Music is the universal language
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” - Luke 2:14
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Positive Grid Introduces Spark CAB 2
Recording Dojo: What Is Phantom Power?
There’s a little button on nearly every modern mixing console marked +48V. On a live sound desk, it may be tucked into the channel settings; on a small recording interface, it might be the only button besides gain and monitor controls. This is phantom power: a clever way to run a microphone’s electronics without a separate power cable. Its name may sound mysterious, but its engineering is beautifully practical.
Life Before +48V
Remember, there are many different types of microphones. But by far the three most common are ribbon, dynamic, and condenser. It is the latter of these that really drove the development of phantom power. As transistorized microphones arrived in the 1960s, designers found they could supply power over ordinary balanced microphone wiring. From there, through a process of simple evolution, the various designs and voltage schemes gradually coalesced into the +48V standard we know today.
Put simply, condenser microphones require electrical power. Their capsules and internal electronics cannot just be plugged into a passive input and expected to work. Early condenser designs, which often used vacuum tubes, required an external power supply. This meant—and still means—connecting a specialized cable from the mic to the power supply, then running a standard XLR cable from the power supply to the equipment receiving the signal. This is still the case today with both vintage and modern professional large-diaphragm condenser mics, such as the U47, 251, or C12.
That said, certain modern active ribbon microphones, as well as some dynamic microphones with built-in electronics, also need external power, so each microphone’s manual is the final authority.
Caution: Passive ribbon mics deserve special care. A properly wired connection should not put DC across the ribbon, but faulty cables, mis-wired adapters, or making connection changes while phantom power is already on can remove that protection. Hence the old safety-first guideline: Never use +48V with a passive ribbon mic, and leave phantom power off whenever the microphone does not require it. Active ribbon mics, on the other hand, are designed to use phantom power.
What is +48V?
In short, it’s 48 volts of direct current. The + describes the positive DC voltage applied to both audio conductors—pins 2 and 3 of a conventional three-pin XLR connection, with pin 1 serving as the ground and completing the electrical circuit. Interestingly, the audio signal effectively ignores this voltage, allowing +48V and the audio signal to share the same cable. It does not mean that the audio signal itself is 48 volts, and it has nothing to do with a mic’s output level or the gain setting on a preamp. The power is there on the cable, but because the same voltage is applied to both audio conductors, it is effectively invisible to the differential audio signal. Hence the term “phantom” power.
“Never use +48V with a passive ribbon mic, and leave phantom power off whenever the microphone does not require it.”
Where the Power Comes From
In a live PA, the mixing console or stage box commonly sends phantom power to condenser microphones onstage. In a studio, the recording console or microphone preamp does the same. In a desktop setup, an audio interface with a phantom-capable XLR mic input usually supplies it.
Keep in mind that controls vary by device. One console may offer a separate +48V switch for every channel, while another may switch a group of inputs together. On an interface, a single button may cover multiple mic inputs. Know which inputs the control affects before turning it on, especially in a setup that mixes condensers, passive ribbons, and other equipment.
Best Practice
When connecting mics, make sure your monitors and headphone levels are completely down and/or muted. This helps avoid loud pops that can damage your speakers and your ears. Bring each channel’s gain all the way down, and connect all mics before switching phantom power on or off.
If a condenser is silent, +48V is one of the first things to check. If an unfamiliar ribbon, adapter, or vintage microphone is on the stand, identify its power requirements before pressing the button.
Phantom power made the condenser microphone easier to use just about everywhere: on a vocal in a bedroom, above a drum kit, at a broadcast desk, or across a stage full of microphones.
Until next time, namaste.
50 Synth Sounds and 70+ Instruments Without a MIDI Pickup | Melofty Axom Max
Melofty is a new name for most guitar players, and the Axom Max is a big first statement. The company calls it a hybrid audio processor, which in practice means an amp modeler, effects unit, guitar synth and audio interface sharing one floorboard.
Axom Max
MELOFTY Axom Max is a Hybrid Audio Processor that combines amp modeling, synthesis, instrument modeling, AI-powered tone generation, and professional recording capabilities in a single platform, bringing together a broad range of tools for tone shaping, sound exploration, and music production.
Axom Max features MELOFTY’s proprietary MFIM (Multidimensional Fusion Inverse Modeling) technology, which precisely analyzes the sonic characteristics and dynamic responses of classic amplification and audio equipment to achieve highly realistic and flexible digital tone reconstruction. Its DeepSynth technology requires no MIDI pickup, providing more than 50 electronic synthesizer tones and 70+ instrument models inspired by instruments from both Eastern and Western musical traditions. This allows guitarists to move beyond conventional guitar sounds and explore a broader range of musical expression.
The Axom Max includes 880+ professional tone resources and supports expansion through the NAM A2 open tone ecosystem. It also features an 8-in/8-out professional audio interface, a 60-minute looper, and a 7-inch high-definition color touchscreen. Its intuitive graphical interface allows users to quickly edit tones, manage signal chains, and configure performance settings, making complex audio processing functions easy to control.
Tom and Roman Morello: Fully Equipped
Tom Morello didn’t want Everyone Gets Everything They Want to feel the least bit nostalgic, and it doesn’t. Rather, it’s a contemporary, wide-ranging rock record that mixes heavy riffs, electronic elements, and modern production with stripped-down acoustic and piano songs. Not to mention the fact that several solos are played by a 15-year-old. Even so, much of the gear behind it is made up of old friends. When we asked about the guitars, amps, and pedals he used, he was, unsurprisingly, thorough and exact, even stopping to pull up the track list on his laptop so he could go through the album song by song. “Let me be professional about this,” he said with a laugh.
What were your main guitars on the new record?
Tom Morello: It was recorded over a stretch of time, so it’s a little hard to remember track by track. One was my new SG, which I also played a lot at the recent Power to the People show. It’s got a brutally heavy sound that I really enjoy. I used my “Arm the Homeless” guitar a lot too, both the original and one of the Fender ones. And there’s my first guitar, the $50 Kay I got in 1978 or so, which was refurbished maybe 15 years ago. It plays an intro on the record.
Roman plays a lot on the record too. His main drop-D guitar is the “Atlas Underground” Tele, which is basically a stock Tele I used on the Atlas Underground tour. For the songs in E, he plays the Fender Soul Power model.
What do you like about that Tele, Roman?
Roman Morello: It has a very specific tone when you play it with the bridge pickup, and it’s very easy to play.
And the Soul Power Strat?
Roman: It has a Floyd Rose, and the action is lower on the top strings, so it’s easier to play up high and fast. That made it easier to play “Everyone Gets Everything They Want” on it. It also stays in tune more easily, which is a big help.
You also used an Ibanez miKro, a short-scale model, on the record. What do you like about that one?
Roman: I have a lot of reps on that guitar, so it feels kind of close to home. It’s smaller, so you have more reach, and you can do solos better. It’s also a very good travel investment. It was given to me by my grandma, so it’ll always have a special place in my heart.
Getting back to the SG, is it anything special? A Custom Shop model?
Tom: No, it was a gift. I got it backstage on the Rage Against the Machine tour in 2022. The Gibson rep came backstage holding a Les Paul in one hand and an SG in the other, and I said, “That one’s lighter—I’ll take it!” It has a fantastic, Sabbath-y, brutal low end.
I’ve also seen you recently with an “Arm the Homeless” model in a black finish. Is that a Fender too?
Tom: Yeah, it’s a Fender, but it’s not for sale. We had a black one made for me and a pink one for Roman. The black one is my drop-D guitar, which helps me keep them straight, and we used it on “Adjourn It” on the new record. The regular blue one, the one that’s for sale everywhere, that one I use interchangeably with the original.
What amps are you running on the record?
Tom: I’m a creature of habit, so there’s nothing new. It’s my Marshall 50-watt channel-switching 2205 head with a few different cabinets: the regular Peavey 4x12, a stock Marshall 4x12, and a white 4x12. For the Back to the Beginning show [Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell concert in July 2025, for which Morello was musical director] we recreated the “Mr. Crowley” video, and we found a white 4x12 like the one Randy Rhoads uses in that video. It’s up in my studio now, and Roman plays through it.
Roman, what do you like about the 2205?
