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Norse Guitar Feeds
Behringer Revives The Lovetone Ring Stinger
Faith Guitars Introduces Updated FX Series Acoustics
Faith Guitars has launched their updated FX Series of guitars with two new handmade, all-solid-wood electric-acoustic models offering striking exotic tonewoods, enhanced playing comfort, and upgraded cosmetic detailing.
Originally conceived as an exploration of exotic wood colouration techniques, the Faith FX Series has become known for visually remarkable, tonally rich instruments crafted from Solid Figured Javanese Mango. The two newly updated FX models – the FX Dark Natural Gold and FX Moondust Grey – retain their all-solid Mango construction, ebony fittings, and ‘Neptune’ Baby-Jumbo Cutaway design, while introducing significant new features designed to enhance player comfort and visual appeal.
Each updated FX model now features a beautifully sculpted Figured Maple ergonomic forearm contour, introduced to maximise long-playing comfort both on stage and at home. This new contour is paired with upgraded Figured Maple binding and a matching Figured Maple soundhole rosette.
• Faith FX Neptune Cutaway Electro Dark Natural Gold [FNCEDNG]: Finished in a warm, deep golden-brown transparent stain that highlights the natural grain complexity of the figured Mango, ensuring each guitar remains a unique piece.
• Faith FX Neptune Cutaway Electro Moondust Grey [FNCEMD]: A dramatic onyx-black, grey-washed finish that allows the Mango figuring to shine through with subtle depth and dimension.
FX Exotic Series | 2026 | Faith Guitars
Here's the newly upgraded Faith FX Series! New for 2026, a beautiful, Figured Maple ergonomic forearm contour has been introduced to the guitar body to maxim...
Both FX models feature:
– Solid Figured Javanese Mango top, back & sides
– Indonesian Ebony fingerboard & bridge
– Grover Rotomatic machineheads with Ebony buttons
– Graphtech TUSQ nut & saddle
Faith FX models come equipped with the Fishman INK3 preamp system, offering 3-band EQ, an onboard tuner, and a low-profile design paired with a Fishman Sonicore undersaddle pickup. This ensures the FX Series delivers the same tonal richness and clarity amplified as it does acoustically.
The Faith FX models each carry a $1,569 street price. For more information visit faithguitars.com.
Elixir Unveils Attune Strings — A New Era of Acoustic Guitar Tone and Feel
Elixir®, the brand that revolutionized the industry with breakthroughs in extended tone life and enhanced playability, announces the arrival of Elixir® Attune™, the next generation of acoustic guitar strings designed to give new voice to your guitar.
Building on decades of innovation, Elixir Attune Strings deliver a crisp, clear sound, an incredibly natural feel, and the longest-lasting tone of any string today. The secret lies in a groundbreaking new technology—engineered to be almost unnoticeable to the touch yet unmistakable to the ear. It’s a difference you can barely feel but clearly hear.
“Players experience a full voice for their guitars, many for the first time. Their instruments spring to life with the new Elixir Attune Strings,” said Justin Fogleman, Business Leader for Elixir, a W. L. Gore & Associates business. “Some players assume that a coated string is destined to sound mellow or dark and have an especially plastic-like feel. Over the years, Elixir has pushed that perception providing strings that deliver a range of playing experiences from warm with a slick feel to bright with a smooth touch —all with the added benefit of long tone life. Attune goes even further delivering our most uncoated coated string yet. Now acoustic players regardless of playing style have an incredibly durable, long tone life string without compromising tone and feel.”
Elixir Attune Strings: Key Benefits
- Crisp & Clear Tone
- Natural Feel
- Firm grip that puts players in control of bends and vibrato
- Exceptionally durable construction, engineered to withstand even the most aggressive playing styles
- The longest-lasting tone of any guitar string on the market today
A Contemporary Brand
“Elixir Attune Strings debut in a new gold-foil package that commands attention--- distinctive, modern and unmistakably Elixir,” said Bill Fabiszewski, Global Marketing Leader for Elixir. “The sharpened logo system, dynamic soundwave architecture, and high-tech typography suite build on the brand evolution we reignited last year and align with what today’s players expect from an authentic category leader.”
For Elixir technological leadership isn’t a moment—it’s a mindset. The company’s R&D team is constantly testing, refining, and retesting prototypes, often evaluating more than 100 variations before approving a candidate for further development.
That relentless pursuit of performance is what brought Attune Strings to life.
With its lively, crisp sound profile and naturally intuitive feel, Attune introduces a new tone and feel option within Elixir Strings acoustic lineup. It’s not just another string—it’s a new creative tool. One that inspires players to explore deeper, play longer, and get lost in the music with the renowned tone life of Elixir Strings.
Availability
Elixir Attune Strings are available currently in Phosphor Bronze Extra Light (10-47), Custom Light (11-52), Light (12-53), and Medium (13-56) gauge sets.
Elixir Attune — Feel the difference. Hear the revolution.
Gibson Marks 100 Years with the Return of the Original Collection
This year marks a milestone in music history as Gibson celebrates 100 years of crafting its world-famous flat-top acoustic guitars. From front porches to festival stages, from early folk pioneers to boundary-pushing modern artists, Gibson acoustics have shaped the sound of generations. To honor a century of craftsmanship and innovation, Gibson proudly unveils the latest chapter in its storied acoustic legacy with the return of the Original Collection, featuring the SJ-200 60s Original, LG-2 50s Original, and the J-160E Original. Each model captures the timeless character, unmistakable tone, and handcrafted excellence that have defined Gibson flat-tops since 1926. The Gibson Original Collection is available worldwide at authorized Gibson dealers, at Gibson Garage locations, and on Gibson.com.
Gibson’s tradition of acoustic mastery began with instruments that quickly became the bedrock of American music. Over the decades, these guitars became inseparable from cultural moments and the artists who defined them. From the introspective songwriters of the 1940s to the global icons of the 1960s and 1970s, Gibson flat-tops have been heard on countless historic records and carried on countless shoulders. Today, they continue to resonate with players seeking unmatched expression, enduring quality, and the authentic voice of a century old craft tops have been heard on countless historic records and carried on countless shoulders.
Gibson Original Collection featuring the LG-2 50s, SJ-200 60s, and the J-160E.
At the forefront of this anniversary celebration is the SJ-200 60s Original, a tribute to the era that cemented the guitar’s status as the “King of the Flat-Tops.” First introduced in 1937 and immortalized by artists such as Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Jimmy Page, the SJ-200 became synonymous with power, presence, and unmistakable style. The new 60s SJ-200 Original honors that heritage with a AAA figured maple body, a solid AAA Sitka spruce top, vintage correct 1960s nitrocellulose lacquer, and the iconic no-border pickguard. Every detail—from the graduated mother-of-pearl crown inlays to the rosewood Moustache™ bridge—evokes the golden age of acoustic design while offering the reliability and performance needed by today’s artists.
Gibson Original Collection SJ-200 60s in Vintage Sunburst and Heritage Cherry Sunburst.
