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$599/£449, fender.com

Whilst players from Beck, Gibbons, Cropper to Springsteen have chosen the single-pickup Fender Esquire as their six-string of choice over the years, many players still prefer a Telecaster’s broader tonal palette courtesy of its dual pickup format.

• READ MORE: Gretsch Synchromatic Falcon review – “this guitar is going to make Falcons a much more common sight on everyday stages”

But can that still work when that magic is distilled into something a lot more humble than the guitars that those icons were using? Well, Squier’s latest addition to the impressive Classic Vibe range aims to make you a believer…

Image: Adam Gasson

Squier Classic Vibe Custom Esquire – what is it?

In addition to having considerably more naming designations than it does pickups, the Squier Classic Vibe Custom Esquire eschews the blue-collar simplicity of what most of us would associate with the Esquire look for a classier double-bound early 60s custom colour look.

You get a poplar body and a maple neck with an Indian laurel fretboard – as is the norm for the Classic Vibe range – plus a single alnico single-coil pickup with a three-way selector switch (more on that later).

The Esquire is available in Candy Apple Red or the classy Sherwood Green you see here. It’s not often that a guitar unboxing gets all heads in the room turning – especially at this price point – but there can be no doubt that this Squier Esquire is a looker.

However, like a nightclub bouncer in a dinner jacket, looks can be deceptive; underneath the West Coast hot rod look, is there a bruiser waiting to be unleashed?

Image: Adam Gasson

Squier Classic Vibe Custom Esquire – build quality and playability

With its double-bound body, the retro-feeling slim C-ish neck profile and 21 vintage-sized frets, it all adds up to a 60s Fender playing experience in the hand – there’s even a subtle hint of flame to the back of the neck, adding to the ‘how much?’ vibe.

The single Fender-designed alnico single-coil bridge pickup has controls for volume and tone, but also a 3-way selector. Why? Well, thanks to some clever wiring, position one has a capacitor to give a dark pseudo-‘neck’ tone, the middle position has the tone and volume controls connected and having the selector all the way back bypasses the tone control for a subtle lift in output and top end.

Image: Adam Gasson

Squier Classic Vibe Custom Esquire – sounds

Plugging in, and instantly the drawback of that single pickup is felt. Unfortunately, to my ears, the pseudo neck position is just too dark and woolly to be usable in most musical contexts. It’s not the end of the world, however – there are plenty of simple wiring mods you could make to the capacitor value to change this should you be handy with a soldering iron, though I can’t really understand why Fender would persist with this as the default.

Getting to the good stuff, however, the Fender-designed single-coil pickup at the bridge is a sweet and punchy-sounding pickup, bright without being abrasive, offering plenty of snap and clarity to notes with cleaner sounds and a powerful punky snarl with more gain. Select the ‘middle position’ dial the tone control back and a mellower tone that contrasts well to the straight-ahead bridge sound emerges, and select the pickup alone in position three ups the brightness and output a touch, pure BFG, pure rock ‘n’ roll and loads of fun, offering more versatility than the single pickup initially suggests.

Image: Adam Gasson

Squier Classic Vibe Custom Esquire – should I buy it?

I thought I’d miss those genuine neck pickup and middle position Jimmy Page Tele tones; however, the straight-ahead bridge sound, especially the snarling aggressive vibe of the bypassed tone control setting, meant I was having so much fun I forgot all about them!

This is a seriously cool guitar, head-turning elegant looks, retro feel, and tons of 60s Americana vibes. And it has some seriously good tones, too. For this price, you’d be crazy not to take a look.

Image: Adam Gasson

Squier Classic Vibe Custom Esquire – alternatives

For more classic single-pickup action, a good P-90-loaded guitar is a must, and the Epiphone Coronet ($449/£379) is a lot of guitar for the cash. Alternatively, for a wallet-conscious take on a Gibson classic, there’s the Sire Larry Carlton L3 P90 ($459/£279). For heavier music with the stripped-down simplicity and a cool range of colours, the humbucker-loaded Squier Sonic Esquire H ($230.99/£159) is a tempting proposition.

The post Squier Classic Vibe Custom Esquire review – “I was having so much fun I forgot all about the neck pickup” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Reverb and delay. What two effects are better suited to live side-by-side in one pedal? Source Audio’s new Encounter reverb and delay is a mirror image of the company’s Collider, which explores the reverb/delay combo via a vintage lens. The mirror by which Encounter reflects the Collider, however, is more like the funhouse variety. There are many psychedelic, cosmic, and wildly refracted echoes to utilize in the Encounter. There are lots of practical ones that can be tuned to subtle ends, too. But Encounter’s realm-of-the-extra-real extras make it a companion for players that ply dreamy musical seas. It’s incredibly fun, a great spark for creativity, and, most certainly, a place to lose oneself.

Exponentially Unfolding

Of Encounter’s six reverb modes and six delay modes, four of them—the hypersphere, shimmers, and trem verb reverbs, and the kaleidoscope delay—are entirely new. Hypersphere, fundamentally, makes reverberations more particulate. Source Audio says it’s a reverb without direct reflections. In their most naked state, these reverberations can still sound a touch angular and perhaps not quite as ghostly and fluid as “no direct reflections” suggests. But they are still complex, appealing, immersive sounds. Odd reverberation clusters can conjure a confused sense of space and highlight different overtones and frequency peaks in random ways. At settings where you can hear this level of detail, hypersphere shines, particularly in spacious solo phrases. Hypersphere also features phase rate and pitch modulation depth functions via the control 1 and control 2 knobs, and they can further accent and enhance those frequency peaks, creating intoxicating, deep fractal reflection systems.

“Blends of the delay and reverb are the kind of places where you can lose track of a rainy day.”

The new trem verb mode can be practical or insane. The two effects together are a pillar of vintage electric guitar atmospherics. But the Encounter’s trem verb explodes those templates. As with the hypersphere mode, trem verb can zest simple chord melodies by using extreme effect settings at low mixes, where chaotic, half-hidden patterns dip in and out of the shadows, sometimes creating eerie counterpoint. But I loved trem verb most at extremes—mostly high mix, feedback, and decay settings with really slow modulation. Sounds here can be intense and vague—like strobe flashes piercing drifting fog. It might not be an ideal place to indulge fast, technical fretwork, but it’s a wonderland for exploring overtones, drone, and melodic possibilities.

Incidentally, the trem verb is a great match for the six delays, and the new kaleidoscope delay in particular, which fractures and scatters repeats in a million possible directions and spaces. Blends of the delay and reverb are the kind of places where you can lose track of a rainy day. The sound permutations often seem endless, and finding magic can take some attention and patience. But you can strike gold fast, too. You have to take care to save settings you really love (you can store as many as eight presets on board, and 128 total via midi) because it’s hard to resist the urge to meander through— and meditate on—hours of sound without stopping. Not all of the Encounter’s sounds are perfectly pleasing. Some combinations reveal peaky little chirps that betray digital origins—the merits of which are subjective and contextual. For the most part, though, the combined sounds are liquid and vividly complex, and can be especially enveloping at high mix and feedback.

Extended Reach

If the onboard controls don’t get you in enough trouble, downloading the Neuro 3 app, which unlocks deep control and functionality, is a minor wormhole. Take the case of trem verb—you can use Neuro 3 to change the wave shape or set up the reverb to affect the wet signal only, just the dry signal, or both of them. All of these changes open up a new system of tone caves as the sound evolves. If you’re deep in the nuance of a mix or arrangement, this functionality can be invaluable. And it’s a boon if you have nothing but time on your hands. In a state of engaged, intuitive workflow, I like to avoid these kinds of app dives. But having that much extended power on your phone or computer is impressive.

Neuro 3 extends the capability of the Encounter in other ways, too. The SoundCheck tool within Encounter is home to prerecorded loops of various instruments that you can then route through a virtual Encounter pedal. That means you can explore Encounter’s potential while stuck in a train station. It’s a real asset if you want to understand the pedal as completely as possible, and certainly a way to extract the most value from the unit’s considerable $399 price.

The Verdict

About that price. It looks steep. For most of us, it’s a significant investment. But when I consider how many sounds I found in the Encounter, how compact it is, and the possibilities that it opens up in performance and portable production (especially when you factor in the stereo ins and outs), that investment seems pretty sound. I must qualify all this by saying I was happiest with the Encounter when exploring its spaciest places—the kind of atmospheric layer where Spacemen 3, ambient producers, 1969 Pink Floyd, and slow-soul balladeers all hang. But there is room to roam for precision pickers that background radical effects, too.

Still looking to justify the cash outlay? Consider the Encounter as a portable outboard post-production and mixing asset. If you’re creating music built on big, shape-shifting ambience, it’s a cool thing to have in your bag of tricks. Different artists will mine more from the Encounter than others, so you should consider our ratings scores on a sliding scale. But as you contemplate the Encounter, be sure to factor in mystery paths that will beckon when you dive in. There’s lots of fuel for creation along most of them.

There is an element of time travel in opening up an amp to find original circuitry from decades prior. As an amp repair technician, there are few things better than finding that circuit untouched. And that feeling is enhanced when the amp has sentimental value.

