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Thomann is hosting its massive Guitar Days sale – with up to 70% off a huge range of guitars, amps, effects pedals and more.

Between 18 September and 28 September, around 500 products – including from top brands like Fender, ESP, PRS, Taylor and Marshall – are available at heavy discounts.

• READ MORE: Multi-effects signal chains explained – everything you need to play and record direct

Here at Guitar.com, we’ve taken the liberty to cherry pick some of the very best deals in the Guitar Days sale, so read on to see what we’ve found…

Are you a Metallica fan looking for the perfect V-style guitar to add to your collection? Look no further than the ESP LTD KH-V in a striking Black Sparkle finish. A signature model by none other than Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, the KH-V is loaded with a pair of EMG Bone Breaker humbuckers for unrivalled high-gain tones. And during Guitar Days, you can get yours at just £777, down from £1,222. That’s a huge 36%, or £445 off.

Or if you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly, this Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Axis AX 3 in Neptune Blue is now only £353 down from £508. Specs include a maple neck and fingerboard, 22 narrow frets, two alnico humbuckers and a five-way selector switch.

If money’s less of an object and you’ve got a little to blow, why not consider the ESP Snakebyte in Camo? A signature model of thrash riff master and right-hand demon James Hetfield, this camouflaged beauty is loaded with a pair of EMG JH ‘HET’ SET pickups, with other features including a TOM bridge and Gotoh locking tuners.

There’s a hefty £500 saving available on this one, bringing what you pay down from £6,099 to £5,599. Hey, if you wanna play the best you’ve gotta pay the best, right?

In terms of amps, there’s a range of deals available to suit different budgets, like 12% off this more high end Friedman Small Box or this Supro Amulet 1×10 combo for just £798.

In the effects department, there’s cool discounts to be had on the Universal Audio UAFX Brigade Chorus & Vibrato, Electro Harmonix POG3 Octaver, Pigtronix Chromatic Tuner, TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2 and so many more.

These are only a few of the deals available in the Guitar Days sale. To browse the full lineup yourself, head to Thomann.

[deals ids=”2prupufigYqEqnupYFJOsa”]

The post Save up to 70% on guitars, amps and effects in Thomann’s massive Guitar Days sale appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

In February, Eagles legend Don Felder suffered a collapse while performing onstage during the Rock Legends Cruise.

The cause turned out to be dehydration, and after he was taken to receive medical attention he made a speedy recovery. “I have always said that I’m going to rock till I drop. I never knew it would be in the middle of Tequila Sunrise, instead of like [Life in the Fast] Lane or Hotel [California] or something really fun,” he said at the time.

• READ MORE: What’s more important, your guitar or amp? Phil X reckons he has the answer

Now, in a new interview with Guitarist, Felder recounts the experience, confirming that he’s now “feeling fantastic”.

“I didn’t realise what dehydration was, or what it could do to you,” he explains. “When it hit me in the middle of the set on that cruise ship, I had no idea what was going on. It was like somebody reached over, took the light dimmer and just slowly dimmed it down to zero.

“I was holding onto the microphone stand just to keep myself from collapsing when Jaden [Osborne], my girlfriend, who was on the side of the stage, recognised it immediately and came over to help me get off the stage.

“Ironically, there happened to be a paramedic in the crowd from Gainesville, Florida, of all places – where I come from – who came backstage and took me down to the medical place.

He explains that he was given an IV and “30 minutes later” he was back “saying, ‘Let’s go finish the set.’ But they said, ‘No, everybody left,’ so I took the rest of the day, and the next day I continued the show”.

“But I didn’t realise how important it was to stay hydrated, especially at sea. I don’t drink alcohol or do any drugs, so I couldn’t figure out what the hell it was. But it was just a total matter of not drinking enough electrolytes. So I’m back to 100 percent.”

Eagles currently have a string of dates planned at the Sphere in Las Vegas. For tickets and a full list of dates, head to the band’s official website.

The post “I didn’t realise what dehydration was!”: Eagles legend Don Felder reveals the truth behind his terrifying on-stage collapse appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Many guitarists contract Gear Acquisition Syndrome and end up with stacked pedalboards, but the fundamentals of any electric guitar rig will always be your guitar and amplifier.

It’s only natural, then, that the debate surrounding whether your choice of guitar or amp is more important has raged since time immemorial.

• READ MORE: Gibson celebrates 50 years in Nashville with the relaunch of the Les Paul Custom 70s

And there’s prominent voices on both sides of the debate. Math rock whizz and Covet guitarist Yvette Young reckons amp is more important, asserting that a “cheap guitar doesn’t mean a bad guitar”.

But Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X finds himself on the other side, saying the guitar is the core of everything, so getting a good one should be your priority.

Asked in the new issue of Guitarist whether he’d rather have a cheap guitar and an expensive amp or an expensive guitar and cheap amp, he replies: “You know, what’s in your hands is almost more important.”

He explains: “But I think I’d have to get a better guitar and a cheaper amp. You can always get around on a cheaper amp or then go get a cheap pedal to make the cheap amp even better.

“But if you’re playing a really shitty guitar, you’re really limiting your progress.”

Of course, the guitar vs amp debate is highly nuanced, and although price point offers some measure of product quality, this isn’t always the case.

Phil X does make the good point that if you’re a beginner playing a poorly setup guitar – with high string action, for example – you’ll be hindering your ability to get to grips with certain techniques and get the most out of your playing.

That said, on the other side of the argument, the sound that comes out of your amp has a huge effect on inspiration. If the sound isn’t right, your creative spark may not be ignited in the same way as if you were working with a better guitar tone.

So what can we conclude from all this? The guitar vs amp debate will remain aflame for the long-foreseeable future. But at least proponents on the guitar side can count Phil X among their allies.

The post What’s more important, your guitar or amp? Phil X reckons he has the answer appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

It’s been 50 years since Gibson set up shop in Nashville, and the company is celebrating by reintroducing a classic model to the current Gibson line – its the return of the Les Paul Custom 70s, with era-correct specs in honour of the original model.

Originally created in 1953, the first Les Paul Custom was created with a simple brief: a black signature that “looked like a tuxedo”. Over the years, it gradually shifted, with Gibson trialling out both single and double cutaway models throughout the ‘60s before settling on the single cutaway in 1968.

• READ MORE: Gibson collaborates with Loog for child-friendly range of Les Paul and SG guitars

For two decades, the Custom 70s has only been available via Gibson’s Custom shop. Now, it’s back on the official Gibson line-up, and it has plenty of nostalgic nods to the original models. There’s plenty of classic ‘70s specs, from the mahogany body boasts a three-piece maple top, to the volute headstock adorned with the iconic Custom Split Diamond headstock inlay.

The guitar also has a ‘70s profile on the maple neck, as well as a bound ebony fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and mother-of-pearl block inlays. The Custom 70 also has gold hardware, including an aluminium Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge, an aluminium Stop Bar tailpiece, and smooth-turning Grover Rotomatic, which adds a very classy, timeless touch.

More ‘70s-approved features come in the form of the diamond-shaped Posi-Lok strap locks, Witch Hat control knobs and a pair of Calibrated T-Type humbuckers that are hand-wired to Orange Drop capacitors.

The Les Paul Custom 70s come in four glossy finishes: Tobacco Burst, Ebony, Buttercream Top, and Wine Red. Each guitar also comes with its own hardshell case.

This isn’t the only way Gibson has been celebrating its 50 years in Music City, Nashville. There has been plenty of nostalgia and reflecting on the company’s growth since 1975; back in July, the company announced that it was releasing 650 limited-edition Les Paul Music City Special guitars, which were inspired by Gibson’s 1970s Marauder.

