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Before Eddie Van Halen changed the face of guitar playing, he was perfecting his craft behind closed doors – and sometimes, quite literally, with his back turned to the crowd.

In a recent chat with Get on the Bus, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony opens up about the band’s early garage rehearsal days, when Eddie Van Halen was still developing what would soon become his signature two-handed tapping technique.

• READ MORE: “Oh man, I’ve really been playing a lot of cello!”: Sammy Hagar claims Eddie Van Halen was spending a lot of time playing an instrument that wasn’t guitar before he died

“We used to rehearse in this little garage when I first joined the band, and we used to rehearse there every day for a while,” he says [via Ultimate Guitar]. “That’s when Eddie was also developing his ‘hammers,’ his tapping style.”

“And it’s funny, because there were like two or three guitar players in the area that Ed was friends with, and they knew that we rehearsed there. And I remember one time we went to take a break, and we walk outside, and there were a couple of guys there like this, listening at the door, and they wanted to hear what Ed played.”

Concerned that Eddie’s technique might be copied before the band had released an album, Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth made sure to take protective measures to guard it from prying eyes – even on stage.

“There were gigs that we would play. We played a place called the Golden West Ballroom in Norwalk, California. And that was one place where we could play original stuff. And we opened up for UFO there. I think that was one of the biggest shows we ever did. It held about 1,500 to 2,000 people,” Anthony recalls.

“But when Ed would play a solo, Dave would tell him, ‘Turn your back to the audience, dude, because you got this thing, and you don’t want everybody to see it.’ So Eddie would, literally, play solos, and he would turn his back to the audience when he would be tapping. Which was really, really interesting.”

“And it wasn’t so much the tapping,” the bassist adds, “but the way he did it was different than what anybody else was trying to do.”

Also in the interview, Anthony reveals that the late guitarist actually had plans for a huge Van Halen reunion tour before he died. 

“Unfortunately Eddie and I never [made amends],” he says. “We had some issues, and I’m sure that if he had not passed when he did that we would’ve reconciled or we would’ve really calmed all that stuff down, because I did hear, and I’ve talked to Wolfgang about it, that they were planning on coming to all of us and putting together a big reunion tour with all of us.”

The post “Dave would tell him, ‘Turn your back to the audience, dude’”: Michael Anthony reveals the advice David Lee Roth gave Eddie Van Halen in his early “tapping” days appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Last month, Zak Starkey was still The Who’s drummer. Now he’s not – again. The veteran sticksman, son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, has been ousted from the legendary rock band not once but twice in just over a month, and he’s finally shedding light on the confusion, frustration and clashing egos behind the scenes.

In April, The Who performed two charity gigs at London’s Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust. A fortnight later, the band announced a “collective decision to part ways with Zak” after more than 30 years, citing issues with his drumming. Starkey, blindsided, said he was “surprised and saddened”, only to be reinstated a few days later following what Pete Townshend described as “some communication issues.” The band explained at the time that Starkey had “made a few mistakes [at the Albert Hall] and he has apologised.”

But the reconciliation didn’t last, for on 18 May, Starkey was fired again.

• READ MORE: “Most musicians are not like me… I don’t like being on a stage”: The Who’s Pete Townshend explains why he doesn’t like performing

“What happened was I got it right and Roger got it wrong,” the drummer now claims [via The Telegraph], pointing to a disagreement over their performance of The Song is Over at the second Albert Hall show.

The rarely played 1971 track was suggested by Starkey as a “treat” for Who fans. But he says a lack of rehearsal and Roger Daltrey shortening the song led to the frontman “[coming] in a bar early” – and blaming him for the hiccup.

While there were no dramatic confrontations backstage then, a week later he got a call from longtime manager Bill Curbishley: “‘It’s my unfortunate duty to inform you… that you won’t be needed from now on. Roger says you dropped some beats.’”

On his part, Starkey says he reviewed the footage and couldn’t find any mistakes. “Then Pete had to go along with it because Pete’s had 60 years of arguing with Roger,” he adds.

The Who guitarist later called Starkey to ask if he’d fight to stay. The musician declined at first but he soon changed his mind: “I said, ‘I want my gig back.’”

Starkey rejoined after conceding he might have dropped two beats. But just two weeks later, the axe fell again. “‘Roger says he can’t work with you no more,’” Starkey was told, with the band requesting that he issue a statement claiming he was leaving for “other projects”. He refused, “because I wasn’t leaving [of my own volition].”

Asked why Daltrey felt he couldn’t work with him, Starkey replies, “They didn’t specify.” He says Daltrey later told him that “you’re not fired, you’re retired because you’ve got so many other projects”, one of which is his band Mantra.

But there’s a sting: Starkey had reportedly turned down the chance to drum for Oasis on their reunion tour – a gig he would’ve “of course” taken, had he known what was coming.

That said, Zak admits he holds no grudge towards the band. He calls The Who his “family” and doesn’t fault Daltrey or Townshend personally.

“I blame The Who because they’re unpredictable, aggressive and fucking insane,” he says. “And that’s why I love them.”

Meanwhile, Scott Devours has been appointed as The Who’s new touring drummer. Sharing his mixed feelings on landing the job, Devours said, “It really is a strange contradiction of emotions to have the greatest moment of my professional career also be one framed with some sadness and shadowed by someone else’s loss.”

The post “Pete had to go along with it because he’s had 60 years of arguing with Roger”: Zak Starkey reveals why he was fired from The Who appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

$359/£259, catalinbread.com

Being a 90s child, I have to admit – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching the current shoegaze revival. Slowdive are my absolute favourite band, and for nearly my entire adult life, I’ve tried to emulate their dreamy, reverb-drenched, wall-of-sound textures – with varying degrees of success.

• READ MORE: Old Blood Noise Endeavors Dark Star Stereo review – taking immersive reverb to the next level

Now, with the introduction of the Soft Focus Deluxe, I find myself wondering: has Catalinbread finally crafted the ultimate shoegaze stompbox? Well, inquiring minds want to know – so let’s find out.

Catalinbread Soft Focus Deluxe – what is it?

So what is the Soft Focus? And what exactly makes this version so Deluxe? Here’s a brief explainer for the uninitiated. In 2022, Catalinbread released the vanilla Soft Focus, a pedal that emulated the reverb sound of the Yamaha FX500 – the very same FX500 that served as the secret sauce behind the reverb tone on Slowdive’s genre-defining album Souvlaki. The original Soft Focus pretty much nailed that album’s iconic tone, though it was noticeably lacking a few key features – namely, delay.

Enter the Soft Focus Deluxe – a dual-footswitch take on the original that further expands the capabilities of its much smaller sibling by offering several key upgrades. The Deluxe model adds one critical feature: the delay function missing from the original Soft Focus, bringing it more in line with the classic Yamaha FX500 patch.

For those who enjoy exploring the more distorted side of shoegaze, you’ll be happy to know that the Soft Focus Deluxe includes footswitchable distortion circuits that operate in either series or parallel. Six new presets are available via the rotary knob, along with Mix, Mod, Verb, Delay, and Time controls, a dedicated Distortion Level control, and a series/parallel mini-toggle switch.

As for connectivity, the expanded Deluxe edition also adds a highly requested multi-function jack, which can be used for expression control or tap tempo.

Catalinbread Soft Focus Deluxe – sounds

To put a heavily shoegaze-focused pedal like the Soft Focus Deluxe through its paces, I figured no guitar would be more appropriate than a Jazzmaster – paired with a big Fender-style ’60s black panel amp. So, the Player II Jazzmaster coupled with my Matchless Laurel Canyon seemed like the winning combination.

Let’s start with my favorite patch: number two. It delivers a huge reverb that perfectly captures everything from the experimental ambience of post-rock bands like Mogwai to the more atmospheric textures of Slowdive. This is, by far, the best preset to start with – it sets the tone for what this pedal is capable of without overindulging in a wall of sound that might turn some folks off.

With a touch of onboard delay and a bit of drive, I was grinning ear to ear at how effortlessly the pedal recreated the lush intro tones of Slowdive’s sensational Star Roving.

But as impressive as this is, we already knew this pedal would be a, ahem, shoo-in for any shoegaze aficionado. For those looking to add some warble and pitch-bending experimentation, the modulation in preset 3 delivers in spades – proving that this pedal isn’t limited to the shoegaze genre. It ventures confidently into the more experimental lo-fi textures of artists like Randall Taylor from Amulets.

