No Fear Gear

Best Tuner Pedals That Offer Something Extra

Mark Brody — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:49:00 GMT

What Else Could You Need From a Tuner Pedal?

If you’re searching for a high-quality and reliable tuner pedal, you may not realize you could have that and some nifty extras. From alternative tuning schemes and strobe displays to switchable buffers and even looping, you could be getting a lot more from your tuner pedal.

TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic Tuner

Now in its 3rd generation, the TC Electronic PolyTune pedal made waves as the first polyphonic guitar tuner. With a single strum you can tune all six strings, which is considerably faster than tuning one string at a time (and also looks cool). And PolyTune makes it easy to explore alternate tunings like open G and open D thanks to preset tuning modes. Three generations of guitarists can’t all be wrong — if you’re interested in the speed and simplicity of a polyphonic tuner, the TC Electronic PolyTune 3 is worth a look.

Why Players Love the TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic Tuner Pedal:

Easy to see in dark spaces
Tune up all 6 strings fast with up to 1-cent accuracy
Great way to check tuning between songs in a band setting

TC Electronic Polytune 3

BOSS TU-3 Chromatic Tuner Pedal

Saying the BOSS TU tuner is one of the most-used tuner pedals doesn’t really convey how respected it is among pro guitarists. From Eddie Van Halen to Dave Navarro to John 5 to Steve Vai… we could go on name dropping but you get the point: a lot of pro guitarists have hit stages around the world while relying on a BOSS TU tuner pedal to stay in tune. That’s what the BOSS TU-3 tuner pedal offers that others don’t — a heritage of road-worthy reliability that has stood the test of time. Complete with an outdoor mode for visibility in ultra-bright conditions, the BOSS TU-3 is definitely worth a spot on your pedalboard.

Why Players Love the BOSS TU-3 Tuner Pedal:

Fast reaction and extreme tuning accuracy
High-visibility display is easy to read even outdoors in direct sunlight
Rugged BOSS case is reassuring on stage and on the road

BOSS TU-3

Peterson StroboStomp Mini Strobe Tuner Pedal

You may know Peterson’s esteemed reputation as a leader in strobe tuner technology, and their ultra-accurate displays with 0.1-cent precision. What you may not know as much about are Peterson’s "Sweetened" tunings that are responsible for some amazingly sweet recordings. Sweetened tunings compensate for the guitar’s imperfect temperament and allow you to make certain chords and keys sound "sweeter." For example, if you’ve ever felt your open A chord sounded odd when supposedly in tune, Sweetened tunings can tighten it up for greater harmonic clarity and detail.

Not everyone needs to make their solo in C# sound as sweet as it possibly can be, but Peterson StroboStomp tuners are also popular among guitarists that work on their own instruments. In particular, adjusting bridge saddles for better intonation is much more accurate with a strobe tuner than a needle tuner. If maximum precision is your priority, it’s hard to beat the laser-like accuracy of the StroboStomp Mini.

Why Players Love the Peterson StroboStomp Mini Pedal:

Cool strobe display is highly customizable
Extremely accurate and precise, great for setting a guitar’s intonation
Sweetened tunings enhance certain chords and keys for a "sweeter," more musical sound

Peterson Strobostomp Mini

Korg Pitchblack XS Tuner Pedal

Korg has long been a leader in professional tuning technology, with rackmount Korg tuners dominating gear racks in the ‘80s and ‘90s through today. Korg’s modern Pitchblack series of tuners — including the Pitchblack XS tuner pedal — have innovated with more vivid and vibrant displays that deliver amazing tuning precision (to 0.1-cent accuracy). So what’s special about the Pitchblack XS pedal among the series? In short, it’s a big target that’s easy to see and impossible to miss. Instead of a traditional footswitch less than an inch wide, the entire face of the Pitchblack XS is the switch. And with its huge, colorful display, it’s as easy to see as it is to kick on. Measuring approximately 2x3x3 inches, Pitchblack XS is an ultra-compact tuner that’s easier to read and switch than some full-sized pedals.

Why Players Love the Korg Pitchblack XS Pedal:

Easy to read, fast to respond, and very accurate
Easier to see and engage on dark stages
Rugged construction and pedalboard-friendly design

Korg Pitchblack XS Custom

Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner Pedal

The Walrus Canvas Tuner has a vivid color display with switchable needle and strobe tuning modes, with 0.1-cent accuracy — and that’s just the start. There’s a surprising amount of functionality in the Canvas Tuner, and there are two things specifically that earn it a place on this list. First, the tuning display can be re-oriented however you need — if your pedalboard conditions force you to place the Canvas Tuner sideways, or even upside-down, you can re-orient the display to accommodate. If you’ve simply gotten used to viewing your tuner screen sideways, you’ll definitely appreciate this quality-of-life feature.

The second reason we can recommend the Canvas Tuner is its built-in timer that you can use to track your rehearsals and stage performances. Whether you want to time your set at rehearsal to make sure it’s appropriate for your time slot, or you want to keep track of how long you’ve been on stage, the Canvas Tuner’s built-in timer is an amazing convenience to any performing musician. See it in action in this YouTube Short.

Why Players Love the Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner Pedal:

Display can be re-oriented to accommodate any pedalboard position
Built-in timer mode to track rehearsal and time on stage
Switchable needle and strobe tuning displays with accuracy to 0.1-cents

Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner

Ernie Ball Volume Pedal JR Tuner Pedal

It’s easy to overlook the Ernie Ball VP JR if you’re searching for tuner pedals, because it doesn’t really look like a tuner pedal at all. The VP JR Tuner combines a tuner with Ernie Ball’s famous volume pedal design, a favorite among iconic players including John Petrucci, Alex Lifeson, and Mark Knopfler. The high-visibility tuner display sits solely in the middle of the volume pedal, and automatically activates in the heel-down position. If the idea of a volume pedal and tuner in one sounds like your ideal solution, it’s hard to beat Ernie Ball’s reputation for stage reliability and tonal integrity.

Why Players Love the Ernie Ball Volume Pedal JR Pedal:

Precise volume sweeps and swells
Your volume pedal and tuner don’t need to compete for first place in your signal chain
High visibility display and accurate tuning

Ernie Ball VP JR

NUX NTU-3 MKII Flow Tune Tuner Pedal

Beyond the blue or pink retro look, the NUX NTU-3 MKII Flow Tune Tuner Pedal offers more than accurate tuning. The NTU-3 MKII also features switchable buffered or true bypass switching. If you use other true bypass pedals in your signal chain, switch the NTU-3 to buffered mode to maintain your tonal consistency as you switch your other pedals on and off. If you have other buffered pedals in your signal chain, switch the NTU-3 to true bypass mode to completely remove its circuit from your signal path when you’re not tuning. No matter what your pedalboard consists of, the NUX NTU-3 MKII Flow Tune makes it easy to optimize your signal path while keeping you in tune.

Why Players Love the NUX NTU-3 MKII Flow Tune Tuner Pedal:

Cool retro look available in Blue or Pink
Tuning modes for Chromatic, Guitar, and Bass
Reference pitch can be adjusted from 430–450Hz

NUX NTU-3 MKII

LEKATO Looper/Tuner Pedal

Every guitarist needs a tuner pedal, every guitarist should have a looper pedal, and the LEKATO Looper/Tuner delivers both in an ultra-affordable package. At less than $50, it’s hard to beat the value of a chromatic tuner with an onboard looper. And it’s more than basic loop functionality — you can record up to 3 loops with overdubs, and up to 18 minutes total recording time. You can also import and export loops via USB, allowing you to load backing tracks to play over through your guitar rig. If you want to tap into the power of looping to build your skills and have more fun writing songs, but don’t want to buy a dedicated looper pedal to do so, the LEKATO Looper/Tuner may be exactly what you need.

Why Players Love the LEKATO Looper/Tuner Pedal:

Looping and tuning at an attractively low price
Record up to 3 separate loops (6 minutes each, 18 minutes total)
Import/export loops via USB to save your loops or play over backing tracks

Best Tremolo Pedals in 2025

Mark Brody — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:30:00 GMT

What is a Tremolo Pedal Anyway?

Tremolo is volume changing over time at a consistent rate. The most basic tremolo pedal will give you controls for depth (how much the volume is affected) and rate (the speed at which the volume is modulated). You can create the same effect by lowering and raising your guitar’s volume control. More advanced tremolo pedals will offer additional controls to change the wave shape, change the depth dynamically, and other creative options.

BOSS TR-2 TREMOLO PEDAL

The BOSS TR-2 tremolo pedal was introduced in 1997, and remains a top choice among gigging guitarists for its reliability. Like many BOSS pedals, the TR-2 offers a textbook take on the classic effect, with a basic control set for Wave, Rate, and Depth. The Wave control is continuously variable from triangle wave to square wave shapes, for a wide range of tremolo effects from smooth and round to sharp and stuttering.

Simple and effective is why players tend to choose the BOSS TR-2 tremolo, and its ultra-rugged heritage is a big benefit too. If you’re a hard-gigging guitarist that needs a reliable tremolo pedal for a wide range of styles, the TR-2 tremolo pedal is exactly what you want on your pedalboard.

Why Players Love the BOSS TR-2 Tremolo Pedal

Amp-like tremolo tone in a rugged pedal
Simple to use and sounds great at practically any setting
Appropriate for practically any musical style, ideal for cover band guitarists

Boss TR-2 Tremolo Pedal

ELECTRO-HARMONIX NANO STEREO PULSAR

Tremolo sounds great with a typical amp setup, and it sounds amazing as a stereo effect with dual amplifiers (or a wet/dry/wet 3-amp rig). The EHX Nano Stereo Pulsar is the compact version of their iconic Stereo Pulsar analog tremolo pedal, making it super simple to experiment with stereo tremolo while saving space on your pedalboard.

While it’s a compact pedal with simple controls, you’ll find a wide range of tremolo effects to explore between the square/triangle wave shape switch and the variable Shape control. The analog circuitry gives deep tremolo settings the throbbing, dimensional character that players love about vintage amplifier tremolo. In other words, the Nano Stereo Pulsar is a simple yet highly capable analog tremolo pedal whether you need the stereo capability or not.

Why Players Love the Electro-Harmonix Nano Stereo Pulsar Tremolo Pedal

Easy to dial in a wide range of effects, from smooth amp-like trem to hard-edged "choppy" tremolo
Volume knob helps you keep your sound consistent when toggling the effect
Analog circuitry adds subtle harmonic richness

Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar Stereo Tremolo Pedal

EARTHQUAKER DEVICES HUMMINGBIRD REPEAT PERCUSSIONS TREMOLO

Can a tremolo pedal sound "choppy" and "smooth" at the same time? The EQD Hummingbird Repeat Percussions tremolo pedal proves it’s possible, offering a percussive square-wave trem effect with an amazingly wide rate range. If you’re looking for a tremolo that can go fast — really fast — the Hummingbird is for you. Even at slower rates with only a subtle amount of tremolo, the Hummingbird has a distinctive character you won’t find anywhere else.

The Hummingbird’s 3-way speed mode switch ranges from slow (think typical tremolo effects) to very fast (think of a fly buzzing). Where most tremolo effects stop sounding musical when they reach higher rates, the Hummingbird can reach ultra-fast modulation while still sounding punchy and precise. It’s also worth mentioning the expression pedal input that allows you to adjust the rate as you play — there’s a lot of musical potential here.

Why Players Love the EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird Repeat Percussions Tremolo

Can reach ultra-fast tremolo speeds while still sounding percussive and precise
Expression pedal input gives you hands-free control over the modulation rate as you play
Offers a unique sonic character even when used as a "normal" tremolo

TC Electronic Pipeline Tremolo Pedal

TC ELECTRONIC PIPELINE TREMOLO

The surf-inspired TC Electronic Pipeline tremolo pedal can certainly nail those classic '50s and '60s tremolo tones, but that’s not why we’re featuring it here. Tremolo is a rhythmic effect, and you’ll often want to sync the effect to whatever song you’re playing — but it’s surprising how many tremolo pedals do not offer tap tempo in this day and age. The TC Electronic Pipeline Tremolo ticks all the boxes for an amp-like tremolo for your pedalboard, and you can tap in your desired tempo from the built-in footswitch.

Tap Tempo doesn’t make the Pipeline tremolo pedal unique, just practical. Where it stands out is with the Time Division control. Combined with the tap tempo feature, you can easily dial in perfectly-synced quarter notes, dotted 8ths, triplets, and other rhythms, faster than you could with just about any other tremolo pedal. Pipeline also supports TC Electronic’s acclaimed TonePrint capability, allowing you to create custom tones or download artist-created presets — very cool.

Why Players Love the TC Electronic Pipeline Tremolo Pedal

Tap Tempo makes it simple to sync the tremolo effect with your music
Adjustable time divisions make it easy to explore different rhythms without changing the tempo
TonePrint capability allows you to create your own custom presets or download artist-created presets

EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird V4 Repeat Percussions Tremolo Pedal

JHS 3 SERIES HARMONIC TREMOLO

Harmonic tremolo is a distinct variation of the classic effect — normal tremolo modulates your volume, while harmonic tremolo creates a similar effect by sweeping through your signal’s frequency range. It still has the pulsing character of tremolo, while also sharing sonic characteristics of a rotating speaker. It’s a very cool sound that you probably won’t want all of the time, and that’s why you should know the JHS 3 Series Harmonic Tremolo pedal offers both harmonic and standard tremolo modes.

As with all JHS 3 Series pedals, the Harmonic Tremolo is ultra-simple to use with controls for Volume, Rate and Depth, plus a toggle switch for harmonic/standard modes. Having the option to switch to harmonic tremolo mode is especially appealing for cover band guitarists — harmonic tremolo is all over classic blues rock, and it’s convenient to be able to tap into that iconic sound without dedicating a separate pedal to the cause.

Why Players Love the JHS 3 Series Harmonic Tremolo

Flexible tremolo pedal for a wide range of musical styles
Switchable harmonic tremolo mode for Uni-Vibe/rotary speaker effect
Huge range of effects in a single pedal with simple controls

JHS 3 Series Harmonic Tremolo Pedal

SOURCE AUDIO VERTIGO TREMOLO

Source Audio have made their mark with digital effects that have an uncanny analog resemblance, and the Vertigo Tremolo pedal is no different. Normal mode emulates a vintage '60s amp with onboard tremolo, with the characteristic throb and richness players love about amp tremolo. Bias mode takes this to the next level, emulating preamp-tube tremolo with harmonic-enhancing tube breakup. And Harmonic mode emulates the sound of vintage "Brownface" amplifiers with harmonic tremolo.

Vertigo gets even more exciting for the digitally adventurous, with a number of "secret" parameters you can tweak from your computer or even your smartphone. The free Neuro Editor app allows you to tweak a ton of different effect settings beyond what you can access from the pedal itself. And Vertigo is MIDI-capable when used with Source Audio’s Neuro Hub (sold separately), which makes it an appealing effects stompbox for MIDI-based musicians. If you love the sonic character of vintage tremolo effects, but aren’t afraid of the limitless flexibility that digital innovation provides, you should definitely check out the Source Audio Vertigo Tremolo pedal.

Why Players Love the Source Audio Vertigo Tremolo

Generates the pulsating push/pull of vintage amplifier tremolo circuits
3 distinct tremolo modes including a harmonic tremolo based on vintage "Brownface" amps
Infinitely configurable with free Neuro Editor app

Source Audio Vertigo Tremolo Pedal

WALRUS AUDIO FUNDAMENTAL SERIES TREMOLO

Smooth or choppy, rhythmic or random, the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Tremolo pedal packs the essentials in a simple and fun-to-use package. It’s an affordable way to tap into a wide range of tremolo effects, and the addition of a random wave mode gives you something fun to explore beyond typical tremolo effects.

At a glance, the sliders on the Fundamental Tremolo may seem to only be for retro cosmetics, but in practice they’re delightful to use. The Fundamental Tremolo uses the pedalboard-friendly 1/2-size pedal case, and traditional knobs can feel a bit cramped on these compact pedals. When you’re packing your pedalboard with compact effects, the sliders on the Fundamental Tremolo start to show their true power. When you need to make a quick tweak to your effects before a song, the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Tremolo makes it easy.

Why Players Love the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Tremolo Pedal

Great-sounding tremolo effects in an affordable, ultra-compact pedal
Sliders make it easy to make fast tweaks and check settings at a glance
Smooth, choppy, and random modes offer a wide range of effects to explore

Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Tremolo Pedal

Looking for tremolo plus all the other modulation effects in a single pedal? Then check out our video review of the Flamma FC05 Multi Modulation Pedal!

Multi Modulation Guitar Pedal- Under $40 Flamma FC05 Review

Best Direct Boxes for the Modern Guitarist

Mark Brody — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 01:07:00 GMT

Why Do You Need a Direct Box?

A direct box (DI) converts an unbalanced, instrument-level signal into a balanced, microphone-level signal suitable for mixers, audio interfaces, powered speakers, and recording equipment. Along the way, its transformer isolates the signal to eliminate interference and ground-loop hum while allowing you to run extremely long cable lengths without noticeable signal loss.

While this basic function alone makes a DI invaluable, modern direct boxes often include additional features such as speaker simulation, stereo routing, signal blending, amplifier modeling, and advanced monitoring options that make them much more than simple signal converters.

Palmer River ILM

The Palmer River ILM is designed for players who want the sound of a miked guitar amplifier without placing a microphone in front of a speaker cabinet. Instead of modeling an entire cabinet, the River ILM emulates the sonic behavior of common guitar speakers while preserving the natural character of your amplifier and pedals.

Placed between your amplifier's speaker or line output and the mixing console, the River ILM delivers a consistent, stage-ready sound every night. If speaker simulation isn't required, it can also function as a traditional passive direct box with the speaker emulation switched off.

Why Players Love the Palmer River ILM

Three selectable speaker emulation modes
Speaker simulation can be bypassed for traditional DI operation
Selectable attenuation accommodates virtually any guitar amplifier
Delivers consistent direct tone without microphone placement

Palmer RIVER ilm

Radial Highline Stereo

Radial has built its reputation around premium direct boxes, and the Highline Stereo Passive Line Isolator is purpose-built for modern amp modelers and amp simulators.

Many modelers provide unbalanced line outputs that become susceptible to noise over long cable runs, while ground loops remain a common problem even on balanced systems. The Highline Stereo solves both issues using premium Jensen transformers while preserving every detail of your modeled tone.

Beyond signal isolation, it simplifies stage monitoring by allowing stereo signals to be summed to mono for stage wedges or when limited mixer channels are available.

Why Players Love the Radial Highline Stereo

Maintains full dynamics and frequency response from modelers
Premium Jensen 1:1 isolation transformers
Easily sums stereo signals to mono when needed
Ideal for ampless stage rigs

Radial Highline Stereo Passive Line Isolator

Walrus Audio Canvas Direct Injection Box

The Walrus Audio Canvas DI combines transparent signal conversion with thoughtful routing features for modern pedalboards and modeling rigs.

Unlike many traditional DIs, the Canvas includes a dedicated Line Injection mode for low-impedance outputs from amp modelers and digital processors. A clever Sum switch also transforms the Through jack into a second input, making stereo-to-mono operation fast and intuitive. Players requiring full stereo operation can choose the Canvas Stereo DI version.

Why Players Love the Walrus Audio Canvas DI

Transparent, studio-quality direct signal
Instrument and Line Injection modes
Sum switch simplifies stereo-to-mono operation
Available in both mono and stereo versions

Fishman AFX Pocket Blender

The Fishman AFX Pocket Blender goes well beyond the role of a traditional DI box by combining direct output capability with advanced signal routing for acoustic musicians.

Players using dual-source pickup systems can blend two pickup signals into a single output while maintaining exceptional clarity. The Pocket Blender also functions as an A/B/Y switcher, allowing signals to be split to multiple destinations or routed through parallel effects chains.

Whether you're building an advanced acoustic pedalboard or simply want the most transparent direct signal possible, the Pocket Blender offers exceptional flexibility.

Why Players Love the Fishman AFX Pocket Blender

High-quality DI designed specifically for acoustic instruments
Blend dual pickup systems into a single output
Functions as an A/B/Y routing pedal
Supports parallel effects processing

Fishman AFX Pocket Blender

LR Baggs Voiceprint Acoustic DI

Many acoustic players love the feel of their instrument but dislike the sound of its pickup system. The LR Baggs Voiceprint Acoustic DI addresses this problem by capturing the natural acoustic voice of your specific guitar.

Using the companion smartphone app, the Voiceprint process analyzes your instrument through tapping, strumming, and picking before blending that acoustic profile with your pickup signal. The result is a remarkably natural amplified sound that closely resembles the unplugged instrument.

In addition to Voiceprint technology, the pedal includes comprehensive tone shaping and feedback control for live performance.

Why Players Love the LR Baggs Voiceprint Acoustic DI

Restores the natural acoustic character of your instrument
Personalized Voiceprint mapping for your specific guitar
Companion smartphone app simplifies setup
Built-in EQ and anti-feedback controls

LR Baggs Voiceprint Acoustic DI

Quilter Labs Phantom Block

The Quilter Phantom Block is both a rugged direct box and a compact amplifier replacement.

Switching into Cab Sim mode transforms it into a miniature amp with Gain, Tone, and Master controls, making it an excellent solution for silent stages and fly dates. Selecting FRFR mode bypasses the cabinet simulation for transparent direct box operation.

Its flexible powering options—including phantom power from a mixing console—make it particularly useful as both a planned part of your rig and an emergency backup.

Why Players Love the Quilter Phantom Block

Functions as both a DI and compact amplifier replacement
Cab Sim mode includes Gain, Tone, and Master controls
FRFR mode provides transparent direct operation
Can be powered via phantom power, battery, or external power supply

Quilter Labs Phantom Block

Overdrive Pedal Buying Guide

Mark Brody — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

What's an Overdrive Pedal?

An overdrive pedal increases your guitar signal until it begins to clip, creating additional harmonics that make your tone sound fuller, richer, and more responsive. At lower settings, an overdrive can make a clean amplifier behave like a vintage tube amp that's just beginning to break up. Push it harder, and it can drive an already overdriven amplifier into thicker sustain and more aggressive distortion.

Overdrive pedals are also valuable when recording direct or playing through an amp modeler, adding the natural punch and responsiveness normally produced by a tube amplifier's preamp section.

Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer — Tube-Like Midrange Grind

The Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer is one of the most iconic overdrive pedals ever created. Introduced in the late 1970s, it became famous for delivering smooth, tube-like breakup while tightening the low end and emphasizing the midrange.

Rather than overwhelming your amplifier with distortion, most players use the Tube Screamer as a boost, allowing their amp to provide most of the gain while the pedal adds focus, sustain, and clarity. This midrange emphasis helps guitar solos cut through dense mixes without becoming harsh.

Legendary players including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lee Ritenour, and Gary Moore helped make the Tube Screamer one of the most influential pedals in guitar history.

Why Players Love the Ibanez TS-808

Tightens low frequencies for greater clarity
Midrange emphasis helps solos cut through the mix
Plenty of output for boosting an amplifier

Ibanez TS808 Original Tube Screamer Overdrive Pedal

Similar Pedals

JHS Bonsai — offers 9 different overdrive modes based on classic Tube Screamer pedals
EHX East River Drive — symmetrical clipping with JRC4558 IC circuit delivers classic TS-style tone
EarthQuaker Devices Plumes — 3 overdrive modes and lots of headroom for supercharged Tube Screamer tones
GAMMA Atlas Boosted Overdrive — Normal and Boosted modes for two distinct voicings

BOSS OD-1 — Garage Rock in a Box

The original BOSS OD-1 helped define overdrive pedals as we know them today. Its bright, aggressive voice produces gritty classic rock tones that respond exceptionally well to your guitar's volume and tone controls.

With only Level and Overdrive controls, dialing in usable sounds is quick and intuitive. The modern BOSS OD-1X expands on the original formula with additional Low and High EQ controls for greater flexibility while preserving its unmistakable character.

Players such as Pete Townshend, Rory Gallagher, and Johnny Marr have all incorporated the OD-1 into their rigs over the years.

Why Players Love the BOSS OD-1

Bright, cutting overdrive
Simple two-knob operation
Excellent touch response
Cleans up naturally from your guitar's controls

BOSS OD-1X Overdrive Guitar Pedal

Similar Pedals

BOSS OD-3 — Introduced in 1997, the OD-3 equipped the original 2-knob design with a Tone control
JOYO JF-02 — convincing late-‘70s overdrive tones at a very affordable price
EarthQuaker Devices Speaker Cranker — Germanium and Silicon clipping modes give you two distinct overdrive flavors to choose from

Wampler Tumnus — Transparent Boost and Drive

The Wampler Tumnus belongs to the family of famous "Klon Clone" pedals, inspired by the legendary Klon Centaur.

Rather than dramatically reshaping your tone, the Tumnus enhances what's already there by adding harmonic richness, sustain, clarity, and dynamic response. Many players describe Klon-style pedals as transparent because your guitar and amplifier continue to sound like themselves—just bigger, clearer, and more responsive.

If you already love your core guitar tone and simply want to improve it, a Klon-style overdrive like the Tumnus is an outstanding choice.

Why Players Love the Wampler Tumnus

Transparent boost that preserves your original tone
Excellent touch sensitivity
Adds sustain without excessive coloration
Great for always-on use

Wampler Tumnus V2 Overdrive & Boost Guitar Effects Pedal

More Klon Clones:

MXR M294 Sugar Drive — uses voltage doubling to increase headroom for greater dynamic response
EHX Soul Food — boosted power rails give Soul Food exceptional touch response and definition
TC Electronic Zeus — Fat switch engages low-frequency boost for added sonic girth

DOD 250 — Drive, Distortion, and Everything Between

Originally introduced in 1977, the DOD 250 Overdrive Preamp has earned legendary status among players looking for a wide gain range and exceptional playing dynamics.

Unlike pedals that focus on one particular sound, the DOD 250 comfortably moves from light overdrive to full distortion while maintaining impressive clarity and responsiveness. Its bright, articulate character allows it to serve equally well as a clean boost, low-gain drive, or primary distortion source.

The modern reissue faithfully recreates the original circuit while updating the hardware for today's players.

Why Players Love the DOD 250

Wide gain range from mild drive to distortion
Fast, responsive playing feel
Bright, articulate voice
Works equally well as a boost or primary gain pedal

DOD Overdrive 250 Analog Overdrive Preamp

Popular 250-style Preamp/Overdrive Pedals:

MOSKY D250X — 2 drive modes and lots of gain at a very affordable price
JHS Overdrive Preamp — features two switchable circuits based on original 1970s 250 pedals
BOSS BP-1W — this BOSS pedal features their own acclaimed analog preamp circuits paired with a Gain control

Comparing 12 Overdrive Pedals Under $50

Classic overdrive pedals are only the beginning. Today's market is full of budget-friendly pedals that deliver impressive sound quality for very little money.

In our 12 Overdrive Pedals Under $50 comparison, the No Fear Guitar Gear team tested popular models including the:

Donner Blues Drive Vintage Overdrive
JOYO Vintage Overdrive
Mosky Audio Mini Silver Horse
KMIZE Vintage Overdrive
Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive
TC Electronic EL CAMBO OVERDRIVE
Caline CP-511 Enchanted Tone Overdrive
Satone S805 Mandarin Overdrive
Behringer OD300 Overdrive/Distortion
FLAMMA FC07 Overdrive
VSN Blues King Overdrive
TC Electronic CINDERS OVERDRIVE

Best Overdrive Pedals Under $50 -12 Pedal Overdrive Shootout

The shootout demonstrates how each pedal responds to different playing styles, making it easier to compare affordable overdrives before buying.

Want to hear more overdrive pedals under $50? Check out our full article, Best Overdrive Pedal Under $50

Accessories for Your Overdrive Pedal

Most overdrive pedals require an external 9V DC power supply, and many no longer support battery operation. A quality power supply, such as the Truetone 1 Spot, provides reliable, low-noise power while allowing multiple pedals to run from a single outlet.

Truetone 1 Spot Combo Pack Power Supply

You'll also need an additional instrument cable to connect your pedal to your amplifier. If you're building a pedalboard, short patch cables—such as the D'Addario Classic Series Patch Cables—keep your setup tidy while reducing excess cable length.

With the right overdrive pedal and a few essential accessories, you'll be ready to build a pedalboard that delivers inspiring tone for practice, recording, and live performance.

D'Addario Guitar Cable

Ultimate Delay Under $100

Mark Brody — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:31:00 GMT

Finding the Ultimate Delay Pedal Under $100

Browse any major music retailer and you'll quickly discover there are dozens of delay pedals competing for your attention. Whether you're after classic slapback, soaring solo delays, or long ambient echoes, the ideal delay pedal should handle them all with ease.

To separate the true standouts from the crowd, our No Fear Guides compared eight of today's most popular delay pedals under $100 using similar settings in a bracket-style shootout. While many pedals looked nearly identical on paper, each one delivered its own distinct personality once plugged in.

FLAMMA FC17 Analog Delay

The FLAMMA FC17 delivers classic analog delay with an intuitive three-knob layout that's easy for beginners yet satisfying for experienced players. Even at longer delay settings, it remains impressively quiet while producing warm, musical repeats suitable for everything from rockabilly slapback to atmospheric lead tones.

Analog delay with warm vintage character
25ms–600ms delay time
Controls for Time, Echo, and Feedback
Rugged metal enclosure
9V DC power supply required (sold separately)

FLAMMA FC17 Analog Delay Pedal

KMISE Analog Delay

The KMISE Analog Delay proves you don't have to spend much to enjoy analog echoes. Its straightforward controls and durable aluminum housing make it one of the most affordable entries in the category while still covering the essential delay sounds most guitarists need.

Approx. 25ms–500ms delay range
Controls for Time, Mix, and Repeat
Metal construction
9V DC power supply required

Kmise Analog Delay Electric Guitar Effects Pedal

Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay

The Behringer VD400 has long been a favorite among budget-conscious players. Its bucket-brigade analog circuit delivers authentic vintage-style repeats, while dual outputs make it surprisingly versatile for stereo rigs or advanced signal routing.

Bucket-brigade analog delay
Up to 300ms delay time
Separate direct and delay outputs
Operates via 9V battery or optional power supply

Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay Pedal

Mosky Blue Delay

Based on the discontinued Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay, the Mosky Blue Delay offers smooth, warm repeats that naturally sit underneath your playing. Its compact footprint and simple controls make it an excellent "always-on" analog delay for players who prefer subtle ambience over dramatic effects.

Inspired by the Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay
25ms–450ms delay time
Self-oscillation at maximum repeats
9V DC power supply required

Mosky Delay Guitar Effect Pedal

Donner Yellow Fall

The Donner Yellow Fall impressed our team with its tape-inspired analog character. Short delay settings produce lively slapback, while longer repeats gradually darken into warm, lo-fi textures that never overpower your original guitar tone.

Tape-style analog delay
20ms–620ms delay range
Warm, vintage-style repeats
9V DC power supply required

Donner Guitar Delay Pedal

GAMMA Narcissus

The GAMMA Narcissus combines rugged construction with authentic bucket-brigade delay. As the repeats decay, they naturally lose high-end clarity, creating rich analog ambience that complements your playing rather than competing with it.

Bucket-brigade analog circuit
25ms–600ms delay time
Infinite self-oscillation capability
Operates via 9V battery or power supply

GAMMA Narcissus Warm Delay Effects Pedal

TC Electronic Echobrain

TC Electronic's Echobrain delivers authentic bucket-brigade delay with vintage warmth and plenty of character. At high feedback settings it enters smooth self-oscillation, making it equally comfortable producing classic echoes or experimental ambient textures.

Authentic bucket-brigade analog delay
40ms–300ms delay range
Self-oscillation at maximum feedback
Optional 9V DC power supply

TC Electronic Echobrain Analog Delay Pedal

JHS 3 Series Delay Pedal

The JHS 3 Series Delay combines boutique sound quality with beginner-friendly simplicity. Its standout feature is the Bright/Dark switch, allowing players to instantly switch between pristine digital repeats and warmer analog-style echoes without changing pedals.

Analog and digital delay modes
80ms–800ms delay range
Bright and Dark voice selection
Three-knob control layout
9V DC power supply required

JHS 3 Series Delay Pedal

Which Is the Ultimate Delay Pedal Under $100?

You definitely have a lot of options — so which delay pedal under $100 delivers the best value? Our No Fear Guides put these pedals to the test in a bracket-style shootout, comparing them head-to-head with similar settings. These are our top picks.

Donner Yellow Fall — Lo-fi Vintage Warmth

In our testing, the Donner Yellow Fall delivered everything we would hope for in an analog delay pedal. The initial repeats sound clear and articulate, while longer delay times with more repeats quickly warm up in a lo-fi way. In other words, Yellow Fall has the clarity and presence you’d want for slapback effects, and can also create a warmly-filtered bed of echoes that stays out of the way of your playing.

I like how the feedback is filtered in a lo-fi way. — Sean Daniel

It’s worth noting that at its low price, Yellow Fall is reassuringly durable with its aluminum case, and it operates with very low noise. That’s not always the case with guitar pedals this inexpensive, so we’re pleased to report that the Yellow Fall both feels and sounds like a good investment if you’re looking for analog delay effects on a budget.

Wow — there is a lot going on there! — Sean Pierce Johnson

The Ultimate Under $100 Delay Pedal Shootout

FLAMMA FC17 — Analog Delay for All

With its ultra-low price and impressive performance, the FLAMMA FC17 analog delay pedal makes vintage analog delay effects accessible to practically any guitarist. The FLAMMA FC17 is a great example of how one delay pedal can simply feel and sound more inspiring to play than another. In our testing, the FLAMMA FC17 was one pedal that caused our No Fear Guides to really stop and listen to what it was doing — there’s a lot of harmonic richness and sonic versatility to explore here.

While the FLAMMA FC17 did not ultimately win our shootout, it definitely caused our No Fear Guides to re-consider what to expect from a $30 delay pedal. If you’re looking for analog delay at a very low price, you should definitely check out the FLAMMA FC17.

The Ultimate Under $100 Delay Pedal Shootout

JHS 3 Series Delay Pedal — the Ultimate Delay Under $100

In a rare unanimous decision, our No Fear Guides crowned the JHS 3 Series Delay Pedal as the winner of our shootout. At just under $100, the 3 Series Delay pedal delivers everything we could ask for in a delay effects pedal for electric guitar. What really put this pedal over the top for our No Fear Guides is the Bright/Dark switch, which toggles between digital and analog delay modes. With the ability to switch between bright and clear digital delay, and warmer, darker analog delay, the 3 Series Delay Pedal provides an exceptionally vast range of delay effects in a very accessible format.

I could do more with this — I feel like I could make it fit my rig. — Jay Leonard J

JHS is a well-known name among pedal enthusiasts, and you can find their boutique-style effects on the pedalboards of countless world-class guitarists. The JHS 3 Series intends to deliver the JHS sound at an affordable price point, offering high-quality guitar effects in a simple, no-frills package. We’d say they nailed it with the 3 Series Delay Pedal — it would make a great first delay pedal for any beginner guitarist, and it has the tone and reliability any pro player would appreciate.

I feel like I can push and pull and let it do things, that it can react — I can make it go somewhere! — Jay Leonard J

The Ultimate Under $100 Delay Pedal Shootout

Delay Pedal Buying Guide

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 02:05:00 GMT

What’s a Delay Pedal?

Delay effects pedals make a copy of the input signal, delay it by a certain amount, and play it back to create an echo effect. Most delay pedals feature a Feedback or Repeats control, which can range from a single repeat to long delay trails. A very basic delay pedal will have controls for the number of repeats, the level of the delay effect, and the delay time (length between repeats). More complex delay pedals can give you more control over the tone of the delayed signal, and some may even offer a separate effects loop just for the delayed signal.

MXR M169 — VINTAGE ANALOG DELAY

MXR was a pioneer in pedal-based delay effects with the introduction of the M-118 Analog Delay in 1975, now discontinued. The MXR M169 Carbon Copy analog delay pedal — introduced in 2008 — has become a go-to analog delay pedal for countless modern guitarists, offering 3-knob simplicity while delivering everything guitarists love about analog delay.

Analog delay is often described as “warm” because the repeats become “darker” as the delay trail decays. This means you can create a bed of ambience that adds richness and rhythmic interest to your playing, without competing with the notes that you’re currently playing. On top of excellent analog delay effects, the MXR Carbon Copy also features a Mod switch to turn it into a modulation effect for even more creative potential.

Why Players Love the MXR M169 Carbon Copy Analog Delay Pedal

Warm, vintage analog saturation doesn’t compete with your playing
Internal trim pots allow you to fine-tune the "shape" of the delay effect if you wish
Mod switch turns it into a dimensional/ambient modulation effect

MXR M169 Vintage Analog Delay Pedal

Similar Analog Delay Pedals

Donner Yellow Fall — simple and effective 3-knob analog delay in a mini-size case
MOSKY Blue — no-nonsense analog delay at a very low price
MXR M299 Carbon Copy — the same Carbon Copy delay tone in a mini-pedal format

BOSS DD-3T — DEFINITIVE DIGITAL DELAY

BOSS have been making some of the most-used delay pedals since the ‘70s. It all began with the analog DM-1 Delay Machine in 1978, and the digital DD Series was born in 1983 with the DD-2 Digital Delay. Digital delay’s pristine, bright character is a sharp contrast to the warm, velvety sound of analog delay, and played a huge role in the overall sound of ‘80s music.

Today, guitarists choose digital delay when they want to create a cascade of repeats that maintain their fidelity as the delay trail decays. The BOSS DD-3T is one of the most popular digital delay pedals currently available, combining a simple control set with convenient tap tempo control and all packed into the rugged, road-ready case BOSS is known for. If you’re looking for a simple digital delay that covers all the bases and is likely to last a lifetime, the BOSS DD-3T won’t disappoint.

Why Players Love the BOSS DD-3T Digital Delay Pedal

Tap Tempo makes it simple to sync the delay effect to your song’s tempo
Simple to use, easy to dial in a wide range of delay effects
Built to last, stands up to the rigors of live use

BOSS DD-3T Digital Delay Guitar Effect Pedal

Similar Digital Delay Pedals

JHS 3 Series Delay — straightforward 3-knob delay with switchable digital and analog modes
Walrus Audio Fundamental Delay — simple controls, cool vintage vibe, and selectable digital/analog/reverse modes
BOSS SDE-3 — dual digital delays with two stereo modes for expansive, 3D stereo delay effects
TC Electronic The Prophet — 3 selectable time divisions add rhythmic interest to your delays

ELECTRO-HARMONIX DELUXE MEMORY BOY — PLAYER-FAVORITE ANALOG EFFECTS

It’s natural for guitarists to chase the gear that pros use to shape their signature tones, and the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy is right up there with some of the most popular delay pedals in the world. Guitarists including The Edge (U2) and Ed O’Brien (Radiohead) used the original EHX Memory Man as a core component of their distinctive signature sounds. The Deluxe Memory Boy introduced in 2009 takes the rich tonality the Memory Man was known for, and adds a somewhat staggering amount of creative potential as well.

In addition to a dedicated tap tempo footswitch, the Deluxe Memory Boy offers five selectable time divisions to fine-tune the rhythm of your delay trail. You can create modulation effects including chorus and vibrato. Hook up an expression pedal and use it to control delay time, feedback amount, or other parameters. You even have a send/return loop that you can use to connect other effects pedals to apply only to the delay trail — you’ll have practically endless creative options to explore with the Deluxe Memory Boy.

Why Players Love the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy

Huge range of delay and modulation effects in a single pedal
Expression pedal input gives you an entirely new way to interact with your effects
Built-in effects loop allows you to add other effects pedals like fuzz or reverb to the delay trail without effecting your core guitar tone

Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy Analog Delay Pedal

More Feature-Packed Analog Delay Pedals

MXR M292 Carbon Copy Deluxe — vintage analog tone with modulation, tap tempo, selectable time divisions and more
DOD Rubberneck Analog Delay — up to 1.5 seconds of delay, momentary time and pitch bends, switchable trails, and big tonal flexibility
Way Huge Supa-Puss Analog Delay — unique Chase mode cycles through different time divisions for next-level rhythmic effects

BOSS RE-202 SPACE ECHO — ICONIC TAPE ECHO EMULATION

The earliest delay effect units used magnetic tape to record and play back repeats, instead of analog circuitry or digital processing. The original Roland RE-201 is a legendary tape delay machine that transformed the sound of music, both with its vibrant delay effects and also with its preamp circuitry that bolstered signals on the way in. Today, the BOSS RE-202 Space Echo re-creates the experience of the original, complete with controls for wow & flutter, tape saturation, built-in spring reverb, and more.

When you’re going for a vintage vibe, it’s hard to beat the sound of tape delay. With a tape delay pedal like the BOSS RE-202 Space Echo you can generate trails of echoes with just a hint of analog degradation, or you can apply heavy wow & flutter to maximize the tape effect. And thanks to the way the repeats slowly degrade over time, you can create some amazingly creative sound design effects with a long delay trail. Along with analog bucket-brigade delay circuits and digital processing, tape delay is one of the core types of delay effect, and the BOSS RE-202 Space Echo is a prime example.

Why Players Love the BOSS RE-202 Space Echo

Preamp can add harmonic intensity to your tone like a transparent overdrive pedal
Powerful processing creates all the nuances of analog tape delay and spring reverb
Rich and vibrant sonic character invites you to dig in and play the effect like an instrument

MXR M169 Vintage Analog Delay Pedal

Popular Tape Delay Emulation Pedals

T-Rex Replicator D’Luxe — uses a real analog cassette tape for authentic tape delay effects
BOSS RE-2 Space Echo — packs the sonic character of the RE-202 into a single-width pedal
TC Electronic Gauss Tape Echo — authentic tape echo tone with a simple 3-knob control layout

THE ULTIMATE UNDER-$100 DELAY PEDAL SHOOTOUT

Once you start searching for delay pedals in the modern market, you’ll soon find yourself down a rabbit hole with so many options. The team at No Fear Gear compared a bunch of delay pedals under $100 in this video demo, putting them to the test to see if there were any hidden gems to be found.

