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This headless Space G6TR from Cort launched ahead of NAMM has got the prog lovers on the Guitar.com team salivating
Cort Guitars has released a new headless model, the Space G6TR, which it created with playability and tonal flexibility in mind.
The new model is lightweight, offers “confident tuning control”, and unlike the majority of headless guitars, its electronics are centred around a HSS configuration designed for a wider range of playing styles.
Headless guitars are a prominent focus of attention right now, with Ibanez unveiling its brand-new headless Alpha series earlier this month. Cort’s Space G6TR joins a number of other headless models in its catalogue, but is catered for more ease of use and versatility.
It has an okoume body topped with a flamed maple veneer, and has a bolt-on, five-piece roasted maple and walnut neck paired with an ergonomic Ergo V neck profile, measuring 21 mm at the first fret and 23 mm at the twelfth fret.
A 25.5-inch scale length offers familiar tension and response, while its roasted maple fingerboard with a 12–15.75-inch compound radius supports fast playing. The guitar also hosts a PPS nut measuring 42 mm (1 21/32”) in width, a matte neck finish, and is available in Semi-Gloss Lava and Semi-Gloss Lagoon finishes.
The Cort Voiced Tone VTS63 and VTH77 pickup set works with a five-way selector for switching between smooth cleans and powerful leads. Helping to keep things single is also a single volume and single tone layout, and its headless tuning hardware and custom headless tremolo system help to retain tuning stability under aggressive playing, so you can bend and dive as you please.
The Space G6TR is available now for $879.99 USD. You can find out more by stopping by at NAMM Booth #6810, or visiting Cort Guitars online.
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Struggling to nail Metallica’s punishing riffing? Don’t worry, even James Hetfield admits he finds it tricky at times
If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated when trying to learn a Metallica riff, don’t beat yourself up. James Hetfield has shared that there are two of their own songs he still gets nervous to play, and that each member has their own list of songs they find most tricky.
Metallica are often honest about not always getting things perfect, especially when they’re out playing live and juggling differing setlists. Their colossal M72 world tour, which will resume in May this year, often sees them play two nights with two individual set lists in each city they attend.
Hetfield tells The Metallica Report (via Ultimate Guitar), “We all have our own certain songs that are a little difficult. Moth Into Flame, Master of Puppets, those are two that are, ‘Wow, those are a little difficult.’ I’m sure Lars [Ulrich, drummer] has his list; we all have our list. But we push through, and we help each other with it,” he explains.
On a previous appearance on the same podcast, Hetfield was also open and honest about how they accept and handle any mistakes they make while on the road. “It’s not a mistake, really,” he said. “That word is kind of ridiculous. It’s just a unique way of playing it that night. Everyone gets to enjoy whatever happens right then.
“Frankly, I think it’s a challenge when a song falls apart. It could be devastating to other bands, for us it’s just, ‘Okay, we fucked up! Let’s start it again! Let’s take it from here!’”
Mistakes or no mistakes, even Dave Mustaine, who famously has a fraught relationship with the band, has complimented Hetfield on his playing a number of times over recent years. As a final hurrah before they retire this year, Megadeth released their own cover of Metallica’s Ride The Lightning, and upon confirming the track, Mustaine said he wanted to do it out of respect.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, he called Hetfield a “fucking powerhouse” and said he’d “always respected him” as a player: “I wanted to do something to close the circle on my career right now, since it started off with [Mustaine’s band before Metallica] Panic and several of the songs that ended up in the Metallica repertoire, I wanted to do something that I felt would be a good song,” he said.
To find out where you can catch Metallica on tour, head to their official website.
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Bourgeois Guitars’ limited-edition Luke Bryan signature line is made with Black Walnut hand-selected from his own farm
Bourgeois Guitars has teamed up with country artist Luke Bryan to release two new limited-edition models, including an ultra-limited version made with Black Walnut selected from Bryan’s own farm land.
There are just 30 Luke Bryan Signature Limited Edition models available worldwide, and just 100 of the more affordable (but still high-end) Luke Bryan Touchstone Edition – this version is inspired directly by the Lewiston-built original and is crafted with specially selected tonewoods.
The origins of this collaboration goes back quite a while ago, as Bryan reached out to Dana Bourgeois (the founder and master luthier behind the guitar brand) more than a decade ago. You may be wondering what took them so long to get to this point, but the long process was intentional.
Credit: Bourgeois Guitars
The journey of making this model was a long labour of love. Work began when Bryan invited Bourgeois to his Tennessee property, Flint Rock Farm, where a ridge above the land is lined with mature Eastern Black Walnut. The pair started tagging trees across the ridge, and later selected choice boards at the sawmill where Bryan’s timber was being processed. Those boards were then cured in Bourgeois’ workshop for a whole decade.
All 30 of the Luke Bryan Signature Limited Edition models have been numbered and signed by Bryan himself. This guitar is a short-scale Slope Shoulder Dreadnought handcrafted by Bourgeois in Lewiston, Maine. Each guitar is a one-of-a-kind, and is of course, built from the specially selected Eastern Black Walnut harvested from the farm all those years ago.
Credit: Bourgeois Guitars
A torrefied Maine Adirondack spruce top complements the walnut back and sides, and the fingerboard features a custom mother-of-pearl antler inlay. A matching Flint Rock Farm emblem is featured on the headstock, in honour of the early origins of this collaboration.
The Luke Bryan Signature Limited Edition model is available now for $8,999, with the Luke Bryan Touchstone Edition coming in at $3,879. Find out more over at Bourgeois Guitars.
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“Designed to go hard”: Orange unveils new vintage-inspired single-channel OR60 amp head
Orange Amps has unveiled a new vintage-inspired single channel amp head, hailed as the “most versatile” it has ever built.
The OR60 is a UK-built, all-valve 60 watt guitar amp head that is voiced to “take boosts beautifully” and is “designed to go hard”, according to Orange itself. Made with premium components, it’s driven by a pair of 6L6 power valves providing headroom and depth. It’s available to pre-order now directly from Orange, with shipping due to commence in spring.
Earning this amp Orange’s ‘most versatile’ status is its ability to tweak its controls and sculpt your own tone for whatever genre you’re looking to tackle. Firstly, the head offers a second footswitchable volume control that provides solo cut-through or rhythm / lead switching without touching the gain, leaving the core tone consistent. A switchable 460V / 335V (60W / 30W) output also allows you to push the amp harder at lower volumes.
Further controls for Presence and Resonance offer customisable fine tuning, allowing players to shape the high and low-end power amp stage to suit any cab or room. There’s also a three position Bright switch, allowing you to sculpt the amp’s top-end voicing without affecting the overall gain character. When engaged, it lifts the treble response to deliver extra clarity and presence. When switched off, the tone becomes warmer and rounder.
Orange Amps’ OR30 amp head was included in our round up of the best tube amps last year, and was specifically selected as our top choice for the loudest tube head. Guitar.com’s Josh Gardner did the testing for this amp and said it “nearly shook my windows out of their frames” – don’t be fooled by its 30 watt power rating.