Gibson also revisits one of its most beloved small body acoustics with the LG-2 50s Original. First launched in 1942, the LG-2 quickly became a favorite for its balanced voice, compact size, and surprising projection. The new 50s Original revives this classic with era accurate character and craftsmanship, pairing a solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped X-bracing and solid mahogany back and sides. Its comfortable Rounded neck profile, rosewood fretboard, and vintage inspired aesthetic details recapture the charm of the 1950s models that remain highly sought after by collectors and players alike. The guitar’s intimate size and warm, articulate voice make it an ideal companion for songwriting, recording, or everyday playing, while the L.R. Baggs™ VTC pickup ensures it’s ready for any stage.
Gibson Original Collection LG-2 50s in Vintage Sunburst and Antique Natural.
Rounding out the Original Collection is the return of the iconic J-160E Original, a guitar forever linked to the early days of The Beatles and the electrifying shift of youth culture in the 1960s. Introduced in 1954 as one of Gibson’s earliest acoustic electric hybrids, the J-160E blended acoustic tradition with electric innovation. The new J-160E Original retains the guitar’s unmistakable character while elevating it for modern musicians. A solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped X-bracing replaces the laminated top of earlier models, delivering richer acoustic resonance, while the P90 DC pickup offers the classic tone with none of the hum. With its SlimTaper™ neck, trapezoid inlays, gold Top Hat knobs, and belly-up rosewood bridge, the J-160E Original preserves everything players have always loved while offering enhanced performance for contemporary music-making.
Gibson Original Collection J-160E in Vintage Sunburst.
All three Original Collection models are handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana, where Gibson’s team of world class luthiers continues the tradition of meticulous acoustic craftsmanship begun a century ago. From the careful selection of tonewoods to the hand applied finishes and precision shaped necks, each instrument carries forward the legacy of Gibson’s pioneering designs and the artists who made them iconic.
This year, Gibson invites players everywhere to celebrate 100 years of flat‑top excellence. Whether rediscovering a beloved classic, discovering a new favorite, or simply appreciating the soundtracks these instruments have defined, the Original Collection honors the past while inspiring the next century of music. With the SJ‑200 60s Original, LG‑2 50s Original, and J‑160E Original, the Golden Era of acoustics returns—ready to be played, cherished, and passed on for generations to come.
Martin celebrates 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry with stunning limited-edition guitar commemorating country’s most iconic show
Martin has partnered with the Grand Ole Opry and vintage guitar expert George Gruhn on a limited-edition acoustic guitar celebrating the 100th anniversary of country music staple The Grand Ole Opry.
Initially a one-of-a-kind guitar introduced to the public for the first time and played by Opry member Vince Gill on the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th Anniversary show on November 28, 2025, the guitar now gets a limited production run, with 650 instruments available.
Designed to honour a “century of music, storytelling and unforgettable moments on country’s most iconic stage”, the guitar is built on Martin’s HD-28 foundation, with a Sitka spruce top, East Indian rosewood back and sides and forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing delivering “bold, balanced” Dreadnought tone with “powerful bass, clear trebles and rich overtones.
Specs also include a bold herringbone top trim and antique white binding, as well as a Golden Era Modified Low Oval neck, 20-fret ebony fingerboard and 25.4” scale length.
Credit: Martin
But the allure really lies in the ornate visual appointments, which celebrate 100 years of country music’s most iconic show. They include a stunning custom mother-of-pearl/abalone headplate inlay of the Opry’s historic WSM microphone, as well as a matching commemorative inlay theme across the fretboard.
Further specs include a compensated bone saddle, Grover Nickel Open Gear V97 tuning machines, and a faux tortoise pickguard.
Credit: Martin
Founded in Nashville in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry remains the longest-running live broadcast show in the world, boasting a membership comprising country’s most emblematic artists, while also regularly showcasing new and emerging country talent.
The Opry’s diverse member roster currently includes legends like Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, as well as more contemporary artists including Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood and Jelly Roll.
Side note: you can watch the heartwarming moment Jelly Roll was notified of his induction into the Grand Ole Opry last year during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience below:
The HD-28 Grand Ole Opry 100th Anniversary guitar is described as a “playable piece of history made for those who keep the circle unbroken”.
Each is priced at $4,299, and comes with a unique serial number and molded hardshell case.
To purchase or learn more, head to Opry.com.
The post Martin celebrates 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry with stunning limited-edition guitar commemorating country’s most iconic show appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Rig Rundown: Heart
Classic-rock legends Heart, led by iconic sibling duo Nancy and Ann Wilson, tore across the United States last year on the Royal Flush tour. The show touched down at the Pinnacle in Nashville on December 21, and prior to the festivities, PG’s John Bohlinger met up with lead shredder Nancy Wilson and her tech/“guitar butler” Nathan McMurdo, plus guitarists Ryan Wariner and Ryan Waters. Check out some highlights from their rigs below, and tune in to the full Rundown for more!
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Stunner From ’63
On the advice of a former roadie, Wilson picked up this Lake Placid blue 1963 Telecaster when she was “nouveau riche” in the early ’80s, thanks to Heart’s success. Some encourage her to leave it at home, but Wilson insists she “can’t live without it.” Its neck pickup was changed to a PAF humbucker. Most of Wilson’s electrics use D’Addario NYXL strings (.010–.046).
Here, Fishy, Fishy
After retiring a ’60s SG, Wilson now brings this early-’80s model on the road. It sees use on “Barracuda.”
Sisters’ Signature
This custom-built acoustic was brainstormed by Nancy and the folks at Martin as a signature gift for her sister, Ann. Adorned with interstellar artwork, it’s one of only two ever made—one for each sister. All of Nancy’s acoustics use Go Acoustic pickups.
Buddhist Temple
Nancy’s electrics run through a Budda Superdrive 30 head, with a second on hand as a backup, and out to an Orange 412 cabinet with Celestion Gold speakers.
Nancy Wilson’s Pedalboard
McMurdo handles effect changes backstage throughout the show. Nancy’s board has a Line 6 HX Stomp, T.E.A. Barracuda, Revv G2, Keeley El Rey Dorado, MXR Studio Compressor, DigiTech Drop, Revv Tilt, and a channel switch pedal for the Budda. There are also Radial Big Shot ABY and Headshot utility boxes, and an Endorphines Plus 3 expression pedal.
Classic ’Caster
Ryan Waters bought this 1972 Telecaster Thinline in a New York City guitar shop in the mid-’90s. Loaded with Lindy Fralin pickups, it’s his top pick.
Thin Lindy
This thinline Telecaster serves as a loyal backup, with the same Lindy Fralins that are in his number-one, plus a Bigsby system.
… And Don’t Call Me Dirty Shirley!
Waters’ Friedman Dirty Shirley is his main amp, with an 18-watt Marshall plexi-style head as a backup. An Orange 412 pumps out the sound.
Ryan Waters’ Pedalboard
Waters’ board includes a TC Electric PolyTune Mini, TC Electronic Sub ‘N’ Up, MXR Phase 90, Mr. Black Tremolo, Keeley Super Rodent, Revv G2, Strymon Deco, Recovery Effects Moonstruck, and a Dunlop Volume Pedal.
