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Podcast 564: John Leventhal
The great John Leventhal joins us once again to talk about the making of his new solo album, National Drift.
https://www.instagram.com/johnleventhal/
We talk about his recording process for the album, how the songs came to be, the guitars he’s currently loving, the perils of compression, and so much more.
Above photo: Rosanne Cash
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Dawner Prince Eclipsa Review
For all of digital modeling’s advances, there are thrills that it struggles to replicate, and one of the most ecstatic of these is the sensation of standing next to a rotary speaker, cranked to the gills as it roars and spins and threatens to transmogrify into a living, heaving beast. It’s a sensation that’s rarer than ever with Hammond B-3 bars and big touring budgets going the way of the dodo. If you’ve never had the pleasure, I recommend finding a way to get close to one.
So, no, digital can’t capture the multisensory experience of moving air and whirring cables that one experiences sitting next to a shaking Leslie any more than it can imitate the feel of sitting next to an idling Ferrari. But what it can do is emulate how that rotary speaker will sound to a microphone, which for most purposes does just fine. And you’d have to search far and wide to find a designer that works harder at capturing the nuances of rotary speakers than Croatia’s Dawner Prince.
There’s a good reason—apart from copious engineering chops—that Dawner Prince excels at recreating rotary sounds: company founder Zoran Kraljevic is a certifiable Pink Floyd freak. With Gilmour plainly on his brain, he’s produced a first-rate Echorec-style pedal in the form of the Boonar and the Pulse, an homage to the obscure Doppola rotary speaker (which was modeled on the Maestro Rover). Like the Doppola-derived Pulse, the new Eclipsa takes inspiration from a rotary system that might have been relegated to total obscurity were it not for the patronage of Mr. Gilmour—the Yamaha RA-200.
Just as the Doppola and Maestro Rover’s designs differed significantly from the rotating drum and horn concept behind the Leslie, the Yamaha took a novel approach to generating rotary sounds—using three speakers of identical size oriented to create a phasing effect as they spun. The sonic product—a focused, midrange-heavy whoosh—starting dotting, and at times dominating, Gilmour’s live sound in between the Animals and The Wall tours. But you need not be a Pink Floyd obsessive to appreciate the Eclipsa’s super-rich, enveloping version of the RA-200 sound. Like a touch of butter and salt, it’s good on just about everything.
[It] feels simultaneously physical and phantasmal—like there’s the ghost of a real-deal RA-200 in the room.
Motion Potion
It’s hard to avoid closing your eyes when you play the Eclipsa. For one thing, its modulations have a near-narcotic effect. But there is something very authentic in the energy of those modulations—and the picture that energy paints—that feels simultaneously physical and phantasmal, like there’s the ghost of a real-deal RA-200 in the room. It’s a strange and very satisfying sensation.
At most settings, the Eclipsa creates decidedly richer sounds than those produced by an analog vibrato pedal or a Uni-Vibe (though it does a superb job of emulating the latter on a fat dose of vitamins). Before I plugged in, I guessed that the midrange emphasis might have a bossy flattening effect in some situations. I was very wrong. As it turns out, the midrange lends a compelling tautness to the modulations—not enough to diminish the bubble-gum elasticity in them, but enough to add a perceptibly springy quality.
The Eclipsa provides a number of ways to reshape that springiness. The most critical, perhaps, is the distance control, which emulates the effect of moving a microphone closer or further away to a RA-200’s rotary array. Obviously, virtual proximity makes the modulations more pronounced and detailed, but it also highlights the high-midrange that elevates a guitar’s profile in a mix. More distant settings have a slight darkening effect that also bleeds a bit of perceived kinetic force, making guitar and modulations alike a lot more low-key. The Eclipsa’s mix control can radically reshape the modulation response too. It imitates a shift in emphasis between the dry signal from a real RA-200’s 4x12 speaker cabinet and the rotary array, with many blends in between. Then there’s the onboard Alembic F2-B preamp emulation, which features its own bass, middle, and treble knobs as well as a volume and bright switch. The interactions between these controls can yield a lot of subtle shading and bits of EQ emphasis that lend intricacy and precision to the modulations, and they are very satisfying to explore.
Pedal To The Metal, Slam On the Brakes
Much of the fun related to rotary speakers is related to the sensation of acceleration and deceleration that come from switching between high- and low-speed modes. It’s one of the best bits of the Eclipsa’s design. There is ample range in the two controls that determine the slowest and fastest speeds, and the ramp speed can be altered via the inertia control, which, like the Eclipsa as a whole, has an eerily authentic mechanical feel. You can also bring the modulations to a complete stop by pressing and holding the fast/slow footswitch. It can be a slightly awkward process at first, but mastering this simple touch can prompt dramatic shifts between the very immersive modulations and a dry signal. It puts a cool arrangement tool at your feet, not to mention the potential for a little sound theater worthy of Pink Floyd.
The Verdict
Though the interactivity of its controls suggests complexity, at its core the Eclipsa is a very straightforward, easy-to-master affair. It’s fantastically realistic, and positively addictive. It’s completely at home with distortion and drive ranging from mellow boosts to gnarly fuzzes to tweed Deluxe-style saturation (which became my favorite recipe). Dang, it’s expensive. But you need only play the Eclipsa for two minutes to know why. It’s a lovingly built thing and a deep sonic experience. And if rotary-style modulation is at the heart of what you do, I’d consider parting with a few effects to justify the expense. It’s a calculation I’m probably doing as you read this, because you can consider me hooked on the Eclipsa.
Keeley Electronics Introduces Compressor Plus Germanium
Keeley Electronics has launched the Compressor Plus Germanium pedal, the newest addition to Keeley’s line of iconic compressors. Built around the familiar Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend controls, this new design brings a fresh voice to a pedal that has been evolving for a quarter century.
At the heart of the Compressor Plus Germanium is a crucial germanium transistor. Keeley incorporates germanium into both the audio output section and the compressor’s side-chain feedback, bringing a new character and response to one of the company’s most enduring designs.
The pedal also includes a 2-position switch for adjusting the recovery time when using single coil or humbucking pickups. Recovery time is slower in the Single Coil setting, and faster in the Humbucker setting, allowing ideal feel and responsiveness for any guitar in your arsenal.
Built from start to finish at Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma City, the Compressor Plus Germanium also includes selectable true-bypass or Keeley silent buffered switching, rugged construction, and the classic compressor sound that has made Keeley the go-to choice for guitarists and bassists for a quarter century.
Compressor Plus Germanium features include:
- A Germanium Transistor at the heart of the new compressor circuit
- Germanium-enhanced audio output section for added character and musical response
- Germanium incorporated into the side-chain feedback circuit
- Classic Compressor Plus knobs: Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend control for mixing compressed and dry signals for greater control over feel and dynamics
- 2-position switch to optimize responsiveness and recovery time for single coil or humbucking pickups
- Switchable on the fly between true bypass and buffered bypass
- Operates at 9–18V DC for flexible pedalboard integration
- Designed and manufactured by Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma, USA
The Compressor Plus Germanium arrives as Keeley Electronics celebrates 25 years of building pedals for players who care deeply about sound. It all began in 2001 with Robert Keeley, a workbench, and a humble compressor pedal. What started as a pursuit of better compression became one of the defining products in Keeley’s history and helped establish the company during the early days of the boutique pedal movement.
Over the years, the Keeley Compressor continued to evolve. The original two-knob design gave way to the expanded four-knob Compressor, followed by the Compressor Plus, which brought Tone and Blend controls into the circuit and gave players greater control over sustain, attack, and the natural character of their instrument. By the time the Compressor Plus arrived in 2017, Keeley had built more than 50,000 compressors, making compression not simply part of the company’s history, but a fundamental part of its identity.
It feels only fitting to mark the company’s 25-year milestone by returning to where it all started. The Compressor Plus Germanium honors that beginning while carrying the Keeley Compressor forward for a new generation. Like every Keeley pedal, the Compressor Plus Germanium is designed and manufactured in Oklahoma, USA.
Keeley’s Compressor Plus Germanium carries a street price of $189. For more information visit robertkeeley.com.
Compressor Plus Germanium
Keeley Electronics has launched the Compressor Plus Germanium pedal, the newest addition to Keeley’s line of iconic compressors. Built around the familiar Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend controls, this new design brings a fresh voice to a pedal that has been evolving for a quarter century.
