General Interest

Alter Bridge guitarists Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti have reflected on the honour of recording their latest album at Eddie Van Halen’s legendary 5150 Studios.

The band’s self-titled eighth album arrived in January, and saw Kennedy, Tremonti and co enter the hallowed ground of 5150 in Los Angeles, California. And in a new interview with Guitar World, the guitarists reveal how the opportunity came about.

• READ MORE: “The guitar that started it all”: T-Bone Walker’s 1949 Gibson ES-5N is up for sale on Reverb for over $2M

“Wolf was incredibly kind enough to bring that offer up with our manager,” Kennedy says. “We were like, ‘Really?’ We knew the history of all the incredible music that had been made there. Just the fact that he trusted us enough to come in and not totally ruin the legacy really meant a lot. When we all showed up, we were very cognisant of that, and we wanted to honour the situation.

“If you know you’re going into this sacred ground where all these incredible riffs have been constructed and recorded, the last thing you want to do is show up empty-handed. It was definitely fuel for the creative fire.”

Asked whether a Van Halen flavour worked its way into the songs on Alter Bridge, Tremonti says, “We by no means sound like Van Halen in any way or form. But you can feel the spirit of the band and Eddie in that room.”

“The riff for Silent Divide has definitely got an ‘80s vibe. Mark kept comparing it to an old Judas Priest riff, but with the way I keep coming back to that chugging on the low D, I think of a riff like Unchained.

“Those were such important riffs for me. Does it sound like Unchained? No, but there’s definitely that element there.”

“I try to explain to people that 5150 Studios isn’t some sterile environment where they’re cleaning up for the next band to come in. It was pretty much left the way [Van Halen] used it last. Wolfie has a great Neve console in there now, but it’s pretty much the same letters on the kitchen fridge; there’s the 5150 necklace hanging over the door – all the cool stuff that was there when those guys were there.”

Listen to Alter Bridge’s new album below:

The post “The fact Wolfgang trusted us to come in and not totally ruin the legacy meant a lot”: Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti on recording the new Alter Bridge album at 5150 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Things have taken a strange turn in the CKY camp. Last week, bassist Mike Leon announced his departure from the band, citing what he describes as a toxic and increasingly unworkable environment driven by frontman Chad I Ginsburg.

Ginsburg has since publicly disputed the claims, insisting Leon was actually fired for entirely different reasons, including an alleged dislike of touring with dogs.

• READ MORE: “I had the kid in a headlock, and Anthony physically threatened me to let go”: Flea recounts how he met fellow Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis

Taking to Instagram on Friday (20 February), Leon confirmed he would not be joining the band for its upcoming shows. The bassist – formerly of Soulfly – says his stint in CKY began as a dream opportunity but ultimately unravelled behind the scenes.

“I want to let you know that my time with CKY has come to an end. Growing up, I was a huge fan of the band, and getting the opportunity to play with them was a dream come true. I genuinely enjoyed my time there, and it was fun… until it wasn’t.”

“For full transparency, I will not be participating in the band’s upcoming shows,” says Leon. “As unfortunate as this is, given the circumstances, I believe this was the right move to make. The differences regarding logistics and business decisions, primarily driven by the actions of the band’s leader [Ginsburg], created internal issues that made an already stressful environment increasingly difficult to work in.”

The bassist also alleges long-standing issues within the band’s leadership, saying “this unprofessionalism and lack of accountability was known well before I joined, and persisted throughout my time with the band, making day-to-day operations a constant challenge. The love I had for the band blinded me to the red flags my peers and the band’s previous history had warned me about, especially surrounding the frontman, yet I chose to believe things would be different.”

“In all of my years of working in this industry, I have never experienced this level of toxicity from an individual, and it stings extra having been perpetrated by the very band that first inspired me to start my career as a musician,” the statement continues.

“Music should be a source of joy, but the environment became a source of stress that ultimately outweighed the positive aspects of being part of the band I grew up loving. I will continue creating music, and I sincerely thank all of you for your unconditional support.”

View this post on Instagram

Ginsburg has since responded via Instagram Stories [via Stereogum], flatly rejecting Leon’s version of events.

“I don’t know what Mike Leon is talking about in his post. However, I do know the facts and the facts are, Mike, and you know them too, is that we fired you last night because you hate dogs and you didn’t want to tour with the dogs and you wanted more money and you weren’t happy with anything ever. So unfortunately it’s not working out, Mike. But what you wrote is fucking crazy, dude. Like, prove any of that fucking shit.”

The musician then posted requests for bassists from Nashville to DM their auditions to the band.

The public fallout adds to a turbulent chapter for CKY. In 2024, Alien Ant Farm frontman Dryden Mitchell kicked the band from a tour after Ginsburg reportedly punched him during a backstage altercation.

The post “We fired you last night because you hate dogs”: CKY frontman makes bizarre claim over bassist’s exit appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Getting into music with dreams of dollar signs dancing in your head? Well you might want to think again. Such is the advice of Whitesnake guitar hotshot Joel Hoekstra, who likens the music industry to the “Wild West” – chaotic, unpredictable, and with no guaranteed path to fame or fortune.

Now 55, Hoekstra – who also logs arena miles with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra – says he never imagined a life on the big stage. Raised in the blue-collar suburbs of Chicago, the odds weren’t exactly stacked in his favour.

• READ MORE: Looking for an entry point into baritone guitars? You can’t go wrong with this Harley Benton model for just £299

“We were poor, quite frankly. We had no money. We grew up in a blue-collar area, the suburbs of Chicago, where none of this was supposed to happen for me, like literally none,” he tells Guitar World [via Blabbermouth]. “So, for me to get to the point where, through hard work and, I guess, a bit of luck, you find yourself able to do some great things.”

“And then, in a way, I’m playing with house money, but in a way, I wanna see how far it can all go. So I just keep pushing and hope for the best. But that being said, I know my limitations as a guitar player and I know my fortes, I suppose. I just try to work at music every day and see where it all takes me.”

If there’s a master plan, it’s a simple one: making a living with his instrument.

“I’ve never really had any grand plan beyond being a professional guitar player,” Hoekstra admits. “As funny as that sounds, for the guy that ended up on stage with Whitesnake throwing shapes with the long hair and everything like that, the most important thing for me was to make a living with my guitar. That’s what I set out to do as a kid. And I committed to poverty for that. I went, like, ‘Okay, I’m probably gonna be poor the rest of my life.’”

That willingness to accept instability, Hoekstra stresses, is part of the job description.

“You have to have that ability, I think, to get into music,” says the guitarist. “If you’re getting into music to make money, man, you have a hole in your head, man, ‘cause you could get any other job and work much, much easier hours and have a nice, clear path to do so, where music is like the Wild West, I think. It’s, like, anything can happen at any point in time.”

Still, it’s not all caution tape and tumbleweeds. If the industry is unpredictable, it’s also more accessible than ever. Hoekstra points out that players today are armed with tools he could only dream of when he was starting out: affordable home studios, and direct access to audiences and collaborators across the globe at the click of a button.

