. Hand me a vintage reissue Gibson, a classic Fender, or a retro Gretsch, and I’m pretty happy. Sure, I’ll dabble in the occasional modern build, but it’s most definitely not my wheelhouse. Now, that said, there’s always been one instrument that’s looked tempting from afar, but I’ve never had the courage to try it, the baritone guitar.

For years, I sort of dismissed it. I was convinced it was a guitar I’d never really use. I'm a blues rock player at heart, who also loves punk. I like things simple and always thought the baritone was only for beefy metal riffs. While I love listening to chuggy metal, it's not something I play all that often. Looking back, maybe I was just being naive.

My colleague, Matt McCracken, on the other hand, is a bona fide baritone lover. He’s spent months trying to lure me over to the long-scale dark side, daring me to break out of my comfort zone and add one to my arsenal. Well, consider the challenge accepted. I’m officially in the baritone ring.

Speaking of the benefits of the baritone, Matt says, "I bought my first baritone guitar as a replacement for my 7-string, and not having to deal with an additional string is an absolute godsend for me. The extended scale length keeps the low strings tight, even when I drop tune them to the subterranean depths of E1.

"All the chords, scales, riffs, and licks stay the same, but they're now all in a much lower and heavier-sounding tuning. They're surprisingly versatile too, and I've used them for layers on lots of different productions alongside regular scale guitars."

So, with those words ringing in my ears, I’ve been handed the rather beautiful Sterling by Music Man StingRay Baritone for a month-long test drive. Will this low-tuned beast change my mind about the baritone’s place in my guitar universe? Let’s find out.

What is a baritone?

Okay, so before I dive into my findings with the baritone guitar, it’s probably a good idea to define exactly what this instrument is.

Basically, a baritone guitar is an extended-scale instrument designed to handle lower tunings better than a standard electric guitar. In the case of the guitar I’m testing, the scale is 27.5”. It's not quite as long as a bass, but it's certainly getting close.

For the tuning, they're typically tuned a perfect fourth lower than a regular guitar, so B E A D F# B. However, there’s nothing to stop you from tuning lower to A, or even slightly higher to C, if you’re a big fan of Queens of the Stone Age.

In terms of the guitar I’m using, it’s the Sterling by Music Man StingRay Baritone, and it’s actually the company’s first-ever long-scale instrument. As for specs, we have a roasted maple neck and a rosewood fretboard, locking tuners and a vintage-style tremolo bridge.

The body here is poplar, and finished in the gorgeous Taluca Lake Blue. Tonally, the model is served by a pair of Sterling’s own ceramic humbuckers.

As for my first foray into the wonderful world of baritones, I feel like I’m easing myself in with a vintage-esque instrument. This isn’t an ultra-modern metal monster, unlike the new Jackson Pro Plus Series Signature Sleep Token IV Monarkh SC, so at least I’m not completely out of my comfort zone straight out of the gate.

What I learned

1. It’s actually not that much of an adjustment

If you’re a six-stringer who’s never touched a baritone, you might picture the transition as being a serious adjustment, but honestly, it’s nowhere near as daunting as it sounds. The extra length of the neck is noticeable, sure, but thankfully it doesn’t feel like shifting from a Gibson Les Paul to a double bass.

Okay, so the fret spacing is a hair wider, and that low B string has a fair bit more tension, but if you’ve ever played a seven-string, I’m sure you’ll click with it easily enough.

Genuinely, what surprised me is how quickly the baritone became familiar territory. My muscle memory was there from the start, and honestly, it was actually fun to explore the deeper registers.

I know it’s hardly a revelation that if you can play guitar, you can play baritone, but I did think there would be some adjustment time with it to feel comfortable, and luckily there wasn’t.

2. There are more tunings than B

Yes, B standard is the most common tuning for a baritone, but it isn’t the be-all, end-all. The baritone is actually an incredibly flexible instrument.

I spent a lot of time messing around with different tunings and was honestly floored by how much the character of the guitar changed. With B standard, you get tight, punchy chugs, but go lower and it’s perfect for modern metal riffage.

That said, you don't need to always tune lower. Tune up, and things start to feel snappier, but equally as aggressive.

What’s even more fun is the way alternate tunings open up the fretboard. It makes it easier to find new chord voicings or unexpected harmonics, and that’ll undoubtedly lead you to writing something you never would on a normal guitar. Speaking of which…

3. It’s a songwriting riff machine

For me, I love writing songs. In fact, it’s pretty much the reason I play the guitar. Having the baritone around made me write a completely different way than I normally would, with low-tuned riffs coming out of nowhere.

If you’ve been feeling stuck in a rut, the baritone could be a way to unlock brand new ideas, it certainly helped me. I’d sit down to noodle for five minutes and end up with three potential song intros or chorus hooks, all because the instrument pulled me in a fresh direction.

It’s worth noting that it’s not just about writing heavier music, either. Throwing on a bit of delay and massive reverb, I found myself gravitating toward atmospheric, almost cinematic progressions that had me jamming for hours.

4. It’s a valuable studio tool

If you do any recording, from bedroom demos to full-blown studio sessions, the baritone is a great tool to have on hand.

Layer it under your standard guitar tracks, and suddenly everything sounds bigger. The low end fills out the arrangement, and octave-doubled riffs can make parts punchier, too.

I tried tracking a couple of old songs with the baritone alongside my regular guitars, and I must say, I loved the results. Even simple power chords took on a new depth, and the songs just sounded more polished.

I can now see why producers love to have a couple of baritones floating around in the studio.

5. It’s not just built for metal

I think, more recently, the baritone has gotten a bit of a metal reputation, with many thinking it’s just for metalheads looking to tune lower. Sure, it’s a staple in doom, sludge, and contemporary metal, but plenty of players outside the heavy scene have embraced the baritone for its unique voice, from surf rock to spaghetti western soundtracks, or even ambient indie.

During my month with the Sterling, I found myself channelling everything from Dick Dale to Brian Eno, all on the same instrument. Clean tones sound almost piano-like with loads of sustain. Throw on some chorus or tremolo, and you can create massive-sounding atmospheric soundscapes. It’s a lot of fun.

Honestly, if you thought baritones were a one-trick pony, think again. It can do a whole lot more than monstrous distortion-soaked riffage.

Final thoughts

After a month with the Sterling by Music Man StingRay Baritone, I can confidently say my perspective on baritone guitars has shifted dramatically. What once seemed like an intimidating oddity has become a guitar that I’m genuinely looking to add to my arsenal.

For me, the baritone’s flexibility opened creative doors I hadn’t anticipated, and better yet, I discovered how seamlessly it could slot into my songwriting and recording.

I was guilty of thinking a baritone was only a metal guitar, but I’m happy to be proved wrong. The baritone proved itself to be far more than a niche instrument for doom jams, but rather a seriously versatile studio companion that works to fill out just about any arrangement.

If you’ve ever been curious, I’d encourage you to take the plunge. You might just find, as I did, that it becomes an indispensable part of your guitar collection. Find out what we believe to be the best baritone guitars available right now with our dedicated buyer’s guide.

Find your tone

Billy Gibbons’ Pearly Gates is one of the most iconic Les Pauls of all time. Now it’s receiving a Collector’s Edition run from the Gibson Custom Shop – but getting one won’t be straightforward.

The Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons “Pearly Gates” 1959 Les Paul Standard Collector’s Edition is a faithful recreation of the ZZ Top legend’s 1959 LP.

Gibson leaned into “in-depth examination, cutting-edge 3D scans, and precise measurements” to reproduce a guitar that Gibbons hasn’t found a rival to, despite decades of searching.

That also means its body has been aged and relic’d by the Murphy Lab, and it features painstaking replicas of its original P.A.F.-style humbuckers.

Recalling in an interview how he got his hands on the original, Gibbons remembers, “[A friend] said, 'I know you were looking for another one of those Gibson guitars.

“'There’s a cowboy who’s got a ranch outside of town. He may have what you were looking for.'

“We had a girlfriend named Renee Thomas,” he continues. “She said, ‘I’ve got an invitation to go audition for a part in a movie, but I have to get back to California.’ We decided that she should have this 1936 Packard automobile.

“Next thing you know, the phone rang, and she said, ‘I got the part. I blame it on Pearly Gates,’” he continues. He asked the inevitable question: What’s Pearly Gates?

“She goes, ‘Oh, that’s the name I gave the car. That do you want me to do with the car?’”

On Gibbons’ advice, they sold the car for $250. The money, he says, landed in his pocket the very day he was heading off to the ranch to check out the Gibson.

Gibbons says, “He opened the case and said, ‘Can you give me $250?’ I whipped out the check then and there. The word got back to Renee, and she goes, ‘It’s going to make divine music.’”

The name transferred from car to guitar, and the rest, as they say, is history.

As for this Collector's Edition reissue, there is a slight catch for those who want to get their mitts on the guitar.

It’s available exclusively as part of an event package, which includes an invitation to attend an exclusive evening with Billy Gibbons at the Gibson Garage Nashville.

The evening is being described as “the ultimate fan experience” and includes a private Q&A with Gibbons, an intimate live performance, a personal meet-and-greet, and a photo opportunity.

There are only 30 spots available, and interested readers are encouraged to call the Gibson Garage Nashville at (615) 933-6000 to reserve a place. A price hasn't been listed.

Visit Gibson to see the guitar in more detail.

Ibanez has unveiled a host of surprise electrics guitars, including new star signatures and a firm-first Iceman.

There’s a lot for players to get their teeth into here, so we’ve trawled through the listings to pull out the highlights.

Leading the signatures, Steve Vai’s visually updated PIA77BON2 features an intricately detailed design, including a hand-painted gold leaf body finish and an expansive PIA Blossom fretboard inlay.

