Music is the universal language
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” - Luke 2:14
Premier Guitar
Shnobel Tone Unveils Dumbbell Driver OD/Boost Pedal
Shnobel Tone has introduced the latest addition to its line of premium guitar effects. The new Dumbbell Driver combines the company’s acclaimed Daily Driver Overdrive with the recently launched Dumbbell Boost into a single, super flexible pedal.
The Dumbbell Boost and Daily Driver circuits are identical to the standalone versions of these pedals. Both the overdrive and boost circuits are completely independent and can be used together or separately, activated by their own dedicated true-bypass footswitches. A two-position toggle switch allows you to assign the order of the effects when both circuits are in use: Boost>>Overdrive or Overdrive>>Boost are available, providing a huge range of sonic options. Setting the toggle to the right places the Dumbbell Boost in front of the Daily Driver.
The pedal offers an intuitive 6-knob control set. The four knobs on the left side of the pedal control the Daily Driver circuit with Volume, Gain, High frequency and Low frequency EQ. The Daily Driver controls on the left side also include a three-position toggle switch for added EQ flexibility: the switch offers two different high-cut settings, along with a flat setting in the center position, so you can dial in the perfect overdrive sound with any amp.
The two knobs on the right side of the pedal control the Dumbbell Boost circuit. The Input knob adjusts the input impedance and acts as a supplemental tone control: when turned all the way to the left it gives you a brighter, less bassy sound; turned all the way to the right it delivers a full range sound with rich harmonics reminiscent of a Dumble-style circuit. The Level knob controls the Dumbbell Boost’s output level.
Sporting gloriously retro-flavored chrome-skirted knobs and available in either Black or White, Shnobel Tone’s Dumbbell Driver includes these features:
- Six control knobs: Four knobs on the left side for adjusting the Daily Driver overdrive; and two knobs on the right side for adjusting the Dumbbell boost.
- Three-position “Hi Cut” toggle switch affects just the Daily Drive portion of the circuit (not the Dumbbell boost).
- Two-position toggle selects the order of effects when both circuits are engaged
- Two true bypass foot switches for activating each circuit
- Pedalboard-friendly top mounted power and in / out jacks
- Hand-built with top quality through-hole components
- Standard 9v center negative power – no battery compartment
Shnobel Tone’s Dumbbell Driver carries a street price of $329 and can be purchased at shnobeltone.com.
Rig Rundown: Spiritbox
Ahead of Spiritbox’s recent show at Nashville’s Pinnacle, PG’s Chris Kies spent some time with the Canadian alt-metal giants’ guitarist Mike Stringer and bassist Josh Gilbert to get the story on their down-tuned mayhem. See about the highlights below, and watch the full Rig Rundown for more.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Signature 7
Stringer’s signature Aristides STX guitars, like this 7-string, are the first axes he reaches for. Inspired by Kurt Cobain’s Jag-Stang, the STX comes in 6-, 7-, and 8-string configurations, as well as multi-scale options. In lieu of traditional guitar woods, Aristides’ proprietary Arium material works perfectly for Stringer’s needs—it can hit any “stupid-low” tuning with ease and clarity. The guitar is loaded with Stringer’s signature Bare Knuckle Halcyon pickups and an EverTune bridge. The 7-string STXs are in F-sharp tuning, with Ernie Ball Custom Paradigm strings (.010–.074).
Ocho Loco
Stringer calls this 8-string Aristides the “prototype,” since it was the first one produced. It’s employed on “Fata Morgana.”
PVH vs. EVH
Stringer uses a Fractal Axe-Fx III, favoring a PVH 6160 model based on the EVH 5150 Stealth. It shares rack space with an ART Pro Audio SP4X4 power distribution system, Shure AD4Q, and Radial JX-44.
Mike Stringer’s Pedalboard
Stringer’s buddy at Omilion Audio built out his onstage boards. Along with a Fractal FC-12 Foot Controller, RJM Mastermind PBC/6X, and a Radial SGI-44, Stringer’s board carries a Peterson StroboStomp tuner, Boss DD-6, Electro-Harmonix Freeze, a pair of DigiTech Whammy Ricochets, Line 6 DL4 MkII, Chase Bliss Mood and Generation Loss, EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) Life, a pair of EarthQuaker Rainbow Machines, and a Hologram Electronics Microcosm.
Charvel Shredder
Modeled on Charvel’s San Dimas bass, this multi-scale (34-37") 5-string is tuned to F-sharp, and has Nordstrand pickups and a Darkglass B2M2 Tone Capsule onboard preamp. The custom-gauge strings come from Kalium Music.
Four-String Friend
This Fender Precision bass is also on hand, tuned to B-A-D-G. It takes Ernie Ball strings.
Axe and Block
Along with his Quilter Bass Block 800, Gilbert, too, uses a Fractal Axe-Fx III, nestled in his backstage rack alongside a Shure AD4D and a Radial JX 42. Like Stringer, he uses a 6160 model for his dirty tones; a Darkglass B7K model is also in the mix. Gilbert’s tonal “scene changes” are handled in Ableton.
EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) Life
Hylight UK Unveils Custom SD 2x12” Combo Amp
Hylight UK has introduced their new Custom SD 2x12 amp, a 20-wattcombo that builds upon the company’s legacy dating back to the 1960s.
With modern features such as Effects Loop and Line Out, the new Hylight Custom SD "Shiny Diamond" combo (VR204C-212F) is powered by a pair of EL84s and offers clean headroom and bright chime, ideal for crunchy British rock.
The amp delivers 20-watt output at full power and has a built-in attenuator (via splitting the transformer, activated with a toggle switch on the front control panel) which can dial back the output to ½-watt. Its preamp tube configuration includes four 12AX7s/ECC83s and the combo comes standard equipped with a pair of Fane F70 12” speakers. Other speaker options include Fane A60s, Crescendos reissue, A30, F30, F25, and F90. Hylight also offers Celestion speakers options upon request.
This 20-watt combo is made in England with the best available components for those guitar players who are looking for a classic British sounding amp based on the early 70’s models.
Hylight Electronics has been making high quality amps since the 1960's. Bands such as Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, the Rolling Stones, and The Who have all used Hylight-made amps to help create their legendary sounds. With their military-spec chassis, point-to-point wiring, and marine-grade cabinets, Hylight amps are known for their rugged, professional build quality.
The new Highlight Custom SD 2x12 carries a street price of $3799. For more information visit hylight.co.uk.
Failure Announce New Album ‘Location Lost’ Out April 24th
Beloved and influential Los Angeles trio Failure – Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards, and Kelli Scott – announce Location Lost, their seventh studio album and fourth since reuniting in 2014 after a 17-year-hiatus, along with a spring North American tour. The LP features nine new tracks that showcase a focused, modern and ever-evolving vision of Failure’s utterly unique sound, led by first single "The Air’s on Fire." Location Lost will arrive April 24th as the first release under Failure Records/Arduous Records/Virgin Music Group.
Pre-save / pre-order Location Lost here: https://ffm.to/locationlost.
Recorded after the completion of the recent Hulu/Disney+ documentary Every Time You Lose Your Mind, Location Lost doesn’t arrive as a victory lap or a nostalgia exercise. Instead, it sounds like a band actively negotiating where — and who — they are now. “It’s very different,” Edwards says plainly of the follow-up to 2021’s Wild Type Droid. “There are sounds and parts that really don’t have any precedence within the Failure world.”
“The Air’s on Fire” embodies this sense of disorienting unfamiliarity. Almost immediately after finishing editing the documentary, Andrews suffered a serious back injury that required surgery. The operation was technically successful; the recovery was not. The single is the album’s most literal confrontation with Andrews’ medical trauma, its oppressive atmospherics and crushing bottom end mirroring his struggle to breathe on his own. “That song is directly about my surgery and waking up,” he explains. “I basically coded. Everything was spinning. I kept saying, ‘Turn the air on. I’m fine—just take me home.’ I was definitely not fine.”
Listen to “The Air’s On Fire” HERE and watch the video for the track, directed by Sean Stout, HERE.