Louder Than Life 2026: A Heavy Metal Celebration in Derby City
USA's largest festival celebrating rock, metal & punk hosted over 250,00 fans to see Iron Maiden, TOOL, Limp Bizkit, Megadeth, Pantera, and dozens more. Here's our selection honoring the headbanging heroes that rocked Derby City.
Louder Than Life brought the heavy heat to Louisville with one of the most stacked lineups in the festival’s 12-year history. Straight out of the gate the tandem main stages scorched with back-to-back performances from Mac Sabbath, Gwar, Metal Church, Suicidal Tendencies, Machine Head, Sabaton, Alice Cooper, and the mighty Danzig.
There were a lot of special moments at this year's festival including Megadeth providing one of their final performances on the tail-end of their farewell tour, Pantera whiplashed the audience with one of their few North America shows, and untouchable Iron Maiden torched the Bluegrass State for the first time in 40+ years. LTL welcomed Danny Elfman’s first show in the Eastern half of the U.S. in nearly a decade (with a set featuring Oingo Boingo hits, his well-known film themes and new songs). Plus, the fest featured of the most prominent all-female-fronted stage lineups assembled at a major U.S. rock festival, with Halestorm, In This Moment, Lindsey Stirling, Orianthi, Icon For Hire, Kami Kehoe, and Diamante
Danny Wimmer has completely dialed our nation’s premier rock and metal festival since overhauling the layout in 2025. You can get cold beers, go to clean restrooms, and quickly get back to the decibel decimation. They also added dust-busting astroturf that blanketed the grounds. Shade, water, and reasonably-priced food also bolstered the experience. And The Kentucky Kingdom rollercoaster backdrop provided a most picturesque landscape at sunset.
Megadeth
Mustaine looked like a million bucks melting faces throughout his multi-platinum stacked set. His Gibson Custom V led a symphony of destruction with Teemu’s Explorer before he dedicated and detonated the opening riff to "Holy Wars" on an enthusiastic crowd. It was Louder than Life farewell to one of the all time greats.
Alice Cooper
Mr. Nice Guy’s head was bang’n as it rolled off the guillotine to his three-guitar army of Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen, and Anna Cara. School was in session with Ryan and Tommy shredding away on their Rock N Roll Relics and B.C. Rich lowriders. Anna’s matte black Ibanez absorbed the heat and scorched the crowd.
Pantera
Louder Than Life was treated to an explosive Pantera set. (One of two shows schedule in the U.S. for the Cowboys from Hell.) Zakk wielded his Wylde Audio guitar with confidence and power paying the perfect tribute to his late-friend Dime. Rex brought the thunder to ZW's lightning ripping through his bands catalog to a Fucking Hostile crowd co-headlining the night with Iron Maiden closing the Thursday festitives.
Pantera
Iron Maiden
Ed Force One landed in Louisville to celebrate 50 years of their hall-of-fame career by returning to Kentucky for the first time in four decades. The show could be described as Louder Than Live After Death as the band looked and sounded no different than their acclaimed 1985 live album. Murray, Smith and Gers were kept on rhythm with Harris’s signature Fender thump. They were troopers in the heat wave showing no sign of slowing before closing with Wasted Years.
Iron Maiden
Orianthi
The 6-stringer from Down Under drew a crowd at the Decibel stage Saturday afternoon showing beautiful precision on her signature PRS. Fellow guitarist Neil Swanson, bass Dylan Wilson and drummer Jack Ivins tore through staples including ZZ Top’s classic “Sharp Dressed Man” before a quick turnaround to Greece.
In a backstage interview with drummer Jack Ivins he explained the band did not have a setlist. "We just went onstage. Orianthi we'll start with 'Light It Up' and roll straight into 'Contagious' then we'll feel it out. No click, no digital rigs, all live amps pushing air, no in-ears since everyone is using wedges (except for me), hell - no setlist!"
"The closer was 'Voodoo Child' and right before that was her song 'First Time Blues.' We are normally a power trio but the second guitarist Neil was already playing that stage earlier in the day with Diamanté and he'd previously played for Orianthi, so she decided to add him last minute."
Tom Morello
The riffmeister general Tom Morello took the main stage with the fury you would expect from the Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave innovator.
This time accompanied by his son Roman, who Tom describes as the much more technical player of the Morellos. The band launched into the late Prince of Darkness’s “Mr. Crowley” before going hot and heavy with “The Ghost of Tom Joad”, “Like a Stone,” and “Killing In The Name.”
Halestorm
Lzzy Hale & Joe Hottinger of Halestorm brought an exceptionally visual show to a capacity Decimal stage crowd Saturday evening. Lzzy’s piercingly unrivaled rock vocals and Explorer chops were accompanied perfectly by Joe’s green V on lead duties. (Possibly earning the prize for most stunning guitar at the festival.) The show reached a fever pitch when violinist Lindsey Stirling joined band to play “Shatter Me.”
Limp Bizkit
It only took a couple of Borland riffs to realize why Limp Bizkit was the closer. Wes’ all-in wardrobe was only rivaled by the hooks the band furiously dropped on an enthusiastic crowd. Durst was quick to stop the set for safety, slowing things down with a cover the The Who's “Behind Blue Eyes” featured LB's fourth album, Results May Vary. Gaige Rivers joined the band during Pete Townshend-penned classic, paying tribute to her late father and founding bassist Sam Rivers. Touring low ender Richie Buxton has now stepped in to lock down the mountainous groove. The show climaxed with two performances of their epic anthem “Break Stuff!”
Limp Bizkit
Ministry
Ministry’s "Goddamn White Trash" throwdown rocked Louder’s main stage on the final day. Cesar Soto (Jackson) and Patrick Houston (Gibson Black Beauty) were thick as thieves shredding through the classics before ending with "Just One Fix." Paul D’Amor’s P bass provided the thunder just as it previously had in the early days of festival closer, TOOL.
Mastodon
The clan of Cysquatch kept Sunday humming with a stunner set of fresh fovrites classics including Snakes for Dinner, Barbarians Blood and ended with "Blood and Thunder" for the old heads. Bill Kelliher ripped his silverburst Banker alongside new guitar player Nick Johnston who was on signature Schecters all set. Band co-founder Troy Sanders boasted a megalodonic bass tone.
Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman animated the crowd with his buoyant setlist that included songs from Oingo Boingo, his compositions for film (Spider-Man, Batman, Beetlejuice & Weird Science), and playful TV theme songs (The Simpsons). The prodigy composer was accompanied by Nili Brosh on her signature Ibanez and Matt McJunkins on his Fender Precision. Robin Finck filled out the sonic front with his semi-hollow body Ibanez. Daylight was fading during this show as Gojira was about to be unleashed.
Gojira
The gargantuan wall of sound and fury could've awoken their namesake Godzilla all the way in the Pacific. They opened with "Born For One Thing" and closed with "The Gift of Guilt." Joe and Christian traded heavy harmonies while bassist Jean-Michel Labadie laid the rhythmic floor. The flames blasted high as their confetti cannons shot over the crowd in what was a spectacular lead into the all-powerful TOOL.
TOOL
The capacity Louder Than Life crowd stood witness to another picture-perfect TOOL set. “The Grudge” and “Jambi” uniquely spearhead a soundscape that only Adam and Justin can achieve. Adam’s always eerie electric shape exploded into the deep cut “Crawl Away” for those looking for an Undertow emergence. Maynard proved to be Invincible taking the stage less than a month after hip-replacement surgery. He stood strong next to one of the greatest drummers in rock history Danny Carey and closed the festival with a vicious “Vicarious.”
TOOL
Fender Introduces Three New John 5 Signature Telecaster Models
Fender and the Fender Custom Shop have unveiled three new John 5 signature Telecaster models: the Fender John 5 Phantom Telecaster, Fender John 5 Ghost Telecaster and Fender Custom Shop John 5 “Phantom” Telecaster. Each of these Telecaster models captures a different facet of his unmistakable style and musical range, bringing his signature sound and design to more players across a range of price points.
“I don’t know if the Telecaster picked me or I picked it. I was so drawn to that shape,” said John 5. “Ever since I was little, Fender was always just the pinnacle, the greatest, and I just wanted nothing more to have the best guitar for me and have the people enjoy it as well.”