Its DiMarzio UtoPIA pickups continue the aesthetic, and it otherwise conforms to the usual PIA spec sheet.

Joe Satriani, meanwhile, has the new JS2470 to his name. It follows a similar tonewood recipe with an alder body and three-piece maple/bubinga neck sculpted to his namesake profile.

At its heart, there’s a DiMarzio Satchur8 humbucker in the bridge and a Sustainiac in the neck, and it’s complete with a dedicated three-way switch, taking in Harmonic/Mix/Normal modes.

Nita Strauss’ latest signature is a Torch Red-colored shredder. The JIVA10R pairs an African mahogany body with a quilted maple top, a three-piece JIVA maple/purpleheart neck, and an ebony fretboard featuring a Beaten Path inlay design.

Aside from the signatures, the pick of the bunch is the newly modernized and weaponized Iceman.

It's a body shape favored by System of Down’s Daron Malakian, inverted by Paul Gilbert (to make the Fireman) and more recently adopted by Knocked Loose’s Isaac Hale.

Here, it gets a seven-string, multi-scale makeover. It’s armed with Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers and has a five-piece Wizard II-7 maple-and-walnut neck, an Okoume body. It looks like it could do damage.

There are plenty of highlights elsewhere. Last year, Ibanez revived the forgotten (and pretty mad-looking) P Series guitar. Now it’s back in a more metal-minded fashion.

Available in White or Black, each model features what appears to be an aluminum pickguard for its exaggerated treble-side horn.

Building on a basswood body, five-piece maple/walnut Super Wizard neck, and 24-fret bound rosewood 'board with Sharktooth inlays, it is one of the most radical-looking Ibanez guitars currently around.

As we said, there’s a lot to absorb, but with the Iceman getting something of the Alpha treatment, three stellar shredders getting new squeezes, and the P Series continuing to reintegrate itself into the modern scene, it’s good news for Ibanez loyalists.

See Ibanez for more.

LR Baggs has announced it’s changing its name. Going forward, the acoustic guitar expert will be known as ‘Baggs’.

The name change comes as part of the firm’s 50th anniversary celebrations, leading the way for a new modernized brand identity.

The ‘LR’ in LR Baggs referred to company founder, Lloyd. Dropping the initials is said to be part of a new initiative to ‘expand the story’ of the brand, and the result of a year-long appraisal of the Baggs identity.

The new name has been announced alongside the appointment of Lloyd Baggs’ daughter, Jenny Luckett, as Baggs’ Creative Director.

“Removing the LR isn't about removing Lloyd from the story,” says Luckett. “It's about expanding the story. It takes something that began with one person and makes room for all the people who have become part of it.

“To us, Baggs is the family, and that family is much bigger than Lloyd's actual family. It includes all the people who have helped build this company and all of the people who will be part of where it goes next.”

Baggs adds, “I'm thrilled beyond words for Jenny to be joining the company and helping guide it into the future.

“Not only is she amazingly talented and driven to do the right things, but she's thoughtful, kind and joyful. She's a born leader and a joy for all of us to work with.”

Lloyd’s role in the company will not change. His work will remain focused on product design and innovation.

Baggs has positioned itself as one of the leading brands in acoustic guitar tone. It has developed a number of industry-leading amp systems and instruments, including the HiFi Duet pickup and revolutionary AEG-1, which reinvented the acoustic electric guitar.

Head over to Baggs for more.

What is it?

For a long time, Gretsch meant rock ’n’ roll in its ’50s leathers – twang on steroids. But lately the company has broadened its offer, and one of the main tools used to do that is its Electromatic range.

The name ‘Electromatic’ derives from the first electric guitars and amps the company ever sold, back in 1939. But the name was resurrected in 1998 for a range of affordable instruments that offered an easier entry point to the brand than its premium Japanese-built models.

Another useful thing about the Electromatic range, from Gretsch’s perspective, is its malleability. Gretsch offers Electromatics with P-90s and a variety of pickups that offer a more contemporary drive than the traditional Filter’Trons.

All this helps them get the attention of guitarists who wouldn’t normally reach for a Gretsch guitar, including the increasing number of players who use baritone electrics for girthy high-gain riffs and evocative, brooding cleans.

Indeed, Gretsch now offers two baritones in the Electromatic range – an Electromatic Jet Baritone with a 755.65mm (29.75”) scale length and this double-cut CVT Baritone with its more hand-friendly 685.8mm (27”) scale.

The engine room of this CVT Baritone is a pair of Sphera Twin Six humbuckers with 12 adjustable poles, evoking Gretsch’s famous Filter’Tron humbuckers. Built around a pair of Alnico 6 magnets, the idea behind the Twin Six is to ‘bridge the tonal gap between modern Alnico 5 clarity and vintage Alnico 2 warmth’.

Featuring a solid mahogany body with bevelled edges, our review guitar is finished in a smoky Bristol Fog sunburst – the only finish option available for this model.

The body appears to be three-piece, although the dark sunburst obscures some of the top, making it hard to confirm. The 22-fret neck is made of maple, though it’s covered by black gloss paint so we’ll have to take Gretsch’s word on that. The fretboard is bound rosewood.

The CVT Baritone also sports a pair of Twin Six humbuckers – except these have Alnico 5 magnets and not Alnico 6, as found in the Premier Jet, so we might expect a more conventionally brightish, mid-forward sound here. It has a trick or two up its sleeve in terms of electronics, too.

There’s a treble bleed on the master volume so the sound doesn’t get muddy when you turn it down, plus it features a pull-push pot that engages a coil-split on the neck pickup. Meanwhile, the single tone control has a pull-push pot that operates a coil split for the bridge pickup.

Specs

• PRICE: $599 | £599 | €589
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: Double cutaway solidbody baritone electric
• BODY: Solid mahogany
• NECK: Maple with painted headstock, with Performance ‘C’ profile
• SCALE LENGTH: 685.8mm (27”)
• NUT/WIDTH: GraphTech NuBone/ 40mm
• FINGERBOARD: Bound rosewood. 241.3mm (12”) radius.
• FRETS: 22 nickel silver, medium jumbo
• HARDWARE: Nickel-finish Adjusto-Matic bridge, three-ply black/white/black acrylic pickguard, knurled plain top metal knobs
• TUNERS: Die-cast sealed
• STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 55mm
• ELECTRICS: Two Twin Six humbuckers. Master volume with treble-bleed, push/pull for coil splitting neck pickup, master tone with push/pull for coil splitting bridge pickup. Treble bleed circuit.
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.8/8.4
• LEFT-HANDERS: No
• FINISH: Bristol Fog (as reviewed)
• CONTACT: Gretsch

Build quality, usability and sounds

The CVT Baritone’s world is brooding, low chords, and melodies with drama and grandeur.

You can’t play all your old, familiar clichés – there are no bluesy bends on the stiff strings of a baritone – so you have to ‘say something’ and take the melody somewhere. It feels like a guitar for writers, rather than noodlers, and it’s all the more satisfying for it.

Reverb, delay and drive all pair powerfully with the CVT – though we found ourselves using the coil-splits more often than the full humbucker sounds for added clarity.

The action is comfortable and that shorter scale means it’s not a struggle to reach or fret notes. It’s a really intriguing and rather addictive experience, bridging the gap between bass and guitar.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Guitar World verdict: The Baritone is a truly intriguing proposition – for under $600 it does something quite special: it opens up a new sound-world, new paths of expression for the uninitiated. And it does so comfortably, effectively and affordably.

Hands-on videos

Guitarist

Gretsch

• Best baritone guitars 2025: pick up the slack with these long scale guitars
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

This month, Squier threw us a curveball with the new Paranormal Precision Bass Thinline SJ – a lightweight, semi-hollow take on the classic Fender P-Bass that looks every bit as fun as it sounds. Squier’s latest also promises to play like a dream, too. The kind of dream you have when you eat cheese at bedtime.

We also welcomed the Spector Rex Brown Euro Bass, and saw the worldwide arrival of the Aria Cliff Burton Signature Bass, bringing the unmistakable spirit of Metallica’s legendary bassist to players around the globe.

If you’ve ever wanted to channel Burton’s thunderous low-end – preferably at irresponsible volume – now is looking like a good time to start.

Kiesel also expanded its bass lineup with the Antares Bass, a low-end counterpart to the company’s guitar model. And because no modern bass launch is complete without some serious signal-chain wizardry, it features Darkglass Electronics circuitry for a suitably aggressive range of tones.

From semi-hollow P-Bass twists and legendary metal-inspired signature models to high-performance basses loaded with modern tone-shaping technology, here's our pick of the best bass gear from August 2026.

Spector Euro 4 Rex Brown Signature

Pantera bass icon Rex Brown uses Spector for a reason: because they play like nothing else on Earth, and presumably also because he likes the colour.

The Spector Rex Brown Euro Bass features a neck-through body, pairing a three-piece maple neck with empresswood body wings topped with flame maple.

The Desert Gold finish takes inspiration from the New Mexico landscape, where Brown now lives, while an Indian rosewood fingerboard features smoke crown inlays. Gold hardware, a classic script Spector logo and Brown’s own logo on the back of the headstock complete the look.

For electronics, Spector has equipped the bass with a set of EMG PJ-X pickups alongside its TonePump active preamp.

“It has been a labor of love,” says Brown. “We took our time with every detail, from the balance of the pickups to the backplate design. It features the same neck profile I’ve used on my Spectors for years. It all comes together in a bass I’m incredibly proud of and one I think players will really enjoy.”