As much as I loved everything else, the one area where this pedal falls short is the distortion. I found it too shrill and brittle for my taste, and more often than not, I ended up using one of my own dirt pedals for drive tones to supplement the onboard circuit.

In truth, the distortion feels more like an afterthought than a well-integrated feature – which is a bit disappointing for a pedal with “Deluxe” in its name. That said, it may still be serviceable enough for some users, and the odds of you buying this pedal without also having an existing drive pedal to go with it are surely pretty slim.

Catalinbread Soft Focus Deluxe – should I buy one?

The Soft Focus Deluxe is an ambitious upgrade to the original – some parts are awe-inspiring, while others are a bit head-scratching. Although the distortion leaves much to be desired on the drive side, the added delay functions bring a lot to the table, more than justifying its place as a shoegaze titan.

Still, I can’t help but feel that most casual fans would be better served by the original. Overall, I can’t shake the feeling that this is more like the guitar industry’s version of DLC than a true successor – and perhaps, that’s exactly what it’s meant to be. That said, it’s a bold step in the right direction and a worthy addition for any shoegaze enthusiast looking to channel their inner Slowdive and beyond.

Catalinbread Soft Focus Deluxe – alternatives

The world is not short of interesting post-rock vibed delay and reverb pedals, and one of the best is Old Blood Noise Endeavors‘ Dark Star Stereo ($299). Another new entrant in the field is Yvette Young’s fantastic new signature Qi Etherealizer from Walrus Audio ($449), while if you really want to get chaotic then Beautiful Noise Effects’ When The Sun Explodes ($AU350) is a lot of fun.

The post Catalinbread Soft Focus Deluxe review: “has Catalinbread finally crafted the ultimate shoegaze stompbox?” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Fender has unveiled a hefty new drop of brand new products coming this year, with some exciting additions to its American Vintage, Mustang, and Tone Master amplifier collections.

All due to land during September and October, the new amps join a range of new gear – including new pedals, new Squier models, and much more – expanding the Fender product range. Executive Vice President of Product and Sales, Justin Norvell, says these new launches reflect Fender’s “commitment to innovation, craftsmanship and tone”.

• READ MORE: “The ultimate app for recording and jamming”: Fender Studio has arrived, bringing one-tap recording, authentic amp models and more

Both the American Vintage and Tone Master lines are gaining one new model each, while two new amps and brand new footswitch are due to join the Mustang range. We’ve got the details on each new amp below:

American Vintage: ‘62 Super Amplifier ($2499.99 USD/£2,439 GBP) 

This amp pays homage to the Fender ‘brown panel’ amplifiers that bridged the gap between the “raw tone” of ‘50s-era tweed amps and the sparkling tone of mid-’60s ‘black panel’ amps.

Fender says this amp has “an incredibly warm and woody sound” when played clean, but can blossom into “sweet overdrive when cranked”. It offers a phase-shifting harmonic tremolo and dual 6L6 power tubes pushing 40 watts through two 10” Celestion Custom Design speakers. It is available in September 2025.

Mustang Series: Mustang LTX50 & Mustang LTX100 ($299.99-$399.99 USD, £329-£419 GBP) 

Joining the “world’s most popular guitar amplifier line”, these new Mustang LTX models both have an intuitive user interface, 50 amp and effect models spanning a range of genres, 100 preset slots, a configurable signal path, and an integrated colour display with an on-board tuner. Available in both 50- and 100-watts, they also both house a 12” Fender special design speaker and support an optional five-button footswitch (LTX-5 Footswitch, $129.99 USD/£99.99 GBP). Built-in Bluetooth also lets players jam with tracks or get creative with presets through the Fender Tone app. Both amps and the footswitch are arriving in September.

Tone Master: Tone Master FR-12 Tweed ($649.99 USD/£579 GBP)

The FR-12 Tweed is a full-range, flat-response powered speaker made for use with digital guitar amp modellers and profilers. As more guitarists than ever are gigging with Quad Cortex’s (and soon the new Line 6 Helix Stadium models), this amp brings vintage aesthetic to players with a modern rig.

It’s covered in classic ‘50s-era tweed with a brown striped grille cloth, and “faithfully replicates every nuance of amp simulations”. It comes equipped with a 1,000-watt integrated amplifier, and features a three-band active EQ and a high-frequency cut control, allowing players to fine-tune their onstage sound without affecting the line out signal sent to the PA system. This one lands in October.

To find out more or view more products, check out the Fender website.

The post Fender to launch new American Vintage, Mustang, and Tone Master amps this year – here’s everything you need to know appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Metallica are the biggest metal band of all time, with a career spanning well over 40 years, tens of millions of fans around the world and more than 150 million album sales. But what would its members be doing if the band hadn’t become such a monstrous success?

“I’d be trying to form Metallica, still,” jokes frontman James Hetfield in a new episode of The Metallica Report, Metallica’s own weekly podcast [via Blabbermouth].

• READ MORE: See and hear the guitars of Kurt Cobain, John Mayer, Johnny Cash in our new Martin documentary

Hetfield adds that he’d also probably still be “looking for a Lars [Ulrich, Metallica drummer and co-founder]”.

“I’d be roading or working in a studio, hopefully helping make music somehow. Or graphic design. I love graphics. I love doing artwork. I also like doing trades stuff – craftsmanship with wood, with metal, building stuff. Maybe that would’ve turned into something, too. But music is a gift I’ve been given, so I’d still be trying to kick some doors down and get into it somehow.”

Given Hetfield’s legendary right-hand rhythm chops, he didn’t need to kick that many doors down for people to start seeing his musical gift – at least not 40 years worth of doors.

In terms of what bassist Rob Trujillo would be doing had he not joined Metallica in 2003, he replies: “It’s a good question. I would probably continue to play music. I love songwriting, so I always write songs, even just for fun. It’s something that I do, so maybe I would get into songwriting, become an independent songwriter, maybe get into production.

“The other thing that I actually originally started to do – my first job was in construction. So I always thought that maybe I would become a contractor. I think that my skills as an organiser, a coordinator could help. I don’t like lifting heavy things anymore.

“Back in the day, I could lift a couple sheets of drywall, no problem, up three flights of stairs. I did drywall. I did hardwood floors for a long time. Learning that stuff was great because now if I see a fixer-upper property or a house, I’m not afraid of it. I always see the potential of it because I’ve done that on my own and I’ve experienced that. So I’m not afraid to remodel or rebuild. [I’d] probably be a contractor – something in the trades. I’d be a tradesman of sorts.”

Metallica recently announced they’d be returning to Europe in 2026 on their M72 World Tour. For more information, head to metallica.com.

The post “I’d still be trying to kick some doors down”: James Hetfield says if Metallica never existed, he’d spend his life trying to make Metallica exist appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

$1,599/£1,845, taylorguitars.com

In recent years the acoustic amp scene has split neatly in two directions. On the one hand we have industrial looking units from AER, Fishman and Trace Elliott with rugged solid-state power stages, metal grilles and military grade rubber corners for the street-fighting acoustic musician. On the other hand we have exotic wood units such as the legendary (and legendarily priced) tube-based work of Humphrey amps (and recent collaboration with Henrickson) which are as close to a Frank Lloyd Wright staircase as they are to a guitar amp.

• READ MORE: Taylor 314ce Studio review: “Forget where the neck is made, this is every bit the US-made instrument”

Coming straight into the middle of those two worlds is the Circa 74: Taylor’s first-ever acoustic amplifier. It’s a solid-state amp, but designed to appeal to the sort of player who sees amplification as an aesthetic lifestyle choice – without the three grand pricetag of some other furniture-adjacent acoustic boxes. Seen here in a gently figured Hawai’ian Koa (a mahogany version is $400 cheaper) it’s a good looking box that will bring the room together nicely between your Noguchi coffee table and Eames Lounge Chair.

Taylor Circa 74: What is it?

You’ll notice that Circa 74 doesn’t say Taylor anywhere on it – that’s because it’s technically a sub-brand all of its own. It’s a similar situation to the recent Powers Electric guitars created by Taylor CEO Andy Powers.

For Circa 74, this time it’s Bob Taylor’s turn for a side project. The story goes that he wanted to put a stash of wood unsuitable for guitar making to better use, and so roped in pro player Terry Myers, electronics guru Tyler Robertson and woodworking wizard David Judd to help him design an amp.

