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What if I told you that you could get a vintage guitar model from the original Big Bang of rock for less than a new U.S.-made Fender or Gibson? With the Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman, you can.

The double-cutaway Country Gents of the 1960s were ostensibly Chet Atkins signature models. But it was a young man named George Harrison who sent demand for these guitars through the roof, when he played one in living rooms across the United States during the Beatles’ first televised performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964.

Thanks to Harrison’s unofficial endorsement, Gretsch went from building a comfortable 2,000 models a year to struggling to keep up with demand, reportedly making 100 a day following the explosive Sullivan set.

While Harrison’s was a 1963, the production run of Country Gents he inspired from ’64-’70 brought about a few changes: the standard walnut brown finish was lighter than Harrison’s mahogany-colored, the Grover tuners had a more streamlined “kidney” shape, the mute pads changed from red to black, and, over time, some other minor changes were instituted (for example, the “Country Gentleman” branding was made more prominent on pickguards circa 1966).

However, the basic idea that Chet Atkins worked out with Gretsch had remained largely intact since ’61. These were high-end guitars, built for peak performance, without too many distracting frills: hollowbody, 17" wide and about 2" deep, with a laminated maple top, back, and sides. The f-holes were painted on, per Atkins’ orders, so that there were no real holes introducing feedback.

They had ebony fingerboards with a 12" radius, and a 24.5" scale length, a gold-plated Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, a Filter’Tron pickup in the bridge and Super’Tron at the neck, and three volume knobs—that’s right, count ’em, three—for neck, bridge, and master.

There’s not a single tone knob on the whole guitar, but there are three switches: a 3-way tone switch (to choose between bass, standard, and treble), a 3-way pickup selector, and a kill switch.

Add it all up, and you’ve got a certified guitar for a certified guitar player. (There’s even a felt pad snapped onto the back so you can stay comfortable while Travis picking for hours on end.)

“You could get a vintage guitar model from the original Big Bang of rock for less than a new U.S.-made Fender or Gibson.”

Back in the mid-’60s, a retailer would have asked for a whopping $595 for a new Country Gentleman—and that’s if they even had it in stock. Adjusted for inflation, that’s over $6,000 in 2026 money, a testament to the top-notch quality Gretsch and Chet targeted.

That figure puts into stark relief what a great buy these are on the vintage market right now. The 1966 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman selected for this Vintage Vault column is listed in good condition from Reverb seller Chicago Music Exchange for just $2,650. (Like Harrison’s, at some point a previous owner removed the string mutes and filled in the holes.)

A price tag of $2,650 is still a good deal less than the $3,799 Gretsch asks currently for the closest reissue, the G6122T-62GE Vintage Select. And even that is on the higher-end of average vintage prices at the moment. In 2026 so far, the average final sale price on Reverb for ’64-’70 Country Gents is $1,900, a big drop from the 2021 peak of $3,400.

Country Gent pricing follows a trend in the vintage guitar world that some people—particularly a lot of sellers of vintage guitars—seem to have missed: the vintage guitar market has cooled. Not by a ton, and certainly not uniformly. The overall market is down 10-15% compared to its 2021/2022 peak, with values on the whole remaining above what they had been pre-pandemic.

That said, a lot of once-offbeat models—like the Gretsches of the world, CBS-era Fender offsets, and others—gained a ton of value during the pandemic, only to have slipped further since. Final prices can be 20% to even 40% lower than their peaks. This Country Gentleman is just one example, with plenty more to be found.

It’s a good reminder to all of us vintage guitar nerds out there: These days, it’s a great time to be a buyer. So if you see a guitar you like, go ahead and throw out an offer. Refer to the actual final sale prices you can always find in the Reverb Price Guide, and don’t take asking prices at face value. You just might score a real-deal vintage gem, for way less a current reissue.

Preamp pedals can be a lot of things. They tend to get lumped in with overdrives and boosts, and, in a sense, that’s fair. Preamps, ODs, and boosts are all plugged in before an amplifier’s power section, after all—usually employed to add body, grit, or a measure of distortion.

So, what’s the difference? Well, in the absence of a definitive answer about clipping and EQ circuitry differences—and certainly these can be factors—it can be just as helpful to imagine the preamp/overdrive divide in terms of personalities. An overdrive can be charming but brusque—all full of easy answers to life’s problems and, sometimes, a bit of loudmouth. A good preamp, meanwhile, can be the life of the party—an extrovert even! But it can also be an empathetic, responsive listener and conversationalist.

OK, maybe that isn’t the most watertight metaphor, but Seward Park Electric's Maravilla preamp is one pedal that makes it look particularly apt. Compared to many overdrives, the Maravilla has a huge tone vocabulary—one that spans civilized, sparkling, and venomous. It tends to feel exceptionally well integrated with your amp and guitar. And at the right settings, the Maravilla adds color and energy to a signal without hoovering up the oxygen that makes a guitar feel alive in your hands. Whatever you call it, it has more to offer as a tactile link to your guitar and as a tone scalpel than most overdrives I know.

Maximized Multifactedness

The essence of what makes the Maravilla tick is not terribly complex. Gain is generated via germanium transistors, which are less common in overdrives but make the pedal more dynamically responsive and lend the drive a smoother, less aggro voice. But it’s how the Maravilla builds upon this simple architecture that makes a difference. There is no single drive control on the Maravilla. But a pre-gain control enables you to smash the germanium transistors with input gain, while the post-gain control enables you to take the output from the germanium transistor section and pound the transformer for even more saturation. Transformers are not unheard of in effects pedals, but they aren’t commonplace either. Functionally they can take the place of buffers. But here, as in other excellent preamp-inspired pedals like Hudson’s Broadcast, the Maravilla also uses a transformer to lend extra richness to the distortion.

This simple, if slightly unorthodox, gain chain conjures many complex drive shades by itself. But the Maravilla’s powerful, fluid EQ section also transforms the distortion. The pedal even offers a post-gain presence control, called “air” here, that changes the gain and compression characteristics, along with how the pedal responds to touch and picking dynamics.

“Just as with single coils, the germanium bits of the Maravilla’s beating heart are responsive to touch, tone, and volume dynamics in ways that expand the PAF vocabulary.”

The Punch Spectrum

Uncovering Maravilla’s treasures can feel like fumbling in the dark at first—such are the interactive sensitivities of the six controls. Having all six knobs at noon positions is not a bad place to begin, and you can usually find a baseline not too far from your guitar and amp’s natural voice in these regions. But it pays to be bold as you venture forth from there. And getting a feel for how the post- and pre-gain controls shift the feel of your rig is an ideal launch pad for these experiments.

