Premier Guitar

Ours is a frantically paced world. So, I quite like instruments and effects that slow my roll. Delays, reverb, and tremolo all do the trick nicely. But rotary-speaker-type effects can be every bit as good at slowing frantic, frenzied picking to a molasses pace.

Whether a rotary-style pedal “spins” at a slow rate or a fast one … it’s all a lullaby to me. To truly distort time and have a decelerative influence, though, a rotary effect must create a real sense of depth. Boss’ RT-2 Rotary Ensemble possesses this kind of dimensionality in abundance. It’s syrupy and complex. And while it lacks some of the features that distinguish more embellished, contemporary rotary, vibrato, or Uni-Vibe-style pedals, the Boss’ smartly streamlined controls deliver subdued or in-your-face modulations in many shades, with functionality that doesn’t distract.

Ode to Rotation

Though the RT-2 is, in many respects, a more compact riff on the Boss’ RT-20, which was discontinued in 2019, it isn’t as simple as it looks from five paces. The two knobs on the pedal’s face are actually four controls made up of two concentrically stacked dials. Two of the knobs set the speeds you move between when you press and hold the soft-latch pedal. The other two set the effect output level (which is handy for backgrounding or foregrounding the effect) and a drive circuit that approximates tube amp drive in a real rotary speaker. The drive control, though, can also be repurposed as a balance between virtual bass and treble “horns” when you slide a switch on the pedal’s crown. A second switch on the crown selects fast and slow ramp times between two rotary speeds.

A third “mode” switch moves between three distinct effect voicings. The first, in Boss’s description, approximates the frequency response of a Leslie 122. To my ear it is the most open and neutral of the three. Mode II is described as having a wider tonal range more suited to drive and distortion. It’s much more focused in the midrange and slices like a machete when paired with a gain device or overdriven amp. Mode III is flat-out dirty, and while it sounds cool with distortion, it’s useful for achieving radical tone shifts in rigs with fewer effects. A lot of Hendrix and Gilmour fans will spend time here. The footswitch, in addition to functioning as the bypass, and the ramp switch can be reconfigured in different ways. Most notably, it can be used to activate the slowest rate of rotation first, or vice versa.

Sundae Swirl

Though some expensive, dedicated rotary speaker simulators may be better at achieving the mechanically derived, microtonal nuances of a real Leslie or Fender Vibratone, the RT-2 nails the mood and basic richness of the genuine article. The modulation pulses are distinctly hazy around the edges in a way a Uni-Vibe pedal or standard vibrato is not. At the slowest rates, these modulations can serve as a simple thickening agent in a fashion that almost mimics light boost or compression, particularly when the effect level is set to conservative zones. Faster modulations are more overtly rotary-like. Pitch shifts are less binary and bouncy and instead seem to melt into one another. And in a recorded mix with an appropriate sense of room ambience, you’d probably be hard-pressed to discern the RT-2 from a real Leslie.

Though the drive control is effective for adding attitude and color to modulations, I derived a lot more utility and fun from using the control in its balance capacity. The ability to mix the virtual high and bass horns—effectively mimicking the microphone placement and mix emphasis when recording the treble and bass horns on a real Leslie—enables surgical placement of the effect in a mix. But it also helps summon the RT-2’s most natural and realistic rotary tones, and it’s the control I tinkered with most when exploring the pedal’s range.

Accurately simulating a real rotary speaker remains one of the trickier feats in pedal design. Not coincidentally, the best simulators are pretty pricey. And while the RT-2’s $239 price tag can give pause, the pedal’s combination of no-fuss functionality, compact size, and often very delicious, convincing, and ecstatically elastic and animated approximations of a mechanical Leslie make crossing the $200 threshold a much more palatable proposition. And I’d venture that once you are fully immersed in the RT-2’s textures, and the surprisingly numerous, even unconventional, ways they can be applied, this well-executed pedal will pay back the investment many times over.

Who could forget Alex Lifeson’s soul-stirring acceptance speech at the band’s 2013 induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

Yes, Rush are a “progressive rock band,” with all the weighty importance that it brings, but at their core is a sense of humor that allows them to not take themselves too seriously. The result is that, while their music may be complex at times, overall, it lacks the pretense and self-importance that can permeate bands of the genre.

Along with with late drummer Neil Peart’s masterful drumming and Geddy Lee’s vocals and powerfully melodic bass lines, it is Lifeson’s striking versatility that has made Rush one of rock’s most unique and compelling musical triangles for over 40 years:

Combining vast arrays of chiming chords …

earworm-y riffs …

thrilling solo flights …

technical brilliance …

and more, Lifeson’s inspiring creativity and musical savvy quickly become apparent to listeners. Let’s journey through some of the Canadian trio’s most classic songs to see if we can figure out just what makes him tick.

Open Strings Are Our Friends

In the debut episode of Premier Guitar’s Shred With Shifty, affable host and Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett, together with Lifeson himself, break down the latter’s solo from “Limelight,” off of 1981’s Moving Pictures. It kicks off with a clever use of a simple open B string, as shown in Ex. 1.

Ex. 1

As Lifeson explains, he doesn’t pick the harmonic. Instead, he lightly taps the ringing open string with a fret-hand finger at the indicated fret. (Lifeson uses his index; Shiflett, his middle.) Interestingly, the open B string wends its way through much of the song, including its trance-inducing chorus. Ex. 2 is inspired by this stirring section; note how the open B string acts as a hypnotic drone through all of the chords, a signature Lifeson move.

Ex. 2

You can take many open-position chord forms and experiment with moving them up the neck, while letting any open strings ring. Sure, you’ll inevitably hit some clunkers, but a good rule of thumb is, if the open string is in the key, you’ve got a good chance of finding some magic. Lifeson does just that in the intro to “La Villa Strangiato” from 1978’s epic, Hemispheres, as he positions a standard open G chord up at the 8th fret, creating a unique Cadd2 voicing.

Ex. 3 is along the same lines; note how there are two open strings, D and G, that, when added to this very basic chord form, revitalize it to swirling effect.

Ex. 3

As in the “Limelight” solo, Lifeson cleverly weaves the open B string into his “YYZ” solo, Moving Pictures’ bombastic instrumental. Here, though, he employs it as a pedal point, a re-articulated or sustained note generally played below (or sometimes above) an accompanying melodic figure. Ex. 4 closes out his sinewy solo in grand fashion.

Ex. 4

Only the very first note is picked; the rest are sounded by a series of hammer-ons and pull-offs, which require some fret-hand strength to execute. A great exercise is to take the same figure and move it to other open strings, which is also a fun way to learn your scales horizontally across the neck. Throughout his solo, Lifeson employs B Phrygian dominant mode (B–C–D#–E–F#–G–A), which is simply the 5th mode of E harmonic minor (E–F#–G–A–B–C–D#). Fear not, all this means is that it’s the very same E harmonic minor scale, but here, B acts as the root or tonal center instead of E. Examples 5 and 6 apply this scale to the 1st and 3rd strings, respectively.

