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Whenever I’m asked a question about learning, it’s almost always followed by an inquiry as to how long that thing might take to learn. Ultimately, the student wants to know exactly how much they should practice, and when they should expect to see results.

We’ve talked about expectations versus reality before in this column, so I won’t go into too much detail about how I perceive my practice time. But in short, I try to have no expectations and instead enjoy the process of doing the work until the skill comes to me naturally.

But the question still stands: How much should we practice? Would you feel good if I said an hour a day will fix everything you’re having trouble with? Would you be shocked if I said 20 minutes a day beats almost all other practice plans? Would you take a photo of this column and share it on social media, telling everyone that I’m a lunatic because I said I used to practice 8–12 hours a day when I was younger?

The truth is, those three approaches all work. At least, they have all worked for me. I have been through periods of my life where one hour a day felt fantastic, because I was touring and recording so much that I really just needed maintenance and small chunks of time to make tiny adjustments to my playing. When I became a father, 20 minutes felt almost impossible to maintain because I was delirious from lack of sleep and couldn’t concentrate on my granola at breakfast, nevermind in-depth explorations of new musical ideas for hours on end. And when I was in my teens, and literally every aspect of the bass and of music was new to me, 10 hours a day felt like it was never going to be enough to get to where I wanted to be.

The older I get, however, the more my approach has shifted to be in line with some of the non-musical things in my life. At 46 years old, for instance, I’m very aware of how I want to live the last decades of my life. I want to live happy, mobile, pain- and injury-free, and have a sharp and active mind that lets me be present with my family and friends. That requires consistency in nutrition and training now, to help mitigate the less-than-optimal circumstances you often associate with old age: falls, brittle bones, disease, and disability in general.

“When I became a father, 20 minutes felt almost impossible to maintain because I was delirious from lack of sleep and couldn’t concentrate on my granola at breakfast, nevermind in-depth explorations of new musical ideas for hours on end.”

Much like the balanced nutrient intake and resistance and cardiovascular training required to build and maintain lean muscle mass, flexibility, and stability for a high quality of life in my later years, I’m finding some parallels in my musical pursuits. Whereas the goal in my teenage years was to be able to attain the dizzying technical prowess of my heroes, that doesn’t last and doesn’t mean as much later in life—especially when you simply don’t have the physical ability to play that way anymore.

I’m moving more towards strengthening a rock-solid foundation of musical language that allows me to express myself far more effectively than some flashy solo on a gig no one is going to remember. It allows me to write more creatively, record more often, and create a body of work with some meaning to it, far beyond the pyrotechnics of technique that we see plastered all over the internet these days.

And this is where we come to exactly what that takes—the answer to the age-old question of how long we should practice each day.

The answer is to set yourself a goal that you’re actually going to stick to. Much like cutting down on sugar in your diet or alcohol consumption: Can you cut both of those things out cold turkey, or do you need something more realistic that you’ll actually stick to? Six days of eating clean and a cheat day on the weekend? There are obviously dozens of ways to approach any aspect of lifestyle or music practice goals, but keep asking yourself what is realistic for you, what will you stick to, and you will be on your way to a far happier time with your instrument right away.

I find that once the pressure is off, and I’m not constantly telling myself I suck because I didn’t hit the six-hour mark in the practice room, my playing blooms in places I was least expecting it. Although the practice journal, recording yourself and listening back, and planning what you need to work on are important, I always try to not think about yesterday or worry about tomorrow. I can only work on what’s right here in front of me today, and that simplifies and improves the trajectory of my playing.

PRS SE Chleo Herman Li Signature Review

In shape and sound, the Chleo Limited Edition is a very different PRS. It is, in part, a product of the vision of Herman Li, who is one half of the virtuoso lead guitar team behind DragonForce. With a total production of just 200 instruments, and a price tag just below $7,000 (and currently fetching upward of $12,500 on Reverb) the original Maryland-built version remains well out of reach for many of Li’s core fans (not to mention some wealthy landowners).

Billy Reid’s Guitar-Obsessed Style

Designer, guitarist and Gibson collaborator Billy Reid joins Axe Lords to talk about Jimmy Page’s favorite jacket, his Gibson Hummingbird collab, the benefits of wearing spandex, and why your guitar has to look as cool as it sounds.

How Much Practice Do You Need on Your Instrument?

Whenever I’m asked a question about learning, it’s almost always followed by an inquiry as to how long that thing might take to learn. Ultimately, the student wants to know exactly how much they should practice, and when they should expect to see results.

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The Strangest—and Biggest—Gibson Ever Built

Sometime in the ’90s, Gibson Custom Shop luthier Roger Griffin played Frankenstein, raising this 18-string monster to life.

Mr. Black Mod.One Review

An all-analog flange and chorus with a lot of character.

Latest News

MONO Introduces PFX Instrument Cables

Electro-Harmonix Introduces ABRAMS100 100-Watt Guitar Amp

Guns N' Roses Debut Two Highly Anticipated New Songs "Nothin" and "Atlas"

RhPf Electronics Unveils the Tri-Hormonic Phalanx

RhPf Electronics has introduced the Tri-Hormonic Phalanx, an overdrive which allows you to decide which frequencies stay clean and which ones clip.

Using a MOSFET-based circuit and soft-clipping overdrive, the Tri-Hormonic Phalanx reacts very naturally to pick attack and guitar volume knob changes. Its tone-shaping design splits the signal into lows, mids, and highs, processes each band independently, then blends them back together with dedicated level control. This approach gives players something most drives cannot offer: the ability to assign saturation per frequency while keeping the overall loudness completely consistent.

With the Tri-Hormonic Phalanx you can shape your tone to achieve clean low tones with no mud, creamy, focused mids pushed into breakup, and snappy highs that cut without harshness -- or any other combination you desire.

Features include:

• Triple-band parallel signal paths for lows, mids, and highs
• Independent Gain (cream colored knob) and volume Level controls (black knob) for each band, labeled IGF-1 (Bass), GH (Mid), and ACTH (Treble)
• Soft-clipping MOSFET stages for organic, amp-like harmonic response
• Can be used as full-spectrum clean boost or band-targeted saturation
• Powered by external 9v DC supply, center-negative, no battery compartment
• True bypass on/off switching
• Built in Switzerland

Where traditional drives treat the signal as one block, the Phalanx isolates the fundamental regions of the guitar and lets players shape them independently. This means the lows can stay clean and full, the mids can be pushed into focused breakup, and the highs can be driven into crisp harmonic lift without harshness.

Beyond its technical design, the Phalanx carries a personal tribute to the medical condition acromegaly, quietly raising awareness through the IGF-1 (Bass), GH (Mid), and ACTH (Treble) labels that define its identity.

Tri-Hormonic Phalanx carries a street price of $179 and is available at select retailers and directly from RhPf Electronics.

Powerhouse rock icons Guns N’ Roses have returned today with two brand new singles. Marking their first new music release since 2023, “Nothin’” and “Atlas” find the long-running band still at the height of their powers, showcasing two different sides of their personality. “Atlas” is GNR in full surging rock mode, while “Nothin’” grows more introspective over floaty keys and an emotive guitar.

Both songs are available today via Interscope Records.

LISTEN TO “NOTHIN’” HERE

LISTEN TO “ATLAS” HERE

Guns N’ Roses have steadily been releasing new material in recent years in conjunction with their sold-out tours across the globe. Following 2023’s “The General” and “Perhaps,” “Atlas” and “Nothin’” join as vital additions to setlists otherwise featuring all the classic hits and deep cut fan favorites from GNR’s early catalogue. On December 12th, “Nothin’” and “Atlas” will be available for pre-order on 7” vinyl, a Guns N’ Roses store exclusive cassette and a Japan exclusive SHM-CD. To pre-order, or for more information, please click HERE.

Most recently, Guns N’ Roses announced they will hit the road in the spring and summer of 2026 (please see dates below) on a world tour that will see the band visit Mexico and Brazil before headlining additional EU markets as well as stadiums across the US and Canada. The tour will include a special performance at LA’s Rose Bowl, marking a historic return to the venue for the first time in over 30 years. This 2026 tour follows on the heels of a sprawling 2025 world tour that saw the band make their long-awaited return to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.

