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“A bittersweet moment”: case maker Hiscox marks closure of UK factory after 40 years – but the brand will live on
2025 has been a bittersweet year for Hiscox Cases. After celebrating 40 years of craftsmanship, the company’s UK factory has been forced to close its doors.
While the news was shared in a statement back in May, yesterday marked the official end of Hiscox Cases’ UK production. “After 40 years of craftsmanship, care, and commitment, we want to thank every single member of our team – past and present – for helping build a brand trusted by musicians around the world,” the team shares in a Facebook post.
The farewell was complete with a photo of the team posing outside of the company’s Cannock factory. “While this chapter comes to a close, a new one begins,” the post notes.
Despite the unfortunate closure of its Staffordshire home, this wont be the end of Hiscox Cases. In fact, the post goes on to discuss RUF Technologies, a Polish brand that has acquired the company. “We’re working closely with RUF Technologies to ensure a smooth transition, and Hiscox Cases will soon be available once again — with the same dedication to quality that’s defined us for decades. Thank you for being part of our story. Here’s to what comes next.”
A bittersweet moment outside the Hiscox Cases factory on our final day of production in the UK.After 40 years of…
Posted by Hiscox Cases on Sunday, July 27, 2025
The acquisition has also been confirmed on the Hiscox Cases website. An announcement promises that production transfer will “guarantee the same brand, designs, quality and ongoing supply”, and Hiscox Cases Poland will resume shipping “popular models” throughout September, while “less-requested models will be produced to order” and will come in early 2026.
Hiscox Cases first announced that it would be shutting up shop back in May, before news of any acquisition was on the horizon. The news was shared in a statement on their website, noting that the “landscape for manufacturing here in the UK has become ever increasingly problematic since the COVID pandemic”.
“We have faced severe challenging issues with every aspect of the process from raw materials to shop floor staff availability to massively rising costs of production,” founder Brynn Hiscox said. “The compound issues are now so great we have regrettably reached the conclusion that it is no longer possible for us to remain a viable manufacturing business here in the UK.”
“As a luthier, all those years ago, I made my first guitar case specifically for my own use for my own guitars,” he reflected. “I never planned or even imagined that demand for my design would be so great that we have made more than 700,000 cases in the last 40 years. I suppose all good things eventually come to an end.”
“There is nothing more that I can say other than thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your business over the last 40 years.”
The post “A bittersweet moment”: case maker Hiscox marks closure of UK factory after 40 years – but the brand will live on appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Long Journey Home — A Century After The 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention
Press Release
Source: Hello Wendy PR
In 2012 John McCutcheon released an album honoring Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday. In 2015 he released an album in memory of the 100th anniversary of labor songwriter Joe Hill’s execution by the state of Utah. Then in 2019 he honored Pete Seeger’s 100th birthday by gathering a boatload of his music friends and putting new twists on Seeger classics. These recordings were interspersed with albums of songs from his own prolific catalogue. So, it should come as no surprise that this year John McCutcheon has mounted another centenary project, this one remembering an iconic fiddle contest in the small Appalachian town of Mountain City, TN.
“I was introduced to Mountain City as an 18-year-old, thanks to a Folkways recording, Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley’s. I was a fledgling banjo player and this sounded like the kind of music I wanted to play.” He traveled South a couple of years later, fell in love with the region, and never left. But it took him nearly forty-five more years to finally get to Mountain City. “My wife, children’s author and storyteller, Carmen Agra Deedy had been there and planted the seed for an Arts Center in the town. She brought me there to do a benefit to raise money for the Center. It was love at first sight and I’ve been back there many times since.”
The 1925 convention brought together some of the most prominent country musicians of the time. The nascent recording industry stumbled on to old-time fiddling when Fiddlin’ John Carson surprisingly sold a million 78’s in 1923. The recording companies and radio stations signed up fiddlers by the dozens. And many of them showed up in early May of 1925 to compete for a $10 gold piece.
“There’s a famous photograph taken that day that almost every fiddler knows,” McCutcheon said. “It was like the Woodstock of early county music. Seems like everyone was there: Carson, Clarence Ashley, GB Grayson, the Fiddlin’ Powers Family, Uncle Am Stuart, the Hill Billies, Charlie Bowman, Dud Vance, and more. There’s a giant mural of that photograph on the side of the Arts Center.”
It wasn’t difficult to enlist the many talents that agreed to participate. Stuart Duncan was the first ask. Then Tim O’Brien came on board. Old Crow Medicine Show not only signed on but offered their studio to record many of the tracks. IBMA Fiddler of the Year Becky Buller, blues man Sparky Rucker, guitar phenom Molly Tuttle, Jake Blount, and Bruce Molsky lined up. The wild banjo duet, Tray Wellington & Victor Furtado and Mountain City native Kody Norris offered their music. And Cathy & Marcy’s Old Time Coalition and the Earl White String Band rounded out the lineup. Finaly, McCutcheon added the piece of music that first captured his attention decades ago, Clarence Ashley’s Cuckoo.
What’s unique about this recording is that, like his other centenary projects, this one is anything but a museum piece. Each cut offers an exciting new interpretation of music made famous by those musical ancestors of a century ago.
Click here to view the embedded video.
“An inconvenient truth about the 1925 convention is that is was co-sponsored, in part, by the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. That famous photograph contained no Black or female fiddlers,” McCutcheon observed. “But this collection shows just how much things…everything!…have changed. Here we have nearly equal numbers of men and women featured. Black and white musicians playing together. This is a picture of the old-time and bluegrass music community today. Song titles are changed, lyrics are rewritten, and some songs are simply excised from the repertoire because they are outdated, offensive, or just plain wrong. This is what happens in culture. It grows and changes, evolves and resurrects.”