Ex. 5

Ex. 6

Familiar Chords in Unfamiliar Places

Just as how Lifeson uses open-position chord shapes up the neck with open strings, he also is adept at taking closed triad shapes (no open strings) and cleverly moving them in similar fashion. His solo in “Subdivisions,” from 1982’s Signals, rises to a climactic end this way, as shown in Ex. 7.

Ex. 7

This familiar “D” shape is one of three triad shapes found on each of the guitar’s sets of three strings. In other words, the same three notes (we’re excluding the open 4th string from the previous example) can be rearranged to find two other inversions along the neck. Let’s use them to play the same “Subdivisions” chord progression, but in different registers of the neck, as in Examples 8 and 9. Note in bar 2 of each how the new shapes lend themselves to different melodic choices and thus, new chord colors.

Ex. 8

Ex. 9

Navigating Odd Spaces

The previous examples contain some interesting rhythms, something for which Rush is well-known, which includes the use of odd time signatures. Ex. 10 is reminiscent of a chordal interlude in “Jacob’s Ladder” from 1980’s Permanent Waves. Rush is a band that is exceptional at using odd time signatures in a most musical way, and here, they shrewdly shift from 5/4 to 6/4.

Ex. 10

To become more comfortable navigating these tricky time signatures, count either out loud or in your head while listening to the section. Doing so familiarizes you with how these time signatures feel, which eliminates the need for counting.

Lifeson always sounds effortless when soloing in odd time signatures. A key way to accomplish this is to always be aware of where beat 1 is, so, for the moment, a bit more counting. But this time, do it while actually playing, as this will have you feeling at ease sooner than you might think. Lifeson’s solo in Moving Pictures’ “Red Barchetta” is in 7/4; note that an easy way to count your way through 7/4 is to break it down into 4/4 plus 3/4. Ex. 11 illustrates how he deftly negotiates one of the solo’s two-bar phrases in a memorably melodic way.

Ex. 11

The above is just a taste of the palette of colors from which Lifeson draws, as he weaves his guitars throughout Rush’s timeless catalog of songs. He, along with Lee and Peart, created unique and genuinely emotional music, none of which could ever be described as “blah.”

IK Multimedia introduces ENGL Ampthology Vol 1, the first Signature Collection powered by the new TONEX Modeler. ENGL has earned a place among the most revered names in high-gain amplification, with a tone that has shaped the performance of metal, prog, and hard rock around the world.

For the first time, that signature ENGL aggression and clarity have been captured directly from ENGL's private vault of hand‑selected amps, meticulously curated for the official TONEX collection.

"For decades, ENGL has defined the sound of high-gain excellence. With IK Multimedia's TONEX technology, our iconic amps have been captured for you to unleash in the studio, on stage, or anywhere your music takes you."
- Edmund Engl, founder of ENGL AMPS

ENGL Collection Overview

• 72 Tone Models based on six legendary amps from ENGL's private collection, dialed in for this exclusive release.
• Created by ENGL tone masters using TONEX Modeler for enhanced high‑gain precision.
• Includes Amp, Amp + Cab, and Complex Rig Tone Models for ultimate flexibility in studio and live setups.
• Compatible across the entire TONEX ecosystem: Mac/PC, iOS, TONEX Pedal, and TONEX ONE.
• Compatible with all TONEX software versions, including the free TONEX CS.

The Ultimate ENGL Experience
ENGL Ampthology Vol 1 offers instant access to six legendary ENGL amplifiers: the Fireball 60, Powerball MK1, Invader 100, Savage 120 MK1, Savage 60 MK1, and the pure tube tone of the ENGL Straight. Each amplifier offers a selection of exclusive Tone Models, including amp-only captures for maximum versatility.

From crystal-clear cleans to crushing high-gain tones, with or without cab, these Tone Models capture authentic ENGL character in a mix-ready, studio-quality format that's phase-perfect, ultra-responsive, and optimized for both studio and live use.

Experience the full ENGL sound - without the volume, weight, or tube maintenance.

Pricing and Availability
The ENGL Ampthology Vol 1 is now available via ToneNET and within any version of TONEX for Mac/PC at a limited-time introductory price of $/€79.99* (reg. $/€99.99).

*Pricing excluding taxes.

For complete details and information about the ENGL Ampthology Vol 1 Signature Collection and to hear the tones, please visit:

www.ikmultimedia.com/tonex-engl-vol1
www.ikmultimedia.com/tonex-engl-vol1/video

From portable digital powerhouses to vintage-flavored tube tone machines, Premier Guitar contributor Tom Butwin puts four very different low-powered amps through their paces.

If you’re a tinkerer searching for new tonal colors, a traveler who needs great sound in a compact package, or a tone chaser looking for the perfect studio companion, one of these amps has you covered. From quiet practice sessions to mic’d-up gigs, sometimes less really is more.

FREE for all TONEX users, the standalone modeler adds batch processing, improves accuracy, increases reliability, and offers dramatically faster training times.

IK Multimedia is proud to announce the launch of the new TONEX Modeler, a FREE update for all paid versions of TONEX, available today through the IK Product Manager as TONEX 1.10.0.

Smarter. Faster. Perfect Tone.
Developed by IK's dedicated TONEX team, TONEX Modeler offers a variety of requested improvements and works seamlessly with TONEX software, ToneNET, and TONEX hardware, whether for capturing and creating Tone Models or performing live with more accurate and expressive Tone Models.

TONEX Modeler Overview

• Faster Training: Up to 87% quicker on modern GPUs and Apple Silicon Macs, with training times as short as 2 minutes.
• Extreme Tone Accuracy: Ultra-dynamic with harmonic clarity for high-gain amps.
• Batch Processing: Capture multiple rigs in a single session, then train later, even on another machine.
• Time-Saving Workflow: TONEX Modeler automatically stops training once the ideal results are achieved.
• Phase-Perfect Captures: Stereo rigs and DI blends remain perfectly aligned, essential for live performance.
• Ultra-Low Latency: Play with a natural, responsive feel both in the studio and on stage.
• Portable & Organized: Archive, export, and transfer captures easily across devices.
• Seamless TONEX Integration: Instantly load new models into TONEX and TONEX Editor.

Professional, Unmatched Results
Every Tone Model produced by TONEX Modeler is phase-perfect and features ultra-low latency, ensuring that stereo rigs and bass DI blends sound flawless without requiring additional tweaks. The new capture engine also excels with high-gain tones, delivering tighter lows, richer harmonics, and crystal-clear definition-perfect for modern guitarists and producers who demand mix-ready sound straight from the capture.

Batch Processing for Power Users
TONEX Modeler's batch processing removes guesswork, saves time, and lets users capture once and process anytime, with the heavy lifting done automatically. Designed for today's creators, it works smoothly with NVIDIA GPUs and Apple Silicon Macs, providing faster and more reliable performance. Its smart workflow even stops training early once peak quality is reached, so there's less waiting and more creating.

Tone Partners Onboard
TONEX Tone Partners are experts whose feedback was crucial in developing the new TONEX Modeler. They received early access, and today IK is excited to share the results of this collaboration. Fifty-six new Tone Partner collections and bundles are now available on ToneNET for demo and purchase, showcasing the sonic enhancements of the new TONEX Modeler and providing over 1,140 new Premium Tone Models of sought-after rigs to explore.