WATCH & SHARE “THE AIR’S ON FIRE” OFFICIAL VIDEO
At the opposite emotional pole is the largely acoustic, straight-up breakup song “The Rising Skyline” featuring Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams, an artist whose longtime public admiration for Failure has unquestionably helped introduce the band to an entirely new generation of listeners. The album also delivers dose after dose of Andrews, Edwards and Scott’s signature creative and instrumental interplay, from the warning bell-like guitar chimes on propulsive opener “Crash Test Delayed,” to the elastic, bass-driven groove of “Halo and Grain” and the grinding, methodical wall of sound on “Solid State,” which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on 1996’s all-time-classic Fantastic Planet. Other songs such as the slow-burning, dream-inspired closer “Moonlight Understands” and the stuttering “Someday Soon” emerged from singular, unrepeatable moments.
Failure will premiere material from Location Lost on their spring headline North American tour, kicking off with an album release show on April 21 at Zebulon in Los Angeles and wrapping in Toronto on May 20th. All Under Heaven is supporting all headline dates starting May 3. Their run of shows also includes festival appearances at Las Vegas’ Sick New World, Chicago’s SPACE ECHO @ Radius and Daytona Beach’s Welcome to Rockville. Tickets go on sale to the public this Friday, February 20th at 10am local time. For tickets links and more information, visit https://www.failureband.com.
Failure’s musical communion has intrigued critics, fans, and peers for more than three decades. Following Comfort and Magnified, the trio created what is largely considered one of the ‘90s most influential and innovative albums, 1996’s Fantastic Planet. The 17-track collection earned rave reviews and onboarded a trove of new fans and also led the band to headline Lollapalooza’s second stage and craft one of the era’s most recognizable videos, “Stuck on You.” After a 17-year hiatus, Failure returned with The Heart Is a Monster in 2015, followed by 2018’s In the Future Your Body Will Be the Furthest Thing from Your Mind and 2021’s Wild Type Droid.
‘LOCATION LOST’ TRACK LISTING
01 - Crash Test Delayed
02 - The Rising Skyline ft. Hayley Williams
03 - Solid State
04 - The Air's on Fire
05 - Halo and Grain
06 - Someday Soon
07 - Location Lost
08 - A Way Down
09 - Moonlight Understands
FAILURE TOUR DATES
Apr 21 Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon (Album Release Show)
Apr 25 Las Vegas - Sick New World Festival
May 02 Chicago, IL - SPACE ECHO @ Radius
May 03 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
May 05 Nashville, TN - Basement East
May 06 Atlanta, GA Masquerade - Hell
May 08 Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome To Rockville Festival
May 09 Asheville, NC - Eulogy
May 10 Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
May 12 New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
May 13 Cambridge, MA - Sinclair
May 14 Hamden, CT - Space
May 15 Washington, DC - Union Stage
May 16 Harrisburg, PA - Arrow at Archer Music Hall
May 17 Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
May 19 Detroit, MI - Shelter
May 20 Toronto, ON - Opera House
Failure Announce New Album ‘Location Lost’ Out April 24th
Beloved and influential Los Angeles trio Failure – Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards, and Kelli Scott – announce Location Lost, their seventh studio album and fourth since reuniting in 2014 after a 17-year-hiatus, along with a spring North American tour. The LP features nine new tracks that showcase a focused, modern and ever-evolving vision of Failure’s utterly unique sound, led by first single "The Air’s on Fire." Location Lost will arrive April 24th as the first release under Failure Records/Arduous Records/Virgin Music Group.
Pre-save / pre-order Location Lost here: https://ffm.to/locationlost.
Recorded after the completion of the recent Hulu/Disney+ documentary Every Time You Lose Your Mind, Location Lost doesn’t arrive as a victory lap or a nostalgia exercise. Instead, it sounds like a band actively negotiating where — and who — they are now. “It’s very different,” Edwards says plainly of the follow-up to 2021’s Wild Type Droid. “There are sounds and parts that really don’t have any precedence within the Failure world.”
“The Air’s on Fire” embodies this sense of disorienting unfamiliarity. Almost immediately after finishing editing the documentary, Andrews suffered a serious back injury that required surgery. The operation was technically successful; the recovery was not. The single is the album’s most literal confrontation with Andrews’ medical trauma, its oppressive atmospherics and crushing bottom end mirroring his struggle to breathe on his own. “That song is directly about my surgery and waking up,” he explains. “I basically coded. Everything was spinning. I kept saying, ‘Turn the air on. I’m fine—just take me home.’ I was definitely not fine.”
Listen to “The Air’s On Fire” HERE and watch the video for the track, directed by Sean Stout, HERE.
WATCH & SHARE “THE AIR’S ON FIRE” OFFICIAL VIDEO
At the opposite emotional pole is the largely acoustic, straight-up breakup song “The Rising Skyline” featuring Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams, an artist whose longtime public admiration for Failure has unquestionably helped introduce the band to an entirely new generation of listeners. The album also delivers dose after dose of Andrews, Edwards and Scott’s signature creative and instrumental interplay, from the warning bell-like guitar chimes on propulsive opener “Crash Test Delayed,” to the elastic, bass-driven groove of “Halo and Grain” and the grinding, methodical wall of sound on “Solid State,” which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on 1996’s all-time-classic Fantastic Planet. Other songs such as the slow-burning, dream-inspired closer “Moonlight Understands” and the stuttering “Someday Soon” emerged from singular, unrepeatable moments.
Failure will premiere material from Location Lost on their spring headline North American tour, kicking off with an album release show on April 21 at Zebulon in Los Angeles and wrapping in Toronto on May 20th. All Under Heaven is supporting all headline dates starting May 3. Their run of shows also includes festival appearances at Las Vegas’ Sick New World, Chicago’s SPACE ECHO @ Radius and Daytona Beach’s Welcome to Rockville. Tickets go on sale to the public this Friday, February 20th at 10am local time. For tickets links and more information, visit https://www.failureband.com.
Failure’s musical communion has intrigued critics, fans, and peers for more than three decades. Following Comfort and Magnified, the trio created what is largely considered one of the ‘90s most influential and innovative albums, 1996’s Fantastic Planet. The 17-track collection earned rave reviews and onboarded a trove of new fans and also led the band to headline Lollapalooza’s second stage and craft one of the era’s most recognizable videos, “Stuck on You.” After a 17-year hiatus, Failure returned with The Heart Is a Monster in 2015, followed by 2018’s In the Future Your Body Will Be the Furthest Thing from Your Mind and 2021’s Wild Type Droid.
‘LOCATION LOST’ TRACK LISTING
01 - Crash Test Delayed
02 - The Rising Skyline ft. Hayley Williams
03 - Solid State
04 - The Air's on Fire
05 - Halo and Grain
06 - Someday Soon
07 - Location Lost
08 - A Way Down
09 - Moonlight Understands
FAILURE TOUR DATES
Apr 21 Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon (Album Release Show)
Apr 25 Las Vegas - Sick New World Festival
May 02 Chicago, IL - SPACE ECHO @ Radius
May 03 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
May 05 Nashville, TN - Basement East
May 06 Atlanta, GA Masquerade - Hell
May 08 Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome To Rockville Festival
May 09 Asheville, NC - Eulogy
May 10 Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
May 12 New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
May 13 Cambridge, MA - Sinclair
May 14 Hamden, CT - Space
May 15 Washington, DC - Union Stage
May 16 Harrisburg, PA - Arrow at Archer Music Hall
May 17 Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
May 19 Detroit, MI - Shelter
May 20 Toronto, ON - Opera House
Electro-Harmonix Unearths the Bass Big Muff Pi 2
Upon resurrecting the long-lost Dual Op-Amp Big Muff 2 circuit with Josh Scott of JHS Pedals, Electro-Harmonix recognized that the pedal would be an instant favorite of low-end lovers and went to work “bassifying” the pedal. Enter the low-end optimized Bass Big Muff Pi 2 with features selected for full spectrum fuzz tones of all flavors.
The Bass Big Muff Pi 2 features the original’s pushed mid grunt and classic singing sustain any Big Muff lover would feel at home with. The bass version now includes a clean BLEND knob and Bass Boost for extended tone performance with Bass Guitar or any player looking for extra clarity and low-end. The typical VOL/TONE/SUSTAIN knobs set overall output volume, treble/bass eq balance, and distortion respectively. BLEND sets the overall wet/dry mix to dial in the perfect balance of fuzzy chaos and solid fundaments from your clean tone. The BASS BOOST switch adds even more low-end to your signal for booming bass tone even at higher TONE knob settings.
Additionally, the pedal features a silent true bypass footswitch with Latching/Momentary Action. Click the footswitch for normal latching functionality or press and hold the footswitch of a momentary burst of fuzz.
