Norse Guitar Feeds

If you hand most guitar players a fanned fret instrument for the first time, their first reaction is probably to recoil in horror – after all, the way the frets gradually tilt forward on the fretboard as you move up the neck looks like something designed to confuse and confound your tried and tested muscle memory. And yet, more and more guitarists – especially those at the technical end of the spectrum – are using fanned frets. So what gives? Well, the answer is actually quite simple.

• READ MORE: What are pots anyway? A working guide to the knobs on your guitar, and what they actually do

In traditional guitar construction, the frets on the neck run perpendicular to the strings, parallel to each other from nut to heel. A fanned fret guitar is built differently. The frets sit at an angle, splayed out like the ribs of a folding fan, usually with the nut and bridge slanted to match. The proper name for the design is multiscale, and that name explains what is actually going on: each string gets its own scale length.

On a conventional guitar, every string shares one scale length (with slight variation at the bridge, of course). A Les Paul is 24.75 inches from nut to bridge on every string. A Strat is 25.5 inches on every string. On a multiscale instrument, the bass side is longer than the treble side. A common spec on a modern multiscale 6-string is 25.5 inches on the high E stretching to 26.5 or 27 inches on the low E. Strandberg’s standard Boden 6 runs a subtle 25 to 25.5 inches. Dingwall’s 5-string basses go much further, spanning 34 inches on the G string out to a 37-inch low B. Because each string has its own scale length, the frets need to be laid out according to that scale length, so they have to fan.

Image: Rachel Billings for Guitar.com

Why Scale Length Matters In The First Place

String tension is a function of three things: pitch, string mass, and vibrating length. Tune a string to the same note on a longer scale and the tension goes up. That’s the entire reason fanned frets exist.

Every guitarist who has tuned a 25.5-inch guitar down to drop A has met the problem. The low string turns into a floppy noodle. You can fight it with heavier gauges, but heavy strings on a short scale bring their own trouble: stiff, thumpy attack, sharp fretted notes because the string deflects so much when you press it, and inharmonicity in the overtones that makes low chords sound blurry. Piano builders solved this centuries ago by giving bass strings dramatically more length than treble strings. A concert grand is, in effect, a multiscale instrument.

The obvious fix on guitar is a longer scale, which is why baritones exist. But if you stretch the whole instrument to 27 or 28 inches, you’re trading away the treble side. Bends get stiffer, the plain strings lose some warmth, and the fret spacing in the lower positions gets wide enough to annoy anyone with average hands. One scale length is always a compromise between what the low strings want and what the high strings want.

Fanned frets seek to end that compromise. The wound strings get the length and tension they need for a clear, focused low end. The plain strings stay at a familiar length where bends and vibrato feel normal. That’s the purpose of the design.

Image: Rachel Billings for Guitar.com

Where The Idea Came From

Fanned frets are, contrary to popular belief, a very old concept. The orpharion, a wire-strung cousin of the cittern built in England in the late 1500s and credited to luthier John Rose, used slanted frets and an angled bridge to give its bass courses extra length. A patent for a fanned fingerboard was filed by E. A. Edgren as far back as 1900.

The modern version belongs to Ralph Novak. Working as a repairman and builder in the 1980s, Novak wanted the sweet, warm treble response of a short scale combined with the piano-like bass of a long scale on one instrument. He filed in 1988 and was awarded U.S. Patent 4,852,450 in 1989, the same year he founded Novax Guitars. Novak trademarked the term Fanned-Fret, which is why big manufacturers say multiscale instead. Charlie Hunter’s 8-string Novax hybrids were the design’s most visible early ambassadors. When the patent expired in 2008, the concept went from boutique curiosity to production reality. Ormsby, Dingwall, Strandberg, Ibanez, ESP, Jackson, Schecter, and Cort all build multiscale instruments now, and the design rode the extended-range metal boom of the 2010s into the mainstream.

Image: Adam Gasson

What It Feels Like

Somewhere in the middle of a multiscale neck sits the neutral fret, the one that remains perpendicular to the strings. Builders typically place it between the 7th and 9th frets, and its location determines how the fan is distributed. Frets below it lean toward the nut on the bass side; frets above it lean toward the bridge.

There is an added ergonomic benefit to fanned frets too. In the first position, the slanted nut end roughly matches the natural angle of a fretting hand reaching for an open chord. High up the neck the angle reverses, which suits the way the wrist rotates as it travels toward the body. Most people adapt to it with relative ease. The genuine trouble spots are big barre chords near the extremes of the fan.

There are real costs to building this way, which is why I’ve done so few of them myself. Fretwork, nut cutting, and pickup makers have to offer slanted or individual-pole designs to track the string angle properly. None of this is exotic anymore, but unless you’re building your own custom pickups, it can limit your options. For many, the benefits outweigh the costs, and that’s why we see so many fan-fretted guitars out there today.

Image: Adam Gasson

Who Actually Needs Fanned Frets

In modern settings, guitarists who play a 7-string, 8-string, or heavily downtuned 6-string are the core audience. This is because the low B, F#, or drop G is where a stretched bass scale earns its keep. Bassists chasing a tight, articulate low B are arguably served best of all, which is why Dingwall owns that conversation. If you play a standard-tuned 6-string, fanned frets solve a problem you do not have. Tension balance and intonation improve slightly, but the payoff is modest. The lower you tune and the more strings you add, the more sense the fan makes.

You’ll also occasionally see very high level acoustic guitar players – the sort who are not playing cowboy chords – using fanned fret instruments because there really is no hiding place for intonation when you’re playing virtuosic acoustic guitar!

The post What’s the point in a fanned fret guitar anyway? appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Pavement’s 2026 reunion run brought them to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for a two-night stand, and PG’s Chris Kies caught up with Stephen Malkmus, Mark Ibold, and Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg before the second show to look over the road rigs. Have a look at some quick highlights below, and tune into the new Rig Rundown for all the details.

Brought to you by D’Addario.

Knobody’s Business

A friend pointed Malkmus toward this Les Paul Gold Top in the mid ‘90s, and the volume and tone knobs have been pulled out of it ever since—he’d rather think about singing. The finish checking came from a night in a van in Wyoming at 10 below, which he doesn’t recommend.

High-Voltage Riffing

Malkmus also carries this Guild S-100, which he notes looks a lot like an Angus Young SG. He bought it beat up for a grand, which he considers the right way to buy a guitar since he’ll wreck anything nice.

Carry-On Crunch

Malkmus’ sound is powered by a Benson amp, built in Portland, where he used to live. He likes the switchable wattage, the onboard reverb, and that it fits in an overhead bin.

Stephen Malkmus’ Pedalboard

Malkmus keeps it to a Boss TU-2, an EarthQuaker Devices Hoof Reaper, a Diamond J-Drive MK3, a Strymon El Capistan, and a T-Rex Replica. He’s fitted plastic guards over the Hoof Reaper’s footswitches so he can’t kick one on by accident mid-song.

Classified Information

Ibold found this Precision in a free classifieds paper in the ‘90s and bought it in the seller’s kitchen out on Long Island. It’s the only bass he’s ever really played, it’s very light, and the finish cracked in that same Wyoming freeze. He uses Ernie Ball mediums (.050–.105). A backup P sits nearby, kept in a raised tuning for a couple of numbers.

Mark Ibold’s Pedalboard

A Peterson StroboStomp HD and an Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi, and that’s it. The part Ibold is proudest of is the little gooseneck lamp the band’s tech, Chopper, mounted on the board.

Deluxe Accommodations

Kannberg found this 1974 Fender Telecaster Deluxe in Berkeley in 1995, and it’s been his companion since—the first “good guitar” he owned. He wanted one because Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo had one. Strings are .010s.

Double Deluxe

Kannberg carries two Fender Deluxe Reverbs, run dual mono, on a suggestion from his L.A. studio collaborator, Dan Long. One of them came free from Fender.

Scott Kannberg’s Pedalboard

The Crowther Audio Hot Cake is what Kannberg calls the band’s secret weapon. Alongside it: a Boss TU-2, a Diamond J-Drive MK3, an EHX Octavix, a Boss RV-5, a “Klone” pedal that stays on to brighten the amps, and an EHX Deluxe Memory Man that Chopper handed him to make a mess with. An MXR A/B box switches amps, an MXR DC Brick supplies power, and a Radial box handles utility duties.

