Nostr notes by Premier Guitar (Unofficial)

Robert Keeley: 25 Years of Changing the Guitar Pedal Game It all ...

2026-10-30T18:50:23Z

Robert Keeley: 25 Years of Changing the Guitar Pedal Game

It all started with a two-knob compressor 25 year ago. Robert Keeley and his innovative team have sold over 1-million pedals developing a legendary brand that continues to influence and inspire stompbox builders and guitar players alike.
The company's founding wizard Robert Keeley sits down with PG's John Bohinger discusses the ups-and-downs of his career, details what still excites him as a designer, and shares his greatest joy as a business owner.
Sponsored by Stewmac
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https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/off-the-record/robert-keeley-25-years-of-changing-the-guitar-pedal-game

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Three Pitch Engines Running at Once, in Stereo | Hotone Freqlux ...

2026-10-30T16:04:42Z

Three Pitch Engines Running at Once, in Stereo | Hotone Freqlux

Hotone’s Freqlux runs three independent pitch voices at the same time, each with its own effects and its own position in the stereo field. PG Contributor Tom Butwin details the Tri-Pitch Engine, from polyphonic tracking and key aware harmony through to the Flux footswitch that turns the pedal into something you play rather than something you switch on.
Each voice gets assigned to one of five modes. ‘Poly’ handles polyphonic shifting that keeps chord structure intact. ‘Key’ generates harmonies that follow whatever key you set, though Tom makes the case for deliberately mismatching it. ‘Detune’ covers drop tunings and baritone territory, and with tracking at 4 to 5ms of latency it reads as a real tuning change rather than an effect. ‘ARP’ turns pitch into sequenced motion. ‘Mod’ steps away from pitch shifting and runs modulation instead. Every voice then carries its own effects and tone shaping, including drive, tremolo, chorus, delay, level and pan, which is where the stereo layouts come from. Tom builds one with crunch on the outer voices panned hard left and right and a clean voice down the middle.
The controls stay manageable despite the depth. Side buttons handle global routing and per effect editing, a knob scrolls through 200 preset slots, and the three top knobs map to the three voices. Holding both footswitches drops into Flux, where the right switch becomes a real time pitch controller for gliding shifts and arpeggiated movement. Auto Flux does the same thing from your picking dynamics instead of your foot. Connections cover stereo in and out, USB-C, MIDI in and out, and an expression pedal input, with free desktop editing software if you’d rather not dial everything in from the screen.
Hotone
Freqlux Pitch-shift
Stereo Pitch-shift Guitar Pedal with H1, H2, H3, Preset, Mix, Select, Alt/Menu, and FX Controls, 3 Harmonized Voices, Delay, Modulation, Arpeggiator, MIDI, and USB
Street price
$299.99
Buy now
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https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/pg-plays/hotone-freqlux

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Death By Audio x Rainger FX Amp Crash Review Some of you are ...

2026-10-30T15:24:48Z

Death By Audio x Rainger FX Amp Crash Review

Some of you are lucky enough to avoid bouts with the guitar doldrums. Me? I get stuck in ruts more than I would like. Death By Audio’s wares have bailed me out these troughs more than once. And the company’s new Amp Crash, designed with fellow mad scientist David Rainger of Rainger FX, is yet another device, full of surprises, that can awaken jaded musical hearts.
The Amp Crash is many things—none of which seem all that crazy on the surface. It can be an overdrive or a fuzz. It can be a reverb, delay, or chorus. As the grate on the pedal’s face suggests, it can be a little self-contained amplifier that will make your Pignose nervous. You can use it as an amp out in front of your DAW. And because it’s a real amplifier, it can drive an 8-ohm passive cabinet. So where’s the weird, you ask? Well, DBA and Rainger had the good (sick?) sense to wire a microphone into this circuit—one that picks up the sound from the tiny 2" speaker, as well as ambient room sound, and folds it back into the circuit, generating feedback, unexpected overtones, and sound warpage that can be mangled further with the onboard effects.
This opens up a lot of possibilities. At times playing the Amp Crash was like getting locked in Lee “Scratch” Perry’s lunchbox. Other times it was like wandering a house of horrors hosted by psych-punk thugs. But the Amp Crash is also very happy making sounds that fall within the range of conventional—most notably saturation that’s redolent of a vintage low-wattage amp set anywhere from warm to boil.
A Meeting of Melted Minds
DBA is not afraid of building less-than-petite effects. But given how much is stuffed in the roughly 5 ½" x 3 ½" x 2" enclosure, the Amp Crash’s dimensions don't seem like an indulgence. Like many DBA pedals, it looks like it was pinched from the Space: 1999 props department, and in this case the mutant retro-futurist styling is heightened by the speaker grate, which gives the Amp Crash the look of a vintage com-link unit.
The speaker works, of course, because the Amp Crash has a true power amp inside—two, actually. (This accounts for the relatively heavy 300-milliamp draw, and you’ll definitely need a dedicated power supply.) One drives the small speaker. The other, which drives an additional op-amp section along its own signal path, is routed via the output that you plug into a guitar amplifier or a DAW. (A second output is dedicated to driving an external 8-ohm cabinet if you want to go that route.) The pedal’s gain range spans surprisingly clean tones and filthy ones. But the drive it generates—particularly through a guitar amp—is uniquely flavored.
The output for the speaker is shaped by the gain and tone controls. The same controls configure the gain and tone profiles of the second opamp-assisted section, where they are complemented by the DI-out level and the mic-out level controls. The last of these governs how much of the onboard microphone signal is mixed with the DI-out.
Through the whole tone knob range (which is pretty extensive), the output is colored by a snorkely mid range—sometimes in hints, sometimes boldly. Living at the brightest or darkest end of the range doesn’t really eliminate this emphasis as much as it stacks something else on top of the midrange bump. I struggled to think of exact tone parallels. At various times I heard traces of DOD 250, a less screechy Tone Bender, a Way Huge Red Llama, a fixed wah pedal, and the fuzz section in a ’60s solid state Vox amplifier. More commonly, though, the midrangey-ness suggested one, or some combination, of those devices, driving a 8" speaker in a low-watt tube amp. At lower gain settings, these qualities lend the output an edgy growl. At its fuzziest settings, it is brutish and nasty but focused.
“At its fuzziest settings it is brutish and nasty but focused.”
Mutant Zones
All of these sounds can be reshaped, both subtly and radically, by adding feedback via the mic-out control, and zest from one of the three onboard effects. The mic-out control and effects (as well as the mic gate toggle) are very interactive. The feedback from the mic can generate and emphasize various overtones in the output—to subtle, pretty ends if you’re mellow with the mic-out level and effects, or with chaotic outcomes if you lay either one on too thick. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t push it, though—in true DBA and Rainger FX fashion, some of the most rewarding tones live at these nearly out-of-control extremes.
While the Amp Crash is unorthodox, it is not just a studio tool. There’s no reason you can’t use the Amp Crash as a fuzz or drive in live situations without fear of unwanted surprises. The payoff in distinctive tones could be considerable. But unique sounds are just one possible studio attribute. It’s often the methods Amp Crash encourages that yield the most interesting studio dividends. The strange tone composites you hear in the combination of onboard speaker and guitar amp speaker, for instance, can be recast by varying a microphone’s position relative to the two sources—or by miking amp and pedal speaker in different spaces entirely and sending those signals to two desk inputs. Similarly, endless variations on this effect can be enabled by miking the internal speaker and sending the output to your DAW and whatever sound processing tools live downstream.
The Verdict
We talk a lot about sliding scales here in the “verdict” section. A pedal that is a font of inspiration for one player might confound another. And like many DBA products that commit to a genuinely different approach, the Amp Crash resides in that category. Those inclined to use its tasty drive and reverb/delay/modulation section exclusively will probably find the $395 price hard to justify. Those who delve into the fullness of the Amp Crash’s potential could end up considering that a bargain—particularly if the sounds on tap here become a foundational part of their sound palette.
But that is a very plausible scenario, because the Amp Crash is as rich with distortion suited for common musical settings as it is brimming with strange, esoteric tones. For players who can make use of sounds from both sides of its flavor spectrum—and you can count me among them—the Amp Crash might merit rounding up on all the performance scores listed here.
Death By Audio x Rainger FX Amp Crash
Street price
$395
Learn more
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https://www.premierguitar.com/reviews/amps/death-by-audio-x-rainger-fx-amp-crash-review

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Boss Announces Katana-25 Guitar Amplifier Boss has introduced the ...

2026-10-29T22:14:07Z

Boss Announces Katana-25 Guitar Amplifier

Boss has introduced the Katana-25, the latest addition to the company’s popular amplifier lineup for guitar and bass. Offering the Katana sound in a compact 25-watt amp for home playing, Katana-25 is designed for new and returning guitarists. It offers six unique amp characters and over 60 onboard Boss effects provide studio-grade sounds, while onboard Bluetooth and the companion Boss Tone Studio app enhance daily sessions with support for song streaming, effects editing, playing with YouTube videos, and downloading new sounds on Boss Tone Exchange.
The new Katana-25 expands on a well-established legacy. Introduced in 2016, the Katana series has become a go-to solution for guitarists with its responsive feel and versatile features. The new Katana-25 brings this technology to guitarists who want to explore different styles in practice and home use.
Key to the Katana series is the Boss Tube Logic design philosophy, which delivers the authentic tube sound and feel. Like classic tube designs, Katana-25’s 8” speaker, open-back configuration and 25-watt reactive analog power section work in harmony to create a highly interactive playing experience with solid bass, high-end detail, and punchy dynamic response.
Katana-25 encourages experimentation and creativity without requiring additional gear. Six unique amp characters allow players to take on any musical genre with authority, from pop, blues, and country to classic rock and high-gain metal. One amp character is tuned for acoustic-electric instruments, further increasing the amp’s versatility. Users also get access to over 60 effects from the historic Boss library (up to 5 simultaneously), with detailed sound editing available in Boss Tone Studio.
The Katana-25 panel allows users to save/recall Tone Setting memories and tweak basic preamp and effect parameters without opening the app. The amp includes 20 ready-to-play presets with dialed-in pro sounds, plus 10 empty slots for storing custom setups. There’s also a tap tempo button for delay effects and a convenient built-in tuner, an essential tool for every guitarist.
Inspired by stage-class Katana models, Katana-25 features a Power Control to achieve expressive, cranked-amp tone at modest volumes. With the flip of a switch, users can toggle between full power punch and a half-watt mode that produces bedroom-friendly levels without sacrificing sound quality or feel.
Katana-25 is equipped with onboard Bluetooth connectivity for audio streaming and communication with Boss Tone Studio. Players can connect a mobile device and jam along to songs from their device’s library, use the app to edit tones in detail, explore additional sounds on Boss Tone Exchange, and more.
Boss Tone Studio includes a powerful Session feature that lets users browse and play YouTube content in the app and set up points on a song’s timeline to trigger automatic memory changes while playing. Several hardware options are also available for controlling sounds in real time, including an FS-series wired footswitch, the FS-1-WL Wireless Footswitch, or the EV-1-WL Wireless Expression Pedal.
With its user-friendly interface, versatile tones, and integrated practice tools, Katana-25 is an easy choice for players looking to explore their sound, as well as anyone shopping for a gift on their behalf.
The Katana-25 is available at a street price of $199.99. For more information visit www.boss.info.

https://www.premierguitar.com/boss-katana-25-amplifier

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Elan Audio Lab Introduces the SoundBakery Reactive Load Box, ...

2026-10-29T21:33:48Z

Elan Audio Lab Introduces the SoundBakery Reactive Load Box, Attenuator and DI

Elan Audio Lab has released the SoundBakery, a passive analog reactive attenuator, load box, and DI designed to let players run tube amps at high output while controlling speaker volume. Handmade in the USA, SoundBakery builds on the design legacy of MetalHead Electronics.
SoundBakery uses a reactive load designed to mimic a speaker cabinet’s changing impedance. Its attenuation knob adjusts speaker output from approximately 25 percent of full level down to silence. A dedicated Attenuator Bypass switch connects the amplifier directly to the speaker cabinet for full, unattenuated output. The balanced XLR and 1/4-inch line outputs remain connected even in bypass mode.
With the reactive load engaged, SoundBakery operates without a speaker cabinet for silent recording, direct-to-PA use, and in-ear monitoring. The line outputs can also feed another amplifier. They carry the amp’s signal without cabinet simulation or EQ, allowing players to add impulse responses or cabinet simulation in their recording software. One level control adjusts both line outputs.
SoundBakery requires no batteries or power supply.
Features:
Reactive load for tube amplifiers up to 100 watts
Three dedicated 4-, 8-, and 16-ohm amplifier inputs
Speaker attenuation knob
Dedicated Attenuator Bypass switch
One 1/4-inch speaker output
Balanced XLR and unbalanced 1/4-inch line outputs
Shared line-out level control
Silent load-box operation
Aluminum chassis, approximately 4 lb.
Dimensions: 5.9 x 7.9 x 2.75 inches (150 x 200 x 70 mm)
SoundBakery is available directly from Elan Audio Lab for $479. For more information, visit elanaudiolab.com.
Elan Audio Lab
SoundBakery
Elan Audio Lab has released the SoundBakery, a passive analog reactive attenuator, load box and DI designed to let players run tube amps at high output while controlling speaker volume. Handmade in the USA, SoundBakery builds on the design legacy of MetalHead Electronics.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/elan-audio-lab-introduces-the-soundbakery-reactive-load-box-attenuator-and-di

#audiolab #elanaudio #reactiveload #loadbox #soundbakery #attenuator #speaker #balancedxlr #bypass #metalheadelectronics

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Dinosaur Jr.: Back to the Noise J Mascis has so many guitars that ...

2026-10-29T20:53:54Z

Dinosaur Jr.: Back to the Noise

J Mascis has so many guitars that at least one of them has no obvious job. “It’s not good for songwriting, playing live, or recording. It’s not good for any of the real things we do. That leaves just playing it,” says the Dinosaur Jr. frontman, sporting a gray beard and red-framed glasses, via Zoom from a St. Louis hotel. “That’s kind of interesting: to play, knowing nothing will come out of it.”
The axe in question is a Gibson Les Paul Custom that had a broken headstock when Mascis bought it. “The guy at the shop said it was his bandmate’s,” Mascis recalls. “You could tell he just played it so much that it was somehow awesome. You could feel it was worn in just right.” Mascis had the headstock repaired, but he maintained everything else about it, including the “20th anniversary” letters stamped on the fretboard and its overall battered quality. “It’s beat up, and it’s been played at shows. It has a good feel you can only get from playing all the time. Somebody’s favorite guitar for years—it’s cool.”
The guitar has almost nothing to do with the reason Mascis is on this Zoom: to promote There Near, Dinosaur Jr.’s first album in five years. For this project, Mascis mostly employed a 1959 Fender Jazzmaster, after taking a multi-year break from the model. “I’m getting back to my roots because I never seem to,” he says, “and [playing] leads with it and stuff.” He retired the Fender from touring when he realized the guitar was worth tens of thousands of dollars, which freaked him out: “I’ll just play it when I’m recording,” he says.
Befitting Dinosaur Jr. since the Amherst, Mass., trio’s debut album, Dinosaur, in 1985, There Near is packed with Mascis’ solos and distinctively slacked-out voice meandering over the din. What’s slightly different about There Near, compared to the band’s previous album, 2021’s Sweep It Into Space, is a foundation of precise, Who-like power chords; the opening track “Several Got Away” has the feel of “I Can’t Explain” or “My Generation.” Mascis has zero theories about why that might be so: “Yeah, that’s just the songs I came up with,” he says. “At the time, I’m not sure where they came from.”
One physical piece of inspiration for There Near: a Mesa/Boogie Mark I amp, similar to the one Mascis used for the Dinosaur album 41 years earlier. Mascis purchased the more recent one secondhand, learning that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame had once utilized it for bands onstage. It had hemp cone speakers, and he plugged it into a Marshall cabinet he miked for the recording. “It was an interesting, clean sound that I hadn’t gotten again—this thicker-than-a-Fender sound,” he says. In 1985, he “didn’t know anything about amps,” he adds. “I had a Yamaha solid-state amp, because I saw Bob Mould had one. I thought, ‘How bad could it be?’ But my friend, the good guitarist in town, told me how terrible it sounded. I just used the amp they had at the studio”—the Mesa/Boogie Mark I.
The band’s core—Mascis; bassist Lou Barlow, who would go on to front acclaimed indie-rock band Sebadoh; and drummer Emmett Murphy, known as Murph—has been together off and on since 1984, following the breakup of Mascis’ and Barlow’s hardcore band, Deep Wound. The new trio developed a distorted, sludgy sound that would resonate amid the ’90s alt-rock and grunge explosion.
The group put out Dinosaur on an indie label, Homestead, which employed a young Boston punk-zine publisher and show promoter named Gerard Cosloy. He had briefly managed Deep Wound and, after joining Homestead—also home to hardcore heroes Big Black and Naked Raygun—offered to release a record by Mascis’ new band. “Back then, the Minutemen were a band we liked, and they said, ‘You need an album. That’s like a flier for the gigs. It’s better to have an album than a tape if you want to get gigs,’” Mascis recalls. “It seemed more legitimate or something.”
After the first album gave Dinosaur Jr. a reputation as noise-rock innovators—their concerts reinforced this perception by cranking up the volume beyond healthy human-hearing capacity—the band shifted to a new label. Mascis had always admired SST Records, which had signed Black Flag, Hüsker Dü, Sonic Youth, and the Minutemen, so he left Homestead to go there. “That kind of ruined my relationship with Gerard,” Mascis recalls. “He kind of got pissed off and jumped ship. But I had to follow my dreams.”
In 1990, Cosloy went on to join Matador Records, which released landmark indie-rock albums by artists like Pavement, Guided By Voices, and Liz Phair. Did Mascis ever reconcile with him? “Yes and no,” he says. “I mean, we’re not great. We never were as good of friends after that. But we definitely hung out a little bit.”
Mascis’ early professional bridge-burning had little impact on Dinosaur Jr.’s career. The band’s first SST album, 1987’s You’re Living All Over Me, was simultaneously more focused, song-wise, and more insanely packed with innovative guitar leads. The guitar-rock masterpiece was one of many crucial albums that soon revolutionized MTV and radio while helping the band become a touchstone for the Lollapalooza generation. (Dinosaur Jr. was on the storied festival’s 1993 bill with Alice In Chains, Rage Against the Machine, and others.)
“As I get older, my attention span gets less and less. I can’t play guitar for eight hours straight in the studio like the old days.”
The original Dinosaur Jr. lineup, though, was fraying. Mascis and Barlow were silently feuding. Mascis maintained tight control, writing almost every song, but Barlow was evolving into the band’s George Harrison, and he needed an outlet of his own. In 1987, Barlow released a four-track cassette of home recordings under the name Sentridoh, with his friend Eric Gaffney contributing percussion; that project helped lay the groundwork for Sebadoh and the lo-fi aesthetic at the core of the band’s music. Tensions within Dinosaur Jr. continued to grow: As the story goes, Mascis informed Barlow he was disbanding the lineup, but he put a new version together instead, initially with a rotating cast of bassists.
Both entities kept moving forward: Dinosaur Jr. signed with a major record label, Sire, and released their Mascis-produced 1991 album, Green Mind; Sebadoh was prolific, peaking with 1994's electrifying Bakesale, and Barlow formed several other projects and collaborations, including the Folk Implosion, best known for the 1995 Kids soundtrack hit, “Natural One.”
Mascis and Barlow continued on their separate trajectories until 2005: Indie label Merge Records reissued their early albums, and they reunited for a tour, which led to a 2007 record, Beyond, with the original lineup.
How has the Dinosaur Jr. dynamic between Mascis, Barlow, and Murphy changed over the years? Mascis pauses for a long time before responding: “Um. It’s hard to remember. At some point, it seemed like Murph and Lou flipped. When we first started, Murph wasn’t sure he wanted to do it all the time, sometimes. He’d quit for a week, but me and Lou were super-dedicated to the band.
“When we got back to the band, it seemed like they had switched the roles. Murph was way more into it than Lou,” Mascis continues. “Other than that, it seems similar. I’d write the drum parts and Murph learns them. Or, for Lou songs, me and Murph would both drum—just try to write some drum parts, because Lou doesn’t think of drums.”
The band created There Near in bursts over the course of a year at Bisquiteen Studio, in Amherst. That’s a function of age, says the 60-year-old Mascis: “As I get older, my attention span gets less and less. I can’t play guitar for eight hours straight in the studio like the old days. Now we just figured—[don’t] push it at all. Record for an hour and a half, four days a week. At that schedule, it takes a while.”
The approach, Mascis says, tightened the album and made it easier to focus on a unifying sound. There Near follows Dinosaur Jr.’s nearly 40-year formula—moaned and mumbled Mascis lyrics set to a stomping rhythm, which is especially pronounced on the faster songs like “Several Got Away” and “Gone Off,” but slower tracks such as “Walk Me Back” open up to sharp torrents of shredding as well. “It’s good for quality control because you have time to weed out what you don’t like and see if you still like the thing four months later,” he says.
The two songs that deviate from this style are the Barlow-written “Blowin’ Up” and “No One’s Ready,” which have a softer, more melodic feel, with more space to accentuate the pointed lyrics: “You’re about as dumb as they come / and telling stupid stories every day,” he begins on “Blowin’ Up.” Mascis cedes control on Barlow’s compositions, playing guitar and bass as needed. “I just step back a bit and see what he wants me to do on the song,” he says.
“Back then, the Minutemen were a band we liked, and they said, ‘You need an album. That’s like a flier for the gigs.’”
In the early days, Dinosaur Jr. put out a new album every two or three years; more recently, in part due to the band members’ solo projects, the gap has expanded to four or five years. But there’s no strategy for the timing of There Near, according to Mascis: “We just kind of do ’em. There’s no rhyme or reason. It just feels like time to do a new album. You’ve played all these places already, so it feels like you need a new album so you can play all the same places again. I guess that’s the logic in our head. That’s how we grew up.”
During the mixing process, Mascis adds, he wrote a couple of other songs “that were on the back burner,” and recorded them in the studio living room. Eventually, Dinosaur Jr. will release a seven-inch single as an addendum—but Mascis refuses to divulge any information about these additions. “Like what? What do you say about a song?” he asks. “Songs that didn’t quite make it. The one song sounded a lot like all the other songs. There were three that were vying for the last slot on the album, and one was just slower. It seemed to be good to have a slower song.”
At one point during the half-hour interview, Mascis refers to a Fender Super Champ as his “favorite around-the-house amp,” which he uses to “just watch TV and play the guitar and hope for the best.” He adds: “It sounds really good at a low volume.”
It’s one of many public references Mascis has made over the years to his lifelong passion for watching television; in 1997, he informed this reporter, for a Billboard story, of his obsession with MTV’s The Real World. The streaming-and-bingeing era hasn’t changed his habits much—including one specific and unexpected technical characteristic of his TV time. “I still watch it on my computer. I like the computer because it’s 15 inches—and that’s the size of the TV I had when I was a kid in our kitchen,” he says. “It was an odd size back then, but somehow I’m always drawn to 15-inch screens.”
All this talk of TV leads Mascis to an even more passionate subject: guitars. He brings up his Gibson Les Paul Junior in TV Yellow, which, he says, “supposedly looks white on TV, because white guitars would get blown out. You wanted the look of a white guitar on TV, you get the TV model.”
Did Mascis ever play the “TV Model Junior,” as he calls it, on TV? Dumb question, as it turns out. “Well, it’s black-and-white TV,” he says with a small smile. “So I don’t know if that would work now.”
J Mascis’ Gear
Guitars
1959 Fender Jazzmaster (leads)
Gibson Les Paul Junior, TV Yellow (rhythm)
Rickenbacker 620-12 12-string
Amps
Mesa/Boogie Mark I
Marshall JCM800 Model 4104, 50-watt 2x12 vertical-input combo
(All amps miked through a Marshall cabinet)
Pedals
Tone Bender MkI-circuit fuzz (“I’ll use that as a base and then add other fuzzes to it.”)

https://www.premierguitar.com/features/artist-features/dinosaur-jr-back-to-the-noise

#mascis #dinosaur #back #noise #boogiemark #zoom #gibsonles #lespaul #paulcustom

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MXR Flanger/Doubler Review Some pieces of gear become legendary ...

2026-10-29T20:16:15Z

MXR Flanger/Doubler Review

Some pieces of gear become legendary because everyone used them. Others become legendary because one person used them, relentlessly, until the sound became inseparable from the player. The original MXR Flanger/Doubler—the M-126 rack unit, a fixture of studios and touring rigs throughout the ’70s and ’80s—belongs mostly to the second category. Yes, it swept through countless studio sessions in its heyday, doing the jet-engine swoosh work flangers are built for.
But its most famous devotee wasn’t chasing psychedelic swirl. Dimebag Darrell, who used the M-126 as a staple of his live rig, utilized its doubler function as an always-on thickener that let his single guitar occupy the space a fleet of overdubs would otherwise fill up. That’s a strange kind of legacy for a rack unit: famous not for a given solo, but for making one guitar sound like more than one guitar, subtly of all things, in the background of some of metal’s most iconic tracks.
Of course, Dimebag’s stealth-thickener case is only one half the story this mono circuit tells. Dial the flanger mode toward more classic, chorus-style settings, and you’re squarely in the territory that defined an entirely different corner of ’80s guitar: the shimmering, liquid clean tones of Andy Summers’ work with the Police, Adrian Belew’s otherworldly textures with Bowie and King Crimson, Eddie Van Halen’s more atmospheric flourishes (think “In A Simple Rhyme”), and the deep, gothic swirl Robert Smith built entire Cure records around.
It’s a testament to the original circuit’s range that it served both the gated-guitar bombast of Pantera and the shimmering clean-tone architecture of “Walking on the Moon.” And this pedal captures that split personality faithfully.
Two Voices, One Bucket-Brigade Heart
The new Flanger/Doubler is unambiguously analog, built around genuine bucket-brigade devices rather than a digital approximation. A dedicated doubler button toggles between the pedal’s two personalities. Flanger mode delivers that sweeping, metallic, jet-engine swoosh, all shimmering comb-filter movement and swirl. Doubler mode does something subtler and, frankly, more useful for many working guitarists. It splits your signal, delays one copy just slightly, and recombines it with the dry signal to create the illusion that you tracked the part twice. There’s no pitch drift (as long as the width control is set to zero,) no irregular pick attack like you might encounter in an actual double-tracked take—just an instant, single-pass thickening that can turn a thin single-coil strum into something that sounds like it’s already been mixed.
Once you’ve picked your mode, the real sculpting happens across five very interactive controls. Manual sets your base delay time—essentially, where in the frequency spectrum the effect’s comb-filtering sweet spot sits. It works hand-in-glove with width, which determines how far that sweep travels from the manual-set center point. Speed, unsurprisingly, governs how fast that sweep oscillates back and forth, ranging from a glacial .03 Hz crawl all the way up to a frantic 18.5 Hz flutter that starts to resemble ring modulation.
“There’s no pitch drift, no irregular pick attack like you might encounter in an actual double-tracked take—just an instant, single-pass thickening that can turn a thin single-coil strum into something that sounds like it’s already been mixed.”
The Regen Generation
Regen is where the personality really lives. It’s a feedback knob, feeding a portion of the delayed signal back into itself. Pushing it from 0 toward 100 percent takes you from a smooth, mellow coloration to aggressive, metallic resonance. And then there’s invert. Flip it, and the wet signal’s polarity reverses entirely, which sounds like a spec-sheet footnote until you actually hear it. Suddenly your settings range from open and vocal to mid-heavy and filtered using the same control settings you had before you flipped polarity. It’s a clever way to expand the pedal’s usable palette without adding a single additional knob.
A mix knob blends wet and dry to taste, and MXR was smart enough to include two LEDs that visually track delay time—a small, thoughtful touch for anyone who’s ever tried to dial in a flanger sweep onstage while a screaming PA drowns you out. CV in and out jacks let the Flanger/Doubler talk to modular synths, sequencers, and CV-enabled expression pedals. And a line-level switch keeps it well-behaved when you feed it hotter studio-level signals rather than a guitar’s comparatively polite output.
The Verdict
At $333 street, the MXR Flanger/Doubler is priced somewhere between boutique premium and mass-market affordability. That said, it’s not strictly a “character” pedal that’s useful for just an occasional outré moment. Just as it did with the late, great Dimebag, it has the potential to become the very heart of your tone, and the pairing of the doubler and a tight gate is pure magic for riffs. If you’ve spent years chasing a “how did they get that thickness?” tone on a favorite record, there’s a significant chance that this box can provide an answer.
MXR Flanger/Doubler
Street price
$333
Learn more
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https://www.premierguitar.com/reviews/pedals/mxr-flanger-doubler-review

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D'Addario Introduces Artist+ Carbon Capo and Updated Artist ...

2026-10-29T19:35:33Z

D'Addario Introduces Artist+ Carbon Capo and Updated Artist Capo

Adding to the company’s broad range of guitar accessories, D’Addario has introduced a pair of new capo models: the new Artist+ Carbon Capo, featuring the company’s first-ever carbon fiber design, and an updated black Artist Capo.
Both capos feature D’Addario’s patented FlexFit Technology, which automatically adapts to different fretboard radii and string gauges, distributing pressure evenly across every string and fret. The net result? Improved tuning stability.
Together, the two capos are designed to give guitar players more control and fast, one-handed operation. Both capos feature an adjustable spring tension micrometer, which allows players to achieve the exact pressure they need for clean, buzz-free fretting without pulling the strings out of tune. And both capos include a built-in pick holder that keeps a spare pick conveniently within reach.
Assembled in the USA, the new Artist+ Carbon Capo pairs these features with ultra-lightweight carbon fiber construction, delivering pro-grade strength without adding unnecessary weight and bulk to the neck of the guitar. The updated Artist Capo brings the same FlexFit performance to its original design, so players have two distinct options built around the same proprietary tech.
Key features include:
Adjustable Spring Tension Micrometer: Allows players to achieve the ideal, specific pressure they need for clean fretting and better tuning stability.
Patented FlexFit Technology: Automatically adapts to fretboard radii and string gauges, distributing even pressure across every string.
One-Handed Operation: Makes capo placement and position changes fast and easy.
Built-In Pick Holder: Keeps a spare pick conveniently within reach.
Ultra-Lightweight Carbon Fiber Construction (Artist+): Combines durability with minimal weight.
USA Assembly (Artist+): Assembled in the U.S. for long-lasting quality.
D’Addario’s Artist+ Carbon Capo is available at a street price of $29.99. The updated Artist Capo carries a street price of $25.99. For more information visit Daddario.com.
D'Addario
Artist+ Carbon Capo
Adding to the company’s broad range of guitar accessories, D’Addario has introduced a pair of new capo models: the new Artist+ Carbon Capo, featuring the company’s first-ever carbon fiber design, and an updated black Artist Capo.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/d-addario-introduces-artist-carbon-capo-and-updated-artist-capo

#artistcapo #carboncapo #updatedartist #carbonfiber #pick #flexfittechnology #capoadding #tensionmicrometer #fiberconstruction #springtension

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Rig Rundown: Chelsea Wolfe PG’s Chris Kies caught up with ...

2026-10-29T18:54:54Z

Rig Rundown: Chelsea Wolfe

PG’s Chris Kies caught up with Chelsea Wolfe and her longtime collaborator Ben Chisholm at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, where they were playing in support of Wolfe’s new record, The Dark. Have a look at some quick highlights below, and tune into the new Rig Rundown for all the details.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Hollow Victory
Wolfe was given this Gretsch Broadkaster years back and keeps coming back to it—she’s drifted further into hollowbodies over time, which she says is a shame given how much she likes her solidbodies. She likes the resonant feedback and the low end, and feels a bigger guitar suits her frame. Managing that feedback is a nightly adjustment depending on the room.
Cold Comfort
The ES-335 has long been seen as Wolfe’s signature electric, and it’s still on the road, though at the moment it comes out for one song—“Cold.” She figures every tour ends up with one guitar you play the most, and this time it isn’t this one.
Dolly’s Pickguard
Her Taylor 416ce sports a custom pickguard inspired by a photo of Dolly Parton with a similar one. Taylor gave her this one and sent it to a maker in Nashville to have the pickguard made. People point out she rarely uses a pick on the acoustic. She thinks it looks beautiful anyway.
Grayscale
Wolfe’s amp is a Fender Bassbreaker combo, which she believes is discontinued. She likes how it takes pedals, and she likes the look: slightly vintage but in grayscale rather than the usual tan. She has the head and cab as well, but it’s the combo on this tour.
Chelsea Wolfe’s Pedalboard
The top row of Chelsea’s board stays on all night: a JHS NOTAKLÖN for general gain, an EarthQuaker ZEQD-Pre she landed on after a long search for the right preamp, a UAFX 1176 compressor, and an EQD Dispatch Master. The heavier end runs a JHS Hard Drive for most of the newer material, an EQD Acapulco Gold that’s been on her board since the Hiss Spun era, and a Death by Audio Apocalypse. A Korg tuner and a Dunlop volume pedal round it out.
Her Happy Place
The left half of the floor is all vocals. Wolfe’s father gave her pedals as a kid and she ran her voice through them with an adapter she rigged for the mic cable, which is where all this started. A Radial Voco-Loco gets the mic into the chain, feeding a DigiTech DigiDelay and a Boss RV-6 she calls her ride or dies, an EQD Afterneath, a JHS Octave Reverb, and a Boss RC-20XL. Not seen here: the Third Man Troika, a Jack White and JHS design built for singers—the one piece of gear she admits to impulse-buying.
Florida Man Special
Chisholm found this Peavey T-40 on Reverb, sold by Drew Storcks of Shy, Low, already fitted with an Electrical Guitar Company aluminum neck by someone he’s never identified. He’d wanted a T-40 since seeing one at a session with the Armed, and wanted an aluminum neck for the sustain. It’s brighter and meaner than anything else he’s played, enough that he had to calm down his existing tones to accommodate it.
The B Team
The Nash bass was his main for years and he used it a lot on the new album, before the Peavey turned up. It’s the backup now, and picking it up after the T-40 is a shock—mostly because of how light it is.
Quad Squad
Chisholm abandoned a full pedalboard mid-rehearsal once a Neural DSP Quad Cortex arrived. It’s running Ampeg models, fuzz, overdrive, compression, and chorus, plus the modulated-delay patch behind the whale noises he makes between songs. A clean channel runs parallel at 50 percent, so the low end survives the worst of the fuzz. A Dunlop Volume (X) 8, Korg tuner, and Walrus Audio supply round things out.
Two Fifteens
A Quilter Bass Block 802 powers the rig, with its EQ bypassed entirely — he’s using the effects return and letting the Quad Cortex do the amp work. The cab is a Tyrant 2x15 he got from Sean at Tyrant years ago, after deciding an 8x10 wasn’t delivering the sub frequencies he wanted.

https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/rig-rundown/chelsea-wolfe

#chelseawolfe #rigrundown #victorywolfe #jhs #chriskies #marathonmusic #musicworks #eqd #benchisholm #guitar

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Epiphone Unveils Redesigned Prophecy High-Performance Series ...