Roman: It’s very versatile. You can be clean with it, or you can go distorted. And the one up in the studio is one of my favorite tones of all time. I can’t think of many that are better.
And pedals?
Tom: The record starts with “Beth From Electronics,” which is the Fender “Arm the Homeless” through the POG pedal. That wasn’t a written song. I just clicked the POG on and started playing a riff, and it’s about 40 seconds long. Afterward I asked the engineer, “Did you record that?” He said yeah, and I said, “We’re gonna start the record with it.” The POG sounds like two or three Black Sabbaths playing at the same time.
“It’s making heavy music in a way I haven’t made it before, while using the things I do best.”
On “Everyone Gets Everything They Want,” Roman plays the solo. He’s an Angus Young, plug-straight-in kind of guy. That song’s in E, so it’s the Soul Power guitar through the Marshall. My part is pretty straightforward, just some Jimmy Page-style guitar doubling.
On “Adjourn It,” the POG is all over the riffs again. My solo uses the toggle switch and the wah pedal. The outro solo starts with the Whammy set to an octave down and then pressed forward.
We recorded “Soldier in the Army of Love” a while ago, and it’s straight-into-the-amp riffing. Roman plays the solo on that one too, plugged straight in. On “Everything Burns,” I went back to the POG for the heaviness on several riffs. “Pretend You Remember Me” is the DigiTech Whammy, as always.
“Untethered,” that one’s played on the Tele, the “Harlem Hellfighters” guitar, through a Fender Twin and then doubled. Sam [Nelson Harris] from X Ambassadors produced it, and I was over at his house without any of my own amps. I asked him, “What do you got?” I like that it came across with a different kind of heaviness.
What are you playing on the acoustic songs?
Tom: “They Can’t Kill Us All” is my Gibson steel-string, the “Black Spartacus.” “The Last Rung on the Ladder” is my “Whatever It Takes” nylon-string.
What’s it like working with Roman?
Tom: His riffs definitely have my DNA, those heavy pentatonic riffs, but they come through a young artist’s mind. It’s not my mind, so I’m constantly surprised by them. The first surprising thing is being in a band with a little kid who happens to be your son. The second surprising thing is when that becomes completely normal. You’re just used to that guy being in the band, and you love some of his riffs, and you put them in your songs.
And how was it working with your dad?
Roman: It’s very fun, obviously, because I like the guy! But he’s also a very, very talented musician and producer, and he has great ideas, so that’s fun as well.
What did you try to bring to your guitar parts?
Roman: Mostly the riff writing. I tried to bring a classic Tom Morello feel, but with a Roman Morello twist. My dad always says it’s weird, because I write riffs that give off the same vibe as his, but they’re something he would never think to write. And some of his riffs are something I would never think to write. We have it in our DNA, I guess, but the way we put it down into a riff is different.
How would you describe Roman as a player?
Tom: At this point he’s a much more technical player than I am. He’s already put in his 10,000 or 15,000 hours. I remember when I was in the middle of learning all the Randy Rhoads solos and the David Gilmour solos, and he’s right in the middle of that now. People ask me, “Does that make you want to practice more?” I say, “No, I’m just gonna let him do that.” I’m going to curate and counsel and borrow, and try to put each of us in a position to succeed.
Do you have a favorite song on the record, Roman?
Roman: I’ll go with one of the classics, “Soldier in the Army of Love.” It was the first song we wrote together. It has a killer riff, it has some singing that will blow you away, and it has my guitar solo in it. It really has everything. Other than that, probably the title track. It has a killer riff as well, and another one of my solos.
Tom, how did you keep a riff-heavy record from sounding like the old days?
Tom: I didn’t want it to feel like I was retreading anything. What this record has in common with the first Rage record and the first Audioslave record is that it feels like being on the edge of discovery. It’s making heavy music in a way I haven’t made it before, while using the things I do best. A lot of that is thanks to the producers. Tyler Smyth and Zakk Cervini have long histories of making more modern heavy music, and Carl Restivo is my longtime musical consigliere. It couldn’t sound like what I’ve sounded like before, four guys in a room. These songs are very much rebellion as self-care, and finding a way to make that come through a Marshall half-stack was the goal.
Tom Morello’s Gear
Guitars
- Gibson SG
- Original “Arm the Homeless” custom
- Fender “Arm the Homeless” (blue, standard tuning)
- Fender “Arm the Homeless” (black, drop D)
- Fender Telecaster (w/ Harlem Hellfighters / Black Rattlers handmade pickguard by Dave Petillo)
- Kay K-20T
- Gibson J-45 “Black Spartacus” (played on “They Can’t Kill Us All”)
- Ibanez GA60SCE Galvador “Whatever It Takes” nylon-string (played on “The Last Rung on the Ladder”)
Amps
- Marshall JCM800 2205 50-watt head
- Fender Twin
- Peavey 4x12 cabinet
- Marshall 4x12 cabinet
- Marshall 4x12 cabinet (white “Mr. Crowley” replica)
Pedals and Plugins
- Electro-Harmonix POG
- DigiTech Whammy WH-1
- Dunlop Tom Morello Cry Baby
- Neural DSP Archetype: Tom Morello plugin (played on “Unconquered” solo, “Adjourn It,” “Untethered” solo, and “atmospheric stuff”)
Roman Morello’s Gear
Guitars
- Fender Tom Morello Soul Power Stratocaster (played on “Everyone Gets Everything They Want”)
- Fender Telecaster “Atlas Underground” (in drop D; played on “Adjourn It” and “Soldier in the Army of Love”)
- Ibanez miKro (used on intro to “Date Night,” taken from demo, played through Positive Grid Spark GO)
- Trussart T-style hollowbody (played on “Unconquered”)
Amps
- Marshall JCM800 2205 50-watt head
- Positive Grid Spark GO
Tom Morello is Still Catching Fire
At 27, Tom Morello was at rock bottom—or so he thought. After growing up in Chicago’s northern suburbs and attending Harvard, Morello had moved to Los Angeles to pursue his musical ambitions. His band at the time, Lock Up, had signed to Geffen Records, and his plan to make it in music had seemed to be trending up and to the right.
Then came some tough lessons. During the recording of Lock Up’s 1989 debut, the band deferred to their A&R rep and producer, only to realize afterward that the finished album wasn’t a fully accurate representation of their sound. But the experts know best, right?
Wrong.
“The record was out for about 15 seconds before they stopped returning our phone calls, and at 27 years old, I had failed,” Morello says today. “I moved to Hollywood to try to be a rock star, to make albums. I had the opportunity, and I failed.”
He continues, “So I made a solemn vow that I was never going to play another note of music that I didn't believe in. That's when I began conjuring the riffs that would in part make up the first Rage Against the Machine record.”
Over the past three decades, few, if any, artists have been as synonymous with the guitar as Morello. He’s shredded with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, joined Bruce Springsteen on several tours and made a prominent appearance on the Boss’ 2014 album, High Hopes, showcased his singer-songwriter side with the Nightwatchman, and released music with Prophets of Rage, Street Sweeper Social Club—his project with multi-hyphenate Boots Riley—and the Atlas Underground, where he collaborates with a wide range of artists.
But don’t let the baseball-card stats fool you. Morello is as selective as he is prolific, and his sonic palette is remarkably wide.
That said, when it came time to compile the riffs that comprise his new solo album, Everyone Gets Everything They Want, he knew exactly how it would work within his vast discography.
“I wanted to make an album that took the Morellian riffs, the Morellian DNA of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and brought it not just into the present, but into the future,” he says. “I wanted to make the heaviest record since the Rage Against the Machine debut. Then the other goalpost is my love of Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town, the Woody Guthrie side, and not shying away from that. I wanted it to have the purity of vision of the acoustic records that I've made.”
Unlike his previous albums, where he approached the material with a clear creative vision, here he had to find his footing as a frontman. “I wanted to make this record kick as much ass as any record that I've made, and the bar is set pretty high,” Morello says.
“I made a solemn vow that I was never going to play another note of music that I didn't believe in.”
Inspiration, and some of the album’s biggest and baddest riffs, came from a source that surprised Morello: just down the hallway.
