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5x GRAMMY® Award-nominated guitar legend Joe Bonamassa and Sixthman, the leader in festivals and music cruises for more than 25 years, have announced a second northern edition of their world-famous blues-rock celebration, Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska II, sailing September 14-21, 2027, from Seattle, WA to Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and Victoria, BC, aboard the beautiful Norwegian Jade. Fans are urged to sign up for the presale now at www.bluesaliveatseaalaska.com to secure a cabin on this highly anticipated Alaska return.

Hosted and personally curated as always by the one and only Blues Titan himself, Joe Bonamassa, Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska II will present a celebration of music and community unlike any other, with powerful headline performances, exclusive collaborations, intimate jams, and unforgettable sets from some of the best in blues rock. The all-star lineup of artists includes Joe Bonamassa, Grace Potter, Larkin Poe, JJ Grey & Mofro, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Ruthie Foster, Eric Gales, Jimmy Vivino, Robert Jon & The Wreck, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Danielle Nicole Band, D.K. Harrell and many more to be announced. In addition, the once-in-a-lifetime voyage will present an incomparable array of immersive activities and experiences, with autograph sessions, contests, and more.

Beyond the music, Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska II will sail through some of the region’s most iconic destinations, from the vibrant waterfronts and rich cultural attractions of Juneau, the Gold Rush history and mountain scenery of Skagway, and the awe-inspiring wonder of Glacier Bay National Park, with its towering glaciers, pristine wilderness, and abundant wildlife. The journey also includes a visit to the charming city of Victoria, BC, where picturesque harbor views, stunning gardens, and a vibrant culinary scene await. From breathtaking landscapes to watching whales from the deck amidst the unforgettable beauty of Alaska’s wild frontier, Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska II offers a new way to experience Alaska while reveling in the timeless power of live music and the camaraderie of the tight-knit blues community.

The Norwegian Jade will provide everything needed to make Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska II the most magnificent cruise adventure yet, with unique bars and lounges at every corner, a wide range of delicious specialty and complimentary dining options, the Pool Deck (with multiple hot tubs), the Jade Club Casino, Mandara Spa, Pulse Fitness Center, Basketball/Pickleball Courts, and so much more.

Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska II follows next year’s sold-out Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea XII, sailing March 15-19, 2027 from Miami, FL to Grand Cayman aboard the luxurious Norwegian Jewel. Though fully booked, Sixthman’s First Available Program releases staterooms in the months leading up to sailing that become available from cancellations or changes in operational needs every Friday. For more information, please visit www.bluesaliveatsea.com/firstavailable.

Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska II will once again proudly benefit the Keeping the Blues Alive® Foundation, Joe Bonamassa’s nonprofit dedicated to supporting music education by providing students, teachers, and musicians with essential resources and opportunities. While on board, guests will have the chance to take part in unique fundraising experiences, raffles featuring signed memorabilia, and other meaningful ways to support the foundation – all while enjoying the blues adventure of a lifetime. Founded by Bonamassa in 2011, Keeping the Blues Alive® Foundation (KTBA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to fuel a passion for music in younger generations by funding projects and scholarships to provide students and teachers the resources and tools needed to further music education.

Since its inception, KTBA has been able to fund music programs and initiatives that have impacted the lives of more than 147,000 students in all 50 states. KTBA accomplishes this by making weekly donations to music projects in schools, as well as funding merit-based scholarships and extracurricular programs all over the country. In 2020, KTBA took its mission a step further by forming the Fueling Musicians Program. This program was created as an emergency relief plan for touring musicians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. By providing financial assistance for essential living expenses, the Fueling Musicians Program aims to help struggling musicians get back on the road again when it is safe. To date, the program has helped over 475musicians with immediate cash payments of $1,500. KTBA has made the Fueling Musicians Program a permanent part of the organization to help struggling musicians get on their feet and on the road. With donations of almost $3M in total from fundraisers, merchandise sales, and more, the Keeping the Blues Alive® Foundation has been able to help keep music education thriving. For more information, please visit keepingthebluesalive.org.

Reverend Guitars and Billy Corgan have launched the Reverend Guitars Billy Corgan Infinite Sadness models, just in time for the Smashing Pumpkins “Rat In A Cage Tour” celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the band’s epic double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

This special-run guitar is limited to 60 pieces. There are 36 Reverend Billy Corgan Z-Ones and 24 Reverend Billy Corgan Drop Z extended scale guitars, each in a Black Sparkle finish with an ebony fretboard and Mellon Collie moon graphic on the body. Every Infinite Sadness guitar comes in a Reverend two-tone soft case that includes a Certificate of Authenticity and a special edition poster from Billy Corgan called “Mellon Collie Moon.”

This is the same model that Billy played this guitar during the Pumpkins’ Lollapalooza set in summer 2026.

The Reverend Billy Corgan Z-One, a third signature collaboration between Billy Corgan & Joe Naylor, is inspired by the heavier songs in the Smashing Pumpkins Catalog. An alder body creates a thick tone, while deep cutaways provide easy access to the higher frets. Railhammer Z-One pickups have a fat midrange and a smooth top end, with custom artwork etched into the covers. An aluminum pickguard and a “Z” icon at the headstock make this one futuristic-looking guitar. The Billy Corgan Z-One is for anyone who wants to rip big rock solos with a thick yet smooth tone.

The Reverend Billy Corgan Drop Z combines the aesthetic features of his Z-One signature model and a longer 24-fret, 26.25″ scale neck designed for drop tunings. The long-scale neck provides appropriate string tension for down-tuning, so the tone stays deep and full while remaining punchy and clear. The Alder solid body paired with Railhammer Billy Corgan Z-One Pickups delivers higher output and velvety treble for a rich, weighty rock tone. The roasted Maple neck, ebony fingerboard, and medium oval profile are comfortable to play, even with the slightly longer scale length.

The Reverend Billy Corgan Infinite Sadness Z-One carries a $1899 street price and the Drop Z carries a $1999 street price. For more information visit reverendguitars.com.

Gibson today unveiled the DES Series, an ultra-limited collection of six guitars available worldwide exclusively through Gibson.com and Gibson Garage locations. The launch coincides with the Gibson Band’s return with the release of a new benefit single “Sanctuary,” written by Gibson board member and artist ambassador Cesar Gueikian. The recording features orchestration and keyboards by Dream Theater’s Jordan Rudess, lead guitar by Mateus Asato and guest vocals by Jagger Davies; Produced by Gueikian and Emery Dobyns. The song will support Save the Music Foundation in partnership with Gibson Gives Foundation , helping to restore, sustain and expand music education programs nationwide.

To celebrate the release, and raise additional funds benefitting Save The Music, a one-of-a-kind Gibson “Sanctuary” Soundwaves guitar featuring artwork based on the song’s actual soundwave pattern will be auctioned via RalyUp. The custom artwork was created in collaboration with visual artist Tim Wakefield of Soundwaves Art Foundation. Stream “Sanctuary” on major platforms at HERE , and bid on the Soundwaves guitar through RallyUp at https://go.rallyup.com/744876.

Above: Gibson Gives and RallyUp are auctioning a one-of-a-kind Gibson “Sanctuary” Soundwaves guitar featuring artwork based on the song’s soundwave pattern created in collaboration with Tim Wakefield of Soundwaves Art Foundation. Bid at https://go.rallyup.com/744876 .

