Guitar.com

It’s at least 20 years now since the boutique stompbox industry really took off – and while makers have had to deal with some economic ups and downs over that period, for tone-hungry guitar players this is the boom that just keeps on booming. That’s especially true in the marvellously mucky world of overdrive, distortion and fuzz.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with the classics: if you want to stick with established noise makers like the Ibanez Tube Screamer, ProCo Rat and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, they’re all still around and still sounding fabulous – as are their countless clones and tributes. But this is a great time for pedal buyers in search of something a little bit different.

All the pedals on this list have been launched with the intention of offering an alternative to the usual staples. That doesn’t mean they all sound like barking jackals or faulty washing machines, though: this is a highly diverse selection of products, and some of them are actually very tasteful indeed.

Most are from North America but there are also representatives of the UK and mainland Europe – even prim little Switzerland! – and while not all of them can claim to be truly ‘boutique’ or even ‘indie’, each one has the tones to be worth taking a chance on.

At a glance:

• Best pedal for fuzzy chaos: Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz
• Best combined overdrive and clean boost: Twilight Pulse Audioworks Konstante
• Best Tube Screamer alternative: DOD Badder Monkey
• Best pedal for black-panel crunch: Superlunar SR-01
• Best vintage-voiced fuzz: Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver
• Best fuzz for shoegaze: RhPf Electronics Mosrawr
• Best all-rounder: Silktone Expander
• Best fuzz with modulation: Blue FX Fuzz Fields
• Best dual overdrive: Warm Audio Throne of Tone
• Best pedal for tweed crunch: Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J
• Why you can trust Guitar.com

[products ids=”35Ubqd1KOWbTnTkvfJFVzq,6BbyuvAWsBTITDLB2cg3nO,3JTznZ31lejnDlsTEaqcG7,1iiNgEI4sPiUm3KcPVNzeY,6BzcEE8sICzQQr55WjIcD,2ah9J6GxPwFlVLQmQQrEJg,5XUXC9hsdNyxAUXvhzLBPC,2cSkTTNyAP5eYbUc6cFG95,3t8H2AnuDNM56kz36chZFC,4qMfIAGsmEgBkRFyeJWtmW”]

Best pedal for fuzzy chaos: Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz

[products ids=”35Ubqd1KOWbTnTkvfJFVzq”]

You know pretty much what this one’s about just from the name – at least, you do if you’re a fan of British alt-rock gods Muse. Frontman Matt Bellamy is the majority shareholder in Manson these days, and the Devon guitar maker’s first stompbox is a bold and belligerent fuzz that nods to the band’s biggest hit, Supermassive Black Hole.

But this hefty unit, built in collaboration with ThorpyFX, is not just about bringing the colossalness while you strut across an imaginary stadium stage – it also has an extremely powerful EQ filter with adjustable bandwidth and a footswitchable ‘peak’ mode for fruity feature sounds that will leap out from any mix.

Need more? Read our Manson Supermassive Black Fuzz review.

Best combined overdrive and clean boost: Twilight Pulse Audioworks Konstante

[products ids=”6BbyuvAWsBTITDLB2cg3nO”]

If we hop to the opposite end of the scuzz spectrum, we find the Konstante: a drive and boost pedal that’s about as recklessly noisy as a sleeping cat… and very nearly as adorable.

The left side of this compact unit is based on the Greer Lightspeed, a hugely popular boutique overdrive that specialises in adding dirt without colouring your tone too much; and the right side is inspired by the preamp of an old Echoplex tape delay. Neither one is especially radical on its own, but the way you can combine them – in either order – makes this German-made stomper unusually flexible, and a bit of a low-key gem.

Need more? Read our Twilight Pulse Audioworks Konstante review.

Best Tube Screamer alternative: DOD Badder Monkey

[products ids=”3JTznZ31lejnDlsTEaqcG7″]

The story behind the Badder Monkey is, frankly, a bit silly. But there’s nothing silly about the performance of the pedal itself – an enhanced reissue of the Bad Monkey made in the early 2000s by DOD’s sister brand DigiTech. That was a simple overdrive in the Tube Screamer vein, and it wasn’t much missed… until Josh Scott, JHS Pedals boss and one-man YouTube infestation, published a video suggesting it could sound as good as the almighty Klon Centaur.

The fact is, the Badder Monkey only exists because of the hype generated by that moment. That’s nothing to complain about, though: this new pedal is not just a remake but a much more versatile overdrive with a unique ‘barrel’ control that blends between three different variants of the circuit, and it sounds ace. Thanks, Josh!

Need more? Read our DOD Badder Monkey review.

Best pedal for black-panel crunch: Superlunar SR-01

[products ids=”1iiNgEI4sPiUm3KcPVNzeY”]

The hardest thing to do with this boost, drive and fuzz pedal is tear your eyes away from its stunning asymmetrical design for long enough to start playing. And the second-hardest thing is to stop playing, because it sounds very nearly as tasty as it looks.

The SR-01 sets out to recreate the tones of a mid-60s Fender amp, ranging from mild breakup all the way through to the kind of raggedly fuzzy mayhem that you’d only get from the real thing by cranking it up to full blast and making your housemates cry. The controls don’t always feel intuitive, but it nails every aspect of the brief.

Need more? Read our Superlunar SR-01 review.

Best vintage-voiced fuzz: Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver

[products ids=”6BzcEE8sICzQQr55WjIcD”]

If you’re hunting for new tones, 1971 might not seem like the most obvious place to look… but the Colorsound Overdriver is a forgotten giant of early British fuzz, and this cheeky little chunk is proof that you don’t have to rely on the usual Fuzz Face and Tone Bender circuits if you want to sound huge and hairy.

In fact, this pedal from Tru-Fi’s new Mini range includes recreations of two Colorsound models: flick up the toggle switch and you get the 1969 Power Boost, which is simply the Overdriver running on 18v instead of 9v. Both are very much vintage in character, and surprisingly versatile.

Need more? Read our Tru-Fi Mini ’71 Colordriver review.

Best fuzz for shoegaze: RhPf Electronics Mosrawr

[products ids=”2ah9J6GxPwFlVLQmQQrEJg”]

This is a high-gain fuzz that sounds great on its own, but what it really wants to do is hang out with other, like-minded pedals and create towering walls of noise together. Because the Swiss-made Mosrawr from RhPf Electronics is specifically designed for “shoegaze, noise rock and post-rock”.

In tonal terms, that means it’s extremely gnarly and has a strong midrange to ensure it stays clear in the mix, never dissolving into washiness even when it’s running through excessive delay and/or reverb. It works brilliantly as a tool to bring the rage to your soundscaping adventures… and as a not inconsiderable bonus, it’s got a bright pink dinosaur on it.

Need more? Read our RhPf Electronics Mosrawr review.

Best all-rounder: Silktone Expander

[products ids=”5XUXC9hsdNyxAUXvhzLBPC”]

The really smart thing about this ultra-high-class American boutique overdrive is its tone control… or, to look at it another way, the fact that it doesn’t have one. What the Silktone Expander does have is a ‘choke’ knob for rolling off the lower frequencies and a three-way toggle switch for dark, normal or bright voicing. And that’s quite the potent pairing.

Yes, it takes a while to properly get the best out of such an unconventional EQ setup, but the array of different tones on offer here is amazing – aided by a gain range that covers everything from crispy grit to splatty fuzz, with lots of lovely crunch sounds in between.

Need more? Read our Silktone Expander review.

Best fuzz with modulation: Blue FX Fuzz Fields

[products ids=”2cSkTTNyAP5eYbUc6cFG95″]

The key with this Danish-built stomper is supposed to be all the things it can do beyond fuzz – including tremolo, vibrato and synthy envelope-following sweeps – but wait! If you’re in too much of a hurry to explore all the kooky stuff you’ll miss the best bit. Yes, the extra tricks are great, and make this a truly unique stompbox, but underpinning all that is a core fuzz voice that’s rich, smooth and downright enormous.