“It’s possible through hard work. And I think that should definitely ring true for any younger players out there now,” he says. “Especially with the Internet, the world has shrunk. You can get your music out to anybody, and home recording has gotten to the point where you can make a professional record right there where you are.”

“So I don’t care where you are – if you’re located in a more rural area, if you still have the ambition to reach out to name players and try to expand your name, and obviously things being in the digital domain like they are, you never know where that can take you.”

The post “I committed to poverty for that”: Whitesnake’s Joel Hoekstra says you have “a hole in your head” if you get into music for money appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Canadian pop-punk band Victories revealed that its lead guitarist has lost two fingers following what was described as a “horrible” work accident.

“Hello everyone. Following a horrible accident, our Victories brother and lead guitarist Steph has lost 2 fingers,” the band shared via Instagram.

“Playing guitar and performing is his life,” the post continued. “We simply cannot imagine the pain that he is going through right now. He is, and will always be, a core part of the Victories family. Though he isn’t personally taking messages, please keep him in your thoughts during this very difficult time.”

• READ MORE: “Two weeks before the show, they said he could die. But he wanted to do it so bad”: Sharon Osbourne on Ozzy’s insistence to perform one last time at Back to the Beginning

Fans have since flooded the comments section with support, offering encouragement and well-wishes.

“He is very brave … prayers to him,” one user commented. “Just focus on recovery then hopefully you will find a way back to music somehow. God bless.”

Another added, “I can’t imagine the pain he’s in, both physical and mentally… sending love to him and everybody else.”

View this post on Instagram

It isn’t clear which fingers Stephane lost, though further details were later shared by the band’s bassist, Christopher, who explains that the accident took place on a construction site, where Stephane works outside of music.

“A little over a week ago, Steph was on a job site, he works in construction, and there was an accident, and he lost two-and-a-half of his fingers,” he says in a video update.

“Had it not been for the quick reaction of his brother Pat, I would be telling a eulogy right now instead of answering questions.”

According to Christopher, the guitarist lost a “tremendous amount of blood” and spent more than a week in intensive care. “He’s lucid. He’s in a lot of pain.”

“We don’t know what his road to recovery is going to look like,” Christopher says. “There is two things he loves in life and it’s his son and playing music and what happened put both of those in jeopardy.”

That said, the band remains determined to keep Stephane’s musical contributions front and centre. Before the accident, the musician had tracked guitar parts for six unreleased songs. Victories plans to release the material in stages across the coming months, with the first having arrived on 13 February.

Christopher also explains that the band’s singer, Marc, will take on Stephane’s parts for upcoming live shows. However, he makes clear that the guitarist’s place in the band remains unchanged: “Stef’s spot is his,” he says.

View this post on Instagram

The post Guitarist from Canadian pop punk band loses two fingers in construction accident appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

For the eco-conscious guitar player, guitar strings pose something of a dilemma. They are, by their very nature, a consumable part of the guitar experience, but it certainly doesn’t feel great tossing a combined 20 feet of nickel or bronze-wrapped steel in the trash every time you need to restring.

Now, string brands like D’Addario have tried to create a solution for this, by placing guitar string recycling bins in participating guitar stores. And depending on where you live you may be able to take your strings to where you recycle your scrap metal. Neither of those is exactly what you’d call a friction-free solution however – but what if there was a way you could upcycle your strings into something fun and unique? Well, enter Chicago-based music store, Fret12.

• READ MORE: Mark Tremonti names his five favourite extreme metal guitar players

Fret12 is a music store that sells a curated collection of guitars, pedals and amps of course, but also a bunch of really interesting other things that transcend the usual kinds of guitar store merch. Yes we’re talking t-shirts here, but also button-ups, candles, art, magazines, coffee… and its most famous creation, the String Thing.

The genius of the String Thing is in its simplicity. It is a hefty lump of black plastic shaped roughly like a human being, with 146 pre-drilled holes running through the arms, legs, head and torso.

The idea is that instead of tossing your used strings, you thread them through and around the string thing, over time converting this non-descript fella into your own unique ‘string mummy’. The idea has become a phenomenon – in addition to selling the String Thing itself, Fret12 sells over 30 different String Thing-related products, including t-shirts, art prints and even guitar straps.

It’s all a damn sight more interesting than those companies that turn recycled guitar strings into necklaces and other human-repelling items of jewellery, so we had to catch up with Fret12 main man, Daniel Tremonti (who happens to be the brother of Creed/Alter Bridge guitarist Mark) to find out how this all happened…

Image: Press

Can you tell us how you came up with the idea for the String Thing?

“Several years ago, I was side-stage at a show talking with a tech who was changing strings. He opened the drawer on his road case and there was a stash of neatly coiled used strings. Each had a piece of gaffer tape labeled with a city and a date – he collected them as mementos from the tour.

“I thought it was cool he didn’t just send them to the landfill, and that they were great collectibles. He gave me a batch, which ended up in my own junk drawer. Some time later, I decided to mummify a random action figure, and the String Thing was born. I really liked the idea of this thing feeding on spent strings from guitar players everywhere – the living dead of guitar strings. It became the mascot for Fret12.”

Image: Press

It’s obviously a fun thing to do, but there’s a sustainability element to it, right?

“I am really into adaptive reuse and upcycling for a couple of reasons: it’s responsible handling of waste, and there’s no substitute for the authentic patina and history of a used item.

“I’ve wrapped a lot of things in strings, from skulls to hands, to photograph for my designs, but nothing captures the magic as much for me as the initial shot of the original String Thing in that mummy stance – that was what I wanted to try to capture if I could figure out how to make it a product.

“Depending on how often you change your strings, it could take a little bit to fully wrap the character, so I wanted to make sure the underlying character looked just as striking with one set of strings or 10. And it had to capture that original pose.”

Image: Press

At what point did you realise that it was something people would want to own themselves?

“People have always gotten a kick out of the String Thing visual and it has been successful across our clothing and content. I knew that if I could figure out how to enable people to wrap their own, there would be a segment of the guitar playing audience that would appreciate and get a kick out of it.

“We’ve had conversations with some big folks in the gear space who have made comments like, ‘this is something every guitar player should own’, so that has been encouraging. We also did a String Thing pedal collaboration with Earthquaker Devices recently that was a hit. We’ve gotten some pretty good traction, and I would say we are just getting to that point where enough people have discovered the String Thing and a real buzz is building.”

Has it been surreal seeing people all over the world upcycle their strings with the String Thing?

“It has, especially because each one is completely unique and you can tell when someone has put some real time and thought into their creation. I really want to see people go wild with it as the army of String Things grows.”

Image: Press

There are so many lame-ass ways to upcycle strings – this is fun, but it still has that sense of preserving a moment in time…

“Absolutely, when I saw those used strings in the tech’s road case, it was the first time I had seen someone making a conscious effort to handle the waste responsibly. I hadn’t really considered it before that, but it got me thinking. There isn’t a lot of research available out there to give us precise figures on how many strings end up in landfills, but there are a lot of strings going in the bin, and hopefully String Thing can play a part in reducing that. Think twice before you pitch those dead strings, or the String Thing cometh!”