We’ve got some good news for all the shredders out there – Charvel is expanding its Pro-Mod Plus Dinky DK24 line. Both the HH and HSS ranges have new siblings, with three new HH options and one new HSS available in a slew of striking colour variants.

In terms of the Pro-Mod Plus Dinky DK24 line, the standard formula is a streamlined designed that is great for the technical, speedy riffers of the world. The guitars all wear the same double cutaway shape, designed to be lightweight and ‘dinky’ small, 24 stainless steel jumbo frets, a shredder-considerate cut heel for unrestricted upper fret access, and a five-way blade switch to flick between pickup configurations.

• READ MORE: Joe Bonamassa reveals the vast number of his Gibson and Epiphone signature guitars that have sold over the years

The new instalments offer up a few variations on the Pro-Mod Plus Dinky DK24 blueprint. In terms of the HH range, two of the new models come in the form of the £1199 HH FR EB, available in crimson eclipse and satin black, and the slightly more expensive HH FR QM EB, which comes in cloaked emerald green and costs £1299. Both models boast basswood bodies with quilt maple top, Seymour Duncan Nazgul bridge and Sentient neck pickups, as well as a Floyd Rose 1500 Series recessed double-locking tremolo bridge.

Credit: Charvel Credit: Charvel

The last HH guitar in question is the HH HT EB, available in both crème white and black ash. This HH model differs slightly, instead comprised of an ash body. and Charvel’s HT6 string-through-body hardtail bridge alongside its Seymour Duncan Nazgul bridge and Sentient neck pickups. The guitar is the most affordable new addition to Pro-Mod Plus Dinky DK24 line, sitting at just £1149.

Credit: Charvel

As for the HSS range, the HSS 2PT QM’s colourways are a tad more bold. The model comes in both a green-to-yellow ombré, called zombie face, as well as wearing a tiger print look, named amber tiger eye. The HSS 2PT QM is comprised of a basswood body with quilt maple top, and it’ll set you back by £1249.

Credit: Charvel

The model also has a Seymour Duncan Full Shred TB-10 humbucking bridge and Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 middle and neck single-coil pickups. As for tremolo, we’ve got a two-point tremolo Wilkinson WVS130-2p bridge with locking saddles.

For more information on the new models, head to Charvel.

The post Charvel expands its Pro-Mod Plus Dinky DK24 line with four new shred-ready models appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Few have had the honour of wielding Khn de Poitrine’s ridiculous double-neck microtonal guitar-bass hybrid. However, on occasion the Angine de Poitrine axeman does allow his admirers a chance to bask the glory of his iconic creation – and the latest lucky pair was none other than Willow Smith and Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi.

In a new Instagram post, Smith reveals that she not only attended Angine de Poitrine’s California show on 18 August, but she also got to hand backstage with the duo themselves. There, the young avant-garde rocker was allowed to toy with Khn’s signature axe – and she is pretty excited about it, judging by the “HOLY SHIT!!!!!” caption.

• READ MORE: Joe Bonamassa reveals the vast number of his Gibson and Epiphone signature guitars that have sold over the years

Alongside Smith’s picture with Khn’s double-neck, it seems Abasi was equally as keen to pose with the iconic guitar. Unlike Smith, who appears with an – ahem – ‘cigarette’ hanging out of her mouth, the prog metal guitarist looks like he’s deep in conversation as he plucks away. We can only assume he’s picking the brains of the elusive Poitrine duo for some tips and tricks.

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On her story, Smith also posted a photo of a special cake congratulating Angine de Poitrine, presumably for smashing their current ongoing tour. The custom cake has the pair’s bizarre, polka-dot-infested faces on for good measure.

While it’s unclear how far back Smith’s friendship with the Quebec pair spans back, it’s possible that the musicians connected back in June. As Smith has been emerging from her pop-punk era and moving towards a more experimental jazz sound, she found herself performing at this year’s Montreal Jazz Fest – and Angine de Poitrine also performed.

Credit: Willow Smith

In terms of Angine de Poitrine, the duo have been rapidly luring in a cult following. Back in April, guitarist Khn told Cult MTL that the project was “a culmination of a lot of years of inside jokes” at the beginning: “The whole idea of the band was to assume a bit of a satirical approach to rock music in general. We wanted an exaggeration, so the double-neck guitar was the perfect choice to kind of make fun of guitar heroes.”

However, the project has since become far more serious than a one-off gag. Hell, even Rush’s Geddy Lee has gone on record praising the eccentric duo. “I think they’re fantastic,” he told Radio Futuro two weeks ago.

“I love the fact that they’ve gone viral, because they’re so unusual, peculiar, idiosyncratic… It’s a sound that no one’s heard before. They’ve taken Primus and a bit of Rush and all the complexities and sort of boiled it down to a two-piece band using an incredible array of technology.”

The post Tosin Abasi and Willow Smith have been hanging out with Angine de Poitrine appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

In this interview, Raymond talks about her relationship with the acoustic guitar, the influences that drive her work, and the compositional processes behind her music.

Back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, drugs were part and parcel of the rock and roll lifestyle. Many of the biggest bands at the time indulged in hard substances, and in many cases they defined their sound during this era.

For example, when the Eagles and Black Sabbath recorded their respective albums Hotel California and Technical Ecstasy in adjacent studios at Miami’s Criteria Studios in the ‘70s, Tony Iommi and co found the console used by the Eagles clogged with cocaine.

Indeed, the Eagles were known for their rock and roll excess, and were routinely barred from hotels for their antics.

• READ MORE: Joe Bonamassa reveals the vast number of his Gibson and Epiphone signature guitars that have sold over the years

Aerosmith were another band known for their affinity for hard drugs, and in a newly resurfaced interview in the new issue of Classic Rock, Steven Tyler lifts the lid on some of the band’s drug-fuelled antics.

“We never knew enough to stop touring,” Tyler said. “We just stayed on the road, and our vacation was in a little gram bottle… We spent the whole of the ‘70s on a treadmill. It was never like there was a tour. We’d stay on the road for a year and a half. The only time we’d come off was to record an album.”

Back in those days, drugs were very much part of a rockstar’s image. “I once had three Porsches, and I sold them all so I could snort up half of Peru,” Tyler is quoted as saying. “I would have traded my nuts for a good ounce of heroin in those days!”

He continued: “Drugs are fun. Once you’ve tried them you love them so much it turns bad on you.”

Last year, Beatles man Paul McCartney reflected on the legendary drugs bust that landed him in a Japanese prison. “This stuff was too good to flush down the toilet!” he said.

“It was the maddest thing [I’d done] in my life – to go into Japan, which has a seven-year hard-labour penalty for pot, and be so free and easy,” he recalled in horror.

The post “I once had three Porsches – I sold them all so I could snort up half of Peru”: Inside the drug-fuelled world of Aerosmith in the ’70s appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

You shift the pitch of your playing whenever you switch frets, bend a string or turn a tuning peg, but the sounds (and pitches!) available via a pitch shifter pedal open up new frequencies – and ways to leap between them.

• READ MORE: DIY workshop: adding coil-splitting to humbuckers with push-pull pots

Depending on the pitch shifter, you can add harmonies, shift everything you play up or down by notes or octaves, and sometimes tap into more creative sounds and modulations. You’re a few twiddles and a stomp away from filling out the harmonics of your compositions, adding oomph to riffs, helping melodies cut through, or enriching the texture of your guitar’s sound.

The best pitch shifters range from simpler models that do just one type of pitch modulation, such as drop-tuning or octaving, to more multi-fangled options with textural effects like ring modulation and harmonisation, or additional features such as an in-built expression pedal.

Whether you want a functional pedal to adjust your pitch, or you’re looking for something that will spark creativity and broaden your compositional horizons, you’ve found your way to the right type of effects pedal. You can find ten of our favourites below, from the likes of Boss, DigiTech, Electro-Harmonix and TC Electronic.