So, this is a project about continuity and change. It honors the past, but lives and breathes today.
And this is also a project about tomorrow. All the musicians agreed that any profits generated by this recording would benefit the Arts Center in Mountain City, celebrating their past while building their future.
Says McCutcheon, “It’s astonishing to me that stumbling upon an obscure recording as a teenager would come full circle over fifty years later. It was the joy and the camaraderie of that album that drew me in. Bringing all these musicians together, celebrating the mastery that each of them brings, was another unexpected joy. Who knows what comes next?”
“Now there’s a ‘female’ category because it makes it easier for the world to accept”: Lita Ford on the labels put on women who play guitar
Lita Ford has looked back on the “battle” to be able to play guitar as a young girl, sharing how people would say it was something girls just didn’t do.
Not letting the ignorance dim her spark, she used such comments to spur her determination, and it certainly paid off – her time in The Runaways is an important part of music history, which inspired other women to start up bands too.
Despite all the time that has passed since The Runaways formed, Ford feels the ‘female guitar’ label has only come about in modern times, showing how sexism continues to rear its ugly head within our community.
Speaking to WKBN 21, she reflects [via Ultimate Guitar], “Growing up in The Runaways, I just wanted to play guitar. It’s really all I was focusing on. And people would always say to me, ‘No, girls don’t play guitar.’ And I would think, ‘Oh, they don’t? Okay. Well, I do…’ People say that to you, and it just makes you want to do it more.”
She adds, “It was a fight, it was a battle. Growing up in The Runaways’ days, 16-17-year-old girls, nobody knew what to make of us. But the truth is, we were a bit before our time, but we were badass, and we were a team.
“We were a great band, and we left our mark in rock ‘n’ roll history. So maybe they were wrong, and you just gotta do what you got to do sometimes. So I’m happy to have come full circle now, and to still be playing rock ‘n’ roll and still be doing what I’m doing. I love it.”
Of the ‘female guitarist’ label, Ford continues, “People had to start putting you in the female category. ‘Oh, she’s a female guitar player,’ and ‘she’s good for a female.’ When did that category start? I don’t know that it really ever existed back in The Runaways’ days.
“We were punk rock and that was it, but now there’s a female category because it makes it easier, I think, for the world to accept the fact that you are liking a girl or a female guitar player. We had to go through all that, play their games, and I was just happy to be in a category.”
She concludes, “I don’t really care. Whatever category you want to put me in, just put me in a category, because at least I’m in there somewhere, somehow. So you know, what are you going to do?”
Lita Ford is currently on the road – she plays at Wacken Open Air festival on 30 July. You can get tickets to see her via her official website.
The post “Now there’s a ‘female’ category because it makes it easier for the world to accept”: Lita Ford on the labels put on women who play guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“This, ladies and gentlemen, is Dimebag’s number one guitar”: Dimebag Darrell’s Dean From Hell guitar makes a surprise comeback with Pantera
“I became obsessed with the idea and decided to reach out. I framed it like: ‘Would you be open to this if I worked on a prototype?’” How two of the pedal world’s most groundbreaking firms joined forces to make the ultimate overdrive
“Should anybody be remotely interested”: Noel Gallagher reveals his Oasis reunion tour pedalboard in classic nonchalant fashion – and yes, Noel, we are interested
Noel Gallagher has gifted Oasis fans and gear-heads alike with a fabulous reunion gift: a full look at his touring rig.
In a post shared to his social media pages nonchalantly captioned, “Should anybody be interested…”, Gallagher has provided photos of his complete pedalboard and amp set up for the band’s ongoing gigs. The Britpop legends are currently still playing shows throughout the UK after kicking off the trek in Cardiff on 4 July.
Pedal-wise, Gallagher’s set up features some everyday staples that many of us have come across or have within our arsenal, including the humble TC Electronic Polytune, the well-loved Dunlop Cry Baby, and even a couple of Boss classics too.
We’ll dive into the details a little further on, but we’ve listed each pedal here below. Though the image isn’t the best quality when zooming in for the finer details, and some pedals are slightly covered with tape, this is what we can see The Chief has on his board (from left-to-right):
- ZVEX Lo-Fi Loop Junky (x3)
- Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb / Delay
- Empress Effects Echosystem
- SIB! Echodrive
- Strymon El Capistan
- TC Electronic Polytune 3
- Boss Digital Delay (number is not clear, potentially his beloved DD-3)
- Pete Cornish SS2
- Strymon Timeline
- BSM Finest Treble Booster Model OR
- Keeley Compressor Plus
- Kingsley Page Tube Boost
- Dunlop Cry Baby Mini
Aside from the ol’ reliables of the board, Gallagher does have some pretty cool boutique and rare units too. The BSM Treble Booster catches our eye, as this one is no longer being produced. It’s based on a Colorsound Power Boost used by David Gilmour in Pink Floyd, but Bernd C. Meiser of BSM sadly passed away in 2024, and the company has closed down since his death.
Elsewhere on the board is the SIB! Echodrive – this blue machine is very hard to come by, and Gallagher particularly appreciates this unit for its 12AX7 vacuum tube.
There’s also the Pete Cornish Soft Sustain 2 which he uses for solos, and this one actually belonged to Paul Stacey, as Gallagher documented in an episode of That Pedal Show back in 2023.