Gibson DES Series

In partnership with philanthropic giving, the DES Series launches today and applies a bold new design and modern performance features to six Gibson body shapes: the Les Paul™, SG™, ES™, Explorer™, Flying V™, and Victory; and was developed by Gueikian, Gibson master luthier Jim DeCola and Gibson’s craftspeople.

Each model features a Ghost Burst finish, Super Split Block inlays, a compound-radius ebony fretboard, black nickel hardware and Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets. A portion of each DES series guitar purchase supports Gibson Gives Foundation to further its efforts to spread the healing power of music. The Gibson DES Series is available now exclusively via Gibson.com and Gibson Garage locations.

Explore the Gibson DES Series of ultra-limited guitars, available worldwide today on Gibson.com.

Gibson ES DES in Ghost Burst

The Gibson ES DES in Ghost Burst, available exclusively on Gibson.com, is part of an ultra-rare, limited collection. Conceived by Gibson Artist Ambassador and Gibson Board Member Cesar Gueikian in collaboration with Master Luthier Jim DeCola and Gibson’s expert craftspeople, this modern semi-hollow guitar pairs a dramatic Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish with AAA figured maple, black nickel hardware, and distinctive uncovered zebra-coil pickups. Built for today’s technical players, it features a comfortable Rounded C mahogany neck, an ebony fretboard with a 10"–16" compound radius, 22 medium-jumbo frets, mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays, locking Grover tuners, and a Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge. New Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets deliver a powerful, articulate voice, while push/pull coil-tap controls expand its tonal versatility. Complete with a Gibson hardshell case, this limited-production instrument offers exceptional Gibson craftsmanship and modern performance, with a portion of the purchase supporting Gibson Gives.

Gibson Explorer DES, Ghost Burst

Own an exceptionally rare Gibson Explorer DES in Ghost Burst, part of an ultra-limited collection. Developed through a creative collaboration between Gibson Artist Ambassador and Gibson Gives Board Member Cesar Gueikian, Master Luthier Jim DeCola, and Gibson’s expert craftspeople, this bold instrument features an ’80s Explorer mahogany body topped with a multi-ply-bound AAA figured maple cap. A SlimTaper mahogany neck and compound-radius ebony fretboard provide fast, comfortable playability, while mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays, black nickel hardware, and uncovered zebra-coil pickups create a distinctive modern aesthetic. Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets deliver powerful, articulate tones ideally suited to high-gain and progressive playing, complemented by intuitive master volume, master tone, and three-way selector controls. Finished in dramatic Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer and supplied with a Gibson hardshell case, this limited-production Explorer offers an extraordinary combination of collectible design, technical performance, and uncompromising Gibson craftsmanship, all while supporting the meaningful mission of Gibson Gives.

Gibson Flying V DES, Ghost Burst

Own an exceptionally rare Gibson Flying V DES in Ghost Burst, part of an ultra- limited collection. Conceived by Gibson Artist Ambassador and Gibson Gives Board Member Cesar Gueikian and brought to life in collaboration with Master Luthier Jim DeCola and Gibson’s expert craftspeople, this striking instrument pairs an ’80s-style mahogany Flying V body with a multi-ply-bound AAA figured maple top. Its SlimTaper mahogany neck, bound ebony fretboard, 10"–16" compound radius, 22 medium-jumbo frets, and mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays offer fast, refined playability. A pair of Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets delivers a focused, high-output voice with tight lows, clarity, and dynamic articulation, while locking Grover tuners, a Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge, black nickel hardware, and uncovered zebra pickups complete its bold aesthetic. Finished in dramatic Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer and accompanied by a Gibson hardshell case, this limited-production Flying V offers an extraordinary combination of collectible design, modern performance, and uncompromising Gibson craftsmanship, all while supporting the meaningful mission of Gibson Gives.

Gibson Les Paul DES, Ghost Burst

Own an exceptionally rare Gibson Les Paul DES in Ghost Burst, part of a n ultra-limited collection. Developed through a creative collaboration between Gibson Artist Ambassador and Gibson Gives Board Member Cesar Gueikian, Master Luthier Jim DeCola, and Gibson’s expert craftspeople, this performance-focused Les Paul features an Ultra-Modern weight-relieved mahogany body, a multi-ply-bound AAA figured maple top, and a SlimTaper mahogany neck with a Modern Contoured Heel for enhanced upper-fret access. Its bound ebony fretboard has a 10"–16" compound radius, 22 medium-jumbo frets, and elegant mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays. Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets deliver a bold, high-output voice with exceptional clarity and articulation, while push/pull coil-tap, True Bypass, and Phase controls provide an expansive range of tones. Finished in striking Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer with black nickel hardware, uncovered zebra pickups, locking Grover tuners, and custom Epic/Epic+ switch-ring labels, this remarkable guitar arrives with a Gibson hardshell case.

Gibson SG DES, Ghost Burst.

This rare Gibson SG DES in Ghost Burst, is part of an ultra-limited collection. Developed through a collaboration among Master Luthier Jim DeCola, Cesar Gueikian, and Gibson’s expert craftspeople, this modern performance instrument features a sculpted double-cutaway mahogany SG body topped with AAA figured maple. Its fast SlimTaper mahogany neck, ebony fretboard with a 10"–16" compound radius, 24 medium-jumbo frets, and mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays provide an extended playing range and effortless access across the neck. Gibson ELEV8 and ELEV8 Plus humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets deliver a tight, aggressive, and articulate voice ideal for high-gain and contemporary styles, while push/pull coil-tap controls expand the available tonal palette. Finished in striking Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer with black nickel hardware, uncovered zebra pickups, locking Grover tuners, and custom Epic/Epic+ switch-ring labels, this remarkable SG includes a Gibson hardshell case. Own a highly collectible, stage-ready Gibson while supporting the meaningful mission of Gibson Gives.

Gibson Victory DES, Ghost Burst

This exceptionally rare Gibson Victory DES in Ghost Burst, is part of an ultra-limited collection. Developed through a creative collaboration among Master Luthier Jim DeCola, Gibson Artist Ambassador and Board Member Cesar Gueikian, and Gibson’s expert craftspeople, this modern performance instrument features a double-cutaway mahogany Victory body topped with an AAA figured maple cap. Its fast SlimTaper mahogany neck, bound ebony fretboard with a 10"–16" compound radius, 24 medium-jumbo frets, and mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays provide exceptional playability and a refined appearance. Gibson ELEV8 and ELEV8 Plus humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets deliver tight, aggressive, and articulate tones ideal for high-gain and contemporary styles, while push/pull coil-split and inner/outer coil-selection controls offer impressive versatility through a streamlined control layout. Finished in stunning Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer with black nickel hardware, uncovered zebra pickups, Grover tuners, and an Explorer-style headstock, this limited-production guitar includes a Gibson hardshell case. This is your opportunity to own a distinctive, highly collectible Gibson while supporting the meaningful mission of Gibson Gives.

Sonisfact arrived with four pedals built on a single idea. Every box holds two circuits. @TomButwin details the VOS line of overdrives, three pedals that each pair two classic drive voices with a 6-band graphic EQ, along with the VCP-80, a chorus and phaser in one enclosure that runs both effects at once.