The String Thing character has captured the guitar public’s imagination like it has?

“It’s out of left field, and people like disruptive things. I think a lot of the merchandise and accessory graphics used in the guitar space are really on the nose. If you see me design a tee with a winged skull guitar on it, it’s time for me to hang it up. The String Thing is mysterious and a bit of an inside thing for the guitar community. I often wonder what non-guitar players think it’s wrapped with. Do they know it’s guitar strings? We did a String Thing beer collab with Hop Butcher Brewery here in Chicago and it didn’t dawn on me until I saw it in the store that people may have no idea what it is. The guitar space at large doesn’t have a mascot, other than ones tied to manufacturers. Maybe the String Thing can fill that role.”

Image: Press

It doesn’t hurt that the String Thing came from a brand that has such a strong identity as a creative and unique music store, how did that all happen?

“I have had a unique perspective living and working in the music space and most people experience only a small fraction of what it takes to make music, be a great musician and entertainer, and thrive in the music business.

“I’ve always been energized by the behind the scenes and the nomadic nature of music – raw rehearsal spaces, tour buses, road crews, gear, green rooms, and sound checks. I wanted to peel back the curtain on touring and recording musicians and create better access for fans and musicians, while creating products that capture the patina and raw nature of musicianship and touring.

“A community formed that really enjoyed the connection we gave them with the artists through the content we made, but also appreciated what we were doing and the connection with each other. It became less artist-centric and more focused around the shared love of live music and guitar. The folks who have been with us since the beginning are the Army of 12 – you know who you are!”

It definitely feels like a club you want to be a member of…

“Our favorite explanation of Fret12 that we heard from one of our supporters is ‘it’s like a back alley entrance into the music scene.’ At our core, we are huge supporters of live music and guitar, and we promote both every day.

“We create content and experiences that provide that insider access, sell a curated selection of high-quality gear, and handcrafted products to express your love of music in everyday life – art, clothing, and home goods.

“The String Thing is one of those out of left field products, and we’re always trying to come up with designs, products, and experiences that people aren’t expecting to keep things fun and engaging. In this case, the product helps solve a problem through upcycling and it makes people think differently about their strings – these are a testament to your hard work and commitment to guitar. And it’s a great conversation starter!”

Find out more about the String Thing at fret12.com

The post “I really liked the idea of this thing feeding on spent strings from guitar players everywhere!” how the String Thing made upcycling your guitar strings fun appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Fender’s Tone Master Pro is currently on offer at Sweetwater, and you can save nearly $80 and get a free IR sampler pack chucked in the mix too.

The Tone Master Pro was launched in 2023, and earned an 8/10 from Guitar.com. It marked Fender’s first entry into the world of multi-effects and floorboard modellers, and followed an online leak. At its launch, the brand hailed it as an “exciting new chapter in digital amplification”.

[deals ids=”5h9IMJaSSZjWBi6OX1HNFG”]

With lots of competition in the floorboard modeller market, Fender didn’t take its development lightly, and it arrived after a four-year period of dedicated research and development.

The workstation features over 100 of the world’s most popular amps and effects, including all of Fender’s Tone Master models, the first officially licensed EVH 5150 III Stealth model, and a range of other amps which have been “perfectly replicated” using Fender’s proprietary Tone Master modelling process.

• READ MORE: Fender Vintera II Road Worn 50s Jazzmaster review: “vastly improves the overall Vintera II package”

This process is described as “ultra-accurate” and captures all the detail and sonic nuance from analogue gear and carries it over to digital in full. It includes 6,000 configurable IRs, over 500 preset slots, a full-colour 7-inch graphic touchscreen, and can also be tweaked with the Tone Master Pro desktop editor.

You also get four FX loops and a 60-second looper, full MIDI functionality, third-party IR support, and an XLR mic input. Through Sweetwater only, an Eminence IR sampler pack is included for free.

Learn more in the launch video below:

In other Fender news, it recently partnered with New York specialist guitar store The Music Zoo on a range of Custom Shop 1957 Strats boasting body-matching painted necks and fretboards.

Shop this deal and more at Sweetwater.

The post Get over $75 off the 8/10-rated Fender Tone Master Pro at Sweetwater appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Wampler Pedals announces the release of the Golden Jubilee™, a dual-voice high-gain pedal designed by Brian Wampler.

The Golden Jubilee delivers the punch, feel, and harmonic richness of classic hot-rodded ’80s high-gain amplifiers in a rugged, pedalboard-ready format.

Engineered as a complete gain platform, the Golden Jubilee features two purpose-built, complementary voices: tight, articulate American boutique high-gain and aggressive, saturated British crunch. The channels are designed to operate independently or stack together, providing seamless transitions from defined rhythm tones to saturated, singing lead sounds.

Independent channel controls and intuitive voicing and stacking switches allow players to shape tones quickly without menus or complex switching. The pedal is designed to perform consistently across clean tube amplifiers, solid-state platforms, and digital rigs, delivering reliable amp-like response in any setup.

Key Features:

• Two distinct high-gain voices in one pedal — American boutique distortion and British crunch, voiced to complement and stack
• Complete gain solution — rhythm, lead, and stacked high-gain tones in a single unit
• Independent channel controls with simple voicing switches
• Consistent amp-like feel across tube, solid-state, and digital platforms
• Premium U.S.A. construction built for long-term reliability

The Golden Jubilee is built for players who require professional-level performance, flexibility, and durability in a streamlined format.

For more information, visit www.wamplerpedals.com

The newly reopened Regent Sounds guitar shop on Denmark Street is celebrating its rebirth by listing “one of the most valuable and historically important musical instruments in existence” – T-Bone Walker’s legendary 1949 Gibson ES-5N – on Reverb.

Billed as “the guitar that started it all”, the ES-5N was one of only 22 built in 1949, and accompanied the blues legend for almost two decades during the formative years of the electric blues. 

It comes with documented provenance and a unique 77-year history, and thus commands a hefty price tag, with Regent Sounds inviting starting bids in the region of £1.5M.

• READ MORE: Bass used on The Specials Ghost Town expected to fetch £20k at auction

T-Bone Walker is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists of all time. That is, because he practically invented electric guitar blues as a concept; many of the tried-and-tested blues licks played by both the genre’s modern and classic players originate with T-Bone Walker.

Think of the world’s most influential guitar players: Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gregg Allman, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards. Well, they were all, in some way or another, influenced by T-Bone Walker.

So the lucky new owner of Walker’s treasured 1949 Gibson ES-5N will need deep pockets, as the rich history of the instrument means it comes with a seven-figure price tag.

The guitar is being sold by Regent Sounds, which reopened in September 2025 following a major restoration project. The sale is part of the shop’s new Rare and Vintage Lounge, a space for high-end instruments.

Credit: Reverb

The ES-5N will be on sale on Reverb until 31 March, and will be on public display at Regent Sounds, 4 Denmark St, London WC2H 8LP. Private appointments for close inspection are available on request.