Slightly advanced pre-gain levels tend to generate sounds and attack most like a conventional overdrive. And depending on where I set the pedal’s EQ, I find sounds similar to those from the Klon and Tube Screamer clones I use as overdrive reference. High post-gain settings in isolation introduce a lean, clean, muscular edge to an amplifier’s input. Any setting that favors heavy pre- or post-gain levels can yield creative results. But it’s when the two are used together in generous servings that the Maravilla comes alive.

As organic amp-style drive goes, the sound and feel of both gain controls at 3 o’clock is hard to top. With a Telecaster and a Vibrolux on either side of the Maravilla, I heard a meaty, rambunctious version of this combination that suffers little from compression or unflattering midrange spikes. You can dial in plenty of compression and odd EQ peaks with the air and EQ controls if you want. But in terms of creating burly, blossoming, naturalistic variations on your natural guitar/amp voice, the two gain controls working together with smooth EQ combos yields the goods. Maximum pre- and post-gain settings sound fantastic too and made the Telecaster and Vibrolux sound positively Marshall-like. But any of these combinations of high pre- and post-gain distortion can be tamed and made near-clean with guitar volume attenuation, and I tended to keep them at higher levels for that reason.

Humbuckers, predictably, have a different relationship with Maravilla. I found the sweetest drive sounds by favoring the pre-gain, using a less dynamic air setting and more conservative tone levels. But just as with single-coils, the germanium bits of the Maravilla’s beating heart are responsive to touch, tone, and volume dynamics in ways that expand the PAF vocabulary. The Maravilla dazzles with Vox- and Marshall-style amps too. It can make an EL84-based rig sound sizzly. But dialing back the pedal’s rangy treble control and adding a scoop of preamp gain can give the combination a buzzy ’60s-practice-amp-set-to-blast essence that, with a little guitar volume and tone attenuation, recalls the crunchy/fuzzy tones David Hidalgo and Tchad Blake cooked up for Latin Playboys’ records. If you’re strictly into the maximum rock ‘n’ roll potentialities of a British amp and the Maravilla, though, fear not. It’s just as easy to dial up monster sounds as it is to find off-kilter ones.

The Verdict

Using the Maravailla in performance can be tricky business if you don’t do your homework. And paradoxically, this means its wonderful versatility may be its only drawback. But this is a drawback in very relative terms. The homework Maravilla demands of you is 101-level stuff. Yes, small adjustments to any of the Maravilla’s controls can profoundly affect the whole, and you might create something ghastly before you happen upon the magic recipe that matches your aims. But the Maravilla is forgiving, and you get used to the sweeps and range in its controls fast. It’s fantastic for awakening lifeless, one-dimensional signals that are missing energy or a certain EQ emphasis. It can add aggression through unique shades of saturation that can span smooth and fuzzy. And as you get to know its core strengths, you may find that some of the strangest sounds it produces might just become the most essential. Indeed, if the most obvious tone sweeteners here don’t convince you of Maravilla’s ability to outperform your average overdrive, the unexpected surprises most certainly will.

- YouTube

October 1st marks the premiere of The Art of Music’s third episode, featuring GRAMMY © Award winning blues rock combo and Tedeschi Trucks Band co-founders, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks filmed live from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Petrie Sculpture Court. It features intimate performances and a wide-ranging interview with legendary music journalist David Fricke. Corporate funding for the series is provided by Chase. The series is distributed by NETA.

Presented by United MileagePlus Cards from Chase. *

PREVIEW at youtube.com/watch

“What a beautiful and unique setting for a concert and interview,” said Derek Trucks. “Sitting in a room full of masterpieces from all over the world was inspiring - watching Susan hold and play Mississippi John Hurt’s guitar is something I won’t forget.”

The episode reveals details of the Tedeschi and Trucks musical journey, inspirations, family influences, and their personal connection to Derek and the Dominos’ “Bell Bottom Blues.” A performance with Sippie Wallace's “Women Be Wise” on Mississippi John Hurt's Gibson guitar, drawn from the Met's collection and a breakdown of “Who Am I” and “What in the World” highlight music from their sixth studio album release Future Soul.

Check local listings for more information at listings.tracmedia.com/artOfMusic.

“The Art of Music” format keeps pulling extraordinary moments like this out of artists,” said Don Maggi, founder and president of iMaggination. “Susan and Derek didn't just talk about their influences — they played them, on an instrument from the Met's own collection. That's what this series is built to do.”

This special interview and performance featuring Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks presented by United MileagePlus Cards from Chase was an unforgettable occasion for Chase United Cardmembers who were invited to attend the intimate live taping. TheUnited MileagePlus Cards from Chase provide Cardmembers with access to exclusive events and experiences in addition to many reward and travel benefits with United Airlines.

Other episodes of The Art of Music include Sheryl Crow with Jason Isbell and

Peter Frampton with Warren Haynes, available at www.theartofmusic.co.

Rock icon Slash received the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award last night, Monday, October 5, during an intimate celebration at The Les Paul Recording Studio at Universal Master Recordings in Hollywood.

Presented by the Les Paul Foundation in partnership with Gibson Gives, the philanthropic arm of Gibson, the private event brought together a room filled with music-industry luminaries, artists, media, friends and special guests to honor Slash’s extraordinary creative legacy, pioneering musicianship and enduring influence on generations of artists and fans.

The evening centered on the presentation of the one-of-a-kind Les Paul Spirit Award, recognizing Slash as an artist who embodies Les Paul’s pioneering spirit through innovation, creativity, technology and music. The celebration also included a reception and a tour of the historic recording studio, offering guests a closer look at the remarkable legacy of Les Paul and the continuing impact of his work on modern music and recording.

Slash and Les Paul shared a special friendship during Les Paul’s lifetime and often played music together. That personal connection brought added meaning to the evening as guests celebrated not only two of the most recognizable guitarists in music history, but also two artists united by an enduring curiosity, an instinct for innovation and a lifelong commitment to expanding the expressive possibilities of the electric guitar.

“Les was so much more than a great guitarist and innovator. He was an actual inventor who changed the instrument itself, built groundbreaking recording equipment and completely reimagined how artists could record music. I feel incredibly lucky that I got to know him, hang out with him and play music with him. I cherish the relationship we had, and receiving an award that carries his name and spirit is a tremendous honor.” --Slash

“We are honored to present the Les Paul Spirit Award to Slash this year. He and Les shared a special friendship and often jammed together when they could,” said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation. “Not only does Slash exemplify the creativity and curiosity Les had during his life, but he is also an extraordinary talent and a wonderful supporter of the Les Paul Foundation. If Les were still alive today, Slash and he would be jamming onstage together somewhere regularly.”

The annual Les Paul Spirit Award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the late Les Paul through innovation, engineering, technology and music. The physical award presented to Slash was created from actual hand-carved acoustic boards that Les Paul built and used in his home recording studio. Because each award is fashioned from authentic studio materials personally created by Les Paul, no two Les Paul Spirit Awards are exactly alike.

