Music is the universal language
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” - Luke 2:14
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IK Multimedia Launches TONEX Board
The complete TONEX rig on a single pedalboard, combining AI-captured tone, AmpliTube effects, advanced routing, and professional performance control.
IK Multimedia today launches TONEX Board, its most advanced TONEX hardware platform to date and the centerpiece of the expanding TONEX ecosystem. Combining IK's award- winning AI Machine Modeling™ technology with AmpliTube studio-grade effects, dual signal paths, advanced routing, extensive connectivity, and intuitive touchscreen control, TONEX Board puts one of the most advanced and best-sounding complete guitar and bass rigs into an extremely powerful, ultra-low-latency compact pedalboard.
At its heart, TONEX Board delivers the sound, feel, and response of real amps, cabinets, and pedals, with the flexibility to run up to four Tone Models simultaneously across two independent signal paths. Players can combine these with 76 effects from AmpliTube and TONEX, plus all- new processors, using up to 12 effect slots to create everything from streamlined traditional rigs to sophisticated dual-amp, parallel, stereo, and wet/dry setups.
A 5-inch high-resolution color touchscreen and six hands-on controls make building and editing complete rigs fast and intuitive, while flexible performance modes, independent stereo outputs, an assignable stereo effects loop, MIDI, and expression control provide the connectivity and control needed for recording, rehearsal, and the stage.
Key Features
- Incredible amp sound - The sound, feel, and response of real amps, cabinets, and distortion pedals, powered by AI Machine Modeling™
- Studio-grade effects - 76 total effects, including 51 derived directly from AmpliTube 5, 15 from TONEX, and 10 brand-new studio-grade guitar and bass effects, with more to come
- Complete rig building - Combine up to four Tone Models across flexible dual signal paths with 12 slots and flexible routing
- Effortless control - Intuitive touchscreen editing and flexible performance modes keep everything immediately accessible
- Connect to any rig - Professional routing and comprehensive I/O for amps, FRFR, front of house, studio setups, and more
- A universe of tone - 2,000 Premium Tone Models included, plus tens of thousands more to discover on ToneNET
- A complete, evolving ecosystem - Capture, create, edit, record, perform, share, and expand your sound across TONEX hardware and software.
One Board. A Complete Rig. TONEX Board takes the core technology behind TONEX further with a dual- signal-chain architecture capable of running up to four Tone Models simultaneously, combined with 76 studio-grade effects across nine categories. The effects collection includes 51 processors derived from AmpliTube, 15 from TONEX, 10 all-new effects, and more to come. Up to 12 Tone Model and effect slots can be freely positioned and routed across flexible signal paths to create dual-amp stereo rigs, wet/dry setups, two-instrument configurations, sophisticated parallel chains, and more.
From authentic captured amps, cabinets, and pedals to drives, dynamics, modulation, delay, reverb, and creative processing, TONEX Board gives players the freedom to build the exact rig their music requires - all on a single pedalboard.
Control Without Complexity TONEX Board combines the depth and connectivity of a professional rig with fast, intuitive hands-on control. Its large 5-inch high-resolution color touchscreen provides immediate visual feedback, while six precision push-rotary controls make building and editing complete presets fast and direct.
Preset, Scene, and Stomp modes provide flexible control onstage, from recalling complete rigs and changing multiple settings at once to controlling individual effects directly from the footswitches.
TONEX Board also adapts to virtually any rig or performance environment. Players can split and merge signal paths, integrate external pedals with the movable stereo effects loop, or divide the loop into two independent mono paths. Two independent stereo output pairs (one with balanced XLR connectors), individual output EQ, MIDI, expression control, and four-cable method support provide the flexibility to connect to traditional amplifiers, FRFR systems, recording setups, or directly to front of house (4-in/2-out USB audio interface functionality with configurable routing and direct monitoring will be available October 1, 2026, via a free firmware update). Whether recording, rehearsing, or performing live, TONEX Board keeps the focus on playing rather than programming.
A Universe of Tone TONEX Board includes 2,000 Premium Tone Models, spanning sought-after vintage amplifiers and essential classics to modern high-gain rigs, pedals, and more. The collection combines the original TONEX MAX library, a selection from the latest TONEX ONE+ Signature Collection, and new TONEX content made exclusively for TONEX Board.
Nearly 200 of the included captures were contributed by a curated group of leading TONEX Tone Partners, including, in alphabetical order: Amalgam Audio, Big Hairy Guitars, Core Tone Captures, Drums And Tones, Gitarrenlehreronline, Jason Sadites, Juca Nery, Live Ready Sound, Mad Steex, Massimo Varini, Matt Fig, Passion For Tone, Signal Theory, The Studio Rats, The Tone Shepherd, Tone Factor, Tone Junkie TV, Tone Wars, and XOG.
And the included library is only the beginning. Through ToneNET, TONEX Board users can explore more than 60,000 additional Tone Models and presets from IK, Tone Partners, artists, brands, and a growing worldwide TONEX community.
A Full Software Ecosystem TONEX Board is the centerpiece of the complete, connected TONEX ecosystem. Capture gear with TONEX Modeler, discover sounds through ToneNET, shape and organize them with TONEX software, transfer Tone Models and presets with the dedicated TONEX Board Editor, and record with the TONEX plug-in.
Existing TONEX users can import their presets into TONEX Board and pick up where they left off, providing a seamless path from other TONEX hardware and software. And with new content, effects, and capabilities planned through future updates, TONEX Board is built to evolve along with the TONEX ecosystem.
TONEX Board at release includes the following software:
- TONEX Modeler to capture amps, pedals, cabinets, and full rigs
- TONEX software to import, download, and play Tone Models as a standalone or plug-in version
- TONEX Board Editor to transfer existing Tone Models and presets to TONEX Board
Additionally, TONEX Board users will have exclusive access to TONEX Player 2.0 Beta (version 2.0.3), which will offer complete dual-rig editing with all 76 included effects, TONEX Board preset saving, and full bidirectional transfer of Tone Models and presets between Mac or PC and TONEX Board using TONEX Board Editor.
Presets created with TONEX Board will be available to share with the community on ToneNET beginning October 1, when TONEX Player 2.1 is officially released. Full real-time editing in TONEX Board Editor will be implemented in Q4 2026.
Pricing & Availability The TONEX Board is now available for $/€999.99 (tax excluded) from the IK Multimedia online store and authorized IK dealers worldwide.
For more information, audio demos, videos, and availability, visit: www.ikmultimedia.com/tonexboard
LR Baggs Unveils Next Era as Baggs, Welcomes Second-Generation Leadership
As the company celebrates its 50th anniversary, LR Baggs has changed its name and unveiled new branding. The company is now simply Baggs, and has announced that Jenny Luckett, daughter of founder Lloyd Baggs, has joined the leadership team as Creative Director.
A Pepperdine University graduate with a BA in Art and Multimedia Design and a successful entrepreneur, Luckett recently sold her January Moon children’s brand to join Baggs full-time. She has led and directed a year-long development of Baggs' core visual identity and brand message.
