Norse Guitar Feeds

When news broke of Steve Lukather collaborating with Alex Van Halen to rework and release old Van Halen demos, people assumed the Toto guitarist would be filling in for the late Eddie Van Halen. However, Lukather has set the record straight – he’s offering his services as a co-producer, not a guitarist.

Who is playing guitar on the new Van Halen record, then? Well, that’s the exciting part: every riff on the record was recorded by Eddie. That means a whole album of unheard Eddie riffs is coming… and Lukather has called them “jaw-dropping”.

Speaking to Guitar Player, Lukather emphasises just how exciting these new tracks are sounding. “I’m telling you, this is not throwaway shit,” he says. “When I heard them, I said to Al, ‘How fucking come you didn’t use these?’ And the answer was because nobody could write to [Eddie’s abandoned recordings].”

• READ MORE: Steve Vai recalls hearing unreleased material at Eddie Van Halen’s house: “Nobody plays like they do when they’re in their room alone… It was such great stuff”

“If you think this is a bunch of throwaway crap that we’re trying to Mickey Mouse together to suck the dollar out of poor, unsuspecting Van Halen fans, it’s not,” he adds.

Lukather is quick to silence any rumours of him taking on Eddie’s axeman duties. “That’s the most ridiculous and humorous thing I’ve ever heard,” he laughs. “I am no more qualified to try and play like Ed Van Halen than I am to be the first man to tug my dick on the planet. I don’t know how anybody could think that would even be a reality. Honestly, it’s laughable… I don’t play like Ed.”

After insisting “I’m not qualified,” he provides a list of more suitable options: “Call Dweezil Zappa… he plays that shit. Call Nuno Bettencourt! I can name 10 guys, like Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. I’m nowhere near qualified to start dabbling in the Van Halen world.”

With that in mind, Lukather isn’t offended that his guitar skills aren’t being utilised. “I am there 100% to be his co-producer and help him through the technical aspects – I’m not gonna play,” he clarifies. “There’s not gonna be any Lukather or Toto fingerprints on a Van Halen thing. I can fucking promise you that!”

In fact, Lukather was simply happy to lend a hand and support Alex, who has been a close friend for over 45 years. “I don’t have ulterior motives,” he says. “This is not about money. This is about love of the guys and trying to help. I’m not gonna be involved in an obvious way. So, I wish people would get the fuck off my back!”

Lukather’s chat with Guitar Player corroborates a previous interview Alex had with Brazilian journalist Gastão Moreira for Kazagastão back in February. At the time, the Van Halen drummer explained that “the drums, the guitar and the bass are already in there”.

While some believed this could mean Lukather had already recorded some new riffs, Lukather’s interview makes things a lot clearer. The guitars were already recorded before he got involved – and they had been recorded and ready to use for years.

The post “I’m nowhere near qualified to start dabbling in the Van Halen world”: Steve Lukather says he’s not playing any guitar on the posthumous Van Halen record, and that the material Eddie Van Halen left over is “not throwaway s**t” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

A rugged, reliable, preamp with all the essentials for high-fidelity acoustic amplification.

‘My budget is limited – do I spend more on my guitar or on my amp?’ It’s a question which plagues new guitarists and even seasoned ones alike, with veteran players everywhere having vastly differing views.

Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X, for example, is firmly in the ‘guitar’ camp, saying last year that “what’s in your hands is most important” when it comes to your tone. Whitesnake’s Doug Aldrich agrees, saying in April last year that “you can get a great sound out of any amp that works”.

There are, however, plenty of guitar players on the other side of the debate, saying the amp should be where prospective rig builders should be focusing their attention. Math rock legend Yvette Young, for example, said she’d rather have an expensive amp than an expensive guitar. 

• READ MORE: “We wanted to rethink the entire approach to guitar care”: StewMac launches new GuitarTek range of premium guitar cleaning products

And it turns out The Cult’s Billy Duffy is also team amp…

In a new interview with Guitarist magazine, Duffy makes his opinion clear that you can work with a bad guitar, but a bad amp will always ruin your sound.

“It’s interesting because a good amp is a very useful thing to have because there are a lot of bad amps out there… If you buy a good guitar and a bad amp, you’re gonna have to get a good amp or else you’re always going to sound shitty,” he says.

“If you do it the other way around, you might actually sound better with a bad guitar because if the guitar is badly put together, you could change the pickups. It’s much easier to throw a good pickup in the shitty guitar and transform it, right?

“Unless it’s a bad acoustic… You’ll have to find somebody to take it off your hands because there’s no fixing a bad acoustic.”

So there you have it. In a debate which shows no signs of slowing down, you can count Billy Duffy on ‘team amp’.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Duffy is asked which he’d choose if he could only use humbuckers or single-coil pickups for the rest of his career. His answer is simple:

“With humbuckers, I just love the thickness of the sound. Personally, I have never really gotten over walking on stage with a really good Les Paul and a really good Marshall amp, and just letting rip with the visceral nature of what that can do, you know?

“I’ve used single coils on albums for bits and pieces here and there, and for layering guitars. But, for me, they’re a bit too… they’re just kind of delicate, I guess. I’m a bit of an old-school player who likes to feel the air move and the raw power of the thing. And that’s a humbucker for me.”

The post “Get a good amp or you’re always going to sound s**tty!”: Billy Duffy on why it’s more important to have a good amp than a good guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

By Carlos Martin Schwab

The Clear Tune Monitors CTM CE220 is a highly capable, entry-level professional in-ear monitor (IEM) that bridges the gap between everyday consumers and touring musicians.