John 5’s approach to the Telecaster showcases the instrument’s versatility: equally at home with distortion-drenched shredding and country chicken-picking, John 5 has spent his career proving there’s no genre, style or vibe off limits. A lifelong Telecaster devotee, his technically demanding, theatrical playing has made him one of rock’s most distinctive guitarists.
The three signature models translate John 5’s sound and visual style into distinct instruments, from the Fender lineup to the Fender Custom Shop:
- John 5 Phantom Telecaster (MSRP: $1,299.99 USD, £1,149 GBP, €1,349 EUR, $2,149 AUD, ¥198,000 JPY) Finished in black with a matching headcap, the Phantom pairs its unmistakable Telecaster silhouette with a decidedly modern performance setup. DiMarzio D’Activator pickups in the neck and bridge deliver the high-output response John 5 is known for, with tight low end and clear articulation through high-gain settings. A Floyd Rose FRTS2000 Special Series tremolo brings another dimension to the instrument, allowing for dramatic pitch bends, dive bombs and other extreme techniques while maintaining tuning stability. The streamlined control layout features a single volume knob and killswitch, leaving plenty of room for the player to shape the performance in real time.
- John 5 Ghost Telecaster (MSRP: $1,299.99 USD, £1,099 GBP, €1,299 EUR, $2,149 AUD, ¥198,000 JPY) Finished in Arctic White with a matching headcap, the Ghost Telecaster makes a statement before it’s even plugged in. DiMarzio D’Activator pickups in the neck and bridge give it the high-output response John 5 is known for, with tight low-end response and searing clarity that can cut through any mix. With a stripped-down control layout, a single volume knob and killswitch, this guitar keeps the focus where it belongs: on the music and the moment.
- Fender Custom Shop John 5 "Phantom" Telecaster (MSRP: $6,000.00 USD, £5,599 GBP, €6,599 EUR, $9,799 AUD, ¥1,056,000 JPY) Few players have pushed the Telecaster into darker, heavier territory than John 5, and the John 5 “Phantom” Telecaster is built to match his relentless approach to the instrument. Crafted by the Fender Custom Shop, this is a Telecaster reimagined for the modern virtuoso: aggressive, precise, and ready for anything from chicken pickin’ to metal.
- At its core, a two-piece select alder body with Ultra Contours finished in gloss black urethane provides the resonant foundation, while a maple neck with a smooth Modern “C” profile and 10" to 14" compound-radius, flat-laminated ebony fingerboard invites effortless chording down low and clean, choke-free bending up high. Twenty-two medium jumbo frets, a 25.5" scale, and satin urethane finish give the neck the fast, articulate feel of John 5’s playing demands, while Luminlay luminescent side dots keep fret positions visible on the darkest stages.
- A pair of DiMarzio D Activator humbuckers gives the “Phantom” its voice, from tight, cutting bridge attack to a warm, vocal neck tone, selected via a 3-position toggle switch and controlled by a single master volume for zero distraction. Anchoring it all is a recessed Floyd Rose Original double-locking tremolo paired with an R7 locking nut and modern locking tuners, keeping the guitar dead-on in tune through the most extreme dives. Other premium features include a Bi-Flex truss rod, 3-position toggle switch, Mother of Pearl dot inlays, 4-bolt contoured neck plate with Custom Shop "V" logo, Floyd Rose retainer bar string tree, black hardware, .009-.042 nickel-plated steel strings, deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.
Born John William Lowery, he picked up guitar after being inspired by a Telecaster, the banjo and guitar virtuosos before heavy metal propelled him toward a professional career. He began session work in Los Angeles at 17 and went on to perform with artists including David Lee Roth, Mötley Crüe and Rob Zombie. With 11 studio albums and a career defined by his genre-defying approach, John 5 continues to push the Telecaster, and guitar playing itself, beyond convention.
"John 5 is one of the most distinctive players in modern guitar, pushing the Telecaster across genres and beyond convention, and these three instruments reflect that versatility,” said Justin Norvell, Fender Chief Product Officer, Guitars. “Bringing the Ghost back into the Fender lineup puts his signature design within reach of more players. Together, this collection gives fans at every level a way to plug into his sound."
"John 5 has always pushed the Custom Shop to think beyond the traditional Telecaster blueprint,” said Chase Paul, Fender Custom Shop Director. “From the single-bound body with Ultra Contours to the single volume control and killswitch, this guitar is a true reflection of his playing style. It’s a great example of what's possible when the Custom Shop works directly with an artist to bring their vision to life."
Together, the three new signature Telecaster models celebrate John 5’s longstanding relationship with Fender and his ability to push the instrument across musical boundaries. From the Phantom’s aggressive performance features to the Ghost’s striking design and the Custom Shop’s premium craftsmanship, the collection offers players new ways to explore his distinctive approach to the Telecaster.
For technical specs, additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fendercustomshop.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender and @FenderCustomShop.
I’ve Used a Keeley Compressor for 20 Years!
For 25 years, Keeley Electronics has been building pedals for players who care deeply about sound. It all began in 2001 with Robert Keeley, a workbench, and a humble compressor pedal. What started as a pursuit of better compression became one of the defining products in Keeley’s history and helped establish the company during the early days of the boutique pedal movement.
Over the years, the Keeley Compressor continued to evolve. The original two-knob design gave way to the expanded four-knob Compressor, followed by the Compressor Plus, which brought Tone and Blend controls into the circuit and gave players greater control over sustain, attack, and the natural character of their instrument. By the time the Compressor Plus arrived in 2017, Keeley had built more than 50,000 compressors, making compression not simply part of the company’s history, but a fundamental part of its identity.
It feels only fitting to celebrate this milestone by returning to where it started. The Compressor Plus Germanium honors that beginning while carrying the Keeley Compressor forward for a new generation. Built around the familiar Level, Tone, Compression, and essential Blend controls, this new design brings a fresh voice to a pedal that has been evolving for a quarter century.
At the heart of the Compressor Plus Germanium is a crucial germanium transistor. Keeley incorporates germanium into both the audio output section and the compressor’s side-chain feedback, bringing a new character and response to one of the company’s most enduring designs.
Built from start to finish at Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma City, the Compressor Plus Germanium also includes selectable true-bypass or Keeley silent buffered switching, rugged construction, and the classic Compressor sound that made Keeley a household name amongst Guitar and Bass players. Like every Keeley pedal, the Compressor Plus Germanium is designed and manufactured in Oklahoma, USA. Engineered for the working musician, and voiced for inspiration.
Compressor Plus Germanium Features:
- A Germanium Transistor at the heart of the new compressor circuit
- Germanium-enhanced audio output section for added character and musical response
- Germanium incorporated into the side-chain feedback circuit
- Classic Compressor Plus controls: Level, Tone, Compression, and Blend
- Blend control mixes the compressed and dry signals for greater control over feel and dynamics
- Switchable on the fly between true bypass and buffered bypass
- Operates at 9–18V DC for flexible pedalboard integration
- Low 25mA current draw, Standard center-negative power
- Designed and manufactured by Keeley Electronics in Oklahoma, USA
$189 US Street Price
Compressor Plus Germanium
Compressor Guitar Pedal with Level, Tone, Blend, and Comp Controls and Single-coil/Humbucker Switch
Is guitar dead? Zakk Wylde doesn’t think so: “What rock do you live under?!”
Is the guitar and rock music dead? It’s an accusation that’s been levelled quite a bit in the past decade or so. But former Ozzy Osbourne sidekick and Black Label Society frontman Zakk Wylde reckons there’s nothing to worry about.
In a new interview in the latest issue of Guitar World magazine, the guitarist waxes lyrical on the current generation of players, saying the instrument is very much alive and well.
He wastes no time in firing off a list of his favourite guitarists right now. “I’m friends with Richie Faulkner, who I think is the full package,” he says. “We’ve toured with Judas Priest a bit and he’s a phenomenal player. He also has his own band, Elegant Weapons. He’s got vibrato, technique, tone everything. I feel that way about Dario from Black Label Society.”
Naming some more contemporary players, he continues: “Jared James Nichols is awesome. I love hearing younger guys like him and Tyler Bryant playing the blues. They clearly love it and have such an amazing grasp of it. Tosin Abasi has been doing it for a while now, but he’s phenomenal. I think Tim Henson is insane. My son Hendrix is a huge fan of Polyphia and Tim’s playing.”