The Bass Big Muff Pi 2 ships a 9 Volt battery (power supply optional), is available now and has a U.S. Street Price of $122.00.
Slash: The Most Iconic Les Paul Player?
PG Editorial Director Richard Bienstock has interviewed Slash more than a few times throughout the last couple decades. So, we’ve called on him to join us in celebrating the Guns N’ Roses guitarist as we discuss his sound, his riffs, and his look! Tune in to find out about the time the two went guitar shopping and when Slash showed up at Richard’s desk.
Grand Ole Opry Partners With Martin Guitar To Create Limited-Edition Martin Hd-28
The Grand Ole Opry, George Gruhn of Gruhn Guitars,and Martin Guitar have partnered to create a limited-edition Martin HD-28 Grand Ole Opry 100th Anniversary guitar. Opry member Vince Gill was the first artist to ever play the one-of-a-kind instrument when the guitar was introduced to the public for the first time and played it on the 100th Anniversary Opry show on November 28, 2025.
To purchase the limited edition Martin HD-28 Grand Ole Opry 100th Anniversary guitar click HERE.
The Martin HD-28 Grand Ole Opry 100th Anniversary is a one-of-a-kind instrument handcrafted to honor a century of music, storytelling, and unforgettable moments on country’s most iconic stage. For generations, Martin guitars have been in the hands of countless artists who shaped the sound of country music from the Opry’s hallowed ground—heard by millions and woven into the very history this guitar celebrates. Built on the foundation of Martin’s legendary HD-28, it delivers the bold, balanced Dreadnought tone players have long trusted: powerful bass, clear trebles, and rich overtones shaped by forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing and time-honed craftsmanship.
To mark the Opry’s 100th anniversary on November 28, 2025, Martin’s artisans added exclusive details found only on this guitar. The headplate features a custom inlay of the historic WSM microphone rendered in mother-of-pearl and abalone, a tribute to the broadcast that carried country music nationwide. A matching commemorative inlay theme continues along the ebony fingerboard, celebrating a century of Opry history and the artists and moments that defined the genre from this storied stage.
Handcrafted with a solid spruce top, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, bold herringbone top trim, and elegant antique white binding, this special HD-28 also features a comfortable Golden Era Modified Low Oval neck that feels effortless in the hands. Together, these elements blend Martin tradition with Opry heritage in a single, remarkable instrument. It’s a playable piece of history made for those who keep the circle unbroken.
Keeley Nocturne Review
One of the great paradoxes of guitar sonics is that reverb, an effect invented to give electronic and recorded sound more natural ambience, can also make the instrument feel otherworldly. It’s reverb that transforms guitar and amp into waves crashing off the Malibu cliffs, and reverb that makes the Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” sound like the darkest of moonless city nights.
That midnight tone is among those that lives in Keeley Electronics’ Andy Timmons signature Nocturne, a versatile stereo pedal perfectly at home exploring reverb’s dual potential to recreate natural atmosphere or sounds that seem beyond physical dimensions.
Exploring the Atmosphere
Inspired by the Keeley Andy Timmons Halo delay/reverb, the Nocturne focuses on reverb exclusively, offering three flavors: nocturne, spring, and plate. While the latter two are the most conventional, they can be dialed in to break free from the constraints of their mechanical counterparts. All three modes give you control over tone, reverb level, decay, and modulation. But the pedal also has alternate functions that enable the tone and decay knobs to control a high-pass filter (which tailors the low end) and pre-delay (a powerful and often overlooked parameter that shifts the space between transient notes and the onset of the reverb).
Spring and plate do the most basic versions of their job well, but they happily go beyond the norm. In spring mode, the modulation control governs the mechanical “boing” overtones in the reflections, which range from realistic to totally over the top. Though I preferred the more subtle settings, which enabled me to capture the essence of gentle slap heard in my old Fenders and Ampegs, it was also easy to move between big and clangy or smaller and subtly ambient.
“It made me slow down, allow the notes to hang, and listen—and even led to new music for a documentary soundtrack I’d been struggling with.”
For most conventional guitar-tone tasks, the plate mode would be my go-to. It’s especially effective for high-gain sounds, where you can dial in the sense of a big amp in the studio. I used the Nocturne both in front of a solid-state amp and in the effects loop of a modified Bassman 10, which has Fender-style and pentode preamp channels and EL34 power tubes. The pentode channel can be set to preserve more low end than a typical guitar preamp, so the high-pass filter was especially useful there. More important, though, was the Nocturne’s high headroom, which meant it could live in the effects loop, on the receiving end of preamp and other drive sources, without complaint—even when powered by a basic 9-volt supply (18-volt is optional).
Dark Reflections
While both spring and plate are effective day-to-day tools, it’s the eponymous nocturne mode that opens up the pedal’s creative potential, delivering lush, modulated sounds with distinct echoes blended into long decays. I often got lost in the swirl of shimmering sustain while playing simple thirds and drones. It made me slow down, allow the notes to hang, and listen—and even led to new music for a documentary soundtrack I’d been struggling with. Things got more interesting when I grabbed an EBow, where the sustain and feedback-like harmonics let me create a sonic bed with far more texture than many synths, and far more expression than a sample.
As these experiences suggest, I often found myself playing to the effect in Nocturne, letting it serve as a guide, and treating it as an extension of my guitar and amp. Using the assignable expression input to change parameters while playing only enhances the sense of interactivity here. It’s that responsiveness to player input—and the fact that so many big sounds don’t completely obscure dynamics—that make the nocturne mode so effective as a creative tool.
The Verdict
While there are plenty of creative and powerful spatial effects on the market, the Nocturne is one of the few I know that works like it was designed for the guitarist without dumbing things down. It’s easy to get started and the basic sounds are satisfying, but it also invites you to go deeper. Preset capability (you can create up to 72 with MIDI) means that in a performance setting you can switch easily between completely space-altering effects and more earthly ambiance. The high fidelity and headroom make it a powerful studio tool.
Though it takes time to master some functions (it took a few tries to get the expression pedal assignments right) the layout remains super intuitive. That essential simplicity makes Nocturne equally suited to pedalboard minimalists and MIDI-based rigs. But whichever camp you’re in, you might want to leave a note for family and friends when you plug in, because you’re likely to get lost in space.
How Khruangbin's Mark Speer is Changing Texas Guitar Music
Vibey melody maker Mark Speer details Khruangbin's implausible rise from lonely cover band to festival headliner, explains his approach to guitar that leans more keyboardist and harpist than shredder, and even shares a secret (that he still employs today) from the band's earliest gigs to trick the audience into acceptance and applause.
Gear Radar: 15 Pro-Grade Tools to Refine Your Rig
This month's roundup features 15 essential releases, including EarthQuaker Devices’ all-analog tube preamp, Red Panda’s new pitch delay, and a studio-grade line isolator from Lehle. Whether you need vintage grit or modern precision, we’ve got the highlights.
Fender Player II Lavender Haze Collection
Chicago Music Exchange and Andertons introduce their latest exclusive: Lavender Haze—a Player II collection that looks like a lost custom color from Fender’s golden era and sounds bigger, warmer, and more powerful than ever. Each instrument is loaded with exclusive “Full Dip” pickups, upgraded wiring mods, and thoughtful vintage-inspired details.
MOD-mini, CHO-mini, and DEL-mini
Nobels’ new mini pedals all feature tap tempo, mono or stereo (TRS), and true- or buffered-bypass switching. Each model offers 3 modes: MOD-mini has tremolo, phase, and u-vibe; CHO-mini has chorus 1, chorus 2, and flanger; DEL-mini tape, analog, and digital. Lots of features, great value!
StroboVUE
Building on the legacy of the StroboStomp HD, the view-only StroboVUE delivers Peterson’s renowned strobe accuracy in an always-on pedalboard format. Its angled, high-visibility display and fully top-mounted jacks keep setups clean. Featuring pure buffered output, continuous tuning feedback, and no mute switch, StroboVUE is built for players who demand precision.
Aqueous Chorus
Dial in the past with the tilt EQ to create vintage bucket brigade tones, or dial it the opposite way to achieve classic ’80s sounds. The Aqueous features a preamp for gain makeup to limit the input and brings the circuit to life.