“There’s a great quote about Van Gogh, that he found the way to concentrate sufficiently to catch fire in a way. My son Roman, on this record, was my muse who allowed me to concentrate sufficiently to catch fire,” Morello says of the 15-year-old. “What that basically means is I stole some great riffs by listening through his bedroom door.”
In addition to his son’s bombastic riffs, the album includes longtime pals such as System of a Down singer Serj Tankian and Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo. Sonically, Everyone Gets Everything They Want showcases the many faces of Tom Morello. The album glides across genres, from the straightforward hard rock of “Soldier in the Army of Love” to the Knife-inspired electronic beats of “Unbreakable,” which features Irish rabble-rousers Kneecap, to the folky “They Can’t Kill Us All.”
Following Rage Against the Machine’s sudden halt after a successful 2022 tour, Morello has spent much of his time on the road, performing at festivals around the world and mixing battle-tested classics with new songs that appear on Everyone Gets Everything They Want. Playing the new material in front of those crowds made him confident that the songs were strong enough to anchor a proper solo album. And from a performance standpoint, Morello says, the shows captured the same high-octane energy his bands have always been known for.
For Morello, those shows also became a way to unite the disparate strands of his musical life onstage.
“Not shying away from paying tribute to Chris Cornell, not shying away from people’s love of Rage Against the Machine riffs and the timeliness in 2026, not shying away from my love of the existential dread woven into my favorite folk music and some blistering guitar solos,” he says, surveying the scope of his sets. “We’re playing in front of 80-90,000 people, with a song wholly unfamiliar to them, and they’re going absolutely ape shit. I was able to give a test run to some of these jams and really try them out in front of a discerning metal audience.”
But the album also faced another astute listener: his mother, Mary, whom he calls a “candid music critic.” She’s been a massive influence on multiple levels: Morello’s long history of activism is rooted in the lessons he learned from Mary, who was a fervent advocate for free speech, a civil rights champion, and a longtime volunteer for causes that helped the less fortunate. A presence across his platforms—she famously introduced Rage Against the Machine at a 1996 concert in Chicago and frequently appeared on Morello’s SiriusXM show One Man Revolution—she died earlier this year at age 102.
Morello says he played her his new album before she passed, noting that it earned her approval. Of all the brave things she did and all she accomplished in her life, however, one stands out to him.
“I wanted to make an album that took the Morellian riffs, the Morellian DNA of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and brought it not just into the present, but into the future.”
“The bravest act she might have been a part of was allowing my punk band to play in her basement when I was in high school,” he says with a laugh. “In the more recent years, she lived next door, where my studio is actually in her basement. So I was once again playing in my mom's basement, where she would freely make editorial comments about whatever was going on downstairs.”
Morello is keeping his mother’s legacy alive through the Mary Morello Memorial Project, which will support many organizations that were meaningful to her, ranging from animal shelters to homeless shelters to human rights organizations.
In early October, a year after serving as musical director of the Black Sabbath tribute show Back to the Beginning, Morello curated the Power to the People festival. Billed as a “non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action,” the one-day festival took place at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, with a lineup including the Foo Fighters, Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Jack Black (performing with Roman Morello and other young musicians in a Black Sabbath cover band), Killer Mike, Serj Tankian, and others.
“This is something that we don't need to just do at Hotel Cafe [in Los Angeles] and raise 1,500 bucks for a homeless charity,” he says. “We did it on a much bigger scale here, and the artists stepped up.”
Whether through the festival or Everyone Gets Everything They Want, Morello remains focused on the same mission that has guided him for nearly four decades: using rock ’n’ roll as a vehicle for both expression and action. Along the way, he’s experienced just about every high and low the music business can offer. But as he continues forward, the lesson he took from Lock Up all those years ago—the one that ultimately led him to Rage Against the Machine—remains remarkably simple.
“There is only one barometer, there’s one North Star,” Morello says. “It’s to be true to yourself as an artist, as a musician, and not care what anybody thinks.”
Esoterica Electrica: Too Many Boxes to Check
The last time I looked into it, the Guild of American Luthiers claimed more than 3,500 registered members, but you and I know that’s just the tip of the peghead nowadays. Most of the builders I run across don’t care about, belong to, or even know about guilds, associations, or trade shows. I’ve been making instruments for over 50 years and never considered registering with any trade show outside of NAMM, and when I first did, it was the only one of its kind in America. The joke some builders tell is that there seems to be more people cutting, gluing, and screwing together guitar parts than there are guitarists, and the only people making any money are the tool and wood suppliers. That’s a little harsh, but not a total stretch. It’s one thing to make guitars, but selling them is a whole other kettle of fish.
But I’m not here to rain on guitar makers’ parade—I’m also concerned about the buyers. When it comes to the supply of instruments, we live in le bel âge of guitar building, and you would rightly imagine that’s a good thing. Today you can find guitars in every shape, color, and combination of features imaginable. There are short scales, long scales, fanned frets, compound radius necks, and every type of wood choice. Pickups are so plentiful that you could write a doctoral thesis about magnet strength, impedance, and inductance as they relate to tone shaping. Body shape, once confined to variations on the violin and lute motifs, have reached a point where the 1960s Wandre guitars of Antonio Vandrè Pioli look tame. It has gotten to where styling—not to mention hardware choice—are no longer selling points as much as just considerations. You must navigate the seemingly infinite constellation of boxes to check when deciding whose origin story resonates with you at the moment. But that’s great, right?
According to studies such as Iyengar and Lepper’s “When Choice is Demotivating” (2000), there is an inverse relationship between the number of options we are presented with and the long-range satisfaction we derive from our choice: as the former rises, the latter falls. Counterintuitively, it may be that the impulse buy might be the happier route. It seems that when you spend endless time comparing features, reviews, and alternatives, the more likely you are to doubt your decision later. People descend into a spiral of second-guessing the calculations they employed to part with their cash—revisiting every data point they scrutinized along the way. This is called the excess choice effect, and I’m as guilty of it as anyone.
I blame the internet for everything, but mostly for providing me with details, specifications, measurements, and reviews of everything I need or want to buy. Maximizing and optimizing are trendy lifestyle mantras that feed into our daily lives, and therefore our purchases. But I know that if the house was on fire I might grab the things that came to me in a flash, not ones that involved an excruciating search and mental spreadsheets. It seems that the more choice we’re given the more Faustian the bargain seems to get.
And for the sellers of musical hardware, providing endless specifications may actually be counterproductive. This explains some brands moving towards selling vibe and story, hoping that somehow they will short-circuit the decision-making process—switching it from a scientific experiment into something like a buddy movie where the guitar buyer co-star in the film. This approach is akin to the artist endorsement sales pitch, only the builder is your quasi-famous-on-the-internet buddy. Like we say in Chicago, “I got a guy.”
So in a way, it’s okay that every block has a guitar builder, even if a large number of them are screwing together Telecaster clones. Get the one with the funky pickguard or the selector switch in an unusual place. Support micro businesses and hang that butcher-block hippie guitar next to your genuine Les Paul. Buy the one that makes you happy. Don’t discriminate, collect them all.
“Every instrument has something that it does better than others. You just need to enjoy that one thing.”
I know this is starting to sound a little like a feel good-script at this point—go with your gut, follow your bliss, and my favorite, just flow into it. But the good news is something I’ve written about before: every instrument has something that it does better than others. You just need to enjoy that one thing and not get hung up with attempting to “design” a guitar that fulfills every wish. That way you’ll always need one more guitar.
Positive Grid Introduces the Spark CAB 2 Powered FRFR Cabinet
Positive Grid announces Spark CAB 2, a powered FRFR speaker cabinet designed as the rig expander for the Spark guitar amp family. Redesigned inside and out, Spark CAB 2 features re-tuned acoustics, an upgraded signal path, and a visual aesthetic matched to the Spark 2 amp. It also serves as a compatible full-range cab for any modeler, pedal or amp with a line level output, offering players a seamless solution for home, rehearsal and live performance.
The new powered cabinet brings a tighter low end, a refined signal path and a new finish matched to the Spark 2 amp, for home, rehearsal, and live performance
Refined Sound and Engineering
Spark CAB 2 features a lightweight, wood cabinet design with acoustics re-tuned for additional detail and clarity plus a tighter, more defined low end. An updated conversion stage and revised gain staging refine the signal path for cleaner, more composed sound. A 10-inch woofer and two 1" tweeters deliver clear tone from lows to highs and a full-range response suited to a wide variety of playing styles.