2026-10-28T17:57:15Z

Epiphone Unveils Redesigned Prophecy High-Performance Series

Epiphone has introduced a redesigned Prophecy Series, its line of performance-oriented electric guitars. The series includes five sleek-looking models: the Prophecy Les Paul, Les Paul Baritone, SG, Victory FR, and Flying V. The new models feature Hyperglide necks, stainless steel frets, and custom-voiced Fishman Fluence pickups, and each comes with a Protector Ultralite case.
The Prophecy’s stealth-style visual aesthetic is a tip-off to an expansive feature set designed to enhance playability and performance. Every Prophecy guitar has a thermally aged one-piece maple neck with graphite reinforcement and a Hyperglide profile. The neck carries a bound ebony fretboard with a 10"–14" compound radius and 24 stainless steel frets. The models use extended scale lengths meant to keep lower tunings tight and defined, and each has its own hardware and ergonomic changes. Locking Grover tuners come on every model. All five have black nickel hardware and satin finishes.
Each of the new models has a pair of Fishman Fluence pickups voiced specifically for the series. They offer three voices: a high-output modern active humbucker, a vintage PAF-style humbucker, and a single-coil-style sound. The switching gives players quick access to all three. The pickups are mounted using DAPS (Dual-Axis Pickup Stabilization), Epiphone’s own body-anchored mounting system. DAPS keeps the pickups aligned and parallel to the strings while still allowing height adjustment. Stabilization wings and precision-machined pockets hold string-to-magnet spacing steady. The system also does away with conventional pickup rings.
“The Prophecy Series is built for players who expect more from their instruments,” said Aljon Go, Epiphone’s product development manager. “By pairing our iconic designs with modern performance features like custom-voiced Fishman Fluence pickups, Hyperglide necks, and stainless-steel frets, we’ve built a lineup that’s fast, versatile, reliable, and built for today’s players. Every detail was engineered to help musicians focus less on their gear and more on their performance.”
“Heavy music comes in more than one shape, and the players pushing it forward aren’t coming from just one scene,” said Lewis McKinney III, Epiphone’s marketing manager. “The rebuilt Prophecy Series gives guitarists across metal, hardcore, and beyond an instrument they can count on gig after gig, with the range to turn the sound in their heads into something you can feel in the room.”
The Prophecy models are available for a street price of $1,499 each and come with a Protector Ultralite case. Here are key details for each model.
Prophecy Victory FR: Victory body shape in mahogany with a flamed maple veneer, a 25.5" scale, and an Explorer-style headstock. Hardware is a Floyd Rose 1000 Series locking tremolo, a Floyd Rose R3 locking nut, and locking Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners. Finishes are Obsidian Storm Satin and Aqua Smoke Satin.
Prophecy Les Paul Baritone: 27" scale, strung at the factory with .012–.060 strings for baritone tunings such as B to B. It has an Ultra Modern weight-relieved mahogany body with a maple top and flamed maple veneer. A Modern Contoured Heel and rear belly carve make the upper frets easier to reach and the guitar more comfortable to hold. The tailpiece is a through-body design inspired by the Frequensator, meant to balance string tension and help with low-end definition and sustain. The only finish is Obsidian Storm Satin.
Prophecy Les Paul: Ultra Modern weight-relieved mahogany body with a maple cap, flamed maple veneer, rear belly carve, and Modern Contoured Heel. Its 25.5" scale adds tension for drop tunings. Hardware is a LockTone Modern bridge and a through-body, Frequensator-inspired tailpiece. Finishes are Obsidian Storm Satin, Forest Phantom Satin, and Crimson Fog Satin.
Prophecy SG: Mahogany SG Modern body with a maple cap, flamed maple veneer, and a 25.5" scale. It shares the series’ Hyperglide neck, compound-radius ebony fretboard, and 24 stainless steel frets. Finishes are Obsidian Storm Satin and Crimson Fog Satin.
Prophecy Flying V: Flamed maple veneer, multi-ply binding, and a 25.5" scale. It has a bound ebony fretboard, locking Grover Rotomatic tuners, a Graph Tech nut, a LockTone Modern bridge, and a through-body tailpiece. Finishes are Obsidian Storm Satin and Orchid Bloom Satin.
Epiphone’s Prophecy guitars are accompanied by new apparel line with two pieces: the “Fulfill the Prophecy” hoodie and a matching T-shirt. The black hoodie has a distressed Epiphone logo on the chest and a large two-color “Fulfill the Prophecy” guitar graphic on the back. The T-shirt uses the same artwork. For more information visit Epiphone.com.
Epiphone
Prophecy Series
Epiphone has introduced a redesigned Prophecy Series, its line of performance-oriented electric guitars. The series includes five sleek-looking models: the Prophecy Les Paul, Les Paul Baritone, SG, Victory FR and Flying V. The new models feature Hyperglide necks, stainless steel frets, and custom-voiced Fishman Fluence pickups, and each comes with a Protector Ultralite case.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/epiphone-unveils-redesigned-prophecy-high-performance-series

#redesignedprophecy #prophecyseries #fishmanfluence #lespaul #prophecyvictory #protectorultralite #paulbaritone #floydrose #locking #hardware

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Seymour Duncan Unveils Iron Maiden Pickup Collection It’s the ...

2026-10-28T09:47:49Z

Seymour Duncan Unveils Iron Maiden Pickup Collection

It’s the company’s biggest and most expansive artist collaboration in years: Seymour Duncan has unleashed the new Iron Maiden Pickup Collection, featuring collectible packaging and new offerings from Janick Gers, Dave Murray, and Steve Harris.
Showcasing the pickups used by a trio of heavy metal titans, the collection includes the Dave Murray Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard, Steve Harris P-Bass pickup, and Janick Gers Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard.
Every pickup set and loaded pickguard now ships in its own individually illustrated box, each a unique twist on the band’s official artwork and featuring Eddie, Maiden’s iconic mascot.
New to the collection is the Janick Gers Signature Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard, now available for the first time. The set combines a JB Jr. for Strat in the neck and bridge with a Hot Rails for Strat pickup in the middle, delivering the same searing lead tone and hard-hitting rhythm crunch Janick has brought to Maiden’s legendary performances.
Since first joining Iron Maiden in 1990, Janick Gers’ guitar mastery and songwriting have powered the band’s legendary live performances and albums. On stage and in the studio, Janick has always gravitated towards Strat style guitars. But to get a heavy metal sound powerful enough for Maiden’s music, he experimented with several Seymour Duncan Strat-sized humbuckers. His favorite combination became a JB Jr. for Strat in the Neck and Bridge positions, paired with a Hot Rails for Strat pickup in the middle. The JB Jr. in the bridge delivers the classic JB humbucker sound – high output with plenty of punch for leads that sustain from here to eternity. In the neck it offers fullness for singing solos or delicate chime for rhythm and clean playing. Hot Rails in the Middle gives Janick the option of aggressive rhythm playing or more variety in his clean tones in the 2 & 4 positions. These pickups all use small ceramic magnets, 4-conductor lead wire, and are vacuum wax potted for squeal-free operation.
Now packaged together as a set and a loaded pickguard, each with special Iron Maiden collectible packaging, you can access Janick Gers’ signature sound in your Strat-style guitar.
Hand built in Santa Barbara, CA, this fully loaded Strat pickguard uses an 11 screw ‘USA’ pickguard pattern. Available in White or Black pickguard options - with all matching pickups or Janick’s favorite black-parchment-black pickup color scheme.
Signature pickup configuration used by Iron Maiden’s Janick Gers: JB Jr. for Strat in the neck and bridge, and Hot Rails for Strat in the Middle
High output humbuckers in a Strat-Sized package: Janick’s distinct distorted crunch and singing lead tones without modifying your Strat
Color options: pickups all matching or black/parchment/black (Janick’s preferred look)
Available in Black or White 11-hole Strat pickguards
Smooth turning Volume and Tone Pots, 4 Conductor wiring
Hand-built in Santa Barbara, California
Special Collectible Iron Maiden Packaging
The Loaded Pickguard set carries a street price of $419. The Janick Gers Strat set carries a street price of $319.
The new set joins the rest of the collection, including the Dave Murray Signature Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard, capturing his iconic tone. It includes Dave Murray’s road-tested set up of a JB Jr. flanked by two Hot Rails, this Strat pickguard offers an array of classic metal and hard rock tones, all without any hum. The Hot Rails bridge delivers a fat crunch with biting harmonics. The JB Jr. in the middle lends punch and clarity in positions 2, 3 and 4. And the Hot Rails neck nails Dave’s signature expressive lead tone.
Hand built in Santa Barbara, CA, the fully loaded Strat pickguard comes in special Iron Maiden collectible packaging and uses an 11 screw ‘USA’ pickguard pattern. These pickups all use small ceramic magnets, 4-conductor lead wire, and are vacuum wax potted for squeal-free operation. Available in Pearloid, White, or Black pickguard options.
Signature pickup configuration used by Iron Maiden’s Dave Murray: Hot Rails for Strat in the neck and bridge, and JB Jr. for Strat in the Middle
High output humbuckers in a Strat-Sized package: Dave Murray’s fluid lead tones and hard-hitting riffs, without modifying your Strat
Available in Black, White, or Pearloid 11-hole Strat pickguards
Smooth turning Volume and Tone Pots, 4 Conductor wiring
Hand-built in Santa Barbara, California
Special Collectible Iron Maiden Packaging
The Loaded Pickguard set carries a street price of $419. The Dave Murray Strat pickup set carries a street price of $319.
Rounding out the collection is the Steve Harris Signature P-Bass pickup, a medium output pickup originally developed in the company’s Custom Shop. The P-bass pickup possesses a low-mid boost that adds punch and body while maintaining a crisp and clear high-end attack. This design uses hand-ground Alnico 5 rod magnets and a special vintage-hot custom wind of 13k DCR to achieve its uniquely aggressive bite.
“I was having some problems with the original pickups in my bass and Seymour Duncan said they could make pickups that did what I needed – and they did!” Steve said. Handcrafted in Santa Barbara, CA, the Steve Harris P-Bass pickup comes in special Iron Maiden collectible packaging and is vacuum wax potted for squeal-free operation.
Signature P-Bass pickup voiced for Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris – Medium Output wind with plenty of low-mid punch and high-end attack
Hand-Ground Alnico 5 rod magnets
Aggressive tonal character suited for Metal Bass
Drop in Replacement for split coil P Bass pickups
Hand-built in Santa Barbara, California and Wax Potted for reduced noise
Special Collectible Iron Maiden Packaging
The Steve Harris Signature P-Bass pickup carries a $99 street price.
For more information about Seymour Duncan’s new Iron Maiden collection visit seymourduncan.com.
Seymour Duncan
Iron Maiden Pickup Collection
It’s the company’s biggest and most expansive artist collaboration in years: Seymour Duncan has unleashed the new Iron Maiden Pickup Collection, featuring collectible packaging and new offerings from Janick Gers, Dave Murray, and Steve Harris.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/seymour-duncan-unveils-iron-maiden-pickup-collection

#ironmaiden #seymourduncan #janickgers #strat #loadedpickguard #pickupcollection #hotrails #davemurray #steveharris #middle

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Fender and Kim Gordon Introduce Signature Jazzmaster Fender has ...

2026-10-28T09:15:25Z

Fender and Kim Gordon Introduce Signature Jazzmaster

Fender has unveiled the Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster, a new signature guitar created in collaboration with the iconic Sonic Youth and solo artist. Designed around Gordon’s distinctive approach to guitar, using the instrument as a vehicle for experimentation, texture and sound, the model pairs classic Jazzmaster character with the specific features and playing preferences she has developed throughout her career.
Kim Gordon has consistently challenged expectations around what an artist can sound like, look like and create. As a guitarist and bass player, she has developed an unmistakable approach to both instruments. Her relationship with the Jazzmaster reflects that same instinct for experimentation, making the instrument part of a sound and aesthetic unmistakably her own.
“One thing that’s great about the Jazzmaster, if you have a guitar that sounds good by just plugging it into an amplifier, it doesn't need effects,” said Kim Gordon. “That’s really satisfying…I just really like the sound…Electricity in the guitar is the gateway to losing yourself.”
The Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster combines the familiar feel of the iconic offset with a versatile pickup configuration, comfortable playability and reliable hardware. An Olympic White alder body with matching headcap, Modern “C” maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and vintage-style floating tremolo combine with a Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 bridge humbucker and Alnico V Jazzmaster neck pickup, giving players a broad range of tones from articulate textures to heavier, more aggressive sounds. This Jazzmaster is designed for players across styles and sounds, reflecting the specific preferences and playing style Gordon has developed throughout her career.
Key features include:
Olympic White alder body: Classic Fender alder construction delivers balanced resonance, punchy mids and robust low end, finished in Olympic White with a matching headcap.
Modern “C” maple neck: A comfortable Modern “C” profile and silky-smooth back finish provide an inviting feel suited to a wide range of playing styles.
9.5” radius rosewood fingerboard: Rolled edges and white pearloid block inlays pair with a 9.5” radius for a smooth, broken-in feel and fluid bends.
Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 humbucker and Alnico V Jazzmaster pickups: A chimingPlayer Series Alnico V Jazzmaster neck pickup pairs with a high-output Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 bridge humbucker for a broad range of tones, from articulate to high-output and aggressive.
Jazzmaster bridge and floating tremolo: A Jazzmaster bridge with Mustang saddles and floating tremolo delivers expressive vibrato, precise intonation and reliable tuning stability.
ClassicGear tuning machines: An 18:1 gear ratio combines with vintage-inspired styling for smooth, precise and reliable tuning.
Designed in collaboration with Kim Gordon. Full technical specifications are listed below.
Fender’s Kim Gordon Signature Jazzmaster carries a street price of $1,099.99.
“Kim has always used the guitar as a tool for exploration rather than following convention, and that spirit is at the heart of this Jazzmaster,” said Justin Norvell, Fender Chief Product Officer, Guitars and Basses. “Her impact reaches far beyond any one genre, with a creative practice that has shaped music, art and culture. With this new Jazzmaster, we wanted to capture that sense of individuality and experimentation while staying true to the character and feel of the Jazzmaster. With two distinct pickup types offering incredible sonic versatility, we wanted to give players the freedom to explore and approach the instrument in their own way, whether they're experimenting with texture and noise, writing songs or simply looking for new sounds.”
The launch arrives as part of The One. For All., Fender’s broader celebration of the artists, instruments and communities that continue to move music forward. The campaign brings together iconic Fender instruments and the artists who reinterpret them through their own creative voices, showing how an instrument can become something entirely different in the hands of the person playing it.
For more information, head to Fender.
Fender
Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster
Fender has unveiled the Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster, a new signature guitar created in collaboration with the iconic Sonic Youth and solo artist. Designed around Gordon’s distinctive approach to guitar, using the instrument as a vehicle for experimentation, texture and sound, the model pairs classic Jazzmaster character with the specific features and playing preferences she has developed throughout her career.
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/fender-and-kim-gordon-introduce-signature-jazzmaster

#kimgordon #jazzmaster #editionkim #olympicwhite #seymourduncan #limitededition #fender #sonicyouth #modern #classicfender

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Positive Grid Introduces the Spark CAB 2 Powered FRFR Cabinet ...

2026-10-28T08:41:53Z

Positive Grid Introduces the Spark CAB 2 Powered FRFR Cabinet

Positive Grid announces Spark CAB 2, a powered FRFR speaker cabinet designed as the rig expander for the Spark guitar amp family. Redesigned inside and out, Spark CAB 2 features re-tuned acoustics, an upgraded signal path, and a visual aesthetic matched to the Spark 2 amp. It also serves as a compatible full-range cab for any modeler, pedal or amp with a line level output, offering players a seamless solution for home, rehearsal and live performance.
The new powered cabinet brings a tighter low end, a refined signal path and a new finish matched to the Spark 2 amp, for home, rehearsal, and live performance
Refined Sound and Engineering
Spark CAB 2 features a lightweight, wood cabinet design with acoustics re-tuned for additional detail and clarity plus a tighter, more defined low end. An updated conversion stage and revised gain staging refine the signal path for cleaner, more composed sound. A 10-inch woofer and two 1" tweeters deliver clear tone from lows to highs and a full-range response suited to a wide variety of playing styles.
A Complete Rig for Spark Amps
Spark CAB 2 brings 140 watts RMS of full-range power to any Spark amp or the new Spark PEDAL, with ample headroom and room-filling sound. It also powers and charges Spark amps from a single outlet, consolidating setup into one power hub.
Connectivity for Any Setup
A dedicated Spark input provides direct connection to Spark amps, while stereo combo XLR/TRS inputs and a balanced XLR output accommodate modelers, pedals, and other amps and gear with a line-level output.
The XLR output can also feed a PA while the cabinet simultaneously functions as a personal stage monitor. Independent volume controls allow performers to set their levels and audience levels separately.
A USB-C port powers and charges Spark MINI, GO, and PEDAL, and handles firmware updates. DC output powers Spark 40 and Spark 2.
Additional controls include:
Contour switch: Emphasizes low and high frequencies for more balanced sound at lower volumes
Ground lift switch: Reduces unwanted hum and noise, for quieter operation
Pricing and Availability
Spark CAB 2 is available in Black or Pearl for USD $399.
Special upgrade pricing is available for current Spark CAB 1 owners (log in for details)
Find Spark CAB 2 at positivegrid.com/products/spark-cab-2, local retailers, and Amazon.
Positive Grid
Spark CAB 2
Positive Grid announces Spark CAB 2, a powered FRFR speaker cabinet designed as the rig expander for the Spark guitar amp family. Redesigned inside and out, Spark CAB 2 features re-tuned acoustics, an upgraded signal path, and a visual aesthetic matched to the Spark 2 amp. It also serves as a compatible full-range cab for any modeler, pedal or amp with a line level output, offering players a seamless solution for home, rehearsal and live performance.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/positive-grid-introduces-the-spark-cab-2-powered-frfr-cabinet

#sparkcab #positivegrid #poweredfrfr #engineeringspark #ampsspark #sparkmini #availabilityspark #pedal #xlr #sound

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Esoterica Electrica: Too Many Boxes to Check The last time I ...

2026-10-28T08:07:39Z

Esoterica Electrica: Too Many Boxes to Check

The last time I looked into it, the Guild of American Luthiers claimed more than 3,500 registered members, but you and I know that’s just the tip of the peghead nowadays. Most of the builders I run across don’t care about, belong to, or even know about guilds, associations, or trade shows. I’ve been making instruments for over 50 years and never considered registering with any trade show outside of NAMM, and when I first did, it was the only one of its kind in America. The joke some builders tell is that there seems to be more people cutting, gluing, and screwing together guitar parts than there are guitarists, and the only people making any money are the tool and wood suppliers. That’s a little harsh, but not a total stretch. It’s one thing to make guitars, but selling them is a whole other kettle of fish.
But I’m not here to rain on guitar makers’ parade—I’m also concerned about the buyers. When it comes to the supply of instruments, we live in le bel âge of guitar building, and you would rightly imagine that’s a good thing. Today you can find guitars in every shape, color, and combination of features imaginable. There are short scales, long scales, fanned frets, compound radius necks, and every type of wood choice. Pickups are so plentiful that you could write a doctoral thesis about magnet strength, impedance, and inductance as they relate to tone shaping. Body shape, once confined to variations on the violin and lute motifs, have reached a point where the 1960s Wandre guitars of Antonio Vandrè Pioli look tame. It has gotten to where styling—not to mention hardware choice—are no longer selling points as much as just considerations. You must navigate the seemingly infinite constellation of boxes to check when deciding whose origin story resonates with you at the moment. But that’s great, right?
According to studies such as Iyengar and Lepper’s “When Choice is Demotivating” (2000), there is an inverse relationship between the number of options we are presented with and the long-range satisfaction we derive from our choice: as the former rises, the latter falls. Counterintuitively, it may be that the impulse buy might be the happier route. It seems that when you spend endless time comparing features, reviews, and alternatives, the more likely you are to doubt your decision later. People descend into a spiral of second-guessing the calculations they employed to part with their cash—revisiting every data point they scrutinized along the way. This is called the excess choice effect, and I’m as guilty of it as anyone.
I blame the internet for everything, but mostly for providing me with details, specifications, measurements, and reviews of everything I need or want to buy. Maximizing and optimizing are trendy lifestyle mantras that feed into our daily lives, and therefore our purchases. But I know that if the house was on fire I might grab the things that came to me in a flash, not ones that involved an excruciating search and mental spreadsheets. It seems that the more choice we’re given the more Faustian the bargain seems to get.
And for the sellers of musical hardware, providing endless specifications may actually be counterproductive. This explains some brands moving towards selling vibe and story, hoping that somehow they will short-circuit the decision-making process—switching it from a scientific experiment into something like a buddy movie where the guitar buyer co-star in the film. This approach is akin to the artist endorsement sales pitch, only the builder is your quasi-famous-on-the-internet buddy. Like we say in Chicago, “I got a guy.”
So in a way, it’s okay that every block has a guitar builder, even if a large number of them are screwing together Telecaster clones. Get the one with the funky pickguard or the selector switch in an unusual place. Support micro businesses and hang that butcher-block hippie guitar next to your genuine Les Paul. Buy the one that makes you happy. Don’t discriminate, collect them all.
“Every instrument has something that it does better than others. You just need to enjoy that one thing.”
I know this is starting to sound a little like a feel good-script at this point—go with your gut, follow your bliss, and my favorite, just flow into it. But the good news is something I’ve written about before: every instrument has something that it does better than others. You just need to enjoy that one thing and not get hung up with attempting to “design” a guitar that fulfills every wish. That way you’ll always need one more guitar.

https://www.premierguitar.com/columns/gear-talk/esoterica-electrica-too-many-boxes-to-check

#boxes #check #americanluthiers #choice #antoniovandre #vandrepioli

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Tom Morello is Still Catching Fire At 27, Tom Morello was at rock ...

2026-10-28T07:34:04Z

Tom Morello is Still Catching Fire

At 27, Tom Morello was at rock bottom—or so he thought. After growing up in Chicago’s northern suburbs and attending Harvard, Morello had moved to Los Angeles to pursue his musical ambitions. His band at the time, Lock Up, had signed to Geffen Records, and his plan to make it in music had seemed to be trending up and to the right.
Then came some tough lessons. During the recording of Lock Up’s 1989 debut, the band deferred to their A&R rep and producer, only to realize afterward that the finished album wasn’t a fully accurate representation of their sound. But the experts know best, right?
Wrong.
“The record was out for about 15 seconds before they stopped returning our phone calls, and at 27 years old, I had failed,” Morello says today. “I moved to Hollywood to try to be a rock star, to make albums. I had the opportunity, and I failed.”
He continues, “So I made a solemn vow that I was never going to play another note of music that I didn't believe in. That's when I began conjuring the riffs that would in part make up the first Rage Against the Machine record.”
Over the past three decades, few, if any, artists have been as synonymous with the guitar as Morello. He’s shredded with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, joined Bruce Springsteen on several tours and made a prominent appearance on the Boss’ 2014 album, High Hopes, showcased his singer-songwriter side with the Nightwatchman, and released music with Prophets of Rage, Street Sweeper Social Club—his project with multi-hyphenate Boots Riley—and the Atlas Underground, where he collaborates with a wide range of artists.
But don’t let the baseball-card stats fool you. Morello is as selective as he is prolific, and his sonic palette is remarkably wide.
That said, when it came time to compile the riffs that comprise his new solo album, Everyone Gets Everything They Want, he knew exactly how it would work within his vast discography.
“I wanted to make an album that took the Morellian riffs, the Morellian DNA of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and brought it not just into the present, but into the future,” he says. “I wanted to make the heaviest record since the Rage Against the Machine debut. Then the other goalpost is my love of Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town, the Woody Guthrie side, and not shying away from that. I wanted it to have the purity of vision of the acoustic records that I've made.”
Unlike his previous albums, where he approached the material with a clear creative vision, here he had to find his footing as a frontman. “I wanted to make this record kick as much ass as any record that I've made, and the bar is set pretty high,” Morello says.
“I made a solemn vow that I was never going to play another note of music that I didn't believe in.”
Inspiration, and some of the album’s biggest and baddest riffs, came from a source that surprised Morello: just down the hallway.
“There’s a great quote about Van Gogh, that he found the way to concentrate sufficiently to catch fire in a way. My son Roman, on this record, was my muse who allowed me to concentrate sufficiently to catch fire,” Morello says of the 15-year-old. “What that basically means is I stole some great riffs by listening through his bedroom door.”
In addition to his son’s bombastic riffs, the album includes longtime pals such as System of a Down singer Serj Tankian and Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo. Sonically, Everyone Gets Everything They Want showcases the many faces of Tom Morello. The album glides across genres, from the straightforward hard rock of “Soldier in the Army of Love” to the Knife-inspired electronic beats of “Unbreakable,” which features Irish rabble-rousers Kneecap, to the folky “They Can’t Kill Us All.”
Following Rage Against the Machine’s sudden halt after a successful 2022 tour, Morello has spent much of his time on the road, performing at festivals around the world and mixing battle-tested classics with new songs that appear on Everyone Gets Everything They Want. Playing the new material in front of those crowds made him confident that the songs were strong enough to anchor a proper solo album. And from a performance standpoint, Morello says, the shows captured the same high-octane energy his bands have always been known for.
For Morello, those shows also became a way to unite the disparate strands of his musical life onstage.
“Not shying away from paying tribute to Chris Cornell, not shying away from people’s love of Rage Against the Machine riffs and the timeliness in 2026, not shying away from my love of the existential dread woven into my favorite folk music and some blistering guitar solos,” he says, surveying the scope of his sets. “We’re playing in front of 80-90,000 people, with a song wholly unfamiliar to them, and they’re going absolutely ape shit. I was able to give a test run to some of these jams and really try them out in front of a discerning metal audience.”
But the album also faced another astute listener: his mother, Mary, whom he calls a “candid music critic.” She’s been a massive influence on multiple levels: Morello’s long history of activism is rooted in the lessons he learned from Mary, who was a fervent advocate for free speech, a civil rights champion, and a longtime volunteer for causes that helped the less fortunate. A presence across his platforms—she famously introduced Rage Against the Machine at a 1996 concert in Chicago and frequently appeared on Morello’s SiriusXM show One Man Revolution—she died earlier this year at age 102.
Morello says he played her his new album before she passed, noting that it earned her approval. Of all the brave things she did and all she accomplished in her life, however, one stands out to him.
“I wanted to make an album that took the Morellian riffs, the Morellian DNA of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and brought it not just into the present, but into the future.”
“The bravest act she might have been a part of was allowing my punk band to play in her basement when I was in high school,” he says with a laugh. “In the more recent years, she lived next door, where my studio is actually in her basement. So I was once again playing in my mom's basement, where she would freely make editorial comments about whatever was going on downstairs.”
Morello is keeping his mother’s legacy alive through the Mary Morello Memorial Project, which will support many organizations that were meaningful to her, ranging from animal shelters to homeless shelters to human rights organizations.
In early October, a year after serving as musical director of the Black Sabbath tribute show Back to the Beginning, Morello curated the Power to the People festival. Billed as a “non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action,” the one-day festival took place at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, with a lineup including the Foo Fighters, Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Jack Black (performing with Roman Morello and other young musicians in a Black Sabbath cover band), Killer Mike, Serj Tankian, and others.
“This is something that we don't need to just do at Hotel Cafe [in Los Angeles] and raise 1,500 bucks for a homeless charity,” he says. “We did it on a much bigger scale here, and the artists stepped up.”
Whether through the festival or Everyone Gets Everything They Want, Morello remains focused on the same mission that has guided him for nearly four decades: using rock ’n’ roll as a vehicle for both expression and action. Along the way, he’s experienced just about every high and low the music business can offer. But as he continues forward, the lesson he took from Lock Up all those years ago—the one that ultimately led him to Rage Against the Machine—remains remarkably simple.
“There is only one barometer, there’s one North Star,” Morello says. “It’s to be true to yourself as an artist, as a musician, and not care what anybody thinks.”

https://www.premierguitar.com/features/artist-features/tom-morello-is-still-catching-fire

#tommorello #rage #machine #losangeles #lock #geffenrecords #springsteen #brucespringsteen #morelliandna

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Tom and Roman Morello: Fully Equipped Tom Morello didn’t want ...

2026-10-28T06:59:34Z

Tom and Roman Morello: Fully Equipped

Tom Morello didn’t want Everyone Gets Everything They Want to feel the least bit nostalgic, and it doesn’t. Rather, it’s a contemporary, wide-ranging rock record that mixes heavy riffs, electronic elements, and modern production with stripped-down acoustic and piano songs. Not to mention the fact that several solos are played by a 15-year-old. Even so, much of the gear behind it is made up of old friends. When we asked about the guitars, amps, and pedals he used, he was, unsurprisingly, thorough and exact, even stopping to pull up the track list on his laptop so he could go through the album song by song. “Let me be professional about this,” he said with a laugh.
What were your main guitars on the new record?
Tom Morello: It was recorded over a stretch of time, so it’s a little hard to remember track by track. One was my new SG, which I also played a lot at the recent Power to the People show. It’s got a brutally heavy sound that I really enjoy. I used my “Arm the Homeless” guitar a lot too, both the original and one of the Fender ones. And there’s my first guitar, the $50 Kay I got in 1978 or so, which was refurbished maybe 15 years ago. It plays an intro on the record.
Roman plays a lot on the record too. His main drop-D guitar is the “Atlas Underground” Tele, which is basically a stock Tele I used on the Atlas Underground tour. For the songs in E, he plays the Fender Soul Power model.
What do you like about that Tele, Roman?
Roman Morello: It has a very specific tone when you play it with the bridge pickup, and it’s very easy to play.
And the Soul Power Strat?
Roman: It has a Floyd Rose, and the action is lower on the top strings, so it’s easier to play up high and fast. That made it easier to play “Everyone Gets Everything They Want” on it. It also stays in tune more easily, which is a big help.
You also used an Ibanez miKro, a short-scale model, on the record. What do you like about that one?
Roman: I have a lot of reps on that guitar, so it feels kind of close to home. It’s smaller, so you have more reach, and you can do solos better. It’s also a very good travel investment. It was given to me by my grandma, so it’ll always have a special place in my heart.
Getting back to the SG, is it anything special? A Custom Shop model?
Tom: No, it was a gift. I got it backstage on the Rage Against the Machine tour in 2022. The Gibson rep came backstage holding a Les Paul in one hand and an SG in the other, and I said, “That one’s lighter—I’ll take it!” It has a fantastic, Sabbath-y, brutal low end.
I’ve also seen you recently with an “Arm the Homeless” model in a black finish. Is that a Fender too?
Tom: Yeah, it’s a Fender, but it’s not for sale. We had a black one made for me and a pink one for Roman. The black one is my drop-D guitar, which helps me keep them straight, and we used it on “Adjourn It” on the new record. The regular blue one, the one that’s for sale everywhere, that one I use interchangeably with the original.
What amps are you running on the record?
Tom: I’m a creature of habit, so there’s nothing new. It’s my Marshall 50-watt channel-switching 2205 head with a few different cabinets: the regular Peavey 4x12, a stock Marshall 4x12, and a white 4x12. For the Back to the Beginning show [Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell concert in July 2025, for which Morello was musical director] we recreated the “Mr. Crowley” video, and we found a white 4x12 like the one Randy Rhoads uses in that video. It’s up in my studio now, and Roman plays through it.
Roman, what do you like about the 2205?
Roman: It’s very versatile. You can be clean with it, or you can go distorted. And the one up in the studio is one of my favorite tones of all time. I can’t think of many that are better.
And pedals?
Tom: The record starts with “Beth From Electronics,” which is the Fender “Arm the Homeless” through the POG pedal. That wasn’t a written song. I just clicked the POG on and started playing a riff, and it’s about 40 seconds long. Afterward I asked the engineer, “Did you record that?” He said yeah, and I said, “We’re gonna start the record with it.” The POG sounds like two or three Black Sabbaths playing at the same time.
“It’s making heavy music in a way I haven’t made it before, while using the things I do best.”
On “Everyone Gets Everything They Want,” Roman plays the solo. He’s an Angus Young, plug-straight-in kind of guy. That song’s in E, so it’s the Soul Power guitar through the Marshall. My part is pretty straightforward, just some Jimmy Page-style guitar doubling.
On “Adjourn It,” the POG is all over the riffs again. My solo uses the toggle switch and the wah pedal. The outro solo starts with the Whammy set to an octave down and then pressed forward.
We recorded “Soldier in the Army of Love” a while ago, and it’s straight-into-the-amp riffing. Roman plays the solo on that one too, plugged straight in. On “Everything Burns,” I went back to the POG for the heaviness on several riffs. “Pretend You Remember Me” is the DigiTech Whammy, as always.
“Untethered,” that one’s played on the Tele, the “Harlem Hellfighters” guitar, through a Fender Twin and then doubled. Sam [Nelson Harris] from X Ambassadors produced it, and I was over at his house without any of my own amps. I asked him, “What do you got?” I like that it came across with a different kind of heaviness.
What are you playing on the acoustic songs?
Tom: “They Can’t Kill Us All” is my Gibson steel-string, the “Black Spartacus.” “The Last Rung on the Ladder” is my “Whatever It Takes” nylon-string.
What’s it like working with Roman?
Tom: His riffs definitely have my DNA, those heavy pentatonic riffs, but they come through a young artist’s mind. It’s not my mind, so I’m constantly surprised by them. The first surprising thing is being in a band with a little kid who happens to be your son. The second surprising thing is when that becomes completely normal. You’re just used to that guy being in the band, and you love some of his riffs, and you put them in your songs.
And how was it working with your dad?
Roman: It’s very fun, obviously, because I like the guy! But he’s also a very, very talented musician and producer, and he has great ideas, so that’s fun as well.
What did you try to bring to your guitar parts?
Roman: Mostly the riff writing. I tried to bring a classic Tom Morello feel, but with a Roman Morello twist. My dad always says it’s weird, because I write riffs that give off the same vibe as his, but they’re something he would never think to write. And some of his riffs are something I would never think to write. We have it in our DNA, I guess, but the way we put it down into a riff is different.
How would you describe Roman as a player?
Tom: At this point he’s a much more technical player than I am. He’s already put in his 10,000 or 15,000 hours. I remember when I was in the middle of learning all the Randy Rhoads solos and the David Gilmour solos, and he’s right in the middle of that now. People ask me, “Does that make you want to practice more?” I say, “No, I’m just gonna let him do that.” I’m going to curate and counsel and borrow, and try to put each of us in a position to succeed.
Do you have a favorite song on the record, Roman?
Roman: I’ll go with one of the classics, “Soldier in the Army of Love.” It was the first song we wrote together. It has a killer riff, it has some singing that will blow you away, and it has my guitar solo in it. It really has everything. Other than that, probably the title track. It has a killer riff as well, and another one of my solos.
Tom, how did you keep a riff-heavy record from sounding like the old days?
Tom: I didn’t want it to feel like I was retreading anything. What this record has in common with the first Rage record and the first Audioslave record is that it feels like being on the edge of discovery. It’s making heavy music in a way I haven’t made it before, while using the things I do best. A lot of that is thanks to the producers. Tyler Smyth and Zakk Cervini have long histories of making more modern heavy music, and Carl Restivo is my longtime musical consigliere. It couldn’t sound like what I’ve sounded like before, four guys in a room. These songs are very much rebellion as self-care, and finding a way to make that come through a Marshall half-stack was the goal.
Tom Morello’s Gear
Guitars
Gibson SG
Original “Arm the Homeless” custom
Fender “Arm the Homeless” (blue, standard tuning)
Fender “Arm the Homeless” (black, drop D)
Fender Telecaster (w/ Harlem Hellfighters / Black Rattlers handmade pickguard by Dave Petillo)
Kay K-20T
Gibson J-45 “Black Spartacus” (played on “They Can’t Kill Us All”)
Ibanez GA60SCE Galvador “Whatever It Takes” nylon-string (played on “The Last Rung on the Ladder”)
Amps
Marshall JCM800 2205 50-watt head
Fender Twin
Peavey 4x12 cabinet
Marshall 4x12 cabinet
Marshall 4x12 cabinet (white “Mr. Crowley” replica)
Pedals and Plugins
Electro-Harmonix POG
DigiTech Whammy WH-1
Dunlop Tom Morello Cry Baby
Neural DSP Archetype: Tom Morello plugin (played on “Unconquered” solo, “Adjourn It,” “Untethered” solo, and “atmospheric stuff”)
Roman Morello’s Gear
Guitars
Fender Tom Morello Soul Power Stratocaster (played on “Everyone Gets Everything They Want”)
Fender Telecaster “Atlas Underground” (in drop D; played on “Adjourn It” and “Soldier in the Army of Love”)
Ibanez miKro (used on intro to “Date Night,” taken from demo, played through Positive Grid Spark GO)
Trussart T-style hollowbody (played on “Unconquered”)
Amps
Marshall JCM800 2205 50-watt head
Positive Grid Spark GO

https://www.premierguitar.com/features/gear-features/tom-and-roman-morello-fully-equipped

#romanmorello #tom #fender #getseverything #everyonegets #soulpower #atlasunderground #tele #want

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50 Synth Sounds and 70+ Instruments Without a MIDI Pickup | ...

2026-10-28T06:25:41Z

50 Synth Sounds and 70+ Instruments Without a MIDI Pickup | Melofty Axom Max

Melofty is a new name for most guitar players, and the Axom Max is a big first statement. The company calls it a hybrid audio processor, which in practice means an amp modeler, effects unit, guitar synth and audio interface sharing one floorboard.
Melofty
Axom Max
MELOFTY Axom Max is a Hybrid Audio Processor that combines amp modeling, synthesis, instrument modeling, AI-powered tone generation, and professional recording capabilities in a single platform, bringing together a broad range of tools for tone shaping, sound exploration, and music production.
Axom Max features MELOFTY’s proprietary MFIM (Multidimensional Fusion Inverse Modeling) technology, which precisely analyzes the sonic characteristics and dynamic responses of classic amplification and audio equipment to achieve highly realistic and flexible digital tone reconstruction. Its DeepSynth technology requires no MIDI pickup, providing more than 50 electronic synthesizer tones and 70+ instrument models inspired by instruments from both Eastern and Western musical traditions. This allows guitarists to move beyond conventional guitar sounds and explore a broader range of musical expression.
The Axom Max includes 880+ professional tone resources and supports expansion through the NAM A2 open tone ecosystem. It also features an 8-in/8-out professional audio interface, a 60-minute looper, and a 7-inch high-definition color touchscreen. Its intuitive graphical interface allows users to quickly edit tones, manage signal chains, and configure performance settings, making complex audio processing functions easy to control.
Street price
$1499
Learn more
Buy now
&width

https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/pg-plays/50-synth-sounds-and-70-instruments-without-a-midi-pickup-melofty-axom-max

#midi

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Recording Dojo: What Is Phantom Power? There’s a little button ...

2026-10-28T05:52:08Z

Recording Dojo: What Is Phantom Power?