MI6-String
This 2014 Les Paul is from Gibson’s Collector’s Choice series, and thanks to its serial number 007, it’s earned the nickname “Bondburst.” It has a Tom Holmes bridge pickup, and comes out for “Magic Man,” as well as Led Zeppelin covers in the set. Like Wilson, he uses D’Addario NYXLs (.010–.046) and D'Addario Nickel Bronze strings on his acoustics.
Double the Fun
Wariner acquired this lightweight double-neck from Gibson when he joined up with Heart for this tour. It has a Seymour Duncan Jimmy Page pickup in the bridge, and is used for a cover of Zeppelin’s “Rain Song,” as well as the title track off of 1977’s Little Queen.
Bringing Plexi Back
Wariner’s top dog is his 1973 100-watt Marshall head, modded by Dave Friedman. Another 1970 Marshall JMP head with the same mod is on deck as a spare. The heads run through a Friedman cab with a mix of Celestion Greenbacks and Vintage 30s.
Ryan Wariner’s Pedalboard
To the left of Wariner’s main board sits a smaller rig with a Peterson StoboStomp Tuner, a UAFX Heavenly, and a Grace Design ALiX Preamp. On the motherboard, there’s an Ernie Ball volume pedal, a second StroboStomp, MXR Phase 95, MXR Super Badass, DigiTech Drop, Klon clone, Pete Cornish NB-3, T.E.A. Barracuda, Analog Man GE-7, Crowther Hot Cake, Strymon Volante, EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master, and Strymon Cloudburst.
1963 Telecaster (Lake Placid Blue)
EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master
D'Addario Nickel Bronze Strings
These Custom Shop ‘57 Fender Strats with matching painted necks are sure to get guitar purists talking
The Stratocaster is widely regarded as the electric guitar, a design that’s remained largely unchanged since Fender nailed it decades ago. But that doesn’t mean the company can’t have some fun and shake up the blueprint every now and then…
And in a drop that’ll surely make the purists wince, Fender has partnered with New York specialist guitar store The Music Zoo on a range of Custom Shop 1957 Strats boasting body-matching painted necks and fretboards.
Body-matched headstocks are commonplace across Fender’s product lineup, but body-matched necks/fretboards? Much less common. John 5’s eye-catching Ghost signature Telecaster is a notable example – with an Arctic White finish across the entire guitar – while the Big F also collab’d with The Music Zoo in 2025 on two models painted all in Sherwood Green and Olympic White.
But this new drop from Fender x The Music Zoo is notably bigger, with seven guitars in total, all with a uniform colour scheme across the body, neck/fretboard and headstock. Finishes up for grabs include Candy Green, Desert Sand, Pink Pearl, Shell Pink, Ice Blue Metallic, Sonic Blue and Bright Amber. My personal favourite has to be Candy Green…
These Custom Shop guitars are sure to divide opinion but either way, you’ll need a pretty penny to get your hands on one, as they start from $4,999 apiece.
Finishes are the real draw here, but in terms of further specs, these guitars feature NOS finishes, vintage-style hardware, Custom ’50s Single-Coil Strat Pickups, alder bodies and maple necks.
Learn more at The Music Zoo.
The post These Custom Shop ‘57 Fender Strats with matching painted necks are sure to get guitar purists talking appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Acoustic Guitar NAMM 2026 Report
“Is this yours?”: Watch the wholesome moment James Hetfield meets a 10-year-old fan – and signs his ESP LTD Iron Cross guitar
They say never meet your idols – but this truly wholesome moment between Metallica guitarist James Hetfield and a 10-year-old fan is proof that, sometimes, you should ignore that advice.
The inspiring meeting – which can be seen in newly uploaded social media clips – took place in Tampa, FL back in June 2025, when Metallica were passing through on their mammoth M72 World Tour.
In the footage, 10-year-old Jacob K – who has cultivated a following of several thousand on Instagram thanks to his impressive metal riffing – has his ESP LTD Iron Cross signed by the Metallica leader. “Is this yours?” Hetfield asks before scribbling his signature on the guitar’s lower bout, and turning it into an instrument Jacob will truly treasure forever.
In an Instagram post, Jacob K reflects on the “crazy” day, calling James Hetfield “the best musician/guitarist and the reason I play guitar”.
“He was so amazing and cool,” he continues, “and so kind with me. It was the best day ever! I will never forget it.”
Another post on Jacob K’s Instagram page sees his parents reflecting on the wholesome meeting, writing: “Some moments change everything. This was one of them.”
“On 7 June in Tampa, during Metallica’s M72 weekend, something completely unexpected happened. After a night of pure magic at the show, a morning spent at the popup store buying ALL the Metallica gear, and gearing up for night two, our then-nine-year-old son Jacob got to meet his hero James Hetfield.”
They continue: “What meant the most wasn’t just meeting the GOAT. It was how humble, kind, and genuine James was with our son. He stopped. He talked with him. He encouraged him. He told him to keep playing and never stop.
“Up until that moment, Jacob’s world was countless hours of watching interviews, concerts, performances, learning Metallica riffs, listening daily, and even saving up for his Iron Cross guitar!”
They say the meeting made them bigger fans of Hetfield and Metallica than ever before: “Talent is incredible, but character is everything. James isn’t just a rock star. He’s the real deal.”
So there, have another piece of evidence pointing to how James Hetfield is one of the coolest dudes in metal – and music.
The post “Is this yours?”: Watch the wholesome moment James Hetfield meets a 10-year-old fan – and signs his ESP LTD Iron Cross guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
All gain, no pain: the 10 best overdrive pedals you can buy in 2026
At the start, the idea was a simple one: tube amps sound fabulous when they’ve overdriven, but you have to turn them up horribly loud to make that happen, so let’s design some pedals that will recreate the effect at lower levels. The story of overdrive could have ended there… but then people started tinkering with the formula, the options rapidly multiplied, and suddenly the whole thing had got catastrophically out of hand.
Still, as catastrophes go, this one has worked out pretty well for us guitar players: we get a vast array of shiny stompboxes to choose from, ranging from simple low-gain crunchers to complex amp emulators, via numerous modern interpretations of classic designs. As a rule, the intimidatingly expensive ones do tend to be spectacularly good, but there’s really solid stuff at the affordable end of the market too.
So this selection really is just the tip of an overdrive iceberg, and there are plenty of top-quality contenders just below the surface. But if you’re about to buy your first drive pedal, or are just looking to upgrade from a cheap knock-off to something a bit more respectable (and reliable), you’ve picked the right place to begin your search.
At a glance:
- Our Pick: Dinosaural Hypoid Drive
- Best Marshall-style overdrive: DryBell The Engine
- Best Tweed-style overdrive: Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J
- Best Dumble-style overdrive: J Rockett HRM V2
- Best Screamer-style overdrive: EarthQuaker Devices Plumes
- Best Klon-style overdrive: Warm Audio Centavo
- Best valve overdrive: Crazy Tube Circuits Venus
- Best affordable overdrive: Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
- Best versatile overdrive: Silktone Expander
- Best dual overdrive: Hudson Electronics Broadcast AP-II
- Why you can trust Guitar.com
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Our Pick: Coggins Audio Dinosaural Hypoid Drive
Image: Richard Purvis
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Never before has such a scuzzy-looking pedal produced such polished tones. The British-made Hypoid Drive has pedigree going back to the very first boutique stompboxes of the 1990s, and it feels like the ultimate refinement of a brilliant formula.