The Les Paul Custom 70s costs £3,499 and is available now.

The post Gibson celebrates 50 years in Nashville with the relaunch of the Les Paul Custom 70s appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

We’ve all daydreamed about our perfect guitar, mentally building a Frankenstein-ian model out of different bodies, necks and headstocks. However, not everyone has the chance to make their dream a reality – but YouTuber Samurai Guitarist has worked for over two years to bring his perfect guitar to life.

In a new YouTube video, Steve Onotera has announced that he has founded his own guitar company, Otera Guitars. The Otera TK-1 serves as the company’s debut guitar, with the turquoise electric wearing a boxier version of a Telecaster silhouette. As Onotera puts it, the Otera TK-1 is “the guitar [he] always wished existed – and now it does”.

• READ MORE: Martin D-X2E review – is this the new must-have budget dreadnought acoustic?

In his announcement videos, he explains the thought process behind the guitar. “Like so many guitar players, ever since I picked up the instrument I’ve been dreaming up my own signature model,” he reflects. “However, 10 years in… no brands have expressed any interest in doing a signature guitar with me. So I figured, you know what, forget them. I’ll do it myself.”

Limited to 100 units, the TK-1 was manufactured in Cort’s factory, a factory that has churned out gear for Fender, Epiphone, PRS and many other quality brands over the years. And it certainly sounds like a decent guitar, based on Onotera’s preview of the axe in action on his channel.

The guitar boasts a three-piece maple neck with a vintage U profile, 9.5” radius rosewood fingerboard and 21 jumbo frets. We’ve also got an ash-topped basswood body, which is finished off with a striking turquoise sheen. There’s also a choice of two interchangeable pickguards; you can opt for a standard white pickguard, or there’s an engraved floral option that’s hand-signed by Onotera himself.

The guitar also boasts a pair of Seymour Duncan pickups, with a P90 Silencer Soapbar in the neck, as well as a BG1400 in the bridge. There’s also a four-way selector.

“I want the first Otera guitars to mean something, that’s why we’re starting small,” Onotera writes on the Otera website. “For years, I imagined a guitar that felt different – one that captured everything I love about the classics, but with its own character… The TK1 is the guitar I always wished existed. Every detail was chosen for a reason, with the hope that it inspires the same passion in you that it inspires in me.”

The debut Otera TK-1 guitar costs $1,299, and comes with a Otera/Cort branded gig bag. But, of course, its only limited to 100 guitars – so once its out of stock, it will never be produced again.

Head to Otera Guitars to find out more information.

The post “It’s the guitar I always wished existed – and now it does”: YouTuber Samurai Guitarist launches his own guitar brand appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Sammy Hagar has criticised Alex Van Halen for leaving out his era of Van Halen in his memoir Brothers, even accusing the singer of “blasphemy”.

Contention is nothing new in the Van Halen world, but the latest spat comes after Hagar posted a photo of himself and Eddie Van Halen heading to the stage before a show in 1991, with discussion mainly centering around the clothes they were wearing in the era.

• READ MORE: “The noise of us playing thrash metal upstairs was traumatising the children”: Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil claims the local council tried to shut down a studio he was recording in because of its proximity to a nursery

But the comments section took a turn when several commenters began discussing the different Van Halen eras, with one writing: “My dad always said the [David Lee] Roth days were about the party; the Sammy days were about the music.” [via Ultimate Classic Rock]

Another wrote: “No disrespect to Alex but it’s okay to like Van Halen with Sammy, even if he doesn’t anymore,” while another wrote: “Most purists believe Van Halen ended with David Lee Roth.”

Unfortunately, the latter comment provoked a response from Hagar, who wrote: “It could have [ended], my friend, but instead we went on to sell over 50 million records for [a] No. 1 album [then] sold out every building and stadium in the world for a whole decade. That never happened again.

Hagar goes on to say that Alex Van Halen is “not doing his brother’s musical legacy justice by not acknowledging all the No. 1 albums and some great music Eddie and I wrote together – not Alex – but Eddie and I wrote together”.

He adds: “To not acknowledge [those] 10 years of music is blasphemy to his brother’s musicianship, songwriting and legacy.”

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A post shared by Sammy Hagar (@sammyhagar)

Following the departure of frontman David Lee Roth in 1985, Sammy Hagar became Van Halen’s second singer, and fronted the band for 11 years until 1996. He also fronted the band again for a brief period between 2003 and 2005.

Sammy Hagar recently expressed an interest in settling his differences with David Lee Roth. After rumours swirled that DLR had mocked Hagar for claiming Eddie Van Halen visited him in a dream, Hagar asserted that this wasn’t the case, saying: “This is the first real olive-branch moment Dave and I have had in 100 years.”

The post “Alex is not doing his brother’s musical legacy justice”: Sammy Hagar blasts Alex Van Halen for ignoring his era of Van Halen in his book appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Although Biffy Clyro have made their mark on the world of alternative rock, they’re no strangers to heavier sounds. When frontman Simon Neil kickstarted his own heavy metal side-project back in 2023, Empire State Bastard was the perfect outlet of extreme thrash carnage. In fact, the project was so chaotic that it nearly got a recording studio shut down.

In a new interview, the raucous Scotsman reveals that Empire State Bastard’s debut, Rivers Of Heresy, had some rather loud recording sessions. So loud that the council had to get involved. “We spent eight days [in Todmorden’s Lapwing Studio] and it was hilarious,” Neil tells The Guardian. “Below the studio, there’s a nursery. The day we left, the council wrote to the studio asking them to close, because the noise of us playing thrash metal upstairs was traumatising the children.”

• READ MORE: Billianne on viral success, battling imposter syndrome and her years-in-the-making debut album

The “traumatising” clash of sound was a combined effort from Neil, guitarist Mike Vennart and Slayer’s very own Dave Lombardo on drums. Just listen to pummelling war cry of Stutter or Tired, Aye? and it’s hardly a lullaby – you can hardly blame the council for being a tad concerned.

However, it seems the studio was able to avoid any long-term closure. Lapwing Studio is still open, and the team have even responded to Neil’s Guardian interview – and there’s absolutely no bad blood. “Nice little quote about the studio here from Simon!” the team write on Facebook. “Said complaint is framed here in all its glory.”

When they weren’t in the studio, Neil also made a point of education Slayer’s Lombardo on the joys of Todmorden, otherwise known as the “UFO sightings capital of Europe”, apparently. “We took Dave for a curry and a pint, and whenever anyone recognised him they were in disbelief,” Neil laughs.

Elsewhere, today marks the release of Biffy Clyro’s tenth studio album, Futique. As Neil explains, it’s a record about acceptance, growth and living in the here and now. “I realised that, by ignoring painful memories, I’d been denying part of myself,” he reflects. “I found joy in understanding that everything that happens makes you who you are. It pulled me out of a fog – so the album is about embracing whatever’s happening now.”

The post “The noise of us playing thrash metal upstairs was traumatising the children”: Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil claims the local council tried to shut down a studio he was recording in because of its proximity to a nursery appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

£99, funnylittleboxes.co.uk

Britpop was a moment in cultural history. Which is another way of saying that it all felt like great fun at the time but, let’s be frank, much of the music it produced has aged like raw meat in an unplugged freezer.

• READ MORE: Earthquaker Devices Fuzz Master General review – “the full gamut of vintage-adjacent fuzz tones”

People seem to have fond memories of Supergrass, though – and the Oxford trio have now provided the inspiration for an effects pedal: the Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz.

Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz – what is it?