There’s a little button on nearly every modern mixing console marked +48V. On a live sound desk, it may be tucked into the channel settings; on a small recording interface, it might be the only button besides gain and monitor controls. This is phantom power: a clever way to run a microphone’s electronics without a separate power cable. Its name may sound mysterious, but its engineering is beautifully practical.
Life Before +48V
Remember, there are many different types of microphones. But by far the three most common are ribbon, dynamic, and condenser. It is the latter of these that really drove the development of phantom power. As transistorized microphones arrived in the 1960s, designers found they could supply power over ordinary balanced microphone wiring. From there, through a process of simple evolution, the various designs and voltage schemes gradually coalesced into the +48V standard we know today.
Put simply, condenser microphones require electrical power. Their capsules and internal electronics cannot just be plugged into a passive input and expected to work. Early condenser designs, which often used vacuum tubes, required an external power supply. This meant—and still means—connecting a specialized cable from the mic to the power supply, then running a standard XLR cable from the power supply to the equipment receiving the signal. This is still the case today with both vintage and modern professional large-diaphragm condenser mics, such as the U47, 251, or C12.
That said, certain modern active ribbon microphones, as well as some dynamic microphones with built-in electronics, also need external power, so each microphone’s manual is the final authority.
Caution: Passive ribbon mics deserve special care. A properly wired connection should not put DC across the ribbon, but faulty cables, mis-wired adapters, or making connection changes while phantom power is already on can remove that protection. Hence the old safety-first guideline: Never use +48V with a passive ribbon mic, and leave phantom power off whenever the microphone does not require it. Active ribbon mics, on the other hand, are designed to use phantom power.
What is +48V?
In short, it’s 48 volts of direct current. The + describes the positive DC voltage applied to both audio conductors—pins 2 and 3 of a conventional three-pin XLR connection, with pin 1 serving as the ground and completing the electrical circuit. Interestingly, the audio signal effectively ignores this voltage, allowing +48V and the audio signal to share the same cable. It does not mean that the audio signal itself is 48 volts, and it has nothing to do with a mic’s output level or the gain setting on a preamp. The power is there on the cable, but because the same voltage is applied to both audio conductors, it is effectively invisible to the differential audio signal. Hence the term “phantom” power.
“Never use +48V with a passive ribbon mic, and leave phantom power off whenever the microphone does not require it.”
Where the Power Comes From
In a live PA, the mixing console or stage box commonly sends phantom power to condenser microphones onstage. In a studio, the recording console or microphone preamp does the same. In a desktop setup, an audio interface with a phantom-capable XLR mic input usually supplies it.
Keep in mind that controls vary by device. One console may offer a separate +48V switch for every channel, while another may switch a group of inputs together. On an interface, a single button may cover multiple mic inputs. Know which inputs the control affects before turning it on, especially in a setup that mixes condensers, passive ribbons, and other equipment.
Best Practice
When connecting mics, make sure your monitors and headphone levels are completely down and/or muted. This helps avoid loud pops that can damage your speakers and your ears. Bring each channel’s gain all the way down, and connect all mics before switching phantom power on or off.
If a condenser is silent, +48V is one of the first things to check. If an unfamiliar ribbon, adapter, or vintage microphone is on the stand, identify its power requirements before pressing the button.
Phantom power made the condenser microphone easier to use just about everywhere: on a vocal in a bedroom, above a drum kit, at a broadcast desk, or across a stage full of microphones.
Until next time, namaste.

https://www.premierguitar.com/columns/diy/recording-dojo-what-is-phantom-power

#phantompower #passive #xlr

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Vintage Vault: Abomination or Masterpiece? Place a 1937 and 1979 ...

2026-10-25T17:13:22Z

Vintage Vault: Abomination or Masterpiece?

Place a 1937 and 1979 Martin D-28 side by side—which is the true heirloom-quality instrument? The obvious answer, you would think, is the prized 1937 D-28. But… maybe the 1979 D-28 was dad’s beloved guitar, and it brings back memories of him picking “After the Gold Rush” or “Blackberry Blossom.” Maybe dad refinished the top and glued on his name and a new pickguard. Maybe those modifications are what make it so special.
In the 1970s, vintage guitars started circulating among a handful of folks with an appreciation for great used instruments. George Gruhn, Norman Harris, Stan Jay and “Hap” Kuffner, Fred Oster, Matt Umanov, Stan Werbin, Harry West, and others hunted for clean, original examples and did the hands-on research that laid the groundwork for where we are today. This coincided with a not-so-golden era of guitar manufacturing, when established American brands worked to increase revenue by quickly pumping out as many instruments as possible—in turn decreasing the overall quality and appeal of the finished products. This was the era of pancake bodies, three-bolt necks, active electronics, large and goofy pegheads, Indian instead of Brazilian rosewood, Rotomatic tuners installed on anything with strings, bullet truss rods, thick plastic finishes, and bridges glued in the wrong spot.
Before we opened our shop, we both worked at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. George seems to have mellowed with age, much like a fine vintage instrument settling into excellent, mostly all-original condition, but earlier models of the Gruhn didn't mince words about pretty much any guitar made in the 1970s, or about his true nemesis: modifications to pre-1970 vintage instruments. Here are a few things we've heard him say about modified guitars:
“It’s ruined!”
“It’s an abomination!"
And the classic: “Your grandfather was an idiot!”
Lucky for George, he has always employed a small army of luthiers who spend countless hours bringing instruments back to their former glory respectfully.
It’s safe to assume some of today’s vintage buyers have shifted away from George’s opinions—our shop has found new homes for a lot of player-grade and bizarre vintage gear, as well as droves of great ’70s guitars. But his opinion still informs ours. If it’s vintage and original, do your best to preserve it. But if you’re eyeballing a guitar from the ’70s, don't be afraid to make it your own. It might become your number one until you’re vintage.
“In the 1970s, vintage guitars started getting traded around by a handful of folks with an appreciation for great used instruments.”
Guitar companies (and shop owners) have also long expressed sincere fears that people are going to fall out of love with guitars and replace them with something more modern. In the late 1970s, amid the rise of synths, Gibson worked directly with the king of them, Bob Moog, since his company was also part of the Norlin Corporation.
The model name RD is decidedly corporate in origin—it’s an abbreviation for Research and Development. Gibson researched, developed, and then briefly offered three RD models from 1977 to 1979: the RD Artist, with Moog-designed electronics and fancy bindings/inlays; the RD Custom, with less complex electronics/appointments; and the RD Standard, with passive electronics and dot inlays. People describe all three versions as either unique and underrated or undesirable and ugly. A guitar’s beauty and functionality is clearly in the eye of the beholder.
A 1978 RD Artist has been at our shop for a while. The Fireburst finish and winged-F pearl headstock inlay stand out in a crowd. It’s cool. Customers play it, talk about it, and then leave without it. Recently, we had a 1977 RD Standard for sale for just 24 hours. The neck and body were reshaped and refinished in a color we named Slime Green. We removed the active pickups and installed two Dunable Direwolf humbuckers. It was shipped out with a nice woody growl that rips through a high-gain amplifier.
We also have a wild 1956 Gibson Les Paul Special next to two Les Paul Juniors—a mostly original sunburst single-cutaway from 1956, and a refinished/reworked cherry-red double-cutaway from 1958. Someone converted the Les Paul Special to a lefty model by modifying it to an asymmetrical double-cutaway shape, and relocating the wiring harness to the other side of the body and the toggle switch to the center (!!!). The body was sprayed over in an off-yellow color, but the neck retains its original Limed Mahogany “TV Yellow” finish. Then it was switched back to right-handed. Empty holes are still in the body, and the list of mods is longer, but we suspect this quirky Les Paul will sell before the other two vintage Lesters.
With all due respect to the folks who got us all here, in 2026 we’re honestly happy to appreciate these vintage instruments for what they are. One question remains, though: Once you take something this far, how do you know when to stop? Should we leave the holes in the top of the Les Paul Special’s body open in case someone wants to switch it back to left-handed… again? Our best guess is this guitar sounds so good because the body was weight-relieved long before Gibson decided to offer that feature. Though it has been devalued, it sounds like a million bucks!
As for the RD Standard, we replaced the replacement pickups in the guitar, and to us it sounded better as a result. Now that this abomination of an RD has found a new home, what will someone do to it—or with it—next?

https://www.premierguitar.com/columns/gear-talk/vintage-vault-abomination-or-masterpiece

#abomination #guitars #george #gruhn #blackberryblossom #goldrush #maybe #stanwerbin #stanjay #fredoster

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Wizard of Odd: A Sudden Flash On the immediate, unshakable ...

2026-10-24T19:00:57Z

Wizard of Odd: A Sudden Flash

On the immediate, unshakable feeling that hits when a guitar chooses you.
Once upon a time, I knew this woman who had an incredible story. She claimed to be the only person to have ever been hit by lightning while driving in a moving car! Now, I don’t know if that’s even possible, but once you got to know her, she would tell the tale. Man, everyone knew her story about being hit with a lightning bolt, and she told the story with such conviction that she was believable. She might’ve even been struck twice? I dunno…
This leads me to tell you all that I have a long-standing theory about such sudden flashes. I call it the “Thunderbolt” theory, basically because it sounds cooler than “lightning bolt” and it pays homage to the old Supro Thunderbolt amps, which I adore. By definition, a thunderbolt is a “single flash of lightning accompanied by a loud crash of thunder, or metaphorically, a sudden, shocking, and unexpected event.” So, have you ever been hit by a thunderbolt? Once? Twice? Many times? It could be a first love, or a new car. But man, when that thunderbolt hits you, based on my theory, you just need to heed its call. A thunderbolt is going to make you forget all else and just love on that person or thing because somehow, everything clicked, and now you’re smitten. And it’s an instant feeling. A sudden flash!
I’ve been hit by the guitar bolt a few times, and I remember each one vividly. Like my first Jag-Stang, which I thought (at the time) was the finest guitar I’d ever held. Or the time I missed out on buying a rare Supro Tri Tone, an experience that had me feeling ill for a day or two. Over time there have been guitars and people who have moved me to feel a certain way, but it’s nothing like the thunderbolt. Let me explain, good people.
Last summer, when I was resetting my health and trying to live clean and simply, I happened upon this little guitar that was hidden among stock in a music store in North Carolina. I was walking around and noticed this gold glittery thing, and every time I glanced over, I became a little more interested. The details of it screamed out to me, but since I’m not buying many guitars anymore, I just ignored it in the moment. But the next morning, this guitar was still on my mind. First thing! I kept thinking about the offset lines and the gold/redburst combination finish. So, a few days later, I made the trek back down south to buy this oddity. I had no choice, really. I was hit by the thunderbolt!
Who made this guitar? Who knows? It stands within a super-bizarre family of guitars that often featured strange-looking pickups, carved aluminum pickguards, and loco headstock designs. Similar guitars were obviously made at the same factory in Japan, circa 1966, but I could never figure it out. Sometimes that’s okay because it adds to the intrigue.
The tremolo is a copy of a copy. The odd slide switches work fine but can begin sliding—even if you don’t bump them! The pickups are incredible, even though the guitar is sort of clunky and not well balanced. Of course, being hit by the thunderbolt has you overlooking flaws because you’re simply in love. And you know what? I’m still smitten by this instrument.
“Being hit by the thunderbolt has you overlooking flaws because you're simply in love.”
In the end, I was able to get a Supro Tri Tone, but I sold it because the feeling didn’t last. It just wasn’t the same as the first time I saw one. I also sold my Jag-Stang, and then, miraculously, I found it again and bought it back! As for this strange guitar, it’s still with me, because, you know, the thunderbolt!

https://www.premierguitar.com/columns/gear-talk/wizard-of-odd-a-sudden-flash

#suddenflash #thunderbolt #odd #once #suprothunderbolt #first

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Going Deeper: How String Makers Are Evolving for the ...

2026-10-23T18:18:56Z

Going Deeper: How String Makers Are Evolving for the Extended-Range Era

We’re living in a golden age of innovation for extended-range guitar. These days, there are more ways than ever to fine-tune and experiment—whether you’re playing a 7- or 8-string, cranking down to extreme drop tunings, utilizing specialized pickups or multi-scale designs, or chasing the sonic subtleties of particular string brands. We spoke to five top manufacturers for insights into the creation and refinement of their flagship products.
Ernie Ball
8-String Regular Slinky (P02629)
Ernie Ball’s extended-range history dates back to 1992, when they introduced their first set for 5-string bass. From there, the pace was fairly steady: a 6-string bass set a few years later, the 7-string Slinky guitar sets by 2000, and baritone gauges shortly after. “One clear signpost came in the early 2010s when we saw other manufacturers move quickly from 8-string to 9-string instruments,” says Chris Harrington, director of Operations & Innovation. “[This showed us that] extended range wasn't a passing trend but an accelerating one. We introduced our first 8-string set in 2012, followed by our first 9-string set just two years later.”
Another major turning point came in 2021: The company created a signature Music Man Majesty 8-string model for Dream Theater wizard John Petrucci, paired with a set of Regular Slinky strings (P02629) for optimized performance.
"Because tension alone doesn’t tell the whole story, development involved trial and error, which John validated when confirming the final gauges,” Harrington says. “We also use proprietary methods and tools to evaluate factors beyond tension, ensuring the set feels and sounds consistent across all strings. Lastly, we have the advantage of listening to our large family of artists to understand what matters most to players. Many of our set expansions over the years, including our extended range options, have been directly informed by these relationships and the solutions we’ve generated together.”
Ernie Ball’s philosophy in the extended-range space is to “build with users rather than guess what they want”—a support process that partly involves working through string needs beyond their current sets. “These conversations are often where our insight into future offerings comes from, as we see a need firsthand and develop a solution for it, which at times leads to an eventual product offering,” Harrington says. “Over the past 34 years, we have continued to expand our extended-range offerings, and I don't see that stopping anytime soon.”
Street price
$15.99
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Cleartone Strings
Heavy Series
Cleartone emerged in the early 2000s, just as nu-metal, metalcore, and post-hardcore guitarists were helping reimagine the dynamics of “heavy guitar.” The company recognized these shifts—the lower tunings, the increased string attack, the proliferation of extended-range instruments—and aimed to become part of that creative conversation. “From the beginning, we developed a proprietary manufacturing process called Super High Tension Winding,” company president Mike Loscalzo says. “We also custom-built our winding machines to apply precise, controlled tension as each string is made—an approach that was far from the industry norm at the time. Every wound guitar string contains hundreds of individual wraps, and we believe every one of them matters.” They went one step further with their Heavy Series, which uses a thicker core-to-wrap ratio to increase tension and structural strength, control excess string movement, and improve tuning stability, intonation, and note definition in those monstrous lower tunings.
“We’re constantly blown away by each new generation of guitarists pushing the instrument’s limits—tuning lower, developing more aggressive techniques, and creating sounds that didn’t exist when we began,” says Cleartone vice president Scott Sciacca. “As guitar manufacturers continue to develop more extended-range and longer-scale instruments, we’ve expanded and refined our offerings with more gauge options. We’ve also made baritone-compatible string length standard across all our electric sets, so players don’t need to purchase a custom or specially designed set to accommodate a longer-scale instrument. But at our core, we remain true to the same purpose Cleartone was founded on: making strings that resist breakage, stay in tune, last longer, and keep pace with the evolving demands of today’s players—and the next generation.”
Street price
$16.99
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D’Addario
NYHD and XT Series
D’Addario have been around since 1973, through decades of string evolution. As extended-range guitars have become more prominent, they’ve responded by adding heavier-gauge strings to their XL series, introducing their NYXL line, and, in 2025, launching a program that allows players to customize sets for 7-, 8-, and 9-string guitars.
“We were very involved with the rising popularity of genres like djent and prog-metal that were pushing ERG instruments to their limit,” says Gabriel Sebastian, the company’s fretted product manager. “Feedback from the pioneers in that space helped define our first-generation ERG strings, which were sized to accommodate longer scale lengths and lower tunings. From there we continued to work with and learn from major guitar brands that were expanding their portfolios to cover extended range, along with smaller boutique guitar brands finding popularity with these segments.”
Two noteworthy string lines are the NYXL09564SB and NYXL0984SB,part of a joint effort withSwedish guitar/bass manufacturer Strandberg. “[Founder] Ola Strandberg reached out a few years after NYXL was launched,” Sebastian says. “He liked them and wanted to collaborate to offer them on his headless, muti-scale, extended-range guitars. This was a great opportunity to learn from an innovative industry leader.”
Artists have also been crucial to D’Addario’s philosophy and design. “Aaron Marshall from [prog-metal band] Intervals has had an immense effect,” Sebastian notes. “He reached out to us and asked, ‘Can you make a 7-string set that plays like it was meant for guitar, rather than a 6-string set with an extra heavy string?’ He and his contemporaries in the ERG space helped us understand what players were reaching for musically, what they wanted to get out of their instruments, and the string-related problems that needed to be solved.”
Then there’s Pat Metheny: “Yes, the jazz virtuoso,” Sebastian says. “Soon after we made modifications to our NYXL ERG strings, Pat came to us with an even more extreme request: ‘Make me a string for my 25.5" scale 6-string that allows me to tune the low E to E1 (a full octave lower) and has great harmonics, without the string being monstrously huge.’ That felt like an impossible ask. However, we were able to lean on our experience designing strings for cello and extended range electric violins to create a string Pat was happy with.
“These cross-instrument learnings are what make D’Addario a leading innovator,” Sebastian continues. “We can leverage orchestral string technology in fretted string designs, and vice versa. Which leads us to HD strings. We realized that we could take this even further by combining the Metheny experience with Aaron’s insight. That is how these series of High-Density strings came to be. So djent-y 9-string players can thank jazz for these strings.”
Street price
$19.99
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Dunlop
BIG1268 (Drop Bb), DEN1156DC (Drop C), DEN1156DB (Drop B), JRN1156DB (Drop B)
Dunlop is so attuned to the needs of guitarists that employ drop tunings that they’ve collaborated with artists to develop gauge combinations with those specific tunings in mind. They even identify them on the packaging. “We already have signature down-tuned sets from artists like [In Flames’] Björn Gelotte and [Slipknot’s] Jim Root,” says Frank Aresti, the company’s product manager of accessories. “But we’ve also expanded the lineup where we saw gaps, giving players more purpose-built options rather than expecting them to piece together their own sets.”
Their ultimate aim, regardless of gauge, is “true balance,” both under the fingers and in the ears. “I also want to distinguish that concept from the ‘balanced tension’ approach that some of our competitors promote,” Aresti adds. “While balanced tension focuses primarily on the measured pull of each string, our goal is a more holistic playing experience that considers both feel and tonal balance.”
To maintain that direct connection, Dunlop pays close attention to the daily challenges of working guitarists and the customer feedback passed along from dealers. “Those two groups are closely connected, because players often walk into a store looking to recreate the sound or setup of their favorite guitarist,” Aresti says. “Sometimes they’re asking, ‘How can I get the same tone as my favorite player?’ Other times it’s as simple as, ‘What strings should I use for Drop C?’ We've tried to remove the guesswork by offering purpose-built sets and clearly labeling many of them with the tuning they’re designed for, making it much easier for players to choose the right strings with confidence.”
Street price
$10.99
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DR Strings
Dragon Skin+, Veritas, and DDT
Founded in 1989, DR have developed into one of the game’s most reputable brands, with their strings used by celebrated guitarists like Derek Trucks, Jared James Nichols, and, before their deaths, Dimebag Darrell and Johnny Winter. But they’ve also become staples among purveyors of heavier music, including Fredrik Thordendal and Mårten Hagström of extreme metal band Meshuggah and John Browne of prog-djent act Monuments. The company’s Vice President, Dave Avenius, highlights three string lines—Dragon Skin+, Veritas, and DDT—built using Accurate Core Technology. ACT primes the core wire to create more dynamic vibrations, improve tuning stability and intonation, reduce breakage, and add extra protection against tone-stifling dirt and sweat. (The company says DDT were the first strings on the market made specifically to support players who use drop tunings.)
“We believe that [they’re] especially great for players who use drop tunings, play extended scale instruments, or use 7- or 8-string guitars,” Avenius says. “Making a string bigger helps, but ACT upgrades the architecture of the strings, so they reproduce the lowest notes of your instrument with great tone and note-to-note definition, so you bring out the most from your guitar. Dragon Skin+ also features our K3 coating. This is a patented process by which we coat the outer wrap wire before we wind it around the core. This approach allows each part of the string to function properly, and the string can ring out pure and true. Everyone at DR is excited by all the players pushing the musical boundaries with drop tunings, extended scales, and 7- or 8-string guitars. We hope these artists will try our strings and hear and feel the benefits for themselves. As we like to say: DR—the Difference is Real."
Street price
$11.99
Learn more
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https://www.premierguitar.com/features/gear-features/how-string-makers-are-evolving-for-the-extended-range-era

#ernieball #regularslinky #harrington #cleartonestrings #john #johnpetrucci

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NUX C-58RC, C-7, and B-8S Wireless Demo | PG Plays Wireless has ...

2026-10-23T17:45:04Z

NUX C-58RC, C-7, and B-8S Wireless Demo | PG Plays

Wireless has reached the point where most players can’t hear the difference, so the more interesting question is what else the box can do while it’s working. PG contributor Tom Butwin details three new solutions from NUX: the C-58RC instrument system, the C-7 stereo in-ear monitor rig, and the B-8S, a beltpack-and-pedal setup that doubles as a DI, tuner, boost, and effects loop. Each offers automatic and manual pairing and ships in a charging case or charges magnetically through its receiver.
The C-58RC covers guitar and bass with active and passive modes, a cable-tone setting, one-touch reconnect, and a built-in tuner with mute and a flippable screen. Its case delivers roughly three full recharges. The C-7 turns wired earphones into a stereo monitoring rig with five EQ presets, one-touch frequency hopping, support for multiple receivers off a single transmitter, and 18 hours of total runtime.
The B-8S uses 1 MHz narrowband transmission for more usable channels in a crowded room, and its pedal receiver charges the beltpack while handling balanced DI, send and return, buffer, boost, and a 2.4" color screen that rotates for different board layouts. A ground lift and a 1/4" input on the side mean it still works wired if the connection ever drops.
NUX C-58RC Wireless System
Plug-and-play guitar/bass wireless with active/passive switching, Cable Tone, built-in tuner, and a 3,000 mAh magnetic charging case. Coming soon.
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NUX C-7 Wireless In-Ear Monitor System
Stereo/mono wireless IEM with five in-ear EQ presets, one-to-many pairing, and 18+ hours of total runtime from its charging case.
Street price
$$199
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NUX B-8S Wireless Guitar System
Beltpack transmitter plus pedal receiver with tuner, boost, buffer, DI out, effects loop, and a 2.4" color display.
Street price
$$249
Learn more
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https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/pg-plays/nux-c-58rc-c-7-and-b-8s-wireless-demo-pg-plays

#nux

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Reader Guitar of the Month: A Deep Blues-Rock Tone Machine ...

2026-10-22T22:17:27Z

Reader Guitar of the Month: A Deep Blues-Rock Tone Machine

Reader: Matt Swanton
Hometown: Shirley, MA
Guitar: Wanita
For a while now, I’ve been chasing the perfect guitar to use in my writing as a blues artist. I’ve grown fond of guitars with neck-through construction, though I’ve struggled to find the right one since many neck-through guitars on the market are 24-fret shred machines better suited for metal or heavier genres. Because I work primarily in the blues and classic rock, neck-pickup tone is really important to me, and moving the neck pickup closer to the bridge to make room for two extra frets can change the sound significantly. But aside from the Gibson Firebird, options for 22-fret neck-through guitars are pretty slim.
A little less than a decade ago, I met a luthier by the name of Michael McCarten while playing a gig in Gardner, MA. After striking up a conversation, I started going to see him for the occasional repair job. Every time I went to his shop, I’d see some really cool double-cutaway guitars he built called the DC-13. Each one of them is completely unique, with different custom details related to a theme or the guitarist it was meant for. After a few years of wondering what I’d come up with if I had the money to afford one, I decided it was time. Michael graciously agreed to make my guitar with a 25.5" scale instead of his usual 24 3/4", as well as indulge my request for neck-through construction rather than a standard set neck.
I’ve decided to name this guitar “Wanita,” for no other reason than it just sounded right. The body consists of a figured claro walnut top, a chambered walnut back, and a layer of maple in between to give it a stylish contrast line—especially when it’s exposed at the German carve along the edge. The neck is quarter-sawn maple with layers of walnut, and the fretboard is ebony. The fretboard inlays are blocks of flamed maple inserted into a rectangular section of copper that used to be waveguide piping. The whole guitar has been finished with tung oil for a smooth finish that doesn't stick like gloss.
For pickups, I went with a Gretsch-inspired HSS type of approach, with a TV Jones Power’Tron in the bridge and T-Armonds in the neck and middle position. It’s wired like Peter Frampton’s Les Paul, where the selector switch sees just the bridge and neck pickup, which are connected to a single set of volume and tone pots, while the middle pickup is hitched to the second set of volume and tone controls. This enables unique pickup combinations—I can use the bridge and neck pickups alone or together, and blend in the middle pickup at various volume and tone settings. It adds up to a lot of voices. A Schaller roller bridge, a U.S.-made Bigsby B5, and Grover imperial tuners help make it feel tight, smooth, and together, too. But the whole guitar plays like a dream.

https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/reader-guitar-of-the-month/rgotm-a-deep-blues-rock-tone-machine

#guitar #tone #mattswanton #swantonhometown #gibsonfirebird

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DiMarzio Introduces Chopper T Neck and Cruiser T Neck Pickups ...

2026-10-22T21:42:55Z

DiMarzio Introduces Chopper T Neck and Cruiser T Neck Pickups

DiMarzio has launched a pair of Tele-style neck pickups: the Chopper T Neck and Cruiser T Neck.
They retain a familiar metal cover that has adorned Telecaster neck pickups for 75 years, but that's where the similarities end.
The new DiMarzio pickups combine neodymium magnets and twin-blade hum-canceling coils. They’re designed to optimize the magnetic field and deliver better string-to-string balance, even when notes are bent. The result? Higher output, faster transients, and a lower noise floor than traditional T-style neck pickups.
The Chopper T Neck has clear highs, and the midrange and lows are punchy without muddiness. It’s an overall balanced tone, and the pickup has an output resistance of 6.52k.
The Cruiser T Neck's harmonic overtones are right where you'd expect them to be from a "true" single coil. The midrange is open and its top end chime offers clarity without harshness. The Cruise T Neck delivers a brighter tone and its output resistance is 3.58k.
Both pickups feature 4-conductor wiring and DiMarzio’s PCB quick-connect baseplates for easy installation with no modifications required.
Both pickups are available in four color options – chrome, unplated nickel, gold and black. For black and chrome finishes you can also choose between a metal cover with the DiMarzio logo or a classic, logo-free look.
Street price for chrome and unplated nickel is $119; street price for black and gold is $126. For more information visit DiMarzio.com.
DiMarzio
Chopper T Neck and Cruiser T Neck
DiMarzio has launched a pair of Tele-style neck pickups: the Chopper T Neck and Cruiser T Neck.
Learn more
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https://www.premierguitar.com/news/dimarzio-introduces-chopper-t-neck-and-cruiser-t-neck-pickups

#neck #neckpickups #chopper #neckdimarzio #both #telecaster #street

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Last Call: The Coolest Guy in the Room One of the best things ...

2026-10-22T21:07:00Z

Last Call: The Coolest Guy in the Room

One of the best things about being a musician is the people you get to play and work with. Our group is made up of the most interesting outliers in the world. Of all those I’ve been lucky enough to know, undoubtedly the coolest guy in every room was my employer, mentor, and friend Jon Small.
Jon spent his entire life at the center of the zeitgeist. When Jon was a teen working one Sunday in the drum department at Manny’s Music on West 48th Street in Manhattan, his boss told him to assemble an oyster black pearl Ludwig Downbeat drum kit and walk it over, piece by piece, to the Ed Sullivan Theater. That night, Ringo used that kit to change the world.
When Jon’s band the Hassles parted ways with their keyboardist, the drummer went looking for a replacement and recruited a fellow Long Islander, Billy Joel, to see if he was interested in the gig. Billy turned it down until Jon, using his persuasion superpowers—as well as his Manny’s employee discount—promised Billy a Hammond B3 organ with a Leslie cabinet, and closed the deal.
As the Hassles began to disintegrate, Jon and Billy formed a new band, Attila, in 1969, perhaps the only organ/drum metal duo in history. They quickly landed a deal on Epic. Joel's 2005 box set, My Lives, featured one offering from that band: "Amplifier Fire, Part 1 (Godzilla)," a nasty metal jam co-written by Jon and Billy.
The recent documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes perfectly illustrates what an amazing person Jon was. In the early days, Joel was adrift and battling depression. Jon invited him to live at his place with his wife and son, and while living there, Joel began a relationship with (and later married) Jon’s wife, Elizabeth Weber Small. Jon said it was like losing his “two best friends,” leading to a period of estrangement. Despite the betrayal, Jon forgave Billy, and the two went on to share a successful working partnership and lifelong friendship.
During the split, Jon worked as a session and live drummer for a ton of acts around New York. He was the go-to rock drummer whose energy lifted the spirits of everyone on the stage and in the crowd.
After a motorcycle accident ended his drumming career, Jon moved behind the camera. He founded Picture Vision Pictures and went on to direct or produce hundreds of music videos and concert films.
Working during the MTV boom of the early 1980s, he’s credited with shaping the format through innovative concepts, including the 1986 video for Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” where he came up with the wall-breaking visual that came to symbolize the rap-rock crossover.
“Jon spent his entire life at the center of the zeitgeist.”
His other work includes a long run of Billy Joel videos, among them “Uptown Girl,” “Tell Her About It,” “Baby Grand,” and “The Night Is Still Young.” He also worked as a director, producer, or executive producer on Joel concert films including Live at Yankee Stadium (1990) and Live at Shea Stadium (2011). He had a similarly long relationship with Garth Brooks, directing the videos for “The Red Strokes” and “Standing Outside the Fire.” With Brooks he also made Live from Central Park (1997), Yankee Stadium Live (2016), and Live at Notre Dame (2018). Other videos he worked on include Reba McEntire’s “Whoever’s in New England” and “Does He Love You,” Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All,” and his final major directing credit, co-helming Luke Combs and Eric Church’s “Does to Me” with Trey Fanjoy. He also made concert films for the Highwaymen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and James Taylor.
In 2003, Jon took a chance on me and hired me to lead the band on Nashville Star, a country talent show that debuted on USA (and later moved to NBC) the year after American Idol launched. That job changed my life. Over six seasons, the show produced Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Chris Young, and all three are still major country stars today.
Jon taught me lessons that have guided me ever since. The first is to be kind to everybody. The second is to hire good people and then trust them. Give them direction and step back, and if something goes off the rails, give them some perspective instead of micromanaging. He also told me not to worry about work: Do good work and work will find you. The gig isn’t your security; you are your own security. He believed in keeping the work fun, especially when it got stressful and difficult. And he taught me that forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. Those lessons carried me through 20 years of leading bands on television.
Although Jon left this realm on September 4 of this year, his influence is evident throughout our industry. I’m certain that, in the next life, he will remain the coolest guy in the room.

https://www.premierguitar.com/columns/advice/last-call-the-coolest-guy-in-the-room

#coolestguy #jon #billyjoel #call #room #jonsmall #manny #hassles #sullivantheater #ludwigdownbeat

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The Digital Amp That Won Over Bonamassa Fender has unveiled the ...

2026-10-22T20:32:38Z

The Digital Amp That Won Over Bonamassa

Fender has unveiled the Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition, the first signature amplifier in Fender’s Tone Master series, created in close collaboration with blues-rock guitarist and longtime Fender artist Joe Bonamassa. Inspired by Bonamassa’s prized late-’50s high-powered tweed Twin amps — a mainstay of his touring and studio rig — the new model brings the sound and response of his vintage originals together with the versatility and functionality of Fender’s modern Tone Master platform.
“I wanted to hate it,” said Joe Bonamassa. “We’re all in agreement that this amp was tighter, punchier, and better. I never thought I’d see in my lifetime the fact that I’d be sitting next to a digital amp. Sound makes you play. Sound inspires you to play. You just need to know how to unlock the sound you hear in your head and get it out.”
Powered by Fender’s Tone Master modeling technology, this signature amplifier combines the character of Bonamassa’s beloved vintage tube amps with the convenience and versatility of modern engineering. The 2x12” ‘59 Twin delivers crystalline cleans that transform into aggressive, distinctive overdrive when pushed into its sweet spot. A six-way power attenuator makes those tones accessible at bedroom-friendly volumes, while the amp can reach up to 85W for the stage. Celestion JB Neodymium Speakers deliver an expansive frequency range, and onboard controls including a vintage/tight switch, line output with level control, ground lift and three-way cabinet simulator let players further shape their tone.
Key Features Include:
• Joe Bonamassa Signature Tone: Based on the legendary Fender 5F8-A "high-powered" tweed Twin circuit and voiced after Joe Bonamassa's own prized late-'50s amps, delivering bold cleans and rich, dynamic overdrive.
• Dual Celestion JB Neodymium Speakers: Custom-designed lightweight 12" speakers capture the punch, warmth and articulation of Joe's touring rig while reducing overall weight.
• Stage-to-Home Power Control: A rear-panel output selector provides full power plus five attenuated settings, making the iconic high-power tweed Twin tone accessible at any volume.
• Premium Modern Performance: Features top-panel convolution spring reverb, an effects loop for time-based effects and a rear-panel "Vintage-Tight" switch for enhanced low-end response.
•Studio-Ready Connectivity: Balanced XLR line out with three onboard cabinet impulse responses, plus fully customizable speaker IRs via the Tone Master IR Manager app for seamless recording and live performance.
Fender
Joe Bonamassa Tone Master '59 Twin 85-watt 2 x 12-inch Combo Amplifier
Extensively road- and studio-tested by the man himself, the Fender Joe Bonamassa Tone Master ‘59 Twin Amp authentically replicates the legendary “high-powered” Tweed Twin circuit in a lightweight, digitally driven form. Every sonic nuance of the original has been precisely emulated, granting you the raging overdrive, the brilliant cleans, and touch-sensitive dynamism of a historic 5F8-A twin at roughly half the weight. And while a ’50s-era Twin rises to window-shaking volumes before achieving overdrive, onboard power scaling allows for glassy edge-of-breakup tones and pushed power amp sag at far more manageable levels. You can even record or play through a PA via the XLR line-out and onboard IRs. Topside, the Joe Bonamassa Tone Master ‘59 Twin-Amp preserves the 3-band EQ, Presence control, and channel-jumpering capabilities of an old-school Tweed Twin, only with the benefit of a vintage-style convolution spring reverb. Additional modern enhancements include an effects loop to accommodate your time-based/modulation stompboxes, a versatile Vintage/Tight switch to firm up your low-end response, and two ultra-lightweight Celestion JB neodymium speakers fine-tuned to Joe’s taste. Whether you’re a die-hard JB fan or a tube purist looking to dive into the world of digital modeling, the Fender Tone Master ‘59 Twin-Amp modernizes one of the most sought-after amps in history without giving an inch when it comes to pure vintage tone.
Street price
$1999.99
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https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/first-look/the-digital-amp-that-won-over-bonamassa

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Amels Audio Launches With Osetra All-Tube Instrument DI The newly ...

2026-10-22T15:08:27Z

Amels Audio Launches With Osetra All-Tube Instrument DI

The newly launched Amels Audio has released Osetra, a direct-coupled all-tube instrument DI, as its debut product.
Audio designer Dave Amels’ new venture is an independent company making original hardware for musicians and recording studios. The Osetra DI is designed for use with electric guitar, bass, and pickup-equipped acoustic guitars, and comes first in an eye-grabbing, numbered 20-unit Founder's Tin Edition.
Osetra uses an original Class-A, transformerless circuit with no loop feedback. Its low-capacitance instrument input presents a 1 MΩ load, which helps preserve transients and contributes to a responsive playing feel. Measured response runs from 4 Hz into the megahertz range, with the observed upper limit set by the receiving microphone preamp. The tube B+ supply comes from 48 V phantom power, and the included universal-input 12 VDC adapter powers the filament.
Each Founder's Tin Edition unit is assembled at the bench and housed in a laser-cut caviar tin with sturgeon artwork. The Osetra product page (amelsaudio.com/osetra) hosts comparison videos and audio demos. These include level-matched bass and acoustic-guitar comparisons against familiar tube and FET DIs, plus standalone electric- and acoustic-guitar demos.
Amels Audio draws on founder Dave Amels' career in electronic musical instruments, mathematically modeled audio software, and analog recording equipment. Since the late 1980s, he has designed hardware and software for musicians and recording engineers, including at three companies he co-founded.
"Amels Audio gives me a place to invent and build the kinds of tools I want to use," said Amels. "They have to be technically serious, musically responsive, and useful in a working studio. Osetra is the first."
Osetra Founder's Tin Edition units 01–20 are available directly from Amels Audio for $425. Each comes with a universal-input 12 VDC filament adapter and a one-year parts-and-labor warranty. Initial sales are limited to the United States. For more information visit amelsaudio.com.
Amels Audio
Osetra
The newly launched Amels Audio has released Osetra, a direct-coupled all-tube instrument DI, as its debut product.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/amels-audio-launches-with-osetra-all-tube-instrument-di

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Rig Rundown: Iron Maiden Iron Maiden brought their Run for Your ...