You can hear the following pedals in a head-to-head shootout:

JHS 3 Series Delay
Flamma FC17
Kmise Analog Delay
Behringer VD400
MOSKY Blue
Donner Yellow Fall
GAMMA Narcissus
TC Electronic Echobrain

The Ultimate Under $100 Delay Pedal Shootout

Want to hear more delay pedals under $100? Check out our full article, The Ultimate Under-$100 Delay Pedal

Accessories for Your Overdrive Pedal

Not all overdrive pedals can be powered with a battery, and most do not include a power supply. The vast majority of pedals on the market use the same type of 9V power supply — a power supply designed for guitar pedals like the TrueTone 1 Spot is a smart purchase, as it can power multiple effects pedals simultaneously from a single power outlet.

Truetone 1 Spot Combo Pack Power Supply

To connect your overdrive pedal to your amplifier, you’ll need a second instrument cable (just like the one you’re using to plug in your guitar). If you’re connecting your overdrive pedal to another effects pedal, you can minimize your cabling by getting a short jumper cable to connect your pedals instead, like D’Addario Classic Series Patch Cables.

D'Addario Guitar Cable

Compact Modeling Pedals Buying Guide

Mark Brody — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:27:00 GMT

Connecting Your Compact Modeling Pedal

Even though your guitar is a mono (single-channel) signal, your amp modeler is emulating the sound of an amp in a real space and sending it out as a stereo signal. For compact modeler pedals, some manufacturers save space by offering a single stereo output jack. If you’re connecting to a stereo input, you can use a single TRS cable to connect your amp modeler. If you need to connect to two separate inputs, such as a stereo pair on a mixer, you’ll want to use a TRS-to-dual TS cable for the best sound quality.

Powering Your Compact Modeling Pedal

While many of these amp modeler pedals look like any other effects pedal at a glance, they sometimes have different power requirements than typical 9-volt effects pedals. The easy solution is to use the power supply the manufacturer recommends for your amp modeler. And depending on the voltage requirements of your amp modeler pedal, you may be able to power it from a consolidated pedalboard power supply.

Learn more about versatile pedalboard power supplies in our guide for How to Choose a Pedalboard Power Supply!

NEURAL DSP NANO CORTEX

Neural DSP is a leader in modeling with their powerful SHARC DSP technology and wide range of solutions. The Neural DSP Nano Cortex gives you access to more than top-tier amp and cab models — with its built-in Capture input, you can create your own custom IRs of your favorite amps, cabs and pedals to play through them anywhere. With 256 Neural Capture slots, 256 custom IR slots, and 64 preset slots, Nano Cortex is equipped for even the most sonically diverse guitarists.

As part of the Cortex series, the Nano Cortex gives you access to Neural DSP’s vast library of artist-created IRs. Even if you don’t plan to use the Capture feature to create models of your favorite gear, you’ll have access to some of the best IRs currently available. If you’ve been enticed by the buzz around the Neural DSP Cortex series, and want that power in a pedal-sized format, you’ll be impressed with the Neural DSP Nano Cortex.

Why Players Love the Neural DSP Nano Cortex

Excellent library of tones to explore
Capture the sound of your favorite amps, cabs and pedals
Create up to 256 captures, import up to 256 IRs, and customize up to 64 presets
Dual footswitches also function as rotary encoders for easy selection of Captures and IRs
High-quality metal construction

Neural DSP Nano Cortex

UNIVERSAL AUDIO RUBY ’63 TOP BOOST AMPLIFIER

Universal Audio has earned big acclaim for their DSP-based models of classic studio processors, and their UAFX pedal series puts that same powerful modeling on your pedalboard. The Universal Audio Ruby ’63 Top Boost Amplifier pedal is a spot-on emulation of the legendary VOX AC30 2x12" tube combo amp, with its legendary chime and growl that pioneered the sound of British rock. And unlike the amp it’s based on, you don’t need to play at glass-breaking volume to really make it sing.

While the UA Ruby ’63 pedal focuses on one specific amplifier, you have three channel options (including the iconic Vibrato channel) and three speaker emulations to customize your sound. The AC30 is one of the most in-demand backline amplifiers around, possibly because players are tired of lugging them around. If the classic top boost sound is your style, the UA Ruby ’63 Top Boost Amplifier pedal lets you ditch the amp and put it right on your pedalboard. The UAFX series covers a range of legendary guitar amps, so if the AC30 isn’t your ideal amp, it’s still worth checking out the rest of the series.

Why Players Love the Universal Audio Ruby ’63 Top Boost Amplifier

Spot-on emulation of the VOX AC30 2x12" tube amplifier
Nails the “British Invasion” rock sound at any volume level
Outstanding clean and edge-of-breakup tones
Much more practical than performing with a vintage tube amp
Bluetooth allows you to edit parameters directly from the UAFX App

Universal Audio Ruby '63 Top Boost Amplifier Pedal

LINE 6 POD EXPRESS

Line 6 needs no introduction in the world of amp modeling — some would argue that the original POD pioneered the world of amp modeling as we know it. And among their modern range of modeling solutions, the Line 6 POD Express fills the need for advanced POD amp models in a stompbox format. With 7 amp models, 7 cabinets, and 17 effects, simplifies a surprisingly diverse set of features — there’s even an onboard tuner.

You can easily dial in your POD Express tones right from the chunky control knobs, and preset switching is available with the dual footswitches (you can also hook up an external switch for preset navigation). It’s simple to create your custom sounds and save your presets directly on the pedal, and you can use the Line 6 POD Express Edit app on your computer or smartphone for deeper editing and preset management. POD amp modeling earned its reputation for a reason, and the POD Express brings it to the convenient stompbox format.

Why Players Love the Line 6 POD Express

USB interface for recording and re-amping tracks from your DAW
Advanced amp, cab, and effects models derived from Line 6 HX amp models
Dedicated controls for modulation, delay, and reverb effects
Comprehensive solution for replacing as much physical gear (amps, pedals, etc.) as possible
Lots of sounds in an easy-to-use format

Universal Audio Ruby '63 Top Boost Amplifier Pedal

IK MULTIMEDIA TONEX ONE

If the words “amp modeler” typically make you think of a large floorboard, the IK Multimedia TONEX ONE will have you re-thinking everything you know about modeling. Despite its mini-sized pedal housing, TONEX ONE packs everything you need to replace your amp and cab with studio-quality modeling.

TONEX ONE is based around IK Multimedia’s blossoming TONEX library of custom modeled tones — you can load up to 20 TONEX models on TONEX ONE for instant recall, and you can download more to create your collection. And whichever amp model you choose, TONEX ONE gives you dedicated controls for Gate, Compressor, Reverb, 3-band EQ, and Volume/Gain. If you want the convenience of modeling but with the simplicity of a combo amp, you should definitely check out TONEX ONE.

Why Players Love the IK Multimedia TONEX ONE

Top-notch modeled amp tones in a mini-sized pedal
Dedicated controls for most-needed features like EQ, Gate and Reverb
Free access to TONEX tone library for over 200 AI-modeled amp tones
Also functions as a USB audio interface
TRS output doubles as a headphone output for silent practice sessions

IK Multimedia TONEX ONE Amplifier Pedal

TWO NOTES OPUS

Two Notes earned their acclaim with innovative cab sim technology, and the Two Notes Opus amp modeler aims to streamline your entire guitar rig. Opus gives you deep control over the three most components of your tone — preamp modeling, power amp modeling, and speaker cabinet modeling. With the ability to optimize each for your specific play style, you can create custom tones that simply wouldn’t be practical with physical components.

Tone-chasing guitarists will especially appreciate the power amp modeling — from the gut-punch of cranked KT88s and 6L6s to the sweet chime of EL84s and more, Opus nails this crucial component of exciting guitar tone. The preamp modeling section offers similar control over tube types and such, and the DynIR Engine cabinet modeling features 32 cabinets that cover practically application we can think of. Instead of presenting you with a huge selection of classic amps (that everyone seems to offer), the Two Notes Opus makes it surprisingly simple to construct your own dream amplifier.

Why Players Love the Two Notes Opus

Create your own custom amps with preamp, power amp, and speaker cabinet modeling
12 amplifier models, and virtually unlimited speaker/cabinet IRs
Studio-quality signal path with 24-bit/96kHz digital conversion
Free lifetime license for Two Notes GENOME tone ecosystem
Designed to meet the needs of pro players and demanding stage conditions

Two Notes Opus Amp Simulator and DynIR Engine Pedal

WALRUS AUDIO MAKO MKII ACS1

The Walrus Audio Mako MKII ACS1 amp/cabinet modeler aims to deliver “the sound and feel of world-class amplifiers”, with IRs by acclaimed creators Tone Factor and York Audio. While the Mako MKII ACS1 offers relatively deep tone-editing, it’s presented in a familiar stompbox format that makes it easy to make fast adjustments. You have three dedicated controls for Volume, Gain, and Room (ambience), plus three rotary controls for things like EQ and amp/cab selection.

Out of the box, the Mako MKII ACS1 features six amp models and 12 cabs, covering the the most common go-to rigs for most guitarists. You can also import your own IRs if you prefer those, too. Mako MKII ACS1 also supports MIDI for advanced control capability and integration with studio workflows — there’s a lot to enjoy here.

Why Players Love the Walrus Audio Mako MKII ACS1

6 classic amp models and 12 speaker IRs
Amp-like controls for fast and effective tone tweaks
Dual footswitches include a dedicated boost for driving your tone
MIDI-controllable for advanced integration with modern studio and stage setups
Fully stereo signal path

Two Notes Opus Amp Simulator and DynIR Engine Pedal

NUX AMP CORE STUDIO

Compact amp modeler pedals often reduce the input and output options to save space, but the NUX Amp Core Studio packs an extremely useful effects send/return loop into a single-size pedal. You can place overdrive, fuzz and other dirt pedals in front of the Amp Core Studio, and use the effects loop to integrate time-based effects like delay and reverb — just like you would on your amplifier.

In total the NUX Amp Core Studio is loaded with 26 amp models, 33 cabinet IRs and support for importing your own IRs too. MIDI support is ready for advanced control setups, and the free software editor gives you deep control over your amp tones and presets. If you’re looking for much of the functionality of an amp modeler floorboard, but with the compact convenience of a standard effects pedal, check out the NUX Amp Core Studio.

Why Players Love the NUX Amp Core Studio

Rugged construction and bright, easily-visible display
Built-in effects loop for amp-like integration with other effects pedals
MIDI capability and a huge feature set at a low price
USB audio for direct recording and re-amping
Headphone output for private practice sessions

Two Notes Opus Amp Simulator and DynIR Engine Pedal

HOTONE AMPERO MINI

With advanced modeling and enough DSP for up to nine simultaneous effects, the Hotone Ampero Mini packs a lot of functionality into a compact amp modeling pedal. On top of amps, cabs, and effects, Ampero Mini features an onboard looper with up to 100 seconds of recording — perfect for capturing song ideas and live performance alike.

Ampero Mini also stands out with its built-in drum machine with 100 patterns — practicing and songwriting with a drum machine is much more fun and inspiring than without, and Ampero Mini makes it easy to dial in a rhythm and tempo quickly. Factor in the USB audio interface, OTG support for smartphones, and support for external control, the Hotone Ampero Mini can be the backbone of your guitar rig without taking up much space.

Why Players Love the Hotone Ampero Mini

Lots of amps, effects, and cab models with deep customization options
Microphone modeling allows you to move the mic position to fine-tune your sound
Onboard drum machine with 100 patterns for inspiring and fun songwriting and practice sessions
Presets range from emulations of iconic amps to creative and experimental sounds
Built-in looper with 100-second recording time eliminates the need for a separate loop pedal

HOTONE Multi Effects Processor Pedal

BOSS IR-2

BOSS has long been a leader in amp modeling from the early days of their COSM modeling technology. The modern BOSS lineup includes a modeling solution for just about everybody, and the BOSS IR-2 modeler pedal is for those seeking an amp-like experience with the familiar BOSS pedal format. With concentric knobs for your core tone shaping functions, and not a digital display in sight, the IR-2 focuses squarely on what you need — high-quality amp modeling that’s as fast and easy to dial in as a real amp.

The BOSS IR-2’s amp models range from sparkling clean to screaming mean, and basically gives you the options you’d expect in a well-stocked studio. The built-in effects loop helps you integrate with your other pedals any way you like, and the additional input for an external “channel” switch is a nice touch (you can also use the onboard switch to change amp channels if you don’t want to use a separate switch). If you want the conveniences of amp modeling in the simplest format possible, you should definitely check out the BOSS IR-2.

Why Players Love the BOSS IR-2

Complete guitar rig in a rugged BOSS pedal
Headphone output makes it a fantastic apartment amplifier
Punchy, vibrant sound quality across all amp models
No digital menus, and dedicated amp-like controls
A great backup for real amplifiers in a live setting

BOSS IR-2 Amplifier

ZOOM MS-80 IR+

Zoom wants to spark your sonic creativity with the Zoom MS-80 IR+ amp modeler. Zoom’s Multi-Layer IR technology allows you to layer different IRs to create studio-ready tones, and the pedal is designed to help you work fast right from the pedal with an array of controls. If you do want to dive deep with a software editor, you can do it right from your smartphone with the Guitar Lap app. And with the ability to save up to 80 presets for instant access, the MS-80 IR+ encourages curating a wide range of sounds.

The MS-80 IR+ pedal’s outputs can be split for wet (with IR) and dry (no IR) operation, perfect if you want to send your tone to the sound system while also plugging into an amplifier for stage monitoring. As a nice bonus the onboard tuner supports alternate tunings and drop tuning, a step above the basic tuner you’ll find on some modelers. If you’re looking for a single pedal that can replace everything in your guitar rig besides your guitar, the Zoom MS-80 IR+ could be exactly what you need.

Why Players Love the Zoom MS-80 IR+

Excellent sound quality with a diverse range of tones
Easy to use whether you’re using onboard controls or the editor app
Import your own IRs to customize your sound
Save up to 80 presets for instant recall
7 amps, 16 cabs, 12 effects and Multi-Layer IR support

HOTONE Multi Effects Processor Pedal

Looking for tips on comparing different guitar amplifier modeling pedals? Check out our article on How to Choose an Amp Modeler!

How to Choose an Amp Modeler for Your Guitar Rig

Mark Brody — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:02:00 GMT

Why Choose an Amp Modeler?

Amp modelers are often seen as all-in-one solutions for electric guitarists, and that’s partly true. A fully featured amp modeler will effectively replace your effects pedalboard, guitar amplifier, and even recording interface. Just one instrument cable connects your guitar, while a balanced cable or two connects to a loudspeaker or sound system, giving you everything you need.

Even if you don’t want to replace your entire signal chain with an amp modeler, it can still enhance individual sections of your rig. Combine your carefully crafted effects pedalboard with the amps and cabs from your modeler. Or use your amp modeler to replace your pedalboard while leaving the amp and cab simulations off so you can plug into your favorite amplifier. Amp modelers are also excellent tools for re-amping guitar tracks and even software instruments.

Even if you only use a fraction of what an amp modeler offers, it can still improve your workflow. The key is choosing one that emphasizes the features you actually need—whether that's more amp models, specific effects, or advanced connectivity—without paying for features you'll never use.

LINE 6 POD EXPRESS

Amps/Cabs/FX	7 amps / 7 cabs / 16 FX
Analog I/O	1 x in, 2 x out, Headphone
Digital I/O	USB-C
Control Types	Knobs, 2 x Footswitches
External Control Inputs	1 x 1/4 Exp/Switch
Size	5.1" x 3.6" x 2.2"

Number and Type of Amp and Cab Models

In the early days of amp modelers, manufacturers competed to offer the highest number of amplifier and cabinet emulations. While some players genuinely need a huge selection—such as cover band guitarists, session musicians, and composers—many players really only need one or two great amp sounds.

Modern amp modelers now cover every type of player, from compact units with just a handful of premium amp models to full-featured floorboards with hundreds of options.

When choosing an amp modeler, pay attention not only to the number of amp and cabinet models available, but also to the specific types included. Most modelers cover classic American and British amplifiers, but if you're chasing something more specific—such as a particular high-gain amplifier or a Dumble-style model—that should take priority over sheer quantity.

TC Electronic AmpWorx Combo Deluxe 65

Amps/Cabs/FX	1 amp / 1 cab / 1 FX
Analog I/O	1 x In, 2 x Out, Headphone
Digital I/O	USB (firmware updates only)
Control Types	Knobs, 2 x Footswitches
External Control Inputs	n/a
Size	5.4" x 4.5" x 2"

Strymon Iridium

Amps/Cabs/FX	3 amps / 9 cabs / IR Import
Analog I/O	1 x In, 2 x Out, Headphone
Digital I/O	USB
Control Types	Knobs, 2 x Footswitches
External Control Inputs	1 x 1/4" Exp/MIDI
Size	4.5" x 4" x 1.75"

The Ins and Outs of Amp Modelers

The connections you need depend entirely on how you plan to use your amp modeler.

If you're practicing at home or recording, a headphone output is essential for silent sessions. If you're performing through a full-range speaker or PA system, balanced line outputs become important. Players integrating traditional pedals should also look for effects send and return loops.

Think about your most common applications before making your decision. You may never use every connection available, but it's far better to have options than discover you're missing an important feature later.

Boss IR-2

Amps/Cabs/FX	11 x amps / 11 IRs / 1 FX
Analog I/O	1 In, Send/Return, 2 x Out, Headphone
Digital I/O	USB
Control Types	Knobs, 1 x Footswitch
External Control Inputs	1 x 1/4" Ch Switch
Size	5.1" x 2.9" 2.3"

Interacting with Your Amp Modeler's Controls

Amp modelers range from incredibly simple interfaces to massive multi-switch floorboards.

If your music requires switching amp channels or activating multiple effects throughout a song, you'll want plenty of footswitches. If you regularly use wah or volume swells, consider a model with a built-in expression pedal.

Keep in mind that many compact modelers support external footswitches and expression pedals. A small unit that appears limited may actually expand into a much more capable rig when paired with external controllers.

Hotone Ampero II

Amps/Cabs/FX	93 amps, 68 cabs, IR import, 483 FX
Analog I/O	2 x In, Send/Return, 4 x Out, Aux, Headphone
Digital I/O	USB, MIDI
Control Types	3 x Rotary Encoders, 8 x Footswitches
External Control Inputs	2 x Exp/Ctrl
Size	11.9" x 7.1" x 2.3"

SONICAKE Matribox II Pro

Amps/Cabs/FX	63 amps / 61 cabs / IR Import / 93+ FX
Analog I/O	1 x In, Send/Return, 4 x Out, Aux, Headphone
Digital I/O	USB, MIDI
Control Types	3 x Rotary Encoders, 6 x Footswitches
External Control Inputs	1 x 1/4" Exp/Switch
Size	14.7" x 7.8" 2.8"

How Do You Want to Build Your Custom Tones?

Some players love reaching down and adjusting physical knobs just like a traditional amplifier.

Others prefer creating presets with desktop software or mobile apps, then simply recalling those sounds during performance.

Whichever workflow you prefer, make sure your amp modeler allows you to make quick adjustments when necessary. Every venue sounds different, so being able to quickly tweak EQ or effects without digging through complicated menus is an important consideration for live players.

Neural DSP Quad Cortex

Amps/Cabs/FX	50+ amps / 1,000+ IRs / 70+ FX
Analog I/O	2 x in, 2 x Send/Return, 4 x Out, Headphone
Digital I/O	USB, MIDI
Control Types	11 x Dual-function Rotary Switches
External Control Inputs	2 x 1/4" Exp
Size	11.4" x 7.0" x 2.0"

Are You Using Your Amp Modeler for Re-Amping DAW Tracks?

Re-amping allows you to send a dry guitar recording from your DAW through amps, effects, or processors, then record the processed sound back into your project.

Modern amp modelers make this process much easier by eliminating the need for physical amplifiers and microphones. They're also excellent for processing synthesizers, drum machines, and other virtual instruments.

If re-amping is important to you, pay close attention to your recording workflow. Some amp modelers include built-in USB audio interfaces specifically designed for re-amping, while others rely on additional analog inputs and outputs to integrate with your existing audio interface.

IK Multimedia TONEX One

Amps/Cabs/FX	AI amps, IR import, 9 FX, 20 Presets
Analog I/O	1 x In, 1 x Out
Digital I/O	USB (software editor)
Control Types	Knob, 1 Footswitch
External Control Inputs	n/a
Size	3.7" x 2.1" 1.9"

Find more in-depth info on amp modelers in our Amp Modeler Buying Guide!

Compressor Pedal Buying Guide

Mark Brody — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Why Use a Compressor Pedal?

Acoustic, electric, and bass can all benefit from a compressor pedal. Compression "evens out" the dynamics of your signal, which means consistent volume that holds your place in a mix. In multitrack recording, most (if not all) individual tracks are compressed a bit, and then the whole mix is further compressed — it's the sound we're used to hearing whether we know it or not. For live performance, compression helps get you closer to "album quality" tone, but there's more to it than that.

For electric guitarists, compressors can help tame the output of spiky single-coil pickups, and fine-tune how their overdrive responds to their playing dynamics. Bass players can enhance their fundamental tones to create rock-solid bass tones, and reduce variations in volume for consistent, driving bass lines. Acoustic guitarists can use compression to "bring up" the softer, more delicate nuances of their instrument, especially ideal for fingerpicking and percussive styles. These are just a few examples: basically, a compressor pedal will make louder parts a bit less loud and bring up the volume of quieter parts, giving you more control and rewarding your listeners with more consistent sound.

MXR DYNA COMP MINI COMPRESSOR PEDAL

First introduced in 1972, the MXR Dyna Comp pedal is one of the most widely-used compressor pedals ever made. Today the MXR Dyna Comp Mini delivers the same iconic "squash" as the original, in a pedalboard-friendly format. Famous players like John Frusciante, Andy Summers, David Gilmour and many more have all tapped into the Dyna Comp for instant sonic enhancement.

As you may have guessed by some of the pro players we mentioned, the MXR Dyna Comp excels at taming single-coil pickups. Especially with Strats and Teles going into clean amplifiers, the MXR Dyna Comp makes it easy to smooth out your volume while also fattening up your tone. The MXR Dyna Comp Mini maintains the 2-knob simplicity of the original, and offers an Attack button that adjusts how quickly you hear the compression kicks in. Once you find the right setting for your gear and your play style, you'll never want to turn it off.

Why Players Love the MXR Dyna Comp Mini Pedal:

Simple to use and doesn't take up much pedalboard space
Easy way to make lackluster clean tones more exciting
Enhances sustain without excessive noise or distortion

MXR M291 Dyna Comp Mini Compressor Pedal

XOTIC SP COMPRESSOR PEDAL

The Xotic SP Compressor has become a popular compressor pedal for players in a wide range of genres including pro players like Chris Duarte, Brent Mason and Oz Noy. There are a few reasons the Xotic SP Compressor is such a versatile pedal. The interface is simple to dial in, but also appeals to tone tweakers with a set of internal DIP switches: open the pedal up and you can fine-tune the attack, release, and HF rolloff characteristics of the compression.

The Blend control is also a big reason players love the Xotic SP Compressor — by blending your dry tone with the compressed tone, you can enjoy the fatter tone while also retaining some of the lively dynamics of your dry tone. You can also run the Xotic SP Compressor at a higher voltage than 9V pedal allow, resulting in more headroom and top-end brightness. If you want a simple 2-knob compressor that gives you a lot more tone-tweaking potential than you'd expect, you'll be impressed with the Xotic SP Compressor.

Why Players Love the Xotic SP Compressor:

Extremely transparent compression that doesn't color your sound
Simple to operate while still offering deep control over compression characteristics
Blend control allows you to balance the compressed sound with your dry sound to maintain dynamic interest

Xotic SP Compressor Mini Compressor Pedal

JHS PULP 'N' PEEL V4

If you've found it tricky to pair compression with subtle overdrive, the JHS Pulp 'N' Peel V4 compressor pedal was made for you. It packs a switchable overdrive circuit that ranges from warm harmonic enhancement to biting drive, without the increased noise and reduced articulation that compression can sometimes create when you run it into a separate overdrive. And even if you leave the overdrive off, the Pulp 'N' Peel's Blend and EQ controls give any guitar or bass a polished enhancement suitable for any style.

The JHS Pulp 'N' Peel compressor also stands out with its combination of 1/4-inch unbalanced output and balanced XLR output. Bass players could use just this pedal to go direct to the sound board or recording device, while maximizing punch, power, and harmonic content. And the output volume control has enough gain on tap to use the Pulp 'N' Peel as a clean boost for tube amps. However you use it, you'll be impressed with the JHS Pulp 'N' Peel compressor pedal.

Why Players Love the JHS Pulp 'N' Peel Compressor Pedal:

Blend control helps retain the lively dynamics of your uncompressed signal
Unbalanced 1/4-inch and balanced XLR outputs for versatility with electric, acoustic, and bass
Switchable overdrive circuit with side-mounted gain control to prevent unwanted changes

JHS Pulp 'N' Peel V4 Compressor Pedal

FISHMAN AFX ACOUSTICOMP MINI

Acoustic-electric guitar in particular benefits from compression — but you should definitely use a compressor pedal made for acoustic guitar, otherwise your tone will suffer. The Fishman AFX AcoustiComp Mini pedal is designed specifically for the extended frequency range and dynamics of your acoustic guitar, with an ultra-simple two-knob interface that makes it easy to find your ideal sound. The AFX AcoustiComp Mini also supports Fishman's Dual Audio Path technology, which allows you to layer other AFX acoustic effects without compromising your core acoustic tone.

Why Players Love the Fishman AcoustiComp Mini Acoustic Compressor Pedal:

Optimizes your tone for performance with easy-to-use controls
Adds subtle sweetness, thickness and sustain to your tone
Supports Fishman's Dual Path Technology for creating parallel effects paths

Fishman AFX AcoustiComp Mini Compressor Pedal

Want to learn more about the AFX AcoustiComp Mini? See our full article on Fishman AFX Acousticomp Mini Compressor Pedal

WAMPLER EGO COMPRESSOR PEDAL

The Wampler Ego Compressor pedal aims to give you transparent compression while maintaining the feel you're looking for. Depending on how you play, some compressor pedals may feel like they're pulling the life out of your performance: the Ego Compressor is designed to avoid that, with Attack and Blend controls. Dial in the Attack control so that your notes stay punchy without getting clamped down too much, and turn the Blend all the way up for a smooth and lively compressed tone. Or reduce the attack time to clamp everything down, and use the Blend control to balance that with the dynamics of your uncompressed tone. When it comes to keeping your tone consistent and under control, the Wampler Ego Compressor pedal gives you everything you need and nothing you don't.

Why Players Love the Wampler Ego Compressor Pedal:

Attack control makes it easy to fine-tune the "sweet spot" of compression
Blend control allows you to balance the compressed signal with your uncompressed tone
Extremely transparent compression that can be shaped to your preferred "feel"

Wampler Ego Compressor Pedal with Blend Control

BOSS CP-1X COMPRESSOR PEDAL

If you're already familiar with studio compressors and compressor plug-ins, you'll feel right at home the BOSS CP-1X Compressor pedal. While some pedal companies get creative with the names of their controls, the CP-1X offers familiar controls for Level, Attack, Ratio, and Compression. What's more, you'll also find a dB level reduction meter to indicate precisely how much compression is being applied, a feature not normally found on stompbox compressors.

Also unique to the CP-1X Compressor is BOSS's MultiDimensional Processing (MDP), which purportedly analyzes your signal and applies frequency-based processing for "natural compression that intelligently follows and adapts to your playing". In practice, players report the CP-1X Compressor maintains their preferred "feel" even with heavy compression settings. If prefer the straightforward layout and metering of a studio compressor, but want it on your pedalboard, you'll be happy with the BOSS CP-1X Compressor Pedal.

Why Players Love the BOSS CP-1X Compressor Pedal:

Natural-sounding compression that adapts to your playing
Level Reduction meter shows you exactly how much compression is being applied
Maintains your core tone even with extreme amounts of compression

Boss CP-1X Compressor Pedal

ORIGIN EFFECTS CALI76 STACKED COMPRESSOR

Stacking two compressors is a time-proven studio technique to create ultra-polished guitar tones — use one compressor to tame the biggest volume spikes, and a second more subtle compressor to even out the performance and bring out low-level nuance. The Origin Effects Cali76 Stacked Compressor gives you all of this in a single pedal, and complete with a Blend control to bring in some of your uncompressed sound too.

The Cali76 combines attack and release into a single knob (one for each of the two compressors) which makes it easy to dial in a fast, punchy sound or a spongier, squishier tone. Use the Thru knob to determine how hard the first compressor drives the second — there's a lot of sonic territory to explore here. It's also worth noting the Cali76 Stacked Compressor internally increases the voltage to 24V for higher headroom, which also happens to make it suitable for use with line-level and even mic-level signals without introducing noise. Basically, the Cali76 Stacked Compressor gives you two studio-quality compressors in a single pedal, and it could be the key to your ideal tone.

Why Players Love the Origin Effects Cali76 Stacked Compressor Pedal:

Dual-stage compression allows you to tame peaks and fatten tone without sacrificing nuance and feel
Internally boosts voltage to 24V for higher headroom, also suitable for line-level and mic-level signals
Allows you to enjoy extreme sustain and "squish" while balancing with your dry uncompressed sound

Origin Effects Cali76 Stacked Compressor Pedal

STRYMON COMPADRE DUAL VOICE COMPRESSOR & BOOST

In typical Strymon fashion, the Compadre Dual Voice Compressor & Boost pedal packs a surprising amount of tonal versatility in a relatively simple and streamlined format. As the name implies, the Compadre Dual Voice Compressor & Boost packs separate footswitches for Boost and Compression. The Boost circuit offers three selectable EQ curves (including a Flat option for clean boost), while the Compression circuit offers Studio and Squeeze modes. Studio is more transparent and precise, while Squeeze is heavier compression with lots of sustain.

The Compadre Dual Voice Compressor & Boost goes beyond a compressor's typical call of duty with an input for an expression pedal, allowing you to use it as a VCA-based volume pedal. It's also equipped for integration in modern production environments, with support for MIDI or Strymon's accessory switches to access hundreds of presets. If you're looking for a compression pedal that can give you a lot more than the basics, you should definitely check out the Compadre Dual Voice Compressor & Boost pedal.

Why Players Love the Strymon Compadre Dual Voice Compressor & Boost Pedal:

Ultra-low noise even with heavy compression
Switchable clean/dirty boost with 3 selectable EQ curves
2 distinct styles of compression with easy-to-use controls

Strymon Compadre Dual Voice Compressor & Boost

A compressor pedal will make your tone fatter and more consistent, by taming sharp peaks while bringing up the low-level nuances of your performance. But where should you place your compressor pedal in your signal chain? Learn all about your signal chain with our No Fear Guides in our video.

Effect Pedal Order Explained- Why pedal order matters

Mosky Blue Delay Analog Effects Pedal — Find or Fail?

Mark Brody — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 05:46:00 GMT

Getting to Know the Mosky Blue Delay Analog Effects Pedal

Packed into a compact mini-size pedal, the Mosky Blue Delay is simple and straightforward with controls for Delay (time between repeats), Repeat (number of repeats), and Level (the overall volume of the delay trail). The delay time ranges from 25ms to 450ms, and longer delay times really showcase the sonic degradation that guitarists love about analog delay pedals. As you can hear at 0:55 and 2:38 in our video demo, the Blue Delay’s repeats sound warmer and rounder as they decay, without introducing excessive noise or graininess.

The beauty of analog delay effects like the Mosky Blue Delay is that the delay trail creates a rich sense of atmosphere and sonic depth without interfering with the notes you’re playing. If you’re looking for crystal-clear repeats you won’t find them here: expect a tone-enhancing texture that sits beneath the notes you’re currently playing, perfect for enhancing solos. It also keeps your delay trail from cluttering up a mix, as you can hear in our full-band demo in the video at 4:01. Different analog delay circuits and components give analog delay pedals their own particular sonic character: Mosky notes that the Blue Delay is based on the now-discontinued Mad Professor Deep Blue delay pedal, so fans of that pedal should take note of this modern alternative.

Controls for Delay (time), Repeat (feedback), and Level (effect volume)
Delay time ranges from 25ms for short slapback to 450ms for solo-enhancing echoes
Analog delay means the repeat trail sonically degrades over time, enhancing your performance instead of competing with it

Mosky Delay Guitar Effect Peda

Typically this is going to be an atmosphere and vibe type of thing. — Steve Sterlacci

The Best Cheap Delay Pedal?- Mosky Blue Delay Review

What Does the Mosky Blue Delay Pedal Do Best?

After spending some time with the Mosky Blue Delay pedal, its strengths began to emerge. Both Tom and Steve agreed that the Blue Delay is not going to be your does-it-all delay pedal, and that’s okay. In our tests, the Mosky Blue Delay excelled in two common applications: slapback echo and tone-enhancing delay.

Slapback echo means a short delay with only one repeat, simulating the sound you’d hear in a space like a gymnasium or large garage as the echo “slaps back” at you. While it’s a must-have effect for rockabilly and perhaps vintage country styles, slapback can also be used to simulate a reverb effect if your amplifier doesn’t have reverb. It’s a common situation for gigging guitarists that play a different backline amp every night, and having an inexpensive mini analog delay pedal like the Mosky Blue Delay can give you the atmosphere you’re looking for without having a dedicated reverb pedal.

When we talk about tone-enhancing delay, we’re just talking about one of the most basic applications of analog delay — mid-length delay times (100ms–250ms) with three or four repeats, with enough volume to be heard but not so much that the effect is pronounced. You can hear it in the full-band demo at 4:01 in the video. It’s not an obvious, in-your-face sound like you get from a digital delay, but if you removed it you would immediately hear how much it’s supporting the lead line. In other words, when you’re looking for that little extra something to enhance your tone for a solo, the Mosky Blue Delay is a great choice.

Short delay times with a single repeat create rich analog slapback echo
Longer delay times with more repeats support solo lines without getting in the way
Great solution for adding a single-purpose, set-and-forget analog delay pedal to your pedalboard

This could be an always-on type of rockabilly thing. — Steve Sterlacci

When you have a 3-knob basic delay like this, it’s great at doing those basic things, but you can also have some fun with it at the extreme settings. — Steve Sterlacci

The Best Cheap Delay Pedal?- Mosky Blue Delay Review

How to Get the Most Out of Your Mosky Blue Delay Pedal

Like most low-priced guitar effects pedals, the Mosky Blue Delay does not include a power supply. And like most mini-sized pedals, it does not support battery power. To get the best performance out of the Mosky Blue Delay (or any effects pedal for that matter), choose a quality power supply from a reputable manufacturer like the Truetone 1 Spot effects pedal power adapter. A quality power supply like the 1 Spot will deliver reliable power without the noise that low-quality power supplies can add to your signal. And as a bonus, the 1 Spot adapter can power multiple effects pedals simultaneously: perfect for your growing pedal collection.

Truetone 1 Spot Adapter

It’s Confirmed — The Mosky Blue Delay Is a Sweet Find at an Ultra-Low Price

After rigorous riffing, both Tom and Steve agree the Mosky Blue Delay pedal is a good find for inexperienced players looking for basic analog delay effects. With a street price under $35, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better value in an analog delay pedal for electric guitar. Our No Fear Guides agree that you’ll likely find one specific setting on the Blue Delay that you’ll spend most of your time with, and that’s fine.

There are plenty of does-it-all delay pedals out there that cost up to 10 times the price of the Blue Delay pedal, offering much more control over the effect than you have here. But when all you want is bread-and-butter analog delay tone at the low end of the price spectrum, the Mosky Blue Delay stands out as a winner. If you’ve been searching for the most affordable analog delay pedal for vintage guitar tone, or you’re a beginner searching for the best delay pedal for a new player, you’ve found it in the Mosky Blue Delay pedal.

If you want just your basic analog delay, I think it’s a find! — Tom Butwin

The Best Cheap Delay Pedal?- Mosky Blue Delay Review

Acoustic Tone Hack: Unlock Your Guitar’s Hidden Potential With an Acoustic Compressor Pedal

Mark Brody — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 05:15:00 GMT

What Does a Compressor Pedal for Acoustic Guitar Do?

Put simply, compression reduces the level of signal peaks coming from your acoustic-electric guitar. Once your guitar signal reaches a certain threshold the compressor reduces volume, and it lets up when your signal falls below the threshold. By reducing your dynamic range (the difference between the quietest and loudest sounds your guitar makes) you have a well-balanced guitar signal that holds its place in the mix well.

How Does Compression Help Your Acoustic Guitar Tone?

Your acoustic guitar has an extremely wide dynamic range, closer to that of a piano than an electric guitar. Compression is the secret to making the softer nuances of your technique more audible, as well as controlling peaks for more consistent and controlled volume. Let’s look at how compression can enhance your acoustic guitar tone whether you’re strumming, flatpicking, or playing fingerstyle.

Compression for Playing and Strumming with a Pick

Whether you’re strumming or playing lead lines with a guitar pick, the pick itself enhances attack and presence, and can easily generate higher volume compared to playing with your fingers. Compression helps by making the peaks more consistent in volume, creating a strummed rhythm sound that holds its place in the mix better. The compression will also enhance your perception of bass and midrange frequencies, making your overall acoustic tone sound bigger and fatter.

Acoustic guitar sound secret? Adding a compressor pedal to your setup

Compression for Fingerstyle Players

If you’re fingerpicking, a huge part of your sound is based on subtle nuances, the interaction between flesh and steel. Compression again helps you achieve a consistent volume when fingerpicking, helping softer passages maintain listeners’ interest without sounding like you’re fading away. And because your fingers will naturally have a softer attack compared to a pick, compression can be used to add a bit of punch to your fingerstyle tone.

How to Improve Your Acoustic Tone with a Compressor Pedal

The Fishman AFX AcoustiComp offers a dead-simple control set with just two knobs for Level and Compression, making it a great example to demonstrate how to use a compressor pedal to enhance your acoustic guitar tone. While studio compressors can have a multitude of controls and settings to calibrate, you want straightforward simplicity when it comes to live performance. Here’s how you can use the AFX AcoustiComp (or any 2-knob compressor pedal) to quickly achieve a full-sounding guitar tone with controlled dynamics.

With the Comp knob turned all the way off (fully counter-clockwise), start by adjusting the Level control so that your signal level is consistent whether the pedal is on or off. This is your baseline setting: no compression is occurring, and your volume isn’t being increased or reduced. Now with the pedal on, you can use the pedal’s LED indicator to see how much compression you’re applying.

With our baseline setting, the LED indicator will be lit red. The LED will change to yellow when compression is occurring. For a good starting point, you want to adjust the Comp knob until the LED dances between red and yellow: yellow when you’re strumming or picking hard, and red at all other times. Compression really needs to be dialed in for your individual playing style: determine what playing “loudly” and “softly” means for you, and apply compression until you’re taming the peaks but not compressing your entire performance non-stop.

When you’ve found an appropriate setting for the Comp knob, toggle the pedal on and off while playing and listen for a change in overall volume. Because compression tames volume peaks, you’re actually reducing your overall signal level (even though your tone now sounds beefier) — use the Level control to compensate for this. Toggle the pedal on and off while playing, and adjust the Level control so that your volume is consistent again.

There’s nothing wrong with using the Level control as a bit of a boost too if you want, just know that the purpose of the Level control on the AFX AcoustiComp (or any compressor, really) is to compensate for the volume loss that compression creates.

Fishman AFX AcoustiComp: A Simple 2-Knob Compressor for Epic Acoustic Tone

Compression is one of the most impactful tools you have as an acoustic guitarist, and the Fishman AFX AcoustiComp is a great example of how easy it can be to use an acoustic compressor pedal. Compressing your acoustic guitar helps the nuances of your technique be heard, while controlling your volume level for acoustic tone that holds its place in the mix. And because the Fishman AFX AcoustiComp is designed specifically for the extended frequency range of acoustic guitar, it gives you dynamic control without degrading your core acoustic tone. If you want to perform with studio-quality acoustic tone, you should definitely check out the Fishman AFX AcoustiComp compressor pedal.

Fishman AFX Acousticomp Mini Compressor Pedal

Voltage	9 volts
Amperage	50 milliamps
Audio Output Effects	Compression
Controls Type	Knob
Power Source	USB Powered
Hardware Interface	USB 3.1 Type C
Signal Format	Analog

The Fishman Loudbox Micro Acoustic Amplifier is a Singer-songwriter’s Dream Come True

Mark Brody — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:44:00 GMT

Fishman Loudbox Micro — Big Acoustic Tone in a Compact Combo

Countless acoustic players and singer-songwriters choose Fishman’s Loudbox series of amplifiers when they hit the stage, offering rich and detailed acoustic guitar tone along with must-have connectivity and sound-shaping capabilities. The Loudbox Micro packs the essence of the Loudbox series into an ultra-compact combo: weighing in at around nine pounds, this is one of the lightest acoustic guitar amps you’ll find from any manufacturer, period.

While the Loudbox Micro is capable of plenty of volume, its small size is perfect for home practice and band rehearsals. Thanks to its closed-back design the Loudbox Micro delivers impressive bass and rich midrange, even at practice-appropriate volume where many larger amps will struggle to sound exciting. For practicing at home, rehearsing with a group, and coffee shop gigs, the Loudbox Micro offers big acoustic tone you can carry in one hand.

40-watt, 2-channel acoustic amplifier for guitar and vocals
Ultra-compact and lightweight (just over 9 lbs.)
Closed-back cabinet design enhances bass response

Fishman Loudbox Micro Acoustic Combo Guitar Amplifier

For practice purposes at home, this is the perfect size. — Tom Butwin

Acoustic Guitar Amp Review- Fishman Loudbox Micro

The Ideal Acoustic Amplifier for Singer-Songwriters, Acoustic Musicians, and Vocalists

Whether you play an acoustic instrument, sing, or both, the Loudbox Micro could be your ideal solution for practice and performance. One channel features Fishman’s acclaimed acoustic preamplification for your acoustic guitar, with its own dedicated 3-band EQ as well as Chorus and Reverb effects: everything you need for epic guitar tone. The second channel has an XLR input for a dynamic vocal microphone like a Shure SM58, with dedicated 2-band EQ and Reverb.