The Orange OR60 amp head is available to pre-order now for £2,099.00. Find out more over at Orange Amps.
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Squier Sonic and Mini models get a 2026 refresh – bringing you new colours, new configurations, at the same beginner-friendly prices
Squier has announced a broad refresh of its Sonic Series for 2026, doubling down on what the lines does best: accessible, no-nonsense Fender designs at beginner-friendly prices – and with a few new colourways and configurations thrown in for good measure.
Alongside updates to its full-size Sonic guitars and basses, the brand is also expanding its range of compact instruments with refreshed Mini Stratocaster and Mini Precision Bass models.
The Mini Stratocaster and Mini Precision Bass return with the same formula that’s made them popular entry-level choices: lightweight bodies, maple necks with comfortable “C” profiles, and straightforward hardware.
Credit: Fender
Firstly, the Mini Strat keeps things classic with three single-coil pickups, five-way switching, and a hardtail bridge. 2026 brings new colour options, including California Blue and Sea Foam Green with maple fingerboards, alongside crowd-pleasers like Black, Shell Pink, and Torino Red with laurel ‘boards.
The Mini Precision Bass scales the full-size P Bass down to a 28.6” short scale, pairing a single Squier split-coil pickup with simple volume and tone controls. New for this year is a 2-Colour Sunburst with laurel fingerboard, joining Black and Dakota Red. Prices remain very reasonable, with the Mini Strat at $199.99/£179.99 and the Mini P Bass at $209.99/£189.99.
Elsewhere, the Sonic Series continues to expand into a broad family of Fender silhouettes, all sharing slim “C”-shaped maple necks and lightweight poplar bodies.
The Sonic Stratocaster is offered in several configurations: the classic SSS with tremolo, the hardtail Strat HT for extra tuning stability, and HSS or single-humbucker HT H models for more bridge output. Fresh finishes like Sea Foam Green with maple fingerboard and white pickguard bring a modern twist to the familiar Strat formula. At $249.99/£189.99 across the range, the value is hard to beat.
Credit: Fender
Similarly, the Sonic Telecaster sticks to Leo Fender’s original recipe – featuring dual single-coils, a six-saddle hardtail bridge, and that unmistakable slab-body feel – while adding new colour options like Canary Yellow to the mix. Meanwhile, the Sonic Esquire H pares things back to a single bridge humbucker, offering a minimalist take on Fender’s earliest solid-body guitar in finishes such as Olive, Ultraviolet, and Arctic White.
Offset fans aren’t left out either. The Sonic Mustang returns with its compact 24” scale length, available with dual single-coils or a pair of humbuckers (HH) for players who want more punch. Finish options include Daphne Blue, 2-Colour Sunburst, Torino Red and Flash Pink, while the HH version comes in Black, California Blue, and Flash Pink.
Credit: Fender
On the bass side, the Sonic Precision Bass keeps the classic P Bass layout: a single split-coil pickup, four-saddle hardtail bridge, volume and tone controls, and a 34” scale. Priced at $269.99/£209.99, the bass is available in Black, 2-Colour Sunburst, California Blue and the new Midnight Blue.
Rounding out the 2026 updates is the Sonic Bronco Bass ($259.99/£209.99), a short-scale (30”) option that sits neatly between the Mini P Bass and full-size Precision. Lightweight, simple, and now available in Daphne Blue, it’s an ideal choice for beginners or players moving up from mini instruments.
The instruments will be available from July. View the full collection at Fender.
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“Ed was very much a purist”: Why Eddie Van Halen didn’t re-do technical mistakes on Eruption
In the age of AI and overproduction, leaving a few mistakes in your music is becoming a sign of rebellion that declares a real human was behind its creation. Eddie Van Halen was doing it long ago, even when others around him suggested he should fix any blips.
Van Halen drummer (and Eddie’s brother) Alex has been looking back on how the guitar prodigy would ask for his errors to be left as they were, even when the band were working on their mega-hit Eruption. At the time, engineer Donn Landee wanted Eddie to re-do some of his guitar parts — a suggestion he refused.
In an interview with Modern Drummer Official, Alex explains [via Ultimate Guitar], “There are times when we cringe. We go, ‘Man, we could have fixed that.’ And we should have fixed it. But Ed was very much a purist, if you will.
“Like on Eruption, he made a couple technical mistakes, and Donn wanted to fix it. And Ed goes ‘No, no, leave it,’ which I thought was brilliant, because you never relived that moment. And there were other moments on those records.”
And it seems Eddie wasn’t the only one who was happy to leave a few mishaps in their music: “I’m gonna quote something from Dave [David Lee Roth], which is he called it a ‘wabi sabi’ or something,” Alex continues. “It means the imperfections are what make it what it is. And so we left all the imperfections on the records.”
Eddie might be best known for his soloing, having paved the way for tap and shred culture, but his son Wolfgang Van Halen thinks there are other aspects to his father’s musicianship that were often overlooked.
During an appearance on The Cody Tucker Show, Wolfgang said: “I think everybody looks at him as Mr. Tap and he’s Mr. Shred, but I think that’s just like a flavour to what he did.
“I think it’s the fact that he was such a good songwriter and rhythm guitar player which allowed him to be the shredder guy on top of it. ‘Cause there are plenty of people who are just great shredders and they’re just running through scales and stuff, and that’s not as interesting.”
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Joe Duplantier’s first ESP signature guitar, the JD-1, makes it debut ahead of NAMM 2026
ESP has unveiled Joe Duplantier’s first signature guitar, more than a year after announcing the Gojira frontman as a signature artist.
Dubbed the JD-1, the single-pickup LTD offset follows the mysterious custom guitar Duplantier wielded during the band’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony. The model also marks the guitarist’s first official signature release with ESP, following years as a Charvel signature artist.
Described as a “uniquely modified take on the offset XJ shape”, the JD-1 is built with speed, comfort and precision firmly in mind.
It features a mahogany body paired with a thin U-shaped three-piece roasted maple neck, topped with a Macassar ebony fingerboard with pearloid block inlays and 22 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets. The offset body boasts deeply ergonomic contours, reinforced by bolt-on construction at a 25.5” scale for a clean, unobtrusive heel and a lightning-quick response.
Credit: ESP
Electronics are noticeably stripped back as well. The guitar is powered by a single DiMarzio JD Fortitude passive humbucker (Duplantier’s signature pickup) and is equipped with a Hipshot Tone-a-Matic bridge and tailpiece, a GraphTech TUSQ nut, and LTD locking tuners.
The JD-1’s minimalistic layout extends to its controls, which are kept minimal with just a single volume knob.
Visually, the JD-1 makes a strong statement with its aggressive all-black hardware and scratchplate, coupled with a head-turning Silver Sunburst finish. Each guitar also ships with a deluxe ESP hardshell case.
The ESP LTD JD-1 will be available later this year, priced at $1,799.
Learn more at ESP Guitars.
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“Our most ergonomic body shape to date”: Eastman unveils the FullerTone Offset, its most player-centric electric yet
Eastman has expanded its FullerTone electric guitar lineup with the launch of the new FullerTone Offset, a solid-body model designed with playability, comfort and modern ergonomics in mind.