A Complete Rig for Spark Amps
Spark CAB 2 brings 140 watts RMS of full-range power to any Spark amp or the new Spark PEDAL, with ample headroom and room-filling sound. It also powers and charges Spark amps from a single outlet, consolidating setup into one power hub.
Connectivity for Any Setup
A dedicated Spark input provides direct connection to Spark amps, while stereo combo XLR/TRS inputs and a balanced XLR output accommodate modelers, pedals, and other amps and gear with a line-level output.
The XLR output can also feed a PA while the cabinet simultaneously functions as a personal stage monitor. Independent volume controls allow performers to set their levels and audience levels separately.
A USB-C port powers and charges Spark MINI, GO, and PEDAL, and handles firmware updates. DC output powers Spark 40 and Spark 2.
Additional controls include:
- Contour switch: Emphasizes low and high frequencies for more balanced sound at lower volumes
- Ground lift switch: Reduces unwanted hum and noise, for quieter operation
Pricing and Availability
Spark CAB 2 is available in Black or Pearl for USD $399.
Special upgrade pricing is available for current Spark CAB 1 owners (log in for details)
Find Spark CAB 2 at positivegrid.com/products/spark-cab-2, local retailers, and Amazon.
Spark CAB 2
Positive Grid announces Spark CAB 2, a powered FRFR speaker cabinet designed as the rig expander for the Spark guitar amp family. Redesigned inside and out, Spark CAB 2 features re-tuned acoustics, an upgraded signal path, and a visual aesthetic matched to the Spark 2 amp. It also serves as a compatible full-range cab for any modeler, pedal or amp with a line level output, offering players a seamless solution for home, rehearsal and live performance.
Joe Bonamassa promises a “generous reward” for the return of Josh Smith’s lost Two-Rock amp head
From Mason Stoops to Chris Buck, plenty of artists have unfortunately had their gear swiped this year. And it seems there’s no end to the bad luck; blues guitarist Josh Smith suspects that his Two-Rock amp head has gone missing, and his close collaborator, the legendary Joe Bonamassa, seems to suspect it was stolen.
According to an Instagram post from Bonamassa, Smith’s Two-Rock was last seen in Cologne, Germany. “Friends, please help us retrieve Josh Smith’s Two-Rock head that was last seen at the WDR Big Band gig in Cologne, Germany,” the guitarist writes. “It is in a black Two-Rock road case with the letters JS stencilled on it.”
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“Any info please reach out as there is a generous reward for its safe return,” he adds. “Please email rachael@jr-adventures.com if you see it around.”
Considering Smith often serves as Bonamassa’s second guitarist in his live band, he’s keen to protect those nearest and dearest to him. And the post will surely stir up some conversation about the whereabouts of the amp head, as Bonamassa has a skill for reconnecting with his stolen gear after a good ol’ public call-out post.
Back in 2021, Bonamassa reported that his Fender Custom Shop 1951 #6 Nocaster was supposedly ‘stolen’ during transit when he posted it out to Guitar World for a review. Within two days of his post, it conveniently made its way back to him.
“Many thanks to all of you out there who helped us in locating JB006,” he wrote in a thank you post. “It is back safe and sound and finally on its way to Guitar World Magazine for review after spending two weeks in brackish custodial custody. This time we are shipping it via Autogyro with the help of the Prussian Consulate.”
As for Smith, we sincerely hope he is reunited with his Two-Rock amp head. And, as Bonamassa says, make sure to email rachael@jr-adventures.com if you have any helpful leads or information.
The post Joe Bonamassa promises a “generous reward” for the return of Josh Smith’s lost Two-Rock amp head appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Fender and Kim Gordon Introduce Signature Jazzmaster
Fender has unveiled the Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster, a new signature guitar created in collaboration with the iconic Sonic Youth and solo artist. Designed around Gordon’s distinctive approach to guitar, using the instrument as a vehicle for experimentation, texture and sound, the model pairs classic Jazzmaster character with the specific features and playing preferences she has developed throughout her career.
Kim Gordon has consistently challenged expectations around what an artist can sound like, look like and create. As a guitarist and bass player, she has developed an unmistakable approach to both instruments. Her relationship with the Jazzmaster reflects that same instinct for experimentation, making the instrument part of a sound and aesthetic unmistakably her own.
“One thing that’s great about the Jazzmaster, if you have a guitar that sounds good by just plugging it into an amplifier, it doesn't need effects,” said Kim Gordon. “That’s really satisfying…I just really like the sound…Electricity in the guitar is the gateway to losing yourself.”
The Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster combines the familiar feel of the iconic offset with a versatile pickup configuration, comfortable playability and reliable hardware. An Olympic White alder body with matching headcap, Modern “C” maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and vintage-style floating tremolo combine with a Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 bridge humbucker and Alnico V Jazzmaster neck pickup, giving players a broad range of tones from articulate textures to heavier, more aggressive sounds. This Jazzmaster is designed for players across styles and sounds, reflecting the specific preferences and playing style Gordon has developed throughout her career.
Key features include:
- Olympic White alder body: Classic Fender alder construction delivers balanced resonance, punchy mids and robust low end, finished in Olympic White with a matching headcap.
- Modern “C” maple neck: A comfortable Modern “C” profile and silky-smooth back finish provide an inviting feel suited to a wide range of playing styles.
- 9.5” radius rosewood fingerboard: Rolled edges and white pearloid block inlays pair with a 9.5” radius for a smooth, broken-in feel and fluid bends.
- Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 humbucker and Alnico V Jazzmaster pickups: A chimingPlayer Series Alnico V Jazzmaster neck pickup pairs with a high-output Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 bridge humbucker for a broad range of tones, from articulate to high-output and aggressive.
- Jazzmaster bridge and floating tremolo: A Jazzmaster bridge with Mustang saddles and floating tremolo delivers expressive vibrato, precise intonation and reliable tuning stability.
- ClassicGear tuning machines: An 18:1 gear ratio combines with vintage-inspired styling for smooth, precise and reliable tuning.
Designed in collaboration with Kim Gordon. Full technical specifications are listed below.
Fender’s Kim Gordon Signature Jazzmaster carries a street price of $1,099.99.
“Kim has always used the guitar as a tool for exploration rather than following convention, and that spirit is at the heart of this Jazzmaster,” said Justin Norvell, Fender Chief Product Officer, Guitars and Basses. “Her impact reaches far beyond any one genre, with a creative practice that has shaped music, art and culture. With this new Jazzmaster, we wanted to capture that sense of individuality and experimentation while staying true to the character and feel of the Jazzmaster. With two distinct pickup types offering incredible sonic versatility, we wanted to give players the freedom to explore and approach the instrument in their own way, whether they're experimenting with texture and noise, writing songs or simply looking for new sounds.”
The launch arrives as part of The One. For All., Fender’s broader celebration of the artists, instruments and communities that continue to move music forward. The campaign brings together iconic Fender instruments and the artists who reinterpret them through their own creative voices, showing how an instrument can become something entirely different in the hands of the person playing it.
For more information, head to Fender.
Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster
Fender has unveiled the Limited Edition Kim Gordon Jazzmaster, a new signature guitar created in collaboration with the iconic Sonic Youth and solo artist. Designed around Gordon’s distinctive approach to guitar, using the instrument as a vehicle for experimentation, texture and sound, the model pairs classic Jazzmaster character with the specific features and playing preferences she has developed throughout her career.
Seymour Duncan Unveils Iron Maiden Pickup Collection
It’s the company’s biggest and most expansive artist collaboration in years: Seymour Duncan has unleashed the new Iron Maiden Pickup Collection, featuring collectible packaging and new offerings from Janick Gers, Dave Murray, and Steve Harris.
Showcasing the pickups used by a trio of heavy metal titans, the collection includes the Dave Murray Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard, Steve Harris P-Bass pickup, and Janick Gers Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard.
Every pickup set and loaded pickguard now ships in its own individually illustrated box, each a unique twist on the band’s official artwork and featuring Eddie, Maiden’s iconic mascot.