At a glance:

• Best overall: Boss XS-1 Poly Shifter
• Most powerful: Boss XS-100 Poly Shifter
• Best for downtuning: DigiTech Drop
• Best for classic Whammy sounds: DigiTech Whammy 5
• Best compact: Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork
• Best harmoniser: Boss PS-6 Harmonist
• Best workstation pitch-shifter: Electro-Harmonix POG3
• Best for experimental sounds: EarthQuaker Devices Data Corrupter
• Best doubler: TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler
• Best ring-modulator: DOD Gonkulator
• Why you can trust Guitar.com

Best overall: Boss XS-1 Poly Shifter

‘Poly’ is right. This small-format pitch shifter from Boss offers extraordinary scope in an impressively navigable package, with drop-tuning, chorus-y detuning, up-tuning, octaving and harmonies. There’s also an expression pedal input, so you can plug one in to produce Whammy-style sweeps.

What blew us away about this pedal was how it delivers its effects in a remarkably pure-sounding form, and with minimal latency, thanks to the world-beatingly clever algorithms under the hood. This translates into crisp drop-tuned riffing, refreshingly clear harmonies, and sweeter melodies than the average pitch shifter can muster. The ’80s-flavoured detune effect is easily accessed via its own switch.

Need more? Read our Boss XS-1 Poly Shifter review.

Most powerful: Boss XS-100 Poly Shifter

The eagle-eyed pedal-enjoyers among you will have noticed that this pedal is closely modelled on the DigiTech Whammy. We dare say it might be even better than the genuine article, with the same smarts and sounds as the XS-1 Poly Shifter (reviewed above), plus a built-in Whammy-style expression pedal and some superior specs. Essentially, it does similar things to a Whammy, but has less latency (delay between hitting your strings and hearing the sound) and purer pitch shifting effects.

Not convinced? The XS-100 has a few extra tricks up its sleeve that just might sway you, including an ear-boggling eight-octave range (that’s more than Mariah Carey), and a swanky digital display that makes it easy to tweak the parameters of its effects.

Need more? Read our Boss XS-100 Poly Shifter review.

Best for downtuning: DigiTech Drop

If you crave the capability to tune your electric guitar extra-low, without spending eternal seconds twiddling with tuning pegs under stage lights, then what you need is a good drop-tuning pedal. This uncharacteristically straightforward option from DigiTech takes your signal and shifts it down, polyphonically, by anywhere from one to seven semitones – or by an octave.

Using the ‘momentary’ switch is key to enjoying this pedal’s creative potential at its fullest. When it’s activated, the footswitch will only activate drop-tuning for as long as it’s pressed, so you can get your pitch to nimbly dip and dive with a press of the toe.

Best for classic Whammy sounds: DigiTech Whammy 5

If you’ve spent much time peering at alt rock pedalboards from the 1990s onwards, there’s a good chance you already know and love the DigiTech Whammy. Radiohead, Melt Banana, QOTSA and countless other guitar bands owe their spikiest, harmonically squelchiest sounds to this ostentatious box of tricks.

There’s much debate over which iteration (or spin-off) of DigiTech’s pitch shifting icon is the best – which one bubbles with the most characterful digital artefacts, which has the nicest tread on its footpedal, and so on. We’re going with the Whammy 5, which sounds much better than its predecessors when chords (not just individual notes or melodies) are played through its harmonising and octaving effects. No other pedal sounds quite like it.

Best compact: Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork

You get more pitch-shifting capabilities than you might expect from this dinky EHX stompbox. There are three octaves to shift your way through, and you have the rare option to add up and down octaves at the same time for an ostentatiously filled out sound.

Transposition comes in 12 degrees, from a slight detune to a full octave, selectable via the shift dial or a connected expression pedal (sold separately). As with the DigiTech Drop, you can use it in ‘momentary’ mode for precipitous peaks and troughs in pitch, while the blend control allows you to mix varying levels of pitch-shifted signal with your dry input.

Best harmoniser: Boss PS-6 Harmonist

We promise to stop talking about Boss pitch shifters when the brand stops making such outrageously good ones. This Harmonist model is a slightly different beast to the XS pedals above, with a tighter focus on adding harmonies to your signal.

It takes some mastering, but the PS-6 opens up interesting possibilities for adventurous musicians. Set it to produce three-voice harmonies (taking care to use the minor/major selector) and it’ll make your individual notes sound positively choral. Meanwhile, its seven-octave ‘S-bend’ pitch shifting range can transpose your sound further than the average competing pedal, creating astonishing swoops in your frequency. Max out the fall time setting to enter a wonderland of squelchy squeals.

Best workstation pitch-shifter: Electro-Harmonix POG3

If you could make your guitar sound like an organ at will, why wouldn’t you? This is one of the many possibilities wrapped up in the byzantine knobs and faders of the POG3 – the latest and most sophisticated model from EHX’s line of polyphonic octave generators.

Our reviewer loved getting to grips with this workstation pedal, which retains a lo-fi spirit despite its high complexity (and price). It’s easy enough to dive right in with up octaves, down octaves, envelope filtering and more – and once you’ve got to grips with tweaking all of the pedal’s synth-like parameters, you can start saving your creations to its 100 preset slots.

Need more? Read our Electro-Harmonix POG3 review.

Best for experimental sounds: EarthQuaker Devices Data Corrupter

As you may have gathered, we’re now travelling towards the experimental fringes of the pitch shifting universe, and the EQD Data Corrupter takes the bizarro biscuit.

These days, most pitch shifter pedals are (ostensibly) polyphonic – they work with chords – but here we have a monophonic specialist that’s meant for shifting single notes in some of the weirdest and coolest-sounding ways imaginable. It converts the signal to a fuzzy square wave, splits it into octaves or harmonies, and spits a glorious cacophony that’s better heard than described.

EQD pedals are often one of two things: pointedly simple or intimidatingly elaborate. This one’s the latter, with plentiful voicing, sub-harmonics and pitch oscillation controls to exercise the mind, before it’s blown.

Best doubler: TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler

Doubling is a technique that’s been used to thicken guitar sounds in studio recordings since the heyday of Abbey Road. The guitarist is recorded twice playing the same part, and the two subtly different recordings are put together to create a fuller sound.

Subtle pitch shifting – in the form of detuning – is one of several tricks that the clever Mimiq Mini Doubler uses to reproduce the sound of studio doubling in a live context, along with other nods to human unpredictability like variations in timing and attack. You can use the pedal’s ‘tightness’ knob to narrow or widen the gap between the dry and wet signals, which can both be dialled up or down via their own respective controls.

Best ring-modulator: DOD Gonkulator

If you haven’t gonkulated in the last decade or so, then it’s high time to give DOD’s classic ring modulator pedal another stomp. For us, the Gonkulator is at its best when it’s used to add an unhinged, uncanny feeling to riffs, arpeggios and chromatic runs. Some guitarists won’t find much use for this pedal, but our reviewer certainly had fun combining its abrasive, sci-fi sounds with other effects like looping, delay and reverb. Compared to the vintage unit, too, this modern reissue has moved the carrier frequency control to an external knob rather than an internal trim-pot.

Need more? Read our DOD Gonkulator 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 The best pitch shifters for guitarists: from Boss and DigiTech classics to sound-bending oddities appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

CHF149/£149/€179/$199, rhpfelectronics.com

Choosing a new overdrive pedal these days is like looking for a needle in… well, a massive bucket full of needles. If you’re looking for something with an interesting angle to set itself apart from the crowd, consider the RhPf Electronics Mosphoros: a drive pedal that has three gain knobs and no EQ controls.

• READ MORE: Buzzing Bugs Bolster review – is this the ultimate dual fuzz pedal?

That’s not quite the whole story, though, because it is possible to adjust the tonality of this MOSFET-powered crunch machine – just not in the way you’re probably used to.

Image: Richard Purvis

What is it?

RhPf isn’t the snappiest of brand names, but they don’t like to make a fuss of themselves in Switzerland. This is the same company behind the Mosrawr, a high-gain fuzz aimed at pedal-stacking shoegazers, yet the Mosphoros lies right at the other end of the dirt scale: it’s a transparent overdrive, designed for organic tones and touch sensitivity.