Engineered with a dual balanced armature driver configuration, these monitors split the workload efficiently: one dedicated low-frequency driver generates a robust, punchy bass response that gives a solid foundation to the sound stage, while the second driver delivers warm, natural midranges alongside sparkling, airy highs. Vocals and strings are reproduced cleanly without harshness or fatiguing sibilance. 

Comfort is a primary design pillar for the CE220. CTM utilized a unique scientific approach to craft a universal fit shell shaped by averaging data from their extensive library of custom-molded customers. The result is a highly ergonomic design that locks securely in the ear canal, ensuring a flawless acoustic seal even during active live performances. This structure achieves a remarkable -26 dB of passive noise isolation, easily blocking stage noise or ambient distractions. 

Built to last, the monitors feature a detachable 4-core braided copper cable using standard 0.78mm 2-pin connectors, offering excellent signal conductivity and easy replacement. Technically, they are highly efficient and easy to drive from any portable source, presenting a 20-ohm impedance, 124 dB SPL sensitivity, and a smooth frequency response ranging from 20 Hz up to 16 kHz. Sold with a protective zipper case, various ear tips, and a quarter-inch adapter, the CE220 stands out as an affordable, durable, and acoustically balanced tool for any stage performer or demanding audiophile.

Pros

Outstanding Comfort and Ergonomics: The shell shape—designed by averaging thousands of CTM’s custom ear molds—fits the ear incredibly well. They are extremely stable, don’t fall out during active stage movement, and cause zero fatigue after hours of continuous use.

Excellent Passive Noise Isolation: Offering a -26 dB noise reduction, this feature is highly praised by live musicians and commuters alike, as it efficiently blocks ambient noise without relying on electronic cancellation.

Warm and Musical Sound Profile: The tuning is coherent, leaning towards a smooth, analog signature. The mid-range sounds organic, and the highs are polite and airy, completely avoiding harsh peaks or piercing sibilance.

Punchy Bass for Balanced Armatures (BA): Unlike other BA-only monitors that can sound thin or dry, the dedicated low-frequency driver delivers a bass response with solid body, warmth, and impact.

Easy to Drive: With a 20-ohm impedance and high sensitivity, they perform beautifully straight out of wireless bodypacks, modest audio interfaces, or smartphones.

Complete Accessory Package: Includes a sturdy zipper case, a 1/4-inch adapter, and a generous variety of both silicone and foam ear tips.

Cons

Loss of Micro-details: By prioritizing a smooth, fatigue-free sound, some of the finest, hyper-analytical details in the high frequencies are sacrificed. They are not the most resolving IEMs on the market.

Slight Congestion (Muddiness): In very fast or complex musical tracks, the sound can feel a bit congested or “cloudy” in the transition between the bass and the lower mid-range.

Basic Plastic Build: While the polycarbonate shell (available in clear or smoke finishes) is robust enough for stage abuse, it looks and feels a bit plain or overly “plastic” compared to resin or metal competitors in the same price bracket.

Average Soundstage and Imaging: The 3D space and instrument separation are perfectly adequate for reference monitoring, but they do not particularly stand out when compared to similarly priced hybrid models from Chi-Fi brands.

More info: https://cleartunemonitors.com/products/ctm-ce220-pro-isolating-dual-driver-wired-earphones-by-clear-tune-monitors

Carlos Martin Schwab would like to thank Cesar Milano (Clear Tune Monitors) for his help in writing this article.

[Editor’s note: Check out some of the best deals from Guitar Center’s Acoustic Month below. If you’re based outside the US, you’ll see some similar deals from our favourite retail partners local to you.]

If you’re on the hunt for a new acoustic, Guitar Center has got you covered. The company has officially branded June as Acoustic Month, and it’s celebrating by slicing the prices of loads of acoustic guitars, electro-acoustic guitars, and ukuleles by up to 30%.

Up until 24th June, the Acoustic Month sale is offering top deals on top brands, including Epiphone, Taylor, Fender, Gibson and more. We’re talking 25% off a Gibson J-45 Studio Acoustic-Electric with a Rosewood Burst finish; with a price knock of $2,499 down to $1,874, you can save nearly $625 by copping one in the Guitar Center sale.

• READ MORE: “We wanted to rethink the entire approach to guitar care”: StewMac launches new GuitarTek range of premium guitar cleaning products
  

If you’d prefer a slightly cheaper Gibson J-45 Studio, the Walnut model is also sitting at a 25% discount. The drop brings the price down to just under $1,800. Both models come in the J-45 Studio’s comfortable 24.75” scale length, with each guitar’s respective walnut or rosewood tonewood paired with all-solid sitka spruce tops.

Elsewhere, some Guitar Center exclusive releases have also been marked down. The Martin GPC-X1E Special X Series HPL in particular is currently available for just under $660, which will save you $100. The acoustic-electric guitar comes in a striking white finish, and consists of a strong HPL construction, scalloped X-bracing, and E1 electronics to ensure your tone remains on point.

Another $100 saving on a Guitar Center exclusive comes in the form of Taylor Guitars’ 114ce Sunset Blvd Grand Auditorium. Constructed from a sitka spruce top, layered sapele back and sides, Taylor’s unique C-Class bracing, and finished off with gold hardware, this Sunset Edgeburst model looks as classy as it sounds.

Yamaha also has a few strong deals in the running, with $200 knocked off the price of the AC3M DLX A Series Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar. The Guitar Center exclusive Sand Burst edition is now just shy of $900, complete with its all-solid mahogany back and sides, sitka spruce top and SRT2 pickup system.

To discover more Acoustic Month deals, head to Guitar Center.

