Hello, and welcome to Guitar World’s sparkly new weekly gear round-up, which will serve as your one-stop-shop for keeping up to date with what’s been happening in the big wide world of guitar gear over the past seven days.
From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay afloat of every new launch that may be of interest to you.
To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read gear guide that will cover everything from major releases to boutique drops, and everything in between.
And what a week it has been for the Fender Custom Shop, on both sides of the Pacific. Okay, we're cheating slightly here, but late last week Fender Japan unveiled perhaps its most ambitious Stratocaster capsule yet, assembling a team of four all-star Masterbuilders to complete a daring Deck of Cards-inspired collection.
Over in the US, the Fender Custom Shop partnered with Brad Paisley for a Telecaster signature like no other, while JHS Pedals proved once again the DIY pedal hype is going absolutely nowhere, launching a follow-up to the Notaklön that looks to harness the spirit of perhaps the most iconic amp of all time.
Let's not waste any more time...
Fender Brad Paisley “Lost” Telecaster
Brad Paisley having a Paisley-finished Fender signature guitar just makes sense, but there's more than meets the eye with this release. Namely, it's not just any ol' regular Paisley finish – thanks to painstaking research and craftsmanship, it boasts the original Paisley Cling-Foil paper that made original 1960s example so unique.
Indeed, in the late '60s, Fender produced Paisley Red and Blue Flower finishes using decorative Cling-Foil paper that, by their very nature, were rather fragile and vulnerable. Such models were phased out, and the remaining Paisley guitars are something of a rarity these days.
As such, it's nice to see the finish return in the same form as when it was first launched. Sure, these are limited edition Custom Shop guitars that are beyond the budget of many average players, but there's still no denying they're very nice to look at.
Fender Japan Deck O' Cards Collection
On paper, a quartet of Custom Shop Stratocasters inspired by the four suits in a deck of cards might not sound like an especially out-there objective, but when you get a glimpse of just what Fender Japan has put together – and begin to pick apart the detail that has gone in to each model – the true nature of this project becomes apparent.
For the Deck O' Cards collection, Fender Japan recruited four Masterbuilders – Paul Weller, David Brown, Austin MacNutt, and Andy Hicks – each of whom have produced some of the most intricate Strats we've ever seen.
With an aesthetic flair created by artist Pameline H. that would make even the most wizened poker player show their tell, the Deck O' Card Strats are one-a-kind six-strings that redefine what it means for guitars to double as art pieces. Understandably, they won't come cheap...
JHS Pedals Notadümblë
Just when we were beginning to think the DIY pedal trend might be running out of steam, JHS Pedals – the firm that flipped the build-your-own-stompbox game on its head last year when it launched the internet-breaking Notaklön – has popped up to remind us there's absolutely no chance of that happening any time soon.
With the Notadümblë, JHS is promising to deliver two distinct tones inspired by (you guessed it) a Dumble amp. What's more, the clean channel is inspired by the Box It Later – a mysterious one-off stompbox that firm founder Josh Scott once built for John Mayer, who has been using it on his pedalboard ever since.
Like the Notaklön, it's immensely affordable (only $119) and the best part is, it's completely solderless, meaning assembly will be an absolute doozy.
This writer is still very fond of the Notaklön (it's still my main overdrive on my 'board) and so the Notadümblë is now very high on my wish list. Unfortunately, it looks as though there's already a long waiting list filled with equally enthusiastic DIY pedal makers...
Victory The Deputy Lunchbox Head
Back in 2024, Pete Honoré – AKA Danish Pete – partnered with boutique amp builder Victory to produce the Deputy amp head, a new offering that looked to plug a gap in the firm's lineup. It was (as is the case with most Victory amps) received very well indeed – we gave it a near-perfect review – and in a bid to expand the Deputy arsenal, Victory and Honoré have now reimagined the OG amp as a super-portable lunchbox head.
It is, naturally, smaller than the first Deputy, but it promises to deliver all the tonal benefits of its older sibling. Namely, as per Danish Pete's request, it will do “a really nice clean, a really nice gain-y tone,” with a lush onboard reverb to boot. We imagine this will receive equally rave reviews...
ThorpyFX Hanami Fuzz
There's a fair amount of buzz surrounding ThorpyFX's newest release, and we can see why. Sure, it's a germanium fuzz pedal that looks familiar enough, but as the boutique pedal maker is keen to stress, it's not like any other like-minded fuzz you'll find on the market.
Why? Well, that's because it's been pitted as something of a mid-way hybrid that sonically sits between the Tone Bender and the Big Muff. You need only dip into a few of the demo videos currently doing the rounds on the internet to get a feel for just what that sounds like.
Don't be fooled by the flowery imagery and the peaceful Hanami connotations, though – the pedal sounds mammoth yet clear, and, as some punters have put, it could be the firm's biggest-sounding fuzz to date...
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