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
Kiesel Guitars Unveils the Mark 66
Kiesel Guitars has introduced the newest model in the company’s iconic line of custom-built instruments: the Mark 66 now joins the lineup of Kiesel’s premium US-made instruments.
Designed to excel in a variety of musical styles, the versatile Mark 66 is available in a 6-string configuration. Key features include:
- BODY WOOD OPTIONS: Alder, Black Limba, Mahogany, Swamp Ash, 1-Piece Swamp Ash, Walnut, or 1-Piece Roasted Swamp Ash
- NECK SCALE LENGTH: 25.5” or 30”
- FRETBOARD MATERIAL: Over 15 different options
- NUMBER OF FRETS: 22 frets
- NOTABLE PICKUP/ELECTRONICS OPTIONS: Kiesel’s new AP90s or two humbuckers
Like other Kiesel models, the new Mark 66 is available in a wide range of options for unique customization. Players can select their favorite finish, tonewoods, electronics and hardware to create the guitar of their dreams…expertly crafted in Kiesel’s Southern California custom shop.
Kiesel’s new Mark 66 is available for street pricing starting at $1,649. For more information, visit kieselguitars.com.
Ultimate Support Systems Unveils Trio of Gig Bags
Ultimate Support Systems has introduced three new gig bags: available for acoustic guitar, electric guitar and electric bass, these new gig bags offer an updated balance of protection, comfort and practicality.
Built from water resistant materials that stand up to the rigors of travel and unexpected weather, each bag is made of 1680D luggage-grade ballistic nylon and features a 15mm padded interior as well as a dedicated neck support. The snug, structured fit prevents unwanted shifting during transport, protecting the guitar’s most vulnerable points from impact or pressure. The ergonomic design also helps distribute weight evenly for maximum comfort and portability.
Additionally, the backpack-style straps make it easy to carry the instrument while juggling other gear like pedals and cables. With two exterior storage pockets, musicians can also stash other accessories, like tuners, strings and sheet music — or any other last-minute stage essentials. There’s enough space to stay organized without adding bulk, striking the perfect balance between sleek and functional.
With streamlined dimensions to best accommodate each model, the new Gig Bags ensure a glove-like fit no matter what. Designed to fit most standard acoustics, the Acoustic Guitar Gig Bag has an interior length of 40.5 inches, a depth of five inches, upper bout of six inches and a lower bout of 15.5 inches. The Electric Guitar Gig Bag has a 38.75-inch interior length, 14.5-inch lower bout, six-inch upper bout and a sleek, two-inch deep profile, tailored to most standard electrics. Finally, the Electric Bass Gig Bag is built for larger-scale instruments, measuring 46.5 inches internally, 14.75 inches across the lower bout and six inches at the upper, while maintaining a slim, two-inch depth for a clean, secure fit.
“For many players, the road to the next gig can be filled with unpredictable conditions, such as sudden downpours, crowded subways and tight load-in spaces,” says Shawn Wells, Market Manager — Sound, ACT Entertainment. “We understand that a great performance starts long before the first note, which is why we are introducing these three new gig bags, designed for musicians living life on the go. From rehearsals and home studios to stages and sessions, Ultimate Support Systems’ new gig bags embody the brand’s long-standing commitment to helping artists perform with durability and comfort that is crafted for real-world use.”
All three versions of Ultimate Support Systems’ new gig bags carry a street price of $99.99. For more information visit: actentertainment.com/ultimate-support-detail/.
Gibson And Mark Morton Unveil the Les Paul Modern Quilt
Gibson today announces the release of the Mark Morton Les Paul™ Modern Quilt, a bold new signature model designed in collaboration with Mark Morton, the acclaimed guitarist and co-founder of Lamb of God. Known for his ferocious riffs, intricate solos, and genre-defining blend of metal, thrash, and blues influences, Morton has long been celebrated as one of the driving forces behind the new wave of American heavy metal. His new signature Les Paul captures that same fearless musical spirit—delivering precision, power, and uncompromising performance for players who demand the very best. The Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt is available worldwide at Gibson Garage locations, via authorized Gibson Custom dealers, and on Gibson.com.
“I wanted something that stayed classic to the heritage and the history of the Les Paul, and something that looked heavy metal,” says Mark Morton. “The quilt top and the trans black satin finish felt dark and metal to me, but not over the top, it still feels like and looks like a Les Paul. Once we decided on the finish of the top, and the guitar, there’s are all of these different design elements to play with re picking out the hardware and plastics. We tried a bunch of different options, and we paid a lot of attention to how we were going to finalize those little details, and for me it’s a bullseye.
The 60s style knobs are a cool throwback to the John Sykes model that was done a long time ago. The way it is contoured at the heel allows me to reach the upper registers comfortably, and the ebony fretboard is really fast. This model has a slim taper neck which was very important for me, as it’s the most comfortable neck profile.”
Morton continues, “The pickups are unique to this guitar, it’s a brand new Gibson pickup and I worked closely with Jim DeCola (Master luthier at Gibson), and the Gibson Pickup Shop in designing them. They’re both ceramic-based pickups the neck pickup wise more conservative and terms of its output which allows me to flip to the neck position and play clean and roll back the volume and not hit the amp as hard and clean things up quite a bit. Switching to the bridge pick up it’s just a flame thrower, its super high output, and when you’re really swinging at these bridge pickups they give you all the gain you want they really hit hard and you can pull back to get more of a crunch sound.
We went back and forth on these pickups for quite a while trying different prototypes and models. It was a lot of fun developing them and hearing the subtle nuances and different changes. The great thing about it was I was touring a lot, so I’d take prototypes and put them in a guitar and try them onstage. I got to put them through the paces, in an actual work environment.
It’s an iconic guitar and an important piece of music history, and for me to be associated with the legacy of the Les Paul, is one of the greatest honors of my career. I am thrilled with the process of developing this guitar, and I am immensely thrilled with the outcome. These are great guitars, I am so proud to play them, and people are really going to like them.”
Crafted for comfort and expression, the Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt features a AAA quilted maple top paired with a mahogany body utilizing Gibson’s Ultra Modern Weight Relief, offering exceptional resonance with reduced weight for long sets on stage or in the studio. Its mahogany neck with a SlimTaper™ profile and Modern Contoured Heel provides effortless upper-fret access, while the ebony fingerboard boasts a compound radius, 22 medium jumbo frets, and mother-of-pearl trapezoid inlays for a fast, elegant playing experience. Finished in Translucent Ebony Burst Satin, the guitar’s striking aesthetic is complemented by chrome hardware, Grover® Rotomatic® locking tuners, black rings with chrome trim, and a truss rod cover bearing Morton’s signature.
At the heart of the instrument are two exclusive Mark Morton signature humbucker™ pickups, handcrafted by the Gibson Pickup Shop to deliver the guitarist’s unmistakable tone. The rhythm pickup features moderate, Patent Applied For-style windings with a ceramic magnet for clarity and punch, while the lead pickup offers higher-output windings and a ceramic magnet for added presence and power. Both pickups are wired to individual volume and tone controls with Orange Drop® capacitors and a three-way selector switch, giving players a wide dynamic range and exceptional tonal precision.
Each guitar ships in a Modern hardshell case and includes a premium accessory kit, along with a set of Stringjoy® Mark Morton Artist Series Signature Electric Guitar Strings. The result is a signature model built for the intensity of the world’s biggest stages yet refined enough for the most demanding studio sessions.
The Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt stands as a testament to Morton’s artistry and Gibson’s commitment to crafting instruments that inspire. Designed for players who push boundaries, it delivers the power, finesse, and unmistakable character worthy of one of metal’s most influential guitarists.
Lamb of God have announced Into Oblivion, their first full‑length album in four years, arriving March 13 via Epic Records alongside a new music video for the title track. The 10‑song record finds the band fully embracing their status as modern metal veterans—leaning into their roots, sharpening their signature groove, and expanding their sonic reach with a sense of creative freedom. The title track’s video, directed by Tom Flynn and Mike Watts, channels the band’s trademark aggression through psychologically charged lyrics and unrelenting intensity. Guitarist Mark Morton describes the album as a return to unpressured creativity, while vocalist Randy Blythe frames its themes around the accelerating breakdown of the social contract.
Watch the new video for the single “Into Oblivion” HERE.
Ahead of the announcement, Lamb of God previewed the album’s range with two blistering singles: “Sepsis,” a nod to the early 90s Richmond underground that shaped their beginnings, and “Parasocial Christ,” a three‑minute blast of classic Lamb of God energy. Produced and mixed by longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur, Into Oblivion was recorded across locations central to the band’s identity—drums in Richmond, guitars and bass at Morton’s home studio, and Blythe’s vocals at the storied Total Access Recording in Redondo Beach. The result is a record that feels both deliberate and untethered, reaffirming Lamb of God’s place at the forefront of heavy music.