2026-10-21T18:25:08Z

Rig Rundown: Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden brought their Run for Your Lives World Tour to Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, for two nights on September 5 and 6, and PG’s Perry Bean got backstage with techs Brent Diamond, Alan Sosa, and Colin Price to go through the rigs behind Steve Harris, Janick Gers, and Dave Murray. Have a look at some quick highlights below, and tune into the new Rig Rundown for all the details.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
The Only One
Harris has had this roughly 1971 Precision since the mid ’70s, right when Maiden was starting, and has played it at more or less every show the band has ever done. It’s had numerous paint jobs, the headstock logo is long gone, and the truss rod stopped being adjustable years ago—fortunately it’s sitting right where he wants it. Body and neck are otherwise stock apart from a Badass II bridge, his signature Seymour Duncans, and his signature Rotosound flatwounds (.050–.110), which he uses because he doesn’t like the noise rounds make when he slides. The tone knob is pulled out of the circuit entirely so it can’t get turned by accident.
Just in Case
A 1978 Precision is the designated backup, with a Harris signature model also out on the road, though both are there for emergencies rather part of the than rotation. Harris checks his tuning before the show, walks out, and the bass doesn’t come back to Diamond until the night’s over—even when there’s an acoustic in the set.
Built in ’81
A Shure Axient wireless runs four channels—three basses at the moment, plus the acoustic when it’s in the set—into a custom Cornish selector, which picks the active instrument, lets Diamond balance gain between them, and has meters for spotting where the signal is and isn’t. The Cornish is Harris’ second; the first was built in the ‘80s and this one dates to 2000.
Back to the Hiwatt
Harris settled on a Hiwatt NCA108 around 1981, but racking it didn’t take—it fell apart on the road—so he had Alectron build copies and ran those for 40-odd years. Then the originals turned up in a warehouse. Mark Dunn rebuilt them, rack-mountable this time, and Diamond says they edge out the Alectrons, though barely.
Heavyweights
Cambridge Audio SR707 amplifiers have been driving the rig since day one. Diamond says you don’t want to lift one, but they’re bulletproof. They push two stacks of Marshall 800-series 4x12s, beefed up beyond stock and loaded with EVM 12Ls—a guitar cab for bass, which Diamond admits is a little bizarre, and which Harris has run for as long as anyone there can remember.
Break Glass
A Tech 21 SH1 Steve Harris Signature SansAmp pedal handles the direct line to front of house. It exists because Michael Kenney, Harris’ tech at the time, worked with Tech 21 to get his rack tone into a stompbox for small British Lion club shows.
Tuner Loyalty
Harris tunes his own bass, and he does it on a Korg WT-12 that came out in 1980. It’s old enough to be unreliable—sometimes great, sometimes not—so there’s a second WT-12 onstage and another Korg beside it.
Gillan’s Gift
Gers’ number one is a Fender replica of a black Strat that Ian Gillan gave him. He played the original into the ‘90s, retired it, and had this one built; it was mint when it arrived and isn’t anymore. There’s a Duncan JB Jr. in the neck and bridge and a Hot Rails in the middle. Strings are .010–.046, and he likes swapping one for a lighter gauge— Sosa isn’t sure whether that’s about tension or superstition.
“Whitey”
Gers’ other main Strat, also from the ‘90s, has the same JB Jr. and Hot Rails setup. The tape on the back is there because he wears a bullet belt— Sosa figures it buys the finish a little time, though it’s going regardless.
A Real Trooper
Sandberg has built Gers a few guitars over the years. This one has three JB Jr. pickups, and it comes out for “The Trooper.” The body’s close to a classic Strat, but the bridge, the headstock, and the sculpted heel are all Sandberg’s own.
First Strat
Gers has had this Strat since roughly his first band, and Sosa says he doesn’t give it a break—most of the checking is real cracks in the wood rather than cosmetic crazing. The neck is new because the old one was past working on, and the guitar’s been apart and back together more times than anyone can say.
Janick Gers’ Rack
A Shure Axient True Wireless covers the three songs Gers wants to run around for; the rest of the night he’s on a cable. Both feed a Radial JX-44. A custom box that used to be the brain of the rig still earns its keep for its Tube Screamer, EQ, and a treble booster Sosa kicks in when Gers wants feedback at the end of a song.
Marshall Law
A Marshall JMP-1 is the main tone, a Marshall JFX-1 adds room reverb on rhythms plus delays, harmonies, and chorus, and a Marshall 9200 does the power. A Synergy setup with its own power amp covers the rest: a Bogner Ecstasy module for cleans, gain almost all the way down, and a Friedman for an alternate lead tone on “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” though both are placeholders until two more units arrive. Sosa does all the switching from a Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro.
Number One, Literally
Murray’s main guitar is a Stratocaster from Fender masterbuilder Andy Hicks in Olympic white with a walnut neck that Price says doesn’t move. It’s DM0001, the first of a 70-piece run Hicks has just completed, and Price’s had FU-Tone and titanium parts fitted throughout. Three Hicks builds are out on this tour. The pickups are the Dave Murray Seymour Duncan set—Hot Rails at neck and bridge, and a JB Jr. in the middle for the cleans on “Seventh Son,” “Hallowed,” and the middle section of “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” The big headstock and the Olympic white finish are both nods to Hendrix.
Kossoff Copy
A guitar from Fender masterbuilder Jason Smith based on Paul Kossoff’s Strat, which Murray has had since about 2010 and kept at home for years before it came back out last year for the older material. It started with a JB and a ‘59; Price has since experimented his way to two JBs and a JB Jr. in the middle. The bird’s-eye top and the zebra coils are the reason everyone stops to look at it.
Dave Murray’s Rig
Murray runs a Fractal Axe-Fx, which Price came to after subbing on Devin Townsend gigs. It started as a JMP model—Murray’s sound—and has grown to four or five amps for different songs. A stereo out feeds Murray’s in-ears, which Price describes as “Steely Dan” clean; another goes to front of house and out to two Marshall cabs onstage, dialed cleaner to keep things from getting swampy. There are also cabs because Harris and Bruce Dickinson still work off stage sound.

https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/rig-rundown/rig-rundown-iron-maiden

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New Fender Film Features J Mascis, Thurston Moore, and More ...

2026-10-21T17:09:17Z

New Fender Film Features J Mascis, Thurston Moore, and More Celebrating NYC Roots

Fender has released an original feature-length film capturing behind-the-scenes moments and performances with Dinosaur Jr. and friends across New York City, celebrating the community that has spawned some of indie rock’s defining artists.
The full-length film, The One. For New York., is now available on YouTube and features performances by Dinosaur Jr., Thurston Moore, Snail Mail, and more.
Punctuated by audacious music, gritty footage, and acidic humor, The One. For New York. attests to the city’s towering role in modern culture—as seen from a street-level vantage point.
Featured artists include:
Dinosaur Jr.
Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog
Steve Gunn
Thurston Moore Group (Thurston Moore, Steve Shelley, Deb Googe)
They Are Gutting a Body of Water
American Football
Snail Mail
The artists themselves acknowledge the crucial role NYC has played in their creative growth.
“New York was the first place we came where we had any fans or acceptance. We just kind of gravitated towards New York,” said J Mascis. “Starting a band I decided I wanted a Fender… I went to buy a Strat, but they had a Jaguar for $200 and Jazzmaster for $300. The neck felt better on the Jazzmaster; it was worn in like a baseball bat, so I just went for the Jazzmaster.”
“As far as Dinosaur Jr. getting welcomed in New York, I think a lot of it was predicated upon us welcoming them,” said Thurston Moore. “I mean, we really liked them. We brought them out on tour when we did a van tour across the USA with us. We were always championing them. They were always sort of like this little brother band to us.”
“I discovered Sonic Youth in high school, and it was sort of like my introduction to stuff that kind of fit outside of a mold that I understood at that point. And they just opened the door for me for my own guitar playing,” said Lindsey Jordan (Snail Mail). “I feel like there was life before Sonic Youth for me and then life after.”
“I think there's something like 70 languages currently spoken in New York. [A] byproduct of that is that there were a lot of different sounds,” said Marc Ribot. “I came down to New York, I realized this is where the work is. I didn't really know if I wanted to write songs or be a rock star. I didn't know what kind of guitarist even, but I knew I wanted to play guitar, and I knew this is where I could do it.”
“I fell in love with New York,” said Steve Gunn. “Even early on, I was always interested in expanding my palette of the guitar. From people like J and Thurston and other players who were using different tunings and capos and different frets, I feel like it really expanded your ear and limits of what a guitar can do.”
For more information visit Fender.com.

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/new-fender-film-features-j-mascis-thurston-moore-and-more-celebrating-nyc-roots

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PRS Guitars Introduces the Tekton, a Four-Model Family of Modern ...

2026-10-20T22:00:29Z

PRS Guitars Introduces the Tekton, a Four-Model Family of Modern Instruments

PRS Guitars has introduced the Tekton family of guitars, designed for the most technical of modern players. The four Tekton models each feature a new lightweight body shape, a thinner modern “D” neck, a 25.5" scale, a flatter 16" radius, stainless steel frets, wider string spacing, a bolt-on neck, and all-new Stylus pickups voiced to sound right through a tube amp or a digital rig.
Named for the Ancient Greek term meaning artisan or craftsman, the four models include the Tekton (hardtail bridge), Tekton T (PRS two-point tremolo), Tekton “Floyd” (Floyd Rose tremolo system), and Tekton SVN (seven string). The new family brings with it a fresh color palette to complete the contemporary product launch.
At the heart of the Tekton are PRS Stylus (Ancient Greek: an instrument used for writing) pickups, developed specifically for this family of guitars. Split or full humbucking, every position was designed to be equally useful on stage, in the studio, or at home. Built with Alnico 5 magnets and voiced for clarity, articulation, and character, Stylus pickups deliver aggressive tones without sacrificing note definition. While not “flat-response” pickups, they do have a flatter output than many other humbuckers to keep some character while catering more to digital gear. Whether paired with a traditional amplifier, a modern modeling system, or a complex recording setup, the Tekton delivers focused, musical tones that remain defined even under high gain.
The Tektons have the thinnest body and thinnest neck PRS has made in standard production, with 25.5” scale length. The new body style was created by finding a middle ground between the PRS flagship Custom 24 and the PRS offset Vela. The Tekton shape incorporates an exaggerated scoop for easy access to the upper frets, and a comfortable belly carve. The Tekton, Tekton T and Tekton SVN all featured highly figured mango tops and mahogany backs, while the Tekton “Floyd” is made with an all-alder body.
The fretboard features a 16” radius, stainless steel frets, and has a new, simple inlay design for PRS: offset dots. Additionally, Luminlay side dots help players keep their place on the board no matter the lighting environment. The fretboard is made from Indian ebony, a wood known to form mineral deposits as the tree grows. These deposits can sometimes appear as spots, streaks, or other variations in color. Lovingly referred to as “birthmarks” in the wood industry, these naturally occurring characteristics make every fretboard unique.
The neck is thin but with a near “D” shape so it doesn’t feel cramped. All four models are built with maple necks and ebony fretboards. The neck also features hormigo strength rods – similar to the carbon fiber rods PRS uses in acoustics and, most recently, in the Chleo signature model. These rods not only help with the stability of the neck, the added strength and rigidity are aimed at making a more resonant instrument.
The string spacing was also an important factor in the design process. The spacing on the Tekton models is the same as the Silver Sky and Fiore, which is a bit wider than PRS’s traditional spacing. This helps players with sweeping arpeggios and more precise pick attack.
“This is not just introducing a new model. We are planting a flag for a whole new family of guitars. Since day one, PRS has been built around a combination of player feedback and our experience as guitar makers. Listening to musicians while continually refining our craft has helped us create instruments that serve as tools for a wide range of players. Over the years, we have heard a growing call for more modern spec’d PRS guitars. The Tekton is our answer to that call,” said Jim Cullen, Director of Sales at PRS Guitars.
Street pricing for each model is as follows:
Tekton and Tekton T: $2899
Tekton Floyd and Tekton SVN: $2,999
'For more information visit prsguitars.com.
PRS Guitars
Tekton
PRS Guitars has introduced the Tekton family of guitars, designed for the most technical of modern players. The four Tekton models each feature a new lightweight body shape, a thinner modern “D” neck, a 25.5" scale, a flatter 16" radius, stainless steel frets, wider string spacing, a bolt-on neck, and all-new Stylus pickups voiced to sound right through a tube amp or a digital rig.
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/prs-guitars-introduces-the-tekton-a-four-model-family-of-modern-instruments

#guitarsintroduces #prsguitars #moderninstruments #tektonsvn #family #ancientgreek #prsstylus #floyd

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Meet PRS' Tekton: A Modern Metal Guitar The Tekton family of ...

2026-10-20T21:34:19Z

Meet PRS' Tekton: A Modern Metal Guitar

The Tekton family of four bolt-on guitars designed for the most technical of modern players. Named for the Ancient Greek term meaning artisan or craftsman, the Tekton (hardtail bridge), Tekton T (PRS two-point tremolo), Tekton “Floyd” (Floyd Rose tremolo system), and Tekton SVN (seven string) all feature a completely novel and lightweight body shape, thinner neck, flatter fretboard, stainless steel frets, longer scale lengths, and the genesis of PRS pickups purpose-built to get the most out of digital rigs. The new family brings with it a fresh color palette to complete the contemporary product launch.
“This is not just introducing a new model. We are planting a flag for a whole new family of guitars. Since day one, PRS has been built around a combination of player feedback and our experience as guitar makers. Listening to musicians while continually refining our craft has helped us create instruments that serve as tools for a wide range of players. Over the years, we have heard a growing call for more modern spec’d PRS guitars. The Tekton is our answer to that call,” said Jim Cullen, Director of Sales at PRS Guitars.
At the heart of the Tekton are PRS Stylus (Ancient Greek: an instrument used for writing) pickups, developed specifically for this family of guitars. Split or full humbucking, every position was designed to be equally useful on stage, in the studio, or at home. Built with Alnico 5 magnets and voiced for clarity, articulation, and character, Stylus pickups deliver aggressive tones without sacrificing note definition. While not “flat-response” pickups, they do have a flatter output than many other humbuckers to keep some character while catering more to digital gear. Whether paired with a traditional amplifier, a modern modeling system, or a complex recording setup, the Tekton delivers focused, musical tones that remain defined even under high gain.
The Tektons have the thinnest body and thinnest neck PRS has made in standard production. This new body style was created by finding a middle ground between the PRS flagship Custom 24 and the PRS offset Vela. The Tekton shape incorporates an exaggerated scoop for easy access to the upper frets, and a comfortable belly carve. The Tekton, Tekton T and Tekton SVN all featured highly figured mango tops and mahogany backs, while the Tekton “Floyd” is made with an all-alder body.
The fretboard features a 16” radius, stainless steel frets, and has a new, simple inlay design for PRS: offset dots. Additionally, Luminlay side dots help players keep their place on the board no matter the lighting environment. The fretboard is made from Indian ebony, a wood known to form mineral deposits as the tree grows. These deposits can sometimes appear as spots, streaks, or other variations in color. Lovingly referred to as “birthmarks” in the wood industry, these naturally occurring characteristics make every fretboard unique.
The neck is thin but with a near “D” shape so it doesn’t feel cramped. All four models are built with maple necks and ebony fretboards. The neck also features hormigo strength rods – similar to the carbon fiber rods PRS uses in acoustics and, most recently, in the Chleo signature model. These rods not only help with the stability of the neck, the added strength and rigidity are aimed at making a more resonant instrument.
The string spacing was also an important factor in the design process. The spacing on the Tekton models is the same as the Silver Sky and Fiore, which is a bit wider than PRS’s traditional spacing. This helps players with sweeping arpeggios and more precise pick attack.
PRS
Tekton
Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mango Top, Mahogany Body, Maple Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, 2 Humbucking Pickups, and Tremolo
Street price
$2899
Buy now
&width

https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/first-look/meet-prs-tekton-a-modern-metal-guitar

#prs

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Sonic Research's Turbo Tuner Comes to MXR with Modern ...

2026-10-20T18:34:28Z

Sonic Research's Turbo Tuner Comes to MXR with Modern Upgrades

MXR has introduced the company’s first-ever tuner: the MXR Turbo Tuner is built around the core engine of the original Sonic Research Turbo Tuner, engineered to deliver the instantaneous, fraction-of-a-cent accuracy.
At its center is a big, bright true strobe display, driven by the analog signal straight from your instrument. There’s no lag and no bouncing needles. Sharp notes rotate right, flat notes rotate left, and the pattern slows to a creep as you close in on pitch.
MXR’s Turbo Tuner offers chromatic mode plus five customizable presets, each supporting up to 12 strings with ±50-cent offsets, covering everything from alternate tunings to microtonal experiments. Switchable true or buffered bypass lets you decide how it sits in your signal chain, and a USB port handles firmware updates and upcoming editor software. It’s all built with the road-ready durability that defines both Sonic Research and MXR.
MXR Turbo Tuner highlights:
Built around the core engine of the gold-standard Sonic Research Turbo Tuner, engineered by Sonic Research
Real-time strobe display tracks pitch with fraction-of-a-cent precision
Five customizable presets support up to 12 strings and ±50-cent offsets
Four brightness levels keep the display readable in any lighting
Adds a high-fidelity buffer with three buffered bypass modes, switchable from true bypass
Adds a MUTE indicator LED and automatic power-up mode
Modernized LED display window
9V passthrough output powers an additional pedal
USB port for firmware updates and upcoming editor software
The MXR Turbo Tuner carries a $149.99 street price. For more information visit jimdunlop.com.
MXR
MXR Turbo Tuner
MXR has introduced the company’s first-ever tuner: the MXR Turbo Tuner is built around the core engine of the original Sonic Research Turbo Tuner, engineered to deliver the instantaneous, fraction-of-a-cent accuracy.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/sonic-research-s-turbo-tuner-comes-to-mxr-with-modern-upgrades

#turbotuner #mxrturbo #modernupgrades #tunercomes #sonic #usb #adds #led

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Rick Nielsen Has 700 Guitars. He's Finally Selling Some. The ...

2026-10-20T06:45:58Z

Rick Nielsen Has 700 Guitars. He's Finally Selling Some.

The checkerboard-loving collector sheds over 300 memorabilia pieces from his Cheap Trick archive including 60+ instruments and 30+ amps. Plus, Rick Nielsen jokes about why he hasn't practiced since 1967, shares the one guitar sale he regrets, and details why he had to have a 5-neck behemoth.
Sponsored by:
Visit Stewmac.com Today

https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/off-the-record/rick-nielsen-has-700-guitars-he-s-finally-selling-some

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Tonewood Teardown: Polishing the Frets Hello, and welcome back to ...

2026-10-18T15:55:42Z

Tonewood Teardown: Polishing the Frets

Hello, and welcome back to Mod Garage. We are almost done with our Harley Benton project—after working on the neck last month, there’s only one final step left before the neck is completely finished: polishing the frets. This is a very important step and one of the key factors in determining the playability of a guitar. If your frets are not polished well, there will be no “sexiness” when playing, and you will have to fight for every note. Bendings and vibratos will feel very stiff and uncomfortable and make strange noises on the frets. In essence, the instrument works against you instead of for you. In addition, dull or even dirty or rusty frets don’t look very good on a guitar.
The good news is that polishing the frets is something you can do yourself and the enhancement you will receive is simply stunning. And once done as thoroughly as possible, you’ll only need to refresh this process every time you change your strings. It’s a low-investment job with a high payoff, and you can do it to every one of your instruments, whether it’s a guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, and so on. The procedure is always the same.
Many ways lead to Rome here, and there are a zillion different avenues and tools for success. I’ll demonstrate the intensive, serious polishing procedure I use in the shop, but naturally all other methods have their right to exist and will work, too. This is a time-intensive procedure, but it’s worth it; you can enhance your whole guitar armada one by one this way.
For my preferred way you don’t need very much, and you’ll likely already have some of the materials in your garage or workshop. So let’s go and make a perfect polishing job for your frets, resulting in a buttery-smooth, glassy feel and look.
Start with a basic cleaning of the fretboard and the frets, using Naphtha and a cotton rag. This is always the first step, no matter if you have a finished fretboard or one of bare wood like rosewood or ebony. To protect your skin you should wear gloves, this is lighter fluid and you don’t want to have direct contact with it. And it can’t hurt to also wear goggles to protect your eyes. An old cotton t-shirts works well as a rag; simply apply some Naphtha and clean the fretboard and the frets with it. After finishing, give it a minute so the Naphtha can completely disappear.
The next step is to precisely tape off the complete fretboard using low tack tape. This applies not only to finished fretboards like our Harley Benton one, but also to bare-wood fretboards like rosewood or ebony. The cleaning process with Naphtha will help a lot the tape will stick well on the wood. I prefer to completely tape the entire neck before I start polishing, which can be a kind of meditative work. Having a good coffee at hand and listening to some relaxing music can make this step go more quickly. As an alternative, it’s also possible to only tape off one fret, polish it, and then do the next, but I don’t recommend this method. We also want to polish the fret ends, which is a lot easier when taping off the entire neck. Using a fret guard is also not recommended for the same reason. Here’s a tip: Attach the tape as close as possible to the bottom of the frets and also mask the fretboard edge so you can polish the fret ends without any danger of disturbing the finish.
Next you have to decide what tools to use, and there are countless options. Avoid any steel wool for a serious fret polishing job—it’s not only a mess in general, but the pickups will attract the particles if you do not completely mask them. In general, the higher the grid you use, and the more grids you use in between to step up to the final grid, the higher the level of your polish and the smoother the feel. There are a lot of different polishing systems for frets from a lot of companies and they all work; my preferred way is to use Micro-Mesh soft touch pads in nine different grids, starting with 1,500 and stepping up to 12,000.
There are a lot of other options, including steel wool, abrasive touch-up sticks, abrasive sheets, Scotch-Brite, Kovax Tolecut, and others. If you already have a tool you use you can naturally stay with it, but for me, nothing beats the Micro-Mesh soft touch pads.
Now, take a small dish and fill it with soapy water as a lubricant for a scratch-free mirror shine. Simply use your finger to put some of the water on your polishing pad—don’t waterboard the pad, and avoid soaking it in water. Start with the 1,500 grid pad, wet it, and rub the fret from one fretboard edge to the other. Important: Do not polish from the nut to the bridge over the complete fretboard length, this is the correct direction for a serious polishing job. Take care to polish the complete fret down to the bottom, and take your time. You don’t need to be afraid about removing material, this is just a polishing job. After polishing the last fret angle, turn the pad approximately 30 degrees and polish the fret ends by rubbing the pad in that angle along both fretboard edges.
All done? Excellent. Take another nip of your coffee and step up to the next finest grid, repeating the entire process over and over again until you’ve stepped up to the highest grid.
I estimate that it should take roughly two hours on average to complete the whole process, including taping off the neck. Yes, it’s a long time for a polishing job. But believe me, it’s worth every minute.
You may ask—what about using machines like a Dremel or a stationary buffer to save some time? Yes, it’s possible to use such tools, but they’re a little risky to me. It’s easy to overheat and reshape the frets, and even easier to slip and hit the fretboard—something you definitely don’t want to do. I stopped using rotating tools for fret polishing several years ago and always take the long route. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially on a customer’s guitar.
Now, the final step, which will make a big difference. For this we will need any metal polish of your choice, some Q-tips, and a piece of leather. Some advice: Wear gloves during the last step, and put some old newspapers underneath the neck.
First, put some metal polish on the Q-tip, and apply it all along the fret. With a piece of leather, polish one fret after another and, finally, the fret ends. Use the same procedure as earlier, but this time with a metal polish and a piece of leather. Using a piece of leather will not only polish but also burnish the frets to maximum shine, creating a glass-like feeling. There are special polishing leathers you can buy, but any old piece of smooth leather—like from an old leather belt—will do. Suede leather will not work properly, so stay away from that. Take your time and polish the complete fret; during the process you will feel a little bit of heat, which is a good sign that you are doing it right.
Finally, use a soft cotton cloth to wipe away any excess, and then take off the tape. When using low tack tape this should be easy; if there are any sticky areas use some Naphtha and a cotton rag to simply wipe it away. If you have an open-wood fretboard, apply fretboard oil of your choice afterwards and wipe away the excess.
And there you have it: Mirror-shine and glassy-feel frets for maximum playability. I’m pretty sure that when you experience the results on one of your guitars you will instantly undertake the same procedure on all your other instruments.
We didn’t spent any more money this month, so our budget of $100 for future investments is still available. Next month we’ll finish up our guitar project and compare the instrument to what we started with. So stay tuned.
Until then ... keep on modding!

https://www.premierguitar.com/diy/mod-garage/tonewood-teardown-polishing-the-frets

#frets #naphtha #harleybenton #modgarage

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Strymon TimeLine MX Review The original Strymon TimeLine always ...

2026-10-17T18:31:31Z

Strymon TimeLine MX Review

The original Strymon TimeLine always possessed the power and potential to transcend a mere guitar effect. Not long after its release, I got to know a sound guy who used one at every show. I’ve also seen them in synth-filled studios where a lone guitar sat tucked away, almost as an afterthought. To me that says a lot about what the TimeLine achieved in terms of user friendliness, power, and flexibility. Did its ability to work across disciplines make it less potent as a guitar effect? No way. The TimeLine was and is a blast to use for both straightforward guitar delay applications and late-night, down-the-rabbit-hole creative meanderings that birth whole musical pieces.
The new TimeLine MX is more of the same—a lot more. So much more, in fact, that I’ve heard grumblings about its $679 street price. If you’re a guitarist happy and fulfilled by making do with a Carbon Copy, and you’re skeptical about what the TimeLine MX can offer you, I get it. Even some delay power users may be hard-pressed to justify the expense. But after a few weeks of tinkering with the MX, it’s easy to imagine how guitarists who divide their time between home studio and performance—and for whom atmosphere and the ability to use echo as a compositional prompt is critical—will get back every penny of their $679 investment, and then some. This isn’t a perspective I arrived at because I imagined myself forever probing the MX’s deepest capabilities. It’s simply because the TimeLine MX proved fun, engaging, inspiring, and full of surprises, day after day.
Exponential Explosion
To try to describe every MX feature in the space of this review would be folly. (If you think I’m kidding, check out Strymon co-founder and designer Pete Celi’s deep dive video for the unit. It’s as long as a feature film.) But there are a few new core developments that are truly big news. The most important fundamental enhancement is the twin delay architecture, which enables you to use two delays in series, parallel, or in a stereo setup that sends different delays to different destinations.
Then there are the new algorithms, which include a wobbly vintage oil can-style delay, a slice-dice-and-reconstitute spectral delay, a Binson-inspired drum-style echo, and a rhythmically-driven multitap voice. There’s also a reverb mode you can add to the mix, if the new delays weren’t enough. These new algorithms join the lo-fi, digital, dBucket, and filter delay modes (to name just a few) that were stars on the original TimeLine. I’m sure there is a formula that can calculate the tone possibilities afforded by single, dual, stereo, series, and parallel iterations and combinations of the 12 algorithms. But frankly, the enormous sum of potential outcomes is something you feel more than you calculate. Scrolling through this many voices is often just flat-out thrilling, intoxicating stuff that makes afternoons and late nights disappear.
“Scrolling through this many voices is often just flat-out thrilling, intoxicating stuff that makes afternoons and late nights disappear.”
The “feel” factor is something that works in another design dimension, and that’s the unit’s layout, flow, and functionality. For a delay capable of a virtually incalculable number of sounds, the MX is still fairly compact—a design factor that was certainly part of its appeal to the synth artists and sound people I mentioned earlier, and, needless to say, a big deal for the pedalboard set. A more important facet of the MX’s ergonomics, however, is the sense of workflow. The new screen is super clear and organizes essential information well. The seven basic controls are arranged linearly in a single row, which makes them easy to scan and facilitates the development of muscle memory. The secondary functions are easily controllable via the assignable speed and depth knobs. The value and type knobs on either side of the screen—which work as both rotary and push-button controls—interface seamlessly with the readout. The bank-up, bank-down, tap-tempo and looper controls are also dead simple. Altogether, it’s a great study in flow and how to make a complex digital pedal accessible.
Surrounded By Sound, Drowned in Sensation
Highlighting just a few of the many remarkable sounds here could take up many pages. Here are some favorites anyway: The lo-fi is much more than a dollop of EQ blunting slathered over your original signal. There are options to change sample rate and bit depth that render the output a glitchy, grotesque mess, which, when mixed low and added in series or parallel to a lush and hazy drum delay, evoke fractured deep space communications embedded in the background of a gauzy, blissful dream. The spectral delay can be tuned to foreground sugary high-octave reflections in an array of crystalline, stained-glass echoes. But that formula can be flipped on its head, turning clear glass into mystery fragments of murky, patina’d sonic terra cotta. And while the drum echo doesn’t precisely replicate the sound signature of that lunatic device’s electromechanical quirks, the ability to edit the characteristics of each “record head’s” performance (via a very clever graphical representation on the view screen) means you can craft very hazy, syncopated repeats that are a perfect match for fuzzy and scuzzy overdrive.
The Verdict
Echo might be the only truly indispensable effect in my sound world, and I find the idea of spending lots of good money on great delay sounds totally relatable. So, when I consider the $679 Strymon asks for this high-quality, thoughtfully designed echo engine room, I wince ever so briefly before smiling at the possibilities. And these possibilities are copious, indeed—certainly for the side of my creative self that loves meandering through ambient music spaces, or spending hours soundtracking the abstract films cluttering my head and hard drives.
Musicians that work these fields with more focus and discipline than I possess have even more reason to be excited about what the TimeLine MX can deliver so intuitively. So will the many rock, pop, dance, and hip-hop musicians and producers that borrow from the ambient playbook. Less patient users, and I certainly count myself among this sect, can run into some hiccups: No delay this deep and capable can be navigated by intuition alone. But the essentials can be learned via the included five-page startup guide, and you have to be pretty lazy to get lost in the weeds here.
Back to that price: It’s probably one that needs to be considered on a sliding scale. For a lot of artists, the Timeline MX could be the backbone of a desktop studio or pedalboard. For players that view the TimeLine MX through that lens, the price is a fair one or better—especially when you consider its excellent workflow.
Strymon
TimeLine Multidimensional Delay
Street price
$449
Buy now
&width

https://www.premierguitar.com/reviews/pedals/strymon-timeline-mx-review

#strymontimeline #review #carboncopy #scrolling #peteceli

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Gear Radar November 2026 From Tony Iommi’s 100W handcrafted ...

2026-10-16T22:47:26Z

Gear Radar November 2026

From Tony Iommi’s 100W handcrafted Laney signature head to ultra-compact modeling amps, wireless freedom, and vintage fuzz recreations, explore November’s standout guitar gear.
Eastman
Eastman Fullertone Offset'62
The FullerTone Offset ’62 combines effortless comfort, expressive tone, and innovative design. Developed with input from Paul Davids, it features Tonerider goldfoil humbuckers, a Göldo tremolo, and Eastman’s two-bolt neck system for exceptional resonance, stability, and playability.
Street price
$$1,259
Learn more
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Fishman Transducers
AirLock GT Wireless Instrument System
AirLock is Fishman’s wireless system for any pickup-equipped instrument. Connect guitar, bass, violin, or keyboard to your amp or recording setup and play cable-free. True analog cable tone preserves your sound, while advanced interference management cuts through noise. Over 9 hours of battery life powers you through your longest sessions.
Street price
$$319.95
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Hotone
Pulze, Pulze Jr., and Pulze Mini
Meet the Pulze family—three smart modeling amps built for inspired playing anywhere. The touchscreen-equipped Pulze delivers immersive desktop sound; battery-powered Pulze Jr. brings stereo punch through dual custom 3" speakers; and the ultra-compact Pulze Mini packs a 5W, 2" full-range speaker into a truly grab-and-go format. All three feature Hotone’s CDCM HD + F.I.R.E. modeling, wireless audio and app control, plus versatile tones for electric guitar, bass, acoustic guitar, and more.
Learn more
Osiamo/Nobels
Nobels REV-mini
The REV-mini delivers a wide range of legendary reverb simultions, every nuance in full stereo width. From classic spiral reverb, to the ethereal soundscapes, all the way to high-resolution sounds. Use the Xtra function of Freeze and Shimmer to create that moment! True or Buffered bypass. Big possibilities, small price.
Street price
$$99
Learn more
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Warm Audio
The Black Keys Peach Fuzz
The Limited-Edition The Black Keys Peach Fuzz joins the new Mod Series, reimagining a beloved ’70s Foxy-style octave/fuzz pedal in a more pedalboard-friendly design. Developed with guitarist Dan Auerbach, it recreates the vintage circuit with selectable momentary/latching octave-up control and peach-colored flocked velvet celebrating The Black Keys’ 2026 release, Peaches!
Street price
$199
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Warm Audio
Mod Series
Warm Audio debuts the NEW Mod Series, bringing its classic pedal recreations into slimmer, pedalboard-friendly designs with modern features on select models. Launching with the Centavo Mod and WA-C1 Mod, the series delivers golden high-headroom overdrive in a compact format and lush analog chorus/vibrato with an a added preamp bypass.
Street price
$$189
Learn more
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Laney Amplification
TI-100 Tony Iommi 100W signature head - Handcrafted in the UK
Laney Black Country Customs extremely limited run of the BCC-TI100 Tony Iommi Signature Amplifier, handcrafted in the UK. Featuring 100 watts RMS, eight 12AX7 preamp valves, four 6L6 outputs and Tony’s iconic cross livery, this collector’s amplifier delivers uncompromising British craftsmanship, commanding tone and unmistakable stage presence.
Street price
$$4,999
Learn more
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https://www.premierguitar.com/sponsored/gear-radar-november-2026

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Cardinal Black Self-Produce New Album 'Second Sign of ...

2026-10-15T19:55:44Z

Cardinal Black Self-Produce New Album 'Second Sign of Life'

Welsh rock trio Cardinal Black have announced their third studio album, Second Sign of Life, arriving January 29, 2027 via Thirty Tigers, alongside the release of its riff-driven lead single, “Saving Grace.”
Self-produced during a break in European touring, the record strips back the elaborate arrangements of its predecessor to capture the chemistry that has made Cardinal Black a formidable live act. The album is available to pre-order now as the band announces its biggest UK and Ireland headline tour to date.
“Saving Grace” pairs Chris Buck’s muscular guitar work with Tom Hollister’s soulful vocals and a lyric about the person who brings you back to solid ground when life becomes difficult. Hollister first recorded the song nearly a decade ago but only now found the sound and words that felt true to it.
“The foundations of the song were something I had written and recorded around 10 years ago, but it never felt right—too overworked and stylized,” Hollister explains. “I also never really had lyrics to it that had a real connection to me. This time around with Cardinal Black, it all feels much more coherent. It’s a song about being so close to someone that they’ve become an integral part of you and someone who regularly pulls you back to shore when things get a little rough at sea.” If 2025’s Midnight at the Valencia captured Cardinal Black’s proverbial 10,000 hours, Second Sign of Life captures what happens when they stop counting and trust what those years have taught them.
Midnight at the Valencia, recorded at Zurich’s Powerplay Studios with a more expansive production approach, topped the UK Official Independent Album Breakers Chart and helped launch the band’s sold-out debut North American headline tour. Rather than attempt to outdo its scale, Cardinal Black chose fewer layers, greater immediacy, and the sound of musicians playing together in a room.
The opportunity came between dates on a European tour with Alter Bridge. Cardinal Black booked nine days at Hamburg’s residential Clouds Hill Studios in June 2026, effectively living where they recorded. The band arrived after frustrating early writing sessions in Hay-on-Wye and with little time to second-guess decisions, relying instead on the musical instincts sharpened by night after night onstage.
For the first time, Cardinal Black produced and engineered the album themselves, with touring bassist and recording engineer Sam Andrews contributing to the sessions. Despite Clouds Hill’s wealth of vintage equipment, they kept the arrangements focused on the expanded live lineup, allowing only those additions that served the songs.
The result is a 10-song album that turns inward, exploring love, loss, vulnerability, growing older, and the strange isolation of life on the road. Hollister’s personal songwriting is carried by Buck’s expressive guitar and Adam Roberts’ sensitive rhythmic approach, with the space between instruments becoming part of the music.
That restraint reflects the band’s wider independence. Long accustomed to taking a hands-on role in recording, releasing and touring, Cardinal Black have made an album on their own terms, shaped by the direct connection with audiences that remains at the heart of their work.
Cardinal Black return to the road in 2027 with their biggest UK and Ireland headline tour to date, beginning March 30 in Wolverhampton and continuing through London and Cardiff. European dates follow in April and May, with North America planned for June. Fans who pre-order a physical edition through the band’s website can access the UK and Ireland artist presale ahead of the October 21st general on-sale. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.thecardinalblack.com.
Second Sign of Life by Cardinal Black
1. Saving Grace
2. Take Me to The Water
3. All I Ever Wanted
4. Perfect Time
5. Higher
6. I Could Be Anything
7. Neon Lights
8. More Than Your Love
9. Growing Up
10. There Was Everything
CARDINAL BLACK – UK & IRELAND TOUR 2027
Tuesday, March 30th – Wolverhampton, UK – KK's Steel Mill
Thursday, April 1st – Dublin, Ireland – Button Factory
Friday, April 2nd – Belfast, Northern Ireland – Limelight
Saturday, April 3rd – Glasgow, UK – The Garage
Monday, April 5th – Newcastle, UK – Boiler Shop
Tuesday, April 6th – Leeds, UK – Stylus
Friday, April 9th – Manchester, UK – Academy 2
Saturday, April 10th – Southampton, UK – EngineRooms
Sunday, April 11th – Exeter, UK – Phoenix
Tuesday, April 13th – Bristol, UK – Electric
Thursday, April 15th – Cambridge, UK – Junction
Friday, April 16th – London, UK – KOKO
Saturday, April 17th – Cardiff, UK – Great Hall

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/cardinal-black-self-produce-new-album-second-sign-of-life

I’ve Used a Keeley Compressor for 20 Years! For 25 years, ...