As for those who question the vitality of guitar as an instrument in 2026, Zakk makes his opinion clear: “Whenever I hear people saying, ‘Guitar is dead,’ I think, ‘What are you talking about? What rock do you live under?’
“Guitar is doing just great. There are so many young players who love the instrument, and they’re really going for it.”
Those words are coming from one of the most accomplished and well-travelled musicians in rock music, so you have it on good authority…
In a hilarious anecdote earlier this year, Zakk Wylde recounted the time Ozzy Osbourne was mistaken for singer Meat Loaf by an air stewardess.
“He’s sitting there, bummed out, and the stewardess is like: ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe it’s you!’ She’s giving him drinks, getting him food, and he’s just floored by it. He’s going: ‘Maybe things aren’t so bad.’
“As the plane lands, she says: ‘Can I get a picture?’ So she takes the photo, and then she goes: ‘Oh, wow, thank you Meat Loaf!’ Ozzy’s like: ‘I really fucking need to cut back on the calories…’”
The post Is guitar dead? Zakk Wylde doesn’t think so: “What rock do you live under?!” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
The colours and the shapes: take a tour of Martin’s new 16 Series
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Martin’s 16 series has been loved by gigging players since the 1980s, delivering instruments that sound great, feel very comfortable, and if they look amazing, too, well, that doesn’t hurt. The newly revamped 16 series guitars are quite a departure, however.
Now, when you picture a Martin in your head, you’re probably thinking of an iconic dreadnought or orchestra model. But the shapes of this revamped 16 series are rather different to the norm. So instead of a classic square shouldered silhouette, we have the DSS-16E slope shoulder dreadnought, the slope shoulder small body 00L-16E and the J-16E model Jumbo.
And then of course we have the colors. Now, while Martin’s shade tops do have a cult following, and the likes of Johnny Cash and Eric Clapton have had signature models with painted tops, the company is primarily known for its elegant natural finishes.
The 16 series stands out from the crowd by offering a trio of eye-popping semi-transparent gloss tops paired with matte back and sides to ensure that these head turning colours stand out even more. Let’s take a closer look at these bold new offerings.
The 16 series has always had a reputation for comfort, and this is just as true with this new release. We have a modified low oval carve on the select hardwood necks – a super comfortable neck shape that feels fast and immediate. The neck joins the body at the 14th fret on all these guitars, giving you plenty of room for capo use.
Furthermore, all three models have a 1.75-inch nut width, making clean fretting a breeze. The guitars all come stage ready with an LR Baggs Element active pickup system, and a soft shell case to ensure that you can take it to your gig or open mic in comfort and security.
Meet the DSS-16E
Slope shoulder dreadnought guitars are popular for their versatility across a variety of styles. They typically give you a warm, rich sound that works beautifully for both finger style and flat picking. This is particularly true when the design combines mahogany back and sides with a 24.9 in scale length. And this is the first time that Martin has paired a shorter scale with a slope shoulder dread.
The DSS-16E is available in three striking colourways. The classic 1935 Burst, the brooding Black Smoke, and the unquestionably eye-catching Cherry Cola finish Whichever colour you choose, you will enjoy the response and musicality of forward shifted X bracing and scalloped braces. This is a classic combo in terms of sound and a stage commanding look.
Command the stage with the J-16E
The J model is Martin’s big body powerhouse. Famous for filling a room with huge chordal strumming. The J is a flatpicker’s dream, especially with scalloped bracing like we have here. The combination of a full 25.4-inch scale and rosewood back and sides do make the J a fantastic choice for altered tunings and finger style as well.
The J16E is available in a more restrained 1935 Burst and Black Smoke options, but this Cream top really shines against the rosewood back and sides, and it’s picked out with double binding.
Get close with the 00L-16E
If you’re looking for a versatile small body guitar, then the 00L-16E has you covered. The mahogany back and sides and 24.9 in shorter scale make this a gentle, intimate strummer and a snarling little blues machine with a lot to explore in between.
We’ve got scalloped bracing and a 14 fret neck, giving you plenty of room to use your cappo. And despite its smaller body size, it does offer a surprising amount of projection when you give it some. Like the other newbies in the range, you get a choice of 1935 Burst and Black smoke, plus the addition of Blue Denim. The great thing about all these finishes is that being semi-transparent, you still get to appreciate the grain of the beautiful spruce underneath.
With a GPC cutaway and a Jumbo-size 12 string rounding out the range, the new 16 series is a fascinating and exciting addition to the Martin pantheon. The 16 series has always been a great choice for gigging players looking for a dependable instrument that will deliver on stage and in the studio, but with these new shapes, they also offer a subtly different sonic experience.
While still being quintessentially Martins, in an era where acoustic artists are always looking for ways to stamp their individuality on stage, these striking new colours and shapes offer something quite different from any other Martin guitar. And that’s quite exciting, too. The only question left is which one is for you?
Find out more about the 16 Series at martinguitar.com
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Gator Releases Foldable Travel Guitar Stands and a Rechargeable Clip-On Tuner
Gator has released three new accessories for gigging and traveling players. The G-SCALE-CLIP is a USB-C rechargeable clip-on tuner for guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, and other instruments. Two new guitar stands from Gator Frameworks fold down small enough to fit in a gig bag pocket: the Boomerang Foldable Wood Travel Guitar Stand and the Foldable Travel Electric Guitar Stand.
The G-SCALE-CLIP has five tuning presets (chromatic, guitar, bass, ukulele, and violin) and calibration adjustable from 430 to 450 Hz. It uses a vibration-based sensor with tuning accuracy up to ±0.5 cents, which helps players tune in loud environments where microphone-based tuners struggle. A bright display shows pitch deviation in cents. Four points of articulation, including 360-degree dual-axis rotation, let players angle the screen for clear viewing while it's attached to an instrument. The tuner has a silicone-padded grip and can sit behind some headstocks so it's less visible onstage. A full charge provides up to 5.5 hours of continuous use, and a USB-C cable is included.
The Boomerang Foldable Wood Travel Guitar Stand has all-wood construction, a natural walnut-stained finish, EVA foam padding at instrument contact points, and a fold-down size of less than 12 inches. That's small enough for the large exterior pocket of most guitar gig bags. It supports acoustic and electric guitars and basses, among other stringed instruments, and its wood build makes it a natural match for acoustics.
The Foldable Travel Electric Guitar Stand is designed for electric guitars and basses. It features aluminum construction, a tripod base, EVA foam padding, a 30-pound weight capacity, and a fold-down size of less than 10 inches. Both stands also work as space-saving options for studios and rehearsal spaces and on stage.
Street pricing is as follows:
G-SCALE-CLIP Rechargeable Clip-On Tuner: $19.99
Boomerang Foldable Wood Travel Guitar Stand: $49.99
Foldable Travel Electric Guitar Stand: $39.99
G-SCALE-CLIP
Gator has released three new accessories for gigging and traveling players. The G-SCALE-CLIP is a USB-C rechargeable clip-on tuner for guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, and other instruments. Two new guitar stands from Gator Frameworks fold down small enough to fit in a gig bag pocket: the Boomerang Foldable Wood Travel Guitar Stand and the Foldable Travel Electric Guitar Stand.
“There’s a lot of ‘unsupply and undemand’… If I see a lot of something, I just won’t do that”: Josh Homme on his “dumb” approach to picking guitar gear
Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme has always had an unconventional approach to his guitar rig – in fact, earlier this year the frontman revealed that his Them Crooked Vultures bandmate, former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, once called his setup an ‘entire piece-of-shit’. However, Homme prefers the challenge of piecing together cheaper gear and janky guitars, as it often leads to more exciting results.
In a new interview with Rick Beato, Homme explains that he’s often drawn to the gear that is often overlooked; rather than opting for the big brands, he’ll hunt down the underdog. “I’ve seen a lot of Marshalls and Les Pauls in my life, and a lot of Strats… what I don’t see, that’s what I’m interested in,” he reveals.
While he labels his system as “dumb”, the mindset is to steer clear of any gear that’s been pre-approved by other musicians. “There’s a lot of ‘unsupply and undemand,’” he jokes. “If I see a lot of something… I just won’t do that. We have plenty of that… [that approach has] largely been quite good to me.”