Pricing and Availability
The TONEX Modeler is now available through the IK Product Manager as a FREE update for all paid versions of TONEX, including TONEX SE.

TONEX Tone Partner Collections, created with the new TONEX Modeler, are now available for demo and purchase through ToneNET and in any version of TONEX for Mac/PC, starting at just $/€9.99* with Tone Partner bundles beginning at $/€39.99.

In this video, PG Contributor Tom Butwin breaks down the fundamentals of mic'ing acoustic, electric, and bass guitars. Learn the best microphone placements to capture the perfect tone, whether you're looking for a bright, aggressive sound or a warm, vintage vibe.

Perched on Houston Street, the unofficial border between Manhattan’s East Village and Lower East Side, the Mercury Lounge is a venerable New York City music room with a top-notch sound system. It’s also quite small. Two hundred and fifty people max would be a generous capacity estimate, and the club’s bookings, fittingly, tend toward the alternative and the fringe. So it’s not the first place you’d expect to see a celebrated bluegrass acoustic guitar virtuosa and two-time Grammy winner. But on this extra-warm evening in late June, Molly Tuttle is specializing in the unexpected.

- YouTube

The four musicians weaving through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd ahead of Tuttle to the Mercury stage are the night’s next surprise, for more than one reason. For starters, they’re not Golden Highway, the group with which she won those Grammys (for Best Bluegrass Album, in 2022 and 2024). Secondly, they’re all female. The appealingly afro’d Megan Jane is a stone-solid drummer. Vanessa McGowan switches off between electric and acoustic upright bass. Mair Mulroney deftly handles fiddle, mandolin and keyboards. Close-cropped Ellen Angelico lets it rip on electric guitar and lap steel. “This is only the fourth show we’ve played together,” Tuttle announces from the stage, clutching the signature dreadnought that Martin built for her last year. “And the first three were festival-type things, so this is the first show that really feels like ours.”

The music they play, much of it from Tuttle’s new album, So Long Little Miss Sunshine, is surprise number three. Bouncy, breezy songs like “The Highway Knows” and “That’s Gonna Leave a Mark” are, in short, not bluegrass, though they abound with nods to both modern and traditional country. You wouldn’t be wrong to call this pop music, yet it’s pop of an exceptionally tuneful, intelligent and tastefully arranged order. And unlike the work of pretty much any other contemporary pop artist, it leaves plenty of room for the acoustic guitar as a lead instrument. Because while the stylistic trappings and the supporting players have changed, one thing hasn’t: Tuttle is still cross-picking up a storm, exclusively on the kinds of axes that have big sound holes and wound G strings. At least for now.

“Maybe on the next album,” 32-year-old Tuttle says with a laugh earlier that same day, in a mercifully air-conditioned record company conference room, when asked about the chances of her ever going electric. Right now she’s still happy to explore her usual instrument in a new context. “You know, you think of bluegrass as featuring the flatpicked guitar more than any other style. But strangely enough, I play so much more guitar on this album than I ever have on one of my records. That was really fun for me, and it pushed me as a player. It was like, how do we keep this interesting when I’m gonna be the only soloist on the whole record?”

“This is my fifth record,” Tuttle says of So Long Little Miss Sunshine, “which is crazy. It doesn’t feel like it is. But looking at all five of them together, this one is definitely more in the vein of my first record [2019’s When You’re Ready] and the cover record. And then for the last two”—the Grammy winners, Crooked Tree (2022) and City of Gold (2023)—“I consciously wanted to make these bluegrass records to honor my family roots in that music. My grandfather played the banjo and passed down the music to my dad, who taught me how to play, and it just felt like this important thing for me to do. I know that I’ll always want to play that music, and I’m sure I’ll make more bluegrass records and tour with bluegrass bands again. But at the same time, this album feels like it’s a bigger picture of who I am as an artist. It encapsulates more sides of my songwriting and playing and singing.”

“Strangely enough, I play so much more guitar on this album than I ever have on one of my records.”

So where does this leave Golden Highway? “It’s on hiatus,” Tuttle responds, “and I don’t know when we’ll play together again. But I certainly hope that we do. I think we were all ready to slow it down a bit. We’ve had so much fun over the past three years, but everyone knew that I was gonna want to do something different. Some of the band members expressed that they wanted to pursue their solo projects, and we’ve been touring at such a high intensity, it just felt like a natural stopping point. I don’t think anyone wanted to say this is the end, and I certainly don’t. We’re all still great friends, I see them around in Nashville, and I think when the time’s right, we’ll have an epic musical reunion.”

Molly Tuttle’s Gear

Road Guitars

Pre-War Guitars Co. Dreadnought (tuned EADGBD)

Martin Molly Tuttle signature model (D-28 style, tuned DADGAD)

Studio and Home Guitars

1943 Martin D-18

Pre-War Herringbone and Double Aught

Preston Thompson D-BA

Preston Thompson Molly Tuttle Signature

Pickups

K&K Double Helix, blended with internally mounted Shure microphone

K&K Pure Mini

L.R. Baggs HiFi Duet

Grace Design FELiX preamp

Strings, Picks & Capos

D’Addario EJ12 80/20 Bronze strings, medium gauge (.013-.056)

Dunlop Jazztone 208 picks

Shubb and Elliott capos

As for the new band, Tuttle claims that the lack of Y chromosomes in its lineup wasn’t pre-planned. “I reached out first to Vanessa, who’s playing bass, and then she connected me with the rest of the band. I’d already toured with Megan, the drummer, in 2021, and we did some pandemic livestreams together. But we didn’t mean to make it all-female. Being a woman in the music industry, you never want to feel like you’re being asked for a gig just because you’re a woman. But when you get together organically, as we did, it’s like, yay, this is pretty fun.” That sense of high spirits is evident at the Mercury Lounge, as Tuttle’s bandmates prove equally adept at both the poppier new material and Golden Highway nuggets like “Alice in the Bluegrass” and “Over the Line.”

“I’m sure I’ll make more bluegrass records and tour with bluegrass bands again.”

Tuttle may not have played any of the electric guitar parts on So Long Little Miss Sunshine (those were handled by Joyce), but in the absence of Golden Highway in the studio, she did make another notable recorded debut: playing her grandfather’s banjo. “I always had a banjo player before,” she explains, “but all of a sudden I had to be my own banjo player. And that was a conscious decision—we still wanted to have banjo [on the album]. That way you see how it connects to my previous work; even as we’re moving into new areas, we tie it back to the roots.”

Beyond serving as a timbral bridge from one Tuttle era to another, the banjo also combines with her acoustic to create alluring textures on the album’s final two songs, “No Regrets” and “Story of My So-Called Life.”

In the latter composition, an exercise in elliptical autobiography, Tuttle gives a shout-out to the Orange Line, a branch of the Boston subway system that she rode almost every day she lived there. Even though she’s been a Nashville resident for years, the time she spent in Massachusetts’ capital as a student was clearly pivotal. “I learned so much at Berklee,” Tuttle recalls. “I knew no music theory before I went there. I’d never read any music or tablature. I had such an aversion to all that. So when I got there, it was a big shock. But after about a year I really understood music more, and I could communicate better with other musicians. A lot of times, I was the only acoustic player in my guitar classes, which was kind of funny. But I learned to embrace that, even if it sometimes made me uncomfortable.”