The two main controls are for gain and output level, but what’s going on with the two mini knobs below? These are also for increasing the gain, but in specific frequency zones, so basically you’ve got separate (though interactive) bassy drive and trebly drive dials.

In theory, this offers plenty of tonal control without the need for a standard tonestack – and with the bonus of a huge dirt range, from clean boosting to what designer Thomas Besse calls “harmonic mayhem” with all three gain knobs maxed out. In practice? Let’s find out.

Image: Richard Purvis

Sounds

You have to get used to a new way of navigating with this thing. For a clean starting point, set all three gain controls at minimum and level at max – this is a perfect match for the bypass sound, with just a teeny sliver of added hiss. And from there, you’ve got three different ways to mess things up.

The tonal overlap between the mini knobs is such that going really bright and thin or dark and flabby is not on the table – really it’s all about subtle variations on the transparent theme – but this pedal has two key things on its side. One is that its fundamental voice is very nice indeed; the other is that the promised extra-wide gain range is delivered in style.

MOSFET overdrives are known for offering natural and amp-like breakup, and that’s never been more true than it is here. My main reference for transparent drive is the divine EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker; the Mosphoros can come pretty close to the Cranker’s perfect purity, but with a looser feel and a slightly softer attack – at least until you hit the strings hard to bring out the rasp.

Blues players looking for a low-gain option to add smooth grit will have no trouble finding it here, while rockers in need of more full-on crunch will be equally satisfied. The nuclear option of all three gain knobs at full blast is fearsome but by no means unmanageable, and there’s just enough flexibility in tweaking the trio’s relative levels to ensure every guitar/amp combination can find its best voice. The touch sensitivity, meanwhile, remains impeccable even at fairly feisty settings.

Image: Richard Purvis

Should I buy one?

It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, this one. The Mosphoros is defined by the ingenious individuality of its design, but in sound terms it’s actually pretty orthodox. What this means, I think, is that it’s the overdrive to get if you’re happy with classic MOSFET drive tones but like the idea of being able to tune them in a way that feels more ‘embedded’ than simple filtering.

As a considerable bonus – one that I probably should have mentioned earlier – it’s one of the coolest-looking dirt pedals I’ve seen in a long time, especially when you switch it on and those ghoulish eyes glow orange.

Image: Richard Purvis

Alternatives

A list of good transparent-ish overdrive pedals would end up longer than the rest of the review, so let’s stick to MOSFET options. The lovely Blackstone Appliances Mosfet Overdrive ($260) has become something of a stompbox legend, but more mainstream options include the Wampler Mofetta ($200/£185) and Electro-Harmonix OD Glove ($82/£70).

The post RhPf Electronics Mosphoros review – this boutique drive pedal doesn’t have any tone controls… or does it? appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

By: Carlos Martin Schwab

Launched in April 2025, these headphones were designed primarily as a closed-back circumaural model for Audeze’s professional studio line—with a particular focus on tracking monitoring—introducing the brand’s planar magnetic technology to a more affordable pair of closed-back headphones.

The construction of the Audeze LCD-S20 headphones stands out for its distinctly professional and industrial design, based on a robust chassis that combines aluminum forks, magnesium parts, steel spring arches, and glass-reinforced nylon components. They feature closed-back ear cups with internal acoustic damping and 90-mm planar magnetic transducers, complemented by a headband with a suspension strap that distributes pressure and incorporates a magnetic system for easily swapping out the gel-filled ear pads.

Audeze’s patented SLAM (Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator) technology integrates precision-engineered channels into the coupling ring between the ear cups and its 90 mm planar-magnetic transducers to manage internal air pressures, tuning the low frequencies to deliver an extremely impactful, deep, and distortion-free bass response.

By balancing airflow dynamics in a closed-back design, SLAM dramatically improves instrumental separation and delivers outstanding stereo imaging. Among its pros are the exceptional durability of its metal components, excellent passive isolation (ideal for studio recording without sound leakage), ease of maintenance thanks to its replaceable components, and the great functional versatility of its interchangeable cable input, which allows it to be connected to either ear cup.

On the downside, the closed-back design and planar driver system bring the total weight up to 550 grams, making them a fairly heavy model that can cause some fatigue due to weight or pressure after very long sessions. Additionally, the headphones aren’t foldable, and no hard case or carrying pouch is included, which makes them less practical for taking them outside a fixed location. In other words, forget about using them in different recording studios or for field recordings. In this regard, Audeze cut corners where it shouldn’t have.

The Audeze LCD-S20 has a dark sound profile. The bass is deep, fast, and punchy, without interfering with the midrange thanks to SLAM-controlled airflow, maintaining impact without distortion. The mids are clean, direct, and natural, with a wide, three-dimensional stereo image. In the treble, the response is somewhat subdued, characterized by an intentional roll-off at the highest frequencies; this gradual roll-off softens harshness and sibilance, ensuring fatigue-free listening (check the blue line at the graphic below).

One misleading feature is their low impedance (18 Ω), which, according to Audeze, allows them to be used with laptops and portable players. When I first started using them, I realized I needed to adjust the monitoring output on my audio interface to nearly the same level as my 250 Ω Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro or DT 1990 Pro headphones. Here’s why: to determine a headphone’s volume performance, you need to consider both impedance and sensitivity. The Audeze LCD-S20 has relatively low sensitivity (93 dB/1 mW), while the 250 Ω Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and DT 1990 Pro have 96 dB/1 mW.

For a headphone to be “easy to drive,” it requires low impedance (electrical resistance) and high sensitivity (efficiency in converting milliwatts into actual volume). Even if you can achieve a high volume with a portable player, the headphones will lack dynamic headroom: the bass loses impact, and the stereo soundstage becomes narrower. In other words, they fall short in dynamic performance if they don’t receive enough current. Since the LCD-S20 are planar and have low sensitivity, they require a lot of electrical current (milliamps). In conclusion, these headphones require a dedicated amplifier or a high-quality audio interface to deliver the sound they’re capable of.

There’s something audiophiles need to understand about recording studios: 1) despite the risk of listener fatigue, we prefer to listen with full detail in the midrange and high frequencies because we protect ourselves from listener fatigue by taking silent breaks, and 2) both hardware and software are work tools where it’s far more important for the user to understand their sound and limitations in detail than their quality, and that there are specific tools for specific tasks.

And that’s why there are many cases where, in numerous studios, you’ll find equipment that has become an industry standard, such as the Sony MDR 7506 headphones for tracking and the 250 Ω Beyerdynamic 1990 Pro headphones for mixing. In my recording studio, I always make the tracking using headphones. For this task, my go-to headphones are the Sony MDR 7506, which are a standard in tracking monitoring because their boost in the 2–10 kHz range acts like a magnifying glass for imperfections, bringing unwanted noise to light: lip smacks, harsh sibilance (annoying “S” sounds), background noise, out-of-tune notes, or editing clicks. Considering that the Audeze LCD-S20 has a dark sound profile—the opposite of the Sony MDR 7506—I don’t recommend them for studio tracking.

In large recording studios, tracking headphones have always followed two simple rules, regardless of their sound: 1) they must be quickly and easily adjustable for any user, and 2) the cable enters the left earcup. Given the difficulty in adjusting the Audeze LCD-S20, they are intended for use in small recording studios where the interchangeable cable input is a useful feature.

The width of the stereo image in closed-back headphones is determined primarily by the internal acoustics of the ear cup, the orientation and size of the transducer, and the frequency response tuning. Because this is a sealed design that traps air and reflects sound waves within the chamber, the width depends on the headphone’s ability to manage internal sound pressure and control resonance. The angled placement of the drivers mimics the natural arrival of sound at the outer ear, while damping technologies and fine-tuned equalization in the treble and upper-midrange create the spatial illusion of separation and stereo imaging. In this regard, the Audeze headphones are unrivaled in my studio.

I don’t like to mix using headphones, but I always check my mixes with my Beyerdynamic 770 Pro and DT 1990 Pro—both 250 Ω models—to review the details, especially positioning within the stereo image, and keeping in mind that many people listen to music using headphones. For years now, it’s been common to use headphone calibration systems to flatten their frequency response curve, especially when using headphones for mixing. The most popular ones are Sonarworks SoundID Reference (software-based) and IK Multimedia ARC ON-EAR (hardware + software).