It’s Britpop in a box! Released in 1994, Caught By The Fuzz was the debut single that made Supergrass famous. It’s fast and catchy… and best of all, it’s got the word ‘fuzz’ in the title. To be honest, the one thing it doesn’t have is a particularly memorable guitar sound, but maybe that doesn’t matter – we’re talking about capturing the spirit of an era here, not copying an EQ curve.

FLB’s previous pedals have all been focused on American grunge tones, and this one brings a simplification as well as a change of accent: fuzz and volume are the only controls. That suggests a classic noise box in the style of the early Fuzz Faces and Tone Benders, which is certainly a promising starting point.

It’s built in the otherwise tranquil English city of Norwich, and there is one extra feature worth mentioning: instead of a simple status LED, it has a pair of blue ones that flash in sequence like the lights on a police car. Escaped convicts might find this a tad unsettling; for everyone else, it’s a welcome bit of fun.

Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz – what does it sound like?

It turns out this pedal has more in common with the fine upstanding officers in the front of that police car than with the stoned teenager in the back – because it’s an eminently sensible and disciplined fuzz.

With both knobs pointing northwards, the first thing to report is a tidy bass/treble balance that will let you quickly forget the absence of a tone control. The mids are even-handed too – neither raspy nor scooped – and the fuzz itself is tight but thick-grained, with a nice Marshall-esque edge to hard-punched chords. It doesn’t exactly clean up when you pull back on the guitar’s volume, but it does soften down very sweetly.

There are no surprises when the gain is cranked: it’s more of the same, keeping things clear and balanced as the distortion thickens. It won’t go anywhere near Big Muff territory in terms of sheer fuzziness, though – if you need something that can also cover the sludgy grunge side of the 90s, this probably isn’t it.

Turn the fuzz down to around 9 or 10 o’clock, on the other hand, and suddenly it’s more like a low-gain overdrive: the punky element is gone, replaced by something tonally transparent but with an injection of extra body and sustain that gives real authority to single-note melodies. This low-gain sound can get rough and scuzzy with sustained chords, but it’s an extra dimension that adds genuine value to the pedal.

Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz – should I buy it?

Does it sound like the Supergrass song? Well, yes, it can in the right setup – so if you’re planning to be Gaz Coombes in a tribute band, this pedal might be as essential as a good pair of sideburns. But, defying the apparent limitations of the two-knob format, it also has plenty to offer for anyone else who’s in the market for a really nice general-purpose fuzz.

Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz alternatives

There aren’t as many pure two-knob fuzzes around as you might think. The Jam Pedals Fuzz Phrase Si (€229/£219) is one, although it cheats slightly by having an internal trimpot for bias, and the Pedal Pawn Fuzz (£197) is another. Want something even simpler? The Beetronics Tuna Fuzz ($99/£99) only has one knob.

The post Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz review – a two-knob dirt machine that goes beyond its Britpop brief appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

While the classic Led Zeppelin lineup we all know is Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones, another musician was once in the running to front the band: the late Terry Reid.

Though fans often disagree as to why Reid ultimately passed on the opportunity – with some saying he outright turned it down and others saying it was due to his prior commitments with the Rolling Stones, Reid – who passed away in August 2025 – sets the record straight in his final interview with MOJO.

• READ MORE: “They used a lot of the old tricks that we all kind of did”: Aerosmith recall being ‘annoyed’ by Van Halen at first

“I didn’t turn Jimmy down,” he insists. “I told him, I’ve got to go do this tour with the Stones. When I get back, let’s have a go.”

While Reid ultimately never joined Led Zeppelin, the story goes that he suggested to Page who would become the band’s singer and drummer, Robert Plant and John Bonham.

“In Birmingham I’d played with The Band Of Joy a couple of times – bunch of fucking hooligans,” Reid continues.

“When Peter [Grant, Led Zeppelin manager] and Jimmy were talking about getting people for the band, I said, ‘Whatever you do, you’ve got to try these guys out.’ I contributed half the band. That’s enough on my part!”

That he was in the running to join Led Zeppelin wasn’t the first time Terry Reid found himself with the opportunity to join bands, including Deep Purple and the Spencer Davis Group.

“I suppose I didn’t really want to be part of a band,” he says. “The only time I really considered it was with Jeff Beck. He had a sensitivity that was totally different [from] any other guitar player. But he was always going down his own path, too, so it never happened.”

“I’ve lived my life the way I wanted,” Reid concludes. “Running around, chasing your tail, chasing after this, chasing after that, it’ll do one of two things: it’ll either drive you crazy, or it’ll get you in a whole load of trouble.”

The post “I suppose I didn’t really want to be in a band”: The late Terry Reid explains why he turned down Jimmy Page’s offer to front Led Zeppelin in final interview – but reveals the other guitar icon he nearly said yes to appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

When Van Halen burst onto the hard rock scene in the late ‘70s, they didn’t just make an impression, they shook the established order. For Aerosmith guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, their first encounter with the band was a mix of annoyance and awe.

In a recent interview with Rick Beato, the pair open up about their initial reactions to the group that would go on to redefine rock guitar.

• READ MORE: “I don’t think I would have ever been able to live it down”: Wolfgang Van Halen on why he was worried playing his father’s songs could have “ruined my life”

Perry, in particular, admits he was initially baffled by Eddie Van Halen’s approach: “Well, first of all, it was kind of annoying,” he says [via Ultimate Guitar]. “It’s like, we didn’t know what he was doing. I mean, we knew a little bit about it. I remember Bill Lawrence used to do the tapping, when he’d sit and write… But it was like, damn… like the equivalent of Jeff Beck; somebody who was just kind of out of reach.”

But what frustrated him at first soon turned into admiration. “I mean, the more and more I listened to his stuff, it just blew my mind, because it’s so tasty. There was nothing schlocky ever in it.”

Whitford adds that Van Halen’s relentless work ethic and tight chemistry set them apart from their peers: “And the power, like when I read Alex’s [Van Halen] book – you read that, and then get an understanding how, day in and day out, they would get up in the morning, and go play together till midday, every day,” he explains.

“And then, you listen to these records, and you hear the lock that those two guys had, and the power that they had. It was like, ‘Whoa, that’s one of the most powerful bands I’ve ever heard.’”

For Perry, it wasn’t just the playing – it was the way Van Halen completely reimagined the hard rock formula.

“On that first record… When I heard that, it was like, they used a lot of the old tricks that we all kind of did and left behind. They took it, and turned it up to 11,” says the guitarist. “And that first album was fucking stunning… I remember, when they were playing clubs, that [Eddie] would turn around and do shit so people couldn’t see what he was doing. And, God, if people could see it, I don’t think they could do it anyway.”

Watch the full interview below.

The post “They used a lot of the old tricks that we all kind of did”: Aerosmith recall being ‘annoyed’ by Van Halen at first appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Looking for a guitar that’s as at home on the road as it is on stage? Cort Guitars’ Earth GO combines traditional acoustic craftsmanship with intelligent, performance-focused features, delivering a portable, versatile instrument without compromising the tone musicians love.

Perfect for players seeking portability, creativity, and a modern edge, the Earth GO keeps the familiar feel of an acoustic guitar while adding a suite of smart tools for practice, recording, and live performance.

• READ MORE: Gibson collaborates with Loog for child-friendly range of Les Paul and SG guitars

The Earth GO sports a 3/4 size mini dreadnought body, making it ideal for travel, casual playing, or players with smaller hands. Its solid Sitka spruce top delivers clarity and responsiveness, while mahogany back and sides deliver warmth and depth. According to Cort, this classic tonewood pairing ensures a balanced and resonant acoustic voice.