The Blue FX Fuzz Fields is an expensive bit of kit – especially if you pay extra for the ‘It’ control module, which is definitely worth getting to unlock all the rhythmic effects – and it’s also on the complicated side. But fuzzes with filtering and modulation don’t get better than this.

Need more? Read our Blue FX Fuzz Fields review.

Best dual overdrive: Warm Audio Throne of Tone

[products ids=”3t8H2AnuDNM56kz36chZFC”]

On the face of it, the Warm Audio Throne of Tone has no business being on this list: it’s just a couple of clones in one box, isn’t it? Well, no, not quite. The basics are, indeed, basic – it’s a dual overdrive based on the Marshall Bluesbreaker and Analogman King of Tone – but then you notice that it’s got eight knobs and seven toggle switches, and realise (unless you’re very bad at maths) that there must be something more going on here.

In fact, both sides of this pedal are identical, and each can be set to either circuit – so you can have two Bluesbreakers, a full double King, or one running into the other in either order. You also get an added presence control on each side, making this way more versatile than the average two-in-one drive.

Need more? Read our Warm Audio Throne of Tone review.

Best pedal for tweed crunch: Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J

[products ids=”4qMfIAGsmEgBkRFyeJWtmW”]

The first thing that marks this out as no ordinary drive pedal is the sketchy handwritten scrawl of the control panel; the second is the fact that two of those controls are marked ‘Response’ and ‘Supply’. Intriguing… and even more so when you clock that the two designers behind this collab are Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX and Jesse Hoff of Lazy J Projects.

This is, essentially, Jesse’s J 20 combo – one of the best tweed-style amplifiers you can buy – in stompbox form. The angle is ultra-realism, in feel as well as tone. You get footswitchable normal and bright channels, and even a toggle switch for flipping between simulated 12AX7 and 12AY7 preamp valves. This might be the ultimate overdrive for people who don’t like their pedals too… well, pedally.

Need more? Read our Lazy J x ThorpyFX The J review.

Why You Can Trust Us

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

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

The post Alternative rockers: 10 cool new dirt pedals you need in 2026 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Ad feature with Yamaha

For decades, Yamaha’s Pacifica has been a byword for quality and reliability at the affordable end of the guitar spectrum. In fact, if you’re reading this there’s a good chance that you made your start on a Pacifica guitar that offered a level of sound, playability and build that vastly outperformed its humble price tag.

But in the last few years, you’ll have noticed the buzz around the Pacifica change somewhat. Back at NAMM 2024, Yamaha revealed the brand new Pacifica Professional and Standard Plus guitars – instruments that redefined what people expected when they saw that iconic Pacifica logo on a guitar’s headstock. The new Pacificas were the result of years of research and development of the kind that only Yamaha could do – painstakingly reimagining the brand’s most successful and famous guitar for a new era, and a new type of player.

And that was the most interesting thing of all – Yamaha wasn’t just speaking to beginner guitar players to find out what they needed, they were speaking to professionals, artists: those whose experience was vast and whose requirements were exacting.

Plenty of other student-focused guitars have evolved to find themselves deployed across the biggest stages and the biggest stars – it was Pacifica’s turn. There will always be a Pacifica guitar for the beginner of course, but Yamaha knew it was time for model to spread its wings and show just how good it can be – and for 2026, this revolution is reaching a whole new level.

Single Minded

The single-cut Pacifica has been something of a cult hit among aficionados of the model. It hasn’t been a regular feature in the brand’s line-up since the late 90s, but earlier this year that changed with the launch of the Pacifica SC in both Japan-made Professional and Standard Plus configurations. Instantly, artists stood up and took notice.

In a few short months, the guitar has found its way into the hands of some of the most respected musicians in their fields, in a way that few Pacifica guitars before have done. But that’s actually quite fitting.

Because real ones will know that while the single-cut hasn’t been in the standard Pacifica line for decades, it has lived on in the shape of Yamaha’s only Pacifica signature model – the Japan-made 1611 Mike Stern. The modern SC takes the torch that jazz virtuoso Stern has been carrying for years and pushes it to another level, and he’s no longer alone in singing its praises.

One of the SC’s early adopters is Britpop legend Graham Coxon. The Blur guitarist used a single-cut guitar to craft some of the most iconic and inventive guitar riffs of the 90s, but he was also informally involved in the development of the model with Yamaha. We did say they’d been consulting with professionals… they weren’t doing things by half measures.

But Coxon’s interest in the Pacifica SC has been more than just as a consultant – he’s come to really love the guitar as he’s spent more time with it.

“The neck is very comfortable,” Coxon explains. “The guitar seems to disappear when playing it leaving nothing between you and the sound, and those Rupert Neve pickups are flipping amazing! This guitar is getting a lot of use in the studio right now.”

Another artist who’s flying the flag for the Pacifica SC is Jack Taylor from rising British indie band Corella, and as is often the case with a Yamaha guitar, the craftsmanship and consistency have helped make him a convert.

“When I first picked up the new Pacifica SC I was really impressed by the overall build quality, every detail felt as though it’d been properly thought through and designed with intention,” Jack explains. “The stand out feature for me is the playability, it’s so easy to play I’ve found myself reaching for it more and more in our live shows. The pickups also sound great, they’re super dynamic and responsive, whilst being really defined in the top end.”

Pushing The Boundaries

That artists are falling in love with the Pacifica SC is no surprise – it’s one of the most thoughtfully and carefully designed electric guitars on the market today, with every aspect of the design contributing to the whole.

You can see it in the body itself, which is meticulously contoured for maximum comfort. It’s a far more ergonomic proposition than a traditional single-cut, while the smoothly carved neck joint heel, and perfectly balanced design provide effortless upper fret access that allows you immersive, stress-free playing.

That body also takes advantage of Yamaha’s innovative Acoustic Design technology – a process of precisely routing the body wood to maximise resonance and vibration through the neck, and thereby enhancing the sustain.

You’ll also find it in the Reflectone pickups that Coxon was raving about. Designed in collaboration with Rupert Neve Designs, these SH pickups deliver clear, articulate tones with solid lows and sparkling highs, with the EQ-shaping Focus switch adding further tone-shaping options.

Combine all this with premium hardware from Gotoh, a wonderful selection of eye-catching classic colours, and great looks, and it’s no wonder that artists are falling head over heels with the Pacifica SC.

“I love the new Pacifica SC, it’s such a player’s guitar,” enthuses Circa Waves guitarist Joe Falconer. “It puts out a broad selection of tones that are practical in almost any situation in the studio and on stage. I love how it feels in my hands and it’ll definitely be a workhorse for me on tour over the summer.”
The professionals are already getting the message, isn’t it time for you to see if the Pacifica SC can be your new workhorse too?

Find out more about the Pacifica SC at yamahaguitargroup.com

The post “It’s such a player’s guitar”: how the Pacifica SC is shifting the perception of Yamaha’s most popular instrument appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

When it comes to wacky guitar design, Michael Angelo Batio has a strong claim to the crown. You probably already know him for his double neck guitar, which unlike a standard double neck guitar features two necks facing in opposite directions, but he also once designed something far weirder: a guitar with four necks.

And in a new interview with Guitar World, the guitarist recalls how a sort of rivalry with virtuoso Steve Vai led his label to push him to expand his design horizons (even further than they already were).

• READ MORE: “It became a very expensive hobby – we were getting barred from hotels we liked to stay in”: Inside the raucous touring world of the Eagles in the ’70s

He explains that the inverted-commas “rivalry” came about after Vai revealed his triple-neck heart guitar while performing with David Lee Roth.