“This is a rare opportunity to own a piece of music history, T-Bone Walker’s influence on the evolution of blues into modern rock can’t be overstated, and this guitar was a leading character in that story,” says Jim Tuerk, Reverb’s VP of Marketing. 

“Reverb exists to help guitars and other gear get second, third, and fourth lives, and it’s fitting that Regent Sounds – which is legendary in its own right – is the shop to give this guitar its next home.”

“Without T-Bone Walker’s genius and virtuosity, it’s unlikely we would have had the proliferation of rock and roll from artists like the Rolling Stones or Jimi Hendrix, whose footsteps make Regent Sounds such sacred ground for music fans,” adds Tony Bacon, author of ELECTRIC BLUES! T-Bone Walker & The Guitar That Started It All.

“Regent Sounds has always been a mecca for music fans because of our rich history,” says Crispin Weir, co-owner of Regent Sounds. 

“But the recent expansion of the shop across two floors, the opening of the Vintage Lounge, and addition of our soundproof booths mean that we have an even brighter future ahead. The sale of T-Bone’s legendary ‘guitar that started it all’ and tie-up with Reverb are just the beginning.”

Take a look at the listing of T-Bone Walker’s treasured Gibson ES-5N at Reverb.

The post “The guitar that started it all”: T-Bone Walker’s 1949 Gibson ES-5N is up for sale on Reverb for over $2M appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

I love to learn about the history of an instrument when I am tasked with creating something new. Many people are unaware that I make over 45 different types of stringed instruments. When I say that, I’m quick to add that although I make six or more styles of steel-string or classical guitars, these do not count toward that number of 45.

When I research instruments, I am often taken down a historic trail that will tell me about the culture of the instrument. One such instrument led me to learn about the connection between Irish and Mexican culture. Not only do these cultures share the Catholic faith, they both faced colonialism and fought for cultural resilience. There was also a large immigration of Irish people who went to Mexico, especially in the years after the Irish Potato Famine. During the 1846-1848 war between Mexico and the United States, many Irish defected to join the Mexican army, viewing it as a Catholic versus Protestant war. Together, they formed the Battalion of St. Patrick (Batallón de San Patricio).

With that history in mind, I thought I would share my history of building the Irish bouzouki, an instrument I was introduced to by a client who wanted one custom-made. I named the model the “Jeannine,” after my Irish-American mother-in-law. (Did I mention my wife is of Irish descent? Mooneyham … Pretty darn Irish.) Most know the Irish bouzouki in its teardrop form. To give an idea of the size of the instrument, think mandolin, then an octave-mandolin, then a cittern, and then the Irish bouzouki.

However, the instrument did not evolve from the mandolin family. It was the Greek bouzouki that gave rise to the Irish bouzouki. In the 1960s, the Greek trichordo was introduced to the Irish. Originally with a bowl back shape and three courses, it took a different form when a local Irish folk musician changed the bottom course strings to two individual strings and then later brought the instrument to a well-known luthier in Kent, England. There, it received a custom-made four-course, three-piece, partially staved back, giving birth to the Irish bouzouki and its new shape.

The Irish bouzouki has a distinct sound, and once you hear the instrument isolated from other instruments, you can pick it out much more easily in traditional folk, Celtic, or English music. Its distinct clear, bright sound is often described as “jangly,” but for anyone unfamiliar, I describe it more as a bassy drone blended with a mandolin-style tone.

When I was asked to custom-build a bouzouki, I wanted to do something unique and decided to make two models, each slightly different from the other, and very different from the teardrop style most commonly known. I built both with a double Florentine cutaway, Palo Escrito sides and back, Honduran mahogany necks, African ebony fingerboards, and Spanish cedar tops. On one of the models, I wanted to blend visuals that would capture both cultures using lush green inlays and abalone shell around the rosette, while blending in the bright colors in the center of the rosette and on the purfling.

Visual design aside, the tone and sound I was building for was a warmer, softer attack with the mids being highlighted, so it would be neither bass- nor treble-dominant. The bracing style and wood combinations created a rich tone with a unique warmth, and I know my clients were happy with the end result. It is difficult saying goodbye to a new instrument, but the bouzouki was one I especially wish I had more time with, because I enjoyed playing it for the short time I had with it.

Hopefully I will get around to building one of these again, but one of the challenges of building in the old-world technique (as opposed to having others make the instruments for you and just slapping your name on it for the credit) is that there isn’t much time outside of the orders for extra builds.

So for now, somewhere in the world live two custom Delgado “Jeannine” Irish bouzouki models that blend my Mexican heritage with my wife’s Irish heritage and carry my mother-in-law’s name. My “Irexican” (Irish/Mexican) daughter’s wish for you is, “May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light.”

Want to try a baritone guitar but don’t want to splash all your cash right away? Look no further than Thomann, which is currently running a deal on the Harley Benton SC-Custom III Baritone AB.

Now reduced to £299, it makes for a great budget-friendly entry point into the world of baritone guitar for both experienced and beginner players.

[deals ids=”50xtuJqVYJ7X4bkOEKNVBV”]

As its name suggests, this guitar is a single cut model, and offers a Les Paul-style body shape at a super affordable price range with a baritone-scale 712 mm (28”) neck, shaped in a comfortable Modern C profile, so you can experiment with heavier riffing and a chunkier sound for less.

• READ MORE: “Always ready to ribbit”: This pedal makes your guitar sound like a frog – because why the hell

This model offers a Meranti body and neck, and features a WSC Tune-O-Matic bridge, along with a graphite nut. It has a rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo stainless steel frets, and tones are powered by two Tesla TM VR-Nitro Alnico-5 humbuckers.

It has two volume controls and a single tone control with push/pull coil split functionality, plus a three-way toggle switch. It comes in an Army Burst Satin finish that will fit right in any heavy music setting.

As for another bargain Harley Benton find, Thomann is also offering a great price on the Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro amp modeller unit. For less than £200, you get 50 amp models, more than 40 effects, and 31 IR cab sims that can be configured and stored as patches in up to 200 memory slots using its colour display. This Pro version is the flagship model in its DNAfx GiT line, which also includes a standard and streamlined core version.

Shop this deal and more at Thomann.

The post Looking for an entry point into baritone guitars? You can’t go wrong with this Harley Benton model for just £299 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Tom Bukovac is not a guitar player. Well, technically, he is—but more so, he’s a musician who plays guitar. He’s someone who always strives to make the best musical choice above all else. Bukovac, a first-call Nashville session guitarist and four-time winner of the Academy of Country Music Guitar Player of the Year award, has played on over 1,200 sessions for artists such as Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Sheryl Crow, while also being called upon to tour with heavyweights like Joe Walsh and Vince Gill.

Bukovac has gained legions of fans via his YouTube channel (@501chorusecho) where he regularly posts his Homeskoolin’ lessons. There, he imparts nuggets of musical wisdom with humor via extended segments of playing, proving him to be a seemingly endless font of creativity—with a killer collection of guitars.

