General Interest

To mark the 10-year anniversary of their debut record, The Universe Smiles Upon You, Khruangbin have partnered with Fender to release a pair of limited-edition signature Stratocaster and Jazz Bass guitars.

Much like Khruangbin’s ever-shifting brand of unorthodox funk and psychedelic rock, the bassist and guitarist have been adapting their respective instruments over the last 10 years. Fender has captured this decade of innovation with the Laura Lee Jazz Bazz and Mark Speer Stratocaster, replicating Lee and Speer’s personalised instruments exactly.

• READ MORE: “It’s weird because none of us are joyous… at all” Inhaler are making brighter music in darker times

The Mark Speer Stratocaster boasts DiMarzio Pro Track pickups on the neck and bridge, as well as a ’70s Strat middle pickup. In terms of the neck, Strat has a custom C profile, with a 7.25” radius and 21 jumbo frets. There’s also a vintage-style tremolo, with Graph Tech saddles and string trees.

Aesthetically, Speer’s Strat is certainly classy. It has an aged natural finish, with a contoured ash body and all-white hardware. Price-wise, it comes it at £1,349.

In terms of Lee’s signature, the Laura Lee Jazz Bass is fitted with DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups. The bass also has its own vintage feel thanks to its concentric volume and tonal knobs. The neck has a U profile neck with a 9.5” radius, with 21 jumbo frets.

The bass adopts a vintage white finish, with chrome details and a rosewood fingerboard. The price comes in a little higher than the Strat, costing £1,399.

As the signature models are exact replicas of the pair’s instruments, both artists are quite passionate about sharing their signatures with the world. “This guitar is the easiest way for me to get the musical idea from my head, out into the world,” Speer explains. “I know this thing inside and out, the sounds it can make, and the textures I can achieve. It’s like becoming really familiar with your paintbrush.”

Lee is equally as keen to share her dream bass with the world. “A lot of the features on my bass look vintage, but they function in a modern way,” Lee says. “We’ve been trying to cultivate our music to feel classic and timeless, really. To me, the look and feel of this instrument is the same – it just sounds better the more you play it.”

Just as the band have strived to break the mould, a simultaneous signature release is an uncommon move on Fender’s part; the guitar giant has only done it once before in its entire 80 year history, with J-rockers Scandal releasing three signatures back in 2022.

“Khruangbin is a band that has made a huge mark on modern music – they blend cultures, genres, and eras into something entirely their own,” Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at Fender, says.

“Mark and Laura had built their trademark sound with some unique specs and features on their primary instruments and with these signature models, we wanted to be able to share that with the universe of musicians and fans.”

For more information, head to Fender.

The post Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee have partnered with Fender on a pair of Strat and Jazz Bass signatures appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Multi-effects units and pedals used to be like those buffet restaurants that serve dozens of global cuisines. Overdrive, delay, reverb, chorus, phaser, flanger – they did it all, but with all the succulence of badly rolled sushi.

Times and technologies change, and the best compact multi-effects are now offering genuinely ear-pleasing effects, often with granular options to adjust the effect level and other parameters. They’re almost always digital, and some models known as ‘effects processors’ are essentially a pedalboard computer, with a screen and controls allowing you to combine effects, amp models, and additional elements such as a backing track.

‘Multi’ is a spectrum, and you might prefer your compact multi-effects unit to be on the simpler side. There are plenty of options that excel with a curated selection of sounds, sometimes condensing the effects into a standard stompbox format. A few examples are genuinely boutiquey, with sounds on a par with the best standalone effects.

Whichever style of multi-effects you want, this guide is made to help you unearth the best model for you. The summaries below link through to our writers’ full reviews of each unit, so you can start mapping out your own microcosm of musical possibility.

At a glance:

• Our Pick: Neural DSP Nano Cortex
• Best multi-effects for larger boards: Line 6 HX One
• Most versatile multi-effects: Boss GX-10
• Best compact multi-effects: Chaos Audio Stratus
• Best boutique multi-effects: Hologram Electronics Chroma Console
• Best beginner multi-effects: Donner Triple Threat
• Best ambient multi-effects: Crazy Tube Circuits Sidekick Jr
• Best multi-effects for lo-fi: Source Audio Artefakt
• Why you can trust Guitar.com

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Our Pick: Neural DSP Nano Cortex

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With the Nano Cortex 2.0, Neural DSP has delivered on the phenomenal hype which surrounded its original compact multi-effects unit. It’s designed to work as “a complete guitar or bass rig in an ultra-compact pedal”, allowing you modular control over a signal chain cherry-picked from over 50 effects and parameters.