Tickets are available at gunsnroses.com. In North America, the tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include premium tickets, behind-the-scenes tour, invitation to the pre-show VIP Lounge, limited edition merch & more. VIP package contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com.

2026 Tour Dates

Saturday, March 28 2026 - Monterrey, Mexico // Tecate Pa’l Norte*

Wednesday, April 1 2026 - Porto Alegre, Brazil // Estádio Beira Rio

Saturday, April 4 2026 - São Paulo, Brazil // Monsters Of Rock*

Tuesday, April 7 2026 - São José do Rio Preto, Brazil // Alberto Bertelli Lucatto

Friday, April 10 2026 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil // Engenhao

Sunday, April 12 2026 - Cariacica, Brazil // Estádio Estadual Kleber José de Andrade

Wednesday, April 15 2026 - Salvador, Brazil // Arena Fonte Nova

Saturday, April 18 2026 - Fortaleza, Brazil // Arena Castelão

Tuesday, April 21 2026 - Sao Luiz, Brazil // Estádio Governador João Castelo “Castelão”

Saturday, April 25 2026 - Belém do Para, Brazil // Estadio Olimpico do Para “Mangueirão”

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 - Hollywood, FL // Hard Rock Hollywood

Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Daytona Beach, FL // Welcome To Rockville Festival*

Thursday, June 4 2026 - Gliwice, Poland // PreZero Arena Gliwice

Saturday, June 6 2026 - Gliwice, Poland // PreZero Arena Gliwice

Wednesday, June 10 2026 - Dublin, Ireland // 3Arena

Friday, June 12 - Sunday, June 14 2026 - Donington, UK // Download Festival*

Thursday, June 18 2026 - Amsterdam, Netherlands // Ziggo Dome

Saturday, June 20 2026 - Amsterdam, Netherlands // Ziggo Dome

Tuesday, June 23 2026 - Berlin, Germany // Uber Arena

Thursday, June 25 2026 - Berlin, Germany // Uber Arena

Sunday, June 28 2026 - Antwerp, Belgium // AFAS Dome

Wednesday, July 1 2026 - Paris, France // Accor Arena

Friday, July 3 2026 - Paris, France // Accor Arena

Thursday, July 23 2026 - Raleigh, NC // Cater-Finley Stadium

Sunday, July 26 2026 - Saratoga Springs, NY // Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Wednesday, July 29 2026 - Tinley Park, IL // Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Saturday, August 1 2026 - Hershey, PA // Hersheypark Stadium

Wednesday, August 5 2026 - Toronto, ON // Rogers Stadium

Saturday, August 8 2026 - Shakopee, MN // Mystic Lake Amphitheater

Wednesday, August 12 2026 - East Rutherford, NJ // MetLife Stadium

Sunday, August 16 2026 - St. Louis, MO // Busch Stadium

Wednesday, August 19 2026 - Kansas City, MO // Morton Amphitheater

Saturday, August 22 2026 - Las Vegas, NV // Allegiant Stadium

Wednesday, August 26 2026 - Edmonton, AB // Commonwealth Stadium

Saturday, August 29 2026 - Vancouver, BC // BC Place

Wednesday, September 2 2026 - San Diego, CA // Snapdragon Stadium

Saturday, September 5 2026 - Pasadena, CA // Rose Bowl

Wednesday, September 9 2026 - Arlington, TX // Globe Life Field

Saturday, September 12 2026 - Ridgedale, MO // Thunder Ridge Nature Arena

Wednesday, September 16 2026 - San Antonio, TX // Alamodome

Saturday, September 19 2026 - Atlanta, GA // Truist Park

*Festival appearance

On December 3, 2025, the night before we heard the news of Steve Cropper’s passing, my wife and I were jamming to a simple loop. Distracted, at one point I strayed into a noodle that wasn’t doing my wife or the song any favors. Then a voice spoke loudly in my head: “Booker T. and the M.G.’s, you idiot! Cropper! Now!” In a shot I was off the noodle bus and back on track.

That voice, it seems, sat at the shoulder of many guitarists. Such was the reach and influence of a musician that could be hookmeister, bedrock, silk, switchblade, or the lonely cry at the root of a heartbreaking melody. Cropper’s signature, however, was his economy and restraint—much of which was reinforced by his keen producer’s ear. Keith Richards, one of the kings of rhythm and timing, was once asked what he thought of Cropper. Richards, who can spiel when moved, was reduced to two words: “Perfect, man.” And truly, it’s hard to find a moment in Cropper’s body of work as rhythm guitarist, lead ace, and producer that isn’t, by some measure, impeccable.

Steve Cropper was born on October 21, 1941, in rural Dora, MO. But before he was 10, his family moved to Memphis. Like any open-minded, musically inclined individual with access to a radio in that time and place, Cropper found a feast for the ears in Memphis in the 1950s—blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, country, and the rockabilly percolations bubbling up from Sun Records.

Cropper was playing guitar by the time he was 14. And his influences around that time tell much about the sum that would become the Cropper style. From jazz giant Tal Farlow he learned how to dance around a melody with precision. From Chet Atkins, he took a sense for how chord melody and the twang and pop of an electric guitar could work together. Chuck Berry opened his ears to the power of relentless, uptempo, driving rhythm. And Jimmy Reed taught him the ways of deriving swing from skeletal, haunting simplicity.

By the time he was 20, Cropper had joined forces, along with future Booker T. and the M.G.’s bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, in an instrumental band that evolved into the Mar-Keys, which hit number 3 with “Last Night,” a release on Memphis-based Satellite Records. Within a few years, Satellite became Stax, and on the strength of the Carla Thomas single “Cause I Love You,” entered a distribution deal with Atlantic Records. Stax’s agreement with Atlantic meant product and hits had to keep coming. And that effort was facilitated by Stax’s in-house band, which featured Cropper, drummer Al Jackson Jr., and bassist Lewis Steinberg. That trio, with organist Booker T. Jones, further boosted Stax’s fortune and profile, when an impromptu jam intended as a B-side became “Green Onions”

Though “Green Onions” showcases the awesome collective strength of Booker T. and the M.G.’s as a mighty groove machine, Cropper’s contributions to the track included a lock-step doubling of Lewis Steinberg’s bass, a horn section-style stab on the one, and a lead that is the essence of economy and attitude, reflecting Ike Turner or Johnny Guitar Watson’s fiery r&b fretwork. Cropper, in fact, provided much of the tune’s dynamics. The song may have legitimized Stax. But it also cemented Booker T. and the M.G.’s reputation as a band’s band, revered by surf and garage bands on the West Coast, soul and r&b artists working in the South and on the East Coast, and perhaps most notably, the bands that would soon make up the British Invasion.

Had the M.G.’s left behind “Green Onions” alone, they would have been legendary. But the band, and Cropper, in particular, would go on to make Stax one of the most vital and important labels of the 1960s, and he would lend a hand in nourishing the careers of some of some of soul music’s most titanic figures.

Cropper ultimately became the front-line producer at Stax and their subsidiary Volt. And his production style mirrored his approach to guitar. It was lean, hard-hitting, dripping with groove, but also spacious enough to make room for the awesome voices that passed through Stax’s Memphis studios. Cropper’s production was so powerful and full of sinewy punch that it practically tormented British artists who struggled to find Stax’s potency in their own studios. At one point the Beatles were slated to work with Cropper on the LP that eventually became Revolver. That didn’t pan out, but Cropper’s production, recording, and performing prowess would still touch millions of people through hits from Sam and Dave, Carla Thomas, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, and, most monumentally, Otis Redding, who co-authored “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” with Cropper (who also adorns the yearning track with pearls of subtle guitar shading that virtually define the instrument’s role in soul balladry).

Cropper didn’t stop working after Stax’s hits dried up. He continued to produce records and play sessions, and reached millions more playing himself in the Blues Brothers film. He toured—once again with the M.G.’s—backing Neil Young at the height of Young’s volcanic reawakening in the 1990s. Cropper was, generally speaking, a quiet, gentlemanly guy, quite happy to deliver the goods in relative anonymity as sparks flew around him—qualities evident in essential performance films like Shake! Otis Live at Monterey and footage from the Stax tour of Europe in 1967. And improbably, perhaps, in light of his reserve, Cropper’s music and his impeccable touch as a guitarist and producer is everywhere where people listen. His legacy and influence are matched by few.