Previous recipients of the Les Paul Spirit Award include Bob Weir, Nile Rodgers, the Edge, Peter Frampton and Steve Miller. Slash now joins that distinguished group of artists whose creativity, originality and contributions to music reflect the trailblazing spirit that defined Les Paul’s life and career.

A GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Slash has helped define generations of rock music through his work with Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit, Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators and Slash’s Blues Ball Band. With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, he has created some of the most iconic guitar performances in rock history while continuing to push his artistry into new territory.

His most recent solo album, Orgy of the Damned, was released by Gibson Records in 2024 and topped the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 weeks. Whether exploring the blues or recording rock albums with Slash FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, Slash remains driven by the same instinctive, collaborative approach that has defined his career.

Prior to the award presentation, select members of the media were invited inside the Les Paul Recording Studio for an exclusive advance listening session featuring four songs from Slash FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS’ forthcoming album, Flying Blind. Guests heard “Good Time Girl,” “One of Your Kind,” “Flying Blind” and “Looking for a Miracle,” offering an early glimpse at the band’s next creative chapter.

Set for release on February 26, 2027, via Gibson Records, Flying Blind was recorded largely live with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette and captures the raw chemistry and unfiltered energy that have become hallmarks of the band’s sound. The preview underscored that, even after decades at the forefront of rock music, Slash continues to create with the same passion, spontaneity and commitment to collaboration that have defined his extraordinary career.

The Flying Blind WORLD TOUR 2027 will take Slash FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS across Latin America, North America, the United Kingdom and Europe, with stops at iconic venues including The Wiltern, Beacon Theatre and Ryman Auditorium. Tickets are on sale now: home.slashonline.com/tour.

The superstrat was not born in a design studio. It was not shaped by a focus group, nor was it conceived as part of a grand plan to reinvent the electric guitar. It evolved because one player demanded more from the instrument than it had ever delivered before. When Eddie Van Halen assembled his now-legendary Frankenstrat, he wasn’t trying to create a new category of guitar. He was solving problems. He wanted an instrument that could survive aggressive tremolo abuse, deliver more power and thickness, and respond to the speed and articulation of the music he heard in his head. Every modification—hotter pickups, a flatter fingerboard radius, larger frets, a locking tremolo—brought the guitar closer to that vision.

What began as one player’s search for a more appropriate tool evolved into an entire philosophy of instrument design. The Frankenstrat became one of the defining blueprints for the superstrat, influencing everyone from boutique builders to major manufacturers. It also changed what players expected from an electric guitar and created a platform that continues to evolve nearly half a century later. Few people have had a better understanding of that evolution than Jon Romanowski.

As Vice President of Product for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s high-performance brands—Jackson, Charvel, and EVH—Romanowski occupies a unique position in the guitar world. He doesn’t build guitars in the traditional sense. He doesn’t carve necks, wind pickups, or spray finishes. Instead, his craft is something less visible but equally important: understanding what innovations guitarists seek and translating those insights into instruments they genuinely want to play.

“There’s a huge, undulating current of artists and bands having a major impact, so we’re watching those trends.”

Romanowski describes product management as the hub of a wheel, with each “spoke”—engineering, manufacturing, artist relations, marketing, sales, and finance—contributing a different kind of expertise. “Successful products,” he says, “are created at the point where those perspectives intersect.” Throughout a conversation that repeatedly emphasizes the value of teamwork, Romanowski’s focus always returns to the most important voice in the room: the guitarist.

To Romanowski, innovation doesn’t begin in a factory or a boardroom. It begins with a player trying to solve a problem. A player pushes boundaries, other musicians take notice, manufacturers respond, and new technologies eventually filter through product lines and out into the broader guitar community. He calls this phenomenon the “halo effect.” Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstrat was one of those ideas. Romanowski has spent much of his career shepherding similar ideas into existence—not by imposing himself on the product, but by listening to what players need.

Long before he reached the upper levels of the guitar industry, Romanowski grew up in Rochester, New York, raised with two distinct perspectives: His father, an engineer, emphasized discipline, academics, and analytical thinking, while his mother encouraged creativity and artistic exploration. That combination proved formative. His father’s mindset would eventually serve him well in product development, while his mother kept music at the center of his life.

Like many teenagers of his generation, Romanowski’s path changed after seeing the possibilities of rock music explode on MTV in the early ’80s. Watching Def Leppard’s “Photograph” video, he knew he wanted to play guitar. “My mom was always trying to get me involved in the arts,” he recalls. “But after seeing Def Leppard, I thought, ‘Man, I want to do that.’”

Playing eventually led to a job at Rochester’s legendary House of Guitars, where he says his real education began. The store became a classroom unlike any traditional academic environment. He saw firsthand how players interacted with instruments, watched local musicians chase opportunities, witnessed artists develop their identities, and began to understand that the music business extended far beyond playing guitar. “Don’t let school get in the way of a good education,” he says with a laugh.

That experience eventually led to positions with ART (Applied Research and Technology, founded by MXR alumni) and later Ibanez, where Romanowski learned one of the most important lessons of his career: successful product development isn’t necessarily about inventing something completely new. Often, it’s about paying attention.

“You’re looking for holes in the marketplace,” he explains. “You say, ‘We have these types of guitars for these kinds of players, but they’re looking for this other type of sound, so maybe we should do that.' You pair them up and bring it to market.” That philosophy would become the foundation of his approach. The goal isn’t to predict the future. It’s to listen closely enough that the future reveals itself.

By the time Van Halen’s debut album arrived in 1978, the electric guitar had already undergone several major transformations, yet Fender and Gibson still largely dominated the market. Romanowski acknowledges players like Les Paul were already pushing technical boundaries. “He was playing very fast and quick; he just didn’t do it with distortion,” he says. “And you had the undulating fusion thing going on with Al Di Meola and Allan Holdsworth, so there was already that virtuosity—except those players were highly-schooled and rooted in jazz. Then here comes a guy with those chops, applying them in a pop context. It was accessible and digestible, yet it also sounded like nothing anyone had heard before.”

“Eruption” was more than a great guitar solo; it was a moment when players realized the instrument could do things they had never imagined. “‘Eruption’ sounded like Beethoven meets E.T.,” Romanowski says with a chuckle. “People had never heard a guitar sound like that before. That was the appeal.”

But Van Halen’s influence extended beyond technique. Romanowski describes the Frankenstrat as “patient zero” in the superstrat lineage. “He completely changed the engineering demands of the electric guitar,” Romanowski says. “To play that way, you needed a guitar with a flatter radius, bigger frets, hotter pickups—and it had to look the part.”