“What happened was, I had a two-neck guitar, and then Steve Vai came out with his three-neck heart guitar. My label wanted me to challenge Steve to a duel. I didn’t see the point in competitions like that.”

Adding that he didn’t want to partake in a sort of real life Crossroads guitar duel, Batio continues: “The label went, ‘Michael… Steve’s got three necks and you have two. You know what you need?’ And I went, ‘Four.’ They loved it. 

“As it happened, Wayne Charvel was building all my guitars. I said to him, ‘Can you do this?’ He said, ‘Sure.’ I have a good engineering mind for guitar design, so I designed the Quad. I told him how I thought it should be four separate guitars, and that was that. It was the wildest thing. There was no limit to what we were trying to do.”

Michael Angelo Batio ultimately debuted the Quad guitar – which featured two seven-strings on top and two six-strings on the bottom – in the 1989 music video for Nitro’s Freight Train. Check it out below:

The post “The label went, ‘Steve’s got three necks and you have two. You know what you need?’ And I went, ‘Four’”: The story behind Michael Angelo Batio’s ludicrous quadruple-neck guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Following the departure of founding guitarist Bernie Leadon in 1975 – which followed a period of creative tension and ultimately a confrontation with Glenn Frey where Leadon poured a beer over Frey’s head – the Eagles were imbued with a new rock streak with the entry of Joe Walsh.

But as Don Henley explains in the latest issue of Guitar World, the introduction of Walsh meant the raucous rock ‘n’ roll antics soon followed.

• READ MORE: Ronnie Wood announces new UK and Germany solo shows due to overwhelming demand

Henley explains how the addition of Walsh into the fold helped spring the band – and guitarist Don Felder – forward.

“Joe, being a bona fide rock ‘n’ roll guitar slinger, was the perfect foil for Don Felder,” he says. “They propelled one another in a friendly-but-competitive sort of way. We had upped our horsepower. This is not to take anything away from Bernie, who was – and still is – a highly-skilled musician.”

Joe Walsh also kicked the unruliness up a notch, as Henley continues: “Keith Moon [The Who drummer] and Joe were good buddies, and that, of course, led to some mischief.

“It was amusing for a little while, but it eventually became a very expensive hobby, and we were beginning to get barred from some of the hotels we liked to stay in. So after a while, the chainsaws got locked away in storage and other kinds of dramas replaced the ‘remodelling’ of rooms and hallways… But, at least Joe got a hit song out of it! [1978’s Life’s Been Good].”

Last year, Don Felder re-recorded his 1981 solo cut Heavy Metal (Takin’ a Ride) for his latest album The Vault – Fifty Years of Music. The song has roots in the Eagles’ late-’70s heyday, and was originally written as the ultimate guitar showdown between he and Joe Walsh.

The song was written in the wake of the band’s career-defining album and smash hit track Hotel California. 

“It had a real kind of heavy hand to it and I wrote it so that Joe and I could play even harder than we did – or edgier than we did – on Hotel California, against each other,” he said. “It had harmony parts, trading-off solos and a much harder rock edge.”

The post “It became a very expensive hobby – we were getting barred from hotels we liked to stay in”: Inside the raucous touring world of the Eagles in the ’70s appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Imagine having the ability to visually customise your very own Mesa Boogie amplifier online before ordering it? Now, at Sweetwater, you can.

Thanks to a new partnership between the retail giant and legendary amp maker, a new interactive Custom Amp Configurator lets customers do exactly that, creating one-of-a-kind amps that “reflect their personal style and creative vision”.

At launch, Sweetwater’s Mesa Boogie configurator features over a dozen different amp models, with more amps and custom options to come “soon”.

• READ MORE: Epiphone unveils the all-new Futura Series – seven classic Gibson shapes with metal-ready pickups and colour-shifting finishes

Customers can choose from a range of base models, including combos like the Fillmore 50, Mark Five and Mark Seven, heads including the ‘90s Dual Rectifier, Triple Crown 100 and even the JP-2C John Petrucci Signature, plus a range of cabinets.

From there, choose your material – there’s some pretty out-there options aside from the classic black or monochrome, including red or orange… – then top panel colour, grille, piping, corners and handle. You can pick any combination of colour options for each of these, with “millions of possible combinations available”, according to Sweetwater.

“The goal of the configurator is to let people truly visualise the Mesa Boogie amp they’ve been dreaming of,” says Matt Duncan, Vice President of Merchandising Operations at Sweetwater.

“When customers visit Sweetwater, they can customise their amp in real time by selecting model, custom details, and colour, and instantly see an amp that inspires them to create more music.”

“At Mesa Boogie, we’ve been crafting custom amplifiers from the very beginning, and partnering with Sweetwater allows us to elevate that tradition in an exciting new way,” adds Barry Staller, Amplifier Business Development Manager at Gibson (Mesa Boogie’s parent company).

“Our new configurator empowers players to shape their dream amp with ease and creativity. Sweetwater has always championed Mesa Boogie, and we can’t wait to see the remarkable custom builds musicians imagine.”

Check out the Mesa Boogie Custom Amp Configurator at Sweetwater, and start designing your own right now…

The post This Custom Amp Configurator from Sweetwater and Mesa Boogie lets you design the amp of your wildest dreams appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Last month, Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood announced a rare solo show at Amsterdam’s Paradiso, to take place in September. The gig sold out in minutes, and when he added a second night due to the phenomenal demand, so, too, did the second.

Now, due to the continued demand, Ronnie Wood has added a pair of new dates to his 2026 touring itinerary, with a show at London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum on 21 August and Cologne’s E-Werk on 3 September.

• READ MORE: Ronnie Wood remembers living with “sweet man” Jimi Hendrix: “He’d just sit back and play right-handed or left-handed – that blew my mind”

Described as an “opportunity to see one of the world’s most iconic guitarists outside of his stadium performances with the Rolling Stones”, the shows will mark the first full live solo sets Ronnie Wood has played in over 16 years.

Joining Ronnie Wood and his band on the dates will be his close friend, Irish singer-songwriter Imelda May, who he’s collaborated with numerous times on record, plus live, including at the 2023 Jeff Beck Tribute Concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

“I’m looking forward to kickin’ ass with my back catalogue and some new songs – look out, London!” Ronnie says.

Elsewhere, Ronnie Wood has a new book coming out this year, Fearless: The Anthology, in which he’ll chart some of the most defining moments of his career, from performing in London clubs with The Birds in the ‘60s to his five decades with the Rolling Stones. The new edition will also open up Ronnie Wood’s instrument archive, showcasing a selection of his legendary guitars and rare instruments via special photography.

In an extract exclusively shared with Guitar.com, Ronnie remembers living with guitar icon Jimi Hendrix in the late ‘60s, saying he was a “quiet flatmate”.

“He’d just sit back and play right-handed or left-handed guitar – that ambidextrousness blew my mind. If I try to play left-handed it’s like giving a child a guitar.

Ronnie Wood’s Fearless: The Anthology is available now for pre-order. Tickets for his new London and Cologne shows go on sale this Friday, 24 April at 10am local time.

The post Ronnie Wood announces new UK and Germany solo shows due to overwhelming demand appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Looking for a cheap and cheerful guitar to use at home? Or maybe you’re a beginner and you’re looking for a budget-friendly model to get you started? Well, look no further than Guitar Center’s Guitar-A-Thon sale, where over 20 Squier models are currently reduced.

All of the Squier models that are reduced online are below $700, with the cheapest coming in at $149.99. From Stratocasters to Telecasters, and even Mustangs and Jazzmasters, there’s something for all players, and you can even save on handy bundles including soft cases, straps, and mini amps to get you started.