His latest release is 2024’s In Stereo, an album of original music he co-headlines with fellow Nashville session wizard Guthrie Trapp.

Chords Are the Key

One of Bukovac’s superpowers is his profound understanding of chords, which informs both his lead and rhythm playing. Watch how he uses organ-style voicings to play through a blues in G.

Ex. 1 is inspired by his playing here. While he’s thinking G7 for the entirety of the first four bars, note how he employs various three-note chord fragments, including F and C triads—but not to create a chord change. Think of it more as splashing various “colors” over these four bars of G7. For example, the F triad (F–A–C) brings the b7 (F), 9 (A) and 11 (C). These first three examples are played fingerstyle.

Ex. 1

Bukovac often plays solo in his videos. But even when he’s improvising with single notes, he often deftly uses his fret-hand thumb (usually) to play bass notes that imply the chords he’s hearing in his head. Here, he adds just a few subtle thumps to propel the rhythm as he solos.

Ex. 2 explores similar territory. Be sure to palm-mute the bass notes to keep them nice and punchy. Note your fret-hand thumb should fret all of the notes on the 6th string except the final one, where your 3rd finger is a better choice.

Ex. 2

Bukovac is an encyclopedia of chord voicings, and he is remarkably musical in how he composes with them. This video is over seven minutes of inspired, beautiful music. There’s so much here to explore, even if you just randomly skip around.

Ex. 3 is a variation on his intro here—just simple seventh chords, but voiced in a unique way. Note how the melody clearly sings out, being so far from the accompaniment. There are no thirds in any of these chords; you can alternately think of them as power chords with melody notes on top.

Ex. 3

Grab Yer Pick

Bukovac is equally skilled using a pick. In this video, he’s employing hybrid picking—alternately or simultaneously using the pick and fingers.

Ex. 4 begins in the key of E, then borrows from E minor for the final two chords. In measure three, fret the down-stemmed notes with your middle finger, executing the slides with your pinky.

Ex. 4

Now, for something completely different, as Bukovac’s got a wide range of styles in his bag, here he shows his country-style pickin’ prowess.

Throughout his solo, over F7 throughout, Bukovac again keeps things interesting, here by employing different textures. Played with your pick, Ex. 5 travels from triads to dyads to single notes, ending with some death-defying open-string pull-offs. Be sure to pick close to the bridge for those to give ’em extra bite, and don’t forget the slapback echo.

Ex. 5

In the first two bars of the previous example, Bukovac uses Dm and Cm triads over F7. Let’s use some Bukovac-style creativity to see how we can take this knowledge a step further. You likely already know that, when soloing, you can use the D minor pentatonic scale (D–F–G–A–C) over F7 — remember it’s the same as F major pentatonic (F–G–A–C–D). But how about using the C minor pentatonic scale (C–Eb–F–G–Bb) over F7? The rule of thumb is you can play the minor pentatonic scale a fifth above the root of a dominant seventh chord. Ex. 6 demonstrates with a Bukovac-style lick. Note that the C minor pentatonic scale brings into play the F7 chord’s 5 (C), b7 (Eb), root (F) and 9 (G). The phrase colorfully touches upon C Dorian (C–D–Eb–F–G–A–B) by including an A, the 3 of F7 at the end of bar 1, as well as a D, its 13, at the end of bar 2.

Ex. 6

Bukovac is especially expressive in the way he bends. In this video, he’s executing two half-step bends simultaneously, using the pick.

Ex. 7 is a similar phrase, and, of course, these bends need to be in tune. If this proves to be challenging, the thing to do is simply slow things down. Bend by turning your wrist only, keeping your fingers stationery as it turns. If that doesn’t feel comfortable, try pulling both strings towards the floor. Tricky….

Ex. 7

Next, over the same groove, Bukovac uses his pick-hand index and middle fingers to create a melody over an open D-string drone. Ex. 8 explores similar territory; execute the final bend by pulling the 3rd string towards the floor to allow the open 4th string to continue to ring.

Ex. 8

Practice Creativity

Like so many of his longer videos, here, Bukovac—off the top of his head—continually finds new musical ideas, taking time to explore each one.

Ex. 9 is based on another idea from the same video. Note the final two examples are played with the pick.

Ex. 9

As Bukovac does, let’s create a couple of simple variations on Ex. 9, as demonstrated in Ex. 10.

Ex. 10

Finally, inspired by Bukovac’s creativity, try exploring your own by simply taking time to fool around with the previous two examples. Don’t think too much. Just start playing, and you’ll undoubtedly discover some brand-new ideas of your own.

The bass guitar played by Horace Panter on the Specials’ 1981 hit Ghost Town is headed to the auction block, and is expected to fetch up to £20,000.

As auctioneer Gardiner Houlgate explains in a press release, Panter paid £200 for the 1971 blue Fender Precision bass in 1981, and admits he’s “not overly attached” to the instrument, and would rather it go to someone who will play it.

• READ MORE: Trump tariffs rejected by US Supreme Court – what could this mean for the guitar industry?

“It would be nice if it went to someone who’ll play it rather than shut it in a vault. It plays really well,” he says.

The Special’s Ghost Town spent three weeks at Number One in the UK, and 11 weeks in the top 40, and “summed up the depressed mood of Britain at the time”.

After the Specials disbanded in 1981, Horace Pantr used the bass with new wave supergroup General Public, which also featured former members of The Beat, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and the Clash.

Panter sold the bass in 1988, before re-acquiring it in 2010 to use when the Specials reunited.

“This is a bass guitar that’s going to stir up quite a lot of interest among fans and collectors,” says Gardiner Houlgate auctioneer Luke Hobbs. “Ghost Town is such an evocative track reflecting the social and political unrest of Britain at that time – and Horace Panter’s bass is a big part of it.”

Horace Panter’s 1971 Fender Precision bass will be available for public viewing on Friday 6 March and Monday 9 March from 09:00 – 17:30, and on 10 March, the day of the sale itself.

The auction will take place at Gardiner Houlgate, 9 Leafield Way, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 9SW.

Learn more at Gardiner Houlgate.

The post Bass used on The Specials Ghost Town expected to fetch £20k at auction appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Held in July 2025, Back to the Beginning marked Black Sabbath’s last-ever show, with a who’s who of metal’s elite – including, to name a few, Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira and Lamb of God – gathering at Birmingham’s Villa Park for the heavy metal founders’ swansong.

The event culminated in a short but showstopping set from Black Sabbath, with a frail,  throne-bound Ozzy Osbourne performing War Pigs, N.I.B., Iron Man and Paranoid alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward one last time to a crowd of tens of thousands of heavy metal disciples.

• READ MORE: Yungblud got the Changes gig just 48 hours before Black Sabbath’s farewell show

Ozzy – then 76 – had been battling a number of health conditions for years, including Parkinson’s, which caused worsening mobility in the later years of his life. 

And as his widow and longtime manager Sharon Osbourne explains in a new interview of the Dumb Blonde celebrity podcast, her husband “knew” he didn’t have long to live as preparations reached their peak ahead of Back to the Beginning.

