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Source Audio Encounter review: “one of the most sonically adventurous pedals I’ve ever played”
$399/£369, sourceaudio.com
Let’s just get this out of the way up top: I’m typically not a fan of pedals that combine both delay and reverb. Sure, there are exceptions – the most famous being some of the many variants of the Roland RE-201 Space Echo – but the exception is not the rule.
Many companies have attempted this approach with varying degrees of success, and more often than not in my experience, the trade-offs outweigh the savings in cost and real estate.
That said, I am a huge fan of lush, ambient sounds and expansive textures. Pedals like the Walrus Audio Slö or the Chase Bliss MOOD have long been staples in my ambient arsenal. Despite my general reservations about the concept then, Source Audio’s latest hybrid offering – the Encounter – certainly piqued my interest.
Part of this is because Source’s previous attempt to fuse delay and reverb – the superlative Collider – was an ambient guitarist’s dream. Can it be two in a row?
Image: Press
Source Audio Encounter – what is it?
Ostensibly the Encounter is a very similar experience to the Collider – it has the same basic format of two footswitchable sides for reverb and delay, and a centralised rotary that selects which delay and reverb algorithm you’re currently using.
While the Collider was a fusion of the usual suspects of delay and reverb however, the Encounter is exclusively dealing in the most ambient and weird sounds you can find – there’s no room, spring, tape or the like here.
Instead you’ll find the likes of Hypersphere, Kaleidoscope, Trem Verb and Noise Tape – quite what those actually mean, well – you’ll need to take a look at the manual. The delay and reverb sections can be combined or run independently of the other, and the dry signal is routed around the signal processor for applications that demand unaffected tones via parallel routing. There’s also a 100 per cent wet/dry control for those effect-loop junkies.
Other highlights include onboard expression compatibility with depth and direction control, as well as complete MIDI functionality via 5-pin MIDI DIN input and thru jacks. The pedal offers eight onboard presets, with access to a total of 128 presets via MIDI.
If you want to unlock even more tweakability however, you can pair the pedal with Source Audio’s Neuro 3 smartphone app. This enables deep effect editing, MIDI control, interchangeable algorithms, preset sharing, and a wealth of other features – many of which are crucial for anyone looking to truly harness the full potential of this pedal.
Image: Press
Source Audio Encounter – usability and sounds
So, enough of the Star Trek technobabble – how does this thing actually sound? And is it too atmospheric for the normie who just wants a really good time-based pedal? To answer that hypothetical question, I grabbed a Jazzmaster and plugged it straight into a Vox AC15 to put it through its paces.
Before exploring the fusion food element of this particular meal, I decided to test each side on its own. I found the results to be both immediate and delightfully head-scratching.
For instance, one of my favorite delays – the Kaleidoscope – proved to be distinct from any kind of echo I’ve encountered before, but quite hard to describe. The best way I can think of is to imagine that your repeats have been chopped up and then sent down a giant helter skelter. It sounds strange, I know, but it’s immensely rewarding and enjoyable in practice.
Another standout delay is the expertly crafted Noise Tape, which is based on the tape delay section of the aforementioned Space Echo. I found this Space Echo emulation to be both dynamic and nearly identical to my actual 1984 RE-201. With a bit of modulation dialed in, I found myself channeling my inner Kid A almost by default – I would wager it’s the sound that the majority of us would use most frequently.
If the delays are fun and weird, the reverbs take things to a whole new level. The Hypersphere algorithm, for example, might be the closest we’ll ever get to hearing what the natural reverb of the universe sounds like. A wonderfully blooming effect that expands in all directions at once.
As you’d expect from an atmospheric pedal, there’s a fair helping of varied shimmer algorithms. These don’t necessarily reinvent the shimmer formula, but they’re tonally distinct enough to satisfy either the hardcore Sigur Rós enthusiast or those simply looking to add a slightly pitched, angelic voice to their Sunday service.
The Encounter’s greatest strength truly reveals itself when you combine delay and reverb to create richly atmospheric, creatively inspiring textures that ebb and flow between luscious sound pads and almost sequence-like lo-fi patterns.
One of my favorite pairings is the Drum Delay coupled with the Lo-Fi Reverb. This combination is perhaps the best starting point for ambient newcomers: you still get a touch of that ambient warble, but the drum delay remains straightforward enough to be usable in virtually any musical context.
When it comes to editing and saving presets, Source Audio has taken a refreshingly straightforward approach, offering both onboard editing and deep control via the Neuro 3 app. I found Neuro 3 to be especially intuitive in its design – the GUI is visually pleasing, easy to navigate, and thoughtfully laid out. In a world of overly-complicated app-based solutions, it’s nice to use something that doesn’t require a doctorate to get to grips with.
Image: Press
Source Audio Encounter – usability and sounds
So, did the Encounter change my mind about dual delay/reverb pedals? Certainly in this case, absolutely. It’s a pedal that builds upon the original concept of the Collider and takes it in a far more adventurous, sonically lush direction.
While there’s usually some sort of compromise in these sorts of pedals, by making it squarely focused on creating ambient textures does negate that impressively – as an all-in-one ambient unit, it might be the only one most of us ever need.
The flipside of this is that it’s certainly not cheap – at very nearly $400 you can definitely ask yourself whether that money would be better spent on two independent pedals, especially if your needs aren’t as esoteric as what’s on offer here.
But for its intended soundscape-y, textural audience, it’s one of the most sonically adventurous pedals you can get – and that’s well worth the price of entry.
While I initially had my apprehensions, Source Audio more than delivered, creating a pedal that could very well be the only ambient unit most players will ever need.
At $400, it’s certainly a significant ask for those simply looking for a straightforward delay/reverb combo. However, for the audience the Encounter is clearly aimed at, it stands as one of the most sonically adventurous pedals I’ve ever played – and that alone more than justifies the asking price.
Image: Press
Like this? Try these
- Del-Verb Ambience Companion by Universal Audio
- Qi Etherealizer by Walrus Audio
- M309 Joshua Ambient Echo by MXR
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Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir dies aged 78 – the guitar world reacts to the passing of a legend
Legendary Grateful Dead founding member and guitarist Bob Weir has died, his family has announced. He was 78, and had been undergoing treatment for cancer since last year.
In a statement posted to Instagram, Weir’s family paid tribute to the hugely influential musician, stating: “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.”
Weir co-founded the Grateful Dead in 1965 alongside fellow guitarist Jerry Garcia. The Dead would become a hugely influential and enduring musical force that transcended the San Francisco counterculture they grew out of. They would go on to become the greatest jam band of them all, with a songbook of timeless classics and an army of devoted fans – Deadheads – that continued to grow and diversify with each passing generation.
The Grateful Dead were a remarkable anachronism in American music. They had just one Top 40 hit in their entire career (1987’s Touch of Grey). But were one of the most popular and enduring touring acts in the country, emphasising the remarkable power of the Dead’s live experience and the unique community it fostered.
The Grateful Dead proper ended with the untimely passing of Jerry Garcia in 1995, but Weir and other surviving members of the band continued to tour and keep the music alive – first as The Other Ones and then, from 2010, teaming up with John Mayer to form Dead & Co.
Dead & Co would bring the magic of the Greatful Dead’s music to a whole new generation, leading to sold-out tours until 2022, a remarkable Las Vegas Sphere residency in 2024 and finally, a three-day hometown run at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in July 2025 that marked 60 years of The Dead, and would be an unplanned but fitting coda to Weir’s incredible legacy.