Homme’s affinity for using quirkier, more obscure gear was initially a decision based on cost. Just as Homme shaped his unique tone due to his inability to afford a tuner, instead doubling down and styling out a detuned guitar, a cheaper guitar was often more accessible for him. However, it’s since become a conscious choice as those guitars can often muster more unique, unexpected tonal qualities.
He also reveals that a lot of his earlier gear was acquired through scouring the depths of eBay, as well as being “an avid pawn shop guy” while on the road. “[Whenever I bought a guitar] I did not normally see, it turned out, six times out of 10, to be fucking amazing,” he says.
Some of his best purchases were often dirt cheap, too. “Some were like 50 bucks,” he says. “So the experiment to find yourself in what you do not see became this obsession that was really rewarding!”
“It made me feel very proud, because it was almost like confirming my own ridiculous metric for making choices…” he adds. “I didn’t need that confirmation, but I was like, ‘See? If you use my dumb system it’ll work out this way.’”
Back in March, Homme pulled back the curtain and allowed a glimmer of insight into his quirky rig. In an interview with Guitar World, he recalled how some of his cheapest guitar rigs would provide him with an “instant Kinks” vibe, noting that some of his most interesting tone comes from old school, cost-efficient Japanese guitars.
“As I got older, I realised that the Japanese – because of the post-World War II economy – couldn’t get the best stuff, so they had shitty beginnings,” he explained. “They did the best they could. It’s really well-made shit, and it creates this unforgettable sound. I went through this phase of buying Japanese guitars; they were cheap, so it was an easy experiment.”
In terms of Queens Of The Stone Age, the band’s latest record, Perfecth, is due to drop October 30. Three singles are currently out, with the latest tongue-in-cheek release, Where The Goth Girls At? joining Insignificant Other and Easy Street.
Queens Of The Stone Age’s Perfecth drops on October 30. You can pre-order it now.
The post “There’s a lot of ‘unsupply and undemand’… If I see a lot of something, I just won’t do that”: Josh Homme on his “dumb” approach to picking guitar gear appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“It’s like having a sports car, and you can’t drive it!”: Jared James Nichols on guitar collectors that never play their instruments
Pay and Display is for parking, not guitars. For years, artists from across the board have preached this sentiment, from Slash criticising uber-expensive display-only axes to John McLaughlin insisting that an unplayed guitar will get “sick” like a malnourished human being. Now, Jared James Nichols has shared his own thoughts on leaving a pricy ‘collectors’ guitar untouched.
In a new interview, Nichols inspects a gorgeous vintage Les Paul to Solar Guitars’ owner Ola Englund. While discussing the axe, Englund poses Nichols with the ultimate dilemma: is it safe to bring a flashy, $100,000 guitar out on tour? You’ll probably lose your warranty and earn a few scratches sure. But a few dings are far better than the alternative of leaving it hanging on a wall.
- READ MORE: “It was just so difficult and insane” Joe Satriani tells the story of his favourite guitar solo
“You would see this hanging at the guitar store, never to be played again, or in someone’s collection…” he says. “[Collectors will say], ‘This is a ‘59 Les Paul. Oh, don’t touch it!! Don’t even look at it!!’ You’re a dentist and your value is based on a guitar that is worth something.”
He adds that real guitar pros know that a good guitar shouldn’t be left to gather dust. In fact, he even believes that the biggest collectors often don’t even know how to tackle a riff. “90% of these vintage guys… you hear them play it and you go, ‘Dude you can’t even play the guitar…’” he sighs.
“It’s like having a sports car, and you can’t drive it!” he cries.
Often, this brand of guitar owner will just be someone with more money than sense. Nichols emphasises that the only thing that matters to this brand of collector is the ego-boost of asking strangers “do you know how much this is worth?”
“After you see the same person do this over and over, you’re like, ‘I’m not into it, bro’,” he continues. “But is it responsible to bring this [guitar he is holding] on the road, spill beer on it, sweat all over it and scratch it? No, but you know what? It was made for that.”
Jared James Nichols is currently on a US tour up until December. For more information, head to his website.
The post “It’s like having a sports car, and you can’t drive it!”: Jared James Nichols on guitar collectors that never play their instruments appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Parliament-Funkadelic legend Michael Hampton on the secrets of funk guitar, and playing a 10-string BC Rich
As a veteran of American funk rock outfit Parliament-Funkadelic (widely known as P-Funk) guitarist Michael Hampton has been bringing the six-string funk to the group’s feel-good cocktail of rock, blues and jazz in spades for over five decades.
- READ MORE: “It was just so difficult and insane” Joe Satriani tells the story of his favourite guitar solo
Hampton first joined the group as a seventeen-year-old after impressing band leader George Clinton with a face melting solo take on Funkadelic’s 1971 ten-minute instrumental opus Maggot Brain. Hampton went on to become a crucial part of the group’s musical oeuvre.
Appearing on the group’s 1978 album One Nation Under a Groove, which many consider to be the greatest funk album ever made, Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock? is one track Hampton contributed in co-writing and which showcases his guitar prowess, and why his musicianship is held in high regard by many.
“I basically played off the changes that Walter ‘Junie; Morrison [keyboardist] wrote,” reveals Hampton today. “When I went in to do the overdub, there were also some vocals on it before I started playing and so I played off of them too and I pretty much doubled the lines that the bass was doing. And because a lot of the people in the band felt I did such a great job on the solo; they gave me a co-writer’s credit.”
Hampton believes P-Funk’s unique sound was developed through a combination of blending various musical styles together.
“George [Clinton] envisioned it having many different styles and then then putting them all together,” he says. “So, you will hear some country and western, some slide stuff, some funk, some jazz and even some classical. I mean it is all over the place. He came up with the concept for P-Funk from having written so much different music, and so, he just threw that all in there together.”
Loud and Proud
Hampton’s guitar style and tone is fiery and loud, and plays an integral role within P-Funk’s musical format. At the core of his sound is a ten-string BC Rich Bich.
“It has a neck-through that has four of its strings on top, the E, B, G and D which are doubled,” he explains. “And the tuning pegs are at the other end of the guitar where you would pick the strings. It has a really cool shape, kind of a gothic thing. And being a one-piece neck, I love it and it is great to play, because it resonates a lot.
“And when it comes to the electronics, it has two preamps, with different switches for putting the pickups in and out of phase. I tune it kind of like in fourths and fifths which gives me an interesting sound. It is sort of like having a harmonized effect but without a whammy pedal or some effect like that. It’s basically just all down to having that different tuning.”
When it came to amps to pair his BC Rich with, Hampton says it’s always dependent on whatever is lying around on stage. “It was Marshalls at one point,” he explains. “Then later on, they got a wall of amps, like the old Aerosmith speaker wall, that was comprised of double-stacked Music Man amps.
“It was wall to wall amps with speaker cabs. And then they got Crown power amplifiers too, which are run in a way to have us placed in stereo, so I will have a cabinet running to the other side as well. And the Crown amplifiers are also used to boost the Music Mans.”
Follow The Muse
Rather than having songs already written by the time the group went into the studio to record, much of the music P-Funk has created over the decades has evolved through spontaneous jam sessions.
“We used to go and do shifts at United Sound Systems in Detroit,” he says. “It seemed like it was always a big jam session. And then from that, they would decide what they would use. Either it’d be based off of somebody that did some vocal thing, or had some lyrics or melody written. And it was a studio that was right across the street from our hotel. We would just get a room, and be there, practicing and practicing and then go into the studio and do the graveyard shifts. And sometimes it could be during the day too. All of us were basically on call.”
Playing funk guitar is an art form in itself, and the ingredients required to play funk guitar boils down to one very important element. “If there was any secret to it, it would be syncopation,” reveals Hampton. “It has a lot to do with it when playing all the different rhythms. With funk guitar, you’re trying to play something off of a drummer or off another player, and so the purpose of that is for you as a guitarist, to gel together.
“A lot of that was influenced by a Pentecostal church I would go to. There would be a lot of hand clapping and it’d be those multi-rhythms that kind of made it funky for me. You start with one simple rhythm and then someone comes in with another rhythm that’s playing off of that.”
P-Funk’s influence has been wide spread throughout music and many artists have cited the influence of the group upon their own music. The list of names runs the gamut from Prince to Red Hot Chili Peppers. And funk music in general continues to have a hold on similar sounding groups today.