We enjoyed the original Nano Cortex, but it was a little lacking in effects – especially drives. That feedback – *ahem* – has clearly been taken on board, as the 2.0 has a good range of options to sully your sound, including digital Tube Screamer, RAT and Fuzz Face clones.

Our editor was impressed with this unit’s gain-stacking capabilities, expanded bass-specific offering and chorus effects – especially the lush-sounding ‘Spacey Dream’. If you wondered how good a multi-FX unit can sound, here’s the high-water mark.

Need more? Read our Neural DSP Nano Cortex review.

Best multi-effects for larger boards: Line 6 HX One

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The Line 6 Helix will always be a classic among multi-effects units – but it’s a hulking processor that doesn’t leave much room (physically or musically) for the other effects you might want on your board.

If you want the best of the Helix, plus ample room for your pedals, the HX One is the way to go. This neat unit gives you over 250 effects to play around with – many of them superb – including distortions, reverbs, modulations, drives and a looper. All parameters are adjustable on-pedal via user-friendly controls, and there’s a black-and-white OLED display to tell you precisely what you’re tweaking.

Above all, this is a great-sounding multi-effects pedal, with a wealth of incredibly musical, alive-sounding effects. Sometimes, smaller is superior.

Need more? Read our Line 6 HX One review.

Most versatile multi-effects: Boss GX-10

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If you want a guitar effects processor that’s rich in sounds and features but doesn’t feel brain-achingly complex to use, the Boss GX-10 could be the one. Using the unit’s colour display and mix of touchscreen and physical controls makes it a playful delight to sculpt your sound out of the GX-10’s immense library of presets.

Toggling or tweaking these (generally impressive) ready-made combinations of AIRD amp model, effects and tone parameters is a fast, fun way to transform your tone – perfect for songwriters seeking inspiration, or for function musicians who need to switch things up at the drop of a bouquet.

The completeness of Boss’s presets makes the GX-10 a great, all-in-one headphone amp solution for practising at home. Pop it on your desk, plug in and do your thing.

Need more? Read our Boss GX-10 review.

Best compact multi-effects: Chaos Audio Stratus

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If you’re seeing the Stratus for the first time, you might wonder: where’s the rest of it? It’s hard to believe, but there are 14 effects presets plus capacity for many more optional additions in this tiny multi-effects stompbox. The pedal’s combination of simple layout with versatile sounds is made possible by its companion app, which is used to control the unit and manage its library of effects. And thankfully, connecting the pedal to the app is relatively painless.

You’ll love this mode of operation or you’ll hate it, but our reviewer found that his initial scepticism soon gave way to surprise at the quality of sounds the Stratus has to offer. Some of the effects – especially the reverbs – wouldn’t sound out of place in a pedal from Meris or Walrus Audio.

Need more? Read our Chaos Audio Stratus review.

Best boutique multi-effects: Hologram Electronics Chroma Console

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Multi-effects pedals cover a lot of sonic bases, which can make them great value but often means they’re a little anonymous. The Chroma Console breaks that mould by sounding just as colourful and character-packed as its enclosure suggests. Using four individual modules (each of which controls a unique choice of five effects), you can mix up a singular cocktail of off-kilter sound.

It’s incredibly easy to use – which is saying something, given it features 20 effects in total – and there are fantastic sounds to be discovered by blending effects like drive and pitch-shifting to your liking. Where other multi-FX sometimes feel like hard work, it’s nice to find one that’s built for play.

Need more? Read our Hologram Electronics Chroma Console review.

Best beginner multi-effects: Donner Triple Threat

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If you’re new to multi-effects pedals, or if you just want a focused option with a few excellent effects, the Donner Triple Threat would make a cheap yet connoisseurial choice, with minimal complexity and maximalist sounds.

Made in collaboration with Third Man Hardware, the Triple Threat has – you guessed it – three effects: a distortion, a phaser and an echo. Co-creator Jack White’s red-and-white fingerprints are all over this pedal, and you can hear it in the lashings of gain when you push the distortion past halfway, or when you tinker with the characterful phaser – a maverick but welcome addition to a mould-breaking beginner’s multi-FX.

Need more? Read our Donner Triple Threat review.

Best ambient multi-effects: Crazy Tube Circuits Sidekick Jr

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A tiny boxful of diverse and expansive sounds, the Sidekick Jr is our boutique pick for creating ambient music. Within its unassuming enclosure are three excellent effects – delay, reverb and chorus – which you can use individually or combine to create a headier soundscape. Dig into each of these and you’ll find a wealth of sounds, with six reverbs, two delays, two choruses and a flanger (bonus!) to explore.