Stories like that are the sizzle not the steak of course, so we’ll avoid going into any more detail than that and concentrate on the sounds and functionality on offer in this debut product instead.

Taylor Circa 74: In use

One of the challenges with acoustic guitar amplification is the instrument’s comparatively wide and complex frequency spectrum. This means that even a dedicated acoustic combo will often be relegated to duty as a stage monitor or abandoned entirely in favour of the stereo spread of a PA system. Really, does anyone actually need an acoustic amp?

In an appeal to versatility, the Circa 74 has two channels, each with its own EQ and reverb controls. There’s a master volume, input A has an XLR/guitar lead input but there is no 48v phantom power here though, so it’s dynamic mics only. Input B is guitar lead only – an understandable choice perhaps, but it feels like a missed opportunity to get ahead of the competition with potential for stereo mic use.

All outward appearances suggest that this amp will likely spend its life providing a gentle push to a solo or duo performance rather than dimed as part of a serious on-stage set-up. The absence of notch or phase filter buttons or a foot switchable mute all point to home/coffeeshop use as its primary stomping ground, as well as presupposing the use of an instrument with its own controls. There is, however, a choice of XLR or line outs if you do need to go big, and are not using in-ears.

The controls are based around a three-band EQ – no surgical parametric frequency sculpture here. There is one room reverb choice for both channels and you get to choose how much of it you want. That’s it.

There is, however, an aux mini jack-in and Bluetooth functionality, so you can listen to music or play along. It also comes with a gentle angled wooden stand for improved projection and, let’s not kid ourselves, because it looks nice.

Taylor Circa 74: Sounds

Despite the fact that this is a Taylor amp, I cue up my Casimi C1 signature model with an internal K&K passive pickup to give the Circa 74 its first run through. Helpfully Taylor does include some guidance (just scan the QR code on the back) to help you find a workable sound with a variety of different pickups, but personally I’d rather spend a moment twiddling knobs to learn how the EQ bands interact – in tone there are no shortcuts.

With all controls at noon we have enough push to fill a small room. Raising the volume further does bring up the matter of positioning. If I sit too close then I’m in danger of spiralling off into feedback – too far away and the sound gets a little cloudy, and in larger rooms I’d be worried about things getting mushy; especially with added reverb.

The Circa 74 features a single 10” speaker. That’s it. Mono. No tweeters, no acoustic ports. As such any sense of spread is once again at the mercy of the room. The harder you push it the more noticeable this becomes.

In standard tuning the amp handles things as well as I’d hope with a clear top-end sizzle. Does the wooden body make any sonic difference? Possibly, but that’s beside the point. I know the plugged-in voice of my guitar reasonably well and this is a decent fingerstyle sound – if not as immediately responsive as I’m used to.

A good test of any acoustic amp is the way it handles drop tunings. While the Circa 74 was reasonably happy in DADGAD – go any lower and things begin to get unruly. Once we start entering Orkney/Drop C territory then the combination of soundboard sensitivity and a lack of parametric EQ means that an indistinct bottom end is all but inevitable.

Taylor Circa 74: Should I buy one?

The question, as is often the case with acoustic guitar amps, is who exactly this amp is for – and with the Circa 74 it’s certainly a layered one.

The most serious solo acoustic guitarist on steel or nylon strings is very likely to be using a hybrid two-output pickup system, which would take up both channels, removing the possibility of using a mic for talking to the audience.

A singer-songwriter who is fine using dynamic mics only while strumming along might find this serves their needs for smaller gigs. Likewise for a guitarist/singer duo this might well be the very thing. Interestingly this is a really great amp for a clean jazz archtop sound. Which is a nice bonus.

Chances are, you’ll know as soon as you see the Circa 74 if you want one. And if you do then the chances are your expectations are likely to match the intent with which it was originally designed. Complaining that it doesn’t shake the rafters or is too genteel to be lugged around from venue to venue is rather like lamenting the off-road capabilities of a Jaguar E-Type.

What this amp does very well is bring a touch of aesthetic class to an intimate acoustic context. It is streamlined and easy to use (the glaring oversight of a lack of phantom power notwithstanding) and looks good wherever you put it. Like a modern phonogram – joyfully anachronistic, completely impractical and a lot of fun.

Taylor Circa 74 amp: Alternatives

It’s certainly not going to win any beauty contests compared with the Circa 74, but the Fishman Loudbox Performer BT ($930/£849) dominates the mid-price end of the acoustic amp market, and in truth there’s not a lot occupying the space between the Fishman and the big beasts of AER’s Acousticube 3 ($3,299/£2,999) at the top end of the market. It could well be that this is a niche where they can make some hay…

The post Taylor Circa 74 Koa review: “Brings a touch of aesthetic class to an intimate acoustic context” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Fender has unveiled a vast range of new products for the second half of 2025, including, most notably, 10 new additions to Squier’s vintage-inspired Classic Vibe line.

Elsewhere, the Big F has introduced three new pedals to its stompbox lineup: two additions to the Hammertone range and the new Strobo-Sonic Pro Tuner.

• READ MORE: The Line 6 Helix Stadium introduces “entirely new modelling methodology” – is it coming for the Quad Cortex crown?

New Hammertones

For the uninitiated, Fender’s Hammertone pedals offer a rugged design and unmistakable Fender tone at a price point that doesn’t break the bank.

The lineup previously consisted of nine pedals, offering most of the classic effects sought by guitarists: Space Delay, Flanger, Reverb, Fuzz, Overdrive, Distortion, Delay, Chorus and a Metal pedal for high-gain tones. Now, two new pedals join the lineup: the Breakup Drive and Boost.

The Breakup Drive arrives to deliver “responsive, tube-like overdrive tones” in the compact Hammertone form factor. Built around a JFET-based circuit, this pedal aims to replicate the feel of hot tubes pushed to the edge of saturation. It features two selectable clipping modes that respond differently to player input, as well as an expansive tone control and switchable pre-gain mid boost for additional tone shaping.

Meanwhile, the Hammertone Boost houses two distinct boost circuits in a single enclosure, with a Type switch enabling guitarists to select between a clean, op amp-based boost and a JFET-based boost which adds warmth and harmonic richness to their sound. The unit also features Treble and Bass controls for additional tone shaping.

Strobo-Sonic Pro Tuner

A new tuner pedal to Fender’s stompbox lineup comes in the form of the Strobo-Sonic Pro, described as an “ultra-precise strobe tuner anyone can use”, with ±0.01 cent tuning accuracy in a pedalboard-friendly form factor.

Other features include a large, high-visibility LED display with auto brightness dimming, as well as two trackable tuning display modes. Strobe display mode offers “hyper-sensitive accuracy”, while needle display mode offers a more familiar tuning experience.

Elsewhere, side switches provide deeper control of reference pitch and three bypass modes: true bypass, buffered bypass and buffered always-on.

Pricing and availability

Price-wise, both the Hammertone Breakup Drive and Hammertone Boost clock in at $99/£75, while the Strobo-Sonic Pro is priced at $99/£95. All three pedals will be available from September 2025.
“At Fender, we’re always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible within the world of instrumentation – for players at every level,” says Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President of Product and Sales at Fender. “This falls lineup reflects our commitment to innovation, craftsmanship and tone. From next-gen guitars to powerful new amps and performance-driven accessories, we’ve built this range to inspire creativity and elevate the playing experience in every genre. We’re proud to carry forward our legacy by continuing to shape the future of music whilst also paying homage to our heritage and the traditions that got us here in the first place.”
Learn more about Fender’s new Hammertone pedals and Strobo-Sonic Pro Tuner.

The post Fender adds two new affordable Hammertone pedals and a new “ultra-precise” tuner to its stompbox lineup for summer 2025 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Line 6 has welcomed two new members of its Helix amp modeller line, and they’re the “most powerful and most flexible” yet.

The new launch includes the flagship Helix Stadium XL Floor and a streamlined version, the Helix Stadium Floor. They arrive just in time for the 10th anniversary of the original Helix, bringing a range of highly-anticipated upgrades with them including new modelling tech, cloning capabilities, and high-resolution touch screens.