Aria Pro II SB-CLB Cliff Burton Signature

First unveiled at the 2026 Winter NAMM Show, the Aria Pro II SB-CLB Cliff Burton Signature Bass is now shipping worldwide – meaning fans of Metallica’s legendary bassist can finally get their hands on this detailed recreation of one of heavy music’s most iconic instruments.

Aria says the limited-edition model has been painstakingly recreated to capture the tone, feel and appearance of the SB-1000 Burton played during Metallica’s early years.

That includes the distinctive SB body shape, a high-output active circuit and neck-through construction, all designed to deliver the punch and sustain that made the original SB series so revered.

Other features include a seven-piece maple and walnut neck, the original QHB-1 brass bridge, and Aria’s BB Circuit, a low-pass filter with six presets that dramatically reshape the bass’s tonal character.

Squier Paranormal Precision Bass Thinline SJ

As the name suggests, this isn’t your standard P-Bass – don’t play, or even look at, this bass if you’ve got a hangover.

The Squier Paranormal Thinline SJ reimagines Fender’s original bass guitar with a semi-hollow body and a pickup combination that boasts a single-coil ’51 P-Bass pickup in the neck position and a single-coil Jazz Bass pickup at the bridge. The two pickups are wired to a three-way blade switch.

The semi-hollow body is designed to bring added acoustic resonance while reducing the overall weight, which should make those longer sessions a little easier on the shoulders.

Available in Vintage White, 3-Color Sunburst and Olive, the Thinline SJ features a nyatoh body and maple neck. The Olive and Sunburst models come with Indian Laurel fingerboards, while the Vintage White version gets maple.

Elsewhere, you’ll find a C-shape neck profile, a four-saddle vintage-style bridge with slotted barrel saddles and vintage-style open-gear tuners.

Kiesel Antares Bass

With its pronounced upper cutaways, elongated horns and deeply offset body, the Kiesel Antares Bass certainly isn’t trying to hide its metal credentials. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s available exclusively as a 5-string.

Built around an alder body and a carbon-fiber-reinforced maple neck, the Antares Bass has also been designed to address one of the potential drawbacks of its extreme body shape: neck dive. Kiesel has fitted a removable 1.3lb stainless-steel counterweight to the body to help keep the bass balanced.

Essential for any true onstage exhibitionist, the angular design is also complemented by a Darkglass Electronics preamp to add some suitably serious tone-shaping capabilities.

There are two pickup configurations to choose from. A pair of JVA single-coils offers traditional J-Bass-style tones, while a JVA single-coil paired with an HB humbucker provides a thicker, more powerful voice.

Fender Bends V2 Compressor & Pelt V2 Fuzz

Fender has given its pedal lineup a refresh, unveiling V2 versions of The Bends Compressor, The Pelt Fuzz, the Santa Ana Overdrive and the Pugilist Distortion. While all four can find a home on a bass pedalboard, Fender is particularly keen to point bassists toward the Bends V2 Compressor and Pelt V2 Fuzz.

The Bends V2 combines compression and boost in a single pedal. Its controls include an Attack switch, Release and Input knobs, plus a Blend control that lets you mix your clean signal back in.

There’s also a rear-mounted Vintage switch for re-voicing the circuit, a Comp pre/post switch and a Compression LED that shows the amount of compression being applied in real time.

The Pelt V2, meanwhile, is built around silicon transistors and a buffer-friendly input stage, taking Fender’s fuzz formula well beyond the usual Tone, Fuzz and Level controls. Sag and Bloom knobs let you shape how the fuzz breaks up, while an Octave (Chaos) footswitch adds an octave-up effect.

Fender has again included a Blend control, allowing bassists to retain their clean signal – because sometimes you want your fuzz to sound completely broken without losing the bottom-end.

Origin FX EQDELUXE

Origin Effects has taken one of the most celebrated pieces of studio hardware in history and squeezed it onto a pedalboard with the new EQDELUXE Studio Equalizer and Drive, a tribute to the legendary Pultec EQP-1A.

At the heart of the pedal is the “Pultec Trick,” which allows you to simultaneously boost and cut the low frequencies. For bassists, that means more low-end heft without simply turning everything up and hoping for the best.

But the EQDELUXE isn’t just about the bass frequencies. Alongside the Low Frequency Band, there are dedicated Mid and High Frequency Bands that offer more comprehensive tone sculpting when you need it.

The UK-based company has also recreated the Pultec’s distinctive output stage using solid-state circuitry, delivering the tube-like saturation associated with the original 1950s hardware without requiring a vintage studio rack to achieve it.

Harley Benton PB-62 & JB-62 Aged Series

Harley Benton has jumped aboard the relic train with its Aged Series, bringing roadworn looks to a range of budget-friendly instruments without requiring decades of gigging to get there.

The lineup includes two basses: the P-style PB-62 and the JB-62. The PB-62 is available in Black and Ocean White, while the JB-62 comes in 3-Tone Sunburst and Lake Placid Blue over Sunburst.

And because not everyone wants their brand-new bass to look like it’s survived 30 years of questionable tour vans, both models can be ordered with either light or heavy aging. In other words, you can decide how much road wear you want.

Baboomin Q-River Air

Yes, we know headless basses were cruelly mocked back in the '90s. You don’t have to remind us – we were there. Still, we think the design has proved its staying power, and Baboomin is a brand that has fully embraced the headless format.

Available in Standard and Pro versions, the Q-River Air comes in 4- and 5-string configurations, with the 4-string weighing in at an average of just 6.8lb.

The Standard model is equipped with two single-coil pickups, while the Pro adds a dual-coil pickup in the bridge position, offering '60s Jazz, '70s Jazz and humbucker-style tones.

Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass Lake Placid Blue

Fender has given its American Vintage II series a fresh lick of paint, adding a new Lake Placid Blue finish to the 1966 Jazz Bass. The iconic colour joins the model’s existing Sea Foam Green, 3-Color Sunburst and Olympic White options.

The company first began using Lake Placid Blue in late 1959 after adapting it from General Motors’ automotive paint catalog, before making it an official option on Fender’s first formal custom colour chart in 1960.

Beneath that new finish, the American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass retains its period-correct specifications, including a nitrocellulose lacquer finish, vintage-style neck profile and year-specific pickups designed to deliver the feel and tone of the original-era instruments.

Eastwood The Sandman Deluxe 4-string

Last year, Eastwood Guitars introduced “The Sandman,” a 2-string bass inspired by the modified Premier Scroll Bass played by Morphine’s Mark Sandman. Now, in collaboration with Sandman’s estate, the company has expanded the series with the Sandman Deluxe 4-String.

The new model retains the distinctive looks and character of the 2-string Deluxe while adding the range and versatility of a traditional 4-string bass.

Features include a mahogany body, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard with white double-dot inlays. It’s equipped with a pair of custom D-Style pickups, vintage-style tuners and a satin finish.

Yes, it looks a bit nuts – so what? We like crazy-looking gear…

What happens to iconic guitars after a famous (or cult hero) guitarist dies? These days it’s common to see instruments sold at high-profile auctions and vanish into the clutches of anonymous collectors with deep pockets.

However, some guitars live on in museum collections, remain under close guard as family heirlooms, or pass along to famous player friends, where they continue to make history.

We decided to take a closer look at five of the most celebrated Telecasters (actually, one is an Esquire) played by guitarists we’ve loved and lost, and figure out where those instruments are now. Today, we look at Roy Buchanan’s 1953 Fender Telecaster, nicknamed “Nancy”.

The enigmatic and highly influential blues-rock guitarist Roy Buchanan inspired hundreds of players to pick up Telecasters during the ’70s, including Danny Gatton and even Jeff Beck, who returned to the Tele in 1974, after favoring Les Pauls and Strats for nearly eight years, to record his tribute to Buchanan, Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers.

Buchanan owned a variety of early ’50s black-guard Telecasters during this period, but he was best known for a 1953 model nicknamed “Nancy” (serial number 2324) that appeared on most of his Polydor and Atlantic album covers.

Guitarists who managed to track down an early ’50s Tele often wondered why their instruments never matched the sharp, biting treble, voice-like, crying midrange, and subdued bass, of Buchanan’s signature tone.

The secret wasn’t any special effects, a particular amp, or studio trickery, but rather a very simple quirk or flaw. At some point, perhaps even before Buchanan acquired the Tele in the late ’60s while attending barber school, a winding in the bridge pickup became broken.

Although the pickup’s resistance didn’t register on an ohm meter, it still operated normally, albeit with a distinctive tonal character that mystified pickup designers for years (not unlike the humbuckers in Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstein and 5150 guitars).

Buchanan had a few other tricks up his sleeve that guitarists quickly caught on to. The guitarist often placed a penny underneath the center saddle of the Tele’s three-saddle bridge, which raised its height without extending the screws excessively.

Many players feel that extending the saddle screws too far can make the tone thinner and affect sustain, as the string vibrations don’t transfer as well when the screws aren’t embedded fully in the saddle.

At some point, Buchanan drilled a hole through the headstock, but this was done only so he could hang it from a protruding nail on the wall (similar to the practice of many Spanish flamenco guitar luthiers) and not for any tone or performance reasons.

According to Seymour Duncan, the wiring in the “Nancy” Tele was 100 percent stock, providing the era-correct bridge, neck, and neck dark/bass settings. A .1µF capacitor in series with the output performs like a high-pass filter to roll off some of the bass frequencies.

Although the volume and tone pots were allegedly stock, they had the short on/off throw of linear taper pots, which made it easier for Buchanan to perform his signature volume and tone control swells.

Buchanan toured and gigged with “Nancy” up until the early Eighties, when the value of vintage Teles soared. Worried that someone would steal his increasingly valuable ax and needing a sizable influx of cash to support himself, Buchanan sold it.