The Modern Metal Les Paul Has Arrived!
The Lamb of God lead flamethrower has played Gibsons since the '90s and now has a signature model that brings the modern chug and crunch with some contemporary changes to the iconic recipe.
Cory Wong Releases Retro Pop Album "Lost in the Wonder"
GRAMMY® Award-nominated genre-defying songwriter, producer, podcast host, and guitarist extraordinaire Cory Wong released his new album, Lost In The Wonder, today.
Lost In The Wonder spotlights Wong’s remarkable gifts as a producer, writer, arranger, band leader, and master of modern pop craftsmanship, while of course never losing sight of his trademark guitar virtuosity. The album further affirms Wong’s enduring love of musical collaboration, boasting a truly eclectic range of guest artists, including Taylor Hanson, Devon Gilfillian, Cody Fry, Yam Haus, Louis Cato, Ellis, Elysia Biro, Theo Katzman, and Magic City Hippies.“There are lots of sides to me as an artist,” says Wong.
“A lot of people know me as a guitar guy, or even more specifically, ‘rhythm guitar guy’. That’s an accurate description, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. I see the guitar as just one of the avenues for my music and creativity. It’s been an absolute joy to develop and form a signature sound as a guitarist, but a huge part of my artistry is in my production/writing/arranging/band-leading. I’ve worked on and honed those skills just as much as my guitar playing, so I wanted to make an album that really showcased that side of my creative expression. Does that mean there’s less guitar on this album than on others? No! It’s actually quite the opposite. I feel like some of my best guitar work is done on this album. There’s everything from my classic rhythm guitar sound to multiple layers of orchestrally arranged guitar to blistering solos when the music calls for it.
“I think anyone who’s a great producer/writer/arranger also really likes to collaborate with other people because it gives you different colors and textures to ‘paint’ with. My aim is to showcase different sides of my artistry by putting several collaborators in front of the music and having me build the world that it lives in.”
Lost In The Wonder was heralded with the release of a series of memorable singles, including the hook-heavy and irresistibly catchy “Tongue Tied (Feat. Stephen Day).” This was followed by the crisp yet dreamy mid-tempo title track, the jazzy disco of "Blame It On The Moon," the 80s-esque anthem "One Way Road (Feat. Yam Haus)," the retro banger "Better Than This (Feat. Cody Fry)," and finally last week's masterful soul ballad collaboration with Theo Katzman, "Lisa Never Wanted To Be Famous (Feat. Theo Katzman)." An official music video for "Lisa Never Wanted To Be Famous (Feat. Theo Katzman) is streaming now on YouTube.
LISTEN TO “TONGUE TIED (FEAT. STEPHEN DAY)”
LISTEN TO “LOST IN THE WONDER (FEAT. BENNY SINGS)”
LISTEN TO “BLAME IT ON THE MOON (FEAT. MAGIC CITY HIPPIES)”
LISTEN TO “ONE WAY ROAD (FEAT. YAM HAUS)”
LISTEN TO "BETTER THAN THIS (FEAT. CODY FRY)"
LISTEN TO "LISA NEVER WANTED TO BE FAMOUS (FEAT. THEO KATZMAN)"
WATCH "LISA NEVER WANTED TO BE FAMOUS (FEAT. THEO KATZMAN)" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
CORY WONG ON TOUR 2026
MARCH
21 – São Paulo, Brazil – Casa Natura
22-30 – São Paulo, Brazil – Dave Koz and Friends at Sea 2026 †
29 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – C Art Media
APRIL
11 – Charlotte, NC – The Spring Mix at The Amp Ballantyne †
15 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman (Devon Gilfillian, Marc Scibilia)
17 - Denver, CO - The Mission Ballroom (Devon Gilfillian, Marc Scibilia)
18 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot (Devon Gilfillian, Marc Scibilia)
20 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom (Devon Gilfillian, Marc Scibilia)
21 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount (Devon Gilfillian, Marc Scibilia)
23 - Sacramento, CA - Channel 24 (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
24 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
25 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
26 - Del Mar, CA - The Sound (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
27 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
30 - Houston, TX - White Oak Downstairs (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
MAY
1 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
2 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater (Devon Gilfillian, Stephen Day)
7-9 – San José del Cabo, México – Viva El Gonzo †
† Festival Appearance
^ w/ the Royal Conservatory Orchestra
Chicago's Ratboys Lean Into a Feeling
Julia Steiner describes the song “Just Want You to Know the Truth” as the emotional centerpiece of Ratboys’ new record, Singin’ to an Empty Chair; it’s the “earth’s core of this little planet of songs,” she explains. The Chicago band’s upcoming sixth full-length, releasing on New West Records, took its name from a line in that song. Steiner, the band’s principal vocalist and one half of their twin-guitar configuration, wrote the phrase after literally doing what it suggests during a therapy session.
“It’s exactly what you would think,” Steiner explains. “It’s basically this exercise where you sit in a room with an empty chair and, a person who isn’t physically there, you imagine they’re sitting in the chair, and you speak aloud all of the thoughts and feelings that you might otherwise not feel empowered or ready to share. It can be a really radical thing to do in any context of loss.”
“Looking something in the face can actually be so rewarding and musically satisfying.”—Julia Steiner
When Steiner first tried it, it helped unlock something—a new perspective that revealed the mental and emotional keys of her band’s next work. “Maybe it sounds hippie,” she says with a shrug, “but it worked for me, and I have to imagine that it could be cool for other people to try, too.” Steiner always loved the gut-wrenching vulnerability of Sufjan Stevens; Singin’ to an Empty Chair became her chance to follow in his footsteps. Producer Chris Walla, who spent 17 years playing guitar in Death Cab for Cutie, encouraged “unflinching eye contact” with the things Steiner wanted to write about. “Looking something in the face can actually be so rewarding and musically satisfying,” she says. “Just full steam ahead, leaning into a feeling.”
The songs on Singin’ to an Empty Chair were written across a years-long period; some had been around in demo form since before Ratboys’ previous record, The Window, was released. “We’ve all been keeping up with the story of these songs,” says guitarist Dave Sagan. “It’s kind of like an old group getting back together and picking up where it left off. I feel like that brought us a lot of comfort and joy.”
The music on Singin’ often radiates with those two qualities. Save for a few moments of pandemonium, Ratboys’ distinctly midwestern indie rock feels friendly and cozy, like a mug of tea in a snowstorm. There’s a kind of patience in the slow-building, cinematic opener “Open Up,” which does eventually bloom into fully saturated rock ’n’ roll, in the alt-country sway of “Penny in the Lake,” and especially on the eight-and-a-half-minute “Just Want You to Know the Truth.” But that calmness is upended by the headbanging slacker-rock chorus of “Know You Then,” and the crackling, hyper thrill of “Anywhere,” an ode to an anxious dog. One of the greatest gifts Ratboys have given us is a place where fans of Weezer, Pavement, the Replacements, and Lucinda Williams can hear all of those favorites in one place.
To prepare the record’s 11 songs, Sagan, Steiner, bassist Sean Neumann, and drummer Marcus Nuccio rented a cabin on 20 acres of land in Wisconsin. Perhaps inspired by Steiner’s journey toward honesty, the band embraced directness: If a section sounded like an epic rock part, they called it “the epic rock part.” Walla joined them at the Wisconsin hideaway for some tracking, with the rest mostly completed at the late Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio in Chicago.
“We’ve all been keeping up with the story of these songs. It’s kind of like an old group getting back together and picking up where it left off.”—Dave Sagan
Sagan recorded primarily through his Music Man 212-HD One Thirty, and Steiner used her beloved Fender Hot Rod DeVille. It was broken when she purchased it, and in the course of having it repaired, a friend made a mystery mod that lends extra dirt and attitude. But working at Electrical Audio gave them access to plenty of special gear, like a 1959 Fender Vibrolux (heard on “Burn It Down”), Bob Weston’s Traynor TS-50B, and a Samamp VAC 40 (which Steiner and Sagan call an “MVP guitar amp”). On the percussion side, Nuccio crafted a tambourine staff so he could shake five of them at the same time, and they sometimes tracked on crumpled-up tape for a warped feel.