Even though it does so much, this is a simple pedal to use. The controls are intuitive, with roughly one third of the pedal devoted to each effect.

One downside to consider is that you’ll need to purchase an additional CTC footswitch to activate the chorus/flanger independently of the other effects.

Need more? Read our Crazy Tube Circuits Sidekick Jr review.

Best multi-effects for lo-fi: Source Audio Artifakt

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Multi-effects pedals are rarely made for leftfield tastes, so it’s extra special to discover the Artifakt’s wealth of auditory oddities. This pedal aims to deliver all the wonkiest effects found on the weirdest boards, including vinyl and radio replication, tape modulation, bit crushing and glitch.

Rather than buying lots of individual boutique pedals just for their exotic-sounding extremities, you can use the Artifakt as a sort of lo-fi greatest hits compilation. It strikes a superb balance between giving you key sounds on-tap and providing scope to create, with seven core algorithms selectable via a central rotary knob – and tweakable via controls including ‘Destruct’, ‘Vary’, and more.

Navigating the Artifakt’s plenteous effects is made easier by its on-pedal presets and companion app, which provide options to save presets with your favourite settings or pinch other guitarists’ configurations.

Need more? Read our Source Audio Artifakt review.

Why You Can Trust Us

Every year, Guitar.com reviews a huge variety of new products – from the biggest launches to cool boutique effects – and our expert guitar reviewers have decades of collective experience, having played everything from Gibson ’59 Les Pauls to the cheapest Squiers.

That means that when you click on a Guitar.com buyer’s guide, you’re getting the benefit of all that experience to help you make the best buying decision for you. What’s more, every guide written on Guitar.com was put together by a guitar obsessive just like you. You can trust that every product recommended in those guides is something that we’d be happy to have in our own rigs.

The post Buyer’s guide to the best compact multi-effects: sound-shifting units from Neural DSP, BOSS & Line 6 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

As Ozzy Osbourne’s long-time right-hand guitar man, Zakk Wylde has developed a close friendship and professional relationship with the Prince of Darkness over the years. However, that doesn’t mean he’s ever let go of his fanboy-ism of Black Sabbath and his guitar hero Tony Iommi.

Of course, Wylde makes clear his adoration of Iommi’s guitar work by fronting Black Sabbath cover band, Zakk Sabbath. But he also never shies away from expressing his admiration of Iommi in the press.

• READ MORE: “Trust me, he was on 11 for everything” Tony Iommi’s longtime producer explains the secret of the Black Sabbath man’s guitar tone

In a new interview with Guitar World, Wylde likens the Sabbath guitarist to some of the finest minds in musical history. “He’s basically the Bach, Mozart and Beethoven of metal guitar,” Wylde insists. “He’s all three of them in one. And he’s the John Lennon and Paul McCartney of riff writing. He truly is.”

“His genius is just immense,” he continues. “I love every aspect of his playing. And outside of songwriting, I love his solos; I love all of it. It’s not just the riffs; Tony Iommi has amazing technique and can play fast… he’s just the complete package.”

While Iommi isn’t necessarily penning pivotal classical movements or light-hearted Beatles-esque rock, Wylde believes his work with Sabbath was equally as vital for the world of heavy metal. “[Black Sabbath are] like how Henry Ford is the creator of the car,” Wylde says. “They’re everything. All the bands that have come after… like with the car, it doesn’t matter if it’s NASCAR, a Formula One race car, a dragster or however advanced it gets, it’s all based on the original Ford Model T.”

In Wylde’s mind, Iommi and co laid the foundations for heavy metal. “It’s based on that basic design,” he explains. “It’s a testament to what was created. Sabbath are the architects of the whole thing. They’re the massive oak tree, and we’re all just branches off of that tree. I think everybody there loves them, and we wouldn’t all be doing it if it wasn’t for them.”

Wylde is set to perform at Black Sabbath’s upcoming farewell show. The one-day festival is predicted to be “the greatest heavy metal show ever” by Tom Morello, and will see Black Sabbath’s original lineup – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – reunite one final time in Birmingham on 5 July.

The show will see performances by Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, Gojira and Anthrax, as well as Alice in Chains, Lamb of God and Mastodon. A ‘supergroup’ will also help the Sabbath gang run through their set, with the likes of Wylde, Slash, Fred Durst, Billy Corgan, Wolfgang Van Halen and more set to appear.