The post Acoustic Month is here at Guitar Center – and you could save up to 30% on your forever acoustic guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Emulating another guitarist’s tone can be challenging – but trying to capture the spirit of Robert Fripp? That’s an entirely different ball game. In fact, when Steve Vai was asked to perform in King Crimson supergroup BEAT back in 2022, he initially didn’t believe his chops were up to the task.

Speaking to Classic Rock, Vai reveals that one of his first thoughts upon joining BEAT was “can I even play this stuff?” While Vai was an accomplished axeman, he doubted whether he could compete with the young, hot-blooded Fripp riffing away on ‘80s King Crimson records. “It’s a sixty-five-year-old Steve Vai taking on Robert Fripp at thirty-five and at the top of his game,” he says.

• READ MORE: “The man didn’t tell me!”: Robert Fripp still doesn’t know why hospital staff shaved his balls when he had a heart attack

Vai, however, isn’t one to back down easily. “I went back to the music and decided to accept the challenge,” he explains. “I worked with Frank Zappa, and then David Lee Roth after Eddie Van Halen. I’m addicted to challenges!”

To fully get to grips with certain tracks, Vai had to make some adjustments. “On about ten per cent of the material I changed the [finger] position to suit my style, but I’m playing the same notes,” he says. “There were pieces that presented problems. One was Three Of A Perfect Pair – you just had to play it the way Fripp played it. I couldn’t cheat, I had to learn it Robert’s way.”

In a 2025 interview with Vintage Guitar, Vai explained that he had somewhat of a Robert Fripp Bootcamp to finesse his King Crimson skills. “I had to study Fripp…” he said. “I got into his disciplinary style.”

However, Vai noted that he had to adjust Fripp’s style to suit his abilities. Despite his skills, Vai insisted that he felt like no spring chicken when tackling Fripp’s guitar parts. “On Frame by Frame [from King Crimson’s 1981 album Discipline], there’s that relentless cross-picking riff that’s simply outside of my wheelhouse, especially at my age,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I could play it consistently every night, so I needed to figure something out. So, I took it into my wheelhouse, which is tapping.”

Despite having to tweak his approach to certain parts, Vai has been given a firm stamp of approval from Fripp himself. In the Vintage Guitar interview, Vai recalled some advice Fripp gave him: “Fripp said, ‘If I were sitting in the audience, I wouldn’t want to see you doing my kind of solo. I wanna see Steve Vai go crazy!’ So, that’s what I do.”

During Sweetwater’s 2025 mini-documentary of BEAT’s tour, Vai revealed that Fripp had been the one to suggest the fix for Fame By Frame. The advice came in an email of constructive feedback and praise. “He was commenting on some of the clips he saw, which was very nice and constructive,” Vai said. “Then he said at the end, ‘Can I make a suggestion for Frame By Frame?’”

“‘Why don’t you do your hammering with the notes, and then take it out? Improvise your hammering and move from one chord to the other’… I did it that night at the show, and it worked beautifully.”

Alongside Steve Vai, BEAT consists of Crimson’s own Adrian Belew and Tony Levin, as well as Tool drummer Danny Carey. The project has proven to be a success amongst King Crimson fans, even recently adding an extra UK date in Wolverhampton to keep up with demand. As it stands, touring isn’t due to end until September 2027, so there’s still plenty of BEAT to go around.

BEAT’s European tour kicks off in Wolverhampton on June 7. For dates and ticket links, visit the BEAT website.

The post Steve Vai admits he was worried about being able to play King Crimson’s guitar parts at his age: “65-year-old Steve Vai taking on Robert Fripp at 25 and at the top of his game?” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

StewMac – a brand specialising in products for guitar maintenance, repair, restoration and modification – has launched GuitarTek, a new line of premium cleaning and maintenance products for your guitar.

GuitarTek has been conceived to battle the concept of “one-size-fits-all cleaners and polishes”, which often contain harsh chemicals harmful to your instrument, the brand says.

The line consists of four new products, all purpose-designed and dermatologist-tested to “deliver professional results without compromising the instrument – or the player”. They’re each made with Amazonian Rosewood oil, and are free of harmful silicone and petroleum.

• READ MORE: The Guitar.com Magazine May/June 2026 issue with Grace Bowers on the cover is now on sale

First is Gloss Max, a high-shine, silicone-free polish designed for gloss-finished guitars. It’s said to restore “brilliant, mirror-like shine” without streaking. There’s also a total-care cleaner, Clean Axe, which is essentially your all-in-one cleaner solution for removing caked on dirt (we all know how that builds up on the fretboard). This is available both in convenient multi-pack wipes or 4 oz. spray bottles.

And finally, your fretboard might be the healthiest it’s been in years with Board Oil – a new fretboard cleaner and conditioner for cleaning stubborn grime, rehydrating dry wood and restoring a natural feel and appearance. This comes with a StewMac-designed patent-pending applicator.

“We’ve spent years helping people fix and build guitars. This is about helping them to take better care of them every day,” says Brock Poling, StewMac VP of Marketing and Customer Experience.

“We didn’t want to make just another cleaner. We wanted to rethink the entire approach to guitar care – from the ingredients to the way players actually use these products day to day.”

“With GuitarTek, StewMac delivers on a simple promise: pro-level guitar care made simple,” the brand says.

“Whether it’s restoring shine, conditioning a dry fretboard, or maintaining a full instrument, players now have a complete system tailored to every surface of their guitar.”

Pricing for the new GuitarTek line is as follows:

• GuitarTek Gloss Max, 4 oz. – $12.99
• GuitarTek Clean Axe, 4 oz. – $12.99
• GuitarTek Clean Axe Wipes, 10-pack – $12.99
• GuitarTek Clean Axe Wipes, individual – $1.29
• GuitarTek Board Oil, 1 oz. – $12.99
• GuitarTek Complete Clean & Polish Set – $29.99
• GuitarTek Essential Guitar Cleaning Set – $17.99
• GuitarTek Essential Guitar Polish Set – $17.99

Learn more at StewMac.