Van Halen didn’t build the superstrat to create a market category, but rather because existing instruments didn’t meet his needs. “And people glommed onto that. They were like, ‘I want to be like that guy, so I need that kind of guitar.’” For Romanowski, that insight is essential: defining moments in the guitar industry are often driven by musicians pushing instruments beyond their present limitations.

Romanowski believes the halo effect is earned through meaningful innovation, not novelty for novelty’s sake. The goal is not to change an instrument simply to make it different, but to understand why players need something different in the first place. It’s a philosophy that shapes his view of signature models. In some corners of the guitar world, artist models are dismissed as marketing exercises—familiar designs dressed up with a famous name. Romanowski sees them differently. At their best, signature instruments give artists opportunities to push manufacturers toward ideas that may eventually benefit everyone.

He points to Misha Mansoor of Periphery as an example of an artist whose influence extends beyond his own instruments: he introduced ideas through his Jackson Juggernaut signature guitar that filtered through the rest of the product line. “Artists like Misha help push us in terms of design and technologies,” Romanowski explains. “They’re the ones that lead the charge, internally. We do stumble upon some things, but in my experience, we’ve always been more successful when we listen to what the artist needs, or the market telegraphs us some stuff. The halo effect drives the overall business.”

For Romanowski, the artist is not simply endorsing a product—they’re a part of the development process. He compares that influence to the way Michael Jordan changed perceptions of basketball shoes. A player at the highest level can transform how an audience views a product—not because everyone will perform at that level, but because the product represents possibility. The same idea applies to high-performance guitars. “With heavy metal and hard rock, you can’t just casually play it,” Romanowski says. “You must spend some time on it, which means you did that at the expense of something else. You sacrificed something to be able to play like this. And for those players, there’s an expectation there.”

Though Romanowski was initially hired by Fender to jumpstart its high-performance brands, he and his team understand that their role isn’t to recreate the revolutionary moments of the past. “Those moments already happened,” he admits. “Classic brands don’t need a whole lot. They’ve got a great history. They just need a little tweaking here and there.” The groundwork laid by the players and builders who reshaped the instrument—Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Grover Jackson, and Wayne Charvel—has endured. “That group in the ’80s hit pay dirt,” Romanowski says. “So [at Jackson] we already have extraordinary platforms—the Rhoads, the Soloist, the Dinky.”

Today, the challenge is to keep evolving those platforms. That means adapting classic designs for modern players with seven- and eight-string models, new pickup configurations, varied scale lengths, updated finishes, and a broader range of price points. Romanowski jokingly compares the process to “Mr. Potato Head”—rearranging familiar pieces to create something new. Beneath the humor is a sophisticated philosophy of iterative design: great designs endure because they are flexible. The superstrat can absorb new influences without losing its identity.

“A young player can stream Pantera, Bring Me the Horizon, Allan Holdsworth, Brad Paisley, and Kurt Cobain within the same afternoon.”

The next stage of the superstrat is already underway, according to Romanowski. While technical ability will always matter, he sees younger players increasingly emphasizing heavier riffs, lower tunings, and songwriting chops, rather than pure displays of speed. He believes the superstrat is well positioned for that future because it has always adapted to the musicians using it.

“The last guitar revolution, in my opinion, was back in 2008/2009, with Periphery and Animals as Leaders,” he says. “To me, that was like the late ’70s/early ’80s Van Halen and Randy Rhoads kind of thing.” For Romanowski, those moments are connected. Both represent players asking for more from the instrument, and manufacturers responding.

Now he sees two generations helping shape what comes next. “Boomers are starting to age out,” he says. “And Gen Xers are becoming more prominent. They were the ones that got exposed to all this stuff in the ’80s and ’90s, and that’s helped give us a tailwind. They remember it and want to get back in touch with it. There’s also a large group of very young people getting into guitar for the first time, so you’ve got these two cohorts coming together that can help chart a course.”

Beyond guitar-centric revolutions, Romanowski believes another major shift has helped shape the modern guitar landscape: the way people consume music.

“In the 1980s, MTV helped determine which artists reached millions of listeners,” he says. “In the 1990s, grunge changed the priorities of many guitarists seemingly overnight. Today, because of the internet and social media, those divisions have largely disappeared. A young player can stream Pantera, Bring Me the Horizon, Allan Holdsworth, Brad Paisley, and Kurt Cobain within the same afternoon.”

The result is a guitar culture where multiple generations and styles exist simultaneously. The superstrat no longer belongs only to virtuosos chasing technical perfection. It has simply become another electric guitar to choose from, regardless of what style of music one plays.

Ultimately, Romanowski defines his leadership role simply: “to take the beatings and celebrate the wins.” Nearly 50 years after Eddie Van Halen painted stripes on a modified Stratocaster and changed guitarists’ expectations of the instrument, the superstrat now comfortably coexists with standard-bearers like the Stratocaster, Les Paul, and SG.

“Technology evolves, players change, music moves forward,” Romanowski says. “Yet the conversation between musician and instrument continues. There’s a huge, undulating current of artists and bands having a major impact, so we’re watching those trends.”

He may not be able to predict the next guitar revolution, but Romanowski knows the future belongs to those willing to listen for it. “There continues to be a path forward, and there continue to be even more growth opportunities,” he says. For Romanowski, perhaps that is the real halo effect—not simply creating something new, but making an instrument that helps move the conversation forward.

In Helmet front man Page Hamilton’s 2014 Rig Rundown, he highlighted the 12AX7-driven Fryette Valvulator Tube Buffer, stating, “That is a key piece of gear in my sound, always on my pedalboard.” For a precision-minded musician like Hamilton, a quality buffer can be a foundational part of the rig.

Every foot of instrument cable you run has inherent capacitance. When you daisy-chain a 15-foot cable into a pedalboard packed with true-bypass switches, and then run another 15-foot cable to your amp, you’ve essentially built a massive low-pass (RC) filter. The result? Your signal bleeds high-end frequencies and loses its transient lifeblood before it even hits your preamp tubes. This is where choosing the right buffer transcends being a mere option and becomes an absolute necessity.

A buffer doesn’t just convert Hi-Z (impedance) to Low-Z; its components also add their own “color” and character.

Op-Amp (Operational Amplifier):
This topology is the modern industry standard. It is known to be exceptionally clean, transparent, and linear, and possesses an incredibly low noise floor (dead quiet). An IC Op-Amp-based buffer reproduces your signal exactly as it is, without any meaningful harmonic coloration.

JFET (Junction Field Effect Transistor):
JFET transistors offer the ability to natively accept exceptionally high-impedance loads (up to the megaohm scale). The operational characteristics of a JFET are frequently compared to vacuum tubes because of how they operate in a voltage-controlled manner. This fundamental trait renders JFETs highly musical, incredibly responsive to picking dynamics, and perfectly suited as an instrument-level signal buffer.

BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor):
Unlike the JFET, BJT transistors are current-controlled and naturally lack the massive high-input-impedance capability required to reach the megaohm scale without employing specialized design tricks (such as bootstrapping). However, BJT-type buffers are often selected due to their highly efficient and economical design, and most importantly, they deliver a uniquely vintage interaction.

Discrete:
In terms of structural architecture, this is fundamentally an Op-Amp; however, instead of utilizing a factory-molded, micro-sized IC chip, this topology is constructed using an array of many full-sized individual (discrete) transistors. This approach allows designers to strictly regulate component tolerances to an extreme degree, yielding gargantuan headroom and a highly specific Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) profile. Frequently deployed in studio-grade buffers or mixing consoles, this topology is exceptionally rare to find in a stompbox format due to its space-consuming footprint.

Tube:
This employs classic vacuum tubes (such as the 12AX7) operating at actual high voltage. A vacuum tube is capable of handling high input impedance natively, just like a JFET, but with a voltage headroom that is far more massive. As a bonus, tubes deliver a pleasing (second-order) harmonic distortion that injects warmth and a 3D dimension into the signal, along with an exceptionally wide dynamic range.

Hybrid:
A clever topology that blends two worlds. It typically employs a JFET at the input stage to capture the high impedance from the guitar without degrading the tone, and then utilizes a BJT or Op-Amp at the output stage to forcefully spew a robust low impedance through long cable runs. This is the steadfast default buffer embedded within almost the entire Boss pedal line.

Active Pickups:
A technical fact that is frequently forgotten: if you are using active pickups, you already possess a built-in buffer located at the closest possible distance to the sound source. Hiding stealthily beneath the pickup cover and powered by a 9V battery, this circuit—which predominantly uses micro Op-Amps—instantly converts the signal to low impedance right at the guitar’s output jack. (Examples: EMG 81/85, Fishman Fluence).

Do you actually need two buffers?

Yes. Professional rig builders often quietly employ a “Buffer Sandwich.” One high-quality buffer sits first-in-chain to “catch” the fragile high-impedance signal. A second buffer sits at the absolute end, aggressively pushing your signal through 50 feet of stage cable to your backline or FOH without bleeding top-end sparkle.

The unaffected sound is the feature. It’s exactly this transparency that leads amateur tone-chasers to write off buffers as worthless gear. But when the stages get wider, when you demand wireless freedom, or when your cable lengths cross into the realm of the absurd, the buffer will be right there. It will silently save the life of your tone while you’re too busy praising the sheer magic of your boutique true-bypass overdrive.

Fender has unveiled the Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition, the first signature amplifier in Fender’s Tone Master series, created in close collaboration with blues-rock guitarist and longtime Fender artist Joe Bonamassa. Inspired by Bonamassa’s prized late-’50s high-powered tweed Twin amps — a mainstay of his touring and studio rig — the new model brings the sound and response of his vintage originals together with the versatility and functionality of Fender’s modern Tone Master platform.

“I wanted to hate it,” said Joe Bonamassa. “We’re all in agreement that this amp was tighter, punchier, and better. I never thought I’d see in my lifetime the fact that I’d be sitting next to a digital amp. Sound makes you play. Sound inspires you to play. You just need to know how to unlock the sound you hear in your head and get it out.”

Powered by Fender’s Tone Master modeling technology, this signature amplifier combines the character of Bonamassa’s beloved vintage tube amps with the convenience and versatility of modern engineering. The 2x12” ‘59 Twin delivers crystalline cleans that transform into aggressive, distinctive overdrive when pushed into its sweet spot. A six-way power attenuator makes those tones accessible at bedroom-friendly volumes, while the amp can reach up to 85W for the stage. Celestion JB Neodymium Speakers deliver an expansive frequency range, and onboard controls including a vintage/tight switch, line output with level control, ground lift and three-way cabinet simulator let players further shape their tone.

Key Features Include:

• Joe Bonamassa Signature Tone: Based on the legendary Fender 5F8-A "high-powered" tweed Twin circuit and voiced after Joe Bonamassa's own prized late-'50s amps, delivering bold cleans and rich, dynamic overdrive.
• Dual Celestion JB Neodymium Speakers: Custom-designed lightweight 12" speakers capture the punch, warmth and articulation of Joe's touring rig while reducing overall weight.
• Stage-to-Home Power Control: A rear-panel output selector provides full power plus five attenuated settings, making the iconic high-power tweed Twin tone accessible at any volume.
• Premium Modern Performance: Features top-panel convolution spring reverb, an effects loop for time-based effects and a rear-panel "Vintage-Tight" switch for enhanced low-end response.
• Studio-Ready Connectivity: Balanced XLR line out with three onboard cabinet impulse responses, plus fully customizable speaker IRs via the Tone Master IR Manager app for seamless recording and live performance.

Designed in collaboration with Joe Bonamassa. Full technical specifications are listed below.

With a career that began at 12 opening for B.B. King, Joe Bonamassa was destined for guitar greatness. Known affectionately as JoBo, he has since released 17 LPs and holds the world record for the most No. 1 blues albums. Beyond his storied career as a performer and collaborator, Bonamassa is also renowned for his extensive gear collection. Across his Los Angeles, Nashville and New York City headquarters, he has amassed a rare and sought-after assortment of vintage amplifiers, instruments and effects.

“Joe Bonamassa is one of the world’s foremost authorities on vintage amplifiers, and he knows these original Twins as well as anyone,” said Max Gutnik, Chief Product Officer, Fender Electronics & Digital. “For someone with Joe’s ears, experience and deep commitment to vintage tube amps to choose a digital Fender, and say it sounds even better than the original, is a real inflection point for our industry. It demonstrates just how far this technology has come and, more importantly, the extraordinary accuracy with which Fender can now recreate the sound, feel and response of our most iconic amplifiers. That’s what Tone Master is all about: preserving everything players love about these legendary amps while making them more useful for the way musicians play today.”

Fender’s Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition brings one of Bonamassa’s most relied-upon vintage Fender sounds to players in a format designed for the stage, studio and home. It carries a street price of $1,999.99 USD, £1,789 GBP, €2,099 EUR, $2,999 AUD, ¥308,000 JPY. For more information visit fender.com.

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Ernie Ball Music Man has introduced two new takes on the Albert Lee guitar: the Albert Lee HSS, which pairs the model's distinctive body shape with a versatile HSS pickup configuration, and the Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee in Malibu Burst, limited to 75 instruments worldwide.