Julia Steiner’s Gear
Guitars
Nepco V-style custom-built by Ian Williams
Lindert Locomotive T
Steve Albini’s EGC 500 (studio)
’60s Framus Texan
Eastman and Larrivée parlor guitars
Amps
Fender Blues Deville 410
Effects
Paul Cochrane Timmy overdrive
EarthQuaker Devices Tone Job EQ
Boss TU-2 chromatic tuner
Earthquaker Acapulco Gold (studio)
Interfax Harmonic Percolator (studio)
Strings & Picks
Ernie Ball Rock and Roll Classic .010s
No picks “except for super thin 50 mm picks on acoustic overdubs in studio”
Sean Neumann’s Gear
Basse
Fender American Standard Jazz Bass
Amps
Fender Super Bassman head
Fender Studio Bass head
Fender 1x15 cabinets
Effects
Mask Audio Electronics Civil Math
Darkglass Alpha Omega
MXR Carbon Copy
Boss TU-2 chromatic tuner
Picks
Dunlop Tortex 1.0 mm
Dave Sagan’s Gear
Guitars and Basses
Fernandes MIJ Strat copy
1976 Ibanez PF200
Amp
Music Man 212-HD One Thirty
Effects
Foxx Tone Machine fuzz clone
Badcat Siamese Drive overdrive
Electro-Harmonix Freeze
MAE Neck Brace phaser
Earthquaker Space Spiral delay
Earthquaker Ledges reverb
Boss TU-2 chromatic tuner
Benson Storkn Boks (studio)
Electronic Audio Experiments Dude Incredible (studio)
Boss DD-7 (studio)
Strings & Picks
Ernie Ball Rock and Roll Classic .011s
Dunlop Tortex .88 mm picks
Steiner’s main guitar is her Nepco V-style, a Danelectro-inspired 6-string electric built by Ian Williams in Des Moines, Iowa. Williams sourced the necks from a Danelectro factory in Korea, used masonite for the body material, and handwound the lipstick-style pickups himself. Steiner and Sagan also used Albini’s Electric Guitar Company aluminum-neck guitar (“The tuning pegs were so smooth, I felt like I was at a spa,” Steiner recalls with a grin. “It was such a privilege to play that instrument”), and Sagan even played Albini’s 16-string “guitar from hell,” on which each string is tuned to the same note. It makes an appearance on the mid-album meltdown “Light Night Mountains All That.” “The guitar does one thing, but it’s really satisfying, and you can make some very, very scary noises,” Sagan says. Benson’s Storkn Boks pedal, paired with an analog and then a digital delay, also came in handy for the cacophony conjured in “Light Night.” Albini’s iconic Interfax Harmonic Percolator was in the mix, too.
Steiner and Sagan are fans of gear that’s both vintage and “player-grade.” Sagan’s primary instrument is a Japan-made Fernandes Strat copy—he was trying guitars at a store one day, and the Fernandes was the best one he picked up. Another highlight is his Lindert Locomotive T, purchased from Atomic Music in Baltimore. The T-style has tweed finishing on the body that looks like a speaker grille, and a distinct thumbs-up headstock. One gets the sense that Sagan and Steiner could grab any plank of wood off a wall and coax something out of it that would expand Ratboys’ vocabulary.
That ethic of openness to the off-kilter and potentially weird seems, at this point, to be foundational for Ratboys. Steiner captures it perfectly on “Just Want You to Know the Truth,” a song addressed to an unnamed, estranged relation: “It’s not that I don’t miss you or the way it used to be / It’s that I can’t live my life without sayin’ anything.”
Willie Nelson and Trigger with Ray Benson | 100 Guitarists Podcast
One of the many things that Willie Nelson and his trusty Martin nylon-string, Trigger, have in common is their truly unmistakable voices. And Willie’s laid back, behind-the-beat phrasing applies to both. To break it all down, we called on Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel. The two have been friends for a long time, and in 2009 they released the swinging Willie and the Wheel together. Benson tells us about what it’s like to work with Willie, what it’s like to play Trigger, and when he finally got to put his signature on the latter.
Thanks to our sponsor Strings By Mail
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The Ethics and Practice of Revoicing Flat-Top Guitars
Revoicing flat-top steel-string guitars is something I’ve practiced for decades. In the early days, once I discovered what scalloping was and how it affected tone, I began reaching inside instruments and carving braces in hopes of improving their sound. The problem was that I had no real idea what I was doing, no sense of targets, and certainly no clear understanding of purpose. Fortunately, I didn’t attempt this on many guitars, and never on anything of real value.
As time went on and I began building my own instruments, I developed the ability to tune tops through scalloping or tapering braces. This gave me valuable insight into what to look for when approaching revoicing later in my career. The process became more disciplined; it included setting air resonance, balancing top and back frequencies, and measuring deflections.
But the question remains: Should we even be revoicing guitars at all?
In the violin world, revoicing is standard practice. Instruments are designed to be disassembled and worked on, and re-graduating tops is one of the most common procedures performed on vintage violins, violas, and cellos. These repairs are done routinely, even on valuable vintage instruments, and often multiple times across their lifespans. This tradition also extends to historical pitch change, such as the move from A=340 Hz to A=440 Hz, where instruments had to be physically altered to remain functional. Violin makers are trained from the very beginning to understand instrument revoicing and the practice is widely accepted.
Flat-top steel-strings are different. We now have guitars, pre-war Martins in particular, that are considered the Stradivari of the flat-top world. These instruments already sound extraordinary, and carving on their braces would not only be unnecessary, but destructive. Still, not all guitars share this level of excellence even within vintage Martin examples. Over the years I’ve encountered many instruments that simply missed the mark, where the relationships between air, top, and back resonances were poorly balanced.
Take, for example, a Guild D-40 from the 1980s that recently came into my shop. Guilds of that era were well-built, sometimes even overbuilt. This particular guitar measured an air resonance of 101 Hz, a top resonance of 200 Hz, and a back resonance of 207 Hz. The problem was obvious: The top was so tight at 200 Hz it had restricted musicality, and its frequency nearly sat on top of the back, only separated by 7 Hz. Worse, the air resonance, at 101 Hz, was far too high for a large-body guitar, which typically falls around 95 Hz or lower.
This guitar was crying out for a revoice. My plan was simple: reshape and scallop the accessible braces on the top, drop the top resonance into the 170 Hz range, and allow the air resonance to settle near 95 Hz. Step by step, I carved, restrung, measured, and repeated until the targets were met. The top gradually dropped: first to 190 Hz, then 180 Hz, and finally 173 Hz. The air resonance followed, landing at 95 Hz. The results were dramatic. The instrument opened up, resonances began to couple, and its musicality increased significantly.
Of course, there are caveats. Any revoicing work voids a warranty, and on a new instrument that can be a serious consideration. In this case, the Guild was decades old, had changed hands multiple times, and carried no warranty concerns. More importantly, the guitar was so overbuilt that there was little danger in loosening the top.
So, what are the ethics of revoicing? Should you attempt it? The answer is clear: Unless you thoroughly understand resonance, frequency targets, deflection values, and how they interact, you should not. For those with the training and experience, however, revoicing can transform a lifeless guitar into something inspiring and enjoyable to play.
In restoration, the golden rule is to enter and exit an instrument without leaving a trace. But sometimes, as with this Guild, the only way forward is to make meaningful change. Done carefully, with respect for the instrument and for the physics of sound, revoicing is not only ethical; it can be a gift to both the guitar and its player.
Fralin Pickups Launches Prewired Les Paul Harnesses
Fralin Pickups has introduced a line of prewired control harnesses for upgrading your Gibson® Les Paul®, Les Paul Special, or Les Paul Studio.
Each premium prewired harness is built with Emerson® Premier Pro pots, plus USA-made foil-and-oil capacitors, for a smoother taper, consistent control response, and rock-solid reliability. Dial in your setup exactly how you want it—choose your wiring style, capacitor value, and optional push-pull mods—then drop it into your guitar with minimal soldering and maximum confidence.
Key features include:
- Build it your way: Customize your harness to your exact specs—wiring type, cap value, and more.
- Emerson® Premier Pro Pots: Chosen for an exceptionally smooth taper and dependable performance.
- Optional CTS® Push-Pull Pots: Add coil splits, phase options, series/parallel, or other wiring mods (depending on your pickup setup).
- Quick, clean install: Designed for a drop-in fit with minimal soldering required.
- Optional prewired toggle switch: Add a prewired switch to complete the harness and simplify installation even further.
Each Fralin prewired Les Paul harness carries a street price is $150.00. For more information visit fralinpickups.com.
On the Bench: A Vintage Watkins Dominator
I’ve always been drawn to the aesthetics of vintage guitar amplifiers. From the control panel details to the Tolex and grill cloth, the visual beauty of old electronics never fails to captivate. British amps in particular catch my eye. Historically, they have played an important role in the evolution of rock ’n’ roll music. Visually, they stand out with bold color schemes and funky textures. I’m thinking of amps from manufacturers like Vox, Selmer, and Orange.