The post “We wanted to rethink the entire approach to guitar care”: StewMac launches new GuitarTek range of premium guitar cleaning products appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Back in 2023, Slash’s 30 year love affair with Marshall amps began to change. The Guns N’ Roses axeman opted to use Magnatone amps throughout 2024’s Orgy Of The Damned, explaining that he had grown “disillusioned” with the sound of a Marshall amp.

Once again, Slash has reflected on how Marshall amps fell out of his favour. In the latest issue of Guitarist, Slash explains that 2023 saw him experimenting with non-Marshall amps for the first time –something that was a “big deal”, but a necessary one. “I started jamming with [different] arrangements and I just didn’t want to use my normal Marshall sound,” he explains.

• READ MORE: Marshall Amps – The Complete History

The experimentation spanned from using a pair of Fender Twins, Fender Deluxes, a Vox half-stack and even a vintage Vox combo amp. However, the M-80 Magnatone was what really caught Slash’s ear. “I went through different amps and when I got to the Magnatone, which had been given to me but I’d never used before, I ended up using it for every song,” he says.

While Slash is still a recognised Marshall artist, his love of Magnatone is clear. He thought it sounded great on Orgy Of The Damned, perfectly paired for its more blues-leaning record, but he has since began using it with Guns N’ Roses, too. “It was a bit revelation, because [the Magnatone] gave me the sort of power that I wanted,” he says. “It also gave me a kind of clarity.”

“I think I was starting to get tired – as much as I hate to say it – of the very predictable Marshall sound, which I was sort of know for,” he admits. “It was starting to wear on me. I’d been using Marshall for so long that I’d never listened to anything else. I never gave anything else a shot because it didn’t have the Marshall mid-punch…”

Speaking with Magnatone in 2025, Slash also expressed similar feelings. “Over time, I started to get… disillusioned, with the consistency of my sound with the Marshall, or whatever it was,” he said. “There were things I wanted to achieve that I wasn’t really getting out of those amps.”

“I played a Magnatone one time, just by chance, really…. [Guns N’ Roses guitarist] Richard Fortus gave it to me. I went to go do this blues record [and] I wasn’t looking for a wall of sound… I wanted something that was more like a combo, 50-watt or less type of deal. So, I pulled out all these old combos that I had, and I saw the Magnatone… Out of everything I had, I kept going back to that amp.”

It seems like many guitarists are keen to shake up the formula and try new amps and experiment with guitars as of late. Even Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi has recently critiqued the “crystallised” state of the guitar industry, telling Guitar Center: “The most iconic instruments have been kind of crystallised since the ’60s… a lot of guitar players get in their mind, like, ‘Oh, well, Jimmy Page was fine with that’ [so I am too].”

The post Slash admits that he was getting tired of the “very predictable Marshall sound” in his music appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

$149, ehx.com

Pitch shifting is all well and good – but what happens when you want to stay in key? A wild idea for some, perhaps, but if you want to go beyond power-chord intervals and octaves in your harmonised playing and remain within a scale, you’re going to need a smarter harmoniser pedal. Electro Harmonix’s Intelligent Harmony Machine has now been folded into the NYC DSP range – the brand’s lineup of extraordinarily dinky four-control multi-mode mini-pedals. It’s this Pico version of the IHM I’m taking a look at today.

• READ MORE: ADDAC System Mixology review: “it really can breathe new life and modern utility into old pedals”

EHX Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine – how does it work?

The Pico IHM offers a frankly impressive range of different pitch-shift modes, probably more than even the most enthusiastic harmonised guitar fan will need in the average live set. There are two main modes – single and dual, with 10 different harmonies in each. Single cycles through the available intervals, and dual cycles through a set of combined dual intervals, such as a fourth up and a sixth up, or a third down and a third up. There’s a discrete blend control for your dry signal, and a volume control for the pedal as a whole.

Because the pedal harmonises diatonically, you need to tune your guitar to A=440Hz (sorry 432Hz truthers) and select a key. All of the keys on the dial are major – you need to do a little on-the-fly transposition in your head (or with the lookup table in the manual) for the relative minor. To get to the sharps, you tap the mode switch once – a long-press switches between the single and dual modes.

Image: Press

EHX Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine – build quality and layout

Mini pedals might make you think cheap-and-cheerful – but not here. It’s safe to say that EHX has become somewhat of a dab-hand at constructing things like this – it’s a fairly heavy little thing, with sturdy knobs and jacks, particular the audio jacks, which are the type that lock onto your patch cables with the strength of a thousand black holes.

As for the visual design – it’s fine. It’s a bit of an uninspiring colour, but the abstract computery elements are pretty neat and do a good job of evoking the whole “intelligent” thing they’re clearly going for here. The layout in general is visually pleasing enough and what information is actually on the pedal is very readable – however the physical layout leads us to usability, which I want to put a big pin in – first, let’s talk sounds.

Image: Press

EHX Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine – sounds

In general, the Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine sounds ok. Sometimes it even sounds great – particularly in the octave and fifth modes. It will do the job of harmonising your signal at the set intervals, and the quality of the pitch shifting is for the most part acceptable. I wouldn’t want to record with it, but when it’s working best it’s definitely good enough for live usage. However, being an intelligent harmoniser, the pedal in some intervals has to track your playing. You may remember earlier in this paragraph where I said that the modes where it just blindly shifts your playing up a fifth or an octave sound the best – there’s a reason for that.