"Removing the LR isn't about removing Lloyd from the story," says Luckett. "It's about expanding the story. It takes something that began with one person and makes room for all the people who have become part of it. To us, Baggs is the family, and that family is much bigger than Lloyd's actual family. It includes all the people who have helped build this company and all of the people who will be part of where it goes next."
Baggs began with one person: luthier Lloyd Baggs, one of the most influential innovators in acoustic amplification. Over the past five decades, most people have simply started calling the company "Baggs." Lloyd himself introduced the shorter name three years ago on the AEG-1 guitar, where "Baggs" appears on the headstock to represent the entire team behind it. The new name makes that philosophy official.
"I'm thrilled beyond words for Jenny to be joining the company and helping guide it into the future," says Lloyd Baggs. "Not only is she amazingly talented and driven to do the right things, but she's thoughtful, kind and joyful. She's a born leader and a joy for all of us to work with."
Lloyd's role isn't changing. He remains focused on product design and innovation, with a strong management team overseeing day-to-day operations.
The new identity follows a year-long, top-to-bottom examination of how Baggs presents itself and communicates its identity today. The result: a cleaner, more legible logo, vibrant and warm color palette, and all-new original photography that reflect the company's blend of craftsmanship and innovation. A distinctive orange icon incorporates Lloyd's personal "chop," the signature he used as a fine-art master printer before becoming a luthier, connecting his history to the company's future.
"We know our products are world-class, and we want the brand around them to perform at that same level," says Luckett.
For more information visit baggs.co.
Cort Introduces the CR300MT Electric Guitar
Cort announces the expansion of its single cut lineup with the introduction of the CR300MT electric guitar. Developed to fulfill the evolving preferences of contemporary guitarists, this guitar unites a highly requested combination of components and materials in a classic design.
Built with a focus on traditional material choice, the CR300MT features a solid mahogany body configured to deliver sustained resonance and low-end warmth. The instrument is finished in a modern, streamlined Black Satin (BKS) finish, highlighting a clean aesthetic highlighting the physical architecture of the guitar body without distraction. The multi-ply white-and-black binding wraps the perimeter of the body and headstock, serving as a stark architectural outline against the deep satin color.
The guitar layout relies on a traditional set-neck construction, seamlessly pairing the mahogany body with a robust mahogany neck. This configuration refines mechanical stability and string-vibration transfer across the entire length of the instrument. Built to a classic 24.75-inch (628mm) scale length, the neck is capped with a durable Micarta fingerboard carved to a comfortable 12-inch (305mm) radius. The fretboard hosts a full 24-fret layout with nickel-silver frets. At the headstock is a premium Graph Tech® TUSQ nut, measuring a standard 1-11/16 inches (43mm) in width to ensure comfort and tuning stability.
The electronic architecture of the CR300MT is powered by a high-output EMG® 81 and 60 active humbucker pickup set to provide tonal versatility. This iconic pickup pairing is wired into an intuitive, control array consisting of two individual volume knobs, two individual tone knobs, and a standard 3-way toggle switch. This layout gives musicians precise control over their output shaping, allowing for immediate switching and independent adjustments between the neck and bridge pickup positions.
Rounding out the specifications, the CR300MT is equipped with Grover® Rotomatics™ tuning machines for reliable tuning stability and micro-adjustment precision. On the body, string tension and height are regulated by a classic Tune-O-Matic-style bridge paired with a secure stop tailpiece.
For more information, please visit the official Cort website at www.Cortguitars.com
Street Price: $899.99 USD
SatchVai: Joe Satriani And Steve Vai New Single “Mayhem” out Today!
After more than five decades of friendship, musical exchange and separate careers that helped redefine what the electric guitar could do, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have finally made a record together. The Sea of Emotion, the first studio album from SatchVai, will be released November 6, 2026 via earMUSIC. The announcement arrives alongside the release of “Mayhem,” the album’s blistering new single, out today.
The story began in 1973, when 13-year-old Steve Vai began taking guitar lessons from his 17-year-old teacher, Joe Satriani, in Long Island. Neither could have known where that shared obsession with the guitar would lead. More than 50 years later, after establishing themselves as solo artists and sharing stages around the world through the legendary G3 tours, they have brought their musical histories together on one album.
“We’ve been planning this since 1973,” Vai says with a laugh. “Just unconsciously.”
The album came together after a G3 reunion tour created an unexpected opening in their schedules. What began as a suggestion to record a single track quickly expanded when Satriani sent Vai two finished pieces, “The Sea of Emotion, Part 1” and “Part 2.” Vai knew immediately that the time had come.
The process was anything but predictable. Although the two musicians share a deep musical history, similar influences and a lifelong understanding of the guitar, they discovered that they write very differently. That contrast became one of the defining elements of the record, with ideas moving back and forth as the songs took unexpected turns.
“The biggest surprise was that we write in completely different ways,” Satriani explains. “And that’s what made the project so fun and interesting.”
The album brings together two musicians who have spent decades developing unmistakable individual voices, while giving each the freedom to push the other somewhere new. Producer and keyboardist Eric Caudieux helped keep the process honest, while a formidable group of longtime collaborators supplied the rhythm section, including drummers Gregg Bissonette, Jeremy Colson, Kenny Aronoff, Matt Chamberlain and Mike Mangini, and bassists Billy Sheehan, Bryan Beller, Philip Bynoe, Matt Bissonette, Marco Mendoza and Henrik Linder.
Across The Sea of Emotion, SatchVai move from the raw rock ’n’ roll of “Mayhem” and “Bronco Freight Train” to the darker, cinematic “Old Sins Have Long Shadows,” the unruly swing of “Zoot Suit Riot” and the arena-sized “I Wanna Play My Guitar,” featuring legendary singer Glenn Hughes.
At the center of the album is the three-part “The Sea of Emotion” suite, which reaches back to the Carle Place school field where the two teenage musicians once spent time dreaming about music. “The Sea of Emotion, Part 3” even begins with a vintage reel-to-reel recording from one of Vai’s early lessons with Satriani, a glimpse of two young guitarists still searching for their voices.
“It illustrates just how far we’ve come,” Satriani says. “We’re these two kids who haven’t found our sound yet, but we’ve got enthusiasm. We’re chasing something, and we’re determined.”
For Vai, the album ultimately represents something more personal than a meeting of two celebrated guitarists.
“That’s when I really feel, like, wow, we really did it,” he says. “It’s a beautiful coming together of me and my friend in a very intimate musical way. That was the reason we did the record.”
THE SEA OF EMOTION TRACKLIST
- Mayhem
- Bronco Freight Train
- Dancing
- The Feeling I Know
- Zoot Suit Riot
- Old Sins Have Long Shadows
- I Wanna Play My Guitar
- The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 1
- The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 2
- The Sea Of Emotion Pt. 3 / Reflections On A Year And A Half
SATCHVAIBAND.COM
Rig Rundown: Seth Lee Jones
John Bohlinger drove out to Seth Lee Jones’ home in Tulsa to see the guitars the luthier and slide player builds for himself, plus the barn-find Leslie and the pedalboard behind one of the more distinctive sounds going. Have a look at some quick highlights below, and tune into the new Rig Rundown for all the details.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Born of a Bad Neck
Jones calls this T-style a story based in failure. Fresh out of luthier school, he built a neck that back-bowed past saving, so he made another, strung it with heavy lap steel strings, pushed the levers and heard it go from a I to a IV, “and the light bulb came on.” He carved the body in 2006 with routers, chisels, and gouges—no CNC—and this is the fourth or fifth neck it’s worn.