New to the collection is the Janick Gers Signature Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard, now available for the first time. The set combines a JB Jr. for Strat in the neck and bridge with a Hot Rails for Strat pickup in the middle, delivering the same searing lead tone and hard-hitting rhythm crunch Janick has brought to Maiden’s legendary performances.
Since first joining Iron Maiden in 1990, Janick Gers’ guitar mastery and songwriting have powered the band’s legendary live performances and albums. On stage and in the studio, Janick has always gravitated towards Strat style guitars. But to get a heavy metal sound powerful enough for Maiden’s music, he experimented with several Seymour Duncan Strat-sized humbuckers. His favorite combination became a JB Jr. for Strat in the Neck and Bridge positions, paired with a Hot Rails for Strat pickup in the middle. The JB Jr. in the bridge delivers the classic JB humbucker sound – high output with plenty of punch for leads that sustain from here to eternity. In the neck it offers fullness for singing solos or delicate chime for rhythm and clean playing. Hot Rails in the Middle gives Janick the option of aggressive rhythm playing or more variety in his clean tones in the 2 & 4 positions. These pickups all use small ceramic magnets, 4-conductor lead wire, and are vacuum wax potted for squeal-free operation.
Now packaged together as a set and a loaded pickguard, each with special Iron Maiden collectible packaging, you can access Janick Gers’ signature sound in your Strat-style guitar.
Hand built in Santa Barbara, CA, this fully loaded Strat pickguard uses an 11 screw ‘USA’ pickguard pattern. Available in White or Black pickguard options - with all matching pickups or Janick’s favorite black-parchment-black pickup color scheme.
- Signature pickup configuration used by Iron Maiden’s Janick Gers: JB Jr. for Strat in the neck and bridge, and Hot Rails for Strat in the Middle
- High output humbuckers in a Strat-Sized package: Janick’s distinct distorted crunch and singing lead tones without modifying your Strat
- Color options: pickups all matching or black/parchment/black (Janick’s preferred look)
- Available in Black or White 11-hole Strat pickguards
- Smooth turning Volume and Tone Pots, 4 Conductor wiring
- Hand-built in Santa Barbara, California
- Special Collectible Iron Maiden Packaging
The Loaded Pickguard set carries a street price of $419. The Janick Gers Strat set carries a street price of $319.
The new set joins the rest of the collection, including the Dave Murray Signature Strat Set and Loaded Pickguard, capturing his iconic tone. It includes Dave Murray’s road-tested set up of a JB Jr. flanked by two Hot Rails, this Strat pickguard offers an array of classic metal and hard rock tones, all without any hum. The Hot Rails bridge delivers a fat crunch with biting harmonics. The JB Jr. in the middle lends punch and clarity in positions 2, 3 and 4. And the Hot Rails neck nails Dave’s signature expressive lead tone.
Hand built in Santa Barbara, CA, the fully loaded Strat pickguard comes in special Iron Maiden collectible packaging and uses an 11 screw ‘USA’ pickguard pattern. These pickups all use small ceramic magnets, 4-conductor lead wire, and are vacuum wax potted for squeal-free operation. Available in Pearloid, White, or Black pickguard options.
- Signature pickup configuration used by Iron Maiden’s Dave Murray: Hot Rails for Strat in the neck and bridge, and JB Jr. for Strat in the Middle
- High output humbuckers in a Strat-Sized package: Dave Murray’s fluid lead tones and hard-hitting riffs, without modifying your Strat
- Available in Black, White, or Pearloid 11-hole Strat pickguards
- Smooth turning Volume and Tone Pots, 4 Conductor wiring
- Hand-built in Santa Barbara, California
- Special Collectible Iron Maiden Packaging
The Loaded Pickguard set carries a street price of $419. The Dave Murray Strat pickup set carries a street price of $319.
Rounding out the collection is the Steve Harris Signature P-Bass pickup, a medium output pickup originally developed in the company’s Custom Shop. The P-bass pickup possesses a low-mid boost that adds punch and body while maintaining a crisp and clear high-end attack. This design uses hand-ground Alnico 5 rod magnets and a special vintage-hot custom wind of 13k DCR to achieve its uniquely aggressive bite.
“I was having some problems with the original pickups in my bass and Seymour Duncan said they could make pickups that did what I needed – and they did!” Steve said. Handcrafted in Santa Barbara, CA, the Steve Harris P-Bass pickup comes in special Iron Maiden collectible packaging and is vacuum wax potted for squeal-free operation.
- Signature P-Bass pickup voiced for Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris – Medium Output wind with plenty of low-mid punch and high-end attack
- Hand-Ground Alnico 5 rod magnets
- Aggressive tonal character suited for Metal Bass
- Drop in Replacement for split coil P Bass pickups
- Hand-built in Santa Barbara, California and Wax Potted for reduced noise
- Special Collectible Iron Maiden Packaging
The Steve Harris Signature P-Bass pickup carries a $99 street price.
For more information about Seymour Duncan’s new Iron Maiden collection visit seymourduncan.com.
Iron Maiden Pickup Collection
It’s the company’s biggest and most expansive artist collaboration in years: Seymour Duncan has unleashed the new Iron Maiden Pickup Collection, featuring collectible packaging and new offerings from Janick Gers, Dave Murray, and Steve Harris.
“It doesn’t feel like a lot of legacy artists go out of their way to do that”: Hudson Freeman on the praise he’s received from John Mayer
If you’ve ever wondered what a lo-fi country Kurt Cobain might sound like, look no further than Hudson Freeman. Last November, the grunge-folk guitarist’s If You Know Me riff went viral, with some branding his nylon-stringed sound as a home-grown ‘country Nirvana’. In fact, it got so much attention that even John Mayer covered the track.
That’s right – after hearing Freeman’s riff, Mayer picked up his PRS Collection Series 2014 Nylon Acoustic and recorded a cover for his Instagram. Nearly a year on, Freeman has signed to a new label, Mom + Pop (who also represent Beach Bunny, Courtney Barnett, and Tom Morello), and has a new record, Doom Country on the way – but he admits that support from a respected, mainstream guitarist came as a massive boost.
- READ MORE: Hudson Freeman wants to soundtrack the end of America. All he needs is a nylon-string guitar
In a new cover interview with Guitar.com, Freeman praises Mayer for his endless support of up-and-coming artists. “I have a lot of respect for him being a major artist who co-signs younger, unknown artists,” he says. “It doesn’t feel like a lot of legacy artists go out of their way to do that.”
For years, Mayer has constantly gone out of his way to uplift new artists. In 2024, he brought Madison Cunningham, a then-27-year-old folk artist, out on the road with him. At the time, Mayer publicly praised her at every opportunity; in an Instagram post, he said that, if he were to see her show and had never played guitar before, he would “race out and buy one the next day”.
Elsewhere in his Guitar.com interview, Freeman also praises Mayer for his enduring public appeal. “Most people know who John Mayer is,” he notes. “He’s probably the last seriously palatable guitarist on a mainstream scale, so for him to co-sign If You Know Me was cool.”
However, Freeman isn’t in any rush to collaborate with Mayer. He believes that the pair exist in their own lanes of music, and he “wouldn’t make a song with him”. In a way, it’s Freeman’s way of braving things out on his own; while Mayer’s support was a blessing, he’s keen to retain that attention through his own grit, style and merit.
With that in mind, Doom Country is set to be a deeply “personal” record, boasting his usual shoegazey, grunge-folk, lo-fi flavour alongside a peek into his own upbringing. “Growing up as an Evangelical Christian, the idea of the apocalypse, the Rapture, the idea of being left behind is pervasive,” he tells us. “When Jesus takes all of the Christians to heaven, I had this fear that my parents would be taken, and I’d be left behind.”
“Everything feels kind of apocalyptic now,” he adds. “Political institutions are falling apart, all these various ways where society is collapsing. I really did imagine that I’d be left behind. There’s this quality to living in America right now, where it’s not just bad. It’s stupid. It’s a tragedy… I really want to make an album about the fallout of the Rapture, but it’s farcical.”
Doom Country is out 6 November on Mom + Pop Records. Hudson Freeman will tour Europe and the UK from February 2027.