The guitar’s mahogany neck features a comfortable “C” profile and a 22.8” (578mm) scale length, complete with a laurel fingerboard with 6mm white dot inlays and a 15.75” radius. With a PPS nut (43mm wide) and 19 frets, the guitar offers accurate intonation and a natural playing feel.

At the core of the Earth GO is the HyVibe H2 smart system, which turns the guitar into a mini performance hub. Built-in effects – reverb, chorus, delay, tremolo, octaver, phaser, and distortion – eliminate the need for external pedals. Players can stream backing tracks via Bluetooth, loop melodies, tune up with the onboard tuner, or keep time using the integrated metronome. Whether practicing at home or performing live, these intuitive tools offer unmatched creative freedom.

In terms of hardware, we’ve got die-cast tuning machines with black knobs, a dual-acting truss rod for easy neck adjustments, and a laurel bridge with a PPS saddle. The guitar also comes factory-equipped with coated strings for durability and playability, and each instrument includes a gig bag for added portability.

Available in Open Pore and Open Pore Brown Burst finishes, the Cort Earth GO can be picked from Thomann for $431 / £382.

Learn more at Cort Guitars.

The post Cort’s Earth GO packs traditional acoustic craftsmanship and modern smart tools – including looping, effects, and Bluetooth – into a compact travel guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Johnny Marr versus Morrissey is one thing, but Johnny Marr versus UPS? That’s a whole different headache.

Days before kicking off a short run of East Coast shows, the Smiths guitarist claims that UPS has misplaced several of his touring guitars – including at least one Fender and one Gibson.

• READ MORE: Johnny Marr reveals that he turned down an “eye-watering amount of money” for a Smiths reunion – despite Morrissey agreeing to it

Marr aired his frustrations on X, saying his gear vanished more than a week ago. “Dear UPS where are my guitars? They disappeared a week ago. I’m hearing from you now that they’ve been lost. Explain,” he writes.

Though what really set him off was the courier’s request for a description of the instruments.

“Asking me to describe what my guitars look like is not filling me with confidence,” Marr quips. “They look exactly like the ones you put in one of your delivery vans days ago. Remember?”

And just in case anyone at UPS needed more detail, Marr helpfully adds: “Look for one that says ‘80’s Icon’ on the case and another one that says ‘Woke As Fuck’”

The guitarist – whose devotion to six-strings even earned its own photo book, Marr’s Guitars (2023) – didn’t hold back on hashtags either, tagging Fender and Gibson along with a blunt #fuckUPSinc and #freemyguitars.

UPS is reportedly investigating the case, though as of writing there’s no sign of Marr’s missing gear. With his tour dates looming, here’s hoping those cases turn up sooner rather than later.

Check out his tweets below.

Dear @UPS where are my guitars ? They disappeared a week ago. I’m hearing from you now that they’ve been lost. Explain @fender @gibson #fuckUPSinc #freemyguitars

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) September 17, 2025

Ring Ring @UPS #freemyguitars #fuckUPSinc

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) September 17, 2025

Knock Knock @UPS #freemyguitars #fuckUPSinc

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) September 17, 2025

Bang Bang Bang @UPS. Asking me to describe what my guitars look like is not filling me with confidence. They look exactly like the ones you put in one of your a delivery vans days ago. Remember ? #fuckUPSinc #freemyguitars

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) September 17, 2025

Look for one that says ‘80’s Icon’ on the case and another one that says ‘Woke As Fuck’ @UPS

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) September 17, 2025

The post “Dear UPS, where are my guitars?”: Johnny Marr slams UPS over “lost” guitars ahead of tour appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

San Francisco phenom Wisp (Natalie Lu) has mastered an unexpected musical hybrid: shoegaze meets nu-metal. Think rage, fury and catharsis meeting dreamy, luscious layers of fuzz, echo and woozy synths. If that tagline doesn’t land her on your must-listen, then perhaps Deftones’ advocacy will. The band chose Wisp to open their tour, and they’re not the only ones. Korn, System of a Down, and Avenged Sevenfold have all booked her for support. Lu will hit the touring route with all new material.

• READ MORE: Billianne on viral success, battling imposter syndrome and her years-in-the-making debut album

Back in August, Lu released her debut album If Not Winter. Only two years’ earlier, the viral popularity of her single Your Face attracted Interscope Records (the Universal-owned label has an eclectic mix of artists, also boasting BLACKPINK, 2hollis, Jennie Kim, Rema and Kendrick Lamar). Your Face was a hypnotic beast, showcasing Wisp’s breathy, ethereal vocals with the expertise of post-punk producer grayskies (aka Vinicius Masashi Honda Takada). Far from a love song, Your Face is the ultimate “it’s not you, it’s me” track, as Lu laments that she just can’t reciprocate the sort of desire and commitment promised by a lover. But, it’s more than that. The song, in its immense torrent of sound and emotion, captures that sense of emptiness and impotence that is almost universal in our geopolitical fuckstorm of disaster. As much as we want to feel compelled, vulnerable, in love with this world, there’s a void between what we want to feel and what we actually do.

Lu has built her own world, perhaps as a safer space to live out her feelings. Perhaps, as might befit a former computer science student, it’s a fantasy of swords, serpents, swans and mythical objects. It’s evidently chiming with a ready intergenerational audience too, with Coachella and Bonnaroo adding her to their lineups.

Moving Out And Moving On

When Lu appears on video call from her home in Los Angeles, she’s in the midst of packing, which she assures Guitar.com is fun. She’s lived in the City of Angels since January 2024, the first time she’s lived alone.

Now that If Not Winter is out in the world, Lu says, “It’s a really surreal feeling, and I think that it’s definitely difficult to grasp all of the emotions that come with releasing a project that means so much to me. The night it came out, I was just very overwhelmed, but so filled with gratitude and love. And, I felt very accomplished because I’ve been working on this album for almost two years now, and I put so much of myself into it. So finally having it out, and for it to be not just my album, but everyone else’s, it just feels amazing.”

For an album so lush and layered, it might surprise listeners to learn that most of the sound is live instrumentation. Lu played guitar alongside her studio and live guitarist Max Epstein.

“I would say 85 percent of the album is live instruments, and the rest, 15 percent, are just synths that we put in MIDI and digitally. But all of the guitars, the drums, bass, all of that is live, real instruments,” says Lu.

Learning to shred was a natural progression from violin, she explains.

“I grew up playing violin, and I think that a lot of the music theory from violin helped transition me into playing guitar. So, I started playing guitar when I was around 15 years old. I kind of played piano too, but I’m not the best at it, so I don’t really like to say that I actually played piano. I picked up bass when I was around 16 or 17 years old. I guess bass and guitar kind of go hand-in-hand in some aspects. But on the album, I mainly just played guitar.”

A Rotating Cast

As befits an artist who is so comfortable criss-crossing the genre lines, her gear was equally diverse.

“On the album, there was a mix of different guitars just because I was at different studios all of the time, but I used a Strat on some of the songs,” she reveals. “I used a Les Paul Goldtop on some songs, and during my live sets, I love using Jags and my Harmony guitar. So those will make it onto the album, sometimes as well.”

Lu can’t recall which year the Goldtop was, but it was definitely vintage and definitely, she states, worth over $10,000. Owning one is a future dream for now, but Lu can trace her passion back to being a teenager with no such lofty ambitions.