Sunny Side Up
Jones picked up this 1966 Stratocaster, mostly original, from Guitar House of Tulsa last year. It came out of Florida with all the red bleached out of the front of the sunburst and none out of the back. The neck has a reverse taper—thicker at the first fret than at the 12th — which Jones figures is a Friday-afternoon mistake, and loves. He keeps the three-way switch, floats the trem, and tunes it to standard D with a set of .011s.
Seventy-Five-Dollar Question
This one arrived at the shop in a trash bag, with its neck whittled to ruin and its Tolex stripped. Jones built a new short-scale cherry neck with a headstock shaped in tribute to Rick Turner, added a guard, oven knobs, and a Tele bridge, and rewired the lipsticks to two volumes and a tone. It’s tuned to C with flatwounds, and nothing else he owns sounds like it.
Cat Pack
Jones runs a pair of Bad Cat Hot Cat 50s with the master up and the gain low—he’d rather get his dirt off the floor and ride it with his volume. A GigRig Humdinger allows the two amps to work together, and he says it does the job cleaner than anything else he’s tried. One head sits on a THD 2x12", and the other amp feeds a Leslie that Jones built from a 21H that survived a barn fire.
Seth Lee Jones’ Pedalboard
A TC Electronic PolyTune starts things off, into a Morley wah, then a Keeley Noble Screamer, an Empress Drive, and a Keeley Mini Comp — which he runs after the drive, and has been told repeatedly is the wrong way around. From there is a Hilton volume pedal and three Keeleys—a Nocturne, Halo, and Oaxa.
Blackstar Offers Free Moises Integration into Beam products
Blackstar has announced a major free update for Beam Solo and Mini on iOS, introducing seamless integration with Moises’ industry-leading real-time stem separation technology.
With this Moises integration, using the Blackstar Beam app you can separate guitars from the rest of the mix from virtually any song streamed or played from your device in real-time.
With simple, intuitive volume controls, you can instantly mute the guitar and step into the shoes of your favourite players, isolate guitar parts to hear every nuance or turn down the vocals and perform the entire song yourself. Whether you’re learning difficult passages, practising with your favourite artists or simply enjoying music in a completely new way, Moises opens up an entirely new playing experience with Beam.
There’s no complicated setup or editing required. Simply connect your Beam, start your music and adjust the mix in real time with a few simple sliders. Professional stem separation has never been this easy.
Android users will receive this free update on the 30th September.
Moises Integration – Key Features:
- Premium stem separation free for all Beam users.
- Compatible with Beam Solo and Beam Mini.
- Works with streamed or stored music - Requires an active music streaming subscription where applicable.
- Instantly isolate or remove guitar parts completely.
- Vocals and the other instruments in the track can be turned down to 25%.
- Perfect for learning songs, practising solos and playing along with your favourite artists.
- Simple real-time control with intuitive volume sliders.
- Available as a free update from 28th August to iOS users.
Available as a free update from 30th September to Android users.
For more information visit www.blackstaramps.com.
Josh Klinghoffer’s Spare Time
For most of his career, Josh Klinghoffer has been the alt-rock wiz kid. His career began as a Los Angeles-area teenager, and his talents caught the attention of Bob Forrest, who enlisted him in his band, the Bicycle Thief. Since then, he’s had stints with the Forrest-led Thelonious Monster, Dot Hacker, and Gnarls Barkley, and toured with Jane’s Addiction, PJ Harvey, and Sparks. Most famously, he was a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2007 to 2019 (with whom he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012). Since 2020, Klinghoffer has been a touring member of Pearl Jam, serving as a multi-instrumentalist.
While he’s had a charmed career playing with some of the giants of rock, the 46-year-old has also, for nearly a decade, pursued a solo career under the Pluralone moniker. In that span, Klinghoffer released several albums, EPs, and singles, the most recent of which was 2022’s This Is the Show. A history aficionado, the album touched on historical tensions beginning with World War II through the present day. Also that year, he teamed with Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament to compose the score for the FX television show Under the Banner of Heaven.
Now, Klinghoffer has released his fourth and newest Pluralone album, A Drop in the Ocean, through his longtime label, Org Music. Produced by Eric Palmquist, the seeds for the sparse, 10-song collection were planted at the end of the This Is the Show sessions. But as he started to sketch out a new album, his “other” jobs called—in particular, Pearl Jam toured on and off, as did its frontman, Eddie Vedder, in whose solo band, the Earthlings, Klinghoffer also plays. Add to that his ongoing session work with superproducer Andrew Watt, and it’s a wonder Klinghoffer had any time to himself (he jokes that he didn’t), let alone time for his own material.
Yet that was only part of the reason A Drop in the Ocean took as long as it did.
“I was recording it during the writing process, which was probably the problem,” Klinghoffer tells Premier Guitar, ahead of a private show in New York with Watt, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and others. “I wasn’t fully done writing some of the songs. While I was trying to build these recordings, half of me was thinking that they were only demos, and then I grew to like them.”
“I’m always trying to simplify and put less on.”
Working at what he calls a “relaxed” pace, Klinghoffer began recording A Drop in the Ocean in earnest last May and had it finished by October. Like its predecessor, the new album carries a thematic thread: The cover art—a trash can and trash bags—nods to the waste we dump into the ocean. For Klinghoffer, though, the symbolism extends to music.
“Lots and lots of music gets dumped into the world,” he says. “Lots of art gets dumped into the world, and it’s an enormous ocean, it’s an enormous sea of stuff.”
Josh Klinghoffer’s Gear
Guitars
1946 Martin 00-17
Vintage koa Martin
1959 Fender Stratocaster
1960 Fender Stratocaster
Pedals
Boss TB-2W Tone Bender
Boss JB-2 Angry Driver
Boss DM-2 Delay
Boss VB-2 Vibrato
Boss CE-2 Chorus
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss DD-6 Digital Delay
Ibanez WH10 Wah
Klon Centaur
Robot Pedal Co. MS-20 Brain Freeze
Origin Effects Cali76
JHS 424 Gain Stage
Red Panda Context
Red Panda Particle
Red Panda Tensor
Pianos & Synthesizers
Steinway upright piano
Therevox ET-5 analog synth
Roland Juno 106 polyphonic synth
Korg MS-20 analog monophonic synth
The album’s spare aesthetic came from an unlikely source: Tony Allen. When the Nigerian drummer died in 2020, Klinghoffer posted an Instagram cover of “Poison,” a song by Rocket Juice & the Moon—the trio of Allen, Damon Albarn, and Klinghoffer’s former Chili Peppers bandmate Flea. The response to the sparseness of his version pushed him toward that sound, even if it didn’t fully manifest until A Drop in the Ocean.
“I needed that suggestion,” he says. “I’m always trying to simplify and put less on, and double my voice less. It’s what I’m interested in listening to these days, just smaller stuff, less production.”
“Lots of art gets dumped into the world, and it’s an enormous ocean.”