All three VOS Overdrive Stations run the same architecture. A 6-band EQ on LED faders can sit before or after the drive circuit, and a clean blend folds dry signal back in against the dirt. On the right footswitch, a HIT fader sets the level hitting the drive and stays live when the drive is bypassed. What separates the three is the voice toggle. The green VOS-80 covers the most familiar ground, with Nashville on ODR-1 duty and Texas handling Tube Screamer tones. The gold VOS-81 goes aggressive, pairing the vintage Distortion+ sound Randy Rhoads made famous with the 250 tone Yngwie used to push a non-master amp, and Doug Aldrich has been running it into his tube amp for solos. The blue VOS-82 is the most amp-like of the set, moving from Wide for modern rock to Thick for cranked tube amp territory while holding onto the character of the guitar and amp underneath.

The VCP-80 sits apart from the overdrives. It houses an analog phaser with 45, 90 Vintage, and 90 Modern modes alongside a BBD chorus with low and high cut, and the two can run together through dual outputs.

SHOP SONISFACT PEDALS: https://www.sonisfact.com/

Ashdown has announced that the company’s products will be exclusively available across the USA through Guitar Center and Musician’s Friend. The new distribution arrangement marks a watershed for the British company as it aims to build a larger following in America.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Ashdown will have a dedicated footprint across the United States, with products available through 300 Guitar Center stores and online at GuitarCenter.com. From instruments and effects to practice amps and full stadium ready rigs, American musicians will now have more opportunities to plug into Ashdown products.

This new partnership will introduce Guitar Center customers to a wide range of Ashdown gear, including the company’s new Made in England collection of bass and guitar amplifiers. The new Ashdown range comprises nine key product families:

UK - ABM – Ashdown Bass Magnifier: The original Ashdown range and the sound behind countless stages and recordings.

UK - CTM – Classic Tube Magnifier: All-tube amplification for players who still worship at the altar of glass and high voltage.

UK - RBM – Rootmaster Bass Magnifier: Lightweight, powerful and built for working bass players.

UK - OBM – Original Bass Magnifier: Straightforward digital amplification delivering power, tone and simplicity.

UK - PBM – Portable Bass Magnifier: Compact amplification for musicians who need great tone wherever they go.

UK - SBM – Studio Bass Magnifier: Premium UK-built combos that reduce the weight without sacrificing the sound.

UK - Peacemaker: Boutique, tube guitar amplification, handcrafted in England for players demanding exceptional tone, feel and craftsmanship.

Ashdown Roasted Bass Guitars: Distinctive, inspiring instruments built for players at every stage of their journey.

Ashdown Effects and Accessories: Signature pedals, professional tools and everything else needed to complete an Ashdown rig.

The new exclusive partnership with Guitar Center comes as Ashdown approaches its 30th anniversary. Founded by Mark Gooday in 1997, the company is still family owned and based in the UK, with Mark’s son Dan Gooday serving as Managing Director of the growing enterprise.

For more information visit ashdownmusic.co.uk

MONO has introduced the MONO x Tim Henson M80 Limited-Edition Classic Dual Electric Guitar Case, marking MONO’s first-ever artist collaboration.

Designed in collaboration with Polyphia guitarist and virtuoso Tim Henson, the limited-edition case brings together MONO’s design-led philosophy with Henson’s creative perspective. Developed over months of prototyping, from initial concepts to the final build, it reflects a shared commitment to purposeful design and uncompromising functionality.

MONO x Tim Henson M80 Classic Dual Electric Guitar Case features include:

• Built on MONO's patented dual protection design, the case safely carries two guitars within a single streamlined profile.
• A distinctive square-patterned front panel is paired with a custom off-white plush interior for a refined visual statement.
• A specially incorporated front handle provides greater control and versatility when carrying the case.
• A custom Polyphia metal badge adds a signature detail unique to the collaboration.
• Durable, water-resistant Sharkskin™ exterior provides reliable protection for travel and touring.
• A reinforced steel-riveted webbing handle offers lasting strength, comfort and durability.
• MONO’s patented Headlock® neck suspension system securely supports and protects both instruments while in transit.

Beyond his distinctive approach to guitar, Henson has a deep appreciation for design and aesthetics, making him a natural collaborator for MONO. A longtime MONO user alongside his band Polyphia, he has relied on MONO gear throughout his career, making this collaboration a meeting of MONO's industry-leading approach to instrument protection and one of the most innovative guitarists of his generation.

Launching alongside Polyphia’s latest single, “Power in the Blood”, the campaign follows a day in the life of Henson, carrying his Ibanez nylon-string and electric guitars in the MONO x Tim Henson M80 Classic Dual Guitar Case. Henson shares why he partnered with MONO to create his signature case, the thinking behind the features he selected, and how his creative vision shaped the final product.

"I’ve been using MONO gear for years, so I’m very happy to have gotten the opportunity to make my own version of the M80 Classic Dual,“ said Tim Henson. “I’m constantly switching between my electric and nylon-string signature guitars, so having one case that carries both and looks exactly the way I want it to is perfect."

The MONO x Tim Henson M80 Classic Dual Electric Guitar Case carries a street price of US $399.99. To learn more visit: timhenson.monocreators.com.

Electro-Harmonix has launched the Adrian Belew Echoflanger, a limited edition signature version of the fabled EHX modulator.

From his career launching stints with Frank Zappa and David Bowie, collaboration with the likes of the Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club, and his career defining years in King Crimson, Adrian Belew has always been on the cutting edge of using effects for cultivating intriguing and out-of-this-world guitar tones. Ever at his left-hand, the Electro-Harmonix Echoflanger had been employed to create some of Adrian’s most notable sounds.

The new signature Adrian Belew Echoflanger is an all-analog multi-mode modulator capable of sounds from smooth and airy to warped and wild. Classic modes from the original include Filter Matrix, Flange, Chorus, and Slap Back, plus new combination mode: Slap Back + Filter Matrix and Adrian’s signature Chorus + Flange. In addition to standard modulation controls like VOLUME, RATE and WIDTH for setting output, speed, and range of effect, the Echoflanger includes a TUNE knob for dialing in the centerpoint of the modulation waveform, and a FEEDBACK knob to adjust from mild mod to runaway self-oscillation. The BLEND switch adds/removes the dry signal from the effect signal for traditional chorus/flanger-type effects or more intense vibrato sounds.

The new twist on a classic tone twister features stereo outputs, and true bypass with mechanical relays. The pedal ships with standard EHX 9 Volt power supply and has a U.S. Street Price of $239.00.

Aaron Sabourin runs Dominion Electric Effects Co., out of Ottawa, Ontario, as a one-man show, building effects using pricey, vintage parts when his day job permits him to. His Faceless Fuzz and Soul Power—inspired by the Fuzz Face and Hendrix’s screaming tone at Fillmore East circa 1970, respectively—are top-shelf recreations of common circuits that have been around for a long time. But it’s Sabourin’s commitment to using premium components in bomb-proof builds that make his pedals so coveted. His latest design, the Filmotone, strays a little further from the guitar-tone canon: It’s an effect pedal designed to approximate the sound and dynamic feel of a single-transistor preamp wrenched from the guts of a Bell & Howell Filmosound film projector.