As you might expect, tickets sold out fast – reportedly in 16 minutes – but there’ll be a pay-per-view livestream of the event, which you can buy tickets for now.

The post Zakk Wylde explains why he thinks Tony Iommi is the “Bach, Mozart and Beethoven of metal guitar” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Did watching your guitar heroes ever leave you feeling so small you wanted to give up the instrument entirely? Well you wouldn’t be the first.

Creed Bratton, former guitarist for American folk-rock outfit The Grass Roots and star of NBC sitcom The Office, reveals how seeing Eric Clapton live in 1965 nearly made him hang it up for good.

• READ MORE: “One of the most significant surviving acoustic guitars from the late 1960s” is for sale on Reverb – owned by George Harrison and Eric Clapton

Reflecting on his journey as a young guitarist in the latest issue of Guitar World, Bratton shares how his time in Europe exposed him to acoustic icons who reshaped his songwriting and playing style.

“I was living with my wife and baby daughter in Malibu Canyon. We stayed there for a good year. Then we went to Europe, and I wrote songs over there,” says Bratton. “I got to meet people like Bert Jansch and John Renbourn. Talk about an epiphany.”

“Seeing Bert Jansch play… I was strumming with a pick, but seeing him play all over the neck with his fingers, that was a paradigm shift for me. Alternate tunings? I was gobsmacked. It changed my songwriting and my approach to playing the guitar.”

But nothing quite shook him like seeing a young Eric Clapton in full flight.

“I saw Eric Clapton in ‘65. Ridiculous,” Bratton recalls. “I had no idea you could get a sound like that out of a guitar. I almost threw my guitar away, but I stayed with it.”

The guitarist, who left The Grass Roots in 1969, also reflects on the creative constraints he faced that led to his eventual exit. Asked if it bothered him that the Wrecking Crew – a group of LA studio musicians – were responsible for most of the playing on the band’s later records, Bratton admits that he has long found peace with how things unfolded.

“I didn’t get myself concerned with it that much,” he says. “I always felt as if there was this energy moving me along through life. It got me through school. Somehow this band thing came together. Things just appeared in my life. Whether it’s optimism or spiritual lunacy, I always felt like I’ve been watched over. My attitude was, ‘This is supposed to happen right now,’ so I took my settlement.”

The post “I almost threw my guitar away”: Seeing Eric Clapton live in 1965 nearly made The Office star Creed Bratton quit playing guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Tom Morello has been trusted with overseeing one of the most important events in metal history: Black Sabbath’s upcoming Back to the Beginning show – a final bow for both the band and Ozzy Osbourne himself.

It’s a fitting role for the Rage Against the Machine guitarist, whose long-standing friendship with the Prince of Darkness has weathered just about everything… including a close brush with literal flames.

• READ MORE: “I’m very self-critical about people’s adoration”: Ozzy Osbourne still struggles to accept how influential he’s been on other musicians, even as he prepares for blockbuster farewell Black Sabbath gig

In the new issue of Guitar World, Morello looks back on a particularly explosive memory from 2015, when he and Slash joined Osbourne onstage at the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans.

“There was one time where Ozzy nearly blew up me and Slash,” Morello recalls.

“We joined him and his band as guests at the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans [in 2015], and during a part of the show where we weren’t playing, the two of us were sitting behind the stage chatting.”

The set already delivered the goods – Ozzy kicked off with I Don’t Know, invited Morello on stage for Mr. Crowley and Bark at the Moon, then returned later with Slash in tow for thunderous takes of Sabbath classics N.I.B and Iron Man alongside guitarist Gus G.

But mid-show, a crew member suddenly noticed something was very wrong.

“There’s this crew guy at the side of the stage who’s apoplectic,” says Morello. “He’s gesturing wildly to us, and finally he gets the courage to come over. And he says, ‘You guys are sitting on the pyro!’ So yeah, Ozzy nearly blew us up. Anyway, we survived that.”

And luckily for everyone, they did. Because nearly a decade later, Morello finds himself at the helm of Back to the Beginning, serving as musical director for what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest nights in heavy metal history.

Taking place on 7 July, the event will reunite the original Sabbath lineup one last time for a historic hometown show at Birmingham’s Villa Park. The one-day celebration also boasts a stacked bill featuring genre heavyweights like Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Gojira, and more.

For those who didn’t manage to secure a ticket, the concert will also be available as a pay-per-view livestream due to “overwhelming demand”.