“It’s definitely very flattering to hear that,” says Hampton proudly. “If I were to listen long enough to most of the tracks that a lot of other artists have done, musicians, guitarists, after a while I’d be like, ‘Yep, that is funky right there’. Or ‘That right there is a funky lick’. I might not know where it comes from, but whatever influence, the influence is just really a feeling.
“It’s just kind of like when people dance, they hear something and it makes you do something else or you make up a funky move. Some of the most-funkiest stuff I’ve ever heard, is the James Brown song Super Bad [1970]. It’s just a one note on one string lick, yet it’s super funky!”
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Fender Debuts Hum-Canceling Silent System in Two New Guitar Models
Fender has launched two new guitar models featuring the debut of the Fender Silent System, which is designed to eliminate unwanted electrical hum from single-coil pickups.
Fender’s Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster and Telecaster are the first new models to feature the Silent System, delivering classic, unadulterated single-coil tone with virtually no 60-cycle hum.
More details on those instruments are included below. But first, the burning question: What is this hum-cancelling system all about?
Offering a solution to the 80-year-old problem of pickup hum, the Fender Silent System isn’t simply another “noiseless” pickup. Rather, it’s a passive, battery-free system built into the instrument itself. Designed to nix single-coil hum from almost any installed pickup, it gives players more control over their guitar sound without compromising on tone.
The system employs a “dummy coil” nestled snugly in a special rout carved into the guitar body’s cavity. The coil is connected to the guitar’s internal circuitry—the pickup selector, volume/tone pots, and the pickups themselves. The system is invisible once covered by the pickguard; even when viewing the guitar up close, there’s no sign of the hum-canceling technology working inside.
Fender’s Silent System is certainly not the first dummy-coil system designed to eliminate 60-cycle hum. This type of technology traces its origins back to the 1950s. But it’s Fender’s most ambitious—and heavily researched—foray into creating a single-coil-equipped guitar that delivers classic tone without the hum.
Premier Guitar asked Steven Casado, Senior Design Engineer at Fender, for more details about the development of the Silent System. Casado’s career stretches back to high school, when he began building pickups in his parents’ garage at 16 years old. During his tenure at Seymour Duncan, prior to joining Fender, he worked on pickups, pedals, and the company’s PowerStage amp designs. Since coming to Fender in 2018, Casado has been a key contributor to the company’s Panorama tremolo system and Quadra Tap humbucker, as well as custom signature pickups for artists like Jimmy Page, Eric Johnson, Michael Landau, Kingfish, Susan Tedeschi, and Mike Campbell.
The following Q&A with Casado provides a peek into the Silent System’s developmental story.
Premier Guitar: How does the Silent System differ from previous hum-canceling systems that rely on dummy-coil technology?
Steven Casado: The operating principle of the Fender Silent System is the same as most other dummy-coil-based noise-cancelling systems. Whether it’s humbuckers, stacks, rails, or dummy coils, they all use the same basic method to cancel the noise: a second coil wired and wound a specific way in relation to the primary coil. Clearly, there are a number of ways to approach the challenge—and the form our system takes is unique from all the others. While the Fender Silent System does fit in the dummy-coil category, it’s been optimized well beyond just throwing a plastic Strat bobbin inside the guitar, like in the old days. This coil is wider than any pickup we make, and deeper than any of the noise reducing pickguard/backplate solutions. The extra width and depth allow for the use of a larger gauge magnet wire, which is key to preserving high-end response. Protecting the natural frequency response of Fender pickups was at the heart of this project, and the Fender Silent System does it better than all the others we tested.
It’s not just the total size, but the shape that’s different as well. The shape of the final coil is as wide as can fit under all our standard pickguards. A wider coil is more efficient at sensing noise. Think of it as a bucket in the rain; the wider the bucket, the more rain you can catch at one time.
How long was it in development?
The research for this project started back in 2021. The thought was, since we make the whole guitar, why would we limit the size of our noiseless pickups to just the traditional pickup route? That started us down a path of exploring the possibilities of a noise cancelling system freed from those space constraints. In addition, we had all the existing noise reduction systems in the lab to carefully test and compare noise reduction limits and high-end loss.
Does Fender have a term they prefer to use for the dummy coil?
"Dummy coil" is technically correct but doesn't tell the whole story. Fender has used dummy coils in guitars before—for decades we used Strat pickups for hum reduction in Custom Shop and even some Corona factory-built instruments. We’ve looked at all the systems. A recycled Stratocaster pickup wasn’t the answer. We started from scratch, looked at everything that was known, researched what wasn’t, and evolved the form. We tested different shapes, sizes, and winds rigorously, on the bench and in the sound-room, to make it smaller, lighter, and more transparent. In the end, the R&D and Product teams held hands and committed to preserving as much of high end of the pickups as possible with the least amount of hum, whatever form it takes. And the Fender Silent System does just that.
Does the coil need to be specifically “tuned” to the pickups? Will it work effectively with other aftermarket pickups?
The Silent System will work effectively with all Fender and aftermarket single-coil pickups, and does not need to be tuned. The only extra step to take when swapping pickups is to make sure the system is in phase with your new set. Essentially, if you’re hearing excess noise after a pickup swap, then you should remove the silent coil, flip it over, and re-install it. No soldering required.
Does Fender plan on implementing the Silent System in more instruments in the future?
Yes, we’re discussing future possibilities.
See the demo video here: youtube.com/watch
The Silent System debuts in Fender’s American Professional Classic range, which blends a vintage vibe with the capabilities of a modern instrument—making it a favorite among working players. For this reason, the Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster and Telecaster models are well-suited for introducing the tech refresh offered by the Silent System. Even though the system requires special routing, it’s invisible when covered by standard Strat and Tele pickguards, retaining a traditional look while offering advanced electronics under the hood.
- Fender’s new Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster brandishes vintage-inspired Coastline ’57 Stratocaster pickups that deliver depth, punch, and sparkle, and the all-new Fender Silent System eliminates 60-cycle hum. It features a sleek Modern “C” neck and Fender staggered ClassicGear tuners for traditional looks and precise tuning stability. It’s available in Candy Apple Red and Olympic White with a maple fingerboard, and 3-Color Sunburst and Daphne Blue with a rosewood fingerboard. All necks feature 22 medium jumbo frets and a 9.5” fretboard radius.
- The Limited Edition American Professional Classic Telecaster features vintage-inspired Coastline ’63 Telecaster pickups along with the new Silent System. It also boasts a Modern “C” neck and Fender staggered ClassicGear tuners, and is available in Sonic Blue and Candy Apple Red with a rosewood fingerboard, and Vintage Blonde and 3-Color Sunburst with a maple fingerboard. All necks featuring 22 medium jumbo frets and 9.5” fretboard radius.
The Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster is street priced at $1,599.99 USD, £1,649 GBP, €1,949 EUR, $2799.00 AUD, and ¥258,500 JPY.
The Limited Edition American Professional Classic Telecaster is street priced at $1,599.99 USD, £1,649 GBP, €1,949 EUR, $2799.00 AUD, and ¥258,500 JPY.
Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster and Telecaster
Fender has launched two new guitar models featuring the debut of the Fender Silent System, which is designed to eliminate unwanted electrical hum from single-coil pickups.
Fender’s new website has an AI chatbot that helps you find your perfect guitar
Fender has embarked on an ambitious redesign of its website, signalling an evolution from an online store and commerce destination to a “connected global digital ecosystem”.
Designed to “deepen Fender’s relationship with players and fans at every stage of their musical journey”, the new Fender.com introduces a number of bold new features aimed at making guitarists’ buying journeys more streamlined.
They include Ask Fender, a new AI-powered chatbot-style tool which helps musicians find the perfect instrument for them via natural language prompts, as well as new sound demos that showcase the sound of Fender gear directly on Fender.com.
- READ MORE: Fender says it’s cancelled pickup hum forever with its potentially game-changing new Silent System
There’s also the new integration of My Fender and Fender Play to enhance the experience of customers beyond the point of purchase, as well as new “enhanced artist content”, via a planned five-show concert series with performances from Dinosaur Jr., Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, Steve Gunn, Thurston Moore Group, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Mike Kinsella of American Football and Snail Mail.