As far as I can tell, there aren’t a ton of pedals on the market based on DIY amps made from old film projectors. Bell & Howell Filmosounds, with their hefty grab-and-go design, were designed to let owners screen films anywhere, with both image and sound thanks to an integrated tube amplifier. A few decades back, an Ontario amp technician, Bernie Raunig, began stripping the amplification sections, then modding and rehousing them. These low-wattage “projector amps” are still revered for their frankly undeniable mojo, and though there is not one particular manufacturer nor tone that defines the projector-amp sound (the projector amplifier amplifiers themselves evolved over time) the general tonal thumbprint tends to be transparent, warm, full, and very vintage.

Film Foundation

The Filmotone’s handsome dark-green sparkle finish, paired with its classy white font and detailing, is a lovely thing to behold. Sabourin’s pedals all follow a similarly sparse art direction, but the Filmotone might be the prettiest of the bunch.

The pedal’s two controls—a knob for boost and one for saturation—are fairly self-explanatory; boost handles your volume level, and saturation adds just that—and exactly that. It doesn’t really feel like the Filmotone adds dirt, or fuzz, or gain in the strict sense of those terms. Saturation feels like the only adequate descriptor for what it does—almost like liquid gorging and swelling a plank of wood, making it more massive. The only other control on the Filmotone is an internal switch that toggles between “full” and “tight.” The latter cuts some of the pedal’s bass presence when engaged, making the Filmotone a better, more focused fit in some high-gain applications.

Lights, Camera, Saturation!

With the boost knob at noon and saturation all the way counter-clockwise, Filmotone is an immediate signal fixer-upper. It widens and boldens your signal, and blunts sharp edges in your tone for a pleasing, lightly compressed, vintage feel. As you crank the saturation knob, you’re greeted with gentle, organic breakup, with chewy, thick low-end that evokes the output from many vintage, low-wattage tube combos that remain benchmarks for “good tone.” Reducing guitar volume cleans the signal up, but the Filmotone retains low-end authority in these situations. What it brings, essentially, is a feeling of balance and fullness that you might otherwise get only by turning a tube amp up really loud. That makes it a great choice for players who need something to enliven a low-volume stage, home, or practice setup. (Maybe for this reason, I preferred using the pedal with the internal switch set to “full.”)

Stacked against other preamp pedals in my arsenal, Filmotone didn’t get quite as nasty, which is fine, because as a clean and low-to-mid-gain tone-shaping tool, it’s exquisite. None of my other preamp stomps yielded sounds as wide-screen and three-dimensional as the Filmotone, and while these qualities were never more apparent than when it was the only effect engaged, having it upstream from my Fairfield Barbershop or a Fuzz Face clone, among others, demonstrated just how satisfying the Filmotone’s EQ profile is: It focuses extreme frequencies without losing the big picture.

There were times that I wished I could coax more dirt from the Filmotone’s saturation knob. By comparison, Walrus Audio’s Filmosound-inspired amp-in-a-box, the 385, takes players straight through to explosive, gooey distortion and fuzz. Dominion’s Filmotone doesn’t get that filthy, but that’s fine. As a clean boost/tone-sweetener, it’s truly top-tier.

The Verdict

Dominion’s Filmotone is a high-class preamp that stands apart from the pack. For a 2-knob pedal, its price tag is steep, but if exceptional sound, components, and build quality are important factors, you’ll want a ticket for the Filmotone.

PG’s John Bohlinger met up with Jeremy DeBardi, a.k.a. Steel Beans, at the Cannery in Nashville. A one-man-band, DeBardi plays guitar and drums at the same time, and does it through a pair of 1965 Silvertones and two vintage amps run in stereo. 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.

Cheap Thrills

A real Strat or Les Paul was out of reach when he was a teenager, so DeBardi picked up a used 1965 Silvertone at a Guitar Center for under $300 and found it had the sound of every ‘50s and ‘60s record he wanted. He owns five now. The original barely plays—it’s “fretted out”—but he toured with it anyway, carrying it into taco joints and sleeping next to it in hotels. Two of the five have been refinished by a painter in California, including this one in white.

Birthday Present

After a show in Boise, a man came up and gave DeBardi this Silvertone, which had been hanging unplayed on his wall at home. At that point DeBardi owned exactly one. Pulling the pickguard to prep it for paint turned up the factory stamp: April 9, 1965, his birthday. It’s also loaded with MojoTone Johnny Winter Firebird pickups.

Bright, Not Shrill

DeBardi played a Twin reissue for a decade and found the bright switch painful with the amp cranked. This 1968 Super Reverb gets bright too, but he calls it bright in a Freddie King way—sharp enough to grab your ear without turning shrill, like an old record.

Sick Trade

The other half of the stereo pair is a 1965 Silvertone, which DeBardi got by trading away a broken Dual Rectifier that a friend had abandoned in his storage unit after somebody threw up in it. He likes its midrange, and the two amps have been going out together since the Tenacious D tour.

Steel Beans’ Pedalboard

The chain opens with a Source Audio C4 Synth and a Peterson StroboStomp, then an EHX Pitch Fork, MXR Duke of Tone, MXR Carbon Copy, Aclam Dr. Robert, MXR Sugar Drive, and Fulltone PlimSoul. Fuzz comes from a one-off Way Huge pedal Jeorge Tripps sent him—“number 25 or something” of however many exist—and a Daredevil Chicago Rat. A Way Huge Supa-Puss, Source Audio Pathways, TC Electronic Mimiq, MXR Textures, and Okko Cocaine Compressor/Preamp round things out.

Spector Basses announces launch of the NS Icon Neck-Through series, the latest evolution of the Icon platform designed to bring the brand’s most celebrated construction method to a wider audience. Following the successful Summer 2025 introduction of the NS Icon Bolt-On series, these new models incorporate the "final ingredient" of the Spector legacy - neck-through design - to provide enhanced sustain and resonance. Designed in Woodstock, New York, the series aims to offer modern bassists a refined, high-performance instrument that captures the bold tone and feel that have defined the company for 50 years.

The NS Icon Neck-Through is built using solid alder body wings capped with highly figured quilted maple tops. This combination of tonewoods is selected for a rich, resonant tone and a visual aesthetic inspired by the brand’s custom shop builds. The instruments are finished in four distinct gloss stain options: Black Stain, Haunted Moss, Purple Cherry, and Black and Blue. These materials and finishes work in tandem with the signature curved NS body shape, providing the unmistakable silhouette and ergonomic comfort Spector has been known for since its start.

Central to the instrument’s performance is the 3-piece maple neck-through construction, a design approach popularized by the brand in the 1970s to offer superior stability and tonal balance. The neck features a custom shop carve and is paired with a rosewood fingerboard adorned with classic crown inlays. The 4-string models are built to a 34-inch scale length, while the 5-string models use a 35-inch scale for optimized string tension and clarity. A brass nut ensures consistent vibration transfer and durability at the headstock.

The series features a pro-grade electronics package headlined by custom-voiced Aguilar DCB pickups. On 4-string models, these are arranged in a Reverse P/J configuration, while 5-string models use dual soapbar pickups. The pickups are paired with an Aguilar OBP-2 onboard preamp, designed to deliver deep, punchy lows and articulate, crystal-clear highs. This active electronics setup provides players with a dynamic and versatile musical voice that stays clear and confident in both studio and live environments.

Rounding out the specifications is a suite of gold hardware, including a fully intonating locking bridge and high-precision tuners. Each instrument also features signature control knobs and is shipped with a padded gig bag for protection.