The post “Ozzy nearly blew us up!” Tom Morello reveals he and Slash were once nearly killed by sitting on Ozzy Osbourne’s pyro appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Three years after parting ways with Evanescence, guitarist Jen Majura has announced her decision to “step away” from the music industry entirely.

In a candid Instagram post, Majura cites a disconnect with “today’s attitude and values” and the “overwhelming amount of ridiculousness” in the music business as reasons for her departure.

“After careful consideration, observing what’s going on in the music industry, AI-related developments and change in society I’ve come to the conclusion to step away,” she says.

• READ MORE: Mateus Asato on why he quit Instagram, why he came back, and why he’s “changing his internet diet”

“Some of you have heard me talk about this quite a while ago. Instead of wasting another year of my life constantly hoping for new energy, drive and creativity, I’ve reached a point in my life where I can confidentially lean back in peace.”

She adds, “While time allowed me, I was able to collect an amazing amount of beautiful experiences, tours, shows, travels and moments! I am grateful for every bit of that, but the world has changed. I can [now] confidently make up my mind to stop”.

Though Majura isn’t ruling out the possibility of making new music again, she makes it clear the current state of the industry no longer resonates with her.

“I am not saying that I will never create any music again, whether recorded or live,” the guitarist explains, “but for now I feel there are healthier and better things to fill my life with good vibes and not deal with the overwhelming amount of ridiculousness that comes with the music industry nowadays. I just can’t identify with today’s attitude and values anymore.”

“I wholeheartedly want to wish all the ambitious and remaining ‘creators’, young and old, all the best,” Majura continues. “With time, the meaning will become clearer.”

Before signing off, Majura also takes a moment to thank her fans and offer a parting gift: four previously unreleased demo tracks written over a decade ago with guitarist Dennis Hormes.

“I found these old demo recordings while cleaning out stuff from my computer and thought they are too good to not be shared. So if you made it this far and read the whole post, I assume you actually are someone that truly cares and these four singles are for you!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jen Majura (@jen_majura)

The post “I just can’t identify with today’s attitude and values anymore”: Ex-Evanescence guitarist Jen Majura is quitting the music industry appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Judy Schaefer describes her first role at PRS, in 2005, as “backup receptionist” – a temporary job she took while she figured out what to do with her English major. Twenty years later, she’s climbed from her entry-level position to become director of marketing. She’s overseen countless product launches as well as huge growth for PRS – all while navigating a rapidly shifting guitar industry, thanks to the explosion of the internet.

In-person experiences are the gold-standard

“I remember there was one year that, when Summer NAMM wasn’t quite doing what we wanted it to do, we started Experience PRS to actually get our business partners to come here to the factory. If you walk through our factory and watch our team building guitars, you will walk out having drunk the Kool Aid – you just get how much everybody on and off the production line cares.

“One of the things I really wished I would have done earlier is go into the factory and do one of our guitar-making courses. I’ve learned a lot from them. What I want to do is take those things that get us excited, and get them in front of other people.”

It’s easier than ever for a manufacturer to connect with the public

“Social media means people feel entitled to more instantaneous information about their guitars, and I love that. We want you to see us. The year I joined is the year YouTube started, and we got in there early – we first started doing video around 2007. It’s funny to go back and watch videos from then. It was often a case of giving the art director a camera and seeing what Paul [Reed Smith] said if we put him in front of it.

“And now, from the influencer side of things, we’ve built some really great relationships in that regard. It’s a huge part of what we do these days. Because you need to ask – where are people getting this information from? YouTube is where the search is for guitars.”

“Social media means people feel entitled to more instantaneous information about their guitars, and I love that”

Information over hype

“Paul always says that PRS is not a ‘brand’, we’re guitar makers. He hates the word ‘brand’ because you can lose yourself in being just a hype-driven online presence. Making a ‘viral’ video isn’t a goal. Making a really good video? That’s a goal.

“It may seem we’re sometimes brash or controversial, but that often comes from us doing the boring thing, just conveying information! If you’re launching a guitar, you have to have a straight-ahead demo video. It’s a guitar, you need to hear it – then you can do something fun. But we focus on the information – the product copy on our website isn’t, ‘get onto the stage in your snakeskin suit and wail on this hot guitar!’ That’s not guitar-making, that’s being a ‘brand’.”

Marketing is storytelling

“I still do a lot of our writing. But it goes beyond putting down sentences and paragraphs – it’s storytelling. If you’re launching one guitar and you know there’s another one coming in six months, you need to lay groundwork to build off of later. The human brain can latch on to stories in that way.