There are a few key factors that sonically differentiate British vs. American guitar amplifiers. British amps often use EL34 or EL84 tubes in the output sections, whereas American amps typically use 6L6 or 6V6. In addition to the tube configuration, the supporting circuit design colors the guitar signal. British amps sound warm with emphasis on the mids, while American amps are clean and sparkly. Think of the Beatles’ saturated guitar tones vs. the twangy, sparkly surf guitar we hear on Dick Dale records.
One British amp that stands out comes from a company named Watkins. Charlie Watkins entered the audio manufacturing world in 1954, when he began producing guitar amplifiers, and later went on to design some iconic PA systems under the name WEM (Watkins Electric Music). One of the most fabulous amplifiers I’ve had on my bench for repair lately has been a Watkins Dominator.
The Watkins Dominator is notorious for its shape and color. The amp is V-shaped in the front, with a pair of 10" speakers angled outward. I believe the intention there was to have a broader spread of sound, and it certainly sets the amp apart. It sports bright turquoise Tolex with cream and gold accents. Many customers of mine have locked eyes on the Dominator as they scan the shop for goodies.
This amp is an early version of the Dominator, which was manufactured into the early 1960s. The best way to tell is the control panel design—earlier Dominators have a black panel with gold stripes. Using a pair of EL84 output tubes, the amp pumps out roughly 17 watts. It has 2 channels, with each channel featuring dedicated volume and tone controls. The second channel has depth and speed controls for the tremolo as well.
This particular amp had been refurbished with new electrolytic capacitors. The original Elac speakers had also been swapped out for Celestion G10s, which is considered an upgrade. Celestion speakers boast dynamic richness and enhance the nuances of the amp’s circuitry. The original Elac speakers are known for their clean headroom and hi-fi accuracy.
The amp needed a new power transformer, which I sourced from Mercury Magnetics. It is a universal power transformer, which means it can be wired up to be used for different input voltages in different countries. The original power transformer for this amp was set up for European 220–240V AC wall voltage. The replacement transformer can accommodate either the 100–120V AC for U.S. voltage or the original U.K. voltage.
The mounting of the power transformer in earlier Dominators is unusual. It’s installed upside-down on the underside of the angled chassis, with a wooden beam attached to the cabinet providing additional support.
Once the new power transformer was installed, I fired up the amp to give it a sound test. Immediately, I noticed how creamy and warm it sounds. The tremolo is surprisingly deep. I heard some intermittent crackling in the tremolo circuit and traced it to a faulty connection on one of the oscillator capacitors. Finally, there were some noticeable microphonics coming from the EL84 output tubes. I have a stockpile of matched NOS tubes, so I picked a lovely pair of Baldwin EL84s to use as a replacement.
The amp’s owner also wanted me to tweak the tone circuit to brighten things up. I don’t always take on modification requests, but in this case adjusting the tone circuit was minimally invasive. This change comes early on in the circuit, after the signal has gone through the first stage of amplification. I installed a 500 pF capacitor between the input and wiper of the volume control to enhance the top end of the guitar signal. This adds some sparkle to the top end and allows the guitar to cut through the mix a bit more.
The Watkins Dominator is not only a visual delight, but also offers some nice versatility for the guitar player. With luscious cleans at moderate volumes and growling distortion at high volumes, it does just about everything that folks look for in British amplifiers. It’s a great example of a well-made amp that can stand the test of time.
Totally Wycked Audio Source Code Review
When Japanese engineer Susumu Tamura designed the Maxon OD808 overdrive, he could hardly have known that it and its export twin, the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer, would become perhaps the most influential and, probably, imitated pedals in stomp box history. In fact, upon its introduction in 1979, the Tube Screamer, whose smooth sound is characterized by a bass roll off, midrange bump, and slight high-end attenuation, was not an instant success. But as the pedal was adopted by players as disparate as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Kirk Hammett, it gradually became a ubiquitous presence on pedalboards of all persuasions.
Tumura, a guitarist himself, spent several of the intervening decades working on wireless designs. In recent years, however, he began modifying Tube Screamers for Japanese guitar stores. But now in his seventies, he found the pace—almost 1,000 pedals annually—exhausting. Why not, he thought, just make a pedal that incorporated all his refinements? Enter the TWA SC-01 Source Code, which is exactly that. Handmade in the U.S., the SC-01 features improvements on the TS design, including 18V operation via an internal regulator, a +6 dB boost, an op amp that claims to inject “complex harmonics and an amp-like feel,” and, most importantly, a “Bite” control that can mix in asymmetrical, tube-like clipping to the symmetrical clipping-based sound of the original.
Source in Session
Using a Stratocaster and Fender Princeton Reverb as my test platform—a made-for-Tube Screamer rig if there ever was one—I first determined whether the Source Code could speak traditional Tube Screamer by A/B-ing it with a recent Ibanez TS-9 reissue. It does, producing tones indistinguishable from the traditional circuit when the bite control is at zero. That said, if your take on Tube Screamers has always been, “if it could only just…,” you’ll find that the bite knob opens up a whole new world. Goosing it adds the extra measure of sizzle, zing, and teeth that more common iterations of the design always lacked. And adjusting the balance of the drive and bite controls dials in an enhanced and expanded range of overdrive tones that truly transcend the original TS.
The Verdict
Whether you deploy Susumu Tamura’s latest refinement of the TS circuit to hit the input of an amp that’s already breaking up or as your primary source of overdrive, you won’t be disappointed. It offers all the essence of the original, but it’s the extra oomph and range that impresses.
Why Ariel Posen Chose Freedom Over Fame
The velvet-voiced, smooth-slide-playing solo artist details his journey from sideman to frontman, shares the his approach to designing a fresh Strat model, explains how a forced reset reshaped his career path, of course, he and host John Bohlinger share a few jams.
Historic Gathering Celebrating the Future of Global Music Industry at 2026 NAMM Show
NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants), the largest global not-for-profit music trade organization, celebrated 125 years of NAMM at The 2026 NAMM Show — a powerful week that concluded on Jan. 24 and set the music industry’s narative for years ahead. Featuring five days of incredible education, live concerts and special events, alongside three days of extraordinary exhibits and brand activations, this year’s show featured 1,650-plus exhibitors representing over 5,400 brands and more than 200-plus educational sessions for NAMM member communities.
The 2026 NAMM Show highlighted innovative music technologies, product introductions and trends that will shape the future of the music industry during a five-day-long platform for networking, connections and meetings that are critical for uniting and growing music makers globally.
“The 2026 NAMM Show once again delivered an incredible week of unity and energy for our global NAMM members, showcasing products, partnerships and networking for the entire music industry,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “NAMM continues to be the global stage for our industry to announce groundbreaking products, establish transformative partnerships and gain valuable education that drives success for our industry for the rest of the year.”
NAMM SHOW 2026 BY THE NUMBERS
- 60,000+ show attendees, including 8,760+ international attendees from 122 countries, regions and territories
- 1,650+ exhibitors representing 5,400+ brands, which is 25% more than 2025
- Nearly 15,000 artists demonstrating and endorsing products and brands
- 200+ education sessions with 550+ speakers
- 1,600+ media, influencers and content creators reaching over 200+ million followers, which is 50% more than 2025.
NAMM SHOW 2026 SET LIST HIGHLIGHTS
Product Launches
The NAMM Electronic Press Kit, an online book of product and show announcements, tripled in size from 2025, with nearly 400 brands and companies using the platform to launch new products at The NAMM Show.
NAMM Global Media Day
Now in its third year, NAMM’s Global Media Day featured iconic brands spanning music, sound and entertainment technology categories to announce more than 500 ground-breaking products and business news to an exclusive media/creator/podcast-only audience of 750-plus guests.
NAMM Events and Awards Shows
Providing the platform for some of the industry’s best awards shows and live events, The 2026 NAMM Show saw sold-out crowds all week long, starting with the TEC Awards, followed by The Bass Awards Show, She Rocks Awards and The Parnelli Awards. Each show catered to a thriving professional community that gathered to honor the best of the best in each category.
Looking Back on NAMM, 125 Years Later
NAMM has been consistently guided by the best minds in the music business, who share a common desire to grow the industry and music making. Ever since 1901, NAMM leaders have come together, even as competitors, to ensure their association is helping the entire industry expand. The 125-year timeline is fully digitized and available to everyone on NAMM.org
NAMM’s Music for Life Honor Awarded to Industry Icon Rick Beato
NAMM presented globally acclaimed producer, educator, musician and YouTube creator Rick Beato with its highest honor, the Music for Life Award, in recognition of his lifelong contributions to music and commitment to inspiring music makers. In an exclusive Thursday morning Q&A with NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak, Beato discussed his early musical influences, the music products that have helped define his career and the future of the music business in the age of AI.