The new model completes the FullerTone family alongside the existing Single Cut and Double Cut, bringing all three of master luthier Otto D’Ambrosio’s signature body shapes into one unified series.
Positioned as Eastman’s most player-centric electric to date, the FullerTone Offset pairs a newly developed offset body with updated hardware, electronics and the company’s proprietary two-bolt neck system – giving it a “player-first design with just the right amount of edge”.
The Offset’s sleek, curvaceous silhouette is also described as the most ergonomic body shape Eastman has produced to date. Developed in close collaboration with guitarist and YouTuber Paul Davids, the design draws directly from real-world playing experience, prioritising balance, comfort and extended playability. Sleek, sculpted contours and a beveled back allow the guitar to sit naturally against the body whether standing or seated, helping to reduce fatigue during longer sessions.
Credit: Eastman
“It was a sheer pleasure working with Paul Davids to gain his player’s perspective on the Offset,” says Eastman’s Director of Fretted Instruments, Pepijn ’t Hart. “While every player has different preferences, his insights and direction helped us create our most ergonomic body shape to date.”
As with the DC and SC models, the Offset features Eastman’s proprietary two-bolt neck design. The long-tenon construction increases neck-to-body contact to enhance resonance and sustain, while allowing precise adjustment. A smooth, unobstructed heel further improves upper-fret access, contributing to a stable and responsive playing feel.
Spec-wise, the FullerTone Offset sports a roasted black limba body, a roasted maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard, alongside a 12” fingerboard radius, 25.5” scale length and a silver anodised aluminium pickguard.
Electronics come courtesy of Tonerider soapbar-sized humbuckers with goldfoil covers, chosen for their warmth, clarity and articulate response, while a Göldo DG tremolo handles vibrato duties, promising smooth operation and stable tuning. Controls include a three-way selector switch.
Credit: Eastman
The FullerTone Offset is available in Dakota Red and Gold finishes. “Our goal was simple: shoot for the stars and build a guitar too good to be true, too good to be put down,” says Eastman.
Priced at $999, the FullerTone Offset will be available this Spring through Eastman Authorised Dealers worldwide.
Learn more at Eastman.
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Vox AC15 Hand-Wired review – “all the things you’d hope for from a really good Vox amp”
£1,599/$1,999, voxamps.com
Aside from fellow Brit brand Marshall, there is no more iconic guitar amp manufacturer than Vox. The company that became an icon backing up the Beatles and countless artists since has the rare distinction of giving birth to a vernacular. You talk to a guitar player about “the Vox sound” and they invariably know what you’re talking about – jangly, chime-y, clear, and treble-focused – and it’s one of the staple sounds you’ll find on any modelling amp for that exact reason.
Despite this almost unparalleled heritage, the Vox brand has endured a turbulent history. It had huge success in 60s, before the company cycled through a variety of owners in the 70s and 80s, ending up as part of Japanese music giant Korg in 1992.
In the last 30 years under Korg’s stewardship, the brand has undergone a period of renewal, innovation and expansion – including the hugely popular Valvetronix modelling amps, and a bunch of hugely popular Asian-made PCB versions of its classic valve amps.
For many players, however, there is nothing quite like an AC amp made using the classic point-to-point techniques that original Vox design genius Dick Denney practised when he was building the amps that powered Lennon, Harrison, May and scores of others to rock stardom. And for that, you need to look at the Hand-Wired range.
Image: Press
Vox AC15 Hand-Wired – what is it?
The Hand-Wired series is designed to replicate the original Vox amps as precisely as possible. They’ve earned a great reputation because of this, and that’s perhaps why they don’t get updated very often: it’s been 15 years since the last refresh.
But when it does tweak things a little, the results are well worth a look and listen – and so I’m checking out the refreshed AC15 here. Why the AC15, when the AC30 is of course the most iconic and beloved of all the Vox amps?
Well, here in 2026, the opportunities for many of us to blast an AC30 as designer Denney almost certainly never intended are few and far between. The AC15 offers a nice middle-ground.
It’s not nearly as back-breakingly heavy as its bigger sibling, nor as impolite in a small gig situation, but it offers a bit more clean headroom at higher volumes than the smallest amp in the Hand-Wired range, the AC10.
So what’s new with the HW this time around? Well, Vox describes these amps as a painstaking recreation of 60s-era British chime, but with modern refinements.
The biggest difference to the previous generation of Hand-Wired amps is the cabinet – fawn tolex–adorned amp of yore, and in its place is a cabinet that’s been meticulously recreated based on its 1963 counterpart.
The changes are not just skin deep either – the 12mm birch ply cabinet is a precise recreation of the 1963 model’s dimensions, and is designed to capture the three-dimensional feel of its vintage predecessor.
You’ll also find an era-correct copper panel on top, and like previous models, the innards are all hand-wired internal, and paired with custom-wound, vintage-aping transformers. Round the back you’ll find a single 12-inch Celestion Alnico Blue speaker (a Greenback version has also just been announced) – it’s a trusty and classic combination.
As is tradition, you’ll find two channels here. The Normal channel delivers a warm, midrange-forward voice, with a Bright switch for added top-end clarity. Then you have the iconic Top Boost channel, which gives you the more aggressive, edge-of-breakup side of the amp. Both of them are now complemented by a new tube-driven spring reverb tank.
Image: Press
Vox AC15 Hand-Wired – sounds
You know what to expect when you plug a Jazzmaster into a Vox amp – or I certainly do anyway – and running into the AC15 Hand-Wired is a familiar but no less grin-inducing experience. That clean jangle that has made so many records come alive is present and correct.
Dialling in a bit of the lovely new valve-spring reverb, and we get all the things you’d hope for from a really good Vox amp. It’s three-dimensional, articulate, and rich with midrange warmth that cuts through a mix.
Switching over to the Top Boost circuit delivers an edge-of-breakup tone that’s dirty yet sonically pleasing to the ear. It offers more grit without ever sounding muddy. But how does it react to full-on drive? Plugging in a new Strymon Fairfax, I can confirm it takes it like a champ.
The response is clear, articulate, and never feels compressed or overly sharp, while the midrange emphasis strikes a great balance between highs and lows without becoming boxy or wooden-sounding.
Arguably, where the AC15 hand-wired excels most is as a pedal platform. It sounds great by itself of course, but is a perfect clean bedrock to your NASA-sized pedalboard.
Running a Deluxe Memory Man–style delay through it is an easy reminder of why the AC15 has long been an auditory staple for players like The Edge. Further experimentation with pedals like the Microcosm by Hologram Electronics or the Lost + Found by Chase Bliss shows that the Celestion Alnico Blue is no slouch when it comes to handling the low-end, near–synth-like frequencies these pedals are more than capable of producing. It never once “flubbed out” in its low-end response.
Image: Press
Vox AC15 Hand-Wired – should I buy one?
So, is the new Hand-Wired a Mega Man X-style upgrade – one that meaningfully improves on the limitations of its predecessor? It’s an invariably subjective thing, but in my mind, you can feel and hear the improvements.