[deals ids=”1C7yitDz0bZnLLRzpNGQUS”]

Just one one of the highlights is the limited-edition Squier Sonic Stratocaster in a Surf Green finish. This model is now reduced to $187.49, and offers a slim C-shaped neck profile and a thin, lightweight poplar body for comfort. It’s loaded with a trio of Squier ceramic single-coil pickups and has a five-way pickup switch, master volume and two tone controls for sound shaping.

• READ MORE: Epiphone unveils the all-new Futura Series – seven classic Gibson shapes with metal-ready pickups and colour-shifting finishes

Another Sonic model, exclusive to Guitar Center, is the uber-cool Squier Sonic Mustang in Graffiti Yellow, completed by a laurel fingerboard and a thin, lightweight body, a pair of Squier single-coil pickups, and a short 24” scale length. And speaking of short scale length, be sure to check out the limited-edition Mini Stratocaster, which is perfect for small players and is now $149.99.

If you’re looking for something with humbucking power, the Squier Affinity Series Telecaster HH is currently reduced as part of the Guitar-A-Thon in an open-box deal. It offers a slim C neck and maple fingerboard, and two humbucking pickups featuring an open-coil design for a “brighter, tighter tone”, according to Guitar Center.

If you’re a complete beginner looking to get all the basic necessities to start playing, including amps, cables and plectrums, then there are four bundle deals included in the sale. These are:

• Sonic Stratocaster limited-edition model in Arctic White
• Sonic Stratocaster limited-edition model with Maple fingerboard, in Sonic Blue
• Sonic Stratocaster in Black
• Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster in Black

To view the full range of Squier deals in the Guitar-A-Thon, head over to Guitar Center.

The post These budget-friendly guitars just got even cheaper – check out all the Squier deals in Guitar Center’s Guitar-A-Thon sale appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

If you’re looking to play shows in dimly lit environments, you’d better know your guitar’s fretboard inside out. And how’s best to get to that point? As Billy Corgan would tell you, by practicing at length in total darkness.

In a new conversation on the And The Writer Is… podcast [via Guitar World], the Smashing Pumpkins frontman recalls his unusual practice regimen of practicing for four hours a day in the dark.

• READ MORE: Iron Maiden aren’t attending their Rock Hall induction ceremony – but not for the reason you might think

“I was the type of guy who would have a record on eight hours a day. I was literally that guy,” Corgan says, before elaborating on his decision to develop an obsessively strict practice schedule.

“I was like, ‘Okay, if I’m going to do this, I’m really going to do it.’ I made this weird decision that day: I’m going to play four hours a day. I don’t know why I picked four hours a day. I would time myself, and I would get up in the middle of night, play it in the middle of the night, in the dark, no light, and just learn how to play the guitar without seeing it.”

Corgan ultimately set a goal to practice guitar for four hours a day for four years in a row, and as you might predict, stuck to his goal.

“When I hit the four-year anniversary, I was like, ‘I’m good.’ I still practiced, but not like I did.”

So what do you think – is practicing at length in pitch-black darkness a smart way to get to know your guitar inside out, or a little overkill? We might give it a go and find out…

In the same interview, Billy Corgan touches on AI, and outlines his staunch opposition to the technology in music.

“You didn’t ask me, but I’m gonna make a declaratory statement,” he says. “I refuse, refuse, patently refuse to use AI in my music creation. Because, to me, it’s a deal with the devil. Simple. Whether it’s the Promethean fire myth or whatever, to me you’re literally leaning into the thing that will destroy you. Period.”

Watch the full podcast episode below:

The post Why Billy Corgan practiced guitar for years in total darkness appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

If you’ve ever listened to The War On Drugs, you’ve probably guessed that frontman and guitarist Adam Granduciel likes his effects pedals. But you only have to broach the topic with him for a moment before it becomes apparent that he doesn’t just like pedals – he loves pedals.

• READ MORE: Courtney Barnett on Kurt Cobain Jaguars, writing for the song, and why she’s learned to push down the feeling she’s “wasting everyone’s time” to nail her guitar solos
  

“I wake up every morning thinking about what’s on my pedalboard,” he explains. “And I have so many pedalboards everywhere. I love that feeling of when you plug into one and just think, ‘Oh, that’s amazing!’”

The wonderfully dense, effected soundscapes that Granduciel has crafted to Grammy Winning-success across The War On Drugs’ discography is also notable for how heavily he leans not into the modern world of boutique effects, but the everyman excellence of the humble Boss pedal. Indeed, such is his love of Boss pedals, when we catch up with him backstage at the 2026 NAMM Show, he’s about to be honoured by Boss with a lifetime achievement award for his enduring and abiding love of the brand’s pedals – both new and old. It was a subject he was very keen to talk more about…

When did you first become aware of Boss pedals?

“I feel like, before even getting my own guitar, I was aware of Boss, because any picture you’d see when I started playing, of any band, on the floor you’d see like, yellow square, red square, purple square… y’know?

“Around this time, my friend Jeff’s dad, he had a red Washburn, a Boss RT digital effects system and a huge Peavey or whatever. And he encouraged me to play it. And the first time I played it, I couldn’t believe what I had experienced. All this chorus and distortion! So from the first time I played, I was just like I’ve got to get that sound. So I think pretty quickly I was aware of the gear that was making those things.

“I think I got my own guitar maybe a year later, and I bought Boss Flanger, and I borrowed someone’s DS-1. And then you know how it is, someone else has some other Boss pedal and so you plug into that and it’s amazing.

“And multi-effects were big then too – and they had an expression pedal! Man, I wanted one of those. But my mom was like, No, that’s too many! Just get one! So I got a flanger and maybe a wah. Boss is just one of those things that is synonymous with electric guitar playing for me.”

Obviously you could use anything at this point, what is it about Boss pedals that keeps you sticking with them?

“The sounds are just the best. I like an original 70s chorus, and then there’s an 80s one I use all the time, the pink Digital Dimension pedal, which I use on keyboards, guitar, and for re-amping. And then there’s the Slow Gear, which I use all the time, and the Dynamic Filter, which is like an auto-wah – there’s so many.

“Boss stuff, it’s all incredibly easy to figure out how to use. I was just thinking that because, [Adam starts playing around with a Roland drum machine on the desk in front of him] I can get this cooking in like, nine seconds, and it’s all just very intuitive. And that’s just the same with the Boss pedal. It just makes sense immediately, what you’re doing with it, yeah? And it’s always just been the most reliable thing, you know? Even the Boss tuner. If it’s not a Boss tuner, I don’t really trust it!”

You’re a guitar player who uses effects in such an involved but considered way, why do you love them so much?

“I’m not a guitar player who can just plug straight into a Marshall and that’s all I need – that’s not how I got into guitar. I’ve always been more into playing with like, delay and reverb. Or being like, ‘Oh, what does this modulation do?’ My style is about finding textures and ways to express myself with a guitar that feels like it’s an extension of my voice.”

Has that always been the case?

“Even when I started recording myself, it was on a Boss recorder that had all the effects sounds built into it. So I had a mic, and I would just plug the mic into the input and play the acoustic and through the headphones, it would sound like a rock guitar!

“You could add all the shit to it, and start coming up with worlds, you know? And it was a way of recording that, for me, was way cooler than, like a cassette four-track, because I didn’t have much gear. It was just like a guitar and recorder, really.”

You must still love the experimental side of pedals too…

“I have one rig at home that’s just like, seven chorus pedals with a wah at the end! Just to be like, ‘Maybe this could be something cool’. And then the studio, there’s all these different boards around. And always if I get bored, or the engineer’s like doing a mix, I’ll just start building a board! You know, get the Dual Lock! I don’t know, at this point, it’s just a way of life, you know?”

Is that experimentation maybe turning into a new The War On Drugs album?