For more information on the NS Icon Neck-Through series and other Spector instruments, please visit www.spectorbass.com.

4 string street price: $1,699.99 USD

5 string street price: $1,799.99 USD

C. F. Martin & Co.® has launched the refreshed Martin 16 Series, a new lineup of all-solid-wood acoustic-electric guitars handcrafted in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

Designed for players who want Martin tone with a look that reflects their individual style, the refreshed 16 Series pairs eye-grabbing gloss-top finishes with distinctive body shapes and stage-ready electronics.

Made to stand out visually, sonically, and creatively, the 11 new models give players more ways to express their sound, style, and personality. The lineup ranges from intimate, responsive 00Ls and warm, punchy sloped-shoulder Dreadnoughts to powerful Jumbos, a balanced Grand Performance cutaway, and a room-filling Grand Jumbo 12-string.

Across the series, players will find bold gloss-top finish options including Blue Denim, Cherry Cola, Cream, Black Smoke, and 1935 Burst, along with more traditional natural tops with a vintage tint on the GPC and Grand J 12-string.

The new 16 Series expands what players can expect from a Nazareth-made Martin, offering a wide range of body shapes, tones, and visual personalities. A major highlight is the DSS-16E, marking the first time Martin is offering a short-scale sloped-shoulder Dreadnought. With its 24.9" scale length and slope-shoulder body, it delivers a relaxed feel with a warm, woody, and punchy voice.

The compact 00L models bring surprising projection and a focused, intimate tone, while the Jumbo models deliver bold volume, deep bass, and commanding stage presence. The GPC offers balanced tone and comfort with a Grand Performance body and 000 depth, while the Grand J 12-string delivers lush shimmer, rich overtones, and room-filling sound to the lineup.

Every new 16 Series model is built with all-solid wood construction. Select models pair solid spruce tops with satin solid mahogany back and sides for punchy midrange, strong treble response, and controlled lows, while others feature satin solid East Indian rosewood back and sides for deep bass, rich overtones, and articulate highs.

Premium L.R. Baggs® Element™ electronics come standard across the lineup, giving players a natural amplified sound that’s ready for the stage.

Pricing for the new models is as follows:

00L-16E 1935 Burst: Street price $2,499.99

00L-16E Black Smoke: Street price $2,499.99

00L-16E Blue Denim: Street price $2,499.99

DSS-16E 1935 Burst: Street price $2,499.99

DSS-16E Black Smoke: Street price $2,499.99

DSS-16E Cherry Cola: Street price $2,499.99

GPC-16E: Street price $2,599.99

Grand J-16E 12 String: Street price $2,599.99

J-16E 1935: Street price $2,599.99

J-16E Black: Street price $2,599.99

J-16E Cream: Street price $2,599.99

To complement the launch, Martin is also introducing a small run of accessories and lifestyle merchandise inspired by the refreshed 16 Series, including Blue Denim and Cherry Cola steins, a Cherry Cola ringer T-shirt, a Blue Denim corduroy hat, and a Blue Fade leather strap—giving players and fans new ways to connect with the bold visual style behind the series.

For more information, visit martinguitar.com.

Lily Seabird’s new record, Lightspheres on Their Way, feels like a post-breakup magic mushroom trip in the woods, one you take when the world ceases to make sense, and you need to organize your pain into something you can make peace with. The third full-length from the Burlington, Vermont-based artist sways in a light psychedelic-folk breeze to begin, with a quiet argument with god by way of six-minute opener “The Pulley”: “I’ll ask you again, what pulls us through? Is it the fantasy of a kiss or the work that we must do? I’m frightened to keep going and even more frightened if I don’t.” “Bindlestiff” is all dusty Americana and folk-rock for a desert night, while “Election Day” and the seven-minute odyssey “Portal to the Past” rattle the walls with Crazy Horse abandon; Seabird’s and Rick Soszynski’s galloping guitars channel the wide-open spirit of Neil Young and Frank Sampedro.

As a collection, Lightspheres possesses a feeling of curiosity and play, in Seabird’s arrangements, her lyrics, and how she delivers them. Her voice shakes and trembles in that good way that has turned singers like Adrienne Lenker into the leaders of a new wave of alternative independent music, and the recordings are marked by the sort of intimacy and imperfection that many listeners crave in the age of algorithms. These qualities were come by honestly: Seabird recorded the album at her friend and co-producer Garrett Linck’s home in rural Maine in January 2026, where a woodstove provided the only warmth.

Seabird grew up between Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania and California, her time split with her divorced parents. She moved to Burlington when she turned 19, planning to stay just for the summer. Eight years later, at 27, the city feels like a piece of Seabird’s character. Talking with her on a video call from her Burlington home, I perceive a level of friendliness and warmth that’s often sheared down when operating in big cities. “You go to other places, and people are always talking about ‘the music industry’ and who knows who and who’s at this show and blah blah blah,” says Seabird. “For us, it’s more like, ‘This is just something to do, and it’s fun.’” During the pandemic years, and even just during Burlington’s long, cold winters, Seabird and her friends stayed indoors and worked on art projects. She cut her first EP, Beside Myself, on a tape machine while stuck at home in the pandemic.

“I can communicate through the guitar in ways that I can’t exactly communicate through words.”

The new record’s title is a nod to how Seabird learned to process the growing churn of change and pain in her life: by viewing each creature, every discrete phenomenon we experience, as an always-moving essence on its own journey. (The idea is mirrored in how most of the songs came together on the road, in the back of a tour van or on a friend’s porch somewhere on the other side of the continent.) Seabird’s explanation is psychedelic and profound: “We’re all going somewhere,” she says, looking up to the ceiling. “You don’t know where you’re going. The thing that really inspires me most in my writing is how we all perceive time, and how that changes throughout the course of one’s life, but also throughout history, and how loss and change can alter that. It’s like when you think of a childhood memory and you’re sad that it’ll never be that way again.”

She continues. “Do you ever feel like you’re so caught up in the spiral of everyday life, this world we’ve created as human beings, and then you go outside and look up at the sky, and you’re like, ‘I am such a tiny little speck flying through space in an ever-expanding universe?’ As we change and move on and grow older, we’re all just going these different ways. God, I sound like a psycho. But it’s how I’ve come to accept these really hard truths of life. It’s also a way to keep going. It’s a way to have hope.” (Being a highly sensitive person has its ups and downs, Seabird shares later. “It also brings me to the place where I’m at now,” she says.)

Lily Seabird’s Gear

Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Amps

1973 Fender Champ (studio)

1974 Fender Bassman (live)

Effects

DenTone Double Alien Hate Fuzz

Death By Audio Reverberation Machine

Ibanez Tube Screamer

EarthQuaker Devices Plumes

Rick Soszynski’s Gear

Guitars

Parts Telecaster with P-90-style bridge pickup

Parts Telecaster with Firebird pickups

Amps

Vintage Fender Champ

RadioShack Realistic MPS-20 Portable Amplifier

Homemade tweed-style amp

Effects

Strymon Deco

Spaceman Effects Saturn VI Harmonic Booster

EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander

It’s little surprise to learn that the Grateful Dead have shaped Seabird’s approach to not just music, but life in general, and the existential spirit of one of the band’s later-era songs, “Black Muddy River,” hung over the writing of Lightspheres on Their Way. On the chorus, Jerry Garcia offers an interpretation of the afterlife: “I will walk alone by the black muddy river / And sing me a song of my own.”