ZEQD-Pre
This all-analog tube preamp, designed with Dr. Z Amplification, features a real EF86 pentode tube to deliver authentic warmth and touch-sensitive response. This end-of-chain solution includes a three-band EQ, independent boost, analog cabinet simulation, and XLR/headphone outputs—perfect for direct recording or pedalboard-based rigs.
RIDGE
Do you want complete control of your overdrive? Kernom Ridge preserves your pure analog tone while unlocking the power of digital control. Its patented Analog Morphing Core sweeps smoothly from edge-of-breakup to saturated lead and every drive tone in between. Save presets, use MIDI or expression, and command your tone.
P-ISO TRS XLR Stereo
This stereo line isolator brings you closer to the main system. Passively, it converts your stereo audio signal not only to balanced XLR but lifts the ground so there’s no chance of noise or hum. Perfect for pedalboards or modeler, live or studio—all fitted into a handy size.
RD-1 Pitch Delay
This focused digital delay features integrated pitch and frequency shifting designed for immediate, hands-on control. Shift repeats once or endlessly in the feedback loop, from clean delays to subtly twisted textures and out-there sounds.
Dirt Dog Overdrive Pedal
The Dirt Dog Overdrive—developed with Joey Landreth—delivers expressive, amp-like breakup with outstanding touch sensitivity. Simple gain, level, bite, and tone controls make it easy to shape everything from warm grit to rich, sustaining drive.
Smoking in the Boys Room
This bold cross-border collab takes Summer School Electronics’ DS-1-inspired buzzsaw distortion and smashes into Supercool Pedals’ watery Small Clone chorus to create unmistakable grunge tones. With a chain-order switch in tow and art soaked in ’90s lore, it’s a blistering love letter to an iconic sound.
Ghost Drive Transparent Overdrive
This boutique, Klon-style overdrive pedal is now fully built and ready to play. Get rich, transparent drive, smooth sustain, and dynamic response without building the kit yourself. Perfect for adding warm grit or pushing your amp into singing lead tones.
Two Kings Boost Dual Overdrive
The StewMac Two Kings, based on the Analog Man King of Tone, packs two legendary overdrive circuits into one fully built pedal, no soldering required. From transparent boost to rich mid-gain crunch, stack the drives for endless tonal options. Perfect for shaping your rhythm tone or adding singing sustain to solos.
Lightcycle Phasor II
This fully assembled, board-ready analog phaser pedal was inspired by the legendary Mu-Tron Phasor II. Featuring lush, sweeping modulation, rich vintage tone, and three intuitive controls for rate, depth, and feedback, it effortlessly delivers anything from subtle movement to deep, psychedelic swirls—no assembly required.
Sun Fuzz
A boutique-style pedal inspired by the Analog Man Sun Face, fully built and board-ready. The Sun Fuzz delivers rich, touch-sensitive fuzz tones with warmth, clarity, and adjustability. Featuring silicon-based circuitry with internal bias and clean blend controls for tonal finesse, it handles thick chords and saturated leads equally well.
Reader Pedalboards 2026
Pedalboards tell stories, and this year's submissions prove it! From the minimalist who ditched the road case and went back to a One Spot on the floor, to the collector building a “Starboard” entirely from famous guitarists’ gear, to the neurosurgery videographer crafting soundscapes for the nervous system—these rigs reflect real lives and real gigs. Bass players with bamboo builds, experimentalists with dual boards, and portable warriors powering entire rigs from USB banks all made the cut. Here are seven boards with stories to tell.
New Wave Happy Place
Reader: Stephen JacksonI’m a pretty ordinary guitar player, but I’ve loaded up on ten pedals that make me sound halfway decent. For me, my happy-place sonics are from the diffuse new wave genre of the late 1970s to mid-1980s. I just can’t get enough.
I prefer keyboard-dominated new wave that’s generally kind to enthusiastic but ordinary guitarists. I like it nice and dark—the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, or the Cocteau Twins—or more pop-ish with some grit, like the Psychedelic Furs. I also love what I call “skinny guitar rock new wave”—earlier Talking Heads or Elvis Costello.
My pedals are powered by a Fender Engine Room LVL12, which is great for cutting down amp hum. Yes, there are battery packs that power pedals and may even help reduce cord hum, but they make me nervous—I forget to charge my phone or my vacuum stick, let alone a battery pack.
The first port-of-call from guitar to amp on my rig is a Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner. Next is an always-on MXR Dyna Comp compressor. Following that is a new wave synth staple, an Electro-Harmonix Synth9. Then the overdrive pedals: a newly-released entry in the Tube Screamer lineage, the TWA SC-01 Source Code, which is commonly on and dialed up relatively mellow; a kicked-up MXR Timmy; and a seething and spitting Electro-Harmonix Op Amp Big Muff Pi. My skinny rock songs get the SC-01 treatment or a Timmy on occasion. Oddly enough, the Big Muff is at home when turned down to backing some electronica—Berlin, for instance—as well as noisy new wave.
Next up is an MXR Smart Gate. Before I added that—and the Fender Engine Room—my Fender Jazz Bass had an annoying hum. Not anymore.
Finally, there are three stomps that, along with the Synth9, get my sound to the electronica and pop new wave happy place: an Electro-Harmonix Lester K stereo rotary speaker pedal, a Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus, and a Boss DD-8 Digital Delay. My advice: never fear a chorus pedal.
Portable Power
Reader: Adam ThomasThe board itself has a Li’l-moXie power supply hiding underneath. The red USB cable plugs into any USB power bank and powers the whole rig. The guitar output plugs straight into the [TC Electronic] Sub ’N’ Up [Octaver] pedal for the creation of bass lines and general low-frequency ambience. From there the signal travels to the Spark GO to be given a thorough going-over before it heads into the Lekato Looper. The second layer of the loop probably needs a true bypass from the Sub ’N’ Up and a different preset on the GO—no problem if you have the Spark Control X.
Next I send the signal into the [TC Electronic] Iron Curtain noise gate to get rid of any little imperfections created by the looper, and off we go to the Mooer Drummer X2 to provide some rhythmic accompaniment. I send the final output to a SubZero 15" portable PA (battery powered) via a stereo splitter line, giving me more options than you can shake a stick at for the entertainment of your fellow man, no matter where you may find them.
Experimental Lab
Reader: Kurt NolenI’m the Medical Photographer/Videographer for the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, and frequently need to produce educational/academic or communications-related videos. Sometimes this material can use more narrative styles of music, but frequently it needs textural soundscapes that reference the subject matter in the video and drive viewer interest without being distracting. Want to evoke the sound of your globus pallidus? What does your nervous system sound like? What would high-intensity, focused ultrasound treatment sound like if you could hear it? This rig does it. I’m also an experimental composer and noise artist in my free time and needed something that could serve that purpose—or for sitting in with my friend’s Oingo Boingo cover band.
Board #1 (front of amp): guitar into Ernie Ball VPJR, DigiTech Whammy 4, Morley Bad Horsie, Xotic SP Compressor, Boss FT-2 Dynamic Filter, EarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things—loop 1 out to MXR Duke of Tone, Electrofoods Ultd Pigpile fuzz, EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander, EarthQuaker Devices Time Shadows V1, Boss JB-2 (with JHS Red Remote), JHS Bonsai, JHS PackRat, Boss DM-2W to loop 1 return.
Board #2 (amp FX loop or loop 2 on EQD Swiss Things if running direct): FX out to EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine, MXR EVH117 Flanger, MXR EVH Phase 90, Boss DC-3, Walrus Mako D1 Delay V2, Red Panda Bitmap, EarthQuaker Devices Arpanoid, Chase Bliss Audio MOOD, Red Panda Tensor, Pigtronix Infinity 2, Walrus Audio Slö Multi Texture Reverb to FX return (or Swiss Things loop 2 return if direct).
Legendary Pedals
Reader: Paul MartinThis is my “Starboard.” I call it that because it’s made up of pedals previously owned by famous guitarists. I mostly bought them from artist sales on Reverb, with a couple from Techno Empire and Pedal Pawn in the U.K. I was randomly collecting artist-owned pedals for a while, but when I bought [Deftones bassist] Sergio Vega’s pedalboard I decided to put a board together. The line selector switches between the top row for soloing and bottom row for clean. The board itself was owned by Sergio.