His ’53 Tele circulated among a few vintage-guitar shops and buyers over the years until collector Mac Yasuda purchased it in the ’90s. Since then, Yasuda has loaned it to occasional exhibits at the Fullerton Museum Center’s Leo Fender Gallery in Southern California.

• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

Thorn Soundlabs is a relatively new pedal company formed in Nashville, USA. Its mission, it says, is to “redefine effects pedals with tools that inspire sonic exploration, not just sonic replication”.

We have six of the current Flex range of nine pedals here for review, the Flex in the name standing for flexible with the understanding that each pedal offers a wide range of variation within and maybe beyond its allotted task.

Drive, distortion and fuzz are respectively taken care of by the Bad Cash, Silver Spurs and Black Swamp, while The FreaQ provides boost with EQ functionality, and Steam is a compressor. The Tremonator is the sole modulation pedal in the bunch, offering tremolo with tap tempo.

Construction is reassuringly solid, and the pedals all run from a standard nine-volt adapter (no batteries), with four of them also taking an 18-volt supply for extra headroom.

A quick glance and one thing that’s apparent is that some of the pedals have controls with names that are not standard – most notably Damping and Headroom.

The Damping knob, found on the three dirt pedals and the boost, adjusts a variable filter that reduces the low-frequency content before the signal enters the overdrive circuit, working brilliantly for getting rid of any flub and tightening up your sound.

The Headroom knob is designed to adjust the clipping threshold of the output stage on the drive and distortion pedals, working in conjunction with the drive/gain knob to turn up the wick.

Specs

Thorn Soundlabs Bad Cash

• PRICE: $189 | £147 | €161
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: Drive pedal
• FEATURES: True bypass
• CONTROLS: Drive, Damping, Headroom, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Symmetry O/I switch, Class A/AB switch, Bypass footswitch
• CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
• POWER: 9V-18V DC adaptor 18mA 
• DIMENSIONS: 94 (w) x 120 (d) x 51mm (h) 

Thorn Soundlabs Silver Spurs

• PRICE: $189 | £156 | €169
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: Distortion pedal
• FEATURES: True bypass
• CONTROLS: Gain, Damping, Headroom, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Bypass footswitch
• CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
• POWER: 9V-18V DC adaptor 18mA
• DIMENSIONS: 94 (w) x 120 (d) x 51mm (h)

Thorn Soundlabs Black Swamp

• PRICE: $199 | £164 | €189
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: Fuzz pedal
• FEATURES: True bypass
• CONTROLS: Gain, Damping, Mid Freq, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Character S/N/H switch, Hard Clip O/I switch, Bypass footswitch
• CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
• POWER: 9V-18V DC adaptor 24mA 
• DIMENSIONS: 94 (w) x 120 (d) x 51mm (h)

Thorn Soundlabs The FreaQ

• PRICE: $149 | £121 | €139
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: Double Stage Booster pedal
• FEATURES: True bypass, Freq and Boost switching
• CONTROLS: Damping, Gain, Boost, Freq, Freq footswitch, Boost/Bypass footswitch
• CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
• POWER: 9V-18V DC adaptor 18mA 
• DIMENSIONS: 94 (w) x 120 (d) x 51mm (h)

Thorn Soundlabs Steam

• PRICE: $204 | £164 | €189
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: Compressor pedal
• FEATURES: True bypass
• CONTROLS: Threshold, Amount, Attack, Release, Detail, Output, Auto/Manual switch, Bypass footswitch
• CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
• POWER: 9V DC adaptor 29mA 
• DIMENSIONS: 94 (w) x 120 (d) x 51mm (h) 

Thorn Soundlabs Tremonator

• PRICE: $244 | £199 | €198
• ORIGIN: China
• TYPE: Tremolo pedal
• FEATURES: True bypass, Tap Tempo
• CONTROLS: Symmetry, Mix, Volume, Rate, Multiplier, Sine/Square Wave switch, Tap Tempo footswitch, Bypass footswitch
• CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output, external tap tempo (3.5mm jack)
• POWER: 9V DC adaptor 28mA 
• DIMENSIONS: 94 (w) x 120 (d) x 51mm (h) 
• CONTACT: Thorn Soundlabs

Build quality, usability and sounds

Bad Cash is an overdrive with a wide range of tone shaping available from its amp-like tone stack array of Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence knobs, as well as the aforementioned Damping and Headroom controls.

There are two clipping options available; symmetrical is the smoothest option, with asymmetrical delivering an edgier sound. There’s also a similar choice of output distortion characteristics with Class A or AB on offer, so a total of four nuanced voice combinations. With a wide clean to dirty range, this is one flexible drive pedal that should pair with any amp.

Silver Spurs has a similar set of controls to the Bad Cash but operates in a higher gain range. The aim here is classic British amp sound, which the pedal does with aplomb, spitting out aggressive raunch and heavier saturation.

Incidentally, there’s one more drive pedal that we couldn’t fit into this review and that’s the Magma, which is described as a Metal Distortion.

The last of the dirt pedals is the Black Swamp fuzz, although we’d say it’s as much a distortion as a fuzz in the same way that a Big Muff can be.

With a choice of Smooth, Normal or Hot for the fuzz character, as well as the options of soft or hard clipping, all shaped by the usual Damping, Bass and Treble knobs, there’s no mistaking the versatility available.

But the kicker here is the extra layer of detailed tone sculpture provided by the semi-parametric midrange EQ, which offers boost or cut anywhere between 310Hz and 2kHz.

The FreaQ, described as a Double Stage Booster, has a Boost footswitch that activates the first boost stage where the sound is only affected by the Damping and Boost knobs.

It starts from unity gain, so has plenty on tap, yet it also adds a subtle but sweet amount of top-end that can combine with the reduced lows from the Damping knob for added tonal enhancement.

The second Freq footswitch only works if the Boost footswitch is already engaged and adds the Gain and Freq controls into the mix to give you a targeted boost where a frequency between 200Hz and 3.4kHz can be cut or boosted by the Gain knobs. This is a really functional pedal that works equally well as an always-on tone conditioner or something to be kicked in as needed.

First port of call on the Steam compressor has to be the Auto/Manual switch to choose between automatic attack and release timing (which is really well dialled in), or use of the Attack and Release knobs for your preferred settings, especially in sculpting the transients. A Threshold knob sets the level at which compression starts and an Amount knob sets the intensity of compression.

But the secret weapon here is the Detail knob, ostensibly designed to restore the brightness perceived to have been lost due to compression and in reality a great tone enhancer to focus your top-end with up to +15dB of gain in the upper mid/treble frequency bands. Steam provides a practical compression toolbox with plenty of output for a boost, too.

Finally, the Tremonator provides a choice of decent-sounding sine or square-wave tremolo that can be further shaped by the Symmetry knob, which will dial in lopsided waveforms in either direction.

The tremolo is added to the dry sound by a Mix knob that runs from 100 per cent dry to 100 per cent wet – think of this as your depth control – while speed is set by the Rate knob.

Alternatively, you can set the speed via the Tap Tempo footswitch, which means you can sync to a drummer on the fly. A Multiplier knob multiplies any tempo inputted by either method.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Some US pedals can get a bit pricey, but the ‘Designed in the USA/Made in China’ concept here keeps these units more reasonable. They’re neither budget pedals nor overly expensive.

The Bad Cash and Silver Spurs have a solid flexibility with tonal shaping options that set them apart from many other dirt pedals. Likewise, the Black Swamp benefits from the tonal focusing of its semi-parametric midrange.

Flexibility is again the name of the game with the FreaQ, offering plenty of gain on tap and tonally targeted, too, while Steam pretty much does everything you’d want from a guitar compressor (apart from the parallel compression that a dry mix knob would add).

Guitar World verdict: Considering its higher price, the Tremonator isn’t such a bargain as the rest, but overall this is a range of pedals endowed with thoughtfully considered features that would make them practical additions to a signal chain.

Hands-on videos

Thorn Soundlabs

Thomann

• Best cheap guitar pedals 2026: killer budget stompboxes you need to try
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

The history of the Epiphone El Dorado might seem a little convoluted, but bear with us while we offer a thumbnail sketch of this model’s past.

Originally made in Gibson’s Kalamazoo factory in Michigan, the El Dorado was introduced into the USA catalogue in 1963, its square-shouldered dreadnought shape and large 412.7mm (16.25 inch) body width mimicking Gibson’s own recently released Hummingbird and Dove acoustics.

It was dropped from the USA line at the beginning of the 1970s, when Epiphone manufacture was switched to Japan, and was subsequently built at the Matsumoku factory. Here it became known as the FT-350 and enjoyed a few cosmetic changes while keeping its large dread credentials.

It was a Japanese El Dorado that became the soulful, genre-straddling guitar virtuoso Marcus King’s first guitar. And in honour of this, Epiphone has released a time-limited, made-in-China edition that sits just underneath that all-important £1k price point.

Casting a casual eye over the Epi El Dorado we have in front of us, it doesn’t exactly scream ‘signature guitar’. But then the eye is drawn to the outline of Marcus’s home state of South Carolina in mother-of-pearl on one side of the bridge and Tennessee’s Tri-Star emblem on the other.

Flip the guitar over and just above the neck volute it’s possible to make out Mr King’s signature in gold. All very subtle touches, devoid of any unnecessary flash. We like it. Meanwhile, if you were wondering about the somewhat ‘mod art’ pickguard, this apparently is modelled after the one on Marcus King’s original ’70s guitar.