The tracking is, of course, the key selling point, but here we run into the inherent problem of intelligent harmonising in a guitar pedal: a meeting of theoretical perfect pitches, and the physical reality of a guitar. Guitars are not synths. Their output is pretty messy, pitch-wise, especially if you play with gusto – which means the Pico IHM can have a hard time keeping track.

Even if you anticipate these difficulties and play deliberately and gently, the diatonic modes falter in the face of bends, panicking and chirping between two scale notes in the mid-point. This is more of a limitation of the category itself, but it’s important to note that for some obvious use-cases – such as big, harmonised solos – there’ll be a few moments where you get glitchy splutters rather than clean harmonies.

That also brings me to distortion – if you were hoping to go all Iron Maiden with the Pico IHM in particular, its form factor introduces a bit of a frustrating limitation – there’s no dry output, making you choose between two less-than-ideal placement options. I found that placing the Pico IHM after my dirt for the most part led to a better sound, with a cleaner mix of harmonies – but worse tracking with far more ‘chirps’ up and down, as the pedal tried to latch onto the core note of a far more harmonically busy signal. On the other hand, placing it before distortion led to better tracking, but a far messier sound, as the distortion would then amplify the IHM’s digital artefacts and intermodulations.

A dry output could let you have the best of both worlds, with separate signal paths for wet and dry signals – meaning you could track your clean playing, and then distort the harmonised and non-harmonised signals individually, either mixing them back down post-distortion or using separate amplifiers for each.

With that said, this is a mini pedal, and if you’re space-strapped enough to need to get this rather than the full-sized pedal, such an involved setup may be beyond what you want to put together – and the sonic payoffs may be worth the simplicity for you. However it’s not just the sounds being compromised here…

Image: Press

EHX Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine – usability

Ok, back to that pin we put in usability. One of the most notorious things about miniature pedals like these is that they’re not very good at being complex, and not just because they lack processing power. In 2026, they can be pretty damn powerful. Instead, the main issue is just how multi-layered and obscure the interface has to be when you’ve squished all of the features of a multi-mode intelligent harmoniser into a four-knob mini pedal.

There’s the basic physical stuff here – such as the fact that the knobs are very close together and smooth, meaning that actually adjusting them is quite fiddly. But more frustratingly, the controls to select your key and the interval of the shifting are both continuous pots rather than discrete rotary selectors. The lack of reassuring tactile feedback is just, well, not great – it’s mildly annoying on the key selector, but borderline unacceptable on the interval selector, which has no markings to delineate what you’ve selected. You need to watch for a flash of the bypass light to tell you when you’ve hit a new interval, but this doesn’t tell you what you’ve selected – you need to consult the manual or just memorise the list of intervals and where your preferred setting is within it.

For home playing, this is a bit annoying, but changing to a different interval mid-set on a dark stage, it becomes fraught with risk of mis-selection. The frustrating thing is, the full-size pedal has actually solved this problem, listing out its harmonies on its face, and offering dedicated switches for sharp/natural and major/minor – not to mention that dry output. Which sort of begs the question – are all of these sacrifices made for the Pico version actually worth the size payoff?

Potentially not – I personally would take the real-estate hit for the signal-chain flexibility and reassurance that I’d actually selected what I wanted to select, and it’s also worth remembering that mini pedals only save so much space, particularly if you need to hit the footswitch without also hitting something else.

Image: Press

Should I buy the EHX Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine?

In terms of getting harmonised guitar parts without having to resort to something so drastic as adding a band member, the Pico IHM does work well enough for some use-cases – cleaner players who aren’t worried about lots of on-the-fly key and interval changes will do just fine with it, and hey, save some space to boot. But it’s not like the full-sized IHM is a mega-pedal behemoth, nor is it substantially more expensive – so I would urge most players towards that.

EHX Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine alternatives

 

Outside of the obvious EHX alternative, you could also explore the Boss PS-6 Harmonist, or the TC Electronic Quintessence, both of which are standard stompbox sized. If you’ve recently robbed several banks, you could also explore the Eventide H9 Harmonizer, which is a hell of a lot pricier, but powerful enough to launch a Mini Cooper into the orbit of Callisto.

The post EHX Pico Intelligent Harmony Machine review: impressive tracking hampered by inevitable compromise appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

One lucky winner will receive this Taylor Next Generation 412ce Offering players a more accessible entry point to the beloved sound of solid rosewood and spruce, the Next Generation 412ce is sure to impress everyday players and professionals alike. The combination of Indian rosewood back and sides with a Sitka spruce top gets a boost […]

May 29, 2026 Since last week’s Update was mostly a personal journal of the recent weeks I thought today I would answer some recent questions from students and the TG Community. The topic of the day was intervals, starting with fourths and how the guitar strings can help you remember the major chords in a […]

The post Totally Guitars Weekly Update May 29, 2026 appeared first on On The Beat with Totally Guitars.



This week’s podcast guest is Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Darryl Rahn.

Rahn recounts a fateful day in the 5th grade that convinced him to take up guitar, his tips for using a pickup on an acoustic, the gear he used on his new album (Darryl, out now), and more.

https://www.instagram.com/darrylrahnmusic/?hl=en

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago for three days of guitar demos, concerts, workshops and podcast tapings with some of our favorite artists: https://fretboardsummit.org

This year’s Summit has over 80 luthiers and brands showcasing their new and prototype gear!

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal’s quarterly print magazine: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

The post Podcast 552: Darryl Rahn first appeared on Fretboard Journal.



Musician Brad Barr joins us this week to share the story of the Barr Brothers’ 2025 album, Let It Hiss, and talk guitar.