2026-10-15T19:43:32Z

I’ve Used a Keeley Compressor for 20 Years!

For 25 years, Keeley Electronics has been building pedals for players who care deeply about sound. It all began in 2001 with Robert Keeley, a workbench, and a humble compressor pedal. What started as a pursuit of better compression became one of the defining products in Keeley’s history and helped establish the company during the early days of the boutique pedal movement.
Over the years, the Keeley Compressor continued to evolve. The original two-knob design gave way to the expanded four-knob Compressor, followed by the Compressor Plus, which brought Tone and Blend controls into the circuit and gave players greater control over sustain, attack, and the natural character of their instrument. By the time the Compressor Plus arrived in 2017, Keeley had built more than 50,000 compressors, making compression not simply part of the company’s history, but a fundamental part of its identity.
It feels only fitting to celebrate this milestone by returning to where it started. The Compressor Plus Germanium honors that beginning while carrying the Keeley Compressor forward for a new generation. Built around the familiar Level, Tone, Compression, and essential Blend controls, this new design brings a fresh voice to a pedal that has been evolving for a quarter century.
At the heart of the Compressor Plus Germanium is a crucial germanium transistor. Keeley incorporates germanium into both the audio output section and the compressor’s side-chain feedback, bringing a new character and response to one of the company’s most enduring designs.
Built from start to finish at Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma City, the Compressor Plus Germanium also includes selectable true-bypass or Keeley silent buffered switching, rugged construction, and the classic Compressor sound that made Keeley a household name amongst Guitar and Bass players. Like every Keeley pedal, the Compressor Plus Germanium is designed and manufactured in Oklahoma, USA. Engineered for the working musician, and voiced for inspiration.
Compressor Plus Germanium Features:
A Germanium Transistor at the heart of the new compressor circuit
Germanium-enhanced audio output section for added character and musical response
Germanium incorporated into the side-chain feedback circuit
Classic Compressor Plus controls: Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend
Blend control mixes the compressed and dry signals for greater control over feel and dynamics
Switchable on the fly between true bypass and buffered bypass
Operates at 9–18V DC for flexible pedalboard integration
Low 25mA current draw, Standard center-negative power
Designed and manufactured by Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma, USA
$189 US Street Price
Keeley
Compressor Plus Germanium
Compressor Guitar Pedal with Level, Tone, Blend, and Comp Controls and Single-coil/Humbucker Switch
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/first-look/keeley-compressor-germanium

Fender Introduces Three New John 5 Signature Telecaster Models ...

2026-10-15T19:33:28Z

Fender Introduces Three New John 5 Signature Telecaster Models

Fender and the Fender Custom Shop have unveiled three new John 5 signature Telecaster models: the Fender John 5 Phantom Telecaster, Fender John 5 Ghost Telecaster and Fender Custom Shop John 5 “Phantom” Telecaster. Each of these Telecaster models captures a different facet of his unmistakable style and musical range, bringing his signature sound and design to more players across a range of price points.
“I don’t know if the Telecaster picked me or I picked it. I was so drawn to that shape,” said John 5. “Ever since I was little, Fender was always just the pinnacle, the greatest, and I just wanted nothing more to have the best guitar for me and have the people enjoy it as well.”
John 5’s approach to the Telecaster showcases the instrument’s versatility: equally at home with distortion-drenched shredding and country chicken-picking, John 5 has spent his career proving there’s no genre, style or vibe off limits. A lifelong Telecaster devotee, his technically demanding, theatrical playing has made him one of rock’s most distinctive guitarists.
The three signature models translate John 5’s sound and visual style into distinct instruments, from the Fender lineup to the Fender Custom Shop:
John 5 Phantom Telecaster (MSRP: $1,299.99 USD, £1,149 GBP, €1,349 EUR, $2,149 AUD, ¥198,000 JPY) Finished in black with a matching headcap, the Phantom pairs its unmistakable Telecaster silhouette with a decidedly modern performance setup. DiMarzio D’Activator pickups in the neck and bridge deliver the high-output response John 5 is known for, with tight low end and clear articulation through high-gain settings. A Floyd Rose FRTS2000 Special Series tremolo brings another dimension to the instrument, allowing for dramatic pitch bends, dive bombs and other extreme techniques while maintaining tuning stability. The streamlined control layout features a single volume knob and killswitch, leaving plenty of room for the player to shape the performance in real time.
John 5 Ghost Telecaster (MSRP: $1,299.99 USD, £1,099 GBP, €1,299 EUR, $2,149 AUD, ¥198,000 JPY) Finished in Arctic White with a matching headcap, the Ghost Telecaster makes a statement before it’s even plugged in. DiMarzio D’Activator pickups in the neck and bridge give it the high-output response John 5 is known for, with tight low-end response and searing clarity that can cut through any mix. With a stripped-down control layout, a single volume knob and killswitch, this guitar keeps the focus where it belongs: on the music and the moment.
Fender Custom Shop John 5 "Phantom" Telecaster (MSRP: $6,000.00 USD, £5,599 GBP, €6,599 EUR, $9,799 AUD, ¥1,056,000 JPY) Few players have pushed the Telecaster into darker, heavier territory than John 5, and the John 5 “Phantom” Telecaster is built to match his relentless approach to the instrument. Crafted by the Fender Custom Shop, this is a Telecaster reimagined for the modern virtuoso: aggressive, precise, and ready for anything from chicken pickin’ to metal.
At its core, a two-piece select alder body with Ultra Contours finished in gloss black urethane provides the resonant foundation, while a maple neck with a smooth Modern “C” profile and 10" to 14" compound-radius, flat-laminated ebony fingerboard invites effortless chording down low and clean, choke-free bending up high. Twenty-two medium jumbo frets, a 25.5" scale, and satin urethane finish give the neck the fast, articulate feel of John 5’s playing demands, while Luminlay luminescent side dots keep fret positions visible on the darkest stages.
A pair of DiMarzio D Activator humbuckers gives the “Phantom” its voice, from tight, cutting bridge attack to a warm, vocal neck tone, selected via a 3-position toggle switch and controlled by a single master volume for zero distraction. Anchoring it all is a recessed Floyd Rose Original double-locking tremolo paired with an R7 locking nut and modern locking tuners, keeping the guitar dead-on in tune through the most extreme dives. Other premium features include a Bi-Flex truss rod, 3-position toggle switch, Mother of Pearl dot inlays, 4-bolt contoured neck plate with Custom Shop "V" logo, Floyd Rose retainer bar string tree, black hardware, .009-.042 nickel-plated steel strings, deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.
Born John William Lowery, he picked up guitar after being inspired by a Telecaster, the banjo and guitar virtuosos before heavy metal propelled him toward a professional career. He began session work in Los Angeles at 17 and went on to perform with artists including David Lee Roth, Mötley Crüe and Rob Zombie. With 11 studio albums and a career defined by his genre-defying approach, John 5 continues to push the Telecaster, and guitar playing itself, beyond convention.
"John 5 is one of the most distinctive players in modern guitar, pushing the Telecaster across genres and beyond convention, and these three instruments reflect that versatility,” said Justin Norvell, Fender Chief Product Officer, Guitars. “Bringing the Ghost back into the Fender lineup puts his signature design within reach of more players. Together, this collection gives fans at every level a way to plug into his sound."
"John 5 has always pushed the Custom Shop to think beyond the traditional Telecaster blueprint,” said Chase Paul, Fender Custom Shop Director. “From the single-bound body with Ultra Contours to the single volume control and killswitch, this guitar is a true reflection of his playing style. It’s a great example of what's possible when the Custom Shop works directly with an artist to bring their vision to life."
Together, the three new signature Telecaster models celebrate John 5’s longstanding relationship with Fender and his ability to push the instrument across musical boundaries. From the Phantom’s aggressive performance features to the Ghost’s striking design and the Custom Shop’s premium craftsmanship, the collection offers players new ways to explore his distinctive approach to the Telecaster.
For technical specs, additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fendercustomshop.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender and @FenderCustomShop.

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/fender-introduces-three-new-john-5-signature-telecaster-models

Louder Than Life 2026: A Heavy Metal Celebration in Derby City ...

2026-10-15T19:23:00Z

Louder Than Life 2026: A Heavy Metal Celebration in Derby City

USA's largest festival celebrating rock, metal & punk hosted over 250,00 fans to see Iron Maiden, TOOL, Limp Bizkit, Megadeth, Pantera, and dozens more. Here's our selection honoring the headbanging heroes that rocked Derby City.
Louder Than Life brought the heavy heat to Louisville with one of the most stacked lineups in the festival’s 12-year history. Straight out of the gate the tandem main stages scorched with back-to-back performances from Mac Sabbath, Gwar, Metal Church, Suicidal Tendencies, Machine Head, Sabaton, Alice Cooper, and the mighty Danzig.
There were a lot of special moments at this year's festival including Megadeth providing one of their final performances on the tail-end of their farewell tour, Pantera whiplashed the audience with one of their few North America shows, and untouchable Iron Maiden torched the Bluegrass State for the first time in 40+ years. LTL welcomed Danny Elfman’s first show in the Eastern half of the U.S. in nearly a decade (with a set featuring Oingo Boingo hits, his well-known film themes and new songs). Plus, the fest featured of the most prominent all-female-fronted stage lineups assembled at a major U.S. rock festival, with Halestorm, In This Moment, Lindsey Stirling, Orianthi, Icon For Hire, Kami Kehoe, and Diamante
Danny Wimmer has completely dialed our nation’s premier rock and metal festival since overhauling the layout in 2025. You can get cold beers, go to clean restrooms, and quickly get back to the decibel decimation. They also added dust-busting astroturf that blanketed the grounds. Shade, water, and reasonably-priced food also bolstered the experience. And The Kentucky Kingdom rollercoaster backdrop provided a most picturesque landscape at sunset.
Megadeth
Mustaine looked like a million bucks melting faces throughout his multi-platinum stacked set. His Gibson Custom V led a symphony of destruction with Teemu’s Explorer before he dedicated and detonated the opening riff to "Holy Wars" on an enthusiastic crowd. It was Louder than Life farewell to one of the all time greats.
Alice Cooper
Mr. Nice Guy’s head was bang’n as it rolled off the guillotine to his three-guitar army of Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen, and Anna Cara. School was in session with Ryan and Tommy shredding away on their Rock N Roll Relics and B.C. Rich lowriders. Anna’s matte black Ibanez absorbed the heat and scorched the crowd.
Pantera
Louder Than Life was treated to an explosive Pantera set. (One of two shows schedule in the U.S. for the Cowboys from Hell.) Zakk wielded his Wylde Audio guitar with confidence and power paying the perfect tribute to his late-friend Dime. Rex brought the thunder to ZW's lightning ripping through his bands catalog to a Fucking Hostile crowd co-headlining the night with Iron Maiden closing the Thursday festitives.
Pantera
Iron Maiden
Ed Force One landed in Louisville to celebrate 50 years of their hall-of-fame career by returning to Kentucky for the first time in four decades. The show could be described as Louder Than Live After Death as the band looked and sounded no different than their acclaimed 1985 live album. Murray, Smith and Gers were kept on rhythm with Harris’s signature Fender thump. They were troopers in the heat wave showing no sign of slowing before closing with Wasted Years.
Iron Maiden
Orianthi
The 6-stringer from Down Under drew a crowd at the Decibel stage Saturday afternoon showing beautiful precision on her signature PRS. Fellow guitarist Neil Swanson, bass Dylan Wilson and drummer Jack Ivins tore through staples including ZZ Top’s classic “Sharp Dressed Man” before a quick turnaround to Greece.
In a backstage interview with drummer Jack Ivins he explained the band did not have a setlist. "We just went onstage. Orianthi said, "Let's start with 'Light It Up' and roll straight into 'Contagious,' then we'll feel it out. Let's play off the crowd." No click, no tracks, no digital rigs, all live amps pushing air, no in-ears since everyone is using wedges (except me). Just old school rock n roll.
The closer was 'Voodoo Child' and right before that was her song, 'First Time Blues.' We are normally a power trio but the second guitarist, Neil Swanson, was already playing that same stage earlier in the day with Diamanté. He previously played for Orianthi, so she asked if he'd be down and we were fortunate enough to be able to add him last minute. Dropped in and aced it."
Tom Morello
The riffmeister general Tom Morello took the main stage with the fury you would expect from the Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave innovator.
This time accompanied by his son Roman, who Tom describes as the much more technical player of the Morellos. The band launched into the late Prince of Darkness’s “Mr. Crowley” before going hot and heavy with “The Ghost of Tom Joad”, “Like a Stone,” and “Killing In The Name.”
Halestorm
Lzzy Hale & Joe Hottinger of Halestorm brought an exceptionally visual show to a capacity Decimal stage crowd Saturday evening. Lzzy’s piercingly unrivaled rock vocals and Explorer chops were accompanied perfectly by Joe’s green V on lead duties. (Possibly earning the prize for most stunning guitar at the festival.) The show reached a fever pitch when violinist Lindsey Stirling joined band to play “Shatter Me.”
Limp Bizkit
It only took a couple of Borland riffs to realize why Limp Bizkit was the closer. Wes’ all-in wardrobe was only rivaled by the hooks the band furiously dropped on an enthusiastic crowd. Durst was quick to stop the set for safety, slowing things down with a cover the The Who's “Behind Blue Eyes” featured LB's fourth album, Results May Vary. Gaige Rivers joined the band during Pete Townshend-penned classic, paying tribute to her late father and founding bassist Sam Rivers. Touring low ender Richie Buxton has now stepped in to lock down the mountainous groove. The show climaxed with two performances of their epic anthem “Break Stuff!”
Limp Bizkit
Ministry
Ministry’s "Goddamn White Trash" throwdown rocked Louder’s main stage on the final day. Cesar Soto (Jackson) and Patrick Houston (Gibson Black Beauty) were thick as thieves shredding through the classics before ending with "Just One Fix." Paul D’Amor’s P bass provided the thunder just as it previously had in the early days of festival closer, TOOL.
Mastodon
The clan of Cysquatch kept Sunday humming with a stunner set of fresh fovrites classics including Snakes for Dinner, Barbarians Blood and ended with "Blood and Thunder" for the old heads. Bill Kelliher ripped his silverburst Banker alongside new guitar player Nick Johnston who was on signature Schecters all set. Band co-founder Troy Sanders boasted a megalodonic bass tone.
Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman animated the crowd with his buoyant setlist that included songs from Oingo Boingo, his compositions for film (Spider-Man, Batman, Beetlejuice & Weird Science), and playful TV theme songs (The Simpsons). The prodigy composer was accompanied by Nili Brosh on her signature Ibanez and Matt McJunkins on his Fender Precision. Robin Finck filled out the sonic front with his semi-hollow body Ibanez. Daylight was fading during this show as Gojira was about to be unleashed.
Gojira
The gargantuan wall of sound and fury could've awoken their namesake Godzilla all the way in the Pacific. They opened with "Born For One Thing" and closed with "The Gift of Guilt." Joe and Christian traded heavy harmonies while bassist Jean-Michel Labadie laid the rhythmic floor. The flames blasted high as their confetti cannons shot over the crowd in what was a spectacular lead into the all-powerful TOOL.
TOOL
The capacity Louder Than Life crowd stood witness to another picture-perfect TOOL set. “The Grudge” and “Jambi” uniquely spearhead a soundscape that only Adam and Justin can achieve. Adam’s always eerie electric shape exploded into the deep cut “Crawl Away” for those looking for an Undertow emergence. Maynard proved to be Invincible taking the stage less than a month after hip-replacement surgery. He stood strong next to one of the greatest drummers in rock history Danny Carey and closed the festival with a vicious “Vicarious.”
TOOL

https://www.premierguitar.com/features/louder-than-life-2026

Keeley Electronics Introduces Compressor Plus Germanium Keeley ...

2026-10-15T19:12:47Z

Keeley Electronics Introduces Compressor Plus Germanium

Keeley Electronics has launched the Compressor Plus Germanium pedal, the newest addition to Keeley’s line of iconic compressors. Built around the familiar Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend controls, this new design brings a fresh voice to a pedal that has been evolving for a quarter century.
At the heart of the Compressor Plus Germanium is a crucial germanium transistor. Keeley incorporates germanium into both the audio output section and the compressor’s side-chain feedback, bringing a new character and response to one of the company’s most enduring designs.
The pedal also includes a 2-position switch for adjusting the recovery time when using single coil or humbucking pickups. Recovery time is slower in the Single Coil setting, and faster in the Humbucker setting, allowing ideal feel and responsiveness for any guitar in your arsenal.
Built from start to finish at Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma City, the Compressor Plus Germanium also includes selectable true-bypass or Keeley silent buffered switching, rugged construction, and the classic compressor sound that has made Keeley the go-to choice for guitarists and bassists for a quarter century.
Compressor Plus Germanium features include:
A Germanium Transistor at the heart of the new compressor circuit
Germanium-enhanced audio output section for added character and musical response
Germanium incorporated into the side-chain feedback circuit
Classic Compressor Plus knobs: Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend control for mixing compressed and dry signals for greater control over feel and dynamics
2-position switch to optimize responsiveness and recovery time for single coil or humbucking pickups
Switchable on the fly between true bypass and buffered bypass
Operates at 9–18V DC for flexible pedalboard integration
Designed and manufactured by Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma, USA
The Compressor Plus Germanium arrives as Keeley Electronics celebrates 25 years of building pedals for players who care deeply about sound. It all began in 2001 with Robert Keeley, a workbench, and a humble compressor pedal. What started as a pursuit of better compression became one of the defining products in Keeley’s history and helped establish the company during the early days of the boutique pedal movement.
Over the years, the Keeley Compressor continued to evolve. The original two-knob design gave way to the expanded four-knob Compressor, followed by the Compressor Plus, which brought Tone and Blend controls into the circuit and gave players greater control over sustain, attack, and the natural character of their instrument. By the time the Compressor Plus arrived in 2017, Keeley had built more than 50,000 compressors, making compression not simply part of the company’s history, but a fundamental part of its identity.
It feels only fitting to mark the company’s 25-year milestone by returning to where it all started. The Compressor Plus Germanium honors that beginning while carrying the Keeley Compressor forward for a new generation. Like every Keeley pedal, the Compressor Plus Germanium is designed and manufactured in Oklahoma, USA.
Keeley’s Compressor Plus Germanium carries a street price of $189. For more information visit robertkeeley.com.
Keeley Electronics
Compressor Plus Germanium
Keeley Electronics has launched the Compressor Plus Germanium pedal, the newest addition to Keeley’s line of iconic compressors. Built around the familiar Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend controls, this new design brings a fresh voice to a pedal that has been evolving for a quarter century.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/keeley-introduces-compressor-plus-germanium

Dawner Prince Eclipsa Review For all of digital modeling’s ...

2026-10-15T18:51:12Z

Dawner Prince Eclipsa Review

For all of digital modeling’s advances, there are thrills that it struggles to replicate, and one of the most ecstatic of these is the sensation of standing next to a rotary speaker, cranked to the gills as it roars and spins and threatens to transmogrify into a living, heaving beast. It’s a sensation that’s rarer than ever with Hammond B-3 bars and big touring budgets going the way of the dodo. If you’ve never had the pleasure, I recommend finding a way to get close to one.
So, no, digital can’t capture the multisensory experience of moving air and whirring cables that one experiences sitting next to a shaking Leslie any more than it can imitate the feel of sitting next to an idling Ferrari. But what it can do is emulate how that rotary speaker will sound to a microphone, which for most purposes does just fine. And you’d have to search far and wide to find a designer that works harder at capturing the nuances of rotary speakers than Croatia’s Dawner Prince.
There’s a good reason—apart from copious engineering chops—that Dawner Prince excels at recreating rotary sounds: company founder Zoran Kraljevic is a certifiable Pink Floyd freak. With Gilmour plainly on his brain, he’s produced a first-rate Echorec-style pedal in the form of the Boonar and the Pulse, an homage to the obscure Doppola rotary speaker (which was modeled on the Maestro Rover). Like the Doppola-derived Pulse, the new Eclipsa takes inspiration from a rotary system that might have been relegated to total obscurity were it not for the patronage of Mr. Gilmour—the Yamaha RA-200.
Just as the Doppola and Maestro Rover’s designs differed significantly from the rotating drum and horn concept behind the Leslie, the Yamaha took a novel approach to generating rotary sounds—using three speakers of identical size oriented to create a phasing effect as they spun. The sonic product—a focused, midrange-heavy whoosh—starting dotting, and at times dominating, Gilmour’s live sound in between the Animals and The Wall tours. But you need not be a Pink Floyd obsessive to appreciate the Eclipsa’s super-rich, enveloping version of the RA-200 sound. Like a touch of butter and salt, it’s good on just about everything.
[It] feels simultaneously physical and phantasmal—like there’s the ghost of a real-deal RA-200 in the room.
Motion Potion
It’s hard to avoid closing your eyes when you play the Eclipsa. For one thing, its modulations have a near-narcotic effect. But there is something very authentic in the energy of those modulations—and the picture that energy paints—that feels simultaneously physical and phantasmal, like there’s the ghost of a real-deal RA-200 in the room. It’s a strange and very satisfying sensation.
At most settings, the Eclipsa creates decidedly richer sounds than those produced by an analog vibrato pedal or a Uni-Vibe (though it does a superb job of emulating the latter on a fat dose of vitamins). Before I plugged in, I guessed that the midrange emphasis might have a bossy flattening effect in some situations. I was very wrong. As it turns out, the midrange lends a compelling tautness to the modulations—not enough to diminish the bubble-gum elasticity in them, but enough to add a perceptibly springy quality.
The Eclipsa provides a number of ways to reshape that springiness. The most critical, perhaps, is the distance control, which emulates the effect of moving a microphone closer or further away to a RA-200’s rotary array. Obviously, virtual proximity makes the modulations more pronounced and detailed, but it also highlights the high-midrange that elevates a guitar’s profile in a mix. More distant settings have a slight darkening effect that also bleeds a bit of perceived kinetic force, making guitar and modulations alike a lot more low-key. The Eclipsa’s mix control can radically reshape the modulation response too. It imitates a shift in emphasis between the dry signal from a real RA-200’s 4x12 speaker cabinet and the rotary array, with many blends in between. Then there’s the onboard Alembic F2-B preamp emulation, which features its own bass, middle, and treble knobs as well as a volume and bright switch. The interactions between these controls can yield a lot of subtle shading and bits of EQ emphasis that lend intricacy and precision to the modulations, and they are very satisfying to explore.
Pedal To The Metal, Slam On the Brakes
Much of the fun related to rotary speakers is related to the sensation of acceleration and deceleration that come from switching between high- and low-speed modes. It’s one of the best bits of the Eclipsa’s design. There is ample range in the two controls that determine the slowest and fastest speeds, and the ramp speed can be altered via the inertia control, which, like the Eclipsa as a whole, has an eerily authentic mechanical feel. You can also bring the modulations to a complete stop by pressing and holding the fast/slow footswitch. It can be a slightly awkward process at first, but mastering this simple touch can prompt dramatic shifts between the very immersive modulations and a dry signal. It puts a cool arrangement tool at your feet, not to mention the potential for a little sound theater worthy of Pink Floyd.
The Verdict
Though the interactivity of its controls suggests complexity, at its core the Eclipsa is a very straightforward, easy-to-master affair. It’s fantastically realistic, and positively addictive. It’s completely at home with distortion and drive ranging from mellow boosts to gnarly fuzzes to tweed Deluxe-style saturation (which became my favorite recipe). Dang, it’s expensive. But you need only play the Eclipsa for two minutes to know why. It’s a lovingly built thing and a deep sonic experience. And if rotary-style modulation is at the heart of what you do, I’d consider parting with a few effects to justify the expense. It’s a calculation I’m probably doing as you read this, because you can consider me hooked on the Eclipsa.

https://www.premierguitar.com/reviews/pedals/dawner-prince-eclipsa-review

D'Addario Introduces XS Nickel Bronze Acoustic Strings ...

2026-10-15T18:10:10Z

D'Addario Introduces XS Nickel Bronze Acoustic Strings

D’Addario introduces XS Nickel Bronze, featuring both the clear, transparent tone of Nickel Bronze and the extended lifespan, smooth feel, and tuning stability of XS. XS Nickel Bronze strings give acoustic guitar players a fresh tonal option within the XS lineup.
The Nickel Bronze alloy creates a clear, harmonically focused sound with distinctive note definition, which allows the natural character of the instrument to shine through. Meanwhile, ultra-thin XS film coating protects the wound strings from corrosion and contaminants, maximizing the lifespan of the string while delivering the smooth feel XS is known for.
The Best of Both Worlds
“Players have long loved Nickel Bronze for its clear, transparent tone and its ability to reveal the unique character of their instrument, while XS has earned a following for keeping strings sounding, feeling, and performing their best for longer,” said Founder Jim D’Addario. “With XS Nickel Bronze, we’ve brought those two innovations together, delivering the true Nickel Bronze voice players love with the extended life, tuning stability, and smooth feel that define XS.”
With the addition of Nickel Bronze, players can now choose from three distinct tonal options across the XS Acoustic lineup: Nickel Bronze, Phosphor Bronze, and 80/20 Bronze.
Maximum String Life: Ultra-thin XS film coating protects the string against corrosion and prevents contaminants from building up in the string windings, greatly lengthening the life of the string
Clear Nickel Bronze Tone: XS Nickel Bronze strings have distinctive note definition and a transparent sound that highlights the natural character of the instrument
Smooth Feel: XS coating is durable enough to protect the string, but thin enough to create a smooth feel
Enhanced Strength: High-Carbon NY Steel wire produces enhanced break strength
Improved Tuning Stability: Fusion Twist technology helps keep plain steel strings securely in tune
Made by D’Addario: Wire drawing, string winding, and coating are controlled in- house for consistent performance
D’Addario XS Nickel Bronze strings are available in popular acoustic guitar gauges and a mandolin gauge at daddario.com and authorized retailers. Sets start at $19.99.
D’Addario
XS Nickel Bronze
D’Addario introduces XS Nickel Bronze, featuring both the clear, transparent tone of Nickel Bronze and the extended lifespan, smooth feel, and tuning stability of XS. XS Nickel Bronze strings give acoustic guitar players a fresh tonal option within the XS lineup.
Street price
$15.99
Learn more
Buy now
&width

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/d-addario-introduces-xs-nickel-bronze-acoustic-strings

U2 Announces The Greatest Show on Earth World Tour 2027 Live ...

2026-10-15T17:17:43Z

U2 Announces The Greatest Show on Earth World Tour 2027

Live Nation has today announced that U2 is set to hit the road again with Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth, a world tour that will see Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. return to select stadiums in 2027 and beyond.
The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour—in support of the band’s forthcoming 16th studio album, Carnaval De Luz—will kick off in Mexico City on February 23rd, 2027 with support from Beck, with shows also announced for São Paulo and Buenos Aires, the only three Latin American cities the tour will visit next year. Additional 2027 dates for Europe and North America are set to be announced in the coming weeks, with plans for the band’s all-important return home to Ireland in the works.
“The Greatest Show on Earth”? Now that's a throwdown. It's a dare, to ourselves as much as anyone, to try and have the best night of anybody's life.
A bit of showman, a bit of shaman, a riot of colour, unreasonable guitar, bass and drums, and tunes you can hold onto.
Because if people are gonna show up, we certainly are.”
- Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry
The tour announcement comes with the release of a new track titled “The Greatest Show On Earth.” Co-written by U2 and Brian Eno, it is the third single to be taken from Carnaval De Luz. A story of lovers fighting to keep faith in each other—and faith itself. The video is directed by Anton Corbijn and was shot in the Californian desert; it satirizes the band as a religious cult where women do all the heavy lifting. Watch HERE. Listen HERE .
CARNAVAL DE LUZ PRESENTS: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
WORLD TOUR - 2027 DATES (with support from Beck)
February 23 MEXICO CITY, Mexico - Estadio GNP Seguros
February 26 MEXICO CITY, Mexico - Estadio GNP Seguros
March 10 SÃO PAULO, Brazil - Estádio MorumBIS
March 12 SÃO PAULO, Brazil - Estádio MorumBIS
March 23 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Estadio River Plate
March 25 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Estadio River Plate
Acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world, U2 has always—since their earliest days, including the industry-defining ZOO TV Tour which broke the mold in 1991—consistently pushed the boundaries of live performance, with ground-breaking stage shows that embrace the latest in technology and innovation, most recently with one of the band’s most ambitious creative projects to date, a sold-out run of 40 history-making, future-defining shows at Sphere, Las Vegas. Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour marks U2’s return to a stadium setting for a performance spectacle embracing human connection and intimacy at a grand scale, with a set list drawn from across the band’s entire catalogue; the band’s first stadium dates since wrapping the acclaimed The Joshua Tree Tour at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium on December 15th, 2019, the final stop on a tour which saw U2 play to almost 3 million fans around the world.
U2 recently celebrated the band’s 50th anniversary on Friday September 25th with a very special surprise performance on Dublin’s Grafton Street for the town they hold dear. Watch HERE.
Tickets for the Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour will first be available via U2.com Subscriber Presale commencing on Monday October 19th, 2026 at 10am local time. Remaining tickets will be available starting Thursday, October 22nd at 10am local time at U2.com.
Carnaval De Luz presents: The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour is produced by Live Nation Global Touring.

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/u2-announces-the-greatest-show-on-earth-world-tour-2027

Rig Rundown: GA-20 PG’s John Bohlinger met up with Cody Nilsen ...

2026-10-15T16:23:41Z

Rig Rundown: GA-20

PG’s John Bohlinger met up with Cody Nilsen and Matt Stubbs of GA-20 at the Vinyl Tap in Nashville. The band takes its name from the Gibson GA-20, which they’ve now retired from the road—what’s left is two guitarists, no bassist, and a stack of amps that never get switched off. Have a look at some quick highlights below, and tune into the new Rig Rundown for all the details.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Shark Attack
Nilsen’s Teisco ET-460 “Shark Fin” was rebuilt by Nate Lord of Lord Guitars — Rickenbacker-style pickguard, a gold foil in the neck, Lord’s own wiring, TK Smith Bakelite knobs, plus the two original Teisco pickups, wired to run as one enormous humbucker with a push-pull that drops it to a single coil. It’s in open C, and it’s big enough and low enough, Nilsen says, to shake the speakers.
Rat Rod
The Shark Fin’s predecessor is the pawn-shop special that got Nilsen into these guitars in the first place—held together with tape and, in his words, a wild ride. The rotary switch came out early on, since Lord warned him he wouldn’t like it, and now all four pickups work in any combination. He’s usually on the bridge, but he likes the back two together, which is probably what led to the humbucker idea on the newer one.
The Lawsuit
A 1977 Ibanez Les Paul copy off Craigslist, bought because Nilsen loves black beauties with P-90s and couldn’t afford a real one. It’s a bolt-on, which worried him at first. He says the neck pickup’s thump is what he judges every other guitar against, and he’s had it open exactly once, to check a cap, which was enough.
Cody Nilsen’s Pedalboard
From left to right: A Catalinbread Topanga for reverb; an Xotic RC Booster that’s been on every board Nilsen’s ever had, mostly for salvaging backline amps; a J. Rockett Archer that comes out once or twice a night when Nilsen wants to upset the sound guy; and a Jackson Audio 1484 Twin Twelve, that mostly lives as a borderline fuzz for his slide tone.
Signature Slide
Stubbs’ number one is his Waterslide signature T-style, built by Patrick Matera in Los Angeles. He’d asked for a Telecaster with DeArmond-style gold foils, the biggest neck available, and a Bigsby he could actually lean on; after he called back to order a second, Matera suggested making it a signature model instead.
Green Machine
The Sherwood Green one is the same guitar in every respect, just slightly lighter. It’s tuned down to C with .012s, and it comes out when Nilsen picks up the slide and goes to open C—Stubbs isn’t soloing much on it, just covering low end.
Shell Pink Prototype
Stubbs’ newest Waterslide is an offset prototype in shell pink with the same neck and the same Mojo pickups under different covers. It’s just under eight pounds, and it’s on a Descendant bridge, which is new to him.
Tweed Twin
This West Side combo is modeled on Stubbs’ 1960 Tweed Deluxe, an amp he says he couldn’t afford at today’s prices. Diego at West Side took the values off the original and built the band a pair. They’re what all the torn-up high end comes out of.
Dad’s Amp
The Fender Bassman is the ‘68 Stubbs borrowed from his father when an amp blew up on tour and never gave back; of the five or six he owns, this one has something the others don’t. Below it is a West Side Bluesman that Diego built from its values—both sides the same circuit, one tweaked for extra low end, in phase so they can be jumped. Nilsen and Stubbs each run one.
Matt Stubbs’ Pedalboard
A Boss TU-2, then a first-generation Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster he’s had since he was 18. A Ryra Klone stays on the board for fly dates, when he’s stuck with a limp backline amp. His Catalinbread Topanga handles reverb; he went through about 40 reverb pedals before it and stopped looking. Not on the board yet but used on the new record: a prototype from a company called Super, with a Fuzz-Rite-ish fuzz on one side and a clean boost on the other, built in because the maker knew what Stubbs liked.

https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/rig-rundown/ga-20

Gibson Introduces Four Original Collection Acoustics with Baggs ...

2026-10-15T15:28:12Z

Gibson Introduces Four Original Collection Acoustics with Baggs HiFi DNA Pickup System

Gibson has announced four additions to its Original Collection of acoustic guitars, each equipped with the new Gibson-exclusive, custom-voiced Baggs HiFi DNA pickup system.
The J-45 Original, J-45 60s Original Fixed Bridge, Southern Jumbo 40s Original, and Country Western 60s Original are handcrafted at the Gibson Acoustic Craftory in Bozeman, Montana, with premium tonewoods, and period-inspired appointments.
At the heart of the collection is the Gibson-exclusive Baggs HiFi DNA pickup system. Custom-voiced specifically for Gibson acoustic guitars, the active system uses two lightweight sensors mounted to the internal bridge plate, with each sensor paired with its own preamp. The result is a rich, natural amplified sound that captures the warmth, dynamic range, and subtle details of the guitar without affecting its unplugged voice.
The system offers feedback resistance and gain-before-feedback comparable to an under-saddle pickup, making it equally suited to recording sessions, intimate performances, and large stages. Discrete soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls provide convenient access to essential adjustments while remaining virtually hidden from the audience.
All four models share the traditional construction methods that have helped Gibson acoustic guitars earn the trust of generations of musicians. Each instrument features a solid Sitka spruce top, a dovetail neck joint secured with hot hide glue, a rosewood fretboard and bridge, and performance-oriented components, including a bone nut and bone saddle. Together, these elements promote resonance, tonal transfer, dependable performance, and a responsive feel that connects the player directly to the instrument.
Known as “The Workhorse,” the J-45 has earned a reputation as one of the most trusted and widely recorded acoustic guitars ever made. The new J-45 Original returns to the model’s Jumbo roots with distinctive 30s Jumbo-inspired appointments while preserving the iconic round-shoulder dreadnought body and the classic combination of mahogany back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top.
The J-45 Original features a mahogany neck with a fast, comfortable SlimTaper profile and a rosewood fretboard with 20 standard frets and mother-of-pearl dot inlays. A mother-of-pearl Gibson script logo, nickel-plated Grover open-back tuners, and a bone nut complete the headstock. A rectangular, closed-slot, flat-top rosewood bridge, TUSQ bridge pins, and a firestripe pickguard reinforce the guitar’s vintage-inspired character. Offered in Autumn Burst and Vintage Sunburst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finishes, the J-45 Original includes a Gibson hardshell case.
The J-45 60s Original Fixed Bridge carries the Workhorse legacy forward with distinctive 60s-era styling and a fixed belly-up bridge designed for tuning stability, dependable performance, and reduced long-term upkeep. Its round-shoulder dreadnought body is constructed with mahogany back and sides and a solid Sitka spruce top, delivering the warm, woody, and balanced voice that has defined the J-45 since its introduction in 1942.
A 24.75-inch-scale mahogany neck with a comfortable Round profile joins the body using a dovetail joint and hot hide glue. The rosewood fretboard features 20 standard frets and mother-of-pearl dot inlays. Grover strap tuners with white buttons, a gold Gibson logo decal, a bone nut and saddle, and TUSQ bridge pins complete the instrument’s performance-oriented appointments.
The J-45 60s Original Fixed Bridge is available in Vintage Sunburst with a tortoise pickguard and Vintage Cherry Sunburst with a white pickguard. Both finishes are applied in gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, and each guitar includes a Gibson hardshell case.
First introduced in 1942 as part of Gibson’s celebrated wartime banner model lineup, the Southern Jumbo became the company’s flagship round-shoulder flat-top. The Southern Jumbo 40s Original honors that heritage while incorporating carefully considered modern refinements and the Gibson-exclusive Baggs HiFi DNA pickup system.
The Southern Jumbo 40s Original pairs solid rosewood back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top, producing deep lows, sparkling highs, expansive projection, and a touch-sensitive response. Multi-ply binding on the top and back gives the guitar an elevated visual presentation that complements its rich tonal character.
Its mahogany neck features a comfortable SlimTaper profile designed for effortless chord work and fluid flatpicking. The rosewood fretboard is fitted with 20 standard frets and mother-of-pearl split parallelogram inlays. Nickel-plated Grover open-back tuners, a bone nut, and a vintage-inspired gold Gibson script logo decal complete the headstock. A closed-slot, belly-down rosewood bridge features two mother-of-pearl dot inlays, a bone saddle, and TUSQ bridge pins, while a tortoise-colored teardrop pickguard completes the classic aesthetic. The Southern Jumbo 40s Original is offered in a Vintage Sunburst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish and includes a Gibson hardshell case.
Returning to the core Gibson Acoustic lineup in response to player demand, the Country Western 60s Original revives one of the most celebrated versions of this historic design. Its mahogany back and sides and solid Sitka spruce top produce a rich, lively, and exceptionally balanced voice across the bass, midrange, and treble frequencies.
That versatility allows the Country Western 60s Original to move naturally between country rhythm work, rock ’n’ roll single-note leads, intricate fingerstyle passages, songwriting sessions, studio recording, and live performance. The guitar is designed to respond to a wide variety of techniques while retaining the warmth and character associated with a classic Gibson acoustic.
The 24.75-inch-scale mahogany neck features a comfortable Round profile and joins the body with a compound dovetail joint secured using hot hide glue. Its rosewood fretboard has a 12-inch radius, 20 standard frets, and mother-of-pearl split parallelogram inlays. Sealed-back Gotoh tuning machines with white buttons, a bone nut, and a mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and crown provide refined styling and dependable performance.
At the body, a rosewood belly-up bridge is fitted with a bone saddle and TUSQ bridge pins. A tortoise-colored pickguard without graphics provides a clean, classic finishing detail. The Country Western 60s Original is available in Natural and Vintage Sunburst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finishes and includes a Gibson hardshell case.
Street prices for each of the models:
Gibson J-45 60s Original with HiFi DNA, Fixed Bridge, available in Vintage Sunburst or Vintage Cherry Sunburst finish: $3,199
Gibson J-45 Original with HiFi DNA, available in Vintage Sunburst or Autumn Burst: $3,299
Gibson Country Western 60s Original with HiFi DNA, in Antique Natural finish: $3,999
Gibson Southern Jumbo 40s Original with HiFi DNA, in Vintage Sunburst finish: $3,999
For more information visit Gibson.com.
Gibson
Original Collection
Gibson has announced four additions to its Original Collection of acoustic guitars, each equipped with the new Gibson-exclusive, custom-voiced Baggs HiFi DNA pickup system.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/gibson-introduces-four-original-collection-acoustics-with-baggs-hifi-dna-pickup-system

Richard Thompson’s Endless Guitar Journey “I didn’t want to ...