Perusing the El Dorado’s spec, we find a spruce top, unspecified as to which exact type, but Sitka would be very high on the list of suspects as it’s a fairly common timber to find on Chinese-made instruments. In any case, it looks very fit for purpose and the Antique Natural gloss finish sets it off a treat and offers a subtle helping of vintage chic along the way.

The guitar’s back and sides are rosewood (again, no precise designation, but we suspect Indian) but the finish hasn’t done the grain pattern any favours on our example as it’s barely visible. A shame, because rosewood can be a beautiful wood to look at.

But, of course, results may vary from guitar to guitar and so on other models it might be more apparent. The neck is mahogany, with a rosewood ’board, festooned with real mother-of-pearl block inlays.

From what we’ve seen so far, the fixtures and fittings on the El Dorado reach far beyond its modest retail price, especially when we mention that the guitar comes in a very attractive black hard guitar case, itself embossed with Marcus’s signature in gold.

Elsewhere, we find bone used for both the 43mm nut and compensated saddle, plus Epiphone’s own Kluson-alike Deluxe tuners with metal buttons and a headstock shape that once again doffs its cap to Marcus King’s original Japanese-made model. There’s also an onboard pickup in the form of an LR Baggs Element Bronze VTC, with the controls tucked away out of sight at the top of the soundhole.

Overall, it’s an attractive package, especially if you’re a fan of larger dreadnought guitars. And if you’re curious as to what it sounds like, so were we…

Specs

• Price: $999 | £949 | €1,099 (inc hard case)
• Origin: China
• Type: Square-shouldered dreadnought
• Top: Spruce
• Back/Sides: Rosewood
• Max Rim Depth: 124mm
• Max Body Width: 407mm
• Neck: Mahogany
• Scale Length: 629mm (24.75 inches) 
• Tuners: Epiphone Deluxe
• Nut/Width: Bone/43mm
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Frets: 20
• Bridge/Spacing: Rosewood with compensated bone saddle/55mm
• Electrics: LR Baggs Element Bronze VTC
• Weight (kg/lb): 2.49/5.5
• Left-Handers: No
• Finish: Antique Natural gloss poly
• Contact: Epiphone

Build quality, usability and sounds

Turning the guitar over in our hands, there are no badly polished frets to contend with, and no sharp edges as we run our fingers along the neck, so we can assume that Epi’s Chinese-based quality-control department is well up to speed.

There were a couple of ‘pings’ from the nut when we were tuning the guitar, but these soon disappeared after a while and afterwards the Epi held its tuning well throughout the time we spent with it.

The neck is what Epiphone refers to as a “rounded C” and feels slightly chunkier than a ’60s Strat but is far from being unwieldy. We did notice that the guitar feels weightier than we would have expected. At approximately 2.49kg (5.5lb) it’s certainly a lapful, but that’s far from a deal-breaker.

Experimenting with a few campfire chords, we found a full and strident voice – if you’ve ever picked up and strummed, say, a Gibson Hummingbird, then you’ll know what we mean. There’s quite a reserve of power to the dynamic range and the guitar remained perfectly musical from a whisper to a roar.

We tried some fingerstyle as well and the El Dorado gave a very good account of itself here, too. If we were being hypercritical, we’d say that there are a few notes around the F# in the lower register that don’t ring out quite as stridently as the rest, but these weren’t dead spots as such, and possibly merely a foible with this particular instrument.

It’s always difficult to look into the future and foretell how an acoustic guitar will develop given the passage of time. But, from what we hear today, there’s every chance that the El Dorado could turn out to be quite an investment.

We tried it through the acoustic channel of our handy Boss Katana-50 EX and hit our first hurdle as the battery that comes with the guitar was flat. This has happened often in the past – and it’s really nobody’s fault – and we always have an emergency battery standing by just for this sort of eventuality.

It did remind us what a faff it is to slacken off all the strings and wrestle with the little Velcroed pouch attached to the neckplate, though. But all the detuning and retuning got rid of those ‘pinging’ strings we mentioned earlier and so the journey was worthwhile.

What we heard before we retrieved our precious Duracell was what we expected. The LR Baggs does a very good job of enhancing the natural sound of the guitar and setting a sound we enjoyed was quick and trouble free.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

What can we say? A perfectly capable-sounding dreadnought with a bit of history and collectability thrown in for good measure, for under a grand?

The Marcus King El Dorado easily hits the benchmark that Epiphone has set for itself over the last few years in that it’s a nicely built, well-equipped guitar with a set of very capable sounds that compares well with instruments costing at least twice as much.

Furthermore, despite the fact Epiphone isn’t saying exactly what ‘time-limited edition’ means in this context, it’s got to be factored in that it could very well hold its value and even sport the sort of second-hand premium that signature models sometimes attract in the future.

Guitar World verdict: If you ever find yourself in the market for a fully equipped and stage-ready dreadnought then the Epiphone Marcus King El Dorado should definitely feature on your shopping list.

Hands-on videos

Marcus King

• “Even with their sub-$500 tickets, these guitars have been built with some degree of care and expertise”: Epiphone J-45 Studio and J-200 Studio review
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Blind Guitars hails from Anglet in France with luthier Virgile Pilon at the helm.

Somewhat surprisingly, for such a modern-looking guitar, Virgile’s mission is to try to recreate the sound of the acoustic blues players from the 1920s and ’30s. But he will build each commission he receives in accordance with an individual musician’s needs.

“I make each guitar according to the playing, the affinities and the taste of each musician,” he says, “with the goal of getting as close as possible to their desire while making them discover an instrument that pushes them towards new creative limits.”

As is often the case, Virgile began his path towards building by doing instrument repairs. “That was really important in my building process,” he continues, “because you get to experience a lot of the different ways of making a guitar, and you explore what works and what doesn’t work.”

Despite his aim to recreate the tones of a hitherto bygone era, a lot of the techniques Virgile employs are cutting edge, including the use of parabolic tops and a compound radius on the bracing “for a lighter construction without sacrificing strength and stability, thus creating more powerful and responsive guitars”.

The B-24L resides in the upper echelon of models that Virgile offers and comprises a who’s who of premium tonewoods with a top fashioned from Adirondack spruce and a set of old-growth Brazilian rosewood for the back and sides.

Along with a flame maple neck, the fingerboard and bridge are Amara ebony, a wood native to Indonesia and as highly prized as its Macassan equivalent for its denseness and durability. The frets are phosphor bronze, which sit in between the toughness of nickel-silver and the more modern stainless steel.

As far as finish and furnishings are concerned, the rosette is Brazilian rosewood, and bindings and headplate back are flamed koa.

The face of the headplate is a cocktail of ebony with Amara ebony decoration, and if we look under the hood we find that the braces are Alpine spruce.

With a scale length of a familiar 648mm (25.5 inches) and a nut width of a fingerstyle-friendly 45mm, the Blind B-24L is certainly a stunning instrument with workmanship only found in the topmost realms of lutherie expertise.

Smooth and refined – both sonically and aesthetically – but also deeply rooted in the workmanlike guitar designs that defined early blues, it is a vision of roots burnished to a golden glow that transcend their humble origins.

• For more information see Blind Guitars.
• This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

What is it?

If you've been in the market for a budget or mid-priced bass at any point in the last few years, you can't fail to have noticed Korean brand Sire.

Built in a dedicated factory in Indonesia, these instruments have absolutely snowballed in popularity of late. Reviews speak to the quality and playability on offer for very reasonable prices - but this isn't all.

Lending the company serious credence is the endorsement of legendary American session bassist Marcus Miller. Known as a long-time Fender Jazz Bass user, with a high-end signature model of his own, Miller's 2015 switch to this lower-priced upstart brand was noteworthy indeed.

But his confidence in Sire is such that his name is on every single bass the company puts out, whether modeled on a Jazz, Precision, StingRay or otherwise.

Let's zoom in on the Jazz Bass-inspired ‘V’ range, though, given that these are Miller's current stage instruments. Interestingly, he doesn't even use the highest-end model, favouring the mid-tier V7.

It'll be interesting to see how much of the appeal survives further down the range, for today, I'm investigating the cheapest model available – the V1. It comes in at a disruptively low $329; compared to Squier, for example, this undercuts all but the lowest-end Affinity basses.

Specs

• Price: $329 £299 | €319
• Made: Indonesia
• Type: Four-string passive bass guitar
• Body: Mahogany
• Neck: Hard maple, C-shape
• Fingerboard material/radius: Rosewood, 9.5”
• Scale length: 34”/864mm
• Nut/width: Bone, 38mm
• Frets: 20, medium
• Hardware: Sire Basic 4-saddle bridge, Sire Basic open-gear tuners, chrome finish
• String spacing at bridge: 20mm
• Electrics: Sire Basic J pickups, Volume (bridge pickup), Volume (neck pickup), Tone
• Weight: 7.5lb/3.4kg
• Left-handed options: N/A
• Finishes: Tide Pool (as reviewed), Antique White, Tobacco Sunburst, Black. (Black scratchplate with all finishes)
• Case: Not included - Sire gig bag available
• Contact: Sire

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★☆

If you're expecting a sad slab of plywood with an orange-peel finish and mile-high action for that money, you simply won't believe what you're getting here.

This V1 is in a great color - called ‘Tide Pool’, it's close to Fender's classic Lake Placid Blue. The body shape is a close analog of a traditional Jazz, although with slightly more snub-nosed cutaways and Sire's rather bland-looking headstock.

I'd also swap the black scratchplate for white or mint-green, but it works with the dark rosewood fretboard; in itself, the latter is now a bit of a spec-sheet boast on a cheaper instrument, as most rivals slum it with lower-cost rosewood alternatives.

The body wood is quoted as mahogany - an unorthodox choice for a Jazz, but it contributes to a very manageable overall weight and good on-strap balance. And let's not beat around the bush: that Edgeless neck is remarkable.