“Yeah I’m almost done making a record, and we’re close to the end. I wanted to do something that’s not different, necessarily, in terms of the way it sounds, but something that’s trying to get back to the first couple of records I made.

“So it’s basically fully homemade. I mean, people always joke because I’m like, ‘I want to make a homemade record’. And they come to my house and my studio is like, vintage API and all my Neve stuff… and they’re like, ‘This is a homemade record?!’

“But the only way I could do this record is if I had all the time and the access to be able to do it the way I want. So, it’s coming along, but I just work on it all the time. It still sounds like a band, but there’s all sorts of stuff.”

Are there any new pedals that are heavily featuring on the new record?

“It’s always similar ones, like the Digital Dimension. I did get a Bi-Phase recently, a vintage one, so I put that on everything! I traded a whole bunch of stuff to a kid for a Bi-Phase!”

Finally then, if you could only have one Boss pedal, which one would it be?

“Oh, the Digital Dimension from the 80s. I put it on everything. It’s usually always on. I’ll have one at one setting and another one after a different setting. It just adds a glassiness. It’s not like a wobbly chorus, it’s like a very high-end shimmer. It just has something. It’s only four knobs, you know – but sometimes all of them are all the way up!”

The post “I wake up every morning thinking about what’s on my pedalboard” Adam Granduciel on his love of effects and the next The War On Drugs album appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Many of the world’s most influential guitar players have had statues made in their honour commemorating their enduring impact. And the ones that don’t are regularly at the heart of fierce campaigns to have them recognised.

In November, it was revealed that a campaign to erect a statue in Belfast in tribute to blues icon Gary Moore had been successful, and that creation was underway.

Now, Ozzy Obsourne’s once-right-hand man Randy Rhoads is the centre of a campaign to get his statue erected in his hometown of Burbank, California.

• READ MORE: Iron Maiden aren’t attending their Rock Hall induction ceremony – but not for the reason you might think

The Randy Rhoads Memorial Project – started by musician and Randy Rhoads fan Bill Lonero – already has the backing of Randy’s sister, Kathy Rhoads D’Argenzio, as well as former Ozzy Osbourne bassist Bob Daisley, music photographer Neil Zlozower and Rhoads’ former Quiet Riot bandmate, bassist Kelly Garni.

At the time of writing, a petition to make the Randy Rhoads statue a reality has amassed 5,200 verified signatures on Change.org.

“Randy Rhoads is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in rock history,” says Bill Lonero. “His groundbreaking work with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot reshaped heavy metal, inspired generations of musicians around the world, and set new standards for guitar performance and composition.”

“Burbank is not just where Randy lived, it’s where he grew, where he taught, where he inspired, and where his legacy truly began,” the petition adds. “Honoring him there is more than appropriate, it’s personal. It’s meaningful. It’s home.

“If there is any place in the world that deserves to celebrate Randy Rhoads and preserve his legacy for future generations, it is the city of Burbank. Now is the time to make that recognition permanent.”

To add your signature to the petition, head over to Change.org. You can learn more at the Randy Rhoads Memorial Project.

The post A petition has been started for a Randy Rhoads memorial statue in Burbank – and it’s gaining momentum fast appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Over his years playing in Deep Purple and Rainbow, Ritchie Blackmore has crossed paths with plenty of musicians – but that doesn’t mean he got on with all of them.

In a recent Instagram live to celebrate his 81st birthday, the guitarist reveals that, behind the scenes, he’s been quite disappointed by his guitar-playing peers. “Most guitar players aren’t nice people,” he jokingly admits.

• READ MORE: Ritchie Blackmore on how Jeff Beck would wrestle with self-doubt: “He was always reaching for something he couldn’t find”

However, that doesn’t extend to Tommy Bolin, the guitarist who joined Deep Purple in 1975 to replace Blackmore. “He was such a nice guy that I couldn’t believe he was a guitar player…” Blackmore says. “I would go around his house, and we’d often have fun just talking to each other.”

Though, he does note one flaw with Bolin’s approach to guitar. “I said to Tommy once, ‘When did you last change your strings?’ ‘cause they were so caked in dirt and grit,” he says. “And he looked at me, like, ‘I should change them?’ And I said, ‘Well, yeah.’ And he said, ‘Well, probably about five years ago!’ He was a brilliant player, a great player, but he never changed his guitar strings!”

View this post on Instagram

Regardless, Blackmore stands by Bolin’s skills and the value of his friendship. He concludes by saying: “There was never ever any envy, no competition whatsoever.”

Those themes of “envy” and “competition” seem to be at the centre of Blackmore’s “guitar players aren’t nice” claim; considering the rockstar ethos can come with a side of ‘ego’, it makes sense that a sense of competition and envying others might impact how nicely an artist treats their peers.

There’s plenty of competitiveness within the guitar world, with Exodus recently declaring themselves “faster” than thrash rivals Metallica and Megadeth. However, plenty of artists are trying to cut down on the toxic mindset of guitar-playing being a “competitive sport”.

Back in 2024, Swedish star Yngwie Malmsteen took to Instagram to encourage people to stop focusing on guitar rivalries and competitiveness. “Even if you are making a career out of it, if you play with the thought that I’m going to compete with another guitar player or another musician, you will be miserable,” he wrote. “Competition is for sports and athletes, not for guitar playing, period. [Guitar playing is] not a competition. The instrument of the guitar is to be played and enjoyed at any level.”

Last year, Mateus Asato shared similar reflections in his Guitar.com cover story. “After I won a guitar contest, I realised I never want to mix those things again in my life…” he said. “I understood that if I didn’t win, that would have probably sent me down a very melancholic road where I’d have probably decided that I did not want to play guitar any more… I know now that it’s not about competition.”

The post Ritchie Blackmore claims “most guitarists aren’t nice people” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

While the Foo Fighters aren’t known for having outwardly political lyrics, frontman Dave Grohl has previously stated that it’s “pretty easy to figure out where [he falls] on the map”. Consider the band’s response to Donald Trump’s 2024 election campaign, which saw him using the track My Hero without permission; the band denounced the usage, then donated all the royalties to Democrat Kamala Harris’ rivalling campaign.

In a new interview with the Irish Times, Grohl allows another glimpse into his political leanings, reflecting on how divided America is in its current state. “It’s hard not to feel political living in America, where we’re deeply divided,” he says. “There’s injustice, and there’s so much hate and fear, and it’s such a drag.”

• READ MORE: “I’d go back to my mother’s house and sleep in my childhood bed and feel like life is still real”: Dave Grohl on coping with Nirvana’s sudden mainstream success

“I try to love everyone, because I think that’s what you’re supposed to do – and I do,” he continues. “But there needs to be change in that direction, and it’s been hard to find in the States.”

While it’s unclear whether the upcoming Foo Fighters record, Your Favourite Toy, is set to explore more political themes, Grohl takes a moment to praise Neil Young’s candid political lyricism. “Fucking Neil Young is angrier than ever – jeez, Louise,” Grohl says.

Not only has Young previously pursued legal action against Trump for using his music without permission on presidential campaigns, but Young also released a track aimed at the US President just last year. Big Crime was directed squarely at Trump, with the rocker proclaiming: “Got to get the fascists out, got to clean the White House out… No more ‘great again’”

Back in 2017, following Trump’s first political win, Grohl voiced similar fears, noting how a “conservative wave” had washed over America. “I’m looking at a candidate that has blatant disregard for the future environmentally [or] when it comes to women’s rights,” he told Kerrang! magazine. “I have three daughters that are going to survive me for decades – how are they going to get on unless there’s some positive and progressive change?”

Grohl isn’t the only musician critiquing Trump at the moment. Just a few days ago, Jack White was hot on Trump’s tail following the President seemingly likening himself to Jesus Christ, posting an AI-generated image of him ‘healing’ veterans.