NAMM’s Grand Rally for Music Education
NAMM rallied the industry around its mission Saturday morning, highlighted by magical moments with Grammy Award-winning artists Victor Wooten and Chad Smith. The session, hosted by John Mlynczak and Julia Rubio, brought the audience to its feet with inspirational performances, conversations and messages, as well as live performances from Roots of Rhythm.
The NAMM Foundation
In honor of our 125th “NAMMiversary,” and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, the NAMM Foundation — with a generous $125,000 matching donation from Chris Martin, past chair of NAMM — announced at the 2026 show a total of $250,000 in funds to give back.
The Return of NAMM NeXT Europe and New NAMM NeXT Latin America
Coming off the success of last year's inaugural event, NAMM NeXT Europe will return and NAMM NeXT Latin America will debut in 2026. These NAMM NeXT events are one- to two-day leadership conferences that will gather our industry to focus on how we can grow the industry and address common challenges.
The 2027 NAMM Show is already in the works for January 26-30, 2027, at the Anaheim Convention Center. Booths with early bird rates and discounts are available now at NAMM.
Cort Guitars Introduces the G290 Modern Electric Guitar
Cort Guitars announces the G290 Modern, a new electric guitar designed for players looking for a contemporary, high-performance instrument that delivers tonal flexibility, premium components, and modern playability in a single platform. Available now directly online and through select retailers worldwide, the G290 Modern reflects Cort’s approach to purposeful design, pairing upgraded materials with carefully selected electronics and hardware to meet the demands of today’s guitarists across genres and performance environments.
The G290 Modern features a bolt-on poplar body, paired with a roasted maple neck for enhanced stability and response. The neck is carved into Cort’s slim Ergo V profile and measures 25.5" (648mm) in scale length, with a neck thickness of 21mm at the first fret and 23mm at the 12th fret. A roasted maple fingerboard with a 12"–15.75" compound radius supports smooth playability across the neck, while 22 tall medium-jumbo stainless-steel frets provide durability and a consistent feel. Black dot inlays are complemented by luminous side dots for improved visibility on dark stages. A Graph Tech® Black TUSQ nut with a width of 1 21/32" (42mm) completes the neck design.
Electronics on the G290 Modern are built around an HSS pickup configuration designed for tonal versatility. A Seymour Duncan® TB4 humbucker in the bridge position delivers punch and clarity, while Cort® Voiced Tone VTS-63 single-coil pickups in the middle and neck positions provide balance, articulation, and sparkle. Controls consist of a single volume knob, a single tone control with push-pull coil-splitting functionality, and a five-way selector switch, allowing players to move quickly between a wide range of sounds.
Hardware appointments on the G290 Modern reflect its performance-focused intent. The guitar is equipped with a Cort® CFA-III S tremolo bridge, Cort® staggered locking tuners, and chrome hardware throughout. Strings are factory-installed D’Addario® EXL120s, and a two-way adjustable truss rod with spoke nut allows for precise setup adjustments. The instrument is offered in Pale Graphite (PGR), Dusty Rose (DRS), and Military Beige (MBG) finishes, with a matte neck finish for a smooth playing feel.
For more information on the G290 Modern electric guitar, visit www.cortguitars.com.
Street Price: $699.99 USD
Epiphone Unveils the All-New Inspired by Gibson Collection
Epiphone today announces a refreshed and expanded lineup within the Inspired by Gibson Collection, delivering elevated playability, upgraded hardware and electronics, and refined body contours across a suite of classic, Gibson-inspired instruments. Designed to bring authentic design DNA to players at every level, the 2026 collection blends timeless style with modern reliability, premium feel, and refined performance, making these guitars perfect for every player and every stage.
The refreshed Epiphone lineup spans some of the most iconic silhouettes in guitar history, including the Explorer™ 80s EMG, Firebird™, Flying V™ 70s, Les Paul™ Special Double Cut, Les Paul Special Double Cut Figured, Les Paul Junior™, SG™ Special P‑90, Les Paul Standard 50s, Les Paul Standard 60s, and SG Standard. Each model has been thoughtfully updated with rosewood or ebony fretboards, high‑quality hardware and electronics, and improved body contours and specifications—delivering the unmistakable feel of a classic with the performance demands of today’s stage and studio.
The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson lineup is now available worldwide at Gibson Garage locations, via authorized Epiphone dealers, and on Epiphone.com.
To complement these refreshed builds, Epiphone introduces a bold finish palette that honors heritage while inviting self-expression. Available colors include Classic White, Wine Red, Vintage Sunburst, Maui Blue, TV Yellow, Cherry Red, Bourbon Burst, Ocean Water, Goldtop, Washed Cherry Sunburst, Ebony, and Iced Tea Burst. Whether you’re stepping into the spotlight, tracking in the studio, or rehearsing for the next tour, there’s an Inspired by Gibson model—and a finish—that’s‑ unmistakably yours.
“Epiphone has always been about opening doors,” says Lewis McKinney III, Brand Manager of Epiphone. “Inspired by Gibson brings real heritage into the hands of players who want more than the look—they want a guitar they can count on, in any situation, every time they plug in. This all-new collection stays true to that mission: guitars that feel right, sound right, and show up, always.”
These refreshed Epiphone models bring classic tones and familiar feel together with contemporary reliability—ideal for gigging artists, studio professionals, and emerging players alike. The result is a lineup that honors decades of music history while meeting the demands of modern performance.
Epiphone is celebrating the launch in true punk fashion, teaming up with San Francisco Bay Area firebrands Spiritual Cramp, whose raw energy fuels the accompanying release video. Guitarist Nate Punty tears through “Go Back Home,” a standout from the band’s recent full-length album Rude, delivering a performance as gritty and immediate as the track itself.
The collaboration doesn’t stop there. As Spiritual Cramp head back out on the road in February, Epiphone will join them once again for an exclusive Epiphone Live Session, “Live at Alexandra Palace,” captured on location in London during their late‑2025 tour with The Hives.
And with the band’s headlining Rudest Band in the World Tour, sponsored by Alternative Press, kicking off in February, fans across the country will have plenty of chances to experience the chaos firsthand. The coast-to-coast run features rotating support from Bass Drum of Death, Mizery, Guv, and more.
Catch Spiritual Cramp live—and see their Epiphone guitars in full swing on tour—by grabbing tickets at: https://spiritualcramp.com/pages/tour-dates.
Explorer 80s – EMG
First launched in 1958, the Explorer™ was ahead of its time. Initially met with mixed reactions, its bold design and commanding tone eventually won over players. By the 1970s, its futuristic look became a favorite among rock icons, and in the high-energy 1980s, it truly hit its stride, earning a place in the hands of some of the era’s most influential guitarists. The new Explorer 80s – EMG pays homage to the sought-after 1984 model, a standout in Gibson’s history for its striking aesthetics and powerful sound. Artists like The Edge, Billy Gibbons, and James Hetfield helped cement the Explorer’s legendary status. For players who love retro-futuristic style, the Explorer 80s – EMG delivers the attitude and edge of that iconic decade.
This modern tribute features a mahogany neck with a fast-playing 60s SlimTaper™ profile, paired with a rosewood fretboard that hosts 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid dot inlays. The headstock is fitted with mini die-cast tuners and a Graph Tech® nut for rock-solid tuning. At the other end, an Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece provide exceptional stability and sustain. The angular mahogany body is loaded with active EMG™ pickups—an EMG 60 in the neck and an EMG 81 in the bridge—delivering the fat, aggressive tones that defined the era. Powered by a 9V battery housed in a rear compartment for easy access, the electronics include dual volume controls, a master tone, and knurled metal knobs. With no pickguard, the Explorer 80s – EMG boasts a sleek, slightly menacing look. Complete with a premium gig bag, it’s ready to bring classic attitude to modern stages.
Firebird
Epiphone’s Inspired by Gibson Firebird™ brings back the bold reverse body and headstock design that made waves when the Firebird debuted in 1963. Conceived by renowned automotive designer Ray Dietrich, the Firebird was Gibson’s first neck-through-body guitar, a groundbreaking innovation at the time. Its 9-ply mahogany and walnut neck-through construction delivers exceptional sustain and warm, resonant tone. Because the tuners, pickups, bridge, and tailpiece are all mounted on the same continuous piece of wood, the Firebird offers unmatched resonance and stability. The SlimTaper C-profile neck is paired with a bound rosewood fretboard featuring 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid trapezoid inlays, ensuring smooth playability and classic style.
