Hello, and welcome to Guitar World’s sparkly new gear round-up, your one-stop-shop for keeping up to date with what’s been happening in the big wide world of guitar gear over the past seven days.
From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay abreast 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 guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.
This week saw PRS branch into unchartered territory and usher in a new era of shred with the launch of Herman Li’s radical Chleo signature guitar, while at the other end of the spectrum Epiphone honored the late Jeff Beck with a recreation of his iconic Oxblood Les Paul.
And, at $1,299, at marks a significant saving on the price tag of the original, which made history as the most expensive Les Paul to ever sell at auction when it went for more than $1 million last year.
Elsewhere, Fender has honored a hugely popular combo, Taylor has expanded its high-end Gold Label collection and Behringer is back with another not-so-subtle clone...
PRS Herman Li Chleo
PRS’ most daring signature guitar to date? Without a shadow of a doubt. Not only does it introduce a new body shape, it also recruits radical body contours, expansive switching options, some suitably DragonForce-style accoutrements and more. It’s been four years in the making – and has even been spotted in the wild before – but now it’s officially out.
It’s a big move from PRS, whose past builds have more widely been associated with blues, rock, jazz and funk. However, with Li’s high-profile switch from Ibanez, and the arrival of the Chleo, we imagine more shred-appointed PRS guitars could certainly be on the cards. This bold new direction could also make for some interesting signature artist releases down the line, too...
For more: PRS
Epiphone Jeff Beck 1954 Oxblood Les Paul
If you were unlucky enough to miss out on buying Jeff Beck's original Oxblood Les Paul – the iconic 1954 model that featured on the cover of Blow by Blow – when it sold at auction for more than $1 million last year, Epiphone has got you covered thanks to an affordable recreation that comes in at the $1,299 mark.
Beck’s legendary Oxblood made history when it went under the hammer last year, becoming the most expensive Les Paul to ever sell at auction. Epiphone’s Inspired by Gibson Custom tribute is a commendable effort to capture that Oxblood magic, with appropriate aesthetics and, according to Guitar World contributor Dave Burrluck, the tones to match.
In fact, it was described by Burrluck as “one of the best Epi’s yet”. Who needs a million bucks, eh?
For more: Epiphone
Taylor Gold Label Grand Pacific
There seems to be no shortage of high-end Taylor acoustic guitars, and while navigating the firm’s catalog can seem daunting at times, the Gold Label easily stands out on its own. Why? Well, because there’s a lot of unique stuff in there.
The first drop from January debuted the Fanned V-bracing system, as well as an entirely new body shape. This time, Taylor has put another distinct spin on its Grand Pacific blueprint, making it slightly deeper for – you guessed it – a deeper sound.
There are six models in all, with each arriving in a host of finishes, with LR Baggs electronics to boot. They don’t come cheap, mind...
For more: Taylor
Harley Benton ST-80FR
Is it a Charvel? Is at an EVH? No, it’s a Harley Benton, of course. The affordable guitar specialist has been flirting with the designs of big builders for years now, and now it’s turned its attention to Superstrats à la Charvel and EVH with the ST-80FR series.
Available in one or two humbucker configurations, the cheap electric guitars tip their hat to Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstein by way of their Floyd Rose tremolos, red colorway and Superstrat setup.
For more: Harley Benton
Fender Blues Junior IV 30th Anniversary
We challenge you to name a more enduring and beloved single-speaker combo that has been as universally loved, gigged, modded and cherished quite like the Blues Junior. It is quite literally the grab-and-go amp of its time, and widely revered for its classic Fender tones, luscious reverb and portability.
To mark of 30 years of the Blues Junior IV, Fender has decked out the iconic workhorse with a modified preamp for increased fullness, updated spring reverb for extra smoothness, and a Celestion G12M-65 Creamback speaker for "warm cleans and midrange growl".
And, if you thought the OG Blues Junior looked nice enough, this one also has a commemorative Black Western covering with a vintage Bassman grille cloth. Very nice.
For more: Fender
Rainger FX Razor Fuzz
Few pedal makers out there are pushing the boundaries of conventional sound design quite like David Rainger – a stompbox mastermind whose builds have been championed by the likes of Mk.Gee and John Frusciante.
This time, Rainger has introduced the concept of guitar pick modeling through the Razor Fuzz. It’s a gnarly, gated dirt pedal that offers digital tones of virtual plecturms made from sandpaper and metal. “Brian May's sixpence coin guitar pick on steroids”, is the official phrase that’s been used.
Either way, it’s unlike any fuzz pedal to come before it, and while it’s untethered tones might be too much for some players to stomach, the sheer ingenuity and freshness of the approach is top notch. We can’t even begin to imagine where Rainger goes next. How about a virtual pick made from crystals?
For more: Rainger FX
Empress Effects Bass ParaEQ
Empress Effects has made waves in the bass pedal market by launching what is has described as “the only bass-specific parametric EQ on the market today”. It builds on the ParaEq MKII series, and offers a bevy of features specifically tailored to the needs of low-end instruments.
For more: Empress Effects
Morley Tye Trujillo TruDrive
Tye Trujillo – son of Metallica bassist Robert – has followed in his dad’s footsteps in cementing the family’s bass legacy with his recent team-up with Morley Pedals on his first-ever signature stompbox.
Dubbed a three-in-one wah/drive/distortion box, the TruDrive promises “a growly tone that no other pedal has”, and is said to introduce a “cool new Wah for the next generation of players”.
For more: Morley
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