“How did so many millions of people fall for this conman?” White ponders in an Instagram post. “He’s already got worst President in the history of America on lock, but I’m gonna go ahead and take the honour of pronouncing Trump ‘Worst American of All Time.’”

The Foo Fighters’ new record, Your Favourite Toy, drops Friday 24 April.

The post “There’s so much hate and fear – it’s such a drag”: Dave Grohl speaks on the state of American politics appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

After many years of fans believing Iron Maiden were entitled to a place, the British metal icons are finally set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year. 

It turns out that Maiden won’t be attending the ceremony in November, but not for the reasons you might immediately think.

• READ MORE: “I wanted to give Ozzy one last hug, but I realised I probably wasn’t needed”: Gus G on his omission from Black Sabbath’s final concert
  

In the past, Bruce Dickinson – as well as bassist and bandleader Steve Harris – has spoken repeatedly about his disinterest in joining the Rock Hall, even calling the institution an “utter and complete load of bollocks” during a spoken word tour in 2018. He even said he’d “refuse” an induction if offered, according to the Jerusalem Post.

But their snub of the 2026 ceremony has nothing to do with their previous distaste for the institution, but rather due to scheduling conflicts, as the band will be in Australia on their Run For Your Lives tour.

“As the most observant have already noticed, the band will be on tour in Australia around the November date of the Induction ceremony for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Los Angeles,” Maiden manager Rod Smallwood tells Billboard [via Louder]. 

“In accepting, Iron Maiden made it very clear to the R&R HoF that the fans always come first and that the shows will of course go on.”

“We would like to assure all our fans in Australasia that the Australian and New Zealand dates will remain unaffected, and we look forward to bringing the Run For Your Lives Tour to them on the penultimate stop of our 50th anniversary celebrations.”

Smallwood thanked the Rock Hall for Iron Maiden’s induction last week, saying: “Iron Maiden have always been about our relationship with our fans above anything else, including awards and industry accolades. However, having said that, it’s always nice to be recognised and honoured for any achievements within the music industry too!”

Also among the list of 2026 Rock Hall inductees are Oasis, Billy Idol, Wu-Tang Clan, Joy Division/New Order and Phil Collins.

Like Iron Maiden, Oasis have shared similar less-than-positive takes on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the past, with Liam Gallagher writing on X after the announcement of Oasis’s induction last week, somewhat sarcastically:

“I wanna thank all the people who voted for us. It’s a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I’d dream about one day being in the RnR hall of fame. It’s true what they say, anything is possible if you have a dream.”

I wanna thank all the people who voted for us it’s a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I’d dream about 1 day being in the RnR hall of fame it’s true what they say anything is possible if you have a dream LG x

— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) April 14, 2026

This year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on 14 November.

Learn more at rockhall.com.

The post Iron Maiden aren’t attending their Rock Hall induction ceremony – but not for the reason you might think appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

From Metallica, to Guns N’ Roses, to Slayer, the Back To The Beginning line-up was certainly star-studded. However, not everyone was fortunate enough to receive an invite – including Ozzy Osbourne’s ex-guitarist, Gus G.

Despite serving as Ozzy’s lead guitarist between 2009 and 2017, Gus reveals that he was never asked to attend Black Sabbath’s triumphant farewell show. Speaking on the Signals From Mars podcast, he explains: “I would’ve definitely loved to be there. I really wanted to see Ozzy one last time, to give him one last hug.”

• READ MORE: “We wanted to do something a bit more fun. Keep people on their toes” Enter Shikari on surprise dropping their new record, and the importance of real live music

However, Gus doesn’t hold any resentment over his lack of invitation. Plenty of killer guitarists were in attendance, including his predecessor Zakk Wylde (who proved to be his eventual successor, when he reclaimed his role in Ozzy’s band in 2017). “I realise that I probably wasn’t really needed there – there were so many other people!” he admits. “So, it didn’t really bother me in that sense.”

Instead of ruminating on how he wasn’t able to attend, Gus instead focuses on how impressive the event was. “My mindset was more as a fan,” he explains. “When I saw the press release, I was like ‘Oh, cool! Ozzy’s finally doing his last show! He really wanted to get back on stage… and he’s gonna go out in the biggest way possible!’”

The excitement surrounding the gig was also somewhat overshadowed by one of Gus’ own personal milestones – the birth of his first child. “I had my kid the day before the show in Birmingham…” he smiles. “Wven if I was invited, I probably would’ve had to sit out of the rehearsals… I just came to the realisation that I had something much more important that I should be attending.”

While he may not have performed alongside Ozzy last July, nothing can take away Gus’ impact on Ozzy’s career. Even if we consider Nuno Bettencourt’s involvement in Back To The Beginning, the Extreme guitarist famously auditioned for Ozzy’s band and was ultimately turned down – Gus, in contrast, was Ozzy’s right-hand man for 8 strong years.

Not only is Gus is one of a small handful of guitarists to have served in Ozzy’s band, he also had the honour of appearing on Ozzy’s 2010 record, Scream. With all that in mind, Gus feels pretty positive about things. Whenever someone focuses on the “pity” of him not attending Ozzy’s last show, he believes that to be “looking at it from half-empty glass” perspective.

“You hear all these stories from all these incredible legendary players [about] how they auditioned… and then those guys never got the gig…” he reflects. “I’ve read a lot of those stories since Ozzy’s passing… and think ‘Wow, they must have auditioned everybody in Hollywood’. Just by putting all these stories together, [I can tell] how rare it was.”

“What were the chances of a guy like me – a kid from Greece, not even from America, that has really no history in heavy metal – to even get to that level,” he continues. “[To have the chance] to be there in that room with them and to get the stamp of approval. So, to me, that means everything. It’s like one of those stamp of approvals that is for life.”

He also expresses gratitude over just how long he was able to stand by Ozzy’s side. “It’s incredible that I got to do a whole album [with Ozzy], because I was originally signed to do an album and a tour, and I ended up being with the Osbournes for about seven years,” he explains. “I got a lot more time with Ozzy on stage and off stage than I was offered originally. So, I have no complaints.”

The post “I wanted to give Ozzy one last hug, but I realised I probably wasn’t needed”: Gus G on his omission from Black Sabbath’s final concert appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

The Grateful Dead have opened up their vast live archive with the launch of a dedicated streaming app, offering fans unprecedented access to decades of recordings pulled directly from the band’s vault.

Launched in partnership with live music streaming platform nugs.net, the new Play Dead app arrives with a sizeable initial offering of over 400 full live shows and 20 previously unreleased performances.

• READ MORE: Violet Grohl thinks male musicians of her generation have “attitude problems”: “It’s time that they sit down, be quiet and play their music”

For long-time listeners and collectors, the app aims to centralise material that has previously been scattered across formats, releases, and archival drops – including recordings that were previously only available on CD, now presented in higher-than-CD quality for the first time.

New content will continue to roll out weekly, curated by David Lemieux, the band’s longtime archivist and legacy manager, with two new releases arriving every Tuesday. Fans will also get to enjoy previously released live recordings presented in both hi-res and chronological order by performance date, a first in Grateful Dead history.

“Play Dead is the most complete way we’ve ever been able to share the vault,” says Lemieux. “These recordings capture the band’s journey night by night, and bringing them together in chronological order, with newly transferred and mastered audio, gives fans an entirely new way to experience this music. There’s always more to discover in the vault, and I’m excited to share something new every Tuesday.”

According to nugs founder and CEO Brad Serling, the project also represents a major undertaking in live music preservation and audio restoration.

“Play Dead kicks off the largest tape transfer project in the history of rock ‘n roll. We are pulling tapes off the shelf of the vault and transferring them at their highest resolution to date, and mastering in the studio for the first time,” says Sterling.