In this case, I received a 1959 Fender 5F1 Champ that belonged to my client’s grandfather, who used it along with his Fender Champion lap steel guitar. He was a Polish immigrant who worked in the coal mines of Pennsylvania and enjoyed teaching himself a range of subjects from mathematics to music.

The 5F1 “narrow-panel” Champ was produced from 1956-1964. All of the tweed-era amps were special, but the 5F1 is a quintessential amp of that period. It’s a simple circuit, with only one volume control. This is as pure as it gets, allowing the unfiltered guitar signal to really breathe through the speaker and into our ears.

When you think about early rock ’n’ roll, and that warm and crunchy guitar tone, you’re hearing a tweed Champ. Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, and Keith Richards were all known to use a 5F1 in the studio. At low volumes, a guitar sounds smooth and rich. As the amp’s volume gets cranked, it starts to growl, filling the room with pure grit.

“It was customary for the amp’s builder to sign their name on this piece of tape, and in many cases during this time, the builder was a woman.”

At first glance, I was impressed with the overall condition of the amp. The tweed and grill cloth are in beautiful shape, with barely any flaws. Opening up the amp only entails the removal of 4 screws. I held my breath as I placed the asbestos-lined panel—which was meant to act as a heat shield—outside. I then sealed it with a clear lacquer, to avoid disturbing the material.

Immediately, my eye was drawn to the tiny piece of masking tape that had been placed inside the chassis. It was customary for the amp’s builder to sign their name on this piece of tape, and in many cases during this time, the builder was a woman. Sometimes that piece of tape is missing or illegible, but I was happy to see the name “Lily” clearly visible in this amp.

This Champ still has its original speaker, an 8" Oxford, which is dated the 3rd week of 1959. Sadly, but not surprisingly, the speaker did need a re-cone. Over time, it’s common for the paper cone to crack or tear, which was visually obvious in this case. If we were to put a signal through the speaker as it was, it would sound horribly blown.

The circuit itself is pristine, sporting all of the original components that had kept the amp alive for the last 66 years. The orange Astron filter and cathode bypass capacitors caught my attention as soon as I saw them.The filter capacitors are an important part of the amp, as they smooth or “filter” noise out of the power supply. Eventually, these capacitors dry out and can cause loud humming or other issues. The cathode resistor sets the bias for each cathode-biased tube, which, in the 5F1, includes the output tube. The cathode bypass capacitor works in parallel with this resistor to resurrect the gain and tonal color that tends to flatten out through this process. When these capacitors start to drift from factory specification, they can cause strange tone or signal issues.

It’s disappointing to have to replace parts on such an original specimen, but in order to make the amp usable and reliable, the leaky and drifted capacitors need to go. Thankfully, there is a way to preserve the aesthetic beauty of the orange Astrons and keep the amp appearing as original as possible. I carefully opened up each capacitor, removed the outer orange cardboard, and pulled out the capacitor itself, which is typically silver in color. I then installed the new, quality F&T filter capacitors inside of the original cardboard covering. I did the same with the bypass capacitors, using Sprague as a replacement.

This process takes a bit of finesse, but the results are worth it. There is nothing like seeing that orange color inside of a tweed Fender amp.

Safety standards have changed significantly since the 1950s. Instead of the original 2-prong power cord, I will always install a grounded 3-prong power cord. I will also remove the “death cap,” which is a capacitor connected from the AC power line to ground. These were originally used to reduce noise, but are completely obsolete with a grounded power cord. If this capacitor shorts, the chassis could become electrified, resulting in an unpleasant shock hazard. With the installation of a modern power cord and the removal of the “death cap,” the amp is safe to use.

After a basic service and tube install, I was finally able to hear the amp in its full glory. The owner and I agreed that NOS tubes would suit this beauty well. I happily tested the amp for a while, buttoned it up, and sent it on its way to thrive for another 65 years.

When you get into the history of the development of the electric guitar, you encounter a lot of famous names: Les Paul creating his “Log” from a 4x4 block and a Gibson neck, Paul Bigsby fashioning his ultra-modern solidbody for country legend Merle Travis.

Go deeper and you’ll read about pioneering brands like Rickenbacker, Epiphone, Vega, Volu-Tone, and Vivi-Tone, all of which helped bring the dream of the electric guitar to life. But one name you seldom see? Slingerland.

Yes, Slingerland.

Although best known these days as a drum brand (thanks to the success of its 1930s Radio King set), back in the 1920s Slingerland was actually the king of cheap banjos. It was only after the success of the banjos that it moved into drums, then acoustic guitars, and soon thereafter, a giant leap forward for electric guitars.

The Slingerland Songster Model 401, created in 1936, was in many ways the first solidbody electric guitar that most of us would recognize as a modern instrument. Serial #132, up for sale now on Reverb via Retrofret Vintage Guitars, is our featured pick for this edition of Vintage Vault.

That’s not to say this model was the first. By ’36, there were many companies affixing pickups to otherwise acoustic archtops and flattops. Rickenbacker had made its frying pan lap steel way back in ’31, and had issued a solid, plastic-bodied Bakelite Electro Spanish guitar in 1935.

But the Songster Model 401 was the first solidbody electric guitar to be made out of solid wood, which is a fairly important distinction. In an era of electrified archtops, aluminum Hawaiian steels, or Rickenbacker’s plastic Electro Spanish, the Model 401 was a beautiful, slightly hefty instrument, one that would look right at home on a wall hook next to a Les Paul.

Built via neck-through construction, the round, D-shaped neck and the body itself were both made out of poplar, with a gorgeous flamed maple veneer on top with a sunburst finish. The rosewood fretboard has a comfortably fast 12" radius, and a 25" scale length.

Its body—15.25" long, and 11.5" wide at the lower bout—was revolutionarily small compared to the large archtops that dominated the guitar market, and is even svelte compared to a Les Paul. But at over 7 pounds and 6 ounces of solid wood in weight, it would’ve felt closer to a light Tele than any of its mid-’30s peers … if the Tele had been invented in time to compare.

“…the Model 401 was a beautiful, slightly hefty instrument, one that would look right at home on a wall hook next to a Les Paul.”

The Model 401’s pickup situation looks quite unique, but what you’re looking at is something akin to the Stratocaster’s pickguard: the Songster’s pickup, volume, and tone control all mounted onto one plate that is then secured to the body.

In The Pinecaster Collection, Lynn Wheelwright explains what’s happening under the hood: “The original Songster pickup had a unique design; it used six individual pole pieces—one for each string. Each elongated coil was divided into two sections of three coils with the coils connected in series.” These were energized by a horseshoe magnet. While not constructed the same, the effect was similar to a modern humbucker.

The 401, with its matching amplifier, was $135 at the time of its release, in line with other electrics of the era and a little more than $3,000 today if adjusting for inflation. Its solid wood construction, flamed maple top, and small body made it thoroughly modern, and it was, perhaps, too advanced for its time. By 1940, it had ceased production in its original form, only ever numbering in the dozens of units.

Today, you might expect them to be priceless. But you can actually find them for anywhere between its original inflation-adjusted price of about $3,000 to $9,000. Our Vintage Vault pick, listed at $5,950 at the time of writing, is not even the only one currently for sale on Reverb.

So if you want a piece of true guitar history, why not start with an early electric solidbody that won’t even feel that early in your hands?

Sources: The Pinecaster Volume 1: The Pioneers by Lynn Wheelwright, jayrosen.com, Reverb listings

Gibson Certified Vintage isn’t just a place for the lucky few to buy a vintage guitar; it's a portal into the DNA of some of the most important instruments in history. Every level of the program is composed of people obsessed with acoustics, electrics, and basses. For a guitar to earn its Certified Vintage certificate, it has to be truly extraordinary.

Thankfully, the whole program is curated by someone who grew up with Gibson woven into the landscape and relationships around him.

“I grew up in St Joe [Joseph], Michigan, about an hour southwest of Kalamazoo,” explains Mitch Conrad, Gibson’s Certified Vintage Manager. “And when my grandfather was in the military, a guy swapped his late ’40s blonde Gibson L-7 with him. That Gibson was permanently entrenched in my brain, and I was very fortunate for my grandfather to gift that guitar to me for my 18th birthday.”

This history set Conrad on a path that mixed curiosity, hustle, and deep respect for the past. After meeting Gibson VP of Product Mat Koehler while running a photography studio, the pair bonded over their shared passion for all things vintage. That connection led Conrad to Nashville and, eventually, to his current role.

"These guitars are built to last lifetimes, and being part of that journey really matters to us."

Today, he is responsible for finding, authenticating, restoring, and documenting the guitars that have shaped the company’s legacy. For Conrad and the Certified Vintage team, it’s all about honoring both the guitars and the people who play them. And from his process for unearthing hidden gems to his candid transparency around pricing, he didn’t hold anything back.

Recognizing that there are various outlets for vintage gear these days, what drove Gibson to create the Certified Vintage program?

Mitch Conrad: The vintage world can be a murky place to navigate. It can be hard for people to feel confident about what it is they’re adding to their collection. We really wanted to provide the best possible experience when buying a vintage Gibson or a Gibson-made instrument.

