Fender Blacktop Series Review - Fender Puts On a Spurt
Written testInstead of launching the umpteenth reissue of a catalog instrument, Fender decided to innovate by mounting high-output passive humbuckers on a new series called Black Top. This new product range incl…
Multi-Channel Micing for Live Sound - Capturing Guitar Amps in the Wild
LearningThere are almost as many ways to capture guitar amplifier sound with a microphone as there are for a piano. And as with piano (and kick and snare drum, for that matter) single-mic approaches can’t al…
How to Compress a Guitar or Bass - Dynamics Processing Meets Rock Guitar
LearningDynamics processing with studio-oriented processors? Been there, done that. But have you re-visited it lately in a guitar context? Dynamics control for vocals or program material is very different co…
The Next Big Thing in Guitar Distortion - A Guitarist's Guide to Multiband Distortion
LearningIf you're a guitarist and you're not into multiband distortion...well, you should be. Just as multiband compression delivers a smoother, more transparent form of dynamics control, multiband distortio…
Two Notes Torpedo VB101 & VM202 Mini-Reviews - Hasta La Convolution, Baby!
Written testWhen a young and groundbreaking manufacturer puts his efforts on digital convolution to emulate the sound signature of speaker cabinets, the result looks something like the Torpedo VB-101 & VM-202 gu…
27 Acoustic Guitars Tried and Tested - How Does it Sound? Acoustic Guitars
LearningWhenever you choose a guitar you might first fall in love with appearances, but also, and above all, you cherish its sound character. Six-string fans sometimes don't have the opportunity to listen to…
Line 6 POD HD 500 Review - Pod HD: Is It For You?
Written testThe new Pod has arrived, after three long years of waiting — ever since the launch of the Pod X3, which provided the same models as its big brother, the Pod XT, and thus disappointed most guitar play…
Tech 21 Oxford Mini-Review - Who Stole the Orange?
Written testThe story of the Character Series started over two years ago when Tech21 decided to market five effect pedals that each one simulated a legendary amp. Their immediate success made the manufacturer la…
Fender Mustang II Mini-Review - Wild Mustang
Written testModeling technology is trendy and Fender is all for it! That's why the famous manufacturer has now launched two new amps under the name Mustang. Conceived to provide all beginners with a wide sound r…
Schecter Blackjack ATX C-8 Mini-Review - Eight is Enough
Written testI was very curious before testing this new instrument for two reasons: first, because the C-8 is an eight-string guitar(!), which is a quite new concept; and second, because it's a Schecter. This bra…
Mesa Boogie Transatlantic TA-15 Review - A Transatlantic Trip
Written testWe have recently seen the birth of some tube amp heads for electric guitars sporting a reduced size and weight, such as the Vox Night Train. This amp head format allows guitarists to enjoy their sou…
Fender Super-Sonic 22 Combo Review - Feeling Super-Sonic
Written testIn 2006, we saw the new Fender amps, dubbed Super-Sonic, with 60 watts under the hood and available in head or combo version. In 2010 we see a combo version of 22 Watts, sharing characteristics of it…
Vigier G.V. Wood 90 Review - G(ood) V(ibrations) Guitar
Written testSince the beginning of the 80's, Vigier has been earning itself an exceptional reputation as a music instrument manufacturer. Instead of dull and tasteless mass production, the brand is committed to …
Fender American Special Telecaster Review - Made in the USA
Written testWhat's left to say about the Telecaster? It's contribution to the world of popular music is without doubt. For those still in the dark, some of the music history's most memorable riffs were concoct…
Marshall JMD501 Review - 16-in-1 Marshall
Written testEvery guitar player knows Marshall and its cult amp series that has been manufactured for over 40 years now. Sometimes praised, sometimes criticized – everyone has certainly heard about the Marshall …
Danelectro '59 Original Guitar Review - 59, Electric Guitar
Written testWe proudly present the fourth generation of 1959 Danelectro DC. The first, whose trade name at the time was the model 3021, was manufactured in the USA in 1959. Since then, production has been reloc…
Vox AC15VR Valve Reactor Combo Amp Review - VeRy Vox
Written testA few years ago, Vox launched their legendary AC30 as an amp head or as a combo, all made in China at an affordable price. This year, VOX is spoiling us with a hybrid series, using a special amplific…
Gretsch G5191BK Tim Armstrong Review - Armstrong, I'm Black
Written testWhen it comes to punk music, Gretsch is not really the first guitar brand you think about. And yet, Tim Armstrong, Rancid's famous guitar player, chose the US brand for his signature model. Overview …
SolidGoldFX Stompbox Review - The Quebec Effect
Written testIf you are interested in guitar stompboxes, you must choose between two different worlds: you've got the mass-produced effect pedals that use more or less average-quality components for cost savings …
Blackstar Amplification HT Club 40 Review - Closer to the (Black) Stars
Written testBritish amp and stompbox manufacturer Blackstar is known among guitar players for its Artisan Series of hand-wired amps that crunch, and its One Series, a line of hi-gain models for metal freaks. The…
Jet City JCA20H Review - Suffra Jet City
Written testWhen famous guitar amp developer Mike Soldano is leading a fully new brand of affordable tube amps it is hard not to pay attention. We tested the characterful and very affordable 20-watt amplifier he…
TC Electronic PolyTune Review - TC Electronic PolyTune: Six in One
Written testWhen it comes to guitar tuner pedals innovations don't come by everyday, so when TC Electronic announced the PolyTune, a pedal that allows you view all at once which strings are out of tune,we got cu…
Digidesign Eleven Rack Review - Digidesign Eleven Rack: Stairway to Eleven
Written testDigidesign surprised the world last year when they brought out a guitar amp simulator for Pro Tools called Eleven. They have now launched Eleven in rack format for applications in the studio and on s…
Line 6 Spider IV 15 Review - Line 6 Bends Over Backwards For V4
Written testThe POD inventor comes back - for the fourth time - with its Spider modeling amp range. This time around we deal with the small, 15-watt combo which offers six effects, four amp models and some nice …
Step-by-Step Guide by BridgeTypes - Changing Strings on Electric Guitars
LearningEverybody knows how to change strings on an electric guitar. Elementary, no? Still it's an entirely different task when it comes to changing strings properly on different types of bridges.