Unsurprisingly given the huge impact he had on American music, the guitar world united from all corners to pay tribute to Weir as news of his passing broke.
“He was always ready to ‘Kick up a fuss’,” wrote bluegrass phenom Billy Strings on Instagram. “He always had boundless time and knowledge to share with everyone and was truly one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. The world is a better place because of him. I’m extremely grateful to have crossed paths with him in this life.”
“This guy was such a hero,” wrote Heart’s Nancy Wilson. “The world is a sadder place without him in it. He spread a lifetime of magic around and always had that twinkle of good nature in his eyes. His good vibrations will never end. He gave such a gift to us all.”
Phish’s Trey Anastasio paid heartfelt tribute to Weir in a lengthy post on Instagram, but was keen to highlight his modesty and self-depracating sense of humour: “Bobby was completely allergic to compliments in the most endearing way. I’d say, ‘Man, that guitar riff you were doing on that song sounded really killer’ and he’d respond, ‘Well, I’m sure I’ll fuck it up next time.’ I loved that about him.”
Don Was, who played with Weir in the Wolf Bros highlighted the power Weir as a live musician, “Night after night, he taught us how to approach music with fearlessness and unbridled soul – pushing us beyond what we thought was musically possible,” he wrote. “Every show was a transcendent adventure into the unknown. Every note he played and every word he sang was designed to bring comfort and joy to our audiences.”
Maggie Rogers was another paying tribute to Weir’s embracing of young musicians: “This man showed me so much kindness so early in my career,” she wrote. “And welcomed me into a spirit of making music that has everything to do with community and connection and soul, and always with a twinkling of perfect mischief at the edges.”
Joe Satriani simply and poignantly posted, “It was an honour to know you and share the stage with you.”
Weir’s passing follows on from the death of bassist Phil Lesh in 2024, and leaves drummer Bill Kreutzmann as the only surviving founding member of the band. Regardless, Weir’s family believes that it was his dream and wish that the band’s music carried on long after him.
“There is no final curtain here, not really,” wrote the family’s statement on Instagram. “Only the sense of someone setting off again. He often spoke of a three-hundred-year legacy, determined to ensure the songbook would endure long after him. May that dream live on through future generations of Dead Heads. And so we send him off the way he sent so many of us on our way: with a farewell that isn’t an ending, but a blessing. A reward for a life worth livin’.”
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Is PRS teasing another McCarty model for this year’s NAMM Show?
PRS has shared a video to Instagram that suggests something related to the late and great Ted McCarty will land this month.
Although no details have yet been confirmed, it sure looks like either a new product or possibly a documentary exploring the life and legacy of McCarty will be landing on 22 January – just in time for this year’s NAMM event.
The video recaps how the original McCarty model first released in 1994 was unveiled at the NAMM show, and features footage of McCarty discussing how the guitar came to be: “One day, Paul met me at the trade show in New York. We talked about guitars and he said, ‘how about if we make a Ted McCarty guitar?’
“I said, ‘well, perhaps it would be fine. And I would be very thrilled and honoured to have one of your guitars with my name on it, but who’s gonna buy it? Because I’m not a musician, I don’t go around and play guitars.’ Paul said that he didn’t think I knew quite the reputation that I had,” McCarty concludes in the footage.
Ted McCarty was a pioneer of the electric guitar and the musical instrument industry. He was president of Gibson during its “golden age”, and became a longtime friend and mentor to Paul Reed Smith of PRS.
In the late 1980s, Paul Reed Smith asked McCarty to consult with him on guitar design and production techniques, and in 1994, PRS released the first McCarty guitar. Over the years since, the brand has launched a number of McCarty models across its brand.
More recently, PRS launched a 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition model in summer 2025 – a single-cutaway model that was both “a tribute to tradition and a modern performer’s dream” – limited to just 400 pieces worldwide. It also launched McCarty III pickups last year: vintage-inspired humbuckers that bring a vocal clarity to their full, warm tone.
Whatever it might be, PRS says the Ted McCarty news will land on 22 January. You can view its full product line up over at PRS Guitars in the meantime.
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The Sterling Kaizen was my favourite guitar of 2025 – but it looks like the new Ibanez Alpha Series is coming for the crown
[Editor’s note: I’m fortunate enough to get many guitars across my desk to review, but as a metal player, few impressed me last year quite like the Sterling By Music Man Kaizen 6. The quirky, prog-metal geared offset impressed me so much, in fact, that I gave it 9/10 in my review, and even included it in our roundup of the best new guitar gear of 2025. But is the all-new prog-focused Ibanez Alpha Series set to take its crown? It certainly looks a strong contender, and I’ll pass you on to my colleague, Rachel, to tell you all about the radically innovative new series… – Sam, News Editor]
Ibanez has launched a new lineup of prog-rock-ready electric guitars, the Alpha Series, offering seven or eight strings and contemporary body styles.
The Alpha series is described by Ibanez as being “forged for the modern, cutting-edge guitar player”. It says they “boast an array of truly unique and contemporary features”, including an ergonomically designed body silhouette and contours, and claims that the series “won’t just change how you approach playing; it will open completely new horizons for your music.”
The aesthetics of the Alpha models appear to be Ibanez’s answer to modern shred culture booming online, with progressive rock and metal causing new trends and desires to emerge among guitarists. The Alpha models were developed with both 7- and 8-string multi-scale configurations in mind, tailored to technically advanced players who may want to play around with tuning and expressive playing techniques.
Both the seven-string A527 and eight-string A528 offer a three-dimensional structure designed through “extensive analysis of ergonomics and playing posture”. Each also has a three-screw neck joint design — utilising two screws mounted within an oval-shaped stainless-steel plate, and one additional screw driven directly from the body into the neck – for better joint strength and improved access to the high frets.
The guitars are fitted with Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers, accompanied by a Fishman Fluency Voicing switch. Three finishes are on offer: Iron Pewter, Nebula Shift and Coral Mirage. Check out the videos below for more:
The features implemented in these guitars certainly echo that of Abasi Concepts and other modern brands including Kiesel and Strandberg. Tosin Abasi of prog outfit Animals As Leaders founded Abasi Concepts in 2017, with a focus on ergonomic design. Abasi had also worked with Ibanez on a prototype signature the year prior, and more recently teamed up with Ernie Ball Music Man on the Kaizen in 2022.
The seven-string Ibanez Alpha model has an estimated price of $1,899, while the eight-string comes in around $1,999. Find out more about the range via Ibanez.
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Victory sends blind guitarist custom braille amp in the most wholesome moment of 2026 so far
The news hasn’t been all that rosy so far in 2026, but we assure you, there’s plenty of really heartwarming things still going on.
Like British amp brand Victory sending a custom braille amp to blind guitarist and skateboarder Anthony Ferraro, who captured the moment it arrived on his doorstep in what’s sure to be one of the most wholesome clips of the year. And we’re just nine days in…
In the video – posted to his Instagram page, which boasts nearly 430,000 followers at the time of writing – Ferraro can be seen bursting through the door holding a massive Victory-branded box exclaiming: “I’m blind, what’s in this box?!”
“Dude, it’s an amp!” he yells, taking the white-finished combo amp out of its box to reveal its custom braille labels under each of the control knobs and on the routing information board on the back. “Are you kidding me? I’m gonna cry!”