• READ MORE: Buyer’s guide to the best compact multi-effects: sound-shifting units from Neural DSP, BOSS & Line 6

So, what exactly is this new modelling methodology? Details on exactly how it works are not too clear, but it’s called Agoura, and it replaces Helix’s HX modelling tech for improved authenticity when modelling physical amps, as well as offering increased accuracy when it comes to how amps respond to you.

There’s also a new engine for live shows called Showcase which can trigger MIDI changes, engage presets, and even automate lighting for your stage setup. They also have both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a new cloud-based cloning engine for making captures of your gear.

Further to this, the Stadium floorboards both have a ‘Hype’ control, which can essentially switch between “ultra-authentic” and “idealised” tone, so users can decide if they want that imperfect tube amp sound or something more clean and digital.

Though both models share a lot of the same features, there are of course some key differences which set the Helix Stadium Floor apart from its souped up XL counterpart. Let’s take a look at each:

What features does the Helix Stadium XL Floor have?

The XL is the most “comprehensive and integrated guitar processor ever created by Line 6”, according to the brand. It hosts a high-resolution 8” touch screen, 12 high-contrast OLED scribble strips, and a built-in expression pedal with toe switch. It also has supports up to four effects loops, four external expression pedals, four external amp control outs, and four drum trigger inputs. Prices start at $2199.99 USD.

What features does the Helix Stadium Floor have?

The Helix Stadium Floor also hosts an 8” touch screen and many of the same desired features. It is more streamlined without a fitted expression pedal and also scraps the OLED scribble strips, and halves the amount of effect loops, external expression pedals, external amp controls outs, and drum trigger inputs it can support, offering two of each. Ideal for those on a tighter budget, you get all the necessities in a neater package. Prices start at $1799.99 USD.

Eric Klein, Chief Product Design Architect, states: “Helix Stadium XL Floor and Helix Stadium Floor are in many ways a new type of product. In addition to featuring the best-sounding, most powerful, and most flexible processing Line 6 has ever offered, they can serve as performance workstations that aim to upend the way you approach playing – whether that’s writing and learning songs, jamming with friends, or controlling your band’s entire stage rig. And most of all, they’re fun to use.”

The Helix Stadiums certainly boast an impressive feature set, but will they dethrone the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, an amp modeller we rated 10/10, and called the “game-changing guitar product of the decade so far”?

You can reserve a Helix Stadium online and in stores from 25 June. The Helix Stadium XL Floor will be available from autumn 2025, with the streamlined version arriving in winter. Find out more over at Line 6. 

The post The Line 6 Helix Stadium introduces “entirely new modelling methodology” – is it coming for the Quad Cortex crown? appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Fender has announced the expansion of its Classic Vibe Squier series, with 10 new models – including both guitars and basses – offering exciting, vintage details for a smaller price tag.

The line officially launches on 10 August and includes six guitars and four bass models, with aesthetic details and hardware harking back to the 1950s and through to the ‘70s. The new Squiers form part of a large new drop from Fender, with more guitar lines set to arrive through late summer and into autumn this year.

• READ MORE: Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee have partnered with Fender on a pair of Strat and Jazz Bass signatures

Fender describes the new Squier line as a key highlight of its forthcoming fall ranges. Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President of Product and Sales at Fender comments, “This falls’ lineup reflects our commitment to innovation, craftsmanship and tone.

“From next-gen guitars to powerful new amps and performance-driven accessories, we’ve built this range to inspire creativity and elevate the playing experience in every genre. We’re proud to carry forward our legacy by continuing to shape the future of music whilst also paying homage to our heritage and the traditions that got us here in the first place.”

We’ve condensed the key features from each guitar in this new Squier drop below:

Classic Vibe ‘50s Stratocaster HT ($449.99 USD/£439.99 GBP) 

This model is described as a “tribute to the early days of the Stratocaster”, harking back to the 1950s with vintage style and tone. It hosts three Fender Designed alnico single-coil pickups, a six-saddle hardtail bridge (which was first introduced in 1955) and has a string-through-body design for “enhanced sustain and resonance”. It is also completed with  period-correct headstock markings, nickel-plated hardware, and a vintage-tinted gloss neck finish. You can get it in Shell Pink and Surf Green.

Classic Vibe ‘70s Stratocaster HT HSS ($449.99 USD/£439.99 GBP) 

“A tip of the hat to the large-headstock Strat models produced during the 1970s”, Fender says. This guitar also has a string-through-body design and Fender Designed alnico pickups, but rather in a HSS configuration. A hardtail bridge (HT) provides stable intonation, and 1970s-inspired markings are showcased on the headstock. This guitar will be available in Olympic White and Mocha.

Classic Vibe Custom Esquire ($473.99 USD/£449.99 GBP) 

A tribute to the double-bound body Esquire models of the late ’50s and ’60s, this Esquire also offers a double-bound body plus a single-coil bridge pickup and a three-position blade switch for “versatile” tone options, including tone control bypass, variable tone control, and a pre-set tone capacitor for bass-y warmth. Just like its Classic Vibe siblings, it has all the vintage-inspired bells and whistles when it comes to hardware and markings. It comes in Candy Apple Red and Sherwood Green.

Classic Vibe Custom Telecaster SH with Bigsby ($524.99 USD/£479.99 GBP)

A tribute to the double-bound body Tele models of the late ’50s and ’60s, this model has alnico single-coil bridge and humbucking neck pickups (SH) and as its name suggests, a Bigsby tailpiece. It has a string-through design and a floating bridge with barrel saddles for “optimal intonation stability”. This one is finished in Lake Placid Blue or Aztec Gold.

Classic Vibe Duo-Sonic HS ($419.99 USD/£419.99 GBP)

If you’d prefer a compact body size and a short 24” scale length, then the Duo-Sonic might be for you. Fender says it “punches above its weight” with its single-coil neck pickup and humbucking bridge pickup, and it has all the other Classic Vibe appointments in either Desert Sand or Lake Placid Blue.

Classic Vibe ‘60s Jazzmaster ($449.99 USD/£449.99 GBP) 

This jazzmaster is “player-friendly”, hosting features such as a slim “C”-shaped neck profile with a 9.5”-radius fingerboard and narrow-tall frets. It has dual Fender Designed alnico single-coil pickups, a vintage-style tremolo system, and a floating bridge with barrel saddles, plus plenty of 1960s-inspired details. It will be available in Tahitian Coral.

Classic Vibe Bass Guitars

On to the bass guitars now, and the full list of models joining the Classic Vibe range are:

• Telecaster Bass ($473.99 USD/£419.99 GBP)
• Active ‘70s Jazz Bass ($524.99 USD/£489.99 GBP)
• Active ‘70s Jazz Bass V ($556.99 USD/£509 GBP)
• ‘60s Jazz Bass ($473.99 USD/£449.99 GBP)

You can find out more and sign up to be notified when these guitars launch via the Fender website. 

The post Fender’s Classic Vibe Squier line gets 10 new models with “unmistakable, old-school” features appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Marty Schwartz says Slash used his tutorial content to brush up on his blues-style guitar techniques.

Schwartz is one of the most prominent guitar teachers on YouTube, having taught players of all ages through his free video tutorials on popular songs, guitar set-up, and much more. He currently has a whopping 4.58 million subscribers on the platform, and apparently, Slash is one of his many viewers.

• READ MORE: “It was so hot in Saudi Arabia that the wax in my pickups melted!”: Guns N’ Roses guitarist proves guitars and desert heat don’t match

According to Schwartz, he ran into Slash following an interview with Gibson for a documentary it was making about the artists that work with its instruments, and had no idea the Guns N’ Roses legend would be there too.

Following the interview, as the crew began to move things along and clear people out, Schwartz spotted Slash coming in for his shoot. In a YouTube video about the bizarre day, he recalls, “I start heading towards the exit of the studio and right as the door opens for me, boom – in the doorway is Slash, and I had no idea he was coming or that’s why everyone was getting serious.

“Slash [had] someone with him, a handler or someone from Gibson was chaperoning him, and [we meet] eye-to-eye, and he is a hero of mine, especially as when I was a kid… I’m only saying this because it’s absolutely true, it sounds like a flex but I’m only telling it to you because it is the truth, it’s still one of the greatest professional days of my life.”

He continues, “I was just like, ‘Whoa, hey Slash’, and he says ‘Whoa, Marty oh my God.’ And I’m getting chills right now even just saying that. He was like, ‘It’s really cool when you watch someone a lot and then you get to actually meet them in person.’”