The three ZVEX loopers are assigned to tracks D’You Know What I Mean?, Champagne Supernova, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Star / Bring It On Down. As for his amp photo, this features what looks like two Marshall Studio Vintage combos, and a pair of Hiwatt Custom 50s, which we know were custom-made for Noel and Gem Archer by the Hiwatt Custom Shop.
To find out more about the Live ‘25 reunion shows, head over to the official Oasis website.
The post “Should anybody be remotely interested”: Noel Gallagher reveals his Oasis reunion tour pedalboard in classic nonchalant fashion – and yes, Noel, we are interested appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“Not everybody gets invited to every party”: Megadeth bassist explains why they were the only Big Four thrash band not to play Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s final concert
While Black Sabbath’s mighty farewell gig saw countless iconic acts taking to the stage, Back To The Beginning didn’t quite manage to secure the Big Four. Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax all made it down to Birmingham on 5 July, but Megadeth were nowhere to be seen.
While fans probably assumed Megadeth’s absence was down to a scheduling conflict – much like Wolfgang Van Halen, who was unfortunately unable to attend – bassist James LoMenzo has revealed the real reason the Big Four remained incomplete. “I’m going to let the cat out of the bag,” he tells Burrn! Magazine. “The truth of the matter is, I don’t believe that anybody asked us, which was fine.”
While LoMenzo extends a rather gracious “not everybody gets invited to every party”, he also admits that Megadeth made every effort to get involved. “When we were in Europe last week, David [Mustaine] said that he was reaching out to everybody and telling them that we were in the neighbourhood,” he says. “We were close enough to come.”
“If they wanted us to, we could stay over for a few days and work it out,” he continues. “I don’t know what our manager had accomplished with that, but it didn’t get accomplished, so we just came home.”
Despite the thrash metal legends failing to attend Back To The Beginning, the show will undeniably go down in metal history. Not only did it see Ozzy Osbourne reuniting with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, it also saw the likes of Gojira, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Tool and so many other iconic acts. There were even a few curveballs – hell, even Yungblud showed up!
The show made nearly $200 million for charity, and will be immortalised in an upcoming documentary. Currently in production by Mercury Studios, the film will commemorate Back To The Beginning and is described as “a love letter to Ozzy and the pioneering sound of Black Sabbath”.
“The theatrical release will be a distilled version of the epic all-day event held at Villa Park,” it added [via Variety]. “Featuring thunderous performances of War Pigs, Iron Man, Children of the Grave and a show-stopping Paranoid, the film promises a deeply personal and electrifying farewell from the godfather of heavy metal with exclusive behind-the-scenes access and interviews from this iconic live performance.”
The film will also help immortalise Ozzy Osbourne, who sadly passed away on 22 July. News of Ozzy’s passing was shared by his family. “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” an Instagram post said. “He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
There is currently a petition doing the rounds to rename Birmingham International Airport to Ozzy Osbourne International in the Prince of Darkness’s memory.
The post “Not everybody gets invited to every party”: Megadeth bassist explains why they were the only Big Four thrash band not to play Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s final concert appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“One guitar that got used a lot was an ex-Keith Richards 1956 TV Yellow Junior… we were drowning in amazing gear”: Wrecking old tube amps, thrashing vintage Fenders, Chris Buck is taking no prisoners as Cardinal Black return
“Nearly impossible to produce a bad tone”: Xotic AC Booster V2 review
“My guy redesigned it into a medieval weapon: he did the blood splatter, drilled spikes on the side, and added three stripes because we wear Adidas all the time”: Slaughter To Prevail’s electric guitars are as savage as their deathcore breakdowns
Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster review: “this is a wonderful all-round gigging machine”
$629/£569, fender.com
Amid the furore surrounding Fender’s Indonesian-made Standard Series launch back in January, the inclusion of a pair of $600 Acoustasonics in the range somewhat got lost, but as our review of the Acoustasonic Standard Telecaster demonstrated, this most accessible route to hybrid acoustic-electric oddness is perhaps its most compelling yet.
Of course, many of us will remember Fender’s earlier attempts at electric-shaped inexpensive acoustic guitars – the spectre of the Telecoustic and Stratocoustic weighs heavily on the silhouette of the new Acoustasonic versions in some eyes. The Jazzmaster, however, carries no such baggage, and perhaps that’s why people don’t seem so reflexively put off by it in Acoustasonic form. So can this new more affordable version bring more players into the fold?
Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster. Image: Jason Mays
Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster – what is it?
Like the rest of the Standard series – including the Acoustasonic Telecaster – this Jazzmaster is crafted in Indonesia by Cor-Tek. Cor-Tek is the brand behind Cort of course, but also produces instruments for various big brands in Asia, most notably PRS’s sensational SE line.
As with the Mexico-made Player version, the Standard does away with the onboard rechargeable battery of the US-made original for a classic nine-volter. It’s worse for the environment perhaps, but certainly more reassuring in a live scenario – if your battery dies you can just swap it and the gig doesn’t have to end.
Like the Telecaster model, the Standard series swaps the mahogany body wood for common substitute nyatoh, while the top is spruce. Here it’s finished in a fetching matt black, but it’s also available in Natural or Honey Burst.
A more notable omission from the Standard is the Fender/Fishman-designed Acoustic Engine – there’s no modelling mixing mic’d acoustic ‘images’ with the piezo pickup signal here, in its place is a single tone knob that blends the sound of the Shawbucker magnetic pickup with the under-saddle Fishman transducer.