A special braille note addressed to Ferraro also came in the box, which reads: “Dear, Anthony… We heard you wanted to try a Victory amp. So we set ourselves a challenge and came up with this unique design just for you.”
“I think this is the first amp in the world to ever do this,” Ferraro says. “Do you know how many times I’ve had to ask a friend, ‘Hey, what’s this control?’ This is the most amazing amp I’ve ever touched and I can’t wait to play this.”
Barely able to contain his excitement, Ferraro takes his shiny new amp to his jam room, plugging it into his PRS SE Silver Sky electric guitar and impressively kitted out pedalboard, where he showcases his enviable chops with a series of bluesy lead lines.
“[This is] quite truly one of the greatest things I have [ever] been given,” he writes in the post’s caption. “To say I cried when I opened it wouldn’t be a lie. I’ve been blind my whole life and music was one of the only things that made it feel like I wasn’t blind… until I felt my gear or had to ask someone to help me adjust a knob or tune my guitar.
“When I felt the braille on this amp my whole world changed instantly. I was free to do it on my own for the first time ever. Advocating for braille has become one of my biggest passions in life. As actual companies begin to take initiatives in accessibility it makes me think maybe it’s working… I can’t believe this is real. Someone pinch me.”
In a highly liked comment (61,157 likes at the time of writing) under the video, Victory responds to Ferraro’s heartwarming video: “It means the world to us seeing you connect with your amp like this, Anthony. Thank you for letting us be part of your journey.” Ferraro replies: “You actually changed my life. I don’t even know how to say thank you enough.”
It’s moments like these that make us proud to be part of the guitar community. Fair play, Victory. Fair play.
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“The Stratocaster hasn’t really changed since 1954”: Outgoing Fender CEO Andy Mooney says electric guitarists have “generally been reluctant to really accept innovation”
Innovation in the guitar world certainly happens, but it’s often in small increments – updates to single components as opposed to radical new guitar designs altogether. Big changes do happen, mind; just look at the MIDI-enabled self-playing Circle Guitar which we recently called “the most revolutionary new guitar in half a century”.
There’s perhaps an argument to say that the electric guitar – at its core – is a pretty great technology, and that the infrequency of massively radical new designs is more a reflection that guitarists are just happy where things are.
Outgoing Fender CEO Andy Mooney certainly has some insights, and in a new conversation with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto on his Inside the Noise podcast, speaks on the current demands of guitar players, and how things are different when it comes to amp innovation.
“Artists, generally, in the electric side, have been reluctant to really accept innovation,” Mooney says. “I mean, one of the guitars in my collection was a collaboration we did with Roland, which I thought was a very interesting guitar, but it didn’t attract an audience.
“I say to people that, you know, the Stratocaster hasn’t really changed since 1954. The only thing that’s changed is the neck, the frets, the pickups, the tremolo arm, and the paint application. And every one of those things, even the height of the frets, all are a reflection of what current artists are really demanding.”
He goes on: “On the amplifier side, it’s completely the opposite. Generally speaking, the player is now very receptive to digitisation. I know when I started using either digital foot pedals or digital amps, the quality just wasn’t there, and they developed a bad reputation. Now, when you listen to what’s capable with a digital amp and a digital signal chain, it’s actually amazing.”
In 2026, artists – particularly touring artists – are keener than ever to strip back their physical rigs to cut costs, and simply reduce the effort it requires to lug around a heavy, complex rig around on the road.
Many of the worlds’ top rock and metal artists have made the switch to digital amp modellers for live shows. Metallica guitar tech Chad Zaemisch even attributes the band’s improved live shows with their decision to do so. And in 2024, after saying he’d “never” use amp modellers, Slipknot’s Jim Root revealed he had been using a Neural DSP Quad Cortex live.
Mooney recognises this shift in player demand, too, adding: “In Eddie Van Halen’s day, he would have carted around 18 4x12s or nine heads. Now, people are moving towards a silent stage. Def Leppard are moving towards an entirely silent stage.”
Prior to his post at Fender, Andy Mooney worked at Disney as Chairman of Consumer Products. There, he gained invaluable insights from Steve Jobs, who was CEO of Pixar.
“We were a bit late coming to the party [with digital amp modellers],” he goes on. “But one of the things I learned from the conversations with Steve was that it’s okay to be second as long as you’re better.
“So when we looked at the Tone Master Pro again… Steve, one of the things he really did with his products was the user interface had to be so elegant that you didn’t need an owner’s manual, that you could take it straight out of the box, [and you] didn’t need an MIT degree to figure it out. So that’s what we tried to do with the Tone Master Pro, everything is intuitive.”
It was revealed this week that Andy Mooney is to step down from his position as CEO of Fender next month, with the company’s current President of its Asia-Pacific operations Edward “Bud” Cole to step into the role.
“Leading Fender has been a highlight of my career,” says Mooney. “I’m deeply grateful for the creativity and commitment of the Fender teams around the world and proud of what we’ve accomplished. I’m excited to pass the baton on to Bud and confident that under his leadership, Fender will continue to inspire players for generations to come.”
During his time as President of Fender Asia Pacific, Edward “Bud” Cole has overseen the expansion of Fender into 14 countries across the region including mainland China and Korea, established full regional commercial and operational capabilities, and played a pivotal role in numerous Made-in-Japan launches.
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Ted Nugent brands Yungblud as “the real McCoy” among a flurry of strange praise for rock artists
Ted Nugent kicked off the new year with a video on his YouTube channel, in which he dished out a bunch of praise – and quite a few insults too – for the rock musicians of today.
Among those he both praised and criticised all at the same time were Jack White, Green Day, and Yungblud, who came out the most unscathed. Nugent celebrated Yungblud, who’s garnered a whole new swathe of fans since his performance at the Black Sabbath Back To The Beginning event, as “the real McCoy”.
In the video, titled Let’s Talk Music, Nugent begins discussing Yungblud by mentioning his recent EP collaboration with Aerosmith: “Now, I got to tell you this, what’s this Yungblud guy? Limey freak madness. This guy’s the real McCoy. Watch this Yungblud that’s working with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It gives you hope that the really piss and vinegar, the James Brown, the original Chuck Berry, Little Richard is alive and well and this kid called Yungblud, he’s a screamer,” he says.
Nugent then moves on to Jack White, discussing his half time show with rapper Eminem at the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving football game in November: “Jack White, is that his name? Anyhow, he was great. It wasn’t like a 10 like Sammy Hagar or James Brown. I think Sammy Hagar and James Brown and Steven Tyler, those are tens. Angus Young of AC/DC, that’s a 10. The guy’s a maniac. Billy Gibbons in the blues, rhythm, and soul music category, he’s a 10.
“Jack White, he’s not a 10. He’s like a four and a five, but he really delivered real rock ‘n’ roll. Real Detroit piss and vinegar. And Eminem… Both of those guys, Eminem and Jack White: total idiots,” he says. Nugent then goes on to berate their political views, with “they don’t want their country to have secure borders. They think men should destroy women’s sports” being just two of his claims.
He then goes on to add, “Green Day – there’s not a brain amongst them, I don’t think. But man, can they play. Really, really killer stuff, like Tom Morello. Come on, Tom – you’re not raging against the machine, you are the machine.”