Top row: Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter, owned by Andy Taylor (Duran Duran and the Power Station); 1980s Ibanez AD9 Analog Delay, owned by Mitch Holder, a go-to session guitarist for Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, and Lionel Richie; Boss DD-2, owned by Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth); signed MXR EG74 Eric Gales Raw Dawg Overdrive (limited to 250); vintage MXR MX-102 Dyna Comp, owned by producer and musician Dennis Herring; Boss LS-2 Line Selector, owned by Evanescence; Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner, owned and signed by Tommy Emmanuel.
Bottom row: Walrus Audio Lillian Analog Phaser; Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper, owned by Malcolm Cecil, who invented the TONTO analog synthesizer and was responsible for the sounds on Stevie Wonder’s first three albums; JHS Artificial Blonde Madison Cunningham Signature Vibrato, signed by Madison when she was in Dublin supporting John Mayer; Friday Club ED-450b Echo Machine, owned by Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse); Boss CH-1 SUPER Chorus, owned by Daryl Stuermer (Genesis and Phil Collins); Boss HF-2 Hi Band Flanger, owned by Tad Kubler (the Hold Steady); and Goodrich Model 122 Volume Pedal, owned by Steve Lukather (Toto). From soloing on Stevie Nicks’ “Stand Back” to virtually all of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, it doesn’t get much cooler than that.Bamboo Bass Rig
Reader: Dino von WintersdorffMy bass pedalboard: Starting with a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 tuner, the signal goes into a Seymour Duncan 805 Overdrive, then a Seymour Duncan Forza Overdrive, an Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff, and finally a Donner Noise Killer. [An EBS MultiComp sits top right as well.] All on a board made out of bamboo and plywood, giving a fresh vibe on the stage!
First I got the Seymour Duncan Forza to have some nice controllable overdrive for the bass—the 3-band EQ helps get a nice tone. Then I found the clean signal was too boring and I added the SD 805 to have an always-on slight crunch and tone shape, and I love it! Sometimes the Muff and Forza are on at the same time, but the 805 isn't. So switching back to only 805 mode can be wild—there are times onstage that I would hit not only those three pedals, but also the tuner, instantly killing my signal!
No Board Required
Reader: Sam PaigeSo obviously, yeah, there’s no board. It’s on the floor. In the 20-plus years I’ve been playing—starting with a few daisy-chained pedals to a fully-loaded [Pedaltrain] Novo 24 and nearly doing my back in taking the case offstage—I’ve got back to the pick-and-mix life of a [Truetone] 1 Spot and whatever I fancy.
Recently a band I fronted for six years or so fell apart, and as one door closed another opened. Starting in a new project, this was the first few weeks of bringing some old pedals and the 1 Spot to a new adventure and finding a new footing again.
Chain: Defects Super Super Super, something of a clone of the rare Death By Audio Super Fuzz War. Fuzz on one side, then boost. Inside there are dip switches for each side to shape EQ, add gain, add mids—usual setup is “full Fuzz War” with added mids, and currently a full-range boost on the other side. Second, the Electro-Harmonix Mel9, a sort of impulse buy based on seeing one of my favorite guitarists, Mr. John Dwyer, use it. It’s janky, has trouble with certain power supplies, and seems to have no built-in compression. So your effect out is either too quiet, just right, or blows your head off. I love it. It hasn’t left a setup since I bought it. Next, the Boss TU-2—god knows how old it was when it got to me (I rarely buy new), but I’ve had it for at least a good 15 years. A bit hard to see in the direct sunlight, but at least it won’t break. And a Boss RE-20 [Space Echo]—the more I use it, the more I’ve grown to love it—the perfect amount of bounce for echo effects. It’s forever inspiring and reliable. I keep thinking of trading in for one of the newer models, either to downsize or expand, but I can’t relegate this pedal to the shelf, or the draft listings on Reverb or eBay.
Double Trouble
Reader: Randall BrownI spent years as an “only use the amp’s drive channel” guy, then started looking at EHX pedals out of nostalgia for a long-lost Muff Fuzz. Over the last 15 years or so, I’ve collected this batch of circuit friends with the idea of building wide tonal flexibility. I’m influenced equally by classic riff lords like Black Sabbath, contemporary psychedelic outfits like Osees and King Gizzard, and the ultra-modern trips of St. Vincent.
One of my favorite recent discoveries is a parallel mix of the EHX Cock Fight and the Fender Waylon Jennings Phaser—a slow-modulated buzz that really straddles the synth/buzz-guitar fence. I still pay the most attention to the magic that Electro-Harmonix puts out. In my drive to build the mega-board I have now, I started with the Freeze first. I also keep an eye out for additions to what I call the “fake bored keyboardist” section. The Freeze, Canyon, Key9, and Mel9 are the cornerstones of that. There are some days when I think I should go back to a single overdrive or go straight into the amp. But all the sounds are just too much fun!
My guitar goes into a PRS Mary Cries compressor, then a Boss TU-2, then into an Electro-Harmonix Switchblade Plus. From the Switchblade, two signal chains go to two different amplifiers.
Roland JC-120 signal chain: Electro-Harmonix Ravish Sitar, Tonebutcher WeeWah auto wah, TC Electronic Sub ’N’ Up, Electro-Harmonix Intelligent Harmony Machine, Electro-Harmonix Cock Fight, Eastwood BB-01 Manalishi Drive, Way Huge Stone Burner, Catalinbread Bicycle Delay, Boss DD-2 Digital Delay, Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Ambient, Electro-Harmonix Freeze.
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe signal chain: Electro-Harmonix Mel9, Electro-Harmonix Key9, DOD Gonkulator, Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff Pi, PRS Horsemeat Transparent Overdrive, Boss SL-2 Slicer, Electro-Harmonix Canyon, Fender Waylon Jennings Phaser, Way Huge Atreides Analog Weirding Module.
The Lowdown: The Noiseless Pedals That Changed Everything
After three decades of owning, borrowing, returning, and exchanging every kind of pedal known to the world of bass and guitar, I think I’m finally getting somewhere with something I wish I hadn’t ignored for so long.
I have always struggled with the balance of sound on my pedalboard, generally running everything in series and basically rolling the dice on my clean tone every time I build a new board. There are only a handful of times over the past five or six years where I’ve thought to myself, “Wow! When I switch off all the pedals, I still sound like me.” It wasn’t until I started playing a passive bass, running my board in stereo, and really caring about having the option of a pristine clean sound whenever I wanted it that light bulbs started coming on in terms of preamps, parallel loop paths, and buffering.
I’m not here to shill gear. I just like making cool sounds with cool pedals. Some were sent to me by the makers, some were purchased, and some were gifted by friends. I only talk about specific brands and models to help you understand exactly what I’m doing, and how you might go about creating a similar sound if you so desire.
“I have always struggled with the balance of sound on my pedalboard.”
In fact, let’s start out with my most recent revelation in the world of parallel loop paths, with a unit that I paid full price for from GigRig. It’s the Wetter Box, and it facilitated taking two of my most beloved (but absolute pain-in-the-arse-to-control) pedals in series—the Meris Ottobit Jr. and the Chase Bliss Mood MkII. It gave me incredible control over not only both of those pedals individually, but my clean tone as it passes through that section of the chain. Suddenly, I have the option to have total chaos one second, and a heavenly, natural sound of the bass the next.
I should add that the reason for my newfound excitement over pedals that don’t actually make any sound is that I’m no longer at the mercy of the wide spectrum of true-bypass and buffer claims made by so many companies—which in reality range from almost acceptable to totally unusable, and suck all the life out of your tone.
With the recent shift to a passive bass as my main instrument, I’ve been trying a ton of different preamps and EQs at the front of the signal chain. The main reason for this is that it’s nice to have some EQ control when a room you’re performing in doesn’t play nice with your sound. The Colour Box V2 from JHS was incredible on tour last year, and the EQ saved my bacon several times in challenging venues.
I switched to the Caveman Audio BP-1 Compact this month for a tour with Mike Stern, and even without the EQ options of the Colour Box, it was still incredible to have control over the preamp and the output stages of my clean sound.
We then come to something I’ve seen on amps, multi-effects units, and preamps for years and have totally ignored—the effects loop! What was I thinking? I threw the three mono pedals on my board (Mantic Hulk, Iron Ether Frantabit, and MXR Vintage Bass Octave) into the effects loop of the BP-1 Compact and, once again, shortened the signal chain and improved my clean tone when those pedals weren’t engaged.