“It’s similar with signatures – you have this mythos pre-built into the instrument. You know lots without me having to say anything. The Silver Sky is different, as it’s not called the ‘John Mayer’ – so it’s not inherently associated with him. But, would it have done as well if the exact same guitar had come to market not being a John Mayer signature? Absolutely not.”

“You can lose yourself in being just a hype-driven online presence”

Good people do good work

“When we had an intern last summer who asked for advice, I just went straight back to the idea that everything you need to know, you learned in kindergarten. Be nice, share your toys, etc. We’re just all people, and we’re going to work together for a really long time. And the guitar industry is small! But no matter what industry you’re in – good people do good work.

“There’s nothing about music that isn’t community building, even if you’re a solo singer-songwriter. So if we do better, everybody else does better, and there’s better guitars in the world. But if we just run everybody else out of business or bash other people, that’s not community building.”

This interview with Judy Schaefer was published in the Guitar.com Magazine May/June 2025 issue

The post Judy Schaefer of PRS: “Music is all about community building. If we do better, everybody else does better” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

We are proud to share the Fretboard Journal‘s latest documentary, a collaboration with our dear friend, Ben Harper.

For decades, the most cherished piece of gear owned by Harper has held a secret. Watch as Ben tells us the full story…and sheds light on its maker, famed tube amp builder Howard Dumble.

Produced by the Fretboard Journal magazine and directed by Ryan Cory of Resonate Films, it’s a guitar tale we know you haven’t heard before. We hope you enjoy it.

Stills: Isaac Jang

The post Watch: The Fretboard Journal’s New Documentary with Ben Harper first appeared on Fretboard Journal.

One lucky winner will receive a KERNOM RIDGE, the innovative analog morphing drive pedal that transforms how you shape your tone. The giveaway runs through June 24, 2025. Enter now for your chance to win.

Hear it in action!

Struggling to find the perfect overdrive? Whether you need a clean boost, a transparent overdrive, or high-gain distortion, RIDGE gives you a seamless spectrum of tones—all in one pedal.

From Klon-like transparency to Tube Screamer warmth, from bluesy edge-of-breakup tones to modern high-gain saturation, RIDGE eliminates the need for multiple pedals. Dial in your perfect drive with the MOOD knob.

RIDGE - Multi overdrive

KMA Machines GEMINUS is a compact pedal featuring True Double Tracker technology for adding width and fatness to your performances. With stereo or mono connections, flexible signal routing, and precise controls, GEMINUS is the perfect solution for doubling your riffs. Experience the best sounding doubler with ease of use.

The first outing for KMA’s unique and custom AI driven True Double Tracker technology was in the ENDGAME, our powerhouse end-of-chain pedal. We designed our dead-simple-to-use, TDT Algorithm in ENDGAME to be as authentic to the doubling recording process as possible, but we realise that not everybody needs all the bells and whistles of such an all-encompassing device. However, the processing power requirements required for TDT meant a simpler device wasn’t yet possible. But as demand from the community grew, our team worked hard to squeeze it down and make it happen.

So, meet GEMINUS - all of KMA’s True Double Tracker goodness in a compact pedal that’s suitable for any board. Whether playing live or recording with a single instrument, GEMINUS is the perfect solution for adding “fatness” and “width” to your performances - it really does feel like you are playing the same riff twice!

KMA Machines GEMINUS - Stereo True Double Tracker - YouTube

Main Features

• Stereo True-Double-Tracker (Proprietary Doubler) pedal
• Width Knob, provides control over the stereo field
• Stereo or Mono connections on TRS jacks
• Flexible signal routing (selectable Stereo or Mono In/Out)
• Time, Pitch and Level controls, for precise TDT tailoring
• Compact enclosure with top-mounted jacks - will fit into any setup
• Switchable True/Buffered Bypass*
• ‘Silent’ relay-based soft switching
• Premium analog electronics• 32 Bit internal processing
• Powered by (opt.) 9 V DC PSU (centre -, 2.1mm, ~ 100 mA current draw, not included)

Enabled via the soft bypass footswitch, GEMINUS accurately replicates the minor differences that exist between two separate recordings. The TDT WIDTH control spreads your doubled tracks, anywhere from completely centred (0%) to 50% left and right (centre indent) and 100% left and right split.

KMA has carried out extensive research on how to make double tracking sound exactly how we think it should perform. In the process, we’ve spent thousands of engineering hours working on our own proprietary technology, even developing our own custom neural network AI with onset detection in the process for our algorithms.