The profile itself is fairly slim, and the nut is the usual Jazz Bass 38mm – but the heavily rolled edges and the smooth satin finish elevate it to a plane far beyond anything else you'll find for this price – or indeed, for several times this price.

Without a hint of exaggeration, this is the kind of neck profile, and the kind of superb playability, that calls to mind a modern American-built Fender – and not an entry-level one, either. It’s staggering to think that a $329 bass can be so addictively fantastic to play - I can’t rule out witchcraft being involved.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★★

The body wood is quoted as mahogany – an unorthodox choice for a Jazz, but it contributes to a very manageable overall weight and good on-strap balance. And let's not beat around the bush: that Edgeless neck is remarkable.

The profile itself is fairly slim, and the nut is the usual Jazz Bass 38mm – but the heavily rolled edges and the smooth satin finish elevate it to a plane far beyond anything else you'll find for this price – or indeed, for several times this price.

Without a hint of exaggeration, this is the kind of neck profile, and the kind of superb playability, that calls to mind a modern American-built Fender – and not an entry-level one, either.

It’s staggering to think that a $329 bass can be so addictively fantastic to play - I can’t rule out witchcraft being involved.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★½☆

In terms of pickups and electrics, though, the V1 doesn't play any fancy tricks - it's purely a conventional J-style configuration. The pickups themselves are Sire's ‘Basic J’ set - the lowest rung on the electronic ladder, only appearing on the V1. So, are they as perfunctory and uninspiring as that rather matter-of-fact name might lead you to believe?

Well, no – it's just as worthy a Jazz Bass sound as most others you'll find for this budget. With my preferred Acoustic 360 and Gallien-Krueger clean tones dialled-in on my Line 6 HX Stomp, and both pickups on full, it's the characteristic scooped midrange – a little darker and more subdued than some rivals.

But my favourite Jazz Bass tones come from rolling back the neck pickup a little, to bring out the chime of the bridge pickup; the Sire is no exception. Now, there’s a crisp growl with more upper mids and a nice, rounded top end which takes well to a pick and a more overdriven signal.

It’s still not the punchiest or the most characterful, but it’s solid and gets the job done. The V1 would certainly fly higher with a slightly hotter and more vibrant set of pickups, though - the overall quality of the instrument, particularly that brilliant neck, warrants it.

Verdict

All things considered, the Sire V1 is quite an achievement. It sits at a price point that undercuts any equivalent Squier, but offers playability that should give Fender serious pause for thought - that neck genuinely compares well to American-built models over five times the price.

It’s not quite as sexy-looking as some rivals, and the sound is more functional than inspirational but, in many ways, the measure of a good instrument is in how often you pick it up, even for a quick unplugged noodle – and I’ve been doing so constantly with the V1, each time marvelling at how such a fantastic-feeling bass is available for so little cash.

For sheer playing comfort, I’d venture there’s simply nothing to touch it at this price.

Guitar World verdict: For a relatively new brand, Sire has developed some serious market presence - and on the strength of even this entry-level V1, it’s no mere hype. This bass holds its own against similarly-priced rivals for build quality and sound, but possesses an almighty trump card in its stunning playability.

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Hands-on videos

Sire at NAMM

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• Sire Marcus Miller V7 4- and 5-String Basses review

Guitar Center has unveiled its Crossroads 2026 guitar collection, which includes exclusive Eric Clapton and John Mayer models.

As is tradition, Guitar Center has celebrated the annual Crossroads guitar festival with a capsule of limited-edition electric guitars and acoustic guitars. And there are some absolute stunners on the menu.

Like previous editions, Clapton’s guitars get the spotlight. The headline is a recreation of his Blind Faith Telecaster, the famed hybrid-esque model he played alongside Steve Winwood and Ginger Baker in the rock supergroup in 1969.

A regular sunburst Tele at first glance, the Blind Faith guitar famously combined a single-cut body with a Stratocaster neck for an oddball Fender mash-up. Along with the likes of The Fool SG, it’s one of Slowhand’s most visually distinct instruments.

To keep it as authentic as possible, there’s a 1956 “Brownie” Stratocaster neck replica and period-correct details, with an included “Woof Tone” wiring kit for more vintage Blind Faith sounds.

At $4,999 apiece, the Tele will be limited to 130 units worldwide, and was presented to Clapton in a launch video published by Guitar Center.

The other big inclusion is a PRS Silver Sky, finished in a one-off Incline Blue colorway and adorned with some never-before-used silhouetted Bird inlays, along with a custom Crossroads Sun design at the 12th fret.

Only 70 will be made, and Mayer himself will use the Incline Blue Silver Sky when he plays at the Crossroads Festival next month.

The two electrics are joined by a list of ultra-premium Martin acoustic guitars, the most expensive of which is the $25k 000-42 Eric Clapton Brazilian.

Inspired by his MTV Unplugged 000 model, it represents “the pinnacle of Eric Clapton’s relationship with Martin” – thanks in part to the rare Brazilian rosewood back and sides.

It’s joined by a Ziricote 000-42, which is available in Sunburst and Clear Natural and starts from $9,699, and the 000-13E, which is the most affordable guitar of the drop at $1,899.

“Music has always been my most reliable source of inspiration, or salvation,” says Clapton. “These guitars are sacred things to me.”

To cap off the launch, Ernie Ball has produced some special edition string sets. They are regular Slink 10-46 strings, but they come in a collectible tin – which is a rather nice touch.

The Crossroads 2026 collection will be available at Guitar Center stores and on the retailer’s website. They’ll also be available for purchase at The Guitar Center Experience during the festival.

Visit Guitar Center to find out more.

Crossroads Festival 2026 will take place on September 26 and 27, and the lineup features an all-star cast of guitar greats.

Gibson has continued to make moves in the extended range market by releasing its first baritone guitar in a decade.

Back at NAMM, the company teased it would be exploring heavier territory when it confirmed seven-strings and baritones were on the cards. More recently, it surprise-launched the Gibson Les Paul Long Scale. Now, it’s continued that momentum with the Victory Baritone.

It becomes Gibson’s first production-run baritone since the early 2010s, when it had the SG Baritone, Explorer Baritone and Les Paul Studio Baritone on its books. There was also Buckethead’s cult classic signature model, which was available around 2011.

Since then, it’s been all quiet on the extended range front. But with the rising popularity of these models, Gibson is clearly keen to get in on the action.

Tuned B to B, this new model has a 28” scale length and offers a mahogany body with updated Victory contours. There’s also a mahogany neck with a rounded profile, a compound-radius ebony fingerboard, and 24 medium jumbo frets.

The Explorer-style headstock is fitted with a Graph Tech nut and Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners, while the body is equipped with the classic Tune-O-Matic bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece.

Sharing the spotlight with the extended scale length are Gibson’s new ELEV8 humbuckers. Newly developed for the Victory Baritone, they are said to be tailored for down-tuned riffing to retain a tight low-end and impressive note separation.

They have alnico 8 magnets and custom-gauge wiring, and are Gibson’s take on the modern heavy pickup. Both have push-pull controls for coil-splitting and inner/outer coil selection.

This becomes the latest addition to the Victory line since Gibson revived the oft-forgotten cult 1980s model in 2024. The range also includes a Floyd Rose version.

The Victory Baritone is available now in British Racing Green and Graphite Metallic for $2,499.

Visit Gibson for more.

What is it?

If you've been paying any attention at all, you've probably heard of Sleep Token by now. Masked, robed, and still about as anonymous as it’s possible to stay while also being big enough to headline Wembley.

Their music is a curious brew – full of contemporary pop and R&B influence, along with lilting piano and crushing metalcore breakdowns in equal measure.

While a lot of the lore hinges on frontman and creative driving force Vessel, the instrumentalists of Sleep Token (cryptically numbered II, III and IV) are all highly accomplished, and combine to create a massive, theatrical presence on stage.

The band's growing fame, reach, and mystique are all desirable things as far as instrument manufacturers are concerned, and in recent years both bassist III and guitarist IV have begun working with Charvel and Jackson, respectively - historically intertwined metal/shred-focused brands both now owned by Fender.

There's buzz online every time III is spotted with a new custom bass guitar from Charvel; it was only a matter of time before a mass-production version came along. And, as they say, behold – because here it is.

Specs

• Price: $1,599 | £1,399 | €1,649
• Made: Indonesia
• Type: Five-string active multi-scale bass guitar
• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Caramelised maple
• Fingerboard material/radius: Caramelised maple, 12-16” compound radius
• Scale length: Multi-scale, 34.4” to 35.5” (874mm to 902mm)
• Nut/width: Phenolic, 45.72mm
• Frets: 24, jumbo
• Hardware: Black - Charvel Single String bridge, Hipshot Ultralite tuners
• String spacing at bridge: 18mm
• Electrics: Fishman Fluence Bass Soapbar set, red. Volume (pull for coil split), Blend, concentric Bass/Treble, 3-way pickup voicing selector
• Weight: 8.6lb/3.9kg
• Left-handed options: None
• Finishes: Black (as reviewed)
• Case: Charvel Deluxe Bass Gig Bag included
• Contact: Charvel

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

The historic gear nerd in me was excited to see that the glossy black, poplar body of the III bass recalls the long-dormant Charvel Model 1 bass shape, similar to other current San Dimas basses but more slab-like, with sharper edges and thicker, rounded horns.

That’s where the nostalgia stops, though.

To cope with Sleep Token's monstrously low tunings, this is a five-string and, significantly, it's Charvel's first ever multi-scale bass. The caramelized maple neck and fretboard are adorned with custom inlays, most notably the large question mark at the 12th fret. That, combined with the bright red Fishman Fluence pickup set, creates a pretty specific look which might be a turn-off for non-Sleep Token fans.