2026-10-15T14:38:08Z

Richard Thompson’s Endless Guitar Journey

“I didn’t want to be another imitator of Chicago blues,” Richard Thompson tells PG of his early guitar development. “When I was growing up in London, by about 1963, there were a lot of very good guitar players around, like Peter Green, Jeff Beck, and everyone else who seemed to have had a run in the Yardbirds. They’d never been to Chicago, or even out of England, probably. But they could do Buddy Guy and Magic Sam.”
Nearly 60 years into his career, Thompson has a new album—his touring schedule and writing regimen indicate an artist still in motion. He’s unwilling to rest on any laurels, but it isn’t as though he hasn’t received them. Back in 2012, Nashville’s Americana Music Association issued him a lifetime achievement award and invited him to play in the city’s fabled Ryman Auditorium. Remember, he’s an Englishman. But if anyone from the other side of the pond deserves an Americana award, it’s Richard Thompson.
“I was kind of surprised when my manager said, ‘Oh, they want to give you an award,’” he remembers. “And I thought it’s a little strange because I’m not a country artist, but I think ‘Americana’ is a broader term that covers everyone from Booker T. Jones to r&b. It’s a roots thing. And Scottish and Irish music is a massive influence on country music, the Celtic influence that goes along with the African influence. All that kind of blends into country and rock ‘n’ roll. So I suppose I must be kind of rootsy.”
Richard Thompson is one of our best living guitarists—there’s certainly no denying his virtuoso wizardry on the instrument. Like Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Django Reinhardt, and Jerry Garcia, Thompson’s phrasing is recognizable from the very first note. His attack is precise and angular. His powerfully articulated pull-offs and bends seem to leap from his fingertips at right angles, like shards of glass from a broken mirror. This staccato style works perfectly in punk and math rock, too. So many guitar players, from Tom Verlaine and Mary Timony to James Walbourne and Carrie Brownstein, owe Thompson a serious debt.
It’s not only Thompson’s soloing that informs his greatness. He also has perhaps the most stable hands in the business; his arpeggios flow like a steady, fast-moving river, steeped in current. For proof, see any live acoustic version of his classic tune “1952 Vincent Black Lightning“ and remember it’s only one guitar doing all that. Whether he’s playing solo or out on the road with a full band, watching Thompson perform always brings pleasant surprises. Just when you think he’s pulled every rabbit from his hat, year after year he finds new ways to delightfully evince another coin from behind your ear.
Richard Thompson Gear:
Guitars and other string instruments:
1966 Martin 000-18
Lowden Signature acoustic
Lowden F32
Lowden classical
Lowden S series
Lowden electric
1959 Fender Stratocaster (with ‘55 neck)
1966 Fender Stratocaster
Fender Strat, black/silver (parts)
Fender Stratocaster, white (newish)
Fender American Professional Classic Stratocaster (with Rio Grande pickups)
Fender Telecaster (parts) (2)
Fender Telecaster 12-string (parts)
Gibson SG, black
1920 Gibson mandolin
Amps:
1966 Fender Deluxe
1956 Fender Deluxe
Various Fender Vibrolux, Champs, and more
Divided By 13
Headstrong 1x12 (2)
Effects (acoustic):
Ridge Farm 2-channel tube pre amp
TC Electronic delay
TC Electronic rotary
Effects (electric):
Fulltone OCD
TC Electronic delay
TC Electronic octave
TC Electronic Shaker
Boss tuner
Strings and picks:
Elixir electric strings (.009-.042)
Elixir acoustic strings, bronze (.012-.053)
Custom-made picks, “Les Paul” shape
In late summer, this founding member of seminal English folk rock band Fairport Convention Zooms in from his London home while preparing for a run of music festivals that have become something of an annual tradition. He’ll play events like FolkEast in Suffolk and the Bromyard Folk Festival before autumn settles over England. He pans his camera around the house to show where he’s sitting—Thompson splits his time between the UK and a place in New Jersey. His living room, draped in soft yellow tones and furnished with traditional pieces, looks more like the pad of a London accountant than the legendary music troubadour he is. There’s no obvious trace on the walls or shelves of his long career in rock ‘n’ roll.
And yet, he was there. Fairport Convention has been described as England’s answer to the Byrds. If the latter took folk songs from American musicians like Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan and reformed them into Billboard chart toppers like “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “Mr. Tambourine Man,” Fairport Convention, drawing on Irish, Scottish, and English folk, made similar moves at the same time in Swinging London, releasing groundbreaking albums like Liege & Lief and Unhalfbricking. Ground zero, then, was the legendary Marquee Club, where bands like the Who and the Rolling Stones took early steps toward superstardom and where Fairport Convention also played.
“Jimi Hendrix got up and played with us a few times. He played whatever we were playing.”
There were other clubs, too: “I remember at a place called the Speakeasy—it was on Margaret Street in London—Jimi Hendrix got up and played with us a few times,” Thompson recalls. “He played whatever we were playing. I remember one night he sat in on ‘Like a Rolling Stone,’ and one night we did Paul Butterfield’s ‘East-West’ together.”
In that moment—London in the ‘60s—did Thompson feel something significant was happening? Did he and his cohort recognize they were living in what would later be considered a landmark time in rock history? “I think we thought this wasn’t some creative high spot, that whatever was happening would keep happening in different forms,” he explains. “I think we looked back on the ‘50s as being the revolution. But the ‘60s were more revolutionary, really. Of course, there were new, better recording techniques. But if you just look at the music, we’re still in the shadow of it, I think. If you only take the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan, those three artists alone still have such an influence over music. People are still wearing Led Zeppelin t-shirts, for heaven’s sake. Back then, we sort of thought, ‘Oh, it’s just the Who. It’s just the Yardbirds. It’s just Jimi Hendrix.’ It’s only really recently that I look back and realize how special it all really was.”
Thompson shares more about how he developed his own playing style in those days: “I wanted to sound unique. I thought that if I could develop something that has an element of where I come from, if it sounds a bit Scottish, a bit English, then that could be a singular thing. And I looked for distinctive sounds on the guitar, too. When I got a Stratocaster in ‘68 or whenever it was, I found the out-of-phase position on it and thought, well, this is great. It’s got that kind of hollow sound. ‘I’m sure no one’s done this before,’ I said to myself. I thought I had invented a lot of things that I later found out were totally untrue! But for me, it was kind of a fresh sound.”
There may be no other artist who so deftly bridges the old country with the new world. PG readers, for example, may understand the differences between the sounds of Muscle Shoals, Memphis, and Bakersfield, but some may plead ignorance about the analogous sonic regions of the United Kingdom. When asked, Thompson breaks down what makes a song sound like it’s from the UK versus the States. “It’s a balancing act, really,” he explains. “I like to think that I’m grounded in English, Irish, and Scottish folk music, and that everything comes from that. When you add rock ‘n’ roll to that, you see what you get. And that is what we’ve been doing since Fairport Convention began around 1968; I’m still playing around in that field because it’s a very unploughed field, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t have many rivals lurking in that particular piece of acreage. So, for me, there’s a lot to explore. And it uses sounds from both sides of the Atlantic, including accordions and fiddles.
“In terms of modality,” he continues, “the Scottish and Irish scales are very predominant. I use two Scottish pentatonic scales, which overlap into American Appalachia, so you don’t necessarily hear something alien immediately. And the Mixolydian mode is a very common mode in British folk music. And you have that in American music as well. These are kind of signposts, and as long as I sound like me, I’m happy.”
When asked about his practical approach to the guitar, his answer adds up to a Richard Thompson master class: “Obviously, if I’m on a plane all day or something, I can’t play. But otherwise, I do play nearly every day. I think in music there’s a limitless number of things to discover. You can get kind of bogged down looking at your own instrument and just see familiar patterns—you look at your fingers, and they’re going to the same places. For me, inspiration comes from listening to other instruments. Sometimes I’ll listen to John Coltrane, or a sitar player maybe. I think that’s the way to be inspired. I’ll start to think, ‘How do I fit that onto a guitar? Something that’s very easy on another instrument, how do I do that on the guitar, where it’s much more difficult?
“Another thing is vocal accompaniment,” Thompson continues. “When I’m playing guitar, I’m nearly always playing it in a song, and every song presents different possibilities, so a song can suggest things. If I’m playing acoustic, it’s a big thing to make enough sound—to keep enough strings ringing. Do I need to go into another tuning to make it sound better? Can I take a solo that keeps the spirit of the song going, without it sounding like something’s dropped out? And if I’m playing electric with a band, I think, ‘How do I keep the spirit of the song going if I play a solo?’ How do I keep the lyric’s message going and the narrative moving?’ So every song presents different problems that you have to overcome. Sometimes you have to think of a new kind of fingering to play a song in a certain key, and you think, ‘This is tough; I’ve never done this before. I’m going to have to stretch myself. I’m going to have to really practice this particular sequence or this particular fingering, particular shape, or else the song is going to lose something.’ There’s all these things happening to push you forward, and I think you really have to always be a student of music, because there’s always stuff to learn. And if I think I know everything, I’ll go and listen to Stravinsky or something!”
“I thought that if I could develop something that has an element of where I come from, if it sounds a bit Scottish, a bit English, then that could be a singular thing.”
His new LP, Hippies, Thugs and Heroes, lives up to his career-long quest to stretch himself. Whether you’ve been listening to him for decades or you’re brand new to his music, this record is quintessential Richard Thompson. In songs like “The Big Smoke” and “Unsung Hero,” he moves effortlessly between folk-rock and sounds grounded in country and blues from Texas and Tennessee. Thompson generally likes the darker shades of life. Lyrically, he is known for his exploration of disappeared love, of the vagaries of relationships gone wrong. On this new record, for instance, “Make Believe You Don’t Know Me” joins classic Thompson heartache numbers like “Shoot Out the Lights,” “I Misunderstood,” and “When the Spell Is Broken.”
Thompson is known to use a Strat as his main axe. For years, he could be seen wielding a red “partscaster” built for him by guitar tech Bobby Eichorn. That instrument is no longer part of his arsenal. Instead, he’s playing a black partscaster Strat with a silver pickguard. “I also have a ‘60 white Stratocaster,” he says, “and I use a couple of three-pickup Telecasters—I like even my Teles to have three pickups. Those are all my stage guitars, mostly Strats. But I have a Gibson SG that I sometimes use in the studio, and an old Gibson jazz guitar, too. I have others here in London that I don’t use on tour anymore, but they come into the studio too, including my 1966 Stratocaster. I don’t have tons of instruments, but I suppose I have far too many. I like to think they’re not being neglected. If I’ve got a guitar I haven’t played for five years, I’m inclined to give it to somebody else, friends or family.”
These days, he puts his electrics through Divided By 13 amplifiers. “I tend to stick with one amp,” he says. “The Divided By 13 amps are built in Long Beach, California, and the one I use is a two-speaker cabinet with two mismatched Celestion speakers. It’s got two circuits: a Vox circuit and a Fender circuit. You can choose one or the other, or you can blend the two of them, which is kind of the best of all possible worlds.”
When I ask Thompson about his long-held Martin 000-18, the one pictured on the cover of his first solo album, Henry the Human Fly, he reaches just off camera and suddenly pulls it into frame. “Here it is!” he exclaims. “It’s a 1966, but I found it in New York in 1971 when I was on tour with [original Fairport Convention member] Iain Matthews. There’s a place, it’s still there, in Greenwich Village called the Music Inn, and I got it there for 200 bucks. About a year later, I also bought a 1920 Gibson mandolin there for 100 bucks. Those were the days, as they say! Anyway, the Martin 000-18 has been severely battered over the years. I used it a lot on tour throughout the ‘80s. One night in Germany, I left the stage for the interval and put it down next to a spotlight on the floor. When I came back, it had nearly melted into pieces. It was frying on the floor. Terrifying, really. Now I just keep it around the house.”
Thompson will turn 78 on his next birthday, but there’s no sense of him slowing down. In the country-folk song “Bad Liver/Broken Heart,” Canadian artist Scott Nolan writes from the point of view of a Thompson-like troubadour and croons, “In this line of work no one retires.” I ask him if he ever thinks of hanging it up, and he doesn’t hesitate in his response: “At the end of a long tour, I might not pick up a guitar for a few days, but then the pleasure of it gets me. I like to feel I’m in shape to play, so it’s good to keep up exercises, and there are no limits to where you can go musically. I’m always noodling with song ideas as well. As a performer, I would seriously miss that wonderful transaction with the audience—so I’ll stick at it as long as I can.”

https://www.premierguitar.com/richard-thompsons-endless-guitar-journey

Kardinal Guitars Introduces the Kardinal Bass Kardinal Guitars ...

2026-10-15T13:53:17Z

Kardinal Guitars Introduces the Kardinal Bass

Kardinal Guitars has introduced the Kardinal Bass: a four-string electric bass designed to offer professional-grade tone at a very accessible price. Available for pre-order through November 20, 2026, the Kardinal Bass ships with a spec sheet that punches well above its $549 pre-order price.
The Kardinal Bass features a neck-through mahogany body design, delivering superior resonance and sustain compared to bolt-on alternatives, and its quilted maple top provides eye-grabbing appeal. It features a rosewood fretboard with a 12" radius and stainless steel frets.
At the heart of the Kardinal Bass are a pair of custom-wound dual-coil soapbar pickups loaded with Alnico V magnets, which deliver a warmer, fuller character than ceramic alternatives, with greater dynamic sensitivity and reduced string pull for improved sustain. The result is a passive bass that responds to how hard you dig in, cleans up when you back off, and sits in a mix without fighting for space. Full-size pots and a simple Vol/Tone/Blend layout keep everything player-focused and intuitive.
The Kardinal Bass is available in three launch colors: Cardinal Red, Sapphire Blue, and Midnight Black.
Kardinal Bass Key Features:
Neck-through mahogany body construction for enhanced resonance and sustain
Quilted maple top with flame maple binding
Rosewood fretboard, 12” radius, 22 stainless steel frets
Dual-coil soapbar pickups, custom wound with Alnico V magnets
Passive electronics: Volume, Tone, Blend with full-size pots
34" scale length, 40mm nut width, Graph Tech nut, brass saddle bridge
The Kardinal Bass is available exclusively through kardinalguitars.com for $549. Pre-orders are open now through November 20, 2026.
Kardinal Guitars
Kardinal Bass
Kardinal Guitars has introduced the Kardinal Bass: a four-string electric bass designed to offer professional-grade tone at a very accessible price. Available for pre-order through November 20, 2026, the Kardinal Bass ships with a spec sheet that punches well above its $549 pre-order price.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/kardinal-guitars-introduces-the-kardinal-bass

California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends Shows Announced for ...

2026-10-15T13:15:00Z

California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends Shows Announced for Hollywood Bowl

Live Nation-Hewitt Silva and Blackbird Presents today announce California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends, a monumental concert celebration honoring the unmatched history, explosive live performance and enduring legacy of America’s Greatest Rock Band. This historic event will take over the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California for two unforgettable high-octane nights on October 29 and November 1, 2026.
For more than five decades, Aerosmith has defined the sound, raw spirit, and rebellious attitude of American rock & roll. From their Boston breakout to the Super Bowl, the band epitomizes the rock ‘n roll dream come true. Now, in a triumphant and highly anticipated return, the legendary rock titans will command the stage together again. This monumental event will celebrate the band’s extraordinary career, timeless catalog, and unparalleled global influence alongside a staggering lineup of fellow legendary artists.
This epic celebration has the star power that only Aerosmith can deliver, bringing together an electrifying, cross-genre lineup of superstars, each a defining force in their field. Spanning rock, country, hip-hop, and alternative music, the lineup features The Black Crowes, RUN DMC, Heart, Andrew Watt, Billy Idol, Chad Smith (RHCP), Duff McKagan (GN’R), Eric Church, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Marcus King, Mike Inez (Alice In Chains), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Pat Monahan (Train), Sammy Hagar, Slash (GN’R), Steve Stevens, Sully Erna (Godsmack), Tom Morello, Adam Wakeman, Audley Freed, Kenny Aronoff and more, all anchored by the legendary Don Was serving as Music Director. This stellar roster brings together iconic artists who have previously performed or recorded with Aerosmith and a new wave of stars who cite the band among their ultimate musical influences. Even more artists, special guests, and surprise appearances will be announced in the weeks ahead, promising unforgettable collaborations and unexpected moments across both nights. The lineup will vary each night. Final nightly lineups will be announced at or near showtime and are subject to change.
From “Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion,” and “Walk This Way” to “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Crazy,” “Cryin’,” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” Aerosmith’s catalog has become a defining element of modern music culture, with an influence that extends across rock, pop, hip-hop, and blues. These highly anticipated performances will mark a return to the stage for Aerosmith, giving fans a rare opportunity to experience the band together once again and the unmistakable chemistry and stage presence that have defined their live shows for more than five decades.
Aerosmith are four-time Grammy Award winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and MusiCares Person of the Year honorees, but those accolades tell only part of the story. Their enduring relevance is reflected in the milestones they continue to shatter, with the band among the only groups to score Top 10 Billboard 200 albums across six consecutive decades, while helping shape new generations of boundary-pushing artists who cite Aerosmith as their musical inspiration. This historic event will honor the extraordinary journey and lasting impact that have made Aerosmith one of the most important, defining, and enduring bands in music history.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Thursday October 8th at 10am PDT until Friday October 9th at 10am PDT through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Saturday October 10th at 10am PDT. Visit www.aerosmith.com for more information.
The shows will also offer a variety of different VIP upgrades and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Upgrades vary but include access to the pre-show Aerosmith VIP Lounge, a limited-edition Aerosmith jacket, a specially designed VIP-exclusive T-shirt, early entry into the venue & more. VIP upgrade contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com !

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/california-dream-on-aerosmith-friends-shows-announced-for-hollywood-bowl

Trivium Announce New Album Crown in the Grave, Share Video for ...

2026-10-15T12:24:29Z

Trivium Announce New Album Crown in the Grave, Share Video for the Title Track

GRAMMY-nominated heavyweights Trivium—vocalist/guitarist Matthew K. Heafy; guitarist Corey Beaulieu; bassist Paolo Gregoletto; and drummer ALEX RÜDINGER—are thrilled to announce their new album Crown in the Grave. It arrives November 20 through Roadrunner Records. Pre-order it here.
Trivium today share the title track, which builds from a gradual progression of layered riffs into an explosive wall of metal, pairing crushing heaviness with the precision, melody, and technical firepower that have defined the band for more than two decades. The song is vintage Trivium—galloping riffs, robust solos, and battering ram percussion, seamlessly sewn together with three-tiered vocals. But like the rest of the album, it stays true to the band's signature sound, all the while pushing it further into new sonic terrain.
The accompanying, Japanese Noh theater-inspired, post-apocalyptic music video brings the album's artwork and themes into a smoke-filled dojo, where the main characters prepare for an impending showdown through a series of tense, atmospheric sequences. Drawing on the band's longtime passion for classic Japanese theater and martial arts, the visual captures the discipline, drama, and focused physicality at the heart of the song's storytelling.
Watch the video, directed by Pavel Trebukhin, here .
"Crown In The Grave is our eleventh record, and when you get this far into a career, it’s easy to rest on what you've already done—or to reinvent yourself just for the sake of it," says Gregoletto. "With this record, we wanted to find the space between those two things: Take everything we've learned and everything that makes Trivium what it is, but present it in ways we hadn't before."
He continues, "We also wanted the record to exist within its own world. That began with the title track, inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood, and led us deeper into Japanese horror and cinema from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. That influence grew into this darker, ghostly atmosphere that became a set of guardrails for the music, lyrics, artwork, and overall identity of the record."
The bassist finishes, "We built our studio so we could give ourselves the time and space to figure out exactly what an eleventh Trivium record should be, and Crown In The Grave is the answer we arrived at. It honors where we’ve been without living in the past, and pushes into new territory without abandoning what makes us Trivium. I think when you hear it, it'll somehow feel both new and like a return."
After over two decades in the spotlight, Trivium have realized their collective potential like never before. They have absorbed the wisdom gained through writing hundreds of songs, the experience derived from playing thousands of shows, and the fire maintained by never giving up and perfected their signature sound at the highest level. The riffs crunch and crack bones, solos burst into flames upon impact, screams bleed truth without filter, and towering hooks break through the clouds. This is Trivium confidently reborn as the beast they were meant to be.
"Facing yourself is the final quest," Heafy observes. "We had to do it as a band, and I had to do it in my personal life. I freed my mind from the constraints of being worried. I made a decision to just sing."
A perfect storm of mental health struggles, physical injuries, and intense anxiety brought him to a crossroads. Bravely, he chose to embrace therapy, found an appropriate medication regimen, and reframed his mindset. "I cleared the plate," the frontman admits. "I stopped trying to be safe and perfect at every show. Instead, I was actually enjoying the experience and living. If I messed up, it was okay because I'm human. With all of the changes Trivium went through, it's like a brand new band."
For the first time, the group crafted Crown In The Grave in their own creative hub and de facto clubhouse—The Hangar—in Orlando. Plus, they officially welcomed drummer Alex Rüdinger (Rüdi) in the studio. During 2015, the drummer nearly joined Trivium, but opted to focus on other endeavors. A decade later, he heeded the call. "It happened when it was meant to," Heafy declares. "Rüdi didn't just kill it on the drums; his contributions as a writer made a huge difference."
Reteaming with longtime producer Josh Wilbur [Korn, Lamb of God] and working with mixer Jacob Hansen [Volbeat, Amon Amarth] for the first time, the musicians rallied around a shared vision. "We took all of the elements of Trivium, honed in on them, and focused on writing songs with big riffs and big hooks,” notes Beaulieu. "We made the record we'd been dying to make. The late great Shaun Glass [Soil] was a big Trivium fan. He'd always say, "You guys don't cook the same meal.' Even though we use the same ingredients, we always make a new dish."
"Any band who has been around this long starts to ask: Where do we go from here?" says Gregoletto. "We decided to challenge ourselves to top everything we've done. We referenced a lot of '90s albums. If you look at The Black Album by Metallica, Countdown To Extinction by Megadeth, or Superunknown by Soundgarden, the choruses are so important, and the songs are relatable. That's what we strived for."
Thematically, Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood served as a north star. Gregoletto brought the film to the group’s attention. "Kurosawa took Macbeth and set it in a feudal Japan," the bassist elaborates. "There's minimal dialogue, yet the storyline is powerful. There are these haunting elements of being tempted by fate and this man's downfall."
Crown in the Grave TRACK LISTING:
"Jorōgumo"
"Crown in the Grave"
"Dead Inside of Me "
"The Terror"
"The Haunting Never Ends"
"Lie Of It All"
"Blackout The Dawn"
"Paradise Of Sinners"
"Death Throes"
"The Agony"
"Devour Your Dreams"
"Serpent in the Flame"
Trivium will hit the road on November 5 in St. Petersburg, Florida and run through December 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina for a North American headline run with In Flames, Orbit Culture, Fit for an Autopsy, and Frozen Soul in tow. It is a truly stacked lineup that cannot and should not be missed. Get tickets here .
"This fall's Trivium tour is a huge one for us," the band declared upon announcing the tour earlier this year. "The lineup is stacked from top to bottom, and we're honored to have special guests In Flames, who not only influenced our early years but continue to prove time and again why they're one of the greatest metal bands of all time. With Orbit Culture, Fit For An Autopsy, and Frozen Soul rounding out the bill, we can't wait to get out there, kick off this next era of Trivium with Rudi behind the kit, and give you a taste of the new music we've been working on. We'll see you soon!"
Trivium ON TOUR: WITH IN FLAMES, ORBIT CULTURE, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, AND FROZEN SOUL:
11/5 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live
11/6 — Atlanta, GA — The Eastern
11/7 — Louisville, KY — Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
11/8 — Grand Rapids, MI — GLC Live at 20 Monroe
11/10 — Silver Spring, MD — The Fillmore
11/11 — New Haven, CT — College Street Music Hall
11/12 — New York, NY — Terminal 5
11/14 — Philadelphia, PA — Franklin Music Hall
11/15 — Worcester, MA — The Palladium
11/17 — Laval, QC — Place Bell
11/18 — Toronto, ON — GCT Theatre
11/20 — Royal Oak, MI — Royal Oak Music Theatre
11/21 — Chicago, IL — Aragon Ballroom
11/22 — Madison, WI — The Sylvee
11/24 — Nashville, TN — The Pinnacle
11/25 — Chesterfield, MO — The Factory at The District
11/27 — San Antonio, TX — Boeing Center at Tech Port
11/28 — Houston, TX — Bayou Music Center
11/29 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom
12/2 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Financial Theatre
12/3 — Las Vegas, NV — The Pearl
12/4 — Inglewood, CA — YouTube Theater
12/5 — San Francisco, CA — The Masonic
12/7 — Penticton, BC — Penticton Trade & Convention Centre
12/8 — Vancouver, BC — Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
12/9 — Seattle, WA — Paramount Theatre
12/11 — Reno, NV — Grand Sierra Resort — Grand Theatre
12/13 — Denver, CO — Mission Ballroom
12/15 — Tulsa, OK — Tulsa Theatre
12/16 — Omaha, NE — Steelhouse
12/18 — Pittsburgh, PA — Citizen's Live at The Wylie
12/19 — Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/trivium-announce-new-album-crown-in-the-grave-share-video-for-the-title-track

Ernie Ball Music Man Launches New Albert Lee Models Ernie Ball ...

2026-10-15T11:39:27Z

Ernie Ball Music Man Launches New Albert Lee Models

Ernie Ball Music Man has introduced two new takes on the Albert Lee guitar: the Albert Lee HSS, which pairs the model's distinctive body shape with a versatile HSS pickup configuration, and the Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee in Malibu Burst, limited to 75 instruments worldwide.
The Albert Lee HSS combines the distinctive Albert Lee body shape with a DiMarzio custom humbucker, first developed for the Music Man Axis, and Albert Lee's signature Seymour Duncan custom single-coil pickups. A Silent Circuit preamp reduces the 60-cycle hum associated with traditional single coils, while a 5-way selector with master volume and tone controls delivers everything from articulate, chiming cleans to full-bodied humbucker drive. An ash body in a high-gloss finish is paired with a roasted figured maple neck finished in gunstock oil and hand-rubbed wax, with 22 high-profile stainless steel frets on a 25-1/2" scale. White face dots and glow-in-the-dark side markers, a Music Man vintage tremolo, compensated nut, and Schaller M6-IND locking tuners round out a guitar built for players who need one instrument to cover it all. The Albert Lee HSS comes in three striking finishes: Firemist Silver, Honey Burst, and Cosmos Sparkle.
Albert Lee HSS Features:
DiMarzio custom humbucker + Albert Lee signature Seymour Duncan custom single coils
Silent Circuit preamp
Ash body with roasted figured maple neck
22 stainless steel frets
Music Man vintage tremolo and Schaller locking tuners
Strung with Custom RPS Slinkys (10–46)
The Albert Lee HSS is available for a street price of $3,299.
The Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee in Malibu Burst brings premium tonewoods and refined details to the Albert Lee platform. A figured maple top over an okoume body is finished in high-gloss Malibu Burst, paired with a roasted figured maple neck and fretboard in a hand-rubbed oil and wax finish. White pearl Atlante block inlays and glow-in-the-dark side dots give the fretboard a distinctive look, while custom-wound DiMarzio humbuckers—the same pickups found in the Axis—deliver rich, articulate tone through a 5-way selector and 500k volume and tone controls. A Music Man vintage tremolo, compensated nut, locking Schaller tuners, and 22 stainless steel frets on a 10" radius complete the package. Limited to just 75 instruments worldwide.
Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee Features:
Figured maple top on an okoume body in Malibu Burst
Roasted figured maple neck and fretboard
White pearl Atlante block inlays with glow-in-the-dark side dots
Custom-wound DiMarzio humbuckers
Music Man vintage tremolo and locking Schaller tuners
Limited to 75 instruments worldwide
The Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee is available for a street price of $3,799.
Ernie Ball Music Man
Albert Lee HSS
Ernie Ball Music Man has introduced two new takes on the Albert Lee guitar: the Albert Lee HSS, which pairs the model's distinctive body shape with a versatile HSS pickup configuration, and the Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee in Malibu Burst, limited to 75 instruments worldwide.
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/ernie-ball-music-man-launches-new-albert-lee-models

Fender and Joe Bonamassa Introduce the Tone Master '59 ...

2026-10-15T11:08:12Z

Fender and Joe Bonamassa Introduce the Tone Master '59 Twin-Amp JB Edition

Fender has unveiled the Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition, the first signature amplifier in Fender’s Tone Master series, created in close collaboration with blues-rock guitarist and longtime Fender artist Joe Bonamassa. Inspired by Bonamassa’s prized late-’50s high-powered tweed Twin amps — a mainstay of his touring and studio rig — the new model brings the sound and response of his vintage originals together with the versatility and functionality of Fender’s modern Tone Master platform.
“I wanted to hate it,” said Joe Bonamassa. “We’re all in agreement that this amp was tighter, punchier, and better. I never thought I’d see in my lifetime the fact that I’d be sitting next to a digital amp. Sound makes you play. Sound inspires you to play. You just need to know how to unlock the sound you hear in your head and get it out.”
Powered by Fender’s Tone Master modeling technology, this signature amplifier combines the character of Bonamassa’s beloved vintage tube amps with the convenience and versatility of modern engineering. The 2x12” ‘59 Twin delivers crystalline cleans that transform into aggressive, distinctive overdrive when pushed into its sweet spot. A six-way power attenuator makes those tones accessible at bedroom-friendly volumes, while the amp can reach up to 85W for the stage. Celestion JB Neodymium Speakers deliver an expansive frequency range, and onboard controls including a vintage/tight switch, line output with level control, ground lift and three-way cabinet simulator let players further shape their tone.
Key Features Include:
Joe Bonamassa Signature Tone: Based on the legendary Fender 5F8-A "high-powered" tweed Twin circuit and voiced after Joe Bonamassa's own prized late-'50s amps, delivering bold cleans and rich, dynamic overdrive.
Dual Celestion JB Neodymium Speakers: Custom-designed lightweight 12" speakers capture the punch, warmth and articulation of Joe's touring rig while reducing overall weight.
Stage-to-Home Power Control: A rear-panel output selector provides full power plus five attenuated settings, making the iconic high-power tweed Twin tone accessible at any volume.
Premium Modern Performance: Features top-panel convolution spring reverb, an effects loop for time-based effects and a rear-panel "Vintage-Tight" switch for enhanced low-end response.
Studio-Ready Connectivity: Balanced XLR line out with three onboard cabinet impulse responses, plus fully customizable speaker IRs via the Tone Master IR Manager app for seamless recording and live performance.
Designed in collaboration with Joe Bonamassa. Full technical specifications are listed below.
With a career that began at 12 opening for B.B. King, Joe Bonamassa was destined for guitar greatness. Known affectionately as JoBo, he has since released 17 LPs and holds the world record for the most No. 1 blues albums. Beyond his storied career as a performer and collaborator, Bonamassa is also renowned for his extensive gear collection. Across his Los Angeles, Nashville and New York City headquarters, he has amassed a rare and sought-after assortment of vintage amplifiers, instruments and effects.
“Joe Bonamassa is one of the world’s foremost authorities on vintage amplifiers, and he knows these original Twins as well as anyone,” said Max Gutnik, Chief Product Officer, Fender Electronics & Digital. “For someone with Joe’s ears, experience and deep commitment to vintage tube amps to choose a digital Fender, and say it sounds even better than the original, is a real inflection point for our industry. It demonstrates just how far this technology has come and, more importantly, the extraordinary accuracy with which Fender can now recreate the sound, feel and response of our most iconic amplifiers. That’s what Tone Master is all about: preserving everything players love about these legendary amps while making them more useful for the way musicians play today.”
Fender’s Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition brings one of Bonamassa’s most relied-upon vintage Fender sounds to players in a format designed for the stage, studio and home. It carries a street price of $1,999.99 USD, £1,789 GBP, €2,099 EUR, $2,999 AUD, ¥308,000 JPY. For more information visit fender.com.
Fender
Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition
Fender has unveiled the Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition, the first signature amplifier in Fender’s Tone Master series, created in close collaboration with blues-rock guitarist and longtime Fender artist Joe Bonamassa. Inspired by Bonamassa’s prized late-’50s high-powered tweed Twin amps — a mainstay of his touring and studio rig — the new model brings the sound and response of his vintage originals together with the versatility and functionality of Fender’s modern Tone Master platform.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/fender-and-joe-bonamassa-introduce-the-tone-master-59-twin-amp-jb-edition

State of the Stomp: Picking the Right Buffer for Your Rig In ...

2026-10-15T10:41:25Z

State of the Stomp: Picking the Right Buffer for Your Rig

In Helmet front man Page Hamilton’s 2014 Rig Rundown, he highlighted the 12AX7-driven Fryette Valvulator Tube Buffer, stating, “That is a key piece of gear in my sound, always on my pedalboard.” For a precision-minded musician like Hamilton, a quality buffer can be a foundational part of the rig.
Every foot of instrument cable you run has inherent capacitance. When you daisy-chain a 15-foot cable into a pedalboard packed with true-bypass switches, and then run another 15-foot cable to your amp, you’ve essentially built a massive low-pass (RC) filter. The result? Your signal bleeds high-end frequencies and loses its transient lifeblood before it even hits your preamp tubes. This is where choosing the right buffer transcends being a mere option and becomes an absolute necessity.
A buffer doesn’t just convert Hi-Z (impedance) to Low-Z; its components also add their own “color” and character.
Op-Amp (Operational Amplifier):
This topology is the modern industry standard. It is known to be exceptionally clean, transparent, and linear, and possesses an incredibly low noise floor (dead quiet). An IC Op-Amp-based buffer reproduces your signal exactly as it is, without any meaningful harmonic coloration.
JFET (Junction Field Effect Transistor):
JFET transistors offer the ability to natively accept exceptionally high-impedance loads (up to the megaohm scale). The operational characteristics of a JFET are frequently compared to vacuum tubes because of how they operate in a voltage-controlled manner. This fundamental trait renders JFETs highly musical, incredibly responsive to picking dynamics, and perfectly suited as an instrument-level signal buffer.
BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor):
Unlike the JFET, BJT transistors are current-controlled and naturally lack the massive high-input-impedance capability required to reach the megaohm scale without employing specialized design tricks (such as bootstrapping). However, BJT-type buffers are often selected due to their highly efficient and economical design, and most importantly, they deliver a uniquely vintage interaction.
Discrete:
In terms of structural architecture, this is fundamentally an Op-Amp; however, instead of utilizing a factory-molded, micro-sized IC chip, this topology is constructed using an array of many full-sized individual (discrete) transistors. This approach allows designers to strictly regulate component tolerances to an extreme degree, yielding gargantuan headroom and a highly specific Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) profile. Frequently deployed in studio-grade buffers or mixing consoles, this topology is exceptionally rare to find in a stompbox format due to its space-consuming footprint.
Tube:
This employs classic vacuum tubes (such as the 12AX7) operating at actual high voltage. A vacuum tube is capable of handling high input impedance natively, just like a JFET, but with a voltage headroom that is far more massive. As a bonus, tubes deliver a pleasing (second-order) harmonic distortion that injects warmth and a 3D dimension into the signal, along with an exceptionally wide dynamic range.
Hybrid:
A clever topology that blends two worlds. It typically employs a JFET at the input stage to capture the high impedance from the guitar without degrading the tone, and then utilizes a BJT or Op-Amp at the output stage to forcefully spew a robust low impedance through long cable runs. This is the steadfast default buffer embedded within almost the entire Boss pedal line.
Active Pickups:
A technical fact that is frequently forgotten: if you are using active pickups, you already possess a built-in buffer located at the closest possible distance to the sound source. Hiding stealthily beneath the pickup cover and powered by a 9V battery, this circuit—which predominantly uses micro Op-Amps—instantly converts the signal to low impedance right at the guitar’s output jack. (Examples: EMG 81/85, Fishman Fluence).
Do you actually need two buffers?
Yes. Professional rig builders often quietly employ a “Buffer Sandwich.” One high-quality buffer sits first-in-chain to “catch” the fragile high-impedance signal. A second buffer sits at the absolute end, aggressively pushing your signal through 50 feet of stage cable to your backline or FOH without bleeding top-end sparkle.
The unaffected sound is the feature. It’s exactly this transparency that leads amateur tone-chasers to write off buffers as worthless gear. But when the stages get wider, when you demand wireless freedom, or when your cable lengths cross into the realm of the absurd, the buffer will be right there. It will silently save the life of your tone while you’re too busy praising the sheer magic of your boutique true-bypass overdrive.

https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/state-of-the-stomp/state-stomp-picking-the-right-buffer

Jackson’s Jon Romanowski: The Halo Effect The superstrat was ...