When we sell one of our Certified Vintage instruments, it comes with a certificate of authenticity. It comes with the letter of appraisal documenting anything and everything that we know about the instrument, in terms of its history and its provenance. It also includes a deep dive into all the bits and pieces. Even if the mounting screws that were originally on it corroded and rusted out, we’ll source a vintage-correct set and put them on. We’ll call that out.

And, as far as I’m aware, we’re the only ones [offering] a new, limited lifetime warranty. We want to send them back out with that same level of confidence that these instruments will make it another lifetime in the hands of their next caretaker.

Are you specific about the guitars you’re looking for?

Conrad: We want to find the best examples of these instruments. If you’re out on the hunt for a nice mid-’60s ES-335, there’s confidence in knowing that the model Certified Vintage has is a really great one.

But "best" is a little bit of a flexible term. For instance, we try to stay away from things that have been broken. Still, we’ll make an exception. We sold a killer 1958 Goldtop that had a headstock repair. But this guitar was incredible. It was not in museum-grade condition, but it was one of the best ’50s Goldtop, darkback, PAF-equipped Les Pauls that we’ve had around.

That one actually went to Slash. When I took it down for him to try out, he told me, “I really don’t need any more of these.” And then he plugged it in. He was like, “All right, I think I’ll take this one.” [laughs]

How do you find the guitars to bring into the program?

Mitch Conrad: A lot of folks reach out directly. We’re really fortunate that the name on the headstock of the guitars we’re looking for is also the name on the website.

But there’s a lot of digging around as well. It’s stopping into shops on a long drive and asking, “Do you have anything else?” And then somebody pulls out an old black rectangle case, and it’s a 1969 Les Paul Custom. There’s also Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, all those spaces. So, not every story has the romantic “found it at a garage sale” start to it.

It sounds like there’s a real personal touch to this.

Conrad: We work really hard to make this feel like a boutique offering inside a global company, and we’re intentional about keeping that human connection at the center.

There was one really sweet woman whose mother had a beautiful ’57 Southern Jumbo. She said, “I can’t play—I don’t have a musical bone in my body—but I remember my mom playing that guitar every week.” As much as she loved having it around, she knew she couldn’t make music with it, and that’s what the guitar had spent its whole life doing. She wanted it to continue doing that.

When instruments like that come in, we’re just a temporary stop as they move from one caretaker to the next. These guitars are built to last lifetimes, and being part of that journey really matters to us.

For people just expecting to see a lot of ’50s- and ’60s-era Les Pauls, the collection has real surprises. For instance, tell us about the 1980s prototypes and other “vault” pieces you’re offering.

Conrad: When you’re developing a new product that ultimately doesn’t move forward, there isn’t really a pathway for those instruments to make it out into the world. So you end up with these great prototype pieces that, for one reason or another, just stayed behind.

It’s really fun to dig these things out. A lot of the ’80s stuff, it really scratches an itch for a group of people. These guitars don’t always get the limelight: the Q Series or Corvus, or Explorer XPLs. To be able to buy—directly from Gibson—an original prototype that’s never been offered to the public before is a unique thing.

Whether it’s a one-off prototype or a vintage Gibson classic, what does a guitar need to qualify for Certified Vintage authentication?

Conrad: Step one is identifying exactly what the instrument is. Step two is playing it—we check that it feels right and sounds right, or shows the potential to do so. The biggest part comes down to originality. “Let’s make sure that everything that’s here is what’s supposed to be here.”

"Every day brings a strange mix of vintage guitar joy and chaos."

Again, there may be times when that’s not a deal breaker for a specific instrument, but we want them to be as representative of what they were originally intended to be as possible. We’re looking at clean solder joints. We’re saying, “Have these covers been off and back on? Are the caps what they should be?” We’re digging into the finish extensively. We’re looking at every screw and every saddle and asking, “Are all these things the things that should be on this guitar?”

Sometimes, ensuring authenticity and playability—or tone—can be at odds. How do you strike that balance?

Conrad: We approach each guitar individually. If there’s an artist instrument that has caps from the ’80s, but it’s a ’50s Les Paul, those are now part of its legacy. That’s worth hanging on to. If we get a guitar that’s in excellent condition, where someone replaced a few parts but everything else is original, we want to restore that back to how it ought to be. And we’ll call that out. We’re not going to try and hide that work.

Do you still have access to a lot of the original records and notes for these older instruments?

Conrad: Yes. A lot of our records are still very intact. I have this super beautiful 1965 ES-335 that we’ll be making available in the next few weeks. I was able to find [it] in the shipping ledger, and I can say that it left the factory in Kalamazoo on November 18, 1965. That doesn’t change what the guitar is, but for someone, it gives the instrument a birthday. They get to know exactly when it left the factory and connect with a bit more of its story.

We’re still on the hunt for our ’59 shipping ledger, and I feel confident we’re going to find it! I feel it in my bones. I have to believe it’s out there and it will make its way home someday.

Your pricing sometimes differs from what’s seen on sites like Reverb.com. How do you explain that, and what feedback have you received from buyers?

Conrad: I’m really grateful for all the positive testimonials from folks who have purchased instruments from us—they’ve been good ambassadors for the program. It’s a reminder that we’re guitar people here. We’re excited about bringing these instruments back home to Gibson, and the program gives us a chance to celebrate these beautiful guitars we’ve made in the past.

"We work really hard to make this feel like a boutique offering inside a global company."

I also work hard to make sure that what we’re bringing to market is staying in the ballpark of what else is out there. I don’t want to find ourselves trying to tack on a higher percentage because of who we are. That said, when we bring a guitar in, we pay a little more because we want it to be an excellent example. And there might be times when a guitar [we’re offering] has more that’s gone into it. Vintage acoustics, for instance, are one of those things where they need work.

From road trips and online marketplaces to restorations and authentications, your job definitely keeps you busy.

Conrad: Every day is a new adventure. I’m out on the road a fair amount, going out and finding these guitars and purchasing them from all sorts of folks. And we’re working with high-value items, so you’re making sure they make it safely to their new homes and new caretakers.

But my day-to-day also may involve re-adhering the green felt lining of a late ’40s Lifton case. I have to get some new buttons installed on a set of No-Line Kluson 3-On-a-Plate tuners. Every day brings a strange mix of vintage guitar joy and chaos.

Clearly, working in the Certified Vintage program requires more than just guitar skills—it takes deep knowledge and a keen instinct for spotting truly special instruments.

Conrad: [That’s why] it’s important to me that we preserve this aspect of our history, and give the team a chance to see these original instruments. The [1959] Korina V that we brought to market earlier this year was a huge one. Sharing that guitar internally with our teams is really exciting.

Folks across all levels of things, from customer service and the crafters to product development and the aging team in Murphy Lab, are so passionate about our history and legacy. I feel a very personal connection to that.

To see the latest releases from Gibson Certified Vintage, follow the program on Instagram at @gibsoncertifiedvintage and on Facebook at Gibson Certified Vintage. If you have a vintage Gibson you’re looking to sell, you can contact the team directly at gibsoncertifiedvintage@gibson.com.

Perry Bamonte, guitarist for The Cure, has died after a short illness over Christmas, aged 65.

Bamonte’s death was confirmed by the band earlier today (27 December). “It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte, who passed away after a short illness at home over Christmas,” the band’s statement reads.

Bamonte began as a personal assistant and guitar technician for frontman Robert Smith, before joining the band on guitars and keyboards in 1990. He remained until 2005, and rejoined in 2022.

The band continues: “‘Teddy’ was a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story. Looking after the band’ from 1984 through 1989, he became a full time member of The Cure in 1990, playing guitar, six string bass and keyboard on The Wish, Wild Mood Swings, Bloodflowers, acoustic hits and The Cure albums, as well as performing more than 400 shows over 14 years.”

“He rejoined The Cure in 2022, playing another 90 shows, some of the best in the band’s history, culminating with The Show of a Lost World concert in London November 1 2024. Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.”

The post The Cure guitarist Perry Bamonte has died aged 65 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Most amp kits are Fender flavored, typically recreating historic 5F1 Champ, 5F2-A Princeton, or 5E3 Deluxe tweed-style circuits. And since an actual late-’50s Princeton, for example, costs about $3,000, at well less than a third of that price a DIY kit is an affordable alternative for any guitarist with soldering skills and the patience to follow instructions. But what if Fender isn’t exclusively the taste you’re looking for? What if Valco, Ampeg, Marshall, or modern takes on classic tones also float your rubber raft?

Enter StewMac’s mighty little Valve Factory 18 head kit, a 12-pound beast that punches above its weight class, offers a variety of classic-inspired sounds, and hints at modern boutique amp voices.

Flexible Fryer

Part of the Valve Factory 18’s versatility is due to the two preamp tube options provided in the kit: a 12AX7 or a 12AY7. But it’s mostly the result of a concise-but-flexible set of controls. On the front panel, there are volume, gain, and tone dials, but the way they shape sound depends on whether your guitar is plugged into the low- or high-input jack. The low input is the clearer of the two and hews close to Fender tweed world. But the high input offers gentle breakup that, to my ears, gets into gnarlier old amp voices. Both channels offer plenty of headroom and work well with pedals, but if your primary sources of tone color are stompboxes, the low input may be best for you. Both also benefit from a clean boost footswitch that pumps up the volume without altering the tones in play too much.