The mode for the TRS input and output jacks is selected by the toggle switch. You can choose between stereo in and out, mono in and stereo out or mono in to mono out, so no matter your signal and tonal desires, GEMINUS will fit into your rig with ease.

For the most accurate performance (and just like the real double tracking scenario in the studio), our custom True Double Tracker algorithm should ideally be fed with a mono signal. Obviously if you are trying to emulate what traditionally happens in the studio, you wouldn’t normally double up a stereo source. Having said that, our TDT algorithm has been optimised to still have a useful and very pleasing widening effect on stereo input signals, just take care that using too much doubling on some stereo sources may cause your carefully crafted reverb, delay or other modulation effects to turn to mush or even add phase issues.

To help tailor the Doubling to your own taste, the TIME control changes the timing range of the doubled AI-driven onset detection. Essentially, it’s all about the tightness of the doubled signal to fit differing playing styles. Variable from an extra tight mode, that’s perfect for extra fast riffs, to a looser timing that can just the right amount of density to more open playing styles, this control is a powerful weapon to make your riffs fit your musical goals. The centre detent is GEMINUS’ default factory position, but turning the knob left will give a tighter feel. Crank the knob to the right and the doubled signal becomes much more relaxed.

While the LEVEL control affects the balance of the doubled signal against the original source. Useful for those times where you might want maximum width, but a little less (or even more) of the sound to be doubled against the original. Centre detent of the knob is GEMINUS’ default factory position. There’s some clever panning stuff going on under the hood here too, so neither the doubled or original signal is louder on one side or the other, when in Stereo.

Finally, the new PITCH selector switch can add some additional movement to your doubled signal, extending the usefulness of GEMINUS beyond standard doubling. When the switch is at the centre default position (-) there is no pitch adjustment, (~) adds some subtle modulation, while (≈) adds even more wobble. In this mode, it doesn’t mean that your second guitarist will sound like they are off on a quest for enlightenment all on their own (!), it is just super handy for those times when you want more chaos and instability in your ensemble.

To top it all off, we’ve added a switchable real True/Buffered bypass and ‘silent’ relay-based soft switching. When we were testing our new pedal platform, we really loved the clarity and signal integrity of KMA’s Buffered Bypass, plus there are zero clicks and pops when switching in this mode, which is why it is the recommended and default mode on shipping. However, we know some players have some special devices like extra fussy vintage fuzz pedals and the like, so we added the ability to select True Bypass mode via an internal dip switch (*see the Quick Start Guide for more details).

Phew, seems that there’s quite a lot going inside GEMINUS then. We believe our True Double-Tracker in this pedal is the best sounding, yet easiest to use doubler you’ll ever play - period.

Go forth and multiply your riffs!

MAP: $269

For more information, please visit kmamachines.com.

The Limited Edition Mark Speer Stratocaster® features DiMarzio® Pro Track™ pickups, while the Laura Lee Jazz Bass® Boasts Dimarzio Ultra Noiseless Jazz Bass Pickups and Vintage-style Chrome Covers

Today, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is proud to announce the Limited Edition Mark Speer Stratocaster® and Limited Edition Laura Lee Jazz Bass® from the iconic band, Khruangbin. For the first time in its nearly 80-year history, Fender is introducing a signature bass and signature guitar for the same band, released simultaneously.

Known for their psychedelic melodies and a genre-blending sound that draws from funk, rock, and soul, Khruangbin has carved out a distinct musical identity. The breakthrough trio—bassist Laura Lee, guitarist Mark Speer, and drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson Jr.—is celebrating their 10th anniversary of the band's debut album, The Universe Smiles Upon You; to mark the milestone, the band is teaming up with Fender for something truly special. Fender® guitars have been a core part of the band’s sound since its inception, shaping the tones that define their music. Designed to capture the essence of a decade’s worth of tone, style, and innovation, these guitars invite musicians to carve out sonic paths while channeling the sound that helped define a generation.

Khruangbin | Fender Signature Sessions | Fender

“Khruangbin is a band that has made a huge mark on modern music—they blend cultures, genres, and eras into something entirely their own,” said Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at Fender. “Mark and Laura had built their trademark sound with some unique specs and features on their primary instruments and with these signature models, we wanted to be able to share that with the universe of musicians and fans.”

Drawing from a wide palette of worldly influences, Mark Speer’s innovative guitar playing with Khruangbin has established him as one of the most original and distinctive guitarists of his generation. The music is a stunning mix of psychedelia, soul, rock, and country with all of Mark’s smooth, reverb-drenched riffs and melodies played on a single guitar: the same original Fender® Stratocaster® he’s played since the band's inception.