Slash then took him into the hallway while everyone else was setting up for the shot so they could have a proper conversation: “I realised at the time that he was either just about to or had already released a blues covers album [2024’s Orgy Of The Damned] and so I think that’s why he said he had been watching me.”

Schwartz adds, “He said he had some of my instructional stuff saved on his computer and there were some really cool blues-style techniques that he learned from some of my stuff. He was so nice and complimentary… That was one of [those] moments in my life where everything felt validated.”

You can check out Marty Schwartz’ video below:

The post “That was one of those moments in my life where everything felt validated”: Marty Schwartz says Slash has used his YouTube tutorials to learn blues guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Ad feature with Martin Guitar.

For 192 years Martin has been making inspirational instruments for inspirational artists. In that time, Martin guitars have indelibly shaped the course of popular music, and those musicians have also helped shape the evolution of Martin guitar.

In a new documentary film from Guitar.com, modern day guitar hero Ariel Posen travelled to Martin Guitar’s home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania to get up close and personal with five of these instruments – ones with deep personal connections to Hank Williams, Joan Baez, Kurt Cobain, Eric Clapton and John Mayer.

• READ MORE: Learn how Martin guitars are shaped by the iconic musicians who play them in the 2025 Martin Journal

If you’ve ever wanted to hear instruments owned, designed and used by some of the most impactful musicians of all time played by one of the most melodic and expressive guitarists on the scene today, you need to hit play on the video at the top of this page right now.

In Guitar.com presents Martin Guitar: Perfect Harmony, you’ll earn about the stories of these guitars from one of the most knowledgable and experienced members of the C.F. Martin & Co team, Michael Dickinson. Mike has been working at Martin in some form or another for over 30 years, and while his day job is now Martin’s chief buyer of exotic and rare tonewoods, Mike also acts as the vintage guitar buyer for Martin’s on-site museum in Nazareth, Pa.

As a result, Mike is able to tell us the full story of these fantastic instruments and how they came to be part of Martin’s private collection – as he was often the one making the deals.

From Kurt Cobain’s battered ‘Grandpa’ to Joan Baez’s 1800s parlor guitar, a D-28 that’s done more gigs than any of us can fathom, and some prized one-off and signature instruments that have become iconic parts of Martin’s rich and unparalleled history, this documentary is a feast for anyone interested in the history of music and the guitars that helped create it.

And we couldn’t simply let just anyone take these guitars for a spin. Canadian guitarist Ariel Posen is a modern day virtuoso who is one of the most respected guitar players on the scene today. Ariel spent a day in Martin’s history North Street factory with these guitars, putting each one through their paces with some spellbinding guitar playing that shows exactly why Martin guitars have remained the choice of artists big and small for nearly two centuries.

To read more about the history of Martin and its artist, check out the latest Martin Journal to read the feature that accompanies this documentary. 

The post See and hear the guitars of Kurt Cobain, John Mayer, Johnny Cash in our new Martin documentary appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Tributes have been pouring in from far and wide for Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys creative leader and pop visionary who died this week aged 82.

Wilson’s family shared news of his passing on Wednesday (11 June), writing: “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now.”

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Wilson’s influence on pop music – and indeed the wider music world in general – cannot be understated. His keen ear for melody and creative vision shaped the sound of the pop music world in the decades following the formation of the Beach Boys in 1961.

He was the creative brains behind many of the band’s most notable works, including Pet Sounds, the landmark 1966 album which featured God Only Knows and Wouldn’t It Be Nice.

Leading tributes are the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney, while many other musicians have taken to social media to express their adoration for Wilson and how he influenced their music.

McCartney notes Wilson’s “mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special”, adding: “The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time. I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson, God Only Knows.”

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Paying tribute to the Beach Boys legend on X, Bob Dylan writes: “Heard the sad news about Brian today and thought about all the years I’ve been listening to him and admiring his genius. Rest in peace dear Brian.”

Heard the sad news about Brian today and thought about all the years I’ve been listening to him and admiring his genius. Rest in peace dear Brian.

— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) June 11, 2025

Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood says “anyone with a musical bone in their body must be grateful for Brian Wilson’s genius magical touch, and greatly saddened [at] this major worldly loss.”

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Also from the Beatles world, Sean Ono Lennon – son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono – explains how “not many people influenced me as much as he did”, calling Wilson “our American Mozart”, and “a one-of-a-kind genius from another world”.

Anyone who really knows me knows how heart broken I am about Brian Wilson passing. Not many people influenced me as much as he did. I feel very lucky that I was able to meet him and spend some time with him. He was always very kind and generous. He was our American Mozart. A one… pic.twitter.com/UODb9NdqOl

— Seán Ono Lennon (@seanonolennon) June 11, 2025

Randy Bachman also likens Wilson to legendary classical composers, telling BBC Radio 5 Live, “He was Beethoven, he was Tchaikovsky.”

“There are some bands that are so monumental that no-one could ever come close, and the Beach Boys are one of those bands,” he went on.

“Even their sad songs were happy. There was some joy in their high voices when they were singing and in the chord progressions. Some of the greatest chord progressions of all time came from Brian Wilson.”

Elsewhere, singer-songwriter Carole King remembered Brian Wilson, “my friend and my brother in songwriting”.

“We shared a similar sensibility, as evidenced by his four over five chord under ‘Aaaah!’ in Good Vibrations and mine under I’m Into Something Good. We once discussed who used it first, and in the end we decided it didn’t matter. The world will miss Brian, but we are so lucky to have his music.”

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Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones also paid tribute, noting that the “world is in mourning” after the deaths of both Wilson and Sly Stone this week.

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Kiss bassist Gene Simmons labels Wilson a “visionary”, and thanks him for the “lifetime of wonderful melodies that spanned decades”.

Sadly, Brian Wilson has passed away. Songwriter, visionary. Thank you for a lifetime of wonderful melodies that spanned decades. I’m going to spend the day listening to the Beach Boys and reminiscing.

— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) June 11, 2025

Brian Wilson had his share of health struggles over the years; he was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic in 1984 – which doctors believed to be, in part, due to his previous use of psychedelic drugs, and was diagnosed with dementia in 2024.

Wilson’s musicality with the Beach Boys was matched by his ability to write chart-topping hits; the band have sold over 100 million albums over the course of their 60-plus year career, making them one of the most commercially successful music artists of all time.

The post “Our American Mozart”: Tributes pour in for Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys visionary who died this week aged 82 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Jason Isbell has shared a golden nugget of advice for new and young guitar players that will help them avoid quitting at an early stage.

According to the singer-songwriter, the most important thing to do when buying a budget instrument is to ask the store to get it set up for you before you leave. By spending that little bit of extra cash to give a cheap instrument a bit more comfortability, Isbell thinks players will be less likely to give up on learning – and they’ll still save money in the long run.

• READ MORE: “I’m not afraid of an AI version of me”: Jason Isbell worries that AI will create “a constant barrage of the most lifeless content imaginable” and drown out real art

Speaking to Matt Sweeney of the Guitar Moves podcast, Isbell says, “Get it set up. Spend the 50, or 80, or 100 bucks, and before you leave the music store let them set it up for you… [Let them] set the action right, make sure the frets are level, make sure it’ll stay in tune.

“That is so huge and I wish somebody would have told me that when I was a kid, because of course you’re not gonna be able to afford an incredible instrument when you’re that age. If you spend the extra time, the extra money, you get home and you can play it. It makes all the difference in the world.”

On a similar note, Sweeney notes that playing guitar can hurt a fair amount when you first start playing, so getting things adjusted can make a world of difference. “And the old guys will say, ‘It’s supposed to, you’ll get the calluses.’ You don’t want people to stop playing because it hurts,” Isbell adds. “You don’t wanna quit.”

You can check out the podcast below:

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Isbell released his new album, Foxes In The Snow, back in March. He is touring throughout 2025 – find out where you can catch him live via his website.

The post “I wish somebody would have told me that”: The important lesson that Jason Isbell would give to any aspiring guitarist when they buy a guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Retailer Hobgoblin Music has launched its first ever crowdfunding round, with hopes to keep its shops on the high streets of the UK.

The news lands after bleak announcements regarding the futures of other retailers like PMT and GAK, both of which have sold their stock to Gear4music following financial struggles.