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Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Stratocaster review – “this guitar is like spending time with an old friend”
$1,599/£1,349, fender.com
There’s an argument to be made that Fender’s Vintera II range is the absolute sweet spot in the company’s line-up – electric guitars that look, feel and sound impressively close to the Golden Era originals, but with prices more in line with guitars made in FMIC’s Ensenada, Mexico factory.
Back when the range initially launched in 2023, my colleague Josh went so far as to call the Vintera II Strat “the new benchmark for import Strats” and you can see why – for less than half the price of an American Vintage II guitar, you can own a Strat that has much of the mojo and a fair dollop of the vintage accuracy of the USA flagship. And now they’re about to turn all that up to 11.
It’s been a decade or more since Fender first experimented with factory ageing in the Ensenada factory. The original Road Worn guitars were well-received back in 2013, but even at the time the artificial wear and tear felt a little templated. Since then, Fender has clearly been hard at work – the Mike McCready Strat that came out late in 2023 showed that Ensenada’s factory relic’ing had come on leaps and bounds, but it also suggested there might be limits to mass-produced wear and tear as well.
For the revival of the Road Worn concept then, Fender has taken a more considered path – but one that might be the best of all worlds.
Image: Adam Gasson
Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Stratocaster – what is it?
In simple terms, it takes Fender’s Vintera II 60s Strat, strips it off the standard gloss polyurethane finish, and swaps it out for a bona fide nitrocellulose lacquer job. However, unlike the previous Road Worn guitars, you won’t find any over-the-top wear patches or faux-buckle rash here. Not a single pair of heavy keys has been chucked at it in anger. Instead, you have something that, from a distance, has more in common with Fender’s Lacquer series from 2015 – a Mexican guitar with a nitro finish that appears pretty much pristine. However, when you look closer you’ll find it’s more interesting than that.
Rather than spray a lacquer top coat on the guitar and wait 60 years for anything interesting to happen to the finish, Fender has helped it along by a few decades. That means that while the guitar’s finish is factory-fresh at a distance, closer inspection reveals lacquer checking across the body and neck, while the hardware has all been aged too.
It’s the sort of Closet Classic treatment that previously has only been available at a Custom Shop level, which will set you back the thick end of five grand, though it’s interesting that the USA-made Ultra Luxe Vintage range took a similarly restrained approach to factory ageing with its ‘Heirloom’ finish – are we finally seeing players move away from the heavier relic thing? Time will tell.
Image: Adam Gasson
Finish asides, it is, as mentioned, a Vintera II 60s Stratocaster – that means you get an alder body, Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Strat pickups, bent steel saddles, and the Vintera II policy of ‘close but not quite’ when it comes to vintage accuracy.
For example, while the guitar has the body contours of a 60s guitar and a vintage-style 7.25-inch radius and tall vintage frets, it doesn’t go so far as to give you a period-correct three-way selector switch – and that’s probably a smart choice.
The neck is slightly more perturbing, however – this black finish comes with a one-piece maple neck: a combination that was only available in 1965 as a custom order. Given that this combination of finish and neck was much more standard in the 50s, I’m somewhat at a loss as to why they didn’t give it a single-ply white pickguard instead of the green-hued three-ply version here, throw in some 50s pickups and go full Clapton’s Blackie.
There is a rosewood-boarded Sonic Blue option if you want something that feels more traditionally 60s. But occasional concessions to historical incongruity are part and parcel of the Vintera II range, and if you want something that’s more rigorously faithful, well you’re welcome to spend an extra grand to get yourself an American Vintage II.
Image: Adam Gasson
Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Stratocaster – build quality and playability
Cork-sniffingly accurate it might not be however, but pulling the guitar out of its supplied vintage-style hard case it’s hard not to be impressed. The finish is beautifully thin, and the Road Worn effect is impressively restrained. You have to hold it up to the light to really see the cracking and checking, while the hardware is dull but doesn’t look like it’s been sitting at the bottom of a lake for 50 years. It all adds up to a beautiful ever-so-slightly worn-in feel to the whole thing – like a pair of good boots that have just been broken in.
The contours of the body are convincingly svelte like many a 60s original, and the alder body is nicely lightweight at just under 7.5lbs.
That maple neck’s 60s C-shape profile is reassuringly chunky, but not so much that it ever gets uncomfortable in the palm – sitting down with this guitar is like spending time with an old friend. That said, the tint to the fingerboard and the level of checking around the headstock are perhaps the only areas of the guitar where the relic job starts to look a little fake, in my opinion.
Image: Adam Gasson
Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Stratocaster – sounds
Played unplugged, the light weight, and perhaps the lack of heavy finish to the body and neck, combined with that lovely feeling neck and vintage frets, add up to a resonant and chimey voice with sparkle, body and plenty of sustain.
The natural place to go from here is to plug in my old Deluxe Reverb and see if things continue to impress – they certainly do, greeting me with a superb classic Strat tone from the bridge single coil. To my ears, vintage-sized frets can also sound a touch clearer and more defined than modern jumbo ones, and played clean the Road Worn has all the clarity and definition you could require for funk and pop playing, while still having ample midrange to cut through a mix.
Switching to the middle pickup we get plenty of Stevie snarl and bite, and with a bit of overdrive, the most vocal of the three voices. Adding some fuzz, I revel in the Hendrixy neck pickup tones that offer plenty of flutey chime to single notes, double stops and chordal fills, especially when reducing the volume a touch.
The in-between positions give us authentic Mayer and Knopflerisms aplenty, and it’s to this guitar’s genuine credit that each position really does demonstrate an almost cliché level of appropriateness of how a dream Strat should sound.
Despite the midrange having an authentically 60s-style light scoop, the pickups demonstrate plenty of bite, snap and twang across the board, beautifully enhancing the sonic characteristics of the alder body, maple neck combo. Compared to my vintage 1962 Strat, the Vintera perhaps doesn’t quite have the 3D depth and top-end sweetness to the pickups, but to be this close to the real deal for this price? That’s hugely impressive.
Image: Adam Gasson
Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Stratocaster – should I buy one?
The original Vintera II 60s Strat was a seriously impressive instrument, and while the price bump to make it Road Worn is significant, in terms of feel, playability and overall vibe I think it’s worth the extra $300 – it elevates this guitar into something that really could be your guitar for life.
While I still think it’s crying out for a more 50s treatment given the spec sheet, there’s no denying that it’s a superbly resonant, tuneful and enjoyable instrument. Some players will want bigger frets and a 9.5 radius, but that’s not really what the Vintera II range is for, and this Road Worn version doubles down on that in the best way.
This is a guitar that doesn’t embarrass itself put up against not just the USA-made American Vintage II range, but also Custom Shop guitars – it’s a long time since I’ve played a Mexican-made Fender guitar that was this inspirational, and I don’t think I’ve ever played one that captures the vintage aura so well.
The only downside, really, is that they’re limited edition – so don’t wait on this one, grab one while you can, you won’t regret it!
[products ids=”3oUtJohp5K1H1ERKxVHCZB”]
Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Stratocaster – alternatives
If the nitro thing isn’t an issue for you, the regular Vintera II 60s Strat is a steal at $1,209/£999. If you want something that nails the vintage thing even more closely, the American Vintage II 1965 Stratocaster is a lot of guitar for $2,419/£2,299. If you want something that veers from tradition while still keeping a lot of the vintage vibes, John Mayer’s PRS SE Silver Sky ($949) is seriously impressive.