Chaos and freedom were the two feelings that Seabird channeled while writing and performing her guitar parts for the record. For years, she dealt with the gnaw of impostor syndrome, and the anxiety that men in the guitar world would assume that she doesn’t know how to play the instrument well. Recently, those feelings have dissipated, replaced with the knowledge that, whether in word or sound, Seabird is communing with a guiding creative force. “I can communicate through the guitar in ways that I can’t exactly communicate through words,” she says.

Most of her parts were recorded with her Fender Telecaster and a 1973 Fender Champ that she picked up from Mike’s Music in Cincinnati while on tour; there wasn’t any room in their Toyota Highlander, so Seabird held the amp on her lap. Mike’s Music is also where Seabird found her DenTone Double Alien Hate Fuzz, a Vermont-made boutique pedal with germanium and silicon circuits that can be run independently or together for “armageddon.” With volume levels turned down, radio signals came through on the germanium side—a spiritual and literal embodiment of the record’s driving motifs. The record ends and begins with the same sequence of notes, played by Soszynski, fading into and out of the darkness.

“It sounds like you’re tuning into some distant sonic station from the past, far away,” Seabird says. “You’re turning the radio dial exactly at the right time to be able to get this little glimpse from us, that we made in the middle of nowhere in Maine.”

The two innovative brands join forces to build off Baggs' popular pickup system by overhauling its tone genome by increasing the bridge-plate sensors' responsiveness and enhancing signal processing producing even more warmth and clarity. Watch John Bohlinger test drive a L-00 & J-45, while Lloyd Baggs and Gibson's Mat Koehler discuss the product development and partnership.

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Fender's year-long celebration of 75 years of the Telecaster culminates with the release of The One That Started It All., a new 75-minute documentary film honoring the guitar that helped shape modern music and the artists who continue to redefine what it can sound like.

Featuring exclusive interviews with Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, Andy Summers, Joe Bonamassa, John 5, Julien Baker and more, the film brings together generations of artists who have each made the Telecaster entirely their own -- capturing the remarkable range of sounds and styles that have come from one essential design.

“Jeff Beck played one. Pete Townsend played one. Steve Cropper played one. James Burton played one. That covered everything from rock music to soul music to rockabilly. And it was just the guitar for me,” says Bruce Springsteen in the film.

The film also looks beyond the artists to the people and craftsmanship behind the instrument, including Abigail Ybarra, Fender’s legendary master pickup winder who worked directly with Leo Fender and helped shape the sound of countless iconic instruments.

The One That Started It All. delivers an immersive look at where the Telecaster has been, and the artists who continue to take it somewhere new.

Recording King has revamped the company’s Dirty 30’s Parlor guitars, offering five finishes, upgraded construction and electronics options in the beloved parlor line.

The new 7-Series Dirty 30’s models are the first new instruments from Recording King since the brand was acquired by St. Louis Music earlier in 2026. The new models retain the vintage swagger and adventurous, play-anywhere vibe of the earlier Dirty 30’s parlors, but benefit from elevated materials and construction, such as wood selection, inlays and bracing architecture. Acoustic-electric versions feature the Recording King Gold Foil Pickup for even more classic cool, with a clean and effortless plugged-in tone.

Key features include:

• 5 Unique Finishes: Mahogany, Black, Vintage Burst, Arctic Blue, Red White & Blue

• Spruce, Mahogany and Maple Construction

• Mahogany Neck, 12th Fret Dove Tail Joint
• Vintage Style Tuners with Ivory Buttons
• PPS Saddle, Nut & Bridge Pins
• Acrylic Fingerboard Inlays
• Fully edge bound with Herringbone Purfling (Except R/W/B Color)
• Acoustic-electric models fitted with RK Gold Foil Soundhole Pickup

The revamped Dirty 30’s Parlors serve as the first product introduction for Recording King’s new chapter with St. Louis Music and the company has more launches coming soon.

Recording King’s Dirty 30’s 7-Series Parlors all-acoustic models carry a $239.99 street price; the acoustic-electric models carry a $279.99 street price. For more information visit recordingking.co

Avantone Pro has launched the GTR-100, a two-channel Class A/B power amplifier engineered specifically for guitarists using modern amp modelers and effects processors. Designed to faithfully translate carefully crafted tones from guitar modelers to the stage, the GTR-100 delivers high-headroom, transparent amplification without the coloration, weight, or maintenance demands of traditional tube rigs.

At the core of the GTR-100 is a solid-state Class A/B topology that delivers clean amplification that preserves the integrity of modeler-based tones while providing substantial output power — up to 140 watts per channel (4 Ω) or 245 watts in bridged mono mode (8 Ω). Switchable Line and Inst (instrument) inputs ensure optimal impedance matching whether connecting directly to a modeler, pedalboard, or standalone stompbox.

“The GTR-100 was designed for players who have fully embraced modern modeling platforms but still need reliable, high-performance stage amplification,” says Avantone Pro’s Seth Berman. “It delivers the power and clarity required for live performance while maintaining the exact tonal characteristics users have dialed in.”

The GTR-100 is built to integrate seamlessly into contemporary guitar rigs. Its stereo inputs and outputs allow players to bring stereo effects like delays and modulation into live performance environments. A switchable 4-band EQ provides precise tonal shaping to adapt to varying venues, while independent channel Volume controls offer granular output balancing.

For direct connectivity, the GTR-100 includes XLR THRU outputs with optional analog Cab Sim (cabinet simulation), enabling users to send a polished, mix-ready signal directly to front-of-house systems or recording devices — eliminating the need for microphone placement on speaker cabinets. A comprehensive 14-stage input/output metering system provides clear visual feedback for gain staging and signal integrity.

Housed in a compact and lightweight 1U rackmount chassis, the GTR-100 is engineered for durability and portability. Reinforced metal handles extend beyond the front panel controls, helping protect knobs and switches during transport. Rear-mounted rack rails simplify cable management in touring rigs, while a low-noise cooling fan ensures reliable thermal performance without introducing unwanted noise.

Additional protection circuitry is indicated via front-panel LEDs, alerting users to conditions that could potentially impact the amplifier or connected speakers — providing peace of mind in demanding live environments.

Key features include:

• Two-channel Class A/B power amplifier optimized for guitar modelers

• 100W per channel @ 8 Ω / 140W per channel @ 4 Ω / 245W bridged mono @ 8 Ω

• Switchable Line/Inst inputs for flexible connectivity

• Stereo operation with independent channel Volume controls

• Switchable 4-band EQ for venue-specific tone shaping

• XLR THRU outputs with optional analog Cab Sim

• 14-stage input/output metering for precise level monitoring

• Lightweight, rugged 1U rackmount design

• Low-noise cooling fan and protection indicator system

The Avantone Pro GTR-100 carries a street price of $599.00. For more information visit: https://avantonepro.com/en/products/gtr-100

Supercool Pedals, based in Peterborough, Ontario, released the original Spritz compressor, a simple 2-knob pedal, back in 2022. Earlier this year, builder Jamie Muir overhauled that design and released the Spritz! Saturator, adding a “tube simulation” overdrive circuit with its own discrete controls in addition to the familiar dual-knob setup. Like its titular drink on a hot summer afternoon, the Spritz! Saturator is a refreshing, invigorating treat.