I use the latter because its hardware allows me to work with zero latency. The ARC ON-EAR correction enhances the Audeze LCD-S20 to such a high standard that they have replaced the 770 Pro in my closed-back headphone mix checks. In the graph, shown above,  the blue curve shows the frequency response of the Audeze LCD-S20, and the orange line shows the response corrected by the ARC ON-EAR system.

From stage-tested mini combos and upgraded bass amps to versatile multiscale basses and modern acoustic designs, check out the latest gear hitting the market in this month's Gear Radar.

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Fender is continuing to celebrate 75 years of the Telecaster and Precision Bass with even more Anniversary models, including a tribute to the nameless Nocaster.

A range of new guitars join the previously unveiled P-Bass 75th Anniversary models that landed in May, and a range of Teles that arrived in March – including a new Cabronita model.

• READ MORE: Fender Vintera III Mid ’60s Jazzmaster review: Mexican-made vintage-style offset bliss

This latest drop consists of a number of P-Bass and Tele models that integrate archival finishes, classic and peculiar models of the past, and modern features that offer a contemporary take on their historic features.

Let’s dive into each one…

75th Anniversary American Vintage II 1951 Nocaster

In 1951, between the end of the Broadcaster name and the dawn of the Telecaster, Fender shipped guitars with no model name on the headstock. This ‘Nocaster’ documents a peculiar window in electric guitar history; informed by a telegram from Gretsch that the ‘Broadkaster’ name had been registered for a drum kit, Fender began clipping the Broadcaster name from headstock decals until the new Telecaster decals were delivered.

The 75th Anniversary American Vintage II 1951 Nocaster features an ash body finished in Nocaster Blonde and an exclusive Heirloom Lacquer treatment. It has a ’51 U-shaped maple neck with a 7.25” radius fingerboard and vintage tall frets.

True to the Nocaster specifications, the 12th fret face-dot spacing is narrow and the sole single Phillips-head fastener on the guitar is at the truss rod nut. Elsewhere, it has a triple brass saddle bridge and single-line Fender Deluxe tuners, while the 75th Anniversary Blackguard Telecaster pickups honour the guitar’s lineage.

Credit: Fender

75th Anniversary Player II Baritone Telecaster

This Baritone model offers a Modern C-profile, a rosewood or maple fingerboard, 22 medium jumbo frets, and a 27” scale length – ideal for players seeking access to lower registers. Fitted with Player Series Alnico V Single-Coil Tele pickups and a 3-way blade, it’s completed by a 6-saddle bridge, block steel saddles and ClassicGear tuners. This one is available in 3-Color Sunburst and Black with a Rosewood Fingerboard, or Lake Placid Blue and Butterscotch Blonde, both with a Maple Fingerboard.

Credit: Fender

75th Anniversary Player II Telecaster

Bringing a contemporary take to the Tele, this Anniversary Player II model also offers a Modern C-profile with satin urethane finish and a 9.5”-radius slab rosewood or maple fingerboard with rolled edges. It hosts 22 medium jumbo frets, and players get a choice between alder, chambered ash or chambered mahogany bodies available in Daphne Blue and Seafoam Green with a Rosewood Fingerboard, or Candy Apple Red and Aztec Gold with a Maple Fingerboard. This model is powered by Player Series Alnico V Single-Coil Tele pickups, accompanied by a 3-way blade switch, a 6-saddle bridge, block steel saddles and ClassicGear tuners.

Credit: Fender

75th Anniversary Player II Precision Bass 

This Player II Precision Bass is “primed for today’s players”, according to the Big F. It has a Modern C-profile with a satin urethane finish on the back, a 9.5”-radius slab rosewood or maple fingerboard with rolled edges, and 20 medium jumbo frets.

An alder body is available in both classic Fender finishes and never-before-seen colours unearthed from the archives: Daphne Blue and Seafoam Green with a Rosewood Fingerboard, or Candy Apple Red and Aztec Gold with a Maple Fingerboard. Player Series Alnico V Split-Coil P Bass pickups power tone, while an adjustable 4-saddle bridge, single-groove steel saddles and open-gear tuners aid tuning stability.

Credit: Fender

To find out more about the 75th anniversary collection, visit Fender.

The post Fender continues 75th anniversary celebrations for its Telecaster and Precision Bass – including a “meticulous tribute” to the Nocaster appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

When I first got into guitars, “vintage” wasn’t really a thing. A ’59

Burst was special because our heroes played one. But everything else was just a used guitar. You could score a 1952 Les Paul Gold Top in that greenish gold hue, covered in checking, for a hundred bucks in pawnshops, classifieds, or at garage sales. A buddy of mine had one and was embarrassed every time he pulled it out of its brown case. They just weren’t cool.

Luckily, because these old planks were considered second-tier back then, I managed to buy and hold onto a few I couldn’t touch today. As vintage guitars became serious business, authentication usually came down to some old-timer with a good eye and strong opinions. Counterfeiters are getting terrifyingly good. It’s forensics now, not gut feel.

So I turned to the pros at Vintage Verified, a third-party guitar analysis lab run by Jon Roncolato and Zach Ziemer, two talented, respected members of Nashville’s guitar community that I’ve known for years. They built out a state-of-the-art lab and hired some of the top chemists in the world, like Dr. Tom Tague Jr., to perform non-destructive scientific testing—spectrometers, analytical chemistry, 3D scanning, the works—to check if a vintage instrument's parts and finish match its claimed era and maker. They examine finish, plastics, hardware, pickups, electronics, body and neck structure, inlays, logos, everything, and compare it against their massive database of known-good and known-suspect examples, and also of period-correct and modern materials alike.

I brought them what I believed to be my 1952 Les Paul Standard (refinished with new electronics), my seemingly stock 1954 Les Paul Standard, and my 1956 Les Paul Custom (partially refinished with a neck repair from its misspent ’70s youth). If they’re genuine, the trio could fetch serious money—think north of $80K combined in today’s crazy market. If they’re clever fakes or heavy rebuilds? Maybe $6K–$10K for the lot.

"As vintage guitars became serious business, authentication usually came down to some old-timer with a good eye and strong opinions."

The anxiety was real. What if I’d been lying to myself all these years? What if my retirement plan was actually worth five percent of what I imagined?

I was most concerned about how they could accurately date my 1952 Les Paul. Gibson did not start using the ink-stamped five-digit serial numbers on the back of the headstock until well into 1953. That makes dating a bit of a challenge. On top of that, my ‘52 came to me as a hacked-up husk, having been repeatedly stripped, routed, and repainted over its very rough 72 years on this planet. The Vintage Verified guys told me that if the guitar is a legit 1952, the instrument will likely have at least traces of original paint in the pickup cavities, as it’s very uncommon for someone to strip the concealed guts completely.

Cavity remnants in combination with 3D scanning provides a high degree of certainty as to whether a husk is legit or not. The 1952 Gibson Gold Top finish is unique because it used a bronze powder mixed into clear nitrocellulose lacquer instead of modern gold metallic flake or mica. As with most period-correct materials, a period-correct Gibson finish from the 1950s is virtually impossible to recreate. As Vintage Verified put it, the complexity of the chemistry involved in these coatings is far beyond the grasp of many people.

But I wonder—when the Boomers finish unloading their collections, will Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, Alpha, or the incoming Beta crowd even blink? These younger players think nothing of dropping $7 on coffee or $800 on a modeler, but a 70-year-old plank with checking and a questionable neck reset?

I’m betting that as the chasm between the Haves, the Have Nots, and the Have Jets grows increasingly larger, the mega rich will run out of things to buy, so they will chase what is rare. You can build as many custom shop reproductions as you want, but unless you have a Delorian and a flux capacitor, you can not build a true ’50s-era Les Paul.

I don’t know if I’ll ever sell mine, but at least now I know what I actually own. When I’m gone, there’s objective evidence for my daughter. Maybe she’ll drag them to gigs and bang on them just like she watched me do her whole life. Or maybe she’ll sell them and buy a house. Either way, the guesswork is gone.

The process isn’t cheap, but the confidence it gives any future buyer (or inheritor) more than pays for itself. Plus, it just feels good to stop wondering.