MONO (monocreators.com), the world’s leading design-driven brand for the modern musician, introduces the Studio and Stage Instrument Cables, the latest addition to its growing PFX Series. The PFX Series, known for its world-renowned pedalboards and power supplies trusted by artists like Mateus Asato, Yvette Young, and Faye Webster, now expands into instrument cables with the same commitment to clarity, durability, and performance. Designed to elevate musicians’ lives through thoughtful design, these new cables deliver studio-grade fidelity, innovative connector options, and rugged, handbuilt-in-Japan quality for every stage.

The new PFX Instrument Cables are crafted to capture every sonic detail. The Studio Instrument Cable is built around 150 strands of 0.08 mm oxygen‑free copper in the core conductor, paired with precision insulation to ensure your tone remains crystal clear and free from interference or coloration. For live performance, the Stage Instrument Cable combines a high‑purity oxygen‑free copper core with a braided shield and flexible outer jacket, minimizing signal loss and offering rugged reliability in demanding environments.

The new cables come equipped with versatile connector configurations designed to accommodate any playing environment—from home studios to festival stages. The connectors’ lineup include:

• The Standard Connector features a robust brass build with a compact short-shaft design, making it ideal for tight pedalboard layouts or cramped jack placements.

• The 180° Connector flexes between angled and straight orientations, offering flexible routing options and reduced strain on the cable and jack—perfect for hybrid or frequently adjusted setups.
  
• The Silent Connector includes an intelligent auto-mute function that cuts the signal the moment it’s unplugged, eliminating unwanted pops and hum for seamless instrument changes during a live set or studio session.

Prices start from US $99 (US MAP). The new Studio and Stage Instrument Cables are available now at monocreators.com and through select authorized dealers worldwide.

Fashion designer, guitarist and Gibson collaborator Billy Reid joins Axe Lords to talk about Jimmy Page’s favorite jacket, his Gibson Hummingbird collab, the benefits of wearing spandex, and why your guitar has to look as cool as it sounds.

esigner, guitarist and certified culture tinkerer Billy Reid drops by Axe Lords to talk about the overlap between great guitars and great clothes — and why both have to look cool.

Tom, Dave and Cindy grill Billy on the leather jacket he made for Jimmy Page, the custom Gibson Hummingbird he designed, and his deep obsession with ’70s Japanese acoustics like Yamaha “red labels” and Tokai Cat’s Eyes.

Billy breaks down how Japanese builders and denim heads chase “perfect imitation,” how he hides signature details inside garments, and why some designs bomb at first only to become cult favorites — including wool shorts.

Follow Billy @Billy_Reid

Axe Lords is presented in partnership with Premier Guitar. Hosted by Dave Hill, Cindy Hulej and Tom Beaujour. Produced by Studio Kairos. Executive Producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Edited by Justin Thomas at Revoice Media. Engineered by Patrick Samaha. Recorded at Kensaltown East, NYC. Artwork by Mark Dowd. Theme music by Valley Lodge.

Follow @axelordspod for updates, news, and cool stuff.

In shape and sound, the Chleo Limited Edition is a very different PRS. It is, in part, a product of the vision of Herman Li, who is one half of the virtuoso lead guitar team behind DragonForce. With a total production of just 200 instruments, and a price tag just below $7,000 (and currently fetching upward of $12,500 on Reverb) the original Maryland-built version remains well out of reach for many of Li’s core fans (not to mention some wealthy landowners).

PRS Chleo SE Herman Li Signature Guitar Demo | First Look

Someone apparently heard the clamor for a more accessibly priced version, though. Enter the PRS SE Chleo. It features the same contoured, maple-topped mahogany body, super-thin neck with 20" fretboard radius, and trifecta of Fishman Fluence single- and double-coil pickups as the more expensive version. It even features Li’s preferred “Eclipse Dragon” fret inlays—a major departure from PRS practice.

All this still comes at a cost. While more affordable than the Limited Edition model, the SE Chleo is priced just under $2,000, which isn’t exactly modest. That raised some eyebrows in the guitar community. After all, the excellent PRS SE DGT David Grissom is around $700 new. The sought-after SE Silver Sky is usually around the high $600 mark. Even the SE Mark Holcomb Signature, the SE Mark Tremonti, and the classic SE Custom 24 Floyd are less than a grand.

Given that the SE Chleo’s materials and build-quality seem on par with those less expensive guitars, what exactly tilts this ostensibly metal-centric SE toward the price range of a U.S.-made PRS Silver Sky or Mark Lettieri Signature Fiore?

Dragon's Teeth

SE Chleo is as well-made and designed as any of the SE class, which is to say, it is very well built. But the SE Chleo also boasts a carbon-fiber reinforced bolt-on maple neck and a custom-contoured maple-topped mahogany body, with an artfully scooped lower cutaway offering unfettered access past the neck’s top 24th fret. The super-flat fretboard radius, smooth ebony fingerboard, and jumbo fretwire mean even the biggest hands will find sure purchase while blazing three-notes-per-string runs and sweep-picked arpeggios. The Chleo’s generous 1.75" nut width also suits the flat radius and is ideal for bigger hands and fretting fanned-out Allan Holdsworth chord voicings.

That said, the body—whose narrow upper and lower horns evoke a 1980s Veillette-Citron—can feel small and a bit awkward while sitting or standing. Whether or not you find the guitar’s ergonomic design beneficial is very personal and subjective, but the SE Chleo’s limited upper-bout surface will offer less support for some players' forearms beyond the wrist. Given that the included steel-saddled Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo Bridge (with PRS locking nut) practically demands a default palm-mute posture for the right hand, the smaller dimensions sometimes feel like an odd design choice. Herman Li might disagree, however. Weight, by the way, is about 7 pounds, 4 ounces, around the same as an SE Silver Sky.

How to Train Your Dragon

For my money, the most compelling thing about the SE Chleo, and something it shares with its much pricier Limited Edition confrere, is the HSH-arrayed trio of Herman Li Signature Fishman Omniforce hum-free pickups. And with the push-pull volume and tone knobs and 5-way pickup selector blade switch you end up spoiled for choice when it comes to tone blends. Two voicings are available for each pickup using the push-pull tone pot alone. But the push-pull volume pot opens up coil-tap options for each humbucker which can be paired with the middle single-coil pickup. You can also jump the middle pickup entirely and blend the bridge and neck humbucker.

The Chleo’s generous 1.75 nut width suits the flat radius and is ideal for bigger hands and fretting fanned-out Allan Holdsworth chord voicings.

The sound of these single- and double-coil pickup configurations, in concert with the Chleo’s unique body resonance, mean few settings are evocative of a classic Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul, or SG in a literal sense. They can be impeccably clean and have presence, but they are clearly meant to complement the kind of technical, progressive metal that DragonForce excels at with, perhaps, a tip of the cap to PRS-based riff and lead sounds from bands like Opeth, Periphery, and Sevendust.

That said, the bridge pickup’s voicing is aggressive and tight, great for fifth- and sixth-string-based pedal-tone riffing. It also kicks up syrupy sustain for soaring metal lead work (Bleed From Within’s Craig Gowans and Sam Vellen of Caligula’s Horse come to mind). Many other pickup blends hint at the coppery-clean semi-acoustic sounds you associate with King Crimson’s Beat period or latter-day Porcupine Tree.

The Verdict

So, does the PRS SE Chleo merit its nearly $2,000 price tag? Whether it does or doesn’t will be a judgement best left to the beholder. DragonForce’s best-selling record, Inhuman Rampage, moved more than 600,000 copies in the U.S. alone, a prodigious figure for a band and genre outside the mainstream. But that number suggests a lot of possible customers for the SE Chleo, with all its idiosyncracies, as well.

Factor in the persona of Li himself, an affable gentleman rocker and role model who performs challenging technical passages with ease, and the appeal grows. The SE Chleo’s build quality is excellent, so if the guitar design suits your style you should round the “build/design” score up. Similarly, players that favor the Fishman Fluence pickups’ precision should adjust upward accordingly. If Li’s sensational sweep-picking salvos and DragonForce’s fantasy concept albums are your cup of mead, this is a solidbody worth experiencing.

Expanding their line of lightweight, compact amplifiers, Electro-Harmonix has introduced the ABRAMS100 100-watt solid state guitar amplifier. Clocking in at a mere 2.5 pounds, the ABRAMS100 can be easily transported from the practice space to the stage without breaking a sweat.