The new hand-wired series represents a bold step forward, offering a faithful recreation of one of the most historically significant amplifiers in rock ’n’ roll history. It delivers the chime, it delivers the dirt, and it noticeably improves upon the shortcomings of its predecessor.
Like most remasters, this isn’t about reinventing the wheel. But for players seeking authentic Vox chime, this is one of the best options you should consider.
Image: Press
Vox AC15 Hand-Wired – alternatives
The iconic nature of the Vox sound means that there are a wealth of rather impressive boutique versions that cost a pretty penny – specifically the Matchless Nighthawk 15 ($3,191/£2,995), Dr. Z Z Wreck Combo ($2,749) , and the Morgan Amps AC20 ($1,699). If you want the vibe without the vintage-style construction, the standard Vox AC15C1 ($999/£679) will certainly get you a lot of the way there. If you want the Vox badge but don’t mind trying a modelling option, the Vox VT100X ($679.99) is another option.
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We called Positive Grid’s Spark LIVE “a radical leap forward for performers” – now it’s on sale with $110 off
Sweetwater is offering a range of deals across Positive Grid’s product line, including a generous $110 off its Spark LIVE combo amp and PA system.
The Spark LIVE is a 150-watt four-channel combo amplifier and PA System all in one. We included it in our round-up of the best amplifiers for all styles and budgets last year, highlighting it as the best choice for buskers and players on the go. We even scored it a flawless 10/10 in our original 2024 review.
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The Spark LIVE is not just a “big Spark”. It hosts Positive Grid’s Sonic IQ technology making it pack a punch, which is essentially a combination of hardware and software technologies such as dynamic range compression, vocal clarity enhancement, virtual bass augmentation and more, all driven by a computational audio chip.
Across its four channels, it covers pretty much all instrument types: Channel 1 covers guitar, Channel 2 focuses on vocals/bass/acoustic-electric guitar, and Channels 3/4 are equipped with stereo direct-ins for keyboards, computer audio, and pedalboards.
Just like the rest of Positive Grid’s Spark ecosystem, it pairs with the free Spark Companion app (available on Channels 1 and 2 with eight onboard programmable presets per channel) so you can access emulations of 33 classic amp models and 43 effects.
Find out more in the video below:
The Spark LIVE is one of many great Positive Grid deals on Sweetwater right now, where you can also grab the compact Spark GO combo amp for just $119, and the portable smart amp and PA system, Spark EDGE, now reduced to $359 (saving you $90).
Shop these deals and more now via Sweetwater.
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Mateus Asato’s highly-anticipated debut album finally gets a release date
Mateus Asato’s long-awaited debut album, ASATO, finally has a release date: 27 February, 2026.
The Brazilian-born virtuoso has enjoyed a massive social media following for years, and ASATO marks his first full-length album of original songs.
Coinciding with the announcement, Asato has shared the first single from the album, HENDRIX, an instrumental song inspired by late guitar icon Jimi Hendrix.
“Everything started after a late night thought I had in my studio while trying to make another song for my debut album: ‘If Hendrix were alive today and we were friends… around the same age… how would he write an instrumental song?!’” Asato says.
“After that, I had a song in 20 minutes. Everything simply just came out and I felt like a vessel receiving melodies from above. A unique experience.
“But this thought only happened after reading two books of his biography. Being completely inspired by it – I had no choice but honor the greatest guitar hero in history in my opinion.”
“His passion & faith through music, his sense of feeling things. One of the things that captivated me the most about his books was the story that “he’d always use his broom while cleaning his house pretending it was a guitar when a solo was being played on the radio”. Jimi was an eternal dreamer. Jimi truly believed music had supernatural powers — and that’s why his legacy shall remain.
“This song might not relate much to Hendrix’s music in technical structure, and that is not my intention here. This is just a title of gratitude to the one who changed my perspective of playing the guitar.”
ASATO is an album rooted in the musician’s quest to show instrumental music isn’t “missing something” without lyrics. “Sometimes the point of a message is its own subjectivity,” he says. “Like an abstract painting with no description.”
It also marks the moment Asato finalises his transition from a six-string sidekick – working alongside the likes of Bruno Mars, Jessie J and Silk Sonic – to a fully-fledged solo artist.
Mateus Asato recently made waves when he announced he was parting ways with longtime guitar brand and collaborator Suhr Guitars. Fans quickly began to speculate as to whether he was about to partner with another brand, but for now, he says he’s “‘single’ and happy where I am”.
ASATO arrives 27 February. Learn more at mateusasato.com.
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Harley Benton closes US Reverb store blaming “changes in economic conditions”
Thomann-owned budget gear brand Harley Benton has announced it’s closing its Reverb US online store, citing “changes in economic conditions” which have “made it increasingly difficult for us to continue operating in the US”.
The store is set to close on 31 January, 2026, with “no more products available” from 1 February. Harley Benton does say, however, that its team will remain active for warranty, repairs and customer support”.
“This wasn’t an easy decision, and we’re truly grateful for the enthusiasm and support you’ve shown to our brand,” Harley Benton writes in a new post on social media.
It adds that until the store’s closure on 31 January, “this is your last chance to grab Harley Benton gear directly from our warehouse – discounted and without tariffs”.
“Thank you to our US community for the trust, passion, and love – you’ll still be able to order Harley Benton instruments anytime via harleybenton.com, shipped from Germany through Thomann. We still focus on our mission to provide high-quality gear at fair prices.”
Tariffs implemented by US president Donald Trump over the past year have led to an increasingly hostile economic climate for guitar brands.
Just last month, Höfner – the German maker of Paul McCartney’s legendary violin bass – blamed its recent bankruptcy filing on the effects of US tariffs.
And a report in September from financial information and analytics expert S&P Global revealed that Fender had increased prices over the first half of 2025 to offset higher costs from tariffs, “especially from China, which makes up 40% of purchases (half of which enter the US).”
Speaking in July, guitar accessories manufacturer D’Addario said it expected to incur more than $2 million in tariffs in 2025 as a result of US international trade policy.
We caught up with John Mlynczak, CEO of NAMM – which is due to kick off later this week – in July to get his views on how Trump’s tariffs are shaping (and damaging) the musical instruments industry.
“We met with high-level members of Congress just to follow up and say… American-made brands can’t make these products unless they get wood from overseas,” he said. “We don’t grow these species of wood in the United States!’”
You can check out Harley Benton’s Reverb US store until 31 January.
The post Harley Benton closes US Reverb store blaming “changes in economic conditions” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“My job is to imagine things worth existing, and then making them real as an artist”: Jacob Collier is championing a new way to play guitar
For Jacob Collier, music is its own solar system, and the possibilities are endless – because nothing you feel moved to create is right or wrong. You could write a song for a sitarist and an opera singer, or a harpsichord player and a shred guitarist. You could even write an album primarily for a unique five-string guitar, tuned to DAEAD.
As he became the internet’s favourite musical polymath – wowing the world first with his YouTube videos before embarking on a multi-Grammy-winning run of albums – there was a running joke that the 31-year-old had ‘completed music’.