Hobgoblin Music is a family business that was founded in 1976, with nine shops operating throughout the United Kingdom. It is described as a “beloved destination for folk music enthusiasts from around the world”, stocking a wide product range in acoustic and folk music instruments.

• READ MORE: Breedlove and Bedell Guitars sold to “two individuals who have spent a lifetime immersed in music”

According to a press release shared with Guitar.com, Hobgoblin Music aims to raise £190K in exchange for a 9.5 percent equity stake in its business. Funds raised will also be used to drive increased sales through the purchase of fast-selling, high-margin stock, leading to a sustainable increase in profit margins.

The company, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, employs over 50 musicians across the UK and also supports live music in areas local to its stores. Even Paul McCartney has shared his love of Hobgoblin Music, having said that its London shop is possibly his “most favourite”, and that “the staff there are so helpful and friendly, and we always have a laugh”.

Hobgoblin Music was set up by husband and wife Pete and Mannie McClelland, who “were frustrated by how few interesting or unusual musical instruments were readily available, despite high demand from musicians”.

Today, the pair are still directors at Hobgoblin Music, along with their daughter, Nicola Rain, who serves as its executive director and co-owner. Although the company also sells online, it is “committed to keeping stores open”, as it believes trying a variation of different types and styles of instruments is vital.

Rain comments, “I’ve been immersed in this business for as long as I can remember and I’m so proud of what my parents have built up over the years. The experience of visiting a music shop and benefitting from the expertise of other musicians can’t be replaced by online shopping. We’re determined to keep music shops alive and firmly believe the country would be poorer without them – trying out new instruments in a shop is such a key part of the musical journey.”

Hobgoblin currently has stores in Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, London, Southampton, Canterbury, Edinburgh, Brighton and Birmingham.

An early access launch to the first Crowdfunding round is now open, and individuals can register for this via Hobgoblin Music’s crowdfunding page. You can also find out more about the company via the Hobgoblin Music website.

The post Family-run retailer Hobgoblin Music launches Crowdfunder to secure its future across UK high streets appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

PMT, one of the UK’s largest musical instrument retail chains, has been placed into administration, making it the latest in a string of musical instrument retailers to shut its doors.

The company’s 11 stores across the UK and one warehouse in Liverpool have been closed with immediate effect. According to Insider Media, 96 people have already been made redundant, with 48 people retained to assist administrators. PMT also operated a significant online store, which has now been taken offline.

• READ MORE: GAK sells its stock and website to Gear4music for £2.4 million after entering insolvency

All of PMT’s remaining stock has been sold to UK-based online retailer Gear4Music for an estimated cost value of “up to £2.4 million”, alongside “certain intangible assets” including websites, trademarks and commercial data, worth up to £1.2 million.

S&T Audio Limited – trading as PMT – was the fourth largest retailer of musical instruments in the UK in terms of revenue with a reported annual turnover of £43 million for the year that ended 30 April, 2024. It was also the largest chain of brick and mortar music stores left in the country, with locations in major cities.

A press release from administrators Interpath shared with Guitar.com notes a “variety of challenges in recent times”, including the competitive pricing of instruments shrinking the margins of top-branded gear, “fragile consumer confidence” affecting the sales of high-end products, and rising costs associated with rent, business rates and employees.

It also explains how a string of recent insolvencies across the musical instruments sector have “tightened” credit terms across the supply chain, leading to a “detrimental impact on PMT’s cashflow”.

PMT’s directors initially sought to explore options prior to filing for the appointment of administrators, including a reorganisation of their store estate, as well as sale, refinance and investment options. However, no solvent option was available.

Rick Harrison, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator alongside Howard Smith, comments: “It’s been a tough few years for specialist music equipment retailers who have battled headwinds including rising costs, dwindling margins and the rising cost of living affecting consumer behaviour. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the board, in the case of PMT, these challenges proved too difficult to overcome.

“While we are pleased to have concluded a sale of the stock and other assets to Gear4music, our immediate priority is to provide support to those employees who have been made redundant, including supporting them with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.”

PMT’s 11 brick-and-mortar stores included locations in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford and Romford, as well as a warehouse facility in Liverpool. There was also a store in Cambridge that closed without warning last week.

The post UK music retail chain PMT placed into administration, permanently closing all stores with immediate effect appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

There has always been an element of belief behind Khruangbin’s music, but it’s perhaps become more important than ever in the here and now. The Texan trio emerged from the pandemic as an arena-sized draw thanks to their ready-made salve of a record Mordechai, but their approach to writing and performance hasn’t been beaten into a new shape by the demands of relative ubiquity. Instead, it remains grounded in the simpatico melodic sensibilities of guitarist Mark Speer and bassist Laura Lee, with winding, sun-bleached hooks popping and whirring over drummer Donald ‘DJ’ Johnson’s supine grooves.

• READ MORE: Judy Schaefer of PRS: “Music is all about community building. If we do better, everybody else does better”

So while their audiences sometimes spiral into the tens of thousands these days, each person in the room is still being challenged to follow the music along unfamiliar paths, where dubby bass meets lead lines that snake in and out of ringing harmonies. “All you can see are maybe the first 100 people and you’ve got to trust that it’s resonating,” Lee observes. “And, actually, most of the time the trust comes from us leaning into playing with each other. If we do it, then they’re gonna feel it. It’s deep.”

Good Hangs

Appropriately, Khruangbin’s recent album A La Sala was chiefly an exercise in reconnecting with the band’s low-stakes origin as friends hanging out in a barn in rural Texas, digging up sounds and jamming them out. Cutting back against the Tom Tom Club-gone-desert-rock grain of Mordechai, it returned them to a vocal-agnostic wash of melodies, counter melodies and snappy rhythms, propelled by worn-in chemistry and a magpie’s eye for sonic touchstones.

It was a work by musicians who understand what they’re about, patient and certain. “I remember when we first started making music it seemed very subversive that we were instrumental,” Lee says. “It might have been challenging but [listeners] reward themselves with that breath.”

Lee and Speer have taken a similarly deliberate, unfussy approach to their first signature instruments. In collaboration with Fender the duo are about to put out a Jazz bass and Strat that are equal parts functional and aspirational. Speer’s model is fashioned after the only guitar he ever plays: an early 2000s reissue done up with single-coil-sized humbuckers in the neck and bridge that has been around the block with him a couple of hundred times over the past 20 years and change.

“If someone handed me their guitar I’d be like, ‘Wow, what a nice instrument,’ but I won’t sound very good on it,” he says. “I’m used to mine. I’m not a guitar player – I play that guitar. I’ve been using that one thing for the whole time. I know exactly where certain notes are going to sing more than others. Or if I play here versus here, I can really control the timbre of where things are happening and why – the volume knob, things that I do against the gain structure, it’s all part of the voice. Really, it’s my voice, right?”

Tone-hounds will be pleased to know that Speer’s signature is wedded to this reality. Reflecting his own setup, it’s home to DiMarzio Pro TrackTMs either side of a 70s Strat pickup in the middle, with jumbo frets, a synchronised tremolo and Graph Tech saddles and string trees. “A lot of those adjustments were made from a pragmatic standpoint,” he says. “Literally so I could work more – the Graph Tech saddles were there because I just don’t want strings to break that often. When you’re a struggling working musician, buying strings all the time is not something you like doing.”

“The guitar is very similar to my main one and that was the whole point,” he continues. “It also feels the same way. The bit that routes the body out – it was a discontinued way they used to do it. They were very kind to bring that back. I think they just went and found the bit and put it back on the router to make it.”

Math Problem

Lee’s bass story runs back to the late ‘00s and her tenure as a maths teacher, a job she ditched to head out on tour with Speer and shoegaze noisemaker Yppah only a few months after picking one up for the first time. Soon after, they decided to form Khruangbin, a band that’s always viewed her instrument as a melodic voice as well as something that’ll rattle around in your chest. Her Jazz bass is a dream fulfilled in many ways – for years she’s been using a budget Fender-alike from SX. “I played a knockoff Fender because I couldn’t afford a real Fender when we started,” she says. “Now my signature model will be a real Fender. There’s something pretty glorious about that.”

A marriage of vintage white and chrome that culminates in an uber-retro chunky bridge cover, Lee’s guitar is kitted out with DiMarzio Ultra JazzTMs, plus concentric volume and tone knobs for each pickup, a custom U-shape neck and a rosewood fingerboard. “I had just started playing bass when I came to Mark and DJ saying, ‘Let’s start a band,’” Lee says. “Mark helped me set up my bass to be really good for a young player.”