It will soon be 20 years since Joe Bonamassa released his first signature model with Gibson, and ahead of the milestone he’s provided an estimate on how many of his signature models with Gibson and Epiphone have sold overall so far.

JoBo’s first signature was a Custom Shop ‘Inspired By’ Gold Top Les Paul model, which was released as a drop of only 300. The model sold quickly, unexpectedly for Bonamassa at the time, opening the gate to more opportunities for further guitars over the years.

• READ MORE: “I think you should stay there”: The great reason why Joe Bonamassa changed his mind about Jared James Nichols borrowing his guitar gear

During his appearance with Eric Dahl on the Gear Gab podcast, Bonamassa begins to reflect, “Mat Koehler over at Gibson told me that next year is the 20th anniversary. Time flies! We originally started with 300 Custom Shop ‘Inspired By’ Les Pauls, that was my take on an old Gold Top.

“The late great Pat Foley was the one that basically approached me about that. Rick Gembar, who was the head of the Custom Shop at Gibson at the time, he was the one that green lit the whole thing. I don’t think they were expecting to sell those kinds of guitars that fast, especially because I was not as well known, but for some reason they sold really fast and we did other ones. ”

He adds, “We did other Custom Shop ones and then we did… I mean, there’s probably Custom Shop JB ones, there’s maybe a couple thousand out there. I know there’s at least 20,000 Epiphones out there, so we’re vastly approaching 25,000 Gibsons over the last 20 years.”

Watch the full podcast below:

On a similar note, Bonamassa has teamed up with Martin again for two new signature models inspired by his 1937 Martin 00-18 shade-top. The collaboration consists of the 00-18 Joe Bonamassa and 00-10E Retro Joe Bonamassa – two acoustic guitars that aim to give players the look and feel of the blues maestro’s treasured pre-war 00-18.

The post Joe Bonamassa reveals the vast number of his Gibson and Epiphone signature guitars that have sold over the years appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Walrus Audio has introduced a new addition to its Canvas Series, an expression pedal that promises minimal wear and tear overtime.

Building on its Canvas Volume pedal that launched earlier this year, Canvas Expression is said to offer smooth control without “the mechanical compromises of traditional expression pedals” thanks to its sensor operation.

Walrus Audio describes it as a “command centre” rather than a typical pedal, providing a control hub for compatible devices through Expression, MIDI, USB-C or CV, making it adaptable to pedalboards, synths, and computer-based rigs.

• READ MORE: Red Panda RD-1 Pitch Delay review – a clever compact delay with multiple note-manipulating tricks

Engineered in Oklahoma City, Canvas Expression relies on a contactless precision magnetic position sensor for smoother operation and improved reliability, unlike conventional designs that rely on strings, gears, or potentiometers. With this modern take, the brand says it delivers “consistent performance with no mechanical parts to stretch, slip, or wear out”.

Users get simultaneous control over multiple devices at one time, and there are multiple analogue 1/4” expression connection options such as expression, CV and switch signals.

Using the Canvas Expression web editor, musicians can also further customise tapers, wiring, MIDI CC and PC assignments, CV settings, switch behaviour, and more to optimise compatibility with a wide array of setups.

Credit: Walrus Audio

Walrus Audio’s Canvas Series also features a number of other nifty tools like DI boxes and the Canvas Tuner, Clock, and even its own Rehearsal tool. The series aims to deliver the “cleanest, clearest signal possible throughout your rig”.

Outside of the Canvas range, we’ve included a number of Walrus Audio tools in some of our top roundups. We highlighted the Walrus Audio Fundamental Distortion in our guide to the best distortion pedals, and its Fundamental Ambient reverb in our top picks for the best pedals for beginners.

Walrus Audio’s Canvas Expression is available now for $299.99. Find out more via the Walrus Audio website.

The post Walrus Audio’s new Canvas Expression pedal has no mechanical parts for better reliability appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Back in 2010, legendary composer Hans Zimmer roped in Johnny Marr to feature on his latest film project – that’s how The Smiths legend wound up performing a 12-string electric on the Inception soundtrack. Zimmer was so impressed that he’s enlisted Marr for plenty of projects ever since. However, things could have ended at Inception if Zimmer hasn’t given Marr a stern pep talk.

Despite being a renowned axeman, Marr used to be pretty coy about his guitar skills. When first faced with Zimmer 16 years ago, the guitarist was too reserved – and Zimmer wasn’t having it. Sensing that Marr was holding back, the composer quickly knocked some sense into him. “When I was younger I was too reverential,” Marr admits in the latest issue of MOJO. “Hans Zimmer had to tell me that – ‘I got you in to sound like Johnny Fucking Marr, so get on with it!’”

• READ MORE: “I was just up my own arse” Johnny Marr recalls the moment he realised he was being “ridiculous” not playing The Smiths songs live

While Marr jokes “Okay, Hans, no need to hurt my feelings!”, Zimmer was right. Marr wasn’t living up to his name or legacy – so he made sure to bring everything to the table from that day on. “It was a good lesson learned,” he says. “These days I think I know what people want me to bring [to a recording session].”

In the years since their first collaboration, Marr has also given Zimmer some helpful advice in return. In fact, in 2015, Marr began to encourage Zimmer to pick up his own guitar and start performing live. “[He said it had] came to the point now where I have to look the audience in the eye, where I can’t hide behind a screen anymore, and I need to get out there and confront humanity,” the composer explained on CBC’s Q with Tom Power podcast last year.

Just as Zimmer had encouraged Marr to be more confident in his skills. And Zimmer decided to take his advice, even performing guitar for Pharrell Williams at the 2015 Grammy Awards. “At that moment, I thought only an idiot would say no,” Zimmer noted. “That sort of started the whole thing up.”

That’s how Zimmer began embarking on tours to perform his soundtracks live, with the first tour coming in 2016. “It’s all Johnny Marr’s fault, really,” he told Irish News in 2016. “He talked me into doing a concert, then another, then another and now a tour. There I was, trapped away in my little room with no windows for 30 years, and now I’m playing arenas.”

“I always had [stage fright], and it was Johnny making me go on stage that got me out there each time we’ve performed,” he added. “He was always saying, ‘Come on, you can do it, you’ve got to’, and I got out there. You can’t not do something in life just because you are afraid of it. You cannot let fear rule your life; you just have to throw yourself at the mercy of humanity. If I mess up, people will be kind about it.”

Elsewhere in the MOJO interview, Marr also reflected on how another legend’s advice reframed his sadness over The Smiths breakup – namely, Beatles icon Paul McCartney. “I just told him about the break-up of the band,” he remembers. “I looked to him and waited and he just said, ‘That’s bands for you.’ It’s such a brilliant answer coming from him.”

“Over the years, I’ve been asked to give advice,” he continues. “There is just a time to say, ‘That’s bands for you.’”

Johnny Marr’s new album, The Age of Everything, drops on 2 October. You can pre-order it now.

The post “Okay, Hans, no need to hurt my feelings!”: Johnny Marr reveals the brutal but helpful expletive-laden advice he once got from Hans Zimmer appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Jimi Hendrix could make a guitar scream, set it on fire and generally look like the coolest man in the room. Put him in front of Paul McCartney without a guitar to hide behind, though, and even Hendrix got the nerves.

That’s what happened when the late legend was invited to a star-studded event at London’s Post Office Tower, as his former roadie Eric Barrett recalls in a new interview with Uncut.

With Hendrix arriving without his usual six-string safety blanket, things got particularly tense when he spotted Beatles star Paul McCartney heading his way.

• READ MORE: “The thing was beat to shit”: The time My Chemical Romance’s Ray Toro got to play one of Jimi Hendrix’s Strats

“Jimi was invited to an event at the Post Office Tower, in the revolving restaurant at the top. Gerry [Stickells, tour manager] couldn’t take him, so I said I’d go along with him,” Barrett recalls. “I have no idea what the function was but I went to loads of events like that, just happy to get the free beer and a canapé and spend some time with Jimi.”

There was just one problem: Hendrix didn’t have his guitar.