Also available as the central section of the Cogmeister boost/drive/boost behemoth, this is a compact unit that provides a crunched-up and tastefully sweetened version of whatever you plug into it – with a toggle switch offering a couple of tone-thinning options, and a gain range that goes from gently fluffy grit all the way to a full-blown fuzzy roar. The only thing it can’t do is sound as lo-fi as it looks.
Need more? Read our Coggins Audio Dinosaural Hypoid Drive review.
Best Marshall-style overdrive: DryBell The Engine
If you want to start a massive argument on the internet, simply ask a guitar forum what the best ‘Marshall in a box’ overdrive is. Hundreds will pile on, each insisting their favourite is the best and everyone else is an idiot. Well, quite a lot of MIABs are indeed excellent… but DryBell’s offering is something else.
It has a smoothness that makes the average plexi-style pedal sound ever so slightly scrappy, is more tonally tweakable than most, and comes with the considerable bonus of having a separate boost circuit – based on the legendary Dallas Rangemaster but, again, tonally tweakable – built in.
Need more? Read our DryBell The Engine review.
Best Tweed-style overdrive: Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J
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It would have taken quite the balls-up for this collaboration between two of the world’s most distinguished tone-sniffers – Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX and Jesse Hoff of Lazy J – not to be a winner. Adrian makes superb pedals and Jesse makes superb amps, so it’s no surprise that The J is so good.
Inspired by the great tweed-clad Fender combos of the 1950s, Lazy J amplifiers are a joy to play through – but they do cost a fair few pennies, so this pedal offers a taste of the same chunky tones and touch-sensitive feel for a lot less dosh. The Origin Effects Deluxe55 does something similar in a more compact enclosure, but our reviewer described this pedal as ThorpyFX’s “crowning achievement”, and that really says it all.
Need more? Read our Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J review.
Best Dumble-style overdrive: J Rockett HRM V2
J Rockett HRM V2. Image: J Rockett Audio Designs
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Lactose-intolerant readers should look away now, because it’s impossible to describe the Dumble sound without using the words ‘creamy’, ‘buttery’ and ‘yogurty’ (alright, maybe not that last one). Made famous by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Robben Ford, these Californian amps are now hyper-rare and hyper-expensive, so naturally there’s a thriving market for D-style pedals.
This one is based on a Dumble with the so-called Hot Rubber Monkey tonestack modification. Whether that means anything to you or not is hardly relevant; all you really need to know is that the HRM V2 has all the creamy, buttery goodness you could ever wish for in an overdrive.
Need more? Read our J Rockett HRM V2 review.
Best Screamer-style overdrive: EarthQuaker Devices Plumes
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First launched in the late 70s, the Ibanez Tube Screamer is one of the absolute giants of pedaldom. It has a very distinctive voice, with a bump to the upper midrange and a sizeable chunk of bass scooped out… and for some players it’s still the only drive that matters. But if you want something a little less tonally radical, on a reasonable budget, then you’re better off with the EQD Plumes.
Launched back in 2019 and now on its way to becoming a classic in its own right, the Plumes sits somewhere in the zone between Tube Screamer raspiness and organic transparency, with a three-way clipping switch adding an extra layer of versatility. Some people find it too trebly; presumably those people are yet to notice that it has a tone knob.
Need more? Read our EarthQuaker Devices Plumes review.
Best Klon-style overdrive: Warm Audio Centavo
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There are two ways for pedal designers to pay tribute to the magic of the Klon Centaur, arguably the ultimate low-gain overdrive: either build on its template with an original product that goes somewhere new, or simply create a straight-up ‘klone’. Warm Audio took the second path with the Centavo, setting out to make the sound of the Centaur available at a sensible price point and nothing more.
If you’re OK with that, you’re likely to be very happy with this pedal’s wondrous clarity and sweetly pushed midrange, close enough to the real thing that nobody will ever notice the difference. And if you’re not? Get the Bondi Effects Sick As – it’s an artful improvement on the old Klon design, and it’s an absolute stunner.
Need more? Read our Warm Audio Centavo review.
Best valve overdrive: Crazy Tube Circuits Venus
Image: Adam Gasson
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Despite its name, Greek company Crazy Tube Circuits does not generally make pedals with tubes in them – but as those glowing glass bottles are such an important part of real amplifier overdrive, doesn’t it make sense to squeeze them into stompboxes too? Well, there are a few practical considerations involving space, heat and voltages that might suggest otherwise… but then, on the other hand, there’s the Venus.
Based on the old BK Butler Tube Driver, this handsome stomper is fuelled by a full-size preamp valve yet comes in a compact enclosure and runs off a standard 9v power supply. It packs in a host of added features, and sounds so warm and harmonically rich that our reviewer was forced to break out the ‘m’ word: masterpiece.
Need more? Read our Crazy Tube Circuits Venus review.
Best affordable overdrive: Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
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The SD-1 has seen a lot of changes around these parts since its original release way back in 1981. But the pedal itself hasn’t changed, and has never been out of production – which is surely an indicator of some kind of timeless perfection.
It’s simple and sturdy, and it does a solid job: providing mids-focused grit in a similar vein to the rival that inspired it, the Ibanez Tube Screamer, only with a slightly different distortion character. Want your SD-1 to be made in Japan like the originals? Go for the Waza Craft version, which adds a ‘custom’ sound mode and is still cheaper than almost everything else on this list.
Need more? Read our Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive review.
Best versatile overdrive: Silktone Expander
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Silktone supremo Charles Henry started out making cables for people to plug into their amps and pedals, before deciding he might as well build those amps and pedals himself. Smart move, because everything he’s done so far has been ridiculously good. The Expander, though, is something else: a beautiful tone machine, yes, but also something of a multi-purpose hero.
It works superbly as a low-gain crispy cruncher, it’s just as good as a medium-gain transparent drive, and it’s arguably even better as a high-gain flatulo-fuzz with enough low-end warmth to defrost a woolly mammoth. There are a couple of fantastic British-made boxes that rival it for tone-sculpting power – namely the Great Eastern FX Co Design-A-Drive and Bleak District Terra – but nothing beats the Expander for chameleon-like class.
Need more? Read our Silktone Expander review.
Best dual overdrive: Hudson Electronics Broadcast AP-II
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It’s perfectly reasonable to want more than one overdrive pedal – heck, some of us seem to need about 50 of the effing things – but sometimes a single device can be a better option than two separate ones. A dual stomper takes up less space, only needs one power supply outlet and saves you a patch cable – and, as the two halves have been designed together, you can be confident they’ll ‘stack’ nicely when one is run into the other. That’s certainly the case with the Hudson Broadcast AP-II.
A signature model for slide guitar master Ariel Posen, this version of the Broadcast has a germanium channel and a silicon channel, which can be used independently or stacked for double dirt deliciousness. So it’s essentially three pedals in one – and they all sound glorious.