“Two weeks before the show, they said he could probably die, and he did,” Sharon says [via Blabbermouth]. “But he wanted to do it so bad. He needed it. And it’s, like, ‘Whether I die in two weeks or I die in six months, I’m still dying. And I wanna go my way.’ And he did. He went like a rock star.”

Sharon says that the love and tributes to Ozzy Osbourne and his illustrious career at Back to the Beginning were “bittersweet” because they “knew” Ozzy didn’t have much time left.

“Ozzy had sepsis earlier on last year,” she continues. “And very few people ever walk away from that without losing a limb or their life… And as soon as he got sepsis, the kids and I, we knew it was time. And then when we went to England, he went into hospital for a week. And when he came out, they said, ‘You know, Ozzy, this could kill you.’ And he said, ‘I’m doing my show.’ He went out like a king.”

Sharon goes on: “The thing is when you’ve lived your life that way, and it was like, ‘Okay, six months more to go out the way I wanna go out.’ It’s like saying, when you get really old and somebody’s still smoking and they’re, like, 78 years of age, and you’re like, ‘Just let him smoke. Leave him alone. He’s 78. Leave him alone.’

“[Ozzy] went the way he wanted to go. He knew. He knew.”

Sharon also reflects on the moments surrounding Ozzy’s death: “It was so quick. And thank God. I knew when they were trying to revive him, I knew. I’m, like, ‘Don’t. Don’t do it. Leave him.’ “He was done. But again, he went out like a rock star.”

In terms of how she is coping in the wake of Ozzy’s death at the age of 76, Sharon says: “I’m getting there. It’s hard. Jesus, it’s hard, but I’m getting there. I’m gonna keep working and I’m gonna keep doing what I do in my life. And that’s it.”

The post “Two weeks before the show, they said he could die. But he wanted to do it so bad”: Sharon Osbourne on Ozzy’s insistence to perform one last time at Back to the Beginning appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Tensions have very much died down now, but Metallica and Megadeth don’t exactly have a totally amicable history. As the story goes, Megadeth founder and frontman Dave Mustaine was Metallica’s lead guitarist from 1982 to 1983, before being ousted from the band for alcoholism, drug abuse and aggressive behaviour.

But during his time with the group, Mustaine helped write many of the band’s early tracks, including Ride the Lightning, the title track from Metallica’s sophomore album, released a year after his departure.

Mustaine recently revealed how the division of songwriting credits on some of the band’s early tracks became a “bone of contention” between him and Metallica frontman James Hetfield, contributing to their fractured relationship.

• READ MORE: Trump tariffs rejected by US Supreme Court – what could this mean for the guitar industry?

Last month, Megadeth released their last-ever album, and with it came a landmark cover of Ride the Lightning, the track Mustaine helped write decades ago. And in a new interview with Portugal’s Metal Global, bassist James LoMenzo recalls hearing from Mustaine of his plans to record the cover.

“I was delighted. I was surprised,” he says [via Blabbermouth]. “My eyebrows went up, but I was kind of delighted that he was gonna even go there, because there’s always that subliminal undercurrent tension – you know, ‘Oh, Metallica [vs.] Megadeth.’

“And I always thought, like, Megadeth, for God’s sake, I always thought Dave won in a way, because he’s built this giant thing all by himself. And it made a lot of sense to me logically. It seemed like if this is the last thing we’re gonna do, then we should go out, end with a band, but also kind of address the full history of the band. And that’s step one.

“So I thought it was great in the end. But yes, my eyebrow went up when I heard him say that, yeah.”

Elsewhere in the interview, LoMenzo is asked whether he believes Megadeth is better than Metallica “when it comes to riffs and solos”.

“I can’t go on board with you there,” he replies. “I’m a company guy – sure, I think we’re better, but semantically, I don’t really believe that. It’s all about taste and approach, right? And I think if Dave had stayed [in Metallica], it would’ve certainly been a lot more complex, but they would’ve not lost any energy that they had. 

“It comes down to, like, who do you like better – Motörhead or The Ramones? One seems silly, one seems really serious, but I love them both.”

Watch the full interview below:

The post “I always thought Dave won – because he’s built this giant thing all by himself”: James LoMenzo on the ever-present “subliminal undercurrent tension” between Megadeth and Metallica appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

$199/£199, tru-fi.com/joespedals.com

There are normal people, and then there are fuzz pedal geeks. Normal people know about Fuzz Faces and Tone Benders, and might be vaguely aware that the British stompbox boom of the late 60s also produced one or two other models; fuzz geeks howl and weep in despair over the thought that those ‘others’ – specifically the Colorsound Power Boost and Overdriver – have been so widely forgotten.

• READ MORE: Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz review: heavy, heady filter fuzz that’s not just for Muse worship

Essentially 18V and 9V versions of the same circuit, the Power Boost (1969) and Overdriver (1971) were arguably not only fuzzes but also the first ever overdrive pedals. No wonder David Gilmour, Jeff Beck and Jan Akkerman loved them so much.

Time for a revival? American boutique maker Tru-Fi certainly thinks so, and has included a combined tribute to both pedals in its Mini series, with a toggle switch letting you flip between the two voltages (and power coming from a standard 9V supply or battery). It’s been brought to the UK by Joe’s Pedals, and it looks very cute indeed.

Image: Richard Purvis

Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver – what is it?

Tru-Fi specialises in vintage-minded pedals, mostly fuzz, in beautifully made metal enclosures. They’re also somewhat vintage-sized, but the Minis have been shrunk down by 1/3 and have the jack sockets at the top, making them significantly more ’board-friendly.

This is the ’71 Colordriver; there’s also a ’69 version that’s bright orange and has different silicon transistors (BC109 instead of BC184), for a tone that’s described as “a bit smoother”. Both have a volume knob on the side – a feature the originals lacked, leaving them stuck in extra-boosty mode. Maybe that’s why they went out of fashion in the first place?

Image: Richard Purvis

Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver – what does it sound like?

There’s a theory that this circuit demands a lot of headroom – it was, after all, designed to be plugged into much louder tube amps than what most people use today – but that really depends on what you want from it. I began my testing with a 20W combo attenuated for bedroom levels, so about as much headroom as a catflap… and fell in love with the Colordriver instantly.

With the amp set clean-ish, anything shy of halfway on the pedal’s central dial is definitely more overdrive than fuzz: it’s tonally uncoloured (until you start messing with the highly responsive tone controls), and crunchy in a way that caresses the eardrums. There’s a roughness to decaying chords that some people won’t like, but the full-frequency openness works brilliantly for tight rhythm playing.

The second half of that drive knob is all classic Brit filth, with some colossal Fuzz Face sounds on offer towards the very top, just as it starts to feel splattily overloaded. It also opens up really nicely when you turn the guitar’s volume down, albeit with a slight thinning out of the tone.