Brad’s guitar playing is uniquely shaped by world music sounds. For years now, Brad has been using a simple but effective trick to make drone/violin sounds on his guitar: Tie a piece of sewing thread on a guitar string near the bridge. The effect, inspired by the playing of Romanian violinist Nicolae Neascu of Taraf de Haidouks, is hauntingly beautiful.

He explains how he came about with the technique and where he wants to take it. We also chat about his 1951 Gibson J-45, the musicians from Mali who inspired him, and so much more.

https://thebarrbrothers.com
https://www.instagram.com/thebarrbrothers

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The post Podcast 551: Brad Barr first appeared on Fretboard Journal.

Fender’s legal campaign over the copyright of the Stratocaster body shape shows no sign of reaching a resolution, though the brand is revealing more about their perspective on the situation.

• READ MORE: Gibson denied opportunity to appeal court ruling that its ES body shape is generic

Today, Fender has released to Guitar.com legal correspondence between itself and another guitar brand that references the social media storm caused by these legal threats becoming public, and claims that this has led to “misunderstandings” that it seeks to clear up.

Fender releasing the correspondence comes on the heels of a Wall Street Journal article yesterday that – in addition to reporting much of what Guitar.com has already revealed about the situation – broke the news that PRS has also been sent a cease and desist letter.

PRS, of course, is the maker of the Silver Sky – the John Mayer signature model that is heavily inspired by the Strat, and has the distinction of even outselling Fender’s original on Reverb in recent years.

PRS wouldn’t comment in detail about the letter, only telling the WSJ that, “The company said it disagrees with Fender’s assessment and declined to comment further.”

PRS joins LsL as the only two brands to confirm publicly that they have been sent these cease and desist letters – but Guitar.com can reveal that at least one other global major guitar brand has been sent one. We cannot name the brand for confidentiality reasons, but we can share that the brand in question has rebuffed Fender’s demands via its own lawyers.

 

Is it all a big misunderstanding? 

70th Anniversary Player Stratocaster body. Image: Adam Gasson

In the correspondence that Fender released to us, which closely mirrors the document we reported on earlier this week, the brand makes it clear that they are aware of the huge social media backlash that has accompanied this story.

“These letters have triggered a substantial echo, not only from its addressees and their lawyers, but also from the media and on social media,” it reads. “From these reactions, we took that apparently there have been a lot of misunderstandings about the nature and the scope of the matter.”

The letter goes on to say that they hope the rest of the text “will clarify many aspects and will help to avoid further or continued misconceptions.”

While the letter goes on to challenge various aspects of Fender history and legal precedent raised in the original letter sent to them, the brand’s lawyers speak more generally about the perception of their actions in the wider guitar community.

“In particular, we would like to make it clear to everyone that Fender does not object to double cutaway or two horned electric guitar bodies,” it reads. “But only to such electric guitar bodies which are close copies of the design of the iconic “Fender Stratocaster.” Everybody is welcome and will be able to continue making and selling double cutaway and/or two horned electric guitars, as long as they are designed sufficiently different from the “Fender Stratocaster”.

 

LsL speak out 

Fender Steve Lacy People Pleaser Stratocaster
Photo by Adam Gasson / Guitar.com

While Fender is trying to get its side of the story across to the guitar community, the first brand who spoke out about the cease and desists, LsL Instruments, have also released a statement to Guitar.com relating to the outpouring of support they’ve received in the week or so since they launched a GoFundMe to help cover legal costs.

“We want to thank everyone in the guitar community for their support and help as we navigate such a massive situation with such massive implications,” said LsL’s Johny Miller.

“We’re not champions here. We’re just a small shop full of good people that build the best guitar we possibly can for the great people that will own and play them for a lifetime (we hope). Please continue to support us by sharing our Go Fund Me and please do know that every build counts. We are sincerely grateful for every order. Every build helps us stay afloat.

“The story of boutique guitars needs to be told. It has been presented and well received over the last few decades, but we intend to tell the whole story in the true positive light it deserves.

Most of us know each other. This community is tighter knit than most realise and there is a kindness that flows from one of us to the next. A boutique bond if you will. We plan to come together, in a most respectful and responsible manner, to help you all understand why this niche corner of the guitar world is so very special and worth protecting.”

Miller confirmed that he has begun working with other boutique builders to better tell the story of the community, and will be publishing it on his blog in the coming months, because, as he puts it, “unity always prevails”.

Fender’s own communication implies that a significant number of brands have been sent these cease and desist letters. According to Fender’s lawyers, some are opting to enter into “reasonable settlement discussions” rather than push back – it remains to be seen if the unity Miller speaks of will have any substance on this particular situation.

The post Fender claims social media has led to “a lot of misunderstandings about the nature and the scope” of their cease and desist blitz… as PRS confirms they were one of the brands affected appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Sometimes, experimental music demands an experimental instrument – and that’s exactly why Tosin Abasi founded his own guitar brand, Abasi Concepts, in 2017. Nearly a decade on, the Animals As Leaders’ frontman is continuing to reimagine the guitar in bold, innovative new ways.

Just last year, Abasi collaborated with Ernie Ball Music Man to create the quirky Kaizen guitar. It came as his latest stand against the tired, conventional guitar blueprint many brands continue to follow. “The guitar space is really interesting, because the most iconic instruments have been kind of crystallised since the ’60s,” Abasi says in a new interview with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto.

• READ MORE: Fender celebrates 75 years of the P-Bass with the 75th Anniversary Precision Bass Collection

With Fender celebrating 75 years of the Telecaster and 70 years of the Strat, it’s wild to consider just how much the guitar world has advanced since the dawn of those now-iconic axes. However, Abasi notes that artists often seem to bind themselves to traditional guitars, rather than pushing for newer designs. “It’s a strange argument because a lot of guitar players get in their mind, like, ‘Oh, well, Jimmy Page was fine with that,’” the prog-metal frontman notes.