This refreshed Firebird is equipped with ProBucker™ FB720 pickups, designed with Alnico 2 magnets and built to the original 1960s Firebird specifications. Wired to CTS® potentiometers, they recreate the bright, hum-free tone that made the Firebird famous. Unlike mini humbuckers, Firebird pickups use two blade magnets inside the coils and a steel reflector plate, omitting pole pieces entirely for a sound that’s truly unique among humbucking designs. Premium hardware includes an Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge, LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece, Grover® Mini Rotomatic tuners, and a Graph Tech® nut for rock-solid tuning. The pickguard proudly displays the iconic Firebird emblem in red. With its radical silhouette, distinctive voice, and included premium gig bag, the Firebird is ready to deliver pure rock ’n’ roll attitude on any stage.
Flying V 70s
A 70s rock icon that’s ready to help today’s players rock the world
Today, the Gibson Flying V™ is one of the most famous and instantly recognizable guitar designs of all time, but its rise to fame and popularity wasn’t instantaneous. Upon its initial release in 1958, it was met with a less-than-enthusiastic reception. However, as the years passed, guitarists soon began to discover its many charms, with famous players adopting them later in the 1960s. However, it was when hard rockers adopted its futuristic shape and powerful sound in the 1970s that the Flying V truly began to come into its own in the hands of players like Michael Schenker, Jimi Hendrix, K.K. Downing, Marc Bolan, Steve Jones, and many more. The new Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Flying V 70s is based on those iconic 70s models that changed music history forever.
The Flying V 70s features a two-piece, center-seamed mahogany body that is sure to turn heads. The mahogany neck has a comfortable, Rounded C profile and a volute at the neck/headstock junction, just like the vintage models from the 70s. The neck is topped with an ebony fretboard that features 22 medium jumbo frets and simple pearloid dot inlays. The slightly shorter 70s-era arrowhead-shaped headstock is equipped with Grover® Rotomatic® tuners with spade buttons and a Graph Tech® nut, ensuring solid tuning stability. The other ends of the strings pass over an Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and are anchored with a LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece. The iconically shaped mahogany body is outfitted with Epiphone’s new T-Type PRO™ humbucking pickups. They accurately capture the unique, fat-toned sound and rich sustain of the Flying V models that many players preferred during that era. The pickups are wired to individual volume controls and a master tone control; the controls are capped with Witch Hat control knobs. Other era-correct details are present, including a 70s-style Flying V pickguard and a 70s-style truss rod cover with the Epiphone logo hot stamped on it, and highlighted with black nickel hardware. With eye-catching gloss finishes, style, and sound that can’t be ignored, the new Epiphone Flying V 70s is ready to help you rock the world. If you’re into retro-futuristic guitars, this is a model you need in your collection. A premium gig bag is included, so the Flying V 70s is ready to go wherever and whenever you are.
Les Paul Special Double Cut
An Inspired by Gibson classic that truly lives up to its name
When Gibson introduced the Les Paul™ Special in 1955, it was designed as a step up from the Les Paul Junior, adding a second pickup and refined touches like a mother-of-pearl headstock inlay and a bound fretboard. This positioned it between the elegant Les Paul Standard and the student-friendly Junior. In 1958, the model evolved with a double-cutaway body for improved upper fret access, and by 1960, the neck pickup was slightly repositioned and paired with a SlimTaper™ profile for faster, more comfortable playability.
Epiphone proudly brings back that spirit with the Les Paul Special Double Cut, an Inspired by Gibson recreation of those early 60s favorites. It features a solid mahogany body with a double-cutaway design for unrestricted fretboard access. The glued-in mahogany neck sports a 60s SlimTaper profile and a bound rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid dot inlays. The 1960s Kalamazoo-style headstock includes Epiphone’s three-on-a-plate tuners with ivory buttons, a Graph Tech® nut for tuning stability, and a mother-of-pearl Epiphone logo for vintage flair. At the other end, an Epiphone Lightning Bar compensated wraparound bridge anchors the strings directly to the body for exceptional sustain and resonance.
Powering this classic are two Epiphone P-90 PRO™ Soapbar pickups, delivering everything from shimmering cleans to raw, gritty overdrive. Each pickup has its own volume and tone control for maximum versatility. Complete with a premium gig bag, the Les Paul Special Double Cut is a timeless design made more accessible than ever.
Les Paul Special Double Cut Figured
The Les Paul Special, reimagined with premium style
Originally introduced in 1955, the Gibson Les Paul™ Special was conceived as an upgrade to the Les Paul Junior, adding a second P-90 pickup for greater tonal range, along with refined details like fretboard binding and a mother-of-pearl headstock logo. This positioned it between the elegant Les Paul Standard and the entry-level Junior. By 1958, the model evolved into a double-cutaway design for improved upper fret access, and in 1960, a SlimTaper™ neck profile and repositioned rhythm pickup enhanced playability and stability.
Epiphone now proudly unveils the Les Paul Special Double Cut Figured, an Inspired by Gibson model that elevates this classic design with stunning visual flair. It features a mahogany double-cutaway body topped with a AAA figured maple veneer and bound edges for a premium look. The glued-in mahogany neck sports a fast-playing SlimTaper profile and a bound rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and acrylic dot inlays. The 1960s Kalamazoo-style headstock is fitted with Grover® Rotomatic® tuners and adorned with a mother-of-pearl Epiphone logo for vintage authenticity.
Unlike traditional Les Paul Specials, this version swaps P-90s for a pair of Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers—a ProBucker 2 in the neck and a hotter ProBucker 3 in the bridge—delivering everything from warm rhythm tones to searing leads. Individual volume and tone controls, plus a three-way toggle switch, provide versatile sound-shaping options. Complete with a premium gig bag, the Les Paul Special Double Cut Figured combines timeless playability with next-level style.
Les Paul Junior
Classic simplicity meets P-90 punch
Introduced in 1954 during Gibson’s first Golden Era, the Les Paul™ Junior was created as a high-quality yet affordable solidbody electric guitar for students and beginners. Stripped of the ornate features found on standard Les Paul models—such as carved maple tops, binding, and multiple pickups—the Junior offered a straightforward design with a slab mahogany body and a single pickup, making it accessible without sacrificing tone. It didn’t take long for players of all skill levels, including top professionals, to embrace its raw power and versatility. Legends like Leslie West, Martin Barre, Charlie Starr, Glenn Frey, Johnny Thunders, John Lennon, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Steve Howe have all relied on the Junior’s distinctive voice. Its simplicity hides a surprising tonal range, with endless possibilities unlocked by adjusting picking position and the master volume and tone controls.
Epiphone proudly introduces the modern Les Paul Junior, a faithful Inspired by Gibson recreation that captures the essence of the original while meeting the needs of today’s players. It features a single-cutaway mahogany body, a mahogany neck with a comfortable 50s Vintage profile, and a rosewood fretboard with pearloid dot inlays. A single Epiphone P-90 PRO™ Dogear pickup delivers everything from shimmering cleans to gritty rock tones. Vintage-style Epiphone Deluxe tuners with ivory buttons, paired with a Graph Tech® nut, ensure tuning stability, while a compensated Lightning Bar wraparound bridge anchors the strings directly to the body for exceptional sustain and resonance. Complete with a premium gig bag, the Les Paul Junior is ready to go wherever inspiration strikes.
SG Special P90
Rock royalty with the bite of P-90s
The SG™ Special returns to the classic design that made it a favorite across decades and genres. First introduced in the early 1960s, the Gibson SG Special was created as a middle ground between the entry-level SG Junior and the SG Standard, blending the Junior’s simplicity with added versatility and refined styling. Despite its streamlined approach, it quickly became a cornerstone of rock history, powering countless iconic riffs and performances. This Epiphone recreation captures the look, feel, and tone of those early 60s models that defined an era.
Part of the Inspired by Gibson Collection, the Epiphone SG Special P-90 features a solid mahogany body with the signature double-cutaway shape, paired with a mahogany neck sporting a fast-playing 60s SlimTaper™ profile. The bound rosewood fretboard includes 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid dot inlays for classic appeal. The 1960s Kalamazoo-style headstock is fitted with Epiphone Deluxe tuners with ivory buttons, a Graph Tech® nut, and a mother-of-pearl Epiphone logo. At the other end, a compensated wraparound bridge anchors the strings for vintage authenticity, solid intonation, and
impressive sustain.
Under the hood, a pair of Epiphone P-90 PRO™ Soapbar pickups delivers the raw, dynamic tone that players love—bright and articulate when clean, aggressive, and punchy when driven. Individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, plus a three-way toggle switch, provide exceptional tonal flexibility. Complete with a premium gig bag, the SG Special P-90 is ready to bring classic rock attitude to any stage.