“When I first started getting into guitar, I was really into bedroom pop at the time, and I was also into old rock music a lot too. So just watching YouTube videos of people in bands playing guitar. I was just so astonished and inspired, and also playing guitar is, at least to me, inherently a very cool thing to do. So obviously, growing up, I wanted to be a rock star, but I looked up to people like Elliot Smith, and I was also very into Oasis, Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix. Seeing these people shred and just be so good at their craft, it really inspired me to get into playing guitar.”

Lu played a Fender Vintera II 70s Jaguar on her first headline tour, but she’s moved on to what is her new favourite.

“I recently bought a new Jag” she enthuses. “The Johnny Marr Jag is the best guitar that I own, I love it so much. It feels amazing. I love that it’s short-scale. I was looking for an all-white guitar too, so it’s perfect. It has an interesting layout because the different pickup settings are so vastly different from each other. So, when I play it, I’m able to get a brighter tone. I’m able to get a more smooth, warm tone. And I like that the kill switches aren’t a traditional kill switch, and it doesn’t actually act as a kill switch, but it enhances the brightness on some of the pickups. The knobs are really sick too. I love the color of the neck, and it looks so nice along with the fact it plays so well and just feels great. It’s a very well-made guitar.”

Words And Picture

Lu’s taste in oddball guitars stretches to a non-standard attitude to lyrics too. Her songwriting process is all about an organic, unforced approach.

“I usually start with guitar, and [writing the] lyrics depends. I might think of them on the way to the studio and write them into my phone, but at other times I’ll write them after the guitar and bass are tracked and I’m feeling out the landscape of a song. As long as lyrics come to me naturally and I’m not taking more than 30 minutes to write them. The less time I have with them, the more raw and honest they sound.”

Lu points to Guide light as one of those raw moments. It’s a plea for a friend, or a lover, to reassure that they’ll still be there, even when we’re burnt out and the worst in us is on show.

“Who will guide me
when I can’t do this anymore?
(When I can’t do this, will you?)
Tell me something
is your love enough to live for?”

Lu says, “Guide light was the only song on the album that was recorded as a live band all playing together. and there are so many little fun elements added post-recording. You can really see my taste, and [producer] grayskies’. I was playing theremin, which is that really haunting sound you hear, and we also overlaid more guitar. That’s when I fell in love with the Les Paul Goldtop vintage, in that session.”

Just when Lu had locked in on her tracklist and was ready to hand in the final album, her team convinced her that one more song could round it out. Black Swan resulted.

“I thought the album was done,” Lu confesses. “My team and the people around me encouraged ‘one more song’. I said ‘absolutely not, I’m burnt out, I’m done’. Then I went into studio with [producer] Kraus, and we wrote this song I was unsure of in the beginning but after a couple of days, it was turning out really well. I sent it to Max, my guitarist, and he was like, ‘This is so good! This is the best Wisp song ever.’

The last minute addition, she says, “was exactly what the album needed. And I love working with Kraus. I think he’s one of the most talented people and producers that I know, so getting to have him on this project is very special. He produced Pandora, as well.”

Tone Deaf

Wisp is a magnet for the big names in talent – both in production and on tour. The upcoming tour with Deftones is looming.

Lu says, “Deftones have been a really big inspiration in my music. The little breath sound I do in Your Face is inspired by Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) because Chino [Moreno] does that in a couple of his songs. So, this is such an amazing opportunity, a full circle moment, to tour with people I look up to. Obviously, it’s such a big deal to me.”

It’s also an opportunity to get past her shyness and speak to the Deftones frontman.

“I saw Chino at a festival we played a few weeks ago, but the band and I were too quiet to say hi to him even sitting at the same table.”

Lu recognises that as amazing as this opportunity is, it doesn’t come without some haters. Her role representing women singer-songwriters in shoegaze, and alt-rock in general, is one she really cares about.

“Going into music and making shoegaze, which is dominated by predominantly white men since the 90s, I’m putting myself out there and understanding that I will get some hate and backlash,” she says.

“Being a woman in this field in general is a daunting thing, but it’s necessary. When people like me, and other shoegaze and alt-rock bands, that’s important representation. Other girls have reached out to me and said it’s inspired them to get out there and make music on their own too, and I really attach myself to that. Growing up, I would have wanted to see more female-fronted rock and alt-rock bands. Sometimes people feel threatened and attribute success to how a woman looks. It’s a lot easier to be acknowledged for hard work and efforts when you’re a man in this industry.”

But Lu doesn’t back down. She’s developing a thick skin, an industry must-have.

“I’ve been getting a lot better at just blocking out all of the hate and reminding myself that people see me as out of the norm, and while some see that in a negative light, other people see it in a positive light, and are able to become inspired because there are so many other girls similar to me that that want to make music. It’s just a very special thing to be able to put myself out there and see how that affects other people.”

If Not Winter is out now on Interscope.

The post “Playing guitar is inherently a very cool thing to do” Wisp on leading the shoegaze revival with a sprinkling of nu metal thrown in appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Every band wants their music to be heard – but what if the attention gets a bit too intense? When Humble Pie’s 1969 single, Natural Born Bugie, peaked at number 4 in the UK charts, the rockers quickly grew tired of the screaming fans that began to attend their gigs.

In a new interview with Uncut, vocalist and lead guitarist Peter Frampton admits that he particularly hated the fangirls that Natural Born Bugie lured in. “It was a hit, so of course we had to play it on Top Of The Pops,” he recalls. “Steve Marriott [vocalist] really didn’t want to do it. He wasn’t thrilled. Of course, the first time we did it, as soon as we did our next gig we got screamed at.”

• READ MORE: “They were doing some fixing on their live record”: Peter Frampton claims Kiss borrowed his guitars to do overdubs on KISS Alive!

Prior to being in Humble Pie, Frampton and the late Marriott were keen to shake off a “popstar” image. Record labels weren’t treating them seriously, and Humble Pie was there way of gaining a bit of respect – however, when exposed to a mass of female fans on Top Of The Pops, the pair of singers were yet again treated like “pin-up” boys next door.

“I looked at Steve, Steve looked at me and we said, ‘They’re screaming?’” Frampton says. “That’s why we had formed Humble Pie, to get away from that! So that’s when we said, ‘Fuck England, let’s move to America.’”

But it wasn’t just the singers who noticed the screaming. Drummer and keyboardist Jerry Shirley chips in, adding: “We wanted to get away from the screamers. We even started our set with an acoustic section, so Peter was sat there with an acoustic guitar and all these girls were screaming at him. It was not normal.”

Frampton goes on to admit that Marriott hated the response so much that he wanted to cut Natural Born Bugie from the set entirely. “Steve didn’t want to play the single at concerts,” he explains. And, for a short while, the band would indeed leave the track out of their set.

However, Humble Pie have since learned to love the single once again. The track has even been remastered for a shiny re-release of the band’s 1969 debut, As Safe As Yesterday Is.

The remastering of As Safe As Yesterday is out now.

The post “We said, ‘F**k England, let’s move to America’”: Peter Frampton reveals that he left the UK because Humble Pie hated having screaming girls at their gigs appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Jackson’s iconic Rhoads blueprint – first conceived by both Ozzy Osbourne guitarist and legend Randy Rhoads and Jackson founder Grover Jackson – is “returning home to California”, as it makes its entry into the brand’s American Series lineup.

Two new models – the American Series Rhoads RR24 and RR24 HT – are built in Jackson’s Corona, California factory, which also produces Jackson’s most high-end instruments.

• READ MORE: Fender is making Road Worn guitars again – this time with the Vintera II line

Delivering “uncompromising quality and performance”, the American Series Rhoads features USA-made Seymour Duncan JB and ‘59 humbuckers for a “tight yet expressive” tone, a reverse six-in-line headstock, resonant alder body with “weapon-like” contours, and a 12”-16” compound radius ebony fingerboard with 24 jumbo stainless steel frets.