As our No Fear Guides point out in the video, the Loudbox Micro is particularly appealing to singer-songwriters for practicing vocal inflection and nuance. Vocalists in particular need a great-sounding vocal monitor to accurately refine their performance, and the Loudbox Micro offers vocal fidelity and tone that few amplifiers or speakers of this size can achieve. In other words, if you normally practice your acoustic guitar and vocals "unplugged", you’re missing out: a quality acoustic amp like the Loudbox Micro will allow you to fine-tune the nuances of your technique, and you’ll be better-prepared for an amplified performance.

It’s also worth noting that the Loudbox Micro’s balanced XLR output makes it super easy to record your voice and instrument simultaneously. Just use a standard microphone cable to connect the Loudbox Micro to your audio interface or portable recorder, use the onboard EQ and effects to optimize your guitar and vocal tone, and hit record.

For someone that sings and plays guitar, you can do basically anything with these. — Tom Butwin

Acoustic Guitar Amp Review- Fishman Loudbox Micro

Acoustic instrument channel with 3-band EQ, Chorus, and Reverb
XLR vocal microphone channel with 2-band EQ and Reverb
Perfect practice amp for improving the nuances of your instrument and vocal techniques

Loudbox Micro: At Home, On Stage

Both of our No Fear Guides point out how well the Fishman Loudbox Micro transitions from home practice to stage performance. While you may be tempted to hit the stage with as many watts and speakers as you can muster, the reality is that big amps are heavy (and generally too loud to practice with at home). With the Loudbox Micro, you can easily fill a small- to medium-size room with sound, and most gigs that would require more volume will generally have a PA system anyway—and the Loudbox Micro is equipped for that too.

The Loudbox Micro’s balanced XLR output makes it easy to pass your guitar and vocal signals to a mixing board, while also using it as your stage monitor. In other words, the Loudbox Micro is completely at home on stage.

Speaking of performance, the Loudbox Micro also makes it easy to learn new songs and play along with music from your playlists. An Aux input on the rear panel allows you to connect your smartphone or music player, while a headphone output allows for silent practice sessions. In all, you’d be hard-pressed to find another acoustic combo amp that transitions so smoothly between practice and performance applications.

If you’re in a bigger room you could take this: it could be your monitor for your voice and your guitar while you’re performing. And it can be the PA in a small enough room. — Tom Butwin

Acoustic Guitar Amp Review- Fishman Loudbox Micro

All you need to play and sing in smaller spaces
Use the XLR output to connect to a larger PA system while using Loudbox Micro as a stage monitor
Aux In for playing along with your music library, Headphone Out for private practice sessions

Find Your Sound with Fishman Loudbox Micro

One thing our No Fear Guides agree on is that if you really want to improve your vocal and acoustic guitar techniques, you need to practice with your sound being projected back at you: singing in the shower or strumming un-plugged on the couch is not going to give you the sonic detail you need to analyze and improve the nuances of your technique.

The Loudbox Micro lets you hear how you’ll sound in a performance, with richness and fidelity even at low volumes. And when you are ready to hit the stage, the Loudbox Micro can fill small rooms with ease, and connect to larger PA systems when needed.

It’s everything an acoustic guitarist or singer-songwriter could ask for, and it weighs less than 10 pounds. Whether you’ve been looking for a better acoustic amp for home practice, or you’re searching for the missing link between practice, rehearsal, and stage performance, you’ve found it in the Fishman Loudbox Micro.

Peavey Decade Preamp Pedal Review: The Pedal That Sounds Wrong on Purpose

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

We plugged in the Peavey Decade™ Preamp Effects Pedal half-expecting a gimmick, and walked away thinking it's one of the most characterful drive pedals you can buy for $199.99. Here's our honest take: it sounds wrong — raw, mid-forward, a little impolite — and that's exactly the point.

Our take: "wrong" is the whole point

Most drive pedals chase polish. The Decade runs the other way. The first thing we noticed is that this is not a pedal you leave on all night — it's the one you stomp when you want some attention. Even with Pre Gain rolled down, there's a bubble of nastiness sitting underneath the note, and it never fully goes away. Flip on Saturation and it stops pretending entirely: that's the moment it stops sounding like a pedal and starts sounding like the amp it's based on.

That "wrongness" is why we like it. It isn't trying to be smooth or do-everything. It's a pedal with a single, strong voice, and if that voice is the one you've been chasing — that bright, aggressive, slightly-rebellious grit — nothing polite gets you there. We came in skeptical and left calling it a keeper.

And we're not the only ones who landed there. TheGuitarGeek called it a "riff-inspiration box." Guitar Bonedo's Haiko rated the build excellent and the sounds "genuinely out of the ordinary." Different rooms, same conclusion: this thing has character you don't get from a transparent overdrive.

What the Peavey Decade Preamp is

The Decade Preamp is a preamp-and-drive pedal built around a recreation of the circuit from Peavey's original Decade amplifier of around 1980 — a small, cheap practice amp that developed a cult following for its raw tone. You get Pre Gain and Post Gain as separate controls, a three-band EQ (Low, Mid, High), a true-bypass footswitch, and a second footswitch for the Saturation channel. It runs on a standard 9V supply and steps up internally to 24V for headroom, so it holds its shape when you dig in instead of turning to mush.

Peavey Decade Preamp — Fast Facts

Type: Preamp / drive pedal
Based on: Original Peavey Decade amplifier circuit, circa 1980
Controls: Pre Gain, Post Gain, Low, Mid, High
Footswitches: True bypass and Saturation
Power: Standard 9V supply, boosted internally to 24V
Cab simulation: None onboard — add a cab sim or IR for direct recording
SKU: 03621220
Price: $199.99 USD (verified 07/29/2026)

The Queens of the Stone Age connection

Part of the Decade's mystique is its most famous fan. In 2021, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age called a Peavey Decade a secret weapon behind his guitar tone, and a cheap practice amp suddenly became one of the most hunted-down pieces of gear in rock. The nice thing about this pedal is that you don't have to chase a rare vintage amp to get in the neighborhood — the same circuit is on your board, new, for $199.99. Just don't expect it to turn you into anyone else; as every good reviewer says, the gear gets you into the zip code and your hands do the rest.

Getting the sound we're talking about

If you want the specific mid-forward voice the Decade is known for, the recipe is simple, and Tone Factory's host nails it: mids at maximum, treble around halfway, bass low. That's the fastest route to that '90s/2000s desert-rock territory. From there, small EQ moves change the pedal's personality, not just its balance — so trust your ears over the printed numbers.

Watch — the Queens-style tone on the Decade: 7 Settings for 7 Sounds.

How we'd run it

Here's the practical tip we'd pass on: the Decade rewards being treated as a preamp, not just a front-of-amp stomp. Kris Barocsi of Gear Corner tried it three ways — in the amp's effects loop, straight into the effects return as the preamp, and out front into a clean channel — and found it fullest and richest in the loop or into a power amp. Out front of a clean amp it sounds leaner and closest to the tiny original combo, which is its own kind of useful if that's the flavor you want. We also ran ours stacked mid-board with a compressor and overdrive around it, and it played nicely with everything. If you go direct, remember there's no cab sim onboard — add an IR.

Honest catches

Two small things, in the spirit of a straight review. The Saturation footswitch has no indicator light, so you can't tell at a glance whether it's engaged until the pedal's on — a minor annoyance once you know the pedal. And this is a specialist voice by design: it doesn't clean up, and it won't do sparkle or polite blues. That focus is the appeal, not a flaw — but it does mean the Decade is a "know what you're buying" pedal.

Who should buy it — and who should skip it

Buy it if you play indie, stoner, garage, or desert rock and you want a drive with real teeth and one strong opinion; and especially if you have an amp with an effects loop to run it in.

Skip it if you need a transparent boost, a do-everything drive, or something that cleans up with your volume knob. That was never the assignment.

Where to buy

The Decade Preamp is available directly from Peavey at $199.99 USD (verified 07/29/2026). Stock on a newer product moves, so check availability before you commit.

The bottom line

The Peavey Decade Preamp is the rare drive pedal with a genuine point of view. It sounds wrong on purpose, and once that clicks, it's addictive. Buy it for its one loud opinion — not to sound like anyone else — and it earns its place on the board.

FAQ — Peavey Decade Preamp Pedal

Does the Decade Preamp need a special power supply?

No. Standard 9V pedalboard supply or battery; it steps up to 24V internally for headroom.

Can I plug it straight into an audio interface?

You can, but there's no onboard cab/speaker emulation, so add a cab-sim pedal, an IR loader, or a plug-in after it.

Should I run it in front of my amp or in the effects loop?

Both work. It's fullest in an effects loop or into a power amp, and leaner out front of a clean amp (which is closest to the original combo sound).

Is it the same as the Decade amp?

It's the preamp section in pedal form — no power amp, speaker, or cabinet. It captures the character and, through a good amp, can sound even bigger than the little combo.

Is it connected to Josh Homme's sound?

Yes — Homme of Queens of the Stone Age cited a Decade as a secret weapon, which is a big part of why the circuit became sought-after. This puts that raw, mid-forward character on your board.

Is it good for metal?

It's a mid-forward, fuzz-adjacent drive rather than a tight high-gain circuit, so it's a stretch for modern metal — but it's right at home in stoner, desert, garage, and classic hard rock.

Video Library

This Pedal Sounds Wrong… And That's Why It's Genius — our own demo. Jump to 3:34 for Saturation engaged, 5:33 for stacking it mid-board, and 12:16 for our verdict.

Watch on YouTube

This Filthy Pedal DEMANDS Riffs — Peavey Decade Review — TheGuitarGeek. See 7:51 for the bluesy setting and 17:04 on the character EQ.

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Peavey Decade Pedal: Stoner Rock Monster And So Much More — Kris Barocsi of Gear Corner. See 3:12 in the effects loop and 9:10 for "prefers to be a preamp."

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The Peavey Decade Preamp Effects Pedal — Peavey Electronics. See 1:13 for Saturation engaged and 1:40 into a Musician 60 power amp.

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How to Choose a Delay Pedal

Mark Brody — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Understanding Different Types of Delay Effects

The original delay effects were created using tape loops — old school magnetic tape. Analog technology progressed to the point that a basic delay circuit could be built using transistors, resistors, and capacitors. Technology progressed further, and digital delay devices were developed that removed the analog circuitry from the equation. Each of these three types of delay — tape, analog, and digital — have a distinct sonic character, each with their own musical strengths and weaknesses.

Tape and Tape Emulation Delay Pedals

The sound of tape delay has a lot of character, whether you’re using actual magnetic tape or a modern emulation of tape delay. How tape delay actually works is beyond the scope of this article, but there are three important things to know about tape-style delay effects.

First, delay repeats will lose high frequencies and overall fidelity — this is desirable, and is great if you want a subtle delay that gets out of the way of notes you’re currently playing.

Second, a property of tape delay when you “hit” the tape hard with a strong signal, new harmonic content is created similar to an overdrive effect, adding depth and dimension to your tone.

And third, tape delay can produce “wow” and “flutter”, minor pitch variations that add texture similar to a subtle chorus or vibrato effect. All of this makes tape delay a very characterful effect that will definitely make an impact on your overall tone.

Analog Bucket Brigade Delay Pedals

When you see a delay pedal marketed as a “BBD” delay pedal, that’s the standard type of circuit used when players talk about classic analog delay effects. BBD stands for Bucket Brigade Device, a type of circuit that uses capacitors (and other components) for create the delay effect.

Due to the capacitors, analog BBD delay loses high frequencies on each repeat, creating a darker delay trail that doesn’t compete with what you’re currently playing.

Analog BBD delay can be somewhat limited on the maximum delay time, so don’t expect long multi-second delays with an analog delay pedal. Analog delay excels in the under-500ms range, and is perfect for short slapback echo effects, lead-enhancing trails with just a few repeats, and vintage psychedelic effects when you start turning knobs in real time.

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

Delay Type	Analog
Delay Modes	n/a
Tap Tempo	No
Trails	No
Extra Features	Modulation
Size	4.8" x 2.8" x 1.3"

Donner Yellow Fall

Delay Type	Analog
Delay Modes	n/a
Tap Tempo	No
Trails	No
Extra Features	n/a
Size	3.7" x 2" x 1.7"

Digital Delay Pedals

Digital delay effects pedals use some type of digital signal processing to create delay effects, and have some advantages if you’re looking for a transparent delay effect that won’t change your core tone.

With no analog circuitry to distort your signal, whatever you plug in is what you hear on the way out. And because digital delay doesn’t degrade or become darker as the repeats progress, the result is a crystal-clear delay trail.

A notable characteristic of digital delay pedals is that you can change the delay time in realtime as you play without changing the pitch. If you’re new to delay pedals, you may not realize that analog and tape delays will change in pitch if you manipulate the delay time.

We’ll admit it’s a niche application, but if you want to reach down while you’re playing and mess with the delay time, it’s important to know — choose a digital delay if you want to be able to tweak delay time without messing with pitch, or choose an analog or tape delay if you do want to introduce some pitch madness to your delay manipulation.

It’s also worth noting that many digital delay pedals feature emulations of analog and tape delays, too. If you’re curious about all of these types of delay, a digital delay pedal with selectable modes would be ideal for you.

Line 6 DL4 MKII Delay Modeler

Delay Type	Digital
Delay Modes	Digital, Analog, Tape
Tap Tempo	Yes
Trails	Yes
Extra Features	Looper, MIDI, 30 delay types
Size	9.3" x 4.5" x 2"

Will the Delay Trail Continue When I Switch the Effect Off?

If you’re using your delay pedal for one specific section of a song, you may want the delay trail to decay naturally when you switch off the effect to transition to the next song part. Pedal manufacturers all seem to agree on calling this feature “Trails”, which is what you’ll want to look for.

If a pedal doesn’t feature Trails functionality, switching the effect off will completely cut off the delay trail too. If you’re using your delay as an “always on” pedal, Trails probably won’t matter to you.

DOD Rubberneck Analog Delay

Delay Type	Analog
Delay Modes	n/a
Tap Tempo	Yes
Trails	Yes
Extra Features	FX loop, Modulation, Momentary Switches
Size	5" x 4.7" x 2.2"

Tap Tempo — Do You Need It?

Tap tempo is a feature on delay pedals that allows you to tap a button or footswitch to the beat of your music, so that the delays are synchronized with the tempo of the song.

If you want to tempo-sync your delay pedal, you may wonder why anyone wouldn’t want tap tempo. Well, if you’re a country player that needs slapback echo, you don’t need tempo sync. And if you use short delay with only a couple repeats to enhance leads and soloes, sometimes a non-synced delay will create more depth and interest than a synced delay.

In most cases, if you’re looking for your first delay pedal, tap tempo is a big benefit. It’s simply more fun to explore the potential of delay effects when they’re synced to what you’re playing. But just know that you can still create great delay effects without tap tempo — players did it for decades, after all.

TC Electronic Flashback 2 Mini

Delay Type	Digital
Delay Modes	Analog, Digital, Tape
Tap Tempo	Yes
Trails	Yes
Extra Features	TonePrint App, MASH footswitch
Size	3.7" x 1.9" x 19"

Walrus Audio Fundamental Delay

Delay Type	Digital
Delay Modes	Digital, Analog, Reverse
Tap Tempo	Yes
Trails	Yes
Extra Features	Time Divisions
Size	4.8" x 2.4" x 2.3"

Delay Effects Pedals — What Do These Knobs Do?

There’s a wide range of delay pedals on the market, some with only a few knobs and some others that look like they could launch a rocket ship. Any delay pedal is going to have the same basic controls available (in addition to any interesting extras), so let’s look at the controls you’d expect to find on any delay pedal and what they do.

Pedal manufacturers use a wide range of terms for these, so we’ll try to include the most common examples you’ll run into.

Delay (Time) — this controls the amount of time between repeats (if the pedal offers Tap Tempo, using it will override the Delay control, and vice versa).
Feedback (Regeneration) — this controls how many repeats you hear. Minimum settings usually create only one repeat, maximum settings can sometimes reach self-oscillation, or a never-ending delay trail.
Mix (Effect Level) — this controls the balance of your original guitar signal with the delays. Usually, setting this knob at the 12 o’clock position will result in a 50/50 blend of your dry signal and the delays.
Modulation (Chorus/Vibrato) — some delay effects have a button or a knob that introduces modulation into your signal, adding a touch of shimmer that may or may not be appropriate for your music.

Tap Tempo — this allows you to tap to the beat of your music, syncing the delay time with the song. This is much faster (and more accurate) than trying to adjust the delay time control to manually sync to the tempo.

Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy

Delay Type	Analog
Delay Modes	n/a
Tap Tempo	Yes
Trails	No
Extra Features	FX loop, Modulation, Time Divisions
Size	5.8" x 4.8" x 2.5"

Filters, Dynamic Delay, and Other Exotic Features

We’ve covered the basics of delay, and what you’ll find out in the wild is that a lot of manufacturers have gone well beyond the basics. We’ve already mentioned delay pedals that can create modulation like chorus and vibrato too. You’ll also find delay pedals with filters on the delay line, built-in step sequencers to change parameters as you play, and even built-in effects loops to apply other effects pedals to only the delay trail. In other words, there are a lot of exotic delay pedals out there, but at their core they will most likely offer basic workhorse delay effects too.

Strymon Timeline Multidimensional Delay

Delay Type	Digital
Delay Modes	Digital, Analog, Tape
Tap Tempo	Yes
Trails	Yes
Extra Features	Looper, MIDI, 12 delay types, Filter, Grit
Size	6.8" x 5.1" x 2.7"

Wondering where you should place your delay pedal in your effects signal chain? Placement makes a huge difference in your overall sound — Check out our video Effect Pedal Order Explained.

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Acoustic Amp Master Buying Guide

Mark Brody — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:13:00 GMT

Acoustic Guitar Amp FAQs:

Can an acoustic combo amp accurately reproduce my acoustic tone?
Yes: acoustic amplifiers are specifically designed to reproduce the full frequency range and dynamics of acoustic instruments. Keep in mind that your guitar’s electronics will play a significant role in the sonic accuracy of your plugged-in acoustic tone.

Can an acoustic amplifier control feedback and prevent it from occurring?
Yes: some acoustic amps feature anti-feedback processing that can dynamically resist feedback before it occurs. Many acoustic amps feature a “phase” switch that can sometimes help reduce feedback, although the effectiveness is based on your position relative to your amplifier.

What kind of speaker configuration do acoustic guitar amplifiers use?
Most acoustic guitar amps feature one “woofer” to reproduce bass and midrange frequencies, in combination with a small “tweeter” to reproduce high frequencies. Some acoustic amplifiers may feature “full range” speakers to reproduce the entire frequency range.

How much power does an acoustic amp need for stage performance? How many watts do I need?
If you need to hear your acoustic amp over a drummer and other instruments, a good rule of thumb is to use an amp with at least 50 watts of power. However, if you plan to plug your amp’s direct output to the sound system, and have access to monitor speakers, you don’t need high wattage to perform. If you’re a solo performer (vocals and guitar), 30-50 watts should be fine for small-format performances like coffee shops.

Will I be able to hear the acoustic amplifier on stage, or will I need a monitor?
The best way to clearly hear your acoustic amp on stage is to use an amplifier stand or tilt-back mechanism to aim the amp at your ears instead of at your feet. Some acoustic amps may feature a speaker pole mounting option that makes it easier to raise the amp for better monitoring.

Can I use an acoustic amplifier for vocals too?
Yes: many acoustic amplifiers feature both instrument and microphone inputs. For maximum sonic control over your sound, look for an acoustic amp with separate dedicated channels for vocals and instruments: this will allow you to process them separately with EQ and effects for a cleaner, more polished sound.

Do I need an acoustic amplifier with a DI/direct output?
An acoustic amp’s DI output allows you to connect directly to a sound system or recording device, eliminating the need put a microphone on the amp. If you’re performing live, you’ll want an acoustic amp with a DI output. For practice and rehearsal, a direct output can be useful for capturing sound ideas directly to a recording device.

Best Acoustic Amps for Home Practice and Recording:

These acoustic amps are ideal for plugging in and enjoying your guitar. Whether you’re looking for basic amplification, something with built-in effects for sonic experimentation, or a full-featured recording amp with USB connectivity, one of these amps is sure to deliver.

Feature	BOSS AC-22 LX	Fender Acoustasonic 40	Blackstar Acoustic:Core 30	Fender Acoustasonic 15
Channels	2	2	2	2
Watts	10W	40W	30W	15W
Speakers	2 x 5-in	2 x 6.5-in	2 x 5-in	1 x 6-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	No	Yes	No
Bluetooth	No	No	No	No
Tuner	No	No	No	No
Weight	8.9 lbs.	16.5 lbs.	16 lbs.	10.5 lbs.

Feature	Yamaha THR30 II A	VOX VX50AG	Positive Grid Spark 2	Fishman Loudbox Micro
Channels	1	2	1	2
Watts	30W	50W	50W	40W
Speakers	2 x 3.5-in	1 x 8-in	2 x 4-in	1 x 5.25-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	No	Yes	No
Bluetooth	Yes	No	Yes	No
Tuner	Yes	No	Yes	No
Weight	9.7 lbs.	9 lbs.	12.1 lbs.	9.1 lbs.

For basic home practice, practically any acoustic amp will allow you to plug in and play. If you want an acoustic amp that can be used for vocal practice too, look for an acoustic amp with two channels for mic and instruments. An amp with built-in effects and Bluetooth playback can make practice sessions more fun and productive. If you want an easy way to record your music to DAW software, choose an acoustic amp with a built-in USB interface.

Best Acoustic Amps for Busking:

With the right acoustic amplifier you can take to the streets and share your music with the world, or simply entertain a backyard full of friends. We chose these amps specifically for their battery-powered operation that allows you to perform anywhere without needing to plug into a power source.

Feature	Fender Acoustic Junior Go	Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge	BOSS AC-22 LX
Channels	2	2	1
Watts	100W	60W	10W
Speakers	2 x 5-in	1 x 6.5-in	2 x 6.5-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	No	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	No
Weight	15.7 lbs.	21.2 lbs.	9.8 lbs.
Power	Rechargeable	Rechargeable	AA Batteries

Feature	BOSS Cube Street 2	Positive Grid Spark Mini	Positive Grid Spark GO
Channels	2	1	1
Watts	10W	10W	5W
Speakers	2 x 5-in	2 x 2-in	1 x 2-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	Yes
Weight	8.9 lbs.	3.3 lbs.	0.8 lbs.
Power	Rechargeable	Rechargeable	Rechargeable

If you want to take your acoustic music on the go, one of these battery-powered acoustic amps is your best choice. Most feature a built-in rechargeable battery, although some may use AA batteries instead. for maximum mobility, you can choose a small acoustic amp with strap pins so you can wear it. If you want to perform with backing tracks, choose an acoustic amp with Bluetooth to stream audio from your phone.

Best Acoustic Amps for Stage Performance:

You want enough wattage to hear yourself in a band setting, and flexible routing with direct outputs for maximum control over your sound. These amplifiers offer the functionality you need for stage performance and the accurate acoustic amplification your music deserves.

Feature	Fender Acoustic SFX II	Blackstar Sonnet 120	Fender Acoustic 100	Fender Acoustic Junior
Channels	2	2	2	2
Watts	200W	120W	100W	100W
Speakers	1 x 8-in, 1 x 6.5-in	1 x 8-in	1 x 8-in	1 x 8-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Feedback Suppression	No	Yes	—	No
FX Loop	No	Yes	No	No
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Weight	22 lbs.	25.3 lbs.	17.6 lbs.	15 lbs.
Feedback Control	—	—	No	—

Feature	BOSS Acoustic Singer Pro	BOSS Acoustic Singer Live	Blackstar Sonnet 60	Blackstar Acoustic:Core 30
Channels	2	2	2	2
Watts	120W	60W	60W	30W
Speakers	1 x 8-in	1 x 6.5-in	1 x 6.5-in	2 x 5-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Feedback Suppression	Yes	Yes	No	No
FX Loop	No	No	No	No
Bluetooth	No	No	No	No
Weight	31.9 lbs.	23.2 lbs.	16.9 lbs.	16 lbs.

Feature	Fishman Loudbox Performer BT	Fishman Loudbox Artist BT	Fishman Loudbox Mini BT	VOX VX50AG
Channels	2	2	2	2
Watts	180W	120W	60W	50W
Speakers	1 x 8-in, 1 x 5-in	1 x 8-in	1 x 6.5-in	1 x 8-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Feedback Suppression	Yes	Yes	No	No
FX Loop	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Weight	29.4 lbs.	25.5 lbs.	21 lbs.	9 lbs.

Feature	Taylor Circa74	Hughes & Kettner ERA 1	TC-Helicon Harmony V100	Positive Grid Spark LIVE
Channels	2	4	2	4
Watts	150W	250W	100W	150W
Speakers	1 x 10-in	1 x 8-in	1 x 10-in	2 x 6.5-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Feedback Suppression	No	Yes	Yes	No
FX Loop	No	Yes	No	No
Bluetooth	Yes	No	No	Yes
Weight	26.5 lbs.	21.7 lbs.	29.3 lbs.	—

Higher-wattage acoustic amplifiers allow you to hold up against drums and other instruments without distorting your natural acoustic tone. If you plan to go direct to a sound system and use floor monitors, DI outputs become more of a priority than wattage. Built-in effects and footswitch functionality can streamline your performances and reduce your need for extra gear. Bluetooth connectivity is helpful for playing along to backing tracks, and for playing a music playlist during set breaks.

Best Acoustic Amps for Content Creators:

Performing for an audience can be as easy and immediate as turning on a livestream. These acoustic amps feature streaming connectivity (either with a TRRS port or USB with loopback) to deliver superior acoustic tone straight to your fans.

Feature	TC-Helicon Harmony V100	BOSS Acoustic Singer Live	Yamaha THR30 II A
Channels	2	2	2
Watts	30W	60W	10W
Speakers	2 x 5-in	1 x 6.5-in	2 x 5-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	No	No	No
Streaming	TRRS	USB	USB
Weight	16 lbs.	23.2 lbs.	8.9 lbs.

Feature	BOSS AC-22 LX	Positive Grid Spark 2	Blackstar Acoustic:Core 30
Channels	1	1	—
Watts	30W	50W	—
Speakers	2 x 3.5-in	2 x 4-in	—
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	—
USB Interface	Yes	Yes	—
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	—
Streaming	USB	USB	—
Weight	—	12.1 lbs.	—

If you want to connect a vocal mic as well as your acoustic guitar, choose an acoustic amp with two channels for maximum sonic control. Most of these amps support streaming via USB connectivity with loopback support, but some may feature a TRRS port instead. For content creation, wattage doesn’t matter as much unless you’re also performing for an IRL audience: in that case choose a higher-wattage acoustic amp (50W or higher) with streaming support.

Check out our Acoustic Amp Quick Picks for in-depth analysis of top acoustic amplifiers!

Deep Dive: Earthquaker Devices Scrolls Preamp Pedal

Mark Brody — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 22:56:00 GMT

What Is the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls Preamp Pedal?

The EQD Scrolls pedal is a bass preamp with 3-band EQ, a switchable Drive section, and XLR direct output. It’s designed to be a complete tone solution whether you’re plugging

into a bass amp, going direct to the sound system or recording interface, or both at the same time. The Scrolls pedal also features an effects loop (send and return) for integrating your bass effects pedals between the EQ and Drive sections.

EQD Scrolls Bass Preamp Highlights

Bass preamp with 3-band EQ and switchable Drive section
Balanced XLR DI output plus buffered 1/4-inch output
Effects loop inserts bass effects pedals between EQ and Drive sections

EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls Bass Preamp Pedal

Does the Drive Section Destroy Your Low End?

No; there are two things that allow you to maintain your low-end punch and clarity when adding drive with the Scrolls pedal.

First, use the Blend control to keep your dry signal in the mix: no matter how much drive you add, you can keep your fundamental clean tone in there too.

Second, the Drive section’s Bandwidth control allows you to focus where the clipping occurs: turn it clockwise to target higher frequencies (keeping your lows clean), or turn it counter-clockwise to distort your lows (use the Blend control to maintain low-end integrity).

What’s the Best Way to Use the Scrolls Pedal for Live Performance?

The EQD Scrolls bass preamp can be your complete tone solution on stage: connect the balanced XLR output to the sound system and you’re good to go. If you want to feel air moving on stage from a real bass amplifier, use Scrolls’ buffered 1/4-inch output to connect to an amp for monitoring while sending your direct tone to the mixer.

The Scrolls preamp is one of the best options for bass players that love drive on their tone, and you’ll probably find that the Drive section eliminates your need for separate overdrive or fuzz pedals.

What’s the Best Way to Use Scrolls for Recording?

The best way to use the Scrolls bass preamp for recording is to connect it to your recording input via balanced XLR and use the EQ and Drive as your complete tone solution.

If you like recording with a compressor pedal, you can put it in front of Scrolls (this will reduce the dynamic response of the Drive section for smoother drive), or put it in the FX loop to compress the drive section and then EQ the compressed signal. Experiment with compressor placement to find the best place for your taste.

Does the XLR Output Have Cabinet Emulation?

Yes; the Scrolls XLR output has "a splash of analog filtering to make it sound more like a speaker cabinet" according to the product manual.

This means that it’s not a traditional cab sim in the sense that it mimics a specific speaker configuration. Instead it is a subtle high-frequency rolloff that mimics the natural filtering of a bass speaker; you can plug in direct and not worry about your tone sounding overly bright or present.

What Do the Buttons Under Scrolls’ EQ Do?

The three buttons in the EQ section of the Scrolls pedal offer some interesting sonic options when you understand how they interact with the Bass, Middle, and Treble controls.

Deep: This engages an 80Hz boost to fatten up your low end. EQD is not clear on how much of a boost it is, and the manual does not specify what frequency the actual Bass EQ knob is centered at.
Engaging the Deep boost while cutting with the Bass EQ could allow you to fine-tune your fundamental impact while reducing boominess, similar to the old Pultec EQ trick: try it out.
Process: Per the manual, this engages a "low-mid scoop for a more modern sound."
In tandem with the Middle EQ control, you could scoop the low mids to create space in the mix while also bumping the 700–900Hz range for powerful growl and punch. The Middle band's Vari-Freq knob covers a huge range (20Hz to 10kHz per the manual), so you have plenty of room for interaction between the Middle EQ and the Process function.
Bright: A simple 5kHz boost for adding some snap and presence. Like the other two EQ bands, the interaction between the Treble EQ control and the Bright function is worth exploring if you want to optimize your bass tone.

How Does the Drive Section’s Flexi-Switch Work?

The Drive footswitch on the Scrolls preamp pedal operates both as a momentary switch and a latching switch.

If you want to turn the Drive section on, just tap the footswitch and the circuit will be engaged. If you press and hold the footswitch, the Drive will only be engaged until you release the footswitch.

What Is the Effects Loop Routing Like?

When you connect effects pedals to the Scrolls pedal’s effects loop they are inserted after the Drive effect and in front of the EQ section. This allows modulation pedals like chorus to have a harmonically-richer signal to work with; if you want those effects to run through the Drive section too, just connect them in front of the pedal instead of the effects loop.

The post-drive/pre-EQ routing is great for most effects like modulation and delay. But for compressor pedals, you’ll probably want to place them either in front of the pedal or after the final output.

If I were using a simple one-knob compressor pedal like the Xotic XP Compressor pedal, I would put it in front of the Scrolls preamp pedal and use it to smooth dynamics on the way in. If I were using something like the Empress Effects Bass Compressor pedal, which operates more like a studio compressor, I’d place it after the Scrolls pedal and use it to optimize my sound after dialing in my tone on Scrolls.

Scrolls Is Ideal for Bass Players That Love Overdrive

The EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls preamp can be a great set-it-and-forget-it tone solution, but where it really shines is with wide-ranging EQ and Drive controls that reward experimentation.

At its core, the high-quality analog signal path and selection of outputs mean Scrolls is ready to connect to amps, sound systems, and recording interfaces without additional direct boxes or cab sims.

If you’re looking for a new foundation for your bass tone, it’s likely you’ll find it in the EQD Scrolls bass preamp pedal.

WHAT’S THE ULTIMATE MODELER FOR BASS PLAYERS? CHECK OUT OUR BASS MODELER SHOOTOUT TO FIND OUT!

Fender Squier Debut Stratocaster

Mark Brody — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:35:00 GMT

Squier by Fender has long been known for being an affordable way to get into the looks and sound of classic Fender guitars, and their quality is generally higher than their low prices would suggest. But at just $119, is the Squier Debut Stratocaster any good? Does the Squier Debut Strat sound and play like a real Fender Strat? Our No Fear Guides just had to find out — here’s what we learned.

Squier Debut Stratocaster Fast Facts

Out of the box, the Squier Debut Stratocaster makes a great first impression. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find:

Fender Squier Debut Series Stratocaster Electric Guitar

Specifications

Poplar body
Maple C-shaped neck with satin finish
Laurel fretboard
3 single-coil pickups with 5-way pickup selector
Tremolo bridge with removable arm
25.5-inch scale length
2-year warranty
Free 3-month subscription to Fender Play for lessons and instructional videos

Compared to other electric guitars in this price range, we were pleased to see recognizable woods being used. Let’s face it, at this price you will not be getting figured swamp ash or aged rosewood, nor were we expecting to. But the lightweight poplar body is contoured well, laurel is a very common substitute for rosewood, and real maple is used for the all-important neck — for such a low-priced guitar, that’s a good combination in our opinion.

We did notice the Squier Debut Strat’s body appears to be slightly thinner than a traditional Fender Stratocaster body, although you probably wouldn’t notice unless you switched between the Debut and a Fender Strat. And while the matte-finished poplar body is perfectly adequate, it definitely doesn’t have the visual allure of fancier tonewoods dressed in a glossy finish. Besides those details, everything here adds up to an authentic Stratocaster playing experience — let’s plug in!

How Does the Squier Debut Stratocaster Sound?

Our No Fear Guides — Ryan Burke and Jay Leonard J — definitely know their way around a Fender Stratocaster and the vast range of tones it can create. So how does the Squier Debut Stratocaster stack up to a real Fender Strat? Very well it turns out!

With three single-coil pickups and five-way switching, the Debut Strat offers the same range of sounds you’d get with a Fender Strat. The neck pickup sounds throaty and vocal, the middle pickup is well-balanced, and the bridge pickup delivers plenty of snap and chime. And the in-between positions (neck+middle and middle+bridge) give you the quacky, plucky tone you really can only get from a Stratocaster.

Testing the cheapest Fender Strat on Amazon - $119 Stratocaster

We have to give big bonus points to the Squier Debut Stratocaster for its modern electronics configuration, with a tone control for the bridge pickup. The “traditional” Fender Strat wiring configuration does not give you tone control for the bridge pickup, leading to some extremely shrill and ice-picky tones — most players prefer to have a tone control on their bridge pickup to dial back the bite. The Squier Debut Strat offers modern wiring with tone control over the bridge pickup, and we couldn’t be happier about it.

It sounds like a Strat! — Ryan Burke

How Does the Squier Debut Stratocaster Feel to Play?

As you can see in our video demo, our No Fear Guides had no trouble picking up the Squier Debut Stratocaster and getting down to work. The Debut Strat’s maple neck features a C-shaped profile, which is a good starting point for new players and should be a familiar feel for experienced players. We’re fans of satin-finished necks as they usually feel faster and less sticky than glossy necks, so we’re pleased with the feel of the Debut Stratocaster’s neck in general.

One highlight for us was the fretwork — at this price point, we’ve felt plenty of rough edges and unpolished metal under our fingers. If you’ve played other guitars in this class, the Squier Debut Stratocaster will definitely stand out when you get it in your hands. It’s clear that someone took the time to at least make sure the frets were properly seated and that the ends weren’t rough, and that really is a luxury at this price.

When it came to testing the tremolo bridge (whammy bar, “wiggle bar”, etc.), we were sure that was where the Debut Stratocaster would fail to live up to a real Fender Strat — we were wrong.

Here’s the thing: even a real Fender tremolo bridge can be tricky to keep in tune when you use it (more on that below). It’s actually a very complicated mechanism, and the generic tremolo bridges you’ll find on low-price guitars are rarely built with the precision of name-brands like Fender. In other words, even if guitars in this price range offer a tremolo bridge, they are rarely useable — not so with the Squier Debut Strat.

Testing the cheapest Fender Strat on Amazon - $119 Stratocaster

In our play testing, we felt the Debut Strat’s tremolo bridge performed very well. For subtle warbles, surf rock shimmers, and soulful blues dives, the Debut Strat was up to the task. And with a bit of preparation when tuning up, we think you can achieve the same tuning stability as you’d expect from more expensive guitar.

There are $300 guitars I’ve played that are not as good as this. — Jay Leonard J

Tips for Tuning a Tremolo-Equipped Stratocaster

The Strat-style tremolo bridge has been around for a long time, and players have learned to optimize its pitch stability by the way they tune it up. This tuning method takes longer than you’re probably used to, but the reward is a tremolo bridge that returns to perfect pitch when you release the bar.

Tune your strings from the inside to the outside. This means tuning the D and G strings first, then the A and B strings, and finally the low and high E strings. The bridge balances the tension of all six strings, so tuning from the center outward helps maintain that balance.
Always tune up to pitch rather than down. This prevents slack around the tuning post and improves tuning stability.
After tuning each string, press the tremolo bar down and release it. The string will usually go slightly out of tune. Bring it back up to pitch and repeat until it consistently returns to tune.
Because every string affects the bridge tension, you'll need to go back and retune the other strings several times before everything settles.

This tuning method takes longer, but is the best way to achieve stable tuning with any Fender-style tremolo bridge.

Of course, you don’t need to use the tremolo bar at all, and many players leave it out entirely. The Debut Stratocaster’s bar is removable, and if you want to quickly tune up and rock out without the bar, the Debut Strat is perfectly capable of that.

The Squier Debut Stratocaster Is a Great Value

When it comes to sound and playability, we definitely give the Squier Debut Stratocaster a thumbs up. Squier has earned a reputation for offering quality instruments at low prices, and while the Debut Strat is inexpensive even by Squier standards, it doesn’t have the air of a cheap imitation that you usually find in this class — it simply feels like a quality starter instrument that gives a new player what they need to succeed, without trying to pretend it’s something other than what it is.

And it’s worth noting that if a new player learns on the Squier Debut Stratocaster, they’ll be familiar with the feel of one of the most-played and widely-available guitar styles ever created.

Whether you’re looking for your first guitar, a gift for a new player, or something to jam on at the office, we can confirm the Squier Debut Stratocaster delivers the classic Strat experience.

How to Choose a Looper Pedal

Mark Brody — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:44:00 GMT

Choosing a Looper Pedal for Practice, Songwriting, or Performance

Many guitarists only use a looper for practice sessions, improvising over chords or capturing riff ideas to experiment with. For basic uses like these, it’s smarter to choose the most simple looper pedal that meets your needs — less features and a simpler interface means you can start looping faster. That’s not to say you can’t use a very basic looper pedal on stage too, if it fits your performance needs. Just consider that that if all you want is a functional looper, more features are just going to complicate things.

For songwriting sessions, you’ll definitely want a looper pedal that can save your loops for later recall — some looper pedals will only hold one loop in memory, and others will allow you to save them for future reference. You may also want to look for a looper pedal with built-in drum rhythms to add some life to your solo writing sessions.

If you plan to use your looper as a core component of your live performances, or if you want to use it creatively in the studio, you’ll probably want to look for a few key functions. The ability to easily save and recall loops is probably the most important, and the ability to sync with other devices via MIDI is essential too.

Sheeran Loopers Looper X Workstation

Loop Save	Yes (SD card, internal memory)
Max. Loop Time	Unlimited
Playback Modes	5 (Multi, Song, Sync, Band, Free)
MIDI	Yes
USB	Yes
Stereo/Mono	Stereo
XLR Mic Input	Yes
Drums/Rhythms	Yes
Other Effects	26 stompbox FX

Boss RC-5 Loop Station Looper Pedal

Loop Save	Yes (internal memory)
Max. Loop Time	1.5 hours
Playback Modes	2 (Loop, Reverse Loop)
MIDI	Yes
USB	Yes
Stereo/Mono	Stereo
XLR Mic Input	No
Drums/Rhythms	Yes
Other Effects	Reverb for rhythm tracks

Tc Electronic Ditto 2 Looper Pedal

Loop Save	No
Max. Loop Time	10 minutes
Playback Modes	1
MIDI	No
USB	Yes
Stereo/Mono	Mono
XLR Mic Input	No
Drums/Rhythms	No
Other Effects	N/A

Where to Place a Looper Pedal in Your Signal Chain

It entirely depends on whether you want your loop to be processed by other pedals or not. Every pedal after your looper pedal is going to effect the loop when you turn them on, but will not be recorded as part of the loop. Every pedal before the looper pedal will be recorded as part of the loop, but will not effect the loop as it plays.

Most players want to capture a loop and play over it, so it makes sense to place your looper at the end of your signal chain. This means you can create a loop with whatever pedals you want, and the sound of the loop won’t change as you turn on delays, modulation and other effects — only your guitar playing will be processed.

However, you can also use your looper pedal to “audition” other effects pedals too — capture a loop, run it into an effects pedal, and your hands are free to start turning knobs. If you’re experimenting with guitar sound design, placing the looper first in your signal chain may be the way to go.

How to Sync Your Looper Pedal with a Drum Machine or Other Gear

If you’ve ever tried to manually sync a looper pedal with a drum machine, you know it’s impossible. Look for a looper pedal with MIDI connections — most looper pedals will use 1/8-inch outputs that require adapter cables with 5-pin MIDI connectors, and if they’re not included with the pedal they are easily acquired online.