Need more? Read our Hudson Electronics Broadcast AP-II review.
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“Hip-hop does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”: Gene Simmons explains why rap doesn’t speak to him like rock and roll
What does Gene Simmons make of rap and hip-hop’s place in the musical pantheon? Not much apparently.
Speaking on the Legends N Leaders podcast, the Kiss bassist says the genres simply don’t resonate with him, maintaining that rock music’s blend of melody, songwriting craft and cultural longevity puts it in a different league altogether.
Simmons begins by questioning rap’s place in the Rock Hall: “The fact that, for instance, Iron Maiden is not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is,” he says [via Blabbermouth].
It’s an argument Simmons says he’s taken up directly with hip-hop artists themselves: “Ice Cube and I had a back-and-forth [on this subject], and he’s a bright guy and I respect what he’s done,” he says. “[But] it’s not my music. I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language. And I said in print many times, hip-hop does not belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame – nor does opera, symphony orchestras.”
“How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get [inducted into] the Rock And Roll [Hall Of Fame]? ‘Cause it’s called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’. But he shot back and said, ‘No, it’s the spirit of rock and roll.’ OK, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I just wanna know when Led Zeppelin’s gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame. ‘Oh, you can’t do that?’ Oh, really?”
As Simmons explains, “music has labels because it describes an approach. By and large, rap, hip-hop is a spoken-word art. You put beats in back of it and somebody comes up with a musical phrase, but it’s verbal. There are some melodies, but by and large it’s a verbal thing – it’s rhyming and all that. And I know Eminem can [rap really quickly]. I wish him more success. I really don’t give a fuck. It just doesn’t speak to me.”
That distinction, he argues, is why rock songwriting still carries more weight for him. “With the genius of being able to put words and music and arrange it, it’s much more complex,” Simmons says. “The hardest thing to do is to write a simple, memorable song.”
Those values also shape his view of modern pop and electronic music. While Simmons insists he enjoys EDM and respects its ability to ‘make people happy’, he questions the genre’s long-term cultural impact.
“In terms of talent? … There are no tribute bands to [electronic artist and DJ] Skrillex. Nobody covers those songs,” he says. “There’s not a garage band, a new band that goes, ‘Fuck. The Swiss Mafia [Simmons is presumably referring to Swedish House Mafia here] have got this thing that I love. Let’s try to do a version of it and play it in the club.’ Nobody does that.”
Despite his criticisms, Simmons insists he isn’t anti- modern music. “I think it’s wonderful,” he says of today’s talent. His concern, instead, is the “business” behind it. Without record advances and sustainable income, he argues, artists can’t build the kind of careers that once defined entire generations.
“The biggest problem is that the next Beatles, the next Elvis is not gonna have a chance because record companies don’t give out advances… There’s no business. Fans are downloading for zero, next to it, so if you’re a musician, you can’t get paid for your art.”
For Simmons, that economic shift helps explain why modern popularity doesn’t always translate into lasting influence.
“Where’s that pivotal artist that shakes the rafters? You have popular artists. Taylor [Swift] has been the most popular artist, perhaps of all time. That does not move the needle,” he says. “New bands don’t form and say, ‘Let’s do 10 Taylor songs.’ No, that’s fame versus something deeper. So when you go to see a bar band, they’re gonna be playing the song. They’ll play Freebird, they’ll play Satisfaction, they’ll play the songs that have stood the test of time.”
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“Everything you need to create truly iconic tones”: Fractal Audio brings Axe-Fx modelling to DAWs with ICONS, its first-ever plugin
Known for its high-end Axe-Fx processors, Fractal Audio has now made the leap to native software with ICONS – a new line of amp-modelling plugins and standalone applications that brings its acclaimed modelling and effects tones directly to DAWs and desktop setups.
The brand’s debut series, ICONS: Fullerton, centres on classic American-style amps, delivering 36 models inspired by some of Fender’s most iconic designs from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s and beyond. With “Deluxes, Bassguys, Double-Verbs, Vibrato Verbs, Supers, Princetones, Champlifiers and more” on offer, we’ve got quite the comprehensive tour of the vintage Fender canon.
At the heart of ICONS is Fractal Audio’s advanced amp modeling, which recreates analogue circuits at the component level so that “each model sounds, feels, and responds just like the real thing at any setting.” In practice, that means you can dial in the model the same way you would the physical amp.
Each ICONS volume includes DynaCab selections chosen specifically to complement its included amp types. You can position a virtual mic on a virtual speaker and hear the results in real time – just as with traditional analogue gear.
The package also includes a selection of stompbox and studio effects based on the same algorithms used in the flagship Axe-Fx. These include authentic spring reverb and tremolo, more than a dozen accurate drive pedals, plus delay, compressor, GEQ, additional reverbs, and more.
That said, “ICONS is not an Axe-Fx in software,” says Fractal. “Its effect blocks feature streamlined types and controls that make it fast and natural to create great, complete tones centered on the amp and cab.”
Additional features include a modern preset manager, complete with tags, favourites, and metadata to keep you organised and focused on creating. ICONS also includes an input calibration system for third-party interfaces and features near-instant setup when used with Fractal Audio hardware.
“With support for automation, MIDI control, and essential tools like a built-in tuner, ICONS is designed to fit seamlessly into modern recording and performance workflows,” says the company. “ICONS delivers the sound and feel that Fractal Audio is known for – now available for your DAW or desktop, with everything you need to create truly iconic tones.”
The full ICONS: Fullerton suite is available now for $299; individual volumes are priced at $99 each.
For more information, head to Fractal Audio.
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Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood wants his music removed from Melania Trump’s new documentary
Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood wants his music removed from the new Melania Trump documentary, and claims he was never consulted on its use.
The documentary was released at the end of January and centres around Melania’s life in the days leading up to her husband’s January 2025 inauguration. The doc uses a section of music from the score that Greenwood wrote for the 2017 film Phantom Thread, and both he and its director, Paul Thomas, are reportedly unhappy.
Greenwood has composed music for a number of films, including We Need To Talk About Kevin, Inherent Vice and more. In a statement from the pair given to Variety, it says that Greenwood was not made aware of the use of his work in the new doc, and alleges this breaches his composer agreement.
It reads, “It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary. While Jonny Greenwood does not own the copyright in the score, Universal failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use which is a breach of his composer agreement. As a result Jonny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary.”
Greenwood is not the only artist who doesn’t want his music associated with the Trump name, as a number of others have spoken out against the US President using their work at his rallies and within campaign videos. Trump has previously used Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Fortunate Son to soundtrack his rallies, causing the band’s guitarist and prime songwriter John Fogerty to issue a cease and desist order to put a stop to its use.
In an interview with Vulture, Fogerty chose the song as the most misunderstood in his catalogue: “That’s misunderstood by a small percentage of people – people who seem to be conservative, right-wing, and probably Republican or some other ‘ism’ in that category, and most notably by Mr Trump.
“It’s happened before where people thought it was a patriotic ditty to wave the flag and all that, not really understanding the cynicism and absolute defiance I had in the song. I mean, even if you don’t hear the rest of it, you should at least hear, ‘It ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son’. But if you don’t, then I guess you’re able to see the song in a different way,” he said.