Specs are, for the most part, identical on each model, except – for the keen-eyed amongst you paying attention to naming conventions, the RR24 HT sports a Hipshot hardtail bridge “for rock-solid tuning stability”, while the RR24 is equipped with a recessed 1500 Series Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo system – perfect for those huge divebombs.

The addition of the RR24 and RR24 HT expands Jackson’s American Series beyond its existing Soloist and Virtuoso models.

“The American Series Rhoads was created to bring the legendary shape that metal guitarists have coveted for decades to a new generation,” says Jon Romanowski, VP of Product, Jackson. 

“Built in the US, this premium guitar is engineered for players who demand uncompromising metal tone and performance.”

The brand adds: “Rhoads’ pursuit of precise, architectural solos helped define the template for metal guitar playing that continues to influence generations of players. Embodying the authentic Rhoads DNA, this American-made guitar is engineered for shredding perfection.”

Granted the honour of being the first guitarists to take the new American Series Rhoads for a spin are metal virtuosos and Jackson artists Brandon Ellis and Jeff Loomis, formerly of the Black Dahlia Murder and Arch Enemy, respectively. Watch them tear it up in the video below:

“This axe embodies everything the Jackson name has always stood for to me,” says Brandon Ellis. “It’s built for metal and speed, and comes 100% tour-worthy right off of the shelf, with bulletproof American construction, high quality specs and hardware and contemporary upgrades. 

“The easily accessible spokewheel adjusted truss rod, push-in style tremolo bar, stainless steel Floyd Rose upgrades, glow in the dark side dots and locking tuners are all huge quality of life improvements for performing musicians like myself.”

“The American Series Rhoads is an amazing metal masterpiece!” adds Jeff Loomis. “Aggressive looks with killer playability all over the neck, this guitar really stands out. Partnering with Jackson again to showcase this guitar with Brandon Ellis was a total blast and unforgettable experience.”

The RR24 is available in Satin Black, Matte Army Drab and Snow White, while the RR24 HT comes in Satin Black and Snow White.

The RR24 and RR24 HT are priced at £2,249 and £2,199, respectively.

For more info, head to Jackson.

The post The iconic Rhoads is “returning home to California” as Jackson announces its addition to its American Series appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Living Colour’s Vernon Reid has revealed his ultimate guitar hero – and, unsurprisingly, it’s Jimi Hendrix.

In a new interview with Classic Rock, Reid asserts that nobody can surpass the genius of Hendrix. “There are many other heroic guitarists before him, but he went against all the odds and expectations,” he explains. “He took the living influence of Bob Dylan, and he turned that into a dragon in his hands.”

• READ MORE: “Did you guys make a mistake?”: MGK admits he’s baffled as to why Bob Dylan is a fan of his

Reid picks out Hendrix’s red-hot performance in 1967 at Monterey Festival as his case in point. The show saw him dousing a 1965 Fender Stratocaster in lighter fuel, with the blaze leading to Hendrix burning both his hands and being sent to hospital following the performance.

“When he burnt his guitar at Monterey, it was a crypto critique of capitalism,” Reid reflects. “What a guitar meant for everyone, he changed it. And he did it with incredible songs.”

It’s not the first time Reid has voiced his respect for Hendrix. Last November, Reid picked out Manic Depression from Hendrix and The Experience’s 1967 debut, Are You Experienced, as one example of Hendrix’s “incredible” catalogue.

“Manic Depression doesn’t get nearly enough respect for what a groundbreaking song it STILL is,” he wrote on X. “It describes struggles with mental illness directly, not via metaphor. It was unprecedented in rock history. It laid a roadmap for Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon to expand upon.”

He followed the post up with another shout out to another Are You Experienced cut, The Wind Cries Mary. “[It is one of] the greatest meditations on the nature of grief and loss ever written,” he reflected.

Reid’s upcoming record, Hoodoo Telemetry, is set to drop next month. The record promises to be an “eclectic” journey through his palette, with funk-infused The Haunting and the floating, gentle soulful touch of Beautiful Bastard serving as our first taste of what is yet to come.

Hoodoo Telemetry is due to drop on 3 October.

The post “He took the living influence of Bob Dylan, and he turned that into a dragon in his hands”: Vernon Reid on why Jimi Hendrix is unsurpassed as a guitar hero appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Last May, Greta Van Fleet’s Jake Kiszka announced his new side-project, Mirador. While the project allows Jake to expand upon his bluesy folk rock palette, it’s also his first opportunity to write with people that aren’t his brothers – and it’s been a breath of fresh air.

Despite cherishing the musical bond he shares with his Greta Van Fleet bandmates, brothers Josh and Sam Kiszka, Jake admits it’s an “exhilarating change” to collaborate with different people – particularly Ida Mae’s Chris Turpin. “I’d always written music with my brothers so there are all sorts of particular complexities in that, but I’ve never worked like this before,” he explains to Kerrang!. “And you know what? Chris can really write.”

• READ MORE: Five times the Hives were the best band in the world (according to the Hives)

“He’s the full package; he sings great, is a brilliant lyricist and a genius guitar player,” he continues. “Locking in, one-to-one, to write and record with an individual – I’d never done that before. There are many different parameters with Greta, so to do this with Chris was an exhilarating change.”

Alongside Turpin, the line-up is rounded off by drummer Mikey Sorbello and Nick Pini on bass and keys. Together, the foursome are churning out blues rock and infusing folk with an edge of rock ‘n’ roll. “It’s something we can come back to outside of our other bands, not just because we love it but because we genuinely want to grow,” Jake explains.

“It’s quite a nice change to occasionally not be in a band with my brothers – it’s different to be in a band of people that are just friends. Some people you choose to be with; others you are just stuck with… No, I’m kidding!”

That being said, Mirador have already been given a huge platform supporting Greta Van Fleet on a recent tour. So, in a way, Jake’s brothers have still been a massive help by believing in his new project. “We’d be on as the first band of three in an arena that might be 12,000-capacity,” Jake says. “The response was so overwhelming that by set two they seemed to be singing back 75 per cent of the songs. By our third show it was like they knew all the songs. It was unbelievable.”

This Friday, Mirador’s debut is set to drop. Fortune’s Fate and Feels Like Gold serve as the first taste of what the project has to offer – and it’s certainly got plenty of intricate licks to dig your teeth into. “It’s a positive time to be doing this,” Jake says. “Hundreds of thousands of young fans are pouring into rock’n’roll shows now. It’s a wonderful thing for us to be a part of this great time in history!”

Mirador’s self-titled debut is out 19 September.

The post “It’s quite a nice change to occasionally not be in a band with my brothers”: Greta Van Fleet’s Jake Kiszka on why he’s embarking on side project band Mirador appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

It wasn’t that long ago that home recording meant floors covered in effects pedals with a patchwork of cables leading from the bedroom into bathrooms and other nooks and crannies; turning our homes into impromptu recording studios and agonising over our cabinet mic placement.

That approach to home recording is by no means dead, but with the continued development of digital amp modellers and amp sim pedals, we no longer have to turn our homes upside down when we want to noodle and record with high-quality sounds.

While the digital package is more compact, it still comes with a learning curve. In this guide, I’m going to (hopefully) demystify the process of building a digital signal chain, highlighting the tools that are essential for playing and recording guitar at home.

What is a digital signal chain?