Back at the Mercury Lounge, the surprises keep coming. Toward the end of the set, Tuttle and her band launch into another new tune, “Old Me (New Wig),” with rockabilly swagger. At a climactic moment, Tuttle dramatizes the song’s subtitle by reaching up and removing her carefully coiffed brown wig, revealing a smooth, white pate beneath. What feels on some level like a Sinéad O’Connor-style protest against the patriarchy is also a touching acceptance of reality: Tuttle’s natural hair stopped growing when she was a child due to an autoimmune condition called alopecia universalis. Fans have long known this, but for her to acknowledge it onstage so openly—and play the rest of the show wigless—is further evidence that Tuttle continues to embrace the uncomfortable.

For the last song of the evening, Tuttle plays what feels like her trump card: a radical reworking of Icona Pop and Charli XCX’s “I Love It.” That it’s in the set list isn’t one of tonight’s bigger surprises—it’s a highlight of her new album—but the decision to close with it is bold. Where the original is a snotty dance-punk anthem, Tuttle turns it into something else entirely: a bleak ballad, sung by a woman whose recent romantic breakup may have brought her to the end of her tether. In her hands and voice, a fun pop throwaway becomes strangely moving. It’s a powerful moment, hinting at even more to come.

“I always had a banjo player before, but all of a sudden I had to be my own banjo player.”

“I really liked doing my last two records, the bluegrass ones,” Tuttle says. “That felt so in my wheelhouse. I knew exactly what to do. This one took much longer to figure out: How do I put my own voice on the guitar into this new style of music? And a lot of the songs changed a ton from the way they were when I started writing them.”

She continues, “But now, having these new songs and this new style adds an element that I feel can make the live show bigger and reach more people, which is exciting. And the new band lineup is cool because we can still incorporate the bluegrass stuff too; everyone can play that. For me, it just feels good to branch out artistically.”

YouTube

Molly Tuttle stops into CBS’s Saturday Sessions to play her song “San Joaquin,” from 2023’s City of Gold.

Sweetwater CEO Mike Clem recently stopped by the Know Your Gear podcast for a look inside how one of the largest music gear companies operates.

In the conversation, Clem talks about the ways Sweetwater listens to customers, employees, and the broader market when making decisions. He shares how the company responds to challenges in the industry, from supply chain issues to evolving technology, and how those challenges shape everyday operations.

Clem also touches on leadership and supporting employees in their roles, offering insight into how a large company keeps everyone moving in the same direction without losing sight of its culture. It’s a detailed look behind the scenes, full of takeaways for musicians, gear enthusiasts, and anyone curious about running a growing business in a competitive industry.

You check out the full interview above.

BOSS introduces the PX-1 Plugout FX, an innovative hardware platform that captures the timeless BOSS compact pedal experience in one versatile pedal.This convertible stompbox holds multiple authentic effect recreations from the historic BOSS effects lineup, providing endless fuel for every creative journey. Sixteen effects are included with purchase, and more can be added over time with the BOSS Effect Loader app for iOS and Android devices.

Since 1977, BOSS compact pedals have inspired generations of musicians around the world. Over 140 unique models have been produced, over 19 million units have been sold, and many have remained in non-stop production for decades. From vintage classics and go-to workhorses to rare and specialty effects, the PX-1 unlocks the diverse BOSS compact pedal range within a single stompbox.

Backed by newly developed BOSS algorithms, each effect in the PX-1 delivers the genuine sound and response of the pedal it’s based on. Every detail is modeled with stunning accuracy, thanks to a powerful DSP engine dedicated to recreating the sound of a single effect at a time. Users can dial in tones fast with the familiar BOSS knob interface, supported by an onboard display for current parameters and internal settings.

The PX-1 offers external control with one or two footswitches or an expression pedal. There’s a Swap function to switch between two effects, and nearly any parameter can be assigned for real-time expressive control while performing. Stereo I/O provides flexible connectivity and enhanced sound for models with stereo operation, while tap tempo and MIDI clock support are provided for time-based effects.

An Ever-Expanding Library

The PX-1 comes with 16 unique effects, including eight permanently installed “1” models and eight that can be loaded into the pedal’s eight user memories.Many more PX-1 effects will be added over time, and each new effect will be available with a low-cost Model Pass within the BOSS Effect Loader app.

Included effects:

OD-1 Over Drive

SP-1 Spectrum

PH-1 Phaser

SG-1 Slow Gear

CS-1 Compression Sustainer

TW-1 T Wah

SD-1 SUPER OverDrive

DS-1 Distortion

CE-2 Chorus

BF-2 Flanger

PN-2 Tremolo/Pan

OC-2 Octave

PS-2 Digital Pitch Shifter/Delay

VB-2 Vibrato

DD-2 Digital Delay

DF-2 SUPER Feedbacker & Distortion

Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership Included

The same PX-1 effects are also available for computer music production with the BOSS Effects Pedals plug-in on Roland Cloud, and six months of Roland Cloud Ultimate membership comes with the pedal. This provides complete access to the full BOSS Effects Pedals library, JC-120 Jazz Chorus and RE-201 Space Echo plug-ins, and many other powerful creative tools.

Availability & Pricing

The BOSS PX-1 Plugout FX will be available in September for $249.99 USD.

Many more PX-1 effects will be added over time, and each new effect will be available with a low-cost Model Pass within the BOSS Effect Loader app.

Bad Cat Amplifiers is proud to announce the release of the Bad Cat Ocelot, an all-new compact tube amplifier designed for modern players who demand premium tone, total flexibility, and uncompromising quality—in a small 12 lbs. package.

The Ocelot brings together the warmth of pure analog tube circuitry with advanced digital features, redefining what’s possible in a small-format amp. Whether you're recording at home, gigging, or practicing silently with headphones, the Ocelot adapts to your environment without ever compromising your tone.

Compact Size, Massive Flexibility

Equipped with two independent channels and two distinct gain modes, the Ocelot delivers a wide sonic spectrum:

• Channel 1 features sparkling, high-headroom cleans with the ability to nudge into rich edge-of-breakup tones via a Hi/Lo mode switch.
• Channel 2 brings tight, punchy crunch and full-bodied, high-gain saturation—with articulate response and massive sustain.

Each channel has its own volume control, and the amp includes shared Treble, Mid, Bass, and Presence EQ for easy tone shaping.

Studio-Ready Features, Stage-Proven Design

The Ocelot’s real power lies in its flexibility:

• Two notes Torpedo DynIR™ integration with six onboard virtual cabinet presets from the official Bad Cat DynIR Pack.
• Selectable Power Modes – Choose between 20W for full punch or 1W for quiet playing.
• XLR and Headphone Outs – For silent practice or direct-to-DAW recording, complete with Cab Sim and adjustable Cab Level control.
• Buffered Effects Loop – Keep your pedals sounding pristine and punchy.
• USB-C Port – For firmware updates and remote editing via Two notes Torpedo Remote software.
• MIDI Control – Full MIDI implementation for switching channels, modes, and cab presets on the fly.