“The strings don’t buzz because of the humbuckers he encouraged me to put in,” she adds. “Why sit and be so frustrated with your strings ringing out as a young player? Focus on actually learning how to play. I liked the sustain that it was giving me, and I liked the non-buzziness of my sound. That is up to you now. But, for me, I got the tone that I wanted as a young player. I hope that my bass can be suited to a young player, or can make a more expert player feel young in spirit.”

Trust Fall

Much like trust, that feeling of youthfulness is an important part of Khruangbin’s make-up. It’s remarkable that, even as Lee points out how little bass she’d played before starting the band, their sound appeared dialled in from minute one. If there’s a reason that A La Sala’s retrospective approach felt a little like coming home then it’s because most of its constituent parts were there on the band’s 2015 debut The Universe Smiles Upon You. There are some major non-musical factors to consider in that – shared histories playing in church bands, for example, or the cultural kaleidoscope of Houston – but fundamentally it’s because they were willing to work things out in a room together, pushing for something honest rather than striving for something confected.

“I’m thinking about the translation of these things live,” Lee reflects. “There are these songs where we’re playing different things and then we merge to play the same melody. It’s like we’re singing together. I feel like those might be the most powerful moments from an audience perspective. There’s something really simple about it. We’re three instruments and two of them have the ability to make melodies. Leaning into that feels like who we are. At the start of the band, Mark really let me lead. I think he found my beginner’s mind very beautiful – it would come up with things that he could never come up with. You can never go backwards and approach an instrument like a new person again. I think it allowed him to be a beginner, in a way. He had to play around what I created, and that was an exciting prospect for him.”

“It might be frustrating, like, ‘What? This doesn’t make any sense!’” Speer chimes in. “But, I mean, you can get bogged down in a theory and why this makes sense, or why this is right or wrong. But, who cares? Make music that makes you feel something – that’s really the whole point. If it’s wrong, but I feel great listening to it, well, then it’s very right, isn’t it?”

The fourth aspect of Khruangbin’s sound that needs considering at this stage is nothingness – the gaps that they leave, sometimes heavy with possibility and other times only as red herrings. They have embraced the classic power-trio dilemma and opted not to fill things out in a manner that would require a few extra pairs of hands on stage, allowing their songs a sense of possibility even within the constraints of their make-up. When this aspect of their sound is put to them, Lee and Speer respond in a manner that’s both philosophical and practical, which seems fitting. “We’re so inundated with visual and sound pollution,” Lee observes. “People rarely are not listening to anything. You’re in an Uber or at a train station, you’re walking with your headphones on. It’s almost rare that it’s quiet.”

“Initially, the pedals I was bringing on board were very simple: a wah, distortion, a reverb,” Speer adds. “The echoes and phasers and choruses came in much later. That [early] thing was us in the barn playing with relatively simple signal chains. It’s like, ‘Well, what can we get rid of?’ I need to be able to play the melody, so if I’m getting rid of the chords, now you’ve got bottom and you have top, and there’s nothing in the middle, which is nice. Especially in this day and age, there are layers upon layers. There’s no space in much of the music I end up hearing. I think with this there’s really not a whole lot in the middle, but there are sounds from the barn or birds or wind or trees. It gives the listener a place to live and to think. There’s space for mystery in there.”

Find out more about the Khruangbin signature instruments at fender.com

The post “I’m not a guitar player – I play THAT guitar” how Khruangbin recreated their unique voice on their first signature instruments appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson has died aged 82. In an Instagram post made on Wednesday (11 June), his family confirmed his passing.

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” the post reads. “We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realise that we are sharing our grief with the world.”

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Born in Inglewood, California in 1942, Wilson founded and became creative leader of the Beach Boys – alongside his brothers Dennis and Carl, their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine.

The group were instrumental in changing the course and sound of pop music, with such hits including Wouldn’t It Be Nice, God Only Knows and Surfin’ U.S.A.

The outfit have released 29 studio albums over the course of their over-60-year career, perhaps none more landmark than 1966’s Pet Sounds, which, produced almost entirely by Brian Wilson, is regarded by many as one of the greatest records of all time, featuring the likes of Wouldn’t It Be Nice and God Only Knows.

This is a breaking story and is being updated.

The post Brian Wilson, Beach Boys creative leader and pop visionary, dies at 82 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

From featuring on Ozzy Osbourne‘s first two solo albums as co-songwriter and founding Quiet Riot, the late Randy Rhoads was truly in the eye of the heavy metal storm – and that came with plenty of chaos.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Quiet Riot co-founder Kelly Garni has reflected on the drunken altercation with Rhoads that led to him being booted from the band in 1978. Essentially, he pulled out a gun during an argument over vocalist Kevin DuBrow. “I was unhappy for quite a while…” Garni explains. “This all finally came to a very drunken conclusion.”

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

As Garni puts it, the unhappiness stemmed from a dislike of DuBrox, as well as a feeling that Quiet Riot had hid a brick wall. “We were stalled,” he says. “We weren’t going anywhere, and weren’t doing anything.”

“It just seemed like rinse and repeat,” he continued. “There was no progress. We weren’t making any money, and management gave us an allowance every week, which, in my case, was forty bucks a week to live on.”

Garni decided to voice his concerns the day after a fateful fire at LA club, Cabaret. It seemed to spark something reckless within Garni’s mind; as everyone panicked, distracted by the fire, the bassist would go and steal “about 25 bottles of liquor”. The next day, he’d invite Rhoads over for a booze up.

“I called up Randy and said, ‘Hey, the Cabaret caught fire, and I robbed the bar,’” Garni recalls. “’I got all this booze over here. Come over and party.’ And he did.”

The pair would drink there way through the looted liquor, knocking back drinks for “four or five hours”. Inebriated, Garni’s loose lips would cause him to reveal his unhappiness – and it would also reveal his issues with DuBrow.

However, the discussion soon soured. “We started discussing the Kevin problem… It got out of hand,” he admits. “I told Randy to leave. He refused. And I lived in the Barrio in Van Nuys, a pretty dangerous place, and kept a gun hidden in the couch cushion.”

“So, to scare Randy, I pulled the gun and fired it into the ceiling, thinking that would make him leave. But Randy was fearless. He didn’t leave. He charged right at me.”

Of course, Garni didn’t actually want to shoot Rhoads – so he made sure it was quickly removed from the picture. “The gun was automatic, so it reloaded and cocked itself,” he remembers. “So, I chucked that aside to get it out of the mix, and the fight was on.”

After a tussle, Garni decided it was time to pay DuBrow a visit. “I was going to finish the job; I was going to go, well, I thought I’d kill Kevin,” Garni admits. “I don’t think I actually would have; that’s just not in me. But I certainly would have scared him, and I probably would’ve gotten the cops called on me there.”

The police pulled Garni over and very quickly clocked he was not fit to drive. “They pulled me over in front of my house,” he says. “I had a gun in a shoulder holster under my jacket, and off to jail I went. Once Kevin and management heard about the whole episode, they said, ‘Okay, that’s it. He’s got to go. He’s too big of a problem.’ That was it.”

While the drunken evening would result in Garni being booted out of the band, he’s pretty content with how things ended up. The bassist went on to train up as a paramedic.

“I get told, ‘You’re the guy who tried to kill Randy Rhoads,’” he laughs. “I get all kinds of stuff, but I laugh it off and say, ‘You weren’t there. You don’t know!’ So, Randy needed to be with better people. It was never going to be pretty, but after nine years of playing together, how could it ever be a friendly thing?”

The post “To scare Randy, I pulled the gun and fired it into the ceiling”: How a drunken fight led to Kelly Garni being booted out of Quiet Riot appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Since President Donald Trump took office for a second time in January 2025, the economic landscape of the USA has changed dramatically. The new tariffs on global imports introduced by the administration in its first few weeks gained huge headlines and publicity at the time. But as media attention has shifted to the other chaotic events that have characterised the administration’s second term, it has been easy to forget that the impact of these tariffs are still being keenly felt by businesses big and small.

In the guitar world, it has led to many of the major guitar brands working together to lobby representatives about issues regarding tariffs on imported tonewoods. But what about the small businesses that underpin a huge portion of the US guitar industry, particularly the boutique pedal world?