There's little to complain about in terms of build or finishing, however; it's very nicely made, and resonant, with excellent fretwork and neck fit.

The only issue I spotted was a small finish flaw on the edge of the truss rod channel, at the neck heel. That’s one more flaw than you’d want for your $1,599, arguably, but it’s still a nit-pick at best.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★★

The setup from the box is excellent, with a low action and no hint of fret buzz anywhere. The fanned frets might be intimidating to newcomers but really, it requires only a few minutes to kick your brain into sync with it.

At 34.4” to 35.5”, the fan isn’t as extreme as you’d find on a five-string Dingwall or similar. What also helps no end is the fact that the bass’s neck is absolutely wonderful to play.

As legions of guitarists from the early ‘80s to the present day will tell you, fantastic-feeling necks are a Charvel speciality, and this is no exception.

It’s among the most comfortable five-string necks I’ve ever played, at any price; finished in an immaculate, silky satin and boasting a very slim profile that’s still rounded enough to offer good support, it practically disappears under the hand.

Poplar tends to be a fairly lightweight wood, and indeed the Charvel is a very comfortable weight, with ergonomics that should be a good fit for the majority of players. All the better for throwing around onstage.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★½

As a number of modern metal bassists will already be able to tell you, the Fishman Fluence Bass Soapbar pickup set is a bit of a game-changer - with a three-way voicing switch and a coil-split, you get a hell of a lot of options before even messing with the pickup blend control.

So despite the very artist-specific looks, this Charvel can give you a large palette of sounds, from a classic, mid-focused soapbar humbucker to a very scooped sound that’s geared towards slap and aggressive pick playing.

Some of the best sounds are found with the volume knob pulled up, providing a split-coil setting that emulates Jazz Bass pickup spacing. This, combined with a tight overdriven sound and a controlled picking approach, yields some really fantastic, growling metal tones that have a strong bass presence while retaining superb top-end definition (fresh strings are certainly a part of this, remember).

It also means plenty of versatility for cleaner sounds – this Charvel could be a great studio tool, even if the visuals seek to pigeonhole it as a metal bass.

Throughout all my explorations, I barely need to touch the concentric Bass/Treble active EQ, a sign that the fundamental tone does exactly what it should.

Verdict

For all Sleep Token’s popularity, the III Signature bass paints itself into a visual corner. Unless your love for them trumps all other considerations, you might think twice about bringing such an obvious ‘Token’ of your affection onto the stage with your own band.

What’s beyond argument, though, is that this instrument plays like an absolute dream; the neck engenders such playing comfort that you just fly up and down the fretboard without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, the Fishman Fluence pickups are every bit as good as the hype would have you believe. The aggressive metal tones speak for themselves, but one might not expect the degree of versatility on offer outside of this. Given the mid-range price, it’s a serious feature set and the execution is near flawless. As ‘offerings’ from the Sleep Token camp go, this is one that you should certainly consider.

Guitar World verdict: Sleep Token’s meteoric rise to stardom made signature instruments fairly inevitable, but Charvel has taken the brief seriously and created a bass that brings an awful lot to the table. Yes, the looks are polarizing, but the playing experience and sonics will be anything but.

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Jackson x Charvel x Sleep Token

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What is it?

Despite never showing his face or speaking publicly, Sleep Token’s IV is amongst the most searched metal guitarists of the past few years. The Roman numeral-ordered quartet is arguably the biggest band in metal right now, so it was only a matter of time before IV got a signature guitar. The Jackson Pro Plus Series Signature Sleep Token IV Monarkh SC is the resultant offering, and if the popularity of the band is anything to go by, it could end up being one of the most popular metal guitars ever made.

With the band hell-bent on maintaining anonymity, details of his sound were scarce until a few years ago, when Sleep Token’s guitar tech revealed all the gory details. IV’s signature model comes from the lineage of that Jackson guitars Custom Shop Monarkh, which certainly turned my head when it was announced back in late 2023. That was an 8-string guitar, though, whereas this is a Bass IV.

There are likely some players who will be disappointed this isn’t the same 8-string IV has been wielding on tour for the past few years, but this guitar isn’t as far away from that as it looks at first glance. Both carry a 30-inch scale length, featuring a girthy .084 low E. The Monarkh archtop single-cut body is the same, along with that distinctive ‘Pale Moon’ ebony fretboard. Both models also feature luminlay side dots and an EverTune bridge for stability on the low strings.

Dual Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic humbuckers are a less modern choice than you might expect, being Fishman’s more affordable Fluence with a more vintage-voiced tone. It’s got a single push-pull volume knob which accesses the additional voices on the Fishman, and a classic 3-way toggle selector.

The fretboard has a compound radius, moving from 12 to 16 inches as you get nearer the body. It features 22 jumbo, stainless steel frets with pearloid teardrop inlays, topped by a composite phenolic nut with a 42.86mm nut width. Atop the neck is the 3x3 headstock with a set of Jackson locking tuners.

Specs

• Launch price: $2,299 | £1,949 | €2,299
• Made: Korea
• Type: Bass VI
• Body: Mahogany with maple cap and quilt maple veneer
• Neck: 3-piece caramelized maple, set-neck
• Fingerboard: Pale moon ebony, dot inlays, 12" to 16" compound radius (304.8mm to 406.4mm)
• Scale length: 30" (762mm)
• Nut/width: Phenolic, 42.86mm (1.6875")
• Frets: 22, jumbo, stainless steel
• Hardware: Jackson sealed die-cast locking tuners, EverTune F6 model with custom saddles
• String spacing at bridge: 50.5mm
• Electrics: Fishman Fluence Open Core COC-BB1 (bridge), Fishman Fluence Open Core COC-NB1 (neck), 3-position toggle switch, volume (push/pull)
• Weight: 7.9lbs/3.6kg
• Left-handed options: N/A
• Finishes: Transparent Black Burst only
• Cases: Jackson gig bag included
• Contact: Jackson

Guitar World video demo

Build quality

Build quality rating: ★★★★½

I'm disappointed with the guitar case the IV Monarkh comes in. Eagerly opening the box, I'm expecting a signature model of such an image-focused band might contain some unique easter eggs or details on its case, but alas, it’s just a standard Jackson gig bag. It doesn’t fit the guitar very well, and considering the cost, I’d have expected at least one of those semi-hard foam cases like the Christian Andreu Rhoads came in.

The guitar itself looks phenomenal. It’s a real stunner with the dark, quilted maple top, but that Pale Moon ebony fretboard is the star of the show. It’s a unique color combination, looking like an almost white maple with near-black ebony streaks across it. The look is natural, from the Diospyros malabarica species often called black and white ebony, and its use means no two fretboards of this model will be the same.

The sharp-eyed will note there’s no Sleep Token logo at the 12th fret, as we see on IV’s Custom Shop 8-string, which again is a little disappointing. Perhaps the cost of the fretboard outweighed that of adding in the additional work to spec a custom inlay of such complexity. For super fans this might be a loss, but for those who just want a drop-tuned metal guitar, it could absolutely be a plus that there’s no obvious ST branding on it, apart from the ‘IV’ on the headstock.

Inspecting the guitar closely, I can find no obvious issues with the build, nor the aesthetic. Everything feels robustly applied, and it's an exquisitely finished instrument. There's a belly cut on the back of the body, as well as a slight carve on the cutaway to aid upper fret access.

One odd choice is that there’s an unsightly block of black gloss that partially covers the neck from the heel. Perhaps done to cover up the neck joint, it’s not on the Custom Shop model and feels a little odd terminating diagonally across the maple neck just shy of the 15th fret.

Playability

Playability rating: ★★★★☆

Sitting down to play, my first impression is that it’s impressively playable considering the huge scale and behemoth string gauge (D’Addario® EXL156 Bass VI Nickel Plated Steel .024-.084). All the strings are wound for this monstrous set, yet I find the string tension to be relatively low. I can fret barre chords on it, and bending the strings is absolutely achievable once you set the EverTune to the correct mode.

It’s not super shreddable, purely because of the thickness of the strings. With a bit of practice, I can let rip on it a bit, and adapting my right-hand technique for things like sweeps is possible, but it feels weird initially. This is where those prog metal players might have preferred an 8-string versus the Bass VI we have here.

The body is quite small, and with the huge scale, I find it a little awkward to play sitting down at my desk. The upper frets feel quite far away, and I find myself stretching to reach them while balancing the guitar on my right leg. I’m 5’ 9”, distinctly average height, so if you’re smaller than me, you’ll definitely want to get this on a guitar strap for more comfortable playing.

I find my hands getting tired at the end of a few playing sessions due to the monster size, especially when trying to play more technical metal. It’s absolutely gigantic in feel, and it’s been a while since I last used an extended-range guitar. There’s a definitive adoption phase needed when switching from a normal-scale guitar to this instrument, so be prepared for some warming up before your hands and arms adjust.

Sounds

Sounds rating: ★★★★☆

As IV is a Quad Cortex user, it makes sense to test it with some of the Neural DSP plugin suites. While there’s not much info on exactly what amp models IV is using, I opt to use Gojira X and Nolly X, both of which are designed for modern metal tones. But from my initial playing using one of my own presets, I find there’s a lot of work needed to tame that low E string.

It’s very unruly out of the box, so I start with a high-pass filter on the way in to help tame the low end. Next I need to mess with the amp controls, particularly the resonance control on the 5150-inspired amp sim. It’s still a bit much, though, so my last adjustment is to lower the bass side of the humbucker a touch. It helps a lot, and I’m able to get a much tighter, modern metal tone out of it.