The post Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Stratocaster review – “this guitar is like spending time with an old friend” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
“What could have been”: Andertons and Chicago Music Exchange team up with Fender on exclusive Lavender Haze-finished guitars and basses
UK retailer Andertons and Chicago Music Exchange have partnered with Fender on an exclusive Lavender Haze-finished line of classic guitar and bass models.
Comprising a Jazzmaster, Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazz Bass in the “never-before-seen” finish, each model also sports Chicago Music Exchange’s new proprietary Fender “Full Dip” pickups.
Developed in collaboration with Fender and informed by “decades of vintage expertise and player feedback”, these Full Dip pickups are infused with DNA from Big F’s Vintera II line, but with two key refinements: Alnico 2 magnets to smooth harsh frequencies and 5% overwound coils for “added punch and grit”.
Elsewhere, each model in the limited-edition range features unique circuit enhancements which unlock tonal options not available with standard wiring.
Described as the “could-have-been-but-never-was” finish, Lavender Haze is inspired by mid-century appliances, classic cars and the golden era of electric guitars, Andertons and CME say.
“The Player II already delivers exceptional tone, feel, and reliability, and this collaboration takes it even further,” says Lee Anderton, Managing Partner at Andertons.
“Pair that with CME’s new ‘Full Dip’ pickups, which have real warmth and musicality, and you’ve got guitars and basses that don’t just look incredible, they inspire you to play. We’re thrilled to bring them to Andertons customers!”
Credit: Andertons/Chicago Music Exchange
“I love to romanticise the golden years at Fender and imagine what could have been, but simply wasn’t – Lavender Haze is exactly that,” adds Daniel Bordonaro, Product Director at Chicago Music Exchange.
“Anyone desiring something comfortable and familiar, but overtly distinctive both aesthetically and sonically should look no further.”
The Andertons x Chicago Music Exchange Fender Player II RW Lavender Haze Collection is available now for pre-order.
For more info, you can head to Andertons or Chicago Music Exchange.
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Dave Mustaine thinks there’s a “changing of the guard” at the top of metal: “All of our elder statesmen have satisfied their roles”
2025 saw the loss of some of the metal genre’s greatest figures, including, but not limited to, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and Mastodon’s Brent Hinds.
And in a new interview in the latest issue of Metal Hammer, as Megadeth gear up to launch their last ever album and embark on a landmark world tour to wrap things up, frontman Dave Mustaine reflects on the “changing of the guard” at the top of metal.
“All of our elder statesmen have satisfied their role as models,” he says, remembering some of the legends who have passed, both recently and in the last two decades.
“Some of the people we lost have really affected me. Lemmy [Kilmister, Motörhead frontman], [Ronnie James] Dio [Black Sabbath singer], Ozzy [Osbourne]… You hear about them going and you think, ‘No!’ That’s the way of the world now, though.”
Last year saw the passing of other legends including founding Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley at the age of 74, as well as some outside the metal realm including Beach Boys pioneer Brian Wilson.
Dave Mustaine himself has suffered his share of health conditions in recent years, famously revealing in 2019 that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. While he confirmed that he was “100% cancer-free” the following year, in 2022 he shared that he had almost lost control of his left hand while undergoing chemotherapy.
“I wish I would have kept in touch with [late Megadeth drummer] Gar [Samuelson],” he said in a recent interview with Guitar World.
“You see that Ace Frehley passed away and how sad that is. Whenever stuff like that happens, I feel fortunate because I’m still kicking. But on the opposite side of the coin, I think, ‘Fuck… that could have been me,’ but by the grace of God, it’s not.”
Megadeth are due to commence their mammoth swansong tour on 15 February in Victoria, British Columbia, before putting on a number of Canada shows, and then heading to South America, Mexico, Europe and the US later in 2026.
But despite the band’s long list of members who have passed through the fold in the last four decades, Mustaine says former members won’t be performing with them during the tour.
“We’ve already done that with Marty,” he told Guitar World, referring to the times Marty Friedman joined the band onstage twice in 2023. “And I mean, let’s look at the other people we’ve played with… there’s a lot of people. [laughs]
“That would be a huge undertaking. I don’t think I want to do that. I’d rather keep doing what we’re doing and let the fans [experience] Megadeth music and be happy about it. It’s not ‘puppet show Megadeth.’”
You can see a full list of dates on Megadeth’s upcoming final tour on their official website.
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Taylor’s 2026 acoustic refresh brings new neck tech, new pickups – and an expanded Gold Label collection
Taylor has announced two major releases for 2026: a Next Generation update to its flagship Grand Auditorium guitars, and an expansion of the Gold Label Collection that adds square-shoulder dreadnoughts plus a pair of ultra-premium 900 Series models.
“As guitar makers, we see the ever-wider variety of players and styles,” said Andy Powers, Taylor’s Chief Guitar Designer and CEO. “This means different types of sounds, feels and aesthetic presentations—all in step with the creative world of today’s players.”
Next-Generation Grand Auditorium guitars
Taylor’s Grand Auditorium has long been its Swiss-army-knife acoustic. Rolling out across the brand’s best-selling 300, 400 and 800 Series models — including both Standard and Builder’s Edition versions — the updated Grand Auditoriums introduce three main upgrades: a new Action Control Neck, a scalloped version of Andy Powers’ V-Class bracing, and Taylor’s all-new Claria pickup system.
The Action Control Neck is a particularly player-friendly change. A long-tendon neck joint helps the neck and body work together so the guitar feels warmer and more alive, while the shimless action control feature lets you adjust string height with a simple turn of a bolt through the soundhole.
Inside the body, Taylor has refined its V-Class bracing with a scalloped design that allows the top to move more freely. The result is a warmer sound with more low-end response, while still keeping the pitch accuracy and sustain that V-Class fans appreciate.
Finally, there’s Claria, Taylor’s latest pickup system. Designed with live players in mind, Claria pairs a reimagined under-saddle piezo pickup with a new proprietary preamp, eliminating traditional piezo harshness. Simple soundhole-mounted Volume, Mid-Contour, and Tone controls also make it easy to dial things in quickly, whether you’re playing a coffeehouse gig or a larger stage.
Next Generation Grand Auditoriums start at $2,499 and include the following models: 314ce, 414ce, 814ce, Builder’s Edition 324ce, BE 814ce Indian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce, 324ce, 454ce, 854ce, BE 814ce Honduran Rosewood/Sinker Spruce, BE 814ce Indian Rosewood/Adirond.
Credit: Taylor Guitars
Gold Label expands with square-shoulder dreadnoughts
One year after the line’s debut, Taylor has introduced square-shoulder dreadnoughts with deeper bodies, aimed squarely at players who want more thump, warmth and projection.
The new lineup features three tonewood pairings: the mahogany/torrefied Sitka spruce Gold Label 510e, the Indian rosewood/torrefied Sitka spruce Gold Label 710e, and the Honduran rosewood/torrefied Sitka spruce Gold Label 810e. Prices begin at $2,799.
New Gold Label 900 Series models
Rounding things out are two new Gold Label guitars at the top of Taylor’s range: the Super Auditorium Gold Label 914e and the Grand Pacific 917e.
Both pair Honduran rosewood with Adirondack spruce and feature exquisite paua-shell trim across the top, fretboard and headstock, in natural or golden-brown sunburst finishes. As with all Gold Label models, both guitars feature the collection’s signature innovations: fanned V-Class bracing, the Action Control Neck, and heritage-inspired aesthetics.