Les Paul Standard 50s
Experience the legend
The Gibson Les Paul™ Standard models of the 1950s are among the most iconic guitars ever made. Celebrated for their stunning looks, effortless playability, and unmatched tone, these instruments have graced countless stages and recordings, earning a place as some of the most sought-after vintage guitars in history. Epiphone proudly presents the refreshed Les Paul Standard 50s, part of the Inspired by Gibson collection, designed to capture the essence and sound of those revered originals. Epiphone’s connection to Les Paul dates back to 1940, when Les crafted one of the first solidbody electric guitars at the original Epiphone factory in Manhattan. His pioneering design, known as “the Log,” laid the foundation for what would become the Les Paul Standard—widely regarded as one of the greatest electric guitars ever built.
The Les Paul Standard 50s features a mahogany body topped with a maple cap, delivering the warm midrange of mahogany complemented by the brightness of maple—hallmarks of the classic Les Paul tone. Its mahogany neck sports a 1959 Rounded Medium C-profile and a long neck tenon for superior strength and sustain. A rosewood fretboard with pearloid trapezoid inlays and 22 medium jumbo frets adds to its vintage appeal. The Kalamazoo-style headstock is fitted with Epiphone Vintage Deluxe tuners and a Graph Tech® nut for reliable tuning, while the strings run across an Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O Matic™ bridge and LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece. Power comes from a pair of acclaimed Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers™, with a ProBucker 1 in the neck and a hotter ProBucker 2 in the bridge for a versatile tonal range. The electronics use CTS® pots with 50s-style wiring, and the controls are finished with gold Top Hat knobs and dial pointers. A premium gig bag completes the package. The Les Paul Standard 50s is an accessible homage to a legendary instrument, ready to inspire players everywhere.
Les Paul Standard 60s
Authentic 60s Les Paul style, tone, and feel for every player
The Gibson Les Paul™ Standards from 1958–1960 are among the most celebrated guitars ever made. Known for their stunning looks, smooth playability, and legendary tone, these instruments have appeared on countless stages and recordings, earning their place as some of the most desirable vintage guitars in history. Epiphone proudly introduces the Les Paul Standard 60s, part of the Inspired by Gibson™ Collection, designed to capture the sound and spirit of those iconic models.
Epiphone’s relationship with Les Paul began in 1940, when Les built one of the first solidbody electric guitars while working nights at the original Epiphone factory in Manhattan. His groundbreaking creation nicknamed “the Log,” paved the way for the Les Paul Standard—widely regarded as one of the greatest electric guitars ever produced. The Les Paul Standard 60s recreates the look, feel, and tone of early 1960s Les Pauls, featuring a mahogany body with a maple cap for classic warmth and clarity. Its mahogany neck is paired with a rosewood fretboard, pearloid trapezoid inlays, 22 medium jumbo frets, and a fast SlimTaper™ 60s C-profile for effortless playability. The Kalamazoo-style headstock comes equipped with Grover® Rotomatic® tuners and a Graph Tech® nut for exceptional tuning stability, while the strings pass over an Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece.
Tone comes from a perfectly matched set of Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers™, with a ProBucker 2 in the neck and a hotter ProBucker 3 in the bridge, each wired to individual volume and tone controls with high-quality CTS® pots. Finished with gold Top Hat knobs and packaged in a premium gig bag, the Les Paul Standard 60s delivers an authentic playing experience at an accessible price point.
SG Standard
The SG Standard – a legendary favorite
Part of the Inspired by Gibson™ Collection, the Epiphone SG Standard has been updated for today’s players while staying true to its iconic roots. The SG™ has earned its place as one of the most influential guitars in history, embraced by artists across genres. From Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Eric Clapton, and George Harrison to Robbie Krieger, Angus Young, Tony Iommi, and countless others, the SG has shaped the sound of generations.
The Epiphone SG Standard features a lightweight, double-cutaway mahogany body that offers effortless access to all 22 frets. Its set mahogany neck enhances sustain and is carved to a fast SlimTaper™ C profile. A bound rosewood fretboard with pearloid trapezoid inlays, 22 medium jumbo frets, and a 12-inch radius delivers smooth playability for chords and bends alike. Premium Grover® Rotomatic® tuners and a Graph Tech® nut work in tandem with an Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece for rock-solid tuning and precise intonation.
For tone, the SG Standard is equipped with a pair of Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers™ that deliver the classic SG sound players love. A ProBucker 2 sits in the neck position, while a hotter ProBucker 3 occupies the bridge, each wired to individual volume and tone controls with a three-way selector for maximum versatility. Complete with a premium gig bag, the Epiphone SG Standard is a modern take on a timeless classic—ready to inspire players everywhere.
Teisco Goes Huge in Tone, Mini in Size: Introducing a New Line of Pedals
Teisco (teisco.com) expands its pedal lineup with the introduction of a new collection of Mini pedals, delivering huge, expressive tone in a compact footprint. Designed to offer a comprehensive selection of essential sounds, the Mini pedals empower players of all levels to craft their own voice with confidence. True to Teisco’s fearless spirit, the brand’s bold personality and unmistakable aesthetics remain front and centre in this new collection.
Joining the celebration of this launch is a lineup of incredible artists and creators — Pedalboard Of The Day (@pedalboard_of_the_day), collector//emitter (@collectoremitter), Weish (@wweishh), and Old Dog (@oldoguitar) — who bring out the sonic brilliance and clever controls of these pedals.
The Teisco Mini collection features an extensive lineup of twelve all-new pedals, covering every essential need on the pedalboard, from fuzz and overdrive to delay, modulation, and tuning. Defying their compact footprint, these pedals deliver powerful, inspiring tones, proving that portability no longer comes at the expense of sound quality. Inspired by Japanese aesthetics, each model showcases a distinctive, eye-catching design that stands
out on any pedalboard. But it’s not just about looks: modern circuitry and true bypass switching ensure optimal signal integrity, offering the best of both worlds. Competitively priced, with US MAP starting at $59, the Teisco Mini pedals offer an accessible entry point for musicians seeking high-quality effects without compromise.
The pedals are now available worldwide via teisco.com and through select dealers.
Billy Corgan Blueprint
Ever wondered how Billy Corgan achieves that massive "chainsaw" fuzz tone that defined an era of alternative rock? In this edition of "Blueprints", PG contributor Tom Butwin dives deep into the gear that makes it possible, featuring the Reverend Billy Corgan Z-One with its unique Bass Contour control, the Electro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big Muff Pi for that essential seventies-style grind, and the Gosh Amplification Problem Solver to provide a classic Marshall-style foundation.
CIOKS DC7 Pedal Power Supply - Black
CIOKS SOL Pedal Power Supply - Cassette
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Gosh Problem Solver
Ernie Ball 2221 Nickel Regular Slinky Electric Guitar Strings - 24 Pack
Billy Corgan Blueprints Giveaway!
We’ve teamed up with Reverend Guitars and Electro-Harmonix to give you the ultimate Smashing Pumpkins rig. Enter now for a chance to win a Billy Corgan Signature Z-One and an Op-Amp Big Muff Pi! Ends Feb 28, 2026.
Bill Corgan Prints Giveaway
See them in action!
Billy Corgan Signature Z-One
The Reverend Billy Corgan Z-One, a third signature collaboration between Billy Corgan & Joe Naylor, is inspired by the heavier songs in the Smashing Pumpkins Catalog. An alder body creates a thick tone, while deep cutaways provide easy access to the higher frets. Railhammer Z-One pickups have a fat midrange and a smooth top end, with custom artwork etched into the covers. An aluminum pickguard and a “Z” icon at the headstock make this one futuristic-looking guitar. The Billy Corgan Z-One is for anyone who wants to rip big rock solos with a thick yet smooth tone.
Op-amp Big Muff Pi Fuzz Pedal
illy Corgan and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) built an empire on Siamese Dream's distinct brand of psychedelia-meets-rock-alternative. A key ingredient to this record's iconic sound, as guitarists today know, is Billy's famed late-'70s V4 IC Big Muff. Now, Corgan and EHX have carefully bottled the tone and response of the original in the Electro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big Muff Pi. This pedal faithfully captures the fuzz-laden and explosive textures of Billy's op-amp equipped '70s Muff. Controls for Volume, Tone, and Sustain (gain) make it quick to dial in the textures your music demands. Meanwhile, a tone bypass toggle temporarily bypasses the pedal's tone circuit for maximum output and aggression. The new compact size and die-cast durability preserve the Siamese Dream tone for a new generation of fuzz fans.