Syncing your looper pedal isn’t only for rhythm accompaniment like drum machines, you can sync a MIDI-equipped looper pedal to other MIDI gear like sequencers and synthesizers. The most common reason to sync a looper pedal via MIDI is to share tempo information, so that all devices are playing to the same tempo. But if you may be able to control some looper pedal functions from MIDI externally too — check your user manual for more information on what type of MIDI messages your loop station responds to.

Pigtronix Infinity 3 Looper Pedal

Loop Save	Yes (internal memory)
Max. Loop Time	Unlimited (up to 3 hours total)
Playback Modes	2 (Parallel, Series)
MIDI	Yes
USB	Yes
Stereo/Mono	Stereo
XLR Mic Input	No
Drums/Rhythms	No
Other Effects	N/A

How to Get Creative Beyond Basic Looping

Basic looper pedals allow you to capture a loop and then play over it. If you’re looking for more creative and experimental capabilities, look for a looper with different playback modes like half-speed playback for creating ambient soundscapes (which can also create pseudo-bass by dropping pitch down an octave). Reverse playback can be rewarding to play with too, especially when you add other effects like reverb and delay. You may also want to look for a looper pedal that supports longer loops (multiple minutes) for creating soundscapes, as some looper pedals only allow shorter loops (less than a minute).

Electro-Harmonix Canyon Delay and Looper Pedal

Loop Save	No
Max. Loop Time	62 seconds
Playback Modes	1
MIDI	No
USB	No
Stereo/Mono	Mono
XLR Mic Input	No
Drums/Rhythms	No
Other Effects	Delay/Reverb (12 modes)

MXR M303 Clone Looper Pedal

Loop Save	No
Max. Loop Time	6 minutes
Playback Modes	3 (Loop, Reverse, Time Stretch)
MIDI	No
USB	No
Stereo/Mono	Mono
XLR Mic Input	No
Drums/Rhythms	No
Other Effects	N/A

Using a Looper Pedal with Vocals and Other Instruments

If you want to perform with live looping, you may want your vocals to get in on the action too. It’s important to remember that most looper pedals are intended for electric guitar, and aren’t designed for fuller-range signals like vocals, synthesizers and other sound sources. Look for a looper pedal with a dedicated XLR microphone input to capture vocals with clarity and detail. For synthesizers, look for a looper pedal with stereo inputs — otherwise, you’ll need to connect your synth with a mono connection, and disable any stereo panning effects or modulation you may be using.

Digitech Trio+ Band Creator Looper Pedal

Loop Save	Yes (SD card)
Max. Loop Time	230 seconds (per song part)
Playback Modes	3 (Loop, Song, Alt Time)
MIDI	No
USB	Yes
Stereo/Mono	Mono
XLR Mic Input	No
Drums/Rhythms	Yes
Other Effects	Guitar FX (12 styles)

Nux Loop Core Stereo Looper Pedal

Loop Save	Yes (internal memory)
Max. Loop Time	6 hours total across 99 save slots
Playback Modes	1
MIDI	Yes
USB	Yes
Stereo/Mono	Stereo
XLR Mic Input	No
Drums/Rhythms	Yes
Other Effects	Cabinet Simulation

Walrus Fundamental Delay Pedal

Mark Brody — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:23:00 GMT

Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Delay Guitar Effects Pedal

Voltage	9 Volts
Amperage	250 Milliamps
Audio Output Effects	Delay
Controls Type	Knob
Power Source	DC Power Supply
Hardware Interface	1/4-inch Audio
Signal Format	Analog

3 Distinct Delay Modes

For maximum creative potential, the Walrus Fundamental Delay pedal offers three distinct delay modes to choose from: Digital, Analog, and Reverse. Regardless of which mode you choose, you have a maximum delay time of up to one second. With these three modes you’ll be able to generate practically any type of delay effect you can think of, from short slapback echo to cascading delay trails to rhythmic soundscapes.

Delay #1 — Digital Delay

With digital delay, each repeat is an exact sonic copy of the original signal. In this mode the delay repeats retain the clarity of your core guitar tone as they go on — think of the cascading arpeggios of The Edge from U2. Digital mode also helps your delays sound clear even when using a high-gain amplifier with lots of distortion, making it great for solos and lead lines.

Delay #2 — Analog Delay

The Walrus Fundamental Delay’s Analog mode is based on vintage Bucket Brigade Device (BBD) delay units. Due to the way the BBD circuit is designed, each repeat gradually degrades, becoming darker and less present over time. This creates a warm ambient bed that doesn’t interfere with the notes you’re currently playing. Analog delay sounds especially rich when paired with clean or slightly overdriven guitar tones.

Delay #3 — Reverse Delay

Reverse delay has been used for decades, originally requiring reversed tape recordings to achieve the effect. While many delay pedals include a reverse mode, the Walrus Fundamental Delay stands out with its highly musical implementation. Reverse delay can often make it difficult to stay locked to the beat while hearing the reversed repeats, but the Walrus maintains a strong rhythmic feel that makes the effect surprisingly easy and enjoyable to play.

Basically three delays in one. I love the analog delay the most, however, there are absolutely times where I could use the digital mode. And the reverse is just a ton of fun!” — Tom Butwin

Watch on YouTube

3 Selectable Time Divisions

If you haven’t spent much time with delay pedals, you may not realize how dramatically rhythmic subdivisions can change the feel of a delay effect. While many pedals in this price range offer only standard quarter-note repeats, the Walrus Fundamental Delay provides three selectable time divisions.

Along with standard quarter notes, you can choose dotted-eighth notes for offset rhythmic patterns that work especially well with longer delay trails. You can also select eighth-note subdivisions, effectively doubling the repeat rate and making it easy to create fast, tremolo-like delay textures at quicker tempos.

I like that you are able to have different subdivisions without having to count them out. — Steve Sterlacci

Watch on YouTube

Tap Tempo Mode on a Low-Price Delay Pedal?

By this point in our testing, it was already clear that the Walrus Fundamental Delay offers more than expected from an affordable delay pedal. One standout feature is Tap Tempo, allowing you to tap the footswitch in time with your music so the delay repeats stay perfectly synchronized with the beat.
Tap Tempo also unlocks the subdivision modes. When Tap Tempo isn't engaged, delay time is simply adjusted using the Time slider. While Tap Tempo isn't exclusive to the Walrus Fundamental Delay, it's rare to find this level of functionality, flexibility, and creative potential at such an accessible price point.

On the subject of Tap Tempo, I think that’s something that all delay pedals should have in this day and age. It used to be a premium thing, but having the ability to tap in your exact tempo is really important, and in my opinion should be an industry standard and not only something that’s only available on premium products. — Steve Sterlacci

Watch on YouTube

Walrus Fundamental Delay — Big Value in a Low-Price Delay Pedal

We’ve tested plenty of affordable delay pedals, and it's clear that you don't have to spend a fortune to achieve excellent delay tones. The Walrus Audio Fundamental Delay stands out with its combination of Tap Tempo, selectable time divisions, three distinct delay modes, and intuitive slider-based controls.
If you're looking for an affordable delay pedal that covers all the essential delay sounds while opening the door to creative new textures, the Walrus Fundamental Delay delivers outstanding value.

This is a pedal that anybody — beginner or professional — could absolutely use for a million different things. I loved it! — Tom Butwin

Watch on YouTube

Casio Dimension Shifter Explained: What This Strap-Mounted Expression Controller Can Actually Do

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The bigger idea

Casio sells the Dimension Shifter on freedom of movement: cut the cable to the pedalboard and roam the stage. That part is real. But pull the demonstrations together and something more interesting shows up. The two independent reviewers who spent real time with it did not lead with "I could walk around." They each landed on the same different place. CJ Hockenbury said it "makes me think a lot about how to use different effects in different ways," and Michael Weber said it let him "approach the effects differently and get unique and nuanced sounds I can't get from a conventional pedal."

So here is our read of the evidence. The most compelling thing about this controller may not be that it goes wireless. It is that shaping an effect with the movement of the guitar seems to push players to use effects they already own in ways they had not considered. That is the angle worth buying it for.

What is the Casio Dimension Shifter?

The Casio Dimension Shifter (model DN-SE10) is a wireless expression controller that mounts on your guitar strap instead of sitting on the floor. Lower the guitar against the strap and a built-in spring stretches, sending that motion over Bluetooth to a receiver pedal. The receiver rides the expression input of whatever effect you point it at.

How it works

It is a two-piece system. A small transmitter clips between your guitar and strap. A receiver pedal lives on your board. When you lower the guitar against the strap, the transmitter's spring compresses and extends, and that movement travels to the receiver over Bluetooth 5.1. The receiver's 1/4-inch TRS output plugs into an effect's expression or control jack, the same place a foot treadle would go. Anything you would normally ride with an expression pedal, you now ride with body movement.

CJ Hockenbury's video shows the mounting in practice. The transmitter attaches through the strap, its underside has urethane rubber to protect the finish, and after about two weeks of use he reports no damage. He also notes the tension is adjustable, so you do not have to pull hard. With the weight of the guitar doing some of the work, he moves it "with one finger."

Playing effects with your body instead of your feet

The everyday pitch is simple: you stop being tied to one spot. Hockenbury frames it from a performer's angle. He moves constantly on stage, and having to walk back to the pedalboard for a wah or a pitch effect breaks the moment. Moving that control up onto the strap keeps him playing. Casio positions this freedom as the core idea, and both reviewers value it in their own words.

What it does that a foot pedal can't

A few moves are awkward or impossible with your feet.

Control two parameters at once. One foot cannot independently control two expression treadles at the same time. Michael Weber pairs the Dimension Shifter with a regular expression pedal so he can ride two things together, such as volume with the strap and effect depth with the treadle. Casio lists this dual control as a feature.

Switch, not just sweep. Set the receiver to switch mode and a downward pull changes presets or toggles effects, either momentary or latching. No stomping required.

Freeze and flip. The HOLD control locks the current position, so you can find an exact phaser speed or wah placement and pin it there. The INV control reverses the throw.

Use familiar effects in a different way. Across his demo, Hockenbury rides it for violin-style volume swells, an infinite delay freeze, wah, octave-down heaviness, pitch-up leads, and deliberately glitchy textures. A treadle can reach most of those too; the difference is that here you shape them with body movement instead of your foot.

The B-bender connection

Plenty of players will reach for the B-bender comparison, and that is no accident. Weber calls the concept a "beyond bender," and inventor Leo Fuji confirms the lineage directly. He wanted a B-bender, found even used ones expensive, and prototyped the idea after noticing the sliding lid on his child's chopstick case. Casio markets the concept around being the "world's first expression strap."

The difference matters. A mechanical B-bender, invented by Byrds bandmates Gene Parsons and Clarence White, raises the B string when you pull the neck. The Dimension Shifter uses that same familiar motion but points it at any effect parameter, with nothing routed into the guitar. Because no string is physically bending, Weber shows you can even map intervals a real B-bender cannot reach.

What the demonstrations reveal

Watch the two independent reviews back to back and a few things line up, while a couple are worth keeping narrow.

The point both reviewers keep circling is that the controller changes how you use effects, not just where you can stand while using them. Weber and Hockenbury each came away reaching for familiar effects in fresh ways, which lands harder than the wireless angle the box leads with. Both also describe the feel as more physical than working a foot pedal, and Weber goes a step further, saying it lets him "dial in very specific spots" more finely than a treadle would.

Latency barely comes up as a problem. Casio lists about 20 milliseconds, and Hockenbury's own estimate of roughly 20 milliseconds maximum matches that, though it is worth remembering that is one player's impression alongside the spec, not a wide sample.

Hockenbury is refreshingly candid that he expected a gimmick and ended up rating it 4.8 out of 5. Both he and inventor Leo Fuji also raise an accessibility angle that is worth weighing carefully: Weber points to players who cannot comfortably use a floor pedal, and Fuji recounts a wheelchair user at NAMM who was glad to control expression again. That is a promising thing to hear, but treat it as a couple of firsthand observations rather than a proven claim.

Setup and compatibility

Setup is short. Attach the transmitter through your guitar and strap, run a TRS cable from the receiver to your effect's expression or control jack, and power on. The two halves pair automatically. Casio includes a silicone cover to protect the finish, and Hockenbury notes a mono cable can work too, though the function varies by device.

On compatibility, be realistic rather than absolute. It should work with most effects that provide a compatible expression or control input. The receiver has a three-position TRS switch to match common wiring standards: position one covers Boss, Kemper, and Strymon; two covers Zoom; three covers Line 6. As Weber puts it, one of the three usually works for a given pedal. That is broad coverage, not a guarantee, since expression inputs vary by wiring and implementation.

Limitations and learning curve

The honest catches, straight from the sources:

It is a controller, not an effect. It rides a pedal's expression input, so you need at least one expression-capable effect for it to do anything.
Grip matters. The throw depends on your strap and clothing. Weber's tip: leather grips the shoulder best, and if things are slippery you can push the guitar body with your elbow or pick hand. He estimates about 30 seconds to find the feel.
Extra bits. The receiver needs power (pedalboard supply or the sold-separately AD-0913S adapter) and a standard TRS cable, and the transmitter runs on two AAA batteries.

Who it's for

If you already like riding an expression pedal but dislike being anchored to one spot, this is aimed at you. It rewards ambient and experimental players, from feedback swells to glitch textures, and anyone who wants B-bender-style expressiveness without a guitar mod. Weber and Fuji also raise a possible accessibility angle for players who cannot easily use a floor pedal, which is worth weighing as an attributed point rather than a guarantee.

Fast Facts

Model: DN-SE10
Price: $299.99 (Sweetwater)
Connection: Bluetooth 5.1, up to about 30 ft (10 m)
Latency: Approx. 20 ms
Output: 1/4-inch TRS to an effect's expression or control input
Compatibility: 3-position TRS switch (Boss/Kemper/Strymon, Zoom, Line 6, and more)
Transmitter power: 2 x AAA, approx. 20-hour battery life
Receiver power: AC adapter (AD-0913S, sold separately) or pedalboard supply
Weight: Transmitter approx. 0.33 lb, receiver approx. 0.32 lb

Video Library

Best independent walkthrough. CJ Hockenbury's product video is the most complete independent tour. He covers mounting and strap technique (around 1:31), the TRS connection (1:50), a run of use cases (about 2:40 to 3:57), then range and latency near 4:41. Worth it for a real-world take from a player who expected a gimmick.

Watch on YouTube

Best controls and B-bender demo. Michael Weber's walkthrough is the deepest tour of the controls. Timestamp links: the B-bender-style pitch section starts near 1:38; dual-expression use around 4:39; HOLD near 3:43.

Watch on YouTube

Creator story. Leo Fuji's interview (in Japanese) explains why he built it. The chopstick-case origin runs from about 0:50, and the NAMM accessibility moment is near 4:33.

Watch on YouTube

Artist performances. Yvette Young (Covet) and Marty Friedman show the controller in musical context. These are Casio artist showcases, useful for sound and feel rather than independent review.

Watch on YouTube

Quick creative example. Jordan's short is a fast look at a single creative use, and Casio's launch promo gives a first visual impression.

Watch on YouTube

FAQ

How much is the Casio Dimension Shifter?

It sells for $299.99 at Sweetwater. Casio has not published an MSRP, so check the retailer for the latest price.

Is it wireless?

Yes. The transmitter and receiver pair over Bluetooth 5.1 with up to about 30 feet (10 m) of range and roughly 20 ms of latency, which Casio and reviewer CJ Hockenbury both put near that figure.

Does it work with any pedal?

It should work with most effects that have an expression or control input. A three-position TRS switch on the receiver matches common wiring standards (Boss/Kemper/Strymon, Zoom, Line 6, and more), but compatibility is not guaranteed for every pedal.

Can I use it with a regular expression pedal?

Yes, and that pairing is a highlight. Together they let you control two parameters at once, which one foot cannot do with two treadles.

What powers it?

The transmitter takes two AAA batteries (about 20 hours). The receiver runs on a pedalboard supply or Casio's sold-separately AD-0913S adapter.

Where to buy

Buy from Casio. The Dimension Shifter is sold on the official DN-SE10 page. Casio does not list a price on that page, so use a retailer for current pricing.

Buy from Sweetwater. It sells for $299.99 at Sweetwater. Stock and pricing change, so confirm before ordering.

Don’t Forget These Must-Have Live Performance Solutions

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:37:00 GMT

What's the Best Multi-Tool for a Band On Stage?

From loose tuning pegs to drum lugs to battery compartments, everyone in the band has gear that can be fixed with a multi-tool.

MusicNomad The Octopus is the best multi-tool we rely on for all manner of stage duties because it has a 1/4-inch drum key in addition to everything a guitarist or bassist needs for maintenance. Like most things in this article, it fits easily in your gig bag or case and will be useful much more than you expect.

Make a quality multi-tool like The Octopus part of your gig equipment and you'll be glad you did.

MusicNomad The Octopus 17-in-1 Tech Tool

What is Gaffer Tape, Anyway?

Gaffer tape is the professional solution for taping things down on stage: it won't leave a residue like most other tapes, and it's very strong.

Just keep a basic roll like Pro Tapes Pro Gaff in an equipment case or even the back of an open-backed combo amplifier. It's incredibly useful to have around, from taping down a wobbly mic stand to salvaging a broken bass drum head in a pinch (not pretty, but it can work).

Gaffer tape is something every sound engineer should have on hand, but they're also focused on taping down cables and managing the sound system. Get your own personal roll of gaffer tape and you'll never need to ask them for it.

Pro Tapes Pro Gaff Premium 2-inch Gaffer's Tape

Why You Need a Visible Gig Timer

Whether you're booked to play for 30 minutes or 2 hours, that time slot is a business arrangement, not a suggestion. If you've been gigging a while you know how important it is to time out your set, and you also probably know it's easy to lose track on stage: short delays turn into minutes added onto your set. Go long too many times, and you may not be welcome to play there again.

The solution is to use the Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner with built-in gig timer—seriously, why don't all tuner pedals have this? Between guitars and bass, it's likely your band has two to three tuner pedals on stage at every gig.

Make one of them the Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner, learn to use the gig timer feature, and you'll always know exactly how much time you have left to play because it looks really lame to check your phone between songs.

Walrus Audio Canvas Tuner Pedal

What's the Best Power Block for a Gigging Band?

Pretty much every venue you'll ever play will have enough power outlets for everybody. The only question is how accessible they actually are, and whether your own power cables reach them.

Take the power into your hands: get a personal power block or two and remember to load them up on gig day.

The best power block for the money that we've found is the ART PDS8u 8-Outlet Surge Protector. It has a long 20-foot power cord, and the outlets are widely spaced to accommodate block power supplies that normally cover adjacent outlets on other power blocks. It also has handy USB outlets.

You probably won't need it at most gigs, but the next time you go to plug in and someone's power cables are coming up short, you'll be very glad you have one.

ART PDS8u 8 Outlet Surge Protector with USB

Here's the Easy Way to Bring a Back-Up Amplifier

Is it actually practical to bring a back-up guitar or bass amplifier? After all, you're in big trouble if your amp fails right before your gig.

You don't need a duplicate of your normal rig—you just need a very reliable solution that will get you through the gig when you most need it.

In all of our gigging experience, the Tech 21 SansAmp Para Driver DI V2 remains the best solution for "my amp just died and the show must go on." It's an active preamp with cabinet simulation that delivers amp-like tone and response direct to the soundboard. Plug in your pedalboard, dial in the SansAmp like you would a real amp, and you're good to go.

There are a lot of ways to go direct with your guitar, but the compact SansAmp remains the most rugged and compact all-in-one solution.

Your bass player needs a backup rig too. The Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI V2 offers the same amp-in-a-box format optimized for bass. If there's a more compact, rugged, and reliable way to send amp-quality bass tone direct to a sound system, we haven't found it.

Tech 21 SansAmp Para Driver DI V2 Pedal

Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI V2 Pedal

What's the Best Guitar Stand for Gigging Players?

Once your gear is on stage and you've done a line check, you need a stable stand to put your guitar or bass on.

We think the Hercules Stands GS200B EZ Pack Guitar Stand is the best stand for gigging players simply because its wedge shape fits easily into the front pocket of any gig bag. Typical tube-metal guitar stands don't. The GS200B is rugged, stable, and suited for guitar or bass.

If you play sitting down, however, the Gator Frameworks GFW-GTRSTOOL is your best solution. It's a comfortable stool with a built-in guitar stand, making it easy to keep your guitar at the ready without taking up more stage space.

If you're already bringing a stool to your gigs, bring the Gator Guitar Stool and eliminate the need for a separate guitar stand.

Gator Frameworks GFW-GTRSTOOL Guitar Stool

Hercules Stands GS200B EZ Pack Guitar Stand

Why You'll Want to Wear These Earplugs

The volume on stage with most bands can easily exceed 90 decibels, at which point hearing damage can occur with just a couple of hours of exposure.

Earplugs are the best way for musicians to protect their hearing on stage, but most don't wear them due to the muffled, unnatural sound. That's because they don't know about flat-response earplugs.

Put the Etymotic Research ETY-Plugs in your ears and it's like turning down the volume of the whole world by 15–20 decibels (depending on how snugly you wear them).

Guitarists at No Fear Gear have relied on these earplugs to protect their hearing during gigs, and we recommend them for everyone in the band—especially drummers.

The sound is clear and intelligible, with no loss of high frequencies. You hear everything you need to hear, just at a non-damaging level.

Etymotic Research ETY-Plugs

What's the Best Way to Mark Important Settings on Gear?

The knobs and switches on your pedals and amps will get bumped around at some point. It's important to mark important settings for easy recall when you're dialing in your stage sound.

The best way to make notes on your gear is with a high-visibility Pig Hog StageTrix Settings Saver Marker. You can easily see whatever you mark on a dark stage, and it also rubs off easily with a wipe of a rag or finger.

The StageTrix Settings Saver Marker is great for drummers too, allowing them to mark positions on their stands for faster setup. It's also great for making set lists if you play on a really dark stage.

Pig Hog StageTrix Settings Saver Marker

There's a Better Way to Get Your Gear to the Stage

You'll make fewer trips, save your back, and look more professional with a quality gear cart like the Rock N Roller R2RT Micro.

Rock N Roller makes a lot of different cart options, and for most gigging bands we're impressed with the versatility of the Micro cart. It has different configurations to suit whatever you're hauling, and the big, rugged wheels handle stairs and back alleys with ease.

Loading out at 2 AM may never be fun, but it's so much easier with a Rock N Roller cart.

Rock N Roller R2RT Micro 8-in-1 Folding Multi-Cart

Gig Smarter, Perform Better

In our experience, the best way to ensure a great performance (besides practicing) is to remove as much friction as possible during gig day.

Keep a gig backpack ready with all the non-musical things you'll need, and you'll be ready when things don't go quite as planned. A small kit with a good multi-tool, some gaffer tape, earplugs, and a spare power block has literally gotten us through problems on stage that could have ended the performance.

Invest in the gear we've highlighted above, and you'll never want to gig without it.

Looking for a Better Home Studio Experience?
→ Check Out These Must-Have Solutions!

Sonicake Sonic IR Pedal

Mark Brody — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:45:00 GMT

What is an IR Guitar Pedal?

An Impulse Response (IR) pedal allows guitar players to play with the sound of a miked-up speaker cabinet, without a speaker cabinet. To understand how an IR pedal like the Sonicake Sonic IR pedal fits into your guitar rig, it helps to understand what an IR actually is.

An IR is like a sonic snapshot of sound in a room — in our case, it’s the sound of a specific guitar speaker cabinet miked with a specific microphone. More than an emulation of a speaker cab or microphone, an IR can capture the sonic character of a complete guitar rig. IRs are different than amp modeling in that an IR is based on real-world sound captured in a physical space, as opposed to a digital emulation based on algorithms.

Watch on YouTube

In other words, an IR guitar pedal replaces your speaker cabinet and microphone with a convenient pedal that can connect directly to a sound mixer or recording interface. You can harness the sound of some of the most famous amplifiers ever created. You can ditch the heavy speaker cabinet and still enjoy responsive tone, and you can record late at night without waking the neighbors.

There are 11 onboard classic cab simulations, including a VOX, a Marshall, a Fender, and even a Peavey 6505. — Jimmy Franklin

Sonicake Sonic IR Pedal Fast Facts

The Sonicake Sonic IR pedal delivers the versatility of impulse responses in an ultra-compact pedal that's the perfect way to streamline your rig. The large IR-selector knob puts 11 different IRs at your fingertips, and a volume knob manages your signal level — super simple.

No tweaking required — it just sounds great right out of the box. — Dre

Managing your IRs and building a custom set to choose from is accomplished simply by connecting the Sonic IR to your computer via USB and dragging your IR files to the Sonic IR folder. You can download new IRs from Sonicake, and 3rd-party IRs are supported too, so you basically have an unlimited amount of IRs to explore.

In addition to a standard 1/4-inch output, the Sonic IR pedal also gives you a dedicated XLR output to integrate with sound systems and recording interfaces. If you're playing live on stage, you can send the XLR output to the sound system just like you would a microphone while saving space on stage and minimizing stage volume. For recording, you can connect the XLR output to the mic input on your interface or mic preamp and capture lifelike amp tones without setting up a microphone.

Tips for Using the Sonicake Sonic IR Pedal

Use an FRFR Speaker, Not a Combo Amp
The Sonic IR pedal fills the role of a speaker cabinet — you want to send the output of your IR pedal to something that isn't going to color your sound further. To get the most out of the Sonic IR or any IR pedal, plug into a full-range, flat-response (FRFR) speaker like the Headrush FRFR-112 MKII. FRFR speakers are designed to be the perfect match for IR pedals, offering transparent amplification that accurately reproduces the nuances of your IR-based guitar tone.
Shape Your Tone with Pedals or a Preamp Pedal
To get the best tone with an IR pedal, make sure your signal chain includes some gain and EQ control (like you would find on a typical guitar amplifier). With just a pair of simple overdrive and EQ pedals, you have the tone-shaping potential of an amp sent to your IR of choice.
Alternatively, you could pair the Sonic IR with a preamp pedal like the Tech 21 SansAmp Para Driver. You'd have the comprehensive tone shaping of a guitar amplifier and the versatility of IR speaker cabs in two compact pedals.
Go Direct On Stage and In the Studio
You can minimize stage volume and eliminate sound leakage issues in the studio by going direct with the Sonic IR pedal. You can connect the Sonic IR pedal to an XLR or 1/4-inch input on a sound mixer or recording interface, eliminating the need to set up a microphone. Most venues are already equipped with stage monitors, so with an IR pedal like the Sonic IR, you can hit the stage with just your guitar and pedalboard.
Load Your Own IRs to Customize Your Tone
Right out of the box, the Sonic IR pedal includes 11 IRs that cover a wide range of musical applications. Each IR is a snapshot of a specific amp recorded with a studio-quality mic in a great-sounding room. You'll find IRs of classic American and British amp makers among others, and you can load any IR you like via USB.
Refer to the user manual or the Sonicake website for details on setting up the files and transferring the IRs — it's quick, easy, and the best way to explore the creative versatility that IRs can offer.

It gave me an amp-in-the-room feel that sometimes is missing in a product like this. — Jimmy Franklin

Sonicake Sonic IR — Common Questions Answered

How does the Sonicake Sonic IR pedal capture the nuances of different amplifier setups, including cabinet, mic placement, and room characteristics?
The Sonic IR pedal isn't emulating the sound of a miked-up speaker cabinet in real time with processing the way that an amp modeler does. All of that sonic information is stored in the IR file. An IR pedal like the Sonic IR takes the sonic profile of the IR and applies it to your guitar tone dynamically. It may seem like a minor technical difference, but it's important to note that the Sonic IR pedal will sound exactly like whatever impulse response you have selected — it's not further processing your sound in any way.
Can users customize and save their own impulse responses with the Sonic IR pedal?
Yes. There are countless 3rd-party impulse responses you can find and load into the Sonic IR pedal via USB. It's super easy — the Sonic IR pedal shows up as a disk location when you connect it to your computer. All you need to do is drag and drop your IR files to Sonic IR, and make sure the files are named appropriately (check the manual or Sonicake website for details). The included IRs cover all the most-needed tones like grinding blues, hard rock, metal, snappy pop, and more, but downloading your own favorite IRs is the best way to customize your sound.
What are the advantages of using an impulse response pedal like the Sonic IR compared to a traditional amp modeler?
Most players choose an IR pedal like the Sonic IR when they find that typical amp modelers simply contain way too much stuff they don't need. Not everyone needs an emulation of every amplifier ever made, nor do they want to navigate countless menus of options they'll never use. Some players want to shape their tone with a few pedals and rock out, and that's where the Sonic IR shines. You get the rich, responsive guitar tone only a miked-up amp can provide, but without the hassle and volume of a microphone and speaker cabinet.

Simplify Your Rig with Sonic IR

The Sonic IR is one of those rare guitar solutions that really does serve electric guitarists of any style equally well. By replacing your amplifier with an IR pedal like the Sonic IR, you not only ditch a heavy amp and the volume that comes with it, you gain a ton of sonic versatility. With countless IRs available across the internet and from 3rd-party vendors, you can have the sound of practically any speaker cabinet throughout history right on your pedalboard.
If you've ever wanted to hit the stage, studio, or rehearsal space with just your guitar, pedalboard, and realistic amp tones, the Sonicake Sonic IR was made for you.

Right into the PA system and you're good to go. — Dre

Non-Fender Telecasters — Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline

Mark Brody — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:23:00 GMT

When we first saw the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline electric guitar we knew we had to get it in our hands — a semi-hollowbody Telecaster-style guitar with humbuckers sounds too sweet to pass up. And it turned out that the ’58 Thinline’s Great 8 electronics offer up a much wider range of sounds than we expected, with a total of eight distinct pickup configurations to explore. Oh, and you can get one for under $400 — that definitely makes it worth a look. We assembled our No Fear Guides Jay Leonard J and Ryan Burke to plug in, rock out, and see what this Michael Kelly Tele has to offer — here’s what we learned.

Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline — Fast Facts

Most players are at least somewhat familiar with the classic Telecaster design — its basic slab body and dual single-coil pickups have been the go-to instrument for countless world-class players. The Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline takes the classic Tele feel and adds a much wider tonal range to explore, by way of a pair of humbuckers and the Great 8 electronics mod that makes the most of them. And the ’58 Thinline’s semi-hollow body adds a dimension of resonance and low-mid richness you won’t hear in a solidbody electric guitar.

Michael Kelly '59 Thinline

Chambered mahogany body for warm, resonant tone
Bolt-on rock maple neck with fast-feeling satin finish
Roasted jatoba fretboard with 22 frets
Modern C neck profile for not-too-thick, not-too-thin playability
Rockfield SWC Humbucker pickups provide beefy, full-range tone
Great 8 electronics mod with push/pull volume and tone controls and 3-way selector
Push/pull controls activate coil taps for each pickup to access single-coil-style sounds

It’s very hi-fi! — Ryan Burke

Testing Under $400 Non-Fender Telecasters

8 Distinct Tones from Great 8 Electronics Mod

The Michael Kelly website claims their Great 8 electronics mod is their most popular guitar mod, and we can see why. Great 8 means you have push/pull volume and tone controls that activate coil taps on the neck and bridge pickups, respectively. With the push or pull of knob, you can take your tone from a snarling rock humbucker tone to a bright, articulate single-coil sound. And between the individual pickup coil taps, and three pickup positions, you have a total of eight distinct pickup settings to rock out with.

Due to the dramatic tonal shift you can create just by pulling up on a knob, you can use the ’58 Thinline’s Great 8 electronics as a clever solo boost as well. If you’re rocking out with both pickups in humbucker mode, try switching just the neck pickup to coil-tap mode for solos — you’ll notice added presence and clarity that cuts through the mix, without losing the powerful low-mid foundation that the bridge humbucker will be maintaining. When it’s time to go back to chugging on riffs, switch back to full-humbucker mode.

On the neck pickup, you can hear it’s fat but might also get muddy — you pull up on the control and you get that articulation back… a bit of pop. — Jay Leonard J

Testing Under $400 Non-Fender Telecasters

Rock Maple Neck feels Fast and Smooth

A guitar is only as good as its neck, and we have a lot of good things to say about the neck on the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline. In true Tele fashion, you’ll find a bolt-on rock maple neck with 22 frets. The 22-fret neck is an important component to the Kelly Tele tone — it puts the string’s 2nd-octave harmonic directly above the neck pickup, and your sound is much richer for it whether you know it or not.

The Michael Kelly website describes the neck profile as a Modern C shape, and is finished in satin for a fast, non-sticky feel. We’re Tele fans ourselves, and we know that players have a wide range of neck preferences. If you’re the type of player that demands a super-thin or extra-thick neck, you already know it. Outside of those extremes, we think that Michael Kelly’s take on the Modern C shape will be quite suitable for the majority of players. Chording near the nut felt comfortable, climbing up the fretboard felt smooth, and we had plenty of access to the upper registers — hard to ask for more than that unless you have very specific preferences.

No dead frets, pretty smooth — delicioso. — Jay Leonard J

Testing Under $400 Non-Fender Telecasters

Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline — Common Questions Answered

How does the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline compare to traditional Telecaster models in terms of tone and playability?

Well, we should start by saying that the Telecaster is one of the most versatile electric guitars ever created. And it’s one of the most-modifiable guitars too — countless players have customized their Tele to suit their particular needs. And a Tele with humbuckers is a completely different animal than a Tele with single-coils. But we can say that the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline gives you the same basic feel as a standard Telecaster right out of the box, although the bridge feels much smoother under your hand than a typical Tele bridge.

Regarding tone, the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline gives you what you may expect from a typical Tele with humbuckers instead of single-coil pickups. It’s when you get into the coil splitting for access to single-coil tones that things get extra interesting. Some players love Teles with a humbucker at the neck and a single-coil pickup at the bridge: you can create that with the ’58 Thinline too. Some players prefer the beef of a humbucker in the bridge position, with a single-coil at the neck for throaty, vocal-like leads: you can do that with the ’58 Thinline too. In other words, the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline doesn’t sound like one specific kind of Telecaster — it can sound like many of them.

Can the ’58 Thinline’s Great 8 electronics effectively replicate both humbucker and single-coil sounds?

Yes — pulling up on the volume and tone knobs engages coil-split mode for the neck and bridge pickups, respectively. In the default humbucker mode, the SWC Humbucker pickups give us what we’d expect from a rock-oriented humbucker: plenty of output, wide-ranging tone, and a beefy character with smooth highs. In single-coil mode, we notice an ample increase in brightness and clarity, and an overall snappier response that we could feel as well as hear.

What are the advantages of the chambered mahogany body in terms of weight and tone?

As gigging guitarists ourselves, we love the lighter weight of chambered-body guitars. With a semi-hollow electric guitar like the Michael Kelly ’58, you can play for longer with less fatigue on your neck, shoulders and back. As far as tone goes, we love the semi-hollowbody sound for the extra bit of dimension and resonance it adds to your tone. Clean tones sound woody and soulful, while adding some overdrive yields an open, lively distortion tone that can sound truly massive. It’s not a night-and-day tonal difference compared to a solidbody Tele, rather a subtle enhancement that gives your sound a bit of a warm glow.

Why would I get a Kellycaster instead of a Fender Telecaster?

The Michael Kelly Guitar Company actually began as a provider of acoustic guitars and mandolins — Michael Kelly electric guitars would come along later, after they had established a reputation for creating high-quality acoustic instruments at affordable prices. The semi-hollow Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline taps into the company’s experience in crafting acoustic and electric instruments alike, and gives you a custom switching configuration that would require heavy mods to a typical Telecaster. There are countless variations on the classic Tele formula — if sonic richness, lighter weight, easy playability, and sonic versatility are your priorities, the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline was made for you.

What Would You Do with 8 Pickup Configurations?

After putting the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline to the test, we’re very impressed with what you get for under $400. The woods and components felt good in our hands, and the wide range of pickup settings made us excited to explore all of the various tonal combinations. While the richer, resonant semi-hollowbody sound may not be the tightest or most focused sound for heavy metal, it’s a delightfully rich voice for practically any other style. If you’re looking for a new signature sound, or you need maximum sonic versatility in your home studio, we’re sure you’ll be impressed with the Michael Kelly ’58 Thinline.

Is the Mooer Hornet 15 the Best Beginner Guitar Amp?

Mark Brody — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:15:00 GMT

What Makes the Mooer Hornet 15 a Sweet Beginner Guitar Amp?

Weighing in at just over six pounds, the Mooer Hornet 15 is a compact combo amp that’s perfect for practice in your home, office, dorm room, and so on. Its lightweight Class D amplifier delivers 15 watts of power to a 6.5-inch speaker, and the closed-back cabinet design gives the Hornet 15 beefier bass response than you may expect from its small size. Nine different presets can be selected instantly from the cool chicken-head knob on the front panel, while controls on the top of the amp allow you to fine-tune settings, create your own presets, add effects, tune up, and more.

In other words, the Mooer Hornet 15 ticks all the boxes you’d look for in a beginner guitar amp. It’s small and easy to transport. The Hornet 15 gives you fast access to a bunch of different guitar tones that support a wide range of musical styles. And the Mooer Hornet 15 makes it easy to tune up and even add effects without needing additional pedals or accessories.

First impression? I’m impressed — this thing is really, really cool. — Tom Butwin

Best Beginner Amp? Mooer Hornet 15 Review

• 15-watt solid-state combo amplifier with 6.5-inch speaker
• Amplifier modeling plus modulation, delay, and reverb effects
• Closed-back cabinet design for beefy, punchy response

Diverse Amp Models Make the Mooer Hornet 15 an Awesome Practice Amp

As you can hear at the beginning of Tom and Steve’s test session, the Mooer Hornet 15 puts nine diverse presets at your fingertips, ranging from chiming clean tones to grindy overdrive and sustaining distortion. These presets are based on the Hornet 15’s built-in amp models, including realistic emulations of Fender, VOX, Orange, Soldano, Marshall, and other legendary amplifier brands. By entering LIVE mode, you can use the top-panel controls to dial in your preferred amp model and channel settings, and then save it as a preset to one of the positions on the rotary knob — very cool.

It’s an ideal practice amp because you can get such a wide array of tones — I have this in my bedroom and I literally use it all the time. — Steve Sterlacci

Best Beginner Amp? Mooer Hornet 15 Review

You’ll notice that the Mooer Hornet 15 is available in a range of different colors, and we were surprised to learn that each color offers a slightly different selection of amp models to choose from. In our No Fear Gear testing, Tom and Steve demonstrate the White model which features emulations of amps from Fender, Marshall, Orange, Divided by 13, and Peavey, as well as a few Mooer-original models. Other Hornet 15 colors feature models based on Engl, Soldano, Roland, and more, so if you’re looking for a specific type of amp model, it’s worth checking out the product manual online before you buy.

Easy, quick, and inspiring tones. — Steve Sterlacci

• Realistic emulations of famous amps from Fender, Marshall, VOX, and more
• Each color variation of the Hornet 15 offers a unique selection of amp models
• Dial in your own custom amp settings and save up to 9 presets for instant recall

MOOER Guitar Amplifier Combo 15W

Mooer Hornet 15 Inspires Your Practice with Built-In Modulation, Delay, and Reverb Effects

One of the easiest ways to add some inspiration to your electric guitar practice sessions is to enhance your tone with rhythmic delay, expansive reverb, or vibrant modulation. The Mooer Hornet 15 is equipped with all of these onboard, allowing you to craft some amazingly polished tones without messing with your pedalboard. After all, the whole point of a practice amp is that it’s generally located somewhere away from your “main” guitar rig, and rigging up your pedalboard generally defeats the purpose. With the Mooer Hornet 15, inspiring effects are at your fingertips — no pedalboard required.

I think ‘inspiring’ is the right word because it’s not just amplifying your guitar, it’s getting your creative thing going. — Tom Butwin

Best Beginner Amp? Mooer Hornet 15 Review

Delay fans will find plenty to love about the Hornet 15’s delay effects control, which gives you access to analog, tape, and digital styles of delay effects. Reverb ranges from small rooms to expansive halls, and the modulation section gives you access to classic phaser, chorus, and vibrato effects. Our No Fear Guides were especially impressed to see not only Tap Tempo control for the delay section, but an independent Tap Tempo control for the modulation effect. You could potentially dial in some intricate sonic layers via different effects tempos, for example syncing the delay tempo to your playing while using a phaser with a much slower tempo for a slow, sweeping filter effect.

…you don’t have to get bogged down with a pedalboard — just focus on playing! — Tom Butwin

Best Beginner Amp? Mooer Hornet 15 Review

• Delay with Tap Tempo and Analog, Tape Echo, and Digital delay emulations
• Modulation with Tap Tempo and Chorus, Phaser, and Vibrato modes
• Reverb with Room, Hall, and Church emulations

Bluetooth® and Headphone Out Make the Mooer Hornet 15 a Comprehensive Practice Amp

While the Mooer Hornet 15’s tonal diversity definitely sets it apart from other compact combo amps, it’s the comprehensive connectivity options that cements it as a great practice amp solution. Built-in Bluetooth® allows you to stream your favorite music for play-along sessions, or for learning new songs before band rehearsal. An Aux In port allows you to do the same with a wired connection, and would also be a great way to integrate a drum machine or synth if that’s your style. A headphone output allows you to jam silently when you don’t want to disturb others. And the Hornet 15’s built-in tuner makes it easy to sound your best at every session.

I actually do practice with this thing all the time — it has become a regular staple in my playing. — Steve Sterlacci

Best Beginner Amp? Mooer Hornet 15 Review

• Play along to backing tracks via Bluetooth® and Aux In
• Headphone output for silent jam sessions
• Tune up before every session with the built-in tuner

Mooer Hornet 15 — A Beginner-Friendly Practice Amp for Anyone

After putting the Mooer Hornet 15 electric guitar amplifier through its paces, we’re pleased to report that you get a ton of value for this compact combo. No matter what style of music you play, you’ll be able find an amp model that gives you a responsive, inspiring playing experience: exactly what you want in a practice amp. And with built-in effects, a built-in tuner, and Bluetooth® connectivity, you really don’t need anything other than your guitar, a cable, and the Mooer Hornet 15 to jam out in a fun and productive fashion: that’s the simplicity you want in a beginner guitar amp. If you want to level-up your electric guitar practice sessions, get the Mooer Hornet 15 combo amplifier — it even comes in your favorite color!