Through a bigger amp it’s a dramatically different story: now we feel the real noise-bringing potential of the Colordriver, with a tremendous low-end thump to go along with that sweetly singing midrange. It’s a match for any Fuzz Face, but only if you’re in the mood for high gain: with the guitar volume backed off it now sounds quite clangy, and with the pedal’s gain at halfway it’s just not as likeable as it was through the little amp. At the other end of the scale, though, the combination of treble, bass and master volume knobs does allow for some extremely tweakable boosting with the gain set even lower.

All of the above, by the way, is equally true at both voltage settings, with 18v sounding that little bit bigger and clearer than 9v. It’s great to have the choice, but you might find yourself popping that switch into the up position and leaving it there forever.

Image: Richard Purvis

Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver – should I buy it?

This pedal sounds great through a small amp and great through a big amp, but in totally different ways. That makes the “should I buy it?” question more complicated than usual, but here are two key facts to bear in mind: one, the ’71 Colordriver is an absolutely top-class stompbox; and two, the geeks are right and this near-forgotten giant of early fuzz needs to be on your radar.

Image: Richard Purvis

Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver – alternatives

You can still buy a full-size reissue Colorsound Overdriver (£429) or Power Boost (£399), both with master volume, courtesy of legendary London dealer Macari’s. Modern US-built alternatives include the IdiotBox Effects Power Drive ($139/£125) and Basic Audio Futureman ($200/£209.99).

The post Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver review – an underrated classic of early fuzz is reborn… in miniature appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.



Fretboard Journal contributor Seth Lorinczi joins us this week to talk about the rise and fall of Micro-Frets, the upstart electric guitar brand launched in the late 1960s.

Seth penned a lengthy story on Micro-Frets for our magazine’s 58th issue (available now), and we talk about the brand’s launch in Maryland, its unique offerings, the short-lived attempt to revive the company, and so much more.

We also talk about Seth’s history in the DC punk scene, his writing projects, and the impact psychedelic therapy has had on his life.

Follow Seth here: https://www.sethlorinczi.com/

Get issue 58 of the FJ (with Seth’s Micro-Frets story) here.

Also mentioned: Steve Melkisethian on the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/podcasts/the-truth-about-vintage-amps-ep-38-with-special-guest-steve-melkisethian/

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Register today: https://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Mike & Mike’s Substack: https://mmguitarbar.substack.com

Seth Lorinczi photo: Cheryl Juetten

The post Podcast 538: The Story of Micro-Frets Guitars with Seth Lorinczi first appeared on Fretboard Journal.

Calculating the possible tones the Electro-Harmonix Bender Royale can produce—especially in relation to its simpler MkIII Tone Bender forebears—is not work for the casual mathematician. Let’s see, take the original 3-knob MkIII template, multiply those possible sounds by three additional knobs and two switches, multiply that again by the range of the extra knobs, and … well, you can see why I'm a guitar journalist rather than a NASA scientist calculating possible trajectories for Mars probes. But you needn’t be a senior researcher at M.I.T. or the Berkeley physics department to understand that the Bender Royale is a fuzz-tone gold mine.

A vintage-based fuzz with this much additional tone sculpting capability can be anathema to many old-school heads. Ordinarily, I might even count myself among that camp—certainly where a circuit as near perfect as the Tone Bender MkIII is concerned. But time and time again, I found myself in thrall to the Bender Royale’s broader sense of possibilities. It’s equally happy in dunderheaded ’60s garage-psych contexts and modern ambient settings. Best of all, its many controls enable intuitive pathways to these very different destinations.

Palace Expansions

I’d be lying if I said I looked over the Bender Royale for the first time without trepidation. I have a few 3-knob Tone Bender MkIII clones that I love and know intimately. I also know that compound tone possibilities can come at the cost of an otherwise simple pedal’s magical essence. But I also love the grand tradition of Electro-Harmonix as demented maximalists. And in this case, faith in the vision of Mike Matthews and his designers is well placed.

Early versions of the 3-transistor Sola Sound Tone Bender architecture were simple 2-knob pedals—just output volume and gain. The MkIII Tone Bender, on which the Bender Royale is based, added a high-pass filter-based tone control, which made it a much more nuanced pedal than its predecessors. On the Bender Royale, the tone section is comprised of treble and bass knobs, and using the two together yields many sounds that aren’t easily found in vintage style MkIIIs—especially when you set them in opposition to each other. Heavy bass settings and attenuated treble, for instance, can shape wooly, mysterious low-mid focused fuzz that’s uncommon in simple ’60s circuits.

The bias control is a familiar feature in modern fuzz design. And like the EQ, it can serve contemporary or vintage-style tone-shaping aims. In the latter scenario, the bias knob helps the Bender Royale assume personality traits of lower voltage vintage fuzzes like the Maestro FZ-1 or Selmer Buzz Tone. It can also help shape the Bender Royale’s output into glitchy, fractured tone scree peppered with odd overtones—or thuddy but substantial no-sustain fuzz that is perfect for doubling a bass line.

Mixing More Magic Potions

I don’t often see wet/dry blend controls on fuzzes, and I understand why some players would fail to see the point. On the Blender Royale though, it’s a feature with transformative power—particularly if you approach fuzz with a song arranger’s mindset. The most convenient framework for describing the sound of the blended wet/dry tones might be the work of My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields (who, not coincidentally, perhaps, is a fan of the MkIII Tone Bender.) If you’ve dived deep on Shield’s MBV sounds, you’ve probably noticed that many of them are not as filthy as legend would suggest. In fact, many of Shield’s classic MBV tones rely on a certain quantity of “cleanliness” to communicate the nuance of his pitch shifting and reverse reverb moves. The Blender Royale’s wet/dry blend makes it easy to shape these textures. And while this function shines in shoegaze-style applications (which often rely on fuzz as a source of dream haze rather than riff underpinnings) it can be invaluable in any song- or melody-first compositional or performance situation where detailed chords are of foremost importance and fuzz works better as a mood enhancer than sledgehammer.

The two switches—a FAT switch that emphasizes low-mid frequencies and one that switches between germanium and harder-edged LED clipping—are the two features I used least. And in general, I preferred the more vintage-aligned germanium clipping and FAT-less EQ profile for their clarity, which emphasizes detail in other control interactions. But they are far from superfluous. The LED-clipping, for example, will interact with treble-forward and off-biased settings to create extra-splintered, narrow output that stands tall, proud, and strange in a mix.

The Verdict

Electro-Harmonix’s Bender Royale may seem to exist in extra-dimensional space at times. But for all the adventure it enables, it is a pedal of great utility. It shines with humbuckers and single-coils, with American- and British-style amps, and for scorching leads and tuneful indie chording. And none of this very real variety in the Bender Royale comes at the expense of vintage MkIII accuracy when you need it. At $149, it has to be a contender for the best fuzz value in the business.

Calculating the possible tones the Electro-Harmonix Bender Royale can produce—especially in relation to its simpler MkIII Tone Bender forebears—is not work for the casual mathematician. Let’s see, take the original 3-knob MkIII template, multiply those possible sounds by three additional knobs and two switches, multiply that again by the range of the extra knobs, and … well, you can see why I'm a guitar journalist rather than a NASA scientist calculating possible trajectories for Mars probes. But you needn’t be a senior researcher at M.I.T. or the Berkeley physics department to understand that the Bender Royale is a fuzz-tone gold mine.