And thanks to its internal speaker load, you can use the Ocelot without an external cabinet—perfect for late-night jams or tracking in a silent setup.

Built for Real Life

Crafted with a heavy-duty aluminum chassis and powered by a custom Bad Cat transformer set, the Ocelot is a rugged, reliable, and road-ready package. It includes a two-button footswitch and is backed by Bad Cat’s 5-year limited warranty.

Specifications

• Designed in the USA by Bad Cat Amps
• 20 Watts, switchable to 1 Watt
• 2 x EL84 Power Tubes
• 3 x 12AX7 Preamp Tubes
• Two Channels with Hi/Lo Mode
• Treble, Mid, Bass, and Presence Controls
• Master Volume
• Two notes Torpedo DynIR Integration (6 presets)
• Cabinet Simulated XLR Output
• Cabinet Simulated Headphone Output
• MIDI Input
• Buffered Effects Loop
• 8, 16 Ohm Speaker Outs
• Heavy Duty Aluminum Chassis
• USB-C Connectivity
• Footswitch Included
• 5-Year Limited Warranty
• Street Price: $1,299.99

The Bad Cat Ocelot: Go anywhere. Play anything. Available August 28, 2025.

For more information or to place an order, visit www.badcatamps.com

Discover the magic of tone with the latest pedals! From the versatile Brothers AM to the warm Keeley Manis Overdrive, each offers unique sonic possibilities. Ready to elevate your sound? Dive into the Eventide H90's powerhouse effects or the compact CHO-mini's rich chorus. Which pedal will inspire your next masterpiece?

CHASE BLISS Brothers AM

A faithful tribute to the Analog Man King of Tone, the Brothers AM offers dual multi‑mode gain channels—boost, overdrive, or distortion—with intuitive controls, live tweakability, and four onboard custom presets. It adds a bonus treble‑booster circuit inspired by the Beano Boost, giving you extra bite and clarity. Fully MIDI, expression, and CV‑controllable, this pedal lets you save tones and stack effects while preserving the warm, transparent character of the original.

$399 street

chasebliss.com

KEELEY Manis Overdrive

The Keeley MANIS Overdrive is a bold evolution of the mythical transparent drive, blending NOS germanium transistors and diodes for unmatched warmth, compression, and grit. With switchable voicings and dynamic touch response, it’s a tone-sculpting weapon built for players who demand both clarity and rich harmonic character in one pedal.

$199 street

robertkeeley.com

EVENTIDE H90 Harmonizer

Eventide’s flagship H90 Harmonizer is a powerhouse multi-effects pedal. It features 70 effect algorithms, including reverb, delay, pitch shifting, modulation, and distortion, plus hundreds of curated programs. With comprehensive I/O and flexible routing, the H90 is built to be the heart of your rig, on stage or in the studio.

$899 street

eventide.com

NUX Amp Academy Stomp

The Amp Academy Stomp is the latest in amp modeling from NUX. Included are several legacy amps, effects, Bluetooth with an app, workflow features, and more. Most importantly, the Amp Academy Stomp includes Image, which loads NAM profiles into the Amp Academy Stomp and, with black-box algorithms, accurately reproduces the dynamics and responsiveness of any amp profile loaded into the pedal.

$299 street

nuxaudio.com

NOBELS CHO-mini

The pocket-sized and feature-packed CHO-mini pedal delivers an outstanding selection of chorus tones at a budget-friendly price. With a selection of three curated and timeless chorus effects, the CHO-mini delivers a wealth of sonic possibilities in mono or spacious stereo imaging. Includes tap-tempo, true or buffered bypass, metal housing. Available from Osiamo.

$99 street

osiamo.com

FUHRMAN Echoes

The Fuhrmann Echoes pedal is a versatile delay unit, offering digital, modulated, and analog modes. It provides clear, modulated, or degrading (analog-like) delay repetitions, adjustable with a low-pass-filter control. Featuring tap tempo and two rhythmic subdivisions, this compact pedal delivers up when one delay is not enough.

$180 street

fuhrmann.com

NOISE ENGINEERING Batverb

Batverb is the stereo reverb that dreams are made of. Less of a room simulator and more of a tail-generating pedal, Batverb is an instrument in its own right. Batverb sings in any signal chain, with dedicated controls for suboctaves and overtones, saturation, ducking behavior, and more.

$499 street

noiseengineering.us

HOTONE Ampero II

The Ampero II is the latest addition to the Ampero series, a second-generation multi-effects processor that brilliantly combines the iconic stage control of the original Ampero with the power of a new triple-core digital audio processing platform. Plus, a larger, sharper 5-inch dynamic touchscreen and newly designed system UI for smoother, and more intuitive interaction. All while maintaining the compact and lightweight design of the Ampero Series.

$599 street

hotone.com

FUHRMAN Stellar Stereo Reverb

The Fuhrmann Stellar Stereo Reverb pedal delivers a broad range of reverbs, from short early reflections to long, floating tails. Users can seamlessly transition between nine stored reverb scenes with no noticeable delay. Intuitive controls allow for precise adjustments, making it a powerful and user-friendly addition for diverse sonic needs.

$250 street

fuhrmann.com

MR. BLACK DoubleTracker Stereo

The DoubleTracker Stereo delivers lush, organic stereo doubling with adjustable delay, pitch, and spread. Featuring dual isolated paths, intuitive controls, and unique SYNC/COMP modes, it adds depth and dimension to any instrument—perfect for guitar, bass, keys, vocals, and studio work. It’s not chorus. It’s Double Tracking.

$279 street

mrblackpedals.com

ROCK N ROLL RELICS Stinger Overdrive

The Rock N Roll Relics Stinger overdrive has all the mojo of classic, yellow drive pedals, but with tonal refinements to bring it to the modern age. We use NOS construction, as you’ll come to expect with the Stinger Series, which gives it that authentic, ear-pleasing tone we all want.

$289 street

rocknrollrelics.com

EMG Pickups introduces the all-new E-Series lineof active bass pickups. Featuring the commonly used slim soapbar cap design, the E-Series pickups unlock a multitude of bass models for simple, drop-in EMG upgrades.

Unlike any other EMG design, the E-Series pickups feature wide aperture coils withceramic magnets. This potent combination delivers powerful low end while retaining thecutting articulation that the modern bass player requires. Designed with versatility inmind, the E-Series can excel in a wide range of genres and play styles and areavailable in 4, 5, and 6 string sizes. Just like all EMG active pickups, the E-Series arefree from hum and buzz and include solderless wiring kits for DIY installation.

For further tonal shaping, the E-Series pickups are compatible with EMG’s wide rangeof bass EQ’s and accessories, so the possibilities are virtually endless.Unlock the potential of your bass with the EMG E-Series pickups.

Individual E-Series pickups start at $109.00, with sets starting at $209.00.