Guitar.com has reached out to Universal Music Group for comment.
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“There’s nothing that impressive about being able to play the guitar at a decently high level anymore”: Billy Corgan on why guitarists today need more than chops
In 2025, being good at playing the guitar is no longer a flex – at least not in Billy Corgan’s book.
In a recent chat with Guitar World, the Smashing Pumpkins frontman argues that technical proficiency by itself simply doesn’t move the needle anymore, especially when “there’s fifty 10-year-olds playing Eruption on YouTube.” He also shares how his approach to guitar solos has evolved in recent years, with less emphasis on playing leads live.
“I don’t play that many leads live anymore, so if I’m only going to play like two or three leads live, I’ve got to make my point fairly quickly,” says the guitarist. “At this point, I’m 58 years old – the kineticism of a lead is what I’m interested in. The notes are less important to me. And that might sound strange, but that’s just the way I feel.”
According to Corgan, the rise of social media has changed what counts as impressive guitar work.
“If you’re going to play a lead in an alternative rock band in 2025, what are you trying to say? No-one’s going to care that you can play good, because there’s fifty 10-year-olds playing Eruption on YouTube,” he argues.
“There’s nothing actually that impressive about somebody being able to play the guitar at a decently high level anymore, so I think it’s the expressive quality that makes it interesting. So I’m more interested in creating a feeling than showing off.”
And while technical chops are abundant online, Corgan says very few of those players turn their skill into music that resonates in the wider world.
“I don’t see a lot of that great playing converting into popular music, whether it’s in popular metal bands or popular alternative rock bands. I want to see them making the Metallica songs of tomorrow or Megadeth or Slayer or something. I want to see that convert into music. I would wish for that crew of guitar players to convert those incredible abilities into the popular culture.”
He continues: “It’s like if Clapton had just been a guitar influencer and hadn’t been in John Mayall and Cream and Derek and the Dominos. The reason everybody knows Eric Clapton’s name is not because he’s a great guitar player. It’s because he made some of the most popular music of the 20th century, and, oh, by the way, it has incredible guitar. That’s kind of the point I’m making.”
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Sterling By Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre – a solid rock and metal workhorse
$999/£1,199, sterlingbymusicman.com
When Ernie Ball Music Man blessed YouTuber and metal guitarist Rabea Massaad with his first signature models back in 2024, it was only a matter of time before more budget-friendly Sterling versions came along to serve the slightly more cash-constrained.
After a two-year wait, Rabea’s Sterling Sabre finally arrived in October 2025, retaining many of the original’s fan-favourite specs – including a recessed heel and characteristic lower-horn spoon carve for comfortable high-register shredding – while slashing its $4,000 price tag to just shy of $1,000.
That considerable cost-saving is owed, in large part, to the fact that Rabea’s SBMM Sabre is made in Indonesia, while its pricier EBMM counterpart is built in the USA.
But as I’ve discovered first-hand on numerous occasions – like when I got my hands on the SBMM Kaizen 6 in December – Sterling’s considerably more affordable instruments do very little, if anything, to diminish build quality and are devilishly fun to play and tremendously difficult to put down.
Image: Adam Gasson
Sterling By Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre – what is it?
If you’ve ever watched Rabea Massaad’s YouTube channel or heard his diverse array of crushing riffs in Dorje, Toska and FrogLeap, you’d naturally jump to the conclusion that the SBMM Rabea Artist Sabre is a guitar focused chiefly at the heavier-inclined. In reality, though, it’s an impressively well-rounded instrument, with a silky smooth feel and versatile Alnico V humbuckers catering to a vast range of playing styles and genres, should you wish.
Its spec sheet is similar to its slightly more decked out EBMM sibling, both sharing a 25.5” scale, roasted maple neck and 22-fret ebony fingerboard with white ring inlays, and sculpted lower horn carve which, it must be said, feels like silk when sweeping in the highest registers.
There are a few changes, though, which help bring the Sterling version down to the affordable sub-$1,000 bracket. An alder body is swapped out for nyatoh – while retaining the flame maple veneer – the Music Man vintage tremolo is substituted for a standard modern trem, and perhaps most importantly, Rabea’s signature Bare Knuckle Silo pickups are traded for a pair of custom-voiced Alnico V humbuckers. Controls are kept the same, meanwhile, with singular volume and tone pots – with coil splitting – and a five-way selector switch.
The Sterling By Music Man Rabea Artist Sabre also comes in two new finishes; where the EBMM version came in Vileblood Burst and Frenzied Flame Burst, its affordable counterpart comes in Ashen Burst and Blood Flame Burst, inspired by Rabea-approved video games Dark Souls and Elden Ring, respectively.
Image: Adam Gasson
Sterling By Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre – feel and sounds
Put simply, 10 minutes of tinkering with your amp in both clean and high-gain settings reveals the Sterling By Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre to be a guitar that can do it all. But parking the versatility argument for just a second, let’s be honest: this is still a guitar that’ll find its core audience among metal players. So straight to high-gain setting I go.
Rabea’s Sterling Sabre owes its one-quarter price tag, in large part, to the addition of standard custom-voiced Alnico V humbuckers in place of Rabea’s signature Bare Knuckle Silos. But these pickups don’t exactly leave you wishing for anything. Flicking through the five pickup settings – on a switch which must be commended for its buttery smooth feel, I might add – it’s a true joy running the metal gamut. Low-register riffs on the bridge setting exude power and bite while retaining tightness, meaning even technically challenging riffs retain their clarity in a mix or band setting.
The neck pickup offers a gloriously warm tone perfect for sweeps, which when coupled with the recessed heel, sculpted lower horn carve and silky satin neck finish, genuinely make me feel about twice as good at sweep picking as I really am. Shredding really shines with this guitar, so if you’re looking to supercharge your lead playing, it might be the perfect option for you. Those Alnico V humbuckers handle crystalline cleans as well as high-gain tones, so you can rest easy knowing your tonal palette of needs is pretty much taken care of. Bear in mind there’s also a push-push tone pot, too, so you can tap into single-coil-type tones.
As with so many guitars that come out of Indonesia these days, build quality is superb, save for a few minor imperfections, like both the “Made in Indonesia” sticker and the way the fretboard connects with the neck at the headstock, seeming a little misaligned or off-center.
Straight out the box the strings are barely wound round the tuning post at all, which may have contributed to the A string breaking the first time I tuned up. Following that little hurdle and after a new set of strings, everything else about this guitar feels wonderfully put together and premium, from its graceful satin finish to a solo-friendly low action across the length of the fretboard. Glow-in-the-dark side dots are a welcome addition, too, and work great in dimly lit environments.
Image: Adam Gasson
Sterling By Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre – should I buy one?
There’s no shortage of riff-ready double-humbucker electric guitars on the market, and at times it’s hard to see where the Rabea Artist Series Sabre stands apart from the pack. It’s a tremendously well-built guitar which plays and sounds fantastic, but in terms of feeling like anything groundbreaking, it doesn’t feel like there’s much to see here.