The post “It doesn’t feel like a lot of legacy artists go out of their way to do that”: Hudson Freeman on the praise he’s received from John Mayer appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
How Californian car, surf and skate culture inspired Powers Electric’s revolutionary guitars
Ad feature with Powers Electric
For Andy Powers, “someday” had arrived.
For years the Taylor guitars CEO, President and Master Guitar Designer had been coming up with ideas that he thought would be interesting and innovative on an electric guitar design, but with his day job solely focused on being the creative fulcrum of the world’s most innovative guitar company, he admits that those ideas usually were put on the shelf, in the hope that “someday I’ll get to it”.
Then the pandemic hit, the world closed down and, as Powers recalls in the new Guitar.com original film, “Powers Electric: California Soul“, all of a sudden he had time to think about those ideas that he’d put on the shelf, and see if they could make something interesting.
The result, was Powers Electric – a new electric guitar sub-brand that arrived out of nowhere in 2023 with a radical and innovative approach to the electric guitar. The brand’s first instrument, the A-Type, was a remarkable feat of engineering and ingenuity, combining a host of new bespoke innovations in terms of pickups, hardware and body construction, all wrapped up in a shape that was completely new, but felt timeless and classic with it.
The A-Type instantly set Powers’ stall out as one of the most inventive and exciting new guitar makers on the planet, bringing something totally fresh to the table in a world of instruments that owe their lineage to a narrow group of classic designs.
But for Powers, the way the A-Type melds the classic, the innovative and the eccentric was a natural extension of what he’d always done as a builder. Growing up in Southern California surrounded by surf, skate and hot-rod culture, these other passions have always been deeply entwined with Powers’ musical life.
Powers Electric gave him a chance to explore this pool of influences more deeply than he ever had before: as the man explains, “the acoustic guitar should largely be a traditional form, and I love it for that. But in the world of electric guitar, anything goes.”
This gestalt of so many of his passions can be found across the A-type – his innovative woodworking heart is explored in the guitar’s unique ‘trussed’ construction, the metalworking skills he learned from Encinitas’ chop shops is found in the innovative Camshaft vibrato and the guitar’s unique Faraday pickups, while the guitar’s unique curves are inspired by the surfboards he builds and how they are designed to sit in the water.
It all feels like something that the guitar world has rarely seen before, but Powers believes he’s merely continuing a tradition that has powered the evolution of the instrument for over six decades. “I think of the electric guitar as being a Southern California invention,” he observes. “I mean, a lot of the kind of the forefathers of electric guitar, they lived within a few miles of each other here in Southern California. If I had been alive back then, what would I have made? What would I What would I do? What would it look like? What would it feel like? What would it sound like?”
The result is Powers Electric, and the A-Type – a guitar that has California Soul baked into every fibre of its being, created to carry on that proud tradition and inspire a whole new generation of artists.
Find out more at powerselectricguitars.com, watch the full film here.
The post How Californian car, surf and skate culture inspired Powers Electric’s revolutionary guitars appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Ibanez and Dragon Ball Z make a play for the coolest guitar collaboration of the year
It’s the home of anime and birthplace of some of the most enduring characters and fictional universes in modern history – take Godzilla, Pokémon and Hello Kitty as a few obvious examples.
Yep, Japan is a hotbed of influential cultural exports, but it’s also a verdant ground for imaginative guitar design, too, with Fender’s Japanese arm responsible for some of the firm’s most out-there designs.
So Ibanez’s new collaboration with the makers of legendary anime hit series Dragon Ball Z shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise…
The Ibanez official Dragon Ball Z collaboration collection – unveiled yesterday (26 October) – isn’t simply limited to one guitar, but there’s a whole range of instruments, including two electric guitars, bass, ukulele, accessories and even a limited-edition Tube Screamer overdrive pedal.
Headlining the collection is an electric guitar based on Ibanez’s long-revered RG blueprint, in an orange colourway with a black pickguard adorned with Dragon Ball Z artwork: “Goku and Gohan soaring through the sky using Buku-jutsu.”
Specs-wise, it features Ibanez’s fast-playing Super Wizard neck made of maple and walnut, an Ibanez Edge Tremolo Bridge with Gotoh machine heads for stability, and comes with a custom hardshell case, strap and picks, plus a certificate of authenticity.
Credit: Ibanez
Next up is a more streamlined single-pickup guitar, with slightly louder artwork spanning across the entirety of the body, depicting the moment Goku first awakens as a Super Saiyan. This one also features a slim maple neck and a T106 tremolo bridge.
The bass guitar in the collection sports similar artwork, this time depicting the moment Vegeta awakens as a Super Saiyan. It features a slim neck profile, single bridge humbucker, and B10 bridge.
Credit: Ibanez
The collection also features an impressively kitted out ukulele featuring a concert-size body, side sound port, a preamp with an onboard tuner, and artwork showcasing Goku and Gohan soaring through the sky on Kintoun, a cloud which serves as transport in the DBZ world.
Credit: Ibanez
We can see many pedalboard enthusiasts rushing to grab one of the limited-edition Tube Screamers, too, which features the Tube Screamer logo on the front face in classic Dragon Ball Z typography.
Credit: Ibanez
There’s also a range of accessories and merch up for grabs, including a custom gigbag, guitar strap, guitar picks, T-shirts and guitar cloths.
“This project aims to embody Ibanez’s long-held principles of ‘challenge and growth’ and ‘the attitude of pushing beyond limits’ by aligning them with the worldview of Dragon Ball Z and giving them form as musical instruments,” says Ibanez.
Learn more about the exciting new collaboration at Ibanez.
The post Ibanez and Dragon Ball Z make a play for the coolest guitar collaboration of the year appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
HeadRush FRFR-12 and FRFR-8 Cab review: “looks and feels like a real guitar amp”
$399 & $499/£279 & £366, headrushfx.com
You have to give HeadRush credit where it’s due; the company realised very early in the game that the rise and rise of high-end modelling was going to necessitate something through which people were going to want something that you could plug it into in order to make some noise.
Being early to the party has made HeadRush synonymous with the full range, flat response cabinets that many players favour for attempting to recreate the experience of actually moving air in a live setting. The original FRFR 112 and 108 Cabs were a hit, without a doubt, but they were quite a difficult sell for a lot of guitar players.
A big part of this was probably down to their looks and form factor. While there was something sensible about the original FRFR Cabs being shaped like a monitor wedge, and for having the same rugged plastic build and vibe of a PA speaker (no doubt informed by the experience of parent company InMusic, which owns a bunch of DJ- and producer-adjacent brands like M-Audio and ION), it looked a little out of place on stage for a guitar player.
In the last year or two, perhaps driven by the entry of Fender’s Tone Master FR-12 into the market with its classic Fender combo amp looks, FRFR cabs have been getting a lot more amp-like. A perfect moment then, for HeadRush to enter with its brand-new and overhauled FRFR Cab range of two models – which have a much more classic look.
What Is It?
While HeadRush still sells the original wedge-shaped FRFR cabs, this new version comes in two similarly spec’d solid-state flavours – a 750-watt version with a 12-inch main speaker, and a 480-watt with an 8-inch main speaker. Both have the same 1-inch compression driver, and 90° conical horn, and while the FRFR 12 Cab pushes out a whopping 130dB-SPL, the FRFR 8 Cab is no slouch either, rating at 125dB-SPL.
Unlike the previous generation of HeadRush cabs, these new models sport closed-back wooden cabinets with amp-style tolex coverings and a classic Marshall Bluesbreaker-style split tolex/cloth speaker grille.
The top-mounted controls are similarly Bletchley-flavoured, with a black brushed metal control panel paired with classic gold amp knobs, plus a chunky rubber handle and two rack bumper guards at either end of the panel to protect your knobs in transit – a nice touch. The control panel is identical across both amps, and sports an XLR combi input, plus EQ controls for treble, middle and bass, plus a separate hi-cut control.
The other controls on top are for a master volume and a separate volume for Bluetooth audio – you can of course pair your phone or other device with the FRFR Cab and use it as a powerful wireless speaker, or to run backing tracks, etc.
Round the back, you’ll find an XLR line out so you can run directly into the desk/PA if you’re just using your cab for monitoring/stage volume purposes, and there’s a ground lift if you’re getting any unwanted hum. Power is provided by a standard three-pin IEC kettle lead.