Without a doubt this is a more straightforward experience than the more expensive options with their myriad options for blending electric and acoustic sounds – but does it cut things too far? Let’s find out.
Image: Jason Mays
Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster – playability and sounds
I’ll admit, ever since the first Acoustasonic Telecaster was first introduced in 2019, I’ve always felt kind of “meh” about the concept – especially in its American guise. Sure, it’s an interesting concept that blurs the line between acoustic and electric in ways that undeniably appeal – but who’s spending $2,000 on a curiosity?
The Player version certainly helped that but was still over a grand, so the Standard version feels a lot more where I’d want this guitar to be – it’s still not Squier cheap of course, but it’s at a level now where I can see people taking a swing and seeing what the fuss is about.
Removing the guitar from its box (there’s no case supplied) and the organic, tactile, unvarnished wood nature of the thing that was so enjoyable about the more expensive Acoustasonics is present and correct.
In hand, the neck is a comfortable if generic Deep C with a 12” radius. That’s a real rosewood board on there too, and the finishing on the top of it is very good with no sharp fret edges and a smooth feel.
When you’re as familiar with the Jazzmaster as I am, you get used to knowing what it feels like when you strap one on – it led me to being pleasantly surprised about how light it is. The stripped-down electronics package may contribute to make this lighter than other Acoustasonics I’ve played and substantially less than a solidbody JM – I almost forgot I even had the guitar on at times.
Given that most people who buy this guitar are probably seeing it as a live tool that can be used to provide both electric and acoustic sounds into one rig, I tailored my review setup appropriately. This means pairing my trusty Strymon Iridium and with my Bose S1 Pro+ with the Iridium serving as a foot in the electric guitar world and the Bose (with some of the acoustic settings engaged in the S1 Pro’s ToneMatch feature) providing a more straightforward acoustic sound.
Image: Jason Mays
With the above in mind, it’s important at this point to consider the kind of rig you have to use with an Acoustasonic because of its piezo and magnetic pickups. The ability to switch between an amp modelling pedal and PA means you can get the best from the Shawbucker and piezo, respectively. You’ll achieve a warmer, fuller acoustic sound through an FRFR speaker while the humbucker will have more presence and cut through a guitar amp – or a modelled one.
The lines begin to blur more as you explore things with the tone control to mix the two pickups, but consider your needs. Units like the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, Fender Tone Master and Line 6 HX Stomp can prove to be great partners to the Acoustastonic for the live stage in this regard – allowing players to switch from an acoustic preamp to a tube amp model with the click of a footswitch.
When I set the tone knob right in the middle to get a balanced sound that didn’t veer too far into either extreme, I was pleasantly surprised by the way it does a very impressive job of reflecting both at the same time without feeling like you’re being short-changed. It’s a unique sound – bold and warm – that’s perfect for jazz enthusiasts looking to channel their inner Jack White.
The presence of just a dreaded under-saddle pickup on the acoustic side is always a bit of a red flag for any budget acoustic, but bypassing the Iridium’s guitar amp models and flipping the blend knob all the way to the Fishman pickup was another enjoyable surprise.
Lush and expansive, the Fishman pickup never sounds too shrill or sterile – whether you’re gently fingerpicking or smashing out some straight-ahead strumming, this is a perfectly credible and usable acoustic tone, especially in a live environment.
The electric side of things should, theoretically, be more straightforward – Tim Shaw knows how to design a pickup and the guitar’s physical dimensions are less impactful when playing through a magnetic pickup.
Sticking a Chase Bliss Brothers AM in front of the Iridium, it’s immediately apparent that this guitar has some very pleasing bite. Though it’s not an ‘electric’ pickup sound that you may be familiar with from traditional Fenders, the Shawbucker has a sense of classic humbucker depth and girth that’s a very appealing voice to switch to. Lead lines sound clear and easily cut through the mix, while chords ring out with just the right amount of grit and low-end presence without losing clarity.
While some of us might be happy to roll out the Acoustasonic for the odd song, the quality of both acoustic and electric sounds on tap here make it a credible option to be your main guitar for the whole set.
Image: Jason Mays
Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster – should I buy one?
While the previous Acoustasonic instruments have found their own audiences and user bases, there’s no doubt that the price of entry was a real sticking point for many – and you could argue that they might have been better off starting at this end of the price spectrum.
Because this is a correctly and carefully intentioned instrument that sets a new standard in terms of accessibility and usability in this best-of-both-worlds approach. It’s hard to think of many acoustic guitars that sound better than this plugged in at this price point, and certainly you won’t find an equivalent hybrid option doing the job either – it’s an impressive statement of intent for the Standard Series, and the best Acoustasonic to date.
At a hair over $600, it punches well above its tonal weight class and outperforms any acoustic/electric hybrid guitar this end of the market —not only showcasing one of the strongest offerings in the current Fender catalogue, but also making me even more excited about what Fender Indonesia might release next.
Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster – alternatives
There aren’t a lot of true hybrid guitar options at this price point, and what there they tend to be things like Ibanez’s TOD10n ($749/£659) – a thinline nylon-string crossover created for Polyphia man Tim Henson.
If you want both electric and acoustic sounds in a similarly electric-style package, then the PRS SE Hollowbody Standard Piezo ($1,529/£1,299) is more electric than acoustic, but it’ll do in a pinch. Finally, if the vibe of the Acoustasonic appeals but you don’t want the electric stuff, the Fender Highway Series Dreadnought ($999/£849) is an interesting take on the live acoustic recipe.