In 2024, Klinghoffer dipped his toes into producing when he helmed Redd Kross’ first full-length in five years. The well-received effort, which featured Klinghoffer on drums, taught him several lessons that informed A Drop in the Ocean—mainly, getting out of his own head and thinking about what a listener can actually latch onto.
“With Redd Kross, I had an easy job as the producer because they had done all the writing, and I didn’t have to make a single adjustment to the songs,” he says. “For me, it was just a matter of making sure they had the best time and were as satisfied and happy with the result as they could be. When I was doing it for myself, I included things that allowed for most people to connect to it.”
Calling himself “not much of a professional hustler,” Klinghoffer says he enjoyed producing for friends but doesn’t see himself doing it for artists outside his orbit. When Andrew Watt calls, though, he’s always game. Recently, Watt brought him in on new songs for Yungblud and tracks for singer Charlotte Lawrence. Working with Watt, he says, is “always a lesson”—in this case, staying open to new ideas and not clinging to a conviction when it’s clear it isn't moving things forward.
Klinghoffer has no plans to tour in support of A Drop in the Ocean, which he sees as a blessing. He has a few projects on the horizon—a potential follow-up to the Redd Kross album, and music from 2023 and 2024 that he’s finishing with Eric Palmquist—but is otherwise taking things slowly. It’s a career path he keeps in perspective.
“I get to work with people that are, for the most part, really open and supportive,” Klinghoffer says. “I’ve been lucky throughout my whole journey.”
Win an EHX Pico Atomic Cluster
Electro-Harmonix's newest Pico pedal breaks your signal down to its atomic level: glitchy lo-fi textures, ambient synth pads, and everything in between. We've teamed up with EHX to give one away. Enter below.
EHX Pico Atomic Cluster Giveaway
Pico Atomic Cluster
Deconstruct your tone to an atomic level with the Atomic Cluster Spectral Decomposer. Unlike any effect Electro-Harmonix has made before, this compact glitch and synth pedal breaks down your signal and interpolates it into a variety of musical and whimsical sounds. Using a unique algorithm to reduce the frequency resolution of your instrument, it creates a wide range of unique effects from rhythmic lo-fi glitch and auto-arpeggio tones to ambient synth pads and more!
Fender Unveils John Osborne Signature Telecaster Pickup Set
Fender has introduced the John Osborne Signature Telecaster pickup set. Designed to replicate the tone behind Osborne’s signature sound, these custom Telecaster® pickups are specially designed to deliver enhanced clarity and punch, perfectly balanced to cut through the mix with sparkling highs, focused mids, and tight bass response. The open-coil neck pickup adds an extra touch of high-end sparkle, while Alnico 5 beveled magnets and Formvar magnet wire bring added focus, dynamics and brightness.
Built with vintage-inspired details including flush-mount polepieces, period-correct cloth wire and fiber bobbin construction, the pickups blend classic Tele character with Osborne’s modern, hard-driving voice.
Key features include:
- Alnico 5 beveled magnets add more focus and enhanced dynamics
- Formvar coated magnet wire for brighter tone with enhanced high-frequency response
- Flush-mount polepieces create vintage-style string-to-string blending
- Wax potted to resist feedback and protect internal wiring
- Period-correct cloth wire and fiber bobbin construction
- Installation hardware included
- Bobbin Material: Fiber
- DC Resistance: Neck: 6.26k, Bridge: 8.2k
- Inductance: Neck: 2.58H, Bridge: 4.6H
- Lead Wire: Cloth-covered
The John Osborne Signature Telecaster pickup set carries a street price of $149.99 . For more information visit Fender.com.
John Osborne Signature Telecaster Pickup Set
September 1, 2026 – Fender has introduced the John Osborne Signature Telecaster pickup set. Designed to replicate the tone behind Osborne’s signature sound, these custom Telecaster® pickups are specially designed to deliver enhanced clarity and punch, perfectly balanced to cut through the mix with sparkling highs, focused mids, and tight bass response. The open-coil neck pickup adds an extra touch of high-end sparkle, while Alnico 5 beveled magnets and Formvar magnet wire bring added focus, dynamics and brightness.
Walrus Audio Highpoint Review
For some players, compression, and compression pedals, are exciting at a level just above a tuner or volume pedal—essential in some cases, but not the kind of thing that gets the blood pumping. For others, compression is an essential facet of their sound, perhaps even the core of it. For these players, the differences between compressors are meaningful and consequential, and separate a true creative device from a joyless, utilitarian tool. Walrus Audio’s Highpoint is more likely to appeal to players who see the painterly possibilities in a compressor. As an optical comp, it offers the smooth, fuzzy, non-linear glow that makes a good opto sound less sterile and bossy than a voltage controlled or FET compressor. It also has a control set that can get surgical. The $349 price reflects the pedal’s power and flexibility, and signals that this isn’t one for compression casuals. But while committed comp nuts might find the most to love here, less experienced users might be very surprised and impressed by what an asset the Highpoint can be.
Light and Sound Sensations
Advanced students of the compression arts can skip ahead here, but for those among you who are new to optical compression, a brief primer: In an optical compressor, changes in gain are communicated through the circuit via a light source and a photoresistor that reads that source’s energy. Photoresistors (which effectively define a compressor’s release characteristics) possess an inherent signal-processing lag—not enough to constitute a pronounced delay, but enough to color the edges of output with a warmish aura and, at the right settings, lend extra dimensionality that other compressors can rob from the signal. (Another famous effect, the Uni-Vibe, also uses an opto-circuit to achieve its warm, round, and chewy qualities.)
As you scan the range of the Highpoint’s seven controls, you have to work to bury the basic warmth in its compression. The Highpoint is a toasty glow additive, even at compression levels that you’d categorize as super squished. I love the effect of super-compressed guitars in certain arrangements and mixing situations, and use compression as a transformative tool as often as I use it as subtle tone sweetener. So, my standards for what constitutes tone suck may differ from those of a hardcore tone naturalist. Still, I found that the Highpoint obliterates a guitar’s voice at only the wettest, lowest-threshold positions. At just about every other combination of controls you tend to hear your guitar’s tone, and the characteristics of upstream effects, loud and clear.
Quality Control
The Highpoint’s knack for keeping an instrument’s essence intact makes using its very interactive, rangeful, sensitive controls extra satisfying. The wet/dry control opens up the possibility of using dramatically compressed tones as subtle shading. But all-wet settings can still generate a wide range of coloration, and shaping those colors in specific ways feels fast and intuitive—a sense enhanced by the smooth, gentle taper of the knobs themselves. This makes the Highpoint very forgiving. I never got the sense that I would get lost—or be unable to get back to where I started—if I wanted to make radical adjustments in the heat of a performance. But this intuitiveness pays double the dividends when crafting song arrangements and mixes. Easing a specific tone and dynamic profile back from an extreme place to a mellower one in small increments always felt effortless, and that means you can close the gap between a sound you imagine and the one you hear with confidence.
The Verdict
Compression is often regarded as an effect that diminishes the sense of touch. But the Walrus Highpoint seems designed to prioritize feel—not just in the way it can seamlessly span subtle and super-compressed tones, but in how easy it is to explore the realms between those extremes. It’s versatile and multi-dimensional, and it’s also fun—an adjective that even devout compressor users would be reluctant to use to describe their favorite comp.