“Jimi didn’t have a guitar, so he didn’t have a prop, something to hide behind,” Barrett explains. “We walked in and he saw who was there and started speaking out the side of his mouth: ‘Eric, Eric… Paul McCartney’s walking towards me… What shall I do?’ I told him to relax, it would be fine. Paul McCartney came over and was showering him with praise, but Jimi wasn’t good at that at all.”

According to Barrett, Hendrix was similarly uncomfortable around other famous musicians, despite being a hero to many of them himself.

“He was so shy, he didn’t know how to respond. And he was like that with all the stars he met,” says the former roadie. “He didn’t seem to understand why they were looking up to him. If he had met Paul McCartney in the studio, he’d have been much more comfortable.”

Barrett’s years on the road with Hendrix produced no shortage of memorable stories. In an excerpt from his new memoir, Experienced: On the Road with Jimi Hendrix and Beyond, he also looks back on the guitarist’s habit of destroying his instruments onstage – and what Hendrix told him when he finally asked why.

“Eric, I just couldn’t get any more out of it, man,” Hendrix explained. “I squeezed every note and every sound that guitar was ever going to give me. It had nothing left to give.”

The post The time Jimi Hendrix met Paul McCartney at a fancy event, and couldn’t handle it: “Paul McCartney’s walking towards me… What shall I do?” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Sometimes, Michael W. Klein is tagged in posts filled with horrifying noises. They’ve been shared online by musicians fighting to contain the fury and chaos of his Oni pedal, a high-gain collaboration with God’s Hate and Twitching Tongues guitarist Taylor Young that’s capable of peeling skin from skulls. “I’m like a proud father watching their kid round the bases,” Klein says with a laugh when he brings up the videos. “God, that thing is nasty.”

• READ MORE: Why Tosin Abasi created the wildest nylon-string guitar ever: the Stage 7

If he wanted to, Klein could field a whole baseball team of bench-clearing brawlers, having spent the past decade building a rep as an amp and pedal maker of particular renown among artists whose tastes run to these kinds of extremes. Alongside Young, also an in-demand producer whose Los Angeles-headquartered studio The Pit has become a hub for musicians seeking grimy, mosh-forward textures, his champions include Sammy Duet, of Goatwhore and sludge-metal comeback kids Acid Bath, Matt Harvey, main man of San Jose death metal veterans Exhumed, and thrash titan Gary Holt, who riffs in both Slayer and Exodus.

Sitting in his basement workshop as we talk over Zoom, Klein wears a cream Eyehategod shirt while surrounded by boxes of stuff – miscellaneous tools, screws, cables, stuff – that he’ll put to work in pursuit of noises that would terrify the average person on the street. “I hate to use the word craftsmanship,” he says, trailing off. But, in fairness, what other word is there? Klein’s approach is a fascinating marriage of creativity, technology and old-school trial and error – he will do the scut work of populating a circuit board by hand while contemplating what it means to devote love and care to something so outwardly confrontational.

“I’ve spoken with Taylor, Sammy, Matt about this – it’s almost like those guys and myself are philosophically grounded and driven,” he says. “As a fan of heavy music I tend to gravitate towards music that feels that way as I’m experiencing it. I’m into builders who are that way, too, like Dean Costello. When you hear his amps, and you see how he builds them, it’s so clear that there’s deeper meaning behind it. I’ve been fortunate that other nerds see that in my stuff.”

Michael W. Klein. Image: Kelly Powell, Elements Brand Haus

Don’t Quit Your Day Job

Klein is fully aware that he is never going to be a unit-shifter of any real note, and equally steadfast in his desire not to be. Based in Kansas City, he has a full-time job that he has no intention of quitting and his equipment is produced in small runs that are pored over in his spare time, reflecting a passion that has been there since he was a teenager studying the chugs on Metallica records. “A friend I used to jam with would tease me about how I spent more time trying to get my guitar rig to sound like [Sepultura’s] Chaos A.D. than playing together,” Klein recalls.

At the same time, the vibrant messageboard scene of the early internet opened doors in terms of starter-pack electronics knowledge and records that pushed his metal fandom towards more esoteric realms. When he emerged from college completely broke and minus all the gear he’d sold to buy food and other unfortunate necessities, Klein stopped short of replacing it. What if, he thought, instead of chasing gear that may or may not sound the way he wants it to, he made it himself? “It just built from there over time,” he says.

“One of the first tube amps I built was a 40-watt simplified Dumble circuit,” he continues. “I had never done anything from scratch quite like that. I remember finishing it, measuring everything, doing startup and it sounded great. That was a turning point for me. In my mind, there were so many legends about tube circuits, specific builders, and all this black magic. I realised there wasn’t anything special – if I could do it, anyone could.”

Image: Kelly Powell, Elements Brand Haus

Access All Areas

This punk commitment to accessibility is fundamental to Klein’s approach – he keeps his prices as low as possible, especially considering the labour involved, and is really only in it to help other people make the cool stuff he’s always liked. Once he realised he could do it, it was a short hop to thinking he’d like to bring some of the sounds in artists’ heads screaming into reality. A crucial moment arrived in 2015 when, following an Exhumed show, he wandered over to Harvey and offered to buy him a drink.

“I told him how much I appreciated what he does,” Klein remembers. “I was like, ‘I build guitar stuff, and if there’s anything you’d ever like to have, I would be honoured to build it.’ He had a pretty lofty idea – a preamp that had the distortion channel of an Ampeg VH-140C, a clean channel, and then built-in reverb that was assignable to either channel. At that time, I was making my circuit boards by hand, drilling every pad, etching them. That was a logistical nightmare to tackle, and it was also such a blast. That was the impetus for the word of mouth.”

Later, Klein approached Duet with a similar offer through Instagram, while Young was introduced to his work by his former Nails bandmate Leon del Muerte, who was himself introduced to Klein by Harvey, his former Exhumed bandmate. The circle, it spins. Now, having seen Klein in action, they’re all intent on hipping people to what’s going down in Missouri. “I really like working with DIY people,” Young observes. “And it doesn’t get more DIY than Michael’s ‘only-man’ operation.”

Oni pedal. Image: Kelly Powell, Elements Brand Haus

Oni Option

To make Oni, Klein was tasked with turning a “pedal chain of ridiculousness” into a box that Young estimates still gets used on 50 per cent of sessions at The Pit. “It was a combo of the original Slayer tone, an OD-1, Boss 10-band EQ and a RAT to get more grit and slime out of it,” Young says. “I floated Michael an idea for this chain as a pedal and he sprinted with it. We landed on modded versions of each pedal in one box, but each with their own individual low boost, and a switch to choose which is first in the internal chain.”

With Acid Bath playing stadiums alongside System of a Down thanks to a Crowbar-style TikTok glow up, plenty of eyes will also be resting on Klein and Duet’s Tube Screamer-esque Dybbuk pedal and their SPD100 amplifier, which both featured in Klein’s latest drop. Crucially, though, he’s not just slapping famous names onto things in order to glom some of their buzz. He’s making tools that are there to be used. “I like everything to make sense and have a purpose,” Klein says, and that extends to the process itself.

On one hand, each component finding its right place is about doing the job to the best of his ability, but on the other it’s also about how it makes him feel. “The thing I realised over time is that I was not only building and designing and modding stuff for this love of guitar tone, it was also a way of managing mental health issues,” Klein notes. “I’m dealing with depression and anxiety and suicidal thoughts, all this stuff.”

“It was a way for me to work with my hands and be creative in a way that helped quiet that stuff down, at least temporarily,” he continues. “I’m in a better place than I’ve been in a while. But that is still there. It’s crazy for me that people are interested in this thing I’ve done for myself, because I’m a hopeless nerd and because I have difficulties. If that interest suddenly stopped, I would still be down here in my shop building stuff because I need to. And, because it’s fun.”

The post Meet the little-known boutique builder who makes the secret weapons behind some of metal’s most brutal guitar tones appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

March 20, 2007

David Lindley Interview

By Joerg Kliewe.

Guitarist David Lindley is a pioneer of international music who led one of the first world music rock groups during the ’60s called Kaleidoscope. He would later work with singer-songwriter Jackson Browne starting in 1971 and his staggering solos can be heard ripping through such hits as Jackson’s classic “Running on Empty”.