The post Fender Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster review: “this is a wonderful all-round gigging machine” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“Guitar saved my life… I need to do this for myself” Yvette Young is embracing her own power
Yvette Young will throw herself into the deep end – literally. You’ll see from the photoshoot for this Guitar.com Cover that the Californian guitar wizard was not shy about diving into a Los Angeles swimming pool, instrument in hand, so we could get the shot.
But that spirit of throwing caution to the wind and embracing new things also applies to her music career. You probably first witnessed Young through her head-spinning polyphonic tapping in the math-rock band Covet. Lately, she’s been trying other things.
Yvette Young is on the Guitar.com Cover. Image: Aubree Estrella for Guitar.com
The guitar on James Gunn’s new Superman movie soundtrack, including the wonderfully trippy, synthy guitar that lifts its version of that iconic John Williams theme into the stratosphere? That’s her – along with fellow guitarist Andrew Synowiec – but that’s not the half of it. At the tail end of last year, Young began releasing new music under her own name for the first time. As typified by latest single, Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind, it’s a far cry from what fans might have expected: it has vocals, and it’s a pop song… albeit one with some sick guitar work in it. It feels like a bold new direction.
“I like everything, y’know?” Young tells us from a sofa in her home and studio in the mountains outside LA, her rescue dog Bub happily curled up on her lap. “To play it safe is to find the one thing you’re good at and do that the rest of your life. But is that fulfilling? I don’t think so. I would like to explore my own potential as much as I can and try to find out how I can feel fulfilled.”
Image: Aubree Estrella for Guitar.com
And that means not constraining herself to one project, one genre, one anything. Whether it’s composing music for hit movies, video games or even an alarm clock – she’s just finished creating some ambient sounds for use by smart-sleep device maker Hatch.
This varied musical existence is “the key to not becoming cynical,” she reflects. “A lot of people end up at a point in their career where they’re like, ‘I know everything and I figured out everything’. But like, hell no. There’s always new music coming out, and so much to learn and consume and be inspired by. I just want to continue pushing myself to grow and find new sounds, to make myself uncomfortable and challenge myself.”
“I don’t want to be a background character in my own project anymore”
Comfort In Sound
Making yourself uncomfortable creatively is one thing: it’s another to experience that in a professional context. Fans of Covet will know that the trio’s lineup was overhauled in 2022, and that the band hasn’t released any new music since 2023’s pointedly titled Catharsis. The fact that Young is now releasing music as a solo artist doesn’t feel like an accident.
“I’ve had a really rough time with my band,” she admits wearily. “Just getting screwed over. I’ve encountered a lot of really bad situations with all that. So now I really want to carve out a work environment that feels safe and healthy.”
Image: Aubree Estrella for Guitar.com
Part of that involved her reframing her relationship with her artistry, and her band. “I was very shy about even calling myself a musician,” she reveals. “Recently I’ve been more comfortable embracing my own power and embracing that Covet is music that I wrote.”
To outsiders, Young may have always seemed the focal point of Covet, but she never wanted to view it that way.
“This is gonna sound weird, but I wanted it to appear like the illusion of a band,” she explains. “Because I was too shy to be like, ‘This is my project.’ I was very averse to being the frontwoman. I wanted it to be egalitarian. But I don’t want to be a background character in my own project anymore.”
Image: Aubree Estrella for Guitar.com
While she’s going to head out on a short west coast tour with Covet later this year, she’s also keen to defy the pigeonholes that technically exceptional guitar players can often find themselves in. “In this world, it’s so easy to be put in a niche,” she agrees. “And then everyone labels you as that. Like that’s the only thing you’re capable of doing. But I just want to keep on throwing people for loops.
“I want everyone to know that I can write pop songs, but I can also do all the guitar for a film… That’s why, I guess, I put this music out under my name. Because I’m trying to make people more aware that, hey, I’m not just tappy shredder girl!”
“No one’s going to translate the weirdo vision you have in your head better than you”
Surgical Precision
Her trajectory from classically trained violinist and pianist to “tappy shredder girl” and social media phenom is “crazy”, Young says now.
“I was a teacher, and I just made a bunch of technical tapping videos, because that’s the music that I was into at the time,” she recalls. “That’s just kind of how my ADHD brain works, you know? And they went viral.”
But that’s also a version of Yvette Young that’s over a decade old. “I’ve grown a lot. I’ve developed a lot. I’ve consumed a lot of music, I’ve played a bunch of music, and I think I’ve matured a lot as not only as a musician, but as a person.”
Making music of such remarkable technical precision creates its own pressures – one that Young realised was sapping the joy she gets from performing.
Image: Aubree Estrella for Guitar.com
“After touring so much, I do not enjoy sweating bullets, having to nail every little surgical run,” she admits. Smartphones, and the prospect that every gig might live forever online, heaped further pressure on to her, creating sky-high expectations she’s trying to sidestep with her new material.
“Am I the mirthful, hopping around on stage, happy person who’s making playing music look fun, expressive and happy? That’s how I want to be.”
Treating music as a quest for perfection can thoroughly damage the psyche. Young, who entered many classical competitions as a child, knows this better than most.
“The reason why I hated music when I was younger was because it was sold to me as a sport,” she insists. “I was constantly measuring myself up to other people. I think it leads to a lifetime of general unhappiness if you’re always examining yourself relative to other people. Music should be the antithesis of that. Music should be something that uplifts you.
Image: Aubree Estrella for Guitar.com
“I’m here to hammer home that it’s about having fun. It’s about self expression and exploring your identity. It’s about discovering your own voice and trying to carve your own path. And that is the most fulfilling, the most sustainable path you can take in this career.”