Jacob Collier on the Guitar.com Cover. Image: Paige Margulies for Guitar.com
Indeed, the former Royal Academy of Music jazz piano student is capable of commanding an entire orchestra in real time – which is why his latest turn, to a new musical era that focuses on his voice and acoustic guitar, is so striking.
Pivoting to being a guitar guy is something that Collier has been thinking about since he started teaching himself to play in 2016, but it’s not a venture he felt prepared for until this moment. For starters, he’s had to develop a unique five-string guitar to realise his vision for the instrument. It doesn’t matter how an instrument should be played, Collier reckons. That’s why he’d choose five strings and an unconventional tuning over six any day.
“I learned a lot about guitar playing when I had to record takes in full… that was such a refreshing challenge”
“The guitar is such an important part of my musical vocab book,” he explains during some downtime on the final leg of his world-spanning Djesse Vol. 4 tour. The thing that clearly excites him most at the moment however, is his latest album, The Light For Days.
A huge sonic departure for Collier, the 36-minute album conveys the delicate beauty of his DAEAD-tuned five-string acoustic guitars and his rich, caramel vocals. The virtuosity and remarkable gift for harmony is present and correct, of course, but presented in a way that leaves him no hiding place as a musician.
“I learned a lot about guitar playing when I had to record takes in full,” he admits. “Because I didn’t lean on any studio-based techniques to get away with not playing real stuff. It’s all me playing, and that was such a refreshing challenge.”
Image: Paige Margulies for Guitar.com
At The Crossroads
Guitar has steadily crept into Collier’s musical output as he grew more comfortable with the instrument, but a tipping point came in 2024. Collier worked with Swedish ergonomic guitar innovator Strandberg to develop his own signature guitar – the first glimpse of his unique five-string vision for the instrument.
The guitar would feature prominently on Djesse Vol. 4’s boisterous track WELLLL, which was the final push launching him into this guitar-centric chapter.
“Spending time and attention with one instrument always tends to benefit,” he admits now. “When I played guitar nonstop for four days, it made me notice where my comfort areas are. I was trying some palm-muting things out for the first time and some different kinds of hammer-on effects, and even playing with some harmonics and thinking patterns. It was fun to be inventive.”
“I’d figured out stuff in my head that was only real once it was in my hand. I’d found this language”
Alongside the album, Collier also debuted a trio of new signature guitars with another forward-thinking guitar brand, Taylor. Again, the vision with these new guitars wasn’t to make something that had traditional mass-market appeal – even if two of the models have accessible price points.
All three guitars feature the same five-string layout, and are designed for that same unconventional tuning. There are other flourishes that set them apart from the norm. Collier’s interpretation of the popular GS Mini features a typically bold geometric soundhole rosette, while his Academy 22e model featured an eye-catching smoked eucalyptus bridge and fretboard that Collier quips is “really quite profound”.
But it’s unlikely to be the visuals of these instruments that cause guitarists to double-take – it’s that conspicuous absence of a sixth string. “If I hand a five-string guitar to people who are very familiar with playing six-string guitars, they’re delighted by the challenge,” Collier grins.
Image: Paige Margulies for Guitar.com
Take Five
“Challenge” might be an understatement since Collier’s playing style – which often sounds like a fluttering collection of notes in constant glissando – is equal parts Andy McKee and Tim Henson. But he’s keen to stress that the virtuosity he displays on tracks like Heaven is just one interpretation of the five-string concept.
“It’s like this strange hybrid of languages,” he continues. “It’s half-tuned like a mandolin or a bouzouki or a cello, in fifths, and it’s half-tuned in fourths, which is more like a bass guitar or a ukulele. It’s cool to see different people play it in their own ways.
“I remember handing one to Julian Lage, who’s one of the world’s greatest guitar players, and he had a really interesting approach. But then Chris Thile, one of Earth’s greatest mandolin players, had a completely different way of playing it.
“It’s an interesting kind of beast and it has refreshed me with a different perspective. It’s so easy to pick up and make it sound good – the shapes are straightforward and you can be really adventurous with that. It’s just a great place to start.”
“I’m a huge advocate for scrappiness in music”
The origin of this unique approach can be traced back to his initial forays into the guitar, which date back far before his recent infatuation, and it might surprise you to learn that it’s not as simple as wanting a guitar with one fewer string.
“I grew up playing tenor guitars,” he explains, referring to the once-popular four-string student models developed in the 1930s. “But I always had this wish to add another string. The five-string was initially an augmentation of a four, rather than a diminution of six.
“I mentioned the idea to my good friend Andy Powers, who’s Taylor Guitars’ master builder, and he built me this prototype. It was so mind blowing and exciting for me because I’d figured out stuff in my head that was only real once it was in my hand. I’d found this language, and it was really satisfying to see that language come to life on an instrument.”
Image: Paige Margulies for Guitar.com
Friends Indeed
Given that Collier has, at times, been described as the “Mozart of Gen Z” – and whose understanding of pitch and harmony is so unique and remarkable that legends like Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones decided to mentor him when he was still a teenager – it’s perhaps not surprising that he’s developed his own unique approach to playing guitar.
But Collier stands firm in the opinion that anyone can reach these lofty heights.
“Anybody in the world who has ever played an instrument to a high level has started on day one, just like everybody else,” he says. “It’s a levelling thought, that everyone starts equal. I really believe to my core that there are intuitions about life that exist in music as a parallel situation.
“Music is much more inherent than people think,” he continues, “and a lot of people are intimidated or even put off when they start out as a musician. They might have one of those teachers who tells them they have to play the right notes or that they’re doing it wrong.
“I’m not interested in people imitating me. I would much rather people be themselves”
“But look at me with my five-string guitar – it’s about having a sense that anything is possible. My job is to imagine things worth existing, and then making them real as an artist. That’s my duty.”
Perhaps not so surprisingly, this inclusive mindset has gained Collier his own burgeoning fanbase who are unabashed about their deep connection to the musician. When we ask him about a video posted to Instagram in which a wonderstruck fan turned 100 at one of his shows, he smiles wide in recognition.
“Oh, you mean Nancy?” he asks. “Yeah, she’s become a really close family friend now and she knows my mum. But I think of my whole audience as my friends. Many of us have grown up together and the thing I’m proud to have created more than anything is community.
“This space of Jacobean people – it’s such a diverse group. I’m such a non-believer in monoculture where everyone comes to a gig dressed up in the same way and everyone wears the same hat and the same outfit. I’m not interested in people imitating me. I would much rather people be themselves.”
Image: Paige Margulies for Guitar.com
Risky Business
This constant theme of originality in Collier’s artistry has lately earned him his 16th Grammy nomination for Keep an Eye on Summer, a track on The Light for Days. It’s a nod to the impact this new acoustic, five-string guitar era has had on the industry.
He’s already the first Brit to win a Grammy for each of his first five albums. It shows that taking a risk and playing an instrument your own way pays off.
“What’s interesting about the Grammys is that they’re voted on by musicians,” he says. “You have to have made music or have a credit on a published piece of music to be eligible to vote in the Grammys. Every system is very biased, but I feel so proud and so lucky to have been recognised by those particular peers.”