2026-10-15T09:59:48Z

Jackson’s Jon Romanowski: The Halo Effect

The superstrat was not born in a design studio. It was not shaped by a focus group, nor was it conceived as part of a grand plan to reinvent the electric guitar. It evolved because one player demanded more from the instrument than it had ever delivered before. When Eddie Van Halen assembled his now-legendary Frankenstrat, he wasn’t trying to create a new category of guitar. He was solving problems. He wanted an instrument that could survive aggressive tremolo abuse, deliver more power and thickness, and respond to the speed and articulation of the music he heard in his head. Every modification—hotter pickups, a flatter fingerboard radius, larger frets, a locking tremolo—brought the guitar closer to that vision.
What began as one player’s search for a more appropriate tool evolved into an entire philosophy of instrument design. The Frankenstrat became one of the defining blueprints for the superstrat, influencing everyone from boutique builders to major manufacturers. It also changed what players expected from an electric guitar and created a platform that continues to evolve nearly half a century later. Few people have had a better understanding of that evolution than Jon Romanowski.
As Vice President of Product for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s high-performance brands—Jackson, Charvel, and EVH—Romanowski occupies a unique position in the guitar world. He doesn’t build guitars in the traditional sense. He doesn’t carve necks, wind pickups, or spray finishes. Instead, his craft is something less visible but equally important: understanding what innovations guitarists seek and translating those insights into instruments they genuinely want to play.
“There’s a huge, undulating current of artists and bands having a major impact, so we’re watching those trends.”
Romanowski describes product management as the hub of a wheel, with each “spoke”—engineering, manufacturing, artist relations, marketing, sales, and finance—contributing a different kind of expertise. “Successful products,” he says, “are created at the point where those perspectives intersect.” Throughout a conversation that repeatedly emphasizes the value of teamwork, Romanowski’s focus always returns to the most important voice in the room: the guitarist.
To Romanowski, innovation doesn’t begin in a factory or a boardroom. It begins with a player trying to solve a problem. A player pushes boundaries, other musicians take notice, manufacturers respond, and new technologies eventually filter through product lines and out into the broader guitar community. He calls this phenomenon the “halo effect.” Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstrat was one of those ideas. Romanowski has spent much of his career shepherding similar ideas into existence—not by imposing himself on the product, but by listening to what players need.
Long before he reached the upper levels of the guitar industry, Romanowski grew up in Rochester, New York, raised with two distinct perspectives: His father, an engineer, emphasized discipline, academics, and analytical thinking, while his mother encouraged creativity and artistic exploration. That combination proved formative. His father’s mindset would eventually serve him well in product development, while his mother kept music at the center of his life.
Like many teenagers of his generation, Romanowski’s path changed after seeing the possibilities of rock music explode on MTV in the early ’80s. Watching Def Leppard’s “Photograph” video, he knew he wanted to play guitar. “My mom was always trying to get me involved in the arts,” he recalls. “But after seeing Def Leppard, I thought, ‘Man, I want to do that.’”
Playing eventually led to a job at Rochester’s legendary House of Guitars, where he says his real education began. The store became a classroom unlike any traditional academic environment. He saw firsthand how players interacted with instruments, watched local musicians chase opportunities, witnessed artists develop their identities, and began to understand that the music business extended far beyond playing guitar. “Don’t let school get in the way of a good education,” he says with a laugh.
That experience eventually led to positions with ART (Applied Research and Technology, founded by MXR alumni) and later Ibanez, where Romanowski learned one of the most important lessons of his career: successful product development isn’t necessarily about inventing something completely new. Often, it’s about paying attention.
“You’re looking for holes in the marketplace,” he explains. “You say, ‘We have these types of guitars for these kinds of players, but they’re looking for this other type of sound, so maybe we should do that.' You pair them up and bring it to market.” That philosophy would become the foundation of his approach. The goal isn’t to predict the future. It’s to listen closely enough that the future reveals itself.
By the time Van Halen’s debut album arrived in 1978, the electric guitar had already undergone several major transformations, yet Fender and Gibson still largely dominated the market. Romanowski acknowledges players like Les Paul were already pushing technical boundaries. “He was playing very fast and quick; he just didn’t do it with distortion,” he says. “And you had the undulating fusion thing going on with Al Di Meola and Allan Holdsworth, so there was already that virtuosity—except those players were highly-schooled and rooted in jazz. Then here comes a guy with those chops, applying them in a pop context. It was accessible and digestible, yet it also sounded like nothing anyone had heard before.”
“Eruption” was more than a great guitar solo; it was a moment when players realized the instrument could do things they had never imagined. “‘Eruption’ sounded like Beethoven meets E.T.,” Romanowski says with a chuckle. “People had never heard a guitar sound like that before. That was the appeal.”
But Van Halen’s influence extended beyond technique. Romanowski describes the Frankenstrat as “patient zero” in the superstrat lineage. “He completely changed the engineering demands of the electric guitar,” Romanowski says. “To play that way, you needed a guitar with a flatter radius, bigger frets, hotter pickups—and it had to look the part.”
Van Halen didn’t build the superstrat to create a market category, but rather because existing instruments didn’t meet his needs. “And people glommed onto that. They were like, ‘I want to be like that guy, so I need that kind of guitar.’” For Romanowski, that insight is essential: defining moments in the guitar industry are often driven by musicians pushing instruments beyond their present limitations.
Romanowski believes the halo effect is earned through meaningful innovation, not novelty for novelty’s sake. The goal is not to change an instrument simply to make it different, but to understand why players need something different in the first place. It’s a philosophy that shapes his view of signature models. In some corners of the guitar world, artist models are dismissed as marketing exercises—familiar designs dressed up with a famous name. Romanowski sees them differently. At their best, signature instruments give artists opportunities to push manufacturers toward ideas that may eventually benefit everyone.
He points to Misha Mansoor of Periphery as an example of an artist whose influence extends beyond his own instruments: he introduced ideas through his Jackson Juggernaut signature guitar that filtered through the rest of the product line. “Artists like Misha help push us in terms of design and technologies,” Romanowski explains. “They’re the ones that lead the charge, internally. We do stumble upon some things, but in my experience, we’ve always been more successful when we listen to what the artist needs, or the market telegraphs us some stuff. The halo effect drives the overall business.”
For Romanowski, the artist is not simply endorsing a product—they’re a part of the development process. He compares that influence to the way Michael Jordan changed perceptions of basketball shoes. A player at the highest level can transform how an audience views a product—not because everyone will perform at that level, but because the product represents possibility. The same idea applies to high-performance guitars. “With heavy metal and hard rock, you can’t just casually play it,” Romanowski says. “You must spend some time on it, which means you did that at the expense of something else. You sacrificed something to be able to play like this. And for those players, there’s an expectation there.”
Though Romanowski was initially hired by Fender to jumpstart its high-performance brands, he and his team understand that their role isn’t to recreate the revolutionary moments of the past. “Those moments already happened,” he admits. “Classic brands don’t need a whole lot. They’ve got a great history. They just need a little tweaking here and there.” The groundwork laid by the players and builders who reshaped the instrument—Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Grover Jackson, and Wayne Charvel—has endured. “That group in the ’80s hit pay dirt,” Romanowski says. “So [at Jackson] we already have extraordinary platforms—the Rhoads, the Soloist, the Dinky.”
Today, the challenge is to keep evolving those platforms. That means adapting classic designs for modern players with seven- and eight-string models, new pickup configurations, varied scale lengths, updated finishes, and a broader range of price points. Romanowski jokingly compares the process to “Mr. Potato Head”—rearranging familiar pieces to create something new. Beneath the humor is a sophisticated philosophy of iterative design: great designs endure because they are flexible. The superstrat can absorb new influences without losing its identity.
“A young player can stream Pantera, Bring Me the Horizon, Allan Holdsworth, Brad Paisley, and Kurt Cobain within the same afternoon.”
The next stage of the superstrat is already underway, according to Romanowski. While technical ability will always matter, he sees younger players increasingly emphasizing heavier riffs, lower tunings, and songwriting chops, rather than pure displays of speed. He believes the superstrat is well positioned for that future because it has always adapted to the musicians using it.
“The last guitar revolution, in my opinion, was back in 2008/2009, with Periphery and Animals as Leaders,” he says. “To me, that was like the late ’70s/early ’80s Van Halen and Randy Rhoads kind of thing.” For Romanowski, those moments are connected. Both represent players asking for more from the instrument, and manufacturers responding.
Now he sees two generations helping shape what comes next. “Boomers are starting to age out,” he says. “And Gen Xers are becoming more prominent. They were the ones that got exposed to all this stuff in the ’80s and ’90s, and that’s helped give us a tailwind. They remember it and want to get back in touch with it. There’s also a large group of very young people getting into guitar for the first time, so you’ve got these two cohorts coming together that can help chart a course.”
Beyond guitar-centric revolutions, Romanowski believes another major shift has helped shape the modern guitar landscape: the way people consume music.
“In the 1980s, MTV helped determine which artists reached millions of listeners,” he says. “In the 1990s, grunge changed the priorities of many guitarists seemingly overnight. Today, because of the internet and social media, those divisions have largely disappeared. A young player can stream Pantera, Bring Me the Horizon, Allan Holdsworth, Brad Paisley, and Kurt Cobain within the same afternoon.”
The result is a guitar culture where multiple generations and styles exist simultaneously. The superstrat no longer belongs only to virtuosos chasing technical perfection. It has simply become another electric guitar to choose from, regardless of what style of music one plays.
Ultimately, Romanowski defines his leadership role simply: “to take the beatings and celebrate the wins.” Nearly 50 years after Eddie Van Halen painted stripes on a modified Stratocaster and changed guitarists’ expectations of the instrument, the superstrat now comfortably coexists with standard-bearers like the Stratocaster, Les Paul, and SG.
“Technology evolves, players change, music moves forward,” Romanowski says. “Yet the conversation between musician and instrument continues. There’s a huge, undulating current of artists and bands having a major impact, so we’re watching those trends.”
He may not be able to predict the next guitar revolution, but Romanowski knows the future belongs to those willing to listen for it. “There continues to be a path forward, and there continue to be even more growth opportunities,” he says. For Romanowski, perhaps that is the real halo effect—not simply creating something new, but making an instrument that helps move the conversation forward.

https://www.premierguitar.com/features/gear-features/jackson-guitars-jon-romanowski

Slash Honored with 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award During Hollywood ...

2026-10-15T09:18:26Z

Slash Honored with 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award During Hollywood Celebration

Rock icon Slash received the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award last night, Monday, October 5, during an intimate celebration at The Les Paul Recording Studio at Universal Master Recordings in Hollywood.
Presented by the Les Paul Foundation in partnership with Gibson Gives, the philanthropic arm of Gibson, the private event brought together a room filled with music-industry luminaries, artists, media, friends and special guests to honor Slash’s extraordinary creative legacy, pioneering musicianship and enduring influence on generations of artists and fans.
The evening centered on the presentation of the one-of-a-kind Les Paul Spirit Award, recognizing Slash as an artist who embodies Les Paul’s pioneering spirit through innovation, creativity, technology and music. The celebration also included a reception and a tour of the historic recording studio, offering guests a closer look at the remarkable legacy of Les Paul and the continuing impact of his work on modern music and recording.
Slash and Les Paul shared a special friendship during Les Paul’s lifetime and often played music together. That personal connection brought added meaning to the evening as guests celebrated not only two of the most recognizable guitarists in music history, but also two artists united by an enduring curiosity, an instinct for innovation and a lifelong commitment to expanding the expressive possibilities of the electric guitar.
“Les was so much more than a great guitarist and innovator. He was an actual inventor who changed the instrument itself, built groundbreaking recording equipment and completely reimagined how artists could record music. I feel incredibly lucky that I got to know him, hang out with him and play music with him. I cherish the relationship we had, and receiving an award that carries his name and spirit is a tremendous honor.” --Slash
“We are honored to present the Les Paul Spirit Award to Slash this year. He and Les shared a special friendship and often jammed together when they could,” said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation. “Not only does Slash exemplify the creativity and curiosity Les had during his life, but he is also an extraordinary talent and a wonderful supporter of the Les Paul Foundation. If Les were still alive today, Slash and he would be jamming onstage together somewhere regularly.”
The annual Les Paul Spirit Award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the late Les Paul through innovation, engineering, technology and music. The physical award presented to Slash was created from actual hand-carved acoustic boards that Les Paul built and used in his home recording studio. Because each award is fashioned from authentic studio materials personally created by Les Paul, no two Les Paul Spirit Awards are exactly alike.
Previous recipients of the Les Paul Spirit Award include Bob Weir, Nile Rodgers, the Edge, Peter Frampton and Steve Miller. Slash now joins that distinguished group of artists whose creativity, originality and contributions to music reflect the trailblazing spirit that defined Les Paul’s life and career.
A GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Slash has helped define generations of rock music through his work with Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit, Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators and Slash’s Blues Ball Band. With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, he has created some of the most iconic guitar performances in rock history while continuing to push his artistry into new territory.
His most recent solo album, Orgy of the Damned, was released by Gibson Records in 2024 and topped the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 weeks. Whether exploring the blues or recording rock albums with Slash FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, Slash remains driven by the same instinctive, collaborative approach that has defined his career.
Prior to the award presentation, select members of the media were invited inside the Les Paul Recording Studio for an exclusive advance listening session featuring four songs from Slash FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS’ forthcoming album, Flying Blind. Guests heard “Good Time Girl,” “One of Your Kind,” “Flying Blind” and “Looking for a Miracle,” offering an early glimpse at the band’s next creative chapter.
Set for release on February 26, 2027, via Gibson Records, Flying Blind was recorded largely live with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette and captures the raw chemistry and unfiltered energy that have become hallmarks of the band’s sound. The preview underscored that, even after decades at the forefront of rock music, Slash continues to create with the same passion, spontaneity and commitment to collaboration that have defined his extraordinary career.
The Flying Blind WORLD TOUR 2027 will take Slash FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS across Latin America, North America, the United Kingdom and Europe, with stops at iconic venues including The Wiltern, Beacon Theatre and Ryman Auditorium. Tickets are on sale now: home.slashonline.com/tour.

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/slash-honored-with-2026-les-paul-spirit-award-during-hollywood-celebration

Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks' "The Art of Music" ...

2026-10-15T08:38:35Z

Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks' "The Art of Music" Debuts October 1st on Public Television

- YouTube
October 1st marks the premiere of The Art of Music’s third episode, featuring GRAMMY © Award winning blues rock combo and Tedeschi Trucks Band co-founders, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks filmed live from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Petrie Sculpture Court. It features intimate performances and a wide-ranging interview with legendary music journalist David Fricke. Corporate funding for the series is provided by Chase. The series is distributed by NETA.
Presented by United MileagePlus Cards from Chase. *
PREVIEW at youtube.com/watch
“What a beautiful and unique setting for a concert and interview,” said Derek Trucks. “Sitting in a room full of masterpieces from all over the world was inspiring - watching Susan hold and play Mississippi John Hurt’s guitar is something I won’t forget.”
The episode reveals details of the Tedeschi and Trucks musical journey, inspirations, family influences, and their personal connection to Derek and the Dominos’ “Bell Bottom Blues.” A performance with Sippie Wallace's “Women Be Wise” on Mississippi John Hurt's Gibson guitar, drawn from the Met's collection and a breakdown of “Who Am I” and “What in the World” highlight music from their sixth studio album release Future Soul.
Check local listings for more information at listings.tracmedia.com/artOfMusic.
“The Art of Music” format keeps pulling extraordinary moments like this out of artists,” said Don Maggi, founder and president of iMaggination. “Susan and Derek didn't just talk about their influences — they played them, on an instrument from the Met's own collection. That's what this series is built to do.”
This special interview and performance featuring Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks presented by United MileagePlus Cards from Chase was an unforgettable occasion for Chase United Cardmembers who were invited to attend the intimate live taping. TheUnited MileagePlus Cards from Chase provide Cardmembers with access to exclusive events and experiences in addition to many reward and travel benefits with United Airlines.
Other episodes of The Art of Music include Sheryl Crow with Jason Isbell and
Peter Frampton with Warren Haynes, available at www.theartofmusic.co.

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/susan-tedeschi-and-derek-trucks-the-art-of-music-debuts-october-1st-on-public-television

Seward Park Electric Maravilla Review Preamp pedals can be a lot ...

2026-10-15T07:53:39Z

Seward Park Electric Maravilla Review

Preamp pedals can be a lot of things. They tend to get lumped in with overdrives and boosts, and, in a sense, that’s fair. Preamps, ODs, and boosts are all plugged in before an amplifier’s power section, after all—usually employed to add body, grit, or a measure of distortion.
So, what’s the difference? Well, in the absence of a definitive answer about clipping and EQ circuitry differences—and certainly these can be factors—it can be just as helpful to imagine the preamp/overdrive divide in terms of personalities. An overdrive can be charming but brusque—all full of easy answers to life’s problems and, sometimes, a bit of loudmouth. A good preamp, meanwhile, can be the life of the party—an extrovert even! But it can also be an empathetic, responsive listener and conversationalist.
OK, maybe that isn’t the most watertight metaphor, but Seward Park Electric's Maravilla preamp is one pedal that makes it look particularly apt. Compared to many overdrives, the Maravilla has a huge tone vocabulary—one that spans civilized, sparkling, and venomous. It tends to feel exceptionally well integrated with your amp and guitar. And at the right settings, the Maravilla adds color and energy to a signal without hoovering up the oxygen that makes a guitar feel alive in your hands. Whatever you call it, it has more to offer as a tactile link to your guitar and as a tone scalpel than most overdrives I know.
Maximized Multifactedness
The essence of what makes the Maravilla tick is not terribly complex. Gain is generated via germanium transistors, which are less common in overdrives but make the pedal more dynamically responsive and lend the drive a smoother, less aggro voice. But it’s how the Maravilla builds upon this simple architecture that makes a difference. There is no single drive control on the Maravilla. But a pre-gain control enables you to smash the germanium transistors with input gain, while the post-gain control enables you to take the output from the germanium transistor section and pound the transformer for even more saturation. Transformers are not unheard of in effects pedals, but they aren’t commonplace either. Functionally they can take the place of buffers. But here, as in other excellent preamp-inspired pedals like Hudson’s Broadcast, the Maravilla also uses a transformer to lend extra richness to the distortion.
This simple, if slightly unorthodox, gain chain conjures many complex drive shades by itself. But the Maravilla’s powerful, fluid EQ section also transforms the distortion. The pedal even offers a post-gain presence control, called “air” here, that changes the gain and compression characteristics, along with how the pedal responds to touch and picking dynamics.
“Just as with single coils, the germanium bits of the Maravilla’s beating heart are responsive to touch, tone, and volume dynamics in ways that expand the PAF vocabulary.”
The Punch Spectrum
Uncovering Maravilla’s treasures can feel like fumbling in the dark at first—such are the interactive sensitivities of the six controls. Having all six knobs at noon positions is not a bad place to begin, and you can usually find a baseline not too far from your guitar and amp’s natural voice in these regions. But it pays to be bold as you venture forth from there. And getting a feel for how the post- and pre-gain controls shift the feel of your rig is an ideal launch pad for these experiments.
Slightly advanced pre-gain levels tend to generate sounds and attack most like a conventional overdrive. And depending on where I set the pedal’s EQ, I find sounds similar to those from the Klon and Tube Screamer clones I use as overdrive reference. High post-gain settings in isolation introduce a lean, clean, muscular edge to an amplifier’s input. Any setting that favors heavy pre- or post-gain levels can yield creative results. But it’s when the two are used together in generous servings that the Maravilla comes alive.
As organic amp-style drive goes, the sound and feel of both gain controls at 3 o’clock is hard to top. With a Telecaster and a Vibrolux on either side of the Maravilla, I heard a meaty, rambunctious version of this combination that suffers little from compression or unflattering midrange spikes. You can dial in plenty of compression and odd EQ peaks with the air and EQ controls if you want. But in terms of creating burly, blossoming, naturalistic variations on your natural guitar/amp voice, the two gain controls working together with smooth EQ combos yields the goods. Maximum pre- and post-gain settings sound fantastic too and made the Telecaster and Vibrolux sound positively Marshall-like. But any of these combinations of high pre- and post-gain distortion can be tamed and made near-clean with guitar volume attenuation, and I tended to keep them at higher levels for that reason.
Humbuckers, predictably, have a different relationship with Maravilla. I found the sweetest drive sounds by favoring the pre-gain, using a less dynamic air setting and more conservative tone levels. But just as with single-coils, the germanium bits of the Maravilla’s beating heart are responsive to touch, tone, and volume dynamics in ways that expand the PAF vocabulary. The Maravilla dazzles with Vox- and Marshall-style amps too. It can make an EL84-based rig sound sizzly. But dialing back the pedal’s rangy treble control and adding a scoop of preamp gain can give the combination a buzzy ’60s-practice-amp-set-to-blast essence that, with a little guitar volume and tone attenuation, recalls the crunchy/fuzzy tones David Hidalgo and Tchad Blake cooked up for Latin Playboys’ records. If you’re strictly into the maximum rock ‘n’ roll potentialities of a British amp and the Maravilla, though, fear not. It’s just as easy to dial up monster sounds as it is to find off-kilter ones.
The Verdict
Using the Maravailla in performance can be tricky business if you don’t do your homework. And paradoxically, this means its wonderful versatility may be its only drawback. But this is a drawback in very relative terms. The homework Maravilla demands of you is 101-level stuff. Yes, small adjustments to any of the Maravilla’s controls can profoundly affect the whole, and you might create something ghastly before you happen upon the magic recipe that matches your aims. But the Maravilla is forgiving, and you get used to the sweeps and range in its controls fast. It’s fantastic for awakening lifeless, one-dimensional signals that are missing energy or a certain EQ emphasis. It can add aggression through unique shades of saturation that can span smooth and fuzzy. And as you get to know its core strengths, you may find that some of the strangest sounds it produces might just become the most essential. Indeed, if the most obvious tone sweeteners here don’t convince you of Maravilla’s ability to outperform your average overdrive, the unexpected surprises most certainly will.

https://www.premierguitar.com/reviews/pedals/seward-park-electric-maravilla-review

Vintage Vault: 1966 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman What if I told ...

2026-10-15T07:35:27Z

Vintage Vault: 1966 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman

What if I told you that you could get a vintage guitar model from the original Big Bang of rock for less than a new U.S.-made Fender or Gibson? With the Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman, you can.
The double-cutaway Country Gents of the 1960s were ostensibly Chet Atkins signature models. But it was a young man named George Harrison who sent demand for these guitars through the roof, when he played one in living rooms across the United States during the Beatles’ first televised performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964.
Thanks to Harrison’s unofficial endorsement, Gretsch went from building a comfortable 2,000 models a year to struggling to keep up with demand, reportedly making 100 a day following the explosive Sullivan set.
While Harrison’s was a 1963, the production run of Country Gents he inspired from ’64-’70 brought about a few changes: the standard walnut brown finish was lighter than Harrison’s mahogany-colored, the Grover tuners had a more streamlined “kidney” shape, the mute pads changed from red to black, and, over time, some other minor changes were instituted (for example, the “Country Gentleman” branding was made more prominent on pickguards circa 1966).
However, the basic idea that Chet Atkins worked out with Gretsch had remained largely intact since ’61. These were high-end guitars, built for peak performance, without too many distracting frills: hollowbody, 17" wide and about 2" deep, with a laminated maple top, back, and sides. The f-holes were painted on, per Atkins’ orders, so that there were no real holes introducing feedback.
They had ebony fingerboards with a 12" radius, and a 24.5" scale length, a gold-plated Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, a Filter’Tron pickup in the bridge and Super’Tron at the neck, and three volume knobs—that’s right, count ’em, three—for neck, bridge, and master.
There’s not a single tone knob on the whole guitar, but there are three switches: a 3-way tone switch (to choose between bass, standard, and treble), a 3-way pickup selector, and a kill switch.
Add it all up, and you’ve got a certified guitar for a certified guitar player. (There’s even a felt pad snapped onto the back so you can stay comfortable while Travis picking for hours on end.)
“You could get a vintage guitar model from the original Big Bang of rock for less than a new U.S.-made Fender or Gibson.”
Back in the mid-’60s, a retailer would have asked for a whopping $595 for a new Country Gentleman—and that’s if they even had it in stock. Adjusted for inflation, that’s over $6,000 in 2026 money, a testament to the top-notch quality Gretsch and Chet targeted.
That figure puts into stark relief what a great buy these are on the vintage market right now. The 1966 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman selected for this Vintage Vault column is listed in good condition from Reverb seller Chicago Music Exchange for just $2,650. (Like Harrison’s, at some point a previous owner removed the string mutes and filled in the holes.)
A price tag of $2,650 is still a good deal less than the $3,799 Gretsch asks currently for the closest reissue, the G6122T-62GE Vintage Select. And even that is on the higher-end of average vintage prices at the moment. In 2026 so far, the average final sale price on Reverb for ’64-’70 Country Gents is $1,900, a big drop from the 2021 peak of $3,400.
Country Gent pricing follows a trend in the vintage guitar world that some people—particularly a lot of sellers of vintage guitars—seem to have missed: the vintage guitar market has cooled. Not by a ton, and certainly not uniformly. The overall market is down 10-15% compared to its 2021/2022 peak, with values on the whole remaining above what they had been pre-pandemic.
That said, a lot of once-offbeat models—like the Gretsches of the world, CBS-era Fender offsets, and others—gained a ton of value during the pandemic, only to have slipped further since. Final prices can be 20% to even 40% lower than their peaks. This Country Gentleman is just one example, with plenty more to be found.
It’s a good reminder to all of us vintage guitar nerds out there: These days, it’s a great time to be a buyer. So if you see a guitar you like, go ahead and throw out an offer. Refer to the actual final sale prices you can always find in the Reverb Price Guide, and don’t take asking prices at face value. You just might score a real-deal vintage gem, for way less a current reissue.

https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/vintage-vault/vintage-vault-1996-gretsch-6122-country-gentleman

On the Bench: A 1957 Gibson Skylark In 1957, the world was ...

2026-10-15T07:14:54Z

On the Bench: A 1957 Gibson Skylark

In 1957, the world was experiencing profound change. The Civil Rights Act was signed in September. Then, the space race ignited in October, when the Soviet Union launched their Sputnik satellite. The push to put a man on the moon had officially commenced.
Music was also rapidly evolving in 1957. Buddy Holly recorded “That’ll Be the Day” with the Crickets, and it became a defining song of the rock ’n’ roll era. Paul McCartney and John Lennon met in Liverpool, leading to the formation of the Beatles. Teenagers across America were watching American Bandstand on television after school, spreading music across the nation.
On the bench today, I have a 1957 Gibson Skylark. This model is the GA-5 without tremolo, with the designation GA-5T sporting an added tremolo circuit. It is a 5-watt amp, with a standard set of tubes: a 5Y3 rectifier, 6V6 output, and 12AX7 preamp. If this tube configuration sounds familiar, it is because the Fender Champ uses the same setup! There are many similarities between these two amplifiers. They both put out about 5 watts, have a single-ended output section, and house an 8-inch speaker. While they’re in the same family of amps, there are a few key differences.
“With the volume cranked, the Skylark delivers. The overdrive tone is raw, smooth, and well-balanced.”
Overall, I find the Skylark to have more grit than the Champ, with warm and mid-heavy cleans, whereas the Champ sounds more chime-y and bright. Since these are 5 watt amps, the user can max the volume for that natural tube breakup without rattling the walls. With the volume cranked, the Skylark delivers. The overdrive tone is raw, smooth, and well-balanced. It sounds naturally pleasing to the ear without getting too harsh. This is great for blues, rock, or any guitar player who wants that authentic edge.
The Skylark came in a few different versions over the years, with some using different tubes. This amp has only a volume control, and that’s it! There’s no tone stack either, which is one of the reasons why it has that perfect overdrive sound. The Champ, for example, has the typical TMB tone stack. This stands for “treble, middle, bass”, and is a combination of high-pass and low-pass filters. It is a network of capacitors, resistors, and potentiometers that bleed off specific frequencies. This type of circuit will result in a cleaner, more controlled amplification of the guitar. In the Skylark, the signal goes from the first gain stage through a coupling capacitor, to the volume control. There is not much there in terms of tone shaping, but that also means there is barely any signal loss. The signal then travels into the next gain stage—full frequency response and all.
This amp came to me mostly original. The speaker had been replaced, and a 1/4" jack was installed on the back panel. This modification was performed so the user could plug the amplifier into an external speaker cabinet, which provides a lot more versatility. I knew that this amp would need the original filter capacitors replaced, and a grounded power cord installed. The circuit is totally point-to-point, meaning there are no circuit boards or terminal strips. All of the components are soldered directly to the tube sockets, potentiometers, and so on. I like to hard-wire the new capacitors in, and solder their grounds directly to the chassis using my large 1940s soldering iron. This is how I typically ground the power cord as well.
After a quick service, it’s time to fully test the amp. I’m mainly listening for crackling and popping, and testing for coupling capacitor leakage. This amp sports the beloved bumble bee coupling capacitors, which I love to leave installed whenever possible. As a reminder, coupling capacitors pass the audio signal from one gain stage to the other, while blocking the DC voltage from the previous section. As time goes on, these coupling capacitors may begin to leak DC voltage into the audio signal. In this amp, only one of the coupling caps needed to be replaced, as it was leaking about 5 volts.
This amp is cathode biased, so I replaced the cathode bypass capacitor and resistor for the output tube. This is to promote reliability in the output circuit, and keeps the 6V6 running as intended. I left in the first stage coupling capacitor, as it tested totally fine. There’s always a line between originality and reliability, so it’s up to the repair technician to make that judgement call based on their testing and observations.
After testing for a while, I concluded that I did not need to replace any of the other resistors or tubes. The amp came to me with nice old American-made tubes, which can truly stand the test of time. I love being able to leave the old tubes in, especially if the amp has sentimental value like this one. The grit and growl of the Gibson Skylark is an essential component in any collection, and this one will be howling at the moon for another 70 years.

https://www.premierguitar.com/on-the-bench-a-1957-gibson-skylark

Get’m Get’m Introduces Bitch What! Strap Collection Adding to ...

2026-10-15T07:04:00Z

Get’m Get’m Introduces Bitch What! Strap Collection

Adding to the company’s line of eye-grabbing straps, Get’m Get’m has unveiled the new Bitch What! collection.
The new straps combine bold, fun colors with textured serpentine faux leather, premium materials, and Get’m Get’m’s signature multi-layer construction. Bitch What! straps are designed to deliver the comfort, support, and craftsmanship musicians expect from a high-end strap while giving them something visually unexpected.
Key features include:
Available in nine colors: Aqua, Black, Gold, Neon Green, Neon Pink, Neon Yellow, Red, Silver, and White.
Textured Serpentine Faux Leather—A distinctive, snakeskin-inspired texture with a bold, tactile finish. Get’m Get’m calls this look “serpentine” to distinguish the collection from its existing snakeskin strap designs.
Premium Materials & Reinforced Stitching—Built for long sets, loud nights, and plenty of rock ’n’ roll.
High-Quality Multi-Layer Construction—Lining is made of soft, high-quality nylon for comfort, stability, and better weight distribution while playing.
Fully Adjustable Up to 65 Inches—2 inches wide and comfortably adjustable for guitarists and bassists of different sizes.
Real 7 oz. Leather Tips—Strong, secure leather ends designed to keep the instrument where it belongs.
Pewter Hardware—Durable pewter-tone hardware adds the final badass touch.
Each of the new straps is available for a $129 street price and can be purchased on the Get’m Get’m website: getmgetm.com/products/getm-getm-bitch-what-guitar-ba….
Since 1996, Get’m Get’m straps have been worn by musicians across genres and have become known for bringing fashion, personality, and craftsmanship to the stage. Owner Virginia Castro has built the brand around distinctive design, premium materials, handmade production, and a passion for musicians and their individuality.
Supporting others has always been part of the Get’m Get’m story. A portion of proceeds from Get’m Get’m
sales goes toward supporting animal rescue organizations, reflecting Castro’s long-standing commitment to
helping animals in need.
The company continues to design and manufacture its straps with a small, women-owned manufacturing operation in Downtown Los Angeles. For more information visit getmgetm.com.
Get’m Get’m
Bitch What! Strap Collection
Adding to the company’s line of eye-grabbing straps, Get’m Get’m has unveiled the new Bitch What! collection.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/getm-getm-introduces-bitch-what-strap-collection

Walrus Audio Announces Lore Stereo Reverse Soundscape Generator ...

2026-10-15T06:53:29Z

Walrus Audio Announces Lore Stereo Reverse Soundscape Generator & Fable Stereo Granular Soundscape Generator

Walrus Audio is excited to announce the return of their "Storybook Series" with all-new expanded stereo versions of the Lore Reverse Soundscape Generator and Fable Stereo Granular Soundscape Generator.
Built for players who want to move beyond traditional delay and reverb, the Lore centers around five different modes of reverse reverb, delay, and pitch shifting, while the Fable pairs delay with granular processing through its five modes. Both pedals feature complex feedback paths that loop through the Feedback and Regen controls to build and create evolving stereo soundscapes that feel less like effects and more like instruments. While Lore and Fable share a common architecture, each takes a distinctly different path of sound creation.
The updated Lore and Fable also share an expanded control system designed to put deep DSP functionality directly beneath the player’s fingertips. A multifunction Tweak control provides access to Width, Mod Rate, Mod Shape, Shift, and Ramp, while the Dive / Rise momentary function allows players to manipulate the clock rate in real time. In addition to stereo functionality, both pedals have been given MIDI control, expression/external tap functionality, three onboard presets plus Live mode, or up to 127 presets via MIDI.
At the heart of both pedals is Walrus Audio’s proprietary MDSP platform, developed entirely in-house by the company’s engineering team. MDSP provides the processing power necessary to combine multiple algorithms, feedback paths, time manipulation, and modulation for an immersive soundscaping experience.
The Lore and Fable are available in two color variants with illustrated art by Niall Grant and minimal versions with a simplified icon and black enclosures.
Walrus Audio is offering the Lore and Fable MKII each at a retail price of $349.99. For a firsthand experience of the updated Storybook Series, visit walrusaudio.com or your nearest authorized Walrus Audio dealer.
Walrus Audio
Lore Stereo Reverse Soundscape Generator & Fable Stereo Granular Soundscape Generator
Walrus Audio is excited to announce the return of their ‘Storybook Series’ with all-new expanded stereo versions of the Lore Reverse Soundscape Generator and Fable Stereo Granular Soundscape Generator.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/walrus-audio-announces-lore-stereo-reverse-soundscape-generator-fable-stereo-granular-soundscape-generator

Fender Introduces Next Generation of Flagship American ...