Highpoint Optical Compressor
Optical Compressor Guitar Pedal with Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, Output, Blend, Makeup, Sidechain, and VU Controls
NOW LIVE: 15 New Deals From Sweetwater's Biggest Guitar Sale Of The Year
From an 8-string Strandberg to a synth-equipped Boss EURUS, Sweetwater's Guitar Month sale covers axes, amps, and pedals at prices that won't stick around.
Guild Surfliner Solidbody Electric Guitar - White Sage
A wallet-friendly offset for the masses! Guild’s Surfliner takes the sleek '60s style of a traditional offset guitar and hot rods it with performance-minded features for guitarists who require an instrument with rock-solid stability. The Surfliner’s lightweight poplar body and offset-waist body shape provide an unmatched comfort — both sitting and standing. The smooth maple-on-maple neck’s Narrow Jumbo frets and 10-inch radius ensure smooth playability for players of all stripes. What about versatility? The Surfliner has it in spades, boasting an HSS configuration comprised of two Aersonic single coils and an LB-1 mini humbucker in the bridge, taking you everywhere from surfy drip to all-out crunch. Finally, the string-through body and the Tune-o-matic bridge are ideal for players who love the offset look, but prefer a more streamlined hardware setup.
Sweetwater's Guitar Month sale runs deep across the catalog, and what's below is just a sampling of the deals worth a look. We've got guitars spanning entry-level to high-end, amps built for both bedroom and stage volume, a handful of pedals, and a few accessories thrown in for good measure. Savings range from a few dollars off to over a grand, with some finishes and models exclusive to Sweetwater. Browse what caught our eye below, then head to Sweetwater to see the rest of what's on sale this month.
Kala Solidbody U-Bass Electric Bass Guitar - Surf Blue
This compact 4-string electric U-Bass features a 23.5-inch short scale, Okoume body, and a passive split-coil pickup for a warm, punchy, articulate bass tone in a lightweight, easy-to-play package.
Boss EURUS GS-1 Electronic Guitar with Onboard Guitar Synthesizer - Black
The EURUS GS-1 packs a pair of custom EURUS-CTM humbuckers plus an onboard polyphonic synthesizer with six recallable presets and separate guitar/synth outputs, so you can dial in synth tones with the flip of a switch — no extra pedals or special pickups required.
J. Rockett Audio Designs Lenny Boost/Overdrive Pedal
Built to capture the sound of a dimed boutique amp, Lenny's simple 2-knob layout adds musical mid-forward boost and sustain to a clean tone, or pushes an already-overdriven signal into a tight, singing “superdrive.”
D'Angelico Deluxe Atlantic Electric Guitar - Solid Black
This single-cut solidbody pairs an alder body and maple/walnut neck with Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 humbuckers and push-pull coil-splitting, delivering classic D'Angelico style with modern tonal versatility and all-day playing comfort.
Blackstar St. James 50-watt Tube Head with EL34 Tubes - Fawn
Blackstar's lightest 50-watt head yet pairs EL34 power tubes with onboard Cab Rig cabinet simulation and a 3-step power reduction switch, giving two full channels of glassy cleans through vintage crunch at stage or bedroom volume.
Supro Amulet 1x12 15-watt Tube Combo Amp - Baby Blue, Sweetwater Exclusive
Exclusive to Sweetwater in a Baby Blue finish, the Amulet delivers 15 watts of vintage-style Supro overdrive through a Celestion G12M Creamback, with a 3-step power attenuator plus splashy spring reverb and tremolo baked in.
Strandberg Boden Original N2.8 8-string Electric Guitar - Black Denim Burst Satin
A multi-scale 8-string built from swamp ash, walnut, and roasted/flame maple, featuring Strandberg's EndurNeck profile, EGS Arc hardware, and POWR:D by Fishman active pickups with selectable voicing from passive-style headroom to modern-metal aggression.
Caparison Guitars Horus-M3 - Carnelian with Ebony Fingerboard
A mahogany/maple solidbody with a 5-piece maple/walnut neck and ebony fretboard, the Horus-M3's precise 15-degree headstock angle eliminates string trees while its fast, smooth 27-fret neck stands up to the most demanding technical playing.
Sterling By Music Man Cutlass CT50HSS Electric Guitar - Daphne Blue Satin
A poplar body and roasted maple neck deliver a bright, resonant, well-balanced tone, while the H/S/S pickup configuration and 5-way blade switch offer plenty of tonal range for the price.
ESP LTD EC-1000 Electric Guitar - Vintage Black (Dent and Scratch)
A mahogany-bodied, set-neck Eclipse-style guitar with an ebony fingerboard and EMG humbuckers for articulate tone from chiming cleans to growling high-gain — this blemished dent-and-scratch unit is deeply discounted off the $1,099 list.
DigiTech Whammy 5 Pitch-shifting Pedal - White, Sweetwater Exclusive
A polyphonic pitch-shifting pedal with an expression treadle and MIDI input, in a limited white finish exclusive to Sweetwater that won't be restocked once it sells out.
Warm Audio Foxy Tone Box Fuzz Pedal - Werewolf Black, Sweetwater Exclusive
Hand-assembled with premium NOS parts for vintage-correct tone, this limited-edition octave fuzz pedal recreates a beloved '70s circuit with volume, sustain, and fuzz controls plus a switchable octave-up mode.
Breedlove Artisan Concert E Adirondack/Rosewood Acoustic-electric Guitar - Edgeburst
A concert-body acoustic-electric with a redwood top over rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck, and ebony fingerboard — premium tonewoods built for detailed, balanced amplified performance.
Ernie Ball 3221 Regular Slinky Nickel Wound Electric Guitar Strings - .010-.046 Factory 3-pack
Nickel-plated steel wire wrapped around a tin-plated hex core for balanced tone across highs, mids, and lows — the industry-standard Regular Slinky gauge (.010-.046) in a factory-sealed 3-pack.
Pedaltrain Classic Jr Pedalboard with Slim Line Hard Case
The Classic JR's wider stance and extra inch of elevation fit just about any power supply, built on Pedaltrain's featherweight aircraft-grade aluminum rails, now bundled with a low-profile hard case for the road.
Mojotone Solderless Tele Standard Guitar Wiring Harness
A drop-in, solder-free wiring harness with CTS potentiometers, a Dijon capacitor, and treble-bleed circuit — swap out your stock electronics in minutes without a soldering iron.
GrooveTech Guitar Player Tech Kit
A compact guitar setup kit with hex keys, a 6-in-1 screwdriver, thickness gauge, ruler, string cutters, capo, and an easy setup guide — everything needed to adjust action, intonation, and truss rod without paying a tech.
Keeley Electronics Introduces Tube Drive Twin Triode Dual Overdrive
Keeley Electronics has introduced the Tube Drive Twin Triode Dual Overdrive, a powerful dual-drive pedal built around a real high-voltage tube circuit and one of Keeley’s most celebrated overdrive voices. The standard Tube Drive features a Russian 12AX7 tube at the heart of its tube-driven preamp side, delivering warm, touch-sensitive grit, natural compression, and the unmistakable feel of real glass in the signal path.