The Albert Lee HSS combines the distinctive Albert Lee body shape with a DiMarzio custom humbucker, first developed for the Music Man Axis, and Albert Lee's signature Seymour Duncan custom single-coil pickups. A Silent Circuit preamp reduces the 60-cycle hum associated with traditional single coils, while a 5-way selector with master volume and tone controls delivers everything from articulate, chiming cleans to full-bodied humbucker drive. An ash body in a high-gloss finish is paired with a roasted figured maple neck finished in gunstock oil and hand-rubbed wax, with 22 high-profile stainless steel frets on a 25-1/2" scale. White face dots and glow-in-the-dark side markers, a Music Man vintage tremolo, compensated nut, and Schaller M6-IND locking tuners round out a guitar built for players who need one instrument to cover it all. The Albert Lee HSS comes in three striking finishes: Firemist Silver, Honey Burst, and Cosmos Sparkle.

Albert Lee HSS Features:

• DiMarzio custom humbucker + Albert Lee signature Seymour Duncan custom single coils
• Silent Circuit preamp
• Ash body with roasted figured maple neck
• 22 stainless steel frets
• Music Man vintage tremolo and Schaller locking tuners
• Strung with Custom RPS Slinkys (10–46)

The Albert Lee HSS is available for a street price of $3,299.

The Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee in Malibu Burst brings premium tonewoods and refined details to the Albert Lee platform. A figured maple top over an okoume body is finished in high-gloss Malibu Burst, paired with a roasted figured maple neck and fretboard in a hand-rubbed oil and wax finish. White pearl Atlante block inlays and glow-in-the-dark side dots give the fretboard a distinctive look, while custom-wound DiMarzio humbuckers—the same pickups found in the Axis—deliver rich, articulate tone through a 5-way selector and 500k volume and tone controls. A Music Man vintage tremolo, compensated nut, locking Schaller tuners, and 22 stainless steel frets on a 10" radius complete the package. Limited to just 75 instruments worldwide.

Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee Features:

• Figured maple top on an okoume body in Malibu Burst
• Roasted figured maple neck and fretboard
• White pearl Atlante block inlays with glow-in-the-dark side dots
• Custom-wound DiMarzio humbuckers
• Music Man vintage tremolo and locking Schaller tuners
• Limited to 75 instruments worldwide

The Ball Family Reserve Albert Lee is available for a street price of $3,799.

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GRAMMY-nominated heavyweights Trivium—vocalist/guitarist Matthew K. Heafy; guitarist Corey Beaulieu; bassist Paolo Gregoletto; and drummer ALEX RÜDINGER—are thrilled to announce their new album Crown in the Grave. It arrives November 20 through Roadrunner Records. Pre-order it here.

Trivium today share the title track, which builds from a gradual progression of layered riffs into an explosive wall of metal, pairing crushing heaviness with the precision, melody, and technical firepower that have defined the band for more than two decades. The song is vintage Trivium—galloping riffs, robust solos, and battering ram percussion, seamlessly sewn together with three-tiered vocals. But like the rest of the album, it stays true to the band's signature sound, all the while pushing it further into new sonic terrain.

The accompanying, Japanese Noh theater-inspired, post-apocalyptic music video brings the album's artwork and themes into a smoke-filled dojo, where the main characters prepare for an impending showdown through a series of tense, atmospheric sequences. Drawing on the band's longtime passion for classic Japanese theater and martial arts, the visual captures the discipline, drama, and focused physicality at the heart of the song's storytelling.

Watch the video, directed by Pavel Trebukhin, here .

"Crown In The Grave is our eleventh record, and when you get this far into a career, it’s easy to rest on what you've already done—or to reinvent yourself just for the sake of it," says Gregoletto. "With this record, we wanted to find the space between those two things: Take everything we've learned and everything that makes Trivium what it is, but present it in ways we hadn't before."

He continues, "We also wanted the record to exist within its own world. That began with the title track, inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood, and led us deeper into Japanese horror and cinema from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. That influence grew into this darker, ghostly atmosphere that became a set of guardrails for the music, lyrics, artwork, and overall identity of the record."

The bassist finishes, "We built our studio so we could give ourselves the time and space to figure out exactly what an eleventh Trivium record should be, and Crown In The Grave is the answer we arrived at. It honors where we’ve been without living in the past, and pushes into new territory without abandoning what makes us Trivium. I think when you hear it, it'll somehow feel both new and like a return."

After over two decades in the spotlight, Trivium have realized their collective potential like never before. They have absorbed the wisdom gained through writing hundreds of songs, the experience derived from playing thousands of shows, and the fire maintained by never giving up and perfected their signature sound at the highest level. The riffs crunch and crack bones, solos burst into flames upon impact, screams bleed truth without filter, and towering hooks break through the clouds. This is Trivium confidently reborn as the beast they were meant to be.

"Facing yourself is the final quest," Heafy observes. "We had to do it as a band, and I had to do it in my personal life. I freed my mind from the constraints of being worried. I made a decision to just sing."

A perfect storm of mental health struggles, physical injuries, and intense anxiety brought him to a crossroads. Bravely, he chose to embrace therapy, found an appropriate medication regimen, and reframed his mindset. "I cleared the plate," the frontman admits. "I stopped trying to be safe and perfect at every show. Instead, I was actually enjoying the experience and living. If I messed up, it was okay because I'm human. With all of the changes Trivium went through, it's like a brand new band."

For the first time, the group crafted Crown In The Grave in their own creative hub and de facto clubhouse—The Hangar—in Orlando. Plus, they officially welcomed drummer Alex Rüdinger (Rüdi) in the studio. During 2015, the drummer nearly joined Trivium, but opted to focus on other endeavors. A decade later, he heeded the call. "It happened when it was meant to," Heafy declares. "Rüdi didn't just kill it on the drums; his contributions as a writer made a huge difference."

Reteaming with longtime producer Josh Wilbur [Korn, Lamb of God] and working with mixer Jacob Hansen [Volbeat, Amon Amarth] for the first time, the musicians rallied around a shared vision. "We took all of the elements of Trivium, honed in on them, and focused on writing songs with big riffs and big hooks,” notes Beaulieu. "We made the record we'd been dying to make. The late great Shaun Glass [Soil] was a big Trivium fan. He'd always say, "You guys don't cook the same meal.' Even though we use the same ingredients, we always make a new dish."

"Any band who has been around this long starts to ask: Where do we go from here?" says Gregoletto. "We decided to challenge ourselves to top everything we've done. We referenced a lot of '90s albums. If you look at The Black Album by Metallica, Countdown To Extinction by Megadeth, or Superunknown by Soundgarden, the choruses are so important, and the songs are relatable. That's what we strived for."

Thematically, Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood served as a north star. Gregoletto brought the film to the group’s attention. "Kurosawa took Macbeth and set it in a feudal Japan," the bassist elaborates. "There's minimal dialogue, yet the storyline is powerful. There are these haunting elements of being tempted by fate and this man's downfall."