Young is at pains to emphasise she’s not ungrateful for the career that social media and fans of her more overtly technical stuff have helped her carve out – “I have what I have because people believed in me” – but she also wants them to respect her need to grow as an artist.
“I need people to know that guitar saved my life,” she explains. “When I was deeply depressed and struggling with mental health, it was the thing that I clung to – my life jacket during that time. So I need to do this for myself. I can’t listen to what people want me to do… I’m a people-pleaser in every aspect of my life, but music is the one thing that I’m like, I’m sorry. I’m not gonna take orders.”
“I’m here to hammer home that music is about having fun”
Where The Heart Is
To do things on her own terms required an uprooting of sorts. Young moved to the woods and with the help of her partner, Welsh musician Novo Amor, built a studio in the loft of her house. It’s a space full of soft light, pale wood and cool gear – and it came along at just the right moment.
“It’s been life-changing for me,” she enthuses. “Through years of experience going to studios now, I realised I am a very particular person. And because I write all the music and I have all these ideas… no one’s going to translate the weirdo vision you have in your head better than you.
“This is the most Californian shit I’ll ever say, but I really do absorb the energy of everyone around me. I’ve been in studios where someone’s grumpy or someone says something that’s kind of mean. People made me cry in studios just by being a bully or misogynistic. That is the least inspiring environment. I know sometimes people benefit from tough love. I don’t. I need a very welcoming environment where I don’t feel judged.”
Image: Aubree Estrella for Guitar.com
Having her own space has not only freed Young up to make the music she wants to, but to take on all kinds of projects, from her own solo material to the Superman recording.
“It’s crazy how life works,” she remarks. “All these jobs that I’m getting, I would not have been able to do in my bedroom. So the fact that I now have a studio, it’s almost like the universe was like, ‘Hell yeah, now you’re ready’. And they released the floodgates.”
And now that those floodgates have been thrown wide open, the natural question is to ask what’s next for Yvette Young. She’s sure about what isn’t – the “relic of the past” that is a typical album-and-tour release cycle – but otherwise, she’s staying open-minded.
“Life throws you surprises,” she says. “I just want to make music I’m excited about now and put that out while I’m excited about it, and then see what happens… I freaking love making things. It makes me feel whole. Maybe it’s dangerous to put my self-worth on that, but unfortunately, that’s just how I’m wired!”
Words: Josh Gardner
Photography: Aubree Estrella
Glam/Styling: Yvette Young
The post “Guitar saved my life… I need to do this for myself” Yvette Young is embracing her own power appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
"It was already broken, but now we’re seeing how broken and how evil it really is": Merpire on the rise of AI bands, and the recording of her new dream pop opus Milk Pool
IK Multimedia Announces Brown Sound Limited-edition Pedals and More
Three custom TONEX ONE pedals to accompany IK's exclusive three-part series of explosive tones, carefully researched and captured in multiple variations.
IK Multimedia announces the Brown Sound Anthology, which includes three limited-edition TONEX ONE pedals and two new Signature Collections for TONEX, completing the three-part series of legendary recorded guitar. Covering the Brown Sound's evolution across six groundbreaking albums in three TONEX Tone Model collections, the anthology fully captures an artist's tonal journey as he changed rock guitar forever.
A New Vocabulary for Guitar
Few artists had a greater impact on rock music in the late 1970s and early 1980s than the young Dutch-born guitarist who entered Sunset Sound Studios in 1978 to record what would become known as the Brown Sound. He inspired and influenced countless guitarists to expand their vocabulary and pursue that unique sound, none more serious than the man behind IK's Brown Sound Collection.
Pursuing Perfection
To create a comprehensive anthology of those historic tones, IK collaborated with Brown Sound tone guru Jim Gaustad. The result is 150 ultra-accurate Tone Models that feature both authentic recreations and thoughtful variations, representing different theories about how these legendary tracks were recorded. Every detail was explored, and no expense was spared, with no compromises made during production.
A Genre-defining Moment
Released in May to rave reviews, the initial series collection, Brown Sound 78/79, captures not only the gear but also the attitude, feel, and raw sonic essence of a genre-defining moment in rock history. By combining confirmed and rumored setups, including alternative speakers, these Tone Models offer exceptional accuracy and creative flexibility. This collection comes with every limited-edition TONEX ONE (a $/€99.99 software value).
The Dark and Moody Tones
Brown Sound 80/81 captures the darker swagger and heavier edge that marked a milestone in the guitarist's development. Carefully crafted to match the recorded tones of two albums, this collection features 50 detailed Tone Models, including amp-only captures. With everything from raw rhythm crunch to fiery lead tones, these models faithfully recreate a sound that continues to inspire generations and redefine what the guitar can be.
New Depth and Detail
Brown Sound 82/84 is the third and final installment of the series. This collection features 50 carefully crafted Tone Models, including amp-only captures. As the push for radio-ready hits grew stronger, the Brown Sound became tighter, more refined, and more polished without losing its iconic edge. Users will experience firsthand the evolution of the legendary guitarist's tone during this exciting period of increased studio precision and musical ambition.
TONEX ONE Limited Edition
Available in three colors, each limited-edition TONEX ONE comes pre-loaded with 20 carefully crafted presets using Tone Models from all three Brown Sound collections. Additionally, each pedal unlocks the Brown Sound 78/79 collection and a choice of one other Brown Sound Signature Collection (a $/€199.98 software value).