I wish I had one of these when I was younger. — Tom Butwin

Best Beginner Amp? Mooer Hornet 15 Review

Bass Modeler Shootout: Darkglass Anagram vs. Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini vs. LINE 6 Helix Floor

Mark Brody — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 04:38:00 GMT

With its "bass first" design philosophy, the Darkglass Anagram is the best solution for bass players looking for the ultimate modeler experience. The Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini offers great sound and much of the same functionality in a similar format, but the focus is on guitar modeling with bass amps, cabs, and effects included as an afterthought. The popular Line 6 Helix Floor processor also delivers great modeling capabilities focused on 6-string guitar, and although lots of bass models can be downloaded, its much larger size makes it the least appealing option for bass players.

Comparative Bass Modeler Metrics

Feature	Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini	Darkglass Anagram	Line 6 Helix Floor
Parallel / Serial Paths	Yes (up to 4 paths)	Yes (up to 2 paths)	Yes (up to 4 paths)
Supported User Files	Neural Captures, IR (.wav)	NAM, AIDA-X, IR (.wav)	IR (.wav)
Optimized for Bass	No	Yes	No
Internal Processing	24-bit/48kHz	32-bit/48kHz	32-bit/48kHz
Size/Weight	8.9" x 4.6" x 2.5" / 3.3 lbs.	8.3" x 4.1" x 2.4" / 1.8 lbs	22.1" x 11.6" x 3.6" / 14.6 lbs.

The Verdicts

We set out to learn which of these modelers provide the best bass-focused modeling experience. While pretty much all modern modelers allow you to download new sounds and curate your tone collection, we're looking at the most bass amps, cabs, and effects right out of the box. We're also looking at the ability to load your own models and IRs, sound quality, portability, and price.

Darkglass Anagram

The Darkglass Anagram was designed to be the ultimate bass modeler, and it actually includes models of the company's bass amplifiers right out of the box—no need to hit the internet to fill your new modeler with bass presets. Advanced users can load their own NAM and AIDA-X amp models, as well as user IRs.
The Darkglass Anagram is the most compact of the modelers we looked at, and it's also the most affordable. All of these modelers offer similar functionality and connectivity options, but the bass-first philosophy makes Anagram the clear leader in bass modeling.

Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini

The Quad Cortex Mini is a leader in guitar modeling and does include some bass presets in its factory settings. You can download more bass presets, and Quad Cortex Mini also supports Neural Captures (models of real gear) and IR files for speaker emulation. Like the other modelers we looked at, you have a comprehensive I/O configuration that will support most stage and studio setups.
The Quad Cortex Mini is an impressive modeler, but it's a guitar amp modeler first and foremost. You'll need to do some preset auditioning and management to turn it into a bass-centric modeler. It costs more than the Anagram, and while you can customize it to only include your bass tones, the Quad Cortex Mini won't deliver the bass-focused experience you're looking for.

Line 6 Helix Floor

The Line 6 Helix series has long been a leader in guitar amp modeling technology and floorboard design in general. The Helix Floor processor is the most comparable to the other two amp modelers we're looking at, offering lots of amps, cabs, and effects, comprehensive I/O, and the ability to download more bass presets to curate your custom tone collection.
It's also huge, and that's why we're not recommending it. It's over twice the size and weight of the Anagram and Quad Cortex Mini, and does not offer bass players any extra benefit for its added bulk.

LEARN HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR AMP MODELER FOR STAGE PERFORMANCE!
How to Perform Live with Your Modeler

Easy Ways to Improve Your Plugged-In Acoustic Guitar Tone

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:10:00 GMT

Use a Humidifier System to Optimize Your Instrument

The first place you can begin improving your plugged-in acoustic tone is by keeping your guitar at the proper humidity level. Wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity, and it affects your sound. I like the D'Addario Humidipak system, which keeps the humidity level inside your guitar case at the optimum 45%. Humidity control is especially important over the life of the instrument, as big changes in humidity can warp or damage your instrument.

D'Addario Humidipak Maintain Automatic Humidity Control System

Improve Your Plugged-In Tone with Better Strings (and Clean Them!)

One of the easiest ways to experiment with your acoustic tone is to try different strings. It is absolutely worth the time and money spent on trying four or five different sets of strings to find what works best for your music and play style. If you're looking for a tip, I recommend DR Strings Veritas phosphor bronze strings. I like them because DR Strings includes two different types of plain strings in the pack: one set of "PowerPlain" strings with higher output and stronger projection, and a "standard" set of plain strings for mellower acoustic tone.

Whichever strings you decide are best for you, you'll enjoy better tone and longer string life if you keep them clean. I'm a big fan of the MusicNomad StringFuel string cleaner system: you can clean all six strings with a couple passes along the fretboard, and it keeps your strings feeling and sounding fresh.

Dr Strings Veritas™ Acoustic Guitar Strings — Available in multiple gauges, string counts, and multi-pack options
MusicNomad String Fuel Cleaner & Lubricant with Applicator

Upgrade Your Acoustic Tone with Premium Nut, Saddle, and Bridge Pins

You can improve your plugged-in acoustic tone by upgrading your nut, saddle, and bridge pins, especially if your acoustic guitar is equipped with plastic components. Some players swear by real bone for its tonal and self-lubricating properties, but many players choose Graph Tech's TUSQ material as a premium alternative to bone. TUSQ is designed to have even less friction than graphite (no string binding), with exceptionally balanced tonal response. With a TUSQ nut, TUSQ saddle, and TUSQ bridge pins you'll hear the full character your acoustic has to offer, and that will definitely translate to your plugged-in tone too.

Graph Tech TUSQ Nut — 1 11/16" Wide
Graph Tech TUSQ Saddle — 2-7/8" Long x 1/8" Wide
Graph Tech TUSQ Bridge Pins — 4mm - White with Paua Dot, Set of 6

Enhance Woody Acoustic Resonance with TC BodyRez

The TC Electronic BodyRez acoustic guitar enhancer pedal was first introduced in 2015, and it still remains one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your plugged-in acoustic tone. Just one control labeled "Body" adjusts multiple parameters to re-introduce the woody midrange frequencies that piezo pickup systems can minimize. To be clear, BodyRez does not employ modeling or introduce artificial frequencies: just turn the knob up until your guitar sounds more like its acoustic self. As a bonus, BodyRez also features feedback suppression, which is very handy on stage.

Plug Into a Better Acoustic Preamp

Once you've connected an instrument cable, your acoustic tone is highly dependent on whatever preamp you're plugged into. Even if your acoustic-electric pickup system has an integrated in-line preamp, you can make a big improvement to your sound by plugging into a premium acoustic preamp like the Fishman Platinum Pro. A quality acoustic preamp will maximize your dynamic range for low-noise performance even when you're playing delicately, allowing the full character of your instrument to come through. On top of that, a quality preamp like the Platinum Pro will give you powerful tone shaping via EQ and compression, plus handy conveniences like tuning and a Mute footswitch.

If you're active on stage and don't want to be tethered to a preamp pedal or equipment rack, the Fishman Platinum Stage acoustic preamp delivers the same sonic experience in a compact belt-worn format. Paired with a wireless system, you can enjoy complete freedom on stage without compromising your tone one bit.

Plug Into a Better Direct Box

You may not need all of the functionality that an acoustic preamp offers, especially if your guitar's built-in electronics package has everything you want. However, you'll still always need to plug into a direct box to balance your signal for long cable runs to the mixing board. Use a high-quality direct box like the Radial JDI and rest assured that your signal is being delivered with maximum integrity.

Radial JDI Jensen-equipped 1-channel Passive Instrument Direct Box

Improving Plugged-In Acoustic Tone FAQs

How do I fix "piezo quack"?

The "quacky" or "plastic-like" sound that players associate with piezo pickups can be tamed with EQ in the 1kHz–3kHz range. Use an EQ with sweepable mids to target that range, starting with a mild cut of -3dB to -5dB.

Why is my guitar feeding back, and how do I prevent feedback?

Acoustic feedback happens when your guitar resonates with its amplified sound. Reduce input gain, change your position on stage, or use feedback suppression features available on your preamp, amplifier, or mixer.

Should I get a DI box, an acoustic preamp, or an acoustic amplifier?

An acoustic amplifier is best for standalone performance. An acoustic preamp provides advanced tone shaping for live and studio use. A quality DI box is the simplest solution when you only need a clean balanced signal.

Why do some strings sound louder than others when I'm plugged in?

Uneven volume usually means the saddle isn't making even contact with the pickup. A guitar technician can level or replace the saddle.

How should I EQ my acoustic guitar for a live mix?

Apply a low-cut filter around 80Hz.
Cut 400Hz–700Hz to reduce boxiness.
Boost or cut 700Hz–900Hz depending on the mix.
Cut 1kHz–3kHz to reduce piezo quack.
Add a slight boost around 6kHz–7kHz for sparkle.
Keep EQ boosts minimal for the most natural tone.

It's Easy to Improve Your Plugged-In Tone

This is just a short list of easy improvements you can make for your plugged-in acoustic tone. Simply controlling the humidity in your guitar case will reap big sonic benefits. Take the time to try out some different strings and you'll soon find your ideal set. Use string cleaner and they'll last a long time.

Your nut, saddle, and bridge pins are crucial contact points between your strings and your instrument, and premium materials offer better tone than plastic components. When you're ready to plug in, take full control over your tone with a comprehensive acoustic preamp. Even just one of these tips can be a huge improvement for your plugged-in acoustic tone, so what are you waiting for?

WANT A BETTER EXPERIENCE ON STAGE? REMEMBER TO BRING THESE FOR A STRESS-FREE PERFORMANCE!

Must-Have Stage Accessories Article

Meet The VOX VX50AG Acoustic Guitar Amp

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 06:01:00 GMT

Ever since the introduction of the legendary AC30 tube amplifier the VOX name has been synonymous with epic electric guitar tone. This may be why their tube-driven acoustic guitar amplifiers like the VX50AG 50-watt acoustic combo amp aren’t as well-known as they should be. Equipped with Nutube technology, two well-equipped channels for vocals and guitars, and an innovative cabinet design to maximize your sound, the VOX VX50AG has a lot to offer both on stage and in your studio.

What is the VOX VX50AG Acoustic Combo?

The VX50AG is designed for performing vocalists and singer-songwriters, and its light weight (just 9 lbs.) will appeal to musicians on the go. You have two channels for vocals and guitar, with phantom power for handheld condenser vocal mics. The VX50AG’s preamp is equipped with Nutube technology for true tube response and harmonics. The power stage delivers 50 watts RMS through a VOX 8-inch coaxial speaker, a 2-way driver that delivers the full range of your acoustic. The sound in the room is surprisingly big and full thanks to the bass reflex cabinet design. All in all, it’s a conveniently compact combo for vocals and guitar that sounds bigger than you may expect.

Channels	2-channel amplifier for vocals and instruments
Power	50 watts
Power Output	8-inch coaxial 2-way speaker
Speaker	Nutube preamplifier
Preamp	Bass-reflex cabinet design
Cabinet	Yes, for condenser microphones
Phantom Power	Per-channel 3-band EQ, Reverb, and Chorus
Tone Controls & Effects	Per-channel 3-band EQ, Reverb, and Chorus
Connectivity	Aux input, Line output, Headphone output

What is a Nutube, Anyway?

First developed by KORG and the Noritake Itron Corporation, Nutube is possibly the biggest advancement for guitar amp technology since the inception of vacuum tubes. A Nutube looks like a tiny version of a traditional vacuum tube, complete with anode, grid, and filament. Nutube creates the same harmonic enhancement and fast transient response that players love about vacuum tubes, in a smaller size that gives manufacturers like VOX entirely new possibilities when it comes to creating compact tube amplifiers.

Why Use Tubes for Acoustic Guitar?

Most acoustic guitarists are looking for the “cleanest” acoustic amplification possible, and that’s not something that guitar players normally associate with tubes. So, what’s the appeal of the Nutube preamp in the VOX VX50AG acoustic combo? Well, the fact is that tubes are not only great at generating drive and distortion: tubes are also responsible for some of the richest clean tones you’ve ever heard.
Think about it: tube microphones, tube preamplifiers, and tube mixing consoles are commonplace in top recording studios. And some of the highest-fidelity listening systems are based around premium tube-based circuitry. The reason is that tubes provide natural-sounding harmonic enhancement even when they’re not being pushed into clipping. And tubes have a fast transient response and punchy feel that makes notes seem like they’re leaping out of the amp in response to your touch and playing style.

When applied appropriately at the design stage, tubes deliver a richer and fuller clean sound than solid state can achieve on its own. And that’s why you should be excited about plugging your acoustic into the VOX VX50AG’s Nutube preamp.

Tone-Magnifying Cabinet Design

To optimize the VX50AG for small-format performances and practice duties, VOX focused on a cabinet design that would maximize tone while minimizing size and weight. We’d say they accomplished their goal: the VX50AG packs a powerful-sounding 8-inch speaker, yet only weighs 9 pounds. The key is the bass reflex enclosure, which is tuned to complement the speaker perfectly for notably enhanced low end.

The VX50AG cabinet is constructed from ABS polymer, which is exceptionally strong for its light weight. More importantly, using plastic allows VOX to shape the cabinet in a way that’s impossible with wood. By tuning the resonance of the bass reflex cabinet to perfectly complement the coaxial speaker, you hear natural-sounding extended low frequencies without boominess or rumble.

Comprehensive 2-channel Performance

The VOX VX50AG offers independent channels for guitar and vocals with comprehensive EQ and effects. A 3-band EQ for the guitar channel and 2-band EQ for vocals make it simple to dial in a balanced mix, allowing you to cut or boost as needed. The vocal channel features phantom power for condenser vocal mics, greatly expanding your mic options if you’re a performing singer-songwriter.

Each channel has an effects section to polish your sound: you can apply chorus, reverb, or chorus+reverb to your guitar, while the vocal channel has access to a separate reverb effect. The combination of the VX50AG’s dual-channel capability and its room-filling sound make it a great option when you need to perform without a PA system.

Equipped for the Studio

Outside of performance, the VOX VX50AG makes a great practice and recording companion. You have a line output to connect directly to a recording interface, and connecting headphones disables the built-in speaker, which essentially turns the VX50AG into dual-channel Nutube preamp for acoustic-electric instruments and vocals. A master limiter on the output keeps your tone clean; turning the Master knob up will gradually sound more compressed, preventing peaks from distorting.
The line output is a combination of both channels, and you probably won’t want to record them simultaneously to a single track. Rather, look at the VX50AG as a powerful single-channel tube preamp that you’d use for maximum harmonic appeal. For musicians with home studios, it’s a no-brainer: you get a capable amplifier for vocals and acoustic guitar, plus a versatile tube preamp for your recording rig.

Hear What Tube Tone Does for Your Acoustic

If you haven’t heard what Nutube amplification can do for your acoustic tone, the VOX VX50AG is your perfect entry point. It packs the power and room-filling sound for small-format live performances without a PA, while also being small and lightweight enough to be a true grab-and-go companion. The Nutube sound is harmonically rich with a fast transient response, just as you’d expect from a traditional tube amplifier. And with a line output for connecting direct to a mixing board or recording interface, the VX50AG makes a fantastic tube-based front end for recording vocals and acoustic instruments. If standard acoustic amps have left you feeling like something is missing from your acoustic tone, you may find it in the VOX VX50AG.

Blackstar Acoustic:CORE 30

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 05:17:00 GMT

The Blackstar Acoustic 30 stands out among acoustic combo amps for its versatility and vibrant acoustic tone. Equipped with must-have functionality for stage performance and studio recording, here’s why the Acoustic 30 combo amp will be a great solution.

Blackstar Acoustic 30 Acoustic Guitar Amp FAQs

Does the Blackstar Acoustic 30 have a good DI for stage performance?

Yes: the Acoustic 30 has a balanced XLR DI output to connect to the sound system. The DI output is a mix of both channels, plus Reverb and Chorus effects if you have applied them.

Can I use the Blackstar Acoustic 30 for studio recording?

Yes: you can record directly to DAW software and recording apps with the USB audio interface, or connect the XLR DI output to a mic input on your audio interface.

What makes the Blackstar Acoustic 30 good for content creators?

A TRRS port makes it easy to use the Acoustic 30 as your livestream interface. Connect to your phone, open audio and camera apps, and you’re ready to record high-quality performances for YouTube, Instagram Reels, and other social platforms.

Can the Blackstar Acoustic 30 accurately reproduce my acoustic tone?

Yes: the Acoustic 30 is built with high-quality components and masterful circuit design to reproduce the full dynamic range and wide frequency response of your acoustic. You can use the Enhance feature to engage advanced DSP that adds width and depth to your sound.

Is the Blackstar Acoustic 30 good for basic home use?

Yes: at 30 watts the Acoustic 30 can easily be played at home-appropriate volume levels. The Acoustic 30’s relatively compact size, pleasing appearance and built-in tilt-back stand would make it a great addition to any music room.

Can I use headphones and disable the Acoustic 30’s speakers?

Yes: connect your headphones and completely reduce the Master volume control for silent sessions. Use the channel Gain controls to manage your signal volume, and apply EQ and effects as you like.

Can I use a guitar and a vocal microphone simultaneously?

Yes: the Acoustic 30 offers true 2-channel operation, with separate channels for guitar and vocal mic. The guitar channel’s Enhance effect applies a studio-style EQ for greater clarity and depth, while the vocal channel’s Vocal Clarity effect applies dynamic enhancement to help your vocals cut through the mix.

What are the built-in effects in the Blackstar Acoustic 30?

The guitar channel features Chorus and Reverb effects, each with two Super Wide Stereo modes to select from. The vocal channel features a Reverb effect with two Super Wide Stereo modes.

Can I use a footswitch to control the Blackstar Acoustic 30?

Yes: you can use any standard 2-button footswitch, or specifically the Blackstar FS-18 footswitch (sold separately). Button 1 will toggle the guitar channel’s chorus effect, while Button 2 will toggle the guitar and vocal reverb effects simultaneously.

Blackstar Acoustic 30 — How Does It Compare?

We've found the Blackstar Acoustic 30 to deliver player-focused performance for a wide range of applications, particularly stage performance and home recording. Here's how the Blackstar Acoustic 30 compares to similar acoustic combo amplifiers.

Feature	Blackstar Acoustic 30	VOX VX50AG	Fender Acoustasonic 40	Yamaha THR30 II A
Channels	2	2	2	1
Phantom Power	No	Yes	No	No
Watts	30W	50W	40W	30W
Speakers	2 × 5-in	1 x 8-in	2 x 6.5-in	2 x 3.5-in
Headphone Out	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Direct Out	XLR	TRS	XLR	2 x TS
Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Looper	No	No	No	No
USB Interface	Yes	No	No	Yes
Feedback Control	Phase	Phase	—	No
FX Loop	No	No	No	No
Bluetooth	No	No	No	Yes
Tuner	No	No	No	Yes
Weight	16 lbs	9 lbs.	16.5 lbs.	9.7 lbs.
Feedback control	—	—	No	—

The Blackstar Acoustic 30 strikes a great balance between home convenience and stage worthiness. Similar amps like the Fender Acoustasonic 40 don’t offer the USB interface for recording simplicity. More expensive amps like the VOX VX50AG can offer phantom power for vocal condenser microphones, but may not include conveniences like the tilt-back stand and USB interface. Similar home-centric amps like the Yamaha THR30 II A will offer more functionality including the number of effects, Bluetooth, and microphone modeling, but you’ll also pay much more for these features.

Are Coated Guitar Strings Better Than Uncoated Strings?

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:30:00 GMT

Why Use Coated Strings?

The purpose of coated guitar strings is to protect them against corrosion from acidic perspiration, salty air, humid conditions, and grime buildup. Some players claim that coated strings feel smoother and produce less finger squeaks. In our experience, all strings have their own distinctive feel and tone, so players are always going to want to experiment to find the best fit for them. But objectively speaking, coated guitar strings will hold up under corrosive conditions longer than uncoated strings.

How Are Guitar Strings Coated?

Coated string technology has advanced quite a bit, and there are multiple methods manufacturers can employ to coat their strings. Leading string makers have developed notably thinner coating techniques with the goal of making coated strings that feel like uncoated strings. Let's look at how some popular coated guitar strings are created.

DR Strings Dragon Skin+

DR Strings' Dragon Skin+ coated guitar strings employ separate coatings on both the core and the wrap wire. The core wrap prevents the core wire from corroding while also helping to secure the wrap wire to the core. The wrap wire is coated separately with a thin film (which the unwound strings are treated with as well). The separately coated core and wrap wire are then combined for the finished string.

Available in multiple gauges, string counts, and multi-pack options

Elixir Strings OPTIWEB / NANOWEB / POLYWEB

The Elixir Strings "web" series of coated strings employ a polymer coating over the finished strings, completely sealing the valleys between the wraps of the wrap wire. The unwound strings are not coated with the polymer; they are treated with an anti-rust plating. The only difference between the string series is coating thickness: OPTIWEB is the thinnest coating for a "barely there" feel, NANOWEB is the middle-of-the-road thickness (and the most popular), and POLYWEB offers the thickest coating for maximum longevity.

Available in multiple gauges, string counts, and multi-pack options

D'Addario XS

According to D'Addario, their XS polymer coating is exactly one-tenth the thickness of a human hair. The finished wound strings are treated with XS coating, while the unwound strings receive a polymer coating derived from D'Addario's XT string series. To help maximize string longevity, D'Addario XS strings feature Fusion Twist technology, their patented technique for securing the ball end to help avoid breakage.

Available in multiple gauges, string counts, and multi-pack options

DR Strings Neon

While they offer protection from corrosion like other coated strings, players choose DR Strings' Neon strings for the looks. DR Strings uses its ultra-hard K3 coating for the Neon series, which is applied directly to the wrap wire (or to the entirety of the unwound strings). If your creative expression demands neon strings, these are going to be your top choice whether you want the benefits of coated strings or not.

Available in multiple gauges, string counts, and multi-pack options

Modern Coated Strings Can Compete with Uncoated Strings

Older players may still have bad memories of coated strings from decades ago, but there are plenty of modern coated strings that can compete with uncoated strings when it comes to playability and tone. Where they don't compare is longevity: coated strings will definitely last longer than uncoated strings. Ultimately, this is a matter of personal preference. Whether you focus on coated or uncoated strings, you should try a few different options to discover how they feel and sound under your fingers. If your strings are regularly exposed to corrosive conditions, coated guitar strings are well worth considering.

Curious About Round-Core Strings? Learn About the Importance of Your Guitar Strings' Core Wire!
→ Are Round Core Strings More "Slinky"?

Are Round Core Strings More “Slinky”?

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 02:29:00 GMT

Why Do Round Core Strings Feel Different?

Compared to hex-core strings of the same gauge, round-core strings feel more flexible and responsive. Why is that? A hexagonal core shape is more resistant to bending and fretting, while a round core shape is easier to bend and press down on frets.

Because round-core strings are less resistant and more responsive, they are a good choice for highlighting nuanced playing like big bends or subtle vibrato.

Why Do Round Core Strings Sound Different?

There are two main reasons round- and hex-core strings sound different. For one, a round-core string allows the wrap wire to maintain contact with the core wire all the way around. With a hex-core string, the wrap wire digs into the hexagonal edges without making full contact along the flat sides of the core.

The other reason they sound different is that the round core emphasizes note fundamentals, while a hex core emphasizes harmonics. This makes round-core strings sound fuller and more balanced, while hex-core strings of the same composition sound brighter and thinner.

Best Round-Core Strings for Electric Guitar

Round-core electric guitar strings are ideal for expressive blues, nuanced jazz, and vintage rock tones. These are our favorite round-core strings for electric guitar.

DR Strings Pure Blues
Players love Pure Blues round-core strings for their slinky feel and big tone, especially the powerful fundamental of the open low E string. The nickel wrap wire gives Pure Blues a warm character while also being easy on your frets.

Stringjoy Broadways Classic
Crafted in Nashville, Tennessee, Stringjoy Broadways Classic strings offer balanced tonality across the fretboard along with flexible, responsive playability.

GHS Guitar Boomers
These were the first guitar strings I ever used, and I had no idea until years later that GHS Guitar Boomers utilize a round core wire. They also feature nickel-plated steel wrap wire, giving Boomers a brighter tone than plain nickel round-core strings.

Pure Blues™ Electric Guitar Strings — Available in multiple gauges and pack options
Stringjoy Broadways Classic Strings — Choose from light, super light, or medium gauge
GHS GBCL Guitar Boomers Electric Guitar Strings — Also available in 3-Pack

Best Round-Core Strings for Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic players choose round-core guitar strings for their extra flexibility and responsiveness. And because round-core strings emphasize the fundamental over the harmonics, players feel they hear more of their instrument and less of their strings.

Thomastik-Infeld Plectrum
The Plectrum series is designed with a special silk inlay in the wound strings to sound exceptionally soft and warm. They also feature lower tension on the bottom end, and a flatwound G-string for a faster feel and better tonal balance.

DR Strings Veritas
Like DR’s electric round-core strings, Veritas acoustic strings feature a coated core that helps lock the wrap wire in place around the round core for maximum durability and tonal longevity. I like that Veritas strings come with two options for your plain strings to fine-tune your acoustic tone: use the standard plain strings for a classic acoustic profile, or use the “PowerPlain” strings for enhanced projection and attack.

Martin Titanium Core
Martin’s round-core acoustic guitar string use a titanium core wire for exceptional durability, tuning stability, and overall longevity. The nickel wrap wire balances the boldness of the titanium core with warmth and richness.

Dr Strings Veritas™ Acoustic Guitar Strings — Available in multiple gauges, string counts, and multi-pack options
Thomastik-Infeld AC112 Plectrum Acoustic Guitar Strings
Martin MTCN160 Titanium Core Acoustic Guitar Strings

Best Round-Core Strings for Electric Bass

If you sometimes feel like you're fighting your bass, the slinky feel of round-core strings could be the perfect solution. Round-core bass strings deliver a punchy attack with powerful fundamentals and are ideal for any style that requires a rock-solid bassline you can feel in your gut.

GHS Bass Boomers
Like their electric guitar counterpart, GHS Bass Boomers feature nickel-plated steel wrap over a round core for a balance of powerful fundamentals and enhanced clarity. Players choose Bass Boomers when they need balanced tone, ample output, and slinky, easy-playing response.

La Bella Low Tension Flexible Flats
I love the fast feel and deep thump of flatwound and tapewound bass strings, and La Bella's Low Tension Flexible Flats feel much more slinky than comparable flatwound strings with a hex core. If you've settled on flatwound strings for your bass tone, you definitely need to try out Low Tension Flexible Flats. The extra flexibility is noticeably easier on your hands over a long playing session.

DR Strings Hi-Beam
The combination of stainless steel wrap wire over a round core gives Hi-Beam bass strings a bright, defined character without unnatural harshness or excess harmonics. Hi-Beam strings deliver the durability and slinky feel round-core strings are known for, with enhanced output and brightness that gives them an edge over softer-sounding round-core strings with nickel wrap.

HI-BEAMS™ Bass Strings — Available in multiple gauges, string counts, and multi-pack options
GHS M3045 Bass Boomers Roundwound Electric Bass Guitar Strings — Also available in 2-Pack
La Bella LTF-4A-S Low Tension Flexible Flats Bass Guitar Strings

Round Core Strings Are Objectively "Slinkier"

Whether you play electric, acoustic, or bass guitar, round-core strings offer the same benefit: a responsive, elastic, slinky feel that's easy on your hands and allows for more nuanced technique.

When it comes to tonal character, round-core strings are available in as many sonic variations as hex-core strings. If you've ever felt like you were fighting your guitar or bass to bend strings or add subtle vibrato, round-core strings will likely give you the elasticity you seek.

Try one of the round-core string sets above, and you likely won't switch back.

Curious About Coated Strings? Learn More About Coated vs. Uncoated Here!

How Do I Choose the Best MIDI Controller for my Plug-Ins?

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 03:46:00 GMT

What Kind of MIDI Controller Do I Need?

We'll be looking at two basic types of MIDI controllers: keyboard controllers, and control surfaces. A keyboard controller has piano-style keys for playing instruments, as well as additional controls like knobs and sliders. A control surface has no piano keys, completely focusing on other controls like buttons, knobs and sliders. If you want to play your instruments in realtime, you'll obviously want a keyboard controller. But if you're a producer that only wants to write automation and tweak parameters, a control surface is a more space-efficient choice.

What Should I Look for in a MIDI Controller?

When you're shopping for a MIDI controller, here are some of the most important things to understand and look out for. Two MIDI controllers that look similar can have one difference that greatly impacts what you can do with it, so keep these tips in mind.

Keys

Not all keyboard MIDI controllers are created equal. Here are the different types of keybeds you'll encounter.

Weighted keys: A weighted keybed mimics the resistance and weight of a real piano, giving pianists a familiar feel and response.
Synth action keys: Synth action keys are not weighted like those above, and have a fast feel that is ideal for playing synth leads.
Aftertouch: Keys sense pressure changes after striking the key, creating a MIDI message that can be used to modulate a filter, for example.
MPE: MIDI Polyphonic Expression keybeds can send four different MIDI messages per note (velocity, aftertouch, vertical movement, and horizontal movement) for maximum expressive capability.

Pads

Some MIDI controllers feature performance pads for tapping in drum rhythms. While you can also do this with piano keys, performance pads feel more natural and accurate for creating drum tracks.

MIDI In/Out

You won't need 5-pin MIDI In and MIDI Out ports if you're only connecting to your computer to control software via USB. If you'd like to connect other MIDI gear like synths and effects, you can connect them with the 5-pin MIDI ports while also controlling your software via USB.

Arpeggiator / Step Sequencer

Some MIDI controllers offer a built-in step sequencer or arpeggiator to trigger your synths. While you can also do this in software, having them built into your controller makes for a more streamlined production flow and makes your controller feel more like a real instrument.

Software Editor

The best way to re-map your MIDI controller or customize it for your needs is with its companion editor software. Before investing in a controller, check out the manufacturer's website for more info on their editor software, and check out some user reviews. If you're deciding between two similar controllers, the software editing experience can help you decide which is best for you.

Best MIDI Controllers for Home Studio

Whether you're a classically trained pianist, a synth fanatic, or an aspiring bedroom producer, here are the best MIDI controllers to expand your creative capabilities.

Best MIDI Controllers for Piano Players

If you're skilled on a real piano, the two most important things will be the number of keys and weighted hammer action. Most players will prefer the full-size experience of an 88-key controller like the Arturia KeyLab 88 mk3 controller keyboard. It has weighted hammer action for the feel of a real piano, plus performance pads and customizable knobs and sliders for comprehensive control over your software.

If you need to save space while maintaining the real-piano feel, a 73-key controller like the Studiologic SL73 Studio is your best bet. A 73-key controller saves significant space compared to an 88-key controller, while only losing one octave of playable keyboard. If you're most comfortable on a real piano, a 73-key controller is probably the smallest you would still want to work with.

Best MIDI Controllers for Synth Players

Contrary to piano players, synth players do not want weighted keys, instead preferring the fast and consistent feel of synth action keys. And because you don't need the full playable range of a piano, you can save some space too with a 61-key or 49-key controller. The Novation Launchkey 61 MK4 and Novation Launchkey 49 MK4 are two of the best options in this size that we've seen in quite some time. You get a ton of customizable controls, comprehensive editor software, and built-in sequencing that makes them feel more like standalone instruments than MIDI controllers.

Best MIDI Controller for Desktop Music Production

Even if you don't have a lot of space for a MIDI controller keyboard, you can still get in on the action with a compact 25-key controller like the Nektar Impact LX25. It's packed with customizable controls, with impressive performance features including a dedicated "DAW Looper" that allows you to create loops directly from your MIDI controller. The Impact LX25 even comes with dozens of sounds and instruments to get you started.

Nektar Impact LX25

Best MIDI Control Surface for Non-Players

Looking for lots of customizable knobs, buttons and sliders to control your software synths and plug-in processors? If you don't want piano keys or performance pads, the Novation Launch Control XL 3 was made just for you. High-quality rotary encoders and sliders give you maximum control over your software synths, and the dedicated transport controls make it a powerful DAW controller too.

If you want an even more compact option, the Novation Launch Control 3 removes the faders and some knobs to bring you maximum software control with a minimal footprint.

MIDI Controller FAQs

Q: Will this MIDI controller work with my DAW software?
A: Yes. Any MIDI controller will work with your DAW software (that's what's great about MIDI!). Your controller may have presets available for your specific DAW software (check the manufacturer's website), or you can use your DAW's "MIDI Learn" function to map your knobs and sliders to software parameters.

Q: Can I use it with my phone or iPad?
A: Yes. Both iOS and Android natively support MIDI controllers. You'll need to use the Apple Camera Connection Kit (iOS) or a USB OTG adapter (Android) to connect your controller via USB.

Q: My MIDI controller only has 25 keys. Can I only play 25 notes?
A: No. You can play all possible notes with any MIDI controller. Locate your MIDI controller's transpose buttons to shift the playable note range up or down by one octave.

Q: What's the difference between weighted and synth action keyboards?
A: A keyboard with weighted action is designed to emulate the feel of a real piano, giving the keys added weight and momentum that is familiar to pianists. Synth action gives keys a faster, on-or-off feel that is similar to an organ's keybed.

Q: What is aftertouch and do I need it?
A: A MIDI keyboard controller with aftertouch allows you to push down on a key after playing it to apply modulation, for example controlling filter cutoff. You don't need it, but aftertouch gives you an added layer of expression for more expressive performance and sound design.

Q: What is MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) and do I need it?
A: A MIDI controller with MPE can send four different kinds of control signal for each note: velocity, aftertouch, vertical movement, and horizontal movement. Most MIDI controllers only send velocity, while some offer velocity and aftertouch. MPE is only necessary if you want the maximum amount of realtime control over your sounds, for example applying vibrato to a single note of a chord while also bending the pitch of a different note.

Q: Why is there a delay when I press a key on my MIDI controller?
A: It's called latency, and it's a delay introduced by your DAW software and instrument plug-ins. To fix it, go into your DAW settings and look for the audio buffer size. 128 samples will make the delay barely noticeable. Lower settings will be even better but will require more processing power.

Q: Does a MIDI controller make sound on its own?
A: No. A MIDI controller only generates control signals for other instruments.

Q: How do I map the knobs and sliders on my controller to things in my DAW software?
A: Use your DAW software's MIDI Learn mode, select the virtual fader, knob, or button you want to control, and then move the knob or fader on your controller that you want to use. Most MIDI controllers have presets for popular DAW software, so check the manufacturer's website for more information.

Ditch the Mouse for a Real MIDI Controller

Investing in a MIDI controller will greatly enhance your production capabilities in your studio. Being able to reach out and turn physical knobs makes any software synth feel much more like a real instrument. And whether you're a dedicated pianist, a synth fanatic, or an in-demand producer, one of the MIDI controllers listed above will give you a whole new way to interact with your music.

Want to Add a Powerful Hardware Synthesizer to Your Studio Toolkit? Check Out the Best Ways to Add a Hardware Synth to Your Setup!

Is it Worth Buying a Hardware Synthesizer in 2026?

Mark Brody — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:58:00 GMT

Why Should You Own a Hardware Synth?

Compared to software instruments, a real hardware synthesizer represents an opportunity to create sounds with the analog depth, complexity and richness you only get with real electrons flowing through capacitors and transformers. These are the powerful harmonic signatures that many of your software synths are trying to emulate with algorithms: adding the real thing to your toolkit will give you a distinct alternative to your software sound design creations.

That’s not to say that only analog synths are worthy of consideration. Modern digital synthesizers can create sounds that rival analog in punch and presence, and they are capable of complex synthesis methods that can create amazingly complex sounds. We’ll be looking at powerful digital synths as well as analog creations below.

A hardware synthesizer is an instrument in its own right, and most musicians feel more inspired addressing an instrument than sitting at a computer. Not only that, the large array of dedicated hands-on controls makes creating sounds on a hardware synth fast, fluid and responsive. In other words, hardware synths offer a focused and productive flow that is difficult to replicate with software and plug-ins.

Hardware Synth Benefits:

Experience the punch and depth of real analog synthesis.
Tap into advanced digital synthesis methods without using your computer.
Enjoy the fast, fluid creativity of dedicated hands-on controls for sound creation.

Different Types of Hardware Synths Explained

The three types of hardware synthesizer you’ll come across are keyboard synthesizers, synthesizer modules, and modular synthesizers. Your sound design goals and musical preferences will make it easy to choose which is best.

Keyboard synthesizers like the Yamaha MODX M8 are all-in-one sound design machines: you can plug in headphones or speakers and play with your sounds with a built-in piano keyboard. Some keyboard synths will focus completely on synthesis, while some (like the MODX M8 mentioned above) also feature internal recording and sequencing to make them complete production workstations.

A synthesizer module like the Elektron Digitone II removes the piano keyboard for a much more compact format. Synth modules can be controlled with external MIDI keyboards and sequencers, and allow you to amass a considerable hardware synth collection in a relatively small amount of space. Some synth modules include rack ears for integration in a standard studio rack if you want to keep them off your desktop.

A modular synthesizer is something you can create yourself, combining different modules to create any synth or sound design environment you can imagine. Even though you can purchase pre-configured modular synths like the Behringer System 55, it’s best to have at least some basic knowledge about synthesis methods (subtractive, analog, FM and their inner workings) to get the most out of a modular synth: you will need to patch modules together with physical cables to create your sounds.

Which Hardware Synth is Best?

Keyboard synths are ideal for players and those looking for a master studio keyboard.
Synth modules are the best way to save space and expand your hardware synth collection.
Modular synths are perfect for exploring advanced synthesis methods and creating unique sounds.

What Are the Best Keyboard Synths to Start With?

Moog Subsequent 37
If you haven’t experienced real analog synthesis before, the Moog Subsequent 37 is the perfect keyboard synth to start with. The first time you sweep across a saw wave with the legendary Moog ladder filter will tell you everything you need to know about the hype around analog synths. And all of the building blocks of analog subtractive synthesis are right at your fingertips with dedicated controls for fast, on-the-fly sound creation.

Subsequent 37 | Exploring Filter Poles

ASM Leviasynth
A hybrid digital/analog synthesizer keyboard like the ASM Leviasynth can deliver the fat analog bass sounds of a vintage subtractive synthesizer, and also offers vast sound design potential with digital synthesis. Leviasynth combines an analog filter with digital oscillators, envelopes and advanced modulation capabilities. With up to eight oscillators per voice, a cool ribbon controller, built-in arpeggiator/sequencer and much more, Leviasynth is perfect for producers seeking deep synthesis capabilities in a physical instrument.

ASM Leviasynth Synthesizer | Sounds Only Demo — Daniel Fisher

Korg minilogue
You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to get into hardware synthesis: the Korg minilogue has proven to be a top choice for its powerful analog sound and affordable price tag. The minilogue’s analog architecture will give you a distinct alternative to the sound of your plug-ins. And its intuitive interface encourages hands-on exploration of your sounds.

Korg Minilogue – 10 Minutes Synth Exploration | Sound Demo (No Talking)

What Are the Best Synth Modules to Start With?

Behringer UB-1
The ultra-compact Behringer UB-1 is an ultra-affordable way to work analog synthesis into your productions. It uses the same 3396/3397 analog chip found in classic Oberheim synths, and delivers massive mono-synth leads and basses. Despite its compact size, UB-1 has a MIDI in port for sequencing from your DAW. And while the sound is all analog, UB-1 supports digital preset recall and the ability to save your custom sounds, and you can explore new sounds with the SoundTribe app.

BEHRINGER UB-1 MICRO - This Tiny Synth Sounds Massive

Korg phase8
If you’re looking for a hardware synth that offers something out of the ordinary, the Korg phase8 was made for you. It combines analog sound generation with familiar synthesis controls to create an electronic instrument that responds to physical touch in unique ways. The result can be melodic or percussive, and can generate rhythms and lines that would be impossible with software.

Korg Phase8 Demo & Exploration - An Inspiration Machine!

Waldorf Protein
The Waldorf Protein synth module is the perfect alternative to your bread-and-butter software synths, bringing you complex timbres and soundscapes courtesy of Waldorf’s acclaimed wavetable synthesis (derived from their classic Microwave synth). It’s capable of powerful leads and basses, and its rhythmic capabilities are impressive too. But the real appeal becomes obvious when you start tweaking sounds in realtime: Protein is packed with great-feeling knobs and an intuitive interface that inspires hands-on sound creation.

Waldorf Protein Demo (no talking) - New Wavetable Synth from Waldorf!

What is the Best Way to Get Into Modular Synthesis?

Cre8audio East Beast
If you’re new to modular synthesis, the best way to get started is with a semi-modular synthesizer like the Cre8audio East Beast. It’s a powerful little synth for bass and leads, and features 17 different patch points for big sound design potential. And when you’re ready to upgrade to a full modular system, East Beast can be integrated as a synth module.

The point is that a semi-modular synth is easier to work with for beginners, because it has a pre-configured signal path that you can’t really mess up: you just experiment with altering it with patch cables. With a fully modular synthesizer, beginners can run into sonic problems quickly they need to build the signal path from scratch: but that’s also the appeal of a fully-modular synth for advanced users.

Cre8audio East Beast Semi-modular Analog Synth Demo – Daniel Fisher

Intellijel 4U Palette
When you are ready to build the custom modular synthesizer of your dreams, it all starts with a quality Eurorack case like the Intellijel 4U Palette. We think the 4U Palette is the best starter Eurorack case because it features a built-in power supply, and a “utility row” of connections for MIDI input and CV splitting. Most other cases will require you to purchase the power supply and utility modules separately, which makes the 4U Palette a cost-effective solution that also simplifies your rig.