Collier is also the only person to be nominated twice without his records ever charting. “That’s something I’m very proud of,” he says. “I think there’s such a change in the air, and it makes me so excited about all the artists who are coming up who don’t have commercial success.
Image: Paige Margulies for Guitar.com
“I totally respect people who are suspicious [of the Grammys],” Collier adds quickly with a smile. “There’s no measuring stick for music and you can’t objectively say what the best is. That’s not real. Obviously the whole thing is made up. But I think there are real people involved who take music seriously.”
Arguably, no one takes music more seriously than Jacob Collier. As he says time and time again, there’s no such thing as the right way to play something, and he’ll continue championing this mindset for the rest of his career.
“I’m a huge advocate for scrappiness in music,” he says, “and I’m an advocate for five-string guitars. I’m grateful to celebrate their existence in the wild.”
Words: Sophie McVinnie
Photography: Paige Margulies
Styling: Morgan Grimes
Glam: Yuval Ozery
The post “My job is to imagine things worth existing, and then making them real as an artist”: Jacob Collier is championing a new way to play guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Boss makes a splash ahead of NAMM with new GX-1 and GX-1B multi-effects units, plus a new busker-friendly Roland Cube Street amp
NAMM is nearly here, and Boss is already debuting a range of exciting new gear to make the occasion. Not only has the brand unveiled a pair of new additions, the GX-1 and GX-1B, to its staple GX multi-effects series, but Roland, Boss’s parent company has also announced the new Cube Street Mini, a new addition to its busker-friendly Cube Street line.
If you’re heading to this year’s NAMM, you can trial out the new gear at California’s Anaheim Convention Center – just visit Boss in Room 202, Level 2.
Boss GX-1 and GX-1B Multi-Effects Processors
Credit: Boss
Boss’s new GX models are designed to suit any calibre of player, whether you’re looking for a great entry-level processor or a new addition to an advanced set up. The GX-1 is designed for guitarists and the GX-1B is designed for bassists.
Both the GX-1 and GX-1B offer a wide variety of amps and effects which can be customised to suit your sound. And its easy to work your way through the vast selection, thanks to the clear hexagon-shaped panel buttons. You can also adjust the effect order, to make flicking through effects more intuitive to your personal preferences, with eight simultaneous blocks to utilise. Alongside that, there’s also a volume pedal and noise suppressor, to add that extra level of control – and you can also easily turn effects on/off with a single tap.
The processors has plenty of room for crafting custom setups and presets. Both come with 99 preloaded presets, while there’s also room for 99 of your own custom presets.
In terms of footswitches, both the GX-1 and GX-1B offer freely assignable footswitches, with wired and wireless options both compatible. Boss’ brand new FSC-10 Footswitch Cap is also a potential addition to your unit, designed to enhance the functionality of your pedals.
The GX-1 and GX-1B also offer Bluetooth and USB connectivity, as well as offering some ultra-travel-friendly power options (you can stick to an AC adaptor, but it can also be powered by batteries or USB).
Both the GX-1 and GX-1B are available for $229.99.
For more info, head to Boss.
Roland CUBE Street Mini Multi-Instrument Amplifier
Credit: Roland
Roland’s battery-powered Cube Street Mini shrinks down the power of the brand’s flagship Cube Street amp and transforms it into something super portable. Thanks to its size and nifty handle, it’s a great option for travelling musicians, street musicians, or for use in your own personal studios.
While its not designed for large-scale events, the Cube Street Mini is powerful for its size. It boats dual channels, plenty of built-in effects, and even an onboard tuner. The amp also supports Bluetooth, meaning you can even stream music via your smartphone without using up one of its two channels.
The main channel support inputs from guitar, microphone, and plenty of other stereo instruments. The second channel’s combo jack, on the other hand, is more suited to microphones.
With seven hours of battery life, it will also comfortably see you through the length of a full set time. And its water-resistant, just in case your on-street busking sees a heavy downpour.
The Cube Street Mini is available now for $199.99.
For more info, head to Roland.
The post Boss makes a splash ahead of NAMM with new GX-1 and GX-1B multi-effects units, plus a new busker-friendly Roland Cube Street amp appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Fender Play partners with Samsung TV to bring Fender Play to its biggest screens yet
Fender Play has come a long way since its 2017 launch; while it originally focused on beginner-friendly lessons, Fender’s learning platform now offers something for guitarists of all calibres. Last year, we awarded it 9/10 – and now, thanks to a collaboration with Samsung, you can enjoy the service in an entirely new way.
While the Fender Play experience has previously been limited to mobiles and computer browsers, it is now available on Samsung TVs, too. The new Samsung TV app allows users to access the platform’s huge library of technique guides, theory lessons and feedback modes, all on your TV.
“With video-based lessons on Samsung TVs, learning an instrument fits naturally into daily life and helps players reach goals faster,” Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics, explains.
“By bringing Fender Play to TVs for the first time, Samsung is turning the largest screen at home into a place to learn and play together,” he adds.
Alongside Fender Play’s extensive catalogue of lessons, spanning content for electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass or ukulele, the TV app allows a fresh way to experience the app’s Jam Mode.
While Jam Mode does what it says on the tin – allowing users to ‘jam’ out to their favourite tracks – the TV version of the mode feels more immersive. The move to a bigger screen essentially turns your TV “into a stage”, with a customisable background to make you really feel like a rockstar.
“We are thrilled to bring Fender Play’s immersive learning experience to Samsung TV users, helping guitar enthusiasts take their skills to the next level,” Cliff Kim, President of the Fender Play Foundation, notes.
“Our mission has always been to educate and inspire players globally, and this partnership allows music lovers to learn, practice, and play with Fender Play’s high-quality, interactive lessons directly on their Samsung TV.”
For those interested in exploring Fender Play, our 2025 review praised the app for its sheer mass of content. With its varied selection of instructors and presenters, impressive library of tracks, and helpful feedback modes, its a great whether you’re a newbie or an established guitarist wanting to fine-tune your skills.
The app is set to drop in the first half of 2026, and will be free to download. Of course, you’ll need a Fender Play subscription, which costs £19.49 a month or £144.99 annually.
This isn’t the only news coming from Fender at the moment. Elsewhere, the guitar giant has taken a dive into the DAW market, launching its own fully-fledged DAW, Fender Studio Pro. The development comes after the company took its first baby steps into DAWs with Fender Studio.
Fender Studio Pro is essentially building on the bones Studio One Pro, the DAW Fender bought in 2021. At the time, purchase hinted that Fender was interested in crafting its own advanced DAW – and it seems 2026 is the time for it.
The company has also just introduced a new CEO, Edward “Bud” Cole, who will be taking the reigns officially on 19 January.
For more information, head to Fender Play.
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NAMM 2026: what to expect from the biggest music trade show in the world
Rejoice, gearheads, for the 2026 NAMM Show is right around the corner. It’s a landmark event in the calendar for the music industry, where thousands of brands launch new products and showcase all the exciting new gear they’ve been working on.