EMG E4W

https://www.emgpickups.com/bass/e-series/4-string-e-series.html

EMG E5W

https://www.emgpickups.com/bass/e-series/5-string-e-series.html

EMG E6W

https://www.emgpickups.com/bass/e-series/6-string-e-series.html

Though they are maligned for their fragility, I’d put the Echoplex tape echo up there among the greatest pieces of musical instrument design. They are totally inspiring tools—certainly in terms of their sound, but also for the mechanical means by which one manipulates and mangles tones. These days, several digital sound designers replicate the Echoplex’s warm, hazy, and mysterious sonic fingerprint with startlingly good results. But just like real fingerprints, the sonic signature of every Echoplex is a little bit different, and one of the most interesting facets of the Strymon EC-1 design is the departure point they used for inspiration.

Rather than emulate the familiar and relatively common solid-state EP-3, Strymon used a tube-preamp-driven EP-2 as a launch pad—except that Strymon’s EP-2 was heavily modified by legendary amp man Cesar Diaz. In Strymon’s estimation, Diaz’ modifications added some characteristics of an EP-3 preamp to the EP-2 formula. In my experience (I’ve played EP-2s and EP-3s side by side and used the latter for comparison in this review) that could mean extra headroom or, in the worst cases, comparative brittleness. Strymon, for their part, says Diaz’ mods resulted in a warmer sort of EP-2 sound. Regardless of their design intent, the EC-1 sounds fantastic in many of the ways a great Echoplex might. The haze and degradation in each repeat sound and behave much like magnetic tape, shaving off high and high-mid spectrum detail as the echoes recede, and adding the dreamy, blurry ambience of a Gerhard Richter painting. But the EC-1 also does sound truly warmer than some of its rivals.

Punch and Foggy

The EC-1 features two preamp modes. The default or “amber” mode emulates the modded preamp Strymon discovered in their EP-2. Somewhat paradoxically for a pedal that excels at simulating tape-signal degradation, it gives the pedal a punchy, airy ambience that can make other delays sound flat and one-dimensional. You can also add up to 6dB of boost, and one thing is certain; at these hotter settings the EC-1 is not a tape-delay emulation that will go missing in an ensemble performance. The second “green” preamp mode emulates a stock EP-2, and while it sounded awesome, it felt a little less fun and dimensional—at least after ripping away with the default mode. Both modes sound great with drive and distortion, however. And in the amber mode, the extra detail you hear also makes it feel more sensitive to picking and input dynamics.

As is obligatory in most Echoplex emulations, the EC-1 offers excellent approximations of tape warble, tape wear, and recording input level effects. There is also stereo and MIDI functionality. In terms of price, the EC-1 inhabits an interesting position in a market full of top-performing Echoplex emulators. At $279, it’s $120 less than Universal Audio’s feature-rich Starlight Echo Station, $100 less than Strymon’s own El Capistan, and 80 bucks less than the Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. There are also excellent options in less expensive ranges, like the standard Belle Epoch ($209), Dunlop’s Echoplex pedal ($199), and UA’s Orion ($169). Though some of them offer more in terms of options and versatility, I’m not sure any of them can better the sounds of the EC-1. And certainly, the EC-1’s default mode offers a unique and exciting twist on EP-2 sounds that, while not vintage-correct in a technical sense, may offer more utility as a delay than the most perfectly executed Echoplex ever could.

The prolific Australian guitarist brought his mastery to east Nashville, where we got a look at the gear he’s trusting overseas.

Adam Miller has been compared to plenty of his most sacred influences—Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, Charlie Hunter, Bill Frissell—but he’s certainly carved a path of his own. This year alone, he’s released three records and undertook a U.S. tour to bring his delightful mix of jazz, groove, and beyond to eager listeners.

Before his show at the Underdog in east Nashville, Miller took some time to show PG’s Chris Kies around his trusted tools for international touring, including a gorgeous custom Huber electric, a Collings acoustic, and some key items on loan.

Calling a Huber

This custom-built Huber electric, by German luthier Nik Huber, was crafted over the last five years, working in elements of Miller’s previous Huber and several other designs. It has a heavily chambered mahogany back and redwood top, bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fretboard, trapeze tailpiece, and nylon saddles, plus Kloppmann Electrics mini humbuckers and a single 250k volume pot, which rolls off for a jazzy archtop sound. Miller strings it with D’Addario NYXLs (.011–.049s).

Borrowed Bari

Since Miller can’t bring all his favorite instruments on tour, he often borrows guitars from local friends and fans on tour, like this baritone Novo Serus J.

Collings Calling

Miller bought this Collings acoustic at Gladesville Guitar Factory, just outside Sydney, about 10 years ago. He runs it with a Seymour Duncan Wavelength duo pickup system, but swapped out the kit’s undersaddle piece for soundboard transducers and modified “the circuit so they’re at a crossover, so you’re only hearing the bottom end of them and all the top end’s coming from the condenser mic.” He uses D’Addario Nickel Bronze (.012–0.53s) on his acoustic.

Can I Bum a Studio Sig?

Miller has been a Two-Rock devotee since 2007, and on one of his first trips to the U.S., he visited the factory and picked one up. He doesn’t travel with his unit, so he borrowed this one from Nashville legend Cory Congilio. For Miller, an amp is the soundboard for an electric guitar; if he doesn’t have a Two-Rock, he struggles.

Adam Miller’s Pedalboard

Miller’s Collings runs into a Grace Design ALiX preamp, which helps him fine-tune his EQ and level out pickups with varying output when he switches instruments. For reverb, sometimes he’ll tap the Strymon Flint, but often he’ll let the front of house weave it in.

Aside from the ALiX and Flint, Miller relies on a Vemuram Jan Ray, Free the Tone SOV-2 Overdrive, Chase Bliss Mood, and Line 6 DL4 Mk II.

Seymour Duncan Wavelength Duo

D’Addario NYXL

D'Addario Nickel Bronze

Grace Design ALiX preamp

Line 6 DL4 MkII Delay Modeler Pedal

Strymon Flint

You could WIN a JR "Daemonum" Set or REV Set from EMG Pickups in this all-new giveaway.

EMG Pickup Giveaway

EMG JR "Daemonum" Set

Jim Root, a long time user of the EMG 81/60 combo, began the process of developing a signature set well over three years ago. After trying various prototypes Root was inspired by a set of modified Retro Active pickups to tailor his tone. He settled on a set that gave him everything he loved from the 81/60 with the added benefits and versatility of the Retro Active design.

Unlike traditional open coil pickups, both the bridge and neck pickup utilize stud poles. The fingerboard pickup uses ceramic studs giving it a clean high-end percussive tone. The bridge pickup has black steel poles and features a ceramic magnet, similar to the EMG 81. Both pickups feature custom Retro Active preamps exclusive to the Root set.

Make sure to check the instructions for pickup measurements before purchasing to compare your existing pickups with EMG models.

EMG Rev Set

This passive pickup set created for guitarist, songwriter and producer Prashant Aswani. The Revelation Set spent 2+ years in development that included testing in both recording and live playing sessions. After several variations EMG had designed an undeniably brilliant pair of humbuckers that delivered the clarity and definition usually found only in active pickups.

This matched set has precision wound custom bobbins and alnico 2 magnets that create the perfect balance between neck and bridge positions. The alnico 2 magnets have just enough “give” to deliver that classic sponginess passive players crave without the muddiness usually associated with old school PAF-types. Aswani is known for his amazing style and tone and now has the perfect pickups to help him deliver every time.