2026-10-15T06:41:18Z

Fender Introduces Next Generation of Flagship American Professional Series

Fender has announced the next evolution of American Professional, its flagship series of electric guitars and basses. Built around some of the most recognizable shapes in music, the refreshed series brings new player-focused design and performance upgrades to Fender’s iconic instruments.
The expansive collection represents a major launch for Fender. Built in Corona, California, the new American Professional series lineup includes the Stratocaster, Stratocaster HSS, Telecaster, Hotshot Telecaster, Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Precision Bass, Precision Bass V, Jazz Bass and Jazz Bass V and introduces updates across the range designed to refine how these guitars and basses feel, respond and hold up night after night, while preserving the character and identity that define each instrument.
See the demo video below:
Highlights of the new American Professional series include:
New V-Mod III pickups: Custom-voiced for balanced output, string to string note clarity, and a unique touch sensitivity. New V-Mod III single-coils in the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar and Jazzmaster, a redesigned V-Mod III Humbucking bridge pickup in the Stratocaster HSS for more push out of the bridge position, new Jazz Bass V-Mod III pickups and a new V-Mod III split-coil in the Precision Bass.
Redesigned bridges: Built for improved resonance and sustain, enhanced comfort, and solid stability. ClassicGear Radial bent steel saddles sit comfortably under the palm on the Stratocaster, the Telecaster runs a top-load or string-through bridge with ClassicGear compensated brass bullet saddles, the Jaguar and Jazzmaster pair a ClassicGear J-Bridge with a Panorama tremolo for the full range of expressive vibrato, and both basses get a redesigned HiMass Modern Bridge for added resonance and sustain.
Advanced electronics: ClassicGear Precision Potentiometers offer improved taper and ideal tension while Push-Push tone controls on every guitar put extra voices one click away.
Necks that feel played in: A Deep “C” on the guitars, a Medium “C” on the Precision Bass and a Slim “C” on the Jazz Bass, every one with rolled edges that let the fretting hand move freely across the fingerboard.
Left-handed models coming Spring 2027: Fender will expand the American Professional Series with left-handed versions of the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Precision Bass and Jazz Bass.
Product highlights, color options and pricing information for each of the models is as follows:
American Professional Stratocaster -- Street Price: $1,799.99–$1,949.99 / £1,849–£1,899 / €2,199–€2,249 / A$3,049–A$3,249 / ¥302,500–¥319,000
Upgraded 2-point tremolo for more sustain and clarity. Radial bent-steel saddles.
Maple neck: Aged Cherry Burst, Oxblood, Black, 3-Color Sunburst, Natural, Dark Night, Olympic White. Rosewood fretboard: Olympic White, Oxblood, Dark Night, 3-Color Sunburst, Black.
American Professional Stratocaster HSS -- Street Price: $1,849.99–$1,999.99 / £1,899–£1,949 / €2,249–€2,299 / A$3,149–A$3,349 / ¥308,000–¥324,500
Adds a V-Mod III bridge humbucker with calibrated single-coil tones. Upgraded 2-point tremolo for more sustain and clarity. Radial bent-steel saddles.
Maple: Olympic White, Black, 3-Color Sunburst. Rosewood: Dark Night, Aged Cherry Burst, 3-Color Sunburst, Oxblood, Olympic White.
American Professional HotShot Telecaster -- Street Price: $1,849.99–$1,999.99 / £1,899–£1,949 / €2,249–€2,299 / A$3,149–A$3,349 / ¥308,000–¥324,500
Adds a middle Strat pickup and 5-way switching.
Rosewood: 3-Color Sunburst, Oxblood, Dark Night. Maple: Aged Cherry Burst, Butterscotch Blonde.
American Professional Telecaster -- Street Price: $1,799.99–$1,949.99 / £1,849–£1,899 / €2,199–€2,249 / A$3,049–A$3,249 / ¥302,500–¥319,000
New top-load/string-through bridge.
Maple: Natural, Butterscotch Blonde, Oxblood, 3-Color Sunburst, Aged Cherry Burst, Black. Rosewood: 3-Color Sunburst, Black, Oxblood, Natural, Dark Night.
American Professional Jaguar -- Street Price: $1,949.99 / £1,949 / €2,299 / A$3,299 / ¥319,000
24" scale, bridge-pickup tap, Rhythm Circuit and Panorama tremolo.
Rosewood: Oxblood, Dark Night, Black, 3-Color Sunburst, Olympic White.
American Professional Jazzmaster -- Street Price: $1,899.99 / £1,949 / €2,299 / A$3,249 / ¥313,500
Bridge-pickup tap, Rhythm Circuit and Panorama tremolo.
Rosewood: Black, Olympic White, Oxblood, 3-Color Sunburst, Dark Night.
American Professional Jazz Bass -- Street Price: $1,899.99–$2,049.99 / £1,949–£1,999 / €2,299–€2,349 / A$3,249–A$3,449 / ¥313,500–¥330,000
Slim “C” neck.
Maple: Aged Cherry Burst, 3-Color Sunburst, Natural, Olympic White. Rosewood: 3-Color Sunburst, Dark Night, Oxblood, Olympic White.
American Professional Jazz Bass V -- Street Price: $1,999.99 / £2,049 / €2,399 / A$3,449 / ¥324,500
Five-string version of the Jazz Bass, with a Slim “C” neck.
Maple: Oxblood. Rosewood: Olympic White, 3-Color Sunburst.
American Professional Precision Bass -- Street Price: $1,999.99 / £1,949 / €2,299 / A$3,149–A$3,399 / ¥308,000–¥324,500
Medium “C” neck.
Maple: Aged Cherry Burst, Olympic White, Natural, 3-Color Sunburst. Rosewood: 3-Color Sunburst, Dark Night, Oxblood, Olympic White.
American Professional Precision Bass V -- Street Price: $1,949.99 / £2,049 / €2,399 / A$3,349 / ¥319,000
Five-string version of the P Bass, with a Medium “C” neck.
Maple: 3-Color Sunburst. Rosewood: Dark Night, Olympic White.
The refreshed American Professional series honors that identity while continuing to evolve for the way musicians play today. Every update is rooted in the people who build the instruments, the experimentation behind their development and the player insight that helps Fender determine what to preserve, what to refine and what to rethink.
“You don’t evolve an instrument like the Strat or Tele by changing things just to make them new,” said Justin Norvell, Fender Chief Product Officer, Guitars and Basses. "We balance modern, useful improvements with the familiarity of what has made them iconic. In the same spirit as Leo Fender, we create tools for musicians by listening to what they need. We start with the players—how they’re playing today, what they’re asking for and where there’s an opportunity to make the experience better. We put that insight in the hands of the designers, engineers and builders who know these instruments inside and out. American Professional is the result of that process: continuing to invest in original design, experimentation and craftsmanship while being thoughtful about what makes these instruments iconic in the first place.”
“There are incredibly talented designers, engineers and builders behind every one of these instruments,” said Edward “Bud” Cole, CEO of Fender. “They listen to players, test ideas and work through the details to make meaningful improvements for players. The American Professional series reflects that combination of player insight, experimentation and craftsmanship as we continue to push ourselves to make great instruments even better.”
The One. For All.
American Professional serves as a centerpiece of The One. For All., Fender's broader campaign celebrating the artists, music and communities that continue to shape what Fender's iconic instruments become. Featuring Dinosaur Jr., Mike Kinsella of American Football, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail, Steve Gunn, Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, and Thurston Moore Group, the campaign brings together artists across generations and genres whose distinct sounds and creative approaches reflect the many possibilities within Fender's most recognizable designs.
Last month, Fender and Dinosaur Jr. brought that idea to life with The One. For New York., a series of intimate performances across New York City celebrating the artists, neighborhoods and communities that continue to shape music today. Go behind the scenes and watch the full film of The One. For New York. on Wednesday October 14th exclusively on Fender.com.
“New York was the first place we came where we had any fans or acceptance. We just kind of gravitated towards New York,” said J Mascis. “Starting a band I decided I wanted a Fender…I went to buy a Strat but they had a Jaguar for $200 and Jazzmaster for $300. The neck felt better on the Jazzmaster, it was worn in like a baseball bat so I just went for the Jazzmaster.”
The One. For New York. is the first of several city-focused chapters of The One. For All., with The One. For London., The One. For Tokyo., The One. For Shanghai., and The One. For Sydney. planned for later this year and 2027. Each will celebrate the artists, venues and communities that make a city’s music culture its own — and the people who continue to shape what comes next.
The new American Professional series Fender's continued investment in evolving its original designs while preserving the character, feel and identity that have made them enduring favorites. For more information visit Fender.com.
Fender
American Professional series
Fender has announced the next evolution of American Professional, its flagship series of electric guitars and basses. Built around some of the most recognizable shapes in music, the refreshed series brings new player-focused design and performance upgrades to Fender’s iconic instruments.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/fender-introduces-next-generation-of-flagship-american-professional-series

Acoustic Soundboard: Five Things Your Tech May Be Getting Wrong ...

2026-10-15T05:53:19Z

Acoustic Soundboard: Five Things Your Tech May Be Getting Wrong

As we approach our centennial, people often assume our shop only services Latin instruments. But since the 1940s, we’ve built more than 50 types of string instruments for artists across many genres. Apprenticing under my father and grandfather, I learned the delicate balance of tension, action, scale length, bracing, and intonation. Yet every week in Nashville, I see fine instruments misdiagnosed by techs applying electric-guitar logic to acoustic builds.While techniques vary, our history and client list demonstrate that our approach works. Let’s look at a few common errors—call it five things your tech may be getting wrong about acoustic tone and setup, and how a master luthier fixes them.
1. Treating Acoustic Action Like Electric Action
The Mistake: Players often seek a “shredder-low” action, leading techs to sand the saddle until strings barely clear the frets.
The Physics & Fix:
● Break Angle: Acoustic tops are driven by downward pressure. To drive a spruce or cedar top, you need a saddle break angle of at least 30 to 35 degrees; 45 is ideal.
● Energy Loss: A flattened saddle kills the leverage, and you end up keeping the vibrational energy in the string rather than transferring it through the bridge to the soundboard.
● The Delgado Fix: If action is high at the 12th fret but the saddle is low, the neck angle may have shifted, requiring a reset. Sometimes, shaving the bridge or micro-ramping pin slots helps, provided you maintain proper saddle height.
2. Using the Truss Rod to Fix Action Height
The Mistake: Techs often tighten the truss rod as an action adjustment, but only do this if correcting excessive neck bow.
The Physics & Fix:
● Relief vs. Geometry: The truss rod exists for one specific job: controlling neck relief (bow) to accommodate string vibration. It should not be used as an action adjustment screw.
● The Delgado Fix: Check neck relief first with a straight-edge. While setup preferences vary by playing style, here is a helpful baseline guide for action height:
For Acoustic Guitars:
● Low E string (0.090”/2.30mm) | High E string (0.075”/1.90mm)
For Classical Guitars
● Low E string (0.120”/3.00mm) | High E String (0.100”/2.30mm)
3. Misunderstanding Saddle & Nut Material vs. Slot Fit
The Mistake: I often say there are little things that can make a bad guitar good or a good guitar great, and the same is true in reverse. Using materials that absorb vibration vs. transferring vibration can make a huge difference in tone and volume.
The Physics & Fix:
● Fit Over Material: A hand-carved bone saddle that sits loosely in the bridge slot or has an uneven bottom performs far worse than a properly fitted synthetic saddle (though bone remains preferred when fitted correctly).
● Pickup Balance: For undersaddle piezos, the saddle bottom must be perfectly flat. Hand-sanding often creates a crown, leading to uneven string-to-string volume.
● The Delgado Fix: Every nut and saddle must fit with zero tilt or play—snug enough but not so much you need pliers to remove it. The slot bottom must be squared to ensure direct contact with the bridge wood or pickup element.
4. Misdiagnosing Dryness vs. Over-Humidification
The Mistake: Shops frequently assume buzzing or top deformation always indicates dryness, recommending aggressive humidification.
The Physics & Fix:
● The Over-Humidification Problem: A guitar stored above 60 percent relative humidity (RH) absorbs excess water weight. The top swells and rises, raising action and making the tone sound muddy, compressed, and lacking high-end air.
● The Dryness Trap: Conversely, a dry guitar (under 35 percent RH) shrinks, dropping the top, lowering action, causing fret ends to sprout and cracks in the wood.
● The Delgado Fix: Stabilize the guitar at 40–50 percent RH for 72 hours before any diagnosis. Adjusting a “wet” or “dry” guitar results in a setup that fails once normal humidity returns.
5. The Bridge Pin Tone Myth vs. Mass
The Mistake: Selling heavy brass or dense exotic-wood bridge pins on the claim that they “increase sustain and low end.” I won’t argue that plastic pins are the best choice, but I’d go with wood pins that match—or come close to—the material the bridge is made of.
The Physics & Fix:
● Top Mass: In lutherie, mass is the enemy of responsiveness. Heavy brass pins add dead weight to the soundboard, slowing acceleration and killing projection.
● The Role of Pins: Bridge pins are simply mechanical wedges meant to anchor the string ball-end against the bridge plate underneath the top—not to hold the string down from above.
● The Delgado Fix: Ensure the string ball-end seats directly against the hardwood bridge plate, not wedged under the tip of the pin. Traditional unslotted pins with ramped/slotted bridge bridges provide superior coupling, lighter weight, and longer bridge plate life.
While technique and preference exist across different players, following these fundamental principles will improve your guitar’s tone and playability.

https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/acoustic-soundboard/acoustic-soundboard-five-things-your-tech-may-be-getting-wrong

Charvel American Neo-Classic San Dimas Style 1 Review Every ...

2026-10-15T05:28:30Z

Charvel American Neo-Classic San Dimas Style 1 Review

Every superstrat alive today owes back rent to a guy who never set out to start a movement. Wayne Charvel opened a guitar repair shop in Azusa, California in 1974—fixing amps, routing pickup cavities, selling parts to whoever wandered in—and one of those people who wandered in was a young Eddie Van Halen, shopping for a spare neck and body to bolt together into something the world hadn’t invented a name for yet.
Charvel gave him the parts. Eddie provided the paint, the tape, and a place in rock history. And by the time the shop relocated to San Dimas and Charvel passed ownership on to Grover Jackson, a template that inspired countless shredders was set. San Dimas became ground zero for a whole musical genre. Warren DeMartini, George Lynch, and Jake E. Lee all eventually became part of that story. And the new American Neo-Classic Style 1 feels like a refined version of an instrument that might have passed through their hands back then.
The Neo-Classic name used for this model is apt. Though it uses some of the most appealing fundamental parts of the San Dimas formula, including an alder body and a 1-piece quartersawn maple neck reproduced from an actual 1980 blueprint, there’s a lot of ground-up rethink at work here too.
Wring That Neck
You could make the case that that groovy neck on this guitar makes the whole package worth the high-end $2,799 price. It’s quartersawn maple and cut to 1980 specs, but it’s also reinforced with graphite so it holds pitch better than an original ever could. Stainless jumbo frets sit atop a 12"-16" compound-radius board that is tight and curvaceous near the nut for easier chording and opens up dramatically past the 12th fret for unhindered, whammy-assisted bending. The neck does a great job of splitting the difference between true vintage character and modern manufacturing sensibilities. You feel the classic San Dimas shape that so many players fell for, but neck-dive and tuning headaches are not really an issue here.
Charvel went with a custom Seymour Duncan JB/‘59 pickup pairing, which gives this distinctly modern instrument both vintage and modern accents. The ‘59 in the neck position is creamy and responds to dirty-to-clean dynamics beautifully. The JB at the bridge is the workhorse half of the duo. Most notably, it’s hot enough to push a cranked amp to distortion without collapsing into mud, which is precisely why it’s been the go-to bridge pickup for three generations of players seeking high output without sacrificing definition. (I mean, is there a better heavy rock pickup than a JB?)
You feel the classic San Dimas shape that so many players fell for, but neck-dive and tuning headaches are not really an issue here.
The five-position blade switch can move between full humbucking bridge, full humbucking neck, two humbuckers together, and two split-coil voicings that deliver genuinely useful out-of-phase, single-coil-like quack. You obviously don’t get a perfect Stratocaster impersonation, but the two split-coil settings are a welcome bit of extra color all the same. And between the very different voices in the two humbuckers, the split-coil tones, and clever use of the guitar’s master volume (there is no tone control), you can cover a wide range of articulate clean sounds and full-throttle lead tones. The Floyd Rose 1000 Series double-locking tremolo is another critical part of this guitar’s identity and function. It’s stable, dive-bombs without drama, and returns to pitch reliably enough that it just might disappear from your consciousness between uses.
Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3
I ran the San Dimas through familiar Marshall JCM800 and Fender Deluxe Reverb models on my Helix to see how sweet the ‘59 neck pickup sounds with nothing to hide behind. Through the cranked-up Marshall model, the JB barks, compresses just enough to sustain a bend into next week, and stays articulate even under fast tapping runs into pinch harmonics. With the Deluxe Reverb model set up clean and the guitar volume rolled back, the ‘59 blooms with woody midrange complexity that had me transfixed with chord-melody voicings. That was proof enough for me that this isn’t a one-trick shredder.
The design refinement also showed in how seamlessly the neck and vibrato facilitated legato and whammy-driven phrasing. The compound radius means that full step-and-a-half bends don’t fret out, which is a big deal when you start stacking big bends against Floyd dives. That’s one technique this guitar seems built for: pull the bar down, catch it coming back up with a pre-bent note already under your fingers, and let the flattened upper-register radius help you land the bend cleanly instead of choking against the fret crown. Pair that capability with the Floyd’s rock-solid return-to-pitch performance and an aggressive dive-and-bend vocabulary becomes practical in performance. This guitar doesn’t merely tolerate that style; it welcomes it.
The Verdict
At $2,799, this guitar is a real investment. But you’re paying for a quartersawn neck cut to 45-year-old specs, a Floyd that behaves reliably, and fabulous-sounding pickups chosen thoughtfully and with intent. For a player who wants a real San Dimas experience rather than a modernized suggestion of it, this beautiful fusion of new manufacturing and 1980 feel is like an extra-reliable time machine that won’t go out of tune!
Charvel
American Neo-Classic San Dimas Style 1
Solidbody Electric Guitar with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Maple Fingerboard, 2 Humbucking Pickups, and Floyd Rose Tremolo
Street price
$2799.99
Buy now
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https://www.premierguitar.com/reviews/guitars/charvel-american-neo-classic-san-dimas-style-1-review

Giffin Outlaw Guitar Collection Heads to Auction The “Giffin ...

2026-10-15T04:42:22Z

Giffin Outlaw Guitar Collection Heads to Auction

The “Giffin Outlaw Guitar Collection”, a fascinating array of unauthorized Gibson Custom Shop guitars, built in secret by Roger Giffin and Brett Allen from 1988 to 1990, will be sold in a seven-day auction on ANALOGr.com starting October 20, 2026. An invite-only private viewing event will be held in Los Angeles on October 24.
The collection has been the subject of rumors for years. These are not factory-authorized models, and the Gibson marks on the headstock were not company-approved.
Yet these are true Custom Shop instruments defined by their uniqueness and experimental construction. The most notable pieces include four hollow-body Les Paul's, purpose-built to capture a Gretsch-like resonance, which feature full internal carving and specialized, remote-mounted bridges to eliminate feedback from the highly resonant tops. The collection also includes two Les Paul baritones, one of which featured 1954 P90 pickups. Other rarities include a Goldtop 12-string Les Paul, requiring a custom 12-way intonated bridge for studio precision, and a flashy custom Les Paul with three P90s, finished in an eye-popping Gretsch gold sparkle.
The story behind the Outlaw guitars:
In 1988, master luthier Roger Giffin became head of Gibson’s West Coast Custom Shop in Los Angeles. He was already renowned for a client list that included Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, David Gilmour, Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend, and Keith Richards. In LA Giffin met Brett Allen, a guitar tech for AC/DC and Paul Simon and owner of Brett Allen Studio Rentals.
The two shared a singular, subversive vision: to create one-off Gibsons that deliberately shattered Gibson's established design constraints. Operating in secret after hours and on weekends, Giffin tapped into Gibson's Nashville wood stash and parts supply to clandestinely build the "Outlaw Collection."
“All of the guitars were made by me,” says Giffin. “They were done kind of outside of regular work hours. They would give me anything I asked for basically.”
These instruments were a direct rebellion against the company line, incorporating forbidden elements like Gretsch sparkle finishes and experimental hollow-body constructions. Their unauthorized work could have cost them their careers, a danger so real that Allen stashed the entire collection hidden under his bed for decades before finally unveiling these guitars.
The auction includes these featured lots and estimates:
1989 Gibson Les Paul Baritone, Giffin-built #1: $75,000–$150,000
1990 Gibson Les Paul 12-String Standard Goldtop, Giffin-built: $25,000–$50,000
1989 Gibson Les Paul Full Hollowbody with f-holes, Cherry Red: $25,000–$50,000
1990 Gibson Firebird V, Pelham Blue (1963 replica), Giffin-built: $25,000–$50,000
1989 Gibson Flying V, all gold (1976 replica), Giffin-built: $25,000–$50,000
1989 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (1956 replica), Giffin-built: $25,000–$50,000
1989 Gibson Les Paul Jr. (1958 replica), Giffin-built: $25,000–$50,000
1989 Gibson Les Paul Baritone, Giffin-built, second ever built: $25,000–$50,000
1989 Gibson Les Paul Gold Sparkle Triple P-90: $25,000–$50,000
1999 Giffin Baritone Acoustic, #1 of 4 built: $10,000–$20,000
1989 Gibson Chet Atkins SST Bass, Goldtop, Giffin-built: $10,000–$20,000
1989 Gibson Chet Atkins SST, Goldtop, Giffin-built: $10,000–$20,000
The Giffin Outlaw Guitar Collection goes to auction beginning October 20, 2026. Space at the private viewing on October 24 is limited. Text 323-600-5715 to reserve a spot and get location details. To bid on the collection visit The Outlaw Custom Shop Guitar Collection.
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ANALOGr.com
Giffin Outlaw Guitar Collection
The “Giffin Outlaw Guitar Collection”, a fascinating array of unauthorized Gibson Custom Shop guitars, built in secret by Roger Giffin and Brett Allen from 1988 to 1990, will be sold in a seven-day auction on ANALOGr.com starting October 20, 2026. An invite-only private viewing event will be held in Los Angeles on October 24.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/giffin-outlaw-guitar-collection-heads-to-auction

Jade Electric Introduces the Blackboard Overdrive Jade Electric ...

2026-10-15T04:29:02Z

Jade Electric Introduces the Blackboard Overdrive

Jade Electric Pedals has launched the Blackboard Overdrive, a hand-built guitar pedal with an original soft-clipping circuit that’s designed to be highly responsive to playing dynamics and volume knob adjustments.
The Blackboard combines overdrive with a clean blend and separate bass and treble controls, allowing players to add grit while retaining clean-signal definition and shaping the sound for their guitar and amplifier.
Developed by guitarist and Jade Electric founder Danny Ousley, the Blackboard is especially suited to country music playing styles—reflecting the company’s Bakersfield roots and practical approach to gear for the stage and studio.
The pedal takes its name from the iconic Bakersfield honky tonk The Blackboard Café. Although the club closed its doors years ago, the Blackboard is still revered as the stomping ground of legends such as Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Red Simpson.
See the demo video below:
Key Blackboard features include:
Clean blend—adds clean signal alongside the overdrive for added clarity and note definition
Two-band EQ—separate bass and treble controls for shaping low and high frequencies
Top-mounted jacks—pedalboard-friendly positioning
True bypass switching
9-volt DC via external power supply only—no battery compartment
Hand-built in Bakersfield, California
Jade Electric’s Blackboard Overdrive is priced at $175 USD and is available directly from jadeelectricpedals.com.
Jade Electric Pedals
Blackboard Overdrive
Jade Electric Pedals has launched the Blackboard Overdrive, a hand-built guitar pedal with an original soft-clipping circuit that’s designed to be highly responsive to playing dynamics and volume knob adjustments.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/jade-electric-introduces-the-blackboard-overdrive

Recording Dojo: Old Racks, New Tricks There’s been a subtle yet ...

2026-10-15T04:15:07Z

Recording Dojo: Old Racks, New Tricks

There’s been a subtle yet welcome return to one of my favorite corners of recording technology: the rack effects of the late ‘70s through the late ‘90s. Units made by Yamaha, T.C. Electronic, Lexicon, and Eventide, which were all once everywhere, spent far too many years relegated to the spandex audio detention hall and largely forgotten about. Now these vintage boxes are finding their way back into studios (they certainly are in mine). And for good reason.
They’re dripping with personality, charm, and built-in limitations. They are gloriously grainy. Wobbly and unpredictable. Some have tiny displays and menus that feel like programming your grandmother’s VCR in 1991—you have to read the manual. But those limitations are often insignificant to the character, charm, timbre, and bang for your buck!
Add to this the fact that most modern guitarists, without thinking of it this way, already own an entire external-effects system: the pedalboard. Half a dozen pedals can easily cover compression, fuzz, and overdrive, as well as modulation effects (chorus, phaser, etc.) and time effects like delays and reverbs. So there’s never been a better time to learn how to use your gear as a hardware insert inside your DAW. Tighten up your belts, the Dojo is now open.
The Basic Signal Path
For conventional rack gear—compressors, EQs, reverbs, multi-effects processors, or devices with external audio inputs—the routing is straightforward:
DAW track → interface line output → rack gear → interface line input → DAW
Mono hardware requires one output and one input. Stereo hardware requires a pair. And many are mono in, stereo out (especially true for multi-effects processors designed to be used by guitar players back in the day).
Planning on using your pedalboard as a hardware insert? You’ll need to add a step in between that will take your signal from line level down to instrument level before hitting your pedalboard, and then bring it back up to line level before you come back into your DAW (See my Dojo article about this, “What You Should Know About Using Guitar Pedals With Other Instruments,” from September, 2022). Use a simple re-amp box to accomplish this. A typical pedal loop becomes:
DAW → interface line output → re-amp box input → pedalboard → re-amp box output → interface input → DAW
Some modern pedals can accept line level directly, but check the manufacturer’s specifications rather than making assumptions.
“Most modern guitarists, without thinking of it this way, already own an entire external-effects system: the pedalboard.”
Setting Up a Hardware Insert
So how do we do this? For starters, you have to physically connect inputs and outputs of the hardware to your interface.
1. Choose unused interface I/O
Pick a line level mono channel or stereo pair that isn’t feeding your monitors, headphones, or another device.
2. Connect the send
Run the selected interface output to the rack unit’s input. For pedals, go from the interface output into the re-amp box first, then to the pedalboard.
3. Connect the return
Connect the hardware output to an available interface input. With pedals, take the output and return through the re-amp box, and finally back into your interface.
4. Establish levels
Rack equipment expects line level. Pedals generally don’t. Start conservatively and make sure neither the hardware input nor your interface return is clipping.
5. Create the hardware insert in the DAW
Tell the software which physical output is the send and which physical input is the return. This varies by DAW, so be sure to read the manual to find the easiest way to do this.
6. Follow the signal
Press play and verify signal at the interface output, the external device, and, finally, the interface input. If the hardware meters are moving but you hear no return, stop troubleshooting the send—the problem is downstream.
7. Compensate for latency
The trip out of the interface and back takes time. All three DAWs below provide a way to compensate for it.
Pro Tools, Logic, and LUNA
In Pro Tools, open Setup > I/O > Insert. Name the hardware insert path. Pro Tools organizes hardware inserts around defined physical I/O mappings, so the Insert page needs to agree with your actual interface connections. Once configured, that path appears in the track’s insert menu. Setup > I/O > H/W Insert Delay handles additional round-trip compensation. The input and output channel numbers must match!
In Logic Pro, choose Utility > I/O on the channel. Logic lets you select the hardware Output and Input directly inside the I/O utility, so send and return can be different channel numbers. Its Latency Detection/Ping function measures the round trip and applies compensation.
In LUNA Pro, choose an insert slot, open Hardware Inserts, and select New Hardware Insert. Like Logic, LUNA lets you select the outgoing Output and returning Input independently. Press Calc to measure the round-trip latency and save the completed configuration as a preset if you use that hardware regularly.
Once that routing is established, the rack in the corner—and the pedalboard at your feet—becomes a much bigger part of the studio. Until next time, namaste.

https://www.premierguitar.com/diy/recording-dojo/recording-dojo-old-racks-new-tricks

Jackson Honors Metal Icons with Legends Signature Series Jackson ...

2026-10-15T03:55:27Z

Jackson Honors Metal Icons with Legends Signature Series

Jackson is paying tribute to Randy Rhoads, Scott Ian, David Ellefson and Marty Friedman with a limited-edition collection of guitar models.
The Legends Signature series honors four players who helped define heavy metal, with new models faithfully recreated from the iconic guitars originally built for each artist:
Limited Edition Legend Series Randy Rhoads CD1
Limited Edition Legend Series Signature David Ellefson CB V Concert Bass
Limited Edition Legend Series Signature Marty Friedman Kelly KE-1
Legend Series Limited Edition Signature Scott Ian Rhoads RR22
Limited Edition Legend Series Signature David Ellefson CB V Concert Bass:
Alder body and Three-Piece Through-Body Quartersawn Maple Neck with Graphite Reinforcement Rods – The stable, reinforced maple neck lets David dig in hard without losing tuning, while the alder body keeps his bass lines clear through a heavy mix.
EMG 40DC and CS Pickups with 3-Band EQ – The pickups provide a noise-free signal that cuts through distorted guitars while 3-band EQ lets David shape his riffs on the fly without losing volume.
Jackson HiMass 5-String Bridge – For David’s fast and percussive bass drive, this bridge adds extra mass which boosts sustain and tightens low end.
Open-Gear Hipshot Tuners – The precise tuning adjustments and strong stability let David’s five string stay locked in through aggressive playing and touring.
Street Price: $2,499.99
“My Jackson Concert basses have always been the sleek, high-octane version of what I consider to be a great bass,” said David Ellefson. “Their slightly smaller body and fast action made them perfect for my aggressive playing style. My original 1987 Concert bass gave me the freedom to fully develop my playing without limitations from the instrument. Jackson basses have become an integral part of who I am and the music I’m known for.”
Limited Edition Legend Series Signature Marty Friedman Kelly KE-1:
Alder Body with Three-Piece Maple Neck-Through Construction – For Marty’s fast and technical leads, the body and construction provide balanced tone, stability and excellent sustain.
Seymour Duncan JB Pickup – Ideal for Marty’s precise, melodic shred style, this pickup delivers a tight, articulate punch with enough output to drive lead tones clearly.
Kahler 7330 Fixed Bridge – Marty’s aggressive picking and bends stay locked due to this bridge’s rock-solid tuning stability.
MSRP: $2,299.99
“The KE-1 represents living the dream to me,” said Marty Friedman. “When I had the opportunity to create my own signature guitar, I went all out with Jackson to build the ultimate heavy metal guitar. No expense was spared, from the pickup and bridge to every detail and dimension. After thousands of concerts and countless recordings, the KE-1 remains a huge part of my journey and an iconic instrument that people associate with me.”
Limited Edition Legend Series Randy Rhoads CD1:
Alder Body bound Ebony Fingerboard with 22 Jumbo Frets and 12"-16" Compound Radius – Suited to Rhoad’s expressive bends and effortless soloing, the body and ebony fingerboard provide balanced tone while the compound radius keeps chords comfortable near the nut while flattening out.
Seymour Duncan® JB/'59 Humbuckers – For clean arpeggios to aggressive high-gain riffing, a hallmark of Randy’s playing, the JB (bridge) delivers punchy high output drive for leads, while the '59 (neck) offers warmer, vintage-voiced cleans.
A Vintage-Accurate Six Saddle Tremolo – Classic to Rhoad’s dive-bombs, this tremolo allows expressive pitch bends and vibrato while maintaining reliable tuning.
Street Price: $2,499.99
“The Rhoads family is so pleased to see this new Randy Rhoads CD1 model from Jackson,” said Kathy Rhoads D’Argenzio, Randy Rhoads’ sister. “Randy’s historic legacy has remained in the spotlight for over 40 years. There is no doubt Randy would be so honored to know the impact he has had on Jackson Guitars and on the world of rock and metal guitar.”
Legend Series Limited Edition Signature Scott Ian Rhoads RR22:
The Bold "Not" Body Graphics – This design was central to the band’s 1980s recording and touring era image.
Neck-Through Construction – For Scott Ian’s aggressive, fast rhythm playing, this construction maximizes sustain and resonance transfer since the neck and body are one continuous piece, giving heavy riffs and power chords a tight, sustained punch. Plus, the graphite reinforcement keeps the neck rock-stable.
Top-Mount Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo – Critical for Anthrax’s high-intensity live sets, this tremolo locks the strings at both the nut and bridge, so even with hard strumming, dive bombs or pitch dips, the guitar snaps right back in tune.
Street price: $2,199.99
“My Not Rhoads was such an important part of my journey,” said Scott Ian. “I discovered my tone with it. It’s been used on every Anthrax record — it was the main guitar on those first five albums in the ’80s. It’s the guitar that kind of made my life. I love that people connect with it.”
For over 45 years, Jackson has crafted instruments that have helped shaped the sound of heavy metal. The Legend Series connects that history to what’s happening now, putting defining instruments from Jackson’s past into the hands of musicians shaping what comes next.
“Randy, Scott, David and Marty didn’t just play Jackson instruments — they helped define what Jackson became and pushed heavy music forward in the process,” said Jon Romanowski, VP of Product, Jackson. “You can hear and see their influence in heavy music today, across generations of artists and increasingly across genres. Making these instruments available to players isn’t simply about recreating the past; it’s about putting them into the hands of the players who will take that influence somewhere new.”
For more information visit www.jacksonguitars.com.
Jackson
Jackson is paying tribute to Randy Rhoads, Scott Ian, David Ellefson and Marty Friedman with a limited-edition collection of guitar models.
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/jackson-honors-metal-icons-with-legends-signature-series

Josh Scott to Sell Hundreds of Pedals from His Personal and JHS ...

2026-10-15T03:33:50Z

Josh Scott to Sell Hundreds of Pedals from His Personal and JHS Collections on Reverb

Reverb, the largest online marketplace for buying and selling music gear, today announced that Josh Scott will sell a portion of his personal and company music gear collections on Reverb. The first-ever “Josh Scott Collection” Official Reverb Shop will launch on Wednesday, October 21, featuring JHS prototype pedals, one-of-one builds, vintage JHS swag, and the amps, pedals, guitars, and vintage keys that Scott has collected and used over the years.
First-of-its-kind Reverb shop will feature JHS prototypes, one-of-a-kind builds, rare pedals, vintage merch, and “one of the craziest items in JHS history”
“I’m about to sell a crap ton of really cool stuff that I need to sell because it’s all just crashing down on me and ruining my life. It’s a truckload of things, literally. A freight truck arrived and took pallets of gear for this Reverb shop,” said Scott, who founded JHS Pedals and hosts the popular JHS Show. “I’ve played and tested every single piece of gear in this shop, and it’s all ready to be passed on to the next player. That’s why it's all going on Reverb.”
While Scott was an early adopter of Reverb, selling JHS B-Stock and limited-edition items on the marketplace as early as 2013, this is the first single sale of his personal gear of this size. A pedal lover’s paradise, his Reverb shop will feature nearly 400 pedals, including first-run and prototype JHS pedals, as well as guitars, amps, and a huge range of vintage JHS merchandise. “This is an opportunity to get your hands on some extremely rare pedals and other gear,” said Scott.
Among the items that will be available in Scott’s Reverb shop is the “ever-elusive, non-existent” gray JHS Colour Box enclosure. “This is one of the ones from that NAMM Show where everyone first saw them and then for 10 years they told me they hated the white enclosure because I had already shown them the possibility of a gray enclosure,” said Scott. “This is one of the craziest items in JHS history and somebody’s going to own it.”
The “Josh Scott Collection” Official Reverb Shop will also include:
A Silvertone 1484 Twin Twelve amp that was the model for the JHS Pedals Twin Twelve and several Boss JB-2s signed by Scott.
A Klon Centaur Silver Horsie, a pre-lawsuit Behringer Centaur, and a Behringer Vintage Distortion pedal.
Several highly collectible, one-of-one custom-wrapped and hand-painted JHS pedals. “They’re rare. They’re so rare, they’ve never existed,” said Scott.
A rare 1990s Sovtek MIG amp head, Barcus-Berry preamps, and dozens of guitar amps, including a Satellite amp and several that come with ATA road cases stenciled with JHS. “They are memorabilia and great amps,” said Scott.
The Tube Screamer, Phase 90, Metal Zone, Klon Centaur, and other pedal costumes featured in Pedals: The Musical and Pedals on Ice.
Ten guitars and several keys, including a Wurlitzer, a Rhodes, and a Yamaha organ.
A huge range of vintage JHS shirts, jackets, and other pedal brand collectibles, as well as props from the JHS Show.
While many of the items available in The “Josh Scott Collection” Official Reverb Shop are rare and collectible, players won’t need a collector’s budget to snag an item from the shop. Most pedals in the shop will range from $60 to $600, with more than half of the items listed for $500 or less.
Scott joins a long list of artists who’ve partnered with Reverb to get their gear into the hands of musicians, and he says that’s part of his motivation for the sale. “My one goal with this Reverb shop, beyond selling the gear, is to one-up every band that has ever sold on Reverb. Spoon, I’m looking at you. Modest Mouse, Seal, you, too. Green Day, I’m going to annihilate your shop,” Scott joked.
To sign up to be notified when Scott’s Reverb shop is live, visit www.reverb.com/JoshScott. At that link, you’ll also have the opportunity to enter to win one of two bundles from Scott’s collection. To enter, list an item on Reverb before November 23.
Reverb
“Josh Scott Collection” Official Reverb Shop
Reverb, the largest online marketplace for buying and selling music gear, today announced that Josh Scott will sell a portion of his personal and company music gear collections on Reverb. The first-ever “Josh Scott Collection” Official Reverb Shop will launch on Wednesday, October 21, featuring JHS prototype pedals, one-of-one builds, vintage JHS swag, and the amps, pedals, guitars, and vintage keys that Scott has collected and used over the years.
Learn more
Buy now

https://www.premierguitar.com/news/josh-scott-to-sell-hundreds-of-pedals-from-his-personal-and-jhs-collections-on-reverb