The second side of the pedal is based on the legendary Keeley Super Phat Mod, adding thick, amp-like overdrive with punch, sustain, and harmonic depth. Players can use either side independently, stack them together for bigger gain tones, or switch the effect order on the fly with a simple foot gesture. From responsive tube breakup to saturated stacked drive, the Tube Drive is designed to cover a wide range of gain sounds while keeping the feel immediate and musical.
Built from start to finish at Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma City, the Tube Drive also includes selectable true-bypass or Keeley silent buffered switching, rugged construction, and a custom tube shield that proudly displays the tube at the center of the design. With real tube warmth and modern pedalboard flexibility, the Tube Drive Twin Triode Dual Overdrive is designed to be the heart of your gain section.
Like every Keeley pedal, the Tube Drive is designed and manufactured in Oklahoma, USA. Key features include:
● Real high-voltage tube-driven preamp side with Russian 12AX7 tube
● Keeley Super Phat Mod overdrive side for thick, amp-like drive
● Two independent overdrive voices in one rugged enclosure
● Stack both sides together for richer, higher-gain tones; Switch effect order on the fly with a simple foot gesture
● Selectable true-bypass or Keeley silent buffered switching
● Warm, touch-sensitive grit with natural tube compression, offering everything from low-gain breakup to saturated stacked overdrive
● Made in USA
Keeley’s Tube Drive Twin Triode Dual Overdrive carries a $399 street price. For more information visit robertkeeley.com.
Tube Drive
Dual Overdrive Guitar Pedal, with Per-channel Level, Tone, and Gain Controls, FX Order Switching, 12AX7 Vacuum Tube, TRS Remote Jack, and True/Buffered Bypass - Black
Real Tube Tone with Dual Overdrive Personalities
John Bohlinger headed west to visit Robert Keeley who shows off an impressive dual drive that includes the company's heralded Super Phat Mod circuit paired with high-voltage drive that rocks with a Russian 12AX7 preamp tube. As Keeley explains to Bohlinger, there's a lot going on under the hood including a function that allows you to reverse the stacking order that gives the growl a whole new gnashing character.
Tube Drive
Dual Overdrive Guitar Pedal, with Per-channel Level, Tone, and Gain Controls, FX Order Switching, 12AX7 Vacuum Tube, TRS Remote Jack, and True/Buffered Bypass - Black
HeadRush Introduces FRFR CAB Series of Amps
HeadRush has introduced its FRFR CAB Series, a new line of full-range, flat-response guitar amp cabinets purpose-built for players who build their sound around modeling pedals. With a traditional amp-style cabinet format and Bluetooth® connectivity, they’re ideal for practice, rehearsal and live performance.
Available in two sizes, the compact FRFR-8 CAB and the higher-output FRFR-12 CAB offers guitarists and bassists a cabinet that faithfully amplifies the tones they've already dialed in.
For players who have moved their sound into modeling pedals, amp profiles, 3rd party IRs, Neural Amp Modeler, and other capture technology, finding an amplification solution that reproduces tone accurately, without recoloring it, is essential. The HeadRush FRFR CAB Series delivers HeadRush’s custom-tuned full-range, flat-response performance within a traditional guitar cabinet. The series includes the compact 8-inch FRFR-8 CAB, offering up to 480 watts of peak power, and the larger 12-inch FRFR-12 CAB, delivering up to 750 watts for higher-output stage settings.
Both cabinets pair a custom-designed low-frequency woofer with a 1-inch high-frequency compression driver and a wide 90° conical horn, delivering clear, even coverage that lets modeled tones translate accurately in any room. A legendary 3-band Baxandall EQ with a variable high-cut filter makes it fast to dial in the cabinet for a new rehearsal space, stage, or studio, without ever having to rebuild the tone built inside the modeling pedal.
Connectivity is straightforward: a combo XLR/TRS line-level input connects to virtually any modeling pedal, profiler, or digital guitar processor, while an XLR line output feeds a clean signal to the PA system or links multiple cabinets. Combine two FRFR CABs for stereo rigs built from the stereo outputs of a modeling pedal. Built-in Bluetooth® 5.3 rounds out the package, letting players stream backing tracks, rehearse with band mixes, and learn new songs directly through the cabinet.
“Guitarists and bassists building their sound in a modeling pedal deserve a cabinet that gets out of the way and lets that tone come through, on stage, in the studio, wherever they play,” said John Boudreau, HeadRush Director of Product Development. “The FRFR CAB Series pairs that accuracy with the feel of a real amp cabinet, so the rig sounds and feels like home no matter where you're plugging in.”
A Cabinet for Every Rig
The FRFR-8 CAB is built for home players, recording setups, rehearsals, and smaller venues where portability matters but true feel still counts. At 14.3" x 14.1" x 8.5", it's an easy companion for any modeling rig. The FRFR-12 CAB steps up to 18.4" x 19.1" x 9.6", delivering the output and stage presence musicians need for louder performance environments. Both cabinets are housed in a rugged, closed-back wooden cabinet with a built-in kickstand for an optimal monitoring angle onstage.
A Cabinet for Every Rig
Key Features Include
- Purpose-Built for Modeling Pedals: Full-range, flat-response amplification preserves modeled tones with accuracy, without the coloration of a traditional guitar amp
- Traditional Amp Aesthetics: Classic amp-style cabinet design delivers a familiar look and stage presence
- Two Configurations: Available in the compact FRFR-8 CAB and higher-output FRFR-12 CAB
- Custom Drivers: A custom-designed woofer and 1" compression driver provide clear, balanced sound reproduction
- Wide Coverage: A 90° conical horn helps distribute sound evenly across the room
- Legendary 3-Band Baxandall EQ: Variable high-cut filter adapts the cabinet to any room, stage, or studio
- Flexible Connectivity: XLR/TRS combo input connects easily to modeling pedals and processors; XLR line output simplifies PA integration and cabinet linking
- Bluetooth® for Musicians: Built-in Bluetooth® 5.3 audio supports practice, rehearsal, and playback
- Built-In Kickstand: Provides an improved personal monitoring angle onstage
- Road-Ready Construction: Rugged, closed-back wooden cabinet built for regular transport and performance
The HeadRush FRFR-8 CAB is priced at $399 and the FRFR-12 CAB is priced at $499. To learn more, visit www.headrushfx.com.
He Fixed Randy Rhoads’ Guitar. Then Eddie Van Halen Called.
You might not know his name, but you know Jim DeCola's work. The longtime luthier and influential industry staple sits down with John Bohlinger to discuss his repairman beginings (including an impactful fix for Randy Rhoads), to designing the Peavey EVH Wolfgang for Eddie Van Halen, and his lengthy career that includes both guitar giants -- Fender and Gibson. Plus, DeCola shares how his first love of skateboarding is a parallel to guitar building and explains why dropping into half pipes and empty pools fill his heart as much as working on guitars and play music.