With a Eurorack case like the Intellijel 4U Palette, you’re ready to mix and match whichever modules you want. Create the analog synth of your dreams, or experiment with unique sound processors and complex patch schemes. Just remember to keep plenty of patch cables on hand.

You Should Definitely Own a Hardware Synth in 2026

A good hardware synthesizer is a powerful tool for any producer or sound designer. Compared to plug-ins, musicians will appreciate the “real instrument” experience of a keyboard synthesizer. Electronic music producers and sound designers can integrate synth modules (desktop or rackmount) into their workflow to greatly expand their sonic arsenal. And the most intrepid sonic explorers can have their dreams realized by building their own unique modular synthesizer. You can enjoy your hardware synths without ever turning on your computer, and you can easily make them part of your DAW workflow. So, what are you waiting for?

Want to Control Your Plug-ins Like They’re Hardware? Learn More About
Choosing the Best MIDI Controller for Your DAW and Software Instruments!

You Need These Accessories In Your Home Studio

Mark Brody — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:58:00 GMT

You need smart solutions like desktop monitor control, re-amping capability, line isolators and more for a truly optimized home studio experience. We have found these small problem solvers to be just as important in our home studios as our microphones, preamps and monitor speakers. The accessories below will remove friction points in your studio and improve your sound.

Why You Need a Desktop Monitor Controller

A desktop monitor controller puts volume control at your fingertips, allows you to check mono compatibility easily, and can offer additional input sources and monitor outputs. Instead of connecting your speakers directly to your audio interface, use a monitor controller like the PreSonus Micro Station BT monitor controller with Bluetooth. This puts a big volume control right where you need regardless of where your audio interface is located, and gives you convenient controls for Mute and Sub Bypass. The Bluetooth is handy for streaming audio from your phone.

For multiple monitor sets and headphone amplification too, the Audient Nero is one of the best desktop monitor controllers for home studio duty. It offers comprehensive control over your monitoring system, delivers loud and clear headphone amplification, and can be used as a talkback system too. If you’re still connecting your studio monitors directly to your audio interface, a desktop monitor controller should be on your short list of studio upgrade.

Put volume, mute, and other vital controls at your fingertips.
Expand your monitor input sources and support multiple speaker sets.
Enhance your headphone monitoring and talkback capabilities.

Use a Line Isolator for Unbalanced Signals

When you need to record an unbalanced signal in your studio, you should use a line isolator like the ART T8 for the best possible sound quality. For example, popular synthesizers like the Korg Volca FM or the quirky Stylophone S-1 generate fantastic sounds, but deliver them through a noisy 1/8-inch unbalanced headphone-level output. An in-line transformer such as the ART T8 balances the signal for a stronger signal with no noise.

The ART T8 has long been a favorite solution in our own home studios for basically anything that doesn’t offer a balanced audio output for our audio interfaces. Connect your device with RCA or unbalanced TS cables, and the transformer-isolated XLR output on the rear carries your signal to your audio interface with more fidelity and lower noise than you ever thought possible.

Use a line isolator to transform unbalanced signals into balanced signals and vice versa.

Capture low-noise, high-fidelity audio from consumer-level devices.

Ideal for pocket synths, drum machines, and any electronic instrument with unbalanced output.

ART T8 8-channel Hum Eliminator / Isolation Rack
$184.99

Are You Ready to Re-Amp Guitars (and Software Instruments)?

The Walrus Audio Canvas Re-Amp device is the best way to get into re-amping without complicating your workflow. Just connect an audio output from your audio interface to the Re-Amp device, connect it to your guitar amp (or pedals) with an instrument cable, and you’re ready to send your DAW tracks through real pedals and amps. Re-amping guitar tracks gives you a ton of flexibility when it comes to mixing. And it’s not just for guitars: a simple re-amping setup allows you to run software instruments through your amps to give digital sounds an analog vibe.

Walrus Audio Canvas Re-Amp

What’s the Best Way to Manage Cables in the Studio?

Here are our two favorite solutions for keeping cable runs neat, organized, and out of the way in our home studios. The first is a pack of Hosa Hook and Loop Cable Ties, perfect for attaching to individual cables for easy wrap-up and storage. The second is a roll of Hosa AstroGrip, which is similar but can be cut to whatever size you need: it’s great for holding multiple cables together, or for securing cables to stands.

Be Ready to Write Stuff Down

Every studio should have some Sticky Notes on hand (just make sure you keep some pens handy too). Whether you’re working solo or with other artists, there are countless situations where jotting down a note is the fastest way to preserve information. For making notes on your gear (like labeling console channels), check out Hosa Scribble Strip Tape. This console tape won’t leave residue on your gear, and allows you to label channels and desired settings.

The Best Multi Tool for Home Studio

When it comes to the best multi-tool for day-to-day home studio maintenance, we’re big fans of MusicNomad’s The Octopus 17-in-1 multi-tool. The Octopus has everything you need for a band, from tightening drum hardware to opening pedal battery compartments. You may choose to keep other tools handy for specific applications, but if we could only have one tool in our home studios, it would be The Octopus.

MusicNomad The Octopus

Troubleshoot Faster with a Cable Tester

Cable failure is one of the simplest problems you can encounter in your home studio, and also one of the most troublesome to sort out if you’re not prepared with a cable tester like the dbx CT2. Every home studio should have a cable tester, and we think the CT2 is your best bang for the buck and fairly easy to use. It’s ready to test every type of cable in your studio, including TRS/TS, XLR, MIDI DIN and more. There is another good reason to own a cable tester for your home studio, and that is…

dbx CT2

Get a Soldering Iron and Bulk Cable to Save Big

Buy a soldering iron like this Weller Soldering Station, some bulk cable and connectors, and you’ll be able to make your own custom cables for a fraction of the price of factory-made cables. Check out some YouTube videos to get started, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Use your cable tester to check them as you make them, and you’ll be able to outfit your studio with high-quality cables that are the exact lengths you need.

Soldering Station
Bulk Cable — Available in microphone, instrument, speaker, snake, and other professional cable types

Soldering XLR Connectors Like A Pro

Don’t Ignore These Home Studio Solutions

Sometimes a simple problem solver can make the difference between a smooth, productive session and a troublesome afternoon. Whether it’s the simple convenience of a desktop monitor controller, or the session-saving power of a good multi-tool to tighten loose drum hardware, you should never ignore the power of items discussed above. We rely on these accessories in our home studios almost as much as our audio gear. Are you ready for anything that comes your studio’s way? You’ll be better prepared with the solutions in this article!

Looking for a Better Stage Experience? Check Out These Must-have Live Performance Solutions!

How to Record Big-Room Drum Sounds at Home

Mark Brody — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:59:00 GMT

Use a Multi-Tool to Tighten Up Your Kit

An easy way to optimize the sound of your drum kit is to keep your heads properly tuned and your hardware tightened and rattle-free.
For tuning, the Overtone Labs Tune-Bot Studio Drum Tuner has proven to be an excellent solution for bringing heads up to whatever pitch you want.
For overall kit maintenance, I like the Gibraltar SC-GPMT Drum Tech Pocket Multi Tool. It has all the tools you'll need including a drum key, flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, Allen keys, and a bottle opener.

Overtone Labs Tune-Bot Studio Drum Tuner — Clip-on Digital Drum Tuner for Acoustic Drums
Gibraltar SC-GPMT Drum Tech Pocket Multi Tool — 2 Flathead Screwdrivers, 2 Philips Screwdrivers, 4 Allen Keys, and Bottle Opener

Experiment with Kit Placement

If you have some room to move around, spend a few hours experimenting with your drum kit in different positions in the room. I'll concede that in most home studios, you put the drums where you can fit them—fair enough.

But moving the kit even six inches closer to a corner of a room can boost overall bass response. Keeping your overhead cymbals as low as possible helps move them away from the ceiling, reducing reflections that can cause comb filtering.

The point is to experiment with your drum kit placement, listen to the overall sound of your kit in the room, and keep your kit where it sounds best. Use some colored Gaffers Tape to mark your kit's position in the room for easily repeatable setup.

Control Overtones with Moongel

Once your kit is tuned up, the best way to control the decay of your drums is with RTOM Moongel.

Plop a piece of Moongel on your drum head, then move it around while hitting the drum to find the perfect amount of dampening. It won't leave residue on your heads, and it's the perfect way to control ringing snare drums and toms.

RTOM Moongel — 6 Packs

Use Low-Volume Cymbals

Cymbals project a lot of sonic energy into your room, much of which gets reflected back into your microphones and causes comb filtering that degrades your recorded drum tone. It's not nearly as much of a problem in a large studio with high ceilings.

For a home studio with an 8- or 10-foot ceiling, swapping to a set of low-volume cymbals like Zildjian L80 Low Volume Cymbals is your best solution. Unlike low-volume drum heads, low-volume cymbals sound like real cymbals—just quieter.

With low-volume cymbals, your drum recordings will sound cleaner, more defined, and more balanced without sacrificing the overall tone of your kit.

Zildjian L80 Low Volume 3-piece Cymbal Pack — 14" Hi-hats, 16" Crash, and 18" Crash Ride
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Cymbal Set — 13" Hi-hats, 14" Crash, 18" Crash Ride
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Cymbal Set — 13" Hi-hats and 18" Crash Ride
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Ride Cymbal — 20" Ride Cymbal with Matte Finish

Zildjian L80 Low Volume Crash/Ride Cymbal — 18" Crash Cymbal with Matte Finish
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Crash Cymbal — 16" Crash Cymbal with Matte Finish
Zildjian L80 Low Volume China Cymbal — 18" China Cymbal with Matte Finish
Zildjian L80 Low Volume Splash Cymbal — 10" Splash Cymbal with Matte Finish

Build Your Own Acoustic Panels

If you're serious about your home studio, you need to use some acoustic treatment to absorb excessive midrange frequencies and scatter high frequencies evenly throughout the room.

Treating your home studio is a deep topic that is well outside the scope of this article, but what we can tell you is that building your own acoustic panels costs pennies on the dollar compared to buying pre-built acoustic treatment.

The video below is a well-presented example of the most common and simple acoustic panels you can build. I have built similar panels for my home studio, and just a dozen panels have significantly reduced the boxy, congested sound associated with most home drum recordings.

How To Make Pro Acoustic Panels For Home Studios (EASY) | 2024

Get a Dedicated Drum Microphone Set

You'll achieve more consistent drum recordings if you use the same mics in the same positions every time.

Like acoustic treatment, miking a drum set is a deep topic with countless methods that all capture big drum sounds (check out the video below if you need some ideas). But whichever miking configuration you choose, having a set of mics dedicated to your drums will help you fine-tune your process.

For a starter set that you'll continue to use for a lifetime, I'm a big fan of the Audix DP7 7-piece Drum Mic Set. The mics sound great on drums, guitar cabs, and even some acoustic instruments, and the selection of mics supports a variety of miking configurations.

Audix DP7 — 7-piece Drum Mic Package

How to Mic a Drum Set in 1,2,3,4, and More Mics

Get a Dedicated Preamp for Those Mics

If you have an audio interface with an ADAT optical input, take advantage of it and add an 8-channel preamp as a dedicated front end for your drum recordings.

I think the SSL PureDrive Octo 8-channel preamp is one of the best drum preamps you'll find. It sounds amazing and features stepped controls that make it easy to recall the best gain settings for your mics. Each channel offers a 3-mode drive control to fine-tune attack and punch. Connect it to your audio interface's ADAT input, and you have a studio-quality front end for your drum mics.

For an 8-channel drum mic preamp on a budget, check out the Focusrite Scarlett OctoPre. Among the more affordable 8-channel preamps with ADAT, the Scarlett OctoPre has earned top reviews as an expansion for your audio interface that sounds nice and is a good value.

Time Align for the Best Mix

Once you've recorded your drums, your first editing step should be to time-align the recorded files.

Why? Your drum mics are all different distances from each drum and cymbal, causing sounds to reach each mic at slightly different times. Combining them together in a mix like this will cause comb filtering, nulls, and peaks.

For a clear, detailed, lifelike drum mix, you need to nudge some files to bring them into time alignment. Here's how you do it:

Pan your overhead mics hard left and right and solo them. These are going to be your "baseline" tracks, and will not be nudged in time.
Solo your snare mic along with the overheads, and select the snare mic file in your DAW's timeline. Use your DAW's "nudge" feature to move the file in 1ms increments.
You can estimate how far you'll need to nudge the file by the distance between the snare mic and the overhead mics. Sound moves at roughly 1 foot per millisecond. If your snare mic is four feet from the overhead mics, nudge the file 4ms to start.
Listen to the snare and overheads together as you're nudging the file, and listen closely to hear the snare "lock in" to the mix. It should sound like the snare suddenly solidifies in the center of your mix.
De-solo the snare drum, and solo the next drum mic you want to align. Follow the same steps above, using the distance between the drum mic and the overhead mics to estimate, and listening to find the sweet spot.
If you're not using stereo overhead mics, you can still time align your drum mics following the above steps. Simply choose one mic to use as your baseline (like your ride cymbal), and then time align the other mics to it.
You can zoom in on your waveforms to see how closely you've aligned the files, but always use your ears to determine the best alignment.
If you need finer adjustment than milliseconds, your DAW may allow you to nudge by samples. Milliseconds will get you close quickly, then changing to samples for fine adjustment lets you really dial it in.
Make notes about how much you've nudged each mic. If you keep your mics in the same positions, you can use this as a template for future recordings to quickly time-align new drum recordings.

Your Home Drum Recordings Can Sound Huge

These tips will help you level up your home drum recordings in a big way.

Recording drums is a huge topic that you could spend years studying, so we've focused on the foundation: start by tightening up and tuning your kit. Use a drum tuner to sound your best. Use low-volume cymbals to control high-frequency energy in the room. Find the best-sounding place in your room for your kit, and build (or buy) some acoustic treatment to absorb reflections for clearer sound.

Get a drum mic set and dedicate an 8-channel preamp for drum duty. Keep your mics in position and your preamp settings locked in for consistent, repeatable recordings. And once you've recorded, always time-align your drum files first for a lifelike, 3-dimensional mix.

Want to streamline your home studio sessions?
→ Check out our Must-Have Home Studio Accessories guide.

Acoustic Amp Live Performance Buying Guide

Mark Brody — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 06:17:00 GMT

Acoustic Amps for Stage Performance FAQs

What makes an acoustic combo amp good for stage performance?

Your ideal acoustic combo for stage performance will offer plenty of wattage (at least 50 watts) for clean acoustic tone at stage volume. It will also include a DI output to connect directly to the sound system. Bluetooth is a smart option to look for if you want to stream backing tracks wirelessly through your amp.

Can an acoustic combo amp accurately reproduce my natural acoustic tone?

Yes, acoustic combo amps are equipped with full-range speaker systems to reproduce the wider frequency response and dynamic range of acoustic instruments. Keep in mind that your guitar’s electronics also play a huge role in how “natural” your plugged-in acoustic tone sounds.

How many watts do I need for live performance?

You’ll want at least 30 to 50 watts as a good starting point to hear yourself clearly on stage. Small-format performances like coffee shops and small clubs may only require 30–50 watts, while larger venues and festival stages will benefit from 100 watts or more if you want to hear your amp. You can always turn a loud amp down, but turning up a low-wattage amp can introduce distortion and ruin your acoustic tone.

What is a "DI" or direct output? Do I need it for stage performance?

An acoustic amp’s DI output allows you to plug into a sound system or recording device for reinforcement without needing to use a microphone. If you’re performing solo without a sound system, you won’t need a DI, but it’s a highly useful feature in pretty much every other performance situation.

Why do some acoustic combo amps have Bluetooth? Who needs that?

If your amp has Bluetooth, you can stream music and backing tracks wirelessly through your amp. It’s a simple and easy way to stream backing tracks as part of your performance, and can also be used to play music during intermissions and set breaks.

Can I plug in a microphone and a guitar at the same time?

Yes, many of these acoustic combo amps feature a 2-channel configuration with separate inputs for guitar and microphone. If you plan to use a condenser vocal mic, look for an amplifier that can provide +48V phantom power for such microphones.

How do acoustic combo amps control feedback?

Some amps have dedicated anti-feedback processing to detect feedback and clamp it down before it occurs. Dial this in during sound check and you should have no worries: check the amp’s manual for the best way to set it up. Acoustic amps may have a notch filter that you can "tune" to the most offending frequencies. Pressing the "Phase" switch on your amp can also help prevent feedback before it occurs.

Do acoustic combo amps with built-in FX sound good?

Yes, by incorporating effects like reverb, delay and chorus into the amp you eliminate the issues associated with using external effects processors or pedals. Some acoustic combos also feature an effects loop to help you add your external effects without altering your core acoustic tone.

Do any acoustic combo amps have a built-in looper?

Yes, some acoustic combos have a built-in looper and often also offer footswitch functionality for it. We’ve noted which amps have a looper below, but make sure to check the amp’s user manual to make sure it has all the functionality you’re looking for.

Best Acoustic Amps for Live Stage Performance

A great acoustic combo amp for live performance will deliver natural-sounding tone at high volume levels and give you flexible options for connecting to the sound system. These acoustic combo amps are our top picks for live stage performance, no matter what style of music you play.

Feature	Taylor Circa74	Fishman Loudbox Performer BT	Hughes & Kettner ERA 1	BOSS Acoustic Singer Pro
Channels	2	2	4	2
Phantom Power	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Watts	150W	180W	250W	120W
Speakers	1 x 10-in	1 x 8-in, 1 x 5-in	1 x 8-in	1 x 8-in
Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Looper	No	No	No	Yes
Feedback Control	No	Yes	—	Yes
FX Loop	No	Yes	Yes	No
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	No	No
Weight	24 lbs	29.4 lbs	21.7 lbs	31.9 lbs
Feedback	—	—	Yes	—

Feature	Fishman Loudbox Artist BT	Fender Acoustic SFX II	TC-Helicon Harmony V100	BOSS Acoustic Singer Live
Channels	2	2	2	2
Phantom Power	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Watts	120W	200W	100W	60W
Speakers	1 x 8-in	1 x 8-in, 1 x 6.5-in	1 x 10-in	1 x 6.5-in
Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Looper	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Feedback Control	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
FX Loop	Yes	No	No	No
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	No	No
Weight	25.5 lbs	22 lbs	29.3 lbs	23.2 lbs

Feature	Blackstar Sonnet 120	Fender Acoustic 100	Fender Acoustic Junior	Blackstar Sonnet 60
Channels	2	2	2	2
Phantom Power	Yes	No	No	No
Watts	120W	100W	100W	60W
Speakers	1 x 8-in	1 x 8-in	1 x 8-in	1 x 6.5-in
Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Looper	No	No	Yes	No
Feedback Control	Yes	No	No	No
FX Loop	Yes	No	No	No
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Weight	25.3 lbs	17.6 lbs	15 lbs	16.9 lbs

Feature	Fishman Loudbox Mini BT	VOX VX50AG	Positive Grid Spark LIVE	Blackstar Acoustic:Core 30
Channels	2	2	4	2
Phantom Power	No	Yes	No	No
Watts	60W	50W	150W	30W
Speakers	1 x 6.5-in	1 x 8-in	2 x 6.5-in	2 x 5-in
Effects	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Looper	No	No	No	No
Feedback Control	No	No	No	No
FX Loop	No	No	No	No
Bluetooth	Yes	No	Yes	No
Weight	21 lbs	9 lbs	26.5 lbs	16 lbs

Higher-wattage acoustic combo amps like these allow you to hear yourself on stage even along with drums and other instruments, without distorting your natural acoustic tone. If you’re using your amp as the main sound system, look for high wattage and as many inputs as you need. If you want to use a condenser microphone for vocals, look for an amp with phantom power for condenser mics. Built-in effects can eliminate the need to carry extra gear, as will a built-in looper. Considering weight is important too if you’re going to be moving your amp up and down stairs frequently.

Check out our complete acoustic amp buying guide for even more info on top acoustic amplifiers!

Acoustic Amp Buying Guide for Practice and Songwriting

Mark Brody — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 02:12:00 GMT

Acoustic Amps for Practice and Songwriting FAQs

What makes an acoustic combo amp good for practice and songwriting?

Lower wattage (under 50 watts) and helpful extras like a built-in tuner, effects, and recording connections make these acoustic combo amps the best solutions for home use.

Can I plug vocal microphones into an acoustic combo amp?

Yes, some acoustic amplifiers have an XLR or 1/4-inch TRS connection for microphones. If you want to use condenser microphones, look for an acoustic combo amp that can provide +48V phantom power.

How many watts is too loud for home use?

Generally, acoustic combo amps 30 watts and under have an appropriate volume range for home use. You can also look for an acoustic amp with a headphone output and speaker-defeat option for quiet sessions.

Can I just use an electric guitar amplifier for my acoustic-electric guitar?

No, you will not accurately reproduce the sound of your acoustic-electric guitar with an electric guitar amp. Acoustic combo amps are designed for the wider frequency response and dynamic range of acoustic instruments, while an electric guitar amplifier acts as a bandpass filter for your acoustic tone while also reducing dynamic range.

How do I use my acoustic combo amplifier to record?

If your acoustic combo has a USB output for recording, you can connect it directly to your computer to record into DAW software or recording apps. If your acoustic combo has an XLR or TRS direct output, you can connect this directly to a recording interface or multitrack recorder.

Do I need Bluetooth on my acoustic amplifier?

Bluetooth is convenient for wirelessly streaming backing tracks to play along with, and for using learning apps for practice sessions. Most acoustic combo amps will feature a 1/8-inch aux input for portable devices too, so it’s up to you whether you need Bluetooth for home practice use.

What if I eventually want to gig out? Can I use the same acoustic amp for home and stage?

Yes you can: to help prepare for the unknown, look for an acoustic combo amp in the 30W–50W range that also has DI outputs. You’ll be able to be heard on most small stages, you’ll have the option to connect direct to the sound system, and you’ll still be able to keep the volume down at home.

Best Acoustic Amps for Practice and Songwriting

These acoustic amps are ideal for jamming at home and writing new tunes. Whether you’re looking for simple and accurate acoustic amplification, built-in effects to experiment with, or a streamlined recording solution, one of these amps is sure to meet your needs.

Feature	Yamaha THR30 II A	BOSS AC-22 LX	VOX VX50AG	Fender Acoustasonic 40
Channels	1	2	2	2
Watts	30W	10W	50W	40W
Speakers	2 x 3.5-in	2 x 5-in	1 x 8-in	2 x 6.5-in
Headphone Out	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bluetooth	Yes	No	No	No
Tuner	Yes	No	No	No
Weight	9.7 lbs	8.9 lbs	9 lbs	16.5 lbs

Feature	Fishman Loudbox Micro	Positive Grid Spark 2	Blackstar Acoustic:Core 30	Fender Acoustasonic 15
Channels	2	1	2	2
Watts	40W	50W	30W	15W
Speakers	1 x 5.25-in	2 x 4-in	2 x 5-in	1 x 6-in
Headphone Out	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	No	Yes	Yes	No
Bluetooth	No	Yes	No	No
Tuner	No	Yes	No	No
Weight	9.1 lbs	12.1 lbs	16 lbs	10.5 lbs

For basic home use, practically any acoustic amp will allow you to plug in and enjoy your guitar. If you want an acoustic amp that can be used for vocal practice too, look for an acoustic combo with a mic input. Make practice sessions more fun and productive with an acoustic combo with built-in effects and Bluetooth for music streaming. If you want a streamlined recording solution for using DAW software, choose an acoustic amp with a built-in USB interface.

Acoustic Amp Buying Guide for Content Creators

Mark Brody — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:26:00 GMT

We created this guide to help musicians find the best acoustic combo amp for their content creation workflow. If you want to perform on livestream, create Instagram reels, record YouTube shorts, or produce other content, one of these amps will be a great choice.

Acoustic Amps for Content Creators FAQs

What makes an acoustic amp good for content creation?

The amps we’re looking at all have livestreaming capability. Some will have a USB port with loopback functionality, and some have a TRRS port to serve the same function.

Will an acoustic combo amp reproduce the true acoustic tone of my guitar?

Most acoustic combo amplifiers will reproduce the extended frequency range of your instrument. Keep in mind that your guitar’s pickup and electronics play a huge role in your plugged-in tone: these will greatly impact how “natural” your amp tone will sound.

What do I need to create content with an acoustic combo amp?

Besides your guitar and your amp, you’ll need a phone or computer with apps for livestreaming or audio recording, depending on your goals. You’ll need an instrument cable to plug in your guitar, and a USB or TRRS cable to connect your amp for streaming or recording.

Can I connect a vocal mic to an acoustic combo amp? Will it have +48V phantom power for condenser microphones?

You can connect a vocal mic to an acoustic combo amp if it has an XLR or 1/4-inch mic input. That does not guarantee it will offer phantom power for condenser microphones: you’ll want to make sure the amp you’re buying has a button for “48V” or “Phantom” if that’s a priority for you.

How do I prevent feedback while streaming?

The best way to prevent feedback is to aim the amplifier away from your instrument. In addition, some amplifiers have anti-feedback processing to control feedback, or a notch filter to help prevent it before it occurs. Some amplifiers simply have a Phase switch, which can help prevent feedback in some instances.

How do I play along to backing tracks?

These amplifiers let you play backing tracks through the livestream interface, whether from your phone or computer. Some of these amps also feature Bluetooth so that you can stream your backing tracks wirelessly.

How much wattage is appropriate for playing at home?

Acoustic combo amps around 30 watts and under are ideal for home use. If you aren’t going to be performing live on stage, having the right connections and features is more important than how loud the amp can get.

How many watts do I need to perform on stage with an acoustic combo amp?

A good starting point is 50 watts and up if you want your amp to be heard on stage. However, if you plan to connect your amp directly to the PA system via DI output and use a stage monitor to hear yourself, you can use a low-wattage amp just as well.

What is a "DI Output" on an acoustic guitar amplifier?

A "DI" or "Direct" output simply allows you to send your guitar signal directly to a mixing board or recording interface without using a microphone. Many amplifiers allow you to defeat the speaker while using the DI output, allowing for silent recording sessions and lower stage volume.

Best Acoustic Amps for Content Creators

With livestreaming, you always have an audience to share your music with. These acoustic combo amps are our top picks for streamers and content creators, no matter what style of music you play.

Feature	TC-Helicon Harmony V100	Yamaha THR30 II A	BOSS Acoustic Singer Live
Channels	2	1	2
Phantom Power	Yes	No	Yes
Watts	100W	30W	60W
Speakers	1 x 10-in	2 x 3.5-in	1 x 6.5-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	No	Yes	No
Streaming	USB	USB	USB

Feature	BOSS AC-22 LX	Positive Grid Spark 2	Blackstar Acoustic:Core 30
Channels	2	1	2
Phantom Power	Yes	No	No
Watts	10W	50W	30W
Speakers	2 x 5-in	2 x 4-in	2 x 5-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Interface	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	No	Yes	No
Streaming	USB	USB	TRRS

For simple content creation with your acoustic-electric guitar, look for a single-channel acoustic combo amp with support for livestreaming via USB or TRRS cable. If you want to be able to stream backing tracks wirelessly to your amp, look for an acoustic combo with Bluetooth. If you would also like to perform on stage, choose an acoustic combo amp with at least 50 watts of power.

Check out our Acoustic Amp Quick Picks for in-depth analysis of top acoustic amplifiers!

Acoustic Guitar Amp Buying Guide for Better Busking

Mark Brody — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:34:00 GMT

This guide looks at the latest acoustic combo amplifiers that are the best solution for busking and playing guitar on the go. Beyond battery-powered operation for portability, these acoustic combo amps have everything you need to take your music out into the world.

Acoustic Guitar Amps for Buskers FAQs

How long can an acoustic combo actually operate on batteries?

Some amps can offer 8 full hours at maximum settings, while others may top out at around 4 hours at performance volume. Battery life greatly depends on the type and capacity of batteries used: check the amp’s user manual before purchase for the most exact info about expected battery performance.

How many watts do I need to hear an acoustic combo amp over traffic?

Aim for 50 watts or more if you plan you perform near heavy traffic and street noise. We have found some battery-powered acoustic amps that deliver that much power, but keep in mind that you’ll reduce battery life the louder you turn up.

Can I connect a vocal microphone?

Yes, most of these acoustic combo amps feature a microphone input for dynamic vocal microphones.

Does it have phantom power for condenser mics?

Most portable acoustic combo amps only support dynamic microphones and do not include phantom power. Even if your amp does happen to have it, you may not want to deal with the greater sensitivity of a condenser mic in a noisy street environment.

Do I need an amplifier stand?

Some of these acoustic combos feature some type of tilt-back or similar type of integrated stand. This will help you aim the amp at listeners’ ears instead of at their feet, but you could still use an acoustic amp stand to keep your amp off the ground if you prefer.

How do I handle acoustic amplifier feedback out on the street?

Use your amp’s notch filter, phase switch, or anti-feedback controls to help tame feedback before it occurs. The best way to avoid feedback in any case is to avoid having the amplifier pointed directly at your guitar.

Can I stream backing tracks with Bluetooth? Is there a better way?

Some acoustic combo amps feature Bluetooth for convenient wireless streaming. For greater peace of mind during a performance, you can use a 1/8-inch TRS cable with the amplifier’s aux input for the reliability of a wired connection.

Best Acoustic Amps for Busking

Whether you’re performing on the street or entertaining friends in your backyard, these amps are optimized for go-anywhere performance. We chose these amps for their battery-powered operation, exceptional acoustic tone, and comprehensive features optimized for performers.

Feature	BOSS Cube Street EX	Fender Acoustic Junior Go	Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge	BOSS AC-22 LX
Channels	4	2	2	2
Mic Input	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Watts	50W	100W	60W	10W
Speakers	2 x 8-in	2 x 5-in	1 x 6.5-in	2 x 5-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Weight	16.4 lbs	15.7 lbs	21.2 lbs	8.9 lbs
Power	AA Batteries	Rechargeable	Rechargeable	Rechargeable
Battery life	20 hours max	12 hours max	18 hours max	10 hours max

Feature	BOSS Cube Street 2	Positive Grid Spark Mini	Positive Grid Spark GO
Channels	1	1	1
Mic Input	Yes	No	No
Watts	10W	10W	5W
Speakers	2 x 6.5-in	2 x 2-in	1 x 2-in
Built-in Effects	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	No	Yes	Yes
Weight	9.8 lbs	3.3 lbs	0.8 lbs
Power	AA Batteries	Rechargeable	Rechargeable
Battery Life	11 hours max	8 hours max	8 hours max

Choose one of these acoustic combo amps if you want to take your music to the streets, to the beach, or just to your backyard. Some of these amps feature built-in rechargeable batteries, others support standard AA batteries. If you need to be heard over loud traffic and street noise, look for an amp with 50 watts of power or more. If you perform with backing tracks, choose an acoustic amp with Bluetooth to stream them wirelessly, or use a wired connection to the amp’s aux input for maximum reliability.

Check out our Acoustic Amp Quick Picks for in-depth analysis of top acoustic amplifiers!

How Do I Use a Real Cab With My Amp Modeler?

Mark Brody — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:28:00 GMT

Guitar players often ask what they need besides their amp modeler for live stage performance. Let’s take a look at the gear that will fulfill your performance needs beyond what your amp modeler provides, from optimizing your amp modeler’s output to incorporating cab emulation or real speakers.

It’s a common question for tone-conscious guitarists: what’s the best way to combine the tonal versatility of your amp modeler with the inspiring punch of a real speaker cabinet? Whether you want a “real amp” experience on stage, or you want to record your modeled tones with a classic mic and preamp combination, here’s what you’ll need to optimize your rig.

How Do I Drive a Speaker Cab with My Modeler?

The best way to use a speaker cabinet with your amp modeler is with a pedal-sized power amplifier, like the Seymour Duncan PowerStage 170, the Ashdown NEWT, and other similar solutions. These power amps are compact enough to fit on a pedalboard, and are capable of driving most speaker cabinet configurations you’ll encounter in recording studios and backline rentals.

With one of these compact power amps you’ll be ready to send your modeled tones through practically any speaker cab you choose. Just connect your amp modeler and remember to turn off speaker cab emulation. With your amp modeler and a pedal power amp you’ll be ready for anything: go direct, play through a real cab, or do both.

Why You Need a Pedal Power Amp

Amplifies the output of your amp modeler or pedals to drive a speaker cab
Allows you to push real air with your modeled preamp tones
Monitor through a speaker cab while going direct to PA or recording interface

Seymour Duncan PowerStage 170 — 170-watt Power Amplifier
Ashdown NEWT 200-watt — Guitar Amplifier Pedal

Use a High-Quality Speaker Cable

When using a pedal power amplifier as we discussed in the previous section, it’s really important to use a speaker cable to connect to your speaker cabinet: you’ll damage your equipment if you use an instrument cable. Use a high-quality speaker cable like the Gator Cableworks Headliner Speaker Cable: keep it in your gig bag with your pedal power amp and you’ll always be ready to connect to backline with a reliable, noise-free connection.

Gator Cableworks Headliner Series — Speaker Cable - 3 foot

Should I Use a Full-Range Full-Response Combo Amp?

The best way to combine the tonal versatility of your modeler with the convenience of a combo amplifier is with an FRFR combo amp like the Blackstar Artist FR Special or Blackstar Artist FR Standard. Unlike traditional guitar combo amps, FRFR combos are designed to transparently reproduce the sound of your modeled tones.

Many guitarists prefer the convenience of a combo amp over a modular rig with separate power amplifier and speaker cabinet. And with an FRFR combo amp, you can use your amp modeler’s cabinet emulation to imbue your speaker with whatever character your tones require. Compared to using a power amp pedal and a guitar speaker cab, an FRFR combo amp will give you the “real amp” experience while also allowing you to explore different speaker cab emulations.

Why to Use an FRFR Combo Amp

Simple all-in-one amplification for your modeler
Transparently reproduces modeled amps and speaker cabs
Consistent sound wherever you perform

Blackstar Artist FR Special 100-watt — 1 x 12-inch Speaker Cabinet
Blackstar Artist FR Standard 50-watt — 1 x 12-inch Speaker Cabinet

How Can I Make it Easy to Set Up a Mic?

If you want to capture the sound if your modeled amp tones with a real speaker pushing air into a microphone, the best solution is with an cabinet mic mount like the Audix CabGrabber. The CabGrabber clamps onto your speaker cabinet or combo amplifier and provides a sturdy mount for practically any microphone. It will free up floor space (valuable on stage) and gives you control over mic positioning.

Why to Use a Cabinet Mic Mount

Saves floor space on stage or in the studio
Allows you to achieve consistent mic positioning
Sound engineers and stagehands will love you

Audix CabGrabber Guitar Amp Microphone Holder — Compact Mic Clamp for Guitar Amps and Cabinets

Modeled Amps Pushing Real Air Sound Better

We’ve covered the best ways to amplify your amp modeler with real speakers. If you’re a touring guitarist that plugs into different backline every night, a pedal power amp will allow you to plug into practically any speaker cab: and will allow you to experiment with any guitar cab in the studio. As a local player or studio guitarist, you may prefer the transparent amplification of a full-range full-response combo amplifier. You may choose to enjoy monitoring your performance through real speakers while recording your modeled tone direct, or you may prefer the classic recording experience of experimenting with different mics and preamps. Keep the above tips in mind and you’ll be well-equipped for success.

Find the perfect amp modeler for you with our Amp Modelers Buying Guide!

Perform Live with Your Amp Modeler

Mark Brody — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:50:00 GMT

Use a Line Isolator

The solution is to use a line isolator like the Radial Highline or Radial Highline Stereo to balance your signal and hit the mixing board with the same signal strength your amp modeler is outputting. While amp modelers feature a line-level output to connect to a mixing board or powered speaker, many use an unbalanced 1/4-inch connection: that makes your tone susceptible to noise and sonic degradation over long cable runs.

Line isolators place a transformer in the signal path which eliminate noise and maintain your signal strength with long cables. It also de-couples your amp modeler’s outputs from the mixing board, protecting your amp modeler from phantom power if the sound engineer happens to toggle it for some reason.

A line isolator can also be handy for routing your signal on stage, as many feature a Thru port to connect to a monitor. A stereo line isolator can also be useful for summing a stereo signal down to mono, allowing you to connect your stereo amp modeler to a single mixer channel without needing to re-balance your patches.

Why Your Amp Modeler Needs a Line Isolator

Maintain your signal strength over long cable runs
Maximize the sonic performance of your modeler’s unbalanced outputs
Protects your modeler against phantom power from the mixing board

Radial Highline Passive Line Isolator — Highline
Radial Highline Stereo Passive Line Isolator — Highline Stereo

Use a Speaker Emulator Direct Box

Use a dedicated speaker emulator DI like the Palmer River ILM or the Hughes & Kettner Red Box 5 to solve two problems simultaneously. First, you have a focused selection of realistic cabinet emulations to choose from. And second, you’ll be able to convert your amp modeler’s line output to a balanced XLR connection for a low-noise, high-strength signal all the way to the mixing board.Speaker-emulating direct boxes are also often used with real amplifiers to deliver consistent tone at any venue. But their functionality is also perfectly suited to gigging with an amp modeler pedal. Connect your amp modeler to your speaker emulator’s line input, select your preferred speaker cabinet, and send a balanced XLR line straight to the sound system.

Check out the Palmer ILM Passive speaker simulation DI box.

Why Your Amp Modeler Needs a Speaker Emulator DI

Add realistic and streamlined cab emulation to any amp modeler
Optimize your modeler’s output by converting to a balanced XLR connection
Ensure a low-noise, high-strength signal all the way to the mixer or recording interface

Palmer River ILM — Passive Speaker Simulation Box
Hughes & Kettner Red Box 5 — DI and Speaker Simulator

Use a Real Speaker Cabinet

Playing your modeler through a real guitar cabinet will sound and "feel" more inspiring than going direct to the sound system or recording interface. You can have the best of both worlds: use your amp modeler to dial in your ideal amp and cabinet combination, and then send the output through a speaker cab to fill the room with your modeled tone.

To reproduce the true sound of your amp and cabinet emulation you’ll want to use a full-range full-response (FRFR) loudspeaker like the Headrush FRFR-108 MKII powered speaker. An FRFR loudspeaker is specifically designed to reproduce the sound of amp modelers as accurately as possible, avoiding coloration that would alter the final sound of your carefully-crafted modeled tones.

You could also combine your amp modeler with a traditional guitar speaker cabinet, you just need a power amplifier like the Seymour Duncan PowerStage 200 power amplifier. The PowerStage 200 is a 200W power amplifier that connects between the output of your amp modeler and your cabinet’s speaker input. It also features a cab-sim output that you can use to record your tone direct with speaker emulation while also driving the speaker cab.

How to Use a Real Speaker Cabinet with Your Modeler

Connect your modeler to an FRFR speaker cabinet to accurately amplify your amp+cab models
Connect your modeler to a guitar power amplifier to drive a traditional guitar cab
Remember to disable your modeler’s onboard cab emulation if using a guitar cab

Headrush FRFR-108 MKII — 2,000-watt 1 x 8-inch Powered Speaker Cabinet
Seymour Duncan PowerStage 200 — 200-watt Power Amplifier

Performing Live with an Amp Modeler FAQs

Why does my tone sound fine at home but thin/fizzy on stage?
It’s because you’re dialing in your tones at low volume, and then performing at high volume. Our ears are less sensitive to bass and highs at low volume, so you turn them up to compensate. Create your tones at gig volume, or dial down the highs and bass 3-6dB in anticipation of turning up.

Why do my tones sometimes get “lost” in the mix?
If you apply too much reverb or gain (distortion) your tone can quickly be lost in a mix with drums, bass and vocals. Reduce the amount of reverb you add to your tones until it’s just barely audible: you’ll still hear it at gig volume. And reduce the amount of distortion you use; lowering the gain will reduce the harmonic content in your signal and help the fundamental tone shine.

Do I ever need to turn off cabinet emulation?
When you’re sending your amp modeler directly to a sound system or FRFR speaker, leave cabinet emulation on. When you’re connecting your amp modeler to a speaker emulator, or a power amp to drive a speaker cabinet, turn your modeler’s cabinet emulation off.

Optimize Your Modeler for Performance

The best way to perform live with a modeler is to anticipate how you’ll connect to the sound system, and how you’ll monitor yourself. A quality line isolator will ensure your tone is delivered to the sound system with maximum fidelity, no matter how long the cables are run. You can take control of your monitoring experience with a full-range full-response loudspeaker in place of a standard floor monitor. Or you can create your ideal hybrid rig by connecting your amp modeler to a compact power amp and driving your guitar cab of choice. With just a few pieces of additional gear, you’ll be ready for practically any gig.

Find the perfect amp modeler for you with our Amp Modelers Buying Guide!

How to Choose a Headphone Guitar Amp

Mark Brody — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 05:11:00 GMT

If you have the freedom to turn up your favorite guitar amplifier as much as you want, you’re lucky — for players that share living space, live in an apartment, or are constantly on the go, enjoying a “real” amplifier is a luxury. Headphone guitar amps give players real-amp tone in the most portable format possible — plug your headphones in, and you’re instantly transported to your own personal guitar studio. Players have questions about headphone guitar amps, and we have answers — read on for all you need to know to choose a headphone guitar amp.

What is a Headphone Guitar Amp?

A headphone guitar amp is designed to give you the same type of tone-shaping you’d have with a real amplifier, including gain control and EQ controls, in an ultra-compact portable device optimized for headphones. While many guitar amps and amp modeler pedals have a headphone output, these aren’t as practical for on-the-go use, compared to the tiny size and battery-powered operation of headphone guitar amps. If you want to jam silently without waking roommates or practice licks in a hotel room while you’re traveling, a headphone guitar amp is your smallest and simplest solution.

Can Headphone Guitar Amps Make Convincing Amp Tones?