That said, if you’re looking for a metal-first, versatile workhorse to add to your guitar collection – this is a solid option. And if you’re an avid Rabea Massaad fan, you’ll get more out of this guitar than most.
Image: Adam Gasson
Sterling By Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre – alternatives
If you’ve got $4,000 to part with, springing for the Ernie Ball Music Man Rabea signature gets you a slightly more kitted out spec sheet, but is it worth the $3k extra? The Sterling By Music Man version more than does the job, so I’m not that convinced it is.
In a similar price range, though, is the Tosin Abasi-approved Sterling By Music Man Kaizen 6, an ergonomic shred machine I named as my favourite guitar of 2025 in Guitar.com’s year-end gear roundups. While the SBMM Rabea Sabre is undeniably a beautiful guitar to play, few guitars have made an impression on me like the Kaizen, and it also has a floating tremolo, so you’ve got a slightly wider array of tools at your disposal.
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Wren and Cuff Fade Font ’94 Review
Few effects delivered as much aura and musically transformative power per buck as Electro-Harmonix’s Sovtek Big Muffs from the mid ’90s. Mine set me back probably $50. But man, I might as well have stolen Excalibur from the clutches of King Arthur.
Up to that moment, my piggyback Fender Tremolux, Tube Screamer, and Rickenbacker was perfect for thrashing out ’60s Kinks riffs. But with the Big Muff in the mix, my little rig became a monster—a wrecking ball capable of the potency I savored in Black Sabbath and Dinosaur Jr. From that moment on, my amplifier would be intolerable to the public outside the confines of a rented jam space. I suspect I went to bed that night pondering, like Robert Oppenheimer, tales of Prometheus and the Bhagavad Gita. The Big Muff had unleashed a horrible new power.
“The Fade Font ’94 possesses all the signature qualities of a Big Muff—sustain, mass, and megatonnage.”
Today the Big Muff’s might is legendary, and thanks to a couple of decades of cloning and reissues its power has proliferated among players. But Big Muffs sing many songs. Like their human creators, they are full of quirks, and Wren and Cuff’s Matt Holl and protégé Ray Rosas study these oddities and irregularities fastidiously. The newest product of Holl’s obsession is the Fade Font ’94—a beautiful homage to a ’90s “Tall Font” Sovtek Big Muff in Holl’s sizable collection built with unusual components that shifted its personality to brasher ends. The Fade Font ’94 possesses all the signature qualities of a Big Muff—sustain, mass, and megatonnage. But it’s also nastier and illuminated at the edges by a ripping high-mid ferocity that counterbalances the creaminess that is the signature of most ’90s Big Muffs.
Built to Bruise
The charms of the Fade Font ’94’s olive drab, steel-slab design will no doubt elude some. But as someone who keeps their Sovtek Big Muff on a sort of informal mantle in my studio, I was genuinely thrilled to see how Wren and Cuff reproduced the original’s enclosure with such exactitude and quality. The dimensions are, save for very minor deviations, identical. At a few paces, you’d never suspect you were looking at anything other than an original Sovtek. The difference in quality, however, between Wren and Cuff’s unit and an original Sovtek is easy to see and feel. There’s a proper footswitch. The knobs (near-perfect replicas of the originals) turn with a smooth secure sense absent in Sovteks. And on the inside, the relatively simple circuit is executed masterfully on a through-hole circuit board. I also suspect the paint on the Wren and Cuff won’t flake off within weeks, and I won’t miss the Sovtek’s plastic jacks. So, yes, on the quality and craft side of the equation, Wren and Cuff deliver.
But it’s the sound that puts the Fade Font ’94 over the top. And Matt Holl was right to be excited by the sonic signature of the Muff that inspired this one. The primary design difference in that Big Muff is its use of 150k pots rather than the 100k pots most Muffs use. Holl found several component values elsewhere in the circuit that didn’t match Big Muff design norms. The sonic sum is what you hear here, and in Muff terms it’s something special.
Side by side, five Big Muff circuits can sound equally great for five different reasons. But the Tall Font conveys a sense of balance and playing to strengths—like a top-notch analog desk mix of a record, or a great mastering job. And it makes the Fade Font ’94 sound quite like listening to a Big Muff greatest hits record. It’s plenty bassy, just like a Sovtek should be. But the airy lower-midrange seems to siphon away excess low-end energy that might make a bass trap and convert it to low-mid purr. The high-mid, too, is very activated and detailed without flirting with brick-wall midrange. The top end is full of air, while the low-mid purr becomes a growl. It’s just really balanced across its gain structure and feels exceptionally alive as a result.
The Verdict
If you played the Fade Font ’94 without the benefit of side-by-side comparison with other ’90s or ’90s-style Big Muffs you might be hard-pressed to recognize the differences. If you have the ability to do so, though, it becomes hard to un-hear the shift in accent that makes it sound so much more sonorous, well-rounded, and at times, extra aggressive.
Obviously, there are practical downsides to the Fade Font ’94’s lovingly, exactingly executed big-enclosure format. Any player with more than a few additional pedals will struggle to accommodate the big footprint without scaling up to a bigger pedalboard. On the other hand, the Fade Font’s flexibility gives you justification to pare back your fuzz collection. Maybe, like I did over the course of this test, you’ll succumb to the Fade Font ’94’s brutish charms so completely that you’ll find everything but a delay pedal superfluous. For such minimalists, well-heeled maximalists with roadies, pedal aesthetes, or studio rats more concerned with delicious sounds than pedalboard space, the Fade Font ’94’s size won’t get in the way of putting it to use.
Reflecting on my $50 Big Muff purchase back in the ’90s—and the many times I put it back together with a cheap Radio Shack soldering kit and gaffer’s tape—it’s hard to imagine that such a close relative could be elevated to this level of luxury. But once again, Wren and Cuff has shaped magnificence from merely modest perfection. And any player who loves the Big Muff owes it to themselves to experience this intriguing, engaging variation on the theme.
Carondelet Introduces OTB Ultimates Vintage-Style PAF Pickups
Carondelet Pickups has introduced their newest vintage-style humbuckers: the company’s OTB Ultimates provide a sound and feel that are stunningly close to great examples of original 1957-61 Gibson “Patent Applied For”-sticker humbuckers.
Louisiana-based Carondelet -- pronounced “kuh-RON-da-let” -- teamed up with artist Owen Barry in developing the OTB with the specific goal of “cracking the code” of vintage Gibson PAF humbuckers, but at a fraction of the cost of actual vintage PAFs.
The bridge position Carondelet OTB Ultimate reads 8.2k DCR and the neck position 7.0k DCR. Both positions feature rough-cast Alnico V magnets; historically accurate coil wire, plastics and metallurgy; two-conductor braided shield leads; and are unpotted like original PAFs.
Carondelet OTB Ultimates come with permanent and period-correct American-made raw German nickel silver covers. The “standard” version featuring modern covers with etched Carondelet logo carry a street price of $249 each and $498 per set. The “grail” version features no-logo vintage correct covers created from a 3D scan of an actual 1959 Gibson PAF, and carry a street price of $279 each and $558 per set.