Collector's Limited Edition
Available in only 200 units, the Brown Sound Anthology box set includes all three pedals (white, red, and yellow) plus all three collections (78/79, 80/81, and 82/84), delivering the complete Brown Sound experience. From the raw energy of the early years to the refined power of later tones, every era is vividly brought to life in one versatile and exceptional bundle.
Pricing and Availability
The Brown Sound Anthology limited-edition TONEX ONE will ship in August and is available now for pre-order from IK authorized dealers worldwide, and through the IK Multimedia online store, along with the Collector's box set, and the new collections at special pre-order pricing as follows:
- TONEX ONE Brown Sound Limited Edition - $/€249.99* - Available in white, red, or yellow. Includes Brown Sound 78/79 and a choice of one other Brown Sound collection (a $/€199.98 software value). Existing Brown Sound 78/79 users will receive a $/€50 discount at the IK store.
- TONEX Brown Sound Anthology Collector's Limited Edition - $/€599.99 - Box set includes all three colors of TONEX ONE (white, red, and yellow) plus all three Brown Sound Signature Collections (78/79, 80/81, and 82/84). 200 units available worldwide.
- TONEX Brown Sound 78/79 - $/€99.99 - Includes 50 Tone Models.
- TONEX Brown Sound 80/81 - $/€79.99 pre-order (reg. $/€99.99) - Includes 50 Tone Models.
- TONEX Brown Sound 82/84 - $/€79.99 pre-order (reg. $/€99.99) - Includes 50 Tone Models.
For complete details and information about the Brown Sound Anthology collections and pedals, and to hear the tones, please visit:
IK Multimedia Announces Brown Sound Limited-edition Pedalsand More
Three custom TONEX ONE pedals to accompany IK's exclusive three-part series of explosive tones, carefully researched and captured in multiple variations.
IK Multimedia announces the Brown Sound Anthology, which includes three limited-edition TONEX ONE pedals and two new Signature Collections for TONEX, completing the three-part series of legendary recorded guitar. Covering the Brown Sound's evolution across six groundbreaking albums in three TONEX Tone Model collections, the anthology fully captures an artist's tonal journey as he changed rock guitar forever.
A New Vocabulary for Guitar
Few artists had a greater impact on rock music in the late 1970s and early 1980s than the young Dutch-born guitarist who entered Sunset Sound Studios in 1978 to record what would become known as the Brown Sound. He inspired and influenced countless guitarists to expand their vocabulary and pursue that unique sound, none more serious than the man behind IK's Brown Sound Collection.
Pursuing Perfection
To create a comprehensive anthology of those historic tones, IK collaborated with Brown Sound tone guru Jim Gaustad. The result is 150 ultra-accurate Tone Models that feature both authentic recreations and thoughtful variations, representing different theories about how these legendary tracks were recorded. Every detail was explored, and no expense was spared, with no compromises made during production.
A Genre-defining Moment
Released in May to rave reviews, the initial series collection, Brown Sound 78/79, captures not only the gear but also the attitude, feel, and raw sonic essence of a genre-defining moment in rock history. By combining confirmed and rumored setups, including alternative speakers, these Tone Models offer exceptional accuracy and creative flexibility. This collection comes with every limited-edition TONEX ONE (a $/€99.99 software value).
The Dark and Moody Tones
Brown Sound 80/81 captures the darker swagger and heavier edge that marked a milestone in the guitarist's development. Carefully crafted to match the recorded tones of two albums, this collection features 50 detailed Tone Models, including amp-only captures. With everything from raw rhythm crunch to fiery lead tones, these models faithfully recreate a sound that continues to inspire generations and redefine what the guitar can be.
New Depth and Detail
Brown Sound 82/84 is the third and final installment of the series. This collection features 50 carefully crafted Tone Models, including amp-only captures. As the push for radio-ready hits grew stronger, the Brown Sound became tighter, more refined, and more polished without losing its iconic edge. Users will experience firsthand the evolution of the legendary guitarist's tone during this exciting period of increased studio precision and musical ambition.
TONEX ONE Limited Edition
Available in three colors, each limited-edition TONEX ONE comes pre-loaded with 20 carefully crafted presets using Tone Models from all three Brown Sound collections. Additionally, each pedal unlocks the Brown Sound 78/79 collection and a choice of one other Brown Sound Signature Collection (a $/€199.98 software value).
Collector's Limited Edition
Available in only 200 units, the Brown Sound Anthology box set includes all three pedals (white, red, and yellow) plus all three collections (78/79, 80/81, and 82/84), delivering the complete Brown Sound experience. From the raw energy of the early years to the refined power of later tones, every era is vividly brought to life in one versatile and exceptional bundle.
Pricing and Availability
The Brown Sound Anthology limited-edition TONEX ONE will ship in August and is available now for pre-order from IK authorized dealers worldwide, and through the IK Multimedia online store, along with the Collector's box set, and the new collections at special pre-order pricing as follows:
- TONEX ONE Brown Sound Limited Edition - $/€249.99* - Available in white, red, or yellow. Includes Brown Sound 78/79 and a choice of one other Brown Sound collection (a $/€199.98 software value). Existing Brown Sound 78/79 users will receive a $/€50 discount at the IK store.
- TONEX Brown Sound Anthology Collector's Limited Edition - $/€599.99 - Box set includes all three colors of TONEX ONE (white, red, and yellow) plus all three Brown Sound Signature Collections (78/79, 80/81, and 82/84). 200 units available worldwide.
- TONEX Brown Sound 78/79 - $/€99.99 - Includes 50 Tone Models.