I know a lot of you reading this are going to be facepalming and saying, “Duh!” But if you're like me—someone who made it this far into a career without figuring this out—or if you're just starting and don't know what you don't know yet, this might help.
Go out and research buffers. Take a look at loop switchers from people like Morningstar or GigRig. And while you’re going nuts, like I have for so many years, over the incredible sounds pedals can bring to your playing, spare a few minutes’ thought for your clean tone. Even someone like me, who's fortunate enough to play a lot of shows and actually use all that weird gear you see me demo on YouTube, still needs a great clean tone most of the time.
The preamp/DI at the front of my signal chain is perfect for recording, and the Walrus Audio Canvas Stereo DI at the end is ideal for sending everything to FOH at shows. Now I can take both concepts anywhere and always have the option to be completely myself, with no compromise on effects or clean tone.
Zakk Wylde Breaks Down Riffs, Gear, and Heavy Guitar Lineage
First things first. In case you’ve ever wondered, Zakk Wylde… hard case or gig bag? The answer is, “Neither, motherf—ers, I carry my guitar around sub-freezing New York City in proper Bezerker fashion, like a norse, warrior’s cudgel, exposed to the elements and ready for combat.” This is only one of the many questions that are answered when the Black Label Society, Zakk Sabbath, Pantera, and of course, Ozzy Osbourne guitarist visits the Axe Lords keep for some tough talk and hand-to hand-tomfoolery.
And while he’s ostensibly doing the rounds to promote Black Label Society’s forthcoming Engines of Demolition album, this is conversation that is delightfully far reaching: First guitars and why not to sell them, the meaning of the mysterious rune fretboard inlays on his Wylde Audio guitars, why Tony Iommi is the Henry Ford of hard rock, and how Ozzy Osbourne liked his ham sandwiches prepared. It’s a season-closer that feels like a hang—equal parts reverent, ridiculous, and obsessively specific.
Axe Lords is presented in partnership with Premier Guitar. Hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge.
Follow Zakk @zakkwyldebls
Follow @axelordspod for news, updates, and cool stuff!
One-Chord Vamps and the Truth
Improvising over one chord for long stretches of time can be a musician's best friend or worst nightmare. With no harmonic variation, we are left to generate interest through our lines, phrasing, and creativity. When I started learning to improvise, a minor 7 chord and a Dorian mode were the only sounds that I wanted to hear at the time. I found it tremendously helpful to have the harmony stay in one spot while I mined for new ideas to play. Playing over a static chord was crucial in developing my sense of time and phrasing.
The following is the first improvisational device I ever came across. I want to say I got it from a Frank Gambale book. The idea is that there are three minor pentatonic scales "hiding" in any given major scale. If we're in the key of C (C–D–E–F–G–A–B) we can pluck out the D, E, and A minor pentatonic scales. If we frame them over a Dm7 chord, they give us different five-note combinations of the D Dorian mode. In short, we are building minor pentatonic scales off the 2, 3, and 6 of the C major scale.
Viewing this through the lens of D minor (a sibling of C major and the tonal center for this lesson), D minor pentatonic gives us the 1–b3–4–5–b7, E minor pentatonic gives us 2–4–5–6–1, and A minor pentatonic gives us 5–b7–1–2–4. This means you can use your favorite pentatonic licks in three different locations and there are three different sounds we can tap into from the same structure.
If you smashed all of them together, you would get the D Dorian scale (D–E–F–G–A–B–C) with notes in common between the D, E, and A minor pentatonic scales. Ex. 1 uses all three scales, so you can hear the different colors each one creates over the chord.
Ex. 1
Ex. 2 is how I improvise with them, usually weaving in and out using different positional shapes.
Ex. 2
The next idea is one I stole from a guitarist who often came into a music store I worked at. On the surface, it's very easy: Just take two triads (in our example it will be Dm and C) and ping-pong between them. The D minor triad (D–F–A) gives us 1–b3–5, which is very much rooted in the chord, and the C major triad (C–E–G) gives us the b7–9–4, which is much floatier. Also, if you smash these two triads together, you get 1–2–b3–4–5–b7, which is a minor pentatonic scale with an added 2 (or 9). Eric Johnson uses this sound all the time. Ex. 3 is the lick I stole years ago.
Ex. 3
Ex. 4 is how I would improvise with this concept. Many different fingerings work with these, so experiment until you find a layout that's comfortable for your own playing.
Ex. 4
If two triads work, why not seven? This next approach will take all the triads in the key of C (C–Dm–Em–F–G–Am–Bdim) and use them over a Dm7 chord (Ex. 5). Each triad highlights different three-note combinations from the Dorian scale, and all of them sound different. Triads are clear structures that sound strong to our ears, and they can generate nice linear interest when played over one chord. Once again, all of this is 100% inside the scale. Ex. 5 is how each triad sounds over the track, and Ex. 6 is my attempt to improvise with them.
Ex. 5
Ex. 6
If we could find all these possibilities with triads, it's logical to make the structure a little bigger and take a similar approach with 7 chords, or in this case, arpeggios. Naturally, all the diatonic chords will work, but I'll limit this next idea to just Dm7, Fmaj7, Am7, and Cmaj7. I love this approach because as you move further away from the Dm7 shape, each new structure takes out a chord tone and replaces it with an extension. I notice that I usually come up with different lines when I'm thinking about different chord shapes, and this approach is a decent way to facilitate that. Ex. 7 is a good way to get these under your fingers. Just ascend one shape, shift into the next shape on the highest string, then descend and shift to the next on the lowest string.
Ex. 7
Ex. 8 is my improvisation using all four shapes and sounds, but I lean pretty heavily on the Am7.
Ex. 8
This last concept has kept me busy on the fretboard for the last five years or so. Check it out: You can take any idea that works over Dm7 and move the other diatonic chords. The result is six variations of your original lick. In Ex. 9 I play a line that is 4–1–b3–5 over Dm7 and then walk it through the other chords in the key. These notes are still in the key of C, but it sounds drastically different from playing a scale.
Ex. 9
In Ex. 10, I try to think about the shapes from the previous example, but I break up the note order in a random but fun way. The ending line is random but felt good, so I left it in.
Ex. 10
While all these concepts have been presented over a minor chord, you can just as easily apply them to any chord quality, and they work just as well in harmonic or melodic minor. Rewarding sounds are available right inside the harmony, and I am still discovering new ideas through these concepts after many years.
Though the above ideas won't necessarily be appropriate for every style or situation, they will work in quite a few. Developing any approach to the point that it becomes a natural extension of your playing takes considerable work and patience, so just enjoy the process, experiment, and let your ear guide you to the sounds you like. Even over just one chord, there is always something new to find.
Faith Guitars Introduces Updated FX Series Acoustics
Faith Guitars has launched their updated FX Series of guitars with two new handmade, all-solid-wood electric-acoustic models offering striking exotic tonewoods, enhanced playing comfort, and upgraded cosmetic detailing.
Originally conceived as an exploration of exotic wood colouration techniques, the Faith FX Series has become known for visually remarkable, tonally rich instruments crafted from Solid Figured Javanese Mango. The two newly updated FX models – the FX Dark Natural Gold and FX Moondust Grey – retain their all-solid Mango construction, ebony fittings, and ‘Neptune’ Baby-Jumbo Cutaway design, while introducing significant new features designed to enhance player comfort and visual appeal.
Each updated FX model now features a beautifully sculpted Figured Maple ergonomic forearm contour, introduced to maximise long-playing comfort both on stage and at home. This new contour is paired with upgraded Figured Maple binding and a matching Figured Maple soundhole rosette.
• Faith FX Neptune Cutaway Electro Dark Natural Gold [FNCEDNG]: Finished in a warm, deep golden-brown transparent stain that highlights the natural grain complexity of the figured Mango, ensuring each guitar remains a unique piece.
• Faith FX Neptune Cutaway Electro Moondust Grey [FNCEMD]: A dramatic onyx-black, grey-washed finish that allows the Mango figuring to shine through with subtle depth and dimension.
FX Exotic Series | 2026 | Faith Guitars
Here's the newly upgraded Faith FX Series! New for 2026, a beautiful, Figured Maple ergonomic forearm contour has been introduced to the guitar body to maxim...