On the back, there’s an impedance switch with 4-, 8-, and 16-ohm settings, so the Valve Factory 18 can be used with most cabinets. There’s a single speaker-out jack, and on/off and standby toggles. And as its name implies, the amp delivers 18 watts, and it’s a loud 18 watts at that—fitting for today’s small-amp sweepstakes.

Brick By Brick

Confession: StewMac sent me an immaculate, pre-assembled review model rather than a kit. But I still settled into a meticulous reading of the highly detailed and lavishly illustrated instruction book. It begins with a menu of the included parts, which are metal film and metal oxide resistors, plus a single wire-wound resistor, two 1N5408 diodes, nine various capacitors, a pair of custom-built Pacific Trans transformers (power and output, naturally), wire, heat-shrink tubing, sockets and tubes (more on the tubes later), the fuse and fuse holder, the pilot lamp, screws and locknuts, input jacks, control pots, front and rear faceplates, the fully assembled footswitch for the boost, and a very solid anodized metal chassis.

Point-to-point assembly begins with the filter cap and works through the sockets on up to populating the circuit board, and so on. It’s advisable to have a digital multimeter handy to check each resistor before installation. Our test Valve Factory 18 arrived ready to go save for installing the tubes, which was easy, since this amp does not have a cabinet, so, it's merely a matter of plugging the tubes into the slots on the top of the chassis. Two JJ 6V6s live atop the amp’s crown next to the filter cap, which is also adjacent to the 18-watt power amp. I inserted the provided 12AT7 phase inverter tube and then decided whether to plug the 12AX7 or 12AY7 into the preamp slot.

Totally Tubular

Those aren't the only tubes that can be swapped in the preamp slot. The amp will function happily with 7025, 5751, 12AT7, and 12AU7 valves. But I stuck to the provided 12AX7 and 12AY7. Both performed true to their tendencies. I used the Valve Factory 18 to power a Sam Hill Custom 1x12 cab with a 50-watt Eminence Private Jack and plugged in a two-humbucker Les Paul, a PRS SE Silver Sky, a Dean electric resonator with a lipstick pickup and a piezo, and a Steinberger Spirit. In all these combinations the 12AY7 yielded a little more headroom than the 12AX7, little breakup when pushed, and a cleaner sound profile overall. That is not to say the 12AX7, my favorite of the two, lacks headroom—especially when I plugged into the low-input jack. But playing through the high-input side, the 12AX7 gave me exactly what I want from an amp: enough clean tone to stay articulate along with a gritty patina that speaks the language of rock and blues.

For me, that sound sings best with the tone between 10 and 2 o’clock and the gain between 10 and 12 o’clock which generates genuine old-school breakup. The tone control has great range. Turned hard to the left, it creates a booming, bass dominated voice; hard right, it’s bright and cutting, but never piercing. I did not find an unsatisfying sound within its scope. Dialing the gain to the top and the tone to about 8 o’clock, visions of doom rock danced in my head. With the tone at noon and higher, and the gain all the way up, I could hear the hard rock and metal applications, though the Valve Factory 18 isn’t a 5150 by any means. The volume dial simply makes things louder without significantly impacting the tone, which is ideal.

The Verdict

Short story: I dig this amp in all its sonic variations. Although the Valve Factory 18 is simple to use—and seems relatively easy to build—it is cleverly designed too. Playing it is a joy. So much so that I am disappointed that it’s not gig-ready. Without a cabinet or some cover to protect the tubes, transformers, and filter cap, it’s easily damaged. That said, the power, versatility, tonal range, and sense of accomplishment in building a point-to-point packed with character seems well worth $599.

Connecticut builder Josh Forest’s TreeTone Guitars specializes in retro-inspired designs with hip offset bodies, classic inspired color combos, and an array of electronic options. He’s teamed up with Orangewood to offer an imported version of his Del Sol model—which he produces in a standard-tuning version under his own name—as a baritone. Although the Orangewood Del Sol Baritone hits a price point well below a domestic build, it’s a solidly crafted, handsome guitar that punches well above its $795 tag.

Comfy Feels

The Del Sol Baritone’s slick, unique offset mahogany body evokes retro Fender vibes, but on its own terms. It’s a sleek look, and thanks to its chambered design—with a bass-side f-hole—it’s lightweight.

Playing while seated, the bari has a nice weight distribution and offers a comfortable playing experience. Its 27 1/2" scale length is close enough to a standard scale to feel familiar, giving it a more guitar-like feel than, say, a Danelectro’s 29 3/4" scale or a Bass VI’s 30", which makes it easy to get acquainted with.

Without checking price data first, I guessed it was priced a few hundred bucks above its $795 cost direct from Orangewood.”

A pair of P-90s sit nicely in the 3-ply parchment pickguard. Controls include a master volume and tone with pickup selector, plus a phase switch. Characteristically, the P-90s tend toward warmth more than clarity, but together they have a wide range, from bridge-position twang to thick neck tones. They certainly lean dark, and digging in will push their output enough to drive the amp if you’re already heading in that direction. That’s particularly the case with the neck pickup, though tamping down the bass control on my Deluxe Reverb helped keep it cleaner longer. But the P-90s performed great once overdriven, whether from the amp or with the help of a dirt box, with plenty of sonic space for well-articulated arpeggios and dynamic strumming. I preferred the middle position most, and the phase switch—located on a brushed aluminum control plate between the volume and tone knobs—opens up the possibilities. It’s a helpful control, especially for navigating bass response and finding the line between heaviness and twang.

Jack of All Trades

The Del Sol’s roasted maple neck has a smooth satin finish and a soft C profile. Combined with the 12" radius on its rosewood fretboard, the neck feels great. A rounded heel offers easy access to the upper frets, and has a spoke wheel for truss rod adjustment, which I always find to be a thoughtful and welcome feature. The 43 mm nut width feels naturally spaced for the .013–.072 strings that come stock.

As far as build quality goes, my demo model arrived set up and ready to go. The frets are even and nicely dressed across the neck, and seem to have received a fine level of attention. In fact, from top to bottom, the Del Sol’s build is flawless. Without checking price data first, I guessed it was priced a few hundred bucks above its $795 cost direct from Orangewood.

Though its offset aesthetic gives a bit of a surfy vibe, the Del Sol Baritone is more of a rocker—though I suspect replacing the Tune-o-matic-style bridge with a JM-style vibrato could push it in the former direction. It’s definitely capable of heavier sounds and plays well with distortion. The resonance of the chambered body lends some sustain across its range, and that helps this bari sing. The easy playability of the neck and fretboard open it up to all styles, and knotty, technical passages are easy to execute. That makes the Del Sol a specifically versatile instrument. The other side of versatility, though, is that if you’re looking for specialized sounds—let’s say a Dano-with-lipstick-pickup kind of thing, or a tic tac bass sound—you might not find it. But as a do-it-all baritone under $1,000, the Del Sol is one to consider.

The Verdict

The Orangewood brand model delivers attention to detail in cool aesthetic packages at easy-to-reach prices. Yes, there are less expensive baritones than the Del Sol on the market. But many of those cater toward more specific, if not a bit quirky, tastes. Instead, the Del Sol Baritone can cover a breadth of stylistic ground both sonically and, thanks to its easy playability, from a technical perspective. With a build quality that’s more consistent with a higher price point, it delivers both musical and financial value. If you want a well-rounded bari, this may be all you’ll ever need.

boss.info

What makes a great octave pedal? That question is a bit of a pandora’s box, but we can at least prop the lid open for a bit with one of the most popular modern octave pedals out there: the Boss OC-5, which folds in nearly 40 years of Boss octave history, while remaining a lot more accessible than octave workstations like the Pog 3.

• READ MORE: Electro-Harmonix POG3 review – the wildest pedal EHX has ever made

The OC-5 was released in 2020, superseding the very vintage (and analogue) OC-2 Octaver from 1982, and 2003’s OC-3 Super Octave. The OC-3 was notable as it was the first polyphonic octave pedal – meaning it could accept chords without completely destroying its ability to track. The OC-5 contains a more modern polyphonic mode, as well as a recreation of the OC-2’s glitchy, dual-sub-octave tracking.

OC-5 control overview

The OC-5’s controls are pretty straightforward, with the exception of the multi-function range/-2 oct knob on the right. This varies its function depending on if you’re in vintage or poly mode – in vintage mode, it blends in an ultra-low sub-sub octave, while in poly mode, it controls how the -1 octave signal tracks. On its lowest range, this sub-octave will only follow the lowest note of a given chord – turn it up, and more of your signal will join the low-octave mix. Other than this control, there’s dry blend, which ranges from completely killing the signal to a fairly hefty boost, the blend for the upper octave and the blend for the sub octave.