The ABRAMS100 features 100 watts of Class D power, a high-headroom preamp with plenty of clean gain, a 3-band EQ, a bright switch, and an on-board digital spring reverb. An FX Loop allows additional effects to be inserted post-EQ. The FX loop return input can also be used by those with preamp pedals or modelers to bypass the preamp and use only the power amp.

Features include:

• 100 Watts of Class-D power
• Lightweight – only 2.5 pounds
• High headroom for use as a powerful pedal platform
• 3-Band EQ with Bright switch
• Series FX loop with dedicated input/output jacks
• Built-in digital spring reverb
• 4 – 16 ohms output

As a pedal platform or modeler power amp, the ABRAMS100 is a lightweight solution for players looking for big volume from a little head. The ABRAMS100 has a U.S. street price of $299.00. For more information visit ehx.com.

The legendary country musician and his right-hand man, guitarist Kenny Vaughan, prove that Fender guitars through Fender amps can still take you a long way in this world.

Today, we’re excited to bring you a Rig Rundown that we’ve been chasing for years: country legend Marty Stuart, and his right-hand man in his band the Fabulous Superlatives, Kenny Vaughan. Stuart and the Superlatives hit the road this year supporting their new instrumental record, Space Junk.

PG’s John Bohlinger recently convened with Stuart and Vaughan onstage at the CMA Theater in Nashville, where the duo walked us through the most prized pieces from their bottomless tone trunks. Tune in to get the details and stories in this special Rundown!

Brought to you by D’Addario.

The Fifth Fabulous Superlative

“Clarence is like a band member,” Stuart explains of his iconic Telecaster. “Still, in my mind, it’s Clarence’s band.” Stuart procured the Tele, which belonged to guitarist Clarence White, in the 1980s while playing in Johnny Cash’s band. Stuart has only modified two things on it: He moved the “Scruggs” tuning peg from the fifth string, and added a special, Ralph Mooney-built bender for the low E string. It’s triggered by the black “button” beneath the bridge—Mooney drilled a hole in the guitar and installed the rubber footing from one of the legs of his pedal-steel guitar. The rest of the guitar is stock—well, Clarence White-stock. The Jerry Jones sitar to Clarence’s left runs through the upper Deluxe Reverb, and through the Radial PZ-DI direct to front of house.

Stuart’s backup is a 1952 Fender Esquire, which he guesses is the best electric he owns. He bought it off of dealer and friend Danny Shea in New York City; before it entered Shea’s possession, it belonged to Mick Ronson. “You can tune it and come back a week from now, and it’s still in tune,” says Stuart.

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Stuart bought this mandolin from Roland White for $650, and turned it into a guestbook of sorts. It features signatures from Johnny Cash, Doc Watson, and plenty of others. Miked with an AEA Nuvo Series N22 ribbon mic, it sounds “big as a house,” says tech Mick Conley.

California Dreamin’

The “voice” of Stuart’s guitars is a silver-panel Fender Deluxe Reverb that he acquired in California from rental company SIR. “When I plugged into that amp, I saw palm trees and sunsets, and California popped out of the speaker,” recalls Stuart. He played it for three days, then bought it from SIR when he returned.

An AmpRx Brownie powers the pair of Deluxes.

Marty Stuart’s Pedalboard

Stuart’s main tools are a Boss TU-12EX, JHS Mini A/B, Radial BigShot PB-1, and an MXR Six Band EQ, plus an AEA R92 ribbon mic on his Deluxe Reverb. A JHS Switchback effects loop can engage a Keeley Super Phat Mod for solos; the MXR Reverb is on hand in case the Deluxe’s onboard ’verb fails, and the Flamma FS06 has a Deluxe Reverb emulation that shoots to front of house.

Acoustic instruments run through the Radial PZ-DI, and the Radial BigShot ABY is used for large shows when Stuart runs two amps.

Triple Threat

Vaughan’s principle instrument is this 3Bender T-style, built by Wade Black in Arkansas. Custom-made for Vaughan, it sports a pine body, maple cap, 21 frets, and is capable of bending three strings: the A, G, and B. A Fender Stratocaster is on standby.

Dan, Rick, and Marty

This Danelectro DC-12 is tuned to an open F major 9 chord, and runs through one channel of the Vibrolux with a bit of delay and compression. Vaughan plays it with both pickups engaged, and its flat radius makes it a speedy player.

After recording with Mike Campbell’s Rickenbacker 12-string, Vaughan picked up one of his own from a music store in Berry Hill. But this one is unique: It lacks the model’s classic sound hole, has Martin-style trim down its back, and the neck dates to 1969, while the pickups are from the early ’80s. The best hypothesis so far is that it was made by an employee at a music store in Pennsylvania.

The Martin D-45 dates to 1988, and is equipped with a Fishman Matrix pickup

Special ’67

Vaughan trusts his 1967 Vibrolux Reverb, miked, like Stuart, with an AEA R92.

Kenny Vaughan’s Amp and Pedalboard

Vaughan bought his first pedal back in 1966, and from his collection of hundreds, he’s chosen these special few for his live setup. There’s a Peterson Stobostomp, Dunlop volume pedal, Xotic XW-2 wah, Keeley-modded Ibanez Tube Screamer, Xotic SP Compressor and EP Booster, MXR Smartgate and Joshua, and Keeley Magnetic Echo, Comp Mini, Zoma, and Eccos.

Vaughan’s Rickenbacker runs through the Radial Pro-48 to front of house. A JHS Mini A/B handles switching, and the Radial PZ-DI handles acoustics.

Ibanez Tube Screamer

Radial DI

Xotic SP Compressor

Xotic EP Booster

MXR Smart Gate

MXR Joshua

Keeley Zoma

Peterson StoboStomp

Keeley Eccos

Keeley Compressor Mini

Keeley Magnetic Echo

Dunlop Mini Volume Pedal

Radial Pro 48

Radial PZ-DI

Fender Stratocaster

Rickenbacker 360-12

Fender Vibrolux Reverb

Fender Telecaster

Keeley Super Phat Mod

MXR Reverb

Radial BigShot ABY

MXR Six Band EQ

Whirlwind IMP 2

DragonForce shred wizard’s signature SE is specialized but built for lightning speed.

The SE Chleo is the result of an intimate collaboration between PRS Guitars and award-winning guitar player Herman Li. Best known for his work as one of the lead guitar players in the power metal band DragonForce, Li is a demanding guitarist known for his fast and precise playing style. Based on the exclusive 2025 PRS Chleo Limited Edition, this SE signature model is a unique guitar in the PRS lineup designed with the modern metal guitarist in mind. The SE Chleo boasts the same Fishman Fluence Signature Series Omniforce Herman Li pickups as the Limited Edition that preceded it. With three distinct voices and a versatile switching system, the guitar offers up to 13 unique tone combinations.

“With the PRS SE Chleo, we set out to create the best affordable guitar that delivers a unique combination of effortless playability, outstanding craftsmanship, and versatile tonal range. It combines modern innovations with classic style, giving players the tools they need to create everything from classic tones to cutting edge new sounds. The SE Chleo proves that a world-class instrument doesn’t have to break the bank—it’s a guitar that brings high-end performance within reach for everyone,” said Herman Li.

In addition to the Charcoal Purple Burst and Orchid Dusk that the Limited Edition models were offered in, the SE Chleo introduces a third color, Mantis Burst.

How much does a hotdog cost? There really isn’t much to it. Have you ever looked at something and wondered why it costs what it does? How can a single Diet Pepsi from a convenience store cost $1.99? Why is a large coffee at Dunkin’ $3.00? You can pay almost $2.00 for a jug of that clear stuff that comes out of the tap at home—why is that?

I’m not suggesting that everything should be free, but I often hear guitarists complaining about how expensive gear is, with little understanding of why. On the other hand, I know there are those who revel in telling everyone how much their custom shop or vintage guitars are worth. Yes, it’s true that I make instruments that some feel are pricey—but my customers think the investment is worth it.

In both cases, and in the marketplace at large, musicians base their opinions on what? Market values? Emotional reaction to advertising? Some folks add up what they believe the cost of all the components is, but rarely understand what it actually takes to turn raw materials into products. A few of these people are the builders themselves—but that’s another story.