Both FX models feature:
– Solid Figured Javanese Mango top, back & sides
– Indonesian Ebony fingerboard & bridge
– Grover Rotomatic machineheads with Ebony buttons
– Graphtech TUSQ nut & saddle
Faith FX models come equipped with the Fishman INK3 preamp system, offering 3-band EQ, an onboard tuner, and a low-profile design paired with a Fishman Sonicore undersaddle pickup. This ensures the FX Series delivers the same tonal richness and clarity amplified as it does acoustically.
The Faith FX models each carry a $1,569 street price. For more information visit faithguitars.com.
Elixir Unveils Attune Strings — A New Era of Acoustic Guitar Tone and Feel
Elixir®, the brand that revolutionized the industry with breakthroughs in extended tone life and enhanced playability, announces the arrival of Elixir® Attune™, the next generation of acoustic guitar strings designed to give new voice to your guitar.
Building on decades of innovation, Elixir Attune Strings deliver a crisp, clear sound, an incredibly natural feel, and the longest-lasting tone of any string today. The secret lies in a groundbreaking new technology—engineered to be almost unnoticeable to the touch yet unmistakable to the ear. It’s a difference you can barely feel but clearly hear.
“Players experience a full voice for their guitars, many for the first time. Their instruments spring to life with the new Elixir Attune Strings,” said Justin Fogleman, Business Leader for Elixir, a W. L. Gore & Associates business. “Some players assume that a coated string is destined to sound mellow or dark and have an especially plastic-like feel. Over the years, Elixir has pushed that perception providing strings that deliver a range of playing experiences from warm with a slick feel to bright with a smooth touch —all with the added benefit of long tone life. Attune goes even further delivering our most uncoated coated string yet. Now acoustic players regardless of playing style have an incredibly durable, long tone life string without compromising tone and feel.”
Elixir Attune Strings: Key Benefits
- Crisp & Clear Tone
- Natural Feel
- Firm grip that puts players in control of bends and vibrato
- Exceptionally durable construction, engineered to withstand even the most aggressive playing styles
- The longest-lasting tone of any guitar string on the market today
A Contemporary Brand
“Elixir Attune Strings debut in a new gold-foil package that commands attention--- distinctive, modern and unmistakably Elixir,” said Bill Fabiszewski, Global Marketing Leader for Elixir. “The sharpened logo system, dynamic soundwave architecture, and high-tech typography suite build on the brand evolution we reignited last year and align with what today’s players expect from an authentic category leader.”
For Elixir technological leadership isn’t a moment—it’s a mindset. The company’s R&D team is constantly testing, refining, and retesting prototypes, often evaluating more than 100 variations before approving a candidate for further development.
That relentless pursuit of performance is what brought Attune Strings to life.
With its lively, crisp sound profile and naturally intuitive feel, Attune introduces a new tone and feel option within Elixir Strings acoustic lineup. It’s not just another string—it’s a new creative tool. One that inspires players to explore deeper, play longer, and get lost in the music with the renowned tone life of Elixir Strings.
Availability
Elixir Attune Strings are available currently in Phosphor Bronze Extra Light (10-47), Custom Light (11-52), Light (12-53), and Medium (13-56) gauge sets.
Elixir Attune — Feel the difference. Hear the revolution.
Gibson Marks 100 Years with the Return of the Original Collection
This year marks a milestone in music history as Gibson celebrates 100 years of crafting its world-famous flat-top acoustic guitars. From front porches to festival stages, from early folk pioneers to boundary-pushing modern artists, Gibson acoustics have shaped the sound of generations. To honor a century of craftsmanship and innovation, Gibson proudly unveils the latest chapter in its storied acoustic legacy with the return of the Original Collection, featuring the SJ-200 60s Original, LG-2 50s Original, and the J-160E Original. Each model captures the timeless character, unmistakable tone, and handcrafted excellence that have defined Gibson flat-tops since 1926. The Gibson Original Collection is available worldwide at authorized Gibson dealers, at Gibson Garage locations, and on Gibson.com.
Gibson’s tradition of acoustic mastery began with instruments that quickly became the bedrock of American music. Over the decades, these guitars became inseparable from cultural moments and the artists who defined them. From the introspective songwriters of the 1940s to the global icons of the 1960s and 1970s, Gibson flat-tops have been heard on countless historic records and carried on countless shoulders. Today, they continue to resonate with players seeking unmatched expression, enduring quality, and the authentic voice of a century old craft tops have been heard on countless historic records and carried on countless shoulders.
Gibson Original Collection featuring the LG-2 50s, SJ-200 60s, and the J-160E.
At the forefront of this anniversary celebration is the SJ-200 60s Original, a tribute to the era that cemented the guitar’s status as the “King of the Flat-Tops.” First introduced in 1937 and immortalized by artists such as Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Jimmy Page, the SJ-200 became synonymous with power, presence, and unmistakable style. The new 60s SJ-200 Original honors that heritage with a AAA figured maple body, a solid AAA Sitka spruce top, vintage correct 1960s nitrocellulose lacquer, and the iconic no-border pickguard. Every detail—from the graduated mother-of-pearl crown inlays to the rosewood Moustache™ bridge—evokes the golden age of acoustic design while offering the reliability and performance needed by today’s artists.
Gibson Original Collection SJ-200 60s in Vintage Sunburst and Heritage Cherry Sunburst.
Gibson also revisits one of its most beloved small body acoustics with the LG-2 50s Original. First launched in 1942, the LG-2 quickly became a favorite for its balanced voice, compact size, and surprising projection. The new 50s Original revives this classic with era accurate character and craftsmanship, pairing a solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped X-bracing and solid mahogany back and sides. Its comfortable Rounded neck profile, rosewood fretboard, and vintage inspired aesthetic details recapture the charm of the 1950s models that remain highly sought after by collectors and players alike. The guitar’s intimate size and warm, articulate voice make it an ideal companion for songwriting, recording, or everyday playing, while the L.R. Baggs™ VTC pickup ensures it’s ready for any stage.
Gibson Original Collection LG-2 50s in Vintage Sunburst and Antique Natural.
Rounding out the Original Collection is the return of the iconic J-160E Original, a guitar forever linked to the early days of The Beatles and the electrifying shift of youth culture in the 1960s. Introduced in 1954 as one of Gibson’s earliest acoustic electric hybrids, the J-160E blended acoustic tradition with electric innovation. The new J-160E Original retains the guitar’s unmistakable character while elevating it for modern musicians. A solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped X-bracing replaces the laminated top of earlier models, delivering richer acoustic resonance, while the P90 DC pickup offers the classic tone with none of the hum. With its SlimTaper™ neck, trapezoid inlays, gold Top Hat knobs, and belly-up rosewood bridge, the J-160E Original preserves everything players have always loved while offering enhanced performance for contemporary music-making.
Gibson Original Collection J-160E in Vintage Sunburst.
All three Original Collection models are handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana, where Gibson’s team of world class luthiers continues the tradition of meticulous acoustic craftsmanship begun a century ago. From the careful selection of tonewoods to the hand applied finishes and precision shaped necks, each instrument carries forward the legacy of Gibson’s pioneering designs and the artists who made them iconic.
This year, Gibson invites players everywhere to celebrate 100 years of flat‑top excellence. Whether rediscovering a beloved classic, discovering a new favorite, or simply appreciating the soundtracks these instruments have defined, the Original Collection honors the past while inspiring the next century of music. With the SJ‑200 60s Original, LG‑2 50s Original, and J‑160E Original, the Golden Era of acoustics returns—ready to be played, cherished, and passed on for generations to come.
Rig Rundown: Heart
Classic-rock legends Heart, led by iconic sibling duo Nancy and Ann Wilson, tore across the United States last year on the Royal Flush tour. The show touched down at the Pinnacle in Nashville on December 21, and prior to the festivities, PG’s John Bohlinger met up with lead shredder Nancy Wilson and her tech/“guitar butler” Nathan McMurdo, plus guitarists Ryan Wariner and Ryan Waters. Check out some highlights from their rigs below, and tune in to the full Rundown for more!
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Stunner From ’63
On the advice of a former roadie, Wilson picked up this Lake Placid blue 1963 Telecaster when she was “nouveau riche” in the early ’80s, thanks to Heart’s success. Some encourage her to leave it at home, but Wilson insists she “can’t live without it.” Its neck pickup was changed to a PAF humbucker. Most of Wilson’s electrics use D’Addario NYXL strings (.010–.046).
Here, Fishy, Fishy
After retiring a ’60s SG, Wilson now brings this early-’80s model on the road. It sees use on “Barracuda.”