If you like heavy music, then this guitar can do it all with the right adjustments. Switching to the neck position is perfect for sludgy doom power chords, whereas the bridge position is ideal if you want to play djent-style tones or more prog metal-inspired stuff. My final fix is to pinch a Gruv Gear fret wrap from my own baritone and place it behind the nut to tame some of the extraneous noise.

It’s still not quite as precise for heavy tones as some players might want, and that’s because the pickups themselves are more vintage-voiced. Jackson has opted to fit the Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic pickups rather than the Modern ones, which makes it more versatile overall, but may not satisfy those looking for that super compressed, modern djent tone.

Due to this, it sounds surprisingly good played clean. I'm really impressed at how well-behaved it is through lower-gain presets and totally clean ones. It turns standard chord progressions into really ominous-sounding passages, and I wonder if part of the thinking here with the Classic Fluence was to prioritize flexibility over the often more sterile-sounding modern-voiced Fishmans. It can certainly handle those softer, cleaner Sleep Token moments.

Each pickup has two voices: a modern active and modern passive. Pulling the volume knob up activates the passive mode, which sounds a bit more open and has a more treble response versus the very midrangey active mode. It's not a huge difference between the two, and the single-coil voice isn't wired in on this guitar, which would've given it a more definitive secondary voice.

Verdict

Despite being the signature guitar for Sleep Token, I think the Jackson IV Monarkh can handle pretty much any modern metal duty. Whether you want Periphery-style djent tones or Loathe-type super-drop tuning, it’s a stable platform for chugging once you make a few adjustments to your signal chain and the guitar itself.

It's surprised me with its versatility, too. It’s not quite as good for low-tuned clean stuff as a baritone, but it’s playable enough to do open and barre chords, and you can get some lovely sounds out of it with the clean channel of your amp alongside some reverb and delay.

For a certain portion of the metal community, however, the gauge of the strings will make it too tough for some playing styles. If you're looking for a shred guitar that's tuned super low, this doesn't provide the slinky playability of an 8- or 7-string guitar, so prog metal aficionados may want to look elsewhere.

Guitar World verdict: If you love drop-tuned metal and want to focus on riffs rather than shredding, the Jackson Signature Sleep Token IV Monarkh is a great alternative to a 7- or 8-string guitar. The pickup choice is flexible enough for djent riffs as it is cowboy chords, and the looks are distinctive enough to make it appealing to ST fans without putting off the wider metal community, who perhaps aren’t so obsessive about the band.

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Guitar World

Jackson and Charvel

Jackson and Charvel have unveiled a historic Sleep Token launch, honoring one of the biggest progressive metal bands of the modern era with two signature guitars.

Few bands have experienced the meteoric rise that Sleep Token has over the past few years. Their arena-filling, melting-pot sound – along with their mysterious anonymity – has given them legend status in as little as three albums.

They are one of the most talked about bands of our generation, widely credited for redefining contemporary heavy music with a sound that traverses cinematic pop, sultry hip-hop, crushing djent, smooth R&B, and everything in between.

Such success has also given rise to theories over everything from their obscured identities to the guitar gear they use.

For guitarist IV and bassist III, Jackson and Charvel guitars have been the beating heart of their arsenal. Now, the brands have taken that partnership to the next level, unveiling signature models for both.

IV has been partial to Jackson baritones – namely, a custom shop, EverTune-equipped 30” single-cut that has been used on stage and in studio.

That has been the source material for IV’s first-ever Jackson signature guitar, the Pro Plus Series Monarkh SC. Built for the guitarist’s whole-octave-down tuning, it’s one of the most mesmerizing extended range instruments you will come across.

The bound mahogany body has a quilt maple veneer, with a matching three-a-side headstock. The three-piece caramelized maple set neck flashes a compound radius pale moon ebony fingerboard, with 22 stainless steel frets, Luminlay side dots and pearloid teardrop inlays to boot.

And then there’s the monstrous 30” scale length and six-string setup, which puts the Monarkh on the upper end of the baritone spectrum and sits it alongside the Fender Bass VI guitar/bass hybrid.

Tone-wise, there’s a pair of direct-mount Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic humbuckers, designed to deliver every nuance of IV’s Sleep Token tone. The EverTune 6 bridge has custom saddles, and promises “unprecedented clarity and tuning stability in the lower registers”.

In other words, it’s everything you could hope for from a Sleep Token signature, and rather unlike anything Jackson has on its books.

III, meanwhile, has a new Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass V, inspired by his go-to Charvel. It features a poplar body, caramelized maple neck and fingerboard, and a 12”-16” compound radius fingerboard. There’s also a 34.4” to 35.5” multi-scale design, and custom red Fishman Fluence soap bar pickups.

Those pickups have three voices accessible via a toggle switch, and can be fine-tuned through the two-band EQ.

“Sleep Token’s sonic and visual identity is so distinctive, and the Jackson and Charvel signature models are a huge part of shaping that sound,” said Justin Norvell, Chief Product Officer, Fender Guitars.

“We’re always looking for artists who redefine what a signature instrument can be, and Sleep Token does exactly that.”

The Monarkh is available for $2,199, while the Bass V is up for $1,599.

Head over to Jackson and Charvel to find out more.

PRS has partnered with The Warning’s Dany Villarreal to release the riff rock guitar hero’s first signature guitar.

The Astryx is a stunning limited-edition take on the Custom 24 model, with a firm-first finish and custom inlays that replace the firm’s usual Bird fretboard markers.

The Warning, a power trio comprising three sisters from Monterrey, Mexico, have become one of the hottest new rock bands in recent years, with quirky alternate tunings a key ingredient in their success.

With their fifth album, Everything’s Falling, releasing this Friday (August 28), the Astryx’s arrival couldn’t be more timely.

PRS guitars, including an SE Mark Holcomb SVN, have been a valuable part of Villarreal’s arsenal, but this guitar has taken things down a more personal road.

First, there is that unique color fade finish, which is stunning. Then, there are Solecito (little sun) dot inlays across the fretboard, and a standout sun logo on the 12th fret that nods to her Mexican heritage.

Villarreal’s signature also appears on the truss rod wheel, and each of the 200 guitars that will be made will feature an autographed backplate.

Beneath the glitz, though, the Custom 24 formula remains unchanged. The mahogany body has a maple top, with a 25” scale length and Pattern Thin neck.

Hardware includes a no-nonsense PRS Patented Gen III Tremolo, while a pair of PRS’s DMO (Dynamic, Music, Open) humbuckers also feature. The Alnico 2 pickups debuted at NAMM 2025 and have since appeared across the PRS Core range.

Spec’d by Paul Reed Smith and the PRS New Products Engineering team, they arrived after extensive research into “coveted vintage pickup models and advancements in signal analysis”. Tonally, they’re voiced to sound wide open, with note definition and a vocal-like character.

“One of the most important things for me in a guitar is that it feels like an extension of my body and that I can trust it and just do my thing,” says Villareal. “Ever since I tried my first PRS guitar, it’s been an inseparable relationship. With PRS, I feel powerful and confident – and that’s a feeling that once you find, you don’t want to let go of.

“As the only guitar player in the band,” she adds, “I love how my PRS takes up a lot of space sonically. It does wonders for our three-piece band.”

Only 200 units will be available, so fans wanting a slice of the action better act fast.

See PRS for more.

In an interview with Guitar World last year, Villarreal broke down her unique alternate tuning approach.

Fender’s Custom Shop has just unveiled the Limited Edition George Harrison 1967 VI, celebrating one of the Beatles’ distinctive creative tools used during some of their most influential years.

The meticulous recreation is crafted in Corona, California. It promises to “faithfully capture the look, feel, and character” of Harrison’s original sunburst Bass VI, which was gifted to the band by Fender in 1968 and quickly became an integral part of their Abbey Road studio sessions.

Harrison’s bandmate, John Lennon, also wielded the Bass VI on multiple occasions. It can be heard on late-era classics such as Helter Skelter, Back in the U.S.S.R., Rocky Raccoon, Honey Pie, Birthday, and, of course, Let It Be. Keen-eyed fans will also recognize it from the iconic promotional video for Hey Jude.

Occupying the space between the guitar and bass, the Bass VI enabled Harrison and Lennon to flex their tonal and compositional capabilities. Decades later, it remains one of Fender’s “most versatile and inspiring designs” – not to mention a cult favorite among fans.

“George Harrison's Bass VI holds a unique place in Fender history,” says Chase Paul, Director of Fender Custom Shop. “It played a defining role in some of the most influential recordings ever made while showcasing the remarkable versatility of the Bass VI itself.

“With this Limited Edition release, our Custom Shop team has faithfully recreated George's original instrument with extraordinary attention to detail, honoring its legacy and giving players and collectors the opportunity to own an extraordinary piece of music history.”

The Fender Custom Shop clearly rolled out the red carpet for Harrison’s Bass VI. Highlights range from the Relic Bleached 3-Color Sunburst finish and handwritten switch plate markings, to the Custom Shop Hand-Wound Jaguar pickups.

Key specs include a two-piece select alder body, maple neck, and era-correct bound 3A rosewood fingerboard. The 30” scale length, 7.25” radius, 21 vintage frets, block inlays, and individual on/off slide switches for each pickup all match Harrison’s original.

Premium trimmings, such as a six-saddle vintage-style adjustable bridge with a “floating” tremolo tailpiece and Bass VI mute, a 4-ply brown shell pickguard, and vintage-style tuning machines with the Fender logo, further add to this Bass VI’s appeal.

Priced at $9,500, the Limited Edition George Harrison 1967 Bass VI is now available for pre-order from partner retailers.

For more information, head to Fender.