In Abasi’s mind, sticking to a Jimmy Page-approved axe is like telling yourself “I guess I don’t need more fret access” or “I don’t need better balance”. But Abasi believes there’s always room for improvement.

In contrast to those sticking to traditions, the frontman has taken on the duty of pushing the guitar forward. With the help of Ernie Ball CEO Brian Ball, Abasi allowed to let his imagination run wild. “We thought it would be cool to try something novel as opposed to the traditional sort of signature thing,” he says. “It was an opportunity for me to make a Music Man that I felt didn’t exist.”

“It’s this very interesting balance of designing the guitar further to feel like you’re benefiting from the design without leaving behind the bones of what makes a guitar feel gratifying,” he goes on to explain.

The multi-scale Kaizen benefits from a slew of unique tweaks on a traditional axe. Firstly, the bass comes in at a standard 25.5” scale, while there’s a shorter 24.75” scale in terms of treble. Another perk is the super thin body, designed to mean it never “gets in your way”, as well as an Infinity Radius fretboard.

The improvements should show that the classic guitar formula certainly has the potential to be enhanced.“The Infinity Radius prevents the need to tilt the guitar [to get a full view of your fretboard],” Abasi says. “The strings fall a little bit more effortlessly where you want them.”

You can check out the Kaizen collection at Ernie Ball.

The post “The most iconic instruments have been kind of crystallised since the ’60s”: Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi on why the traditional guitar blueprint deserves a revamp appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

When you’re invited to support Metallica on tour, it’s a true cause for celebration – and even the band themselves seem to realise that. When Architects had the honour of opening for the iconic metallers on the 2023 and 2024 leg of the M72 World Tour, frontman Sam Carter reveals that Metallica gifted the band a celebratory cake to welcome them on tour.

Speaking on the The Jesea Lee Show, Carter reflects on how kind and welcoming Metallica were from the get-go. “Metallica really know how to treat bands… on the first day we got flowers, and we got a cake delivered by James Hetfield,” Carter recalls [via Blabbermouth].

• READ MORE: “It was just like my security blanket” Lamb Of God’s Mark Morton on his love affair with the Les Paul

However,  the bandmembers were also incredibly keen to bond with Architects across the tour. While touring with Metallica is a dream in and of itself, their kindness only made the experience more special. “Lars Ulrich was hanging out with us most days,” the singer says. “Hetfield would [also] come in and hang out with us… [it made us] feel like a million bucks.”

“After the shows, Metallica invited us for dinner every night and we would go to a closed off restaurant with them and eat in insane places,” he later explains. “They don’t need to do that! And they’re doing this [with] no cameras [around]. There’s nothing there. There’s no one following them around with a video camera…. It’s just their TM [tour manager] and them being like ‘Welcome to the tour. You need anything, we’ve got you.’”

The humility and eagerness to bond with support acts is something that Architects have really taken on board, and influenced how they treat their own support acts. “They really taught us to be on it with your supports – and we always are,” he explains. “We always try and make an effort and make sure everyone’s okay.”

Carter goes on to explain that Linkin Park are equally as welcoming to their support acts. Architects have supported the legendary nu-metal act throughout the From Zero tour across 2025 and 2026, and every day was a treat. “The first day, Linkin Park invited us into their dressing room, and Mike Shinoda’s texting me asking me to go and sing with them!” Carter says, smiling at the kindness. “And [Linkin Park and Metallica] are two of the biggest bands in the world!”

Metallica are set to hit the UK across June and July, and they have teamed up with blood services to promote donations. The initiative marks the first time the band have collaborated with UK blood services, working with the Welsh Blood Service alongside NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.

A spokesperson for the band says: “Wherever we go on tour, we want to give something meaningful back to the communities that welcome us. We’ve seen in the United States and Australia how working with blood services can help raise awareness of blood donation and support patients, and we’re excited to bring that same approach to the UK.”

“As we close out the European leg of the ‘M72 World Tour’ in the UK, we’re asking fans to step up and be part of something bigger than the show. Looking out for one another and supporting those who rely on donated blood every day is a simple act that can make a powerful difference.”

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The post “We got a cake delivered by James Hetfield”: Architects’ Sam Carter explains why Metallica are one of the kindest bands he’s toured with appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

This month’s TA lessons cover a wide range of topics: Argentinean jazz licks, the boom chuck, harp harmonics, slide blues, and flatpicking bass runs.

$3,399 / £3,399, martinguitar.com

In the guitar world we’re pretty used to seeing brands throw around all sorts of impressive-sounding adjectives to give their products added kudos – ultra, professional, max, deluxe and perhaps most commonly of all, ‘super’.

• READ MORE: Taylor Next Generation 324ce review: “this could easily be your forever acoustic”

Typically, those words are mainly there to catch our attention and signal that the thing in question is likely to cost a fair bit more than the original version, but now and then these modifiers are well-earned.

Take for example, the new for 2026 addition to Martin’s USA-made Standard series, the Super Dreadnought. This isn’t some sort of way of upselling you on some fancy new technology or a bunch of extra pearl – it’s a way of telling you that this is, quite literally, the biggest single-necked guitar Martin currently makes.

The Super D has been around for a few years now as part of the Custom Shop line-up, and has found a few famous fans along the way – notably Jason Isbell. But is bigger necessarily better? Well, there’s only one way to find out…

Image: Press

Martin Super D-18 – what is it?

Well, as the name suggests, it’s a dreadnought, but bigger! The dreadnought, famously, is about as big as most of us are used to seeing an acoustic guitar – but the Super doesn’t make it a little bit bigger.