“These tapes were in the room with the band each night, and Play Dead will be the official hi-res streaming home of the vault, browsable chronologically in the order the music was performed. Working with Grateful Dead Productions and Rhino, we are giving listeners unprecedented access to 30 years of live recordings, via one of the greatest live archives ever assembled, with new discoveries coming every single week.”

The app is available as a standalone subscription ($9.99/month or $99.99/year) or as part of a bundle with nugs.net, with pricing tiers designed for both new listeners ($17.98/month or $169.98/year) and existing subscribers ($4.99/month or $49.99/year).

Learn more at Playdead.

The post “The largest tape transfer project in the history of rock ‘n roll”: Grateful Dead’s new streaming app boasts over 400 live shows, rare vault recordings, and weekly drops appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

€349/£349 (€399/£399 with ‘It’), bluefxdevices.com

Fuzz pedals have been around for an awful long time – did you know there’s a MkII Tone Bender in the Bayeux Tapestry? – so it’s only right that modern makers should be playing around with the formula in search of something new.

• READ MORE: DOD Badder Monkey review: much-memed pedal gets a bananas reissue

In the case of Blue FX Devices and the Fuzz Fields, that means combining JFET-based clipping with a synth-style filter section to create dramatically focused voicings, envelope-following swoops and – with a bit of external assistance – fuzzy tremolo, vibrato and phaser effects. You can see why it’s billed as ‘the ultimate modulated fuzz’.

Blue FX Devices Fuzz Fields – what is it?

This pedal is hardly a lip-smacker in aesthetic terms (and it isn’t even blue!), but it does present an appetising array of knobs and switches for those who like to get hands-on with their noisemongering. In fact, there’s so much going on here that I’m going to have to breeze through the highlights and let you check the online manual if you want the full picture.

Hit the bypass footswitch once and you’ve got a simple fuzz, controlled by the big knob in the middle. ‘Filter’ cuts treble to the left and bass to the right, with a toggle for mid-scooped mode, and ‘gate’ lets you get spluttery. Now hold down that footswitch for a second and you’ll engage the envelope follower, which sets the filter frequency to track the level of the signal coming into the pedal.

There’s more, including a bonkers self-oscillating feature that you can awaken with the left footswitch, but the only other thing you really need to know about is ‘It’ – an optional module that plugs into the CV input to give you the aforementioned tremolo, vibrato and phaser sounds with its depth and speed knobs.

Yes, the Fuzz Fields is a complex and potentially confusing piece of kit – and I really wish the status LEDs were further away from the switches, to stop them being obscured every time a foot comes near – but it takes less time than you might think to get the hang of basic navigation.

Blue FX Devices Fuzz Fields – what does it sound like?

If I had to cut this section down to a single word, that word would be ‘huge’. Two words would be the same preceded by an expletive. For Big Muff fans who like to bathe in oceanic fuzz, the scooped mode on this pedal is an instant triumph, but what’s really impressive is the way it stays just as smooth and pleasing with the mids pushed instead, and at virtually all filter settings. It’s a fluffy, cuddly monster of noise.

The envelope thing sounds great too – somewhat more complex and textural than the all-out swooshy arc of a typical filter fuzz – but let’s not overlook the gate, which can be used for subtle tone-tightening, full-on spitty squishing or classic on/off noise-killing. Gated fuzzes can be tricky to work with; this one somehow just does whatever you want it to do.

The left footswitch’s ‘gravity’ and ‘freq’ options are both interesting – the latter is the self-oscillating mode I mentioned earlier, and it can generate some truly wild octave-down glitching – but many players will prefer the more conventional modulation effects offered by the cute little module. These range from slow phasing to robotic ring-modulation, via some almost Hendrix-y Uni-Vibe pulses. If you can spare the extra pennies, you should definitely go for It.

Blue FX Devices Fuzz Fields – should I buy it?

There are clear reasons not to buy this pedal – mainly the price and the fact that it’s complicated, perhaps more so than it really should have been – but those reservations might just evaporate as soon as you hear what the Fuzz Fields can actually do.

The bottom line is, it sounds gorgeous. The added dynamic features are cool, but set those aside for a moment and what you’re left with is a big, sweet, grainy fuzz that’s up there with anything wielded by the venerated knights of ye olde rock’n’roll.

Blue FX Devices Fuzz Fields alternatives

This pedal’s two closest rivals might be the Collision Devices TARS (€332.50/£299) and Death By Audio Crossover Fuzz ($320/£329). The much cheaper Dreadbox Disorder (€123/£130) makes some wicked filter-sweep noises, while the Stone Deaf Rise & Shine (£218) offers a range of unique fuzz and tremolo tricks.

The post Blue FX Devices Fuzz Fields review – your new playground for modulated fuzzy adventures? appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Boasting a 580,000 square-foot spherical enclosure packed with 1.2 million programmable LED puck lights, the Las Vegas Sphere, it could be argued, currently sits as the pinnacle of venue design.

Capable of hosting up to 20,000 concertgoers, the venue, since opening in 2023, has hosted acts from across the music spectrum, from Eagles, U2 and Dead & Company in the rock world to dance artists like Anyma and Zedd.

Indeed, more and more artists seem keen to jump on the bandwagon and see how their unique artistic styles fare on the Sphere’s ma-hoosive spherical screen, including Metallica, who recently made waves by announcing their 2026 residency at the venue.

But not everyone is quite so convinced, it would seem. Speaking to American Songwriter, Kiss frontman Paul Stanley explains why the glam rockers were never tempted at the thought of performing at the venue.

“Towards the end of the [End of the Road farewell] tour, people were saying, ‘Why don’t you play the Sphere?’” Stanley recalls. “The truth of it is, the Sphere minimises a band. It makes a band miniature. You’re not going there to see a band – you’re going to see screens.”

While Kiss officially hung up their black-and-white outfits and makeup bags in 2023 with a massive swansong set at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the band are set to continue with a string of widely anticipated avatar shows, in which hologram technology will be used to project their likenesses onto the stage, much like ABBA’s Voyage shows.

So it would seem Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer aren’t totally averse to new and emerging technologies, just not the Sphere itself as a concept. He continues:

“We wanted to incorporate the highest of technology, but we want to be the centre of it. It’s a very, very different experience than going to see a postage stamp with a band on it. This is the antithesis of that – it’s 180 degrees from that. The show is going to be spectacular, but it’s only as good as what you put into it.”

Stanley concludes: “If you’ve seen the ABBA [Voyage] show, everybody who’s there is having an amazing time. You become immersed in those four people on stage. This takes it even further.”

Paul Stanley isn’t the only rock veteran against the idea of playing at the Sphere. In August 2025, Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson revealed he hated the idea of the band playing at the venue, saying: “What’s the point of even being there, if you’re a band?”

Kiss’s avatar shows are tentatively scheduled for 2028. Check out a list of upcoming events at the Las Vegas Sphere.

The post “You’re not going there to see a band – you’re going to see screens”: Why Paul Stanley was against Kiss performing at the Las Vegas Sphere appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

The search for tonal nirvana never really ends, but strip away the pedals, plugins and endless tweaks, and every electric rig still hinges on two essentials: the guitar and the amp. Which matters more, though, is a debate that’s rumbled on endlessly for decades. Now, Jake E. Lee has thrown his hat into the ring – and he’s firmly on Team Amp.

If the question sounds familiar, that’s because it’s divided players at every level of the game. Yvette Young of math rock band Covet has previously argued that a great amp can elevate even the most budget-friendly instrument, while Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X insists the guitar itself is the foundation of your tone.

• READ MORE: Charvel recreates Jake E. Lee’s Bark at the Moon/Ultimate Sin-era Blue Burst guitar

Speaking in a recent interview with Guitarist, Lee doesn’t hesitate when presented with the classic rig dilemma, even if he’d rather avoid it altogether.