Of course, the answer is going to vary widely between big outfits churning out hundreds of guitars a day, and the neighborhood guitar hobbyist who builds a few instruments for friends and the occasional Instagram customer. The big ones are receiving thousands of board feet of lumber on 18-wheelers, or might even have their own railway sidings. Vendors can offer big discounts when the orders get large, or factories can reduce costs by making their own pickups, cases, and hardware. Small builders don’t have all these options, which affects the end cost. Still, it seems counterintuitive that some of the brands that benefit from economies of scale are also at the top of the price point. So what are you actually buying?

There are a lot of costs when an operation grows. Administrative costs balloon as a company expands. They’ve got to manage a lot of things that the backyard builder doesn’t. Employees mean paperwork and management headaches. Tax expertise, customer service, shipping, purchasing, accounting, and legal costs mount up. Once a business gets to a certain size, human resource acumen is required. OSHA and the EPA have thresholds above which a company is subject to more oversight and regulation. Naturally, this means even more management and cost.

“Prices for a lot of parts, services, and raw materials have increased—or even doubled since pre-Covid levels. Importing goods has become costlier lately, too.”

I’m not even going to get into the weeds about accounting stuff—like carrying costs, that include warehousing, labor, insurance, and capital costs. High carrying costs can negatively impact a company’s cash flow and profitability. Staying too lean might leave you exposed to supply chain snags.

At this point, it becomes even more essential to market your product. Sales staff are expensive—lots of travel and commissions. There’s a saying in business that a funny thing happens when you don’t advertise—nothing. So while a small shop might be kept busy with a steady stream of social media posts, the large outfit has to cast a big net. Now you’ve got a huge ecosystem to support, and a big ship is hard to maneuver if sales hiccup. A midsize shop might be able to do some of the required advertising production, but when campaigns get bigger—like worldwide—things get complicated and costly. Some large companies have in-house advertising departments, but others farm it out to ad agencies. Endorsers gravitate to small builders at the beginning of their careers, but often are enticed by more lucrative arrangements with prestigious brands once they become well-known or highly influential. Yes, big companies have artist relations departments, too. All that promo racks up costs.

The micro business—one that sells up to $1 million USD of goods at wholesale and typically has 20 or fewer employees—has a hard time competing. Larger firms that have the resources to buy at steep discounts can often out-market and out-sell them. Another factor for everyone is that prices for a lot of parts, services, and raw materials have increased—or even doubled since pre-Covid levels. Importing goods has become costlier lately, too.

What it comes down to is that it’s pretty expensive to be in manufacturing, no matter what size the company. The little guy has to be scrappy and watch every penny, but the big boys have the burden of a large nut to crack. I don’t believe that companies are out to gouge customers at the risk of losing them, but there is cost-cutting going on to entice musicians on tight budgets. All of this is invisible when you’re looking at a guitar on a website or hanging on the music shop wall, trying to decide if the object of your desire is worth the price. In the end, you’re gonna spend what you’ve got to spend.

NN Electric Guitars, the independent workshop of luthier Nils Nord, announces the debut of the IB, a new handcrafted electric guitar model now available worldwide directly from the builder. Designed and built by Nord in his converted carpentry workshop—once an old pigsty—the IB reflects his lifelong fascination with restoring, repairing, and ultimately crafting guitars from scratch. The new model embodies his mission: to create instruments that offer an exceptional playing experience while looking and sounding equally impressive.

The IB features a body made from reclaimed old-growth pine, chosen not only for its age and character but also for its resonance and lightweight feel. It is finished in traditional nitrocellulose lacquer. The maple neck is paired with a smoked oak fretboard, offering a visually distinctive contrast and a naturally smooth playing surface. Built to a 24.75" scale length, the neck incorporates Dunlop 6105 jumbo frets and a 12” fretboard radius for confident bending and articulation.

The IB-model is available to customize with any pickup configuration, the electronics on the basic IB-model are centered around a single Lundgren P-90 pickup, delivering a broad dynamic range and characterful midrange response. Control is straightforward and traditional, using CTS pots and classic 50’s wiring to preserve purity of signal and touch sensitivity.

The guitar is fitted with a Faber compensated wraparound tailpiece for stable intonation and sustain, complemented by Grover open-gear tuners. Every IB is built, finished, wired, assembled, and detailed by hand by Nils Nord. Customization is available.

For more information about the IB or other instruments from NN Electric Guitars, visit www.nnelectricguitars.com

Price: €1850 EUR/$2150 USD

D’Addario expands its strap lineup with the all-new Neoprene Comfort Strap, designed for musicians who need top-of-the-line instrument support and comfort for their heaviest guitars and basses. Featuring an ergonomic design and soft, breathable neoprene material, this strap molds seamlessly to the player’s body for a secure, customized fit, making it ideal for longer gigs and demanding performances.

Built for Support, Designed for Performance

The 3.5-inch-wide padded neoprene band is designed to evenly distribute the instrument's weight, significantly reducing shoulder load during long rehearsals or gigs. Its ergonomic curved profile promotes natural posture and stability, ensuring optimal back support whether standing or seated.

Players can choose between two adjustable options:

Leather End Version: Adjustable from 45” to 55” long.

Auto Lock® Version: Adjustable from 43” to 55” long, offering secure, quick-release performance.

Key Features

• 3.5” width for maximum comfort during standing performance
• Soft, breathable neoprene padding for superior weight distribution
• Ergonomic curve for added shoulder and back support
• Perfect for heavier instruments and extended sessions
• Available with standard leather ends or D’Addario’s Auto Lock system

Availability & Pricing

The D’Addario Neoprene Comfort Straps are available now through daddario.com and authorized retailers.

• Neoprene Comfort Strap (Leather Ends): $39.99
• Neoprene Auto Lock Strap: $49.99

For more information, visit: ddar.io/neoprenestrap-pr

A kingly serving of powerful, varied fuzz tones explode from this enhanced riff on the classic Tone Bender MK III template.

Sitting between the original vintage vibes of a 2-transistor fuzz and the over-the-top wall of sonic mayhem that is that 4-transistor Big Muff is the humble 3-transistor Tone Bender-style of fuzz known for being punchy with a unique sonic texture. The EHX Bender Royale is Electro-Harmonix’s new take on the Germanium MkIII version of the circuit with a ton of added flexibility to bend your tone even further. From thick and smooth to brash and spitty, the Bender Royale has a range of sounds all its own.

Housed in EHX’s Nano-sized chassis, the Bender Royale builds on a standard control set of VOL, FUZZ and BASS (originally Treble / Bass) controls for an authentic, familiar feel. The FAT switch adds bass and low-mids for tonal thickness. Use the BIAS knob to dial in a sweet spot for the perfect amount of rip or leave the circuit starving for voltage. Switching the CLIP switch from Ge to LED re-biases the final germanium transistor to produce a rougher edge on the fuzz tone. The TREBLE control is an active treble shelving filter used to rein in high frequencies. The BLEND knob mixes between your wet and dry signals and can be especially useful for maintaining clarity when using bass or stacking other drive pedals.

The Bender Royale employs mechanical relay true-bypass switching on a soft footswitch with selectable latching/momentary functionality. Tap the footswitch for normal latch switching function or press and hold for momentary blasts of fuzzy goodness.

The EHX Bender Royale comes equipped with a standard EHX 9 Volt power supply. It is available now and features a U.S. Street Price of $149.00.

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In celebration of Iron Maiden’s landmark 50th Anniversary, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today announces new releases from the Fender Custom Shop, Fender® and Jackson® - series of instruments set to honour the iconic band’s influential and enduring legacy. Since forming in East London in 1975, the trailblazers, often credited with having pioneered the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement with their genre-defining sound and theatrical live performances, garnering a dedicated cult fanbase and selling more than 100 million records to date worldwide.

“Honoring Iron Maiden’s fifty years of pushing heavy metal forward, this collection brings together the signature instruments that helped define their unmistakable sound,” said Max Gutnik, FMIC’s Chief Product Officer. “From Dave Murray’s high-performance Stratocaster models and Janick Gers’ energetic, vintage-leaning Strat to Steve Harris’ unmistakable Precision Bass and Adrian Smith’s versatile Jackson SC1, each instrument carries the tone, feel, and power behind Maiden’s multi-guitar attack. These anniversary models are more than tributes; they are stage-ready tools built to inspire today’s players and the next generation.”