Make sure to check the instructions for pickup measurements before purchasing to compare your existing pickups with EMG models.

.rbm-pick { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 160px 1fr; gap: 16px; align-items: center; border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; border-radius: 12px; padding: 16px; } /* Media box — no cropping, no edge kiss */ .rbm-pick-media { height: 180px; /* fixed height for consistency */ padding: 8px; /* breathing room to avoid flat-cut edges */ box-sizing: border-box; /* keep total height = 180px */ border-radius: 10px; background: #fff; overflow: hidden; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; } .rbm-pick-media img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; /* preserve aspect */ height: auto; object-fit: contain; /* never crop */ object-position: center; display: block; } .rbm-badge { display: inline-block; font: 600 12px/1.2 system-ui; padding: 4px 8px; border-radius: 999px; background: #111; color: #fff; margin-bottom: 8px; } .rbm-title { font: 700 18px/1.3 system-ui; margin: 4px 0 8px; } .rbm-blurb { font: 400 14px/1.5 system-ui; color: #333; margin-bottom: 12px; } .rbm-pick-buttons { display: flex; gap: 8px; flex-wrap: wrap; } .rbm-pick .rbm-btn { display: inline-flex; gap: 6px; align-items: center; border: 2px solid #b50000; /* Premier Guitar red */ border-radius: 999px; padding: 10px 16px; text-decoration: none; font: 600 14px/1.2 system-ui; color: #b50000; background: #fff; box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); transition: background .2s, color .2s, transform .15s; } .rbm-pick .rbm-btn:hover { background: #b50000; color: #fff; transform: translateY(-1px); } .rbm-pick .rbm-btn .price { opacity: 1; font-weight: 600; } /* Responsive tweaks */ @media (max-width: 540px) { .rbm-pick { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } .rbm-pick-media { height: 160px; padding: 6px; } } @media (min-width: 900px) { .rbm-pick-media { height: 200px; } }

.rbm-pick { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 160px 1fr; gap: 16px; align-items: center; border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; border-radius: 12px; padding: 16px; } /* Media box — no cropping, no edge kiss */ .rbm-pick-media { height: 180px; /* fixed height for consistency */ padding: 8px; /* breathing room to avoid flat-cut edges */ box-sizing: border-box; /* keep total height = 180px */ border-radius: 10px; background: #fff; overflow: hidden; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; } .rbm-pick-media img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: auto; /* preserve aspect */ height: auto; object-fit: contain; /* never crop */ object-position: center; display: block; } .rbm-badge { display: inline-block; font: 600 12px/1.2 system-ui; padding: 4px 8px; border-radius: 999px; background: #111; color: #fff; margin-bottom: 8px; } .rbm-title { font: 700 18px/1.3 system-ui; margin: 4px 0 8px; } .rbm-blurb { font: 400 14px/1.5 system-ui; color: #333; margin-bottom: 12px; } .rbm-pick-buttons { display: flex; gap: 8px; flex-wrap: wrap; } .rbm-pick .rbm-btn { display: inline-flex; gap: 6px; align-items: center; border: 2px solid #b50000; /* Premier Guitar red */ border-radius: 999px; padding: 10px 16px; text-decoration: none; font: 600 14px/1.2 system-ui; color: #b50000; background: #fff; box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.12); transition: background .2s, color .2s, transform .15s; } .rbm-pick .rbm-btn:hover { background: #b50000; color: #fff; transform: translateY(-1px); } .rbm-pick .rbm-btn .price { opacity: 1; font-weight: 600; } /* Responsive tweaks */ @media (max-width: 540px) { .rbm-pick { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } .rbm-pick-media { height: 160px; padding: 6px; } } @media (min-width: 900px) { .rbm-pick-media { height: 200px; } }

Before getting to the Gamma G50 ($199 street) amp that has solved a lot of problems in my professional life, I should explain my musical day-to-day. One month, I clocked gigs in Jewish old people’s homes for Holocaust survivors, followed by an outdoor concert backing Bootsy Collins. Then, three bluegrass gigs and five gigs with a horn section soul band. Most of those were powered by a mid ’80s Polytone Mini-Brute with a Muzizy 5-band EQ and a cheap reverb pedal. The Mini-Brute is the Dodge Dart of guitar amps—compact and unkillable. I loved that amp as I would a favorite uncle. And like my favorite uncle, it died, to nobody’s surprise, shortly after my 53rd birthday.

I’ve tried different micro-amps. Since my electric life is low volume (mostly jazz or Latin music, with occasional klezmer thrown in), 50 watts is fine by me. If you live roadie-free as I always have (my painfully brief stint with NRBQ notwithstanding), the braggadocio about tone gives way to “fits in the car,” “isn’t hard to lift,” and—this is huge—“doesn’t break.”

There are two schools of thought about amps: The first is that the amp completes the sound of your guitar, which is a Marshall aesthetic. The second is that your amp should sound like whatever you plug into it, maybe with a little reverb for dimension, and that’s Fender thinking. I am definitely a Fender thinker.

My effects rack is minimal—reverb, tremolo, and analog delay (for rockabilly slapback). And the Muzizy EQ.

In my formative years, the amps around my neighborhood were battered Supros, Silvertones, and Univoxes. The guitars were mostly Penco, Morris, Hondo II, Harmony, Silvertone, and unbranded Strat copies. It was how you made do until you could afford something decent.

But inexpensive guitars improved. First lawsuit guitars, then Squier, whose Japan-built Telecasters surpassed their American-made counterparts. Now Harley-Benton et. al. have revolutionized the market.

As a man old enough to recall the Dodge Dart, I look back with longing to the barebones interface of a Supro solid-state combo amp. Who makes that nowadays?

Acoustic has been reborn as Acoustic Control Corporation. Their signature combo amp is the Gamma, available in either a 25- or 50-watt version. The 50 weighs 25 pounds, runs two channels, features a 4-position “voicing” selector that gives you your choice of metal, rock, blues, and clean. The 12" True Blue speaker sounds close to a Celestion, so that’s not bad. The tone knobs are clean and sensitive, with neither dead spots nor sudden gains. The inherent sonic personality of this amp resembles an Ampeg Reverb Rocket (the 1x12 version), and it weighs less. Kind of miraculous for something with no tubes. Warm, quiet, and non-sterile. The control set? Voicing, volume dials for each channel, 3-band EQ, and drive.

“If you live roadie-free as I always have (my painfully brief stint with NRBQ notwithstanding), the braggadocio about tone gives way to ‘fits in the car,’ ‘isn’t hard to lift,’ and—this is huge—‘doesn’t break.’”

Out on the gig? The first night, I used it with Los Chicos del Mambo, a loud 20-piece band. The job was at the Paramount, a giant wooden room in Los Angeles, whose skilled soundman miraculously kept screaming trumpets from deafening the entire 90033 zip code. The bassist played out of a Laney 200H. I played my Harley-Benton CG-200CE electric classical through the Gamma 50, sans effects. And it cut. Headroom to burn.