HeadRush FRFR-12 Cab. Image: Adam Gasson
Build Quality and Usability
The original FRFR Cabs were notable for their rugged and uncompromising build quality, and that has been fully transferred over to these new wood-cabineted versions.
In both 12 and 8 formats, the general feeling is that they’re built for the heavy potential wear of stage life – the tolex is well-applied and feels hard-wearing, the wood of the cabinets dense and unyielding. Combined with the bumper guards to protect the top panel and chunky rubber feet on the bottom, I have no doubt that this thing could take a hard life on the road in its stride.
That tank-like build has a downside, however, and that’s unfortunately tank-like weight. FRFR cabs are rarely light things, but these push the boundaries of acceptability somewhat. While HeadRush rather optimistically describes these as “lightweight”, in reality they tip the scales at 24.2lbs (11kg) for the eight-incher, and a whopping 40.79 (18.5kg) for the 12-inch version
That is a lot, frankly – the FRFR Cab 12 weighs barely 2lbs less than a Fender Deluxe Reverb tube amp, so if you’re thinking that these cabs will streamline your load-in, think again. It looks even worse when you put it alongside the hugely popular Fender FR-12, which weighs 25.6lbs (12.5kg) – why does it weigh barely 2lbs more than a cab that’s half the size, and nearly 40 per cent less than its 12-inch equivalent?
Such is the weight, you might think twice about using the Fender-style tilt-back legs on either side to angle it towards your head, but in practice these things are very sturdy and reliable – they do the job very well and add real utility.
Some players are put off the powered cab thing because they’re worried that it will be fiddly or tricky to use, but the FRFR Cab makes it as streamlined as possible. Simply turn off your cab sim/IR on your modeller or ITB amp sim of choice, plug into it using either jack or combi lead, and then tweak your tone to taste using the onboard controls.
Bluetooth pairing is fast and stable, and the ability to balance volume with the guitar sound at the twist of a knob is really handy. Less reassuring is the carry handle, which despite looking robust, doesn’t feel it in practice – it feels unbalanced when you carry it, and only adds to the sense that these cabs weigh too much.
HeadRush FRFR-12 Cab. Image: Adam Gasson
Sounds
Given that these things are designed to provide a flat frequency response for your modeller’s IRs, the ‘sounds’ aspect of an FRFR cab review is always a tricky one to get to grips with, but we’ve found there is definitely quite a difference between the models on the market in this department, and there are some things to be aware of here.
Both cabs do a really good job of delivering a clear and faithful recreation of the sound of the modeller I was plugging into it – whether that was Headrush’s own Flex Prime or a more high end Neural DSP Quad Cortex.
There was a time when it seemed FRFR cabs were often aimed at heavier styles of music, and you can see a little bit of that genealogy here in the overall sound. While there’s plenty of overall bass response, it’s tight and focused – presumably designed to keep things from getting too messy when paired with high-gain sounds and extended range instruments.
The flipside of that is that the cabs lack a bit of fatness to the bottom end, and both can get a little boxy as you turn the bass up to compensate – though that’s to be expected when you’re dealing with compact, closed-back cabs like this.
The midrange is a real standout here, and you can tell that it’s been voiced to reflect the wider range of guitarists now using these cabs for all kinds of musical styles. It’s clear and strident, while the hi-cut provides the ability to tame any excesses easily.
No physical speaker can truly be a ‘blank canvas’ no matter how much they might say that it does, but the colourisation of the sound here is broadly minimal and enhancing – which is what we all really want.
HeadRush FRFR-8 Cab. Image: Adam Gasson
Should I Buy One?
The FRFR cabinet world is clearly changing to become more mainstream than it was when HeadRush first entered this sphere, and it’s a very sensible move to revamp the range to reflect what guitar players want – which is a cab that looks and feels like a real guitar amp.
It has done this without losing much of what made the original FRFR Cabs so popular – they sound really good, they’re built very well indeed, and they’re very simple to use. There are some downsides, most notably the sheer weight of these things in comparison to some of the competition and the disappointing carry handle.
But otherwise, it’s clear that HeadRush has learned a lot of lessons by being one of the first names in the game with full-range, flat response amps. It’s keenly priced compared to its competition, and looks great – and in the world of sometimes ugly FRFR cabs, that’s a huge bonus.
HeadRush FRFR-8 Cab. Image: Adam Gasson
Alternatives
The current king of the castle in the ‘powered cab that looks like an amp’ stakes is the Fender Tone Master FR-12 ($699), which even comes in classic tweed covering for the ultimate stealth FRFR experience. Blackstar’s FR Artist ($469) offers a similar stripped-down amp experience, but only delivers 100w and has no compression driver. IK Multimedia’s TONEX Cab ($799) has a very similar look and feel to the HeadRush, but lets you swap out the speaker grilles to change up the look. Finally, Positive Grid’s Spark Cab ($279) is well-priced, not just designed for Spark products but all modellers, and offers a lot of onboard tweaking.
The post HeadRush FRFR-12 and FRFR-8 Cab review: “looks and feels like a real guitar amp” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 172
It’s the 172nd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions about tube amplification…and life.
Thank you to our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts.
Some of the topics discussed this week:
1:53 What’s on Skip’s Bench: A Silverface Vibro-Champ with all-new parts; the importance of capacitors, even for tremolo; a Gibson Falcon with no reverb
8:25 How many people fix amps thanks to this show?
11:33 Jason goes for a neighborhood stroll and spots some free tube gear
14:57 Garnet amp book nuggets (order the Garnet book here); schematic art; Jason’s Land Cruiser; Skip’s boots, redux; managing expectations
21:48 Barn finds: A Sunn PA head; an Ampeg V4B bass amp; a guitarron; and more!
24:56 Skipapalooza update
29:30 Ampeg: The Story Behind the Sound by Gregg Hopkins & Bill Moore (order it here); the Ampeg R12RT
33:57 Bill Krinard and the new Divided by 13 BW 1969 amp (six position rotary switch that changes the gain of the pre-amp)
40:02 What should I do with my 1973 Traynor YRM-1?
50:44 Purslane and a Hammond homebrew amp
59:39 Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider
1:00:40 Selling or keeping a 1962 Brownface Princeton? Why would a power transformer need to be replaced?
1:04:50 An AI apology; keyboard monitors; boneless chicken; an RCA MI-38480
1:13:16 Amp tech tips: Speaker spade connectors and #11 / #12 switchcraft jacks; simple tofu
1:15:58 A vintage Silverface Vibro-Champ in a head cabinet; a Harmony 303 and more
1:22:12 A mystery Tweed Deluxe
Want to be a part of the show? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
Above pic: Jeff Scicchitano’s RCA MI-38480.
Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.
Above: Listener Bernie’s Bogen Pacemaker PM10.
The post The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 172 first appeared on Fretboard Journal.
Mark Knopfler, The C Family of Chords, And Why Over The Rainbow Needs Them
October 23rd. One week from Halloween. And Mark Knopfler has completely taken over. It started with Brothers In Arms last week and somehow expanded into his solo catalog – Golden Heart, Get Lucky, Privateering, Sailing to Philadelphia. The more I listen the more I realize there is no shortage of fabulous tunes and fabulous guitar […]
The post Mark Knopfler, The C Family of Chords, And Why Over The Rainbow Needs Them appeared first on On The Beat with Totally Guitars.
“Her tune changed very quickly”: Even Josh Kiszka’s vocal coach was dubious about Greta Van Fleet – until she saw them live
Love them or loathe them, Greta Van Fleet are here to stay. After sparking break-up rumours in May, the band returned in full-force this month, dropping their new album Palace For The People. Haters may brand them as “derivative” rock ‘n’ roll, but they’re taking rock ‘n’ roll seriously – so seriously that frontman Josh Kiszka has even had to work to win over his own vocal coach to prove that the band aren’t fooling around.
At first, many rock ‘n’ roll fans were dubious of Greta Van Fleet. People shrugged them off as a Led Zeppelin tribute. In fact, in a new interview with Classic Rock, frontman Josh Kiszka admits that even his vocal coach used to hate Greta Van Fleet for meddling with rock ‘n’ roll – until she saw them live.