Across the group’s five-decade spanning career, guitarist Dave Murray has been a mainstay on Iron Maiden’s 17 studio albums; with climactic solos, galloping riffs, and the band’s renowned multi-guitar harmonies cementing Murray as one of heavy metal’s most legendary guitarists. Celebrating the artistry and talent that has remained instrumental in defining the group’s signature sound, Fender Custom Shop (FCS) Masterbuilder Andy Hicks teamed up with Dave Murray to create a stunning new incarnation of his favorite Fender guitar in the Limited Edition Masterbuilt Dave Murray Stratocaster®.

“Dave Murray has always been my favorite guitar hero. Not only is his style absolutely brilliant but he also proved to me long ago that Fender absolutely belongs in the world of heavy metal,” said Andy Hicks,Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilder. “It was an absolute honor to build this guitar for him and I will never get over the excitement of seeing my favorite player from my favorite band playing one of my guitars.”

To create the incredible Limited Edition Stratocaster®, Hicks worked closely with Murray to devise a high-performance guitar that could keep up with the rigors of global touring. Powerful, punchy and versatile, it boasts 21 medium jumbo stainless-steel frets and an oil-finished ‘60s-style Oval “C”-shaped walnut neck, offering exceptional comfort and effortless playability. Coupled with Murray’s tried and true combination of Seymour Duncan® Hot Rails® bridge and neck pickups and a JB Jr.™ middle pickup, it perfectly handles galloping rhythms and soaring leads. With premium parts upgrades, the unique and stylishly tasteful Stratocaster is flawlessly finished in NOS Olympic White.

Custom Shop Limited Edition Masterbuilt Dave Murray Stratocaster

($11,000.00 USD, £10,399.00 GBP, €12,199.00 EUR, $18,999 AUD, ¥1,790,800 JPY). The 2-piece select alder body is flawlessly finished in NOS Olympic White and is paired with an oil-finished ‘60s-style Oval “C”-shaped walnut neck for an incredibly comfortable, high-performance Strat®. With a flat-laminated, 9.5” to 14” compound radius rosewood fingerboard and 21 medium jumbo stainless-steel frets, this guitar plays effortlessly. Loaded with Murray’s tried and true combination of Seymour Duncan® Hot Rails® bridge and neck pickups and a JB Jr.™ middle pickup, this Strat is powerful, punchy and perfect for intricate, galloping rhythm parts and soaring leads. To keep up with the rigors of global touring, Murray and Hicks landed on a combination of premium parts upgrades ranging from the addition of an AxLabs® Tone Claw Locking Spring Claw and Heavy Duty Noiseless Springs to suite of FU-Tone components (42mm Big Brass Block and Tremolo Stopper, Titanium String Lock Screws, Saddle Mounting Screws, Nut Clamp Screws, Lock Nut Blocks, Saddle Inserts and Bridge Posts). After road-testing this latest incarnation of his favorite Fender, it’s easy to see why the Limited Edition Masterbuilt Dave Murray Stratocaster® is his new #1. Other premium features include Dave Murray signature neckplate, vintage-style tuners, Fender Custom Shop strap and certificate of authenticity.

Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Janick Gers Stratocaster

As Iron Maiden celebrate their landmark 50th Anniversary, they remain one of heavy metal’s most influential and enduring forces. Defined by galloping bass lines, multi-guitar harmonies, operatic vocals and the ever-evolving presence of their iconic figurehead “Eddie,” the band’s unmistakable sound has inspired generations of fans around the world. With 17 studio albums and more than 100 million records sold, their legacy continues to shape the evolution of metal five decades on.

($1,699.99 USD, £1,449 GBP, €1,749 EUR, $2399 AUD, ¥220,000 JPY) Janick Gers joined Iron Maiden in 1990, bringing his explosive energy and dynamic playing style to the band’s distinctive multi-guitar attack. Known for his energetic stage presence—featuring dramatic spins and guitar-flinging showmanship—Gers has contributed technical precision and melodic sensibilities to Iron Maiden’s sound for over three decades. The 50th Anniversary Iron Maiden Janick Gers Stratocaster comes in a classic Black finish and includes a 7.25” radius rosewood fingerboard with vintage tall frets and Seymour Duncan® JB Jr.™ neck and bridge pickups. Other features include a Fender® Vintage-style Synchronized Tremolo with bent steel saddles, 50th Anniversary neck plate and Gers’ signature on the back of the headstock. Offered in Rosewood Fingerboard, Black finish. Fender.com online exclusive guitar.

Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Dave Murray Stratocaster

($1,799.99 USD, £1,499 GBP, €1,799 EUR, $2,999 AUD, ¥291,500 JPY) Dave Murray’s iconic Stratocaster models have part-shaped the band’s distinctive multi-guitar attack for decades. Combining the best features of Dave’s favorite Fender guitars – three Seymour Duncan® pickups, compound-radius fingerboard and a Floyd Rose® R2 double-locking tremolo – the 50th Anniversary Iron Maiden Dave Murray Stratocaster delivers legendary tone, superb feel and an iconic look that has been center stage throughout the band’s historic career. Offered in Rosewood Fingerboard, Black finish.

Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Steve Harris Precision Bass

($1,699.99 USD, £1,699 GBP, €1,999 EUR, $2,799 AUD, ¥275,000 JPY) Steve Harris’ dynamic basslines have made him one of the most influential metal bassists alive. Harris has stayed true to his battle-hardened Fender® Precision Bass® over the years, and his new 50th Anniversary signature model now comes in an elegant Satin Black finish with an all-maple neck and body with complementing mirrored pickguard. Other ironclad features include a powerful Precision split P Bass® pickup, Fender® Vintage Precision Bridge, Fender® round-wound strings and Harris’ signature on the back of the headstock. A set of Rotosound® Steve Harris Signature flat-wound strings are included in the gig bag. Available in Maple Fingerboard, Satin Black finish.

50th Anniversary Adrian Smith Jackson SC1 

Adrian Smith’s guitar legacy spans Iron Maiden’s most defining eras, from the band’s breakthrough albums in the 1980s through decades of global touring that have anchored their place in metal history. As the architect behind some of metal's most memorable solos and a master of the band's signature multi-guitar harmonies, Smith's deep understanding of tone and performance drives every aspect of this instrument's design. For this 50th Anniversary tribute, Adrian personally selected his favorite guitar elements from Jackson's extensive lineup, creating an instrument that embodies the tonal versatility and performance reliability he demands both in the studio and on stage.

($1,799.99 USD, £1,499 GBP, €1,799 EUR, $2,999 AUD, ¥264,000 JPY) Adrian Smith’s iconic SC1 has shaped the band’s distinctive multi-guitar attack for decades. Combining the best features of Adrian’s favorite Jackson guitars – DP 100 DiMarzio® and Fender®’s Noiseless™Sumerian Cobalt pickups, 12-16” compound-radius fingerboard and a top mounted Floyd Rose® double-locking tremolo – the 50th Anniversary Iron Maiden Adrian Smith Jackson SC1 delivers legendary tone, superb feel and an iconic look that has been center stage (or stage right!) throughout the band’s historic career.

The Autumn Defense was in the zone. They had permanent smiles on their faces all night as they played on a chilly October evening at the Barns at Wolftrap, just outside Washington, D.C. It didn’t hurt that the venue’s PA, in the house and onstage, sounded terrific. However, what may have been more critical was the fact that, for Pat Sansone, John Stirratt, and their rhythm section, comprising Jim Haggerty on bass and Greg Wieczorek on drums and vocals, the band was playing music from their first new record in 11 years. Their joy was palpable, and the crowd soaked it up.

Stirratt and Sansone may be best known for their contributions to Wilco. John Stirratt is the group’s founding bass player and the only musician in the lineup to stood alongside Jeff Tweedy throughout the band's entire history. Pat Sansone joined Wilco in 2004 as a multi-instrumentalist, but he’s most fun to watch and listen to when he straps on an electric guitar. Sansone strikes rock poses, swirling around the stage like a fencer, his guitar slicing through the air like a riposting foil as he solos. These moves aren’t an affect. Legendary music producer Bob Johnston once chuckled as he said of Bob Dylan: “He can’t help what he’s doing. He’s got the Holy Spirit about him; you can look at him and tell that!” That’s Sansone with a Telecaster slung over his shoulder.