Crown in the Grave TRACK LISTING:

• "Jorōgumo"
• "Crown in the Grave"
• "Dead Inside of Me "
• "The Terror"
• "The Haunting Never Ends"
• "Lie Of It All"
• "Blackout The Dawn"
• "Paradise Of Sinners"
• "Death Throes"
• "The Agony"
• "Devour Your Dreams"
• "Serpent in the Flame"

Trivium will hit the road on November 5 in St. Petersburg, Florida and run through December 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina for a North American headline run with In Flames, Orbit Culture, Fit for an Autopsy, and Frozen Soul in tow. It is a truly stacked lineup that cannot and should not be missed. Get tickets here .

"This fall's Trivium tour is a huge one for us," the band declared upon announcing the tour earlier this year. "The lineup is stacked from top to bottom, and we're honored to have special guests In Flames, who not only influenced our early years but continue to prove time and again why they're one of the greatest metal bands of all time. With Orbit Culture, Fit For An Autopsy, and Frozen Soul rounding out the bill, we can't wait to get out there, kick off this next era of Trivium with Rudi behind the kit, and give you a taste of the new music we've been working on. We'll see you soon!"

Trivium ON TOUR: WITH IN FLAMES, ORBIT CULTURE, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, AND FROZEN SOUL:

• 11/5 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live
• 11/6 — Atlanta, GA — The Eastern
• 11/7 — Louisville, KY — Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
• 11/8 — Grand Rapids, MI — GLC Live at 20 Monroe
• 11/10 — Silver Spring, MD — The Fillmore
• 11/11 — New Haven, CT — College Street Music Hall
• 11/12 — New York, NY — Terminal 5
• 11/14 — Philadelphia, PA — Franklin Music Hall
• 11/15 — Worcester, MA — The Palladium
• 11/17 — Laval, QC — Place Bell
• 11/18 — Toronto, ON — GCT Theatre
• 11/20 — Royal Oak, MI — Royal Oak Music Theatre
• 11/21 — Chicago, IL — Aragon Ballroom
• 11/22 — Madison, WI — The Sylvee
• 11/24 — Nashville, TN — The Pinnacle
• 11/25 — Chesterfield, MO — The Factory at The District
• 11/27 — San Antonio, TX — Boeing Center at Tech Port
• 11/28 — Houston, TX — Bayou Music Center
• 11/29 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom
• 12/2 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Financial Theatre
• 12/3 — Las Vegas, NV — The Pearl
• 12/4 — Inglewood, CA — YouTube Theater
• 12/5 — San Francisco, CA — The Masonic
• 12/7 — Penticton, BC — Penticton Trade & Convention Centre
• 12/8 — Vancouver, BC — Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
• 12/9 — Seattle, WA — Paramount Theatre
• 12/11 — Reno, NV — Grand Sierra Resort — Grand Theatre
• 12/13 — Denver, CO — Mission Ballroom
• 12/15 — Tulsa, OK — Tulsa Theatre
• 12/16 — Omaha, NE — Steelhouse
• 12/18 — Pittsburgh, PA — Citizen's Live at The Wylie
• 12/19 — Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore

Live Nation-Hewitt Silva and Blackbird Presents today announce California, Dream On: Aerosmith & Friends, a monumental concert celebration honoring the unmatched history, explosive live performance and enduring legacy of America’s Greatest Rock Band. This historic event will take over the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California for two unforgettable high-octane nights on October 29 and November 1, 2026.

For more than five decades, Aerosmith has defined the sound, raw spirit, and rebellious attitude of American rock & roll. From their Boston breakout to the Super Bowl, the band epitomizes the rock ‘n roll dream come true. Now, in a triumphant and highly anticipated return, the legendary rock titans will command the stage together again. This monumental event will celebrate the band’s extraordinary career, timeless catalog, and unparalleled global influence alongside a staggering lineup of fellow legendary artists.

This epic celebration has the star power that only Aerosmith can deliver, bringing together an electrifying, cross-genre lineup of superstars, each a defining force in their field. Spanning rock, country, hip-hop, and alternative music, the lineup features The Black Crowes, RUN DMC, Heart, Andrew Watt, Billy Idol, Chad Smith (RHCP), Duff McKagan (GN’R), Eric Church, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Marcus King, Mike Inez (Alice In Chains), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Pat Monahan (Train), Sammy Hagar, Slash (GN’R), Steve Stevens, Sully Erna (Godsmack), Tom Morello, Adam Wakeman, Audley Freed, Kenny Aronoff and more, all anchored by the legendary Don Was serving as Music Director. This stellar roster brings together iconic artists who have previously performed or recorded with Aerosmith and a new wave of stars who cite the band among their ultimate musical influences. Even more artists, special guests, and surprise appearances will be announced in the weeks ahead, promising unforgettable collaborations and unexpected moments across both nights. The lineup will vary each night. Final nightly lineups will be announced at or near showtime and are subject to change.

From “Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion,” and “Walk This Way” to “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Crazy,” “Cryin’,” and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” Aerosmith’s catalog has become a defining element of modern music culture, with an influence that extends across rock, pop, hip-hop, and blues. These highly anticipated performances will mark a return to the stage for Aerosmith, giving fans a rare opportunity to experience the band together once again and the unmistakable chemistry and stage presence that have defined their live shows for more than five decades.

Aerosmith are four-time Grammy Award winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and MusiCares Person of the Year honorees, but those accolades tell only part of the story. Their enduring relevance is reflected in the milestones they continue to shatter, with the band among the only groups to score Top 10 Billboard 200 albums across six consecutive decades, while helping shape new generations of boundary-pushing artists who cite Aerosmith as their musical inspiration. This historic event will honor the extraordinary journey and lasting impact that have made Aerosmith one of the most important, defining, and enduring bands in music history.

Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Thursday October 8th at 10am PDT until Friday October 9th at 10am PDT through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Saturday October 10th at 10am PDT. Visit www.aerosmith.com for more information.

The shows will also offer a variety of different VIP upgrades and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Upgrades vary but include access to the pre-show Aerosmith VIP Lounge, a limited-edition Aerosmith jacket, a specially designed VIP-exclusive T-shirt, early entry into the venue & more. VIP upgrade contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com !

Kardinal Guitars has introduced the Kardinal Bass: a four-string electric bass designed to offer professional-grade tone at a very accessible price. Available for pre-order through November 20, 2026, the Kardinal Bass ships with a spec sheet that punches well above its $549 pre-order price.

The Kardinal Bass features a neck-through mahogany body design, delivering superior resonance and sustain compared to bolt-on alternatives, and its quilted maple top provides eye-grabbing appeal. It features a rosewood fretboard with a 12" radius and stainless steel frets.