“It’s like players are stepping into a different musical skin with our Gold Label guitars,” says Powers. “Songwriters, bluegrass players, Americana players, rhythm players, weekend strummers, worship leaders, all kinds of different players saying, ‘Wow, I love this sound. This is a whole different face of Taylor.’”
Learn more at Taylor Guitars.
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“I finally said, ‘Where the f**k are these guys?’ and set my guitar down”: How Dave Mustaine got the Metallica gig just by warming up
How much of an audition do you actually need to land a gig? A blistering solo? A perfectly memorised setlist? Or, if you’re Dave Mustaine, maybe a few minutes of warming up is all it takes.
Following the recent revelation that the band’s next album will be their last, the Megadeth frontman has been revisiting the unlikely beginnings of his Metallica tenure, sharing how his very first jam with James Hetfield and original bassist Ron McGovney ended before it had really begun.
Looking back on the trip to Norwalk, California, where it all kicked off, Mustaine admits he had no idea what to expect: “When I went to Norwalk the day that I met James Hetfield and Ron McGovney, I didn’t know what was gonna happen,” he tells Premier Guitar. “Nobody did. But I had my style, and it was based around the riff.”
“I went in there and I didn’t have any Marshalls yet because I was just starting to get serious,” he continues. “I had these Risson amps – they were tan, so from the moment I set up my stack, I was different.”
“I plugged in my guitar and I started warming up, and I kept warming up and warming up,” says Mustaine, who recalls being puzzled by Hetfield and McGovney’s absence.
“And I finally said, ‘Where the fuck are these guys?’ I set my guitar down and switched my amp to standby. And then I went out there and I said, ‘Man, where’s my audition?’ They said, ‘You got the gig.’ So I got my job just by warming up.”
And while he has previously described himself as one of the four “best rhythm guitar players in the world”, alongside James Hetfield, AC/DC’s Malcolm Young and Scorpions’ Rudolf Schenker, Mustaine admits he much prefers to be called “a guitarist that sings”.
“The term ‘rhythm guitar player’ seems a little diminishing for me,” he says. “I love the riff.”
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“I played it like a baby giraffe on roller skates – but it was heaven”: Steve Vai recalls surreal encounter with the Brian May as he celebrates his own custom Red Special guitar
Steve Vai has told the story of his long-running admiration for Brian May after receiving a custom-built reimagining of the Queen guitarist’s iconic Red Special.
Built by master luthier Andrew Guyton of Guyton Guitars, the instrument channels the spirit of May’s original DIY classic while introducing a series of bold, Vai-approved updates, including a quilted maple top, jumbo EVO-gold frets, a mahogany neck and a striking translucent green finish.
The original Red Special is, of course, one of the most famous handmade guitars in rock history. Constructed in the early 1960s by a teenage Brian May and his father Harold using repurposed materials, it became central to Queen’s sound and a constant presence at the band’s most historic performances.
Describing May as one of his “absolute heroes” when he was “a kid in Carle Place trying to figure out how to play anything in tune”, Vai says the Red Special was never “just a guitar” to him, but “a mythical object, an alchemical wand built by a young genius and his dad”.
“I studied every photo and rumour I could find,” he recalls. “That guitar planted the seed that maybe someday I could build my own, which thankfully never happened, due to a total lack of expertise.”
That mythology became reality in 1980, when a 20-year-old Vai – newly arrived in Los Angeles and working with Frank Zappa – crossed paths with May at the Rainbow Bar and Grill.
“One night I walk in… and see Brian just standing there. Alone. Like a normal human. I thought I was hallucinating,” he says. “Brian was incredibly kind to this unknown kid and then did the unthinkable, he invited me to a Queen rehearsal at Zoetrope. Sitting in a room with the entire band was already unreal enough, but then I saw the Red Special. I pointed and said, ‘Is that it?’ Brian said, ‘Yup. Want to try it?’ Time definitely slowed down.”
“After idolising that guitar my whole youth, holding it was seismic,” Van continues. “I thought, ‘This is it, I’m finally going to sound like Brian May.’ But much to my chagrin, I didn’t of course. I sounded like me. And between the gauge .08 strings, ultra-low action, and a neck the size of a small tree, I played it like a baby giraffe on roller skates. Still, it was heaven.”
Years later, after Passion and Warfare had cemented Vai’s legacy, another full-circle moment arrived. While working with May on a Guitar Legends concert in Seville, the Queen guitarist recalled a young player he once invited to try his guitar.
“Brian told me the story about a young guitarist he once let play his guitar at rehearsal, a kid who was in town working with Zappa and who played amazingly well,” says Vai. “I let him tell me the whole story and then said… ‘Brian, that was me.’ This stands as one of the most satisfying full-circle twists the universe has offered me.”
Vai says he is now “truly humbled” to own the ‘Green Red Special’, describing the instrument as “beyond beautiful” and praising Guyton’s work as “devotion made tangible”.
“I own a lot of guitars, but this one stands alone,” he adds. “Its soul and history are baked into it and topped with a healthy smattering of love. I will treasure it for the rest of my life, and yes, I’m taking this one to the grave with me.”
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Mark Tremonti admits he doesn’t really listen to modern guitar music – he’d rather listen to Frank Sinatra
Let it be known that Mark Tremonti is not doomscrolling Spotify’s New Guitar Music playlists. If given the choice between checking out what today’s guitar heroes are up to or dropping the needle on a Frank Sinatra record, the Alter Bridge guitarist already knows which one he’s choosing.
In a new interview with New Noise magazine, Tremonti opens up about the band’s upcoming self-titled album – due 9 January via Napalm Records – while offering a candid take on songwriting, inspiration, and why he doesn’t feel much pressure to keep up with modern rock trends.
Dishing on his creative process, Tremonti explains that for him, the music always comes first: “Usually, the riffs come first and then the lyrics and melody follow suit,” he says. “Intuitively, you spit out or pull out what the music is drawing out of you.”
That approach was put to the test while working on the new album, which saw Alter Bridge head to the legendary 5150 Van Halen Studios in Los Angeles for writing sessions and pre-production, with the help of longtime friend Wolfgang Van Halen.
According to Tremonti, the challenge wasn’t a lack of ideas, but rather, avoiding repetition after two decades as a band.
“For us, it’s a constant journey,” he says. “It becomes more challenging along the way because we try not to repeat ourselves. There are so many songs written in the band that you have to make sure you’re not hitting similar song structures, progressions, melodies, or lyrics.”
To keep things fresh, Tremonto says he tries to “approach things differently whether it’s writing a song using a different instrument or using some weird software program or a drum loop or a different guitar tuning, getting inspiration from different angles.”
The guitarist also speaks of the distinct challenges of writing experimental tunes and radio-friendly music: “Sometimes the simplest, straight-forward songs are the hardest to write,” he says. “They might sound like they’re easy, but to make something commercially successful that doesn’t have any fat or dead space and has hook after hook, is way more difficult than it sounds.”
And while Tremonti acknowledges that rock music spent a long time operating under a ‘don’t bore us, get us to the chorus’ philosophy – and is now becoming more experimental again – he admits he doesn’t spend much time monitoring what’s currently dominating the airwaves.
“I don’t spend too much time keeping up with what’s getting played right now because I can just tap in and play a Frank Sinatra record, that’s what I’ll do,” he says. “Back in the day, you had no choice. You either had a CD player or the radio; you listened to the radio. Now it’s one of the many things you can do.”