“I was affected by the proximity of cool guitars right in my house.” —John Stirratt

Few recall that Autumn Defense actually predates Sansone’s arrival in Wilco. They debuted this duet project in 2000 (Stirratt’s first name for the band was April Defense, but Sansone redirected). Their latest record, Here and Nowhere, is the band’s seventh.

From the Byrds to the Beach Boys, Stirratt and Sansone have long drawn on Southern California pop as a reference point. At Wolftrap, they encored with Love’s “A House Is Not a Motel,” from their 1967 album, Forever Changes. It may be surprising, then, that these two men actually hail from deep inside what music journalist James L. Dickerson coined the Mojo Triangle: a swath of the Deep South that birthed nearly every form of American music, including blues, jazz, country, gospel, and rock ’n’ roll. These invisible boundaries —from Nashville to Memphis, down into Mississippi, over to New Orleans, then northeast up to Muscle Shoals, Alabama —form the cradle of the country’s entire musical heritage. Pat is from Meridian, Mississippi, and John was born and raised in New Orleans. As I learned when I hopped onto Zoom for a ninety-minute chat with them, they were both steeped in musical families.

Stirratt’s parents played music together around the Crescent City until they started raising children. Throughout Stirratt’s life, his father was a banjo player who gigged in Dixieland-style bands across New Orleans. “As a seven- or eight-year-old, I remember crawling around in my parents’ closet with my twin sister,” Stirratt recalls, “and they had amazing guitars in there, like an old Kay from the ’40s and a Gibson LG-0 from the late ’50s. I can still recall opening the cases and that musty smell drifting out of them. There was definitely a moment of discovery there that turned into an obsession for us. So, I was affected by the proximity of cool guitars right in my house.”

Stirratt and his sister, he continues, “started playing in bands very early, in junior high school. My mom stopped playing out at some point, shortly after we were born, but our dad played his whole life, up until the week he died. Our whole lives, there was music everywhere. My dad had big fake books filled with Dixieland jazz tunes, and our mother was deep into country music. I recall a lot of Emmylou Harris playing in our house—mid-period, like Roses in the Snow. That was like a primer for me for country music. Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton were on that record, and Willie Nelson, too.”

“As a teenager in the 1980s in Meridian, in my head, I was really living in London in 1967.” —Pat Sansone

Up in Meridian, Mississippi, just west of the Alabama border and 200 miles from Stirratt, Sansone was raised in a Mojo Triangle family simmering in a cauldron of music. “Show business and performance were just central to my family's life,” he says. “Meridian is the home of Peavey Electronics and Jimmie Rodgers,” he remembers. “My mother had a great voice. When she was pregnant with me, she was doing some singing on demos for some of the studios in Muscle Shoals, and she also sang jazz. My grandmother had an incredible voice and a great ear; she could sit down and play anything after hearing it once. She was a regular on several radio shows doing Western swing and pop songs. And my dad was a concert promoter in town. One of our close family friends was Chris Etheridge, who played with the Flying Burrito Brothers and Willie Nelson.”

He continues, “I suppose every city has music in it, but Meridian had a real musical spirit about it, and I grew up in a unique situation where music and performance were celebrated. I never really questioned it; it was a normal way of life. But to really see it, I had to leave and come back. Because as a teenager in the 1980s in Meridian, in my head, I was really living in London in 1967. That was my dream world.” Sansone laughs. “The irony of that is in my career as a professional musician, I’ve met some British rockers from the ’60s who were dreaming that they were from Mississippi.

Sansone continues reflecting: “As a young kid, as soon as I could walk, I was in the Temple Theater with my dad while he was working. So it seeped inside of me from the very beginning. I have memories of standing in the wings as a child watching Ray Charles rehearse his band, and moments like Jerry Reed and Carl Perkins trading licks at a soundcheck. I do remember the first time I ever put a Stratocaster around my neck. I was onstage as Helen Reddy was getting ready to play, and her guitar player could see that I was eyeing his Fender. He was kind enough and patient enough to let me try it; I could play ‘Twist and Shout’ by that point. And when I heard and felt the power of a D chord come out of an amp, that’s a moment I’ll always remember.”

Their early days of acquiring gear were a very local affair. “My teen years were the glory days, when you could walk into a pawn shop and pick up a Marshall or a Peavey very cheaply,” Stirratt remembers. “There was no vintage market yet. My first amp was a Peavey Musician with the silver knobs; it was loud and powerful.”

Sansone concurs, “My dad took me down to Peavey in Meridian and I picked out a Peavey guitar and a Peavey Renown amp straight from the factory floor. My dad knew Hartley Peavey. When dad first started promoting shows, he had purchased one of Peavey’s first PA systems out of Hartley’s garage. Here’s the funny thing: I was such a Who freak that I recall a photograph of Townshend when he was recording Rough Mix with Ronnie Lane, and it looks like Pete is playing through a Fender tweed Bassman, but it’s actually a Peavey amp. Supposedly, one of Townshend’s main studio amps at that time was a Peavey. When I discovered that, I just about shouted with joy. I couldn’t believe it.”

“I have memories of standing in the wings as a child watching Ray Charles rehearse his band, and moments like Jerry Reed and Carl Perkins trading licks at a soundcheck.” —Pat Sansone

That passion carries over into the guitars they play. Sansone is quick to tell me that Autumn Defense doesn’t set out to make ’70s-sounding music. But they don’t shy away from it either, especially because it fits their voices and writing styles. That means old guitars, too. “We have an appreciation for the past musically and sonically,” Sansone says. “So using vintage guitars and mics has always been part of that process.”

On the road, Stirratt travels with his trusty 1967 Gibson Hummingbird. “I bought it in 1995 at Gruhn’s in Nashville the week that Wilco’s first record, AM, came out,” he tells me. “I love the sound of a Gibson. It’s been my mainstay, and since I mostly only play acoustic in this band, it fits nicely into the mix. We can sculpt it so it doesn’t have too much bottom end like a J-200 might.”

Sansone mainly uses a 20-year-old Breedlove for his acoustic work during Autumn Defense shows. “It’s based on a Martin OM that Breedlove built to my specs, and we kept it super simple. It’s a great all-purpose guitar; it just kind of does everything, perfect for fingerpicking, and it’s a great strummer. In Autumn Defense, we don’t have roadies or even a tour manager, so we have to travel light and keep our live situation pretty tight. So that’s the one [acoustic] guitar I take.”

For an electric, Sansone travels with a Bill Nash T-Style that he has owned for about 15 years, featuring a rosewood fingerboard and a sonic blue finish. “It’s based on a 1961 neck,” he says, “like a soft V shape. It feels nice and the pickups sound nice, it just does what I need it to do.”

The recording studio is where the vintage gear really matters. Stirratt didn’t want to bring any of his old guitars from his home in Maine to Tennessee, so he recorded with axes already in the Nashville studio where they laid down the tracks. “That’s the thing about Nashville,” quips Sansone, who lives in Music City. “They’re everywhere. My HVAC guy has great guitars!”

Since Sansone is a local, he brought his 1956 Gibson Country Western and a vintage Martin D-18, both of which “record wonderfully.” There’s a lot of nylon-string guitar on Here and Nowhere, and it comes courtesy of “a $150 Takamine that I bought 15 years ago,” Sansone says. “I have some other, more expensive nylon-string guitars, but I keep coming back to that Takamine. It sounds incredible.”

The musicians draw a straight line between the kind of guitars they first discovered during their childhoods and the sonic vibe they strive to capture in Autumn Defense. “Our big influences came from sitting around playing songs from Love, America, Scott Walker, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and David Crosby’s first solo album,” Sansone says. “That kind of stuff is the sonic framework that we love. It’s specific, but it’s also very broad. We want to be authentically expressive in our songwriting and our record-making.”

Stirratt jumps in, “Those records all have a shared atmosphere. And listening to that stuff, that’s generally when I’m inspired, and want to pick up an old guitar and try to write a song. I may not be actively chasing what those records are doing, but it’s where I’m going to go—into a warm atmosphere of, perhaps, potential longing or something. That’s the zone I’m looking for whenever I pick up a guitar.”

