Fender ’48 Dual Professional JB Edition review By Chris Gill published 6 April 23 Joe Bonamassa’s signature recreation of this ultra-rare Fender tweed combo has been three years in the making – was it worth the wait?
Laney Supergroup LA-Studio review By Nick Guppy published 1 February 23 The latest amp head from Laney’s flagship UK-designed and made Supergroup range offers real vintage tube tone combined with Two Notes cab emulation
The history of power tubes and how they work By Huw Price published 20 December 22 Power tubes: what do they do? And how do they affect your tone? All is explained right here...
Supro Royale 1932R 1x12 combo review By Chris Gill published 5 December 22 There’s headroom all the way up to the clear blue sky with this pedal-friendly tube combo from Supro
Everything you wanted to know about preamp tubes but were too afraid to ask By Huw Price published 21 November 22 Despite technological advances, we still can’t get enough of the humble valve – here’s why
PRS HDRX 20 review By Nick Guppy last updated 15 November 22 This affordable compact head joins PRS’s Jimi Hendrix-inspired HDRX range, which aims to reproduce Holy Grail late-’60s tones with modern design and components for improved tone and reliability
EVH Iconic Series 40W 1x12 Combo review By Chris Gill last updated 9 November 22 Meet the sub-$1,000 tube amp that everyone will be calling iconic in years to come
Fender Pro Junior IV SE review By Nick Guppy last updated 26 October 22 Fender’s entry-level tube combo gets a limited-edition run that’s more affordable than the standard model. It might just be the bargain of the year…
Blackstar St James 50 EL34 Combo review By Nick Guppy last updated 26 August 22 Blackstar claims its latest release is “the lightest 50-watt all-valve combo in the world”. Is this really the future for tube amplification? Time to plug in
Watch Steve Stevens demo his newly upgraded signature Friedman SS-100 v2 tube amp head By Jonathan Horsley published 22 August 22 An update to the Billy Idol guitarist’s venerable SS-100 amp has been mooted since NAMM 2020, but the new amp with its revoiced rhythm and lead channels now looks ready for launch
How Blackstar’s St. James series made tube amps lightweight without sacrificing tone By Jamie Dickson published 11 August 22 Tube amps are old hat, right? If so, Blackstar didn’t get the memo – the St. James series transforms 50 watts of classic tone into a tech-enabled tour de force
Victory V4 The Jack review By Nick Guppy last updated 15 July 22 Victory’s latest addition is a highly portable all-valve preamp with a 180-watt power amp, digital reverb and built-in Two Notes Torpedo cab sim technology
Mesa/Boogie puts vintage U.S. tube amp tones back on the menu with new 20W California Tweed 6V6 2:20 lineup By Jonathan Horsley published 13 July 22 The California Tweed series expands with 1x10, 1x12 and 20W head formats: single-channel amps with Duo-Class and Dyna-Watt power scaling, tube-driven spring reverb, effects loops and the tantalizing prospect of 1950s-inspired guitar tones
Cort Tube Craft CMV15 review By Nick Guppy published 27 April 22 Cort is well known for its own‑brand guitars, as well as those it makes for other companies, such as PRS’s SE line. But a tube amp? Let’s take a look…
Charting the evolution of solid-state and digital guitar amps – and the future of tubes By Nick Guppy published 8 April 22 Non-tube amplification is nothing new. While the future for tube amps is far from certain, innovation in digital and solid-state designs is something to be excited about
Is a tube shortage imminent? Mike Matthews confirms Electro-Harmonix brands are subject to Russian export ban By Matt Parker published 14 March 22 The EHX founder says the company won’t be shipping in any more Russian tubes for the foreseeable future as the country’s export sanctions bite
Juketone Rival Son review By Nick Guppy published 16 December 21 This 15-watt all-valve combo from the tweed specialists offers vintage vibes with onboard effects on a budget
Supro Delta King 12 review By Rob Laing published 26 October 21 The Blues King is dead. Long live the King! It's out with one much-loved tube combo, in with another that's sure to steal your heart with some regal rock 'n' roll tones
Carr Super Bee review By Paul Riario published 18 August 21 A compact combo with three flavors of Black-panel tube tone, onboard attenuation, and no sting in the tail
Victory V40 The Duchess review By Paul Riario published 16 July 21 This British boutique amp is holding a royal flush of exceptional tone