“Oh, no! Not this question,” he laughs. “I’d rather have a good amp. The shitty amp will make any guitar sound shitty, but a good amp will make almost any guitar sound good. I have some really cheap guitars that I love, where the action is high and [they’re] kinda funky-sounding. But I don’t have any amps that are shitty. The amp is more important.”

It’s a perspective shaped not just by decades onstage – including his tenure with Ozzy Osbourne – but also by a lifetime of gear hunting, where amps have often delivered the biggest surprises.

Recalling his time touring England during the Bark at the Moon era, Lee tells the story of stumbling across what might be the ultimate vintage bargain: an overlooked Marshall combo gathering dust in a small shop.

“I used to go into every mom-and-pop shop and see what they had. One day, we were in Northern England and I went into this one shop and an older gentleman in his 60s was behind the counter.

“I see this old Marshall with the plexiglass logo, covered in dust. I said to the guy, ‘How’s that Marshall? Where is it from?’ He says, ‘I don’t know… it’s been here for the last 20 or 25 years.’ I was like, ‘What? Does it work?’”

“It was a 45 with the cream back panel and the gold, square plexiglass logo on the front,” Lee continues. “He picked it up, dusted it off and even though it had been sitting there for years and years, it was brand fucking new. Not a scratch. He said it had been there since maybe ’64 or ’65, and I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ He said, ‘No. Why? Do you want it?’ I said, ‘I’ll take the chance if it’s cheap enough,’ and I got it for around £60 [approx. $80].”

“For that amount of money, even if it didn’t work, I’d have figured it out – but it worked. I went to soundcheck, plugged it in and it wasn’t the kind of sound I was looking for with Ozzy – really creamy and sweet and smooth and compressed, with a little sag. That was my greatest find.”

Guitars, however, are a different story. Lee admits one of his biggest regrets isn’t a bad purchase, but rather, one he didn’t make.

“About 20 years ago, I was in a local guitar shop… there was nothing new but this ‘67 Telecaster. And I don’t like Telecasters… But I picked this one up anyway and it felt really good, so I plugged it in. It sounded really good and I had a connection with it.”

“But I put it back down and said, ‘I don’t really like Teles… I don’t even know why I picked it up,’” says Lee. “Two days later, I went back in there because I couldn’t quit thinking about it and it just felt right, but they’d sold it already. So that’s a different kind of buyer’s remorse, right? Maybe we’d call that no-buyer’s remorse [laughs]. I still think about that Tele every once in a while… there was just a connection there. I really wish I’d bought it.”

The post “A good amp will make almost any guitar sound good”: Jake E. Lee picks a side in the great rig debate appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood has spoken about his relationship with guitar icon Jimi Hendrix, remembering the time the pair lived together in the late ‘60s.

In an extract from his new book Fearless: The Anthology – shared exclusively with Guitar.com – Wood, who is also a keen painter, reflects on his friendship with Hendrix, sharing a painting of the two at New York’s Scene Club in 1968.

“During the time I was with the Jeff Beck Group,” he writes. “Jimi liked how I played bass and he’d say to Jeff, ‘Let the bass player play,’ so Jeff would have to let me take long solos. That’s how I got to know Jimi more – we’ve have jamming sessions. He used to just turn up and come and play.”

• READ MORE: Ronnie Wood celebrates 50 years as a Rolling Stone with new paintings of bandmates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts

In the late 1960s, both Ronnie Wood and Jimi Hendrix shared a house in Holland Park, which belonged to soul singer Pat “P.P” Arnold. During this time, Wood remembers being “mind-blown” by Jimi’s playing chops – particularly his ambidexterity.

“He was quite quiet as a flatmate,” Wood reflects. “He’d just sit back and play right-handed or left-handed guitar – that ambidextrousness blew my mind. If I try to play left-handed it’s like giving a child a guitar.

“Sometimes we’d get out the acoustics and swap blues licks for him to warm up before a show. He always said, ‘I don’t like my voice.’ And I’d say, ‘Don’t worry, your guitar playing takes care of that.’ He was a very sweet man.”

Described as Ronnie Wood’s “musicography”, Fearless: The Anthology charts – in his own words – some of the most defining moments from his illustrious career, from performing in London clubs with The Birds in the ‘60s to his time as bassist with the Jeff Beck Group, all the way to his five decades with the Rolling Stones.

This edition also opens up Ronnie Wood’s archive for the first time, showcasing via special photography everything including legendary guitars and other rare instruments, custom-made straps, amps, designer stage wear, concert setlists and so much more.

Some of Wood’s most important stage and studio guitars are featured including his Duesenberg Starplayer TV, Versoul Raya, Gibson Firebird and even his collection of lap and pedal steels.

“Every detail – the colours, patina, wear and tear and unique modifications – has been captured to tell the story of Ronnie’s extraordinary journey through music,” says a press release shared with Guitar.com.

Fearless: The Anthology is available now for pre-order. While copies of the Deluxe Edition have already sold out, the Collector’s Edition is still up for grabs, priced at £325, and shipping in May 2026.

Learn more at RonnieWoodAnthology.com.

The post Ronnie Wood remembers living with “sweet man” Jimi Hendrix: “He’d just sit back and play right-handed or left-handed – that blew my mind” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Sudden, world-conquering success might sound like the dream for any musician – but for 22-year-old Dave Grohl, that reality quickly became overwhelming.

In a new interview, the former Nirvana drummer opens up about anxiety and coping with fame at the height of the band’s explosion. Speaking in a recent chat with Logan Kelly on Logan Sounds Off, the Foo Fighters frontman reflects on just how disorienting Nirvana’s sudden mainstream success was.

• READ MORE: “I was afraid of silence, of having to feel”: Dave Grohl admits he used music as a “crutch” after Taylor Hawkins’ death

“We didn’t think that it would be as popular as it became,” Grohl begins. “But I knew that the songs were so good. Kurt [Cobain] wrote amazing songs. His voice was so amazing and as a band we made this crazy noise and so I knew that it was special but I didn’t really think anyone else would understand the way that we did.”

“So when it became hugely popular it kind of freaked us all out. We were not expecting that to happen and it’s a lot to deal with. We were young too. I think I was 22 years old and I didn’t have much life behind me at that point. So yeah, it kind of freaked us all out.”

As the band’s profile grew, so did the pressure and the scale of what they were dealing with.

“It got to the point where I would have anxiety,” the guitarist explains. “The shows were getting bigger and I was nervous about that. Crazy shit was happening – shows were turning into riots.”

To cope, Grohl found himself retreating to something far removed from the chaos of Nirvana at their peak: “Whenever I had that anxiety or felt uncomfortable with it I would just go back to Virginia to my mother’s house and I would sleep in my childhood bedroom and hang out with my buddies from high school and be like ‘okay well life is still real.’ Like there’s still real life here.”

“I think everybody needs that,” he adds. “I think Kurt maybe didn’t have that and being the front person of the band he really did bear the brunt and responsibility of whatever it was. That could be difficult for anybody, especially at a young age. But I’ve always kind of relied on that.”

These days though, Grohl says he’s found a different kind of safety net – one built within his own band.

“It’s funny now as a band since we’ve been together for so long, just as I would lean on or retreat to my family when I was young, I can do that now with our band. We’ve just been together for so long that if I’m losing my fucking mind and the band is really busy and things are crazy, I can sort of step into the band instead of out of it for comfort.”

Elsewhere in the chat, the Foo Fighters leader also reveals his newfound fascination with Quebec rock duo Angine de Poitrine, noting how their music “absolutely blew my fucking mind.”

Watch the full interview below.

The post “I’d go back to my mother’s house and sleep in my childhood bed and feel like life is still real”: Dave Grohl on coping with Nirvana’s sudden mainstream success appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.