Hello, and welcome back to Mod Garage. Let’s wrap up work on the body of our Telecaster.

Usually, the string grounding connection on a Telecaster is a piece of wire that’s routed under the bridge plate to the electronics compartment, where it is soldered to ground. This is the original design from Fender’s very early days, and it’s still the method used today. I like to call it the “cowboy version.” Or, for you Trekkies, this is the version James T. Kirk would have chosen if he were into guitar-circuit soldering. But there is a “gentleman version,” that Jean-Luc Picard would have taken. So, what’s bad about the original design? There are two downsides, and therefore two good reasons for not doing it this way:

1. The spot where the bare wire meets the bridge will damage the paint on the body, which is not a real problem because you can’t see it anyway. But this is also the spot where the bridge plate will not be attached firmly to the body, which can cause unwanted feedback. (We discussed this in a previous column.)

2. You will have to run another wire to the electronics compartment and solder it to ground to properly ground the strings. This can be avoided, and we’ll come back to this when we talk about the wiring of our guitar.

Let’s remove this wire and close the hole with a toothpick and some wood glue. This is not mandatory because you can’t see the hole with the bridge plate installed but, you know ... my inner monk. Simply put some wood glue on the toothpick and push it into the hole. After some drying time, you can chop off the toothpick with a knife, a small chisel, or something similar. You can also clearly see where the bare wire damaged the paint.

A tip from the shop: Standard toothpicks are usually made out of any soft wood like birch and are not a good choice for closing holes on a guitar, especially if you need to drill into them later on. Such soft toothpicks can be stabilized by using some super glue, but the much better choice is using toothpicks made from hard bamboo. They are usually a bit thicker in diameter, and much harder compared to standard toothpicks.

All you need now is a small strip of self-adhesive copper foil. Cut it to size and stick it to the position where the wire used to be. I like to place it underneath one of the screw holes of the bridge plate, making a perfect connection; the foil is very thin and will not interfere in any way with the bridge plate.

The routing for the neck pickup is strange: It’s very big and deep, but the measurements are a bit wonky. It can host a Telecaster neck pickup as well as a Stratocaster pickup, but it isn’t big enough for a standard or mini humbucker. Sure, it would be easy to enlarge the routing, but why someone chose such measurements is a mystery to me. Larger routes are good for reducing weight, and if you want to go to the limit, this is the perfect spot to do so. Simply route away as much wood as possible at this spot—it’s covered by the pickguard so no one will see. You can also use a Forstner drill bit to remove the wood, giving it a Swiss-cheese look. If you don’t mind roughing up the finish for a rakish, outlaw look, you can reshape the body to mimic a Stratocaster’s contours—with the familiar belly cut on the back and the armrest on the front. This will result in a very comfortable and lightweight body, but the finish will be destroyed, exposing the bare wood.

When transforming the Telecaster to single-pickup Esquire specs, the routing for the neck pickup is no longer needed; we’ve talked before about how this configuration can create possible feedback problems. Acoustically, closing all unpopulated support routings with foam, Styrofoam, cotton wool, and similar fillers is a perfect method to prevent unwanted feedback without increasing the body’s weight. I decided to use some foam for this, and the process is very easy:

1. Get some cardboard and cut it a little bit larger than the routing you want to close; I usually use cat food boxes for this. I made three pieces for the routing of the bridge pickup, the neck pickup, and the support channel of the neck pickup.

2. Get some self-adhesive transparent foil and stick it over the routings.

3. Use a black Sharpie to mark the outline of the routings.

4. Peel off the foil, put it on the cardboard, and cut it to size, giving you three perfectly fitting templates.

5. Use the templates to cut the foam to size and put it into the routings. There’s no need to attach the foam; the pickguard will hold it in place.

For the bridge pickup routing, use a thinner piece of foam or foam rubber for cushioning the pickup as described in the column linked above.

We are almost done with the body. The last step is to soften the shine of the finish to give it a little bit of a vintage appearance, without damaging the body. This is a super easy task: Simply rubbing the lacquer with some 0000 steel wool and an abrasive cloth will break its high-gloss appearance. It takes time to do this evenly, but it’s worth the time and work. It will look much better afterwards, and the outcome on this test guitar was awesome. If you ever decide that you want to go back to a high-gloss finish, this process can easily be reversed by simply polishing the body until it shines again. There’s so much paint on the body that you can play this game several times without permanently damaging the finish. Here’s a comparison of the original high-gloss and the now-matte look of the body.

Now that we’ve finished work on the body, next month we’ll start to work on the hardware and electronics, with the pickguard as our first task. The good news: Our $340 budget is still untouched and left for future investments, so stay tuned.

Until then ... keep on modding!

We are all familiar with the nylon-string guitar or the Spanish guitar or the gut-string guitar or the folk guitar or the concert classical guitar. Wait, are we talking about the same instrument? Yes!

Perhaps with exception of the title “folk,” all the instruments are the same: a nylon (or gut) string, concert classical, Spanish guitar. The history of this instrument can be read about with a simple Google search, so I will not take you down that road, but for those of us of a certain age, we have seen the evolution of this guitar and its transformation, especially in the past 30 years. I love to tell clients how in the past, a player had to conform to the instrument, whereas today, the instrument has conformed to the variety of players. Offering thin bodies, cutaways, hybrids, and more, the classical guitar is anything but “classic.”

I was raised on the classical guitar. I began studying when I was five and although I never stuck with it to the point where I would consider myself even close to virtuoso, it still remains my music of choice. Much like the guitar continues to evolve, so too does Delgado Guitars. My grandfather and great uncle were able to build for some of the world’s most renowned concert performers: Andres Segovia, Celedonio Romero, Narciso Yepes, and Vicente Gomez to name a few. We also have clients in the folk, jazz, mariachi, and Americana genres.

I have taken the skills passed down to me and offer variations on this instrument. While I still love to play and build traditional concert classical guitars, I also enjoy creating modified versions of the instrument for clients who have different musical needs or expressions. One of my favorite country artists is Jon Byrd. When I listen to Jon’s music, it feels like a forgotten time we all want to return to, like something familiar that I felt, but couldn’t put into words. I know part of this is because he plays on a nylon-string guitar, like Willie Nelson. And if you think Willie’s guitar, “Trigger,” has seen some rough days, Jon’s guitar, affectionately named “Mi Amiga de Cuernavaca,” was actually run over and put back together again. You can see some photos of the instrument here.

“Offering thin bodies, cutaways, hybrids, and more, the classical guitar is anything but ‘classic.’”

Another of my favorite artists was Charlie Byrd (I seem to like the name Byrd), who was a jazz guitarist. In 1954, he spent time studying under Andres Segovia in Italy. I love his style of jazz and bossa nova, and I hear the classical influence in his playing. He has some great albums and collaborations with other players. “The Great Guitars” was a supergroup formed in 1973 by jazz guitarists Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis, and Barney Kessel. Give it a listen and you will hear the style of each player and how they complement one another. While my heart is and will always be with the classical guitar and the traditional music of the greats of the past, I also love these hybrid styles that have been created. I have seen it most of my life with artists who purchase our traditional instruments and use them in a non-traditional way. You may be surprised when you learn some of the great hits you grew up on had an odd instrument that snuck in there—one that had no place being there were it not for the creative musicality of some amazing artists with an ear for something different.

We owe so much to the Spanish guitar that found its way to us via the lute of Mesopotamia 3100 B.C., now modern day Iraq, Kuwait, and parts of Syria, Turkey, and Iran. Just as the lute still remains, it evolved when it arrived in Spain and we see how the Spanish guitar endures and evolves. Even the Hawaiian steel guitar is rooted in the Spanish guitar and its introduction by Europeans and Mexican vaqueros (cowboys), which led to the steel-string guitar. All this to say that as long as artists have breath in their lungs, they will continue to find new ways to express themselves with the stringed inspirations they use when words cannot say what needs to be shared.

From a luthier’s vantage point, I continue to be inspired to create both traditional and hybrid instruments for the simple reason of wanting to hear more musical styles and offerings. To have had the blessing of creating instruments for over four decades and still be enjoying new music (and an occasional surprise of styles) is something I am grateful for and encouraged by. So please, continue your ingenuity or creativity or cleverness or artistry or genius. Wait, am I talking about the same thing? Yes!

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