When we talk about ‘analogue’ guitar playing, the signal chain refers to the path your audio signal takes from guitar to amplifier and the effects it passes through along the way. There is no ‘right’ way to create a signal chain. My early ignorance on the subject created a Sigur Rós-esque distortion-soaked reverb effect that I adored, so it’s always worth experimenting.

When we talk about a digital signal chain, the principle is fundamentally the same, but rather than it being guitar > effects > amplifier it has multiple permutations such as:

• Guitar > floorboard/rack amp modeller / amp sim pedal > mixer/interface > DAW
• Guitar > floorboard/rack amp modeller > DAW
• Guitar > mixer / interface > audio plugins > DAW
• Guitar > amp sim / rehearsal pedal > FRFR cabinet/headphones

There are pros and cons to each of these permutations, not to mention varying cost implications and requirements for your home setup. In some cases, there’s no need for an audio interface/mixer but we’ll go into that later. Before we dive in, it’s important to establish the following:

What do you want to get out of your home setup?

Depending on where you’re at in your guitar journey and what drew you to the instrument will dictate what you need from a home setup. With that in mind, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the purpose of your home setup to play/practise, record or both?
• How much equipment do you have space for?
• What is your budget?

Now that you’ve asked yourself those questions, let’s look at the individual elements that make up a digital signal chain for playing and recording guitar at home, starting with amp modellers.

Amp modellers and multi-effects units

Here at Guitar.com, we’ve reviewed just about every major amp modeller out there. Back in 2021, the amp modeller that really changed the game, Neural DSP’s Quad Cortex, scored a 10/10 from us – and this was before Neural bolstered it with a series of QoL updates, new features and compact sequel. We’ve awarded similar glowing reviews to Kemper’s Profiler Stage, and in more recent years Fender’s Tone Master Pro and Boss’ GX-10.

Amp modellers are your one-stop shop and come equipped with countless digital amp sounds and effects, providing you with hundreds if not thousands of hours experimenting and refining your favourite tone combinations.

Thanks to USB connectivity, they can also function as your audio interface. This makes them an incredibly versatile addition to your home setup; providing you with everything you need to tinker, play, practise, rehearse, perform and record.

However, due to the serious punch these amp modellers pack, you could be looking at prices anywhere between £1,000 – £1,700 if buying brand new. In isolation it’s an eye-watering sum, but when you consider how far that budget would get you when buying amps, effects pedals and an interface; not to mention the amount of flexibility you’d have in tailoring your sound, the space required and the varying reliability of all those bits of equipment, it doesn’t take long before the value of the amp modellers starts to sink in.

It’s worth noting that a lot of these high-end amp modellers have released smaller and more budget-friendly iterations. Neural DSP’s Nano Cortex and Line6’s HX One are great examples of how to distill their predecessor’s DNA into a smaller and cheaper package. Speaking of smaller, cost-effective options, let’s turn our attention to amp sim pedals.

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Amp and cab sim pedals

I don’t know about you, but when I look at something like Kemper’s Profiler Head, I can imagine the sheer quantity of sounds it can produce in that moment. The idea that even a fraction of that power could fit into a stompbox blows my mind, but it’s very much a reality.

In our review of the Walrus Audio Mako Series MKII ACS1, our reviewer said “this is as good as digital amp and cab simulators get”. While Walrus Audio has definitely carved out a niche for itself in terms of quality, they occupy the space with a suite of top-performing competitors. Whether its Universal Audio’s UAFX extensive series of amp and cab simulator pedals, the much-loved Strymon Iridium or the phenomenally good value Boss’ IR-2, there’s oodles of quality to suit a range of budgets.

With a severely reduced footprint and price tag, it should be no surprise that you won’t have quite the same level of tools at your fingertips, though the ACS1 is no slouch on amps to choose from!

That’s not to say you’ll be feeling short-changed as the amount of options under the hood is nothing short of amazing, but do your due diligence in researching what’s out there so you get the perfect fit for your needs.

Amp and cab sim pedals sit at the end of your signal chain, meaning your existing collection of effects pedals will work in perfect harmony and allow you to further tinker in search of that desired sound. The presence of a headphone out is ideal for anyone that can’t practise at full volume and/or isn’t hooking this up to their computer.

While we’re on the topic of hooking this up to computers, it’s worth mentioning that unlike the aforementioned digital amp modellers, these pedals require an audio interface if you’re looking to record while using them. If you’re thinking about relative budgets, unless you’re choosing the premium pedal(s) and audio interface, you’re unlikely to be spending more than the cheapest amp modeller.

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Rehearsal pedals and FRFR amps

This is just a bonus point, but you may have reached this point in the article hoping for something simpler and begun asking:

• What do I do if I don’t want to run an amp sim pedal into my computer, but I also don’t want to practice over headphones?
• Is there a way I can practice with my current pedalboard through headphones without needing an amp sim pedal or amplifier?

If space and portability are important to you, then Headrush’s FRFR Go is hard to beat when it comes to practising without headphones. There are some great alternatives out there like the Fender FR-12, but the FRFR Go leads the pack on price and portability by a mile.

If headphones are the goal, Walrus Audio’s Canvas Rehearsal eliminates the need for an amplifier or amp sim pedal and slots neatly into the end of your pedalboard. You can play your guitar with all your effects in headphones, practise your rhythm with the in-built metronome and time signature functions, and play along to your favourite songs over Bluetooth.

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Audio interfaces and mixers

If you’re just looking to play and practise, or even if you’re planning on getting an amp modeller that can double as an audio interface, it may not be necessary to add another item to the shopping list.

If however, you’re after more control on your audio, hoping to record using an amp sim pedal, or you want to record other instruments such as drums, that’s where an audio interface or mixer becomes an integral component of your digital signal chain.

On the simpler, more budget-friendly end of the scale you’ll find the Audient iD4 and Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen interfaces; the latter now featuring stereo direct monitoring which is a big deal for those of you wanting to get the most from your stereo amp sims. What you lack in inputs, you gain in ease-of-use and price.

Universal Audio’s Apollo Twin X costs almost £800, but it boasts incredibly low latency for recording – which is invaluable when using amp sims – and comes bundled with some of UA’s stellar hardware plugin emulations, allowing for yet more sonic profiling.

There’s also the PreSonus Quantum HD 2, which can achieve around 3ms latency, comes kitted out with guitar-centric features developed with Fender amongst other pro features and costs 50% less than the Apollo Twin X.

Mixers start at a higher price point due to their increased number of inputs and greater functionality. That being said, Allen & Heath’s ZEDi 10FX, which comes in under £350 and sports some great sounding boutique preamps and the slightly more pricey but fully-featured Tascam Model 12 are well worth investigating if your home recording setup is likely to move beyond guitar alone.

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The post Multi-effects signal chains explained – everything you need to play and record direct appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Gibson’s been in the guitar making business for well over 100 years, but according to Luis Munoz, guitar tech to pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo, as well as The Smashing Pumpkins and Simple Plan, there’s one thing the brand keeps getting wrong with its guitar design.

In a new video posted on social media, Munoz showcases his process fixing a headstock which had become detached from the neck on a Gibson acoustic guitar, saying the angle of Gibson headstocks in relation to their necks renders them susceptible to breakage.

• READ MORE: Gibson collaborates with Loog for child-friendly range of Les Paul and SG guitars

“Unfortunately, Gibson will never change this,” he writes. “Gibson breaks headstocks so often because of their steep headstock angle, soft mahogany wood, and the thin, weakened area behind the nut (thanks to the truss rod cavity). When they fall, all the force hits that weak spot – so they snap.”

Luis Munoz isn’t the first industry voice to comment on Gibson’s angled headstocks having high potential to snap.