Whether playing switchbacks on his lap steels, hot rodding through six-string riffs, or grooving on his collection of Middle Eastern stringed axes, David’s extraordinary cauldron of musical talent captivates musicians and fans around the globe.

David Lindley’s show at the Alladin Theater in Portland, Oregon, was the perfect spot to get out of a cold winter rain. Stepping inside the theater, I caught Lindley’s sound check while he tweaked his gear to fit the old vaudeville house’s acoustics. I was caught by surprise and stopped in my tracks when he unleashed an exquisite rendition of the late Warren Zevon’s “The Indifference of Heaven”.

A short while later, I found myself sitting across from David as he answered questions between sips of hot coffee and talked about his amazing instrument collection, songwriting, and the world of independent music production.

Although, we now know Lindley as a gifted multi-instrumentalist and for his classic licks on some of the best music produced during the past 40 years, he began his music journey as a banjo player. As a teen he was a five time winner of California’s Topanga Banjo – Fiddle Contest.

A musician’s musician, David can be found ripping it up on tracks with such formidable talents as Ry Cooder, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Terry Reid, Rory Block, James Taylor, David Blue, Linda Ronstadt, Crosby and Nash, Iggy Pop, Little Feat, Linda Thompson, Warren Zevon, and a long impressive list of fellow artists.

Lindley’s eccentric spirit has led him to classic Danelectros, Tiesco Del Reys, Kays, Nationals, as well as a grouping of exotic instruments with names like oud (Middle Eastern), bouzouki (Greek) and saz (Turkish).

After releasing his solo album El Rayo-X, he formed a band of the same name with Bernie Larsen (guitar), Jorge Calderon (bass), Ian Wallace (drums), and Ras “Baboo” (percussion), who interwove traditional American roots music, world beat, and reggae.

In 1991, Lindley landed in Antanarivo, Madagascar, with avant-garde guitarist and innovator Henry Kaiser that resulted in a durable collaboration based on a series of field recordings. The visit to the island nation yielded six albums of Malagasy music, including an award winning two-volume set A World Out of Time. Later, the two would head to Norway where they pulled together two more CDs, Sweet Sunny North (Vol. 1 and 2).

When Lindley stepped out on stage at the Alladin the audience was rewarded with the flash of his very “Mr Dave” outfit that included a flamboyantly hep ‘70s shirt, a pair of funky polyester pants, and “soft like buttah” blue alligator shoes. His set roamed the earth with tunes from all over the planet that began with a short warm up on his bouzouki. He later switched to a Weissenborn guitar to deliver Zevon’s “Seminole Bingo”. The sound he conjured was as wide as a semi-trailer with a thick bass chop that had us thinking that there were two players on stage.

He ventured into performing highlights from his three Twango Bango albums mixed with traditional tunes on the oud and later on some songs he recorded during the ‘90s with Jordanian percussionist Hani Nasser.

Lindley’s Alladin show was a retrospective of over 40 years of playing by one of America’s finest players of stringed instruments. The honesty of his performance and his quirky humor illustrate that he is, indeed, a giant in American music and entertainment.

It’s good to see you back on the West Coast. The last time we met you were performing with Wally (Ingram) in Cologne, Germany, during an extensive European tour.

David Lindley: Yeah, the last German tour has already been a while ago. Anyway, we had serious problems with the promoter during that tour and didn’t go back since. But yes, I have many friends abroad and I would love to play in Europe again.

Are the current dates that you’ve played the start of another world tour?

DL: No, no, no, the U.S. dates will, however, continue until the summer and even into the summer. In between I will finish the new album.

What will be on it? More covers or your own songs?

DL: Ha ha, nice try! I’ll only say this much, everyone will love it! I just finished the basic recordings and I’ll take those to Jackson’s [Browne] studio for the final production.

Is Jackson a part of the project too?

DL: We’re using his studio only, which includes absolutely the best gear you could imagine. I think lending me his studio for free is being involved.

Did you record using microphones or amplify the instruments first?

DL: No, by microphone. We were using ProTools and I was catching the signal by four mics on four tracks at the same time to give it more room and depth. The sound will blow you away!

Your concert program is a well balanced set of your own songs and tunes written by other great artists, like Warren Zevon and J. J. Cale, and they blend together just fine. Where and how do you find these songs or do they find you?

DL: Warren’s stuff is great music that I just love and have to play, man. Anyway, I get songs from all over. Often my daughter finds me tunes and if If I don’t find the kind of song I’m looking for I write them myself. It’s actually pretty easy.

You seem to hold close control over the management side of things. Isn’t it still quite difficult to produce and market your music independently in the US?

DL: Yeah, no record company involved other than myself! Actually it isn’t difficult and marketing my music by myself works pretty well for me. I sell my records directly, especially to smaller stores, more the mom and pop kind of stores. And I even sell them in Canada, Europe and Japan .

Not only are you a multi-instrumentalist but you are also known for your huge collection of guitars and stringed instruments. Add any new treasures to your collection recently?

DL: I became totally devoted to my ouds and I can’t get enough of them! I already keep thinking of what I’m going to buy to reward myself [for touring] when I get back home. Hmmm, maybe another oud?

During a visit to Turkey I noticed that the oud players were pretty obsessed by their instruments.

DL: I really love these instruments. Maybe because they are so challenging. They are tuned in quarts [fourths] and the traditional music that has been conserved is written for them and includes a special phrase for almost every note. Oud players like Necati Celik Üsta from Turkey started playing when they were kids. These players achieve their title of “Master of The Oud“ from many years of hard practice and play.

You play John Lee Hooker kind of riffs on the oud.

DL: You can play everything on an oud! Isn’t that great? I remember when I received my flat back oud made by Viken Najarian, I plugged it into an amplifier, turned the volume to 10, what is sometimes a good thing to do, and it sounded like [pauses] crap. So, I called Ry Cooder who I knew was working at a studio downtown. I played it to him over the telephone. Ry asked, “Shit. What is this thing? You better get down here with it right away!”

When I got there Ry checked it out and said, “Hmmm, whatever it is, it sounds really good. Can I borrow it for a while?” After a couple of weeks I called him and said: “Ry, I want my oud back.”

You see, this is what these instruments do to you!

What other instruments are you going to play during the concert?

DL: I brought two Weissenborn guitars made by Paddy Burgin in New Zealand, which are mind blowing! The quality is just incredible. I’m also going to play an oud made by Dimitris Rapakousios and, of course, I brought my Guild 12-string. Guild actually had it measured recently because they didn’’t have records on these instruments any more.

Your website shows a respectable part of your collection. And you also own quite a few vintage instruments. How do you feel about the current market situation when it comes to vintage guitars?

DL: Look what the ’60s Strats are selling for these days, $30,000 and over! It’s unbelievable! Actually, I have a ’60s Strat and the pickups had even gotten rewound by Doc Kaufmann. I don’t think I’m gonna sell that one!

Do you know exactly how many instruments you currently own?

DL: I will not tell! They are so many by now that I have to keep them safe at different locations.

Related Links
David Lindley
Paddy Burgin Guitars
Dimitris Rapakousios

Expression pedal offers Expression, MIDI, USB-C or CV

Usually, if you're bringing an electric guitar to a gig, you need to bring an amp, or at least a speaker, too. The Enya Inspire Pro changes that. It's got one built in. Tom Butwin unpacks a smart guitar that folds an entire signal chain into a carbon fiber body, and makes the case that even the most die-hard traditionalist can find a use for it.

Behind the speaker sits the processing: more than 50 amp models, a deep effects library, an onboard looper, tuner, and drum machine. Switch to line-out mode and all that modeling routes out the quarter-inch jack to an amp, interface, or FRFR cab. Add the wireless footswitch and you're jumping between patches and presets from the floor. The Enya app handles the rest, offering the ability to rearrange effect blocks, dial in parameters, and generate tones from a written or spoken prompt.

The Inspire Pro is available at two price points. The SD carries a USA Seymour Duncan set (SSL-2/SSL-3/TB-4), a titanium alloy and brass bridge, and a gloss finish. The AL swaps in Enya's own Apex Lab pickups and a matte Lazer Radiance finish, keeping all the same smart features.

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