The next day, same amp but different venue, band, and guitar. Band—Voodoo 5, the eight-piece exotica group I lead with my wife, vocalist Lena Marie Cardinale. The other instruments are flute, vibraphone, pedal-steel guitar, upright bass, and two Latin percussionists. Venue—the Redwood Bar, whose stage is a squeeze for eight. Guitar—an Indio DLX Plus, which is a Jazzmaster copy but with (huzzah!) a maple fretboard, plugged into my anemic effects rack.

The room is smaller, but with a long trajectory from the bandstand to the back. For this performance, I didn’t modify my guitar tone other than to hit the pickup switch. The Muzizy was set to its usual place, reverb on for the whole show, and I only hit the tremolo box on two songs. Guitar and amp doing basic duty.

From Instagram videos, I heard what the audience heard through my $10 earbuds, giving me an un-glamourous idea of what went out into the room, and I am mightily impressed by how formidable the G50 is. Even in the battlefield recording conditions, the presence, reach, warmth, and clarity were unmistakable.

Maybe I was going in search of the simpler operating procedures of my early musical life, but I really wanted an amp that boasts fewer knobs and delivers the character of whatever I plug into it. That it comes in at a price we can all afford and a weight we can all lift is gratifying to this old—old—pro.

PG contributor Tom Butwin walks us through a rugged, pedal‑board‑friendly delay that lets you shape time, feedback, and blend entirely with your foot. The Roto Echo features warm, gritty analog‑style echoes, intuitive real‑time control, and a design tough enough for full body weight. It sounds great on its own, but this wheel‐driven innovation opens up worlds of expressive possibilities.

Black Mountain Roto-Echo

Third Man Hardware and Black Mountain are excited to announce the innovative Roto-Echo delay pedal. Instead of tweaking delay parameters with your fingers, the pedal’s
Freewheel® Technology allows players to change them with their feet in real-time as they play –
a small change that leads to tons of creative possibilities.
The Roto-Echo is built tough and players can put their full weight onto the pedal with no
problem. It’s the same size as a regular Boss-style guitar pedal, and fits on any pedal board.

Key Features
● Foot-Controlled Adjustments: Change Time, Feedback, or Blend while you play.
● Analog-Style Delay: Warm, gritty echoes up to 600ms.
● Rugged Build: Built to handle full body weight on stage.
● True Bypass: Keeps your tone pure when switched off.
● Play Sitting or Standing: Built for performance.
● 9V, Center Negative Power
● Morph feedback from short to infinite repeats
● Ramp wet/dry mix for dramatic effect
● Sweep delay time to bend and warble pitch, and so much more

Voltage Cable Co.® has introduced a new hardware option to its best-selling Voltage Vintage Coil® V2: a long-frame right-angle “Tele” plug by G&H USA. Purpose-built for recessed Tele guitar jacks and vintage-style guitars, this new plug ensures a tighter fit and improved seating depth - solving a long-standing problem for players using standard short right-angle connectors.

Each cable continues to feature Voltage’s hallmark component stack: 21 AWG spiral-shielded conductors, Cardas Quad Eutectic silver solder, and the patented ISO-COAT® hermetic seal, now officially granted under Australian Standard Patent No. 2024204464 as of June 26, 2025. The result is an elite-class instrument cable with lifetime-grade durability and signal reliability, built specifically for working musicians.

The Voltage Vintage Coil® V2 is available in seven vintage-inspired colors and ships globally.

Available now at $99 USD MAP: voltagecableco.com/products/coiled-guitar-cable-voltage-vintage-coil-v2

The Gibson Pickup Shop Artist Collection pickups are created in collaboration with some of the world’s most influential artists, including legends who shaped the sounds that built the foundation of modern music, as well as some of today’s most innovative players who continue to shape the sound of music across genres and influence musicians worldwide. Gibson is proud to continue its partnership with Tony Iommi, the legendary guitarist of Black Sabbath, with the launch of the Tony Iommi Signature Humbucker™, available worldwide on www.gibson.com.

Tony Iommi’s legendary guitar work, powerful sound, and groundbreaking albums laid the foundation for heavy metal and inspired countless other genres. His music and his legacy are celebrated across the globe, and in the late 90s, Gibson teamed up with Tony to create their very first signature pickup. Today, that original Gibson signature humbucker makes its long-awaited return.

The Tony Iommi Humbucker features an exclusive configuration of powerful ceramic and Alnico 2 magnets, along with unique windings, that give it the incredible tone and sustain that have helped make Tony’s work with Black Sabbath instantly recognizable. Thunderous tone and incredible sustain, with crystal clarity, even in full distortion, the Tony Iommi Humbucker is fully wax-potted and epoxied for absolute protection against unwanted feedback. The 4-conductor wiring allows for series, parallel, and split coil operation.

“I’m really excited that Gibson’s bringing back my signature humbucker, they were getting pretty hard to find!” says Tony Iommi. “This pickup came about after a lot of time spent in Nashville, just experimenting with different setups to get that perfect tone and sustain from my favourite guitars. We had to make sure it worked with my light gauge strings and low tunings, but still pack a punch, and the result has got some serious output. They're on my signature guitars too, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how they turned out."

“I’d personally installed these on one of my Gibson guitars 15 years ago, and I was blown away with the distinct Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath sound I was able to get out of them,” explains Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson. “They have such a great, clean look with the unique pickup cover, and we are excited to bring the Rifflord’s signature humbucker back as we continue to pay tribute to Tony.”

“It’s great to have the first signature pickup from Gibson back, and there really isn’t a more fitting artist than Tony Iommi,” says Lee Bartram, Head of Commercial and Marketing EMEA at Gibson. “Tony is synonymous with the Gibson SG™, but now the volume, presence, and overall power he produces through his playing can be experienced in other models too, whether at home, in the studio, or on stage. Thanks to Tony for his continued support and trust; these pickups are the result of our constant collaboration, and we look forward to what’s next for our partnership.”

Jack White’s Third Man Hardware and Black Mountain Designs have teamed up to release the Roto-Echo, a new delay pedal designed to give guitarists hands-free control over their delay parameters, in real time, while they perform.

At first glance, the Roto-Echo looks like a familiar-sized delay stompbox. It’s a foot-controlled delay pedal built for the stage and easily fits on a standard pedalboard. On top of the pedal, there’s a roller wheel—smooth, weighted, and spring-loaded. The player can assign that wheel to control blend, feedback, and delay time via a three-way toggle switch. The core delay circuit is based on the PT2399 chip, offering warm, gritty echoes from 60MS a slapback to roughly 588MS repeats.

What makes the Roto-Echo different is how those parameters can be shaped in the moment. The roller wheel responds to foot motion, and with practice, players can perform swells, shifts, or rhythmic changes in their delay sound as they play—no need to crouch down or dial knobs mid-song or rely on presets. Sound manipulation typically reserved for the studio is now easy to perform live.

Specs at a glance:

• Delay Time: 30ms to ~600ms (PT2399-based)

• Roller Wheel: Assignable to Time, Feedback, or Blend. Rated for full body weight.

• Power: 9V DC (center negative)

• Current Draw: <100mA

• True Bypass

• Compact design, pedalboard friendly

The new Roto-Echo pedal carries a street price of $279. For more information visit blackmountainpicks.com.