Sisters’ Signature
This custom-built acoustic was brainstormed by Nancy and the folks at Martin as a signature gift for her sister, Ann. Adorned with interstellar artwork, it’s one of only two ever made—one for each sister. All of Nancy’s acoustics use Go Acoustic pickups.
Buddhist Temple
Nancy’s electrics run through a Budda Superdrive 30 head, with a second on hand as a backup, and out to an Orange 412 cabinet with Celestion Gold speakers.
Nancy Wilson’s Pedalboard
McMurdo handles effect changes backstage throughout the show. Nancy’s board has a Line 6 HX Stomp, T.E.A. Barracuda, Revv G2, Keeley El Rey Dorado, MXR Studio Compressor, DigiTech Drop, Revv Tilt, and a channel switch pedal for the Budda. There are also Radial Big Shot ABY and Headshot utility boxes, and an Endorphines Plus 3 expression pedal.
Classic ’Caster
Ryan Waters bought this 1972 Telecaster Thinline in a New York City guitar shop in the mid-’90s. Loaded with Lindy Fralin pickups, it’s his top pick.
Thin Lindy
This thinline Telecaster serves as a loyal backup, with the same Lindy Fralins that are in his number-one, plus a Bigsby system.
… And Don’t Call Me Dirty Shirley!
Waters’ Friedman Dirty Shirley is his main amp, with an 18-watt Marshall plexi-style head as a backup. An Orange 412 pumps out the sound.
Ryan Waters’ Pedalboard
Waters’ board includes a TC Electric PolyTune Mini, TC Electronic Sub ‘N’ Up, MXR Phase 90, Mr. Black Tremolo, Keeley Super Rodent, Revv G2, Strymon Deco, Recovery Effects Moonstruck, and a Dunlop Volume Pedal.
MI6-String
This 2014 Les Paul is from Gibson’s Collector’s Choice series, and thanks to its serial number 007, it’s earned the nickname “Bondburst.” It has a Tom Holmes bridge pickup, and comes out for “Magic Man,” as well as Led Zeppelin covers in the set. Like Wilson, he uses D’Addario NYXLs (.010–.046) and D'Addario Nickel Bronze strings on his acoustics.
Double the Fun
Wariner acquired this lightweight double-neck from Gibson when he joined up with Heart for this tour. It has a Seymour Duncan Jimmy Page pickup in the bridge, and is used for a cover of Zeppelin’s “Rain Song,” as well as the title track off of 1977’s Little Queen.
Bringing Plexi Back
Wariner’s top dog is his 1973 100-watt Marshall head, modded by Dave Friedman. Another 1970 Marshall JMP head with the same mod is on deck as a spare. The heads run through a Friedman cab with a mix of Celestion Greenbacks and Vintage 30s.
Ryan Wariner’s Pedalboard
To the left of Wariner’s main board sits a smaller rig with a Peterson StoboStomp Tuner, a UAFX Heavenly, and a Grace Design ALiX Preamp. On the motherboard, there’s an Ernie Ball volume pedal, a second StroboStomp, MXR Phase 95, MXR Super Badass, DigiTech Drop, Klon clone, Pete Cornish NB-3, T.E.A. Barracuda, Analog Man GE-7, Crowther Hot Cake, Strymon Volante, EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master, and Strymon Cloudburst.
1963 Telecaster (Lake Placid Blue)
EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master
D'Addario Nickel Bronze Strings
Wren and Cuff Fade Font ’94 Review
Few effects delivered as much aura and musically transformative power per buck as Electro-Harmonix’s Sovtek Big Muffs from the mid ’90s. Mine set me back probably $50. But man, I might as well have stolen Excalibur from the clutches of King Arthur.
Up to that moment, my piggyback Fender Tremolux, Tube Screamer, and Rickenbacker was perfect for thrashing out ’60s Kinks riffs. But with the Big Muff in the mix, my little rig became a monster—a wrecking ball capable of the potency I savored in Black Sabbath and Dinosaur Jr. From that moment on, my amplifier would be intolerable to the public outside the confines of a rented jam space. I suspect I went to bed that night pondering, like Robert Oppenheimer, tales of Prometheus and the Bhagavad Gita. The Big Muff had unleashed a horrible new power.
“The Fade Font ’94 possesses all the signature qualities of a Big Muff—sustain, mass, and megatonnage.”
Today the Big Muff’s might is legendary, and thanks to a couple of decades of cloning and reissues its power has proliferated among players. But Big Muffs sing many songs. Like their human creators, they are full of quirks, and Wren and Cuff’s Matt Holl and protégé Ray Rosas study these oddities and irregularities fastidiously. The newest product of Holl’s obsession is the Fade Font ’94—a beautiful homage to a ’90s “Tall Font” Sovtek Big Muff in Holl’s sizable collection built with unusual components that shifted its personality to brasher ends. The Fade Font ’94 possesses all the signature qualities of a Big Muff—sustain, mass, and megatonnage. But it’s also nastier and illuminated at the edges by a ripping high-mid ferocity that counterbalances the creaminess that is the signature of most ’90s Big Muffs.
Built to Bruise
The charms of the Fade Font ’94’s olive drab, steel-slab design will no doubt elude some. But as someone who keeps their Sovtek Big Muff on a sort of informal mantle in my studio, I was genuinely thrilled to see how Wren and Cuff reproduced the original’s enclosure with such exactitude and quality. The dimensions are, save for very minor deviations, identical. At a few paces, you’d never suspect you were looking at anything other than an original Sovtek. The difference in quality, however, between Wren and Cuff’s unit and an original Sovtek is easy to see and feel. There’s a proper footswitch. The knobs (near-perfect replicas of the originals) turn with a smooth secure sense absent in Sovteks. And on the inside, the relatively simple circuit is executed masterfully on a through-hole circuit board. I also suspect the paint on the Wren and Cuff won’t flake off within weeks, and I won’t miss the Sovtek’s plastic jacks. So, yes, on the quality and craft side of the equation, Wren and Cuff deliver.
But it’s the sound that puts the Fade Font ’94 over the top. And Matt Holl was right to be excited by the sonic signature of the Muff that inspired this one. The primary design difference in that Big Muff is its use of 150k pots rather than the 100k pots most Muffs use. Holl found several component values elsewhere in the circuit that didn’t match Big Muff design norms. The sonic sum is what you hear here, and in Muff terms it’s something special.
Side by side, five Big Muff circuits can sound equally great for five different reasons. But the Tall Font conveys a sense of balance and playing to strengths—like a top-notch analog desk mix of a record, or a great mastering job. And it makes the Fade Font ’94 sound quite like listening to a Big Muff greatest hits record. It’s plenty bassy, just like a Sovtek should be. But the airy lower-midrange seems to siphon away excess low-end energy that might make a bass trap and convert it to low-mid purr. The high-mid, too, is very activated and detailed without flirting with brick-wall midrange. The top end is full of air, while the low-mid purr becomes a growl. It’s just really balanced across its gain structure and feels exceptionally alive as a result.
The Verdict
If you played the Fade Font ’94 without the benefit of side-by-side comparison with other ’90s or ’90s-style Big Muffs you might be hard-pressed to recognize the differences. If you have the ability to do so, though, it becomes hard to un-hear the shift in accent that makes it sound so much more sonorous, well-rounded, and at times, extra aggressive.
Obviously, there are practical downsides to the Fade Font ’94’s lovingly, exactingly executed big-enclosure format. Any player with more than a few additional pedals will struggle to accommodate the big footprint without scaling up to a bigger pedalboard. On the other hand, the Fade Font’s flexibility gives you justification to pare back your fuzz collection. Maybe, like I did over the course of this test, you’ll succumb to the Fade Font ’94’s brutish charms so completely that you’ll find everything but a delay pedal superfluous. For such minimalists, well-heeled maximalists with roadies, pedal aesthetes, or studio rats more concerned with delicious sounds than pedalboard space, the Fade Font ’94’s size won’t get in the way of putting it to use.
Reflecting on my $50 Big Muff purchase back in the ’90s—and the many times I put it back together with a cheap Radio Shack soldering kit and gaffer’s tape—it’s hard to imagine that such a close relative could be elevated to this level of luxury. But once again, Wren and Cuff has shaped magnificence from merely modest perfection. And any player who loves the Big Muff owes it to themselves to experience this intriguing, engaging variation on the theme.