- TONEX Brown Sound 80/81 - $/€79.99 pre-order (reg. $/€99.99) - Includes 50 Tone Models.
- TONEX Brown Sound 82/84 - $/€79.99 pre-order (reg. $/€99.99) - Includes 50 Tone Models.
For complete details and information about the Brown Sound Anthology collections and pedals, and to hear the tones, please visit:
Bergantino Audio Systems Proudly Introduces the NV410T
Bergantino Audio Systems proudly introduces theNV410T, a limited-edition bass cabinet inspired by the iconic NV610T. Designed byfounder Jim Bergantino, the NV410T captures the sonic character of its predecessor ina more compact, stage-friendly, and portable format.
Jim Bergantino shares:
“The NV410T is the perfect cab for anyone who loves the NV610T tone but wantssomething smaller and lighter. It’s a win-win!”
Built with lightweight Italian poplar and a Baltic Birch baffle, the NV410T features fourcustom 10” ceramic woofers, an adjustable high-definition tweeter, and a customcrossover. Its sealed design delivers tight lows, smooth mids, and articulatehighs—ideal for both large venues and smaller stages.
A shallow 13” depth, top-mounted handle, tilt-back wheels, and protective glides ensureeasy transport. Available in Black Bronco or Black Cherry Tolex, this cabinet offersboth rugged performance and standout looks.
Key Specs:
• 1000W RMS @ 4 ohms
• 48Hz–12kHz frequency response
• 101.5dB sensitivity
• 79 lbs; 39.5”H x 18.5”W x 13”D
• MSRP: $1795
Pre-orders are now open at bergantino.com/nv410t-bass-guitar-speaker-cabinet/
Shipping begins August 2025. Supplies are limited.
Learning to Write Music: One Word That Changed Everything
As a young musician, I always knew I wanted to be a recording artist. I started to notice that my mentor, Laurence Cottle, was often leading his own bands more than playing sideman gigs. He was the best example of a bass player writing original music and fronting a band that I could’ve asked for.
There was just one tiny problem: 30 years ago, I had no idea how to write music. In fact, I didn’t even know where to begin learning composition or how to turn ideas into recordings or live performances.
Luckily, around 1994 or ’95, Laurence took me to a show at London’s Jazz Cafe. He was playing with Bandzilla, an all-star big band led by American arranger and producer Richard Niles. I had no clue that a 30-second introduction to Richard would turn into a second mentorship—one that eventually helped me move to the U.S. and become a full-time musician.
There’s something about the positivity of American musicians that always fascinated me, and Richard was, and still is, one of those people who loves to say yes. He’s endlessly curious about new talent and always enthusiastic about helping you succeed.
He wanted to hear me play, and I wanted to learn everything he knew—chord voicings, arranging, producing, orchestration, composing—all the knowledge that comes from working with artists like Paul McCartney, James Brown, Pat Metheny, and Depeche Mode.
Picture me at 16 or 17, knowing the heavyweight status of this guy, being invited into the studio to hang out and make music. I had to remind myself not to let my jaw hit the floor when the wildest stories were told. And he had all the keys to the castle: everything I craved to learn about how to put pen to paper, audio to tape, and people in seats at live shows.
But the one thing that stuck with me most from that time—and what I want to share with you—is Richard’s insistence on the importance of form.
Now imagine me, a total rookie, saying something like, “I can’t write music,” and Richard jumping in with: “Just take care of the form, and the rest will follow.”
He knew I had a couple of strengths, one of them being listening. I listened to music every second I wasn’t playing it. I wore out records. I chewed up cassette tapes from overuse. I never said no to something new.
That’s when Richard explained that I probably already had a solid grasp of melodic and harmonic ideas, simply from absorbing music so deeply. What I hadn’t paid enough attention to yet was form.
He had me name a random song I liked. I picked “The Chosen” from the Yellowjackets’ album Dreamland. The album had just come out, and I was listening to it every day.
He told me to transcribe the form—not the notes or chords, just the number of bars in each section. Then I had to label them: “Intro,” “A-Section,” “B-Section,” “Bridge”—just the bare bones of the structure.
And by doing that, a roadmap came into focus almost immediately.
I already had licks and lines I loved to play. I had chords I was obsessed with. I’d been fascinated by certain classical passages and often wondered how to incorporate them into my own music.
When Richard said, “Now you have somewhere to put all your ideas. Follow the form, and the song will start to make sense,” he was absolutely right.
Of course, it was rough at first. None of those early compositions ever made it onto an album. But by identifying the forms of songs I loved, I expanded my options. I started recognizing patterns. I began writing within those frameworks. I started to better understand form as a bassist too, which helped massively when gigging.
And over time, from that one simple idea, I created my own forms, my own compositions, and eventually, my own career as an artist.
I’ve included a song of mine for this piece. It’s in AAB form—but with an unusual bar structure: 7–7–15. I encourage you to steal that form and see what you can create. It might just be the start of your own journey into writing music.
“Impressive value for guitarists seeking rich clean/overdrive tones and timeless distortion tones”: PRS Archon Classic Head review
“If it felt like punk speed freaks, so much the better. Elvis never came up to us saying, ‘Suspicious Minds was too fast tonight’”: At the suggestion of guitar picker James Burton, Elvis set up an audition with an unlikely bass candidate – Jerry Scheff
“With Mammoth, I play an EVH prototype built by Chip Ellis at the Fender Custom Shop. Only 2 exist!” Bassist Ronnie Ficarro on taking Wolfgang Van Halen’s studio sound to the stage
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