The Guitar.com team will be packing our bags and trading grey, old England for sunny Anaheim to bring you all the biggest updates from the show as they happen, but until then, here’s a little bit of info about the NAMM Show to get you up to speed.
When and where will the NAMM Show 2026 take place?
As always, this year’s NAMM Show is being held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, a 1.8 million-square foot venue that’s just about big enough to host the hundreds of music brands across guitars, tech and beyond showcasing their latest innovations.
This year’s show will span across five days from Tuesday, 20 – Saturday 24 January, with early access to events and exhibits for NAMM members on the 20th, and the main floor opening to all visitors from Thursday the 22nd.
Which brands will be at the NAMM Show 2026?
While NAMM saw reduced footfall and presence from big brands in the years immediately following the Covid pandemic, the show feels back to its former glory, with some of the biggest players in the guitar world having a presence in one way or another.
Fender has a booth in which it’ll showcase its new Fender Studio Pro DAW – which was announced recently as a replacement to PreSonus Studio One – Gibson will have a presence alongside Epiphone, Kramer and Mesa/Boogie, (though their stall is invite-only this year and aimed at dealers only rather than the general public), and there’ll be a sizeable PRS booth, too.
Interestingly, Neural DSP has secured itself a large booth for this year’s show, which suggests something big might be coming from the amp and tone modelling giant… Nothing but a hunch at this stage, but we’ll keep you updated if we hear more.
There’s also set to be a strong turnout from the biggest brands in acoustic guitar, with both Taylor and Martin hosting booths, as well as Faith, Ibanez – showcasing its latest electric and acoustic models, naturally – and loads more.
What are organisers saying about the NAMM Show 2026?
Organisers say the 2026 NAMM show will see a “global audience” gather with “a powerful mix of retailers, distributors, corporate buyers, artists, influencers and media, educators and a range of other qualified attendees that deliver value to the 4,000-plus brands on display”.
“Each and every year, The NAMM Show delivers the most relevant and game-changing programming to help build a strong future for our music industry,” says NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak.
You can learn more about the NAMM Show 2026 at namm.org. The Guitar.com team will be on the ground in Anaheim next week bringing you all the latest action from the show floor, so stay tuned…
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“It looks like someone had a Fender Stratocaster described to them and then built their own version”: From Denmark Street to the TARDIS – Peter Capaldi reveals the story behind Doctor Who’s “junk shop” guitar
Peter Capaldi has shared the backstory behind one of Doctor Who’s most curious props: the electric guitar played by the Twelfth Doctor – and why its origins were far more deliberate (and guitar-nerdy) than fans might expect.
In a recent Instagram post, Capaldi – whose tenure as the Doctor lasted between 2014 and 2017 – recalls pitching the idea to the sci-fi show’s production team.
“I’d suggested that it might be fun if Dr Who played the electric guitar. I imagined he could plug it into the Tardis console and play very loudly and badly like a teenager,” he writes.
That search for the right instrument led Capaldi, director Daniel O’Hara and producer Derek Ritchie to Denmark Street on 17 December 2014. Often dubbed London’s Tin Pan Alley, the historic strip has long been a hub for songwriters, studios and guitar shops.
While a Telecaster initially seemed like a possible choice, Capaldi quickly ruled it out: “I had cited an old Telecaster as the most likely candidate, but they rarely come with tremolos,” he explains. “The Doctor needs a tremolo arm. And their classic shape produces a sort of ‘get me I’m a rock star’ look, which I didn’t fancy.”
Eventually, the team stumbled upon a guitar at the iconic Hanks Guitar shop that ticked all the boxes.
“It has a whammy bar, mock pearl scratch plate, and funny switches, all of which conspire to give it a junk shop aura. It is, for the guitar geeks out there, a Yamaha SVG 300 guitar,” Capaldi recalls. “I liked it because it looks like someone has had a Fender Stratocaster described to them and then gone off and built their own version. Perfect. And it had a tremolo arm. I loved it.”
The actor would go on to play the SVG 300 across seasons nine and ten of Doctor Who. Then, just as quietly as it arrived, the guitar vanished.
“I used it for two seasons of Dr Who and then, it disappeared,” says Capaldi. “I don’t know where it went. Vanished in time and space…”
The post “It looks like someone had a Fender Stratocaster described to them and then built their own version”: From Denmark Street to the TARDIS – Peter Capaldi reveals the story behind Doctor Who’s “junk shop” guitar appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Paul McCartney reveals he nearly played on a Bob Weir record before his death: “Unfortunately it never came to pass”
Paul McCartney has paid tribute to the late Grateful Dead co-founder and guitarist Bob Weir, remembering him as a “great musician who inspired many people of many generations”.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the 78-year-old musician had passed away following treatment for cancer since last year, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the music world.
McCartney was among those reflecting on Weir’s life and legacy, posting a heartfelt message on Instagram recalling the last time the two met.
“I last saw Bob when we went to the Sphere in Las Vegas to watch Dead and Co,” Macca writes. “He was very welcoming and during the interval in the show he invited us into his trailer, and it was a special moment to meet his family and friends. Bob showed me the recording set up that he had in the back of the bus so even though he was on tour he could make and record music.”
The former Beatle also reveals that the pair once came close to collaborating on new music together: “I offered to play the bass on one of the tracks he played me,” says McCartney, “but unfortunately that never came to pass.”
“His humour, friendship and musicianship inspired me and will inspire many people into the future,” McCartney continues. “Our family’s thoughts go out to Bob’s family at this time of loss, and I know they will remain as strong as he would wish them to be. God bless you Bob. See you down the road. Love Paul.”
As a founding member of the Grateful Dead, Bob Weir played a pivotal role in shaping one of the most influential and unconventional bands in rock history. Known for his distinctive rhythm guitar style and adventurous approach to harmony, Weir helped define the Dead’s eclectic sound – a fusion of rock, folk, blues, jazz and psychedelia that continues to influence generations of musicians.
The post Paul McCartney reveals he nearly played on a Bob Weir record before his death: “Unfortunately it never came to pass” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville review – “it’s an exhilarating ride but not for the fainthearted”
$1,259/£1,149, gretschguitars.com
How close should a budget copy come to the original design? Not too long ago you could rely on some sort of tell to give the game away – a slightly off headstock, obviously cheaper hardware or even a sub-brand label and logo. Less so now.
Gretsch has traditionally been happy to use the company’s name at a variety of price points, and relied on line extension to differentiate the various different strands of the family tree. Some models have, however, been reserved for the pricey stuff – until now.
Hot on the heels of the Synchromatic Falcon comes the Nashville – another entry into the Synchromatic series, which bridges the gap between the brand’s Indonesian and Korean-made Electromatics, and the Japanese Professional series.
Image: Adam Gasson
Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville – what is it?
To give it the typically over-verbose full name, the Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville Hollow Body with Bigsby is based squarely on the company’s original 6120 model. It was perhaps the most unapologetically orange guitar of the 1950s electric pantheon, and an iconic voice originally designed for Chet Atkins, subsequently seen in the hands of Duane Eddy and Brian Setzer, who also had signature versions of the design over the years.