The guitar looks as good as it sounds, with an Aged Natural finish over a custom contoured ash body, and distinctive all-white hardware. DiMarzio® Pro Track™ pickups in the neck and bridge deliver vintage humbucker tones, while the 70’s Fender® Stratocaster® middle pickup gives the guitar an even wider range of tonal options. The Custom “C”-shape neck with a 7.25” radius and 21 jumbo frets offers a comfortable feel, while the vintage-style synchronized tremolo provides classic Strat® vibrato action. Finally, Graph Tech® saddles and string trees increase harmonic content and improve tuning stability.

“This guitar is the easiest way for me to get the musical idea from my head, out into the world,” said Mark Speer. “I know this thing inside and out, the sounds it can make, and the textures I can achieve. It’s like becoming really familiar with your paintbrush.”

Laura Lee’s warm and inventive basslines have propelled Khruangbin albums into the Top 40 in the U.S. and even higher around the world. Armed with a Jazz Bass®, her unique playing style mixes classic-era basslines with funk, soul, country, and surf rock to create something completely distinctive and raw.

Finished in classic Vintage White, with stunning chrome appointments, this bass is an eye-catching instrument tailored to meet Laura Lee’s aesthetic and tonal design choices. DiMarzio® Ultra Jazz™ pickups provide deep lows, percussive highs, and rich harmonic overtones that help define Laura Lee’s sound. Vintage-style concentric volume/tone knobs for each pickup allow complete control over your sound. The Custom “U”-shape neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard with a 9.5” radius and 21 jumbo frets, providing a comfortable, unique feel just like Laura’s original bass.

“A lot of the features on my bass look vintage, but they function in a modern way. We've been trying to cultivate our music to feel classic and timeless, really. To me, the look and feel of this instrument is the same — it just sounds better the more you play it,” said Laura Lee.

The Limited Edition Mark Speer Stratocaster® and Limited Edition Laura Lee Jazz Bass® each carry a $1,499.99 street price. For mor information visit fender.com.

Limited Edition Mark Speer Stratocaster®

($1,499.99 USD, €1,599 EUR, £1,349 GBP, $2,499.00 AUD,¥220,000 JPY) Drawing from a wide palette of worldly influences, Mark Speer’s innovative guitar playing with Khruangbin has established him as one of the most original and distinctive guitarists of his generation. The music is a stunning mix of psychedelia, soul, rock, and country with all of Mark’s smooth, reverb-drenched riffs and melodies played on a single guitar: his original Fender Stratocaster®.

Finished in a beautiful natural ash and furnished with upscale features, this guitar looks as good as it sounds. DiMarzio® Pro Track™ pickups in the neck and bridge deliver vintage humbucker tones, while the 70’s Fender® Stratocaster® middle pickup gives the guitar an even wider range of tonal options. The Custom “C”-shape neck with a 7.25” radius and 21 jumbo frets offers a comfortable feel, while the vintage-style synchronized tremolo provides classic Strat® vibrato action. Finally, Graph Tech® saddles and string trees increase harmonic content and improve tuning stability. Whether you’re aiming to capture Mark Speer’s signature sound or seeking a Stratocaster® with custom upgrades, the Mark Speer Stratocaster® is sure to thrill any guitar enthusiast.

Limited Edition Laura Lee Jazz Bass®

($1,499.99 USD, €1.699,00 EUR, £1,399 GBP, $2,499.00 AUD, ¥253,000 JPY) Laura Lee’s warm, pulsing, and inventive basslines have propelled Khruangbin albums into the Top 40 in the U.S. and even higher around the world. Armed with a Jazz Bass®, her unique playing style mixes classic-era basslines with funk, soul, country, and surf rock to create something completely distinctive and raw.

Finished in a classic vintage white with stunning chrome appointments, this bass is an eye-catching instrument tailored to meet Laura Lee’s aesthetic design choices. Loaded with DiMarzio® Ultra Jazz™ pickups, this bass has deep lows, percussive highs, and rich harmonic overtones that help define Laura Lee’s sound. Vintage-style concentric volume/tone knobs for each pickup allow complete control over your sound. The Custom “U”-shape neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard with a 9.5” radius and 21 jumbo frets, providing a comfortable, unique feel just like Laura’s bass. With its classic Jazz Bass® controls, chrome hardware, and upgraded DiMarzio pickups, this bass will help you stand out on any stage.