A vintage-based fuzz with this much additional tone sculpting capability can be anathema to many old-school heads. Ordinarily, I might even count myself among that camp—certainly where a circuit as near perfect as the Tone Bender MkIII is concerned. But time and time again, I found myself in thrall to the Bender Royale’s broader sense of possibilities. It’s equally happy in dunderheaded ’60s garage-psych contexts and modern ambient settings. Best of all, its many controls enable intuitive pathways to these very different destinations.

Palace Expansions

I’d be lying if I said I looked over the Bender Royale for the first time without trepidation. I have a few 3-knob Tone Bender MkIII clones that I love and know intimately. I also know that compound tone possibilities can come at the cost of an otherwise simple pedal’s magical essence. But I also love the grand tradition of Electro-Harmonix as demented maximalists. And in this case, faith in the vision of Mike Matthews and his designers is well placed.

Early versions of the 3-transistor Sola Sound Tone Bender architecture were simple 2-knob pedals—just output volume and gain. The MkIII Tone Bender, on which the Bender Royale is based, added a high-pass filter-based tone control, which made it a much more nuanced pedal than its predecessors. On the Bender Royale, the tone section is comprised of treble and bass knobs, and using the two together yields many sounds that aren’t easily found in vintage style MkIIIs—especially when you set them in opposition to each other. Heavy bass settings and attenuated treble, for instance, can shape wooly, mysterious low-mid focused fuzz that’s uncommon in simple ’60s circuits.

The bias control is a familiar feature in modern fuzz design. And like the EQ, it can serve contemporary or vintage-style tone-shaping aims. In the latter scenario, the bias knob helps the Bender Royale assume personality traits of lower voltage vintage fuzzes like the Maestro FZ-1 or Selmer Buzz Tone. It can also help shape the Bender Royale’s output into glitchy, fractured tone scree peppered with odd overtones—or thuddy but substantial no-sustain fuzz that is perfect for doubling a bass line.

Mixing More Magic Potions

I don’t often see wet/dry blend controls on fuzzes, and I understand why some players would fail to see the point. On the Blender Royale though, it’s a feature with transformative power—particularly if you approach fuzz with a song arranger’s mindset. The most convenient framework for describing the sound of the blended wet/dry tones might be the work of My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields (who, not coincidentally, perhaps, is a fan of the MkIII Tone Bender.) If you’ve dived deep on Shield’s MBV sounds, you’ve probably noticed that many of them are not as filthy as legend would suggest. In fact, many of Shield’s classic MBV tones rely on a certain quantity of “cleanliness” to communicate the nuance of his pitch shifting and reverse reverb moves. The Blender Royale’s wet/dry blend makes it easy to shape these textures. And while this function shines in shoegaze-style applications (which often rely on fuzz as a source of dream haze rather than riff underpinnings) it can be invaluable in any song- or melody-first compositional or performance situation where detailed chords are of foremost importance and fuzz works better as a mood enhancer than sledgehammer.

The two switches—a FAT switch that emphasizes low-mid frequencies and one that switches between germanium and harder-edged LED clipping—are the two features I used least. And in general, I preferred the more vintage-aligned germanium clipping and FAT-less EQ profile for their clarity, which emphasizes detail in other control interactions. But they are far from superfluous. The LED-clipping, for example, will interact with treble-forward and off-biased settings to create extra-splintered, narrow output that stands tall, proud, and strange in a mix.

The Verdict

Electro-Harmonix’s Bender Royale may seem to exist in extra-dimensional space at times. But for all the adventure it enables, it is a pedal of great utility. It shines with humbuckers and single-coils, with American- and British-style amps, and for scorching leads and tuneful indie chording. And none of this very real variety in the Bender Royale comes at the expense of vintage MkIII accuracy when you need it. At $149, it has to be a contender for the best fuzz value in the business.

2025 Wilson Burnham Engelmann Spruce/Wenge double top classical guitar with an elevated fretboard. 

Ebony fretboard, East Indian rosewood bridge with MOP tie block cover, Manuel Ramirez style rosette.

Back and sides are laminated with curly Spanish cedar.

650mm string length

52mm wide at nut, 58mm string spacing at bridge. Please scroll down the page for more photos of this stunning guitar!

Regular price was $8000, price reduced to $4000! I am moving to a new studio and I want to liquidate my current stock of guitars!

For more specifications on this guitar, please click here!

Watch Juri Yun play this guitar! Please visit my YouTube channel, @wilsonburnhamguitars8563

"Wilson's guitars are outstanding! They have incredible voices and are easy to play! They are easy to play because the treble strings are there, they are present and you can hear them above the bass strings! You don't have to work hard to make these guitars sing!"

Nathan Fischer, president of the New York City Classical Guitar Society

The honeycomb Nomex in this double top guitar is cover with a veneer of old growth redwood to enhance the guitar's voice.

The sides are attached to the top with blocks of ebony, these ebony blocks make the guitar louder in sound!

Laminating the wenge back and sides with curly Spanish cedar stiffen the guitar to increase the volume and beauty of the guitar's voice. The sound of this guitar reaches out to the hearts' of your audience to bring them to you and the music you are playing!

BzzzzKill today announced the launch of its long-anticipated hum-reduction solution for Telecaster-style guitars. Available now in Single and Dual configurations, the new Players Series Telecaster models deliver buzz-free single-coil performance for one of the most iconic — and notoriously noisy — guitar designs ever created.

Since their introduction in the early 1950s, Telecasters have been known for clarity, snap, and responsiveness — along with persistent 60-cycle hum (50Hz in UK/EU). Until now, there has never been a viable dummy-coil solution engineered specifically for Telecaster wiring configurations, particularly models equipped with reverse-wound, reverse-polarity (RWRP) neck pickups.

The new Telecaster lineup includes:

• Single model for Telecasters that buzz in all selector positions (non-RWRP wiring)
• Dual model engineered to complete the partial hum-cancelling systems found in RWRP Telecasters

Both versions operate passively, require no batteries or external power, and install invisibly inside the guitar’s control cavity without drilling or permanent modification.

Like the recently launched Players Series for Stratocasters, the Telecaster models feature a modern, precision-formed PETG structure and durable rubber-jacket wiring. Each unit is carefully engineered for a precise fit within the famously restrictive Telecaster control cavity — a design challenge that required extensive development and refinement.

Priced at US $99, the Players Series Telecaster models bring engineered noise reduction to a broader audience while preserving the guitar’s authentic tone, dynamics, and value.

Expanding the BzzzzKill Platform
With Telecaster now added to the lineup, BzzzzKill continues to broaden its engineered hum-reduction architecture across the most popular single-coil formats. Versions for Jazz Bass and Gibson-style P-90 guitars are currently in development and will be announced soon.

BzzzzKill products are available directly at www.bzzzzkill.com.