At the heart of the Kardinal Bass are a pair of custom-wound dual-coil soapbar pickups loaded with Alnico V magnets, which deliver a warmer, fuller character than ceramic alternatives, with greater dynamic sensitivity and reduced string pull for improved sustain. The result is a passive bass that responds to how hard you dig in, cleans up when you back off, and sits in a mix without fighting for space. Full-size pots and a simple Vol/Tone/Blend layout keep everything player-focused and intuitive.

The Kardinal Bass is available in three launch colors: Cardinal Red, Sapphire Blue, and Midnight Black.

Kardinal Bass Key Features:

• Neck-through mahogany body construction for enhanced resonance and sustain
• Quilted maple top with flame maple binding
• Rosewood fretboard, 12” radius, 22 stainless steel frets
• Dual-coil soapbar pickups, custom wound with Alnico V magnets
• Passive electronics: Volume, Tone, Blend with full-size pots
• 34" scale length, 40mm nut width, Graph Tech nut, brass saddle bridge

The Kardinal Bass is available exclusively through kardinalguitars.com for $549. Pre-orders are open now through November 20, 2026.

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PG’s John Bohlinger met up with Cody Nilsen and Matt Stubbs of GA-20 at the Vinyl Tap in Nashville. The band takes its name from the Gibson GA-20, which they’ve now retired from the road—what’s left is two guitarists, no bassist, and a stack of amps that never get switched off. Have a look at some quick highlights below, and tune into the new Rig Rundown for all the details.

Brought to you by D’Addario.

Shark Attack

Nilsen’s Teisco ET-460 “Shark Fin” was rebuilt by Nate Lord of Lord Guitars — Rickenbacker-style pickguard, a gold foil in the neck, Lord’s own wiring, TK Smith Bakelite knobs, plus the two original Teisco pickups, wired to run as one enormous humbucker with a push-pull that drops it to a single coil. It’s in open C, and it’s big enough and low enough, Nilsen says, to shake the speakers.

Rat Rod

The Shark Fin’s predecessor is the pawn-shop special that got Nilsen into these guitars in the first place—held together with tape and, in his words, a wild ride. The rotary switch came out early on, since Lord warned him he wouldn’t like it, and now all four pickups work in any combination. He’s usually on the bridge, but he likes the back two together, which is probably what led to the humbucker idea on the newer one.

The Lawsuit

A 1977 Ibanez Les Paul copy off Craigslist, bought because Nilsen loves black beauties with P-90s and couldn’t afford a real one. It’s a bolt-on, which worried him at first. He says the neck pickup’s thump is what he judges every other guitar against, and he’s had it open exactly once, to check a cap, which was enough.

Cody Nilsen’s Pedalboard

From left to right: A Catalinbread Topanga for reverb; an Xotic RC Booster that’s been on every board Nilsen’s ever had, mostly for salvaging backline amps; a J. Rockett Archer that comes out once or twice a night when Nilsen wants to upset the sound guy; and a Jackson Audio 1484 Twin Twelve, that mostly lives as a borderline fuzz for his slide tone.

Signature Slide

Stubbs’ number one is his Waterslide signature T-style, built by Patrick Matera in Los Angeles. He’d asked for a Telecaster with DeArmond-style gold foils, the biggest neck available, and a Bigsby he could actually lean on; after he called back to order a second, Matera suggested making it a signature model instead.

Green Machine

The Sherwood Green one is the same guitar in every respect, just slightly lighter. It’s tuned down to C with .012s, and it comes out when Nilsen picks up the slide and goes to open C—Stubbs isn’t soloing much on it, just covering low end.

Shell Pink Prototype

Stubbs’ newest Waterslide is an offset prototype in shell pink with the same neck and the same Mojo pickups under different covers. It’s just under eight pounds, and it’s on a Descendant bridge, which is new to him.

Tweed Twin

This West Side combo is modeled on Stubbs’ 1960 Tweed Deluxe, an amp he says he couldn’t afford at today’s prices. Diego at West Side took the values off the original and built the band a pair. They’re what all the torn-up high end comes out of.

Dad’s Amp

The Fender Bassman is the ‘68 Stubbs borrowed from his father when an amp blew up on tour and never gave back; of the five or six he owns, this one has something the others don’t. Below it is a West Side Bluesman that Diego built from its values—both sides the same circuit, one tweaked for extra low end, in phase so they can be jumped. Nilsen and Stubbs each run one.

Matt Stubbs’ Pedalboard

A Boss TU-2, then a first-generation Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster he’s had since he was 18. A Ryra Klone stays on the board for fly dates, when he’s stuck with a limp backline amp. His Catalinbread Topanga handles reverb; he went through about 40 reverb pedals before it and stopped looking. Not on the board yet but used on the new record: a prototype from a company called Super, with a Fuzz-Rite-ish fuzz on one side and a clean boost on the other, built in because the maker knew what Stubbs liked.

D’Addario introduces XS Nickel Bronze, featuring both the clear, transparent tone of Nickel Bronze and the extended lifespan, smooth feel, and tuning stability of XS. XS Nickel Bronze strings give acoustic guitar players a fresh tonal option within the XS lineup.

The Nickel Bronze alloy creates a clear, harmonically focused sound with distinctive note definition, which allows the natural character of the instrument to shine through. Meanwhile, ultra-thin XS film coating protects the wound strings from corrosion and contaminants, maximizing the lifespan of the string while delivering the smooth feel XS is known for.

The Best of Both Worlds

“Players have long loved Nickel Bronze for its clear, transparent tone and its ability to reveal the unique character of their instrument, while XS has earned a following for keeping strings sounding, feeling, and performing their best for longer,” said Founder Jim D’Addario. “With XS Nickel Bronze, we’ve brought those two innovations together, delivering the true Nickel Bronze voice players love with the extended life, tuning stability, and smooth feel that define XS.”

With the addition of Nickel Bronze, players can now choose from three distinct tonal options across the XS Acoustic lineup: Nickel Bronze, Phosphor Bronze, and 80/20 Bronze.

• Maximum String Life: Ultra-thin XS film coating protects the string against corrosion and prevents contaminants from building up in the string windings, greatly lengthening the life of the string
• Clear Nickel Bronze Tone: XS Nickel Bronze strings have distinctive note definition and a transparent sound that highlights the natural character of the instrument
• Smooth Feel: XS coating is durable enough to protect the string, but thin enough to create a smooth feel
• Enhanced Strength: High-Carbon NY Steel wire produces enhanced break strength
• Improved Tuning Stability: Fusion Twist technology helps keep plain steel strings securely in tune
• Made by D’Addario: Wire drawing, string winding, and coating are controlled in- house for consistent performance

D’Addario XS Nickel Bronze strings are available in popular acoustic guitar gauges and a mandolin gauge at daddario.com and authorized retailers. Sets start at $19.99.

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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 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.

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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 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.

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

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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

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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.

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