The whole thing is roughly 13 per cent bigger overall, and has a monster 20 per cent more internal air volume (the ‘lungs’ of an acoustic instrument) than a regular Martin dread’. It does this by being around an inch wider than one (16.375 inches instead of 15.625 inches) and having a deeper body to boot.

The nut width, interestingly, is also a little bit wider than on a traditional acoustic too – it’s around 1.75 inches compared to the 1.68 inches you’d usually find on a Martin dreadnought. Otherwise, it’s every inch the classic Nazareth-made Martin guitar – spruce top, mahogany back, sides and neck, and an ebony bridge and fingerboard.

The idea that you’d ever need to plug this beast in seems rather fanciful, and so perhaps it’s unsurprising that Martin would spec this without any onboard electronics – just dig in and let this thing shout!

Image: Press

Martin Super D-18 – build quality and playability

You expect a certain level of fit and finish with Martin’s Standard series, and upon removing this guitar from its oversized hard case, it looks every bit the classic Nazareth 14-fret dread, just a bit bigger.

In truth, the extra body width serves to make the guitar look more balanced in the flesh. When you hear the specs, you half wonder if you’re going to end up playing something that’s more like a Mexican guitarrón than a traditional flat-top, but from a distance on a stand, it’s only the neck and headstock that hint that this is a bigger guitar than you might be used to.

Up close, there is an element of the minivan to it – this is a large guitar even by dreadnought standards, and that certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste. Happily, when you play it you don’t notice the difference too much – it’s there of course, but not so much that you feel like a little kid playing his dad’s guitar.

Combined with that wider nut-width, the neck is a little bigger than I’m used to feeling with modern Martins – it feels more like the pre-1960s necks the company used to make, and probably confirms my suspicions that it intends this primarily as a big, booming strummer first and foremost.

Despite the extra size, it’s comfortable playing for long periods both seated and standing, and I didn’t notice anything digging into me more than usual after a long playing session.

Image: Press

Martin Super D-18 – sounds

I’ve played an awful lot of acoustic guitars in my time – and a lot of Martin dreadnoughts with it – but even so, strumming the Super D-18 for the first time was an experience. Such is the power and projection on tap, it almost overwhelms you with how much bass response is available – and this isn’t boomy or baritone-like, it has all the same low-end frequencies you’d expect from a regular dreadnought, but much louder and fuller than I’m used to.

It also gives chords better definition than I was expecting – and I really noticed that the high B and E strings cut through much louder. There is a bit of a trade-off to this, as when you’re really strumming and digging in the D and G strings can get a little lost, but if you back off a touch it’s all much more balanced, but with that same definition.

I realised that while the temptation is to play this thing as loud as you can, part of the reason for this extra power is to enable you to play a little softer and more evenly, and still get all the volume, punch and power you’d expect.

It’s also a guitar that responds very well to fingerstyle picking, and plucking the bass notes with your thumb truly makes this guitar sing. I can honestly say that I’ve never heard or played another acoustic guitar that sounds like this, offering such force and power without dominating every frequency.

That being said, good gracious it’s loud – it might look like something a soccer mom would use to ferry the kids around, but inside roars the motor of a big block Corvette. If you take the Super D-18 to a party, jam session or open-mic night, make sure you bring a soundhole plug or you might be asked to leave – that’s how strident and domineering this thing can be if you’re not careful.

Martin Super D-18 – should I buy one?

There are plenty of people who will take one look at the Super D-18 and wonder why Martin even bothered – after all, the Martin dreadnought is about as close to sonic perfection as it gets for an acoustic guitar.

And you’re not wrong, but what’s the harm in adding another fun club into the bag? If you’re a player who gravitates toward bigger, fuller, unique and alternative stringed instruments, like me, then this is a wonderfully interesting and enjoyable experience.

Purists might not appreciate this model as it is taking a proven historical shape guitar and altering the size, bracing and neck size, but if we’re going to keep moving the acoustic guitar forward, we have to try these things!

It’s hard to fully explain how much fun this guitar is, the physical experience of this thing rattling your ribs and bouncing off the walls is something that you really have to be in the room to experience. And once you have, you might never want to go back to that teeny ol’ dreadnought again.

Martin Super D-18 – alternatives

Martin’s D-18 Standard ($2,999 / £3,149) is plenty of power and projection for most people. If you want an alternative big body that isn’t quite as big, the Gibson SJ-200 Standard ($5,699 / £5,499) is a whole lot of spruce and maple, while Taylor’s Gold Label 517e ($2,799 / £2,549) is a bigger than average flat-top from the brand’s more retro-focused range.

The post Martin Super D-18 review: it’s hard to fully explain how much fun this guitar is appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

IK Multimedia releases the TONEX Royal 45 Legends Signature Collection



Working out of his solo shop in Quebec, Thierry André is a builder of truly one-of-a-kind instruments.

For episode 114 of the podcast, Thierry dives into his design process and explains why he believes every instrument should include an element of danger and surprise. We also talk about his formative time apprenticing with Fred Carlson and much more.

GoFundMe to help Thierry Andre beat cancer: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thierry-andre-beat-cancer

Links: https://www.thierryandre.com

https://www.instagram.com/thierryandre.studio/

Luthier on Luthier is hosted by Michael Bashkin of Bashkin Guitars and brought to you by the Fretboard Journal. This episode is sponsored by the Looth Group, Dream Guitars and StewMac.

Want to support Luthier on Luthier? Join our Patreon to get access to exclusive photos and content from Michael and his builds.

 

The post Luthier on Luthier: Thierry Andre first appeared on Fretboard Journal.