Back in 2022, Mark Tremonti teamed up with surviving members of Frank Sinatra’s band – as well as other musicians – to create his Sinatra covers album, Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra, even performing a handful of shows promoting the project.
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Your choice of plectrum can make a huge difference to your guitar playing – this is why it matters
Pursuing the sounds we hear in our head, be it an avenue like sprawling pedalboards, vintage guitars or handwired tube amplifiers, can feel like an endless journey. While effects and preamplifier circuits can have a huge effect on our sound, of course, they’re also merely processing their input.
Good technique, choice of strings, pickups and the guitar’s wood itself have a more drastic effect than any pedal or amplifier, the auxiliary effects serving as tools to augment our good playing, rather than fix it.
One overlooked tool is your choice of plectrum, be it the factory manufactured plastic and nylon picks many of us use today, or found picks like Brian May’s sixpence coins. There’s more special-use picks like the felt options for use with ukulele, as well as a growing number of companies producing boutique guitar picks.
Like the addition of a new pedal or a different amplifier, the choice of material has a drastic effect on the sound the strings produce when struck, and as such, the resulting sound as it travels through pickups, tone pots, pedals and amplifiers is also radically effected.
Many of us have a go-to pick selection, but understanding why we like it and how it affects our tone can be really helpful to performing different songs, styles and techniques.
Material Matters
Many modern plectrums are made from various types of plastic including nylon, delrin and celluloid. More esoteric options include metal, carbon fibre and even wood.
Dunlop’s Tortex is one of the most widely used materials – a proprietary acetal-based invention that closely mimics the texture and feel of tortoiseshell picks. Yes, back in the day people actually used to use plectrums made from the shells of the endangered Hawksbill sea turtle. As well as being morally wrong, making picks from real shell has been banned since the 70s, and so alternatives have been developed such as Tortex.
Tortex provides a consistent picking experience, sounding similar regardless of where the pick strikes the string, whereas nylon and cellulose provide a warmer sound as long as you’re picking correctly. The edges and sides of cellulose can be used to create a scratchier sound, which can be used to great effect or expose bad technique.
Nylon picks are generally softer and more flexible, even at the thicker end of the range, and provide a little attenuation to the brightness of your guitar for a more rounded sound. Because of the zingy, bright character of steel string acoustic guitars, nylon picks are a common choice for players to help balance out the tonality on the whole.
Metal picks, as you’d expect, provide a metallic zing that really demands pick control at the mercy of scratchy, noisy playing, and otherwise provide little to no resistance from the pick. Great for some styles, but not for all!
Felt picks are common for classical guitar and ukulele that both have nylon strings, and provide a nice, muted tone. While they’re entirely usable to great effect on an electric guitar, they won’t last long up against a nickel or steel string, so they’re often just used for a specific sound, technique or moment in a song.
Many guitarists find themselves coming back to same style or pick, having built their technique around the feel of it, though it can be good practice to experiment with different picks, you’d be surprised what a big difference they make to the resulting tone— even with a handful of choice pedals distorting and processing your sound!
All of these materials are available in different thicknesses that provide different levels of resistance, allowing you to further control the dynamics of your playing, which leads me to the next point in choosing your pick.
On bass guitar, for example, your pick can be used to great effect to balance out your playing like a compressor would. With a thinner nylon pick, picking harder causes the plectrum to fold and bend more, ultimately attenuating the resulting sound. Softer picking retains dynamic, but as you begin to dig in, the loudest notes are saved from being picked overtly hard, acting like a soft limiter to balance out of your tone overall.
All Out Attack
While we’re on the subject of having some different sonic options at our fingertips, they’re the next subject. Fingerstyle guitar isn’t always the right choice for every genre, but our fingers also provide a warm and balanced response, even capable of popping and slapping for more attack. Like softer materials, fingerstyle picking can tame the brightness of a steel string acoustic guitar, or warm up a bass part.
Slapping and plucking your bass yields an entirely different attack than a pick does, falling somewhere between the warmth of fingerstyle and the punch of picked sounds. Guitar players like Brian Setzer switch seamlessly between chicken pickin’ and more articulate picked stuff, Setzer himself tucking the pick away with his thumb when he switches to fingerstyle, ready for when he jumps back to picking.
All in all, your choice of plectrum is as important as your choice of guitar, pickups, strings and technique. While effects and amplifiers can do a lot to change and process the incoming signal, they’re only able to process what they’re fed, and you can do a little or a lot to process that on the way through.
A sound really is the sum of all its parts, a huge piece of that coming before there’s even an amplified sound. Pedals are fun, as are amps and circuits, but their input can be changed drastically by your technique as well as the pick itself. Different materials yield different timbres, and even influence the way you play and feel out notes. A go-to option is great, but a handful of alternatives to build on a great sound will help to round out your sound.
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Brian May believes it should be “impossible” for someone who has a “love of art and music” to be cruel to others
In these difficult times, Brian May thinks we should all be a little kinder to each other, and that spending less time online and a little more time making music or “looking at the stars” would make all the difference.
May, who is also an animal rights activist and astrophysicist, released a new book titled Islands in Infinity: Galaxies in 3-D back in November, marking the first publication to present galaxies in three-dimensional form. In an interview with Radio Times, the Queen guitarist explains why art and science are far more connected than most think, and why he feels increasingly “despondent” about the planet he inhabits all while being fascinated about others more far away.
“Most of the most famous astronomers were musicians, from Isaac Newton onwards. It’s not unusual to have this connection in your brain,” he says. “I’ve always thought that art and science were part of the same thing, although I was told as a kid, ‘You have to choose one.’ I’ve fought that all my life. I think appreciating the beauty of the universe is a big part of finding out how it works.
“I feel despondent about the world of humans,” he adds. “It keeps me awake at night. The cruelty, the ignorance, the lies, the rewriting of history. I think an understanding and love of art and music make it impossible to be the kind of person who wants to go out and be cruel to others.
“There’s so much suffering in the world, why would we want to add to it? We’ve lost the ability to discuss things and respect other people’s point of view, we have a horrendous polarisation. If people spent more time looking at the stars and making music, none of this would be possible.”
Brian May’s book, Islands in Infinity: Galaxies in 3-D, is out now.
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Producer thinks John Mayer “might be better than George Harrison” when it comes to creating distinctive guitar tones: “It ain’t gonna sit well with people”
Producer Don Was thinks John Mayer’s ability to create unparalleled guitar tones sets him apart from other players, even The Beatles’ George Harrison.
As he acknowledges himself, it’s a hot take that may rile up a large sum of Beatles fanatics. But not only has Was worked with Mayer across three of his successful records – Born and Raised, Paradise Valley, and Sob Rock – but he also worked with Harrison on Bob Dylan’s Under the Red Sky, when he contributed a slide guitar solo for its titular track.
- READ MORE: Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X review – is this the Mayer tone plugin we’ve been waiting for?
During an interview with Everything Mayer on YouTube, Was is asked if there are any elements to Mayer’s work that might be missed by a casual listener, and Was notes his copious amounts of ideas and warm guitar tones as the key aspects that make his work unique.
He begins [via Guitar World], “He’s a great arranger. The thing that separates John from everybody else that I’ve worked with, in terms of the process we go through, is I’ve never seen anyone with that many ideas for arrangements.”