The Power Of 3 Announce Self-Titled Debut Album Due December 11
The Power of 3, the powerhouse new trio featuring acclaimed singer-guitarist Orianthi, drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, and bassist Rhonda Smith, announce their self-titled debut album today along with the release of their debut double single, “War In The Streets” b/w “Treat Me Like A Lady,” available now on all streaming platforms. The album is due out December 11th via She2Music, was produced by legendary producer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, KISS, The Rolling Stones), and features a special guest appearance from Carlos Santana. Recorded entirely in analog, the album captures the raw chemistry of three world-class musicians whose collective careers have included collaborations with Michael Jackson, Prince, Jeff Beck, Alice Cooper, Beyoncé, Lenny Kravitz, Santana, and Pharoah Sanders.
Lead single “War In the Streets” is one of The Power of 3's defining statements. It’s a rousing rallying cry for unity in a time of unrest and division. Driven by a churning rock groove and a searing Orianthi guitar solo, the track reflects the chaos of the current moment while calling for people to come together. The chorus was penned by Mark Davis, owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and a longtime supporter of the band, and The Power of 3 wrote the verses and music before the song took shape in the studio with Kramer.
The double single also features “Treat Me Like A Lady,” a groove-heavy, feel-good track propelled by Rhonda Smith's bouncing Motown-inspired bass line. Sensual, playful, and empowering, the song showcases the band's soulful side while maintaining the confidence and firepower of three musicians at the top of their game.
The roots of The Power of 3 stretch back several years, when Raiders owner Mark Davis encouraged Orianthi to assemble a Band of Gypsys-inspired power trio. Orianthi turned to Cindy Blackman Santana, renowned for her work with Carlos Santana, Lenny Kravitz, and Pharoah Sanders, and together they recruited Rhonda Smith, whose legendary career includes performances with Prince, Jeff Beck, Beyoncé, and who currently plays with The Cletones, the house band for Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The trio has already performed twice at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, most recently before the Raiders-Cowboys game last November, and is now preparing to bring the project to audiences around the world.
“I know people all over the world want to see us,” said Orianthi. “And we can't wait. It'll be so much fun to get out there. Playing together with Cindy and Rhonda, this is like a powerhouse. It's not just me... this is a real band.”
The Power of 3 is out December 11th; preorder/presave HERE.
Tom Morello - Everyone Gets Everything They Want
Legendary musician, guitarist and songwriter Tom Morello has unveiled his latest full-length project, and first solo rock album, *Everyone Gets Everything They Want*, arriving September 25th via Mom + Pop Music. Further cementing his reputation for fusing high-octane rock with unwavering activism, the new collection confronts issues of fascism, immigrant rights, and global political turmoil. The record is anchored by Morello’s revolutionary fretwork, blending thunderous riffs, otherworldly solos, and an uncompromising lyrical vision. Production credits include Tyler Smyth, Carl Restivo, Zakk Cervini, Dan Carey, and Sam Nelson Harris.
Everyone Gets Everything They Want
The music spans a diverse array of styles and collaborators, reflecting decades of experience as a songwriter and performer. Serj Tankian, Kneecap and Beartooth all make appearances, and Morello’s fifteen year old guitar wiz son Roman, who has been startling audiences on tour with his dad the past three years, shares writing credits on five songs, contributing monster riffs and fiery solos.
Morello has released two songs so far from the album- the most recent being “Date Night”. The song tells the true story of three young Dutch girls who served as spies, saboteurs, and assassins against the Nazis during World War II. Sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen and their close friend Hannie Schaft used their youth and innocent appearances to slip through checkpoints, to smuggle weapons, to sabotage rail lines, and to help hunted Jewish children escape persecution. Most famously, they acted as underground assassins, seducing Nazi officers, luring them into the woods and killing them. Hannie was eventually captured, tortured, and killed by the Nazis, but she never snitched on her comrades.
Morello says, “I make anti-racist songs for anti-racists. I make anti-fascist songs for anti-fascists. And I make anti-Nazi songs for anti-Nazis. ‘Date Night’ is really a ‘which side are you on?’ song. If any of that offends you, do the math. Oh, and Roman Morello wrote the killer riff in this tune.”
Morello previously released the song “Adjourn It”. The track features Serj Tankian as well as Roman, and condemns the rising tide of racism and anti-immigrant bigotry. For the song’s video, clips from the film SALT OF THE EARTH (1954), are woven throughout the “Adjourn It” video to reflect the song’s theme of resistance in the face of prejudice and injustice.
Morello has a long history of organizing activism-oriented concerts, rallies, and events, and continues to be a leading voice for social justice causes and workers and immigrants rights issues across the country and around the world. In addition to his solo work with The Nightwatchman and his role in Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, Morello remains one of modern rock’s most influential guitarists, and outspoken activists.
Having just wrapped another run with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band on the “Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour”, as well as a blistering stop at this past weekend’s Newport Folk Festival, Morello will be performing at Louder Than Life in Louisville, KY on September 19th. In addition, Morello recently announced Power To The People Festival — a celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action — taking place Saturday, October 3rd at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. The sold-out one-day festival curated by Morello, will feature special performances from an extraordinary lineup of artists and activists including Dave Matthews, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Public Enemy, Killer Mike, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black (featuring Roman Morello, Revel Ian, Yoyoka Soma and Hugo Weiss), Serj Tankian, grandson, The Neighborhood Kids, Taylor Momsen, Matt Cameron, The Linda Lindas, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and a DJ set by artist Shepard Fairey.
TOM MORELLO TOUR DATES
9/18/26 - Cannery Hall - Nashville TN
9/19/26 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life 2026
9/20/26 - The Rave/Eagles Club - Milwaukee, WI
10/3/26 - Power to the People 2026 - Washington, DC
3/2/27 - The Esplanade - Medicine Hat, AB, Canada
3/3/27 - Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre - Camrose, AB, Canada
3/5/27 - Vic Juba Community Theatre - Lloydminster, AB, Canada
3/6/27 - Dow Centennial Centre Shell Theatre - Fort Saskatchewan AB, Canada
3/8/27 - E.A. Rawlinson Center For The Arts - Prince Albert, SK, Canada
On Bass: Know Your Worth
When I was 15, I played my first “paying” gig. The event was a pool party at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, hosted by a classmate from school. We had a three-piece band, and we were paid $100. We had to rent a PA, which was $70. We equally divided up that last 30 bucks and smiled, as we could finally say we were getting a return on all the time and expense we put into our craft. Who am I kidding? At 15, $10 was like a pan of gold. I did feel a sense of real accomplishment, though, knowing I could make (some) money playing music.
I’ve been very lucky to have some great mentors. I was advised on many aspects of my musical journey, except for one thing: money. It seems that salaries and pay scales in the music world are akin to CIA secrets, known to only a privileged few. There is a delicate balance between the gig vs. the paycheck, and sadly, as musicians, I feel we routinely fall short in sticking up for ourselves.
Why is that? Why do we feel we can’t ask for what we need? We worry we’ll lose the gig, and we see a small fee as better than no fee at all. Then the cycle starts.
Before we start to break that cycle, let’s talk about reality vs. expectations. I understand there’s a wide range in pay and types of gigs, so let’s grab some basics. The local “bar” gig pay hasn’t changed in 50 years. One-hundred dollars per player has been some kind of standard for half a century, and bar owners are still hanging on to it. (Can we see this go up, please?) Some gigs, of course, pay more—and a lot pay less.