Absolutely — headphone guitar amps have become extremely popular, and manufacturers have responded with a wide range of headphone amps for different applications. Some headphone guitar amps, like the VOX amPlug series, are designed to mimic the sound of specific amplifiers like the AC30, Fender Twin, or Marshall JTM. Other headphone guitar amps like the Fender Mustang Micro Plus may offer a range of clean, crunchy, and high-gain tones, and may or may not mention specific amps that they’re based on.

If there’s one specific style of amp you prefer, for example a modern high-gain amp, you should probably prioritize that over a wider selection of tones that you won’t use. If you’re looking for a fun practice partner with some creative range to explore, prioritize a headphone amp with a wide range of amp tones.

Can I Use My Effects Pedals with a Headphone Guitar Amp?

Yes you can — but you may need to acquire a simple adapter to make it work. Most headphone guitar amps are designed to be plugged directly into your guitar, and feature a 1/4-inch plug instead of a guitar input. You can plug it into the output of your effects pedal if you want, but for a neater solution, use a 1/4-inch TS female-to-female adapter such as this one. Connect this to the plug on your headphone guitar amp, and then connect the output of your effects pedal chain to the other end of the adapter with a guitar cable. You can plug your guitar into your pedal chain like you normally would, and monitor with headphones — it’s a great way to turn off your amp for silent sessions with your headphone amp, without needing to sacrifice your pedalboard too.

Can I Record With a Headphone Guitar Amp?

You definitely can create record-quality guitar tones with a headphone guitar amp and use it for your productions, too. Some headphone amps feature a USB output for recording directly to DAW software, which makes matters simple. If your headphone guitar amp only has a 1/8-inch stereo headphone output, you’ll want to use an adapter cable like this one if you want to connect to a mixing board or recording interface.

A headphone guitar amp’s headphone output isn’t the ideal source to connect to line-level inputs on a recording interface, but if you use an adapter like the one linked above you can do it with minimal noise or interference. Set the volume as high as possible on the headphone guitar amp, and use only enough input gain on the recorder or mixer to keep the signal at a good level without clipping. If the volume is low on the headphone amp, turning up the recording input will also turn up noise.

What Kind of Headphones are Best for Guitar Amps?

For the most part, you can plug practically any type of wired headphones or earbuds into your headphone guitar amp. However, we’d recommend you avoid long sessions with earbuds, as you’re putting your eardrums through some pretty intense activity. Circumaural headphones, or “around-the-ear” headphones are better over long sessions mostly because the speaker isn’t directly in your ear canal, and you have a lot of options at pretty much any price point.

We recommend you look for studio monitor-style headphones as opposed to consumer-style headphones made for casual listening. Headphones designed for mixing and monitoring generally have a relatively flat frequency response, which is what you want when you’re shaping guitar tones. Headphones for casual listening are typically voiced for more excitement, with boosted bass and highs coloring your overall sound. You should also look for closed-back headphones if your goal is to play silently and privately, as open-back headphones leak quite a bit of sound due to their design.

How Can I Mix My Headphone Guitar Amp with Other Sound Sources?

Want to create your own private music environment with guitar, drum machines, synthesizers, and any other music device with a headphone output? Get a simple headphone mixer like the ART SPLITMix4 — connect the headphone outputs of your headphone guitar amp, drum machine, and synthesizers with TRS cables like this one, then connect your headphones to the mixer and monitor them all at once. It’s also a good solution to play along with music and learning apps from your smartphone, if your headphone guitar amp doesn’t offer connectivity for that purpose.

Do Headphone Guitar Amps Have Effects?

Some headphone amps do offer built-in effects like delay and reverb to enhance your sound. However, don’t expect too much variation or control over the effects — due to the minimal interface, you probably won’t have much control over effects parameters. That doesn’t mean they’re not useful: delay adds a sense of rhythm that greatly enhances solo playing sessions, and reverb is especially desirable when listening to direct sound from headphones. In other words, it’s nice to have some built-in FX on your headphone amp if you’re not using it with other pedals.

If effects are a priority for you, look for a headphone guitar amp with a companion app. The app will generally give you access to more effects types and more effects parameters to edit (as well as other functionality) — after all, there’s only so much room for buttons and knobs on a tiny headphone guitar amp.

Headphone Guitar Amp Companion Apps

Some headphone amps are designed for straightforward simplicity, with onboard controls to access all features. Other headphone guitar amps may be equipped with Bluetooth, and are intended to be used with a companion app for full functionality. While each amp is different, most companion apps offer similar features: access to a selection of amps and effects, detailed parameter controls, and preset management are quite common. These types of headphone guitar amps may offer limited onboard controls (as everything can be accessed from the app), so keep that in mind when choosing your amp.

Do Headphone Guitar Amps Actually Sound Good?

In short, yes they do — amplifier emulation has come a long way, and some headphone guitar amplifiers have the same presence and character that a miked-up amp would. When it comes to player/amp interaction, you’ll probably notice you have less dynamic range to play with, as there’s no way a compact battery-powered device could offer the wide dynamic range of high-voltage power rails found in a tube guitar amp. That said, most players find they have plenty of expression to work with, and we have some tips to get the best sound from any headphone guitar amp.

Turn up the volume on your guitar — the stronger the signal you’re sending the headphone guitar amp, the more signal you’ll have above the noise floor, maximizing your dynamic range. Some headphone amps may sound okay when you roll your volume back, but they’ll sound their best with full output.
Turn down the gain a bit — you may be surprised at how little gain you can get away with while still enjoying enhanced harmonic crunch and sustain. Using less gain (and keeping the highs dialed down a bit) will go a long way toward reducing listening fatigue.
Use reverb to avoid the dry headphone sound — when you’re listening to an amp in a room, you’re hearing the room’s natural reverb even if you’re not using reverb as a guitar effect. Adding a bit of reverb helps recreate that sense of space.
Take frequent breaks — it’s always been good advice. Taking off your headphones for even a minute every half hour helps reduce ear fatigue and makes long practice sessions more enjoyable.

VOX AMPLUG 3 AC30 HEADPHONE GUITAR AMP

Headphone Guitar Amplifier with 2 Channels, Stereo Effects, Tremolo Circuit, Speaker Cabinet Emulation, Built-in Rhythms, and Aux In Jack

Amps:	1 amp, 2 channels
Controls:	Gain, Tone, Vol, FX/Rhythm
Effects:	Tremolo, Chorus, Delay, Reverb
USB Recording:	No
App Control:	No
Battery:	2 × AAA batteries
Extras:	Built-in rhythms/metronome

BOSS KATANA

ㅤRechargeable Headphone Guitar Amplifier with 13 Amp Characters, 150+ Effects, 30 Memory Slots, 1/8" Stereo Output, Bluetooth, and Audio Over USB

Amps:	10 guitar, 3 bass
Controls:	3 Presets, Volume
Effects:	60+
USB Recording:	Yes
App Control:	Yes
Battery:	Rechargeable
Extras:	Tuner, Spatial Audio

FENDER MUSTANG MICRO PLUS

Headphone Guitar Amplifier with 25 Amps, 25 Effects, Tuner, OLED Display, 1/8" Stereo Output, Bluetooth, Audio Over USB, and Rechargeable Battery

Amps:	25 amps
Controls:	Preset, EQ, Rotary Encoder
Effects:	25 effects
USB Recording:	Yes
App Control:	Yes
Battery:	Rechargeable
Extras:	Tuner

NUX MIGHTY PLUG PRO

Rechargeable Headphone Guitar and Bass Amplifier with 29 Amp Models, 34 IRs, FX, 1/8" Stereo Output, Bluetooth, USB Audio Stream, and App Interface

Amps:	29 amps
Controls:	Volume, Power/Mute
Effects:	40+
USB Recording:	Yes
App Control:	Yes
Battery:	Rechargeable
Extras:	User IR support

BLACKSTAR BEAM: SOLO

Rechargeable Headphone Guitar and Bass Amp with 6 Amp Models, 6 Cab Models, 6 Microphone Models, CabRig VIR, 35 FX, 1/8" Stereo Output, Bluetooth, USB Audio Stream, and App Interface

Amps:	6 heads, 6 cabs, 6 mics
Controls:	Patch, Gain, EQ, FX, Volume
Effects:	35+
USB Recording:	Yes
App Control:	Yes
Battery:	Rechargeable
Extras:	XpressFX, Headset Mic Input, Artist Presets

POSITIVE GRID SPARK NEO

Headphone Guitar Amplifier with Wireless Transmitter, Spark App, Amp/FX Emulations, AI-driven Tools, Bluetooth, Rechargeable Battery, and USB-C

Amps:	33
Controls:	Volume, Preset Select
Effects:	43 effects
USB Recording:	No
App Control:	Yes
Battery:	Rechargeable
Extras:	Included wireless headphones

BOSS WAZA-AIR WIRELESS GUITAR HEADPHONE AMP

Rechargeable Headphone Guitar Amplifier with 13 Amp Characters, 150+ Effects, 30 Memory Slots, 1/8" Stereo Output, Bluetooth, and Audio Over USB

Amps:	5 amps
Controls:	Volume, Preset Select, Tuner On/Off
Effects:	50+
USB Recording:	No
App Control:	Yes
Battery:	Rechargeable
Extras:	Included wireless headphones

ELECTRO-HARMONIX HEADPHONE AMP

1-channel Battery-powered Headphone Amplifier with Volume Control, 1/4" Input, and 1/8" Output

Amps:	1 amp
Controls:	Volume
Effects:	No
USB Recording:	No
App Control:	No
Battery:	1 × 9V Battery
Extras:	N/A

Certano T Bender

Mark Brody — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 05:56:00 GMT

The Certano T-Bender replacement bridge promises to turn your favorite Telecaster into a B-Bender (and G-Bender) Tele in a simple drop-in replacement that practically anyone can install. And if you had to Google "B-Bender Tele" just now, you're not alone—the original B-Bender mechanism was embraced by professional country players and, well, practically no one else. But with the simplicity of the Certano T-Bender, it appears this sweet and expressive sound is now available to any player with a Telecaster. Our No Fear Gear team grabbed a Tele, installed the Certano T-Bender, and put it to the test. Here's what we learned.

What is the Certano T-Bender Replacement Bridge?

The Certano T-Bender is a drop-in replacement bridge for Telecaster guitars and allows you to bend the B and G strings independently of the other strings to create pedal-steel-style note bends. Unlike a typical tremolo bridge, the T-Bender bends your pitch up, not down. You have full control over the interval of the bend, so you can set it to bend up a half step, a whole step, or something else.

Until the Certano T-Bender, the only way to achieve this type of sound was with a genuine B-Bender Telecaster. The real-deal B-Bender mechanism requires routing out a significant portion of the Telecaster body and installing a complicated mechanism attached to the strap pin. To actually use the B-Bender, you pull the guitar down toward the floor as you're playing, causing your guitar strap to pull the mechanism and bend your strings.

In other words, the Certano T-Bender gives you the authentic sound of a B-Bender Tele, but with simple installation and a more intuitive way to use it.

How Does the Certano T-Bender Bridge Work?

In essence, the Certano T-Bender bridge works in a similar fashion to typical vibrato bridges, just in reverse. The mechanisms on the G and B strings tighten the strings instead of loosening them. Unlike a typical vibrato bridge, your other strings will not go out of tune when you bend your G or B string.

On the Certano T-Bender, you'll find adjustment screws to fine-tune the amount of pitch change for the G and B strings. Most players will find a half-step or a whole-step to be ideal starting points. The Certano T-Bender is designed so that you can easily position the handles out of the way when you don't wish to use them, or use only one of them.

See and hear the Certano T-Bender in action in our No Fear Gear demo video!

Add a B-Bender for any Telecaster? Testing the Certano T-Bender

How Easy Is the Certano T-Bender to Install?

It's amazingly easy to install the Certano T-Bender into your Telecaster—all you need is a screwdriver. The Certano T-Bender is designed to fit four-screw Telecaster bridges. Remove the four bridge screws, then remove the screws securing the pickup and take off the old bridge.

Drop in the Certano T-Bender, re-secure the pickup, and use the original four screws to secure the bridge to your Telecaster. Done.

Tuning your Telecaster with the Certano T-Bender is the same as without it—just tune it up. The only adjustment you'll want to make is the amount of pitch change. On the T-Bender, you'll find adjustment screws to fine-tune the amount of pitch change for the B and G strings. You don't need a wrench or any tools—you can adjust them with your fingers. Once you've tuned up and dialed in your desired pitch bend, there's nothing else you need to mess with.

Check out our No Fear Gear demo to see just how simple it is to install the Certano T-Bender.

Add a B-Bender for any Telecaster? Testing the Certano T-Bender

What's It Like to Play with the Certano T-Bender?

In a word, expressive! It’s very similar to using a typical whammy bar, without the tuning stability issues of a traditional vibrato bridge. You can keep one bar out of the way and only bend your B or G string, or position them to bend both strings simultaneously. In our No Fear Gear testing, it was clear that there’s a ton of unique expressive potential with the Certano T-Bender.

"I could see my setting getting lost for a whole weekend!" — Jay Leonard J

As we put the Certano T-Bender through its paces, it became clear that there really isn’t anything else like it on the market. A real B-bender Tele is expensive, requires additional maintenance, and is generally out of reach for anyone besides a professional country music player. You can get similar sounds from a pedal steel guitar, but you wouldn’t be playing your favorite Telecaster anymore. The Certano T-Bender gives you a unique way to add highlights and expression to your playing, and doesn’t require you to change your playing style much at all.

See the Certano T-Bender light the fires of inspiration within Jay Leonard J in our demo video.

Add a B-Bender for any Telecaster? Testing the Certano T-Bender

Tips for Using the Certano T-Bender

Creatively speaking, we're in uncharted territory with the Certano T-Bender. Nothing else really does what it does, and how you use it in your music is entirely up to you.

Here are a few tips to get the best experience from your Telecaster.

Before removing your original bridge, make a note of your bridge pickup height (the distance between the top of the pickup and the strings). Pickup height plays a huge role in your guitar's tone, so keeping it consistent will help preserve your sound after installation.
Break in your strings. After installing new strings, stretch them gently and retune several times until they stabilize. Since the T-Bender manipulates string pitch even further, properly stretched strings will return to pitch more accurately.
Practice using the mechanism. Just like learning to use a vibrato bar, the T-Bender takes a little time to become second nature. Build your muscle memory and you'll soon be adding smooth, expressive bends naturally.

Turn Your Old Tele into a New Guitar with the Certano T-Bender

It isn't very often that something truly new comes around in the world of electric guitars. The Telecaster is the perfect example—one of the very first electric guitars ever created is still the guitar of choice for countless players. The Certano T-Bender is truly unique and gives you the iconic sound of a B-Bender or G-Bender Telecaster at a fraction of the cost.

There's a reason the B-Bender sound is so closely tied to classic country music—they were the ones willing to find the magic in that specific sound. Now, with the Certano T-Bender, any guitarist can explore that creative soundscape. What will the Certano T-Bender do for modern music styles? Put the Certano T-Bender on your Telecaster and show us—the world is waiting to hear!

Here's the thing, I have a Telecaster I listed on Craigslist a week or two ago. The moment this video is done, I need to rush to take that listing down because I'm totally going to buy one of these now. — Ryan Burke

Sonicake Matribox II

Mark Brody — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:26:00 GMT

More and more guitarists are turning to advanced amp modelers like the Sonicake Matribox II for an all-in-one performance and recording solution, and for good reason. The Sonicake Matribox II can be your everything — it can be your pedalboard, your amplifier, your live looper, even your recording interface. But does the Sonicake Matribox II perform well enough — and sound good enough — to be considered the best amp modeler under $250? Let’s take a look!

What is the Sonicake Matribox II?

The 2nd-generation Sonicake Matribox II improves on the original Matribox multi-effects processor to bring you a complete solution for live performance and studio recording. With your guitar or bass and the Matribox II, you have everything you need to send custom-crafted tones straight to a sound system or recording interface: it can even be your recording interface. If you want to integrate your favorite effects pedals in your chain, or use the Matribox II as a powerful multi-effects pedalboard with a traditional amplifier, you can do that too. And you can enjoy private practice sessions anytime with just a set of headphones, the Matribox II, and your guitar or bass.

Besides the sounds which are absolutely blowing me away for less than $250, this is such a small package that I’m ab le to bring it in any bag for any road date that I might have to do.. -@JimmyFranklin

Testing a $229 Amp Modeler: Sonicake Matribox II Review

What amps and effects are in the Sonicake Matribox II?

The Sonicake Matribox II is packed with advanced effects, amplifiers, and cabinet emulations, an easy to use interface, and the routing flexibility you need to optimize your guitar or bass rig. Here are some highlights:

63 realistic amplifier models based on legendary amps from Fender, VOX, Mesa/Boogie, Soldano, Dr. Z and more
61 cabinet emulations from compact cabs to 8x10 Ampeg stacks, with support for up to 15 user IRs
Over 93 effects pedal emulations based on iconic effects from Keeley, Xotic, MXR, and moreLarge color screen, with dedicated buttons for easy access to all important parameters
3 footswitches for hands-free navigation, with 2 customizable footswitch modes to streamline your control
Built-in expression pedal for effects control, plus inputs for external expression pedal and footswitch
FX Loop for integrating effects pedals or connecting your rig with the 4-cable method
MIDI I/O ports for advanced MIDI control from an external MIDI controller or DAW
Onboard 90-second looper, tuner, metronome, and 90 drum rhythms to play along with
USB audio interface for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android

And those are just the highlights — there’s a lot you can do with the Sonicake Matribox II, whether you play guitar, bass, or acoustic.

Want to hear some of the stock amp settings in the Sonicake Matribox II? Check them out in our No Fear Gear video demo with Jimmy Franklin.

Testing a $229 Amp Modeler: Sonicake Matribox II Review

How to Get Started with the Sonicake Matribox II

The Matribox II’s intuitive interface makes it easy to start creating your own epic tones right away:

Plug in your electric guitar, bass, or acoustic-electric guitar, and a set of headphones
Press footswitches 1 and 2 to enter tuner mode and tune up: press them again to exit tuner mode
Use the buttons below the display to instantly access each part of your signal chain
Press FX1 / FX2 to add emulated stompbox effects
Press Amp to select from a range of emulated amps, from classic American clean tones to British rock, legendary boutiques, modern high-gain amps and more
Press NR to add noise reduction to your post-amp signal, ideal for tightening up high-gain metal tones
Press Cab to select from emulated speaker cabs ranging from 1x6 to 8x10, or use Auto CAB Match to automatically select the matching cab for your selected amp model
Select the EQ module to fine-tune your tonal balance
Use the Mod, Dly, and Rvb modules to add post-amp effects like you would in a recording studio
Press the Save button to save your custom tone as a user preset

Watch Jimmy demo the tone-creation process in our No Fear Gear video.

Testing a $229 Amp Modeler: Sonicake Matribox II Review

Tips for Using the Sonicake Matribox II

The Matribox II is a versatile musical tool, and is equipped to serve you well both in the recording studio and live on stage. Here are some tips to get the most out of your Matribox II for different applications:

Turn off cabinet emulation if you’re using an amp

You can plug the Matribox II into a traditional amplifier, but you’ll want to turn off cabinet emulation for the best tone (no reason to send an emulated speaker into a real speaker, after all). Press the Cab button below the display to access the cab module to turn off cab emulation.

Get to know the 2 footswitch modes

The Matribox II offers a ton of navigational capability with just three footswitches, thanks to two switching modes: preset mode and stomp mode. Preset mode lets you switch between your presets, and stomp mode lets you toggle individual parameters like effects on/off. Switch between preset and stomp modes by long-pressing footswitch C, and you can fluidly change tone presets and activate effects with ease.

Use the AC Preamp emulations for your acoustic-electric guitar

The Matribox II is the perfect way to amplify your acoustic-electric guitar, but you probably don’t want to run it through an electric guitar amplifier emulation. Press the Amp button below the display and select “AC Preamp” or “AC Preamp 2”, two superb emulations of the classic AER® Colourizer 2 acoustic preamplifier. You’ll probably want to turn off speaker cabinet emulation too.

Download the free Matribox II editor/manager software

You can even download it before you get your Matribox II to explore the amps and effects, and theory-craft some tones to try as soon as you get your hands on one. The free software from Sonicake lets you craft tones from scratch, edit your tones, transfer tone presets between your computer and Matribox II for preset management, and more.

Play with the onboard looper, it’s fun!

Press footswitches B and C simultaneously to enter looper mode: it’s a great way to practice accompaniment and sketch out new song ideas. In looper mode, press footswitch A to begin recording a loop, and press it again to complete the loop and enter overdub recording mode. You can stop loop playback with the press of a button by tapping footswitch B. Check out the “Looper” section in the user manual, there’s a lot you can do with it!

Check out our No Fear Gear video to see @JimmyFranklin demonstrate the looper.

Testing a $229 Amp Modeler: Sonicake Matribox II Review

Check the user manual for details on emulations

The Matribox II user manual offers a detailed list of all emulations including the effects pedals, amplifiers, noise reduction modes, cabinets, and post-amp effects. You can easily find them all within the Matribox II without the manual, but there’s a ton of cool stuff in there — the manual provides great info on what everything is.

Does the Matribox 2 sound any different from the original? Were there any upgrades?

Yes and yes — Sonicake re-designed the Matribox II with updated digital modeling technology and new hardware. The overall sound is more dynamic, higher fidelity, and more detailed with exceptional clarity.

Does the Sonicake Matribox II also work as a USB interface to a DAW?

Yes — the Matribox II is equipped with a USB C port for use as an audio interface with your DAW software of choice, whether on your computer, iPhone, or Android device. You can record your tone into your DAW software, or re-amp recorded tracks from your DAW through the Matribox II’s effects, amps, and cabinet emulations.

So, is the Sonicake Matribox II the best amp modeler under $250?

It’s hard to see how anything else comes close: the Matribox II offers an exceptional collection of modeled amps, effects, and speaker cabinets, covering your needs for pretty any musical style. You’ll have everything you need to go direct right to a sound system or recording interface, plus the comprehensive connectivity you’ll need if you want to use traditional effects and amps too. And the Matribox II is a comprehensive tool for electric guitar, bass, and acoustic-electric guitar alike. If you want to spend $250 or less on an amp modeler, you’ll definitely be impressed with the Sonicake Matribox II.

The Sonicake Matribox II is a really great entry point into your modeling journey! — @JimmyFranklin

Testing a $229 Amp Modeler: Sonicake Matribox II Review

How to Mic Guitar Amplifier for Recording

Mark Brody — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

No matter how realistic amplifier modeling can be, it's hard to beat the sound of a well-miked amplifier pushing a serious amount of air. The good news for guitarists is that you can achieve studio-quality amp tones in a typical home studio environment --- once you understand the basics of miking a guitar amp. There is a lot of physics and acoustic science going on when it comes to recording guitar amps, but that's what this article is for. Let's go over everything that average guitar player needs to know to record consistently great amp tones, no matter what type of guitar amp you're using or what style of music you're producing.

What Should a Miked Guitar Amp Sound Like, Anyway?

A good mix will balance your instruments appropriately, and it can actually be difficult to tell what each instrument sounds like in isolation. For example, an epic palm-muted rhythm guitar part can sound like it has a ton of low end, but that's likely because it's playing in perfect sync with the bass --- bass guitar usually contributes a lot of the weight that we associate with electric guitars.
The point we're making is that your ideal guitar tone for any given project may sound a little different in isolation than you'd expect it appears to sound in the mix. A great way to train your ears is to do a YouTube search for isolated guitar tracks. Check out Slash's isolated guitar tone on Sweet Child of Mine to hear how much midrange (and how little bass) his guitar contributes.

Also note how well you can hear the difference between a quiet amplifier in the verses compared to the cranked-amp tone for the choruses. Even though they have equal clarity and similar volume in the mix, you can definitely hear the character and intensity of a louder amp coming through. You may not have the option to turn up your amp that loud, but it's important to understand the added intensity and character that amp volume adds beyond basic signal strength.

Sweet Child O'Mine - Isolated Guitars - Slash

It's All About Mic (and Amp) Position

No matter what guitar amp and microphone combination you're using, the two variables that will affect your recordings the most are the position of the amp in the room, and the position of the mic relative to the amp. Yes, it's true that your choice of microphone, guitar amp, mic preamp, and other variables will play a role too --- but it all starts at the microphone. Where you place it is key, and the same goes for where you place the guitar amp in the room. We're going to give you an easy guide to get started even if you've never miked a guitar amp before: we'll make it easy to approach, but you should definitely look deeper into these topics if you're serious about recording great amp tones.

Tips for positioning your amplifier:

Put your amp on an amp stand like the Ultimate Support AMP-150 Ultra Compact Amp Stand or the Gator Frameworks Combo Amp Stand your amp sounds tighter and more focused when you de-couple it from the floor. You may not have much freedom where to position the amp, so just remember that bass builds up in the corners of your room. And in this case, where the floor meets the wall can be considered a corner. The thing to remember is that if your amp sounds boomy, move it away from the nearest corner. If your amp sounds thin or wimpy, move it closer to a corner.

Tips for positioning your microphone:

Once you're satisfied that your amplifier is in a good position, it's time to choose the position for your microphone. These general tips will apply whether you're using an expensive studio microphone or simply using your smartphone as a microphone to record your amp. The two main things to consider are the mic's distance from the amp, and whether the mic is facing the amp directly or angled off-axis.
To start, take a look at the speaker you'll actually be miking --- if the combo amp has a grille cloth, you may be able to easily remove it to expose the speaker. If not, shining a flashlight can help you identify the center of the speaker through the grille cloth. To place your mic, aim the mic directly at the speaker and place it about six inches away. Position the mic so that it's aimed at a point halfway between the center of the speaker and the edge of the speaker.
This is a great starting point to mic any amplifier with any microphone, as long as you keep in mind what comes next. The only things you'll really need to adjust to record a great tone are the distance between the mic and the amp, and where on the speaker it's aimed at. The edge of the speaker will deliver more of a bassy/scooped sound, while the center of the speaker is mostly midrange. If you're keeping your mic close (1-6 inches), aiming the mic at different parts of the speaker will make noticeable differences. The farther the mic gets from the speaker, the less it applies.
Adjusting the mic distance from the amp allows you to balance the direct sound from the speaker (closer) with the ambient sound of the amp in your room (farther). When things sound too tight and focused, move the mic away, and vice versa. If you have a good-sounding acoustic space to record in, you're free to back the mic away and capture more of the room sound. If you're in a typical residential space, your room probably won't be adding sonic appeal --- you'll probably have better results if you keep the mic close (6 inches or closer).

Choose Your Mic --- and Listen to It

Shure SM57 Cardioid Dynamic Instrument Microphone

The tips above about positioning will be a huge help to you, but only if you take the time to move the mic around to try different positions before committing to one. You could be using world-class mics and amps in a studio, and when you set everything up, it probably won't sound perfect right at the start. Moving the mic even a few inches, or changing the angle a few degrees, will make an impact on your sound. Try different things, make recordings and take notes when you find positions that sound better than others.
For the purposes of this article, we're offering a basic overview that you can apply to practically any microphone. You may be using the only microphone you have available to you --- that's totally fine. Maybe you're going with a time-proven mic like the Shure SM57 dynamic microphone, or a vintage-modern ribbon mic like the Warm Audio Fen-Tone. The tips above will help you approach recording your amp with your mic, but ultimately you will need to decide what works best for your room, amp, and creative goals.
Take the time to record multiple takes as you move your mic around, and make notes so that you can put the mic in the same place the next time you want to record. Once you find positions that sound better than others, you'll soon create a consistent and repeatable recording process you can apply anytime you want to record.

Check Your Mic's User Guide!

The user guide for any microphone will provide crucial info, including the mic's polar pattern (more on that below) and a frequency graph. Regarding the frequency graph or chart, what you'll want to look for is any type of resonant peak across the entire frequency range. It's not uncommon for mics to have a slight dip or peak of a few decibels at a certain frequency. It's not a problem, but you should be aware of it, especially if you're recording lots of tracks that will be combined in a mix.

A mic's frequency chart certainly won't tell you how a mic will actually sound, but it's valuable to know if a mic is emphasizing certain frequencies. If your mic has a subtle resonant peak, you'll notice it more as you mix more tracks recorded with the same microphone. If you're aware of your microphone's peak, you can choose EQ frequencies more effectively when it's time to mix.

Polar Patterns Explained in Practical Terms

There's a lot to understand about microphones, and one of the most important things to know about any mic is its polar pattern. A mic's polar pattern describes how directional the microphone is --- in other words, how well the microphone picks up sounds from its back and sides compared to the direct sound reaching the front of the microphone. Here are the polar patterns you'll encounter most often, and what they mean for your recordings.

Omnidirectional
an "omni" mic picks up sound equally from all directions, whether directly in front of the mic, off to the side, or even directly behind it. If your room sounds good, an omni mic will probably sound good. If your room sounds unbalanced (too boomy, congested, or bright), an omni mic isn't a great choice.

Cardioid
this pattern mostly captures sound from the front and sides, while rejecting much of the sound from the rear. This is useful for minimizing the amount of unwanted ambient room sound being captured in the microphone.

Supercardioid/Hypercardioid
more directional than cardioid, these patterns capture more sound directly in front of the mic than from the sides, helping you focus on a single sound source while rejecting adjacent sounds (think of miking each tom drum on a drum kit). While super- and hyper-cardioid patterns reject more sound from the sides than a cardioid pattern, they also reject less sound from the rear.

Figure-8
an extremely directional pattern that captures sound directly in front and behind the microphone, while almost completely rejecting sounds from the sides.
So which polar pattern is best for miking a guitar amp? The good news is that if you're recording a solo guitar amp, you aren't worried about leakage from other instruments. However, you do need to consider the sound in your room: if you like the sound in your room, you could use pretty much any polar pattern, even omnidirectional. If you want to minimize room sound for a more focused tone, use a directional mic like a cardioid pattern.

Should I Use Multiple Mics to Record My Amp?

It's common studio practice to use multiple mics on a guitar amp and combine them in the mix. For example, the famous Shure SM57 dynamic microphone is a staple for recording amps with its midrange-focused character. To achieve a more full-range sound, engineers will often add a condenser microphone like the AKG C414 XLS to capture bass and highs that the SM57 does not.
You can get great tones from a single mic, but using two different mics can get you closer to a polished studio sound much faster in many cases --- as long as the microphones are in phase with each other. Phase issues are another deep topic that's outside the scope of this article: the important thing to know is that when you're using multiple microphones, you can avoid phase issues if you make sure your mics are equal distance from the sound source. The easiest way to do this for a guitar amp is with a stereo mic mount like the Rode Stereo Bar Microphone Mount --- this allows you to mount two mics to the same stand equidistant from the amp.

You can also get in-phase multi-miked guitar tones easily with a dual-element microphone like the Audio-Technica AE2500. It's equipped with one dynamic capsule and one condenser capsule, both in perfect phase alignment in the same housing. The included cable breaks out to separate XLR connectors for each mic capsule, effectively giving you two distinct microphones in one. Dual-element microphones are a great way to create multi-mic amp tones without juggling multiple microphones and mic stands.

Choosing Microphone Stands for Amp Recording

It's easy to overlook the importance of a good microphone stand even if you're only ever recording your guitar amp. We highly recommend a tripod-based mic stand for stability, compared to those flat-based desktop/bass drum stands you may see. They're tempting because they appear to be the perfect height for guitar amps, but they're not very stable unless you weigh them down with a sandbag as intended.

Get a sturdy tripod-based mic stand like the Gator Frameworks Amp Mic Stand and you'll be well-equipped to record any amp with any mic. Alternatively, you could combine your amp stand and mic stand into one convenient system with something like the On-Stage Tilt-Back Amp Stand with Mic Boom Arm. And if you would like to save floor space and remove the need for a mic stand completely, something like the Audix CabGrabber mic mount is your best solution --- it attaches directly to your combo amp or cabinet, no need for a separate mic stand.

One extremely helpful studio accessory when it comes to recording with any microphone is an orbital microphone mount like the Triad-Orbit Micro 2/M2-R Retrofittable Short-stem Orbital Mic Adapter. This solves the issue of making the final fine-tuning adjustments to microphone position and angle --- most mic stands and mounts can be a bit clumsy when it comes to making micro-adjustments, and having an orbital mic mount is a simple solution that makes a huge difference.

Improve Your Room Acoustics Creatively

The room you're recording in is impacting the sound of your recordings in a big way. Room acoustics are another deep topic worth looking into if you're serious about recording, but for our purposes we'll talk about some basic tips for recording amps in a typical home studio. Namely, how to absorb excessive frequencies for clearer, detailed recordings.

You may be familiar with acoustic absorption panels like Auralex Studiofoam panels, which are generally intended to be permanently attached to your walls --- but you don't need to do that. If you can't or don't want to fully treat your walls with acoustic panels, just buy a couple of them and suspend them from mic stands with fishing line. Position them behind your microphone to absorb sound that would otherwise pass by the mic and be reflected around the room, eventually returning to the mic and causing phase smearing. Likewise, you could place a panel or two a foot or so behind the amp, to absorb sound that would otherwise add to the ambient room noise. In other words, build a mini isolation booth around your amp and mic.

For a more professional-looking approach, you can look into purpose-built mic isolation tools like the On-Stage Isolation Shield. Attach it to your mic stand, then attach your mic of choice to the Isolation Shield's mic mount. Whether you use acoustic panels or an isolation shield, you'll be surprised at how much more focused and detailed your amp recordings become when you absorb sound directly behind the microphone.

Summing It Up --- You Can Consistently Record Great Amp Tones

Recording guitar amps (and recording in general) is a very deep topic that you can spend decades trying to master. But that doesn't mean you can't capture album-worthy guitar tones in a home studio. Let's sum up how to approach recording any amp with any microphone, even if it's just your smartphone:

Place the amp somewhere that it sounds good in the room by itself --- move closer to a corner for richer bass, away from corners/walls to reduce boominess.
Start with the microphone about 6-inches away from the amp, pointed directly at the speaker, aimed at a point halfway between the center of the speaker and the edge of the speaker.
Record some playing and listen back.
If it sounds thin/weak, move the mic closer to the edge of the speaker. If it sounds scooped or hollow, move closer to the center of the speaker.
If it needs to sound tighter or more focused, move the mic closer. If you want a bit more "air" and room ambience, back the mic away farther.
Make small adjusts (1-2 inches at a time), record a sample, and make notes about your mic position when it sounds right. Once you've found a good-sounding position, use your notes to repeat it every time you want to record.

LOOKING FOR A BETTER MICROPHONE TO RECORD YOUR GUITAR AMP?
Check out our in-depth look at the Warm Audio WA-FT Fen-Tone Ribbon Microphone!

Acoustic Amps Quick Pick: The Taylor Circa 74 Offers Much More Than a Pretty Face

Mark Brody — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What is the Taylor Circa 74 Acoustic Amp?

The Circa 74 is the first acoustic guitar amp from Taylor Guitars, and it began with the idea of using beautiful tonewoods to prioritize looks as much as tone. Bob Taylor (founder of Taylor Guitars) assembled a team including pro player Terry Myers, electronics guru Tyler Robertson, and woodworking wizard David Judd, and the Circa 74 amp was born.

With a powerful 150 watts of amplification, two channels for vocals and guitar, and an included wood amp stand, Circa 74 is as distinguished as the company’s guitars are.

2-channel acoustic amp for guitar and vocals
150 watts of power for high-headroom, low-noise performance
Custom full-range 10-inch speaker offers balanced sound with instruments and vocals alike
Rich mahogany cabinet with matching amplifier stand
3-band EQ and Reverb per channel, Aux input with Bluetooth, XLR DI output, and more

Taylor Circa 74 150-watt 1 x 10-inch Acoustic Guitar Amplifier

High Headroom for Clear, Detailed, Dynamic Acoustic Tone

With 150 watts driving a custom 10-inch speaker, Circa 74 offers more power than most 1x10 acoustic combo amps.

If you think that’s too much for a living room performance, think again — higher wattage means you have more headroom before distortion occurs, and also means you can play low-output guitars without introducing excessive noise.

In other words, having more wattage than you think you need is much better than having to crank up a lower-powered amplifier to its maximum. You don’t need to play the Circa 74 loudly, but if you do, you’ll enjoy the same level of sonic accuracy and clarity.

Sing and Play Along, No Mixer Required

Circa 74 is perfect for singer-songwriters, with two independent channels for vocals and guitar.

Each channel offers 3-band EQ for fine-tuning your sound, and a Reverb control for the onboard reverb effect.

You can also use the 1/8-inch Aux input or even Bluetooth to play along with backing tracks, or simply enjoy Circa 74 as a music player.

An Acoustic Amp You’ll Be Proud to Display

It has to be said that the Circa 74 simply looks great wherever you put it, whether you need an acoustic amp for your living room, office, or classy gigs like wedding receptions and fancy dinners.

The rich mahogany cabinet looks elegantly understated, and the included matching amp stand gives you all the benefits of a stand (better sonics and easier access) without detracting from its aesthetics.

Is the Circa 74 a Good Amp for Live Performance?

While you’ll want to be careful to protect that beautiful cabinet from dings and scratches, Circa 74 has everything you need for a great stage performance at suit-and-tie gigs.

With 150 watts of power you’ll have plenty of volume on tap.

Dual channels with independent EQs make it easy to swap guitars without needing to change your settings—just optimize each channel’s EQ for each guitar during sound check.

On the Circa 74’s rear panel, you have an XLR DI output and 1/4-inch line output to connect to a larger sound system.

Circa 74 — Elegant Looks and Masterful Acoustic Tone

The Circa 74 began as an experiment for Taylor to create an amazing-looking acoustic amp from spare guitar tonewoods, but it also offers the core experience any guitarist would be looking for in a high-powered 10-inch combo amplifier.

The great looks simply encourage you to display your Circa 74 instead of hiding it in a corner, and that’s sure to lead to playing more in the long run.

If you’re looking for a versatile acoustic combo amp for guitar and vocals, rest assured that the Taylor Circa 74 sounds as good as it looks.

Non-Fender Telecasters — Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline

Mark Brody — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The Telecaster is one of the most popular electric guitars ever made, and the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline puts a spin on the classic design with a semi-hollow body and P-90 single-coil pickups. And with a low price tag under $400, we just had to get it in our hands. Does the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline deliver the classic Tele experience players have loved for decades? Can we call it a “Kellycaster”? Let’s dig in.

Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline — Fast Facts

The Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline takes the classic Tele design and enhances it with a semi-hollow body and P-90 pickups. Guitars in this price range have come a long way, and we’re pleased to see that the ’59 Thinline doesn’t fall short when it comes to quality components and materials. Here’s what you get with the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline guitar:

Michael Kelly '59 Thinline

Chambered mahogany body for warm, resonant tone
Bolt-on rock maple neck with fast-feeling satin finish
Roasted jatoba fretboard with 22 frets
Modern C neck profile for not-too-thick, not-too-thin playability
Rockfield P-90 single-coil pickups for articulate, midrange-focused tone
Volume, Tone, and 4-way toggle switch

Semi-Hollow Body Creates Deeper, Richer Tone

Semi-hollow guitars like the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline offer a distinctive sonic alternative to the sound of solidbody electric guitars. The ’59 Thinline’s chambered body adds an extra dimension of warmth and resonance to your tone (and also offers the added benefit of lighter weight for more comfortable playability). Classic Tele-style guitars are known for having a bright, snappy character with plenty of presence. The Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline barks with the classic Tele voice, with enhanced low-mid richness that greatly expands your tone-shaping potential.

I think it sounds lovely — like a stroll on the beach with a loved one!” — Jay Leonard J

Testing Under $400 Non-Fender Telecasters

What’s the Deal with P-90 Pickups?

If you’ve ever wanted the clarity and snap of single-coil pickups, with the added girth and low-mid richness you’d expect from a humbucker, then you definitely need to try P-90 pickups. Originally designed by Gibson in the 1940s, P-90 pickups give your tone a barky edge compared to the smoother sound of typical single-coil pickups.

So what does that mean for the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline? With two Rockfield P-90 pickups and four-way switching you have a vast sonic territory to explore, and a mid-focused voice that offers a distinctive alternative to humbuckers and traditional single-coil pickups alike. P-90 pickups are versatile enough to handle practically any musical style appropriately, making the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline a capable instrument for any playstyle or genre.

Testing Under $400 Non-Fender Telecasters

4-way Switching on a Tele-style Guitar?

When you see two pickups on a Tele-style guitar, it would be natural to expect a 3-way pickup selector for neck, neck+bridge, and bridge positions. However, the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline packs some extra tonal tenacity by way of its fourth pickup selector position. In addition to neck, neck+bridge, and bridge positions, the fourth position configures both P-90 single-coil pickups in series to create a pseudo-humbucker sound. This fourth position gives you a smoother, deeper sound than the brighter, pluckier single-coil positions, and imbues the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline with more sonic versatility than you’d get from a typical 3-position Tele-style guitar.

This is that ‘bonus’ setting — P-90s wired together like they’re a humbucker! — Ryan Burke

Testing Under $400 Non-Fender Telecasters

Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline — Common Questions Answered

How does the combination of a semi-hollow body and P-90 pickups affect the overall tonal balance and resonance of the ’59 Thinline compared to traditional solidbody or hollowbody guitars?

Compared to a solidbody Telecaster, the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline offers enhanced low-mid richness and added harmonic complexity due to body resonance. In terms of playability, the ’59 Thinline’s chambered body is lighter in weight than a comparable solidbody, and its carved top feels a bit more comfortable under the arm compared to a typical slab Telecaster body with a flat top.
Compared to a typical hollowbody guitar, the ’59 Thinline’s voice is more focused on the midrange (the P-90 pickups definitely play a role in this too). The tone is definitely hollowbody-ish, but without the airy, acoustic-style voice of a true hollowbody. In terms of playability, they aren’t really comparable: a standard hollowbody guitar is going to be larger and more cumbersome to play, while the ’59 Thinline feels like a Telecaster.

What are the advantages of using a semi-hollow guitar like the ’59 Thinline in terms of comfort, playability, and sonic versatility?