Vintage mode

True to the goal of recreating the OC-2’s rudimentary tracking, the Vintage Mode is purely monophonic. But even with single note inputs, it can struggle to find what you’re actually playing, resulting in glitchy artefacts as the octave sound jumps about. This mode is still a lot of fun, although unless you’re in a two-piece, the -2 octave sound is absolutely bound to get lost in a full band mix.

Poly Mode

This is the main event, really, and realistically the far more usable of the two modes. The improved tracking makes it obviously much more tight and responsive to play – and thanks to that cleaner tracking, the mix controls are a lot more useful in dialling in what output you want.

The upper octave here is a lot of fun, especially on leads – one of the main uses of an octave pedal is to make your guitar sound like a synth or an organ, and while the OC-5 isn’t quite as built for that approach as, say, the new Pog 3, there are still plenty of big synthy sounds on tap, especially with some gain and power chords.

Some aggressive use of the upper octave is perhaps the most fun you can have with the OC-5, though – especially on leads, adding a screaming, Jack White-style edge to things.

Digital vs analogue octave pedals

While the original OC-2 was analogue, the power of the OC-5 comes from its digital nature. But if you’re in the market for a compact octave pedal, you may well have come across a modern analogue option like the EQD Tentacle, an updated version of the Dan Armstrong Green Ringer, or something like MXR Blue Box.

These pedals rely on the fact that you can do some very simple maths with analogue equipment – either folding the signal over to double its frequency, or using flip-flop circuits to recreate every other wave peak to half the frequency. This leads to a much more chaotic and fuzzy sound, hence vintage octaves are so closely associated with octave fuzzes rather than cleaner “pitch-shifting” units.

A/Bing the OC-5 (with only its upper octave engaged) and an EQD Tentacle is particularly illuminating in this regard – even with an amp set clean, the Tentacle introduces audible distortion – and while it “handles” chords, anything more complex than a power chord gets messy – even basic thirds get crunched apart.

On the other hand the OC-5 in its modern Poly mode introduces no distortion at all, with a sparkly-clean recreation of the exact same sound, only one octave higher, blended in. So keep this in mind if you’re looking to make a decision between an analogue and a digital octave pedal in 2025.

Can you stack the OC-5?

The OC-5 is an excellent pairing with some heavy full-spectrum distortion – especially something super-saturated like a Big Muff. If you’re a fan of, say, Jack White, you may already know that a digital octave run into a Big Muff Pi is one of the best sounds out there – and thanks to the OC-5’s clean tracking, big riffs will gain a synthy, powerful character rather. We’ve seen this sound get a lot of love recently with Keeley’s Octa Psi and Eventide’s Knife Drop, the latter a collaboration with White himself.

But combined with impedance-sensitive fuzzes, however, things are less ideal – the Boss buffer will present problems even in bypass, and the digital nature of the tracking is not a fond pairing with the more uncontrolled nature of a raspy, vintage-voiced fuzz.

Another trendy pairing in recent years has become an octave pedal and a RAT, a combo made famous by Sunn O)))’s albums Life Metal and Pyroclasts, immortalised in the band’s signature Life Pedal. This sound is definitely doable with the OC-5 – run into a RAT, you get a thick but harmonically complex wall of sound. However, the cleanliness of the OC-5 means that, in comparison to using an analogue octave up, things don’t quite develop and shift over the course of a (very long) note – arguably the appeal of that sound.

Who is the OC-5 for?

The world of pitch-shifting is a massive and expansive one – and the OC-5 only represents a small part of it. The clean, full sound of an octave harmony is a very distinct thing to the more evocative sound of a scale-based harmoniser, or the free-form pitch ramps of something like a Whammy. And the OC-5 offers a good amount of control, but nowhere near as much as some of the bigger workstation pedals out there – but for guitarists looking to explore the benefits of cleanly mixing in octave-shifted sounds into the mix, whether that’s for otherworldly synth parts or for massive Jack White impressions, the OC-5 is a great, affordable compact option.

OC-5 alternatives

We’ve already mentioned a lot of the different styles of octave pedal already, but for posterity let’s establish some directions to go – using the OC-5 as a starting point. Given its affordable and compact nature, a starting point is a good way of looking at it – for many, it’ll be all they need – for others, a gateway drug into the world of octaves.

If the OC-5 is too clean for you, and you want raspy unpredictability, you can go for the Earthquaker Devices Tentacle for an analogue upper-octave sound. In the other pitch direction the MXR Blue Box is a sub-octave fuzz, and is completely gnarly.

If you want more control over your octaves, most iterations of EHX’s POG line will give you that – not least the incredibly extensive new POG 3. Until boss makes an OC-200, it’s probably the most fully-featured octave pedal you’ll be able to find – but keep in mind its price and its size make it a pretty big commitment.

The post Boss OC-5 review: what makes a great octave pedal? appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

 Merry christmas!

Though there is no snow

for northern new mexico 

this christmas,

i hope you have a wonderful time

with friends and family!

The country legend’s bandmates bring a range of low- to high-end gear to Nashville’s Basement East.

Ahead of Lucinda Williams’ fundraiser show on December 15 at Nashville’s Basement East, PG’s John Bohlinger spent some time with guitarists Marc Ford and Doug Pettibone, and bassist David Sutton, at the venue for this special holiday Rig Rundown. Tune in for all the goods, and check out the highlights below!

Brought to you by D’Addario.

Gretschy Guild

Pettibone plucked this off the wall of a guitar shop in Philly to demo an amp and ended up walking out with it. Its Seymour Duncan pickups are coil-split, and Pettibone gets some good, old-timey Gretsch tones out of it. Plus, after having a load of gear stolen on tour a while back, Pettibone prefers to bring out less precious instruments.

Tok-ibson

Pettibone snagged this Japan-made ES-335 knockoff, built by Tokai, while touring Australia earlier this year.

A Jewel of a Pedal Steel

Pettibone’s main pedal steel is this 1999 Emmons, which he ordered brand-new when he was playing with Jewel.

Fender Friends

Pettibone runs the Emmons pedal steel through a ’64 Fender Twin Reverb, with a ’70s JBL 15" speaker. A Strymon El Capistan adds delay, if desired. His 6-strings run into a ’68 Fender Deluxe Reverb, loaded with a Celestion Greenback speaker.

Doug Pettibone’s Pedalboard

Pettibone runs a Sarno Earth Drive, Durham Electronics Crazy Horse, Keeley-modded Boss BD-2, Boss TR-2, Mad Professor Silver Spring Reverb, and a Catalinbread Belle Epoch. A Strymon Zuma powers them.

Thou Shalt Not Covet

After “coveting” it for a long while, Ford borrowed this humbucker-equipped 6-string from Bill Asher, and after a bit of time with it, decided that he couldn’t give it back—even though he has an Asher signature model.

Nashing of Teeth

Ford was on the hunt for a Telecaster with a maple neck, and snagged this Nash T-style just a few weeks before this Rundown.

Hurtling Through Space

This custom Satellite amp has two 10" speakers and pumps out roughly 20 to 25 watts.

Marc Ford’s Pedalboard

On his board, Ford runs a D’Addario tuner, BMF Effects Marc F’n Ford and Ge Spot, Analog Man Sun Face, Satellite Fogcutter, White Amp Emulator, and Jonny Two Bags, a Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe, MXR Phase 45, and Analog Man ARDX20.

Ghost of Christmas Past

There’s a lot of history in this picture. The P-bass on the right was a gift that Sutton received on Christmas morning when he was 16. The body is the only original part left, and he strings it with La Bella flatwounds. On the left is an old Kay/Kraftsman bass, which he plays with old roundwounds strings. Sutton has owned the Ampeg SVT and cab, at rear, since he was 18.

David Sutton’s Pedalboard

At his feet, Sutton runs a TC Electronic PolyTune, Radial Loopbone Master Loop Controller, Boss TR-2, SansAmp Bass Driver DI, and ACT Entertainment Panic Button, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.

Ampeg SVT

TC Electronic PolyTune

Boss TR-2

Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI

Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus

Fender Deluxe Reverb

Fender Twin Reverb

Catalinbread Belle Epoch

Boss BD-2

Strymon Zuma

Strymon El Capistan

Guild Semi-Hollow

Gibson ES-335

Gibson Les Paul Junior DC

Fender Stratocaster



Episode 158: Chris Benson of Benson amps and Bryan Sours of Soursound transformers make their long-awaited returns to the Truth About Vintage Amps. Why? They want to tell us all about the logging truck of an amp they are currently building, a 700-watt(!) all-tube beast dubbed Babylon!

The Babylon will feature 14 KT88 tubes, 16 total speakers, three knobs, and two power cords. It’s literally the most powerful tube amp they could make without requiring a dryer outlet.

Check our Instagram for a sneak peek at the creation.

https://www.bensonamps.com/

https://soursound.com/

and honorable mention to…
https://bottosbbq.com/

Hear the Babylon in person at the 2026 Wood, Wire & Volts festival (or anywhere within a mile or two radius of the show).
https://www.woodwirevolts.com/

Deep cuts: Bryan’s first appearance on our show can be found here (it’s pretty epic) and Chris originally appeared on our 30th episode.

Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars and Amplified Parts. And happy holidays to all of our listeners and Patreon members for their support! We’ll be back in 2026.

Want amp tech Skip Simmons’ advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Want to share your top secret family recipe? Need relationship advice? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.

Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.

Don’t forget, we have a Patreon page. Support the show, get behind-the-scenes updates and get to the front of the line with your questions.

The post The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 158 first appeared on Fretboard Journal.

Hello! Welcome back to Mod Garage, and our “Tonewood Teardown” series. After finishing our work on the body of our Telecaster, let’s move on to the hardware and electronics, starting with the pickguard.

The factory-stock pickguard on this guitar is a 3-ply mint green one, and as they say, there’s no accounting for taste! In my book, a greenish pickguard on a green body isn’t an appealing look, so it had to go. Because I want to transform the guitar to Esquire specs, I had to replace it anyway, and this is a perfect field to let creativity flow and create a custom look: There are countless choices when it comes to materials, from plastic to metal to wood to acrylic glass to leather and beyond. Find the color and pattern you like best, or simply leave the original pickguard with the neck pickup removed for a serious DIY aesthetic. You can cover the hole for the neck pickup with some tape (maybe in a third green color, like neon green!) or simply remove the pickguard for the ultimate outlaw look, exposing the neck pickup routing.

I decided for a classic vintage look, with a twist. After comparing several different pickguard colors, I decided to use a 1-ply nicotine-white guard, which perfectly matches the now-matte look of the surf-green body. The color is also often referred to as parchment, offset white, eggshell white, or vintage white—not white, not cream, but somewhere in between. (Wow, an accidental rhyme!)

You can buy replacement pickguards from plenty of companies, but if you want to keep it strictly DIY, you can purchase an uncut sheet of the material. I already had some nicotine-white blanks in my storage room, so I used the old pickguard as my pattern and a simple jigsaw with different saw blades to carve out the new one. For the curvatures, I like to use a superfine round saw blade, and a standard straight one for even lines. Put some self-adhesive foil on the surface to keep you safe from any accidents.

An Esquire pickguard without the neck pickup opening is easy to fashion, and a perfect beginners’ project for pickguard-making—so be brave! It took me about 20 minutes, plus a few more minutes to drill and countersink the holes for the pickguard screws. After another 10 minutes with some sandpaper and files, the new pickguard was ready, and it looked so much better on the surf green body compared to the stock mint green.

To give the new pickguard a custom-shop twist, I decided to break the shine and make it matte like the body, which was done in just a few minutes by using some fine 0000-grit steel wool and abrasive cloth. This easy step makes it look slightly used, and by applying different grades of steel wool and pressure, you can decide on your own exactly how “used” it will look. I decided for a moderate used look that Fender would call “closet classic.”

“Do yourself a favor and replace the tiny screws with heavier ones—better safe than sorry!”

To take it the extra mile, I decided to round all the edges to give it a rolled-edge feeling—very smooth and a pleasure to touch. I thought this would be done in no time, but I was mistaken; it took me almost an hour to look and feel great! That said, rounding the edges isn’t a complicated task, since all you need is some sandpaper wrapped around a wooden rod. The hard part is getting all of the edges totally even, so if you decide to give it a try, prepare some strong coffee and take your time. It was absolutely worth the time, effort … and swearing. I found that the trick was to always get the same angle with the sandpaper, and to stay away from rotating tools like a Dremel.

Now, for the rest of the body. In general, I have a problem with all the screws used on this guitar. The diameter is always smaller compared to the standard, and the material is very soft, which is flirting with stripped-screw-head disaster. Besides this, the chromed surface is super shiny, so I decided to replace all screws with stainless-steel screws in standard sizes. I really like the typical matte look of most stainless-steel screws; they appear a little bit worn right out of the box and are easy to work with. All you need to do to give them the “closet-classic” look is rub the head of the screws with some sandpaper to produce artificial scratches. You can buy matching stainless-steel screws in any guitar or hardware store.

Next, let’s take a look at the factory-stock strap buttons. They’re chromed and standard Fender-sized, so no need to replace them if you want to keep the classic ’50s look. The stock screws are tiny, so I’ll replace them with thicker stainless steel ones. Here, too, you have plenty of options to customize your guitar by using the strap buttons you like best, or, alternatively, removing them. You can use smaller Gibson-style ones made of aluminium, locking buttons, custom buttons made out of wood, graphite, etc ... it’s your guitar, and you decide what to use. But do yourself a favor and replace the tiny screws with heavier ones at this spot—better safe than sorry! The stock strap buttons came with a small ring of black felt to protect the body from any imprints, so it’s your call whether you reinstall or remove them. For a more classic look, I decided to remove them.

To break the shiny chromed surface of the stock strap buttons, you can again use some steel wool, abrasive cloth, or go the chemical route. Here are two other easy techniques you can use on chrome or nickel guitar hardware.

1. Alternative mechanical methods

Collect a nice mixture of nails, metal parts, broken glass, gravel, sand, little stones, etc., and put this mixture into a small box or a bucket with a lid. Put the hardware inside, close the lid, and shake the hell out of it for a couple minutes to create some nice random scratches, dings, and bumps on the metal parts. The longer you shake, the more weathered it will look. Check the result after a few minutes, and if you want more scratches, keep on shaking.

If you don’t want to shake by hand or plan to do this regularly, I recommend a small stone tumbler like we have in the shop. Usually, they’re used for polishing, which is exactly the opposite of what we want to do, but loading it with our mixture from above will work perfectly for relic’ing metal hardware. When you’re pleased with the result, take the hardware out of the box or tumbler tube, and use a soft brush to clean off any dust.

2. Alternative chemical method

Place the hardware on some old newspapers, put on some gloves and goggles, and put iron (III) oxide (ferric oxide) liquid on the hardware with a Q-tip. Watch carefully, and if you like what you see, stop the process by wiping the liquid off the object with a wet cloth or paper towel, or run it under cold water.

Next month, we’ll work on the rest of our Telecaster’s hardware. I calculated $25 for a new pickguard and another $10 for the stainless-steel screws, so our budget is down to $305 for future investments. Stay tuned, and until then ... keep on modding!

Wolfgang Van Halen is inspired by a number of modern metal players, but his love for Tool runs deep, and his admiration of Adam Jones’ guitar work perhaps even deeper.

WVH’s band Mammoth released their third studio album, The End, back in October. Though it departs from the sound established by the band on their first two albums, the influences of his favourite players still jump out.
Alongside the likes of Foo Fighters and Intervals, Wolfgang has shared his love of Tool a number of times across his music career, and feels that Jones’ approach to guitar echoes that of AC/DC’s Malcolm Young.

• READ MORE: “It’s not about having a guy jumping around on stage… It’s about playing the f**k out of your instruments”: Wolfgang Van Halen on what really matters onstage

He tells Guitar.com, “I think, in terms of every instrument I play – bass, guitar, drums and singing – each member of Tool is on the respective Mount Rushmore for their instrument.

“The first song I heard from them was Third Eye [from 1996’s Ænima], which is funny, because it wasn’t a single or anything. It kind of opened my mind – opened my third eye, so to speak – regarding what music can be. I was like, ‘This is a 13-minute song! Not just a four-minute thing!’ It blew my mind when I was in seventh grade. There’s power in its simplicity: when Adam just holds down the rhythms and almost lets Justin [Chancellor, bass] take the lead, they have such a great connection.”

He adds, “When it comes to rhythm playing, Adam is almost like the Malcolm Young of metal. He is such a fucking awesome rhythm guy, and he’s a great lead guy, too. Things like the talkbox solo on Jambi are just the best.

“In Mammoth, the influence of bands like Tool and Meshuggah will come out in places you don’t expect. If you listen to [the song] The End, the very end of it, there’s this double-kick, half-time, metal-ey thing. They just pop up… It’s never intentional.”

Mammoth’s third album The End is out now. They head out on tour in March – find out more via the official Mammoth website.

The post The legendary guitarist that Wolfgang Van Halen calls “the Malcolm Young of metal” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Hensley, stepping into a new chapter as a solo artist, talks about the vintage and new guitars that shape his sound, and why he keeps coming back to melody.

Jason Isbell has made a rather strange comparison, but it kind of makes sense – his beloved Martin guitars are somewhat “like a laptop”.

Isbell teamed up with Martin for the launch of two signature models back in October, both of which take after his beloved pre-war 0-17 model used across his latest record, Foxes In The Snow.

• READ MORE: The Guitar.com staff picks: this is the best new gear of 2025

Speaking to Guitar.com about the guitars, as well as the Grammy nominations for his new album, Isbell likened his use of Martin models to the use of a laptop – not necessarily due to any jazzy technical specifications, but because of how versatile he finds them to be. With a Martin in hand, he gets stuff done.

“I’ve never felt like I could do something that a Martin couldn’t do,” Isbell explains. “You know, it’s kind of like my laptop. Especially with the really good old ones or the nice Custom Shop new ones. It’s like I’m doing emails on here, and this thing could operate a city or an automobile, y’know?”

He adds, “You don’t want your tools to create the ceiling. You want your creativity to create the ceiling and the tools should be able to follow you there. And that’s always been the case for me with Martins.”