You don’t have to go far to find online forums with guitar players speaking of their experiences with snapped Gibson guitars. So what makes Gibson necks less structurally sound?

As Munoz notes, they feature a steep backward angle compared to the neck, and as Ultimate Guitar notes in this piece from 2023, are carved from a single piece of wood for improved resonance. 

This means when space is carved out behind the neck in the space between the headstock and neck, the integrity of the wood grain is compromised. Obviously, a guitar won’t snap on its own, but if a Gibson were to be dropped, for example, on this joint, the force could lead to a break.

But not everyone agrees with Luis Munoz’s assessment of Gibson’s headstock design. Responding in the comment section of his post, Mat Koehler – Gibson’s VP of product – says “there is enough disinformation in this post to fill a magazine…”

Meanwhile, another user notes that while the structure of Gibson headstock joints may be weaker compared to other designs, it’s ultimately careless owners who are the culprits for any breakages.

“So Gibson has been ‘wrong’ for 130 plus years? The key words you use are ‘when they fall’. I’ve owned dozens of Gibsons through the years and had exactly one headstock break, caused by a careless friend not putting my SG back on the guitar stand properly. Accidents happen, but blame careless owners, NOT the guitar.”

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While some Reddit users say broken Gibson headstocks are “common”, they also agree that it’s probably the carelessness of owners that ultimately causes such incidents.

“I have 3 Gibsons for 20 years-ish. Never broke any of them,” one user writes. “I believe the key is to not drop them. Hope this helps.”

The post Olivia Rodrigo guitar tech on the one thing Gibson keeps getting wrong with its guitar design – as Gibson’s Mat Koehler calls it “disinformation” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

$319/£429, fishman.com

For decades now, guitar players have chased the dream of truly wireless guitar playing. Especially in a live setting, the ability to be untethered from your amp and pedalboard and roam around the stage (and elsewhere) at your leisure. But there have often been compromises along the way – whether that’s impacting your sound quality, annoying latency issues, bulky and ungainly hardware or simply chewing through 9-volt batteries like an eight-year-old with a pack of gummy bears.

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I’ve owned my fair share of wireless systems over the years from a variety of different brands, and I’ve been plagued by all of these problems at one point or another – sometimes all at once! But unquestionably, things have become a lot more compelling in recent years, as advances in wireless audio technology have made the cable-free dream more affordable and, in theory, more consistent and reliable with it.

Into this world comes the AirLock Wireless GT – a brand new compact and pro-focused wireless unit from the kings of acoustic pickup making. Can it be the ultimate stage unit?

Fishman AirLock Wireless GT – what is it?

There was a time a wireless system involved a transmitter and a fairly bulky receiver that you’d have to find space for on your pedalboard or atop your guitar amp. The AirLock is part of a new generation that slims things down impressively – you have a transmitter that plugs into your guitar (or any instrument with a standard ¼-inch jack input) with a rotating angled jack to suit any socket, and a similarly sized transmitter that you plug in at the other end.

Both units are powered by a rechargeable battery via USB-C, and promise over nine hours of playing time. These batteries are fully replaceable should the capacity degrade over time as all lithium-ion batteries inevitably do, and Fishman sells a replacement pair to ensure you keep using the AirLock Wireless GT for years to come. The batteries are quick-charging too – they can offer up to two hours use after just a quick five-minute charge, which could prove extremely handy for any shows where you’ve forgotten to charge up the night before. You can also hook the receiver up to a standard 9V DC power supply if you’re putting it on your board, meaning that’s one less thing you’ll have to charge.

The key metrics for any wireless unit are range, latency and sound quality, and Fishman promises to have dealt with all three of these. On the range front, it offers an impressive 120 feet of ‘spin range’ – the range it’ll still work even without a line of sight between the transmitter and receiver. This means you won’t have to worry about getting an amp, a person or a drum riser between you and your guitar for it to still work consistently at long distances.

The 2.4gHz wireless band is one that is infamous for being a little temperamental in terms of interference and latency. But Fishman claims to have removed this having the AirLock constantly transmit over two channels at once to avoid dropouts, and will jump to any one of 40 channels in the 2.4gHz band if it detects any interference on the line.

It does this while still offering impressively low 3.3ms latency, and if you’re especially worried about being in a room with a LOT of wireless interference (perhaps you’re the house band at a wireless router conference?) there are three ‘interference’ settings that prioritise signal strength and consistency with the trade off of a little lost latency – even at the highest though it’s still a respectable 4.9ms, and chances are you won’t have to use it.

Tone-sucking (high-end frequency loss from your guitar signal) is another frequent accusation against wireless systems (though some guitarists, like Angus Young, actually like that!). But you probably know that your guitar cable, and especially the length of your cable, is also having an impact on your tone – the cable adds capacitance to your tone depending on how long it is, taking off a bit of the high-end while it does. It’s here that the AirLock does something really clever – the unit has three built-in analog capacitors, replicating the capacitance added by 5, 10 and 15-metre cables. Thus, if you happen to like the way that your favourite long cable colours your tone a bit, you can simply hit the switch on the unit and replicate organically within the unit itself.

The AirLock is portable and rugged, and even comes in its own EVA carrying case, which also stores all the important charging cables. While wireless units are usually preferred for live use, you can even use the AirLock as a direct recording interface – the USB-C port on the receiver does double-duty to enable you to plug straight into your laptop.

Fishman AirLock Wireless GT – in use

It’s never the easiest job to effectively review a wireless unit – generally the best sign that it’s doing its job properly is that you don’t actively notice it’s there. Even saying that, I was hugely impressed with how easy and seamless the AirLock Wireless GT is to set up, the brightness of the LEDs on board to reassure you that its connection is strong and stable, and how dependable it was even in a busy live environment.

With the appropriate cable length selected on the unit, I’m hugely impressed with how there was little to no real difference between my sound with a cable, and the 118dB of onboard dynamic range mean it handles electric and acoustic guitar just as well as bass tones – compared with other units I’ve tried, the fullness and depth of the tone (especially in the bass) is really impressive.

I didn’t suffer any drop-outs or latency issues while I tested it, and I never had to turn the interference switch above the ‘low’ setting that offered maximum latency. The battery life was around advertised, and keeping it charged up between gigs was a minimal hassle.

Fishman AirLock Wireless GT – should I buy one?

Fishman has had its proprietary wireless tech for a while – it’s been used in the TriplePlay MIDI controller – so it’s surprising that it’s taken so long for the brand to enter the wireless arena. But boy, am I glad they did.

Some people will always be wary and suspicious of wireless units – I understand where you’re coming from, but since I started using the AirLock I’ve not once had to pull my fall-back cables out of the gig bag.

From the simplicity of setup to the pro-focused cable-length and interference selectors, the AirLock actually makes going wireless fun, not frightening. I certainly didn’t have any of the standard issues that often plague these systems, and it’s comfortably the best wireless unit I’ve ever used. If you’ve ever wanted a reason to break free from the prison of an old-fashioned cable, this is it.

Fishman AirLock Wireless GT – should I buy one?

If your wireless needs are more focused on playing at home, the Positive Grid Spark LINK ($149/£129) is a very affordable and impressively simple bit of kit. Shure’s GLXD16+ ($599/£489) system is a lot more expensive and less user-friendly than the Fishman, but its dual-band system is trusted by some of the biggest pros around. Another home-focused affordable wireless is the Fender Telepath ($209/£155), which utilises the 5.8GHz band to avoid the crowded 2.5gHz band entirely.

The post Fishman AirLock Wireless GT review – “If you’ve ever wanted a reason to break free from the prison of an old-fashioned cable, this is it” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.