Drink Up

The Spritz! Saturator follows the Caffeine Boost and original Spritz as Supercool’s third pedal with art inspired by a delicious Italian beverage, and the company’s now-signature aesthetic cheek is a fun jolt to have on your board (and might give you a hankering for an icy aperitif). With two main knobs in the vein of the Ross Compressor and MXR Dyna Comp, the Spritz! keeps operation simple. But the added “tube simulation” feature, a simple JFET circuit activated by a small button perched atop the pedal’s face and tweaked with a mini knob between the two big guns, brings enhanced functionality to a familiar effect.

When the tube simulation circuit is engaged, its small control knob is illuminated, but manipulating the knob itself is a bit tricky given its location and size; I sometimes found myself wishing for a bigger knob, and a separate footswitch to kick on the saturation for lead or heavier moments.

Puttin’ on the Spritz

I liked the Spritz! Saturator on guitar, but I loved it on bass. With a Jazz-style bass through a Peavey solid-state head and Traynor 2x15 cab, the Spritz! popped my signal open like an oyster, trading a ruddy, dull exterior for a juicy, meaty interior. What I appreciated most was the presence it brought via the saturator’s full-frequency boost, which has a gentle peak in the midrange. It coated my signal in a pleasant, just-thick-enough layer of grit, and spring-loaded my bass lines. With the sustain and volume knobs at noon, each note had just a bit of extra bounce and shape.

On 6-string, I delighted in applying the Spritz! to classic power- and jangle-pop riffs, which rang out more sweetly and evenly for having the Spritz! in the mix. Compression isn’t in my usual pedal rotation, but messing with the Spritz! made me wonder why; it was great fun to tear through Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Records songs with the squeeze and light gain sugarcoating everything. If I’d had a 12-string Rickenbacker on hand, I might never have gotten around to writing this review.

The onboard dirt from the tube simulation circuit was right up my alley. It felt pleasantly tweed-like in the sense that when it’s dimed, it sags and threatens to collapse in a way that feels wonderful under the fingers in addition to sounding great. The one knock I can muster against the Spritz! is that it could use a bit more output power. Depending on your rig and where you place the pedal, you might find unity level anywhere between noon and 3 o’clock on the volume knob. But that quality also primes it for end-of-chain usage, where it can level out unruly pedals, smooth out muddy EQs, and just generally tighten up your tone.

The Verdict

Supercool’s updated Spritz! is an instantly useful piece of kit for any rig or instrument. It covers a broad range of compression applications, and sounds swell no matter how you set it. The tube simulation function is a welcome bit of extended usability and produces a lovely growl at many settings. Compression will never be the sexiest effect on your board, but if you need a rock-solid, easy-to-use compressor that injects instant pro tone into your chain, Spritz! is a competitive option.

Carl Martin has unveiled the CM Acoustic, a 300-watt full-range amplifier developed for acoustic performers who need studio-quality clarity at stage volume. Developed and assembled in Denmark, it is designed to reproduce the natural character of acoustic instruments and vocals rather than impose the coloration of a traditional combo amplifier.

At the core of the CM Acoustic are two custom-designed 6.5-inch Carl Martin SU65147CM full-range drivers. The system preserves pick attack, harmonic separation and low-end definition as volume rises, delivering the controlled projection and clean headroom of a compact professional PA while retaining the immediacy and straightforward operation of a dedicated instrument amplifier.

Two independent channels make the CM Acoustic a self-contained performance solution for singer-songwriters and acoustic duos. The instrument channel provides gain, three-band EQ with a sweepable midrange from 220 Hz to 5.1 kHz, limiter, EQ bypass, reverb and volume. A balanced XLR microphone input with +48V phantom power handles vocals, while an AUX input, balanced XLR output, effects loop, reverb-mute footswitch connection and 35 mm pole mount support professional stage, studio and small-venue setups.

CM Acoustic highlights include:

• 300 watts of clean, dynamic headroom for acoustic instruments and vocals
• Two custom-designed 6.5-inch SU65147CM full-range drivers
• Two independent channels for instrument and microphone
• Balanced XLR microphone input with +48V phantom power
• Three-band instrument EQ with sweepable 220 Hz-5.1 kHz midrange
• Limiter, EQ bypass, reverb and dedicated channel controls
• Balanced XLR output, AUX input, effects loop and reverb-mute connection
• Developed and assembled in Denmark with warm wooden side panels

The Carl Martin CM Acoustic carries a street price of $1,299. For more information visit carlmartin.com.

In design and engineering terms, a vintage fuzz is a comparatively basic thing. And most of the earliest vintage fuzzes evolved from common ancestry. But as we’ve discovered in the intervening years, even small differences in a simple design can mean profound shifts in performance and personality.

The first Tone Bender, the MK I, for instance, was a close relative of the Maestro FZ-1 (of “Satisfaction” fame.) The MK II was a more potent evolution—made most famous, probably, by Jimmy Page. But in between those releases, the Tone Bender took an interesting turn. The MK 1.5, as it’s now known, simplified by shedding a transistor. The change didn’t last long, but it proved to be an enduring platform, because the Tone Bender MK 1.5 is essentially a sibling of the Fuzz Face, Vox Distortion Booster, and the Italy-made Vox Tone Bender—which, collectively, could be the most recorded fuzzes of the 1960s. This design is also the foundation of the new Vox VFZ-1. Where the original MK 1.5 used germanium transistors, the VFZ-1 employs a pair of more stable silicon transistors. But it also adds bass and treble cut controls, as well as a switchable crunch mode (which works, more or less, just like turning your guitar volume down.) It’s a versatile circuit that reveals how flexible the MK 1.5 is as a fuzz foundation. It also reaffirms, in many cool ways, how those little changes can add up to real differences.

Silicon Cornerstone
Germanium versions of the Tone Bender MK 1.5 and Fuzz Face are rightly revered for their dynamic range and drive characteristics. But silicon Fuzz Face variants are very cool in their own ways. Jimi Hendrix and David Gilmour sold about seven gazillion records on the strength of silicon Fuzz Face tones, after all. That sound is recognizably the foundation of the Vox VFZ-1’s voice. At its core, it’s meaty and assertive in the high-mid range, with a growly, contoured low-mid accent. It sounds great with single-coils, and spectacular with humbuckers, which tame its spikier tendencies and shine a light on its capacity to meld sheer mass and throaty grit. Imagine a bellowing Orson Wells as a guitar/fuzz combo and you wouldn’t be far off. Its responsiveness to guitar volume and tone attenuation and touch dynamics is impressive, too. It may not be in a germanium Fuzz Face’s class in this regard, but you can definitely summon sparkly low-gain to near-clean tones via these techniques.

Range Rover

The VFZ-1’s utility is enhanced by the simple tone cut and bass cut controls, and both can be transformative depending on your aims. I had the most fun removing as much top end as possible with the tone cut, and letting the bass flow freely via a full-counterclockwise bass cut setting. The sounds produced at these settings don’t quite have Big Muff weight, but they’re close. In fact, if I was casting a fuzz for a desert drone rock role but needed a new twist on the theme, I would be thrilled to use this VFZ-1 setting with a humbucker to achieve that aim. You can still summon detail and shading with the guitar volume and tone controls in this setup, but the results are more guttural and less buzzy than you’d expect from a Tone Bender or silicon Fuzz Face.