The launch consisted of the super limited Martin 0-17 Jason Isbell, with just 50 made available, and the slightly “more accessible” 0-10E Retro Jason Isbell. Speaking of the two variations, he says, “This time around, I felt like a version that was more accessible would be a good idea because I didn’t want to split the difference.

“I feel like there wouldn’t be as much of a purpose in making one that was sort of in the middle of the road. I wanted one version that was as close to the old guitars we could get and then, one version that sort of had the spirit of that guitar, but was a lot more affordable.”

Find out more about Jason Isbell’s signature models via Martin Guitar.

The post Jason Isbell thinks his Martin guitars are sort of “like a laptop” – and his justification actually makes sense appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Matt Heafy has opened up on his struggles with burnout and mental illness, sharing how in 2024 he juggled around 30 projects at the same time.

His band Trivium released a new EP, Struck Dead, in October, which explores his confrontation with his own mind. Though still super busy balancing the writing of the band’s 11th album with fatherhood, Twitch streaming, and more, Heafy has a new perspective on his mental health, and is trying to scale things back.

• READ MORE: This is why Matt Heafy uses a double guitar strap

In an interview with Guitar.com, he shares: “[Last year] I was doing 15 to 20 to 30 projects at the same time. I was producing bands, I was managing bands; I was making all these different products and trying all these different things, like scoring video games and scoring a movie and starting a pop-up restaurant.”

The pressure became too immense, and his bandmates and loved ones staged an intervention. Heafy went on to attend counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy: “What we determined through therapy is that I’m naturally very low on serotonin,” he explains.

“I have to be on SSRIs to help my very low serotonin. Once I corrected that, we realised that I’ve got intense ADHD, anxiety and OCD. I wanted to figure out what makes me tick. Why do I think this way? How can I stop going to such an extreme point every single time?”

Track Six Walls on the new EP is potent with brutal honesty about the darkness that overcame him. He tells us, “I buried myself in my own coffin, and the six walls of this wooden coffin are what I pictured. I’m finally trying to break free. It took, like, a year. It was in January [2025] when I started coming to. On the first tour after treatment – after 38, 39 years of living the same way – I was like, ‘Holy shit! I’m having so much fun!’”

Hear the track below:

Trivium’s new EP, Struck Dead is available now to buy or stream. Find out where you can get support if you’re struggling with your mental health.

The post “I buried myself in my own coffin”: Matt Heafy opens up on mental health struggles appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Tom Morello’s Arm The Homeless guitar is featured on 22 albums and has accompanied him on every tour from 1998 to the present day. Now, thanks to Fender, you can now get one of your own.

The guitar’s origin story begins sometime around 1986 and 1987. Morello had just moved to LA having graduated from Harvard, and splashed out on a custom guitar from LA’s Performance Guitar USA. Luthier Kenny Sugai had made guitars for Frank Zappa, Joe Walsh and Steve Vai, but there was a problem with Morello’s finished model – he thought it was “crappy”.

• READ MORE: “There’s creativity to happen, and there’s a job to get done”: Tom Morello says you have to be “professional” to be a successful rock star

Sugai was not to blame for his disappointment, though. As Morello has admitted, he had ordered a custom made instrument with “no idea” what he was doing. He began to completely modify the guitar, changing everything apart from the body wood, leading to the creation of one of the most recognisable and unique guitars of our time.

The model has now been fully replicated by Fender, and proceeds from each sale of the instrument go towards supporting the work of Midnight Mission in Los Angeles, and Covenant House, a charity that helps homeless teenagers across the US.

In a new interview with Guitar.com, Morello assures us that the real Arm The Homeless guitar will still come out for special occasions and remains in the studio “always ready”, but says this new replica is now the one he takes out on the road.

It faithfully emulates the original so closely, that even Morello’s son has struggled to tell them apart. But there is one identity marker on the original guitar that was not included in Fender’s rendition.

“If you look closely you can tell, because a dog chewed the headstock of the Arm The Homeless guitar at some point in the past. And we did not recreate because I did not think that was important to the sound! But you will always be able to tell the real one because it’s been chewed!” Morello explains.

Of the charitable aspect of this guitar collaboration, Morello adds: “It was important that in making a guitar that has spent so many decades on the front lines, fighting for the oppressed and fighting for justice, that there be a justice component to this as well.

“While this guitar is made up of scraps and shards, to get it just right is not necessarily an inexpensive process. And so I want to make sure that there’s a Robin Hood component, where when you purchase this guitar it does filter back into people who really need it.”

You find out more or shop the guitar now over at Fender.

The post The secret difference that Tom Morello uses to tell his original Arm The Homeless guitar apart from his new signature model appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

$199, uaudio.com

Glossing over a period towards the end of the 20th century when it slightly didn’t exist, Universal Audio has been making studio equipment since 1958. It’s also been doing effect plugins since 2002 and amp emulator pedals since 2022, so there aren’t many companies with better pedigree when it comes to creating an entire guitar recording chain in the software realm.

• READ MORE: Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X review – is this the Mayer tone plugin we’ve been waiting for?

A plugin for your DAW of choice, Paradise Guitar Studio includes virtual stompboxes, amps, cabs, mics and studio effects – everything you need, in theory, to record high-quality tracks without any hardware except a guitar, a cable and an audio interface. OK, and maybe a pick.

Amps. Image: Press

UA Paradise Guitar Studio – what is it?

I’ve reviewed most of the aforementioned UA amp pedals, and there’s been something of a common theme: the user experience isn’t always perfect but the tones are fabulous. And the good news is, the amps in this plugin are built on the same software. At least, on some of it…

The thing is, Paradise Guitar Studio is not the sort of ultra-comprehensive offering that will keep you scrolling through dozens of models before you even record a take. UA describes the gear it’s included as a “golden unit” collection, which I think is another way of saying “not very big”.

Three of those pedals were made available as individual plugins over a year ago: the Dream ’65 (based on a black-panel Fender Deluxe Reverb), Ruby ’63 (Vox AC30) and Lion ’68 (Marshall Super Lead). They’re joined here by the Woodrow ’55 (tweed Fender Deluxe) and Enigmatic ’82 (Dumble Overdrive Special), plus another black-panel Fender modelled on the more headroomy Showman. That’s a total of six, which is enough to cover most bases but does mean neither of UA’s recent high-gain amp emulators – the Knuckles and ANTI – is on board. Perhaps these are being held back for a rock and metal add-on?

In terms of effects, there are six drive/distortion options, seven modulation types, four delays and four reverbs, plus two compressors and two EQs. The speaker cabinet selection is a lot more generous – I counted 34 – but each has its own mic (or pair of mics) and you can’t change these or move them around.

Hardcore recording nerds will already be sneering at these limitations, but if you’re new to this sort of thing – or just crave simplicity – it’s still an impressively well-appointed tonal toolbox. And there are loads of user presets to get you started.

Preset. Image: Press

UA Paradise Guitar Studio – is it easy to use?

Guitar plugins like this have been around long enough now that there’s no excuse for making one that’s difficult to use. Luckily, Paradise Guitar Studio doesn’t need any excuses because it’s as clear and intuitive to navigate as it could possibly be.

The carefully curated selection of models certainly helps with this: there’s no need to go scrolling in search of an amp, because they all fit on one page. But UA also deserves credit for some fine UX design, with everything just where you’d expect it to be and no unpleasant surprises.

There is one more limitation that might bother some shoegazers, soundscapers and ambient drug casualties: you can only use a maximum of five stompboxes in front of the amp. It’s also a bit of a faff to remove a pedal from your virtual pedalboard, except by replacing it with another one. Not a real issue, just an annoyance for neat freaks like me.

Cabs. Image: Press

UA Paradise Guitar Studio – what does it sound like?

Those fabulous amp tones I mentioned earlier? They’ve made it safely across from the real world to the virtual one. All are beautifully realistic and three-dimensional, with special mention going to the rich chiming midrange of the Vox model and the sweetly thick scuzz of the tweed Deluxe. Side-scrolling through the cabs brings instant access to all the options you could want for that all-important final stage of tone shaping, and you’re then free to play around with EQ, compression and reverb.

Both black-panel Fender amps work well as clean platforms for the pedals – and this, lest we forget, is another field where UA has plenty of experience. Its range of standard effects boxes is now 14-strong, so it’s no surprise that the delays and reverbs in particular are well up to scratch.

This is one area where you might find yourself longing for more choice, though. The six dirt options are a Muff, a Rat, a Klon, a Tube Screamer, a Fuzz Face and a Nobels ODR-1 – solid picks. But when it comes to modulation, three of the seven models are choruses – what is this, 1985? – along with a tremolo, a vibrato, a flanger and a phaser. This latter has just a single knob for speed, MXR-style, and a switch for vintage or modern voicing.

Still, you do have the option of going hybrid – combining your own real pedals with Paradise Guitar Studio’s virtual amps. So maybe it isn’t time to toss all your trusty old hardware onto a giant bonfire just yet.

Dirt. Image: Press

UA Paradise Guitar Studio – should I buy it?