This looks at first glance, if not like a vintage original, then very much like a Japanese-made one. We’ve got a deep orange stain finish on the all-maple body and the whole guitar is festooned with gold hardware from the Bigsby licensed B60 vibrato to the open back machine heads. There’s a pair of Hi-Fidelity Filter’Tron pickups and an Adjusto-Matic bridge with a pinned ebony base, too.
Controls-wise this is standard fare for a Gretsch with a treble bleed master volume knob, individual volumes for each pickup and a master tone. The shoulder-mounted three-way selector switcheroo feels positive and engaging. Did I mention this looks legit? The scratchplate even says Nashville on it.
There are some interesting things going on under the hood too. First we have the 24.6” scale length, which, while entirely appropriate for this model is considerably shorter than a Tele or Strat and a smidge less than you’d expect on a Les Paul or SG.
Also, while this is indeed a full-fat 2.5” depth hollow body guitar, there is some joined-up thinking going on with the inner architecture in the form of the Semi-Arc bracing – a modified take on trestle bracing with two ‘feet’ under the bridge but no need for the neck block feet seen in the traditional approach. The maple neck is carved to a soft C shape and features a genuine ebony fingerboard housing 22 frets. It feels immediately familiar and comfortable, now let’s plug in.
Image: Adam Gasson
Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville – playability and sounds
Pulling the guitar out of its included heavyweight hard case, and I’m instantly perturbed as to why the bridge is set quite as high as it has been – it’s a very quick and easy job to fettle it down to an acceptable height for comfortable playing, but still, odd.
That minor hiccup dealt with, and it’s onto the fun stuff. Few guitars respond to a straight into the amp approach like a Gretsch and I start by plugging directly into an old Cornford Hurricane with a curly lead. With all dials set at noon and the neck pickup engaged, a very convincing on-edge clean sound fills my studio.
On vintage models – often with heavy flat-wound strings – this evocative texture can easily get indistinct and woofy, but here we have much of the girth with none of the mud. Dial up the reverb and slide a tremolo in there somewhere and you are most of the way towards a very nice time indeed.
The middle position on any guitar is there for much more than funk and Hendrix-style double stops. That said, you can thoroughly enjoy both approaches here. It’s an exceedingly pleasurable in-between sound with enough poke to get through a mix while picking up the pieces or line dancing in a burning room.
It’s also the place to be when it comes to blending the pickup volumes to find new and delicious textures. Options are limited by the single tone control, but the guitar still responds well to changes in pick attack and hand position – you will get by, believe me.
The bridge ‘Tron on a Gretsch hollowbody is an iconic voice and this golden beauty gets us from Duane Eddy twang to Spaghetti Western in a heartbeat. This is très bon and encourages the player to unleash their inner Vic Flick. You can also get some very convincing Velvet Underground textures out of it which may well appeal to players who favour indoor sunglasses.
Aficionados may miss the “mud switch” tone control common to some models of the 6120 and there may also be those who would prefer nickel hardware to the spangly gold. A classic case of de gustibus etc. Nevertheless, this is very strong stuff indeed when played clean – time to filth it right up with a Crowther Hot Cake.
A sly helping of classic rage is all it takes for the Nashville Hollowbody to start grunting very nicely. There’s a sweet spot with big hollowbody guitars when it comes to dirt – less is more as everyone from Billy Duffy to Sylvain Sylvain and Richard Fortus will attest. The way a larger instrument vibrates encourages all sorts of belligerent whoops and howls that you just don’t get with a solid body – it’s an exhilarating ride but not for the fainthearted.
Back to the neck pickup and yes, things do get a bit mushy when we swap out the Hot Cake for a Bigfoot Engineering King Fuzz in search of saw-toothed glories. Engaging the bridge pickup, however, gives me an immediate shot of trouser-flapping violence that makes it all worthwhile. You can wreak havoc behind the bridge, you can Bigsby it to within an inch of its life and it will come up smiling every time.
In all the fun I realise I haven’t even fed it any Chet Atkins – I can confirm that it loves a thumbpick-driven Taste Of Honey.
Image: Adam Gasson
Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville – should I buy one?
Not long ago the idea of a Chinese-made instrument commanding a four-figure price tag would have raised eyebrows. While there remains a palpable difference between this and the Professional series, there is a strong argument that the Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville Hollowbody represents extremely good value for money, regardless of the country of origin.
Image: Adam Gasson
Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville – alternatives
Another Asian-made guitar with real big brand pedigree is the Epiphone Swingster ($799/£799), while Eastwood’s Bill Nelson Astroluxe Cadet DLX ($1,599) is a fine example of relatively affordable rockabilly fun. Another brand that has its roots in the big-bodied jazz guitars of ol’ New York is the D’Angelico Excel 59 ($1,999).
The post Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville review – “it’s an exhilarating ride but not for the fainthearted” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Martin CEO says “we’re only at the beginning of what’s possible” with new guitar designs
When Thomas Ripsam took over as Martin’s CEO back in 2021, he had his sights set on the “future”. That “future” is already starting to take form; in 2024, the company released the ultra-sustainable GPCE Inception Maple, with its combination of domestic tonewoods and a unique internal architecture marking the dawn of Martin’s next era.
In a new podcast with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto, Ripsam explains how Martin is keen to utilise even more alternative, sustainable tonewoods in future. “We still rely on a lot of traditional and exotic tonewoods… but those tonewoods get harder and harder to source,” he explains. “That means they become more expensive… so we are constantly looking for alternative materials.”
He points to ebony as a case in point. While the company has previously relied on ebony for its fretboards, certain models now boast Richlite fretboards instead. “We still use ebony, but we also use Richlite, which is an alternative,” Ripsam explains. “We are trying to use multiple paths… and we are [trying to] find new ways to use materials.”
Other changes have come in the form of multi-piece backs, like the D-35 and DH-28, with their respective three-piece and two-piece rosewood backs. Whether a multi-piece back affects your tone is up for debate, but it certainly wastes less wood and looks pretty cool. “Aesthetics are a big part of what gets you excited,” the Martin CEO says. “It’s not just about the tone and the sound.”
“I think we’re only at the beginning of what’s possible in coming up with with new designs,” he continues. “Like earlier this year, we introduced the CEO-11, which is a blue guitar. We don’t use blue that often, and I love colours… there were a lot of people who provided feedback [saying] they were totally enamoured with the blue.”
When Guitar.com spoke to Ripsam back in 2024, he explained how the GPCE Inception Maple was just the beginning. “It’s a very exciting guitar for us,” he said. “And it’s the beginning for us to actually do more around the use of domestic tonewoods and alternative materials.”
“I think what’s really cool about this guitar was, we didn’t just use our established models and slap domestic tonewoods on it,” he later added. “No, we actually really thought about the particular sound and what we need to do about the inside of the body to bring out the tone and the sound that we wanted. So it has skeletonised bracing, and sonic channels – a couple of features that we’re very excited about.”
“This is the beginning of a line of more of these types of guitars,” he noted. “That doesn’t take away from anything – people still can get their standard models! But I think this just adds to the palette.”
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