For these gigs (and any gigs), you must ask yourself what your goals are. Are you trying to make this a regular gig? Are you here for networking? Are you doing it for the love of the game? Once you figure these things out, you can set your personal goals and manage your expectations.
Now, the reality. Money in our business is difficult to gauge. We think we have a pretty good paycheck, then we hear of another band with less audience draw being paid more. The same happens on artist gigs. Every artist is different, but knowing the playing field is a great way to level it. Bar owners, managers, and promoters won’t just throw money at you because you have great hair. You have to ask for that raise, and have good data to back up that ask. And remember, you always have the option to leave if the situation doesn’t work for you.
“Management, venues, and artists are in business to make money. So are you.”
Let’s say you want to take the show on the road. What does that pay really look like? Again, this is that CIA-level anomaly with a wide variation of pay. Here in Nashville, expect different compensation levels when you tour, and decide what you’re comfortable accepting. A new artist can earn from $150-$300 a show, and a more established one can start at $300 and go up from there. Legacy acts can push to $600-$800 or more. It all depends on the number and size of the shows, as well as travel day pay, per diem, and hotel accommodations.
Something to remember is that you are not the artist. You’re a hired gun and paid to do your job. There will be financial disconnect, which for some is difficult—especially if the artist is making $2 million gross a night and the player $1,500 (these numbers are from a true story). Again, your name is not on the marquee, so manage your expectations and proceed.
Even though Nashville is the country music “hub,” a lot of people that tour in the rock world live here as well. Some have said they won’t go back to playing country music again, simply because of the general approach and difference in pay. Again, that all depends on the artist or act. I’ve heard of “legacy” rock acts paying below country new artist wages. Remember, the grass is always greener, but it’s just as hard to mow.
Management, venues, and artists are in business to make money. So are you. Remember that. I’m not trying to scare you away from being a musician; there are entities out there that will treat you fairly and pay you well. If you have a proven track record and real experience under your belt, you’re worth more than you think. You just have to remember that nobody loves you like you. Stand up for yourself.
S.I.T. Strings Updates Power Wound Electric Guitar Strings
S.I.T. Strings (Stay In Tune) has updated its flagship Power Wound Nickel Electric Guitar Strings with enhanced product protection, premium new packaging, and new Gold, Black, and Silver color-coded ball ends.
The company’s strings were first introduced in 1980, and the new redesign across the entire Power Wound family features a premium black carton, a sealed Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) bag to help protect strings during storage and shipping.
Every set continues to be manufactured in Akron, Ohio, using premium American materials and S.I.T.'s proprietary Stay-In-Tune™ process, which reinforces the ball-end twist to help deliver the dependable tuning stability Power Wound is known for.
The Power Wound series features a hex-shaped, high-carbon steel core and precision-wound nickel-plated steel wrap wire, designed to deliver a bright, balanced tone with clear highs, tight lows, and smooth mids.
The updated Power Wound electric guitar line is available in a wide range of string gauges and custom sets, well-suited for almost any musical style including rock, metal, blues, jazz, and country.
Street pricing starts at $8.99 for 6-string sets. For more information visit https://sitstrings.com/product/power-wound-nickel-electric-guitar-strings/
Beetronics Seabee Lite Review
If you’ve never played a Beetronics pedal, the company’s extroverted design ethos might seem like a style-before-substance exercise. Nothing could be further from the truth. For starters, Beetronics’ wares are genuinely substantial in terms of quality. The brand is also inventive—and more than a little irreverent at times—when it comes to sonics.
The Seabee Lite (the “lite” most likely refers to its relatively low weight rather than any reduced functionality) is an analog chorus/vibe and occasionally mutant flange-oid modulator. It might not be the company’s most radical offering, and in many respects, it's downright conventional and accessible. But it finds a unique way to walk that path, using an interesting basic chorus voice as a foundation—and in classic Beetronics fashion, offering many enticing ways to mangle it.
Arcade Acumen
While there are more complex modulators out there, the Seabee Lite is nevertheless not for minimalists or the faint of heart. None of the functions here are terribly esoteric. And the three knobs, three toggles, and two footswitches are, by some standards, positively streamlined. But their interactivity, which is a real creative asset here, can mean it’s easy to get a little lost at times.
The pedal’s preset capacity helps address the problem of a porous user memory, to some extent. There are eight factory presets and eight blank ones to make your own, which opens up all kinds of possibilities for texture shifts from song to song. (Presets can also be managed via MIDI.) But the preset functionality can be a minefield of its own if you tend to prioritize other facets of your performance. Because the Seabee Lite’s footswitches are the responsive soft-relay type, their placement makes it easy to accidentally move from live to preset mode. And if you then activate a preset, you’ll need to scroll through all of your presets to get back to live mode. Your results may differ based on your balletic capacity, concentration, and ease with dancing the preset two-step. Me? Well, I messed up a lot.
“Woblee and vibeee modes mixed together might inhabit pedal’s weirdest, most-seasick depths.”
The good news, of course, is that these complexities are the product of cool options. The Seabee Lite expands on a basic chorus’ usual rate-and-depth control set with a feedback control, which is typically seen on a flanger. It lends a given chorus setting a “vowellier,” more wobbly voice. But you can also alter the basic feel of the chorus by switching to flange or wobble mode. In the former, the sinewave that makes up the chorus is more angular and trapezoidal, and extra delay is added. The resulting tones don’t have the jet-phase intensity of a real flanger, but they can still be deeply strange, and some of the most authentically 1980s-style textures live in this hybrid mode. Wobblee utilizes an even greater delay time range—around 25ms—and features a drifting LFO that randomizes the wave peaks within that range, evoking a less-steady-on-your-feet sensation.
The flangee and wobblee voices also sound awesome with the vibee vibrato mode. Flangee can give the vibrato oscillations an almost tremolo-like pulse, which sounds extra cool in stereo. Woblee and vibee modes mixed together might conjure the pedal’s weirdest, most-seasick sounds. In both mode mixes there are lots of subtle shades to use, too.
Chorus Lane
Perhaps because the Seabee Lite’s basic voice has to accommodate so many accents and inflections, that voice is a little more open than some standard-bearing analog choruses. It’s not as syrupy, chewy, or deep as a Blue Hippo or CE-2, but there’s a lot of upside to that. Again, the airier voice allows more room for detail in the pedal’s more intense modulations. But those older analog choruses can be thick and watery to the point of dark, which doesn’t work for every guitar or amplifier voice. If the Seabee Lite’s voice is comparatively thin and toppy, it sure makes a good fit for a burly PAF’s output. And with the high-pass, bandpass, and flat frequency response toggle settings, you can tailor these sounds in even more specific ways.
The Verdict
How you relate to the Seabee Lite’s video-game riot of color and sound will probably depend on how much need for weird there is in your expression. But the Seabee Lite isn’t all bizarro indulgences. The fundamental analog voice is solid and versatile, even if some might find it lacking a touch of body. And while some features can seem clumsy and cluttered, the pedal also inhabits a real sweet spot between a modulator that creates decision fatigue and a 2-knob vintage-style unit. It’s a place you can live creatively without getting too bogged down, and that might be the Seabee Lite’s real magic.