“I had a vocal coach come to our show in New York…” Kiszka recalls. “She saw the show, then told me backstage she was one of those people who once thought, ‘How dare they!’ But [after seeing us perform], she said: ‘You deserve everything that is coming to you, and thank you for carrying the torch.’ So her tune changed very quickly.”
Nowadays, Kiszka isn’t surprised when he encounters a naysayer. In his words, some people act like rock ‘n’ roll is a “religious temple”, and their involvement alone is like an act of blasphemy. “When we came along, I think people were so concerned we were going to penetrate their hallowed rock ‘n’ roll world,” the frontman says.
“[Rock ‘n’ roll was] their religious temple, [and this] bunch of snot-nosed kids [wanted] to change things up,” he continues. “But it was quite the antithesis. It was our respect for the genre. We just wanted to do something new, to move things along.”
While the hate still stings, Greta Van Fleet just try to avoid as much of it as possible.“I stopped reading [the hate comments],” he admits. “I’m fairly sensitive, so I thought, ‘This is weighing on my consciousness.’ I don’t even know the name of the publication, but someone said we were a bunch of talentless musicians who don’t know how to write a song or perform it. Things like that stab you where you’re tender. Some of that I carry. But I don’t believe it.”
As the old saying goes: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. With the release of Palace For The People and their Into The Beginning tour set to kick off next February, the band are simply focusing on what really matters – good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll.
For tickets to the Into The Beginning tour, head to Greta Van Fleet’s website.
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“There are no layoffs and employees will return in the new year”: Fender says WARN notice ahead of Corona factory closure is part of “normal operating procedure”
Fender has clarified its position following the news that a WARN notice had been issued to 533 employees notifying them of the temporary closure of its Corona, California factory during “holiday inventory quiet weeks” at the end of the year.
In the US, a WARN notice (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) informs employees in advance of a large-scale plant closure or mass layoffs. An employer must issue one if more than 500 workers are affected at a single site.
Following speculative chatter across guitar industry forums in the past week – alongside a relatively turbulent time for the company amid its widely criticised Stratocaster cease and desist campaign – Fender has contacted Guitar.com to clarify the specifics of the WARN notice, and how employees at the Corona factory will be affected.
The company says the notice relates to the temporary closure of its Corona factory between 14 and 31 December, 2026. However, a WARN notice in this context is unusual, as US employers generally do not issue WARNs for temporary layoff periods of less than six months.
In a statement given to Guitar.com, Fender reassures those concerned that there are “no layoffs associated with these quiet weeks”, and that affected employees will “return in the new year”.
As Fender explains, end-of-year shutdowns are part of its “normal annual operations and are not a new practice”. That said, this marks the first time Fender has issued a WARN notice alongside a factory shutdown.
“As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen internal processes and improve transparency, we have taken an evolved and more proactive approach to formal notifications this year,” the firm writes. “There has been no fundamental change in our annual operation practices.”
It adds that “employees may have the option to work” during this shutdown period between 14 – 31 December, and that the WARN notice is “simply intended to provide employees with advance visibility so they can plan accordingly”.
It’s been a tumultuous year for Fender, which has faced heavy backlash from the guitar community after serving cease and desist orders to a number of brands making guitars similar to the Stratocaster. Boutique builders like California-based LsL Instruments have been hit, as well as some of the industry’s biggest players including PRS, Yamaha, and Thomann.
Recently, CEO Edward “Bud” Cole sought to clarify the brand’s position, saying that while it had no plans to halt its legal actions against other companies over the Stratocaster, it was pursuing “respectful discussions” over lawsuits.
2026 hasn’t been totally stormy for Fender, however, with significant product launches coming in the way of a revamped American Professional line, a potentially game-changing new pickup silencing system, the first signature Tone Master amp with blues ace and new digital modelling convert Joe Bonamassa, and a slew of mouth-watering signature instruments for Mark Hoppus, Johnny Marr and Lee Sklar.
Also recently, the company relaunched its website, now featuring an AI chatbot that helps you find your perfect guitar, as well as integrated sound demos to hear gear before you buy.
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Want to be a part of Mammoth history? Wolfgang Van Halen’s upcoming London show will be filmed – and you can be there
While Wolfgang Van Halen’s chops are impressive on record, the pure might of his talent is best enjoyed live; when he’s in his element on stage, it’s blazingly clear that Eddie Van Halen’s blood flows through his son’s veins. It’s truly a sight to behold – but, if you’ve not had the pleasure of seeing it in the flesh, Wolfgang is set to film a full live concert film with his band Mammoth this November.
Five years on from the release of Mammoth’s first (and only) official live music video for Don’t Back Down, Wolfgang will be filming the entirety of his O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire later this year. The show will take place on 24th November – and, while the show has been sold out for some time, a final round of production hold tickets have just been released to the public.
The live concert recording will be a way of honouring Mammoth’s 2025 record, The End. The record saw Wolfgang pushing himself to a whole new level creatively, writing and performing every vocal and instrumental track himself. While he hasn’t quite worked out the technology to clone himself to perform everything, as depicted in the ridiculous video for Another Celebration at the End of the World, his band are sure to do a fabulous job bringing The End tracks to life.
In the lead up to the gig, Mammoth will be preparing for the big O2 Shepherd’s Bush show on their support run with Iron Maiden at the start of November, and then Deep Purple. In the UK, the band will be opening for Deep Purple from 18th until 22nd November, kicking off in Newcastle’s Utilita Arena and ending in Manchester’s AO Arena.
If you can’t make it to Mammoth’s London gig, don’t worry. And we don’t just mean because the gig will be preserved forevermore in its recorded form – Mammoth will also be visiting Ireland in December, with shows in Dublin on 15th December and Belfast on 16th December. The gigs were specifically rescheduled from June, and will be a great chance to catch Mammoth before the end of the year.
To check for any remaining tickets for 24th November, head to Mammoth’s website.
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Robert Fripp and Toyah’s Sunday Lunch Halloween special is the most unsettling thing we’ve seen all year
Must be the season of the witch, because Toyah Willcox has joined a coven. At least, that’s what the latest episode of Sunday Lunch suggests; appearing alongside her husband, King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, the pair have recorded a bewitching new performance of Donovan‘s Season Of The Witch to get into the Halloween spirit.
From the offset, the pair are fully kitted out for the imminent spooky season. As they cruise through the 1966 tune, Willcox sparkles in her head-to-toe sequined witchy gear, wiggling her fingers as if she’s casting a hex on the audience. By her side, we can only assume Fripp is her cursed henchman, because his face is hidden behind a rather unsightly, disfigured mask.
Whether it’s a nod to Slipknot, the infamous online phenomenon ‘Momo’, or the antagonist of 2012’s critically panned horror, Smiley, we cannot confirm. Regardless, Fripp looks straight out of a nightmare in this Sunday Lunch instalment. It’s like he’s a sentient orange peel that’s had a Chelsea grin smile and two ominous eyes carved into it.
Unsettling looks aside, the performance is fittingly Halloweenie. And it ends with (what seems to be) a seasonal warning from Fripp, trying his hardest to get his words through his thick mask. “Beeeeeware the nasty witchy person… today and every season of the year, here at Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch!” he slurs.
This might come as a fright in and of itself, but, outside of their ghoulish Sunday Lunch antics, Willcox is already looking forward to the next seasonal highlight of the year. That’s right, Willcox already has Christmas on the mind; the singer is set to release a massive 24-CD box set, fittingly names Twenty-Four From Toyah, on 4 December.
The mega bundle box set will include every single Willcox released between the years of 1979 and 1987. It’s a comprehensive collection of singles, EPs and even additional bonus tracks, rare outtakes and live sessions from the era. In fact, 21 of the total 197 tracks included are previously unreleased.
Twenty-Four From Toyah also features a 56-page booklet including background information on each single, as well as artwork and extra trivia about each era. The collection is available to pre-order now for £114.99.
To celebrate the release, Toyah will also be hosting four Christmas Party shows. The singer will be swinging by Liverpool on 4 December, as well as Sunderland, London and a final show in Birmingham on 7 December to round things off.
You can pre-order Twenty-Four From Toyah now. If you hope to attend her Christmas Party, head to her website for more information.
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