There are two very clear reasons not to buy this plugin. If you’re a metal fan looking for your next fix of high-gain chuggage, you’re not going to find it here; there are plenty of other plugins for that, though. Or if you’re a dedicated tone-sniffer who demands hundreds of options and complete control over every imaginable parameter, you’re not going to find that either. For everyone else, UA’s impeccable tones should prove more than enough.

Mod. Image: Press

UA Paradise Guitar Studio alternatives

If varied options is your bag, the one to beat in this race is IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5 Max V2 (€99.99), which includes a huge array of pedals, amps, cabs, mics and virtual recording spaces. Its many challengers include Positive Grid Bias X ($149); but if you fancy something even simpler than UA’s offering, try the MixWave JHS Loud Is More Good Collection ($179) with its five pedals and one amp.

The post Universal Audio Paradise Guitar Studio review – all the classic tones you need for home recording? appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Rhythm guitar is arguably the most important aspect of guitar playing, and it’s also one of the most challenging skills to develop. The discouragement many players feel when working on rhythms forces too many of them to oversimplify the nuances, and this can reduce a performance from exceptional to fine. In this lesson, we’ll investigate why rhythm guitar can be so puzzling and look at a few ways to keep yourself motivated enough to persevere and improve.

Why So Hard?

In my many years of teaching I have found that students can learn the basic open-position chord shapes relatively quickly. The same goes for the pentatonic and major scale patterns. Even riffs and hooks like “Smoke on the Water,” “Crazy Train,” and “Oh, Pretty Woman” come relatively quickly to beginners. The biggest challenge for most guitar players is mastering rhythm guitar.

I’m not referring to the basics, such as four down strums in a measure of 4/4, a down and up eighth-note strum, or even the slightly syncopated strum of Ex. 1.

Ex. 1

Rather, I’m talking about the rhythms in countless classic rock, folk, and pop songs, which are the mainstays—for better or worse—of every oldies station, cover band’s setlist, and many aspiring beginners’ guitar dreams. Why are these rhythms so challenging for most players?

Dictionary.com defines idiosyncratic as “something peculiar to an individual.” Well, there’s your answer. Many of our favorite songs and guitarists, such as Neil Young, Malcolm and Angus Young, Joni Mitchell, David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, and Prince, possess idiosyncratic strums. How can something peculiar to an individual be easily reproduced? It can’t. Imitation takes hard work, hours of practice and refinement, and highly developed listening skills. That is not to say that idiosyncratic strums can’t be reproduced, only that they can’t be imitated easily.

What Can Guitar Players do to Improve Their Rhythm? 

The first priority is to confirm that you genuinely know how the rhythm was originally performed. In this day and age, with reliable, professionally created guitar transcriptions and instructional videos (as well as an abundance of isolated rhythm guitar tracks on YouTube), there is ample opportunity to both hear and see accurate rhythms. This doesn’t make the rhythm immediately easier to play. It will help you avoid practicing it incorrectly and allow you to generate modifications based on the original, rather than through guesswork.

Play the Part Correctly and Slowly

The second step I recommend is to endeavor to play the part correctly and slowly. This requires playing the rhythms with slower tempos and one measure at a time rather than the more common four-measure patterns. This second aspect is important as many idiosyncratic strums vary from measure to measure. Such a lack of uniformity adds to the artistry of the music, but it can be frustrating to imitate.

For instance, look at Ex. 2, which is similar to Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.” While the chords themselves, G–C–D–Am, are easy enough to fret, the strum pattern is a nightmare of mixed rhythms, with each measure not only containing a different pattern, but different string choices as well. (To make it even more tricky, David Gilmour continues to vary his rhythms throughout the song.) Let’s consider just the first measure. There’s only one chord, but three different rhythmic figures. It gets even worse than that. Sometimes the strum includes all six strings, other times one note, two notes, or three notes. Maddening! This is one of the most challenging aspects of idiosyncratic rhythm. And these types of variations show up over and over again in accurate portfolio transcriptions. Yes, it is correct, but it’s an ordeal to decipher.

Ex. 2

Here’s a tip. First work on the strum, not the individually plucked notes and strings. Strum the entire G chord (Ex. 3). Next, isolate the lowest note in the chord (Ex. 4). If you can play this correctly then you can begin mixing it up with a combination of full chords, single bass notes, and partial chords. Trust me, Gilmour wasn’t thinking, “Gotta play just the top three strings on the 16th-note upbeat of beat two and the two bottom strings on the ‘and’ of beat four.” It’s idiosyncratic! Once you have measure one correct, move on to measure two, which is slightly different. Measures three and four are also marginally altered.

Ex. 3

Ex. 4

Hopefully you’ll find that one new rhythmic pattern on its own is relatively manageable. Having to generate four different patterns in the space of four measures? In that situation, strums become exponentially more complex. As this lesson moves forward, all the examples will be variations on this theme, in different contexts, and citing different specific artists. The idea here is to demonstrate the vast complexity idiosyncratic playing can generate.

Neil Young's Strumming Patterns

In my experience, Neil Young has some of the most seemingly random strums one can find. He’ll play a song with only four chords but there will be 16 different strum patterns. It’s both inspiring and infuriating. Ex. 5 is an example of such an exasperating figure, based on “Heart of Gold.” There are four chords in two measures, each with a different strum, followed by variations on the same four chords! Brilliant and unbearable.

Ex. 5

Ex. 5

To make mastering this a bit more tolerable, as with the previous Gilmour-esque pattern, break it down into smaller parts. You’ll also want to add full chord strums on the Em and C. Ex. 6. and Ex. 7 demonstrate measures three and four of Ex. 5, isolated and repeated. Do this for the first two measures as well.

Ex. 6

Ex. 6

Ex. 7

Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi"

Another icon of individuality is Joni Mitchell, who deserves a lesson all to herself. For now, Ex. 8 will suffice. In this example, based on “Big Yellow Taxi” (although the original is performed in open-E tuning), there is the added complication of muted strums.

Ex. 8

If these muted strums are new to you, I recommend you focus on the mutes, as shown in Ex. 9. Once that is comfortable, return to Ex. 8 and incorporate the barre chords into the pattern. As with all our examples thus far, break them down, making sure each measure is solid before moving on to the next. At the risk of belaboring the point, these strums are demanding—there is no instant gratification here. “Practice and refine” should be your mantra.

Ex. 9

Let's Talk About Jimi Hendrix

It would be impossible to write about either guitar icons or 6-string idiosyncrasy without mentioning Jimi Hendrix. Jimi’s use of his thumb to fret chords is alone worthy of attention. For now, let’s stick with his eccentric strumming patterns. A good place to start is probably Hendrix’s version of “Hey Joe.” It consists of a three-and-a-half-minute loop of the circle of fourths chord progression C–G–D–A–E, yet Jimi finds a new way to play the pattern every time. Ex. 10 offers one of countless variations you can attempt. Ex. 11 demonstrates how to break it down.

Ex. 10

Ex. 11

While it’s true that most AC/DC songs feature the same riff or chord pattern played repetitively, you’ll also find that many of those patterns are four measures long, with multiple, highly syncopated rhythms found within each measure. “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Bad Boy Boogie,” and “Highway to Hell” are all excellent examples of this. Ex. 12 demonstrates Malcolm and Angus Young’s penchants for such patterns by imitating the rhythms of “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).” As you can hear, there are four measures with an immense amount of space in them and four different rhythmic figures. The key to perfecting this sort of rhythm is to not rush. Either tap your foot or use a metronome to keep your tempo steady.

Ex. 12

Our final example isn’t exactly idiosyncratic, though the referenced artist is. While Prince’s music and personal style is incredibly diverse, he often wears his influences on his sleeves, whether those be James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, or Joni Mitchell. Nevertheless, he habitually put his own spin on the source inspiration.

Ex. 13 provides you with a funky rhythm that will improve your playing, no matter what genre you specialize in, as it features muted strings (similar to those in our Joni Mitchell example), a fast syncopated 16th-note strum, and a four-measure pattern that requires you to focus on the subtle variations found in the pattern. Once again, I’ll remind you to practice such patterns one measure at a time. Goodness, any one of these measures is funky enough on its own and would satisfy most funk musicians: It’s the idiosyncratic nature of Prince to go beyond.

Ex. 13

Ex. 14 is measure three of Ex. 13 isolated and repeated. I’ve chosen this measure because for me it’s the easiest to play (always start with what’s easiest for you). Note that in Ex. 14, I removed the muted strums. We know they’re in the original and we can add them in soon enough, as demonstrated in Ex. 15.

Ex. 14

Ex. 15

Finally, let’s play all four measures without the mutes, as demonstrated in Ex. 16. It is this sort of compartmentalized, methodical, attention-to-detail practice that will improve your playing.

Ex. 16

Words of Encouragement

Ironically, one of the best things I can tell you about practicing the guitar is, “Learning to play guitar is hard!” I don’t say this to discourage, but to give perspective. If it’s taking you a week to learn a certain rhythmic pattern, guess what? It might take you a month to really get it down. Still, the rewards are worth the effort. Good luck with your rhythms!