The OTB Bridge position pickup is available in either Gibson-spacing or Fender-spacing, while the Neck position is available in a single vintage Gibson-spacing format.
The OTB in the product name is based on the initials of Owen Timothy Barry, a Nashville-based session and touring player whose resume includes The Chicks, Jackson Browne, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani and Tal Wilkenfeld, among many others. Carondelet’s owner Jeff Richard (REE-shard, Cajun French) hand-winds all Carondelet pickups one at a time in his workshop in Baton Rouge. Barry and Richard met at the Amigo Nasvillle guitar show in 2025 and R&D on the OTB Ultimates began shortly thereafter, involving multiple trips between Tennessee and Louisiana and well over 50 pickup prototypes that directly contributed to the final recipe, Richard said.
“Even the simplest guitar pickup has so many variables which forge overall tone and feel,” Richard said. “In the case of a vintage PAF, however, you’re trying to recreate pickups wound 70 years ago by primitive machines, using inconsistent to outright changing techniques, components and materials, in a process overseen by common factory workers who aren’t around today to field how-to questions.”
Said Barry: “In order to create my perfect PAF set with Jeff, I had to fully understand the original recipe. It was an incredibly intensive deep dive, but I knew we had to try and test every variable. This would be the only way to find what created the original PAF magic.”
Carondelet OTB Ultimates are available direct via CarondeletPickups.com; and select vintage/boutique dealers including Carter’s Vintage Guitars in Nashville (cartervintage.com) and LA Vintage Gear in Los Angeles (lavintagegear.com).
“You’re not going to get any sustain”: Analog Man legend Mike Piera thinks people who use digital amps and in-ear monitors are missing out on a huge part of guitar tone
In 2026, more and more touring guitarists are turning to digital amp modellers to get their tone, with increasingly professional-quality sound available in progressively smaller units offering unprecedented benefits in terms of how simple they are to transport and set up.
Many musicians also love the fact they can programme and save a tone, and it’ll sound the same at every show and at every venue. But some gear purists and analogue lovers think this is a problem.
As Analog Man founder Mike Piera explains in a new interview on the Products of Music YouTube channel, there are some elements of analogue gear which digital amp modellers can’t replicate.
“I don’t personally try out the digital modelling things,” he says. “I have no interest in them. Because to me, it’s not any fun. Where are you gonna go next? Are you just gonna stream your sound over the internet and you don’t even have to play your guitar? I want to play my guitar. I want it to go through real pedals, real amps and real speakers.”
Piera explains how, in his opinion, rigs reliant mostly on digital elements and amp modellers often benefit from throwing a piece of analogue gear somewhere in the signal chain.
“I do get exposed to a lot of the digital modelling,” he goes on. “The King of Tone [classic overdrive pedal] sounds pretty good into a Kemper or some of those amps.
“For example, a client of mine, who is one of the best guitarists in the world, was playing at [New York City’s] Madison Square Garden… He had been using the King of Tone with his digital modelling amp…
“My friend who came with me, he was like, ‘Man, that guitar sounds amazing.’ And it did sound amazing, but it didn’t sound like a real guitar. It sounded fake. It was so great how you could hear everything, but I didn’t enjoy it. But there were a couple songs I thought sounded really good, and I checked with the guitar tech, and he did kick on the King of Tone for a couple of songs, and it helped. It sounded more real, I don’t know why. Maybe starting out with a sound with some analogue glitches and things and then going through all that digital stuff, it still preserves some of that tone.”
Piera admits that relying on digital modellers and PA systems as opposed to analogue guitar amplifiers is “certainly easier”, but asks if it’s “worth it”.
“[If you use in-ears and you’re going through the PA], you’re not going to get any sustain, because you get sustain by the sound going from your amplifier into your guitar,” he continues.
“A Strat – you’ll hear those strings vibrating. It gives you that Strat sound. I guess most of that comes from the strings, but your amplifier sound vibrating your guitar is quite important, and gives you that sustain. You’ll see guitarists moving around the stage to find that spot where they have the sustain.”
Many artists have made the switch, either fully or in part, to having their live setups powered by digital amp modellers in recent years.
Last year, Metallica guitar tech Chad Zaemisch reflected on the band’s decision to ditch real amps while playing live, and how it freed up stage space to ultimately put on a better show. “Not many people want to watch a band stand in front of their amp line,” he reasoned.
Other artists have sung the praises of digital amp modellers, with Jim Root revealing in 2024 that he was using a Neural DSP Quad Cortex with Slipknot. Elsewhere, Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi revealed the same year he’d been tinkering about with a Kemper, admitting it was “quite hard to tell the difference” between it and traditional analogue amps.
However, Sheryl Crow guitarist Peter Stroud urged beginners to steer clear of amp modellers, arguing that using an analogue amplifier helps players better understand their instrument.
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The Coolest Room in Any Guitar Store?
How do you improve one of the coolest guitar stores? Well, at Chicago Music Exchange Andrew Yonke (CEO) & Daniel Escauriza (Vintage Inventory & Purchasing Manager) created an area where players can not only experience the best vintage guitars and holy grails available, but the Vault also celebrates player-grade, stone-cold tone stars at any price point. And the best part of this room is that it's open to even us gear mortals.
“The industry has told me to f**k myself at every single turn”: Yungblud pushes back on the idea that he’s an “industry plant”
Yungblud has found himself with a much wider audience over the past year, and despite criticism from listeners and artists alike who have labelled him an industry plant, he argues it took him 10 years to get to this point.
Yungblud released his first studio album 21st Century Liability in 2018, but the past year has been life changing for the 28-year-old musician. He put out his fourth album IDOLS in June last year, collaborated with Aerosmith on an EP – and at the VMAs in what ended up being a contentious performance – and performed a poignant rendition of Changes at the Black Sabbath Back To The Beginning gig, which earned him an army of new fans.
Speaking to Rolling Stone for its Music Now podcast, he says, “I’ve been doing this for 10 years now. People have just found me now, and it takes 10 years to become an overnight success, doesn’t it?”
Yungblud is later asked if he wishes he was ever in a band, and despite his collaboration with Aerosmith, he replies, “No! Fuck no! I am not made to compromise. In the past, when I’ve listened to opinions and almost met someone in the middle, my art’s been shit. Watching Steven Tyler and Joe Perry together, the compromise is the fucking magic. But for me, it doesn’t work. It just makes me mad.
“People don’t realise I’m in control of everything. One of the biggest misconceptions about me is that I had everything handed to me by the industry. The industry has told me to fuck myself at every single turn,” he explains. “I find it really funny when people think that about me. If I’m an industry plant, I’ve planted the fucking plant myself.”
Asked about the advice he’s been given from others, he shares, “It’s funny, it’s all the same advice. Everyone’s like, ‘We were hated. People thought we were posing.’ Aerosmith went through it. After Ozzy left Sabbath, people were like, ‘He’s a pop star.’ He had to really stay true to his fucking self.”
Yungblud will begin touring in April this year. You can view the full list of scheduled shows via his official website.
The post “The industry has told me to f**k myself at every single turn”: Yungblud pushes back on the idea that he’s an “industry plant” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
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