Ultimately, the newly relaunched Fender.com is built around six core pillars:
- Discover: Brings together products, artists and stories to make it easier for players to discover what inspires them
- Understand: Improved product education, navigation and comparison tools to ensure buying with confidence
- Choose: New AI-powered Ask Fender tool – launching first in the US
- Experience: Hear instruments via integrated sound demos
- Buy: Simplified shopping journeys, improved product pages, streamlined checkout
- Connect: CRM, My Fender, product registration, Fender Play and personalised content all under one roof
“This is about more than a new website. We’ve reimagined Fender.com, empowering players to shape their own journey. Moving beyond a traditional ecommerce platform, it’s a place where people can discover new gear, find what’s right for them and connect with the brand,” says Kelly Magrath, Fender Interim Chief Marketing Officer.
“Fender.com is also a destination for fans and music lovers, with original stories and content that celebrates the artists, players and culture that make music so meaningful. Our new digital experience is designed to create a deeper connection with players and fans everywhere.”
“For 80 years, Fender has been part of the connection between musicians, fans, artists and the music culture that brings people together,” adds CEO Edward “Bud” Cole.
“As the way people find inspiration continues to evolve, so does Fender. The new Fender.com brings that experience full circle, making it easier to find the right instrument, explore the artists and stories that inspire us, and connect with Fender in entirely new ways. It’s an invitation into our world, built for everyone who loves music.”
Check out the new Fender.com now…
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Is an affordable relic more fun? Exploring Harley Benton’s new Aged Series
To some, purchasing an intentionally-aged guitar is a faux-pas. But whole you may think they’re corny, if you approach them with the right attitude, relic’d instruments can be great fun to play. And while you can pay top dollar for an ultra-authentic aged finish, maybe the answer to your aged guitar desires lies at the other end of the price spectrum.
Take, for example, the new aged JA-60 from Harley Benton. The JA-60 looks great out of the box, with a lightly-aged shell-pink finish with some classic offset vibes, at a very reasonable price for its spec-sheet: it’s loaded with Alnico pickups, a caramelised maple neck and high-quality hardware. Might a more affordable relic like this be what you’re looking for?
More than meets the eye
Cynics will tell you that relic’ing is just a cheesy aesthetic choice – but that’s not quite true. Features like an aged neck aren’t just for show – they can really change the playing experience, with a smoother, satin feel. And because of the pre-aged look, you won’t be ‘ruining’ the aesthetic of your shiny new guitar if you take a scotchbrite to it for an even more played-in feel.
But, one of the most appealing aspects of aged guitars – authentically or otherwise – is the stories they can tell. A high-end ageing job can be a fantastic work of art in itself – but if it set you back by half a year’s salary, you might still be trepidatious about adding your own wear and tear to the picture. A more affordable relic, on the other hand, may prove to be a more inviting canvas for your own story, leaving you free to play it how and where you want to.
A different attitude
In a lot of ways, relics and affordable instruments go hand in hand – they both encourage you to play them hard, and not to worry too much about messing them up. This unlocks a bit of a different attitude on stage or, indeed, when walking through doorways holding the guitar.
Even if you don’t have an ultra-heavy picking hand or intend to put a guitar through its paces, gigs are gigs – guitars get put down on messy stages, headstocks knock into mic stands, audience members throw various drinks and sharp objects at you – this is the sort of stuff you might not want to subject a high-end custom-shop guitar to – even if its a heavy relic.
Plus, for something like the JA-60, an offset that evokes some noise-rock heritage, you can really lean into some more aggressive and extended playing techniques without fear. You may feel a little less keen to kick a five-grand guitar across a stage or play it with a screwdriver…
The best thing a guitar can feel like is yours, and a played-in look and feel goes a long way to you bonding with an instrument. More affordable relics can be a really cool unique playing experience that lets the guitar itself start telling your story sooner. So next time you’re looking for an aged guitar, maybe try chopping a zero off the end of your budget – you might find yourself having a lot more fun.
Find out more at Thomann.
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Elvis Costello calls this iconic ’70s rock band “dreary” and claims he can’t listen to anything by them
Plenty of acts in the punk/post-punk era had something to say about the generation that came before them, typically uncomplimentary. Not known for keeping his opinions close to his chest, Elvis Costello has revealed he’s kept that fire burning in a new interview, in which he expresses a general displeasure for Pink Floyd‘s music.
Speaking to The Guardian, Costello admits to a dislike of Pink Floyd, calling their music “dreary”. When quizzed about the song he can no longer listen to, the singer-songwriter reveals (and perhaps overshares) that he avoids “anything by Pink Floyd”, when asked about the song he would no longer listen to. “Never could, never will. I find their music dreary. I love the imagination and playfulness of See Emily Play, but after Syd Barrett left they just never appealed to me.”
Costello’s hits started to arrive in the late 1970s, most notably with Oliver’s Army in February 1979. Coincidentally, Pink Floyd’s biggest hit single, Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2, also appeared in 1979, and both are essentially protest songs.
To Costello’s credit, his dislike of Pink Floyd is not a general rejection of that generation of music – Elvis Costello and the Attractions emerged in the post-punk/new wave era – as he’s far more generous about Jimi Hendrix. When quizzed about the first song he fell in love with, Costello cited The Wind Cries Mary, stating that it “came out in 1967 when I was 12. Hendrix was known for outgoing music, but I was a romantic soul, so the emotional side of his music led to that strain in my own writing.”
Costello is promoting a new release of his 1977 debut album, My Aim Is True, which was produced by Nick Lowe. While the original UK version of the album was issued without the song, the US release included Watching The Detectives, his first hit on both sides of the Atlantic. My Aim Is True – 49th Edition includes multiple versions of Watching The Detectives, including the original single.
In other news, Pink Floyd recently teamed up with the Royal Mint to launch a limited run of 18-carat gold picks worth nearly six grand apiece…
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The time Cliff Burton broke up a massive brawl at a Metallica show with a hammer: “It was f**king legendary”
![[L-R] Lars Ulrich, Cliff Burton and James Hetfield](https://guitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Metallica-Cliff@2000x1500.jpg)
Moshing is a staple part of most heavy metal shows. But for the most part, they remain a relatively peaceful affair. But that’s not to say they don’t sometimes descend into madness.
Back in 1984, a fledgling Metallica – James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Cliff Burton and Lars Ulrich, all in their early 20s at the time – made their first foray to Finland, and arrived in style with a raucous show at the Tarvashovi rock club near Lieto in the southwest. 150 punters had turned out to attend, unaware many of them would later take part in a massive brawl.
The fray was sparked by an altercation between the band’s lighting technician, Tony Zed and a Finnish schoolgirl, who was startled by Zed whooping loudly upon his entrance, and stood up and punched him in the face [via Metal Hammer]. Zed returned a blow, and chaos, understandably, erupted.
Local metalheads, upon hearing of the altercation, set out to find Zed and dish out vengeance, and a massive brawl ultimately took place between them and the band and crew.
“The whole fucking place was just this big scrap going on, and everybody was in the audience, all the band and crew. It was madness,” recalls the band’s sound engineer “Big” Mick Hughes.
And how do you bring a heap of brawling men under control. As Cliff Burton discovered, with the threat of escalation…
As the story goes, while on tour, the late bass player – who passed away in a tragic tour bus crash in 1986 – carried with him a hammer. “You never know when you might need it,” he once told a French customs officer who quizzed him on his need to carry the item upon entry into the country.
“When you might need it” turned out to be during a brawl in southwest Finland in ‘84, and Burton called upon James Hetfield’s guitar tech Andy Battye to fetch his weapon. Armed and ready, Burton entered the fray with the hammer above his head, warning all around to back off and calm down.
“The sight of Cliff slowly and surely wading into the insane mass of scrapping people with a hammer was fucking legendary,” Mick Hughes recalled.
Miraculously, it worked, and the fracas dissipated, allowing Metallica to play their set and end a fraught debut Finland show on a high.
Metallica have come a long way since those early days, and recently commence their highly anticipated residency at the Las Vegas Sphere. Check out a clip from some of their first shows at the mega-venue below:
The post The time Cliff Burton broke up a massive brawl at a Metallica show with a hammer: “It was f**king legendary” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Crazy Tube Circuits White Whale Junior review – real spring reverb and analogue tremolo in a compact pedal
€299/£259/$349, crazytubecircuits.com
I’ve just spent half the morning staring at the Crazy Tube Circuits White Whale Junior, trying to decide whether it’s a big small pedal or a small big pedal. This combined spring reverb and analogue tremolo unit doesn’t look large enough for something with ‘Whale’ in its name, and it doesn’t look little enough to be a ‘Junior’. What it does look is… slightly weird.