Was adds, “His guitar tones are unparalleled. They’re not just evocative, cool sounds, but they’re thick and they’re warm and they jump out of speakers – and I’m not sure how he does it.
“Yes, he’s got the best gear you can have, but I’ve played his guitars and I don’t sound like him. I think people might take that for granted… George Harrison was good at stuff like that, getting distinctive sounds that you only hear once on a certain song. That’s a strength of John’s. It’s the same thing.”
He concludes, “I was loath to say John’s better than George Harrison. It ain’t gonna sit well with people, but he might be better than George Harrison.”
Check out the full interview below:
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Gillette once offered Billy Gibbons $1M to shave his beard – the ZZ Top guitarist’s reason for refusing makes lots of sense
Ever wondered what Billy Gibbons looks like under that mighty beard? Well, it seems he’s not so sure either. In fact, the entirety of ZZ Top were once offered pretty big bucks to shave their facial hair off on TV – an offer they refused.
Though Gibbons and Dusty Hill were the most bearded of the trio, Frank Beard (more so associated with a moustache, despite the apt surname) was seemingly included in the offer too. Gibbons claims they were offered a whopping one million dollars each.
Gibbons was asked about the rumour on the Mohr Stories podcast, and said that it was Gillette who offered them the deal, though he claims the company deny ever doing so.
“It’s true. They deny it,” he states. “They wanted us to [for a Super Bowl commercial]. It was a million dollars per man. We called [publicist] Mr. Merlis and I said, ‘Bob, we got this offer.’
“I said, ‘We’ve been offered a million dollars each to shave on TV.’ He said, ‘Well, the money’s good.’ He said, ‘You might as well consider doing it, but I’m not so sure any of you guys know what’s under there.’ So, we passed. We passed and our fans loved it. Word got out,” he says with a smile.
Last year, Gibbons looked back on his first meeting with Dusty Hill, after he was recommended by Frank as a replacement for Billy Ethridge. Gibbons told Rock & Roll High School, “Frank said, ‘Hey, I want to introduce you to Dusty.’ He’s coming over at three this afternoon. Around four o’clock, then five o’clock, no Dusty. At 6pm, I said, ‘Well, where’s this guy Dusty?’ And, I guess around seven o’clock, there’s a knock on the door. I went and opened it, and this guy was standing there.
“He had a gallon jug of wine, and he stepped in and he said, ‘Hey, man, I wanted to let you know, I’m Dusty.’ And with that, he fell on the floor and passed out. This is going to be my guy! But the next day, we picked up, and we started saying, well, ‘Let’s jam a number or two.’ And we wound up three hours on a shuffling speed. And I said, ‘Man, this is going to work.’”
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“I don’t want to go hear a bunch of C and D tracks”: Should bands play their biggest hits live? Nikki Sixx thinks so – and here’s why
Should bands predominantly play their greatest hits at live shows? Or should they be free to delve into the deeper cuts of their catalogue and serve fans a show they’re not expecting? It’s a debate that sparks strong opinion on both sides.
On one hand, metal titans including Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold have expressed a disinterest in leaning entirely on the hits during live sets. In 2024, Metallica frontman James Hetfield spoke of the importance of “challenging” fans to enjoy deeper cuts from their catalogue at shows.
“We know that people wanna hear the best stuff, and you gotta challenge them to listen to the new stuff as well,” he said. “Because we certainly don’t wanna be a legacy band that just plays the greatest hits and then that’s it, you know? It’s all part of it.”
But some musicians think playing the hits is important in putting on a good show and having the fans leave happy. In a recent interview with Utah’s 103.5 The Arrow, Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx hints that during the band’s upcoming summer tour, they’ll be leaning heavily on the hits.
“We get in, and we know the fans want to hear the hits,” Sixx says [via Ultimate Guitar]. “I hate it when a band goes out and doesn’t play their hits. I just remember [David] Bowie doing that, and I was like, ‘He’s one of my favourite artists. I don’t want to go hear a bunch of C and D tracks off of records that I love. I want to hear songs like Rebel Rebel. At that point, he was like, ‘I’m so tired of playing the same songs.’”
Where most artists seem to agree is on playing the hits to keep the fans happy, but also interspersing the setlist with some lesser known tracks, too.
“We’re not tired of playing those hits,” Sixx goes on, “but we are excited about getting into a set list and diving into some songs that we maybe never played, or haven’t played in a long time, and shaking it up.
“If you’re playing a song from the first album, that’s going to dictate a lot of what production looks like, you know? So for us, it’s like this moving creative ball of energy. It’s super exciting.”
Elsewhere, shortly after the release of their latest album Life Is But a Dream… in 2023 – which came seven years after The Stage in 2016 – A7X vocalist M. Shadows explained his stance on staying artistically fresh as opposed to prioritising giving the fans a hit-packed setlist.
“I don’t even know how I’d feel if we had to go up there and play all of our old songs after five years of being off. I would feel like I’m stuck in the mud…
“Not only will bands veer away from new stuff live, because they’re worried – they want that pure energy setlist – but they also start allowing the fanbase to dictate, like ‘I paid money, I wanna see all the hits.’
“There’s bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden that continually play new stuff and reinvent themselves. And it pisses people off, but it allows them to be interested in what they’re doing.”
Meanwhile, Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme isn’t shying away from playing the band’s biggest tracks.
“I understand that I’m always going to play No One Knows because I still like playing that song and that’s something that it’s an agreement with the audience,” he said in 2023. “I assume that this is a part of coming here to see us, and here you go.”
The debate will surely rage on, but what do you think? Should artists cater to the fans and fill their setlists with their biggest tracks? Would you be happy to pay money to see your favourite artist play a set predominantly loaded with deeper cuts?
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“If I had known the grief that was coming my way, I would have stayed in real estate!”: Robert Fripp on facing the backlash to King Crimson’s Red
Robert Fripp has been reflecting on King Crimson’s most misunderstood album, 1974’s Red.
The seventh album from the band followed successful records like 1969’s In the Court of the Crimson King, 1973’s Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, and Starless and Bible Black, which landed in early 1974. But tensions were bubbling among the band as they began to make Red, and though much more broadly appreciated in retrospect, it became their lowest charting album upon release.
The line up at the time consisted of drummer Bill Bruford, vocalist and bassist John Wetton, and Fripp, with violinist David Cross having been voted out of the group. The band ultimately split at the end of 1974 after the launch of Red, and despite its rocky release, it’s regarded by many as a formative proto-metal treasure.
Speaking to Guitar World in its new print edition, Fripp says that “the strength of Red is that the power is in the music”. Looking back on its conception, he explains, “It was very, very open. But it’s a very difficult and uncomfortable place to be.
“If someone comes in with a pretty well-written piece of music and says, ‘Let’s play this’, then it’s relatively safe and straightforward. But the problem is, when you know what you’re doing, if you know where you’re going, you might get there, and that’s not an interesting place to be. Where you wish to arrive is where you could never possibly know you might be going. But that is a very difficult tension to hold together.”
Fripp also has a pretty accepting stance on Red, and that has seemingly come with time: “I would’ve stayed as an estate agent in Wimborne, Dorset, if I had known the grief that was coming my way. I would have stayed in real estate!” He jokes. “My approach has been, if you read your press, you read all of it. And if you read all my press, there have been — by and large — as many people who hated it as who enjoyed it.”
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