Some of the most beloved and famous names in effects have told us that they are now facing a harsh, ever-changing landscape that’s impossible to plan for – and could mean wide-scale layoffs, off-shoring production, drastic price increases or even closure.

One person who has been incredibly vocal about the hardships the tariffs have brought about is EarthQuaker Devices CEO Julie Robbins, who has become an unofficial spokesperson for dozens of makers in the US who are becoming increasingly concerned.

“We have delayed new product launches, or scrapped them entirely,” Robbins tells us. “Our industry is driven by new product launches, so this makes hitting our sales and revenue goals much harder in this climate.”

Through interviews with Robbins and figures from over 30 other boutique pedal, amp and pro audio makers in the USA, we’ve built an unflinching and alarming picture of the current mood in the industry.

Over the coming weeks Guitar.com will explore in detail how tariffs are currently undermining the business models of the entire US boutique pedal industry, but in this introductory article we’re aiming to sound the alarm on what is an existential threat to a vibrant and beloved community.

“We have stopped hiring, including cancelling open positions,” Robins explains. “We will have no choice but to implement a reduction in staff if current conditions continue. This is a devastating thought as our employees are our most valuable asset and losing their income and benefits will put them and their families in a place of hardship.”

For many figures that we spoke to, the story was similar – layoffs, off-shoring and closure were consistently raised as real possibilities.

Levelling the playing field

Since the tariffs were introduced in February, sourcing the basic elements required to make effects – PCBs, resistors, capacitors, potentiometers and transistors – has suddenly become extremely challenging. One of the stated goals of the tariffs is ostensibly to ‘level the playing field’ by bolstering US manufacturing – but there are no domestic manufacturers for many of these vital components. While most of the respondents expressed a willingness to buy American if they could, they’re currently in a compromised position – how do you source resistors and potentiometers from a country that doesn’t make them?

In the rare cases where there are domestic sources for these components, pedal makers face such an extreme increase in costs that their product is no longer viable. Alternatively if a maker instead continues to import, prices spiral upwards unpredictably – tariffs are changing weekly, sometimes daily. How do you run a business when you don’t know whether an order of 5,000 footswitches will cost you $6,000 or $20,000 depending on the week?

We’ve spoken to figures from brands including EarthQuaker Devices, Cusack Music, Keeley Electronics, Walrus Audio, JHS, Hologram Electronics, Death By Audio and Mission Engineering. Every single one of these makers has been negatively impacted by the tariffs in meaningful ways. Some are even contemplating closure.

Despite this, the wider online guitar culture has seemed reluctant to acknowledge the stark reality of the situation. No one wants to think we’re actually seeing an epoch shift that’s destructive enough to threaten the existence of our favourite pedal brands. But as these leaders have told Guitar.com– unless things change, soon, that’s exactly what we are seeing.

So what have makers said about the tariffs?

Every single figure we spoke to describes a significant negative impact from the tariffs. In part this comes from the huge increase in the price of imported parts. But it also comes from how the wildly fluctuating tariffs have made it impossible to plan.

This has already impacted consumers – multiple brands, including JHS and EQD, have delayed new product launches thanks to the tariffs, as they’re just unable to price them appropriately for the spiralling costs. The stress of the instability is keenly felt, too – let’s not forget that even the bigger companies in this space are still relatively small businesses, and some are solo operations. “It’s a significant drain on time and resources that are hard to quantify in terms of dollars,” admits Keeley founder Robert Keeley

Some of the impact can be quantified, however. JHS Pedals’ Steve Offut puts some numbers on it: “A standard stomp switch used to cost around $1.10-$1.50 before tariffs,” he says. “At one point, that price surged to over $3-4 due to the 180% tariffs. Other raw materials and electronic components have generally doubled or tripled in price – including the combined impact of tariffs and cost increases – if sourced from China.”

JHS uses a lot of footswitches a year – roughly 100,000. Tariffs remaining this high would mean an extra expense of $200,000 annually, just for a single component. Now apply that to audio jacks, resistors, capacitors…

Companies have in many cases been thrown into complete limbo by the chaos. EveAnna Manley of Manley Laboratories notes that tariff rates have changed “50 times in the past two months”. As a result, her company has larger-value parts orders on hold, trying to wait out the storm. “We couldn’t afford to pay 180% duties on an order of parts we had already paid $10K for, only to have that rate come down to 55% a week later. What kind of chump would we have been if we had paid out $18,000 to the Trump administration for that order?” she says.

But even if the USA does start its own domestic electronics industry, Steve Offut calls attention to how long that might take. “Companies like JHS Pedals could be at risk of failure if these ongoing tariffs persist long before a domestic electronics manufacturing plant could successfully be established,” he says. And – “even if such a plant were created, it would still likely depend on raw materials imported from China.”

If things don’t change? “By late 2025, we will be impacted heavily,” says JHS founder Josh Scott. “Prices will rise, sales will drop due to that and we may be facing mass layoffs by 2026 in a worst case scenario.”

For other brands, the worst-case scenario is starker still – EarthQuaker’s Robbins has previously raised that these measures threaten the very existence of the company, outside of laying off staff. This was echoed by multiple companies, who said that if things don’t change in the next year, closure is a real possibility.

Routes to survival

Almost every brand we spoke to does all of its assembly in the US – a common exception was surface-mount components, as not every pedal maker can afford in-house SMT population. However, outsourcing more of their assembly processes overseas – perhaps all of it – is one route that companies are contemplating in order to survive the post-tariff US.

Walrus Audio’s Colt Westbrook, for instance, admits that “it would be cheaper to offshore manufacturing and pay tariffs on a finished product than it would be to source components, pay tariffs, and then pay for the US manufacturing model.”

However, Westbrook is understandably reluctant to change Walrus’ business model: “we could offshore our manufacturing and scale down to 8-10 employees, but job-making is my God-given passion. These are full-time W-2’d [salaried company employees] folks who have full health, dental, vision, matching 401(k), PTO, and free LaCroix in the fridge.”.

This is the cruel irony of the situation, of course. Brands are being forced to consider moving work overseas by measures that are ostensibly there to bolster the US economy, and ‘level the playing field.’ Many of the people that we spoke to were frustrated by this self-contradiction.

“We are committed to providing solid, stable jobs here in the US for as long as we can,” insists Ryan Shaefer, owner of Hologram Electronics. “But I imagine that if the tariffs persist, many companies will come to the same conclusion – the US is now the least competitive place on planet earth to manufacture something. How could a US company that has to pay tariffs on every single imported part hope to compete with companies outside the US that don’t?”

Offut writes that JHS isn’t making any immediate moves to offshore existing production, as the company has “a solid supply of materials and enough inventory to last us 8 to 12 months”. However he does admit that “overall, there is strong evidence that offshoring could emerge as the more cost effective option which may prove to have unintentional consequences of staff downsizing – the loss of American jobs – which I’m sure no administration is fond of.”

What can be done?

In the grand scheme of things, the impact on small electronics companies might not register highly on most people’s major concerns about the current US administration. But it is clear from what industry figures are saying – if things don’t change, the US pedal industry as we know it will start to collapse.

So if you’re US-based and value the output and indeed the attitudes of any of the companies mentioned, you should add the tariffs and their destructive potential to the things you’re hopefully already contacting your representative about.

Right now, however, lawmakers seem more inclined to ensure that everyone faces these tariffs, regardless of their impact. Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno recently blocked a bill that might have exempted small businesses, for example.

It also bears repeating that this needs to be talked about more. It is unprecedented to see this many major figures in our industry talk this candidly on the record about layoffs and closure. But it speaks to the severity of the situation at hand.

Burying discussion about this is not helpful, nor is denying the real problems people are facing. This is not some hypothetical worst-case scenario – it is happening now, and it is already starting to uproot an industry that all of us as guitarists and musicians care about.

Julie Robbins’ work and testimony in front of a Senate hearing about the impact of the tariffs is to be commended, of course – however there is more to be done. Industry figures spoke to us in huge detail about the challenges they’re facing, and in the coming weeks we will be exploring what they have to say further.

The US pedal industry has been the lifeblood of guitar culture over the last decade, but it’s one that’s being placed under existential threat thanks to Trump’s tariffs.

The post “Prices will rise and we may be facing mass layoffs”: why boutique pedal makers fear tariffs will destroy the entire US pedal industry appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information, head to Fender.

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