You see, this is a cut-down version of a very large pedal indeed – the White Whale V2 – and there’s only so much shrinking you can do when you’re getting your reverb from real springs. So what we end up with is something in the form factor of a compact stompbox, but one that’s been going hard on the protein supplements. That could still be a winning formula for a lot of players – as long as it sounds right.
Image: Adam Gasson
What is it?
CTC describes the White Whale Junior as “possibly the world’s smallest fully analogue real spring reverb and amp-style tremolo” – and I’m not sure the ‘possibly’ is really necessary. For the record, it’s about 15cm (6in) long by 8cm (just over 3in) wide, and 5cm (2in) deep, not including the knobs and switches. You might be thinking that’s too small to hold a reverb tank, but the pedal is the tank, with the three-spring Accutronics assembly mounted to the baseplate.
Tremolo and reverb each get their own soft-touch bypass footswitch, and these have been pushed right to the edges of the enclosure to leave a lummox-proof gap between them. The control knobs are actually the same as on the full-size pedal: speed, intensity and output volume for the tremolo; dwell, mix, tone and output volume for the reverb.
The only thing you don’t get is the White Whale V2’s trio of toggle switches – so the effect order is fixed at reverb first, the tremolo only has one mode instead of three (a sort of optical/bias hybrid), and the reverb length is fixed. Mind you, seeing as the dwell knob controls the gain going to the springs, pushing it will naturally make the vibrations audible for longer.
Image: Adam Gasson
Build quality and usability
The White Whale Junior looks like a brick and it feels like one too – I’ve never had an issue with a CTC pedal, and this one is as solidly built as ever despite the unorthodox stuff going on inside. And the spring unit is a miniature work of art, even if some purists might bemoan the fact that Accutronics reverbs are made in Korea these days. The pedal itself is of course built in Greece.
The control array all looks pretty straightforward except for the indulgence of having separate volume knobs for the tremolo and the reverb. Wouldn’t a single one have done? Or even none at all? Well, yes. But as we’ll see a few paragraphs further on, that would be much less fun…
Image: Adam Gasson
Sounds
One of the joys of real springs is that they can be set a-jangling by any kind of movement or impact, and that’s very much the case here – ker-splash, cha-clang, pi-zoinggg! You might consider this good news if you’re a fan of Joey Santiago’s amp-whacking noise effects (or the ‘kick pad’ on the old Danelectro Spring King), but it does have a downside: an accidental knock to the side of the enclosure will make it resound like a nuclear explosion in a tin bath, and even tapping one of the footswitches too hard can set it off.
So this pedal needs to be treated with a certain amount of care and respect… at least until you plug in a guitar and get playing. Then you can really start enjoying yourself.
I’ve hardly mentioned the tremolo up to now, so let’s start with that. It’s supposed to be amp-like and it absolutely is, with a smoothly organic shape that’s instantly engaging. The speed and intensity controls give you all the scope you could wish for, covering everything from a lazy throb to a rapid-fire judder, but the secret weapon here is the volume knob.
Plenty of tremolo pedals let you bump up the output to compensate for a perceived drop in level, but this one goes much further, packing a proper clean boost that could be almost as useful as the trem itself.
Even better, the reverb circuit’s volume knob does exactly the same thing – so even if you set one or both effect mixes to zero, you’ve got a mighty tasty boost pedal offering three footswitchable settings: a slight lift on one side, a bigger one on the other, and a bandmate-frightening option with both at once.
Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten the reverb. It’s full of the joys of springs: bold and bouncy, with lashings of spanky character, and easily balanced with the dry signal for just as much surf-ready splashiness as you need. The absence of a switch for changing the decay length really doesn’t feel like a major issue.
The dwell control lets you crank up the intensity if you want to, but the only disappointment is that this reverb doesn’t have a mellow setting. Turning down the tone knob will take the edge off, but even at minimum it sounds brighter and lighter than the full-size spring reverbs in my amps. Maybe a lack of tonal depth is the price you have to pay for smallness – but that won’t bother you if you’ve only come for the surfing.
Image: Adam Gasson
Should I buy one?
If you’re tempted by the grown-up White Whale but have been put off by its pedalboard-hogging dimensions, this is probably the solution you’ve been waiting for. That is, as long as you don’t need harmonic tremolo, which the Junior doesn’t have – arguably the biggest compromise CTC has had to make here.
The only other reason to avoid this pedal is if you like your reverb on the warm and subdued side – for that, you might have to go digital (or much bigger). But step this way for zingy springs and sweet tremolo in one relatively manageable box.
Alternatives
The aforementioned White Whale V2 (€349/£299/$385) is a whopper, but not a whole lot more expensive than the Junior model – and it has a harmonic tremolo mode. The zany Gamechanger Audio Light Pedal (€379/£329/$399) uses springs for reverb, tremolo and more; but if you just want real spring reverb on its own, you do have an even smaller option in the Danelectro Spring King Junior ($199/£179).
The post Crazy Tube Circuits White Whale Junior review – real spring reverb and analogue tremolo in a compact pedal appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Cat Stevens, Major 7 Chords, And A Mystery Song That Grabbed Me And Wouldn’t Let Go
October 2nd. And I should have thought this out better. I started with Moonshadow – just because it was in my head – and realized pretty quickly I was winging it without a plan. That’s kind of how this week went. Cat Stevens on the brain, a fascinating chord voicing question from the Forum, and […]
The post Cat Stevens, Major 7 Chords, And A Mystery Song That Grabbed Me And Wouldn’t Let Go appeared first on On The Beat with Totally Guitars.
Cort Guitars Announces KX500 Baritone for Precision Low-Tuning Performance
Cort Guitars officially unveils the KX500 Baritone, a specialized addition to the coveted KX Series. Engineered specifically for players who use low tunings, the instrument addresses the familiar challenges of string tension and note definition associated with dropped registers. By combining a long-scale architecture with premium electronics and hardware, Cort provides a focused solution for heavy music performance that keeps responsiveness and control.
The foundation of the KX500 Baritone is an okoume body, selected for its lightweight properties and ability to deliver a warm, resonant tone with a clear low-end response that keeps heavy sounds tight. The body is topped with an English Walnut veneer, providing a striking grain pattern and a distinctive visual character. To complement the tonal properties of the wood, the instrument is finished in a Matte Natural Black Burst (NBB), using an open-pore application that keeps the organic feel of the materials.
Playability is made easy by a 28.03-inch (712mm) scale length, positioned to provide best string tension for drop tunings while staying transparent to the player. The bolt-on neck features a 5-piece construction of roasted maple and walnut, offering enhanced durability and resonance alongside a comfortable "D" shape profile. A Macassar Ebony fingerboard with a 15.75-inch radius houses 24 jumbo stainless-steel frets, chosen for their smooth feel and long-lasting performance under heavy use. Fretboard navigation is aided by Teardrop position inlays and luminous side dots for visibility in dark stage environments.
The instrument is equipped with a matched Seymour Duncan Sentient and Nazgûl humbucker set, specifically voiced for modern high-gain performance ranging from clean passages to full output. This HH configuration is managed by a streamlined control layout consisting of a single volume knob, a 3-way toggle switch, and tone pot (push/pull for coil-split). These electronics allow for diverse tonal shaping while ensuring the clarity required for complex, low-tuned arrangements.
Reliability and sustain are further supported by a hardware package featuring a new Cort hardtail bridge. This bridge uses a string-thru-body construction to improve resonance across the instrument. At the headstock, Cort Locking Tuners provide tuning stability and ease efficient string changes, while a Graph Tech Black TUSQ nut ensures consistent string vibration. The guitar comes factory-equipped with D'Addario EXL157 strings (.014-.068) and features all-black hardware to match its aggressive aesthetic.
The KX500 Baritone is a commitment to purposeful design for the modern metal and progressive guitarist. For more information on specifications and global availability, please visit the official Cort Guitars website at www.cortguitars.com.
Street Price: $929.99 USD
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