Recording Dojo: Why Great Amp Modeling Is About Time, Not Tone
Greetings, and welcome to another Dojo. Ever wonder what goes into modelling amps and pedals? Typically, when guitarists talk about whether an amp model “sounds real,” we describe it in tonal terms—gain, EQ, distortion character. But great tone is the successful solution to a complex, essentially time-based problem.
Without getting needlessly technical, an amplifier is not a static filter that reshapes frequency content and stops there. It is a dynamic system that responds differently depending on what just happened, what is happening, and how much energy (a.k.a voltage) is being pushed through it. For modeling technology to work convincingly, it has to track complex changes over time, not just measure a snapshot of a moment of “tone.”
Early amp-modeling systems struggled because they focused primarily on spectral snapshots—what an amp sounds like at a given setting under a narrowly dynamic input level. Those snapshots, while accurate, were often remarkably limited. Real amplifiers don’t remain in one state long enough for a snapshot to matter. They are in constantly transitioning states.
Put your brain in slow motion for a moment. When a string is struck, the initial transient carries enormous energy. Harmonics bloom unevenly, as the fundamental note(s) emerge. Pick material and attack angle alter transient shape before the signal ever reaches the guitar— think fingerstyle versus pick. Also, string gauge and tension alter harmonic emphasis and decay. Pickups engage with the string differently depending on design and height. Guitar wiring and controls shape impedance and bandwidth. Cable capacitance subtly alters high-frequency behavior long before any gain stage is involved. By the time the signal hits the amp, it already contains a history.
What then reaches the amp input is already the result of a complex upstream system, and inside the amplifier, that history continues to develop. Preamp stages interact with tone stacks in non-linear ways. Gain staging determines not only how much distortion occurs, but where it occurs. Effects loops interrupt the signal path at predetermined stages, altering how time-based effects are compressed and re-energized. As gain stages are pushed, harmonic content doesn’t simply increase—it redistributes.
“Convincing modeling can’t focus solely on recreating individual elements in isolation.”
Then comes the power amp—arguably the most misunderstood contributor to feel. Power amps do not simply make things louder. They can also compress under load, recover, and compress again. They respond differently depending on frequency content and sustained energy.
Finally, the speaker and cabinet take over, and physics takes the wheel. Speakers have inherent inertia and wildly different efficiency curves depending on materials and volume. Cabinets add another layer, with resonant frequencies shaped by their dimensions, storing and releasing energy at varying rates.
Now put your brain back into normal speed. Our ear perceives this entire chain as a single event!
A convincing “model” must pass a variety of static and dynamic signals through the real device, measuring input-output behavior, and then build DSP and machine learning to match those behaviors accounting for how dynamic range, harmonic density, compression, and spectral contour shift together across the time domain.
Our ear is exquisitely sensitive to these changes, particularly to the rate at which they occur. Too fast, and the modeled sound comes off stiff. Too slow, and it feels detached.
This is why convincing modeling can’t focus solely on recreating individual elements in isolation. What matters is gestalt behavior: how the whole system responds as energy flows through it, moment to moment.
How do modelers do this? Most developers—Neural DSP, Universal Audio, Kemper, Fractal, Line 6, and others—blend multiple approaches. These typically include running a range of static and dynamic signals through the real device to measure input–output behavior, isolate artifacts, and quantify nonlinear characteristics; circuit analysis (where designers model each component’s behavior mathematically and derive a transfer function for DSP implementation); and extensive listening tests. Increasingly, machine-learning models are trained and iterated to capture the unit’s behavior across multiple control settings, with each pass refining the results.
For players, this means that now more than ever we can enjoy legendary amp and pedal tones in powerful, highly portable hardware or in software form—along with tremendous flexibility when recording, consistent “perfect tone” performance (no tubes or speakers to fail), and the ability to be deeply creative with our tonal palette by mixing amps, speaker cabinets, microphones, and even modeled room environments.
Am I giving up my real amps? Never. But I’m completely comfortable using either technology as I see fit—and enjoying what each brings to the process. Until next time, namaste.
Can You Make Pentatonics Better?
Great music tells a story. It builds on a plot and holds the listener’s attention as the story unfolds. We are especially moved by soloists who bare their souls and who keep us riveted with every twist and turn from their narrative. Pentatonics are the backbone of modern guitar vocabulary. Partially because they just sound good, but also because they lay so easily on guitar. There are several ingredients that make a guitarist sound brilliant, but one of the most important is chromaticism. Could there a be a way we could combine these two? Let’s find out.
This term chromaticism comes from the Greek word chroma, which means “color.” Using chromaticism means having the freedom to use all 12 notes over a given chord. Imagine the possibilities and freedom to play any note over a chord in composition or improvising! The quickest way to start adding color notes to the minor pentatonic scale is to add the 2nd and the 6th, which then gives you a Dorian mode. I’ve outlined it below using the A minor pentatonic scale.
A Minor pentatonic: A–C–D–E–G
A Dorian: A–B–C–D–E–F#–G
In general, there are chromatic notes that are outside the chord/scale, and notes that are outside the key. The latter carries a lot of tension against a chord and needs movement or resolution. From my days of playing jazz gigs in Toledo, OH, I recall what legendary trumpeter Jimmy Cook once told me regarding playing outside: “You can go up to the attic, but you have to come back down.” In other words, you can play outside tonally, but you must resolve at some point in order for your music to sound coherent.
Let’s get started on this journey of chromaticism together.
Before we go hog wild and add random notes, let’s begin by taking an A minor pentatonic scale and fill in the chromatic notes between the already existing box pattern. It’s almost arbitrary, but it will enable you to hear different colors added within the scale (Ex. 1).
Chromatic Burst of Energy. In beat 1 of Ex. 2, we start with an A Dorian fragment followed by an extended chromatic line. The line in beat two starts on the b7 (G), highlighting the b5 (Eb) on beat 3, descending chromatically all the way down to B, and ending with A major pentatonic.
Bounce Around! We start on the b5 (Eb) followed by a typical chromatic rotation where we bounce around the b5. This idea lays quite well in the familiar pentatonic box. It’s easy and will add spice to your shredding (Ex. 3).
Side Stepping. A common approach to playing “outside” is side stepping. In other words, take the scale you’d normally use and displace it by a half-step above or below. By doing this, you’ll have instant access to notes that are harmonically outside the key—don’t think of them as wrong notes, just coloring notes. In Ex. 4 we take a pentatonic pattern from E minor pentatonic and sequence it in F minor pentatonic. As the notes can be analyzed over the E5 chord, it’s more important to view them as passing notes. Remember, the power of the sequence overrides the harmony!
Extend the Side Step. Ex. 5 uses the same concept of side stepping above but adds a note (D) to the displaced pattern. By doing so, this breaks the predictability of the phrase and places subsequent notes in new places.
Changing Tones. Ex. 6 is a fun lick to learn that starts with a strong, repeated three-note polyrhythmic figure (A#–B–D). The chromatic part occurs on beat 4 and utilizes changing tones, which is a type of non-harmonic tone.
Don’t Start On 1. The line starts on the 2nd (B), goes up a whole-step to C# followed by a double chromatic approach to Bb, down a whole-step to (G#), and finally resolving to the root (A). Once the A note is reached, there’s a cascading flurry of four-note groups settling in A minor pentatonic (Ex. 7).
Scrambles. This example (Ex. 8) was inspired by the legendary New York guitarist, Mark Hitt. Mark was a unique player, combining a rock sensibility with a jazz quotient. He developed an arsenal of twisting lines using chromaticism that he referred to as “scrambles.”
The pattern alternates between 1–3–4 and 1–2–4 fingerings, a typical fingering of the diminished scale. It can be analyzed where notes of the pentatonic are being targeted, but it’s all about the texture and excitement that is created. Make sure to play the line with slurs to get a fluid, legato sound.
Half-Step Approach. In this instance, we take the Im triad (Am) from the pentatonic scale and approach each chord tone from a half-step below (Ex. 9). This is more of a concept and exercise rather than a lick. This idea can be used with just about any improvising application.
One String Wonder. Ex. 10 highlights a series of chromatically descending half-steps. It’s an easy technique to get down and one I often use. It provides melodic interest, but also serves as an easy way to connect one position to the next. Here, we start on a high F that walks down a fourth to C in half-steps, followed by a C minor blues phrase.
Practice Tip
These chromatic lines sound best when played fast and with conviction. As always, approach new material slowly and accurately. Ignore your inner voice that may tell you that the “outside” notes are wrong. Once you’re able to play the lines up to speed, you’ll be amazed by how impressive it sounds. These ideas that will add motion, color, and excitement to your playing and enhance your musical expression when soloing.