The Verdict

Burly, blazing, scuzzy, and smooth, the Vox VFZ-1 is a genuinely exciting alternative to both the silicon Fuzz Face and Tone Bender-type circuits. Indeed, it can play those roles, but can also step well out of type. It’s sturdy and stylish, and at just less than $149 offers impressive flexibility at a price that aligns with much less versatile vintage-style fuzzes.

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Taylor Guitars has released five new Next Generation 12-fret Grand Concert models: the PS12ce 12-Fret, K22ce 12-Fret Special Edition, 712ce 12-Fret, 552ce (12-String) and 512ce 12-Fret. Spanning an array of tonewood pairings and appointment packages across Taylor's 500, 700, Koa and Presentation Series, the lineup pairs the playing comfort of the 12-fret design with a warm, articulate voice.

Combined with the Grand Concert's compact body and 24-⅞-inch scale length, the 12-fret configuration — in which the neck meets the body at the 12th fret — creates a hand-friendly playing experience, with a more compact relationship between the player’s hands, easier fretting, and a relaxed, responsive string feel. Because of the 12-fret connection, the bridge shifts closer to the center of the lower bout, changing how the soundboard responds to string energy and contributing to the 12-fret’s distinctive tonal character.

“The bridge placement lets the soundboard move more efficiently,” said Taylor Chief Guitar Designer, President and CEO Andy Powers. “That translates into a warmer tone, a stronger midrange, longer sustain and surprising projection, all wrapped in a compact, lap-friendly body that’s comfortable enough for hours of playing and versatile enough for virtually any style.”

Those benefits are especially pronounced in the 12-string/12-fret Next Generation 552ce, which is sure to impress players with its remarkably comfortable fretting. Likewise, Taylor’s double-mounted string anchoring system for 12-string guitars (in which each string pair is secured under a single bridge pin) ensures a consistent break angle for the strings across the saddle, yielding a more consistent voice across each course.

The Next Generation 12-fret Grand Concert models incorporate Taylor’s latest Next-Gen design innovations: the patented Action Control Neck™, scalloped V-Class® bracing and Claria™ System electronics. (The 12-string 552ce features standard V-Class bracing to accommodate the added string tension.)

The Action Control Neck enhances sustain, warmth and resonance while allowing players and technicians to adjust string height on the fly, making it easy to dial in the perfect feel and adapt to changes in climate, specific musical applications or unique playing styles. Scalloped V-Class bracing bolsters sonic depth with improved open-string richness and enhanced low-end presence while preserving the hallmark pitch accuracy, volume and sustain of the original V-Class platform. The Claria System pairs a reimagined under-saddle pickup with a proprietary preamp to produce natural, reliable amplified tone in live settings, with intuitive soundhole-mounted controls that include a new Mid-Contour knob for effortless tone shaping.

All five models feature a 24-⅞-inch scale length and a cutaway body.

NEXT GENERATION 512CE 12-FRET (MAHOGANY/WESTERN RED CEDAR)

A must-play model for fans of mahogany and cedar, the 512ce 12-Fret pairs Western red cedar with mahogany for a warm, intimate voice with rich midrange focus and exceptional touch sensitivity. Cedar responds effortlessly to a light touch with sweetness and nuance, while mahogany adds woody definition and earthy character — a natural fit for fingerstyle, blues, roots music and singer-songwriters.

• White binding (body), black binding (fretboard)
• Green abalone rosette
• Italian acrylic Meridian inlays
• Faux tortoise pickguard
• Taylor slot-head nickel tuning machines, ebony buttons
• Gloss body finish, satin neck finish
  
• Next Generation 512ce 12-Fret is priced at $2,999

NEXT GENERATION K22CE 12-FRET SPECIAL EDITION (HAWAIIAN KOA)

This all-koa Next-Gen 12-Fret Special Edition delivers a woody voice with loads of midrange swagger that opens up over time, rewarding players with added sweetness and resonance. Select-grade Hawaiian koa showcases striking grain and color variegation, complemented by iridescent shell appointments and a rich shaded edgeburst that wraps the entire guitar.

• Indian rosewood binding (body, soundhole), ebony binding (fretboard)
• Paua/Indian rosewood rosette
• Mother-of-pearl GA-LTD inlays
• Dark-stained sycamore pickguard
• Taylor slot-head nickel tuning machines, ebony buttons
• Shaded edgeburst gloss finish (entire guitar), satin neck
• Next Generation K22ce 12-Fret Special Edition is priced at $4,499

NEXT GENERATION 712CE 12-FRET (INDIAN ROSEWOOD/WESTERN RED CEDAR)

Pairing a Western red cedar top with Indian rosewood back and sides, the 712ce 12-Fret produces a richly textured voice with lush overtones, deep lows and piano-like trebles. From delicate fingerstyle to full, open-chord accompaniment, it offers a colorful tonal palette for players seeking depth, nuance and exceptional responsiveness in a compact form.

• White binding (body), black binding (fretboard)
• Green abalone rosette
• Green Abalone Reflections inlays
• Faux tortoise pickguard
• Taylor slot-head nickel tuning machines, ebony buttons
• Gloss body finish, satin neck finish
  
• Next Generation 712ce 12-Fret is priced at $3,399

NEXT GENERATION 552CE (12-STRING; MAHOGANY/WESTERN RED CEDAR)

The most approachable and versatile 12-string in the Taylor lineup, the 552ce pairs a cutaway Grand Concert body with an accessible 12-fret design for a uniquely intimate, easy-playing experience. A cedar top lends warmth and touch sensitivity, while mahogany back and sides enhance the octave shimmer with focus and midrange clarity. Standard V-Class bracing dials up projection and sustain for a supremely balanced 12-string voice suited to songwriting, recording and live performance — and an inviting entry point for 6-string players curious about the 12-string sound.

• White binding (body), black binding (fretboard)
• Green abalone rosette
• Italian acrylic Meridian inlays
• Faux tortoise pickguard
• Taylor nickel mini tuning machines, paddle peghead
• Gloss body finish, satin neck finish
  
• Next Generation 552ce 12-Fret (12-String) is priced at $2,999

NEXT GENERATION PS12CE 12-FRET (HONDURAN ROSEWOOD/SINKER REDWOOD)

The ultra-premium expression of the 12-fret experience, the PS12ce 12-Fret showcases Taylor’s finest craftsmanship, tonewoods and visual artistry. Sinker redwood and Honduran rosewood combine for inspiring warmth, bold projection and rich harmonic complexity, pairing soft-touch sensitivity with plenty of headroom. A comfort-enhancing radiused ebony armrest and an extensive suite of mother-of-pearl and paua appointments make it an instrument designed to be played — and treasured — for generations.

• Ebony binding (body, fretboard, soundhole)
• Paua rosette
• Taylor slot-head nickel tuning machines, ebony buttons
• California Vine paua and mother-of-pearl inlays
• Indian rosewood pickguard
• Shaded edgeburst back/sides, gloss body finish, satin neck finish
  
• Next Generation PS12ce 12-Fret (Presentation Series) is priced at $11,999

The Next Generation 12-fret Grand Concert models are available now through authorized Taylor dealers worldwide starting at $2,999. All models include Taylor’s Deluxe Hardshell Case. For more information on these new 12-fret guitars, visit taylorguitars.com. Follow Taylor Guitars on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.