While semi-hollowbody guitars like the ’59 Thinline definitely offer a richer tonal foundation than solidbody guitars, the lighter weight a chambered body provides is also welcome. Whether you play on stage regularly, or you just enjoying rocking out at home, you can wear and play the ’59 Thinline for longer with less strain on your back and shoulders.

In terms of the sonic qualities of a semi-hollow guitar, the enhanced harmonic richness adds an extra dimension whether you’re playing clean or cranking up the gain. From jazz to hard rock, players of all styles have shaped the semi-hollowbody sound to create their signature tone — where you take it is really up you to.

Are there any potential drawbacks to playing a semi-hollowbody guitar, such as feedback? Are there any drawback to using P-90 pickups?

True hollowbody guitars can have issues with feedback on stage — jokes about guitarists stuffing socks into their hollowbody guitars to prevent feedback actually have an element of truth to them. The main reason is that hollowbody guitars are constructed more like acoustic guitars than solidbody electrics, and are extremely resonant — enough to feed back easily when on stage with loud amplifiers.

Semi-hollowbody guitars like the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline don’t have the same issues because the construction much closer to that of a solidbody electric guitar — the internal chambers do add some resonance to the instrument, but nearly as much as a true hollowbody guitar.

As far as P-90 pickups are concerned, they offer a very distinctive sound: distinctive enough that many players consider single-coil, humbucker, and P-90 to be the three basic types of pickups. The edgy, growling, midrange-focused bite of P-90 pickups can be a take-it-or-leave-it matter for many players. If you want single-coil clarity with humbucker-like girth, P-90 pickups are great. If you want to make your P-90 pickups sound like a classic Tele or a full-bore humbucker, you probably won’t get there: P-90 pickups are best embraced for their unique voice and their ability to cement your place in the mix.

What would you do with the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline?

Our No Fear Guides had a ton of fun playing the ’59 Thinline — we’ve played a lot of Telecasters at a range of price points, and we are definitely impressed with what this Kellycaster offers for under $400. The neck and fretwork felt great, components felt solid, and the semi-hollowbody tone really made us listen closer and dig in to explore all the sonic shades it had to offer. If you’re looking for the easy playability of a Telecaster, but with a unique voice for greater creative potential, you’ll definitely be impressed with the Michael Kelly ’59 Thinline.

There’s a chewiness to it… I like it! There are things I could do with it that would make me sound more unique, a little bit different than everyone else. — Jay Leonard J

It sounds like Brian May! — Jay Leonard J

Testing Under $400 Non-Fender Telecasters

Indio 040 Deluxe Jazzmaster vs Fender Blog

Mark Brody — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of offset guitars like the Fender Jazzmaster have a lot of reasons to be happy nowadays. Even just 20 years ago there were few options other than expensive Fender Custom Shop Jazzmasters, but the modern guitarist now has dozens of Jazzmaster clones to play with. Take the Indio (by Monoprice) Offset OS40 DLX Plus — at just $200, the Indio promises to pack a ton of offset appeal at a very low price. Is this affordable Jazzmaster clone a great find, or simply a fail? And how does it compare to a real Fender Custom Shop Jazzmaster? We aim to find out — and make sure to check out our No Fear Gear video for a detailed demo!

Indio by Monoprice Offset OS40 DLX Plus — Specs ’n Stuff

Monoprice Indio Series, 6-String Offset DLX Plus Alder Electric Guitar - Right Handed

A quick glance at the Indio OS40 DLX Plus tells you we’re working with a Jazzmaster clone, and closer inspection offers some surprises considering we’re in the $200 price range. Just like the original Fender Jazzmasters, the Indio OS40 boasts a real alder body, maple neck, and rosewood fretboard instead of the budget tonewoods found on many guitars in this class. As to be expected on a modern budget guitar, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus is finished in durable polyurethane, not the nitrocellulose lacquer finish found on vintage Fender Jazzmasters.
Where the Indio OS40 DLX Plus truly departs from the classic Jazzmaster formula is with its pickups and electronics. Here you’ll find an aggressive pair of P-90 “soapbar” pickups in lieu of the wide-bobbin, narrow-aperture Jazzmaster pickups found on original specimens — expect the Indio OS40 DLX Plus to deliver a bit more output with more midrange bark and bite than a traditional Jazzmaster. You’ll also notice that the infamous Rhythm circuit is nowhere to be found, and we suspect that most offset fans won’t miss it.

Indio Offset OS40 DLX Plus Full Specs

Gig Bag Included

Offset alder body with gloss polyurethane finish
Maple neck with “C” profile
Rosewood fretboard with 22 frets (2.3mm frets, roughly “medium jumbo”)
350mm fretboard radius, much flatter than vintage Jazzmasters
Dual P-90 “soapbar” single-coil pickups and 3-way pickup selector switch
Floating vibrato tailpiece for expressive bends and warbles
Vintage-style rocker bridge with rounded saddles

Something that surprises me… is that it has a traditional Jazzmaster-style bridge on it: usually the budget offsets throw a Tune-O-Matic on there. I think this might be the cheapest guitar I’ve come across that has the traditional bridge that rocks in the thimbles, which gives you the tuning stability with the offset trem. — @60CycleHumcast

This will take gain in a really nice way! — @JayLeonardJ

Does the Indio OS40 DLX Plus Sound Like a Jazzmaster?

The classic Jazzmaster sound is big, rich, and open, with very distinct sonic profiles for each of the three pickup switch positions. The well-balanced Jazzmaster voice has been shaped to suit a wide range of musical styles, but always manages to retain its delightfully thick-yet-somewhat-hollow tonality. So how does the Indio OS40 DLX Plus sound compared to a real Jazzmaster?
The most important thing to know is that the Indio packs a pair of P-90 soapbar pickups, which are a distinct departure from traditional Jazzmaster pickups. P-90 pickups are known for their barky, midrange-focused grind, as well as their hotter output compared to traditional single-coil pickups. This gives the Indio OS40 DLX Plus a punchy, growling character that is perfect for coaxing some crunch out of your amp’s clean channel. Lower your volume control or dial back your amp and the Indio OS40 DLX Plus cleans up very sweetly, especially in the middle position. While the sound isn’t what you would expect from a traditional Jazzmaster, it is exactly what you could expect from a Jazzmaster modded with P-90 pickups — a big, full sound that’s ready to rock.

Barkier, more mid-pushed, more aggressive. — @60CycleHumcast

That makes it more of a rock guitar. — @JayLeonardJ

While the Indio OS40 DLX Plus is quite capable of convincing Jazzmaster-clone tones through a clean amp with a bit of spring reverb, it really comes into its own when you turn up the gain. The aforementioned P-90 pickups really like gain, and their plucky character really encourages you to play dynamically. With a tube amp or a good overdrive pedal set to the edge of breakup, you can go from velvety cleans to biting drive with just your pick attack.

Indio OS40 DLX Plus — Build Quality and Playability

As noted earlier, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus sports an impressive specs list for a $200 guitar. Real alder is used for the body, favored among tone aficionados for its resonant, well-balanced tonality with a bit of an upper-midrange push. The maple neck is topped with real rosewood, another surprise at this price point. As would be expected, the nut material is ABS plastic in lieu of more expensive bone or TUSQ, but this could easily be upgraded at your local guitar shop if desired.
As we move to the bridge and tailpiece, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus continues to impress. Practically every Jazzmaster clone you find in this price range will be equipped with a generic Tune-O-Matic bridge with blade saddles — not this one though. The Indio OS40 DLX Plus features a vintage-style rocker bridge with rounded saddles, just like original Jazzmaster models. When set up correctly the rocker bridge makes the tremolo arm action much smoother, and helps your strings return to pitch more accurately. The rocker bridge and floating vibrato tailpiece play a huge role in a Jazzmaster’s core tonality, so we’re pleased to see the Indio staying true to form here.

I’m actually impressed with the trem unit on here! — @60CycleHumcast

Compared to traditional Jazzmasters with a 7.25-inch or 9.5-inch fretboard radius, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus features a much flatter fretboard radius (approximately 14 inches), lending it a fast and modern feel. The nut width and scale length will be familiar to any Jazzmaster fan, and the C-shaped neck profile feels appropriately comfortable.
When it comes to overall attention to detail and setup, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus passes inspection surprisingly well for a $200 guitar. We found no rough fret ends, nor any obvious finish blemishes that are common on low-end guitars. The overall setup was quite playable, but certainly did not feel like it was fine-tuned to any degree. With a few minor tweaks to the truss rod and saddle positions, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus could certainly give more expensive guitars a run for their money.

Make the Indio OS40 DLX Plus Your ModMaster (JazzModster?)

It’s no secret that inexpensive guitars are a modder’s delight, and the Indio OS40 DLX Plus gives you a solid starting point to make it your own. A set of inexpensive vintage-style tuners would be aesthetically appropriate and would help tuning stability as well. Upgrading the nut to bone or TUSQ would be a smart move for any guitar with a plastic nut, and particularly for any Jazzmaster with a tremolo arm: a premium nut will make the guitar sound better and help the trem work more smoothly.
In a way, the Indio OS40 is already pre-modded — plenty of guitarists have loaded their Jazzmaster with P-90 pickups, removed the rhythm circuit completely, and never looked back. The growing availability of aftermarket Jazzmaster parts gives you plenty of options for making the Indio OS40 your own, but you can leave it as-is and enjoy a hot-rodded Jazzmaster right out of the box.

How Does the Indio OS40 Compare to a Fender Custom Shop Jazzmaster?

Luckily, our No Fear Guide @JayLeonardJ brought his own $5,900 Fender Custom Shop Jazzmaster to our video demo to truly put the Indio OS40 DLX Plus to the test. It wouldn’t be completely wrong to consider this an unfair comparison: Fender Custom Shop guitars are handcrafted by some of the best luthiers on the planet and set up to Fender’s exacting specifications. Beyond that, the huge difference in price also accounts for premium components throughout. In other words, the Fender Custom Shop Jazzmaster should make the Indio OS40 DLX Plus sound like a pale imitation — but does it?
Compared to Jay’s Fender Jazzmaster, the Indio OS40 delivers much of the characteristic tonality we’re looking for in a Jazzmaster clone. In the middle position, chords sound lush and full with a well-balanced character. The bridge pickup sounds twangy and hollow, and the neck pickup sounds throaty and vocal-like. Compared to traditional Jazzmaster pickups, the Indio’s P-90 pickups definitely sound like we’d expect: growling, ready to push your amp into overdrive, and focused on the midrange in a pleasingly aggressive way.

So while we can’t expect P-90 pickups to sound like traditional Jazzmaster pickups, we can say that the Indio OS40 focuses the traditional Jazzmaster voice into a rock-oriented growl that still retains the wide, open sound that players expect from a Jazzmaster.

Cheap VS. Expensive Jazzmaster Challenge

As far as playability, it’s definitely not fair to compare the Custom Shop Jazzmaster with the Indio OS40. The former has been set up by hand by a master luthier to exacting specifications, while the latter has been set up to be playable but not fine-tuned for optimal playability. The reality is that with mass-produced guitars like the Indio, the important thing is that they be built well enough that they can be set up properly after purchase: you simply shouldn’t expect a top-quality setup on a $200 guitar. The Indio definitely passes the test here: other than a tweak to the truss rod and some action adjustments, we couldn’t find anything to complain about.

You could play this guitar, or you could do some work on it and set it up, and make it play the way that you want — it’s totally a playable guitar. — @60CycleHumcast

Speaking of truss rod adjustments, this is one area where we actually prefer the modern design of the Indio OS40 compared to vintage Jazzmasters — truss rod accessibility. It’s bad enough that Fender thought players wouldn’t mind removing the neck to access the truss rod on the original Jazzmasters — even worse that modern incarnations like the Custom Shop model retain this design in the name of authenticity. In our humble opinion, pretty much any guitar will benefit from truss rod adjustments throughout its lifespan. The Indio’s modern truss rod access point at the headstock is a welcome feature on any Jazzmaster.

Along with the pickups, the iconic floating vibrato bridge is a distinguishing characteristic of the Jazzmaster, and the $5,900 Custom Shop Jazzmaster shows us exactly what it should feel like: smooth, subtle, expressive, and responsive. Compared to the Custom Shop model the Indio definitely feels stiffer and a bit more reactive, pretty much on par with most aftermarket JM tremolos on the market. Some players go to the effort of compressing the tremolo’s spring in a vise to help loosen it up and soften the action, but this will happen naturally over time the more you play anyway. We can say that while the Indio OS40 doesn’t feel as smooth and fluttery as the Custom Shop Jazzmaster, it definitely gets the job done. As mentioned, we’d expect that any minor pitch issues when using the tremolo could be solved by a professional setup and possibly a nut upgrade.

Indio OS40 DLX Plus — An Affordable Jazzmaster Clone with Modding Potential

To sum it up, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus gives you a lot of guitar for only $200. Right out of the box, it stands out in its class for good playability and good craftsmanship. The electronics package is a departure from the traditional Jazzmaster configuration, with P-90 pickups that replace jazzy pluck with a growling punch. You could leave it as-is and have a great guitar for rock, alternative, punk, and surf styles, or mod it to suit whatever style you choose. However we played it, the Indio OS40 DLX Plus managed to deliver the core experience that players look for in a good Jazzmaster clone.

Cheap VS. Expensive Jazzmaster Challenge

Finding the Best Mini Amp Under 100

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Mini Amp #1 — Blackstar Fly 3 — The Mini Amp Champ

With the Fly 3 mini amp, Blackstar aimed to deliver the same tonal balance and feel of a larger guitar amp, even at low volumes. Our No Fear Guides were immediately impressed with the Fly 3’s bold voice, especially considering it packs only a 3-inch speaker with 3 watts of power. The Fly 3 is also equipped with Blackstar’s patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) EQ, which allows you to explore classic British and American amplifier voicings with the twist of a knob. A gain control and switchable Clean/Crunch channels round out the Fly 3’s versatile tone-shaping options.

The Fly 3 also packs a built-in delay effect, which can be a ton of fun for any guitarist to have available in a practice amp. Between its lively sonic character, built-in delay, battery-powered operation for true portability, and the ability to create a mini stack with the optional Fly 3 extension cabinet, the Blackstar Fly 3 stood out in our comparison as the best mini amp under $100.

Offers the tone and response of a larger amp even at low volumes
Built-in delay effect makes practice and songwriting sessions more inspiring
ISF EQ control allows you to explore classic British and American amp voicings for tonal variety

Less learning curve, more rock ’n roll! — Jay Leonard

Blackstar Fly 3 Mini Amplifier

Mini Amp #2 — NUX Mighty Lite BT — Best Features and Practice Tools

NUX designed the Mighty Lite BT mini amp for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar, with 3 watts of power driving a full-range speaker. Top-panel controls give you access to Clean, Overdrive, and Distortion channels, plus Gain, Tone, and controls for the built-in Delay and Reverb effects. But it’s the free MightyAmp app that opens up all the Mighty Lite BT has to offer. The app allows you to explore a wide range of amps, effects, and cabinet IRs to build your own custom guitar tones. You’ll also be able to practice along with the built in Jam Tracks, control other amp features, and use the app to stream music from your library to play along with — there’s a lot to explore here.

Even without the app, the Mighty Lite BT gives you a tonally-versatile practice amp with built-in metronome, drum tracks, and effects. And the Mighty Lite BT is also equipped with a USB-C audio interface for recording direct to your computer. That’s a lot of value in a portable mini amp, which is why our No Fear Guides crowned the Mighty Lite BT as the mini amp with the best features and practice tools.

Free MightyAmp app gives you access to amp and cabinet models, Jam Tracks, music streaming via Bluetooth, and more
Onboard controls give you access to Clean/OD/Distortion channels, Delay/Reverb effects, Drum Tracks, Tap Tempo, and more
Full-range speaker with 3 watts of power is designed for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar

NUX Mighty Lite BT MKII Guitar Amplifier

Mini Amp #3 — Danelectro Honeytone N-10 — Best Bang for Your Buck

If there’s one thing Danelectro is known for it’s vintage 1950s vibe, and the Danelectro Honeytone N-10 mini amp delivers nothing less. With just one watt driving a 1.25-inch speaker, the Honeytone delivers a midrange-forward bark that’s surprisingly robust for its small size. While you won’t find a lot of tonal variety here, the gritty and focused sound of the Honeytone is right at home with blues riffs, classic rock, country, rockabilly, and other styles.

As a neat bonus, the Honeytone includes a belt clip you can use to wear it while you play, perhaps aiming at the busking crowd. Even if you never wear it, the Honeytone still packs a lot of value — and fun — for under $30, earning it our title of Best Mini Amp Bang for Your Buck.

Simple control set with Volume/Power, Tone, and Overdrive
Cool Danelectro aesthetics look great in a living room, office, or home studio
Included belt clip allows you to wear it while you play

Danelectro Honeytone N-10 Guitar Mini Amplifier

Mini Amp #4 — Orange Crush Mini — Honorable Mention

Orange is a legendary name in rock guitar amplification, and the Orange Crush Mini aims to pack their trademark sonic intensity into a desktop-friendly mini amp. The Orange Crush Mini packs a 4-inch speaker driven by 3 watts of power, with a basic control set including Volume, Gain, and a tone control. Despite its small size, the Orange Crush Mini definitely packs the classic Orange sound: grinding midrange, tight lows, great definition even at higher gain levels, and it cleans up nice too.

The Orange Crush Mini features an onboard tuner, a smart inclusion for any practice amplifier. And the Crush Mini also offers an 8-ohm speaker cab output that you can use to drive an external speaker cabinet — that’s not something a beginner may look for in a practice amp, but savvy players that are looking for a great portable amp that can also transition to the studio should take note.

With its classic sonic character, straightforward operation, built-in tuner, and the ability to drive an external speaker cab, the Orange Crush Mini earns an honorable mention in our quest to find the best mini amp under $100.

Classic Orange character with grinding mids, tight lows, and defined highs
Built-in tuner for practice convenience, aux input for jamming with your favorite music
8-ohm output can drive an external speaker cabinet when you need bigger sound

Orange Crush Mini Guitar Amplifier

Mini Amp #5 — Donner Mini

With an internal rechargeable battery for up to four hours of operation, the Donner Mini gives guitarists a truly portable mini amp. Five watts of power drive dual 40mm speakers, and a headphone output allows for private practice sessions too. Switchable Clean/Crunch channels and a 3-band EQ give this mini amp the familiar control set you’d expect from a full-sized combo amplifier.

It’s worth noting that the Donner Mini amp also serves well as a multimedia speaker — connect your smartphone to the aux input to jam along with your favorite songs, or just for casual listening. For guitarists on the go, the Donner Mini amp would make a great travel companion.

Switchable Clean and Crunch channels for tonal variety
Gain control and 3-band EQ for tone shaping
Internal rechargeable battery provides up to 4 hours of performance

Donner Mini Guitar Amplifier

Crowning the Mini Amp Champ

After putting these five best-selling mini amps to the test, our No Fear Guides had unanimous praise for the Blackstar Fly 3. Its lively and responsive sonic character is inspiring to play, operation is simple and straightforward, and the built-in delay effect can be the perfect thing to add some creativity to a dull practice session. While we found that all of these mini amps could serve you well, the Blackstar Fly 3 takes our crown as the best mini amp under $100.

Getting to Know the Digitech Trio Plus Band Creator and Looper Pedal

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The DigiTech Trio Plus Band Creator and Looper pedal puts a versatile backing band at your feet, helping you turn your ideas into songs in an amazingly fun way. And the Trio Plus is a superb learning tool too: it’s simply much more fun to keep time with the Trio Plus than a metronome. But how does the Trio Plus work? What’s the best way to connect your Trio Plus pedal? Is the Trio Plus right for you? Our No Fear Guides — Jay Leonard, Sean Daniel, and Sean Pierce Johnson — plugged in to see what they could do with the DigiTech Trio+ Band Creator and Looper pedal.

Voltage	9 volts
Amperage	300 milliamps
Audio Output Effects	Modulation, Distortion
Controls Type	Knob
Power Source	Corded Electric
Hardware Interface	HP-HSC
Signal Format	Analog

What is the DigiTech Trio+ Band Creator pedal, anyway?

The DigiTech Trio+ is an intelligent looper pedal for electric guitar and acoustic-electric guitar, with a built-in rhythm section ready to play in a variety of styles. The rhythm section will automatically detect the tempo and key of whatever you looped: in other words, the Trio+ plays along with you, not the other way around.

The DigiTech Trio+ also allows you to construct complete songs with intro, verses and choruses, fills, and an outro. If you capture individual song sections as loops, apply appropriate drum and bass accompaniment for each, and then sequence them into a song, you can then play the drums and bass back while you perform over them: you’ve just created a backing track generator you can put on your pedalboard.

Beyond its unique Band Creator and looper capabilities, the Trio+ pedal also packs built-in guitar effects appropriate for each musical style, plus an external effects loop to integrate other effects pedals. Best of all, you can store all of your loops on SD card storage so that you never lose an inspired riff or chord progression.

As a practice tool, the DigiTech Trio+ provides all the benefits of a metronome while being much more fun to play along with. For songwriting sessions, Trio+ makes it easy to nurture an idea into a full song, with no need to open up DAW software or mess with an external recorder. And if you’re a solo live performer, you could pre-program your Trio+ pedal and hit the stage with a backing band on your pedalboard.

How Does the DigiTech Trio Plus Work?

Getting started with the DigiTech Trio Plus is super easy — press the Band switch and play a chord progression to teach Trio Plus the tempo and key signature information. This is called “training the band” — Trio Plus generates bass and drum parts to match. And if you need to adjust the tempo, you can use the Tempo knob to adjust the global playback tempo of the drums and bass.

Once you’ve trained the band you have a ton of options: you can add new guitar layers (overdubs) to your loop, add effects to your guitar tone, select from variations on the drums and bass while keeping the overall vibe, and even arrange parts into full songs that you can play along with like a backing track. And you have a lot of options with how you connect the DigiTech Trio Plus to your amplifier or sound system depending on whether you’re playing at home or performing on stage.

You can be a solo performer and use it to create a band behind you… you record guitar into it, and you get bass and drums back! — Sean Pierce Johnson

Challenging The DigiTech Trio Plus- Your Band In A Box?

How the Trio Plus works

Tell Trio+ you want to create a new song part.
Press the Looper button, play a chord progression, and press again to end loop recording.
Trio+ will analyze the tempo and key of what you played, and generates bass and drums to match.

Tips for training the Trio Plus pedal

Effects pedals can potentially confuse Trio+, so consider placing your effects pedals in the effects loop instead.
Getting your stop and start times with the Looper footswitch is crucial — start each training session with a strong downbeat, and end on the same downbeat.
Remember that what you play during training is not your final loop for that part: try playing simple chords with strong timing to teach the band, and then use more complex chords and rhythms after the band is trained.
If Trio+ creates a band part that sounds too fast or too slow, press the Alt Time button: this switches to half-time or double-time and will likely sound much better.
You can access 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures: select styles 1–9 for 4/4, or styles 10–12 for 3/4.
Stick to simple major/minor and 7th chords while training the band for the best results.
It’s easier for Trio+ to interpret shorter song sections, so break longer sections down into multiple parts if Trio+ is having trouble generating appropriate rhythm parts.
Pre-select a Style before you begin training to make that style stay in effect for all following parts (you can still change the style of a specific song part later if you want to).

What styles are on DigiTech Trio Plus?

The Trio Plus gives you 12 musical genres to select for the bass and drums. This determines the sounds used in the drum kit, with options for Blues, R&B, Rock, Alt Rock, Metal, Pop, E-Pop, Hip-Hop, Country, Folk, Latin, and Jazz. There are a lot of different drum sounds between these kits, so it’s worth exploring them all even if you don’t think a Genre will match your style.

Once you’ve selected a drum kit with the Genre knob, you can explore 12 variations of drum patterns with the Style knob. When you first record a loop, Trio Plus will light up LED indicators to show you which styles are best-suited to your loop. Turn the Style knob to see if you prefer other styles than the automatically-selected style.

The Style knob also lets you select between 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures: styles 1–9 will always be in 4/4 time, and styles 10–12 will always be in 3/4 times. That’s important to remember if you’re trying to teach the Trio+ a chord progression in 3/4 time: if Trio+ mis-understands your target time signature, you can force it into 3/4 by selecting one of the last three styles.

Genre determines the sound and vibe of the drum and bass.
Style determines the pattern the bass and drums will play.
Select styles 1–9 for 4/4 pattern variations, or styles 10–12 for 3/4 pattern variations.

How do I connect the Trio Plus?

For home practice and songwriting, the simplest way to connect your Trio Plus pedal is right into the front of your guitar amplifier like any other effects pedal (connect your guitar to the Trio+ input, and connect the output to your amp’s instrument input). Use your amp’s clean channel with low gain, otherwise the bass and drums may sound crunchier than you want. If you want some overdrive, distortion, or other effects on your guitar tone, you can use the Trio Plus’ built-in FX or connect your own pedals in its effects loop. It’s worth noting that some effects pedals can affect Trio Plus’ ability to analyze your loops, so you may want to connect your effects pedals in the Trio Plus’ effects loop instead.

If you want to use your amplifier’s preamp for overdrive or high-gain tones, connect the Trio Plus in your amp’s effects loop so that the drums and bass remain clean. Connect your amp’s effects send to the input on your Trio Plus, then connect the Trio Plus output to your amp’s effects return. Adjust the signal level being sent to the pedal with your amp’s effects send control if it has one. By placing the Trio Plus in your amp’s effects loop, you can shape your guitar tone with the amp’s gain and EQ controls without effecting the drums and bass.

If you’re performing with the Trio Plus on stage, you can send the drums and bass directly to the mixing board for the PA system instead of hearing them through your guitar amplifier. Connect the Amp Out on the Trio Plus to your amplifier’s input, and connect the Mixer Out to the mixing board or powered speaker. Your guitar signal (including loops) will be sent to your guitar amp, and the mix of drums and bass will be sent to the mixer. This is also a great way to connect your Trio Plus for home recording: send the Amp Out to your guitar amplifier, and the Mixer Out to your audio interface to record the bass and drums.

It could be a performance tool if you wanted. — Sean Pierce Johnson

Challenging The DigiTech Trio Plus- Your Band In A Box?

Tips for connecting Trio Plus

Mixer Out is a line-level output to send the drums and bass to a mixer or audio interface.
Amp Out is an instrument-level output to connect to your guitar amp.
If only the Amp Out is connected, Trio+ will apply advanced equalization to drums and bass to make them sound more natural through your guitar amp.
If only the Mixer Out is connected, speaker cabinet emulation will be applied to your guitar signal, and a mono mix of guitar, bass, and drums will be sent.
If both outputs are connected, drums and bass will be sent to the mixer output, and your guitar will pass through the amp output.
If you connect headphones, both the Amp Out and Mixer Out will be disabled, and speaker cabinet emulation will be applied to your guitar signal.

How do I create a loop on the Trio+? When adding a loop do I have to press a button?

You can create loops on the Trio+ even if you haven’t trained the band already, just like a traditional looper pedal. The first thing you need to do to record a loop on the Trio Plus is to set the Tempo knob to the 12 o’clock position — this will turn off the “Audiolastic” LED above the tempo knob. Later, you can adjust the global playback tempo using the tempo knob, but it “Audiolastic” must be off to record into the looper.

To use the Trio+ as a traditional looper pedal without the band, the first thing you need to do is select an empty Part (press a Part button that is not lit). Once you’ve selected a Part, you’re ready to record a loop: press the Looper button to begin loop recording, and press it again to end recording and begin loop playback.

When you press the Looper button to end recording, you can continue to play and add new layers to the loop in overdub mode. If you press the Band button instead to end recording, loop playback will still begin, but you won’t be recording in overdub mode: you can play freely without adding new layers to the loop. This allows you to build up more complex loops with overdub mode, and then improvise over your loops when you’re ready.

There is a way that you can begin loop recording without having to press a button at the same time. If you press the Looper button but don’t begin playing immediately, the Trio+ will wait to hear your guitar signal before recording. As long as you keep your guitar quiet, you can begin playing when you’re ready and not worry about hitting the footswitch on time.

YoTrio+ will auto-save everything that you’ve done… you don’t have to press and hold to save anything you’ve come up with. — Sean Pierce Johnson

Challenging The DigiTech Trio Plus- Your Band In A Box?

Tips for creating a loop on Trio+

Make sure you first select a Part to contain the loop.
If you press the Looper switch but don’t play, Trio+ will wait to hear you play before recording.
You can enable a count-in to help you nail the timing of the downbeat.

How do you delete a loop on the Trio+?

There are a couple of different ways to clear loops and overdubs on the DigiTech Trio+ pedal. If you’ve recorded a loop or overdub along with the band, and you’d like to delete it, simply hold the Looper footswitch for two seconds while the loop is playing. This clears the last recorded loop or overdub.

If you want to clear a loop (including the original loop and all overdubs), you’ll need to stop loop playback first. Press the Band footswitch to stop playback, and then hold the Looper button for two seconds to clear the loop and all overdubs. And if that was a mistake, you can immediately press and hold the Looper button for two seconds again to restore the loop.

While we’re talking about recording and deleting loops on the Trio Plus, it’s important to remember that all the loops you record are automatically stored on its microSD card. The files are stored in a proprietary format, so you’ll want to download DigiTech’s TRIO Manager Software to be able to store them on your computer as audio files. The TRIO Manager Software can be used to backup all of your pedal’s data to your computer, and is also used for firmware updates when available.

Tips for working with recorded loops on Trio+:

Trio+ is always saving your files: you’ll never need to worry about losing loops and band parts unless you purposely delete them
Remember that if you accidentally clear a loop by mistake, you can get it back if you immediately press and hold the Looper switch again after clearing it
Trio+ saves all of your loops on microSD card in a proprietary file format: download the DigiTech Trio manager software to convert them to audio files for use in your DAW

How do you program a song on the Trio+?

The Trio+ pedal allows you to create five different song Parts that you can arrange into a song. To start, make sure you have some song parts created. Press the “SEQ” button to enter song sequencing mode (the button will flash to let you know you’re in this mode). Now press the Part buttons in the order you want them to play: if you want a part to play longer than once, for example to turn a 2-bar loop into an 8-bar verse, simply press that Part’s button as many times as you want it to play. When you’re done, press the SEQ button again and the Parts will light up in the order you pressed them. Now when you press the Band footswitch, the Parts will play back in the order that you programmed them.

You can also add intensity to specific parts to add dynamic interest to your song. When you have a Part selected, its LED indicator will be green to let you know it’s playing at normal intensity. Pressing the Part button again will turn the LED indicator to red, notifying you that the part will play back with higher intensity. It’s a great way to add excitement to the end of a song, or to drive a chorus section harder.

Tips for programming a song on Trio Plus:

Press the SEQ button to enter sequencing mode, press the Part buttons in the order you want them to play back, then press the SEQ button again
You can make a part repeat multiple times in your song: just press the Part button as many times as you want it to play when you’re sequencing the song
Press a Part’s selector button to change the intensity of the part: the Part LED indicator will be green for normal intensity, or red for higher intensity

How do I reset my Trio Plus?

The Trio Plus pedal has a two different ways to reset things whether you want to try different guitar loops, or want to completely clear a song and start from scratch. If you have already trained the band for a song part, you can remove the current loop while leaving the band part in place. Press the Band to stop band playback (if it’s currently playing), and then press and hold the Looper switch for two seconds: the Looper LED will flash red to indicate you’ve removed the loop. If that was a mistake, don’t worry! Immediately hold the Looper switch again for two seconds to restore the loop.

You can also reset the saved songs on your Trio Plus pedal, essentially reverting it to its factory settings. Just press the Song button to enter song selection mode, and use the Style/Song knob to select the song you want to clear. Press and hold the Song button for two seconds to clear the song (the LED will flash red). This clears all the loops, band parts, and the song arrangement for that song, and cannot be undone: make sure you’re clearing the correct song!

How do I record my Trio Plus?

If you’re using the Trio Plus as a creative tool to explore new song ideas, it’s likely at some point that you’ll want to develop your ideas further using DAW software on your computer. If you have an audio interface for recording to your computer, you can send the band and your guitar loops from the Trio Plus to separate channels on your audio interface. Connect the Mixer Out to a line input on your audio interface, and connect the Amp Out to an instrument input on your audio interface. You’ll be able to record one mono track of the band and a separate mono track of your guitar loops, ready for further production and mixdown (if you want drums and bass on separate tracks, adjust their volume controls accordingly and record two passes).

If your goal is to capture ideas with Trio+ and then finalize them in your DAW, you can also simply use the microSD card storage to transfer files to your computer: no need for a recording interface. You will need to download DigiTech’s Trio Manager software to unpack the proprietary files, as you won’t be able to import them into your DAW as-is. This is the simplest workflow if you plan to use your Trio+ as a musical scratchpad.

Is the DigiTech Trio+ right for me?

As our No Fear Guides discovered while making the video, the DigiTech Trio+ Band Creator is a unique creative tool that will surprise you with what you can create. The results were as diverse as the musical input each player provided, and it was clear that new ideas were flowing non-stop. As a creative tool and a practice partner, the Trio+ Band Creator is a fantastic solution. Whether it’s a prime performance tool too will depend on your musical style: if you’re a solo singer-songwriter that wants the option of a backing band, but prefer to run a solo show, the Trio+ could be the ideal solution for you as well. By putting a trainable backing band right at your feet, the DigiTech Trio+ Band Creator pedal is ready to unlock endless new musical ideas for you.

Best Overdrive Pedal Under $50

Mark Brody — Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Mosky Audio Mini Silver Horse

The Mosky Mini Silver Horse is based on the near-mythical Klon Centaur overdrive pedal, complete with an enraged centaur on the front panel to drive the point home. Just like the pedal it’s based on, the Mini Silver Horse offers transparent overdrive with a wide gain range and plenty of volume boost on tap. Where the Mini Silver Horse deviates from its inspiration is with its two-way voice switch, giving you two distinct tonal voicings to play with.

Digging into some riffs and toggling the voice switch, it would appear that the Mini Silver Sky is switching between hard-clipping (like the Klon) and soft-clipping modes. Mosky doesn’t elaborate on what exactly is going on between the two modes, but it’s easy to hear that the voice switch adds a bit of aggression (or takes it away) without changing the overall character of your core tone.

Spend some time with the Mini Silver Sky and you’ll find a range of great tones to explore, and it can be as smooth or as edgy as you’d like it to be. Whether you’re a fan of Klon-style pedals in general, or you’re simply looking for a versatile overdrive solution in a mini-pedal format, the Mosky Mini Silver Horse is a capable performer.

It has everything — it does "the thing"! — Jay Leonard

This just has that mean sound!” — Steve Sterlacci

Best Overdrive Pedals Under $50 -12 Pedal Overdrive Shootout

Mosky Audio Mini Silver Horse Fast Facts
• Based on the legendary Klon Centaur overdrive pedal
• Voice switch allows you to choose between two clipping modes
• Treble control adds presence to darker pickups, or tames bright single-coil pickups

Mosky Audio Mini Silver Horse Pedal

Caline CP-511 Enchanted Tone Overdrive

The Caline CP-511 Enchanted Tone Overdrive pedal aims to deliver the character of near-mythical Dumble amplifiers, the legendary boutique tube amplifiers favored by top players like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford, and many others. While most guitarists will never even have the chance to plug into a real Dumble amp, the hype around these rare amps has given pedal manufacturers like Caline plenty of motivation to try to encapsulate that sound in a pedal, and the CP-511 Enchanted Tone Overdrive doesn’t disappoint.

Most players agree that the “Dumble sound” includes smooth, sustaining overdrive, exceptional midrange richness and detail, and incredible touch sensitivity, and you’ll find all that here in the Caline CP-511. The Filter knob serves the same general role as a Tone knob, shifting the mid-frequency emphasis to beef up single-note lines, tighten up the low end, smooth out highs, and so on. The Gain knob ranges from subtle enhancement to full tube-style overdrive, and sounds especially lively when set to just the edge of breakup.

In our play tests, the Caline CP-511 is a great example of why so many guitarists become addicted to overdrive pedals. There’s a lot of tonal nuance to explore here, and the CP-511 always seems to sound musically useful, even at extreme settings. Whether you specifically want to try the “Dumble sound” for yourself, or you’re looking for an overdrive pedal that can enhance your core guitar tone without mutating it, you’ll find a lot to love about the Caline CP-511 Enchanted Tone Overdrive.

I feel like it reacted a bit more to how I played — I can actually feel a tactile response where if I push it a bit more, it’s going to give me a bit more. — Jay Leonard”

This is enhancing our current tube amp instead of making its own sound, and I think that’s why we preferred it. — Steve Sterlacci

Best Overdrive Pedals Under $50 -12 Pedal Overdrive Shootout

Caline CP-511 Enchanted Tone Overdrive Fast Facts:
• Emulates the sonic character of legendary Dumble guitar amplifiers
• Tube-style breakup with exceptionally rich midrange detail
• Controls for Volume, Filter, and Gain

Caline CP-511 Enchanted Tone Overdrive Pedal

Donner Blues Drive Vintage Overdrive

The Donner Blues Drive overdrive pedal is reminiscent of the classic BOSS Blues Driver pedal, beloved by players for decades for its creamy-yet-crunchy character. The standard controls for Gain, Volume, and Tone are enhanced with a Warm/Hot mode selector for two distinct overdrive voicings. All this is packed into a mini-size pedal with true bypass switching, with power provided via 9V power supply (sold separately).

You’ll find the Volume control offers plenty of gain above unity, great for boosting a crunchy tube amp into full overdrive. In Warm mode, the Donner Blues Drive offers full-range overdrive with a relatively balanced response. Engaging Hot mode with the toggle switch seems to boost the low end a bit for fatter tone, and noticeably boosts the volume to hit your amp that much harder. And sweeping the Tone control offers a subtle sonic shift, probably most useful for compensating for overly-bright or dark pickups.

If you’re looking for tube-style crunch that maintains the balance of your core guitar tone, the Donner Blues Drive Vintage Overdrive pedal fits the bill. It offers the essence of what players love about the classic Blues Driver pedal, with the addition of a Warm/Hot mode switch for added sonic tenacity.

Donner Blues Drive Vintage Overdrive Fast Facts
• Full-range overdrive pedal with controls for Volume, Tone, Gain, and Warm/Hot mode selector
• Hot mode adds a gain boost and beefs up your low end for fatter tone
• Gain knob ranges from mild crunch to aggressive tube-style overdrive

Donner Blues Drive Vintage Overdrive Pedal

TC Electronic Cinders Overdrive

The all-analog TC Electronic Cinders Overdrive pedal serves up the warm harmonic grind associated with a cranked tube amplifier. And the Cinders Overdrive is all about touch sensitivity — even when you’re playing quietly at bedroom volume, notes seem to pop off the fretboard in a tactile way. There are plenty of overdrive pedals that boast about their tube-like tone, but not all of them offer that snappy feeling of a tube amp at the edge of breakup. In this regard alone, the Cinders Overdrive makes a great first impression.

Controls for Tone, Volume, and Drive make it easy to dial in practically any overdrive tone you could want, from subtle harmonic emphasis to tube-like distortion. And even at higher gain levels, the Cinders Overdrive maintains definition, clarity and dynamics: no midrange mush here. This makes Cinders a great candidate for stacking with other overdrive pedals, or for boosting an already-overdriven amp further.

In short, the Cinders Overdrive is a capable performer that offers a wide gain range to explore, remaining punchy and defined at whatever volume level you play at. With all this packed into a rugged, road-worthy metal case, the TC Electronic Cinders Overdrive offers big value at a low price.

TC Electronic Cinders Overdrive Fast Facts:
• All-analog overdrive with tube-style breakup and touch sensitivity
• Remains articulate and defined, even with high gain levels or low volume
• Ranges from subtle grit to full tube-like distortion

TC Electronic Cinders Overdrive Pedal

TC Electronic El Cambo Overdrive

TC Electronic makes it no secret that the El Cambo Overdrive is based on the iconic Tube Screamer circuit. Controls for Drive, Level, and Tone unlock the classic recipe for midrange-focused grind that will cement your guitar’s place in the mix. And with impressive range offered by its Drive and Tone knobs, El Cambo can dial in a huge range of overdrive styles and tailor them to suit any guitar and pickup configuration.

El Cambo is designed to mimic the aggressive grind of a tube amp being pushed to its breakup point, and it feels pleasingly punchy whether you’re working with your amp’s clean channel or a crunch channel that’s already breaking up. While many players use the original Tube Screamer at lower gain levels into an already-overdriven amp, El Cambo’s gain knob feels a bit more versatile and useful at higher gain levels. And with plenty of volume on tap, El Cambo is a super choice for a boost pedal that can offer a bit more than just a simple clean boost.

There are plenty of TS-style overdrive pedals that offer the classic midrange-focused tube screamer sound. El Cambo definitely offers this, while giving the controls just enough extra range to offer you much more than a vintage TS pedal could.

This is just more fun — I had more fun playing guitar because of the initial transient. When I gave it the goods, it went there! — Jay Leonard

Best Overdrive Pedals Under $50 -12 Pedal Overdrive Shootout

TC Electronic El Cambo Overdrive Fast Facts
• All-analog Tube Screamer-style overdrive pedal with controls for Drive, Level, and Tone
• Symmetrical-clipping overdrive circuit for amazingly fluid and musical-sounding harmonic saturation
• Ultra-rugged construction is sure to withstand your hardest gigs

TC Electronic El Cambo Overdrive Pedal

JOYO Vintage Overdrive

One look at the JOYO Vintage Overdrive pedal’s green finish suggests we may be entering Tube Screamer territory, and plugging in confirms it. The JOYO Vintage Overdrive pedal offers the classic mid-boosted overdrive tone players love about the Tube Screamer, without paying a premium for a vintage original or a fancy re-issue. With a simple set of controls for Volume, Gain, and Tone, the JOYO Vintage Overdrive makes it easy to shape your tone for rock, blues, alternative, and other musical styles.

As a mid-focused overdrive pedal, the JOYO Vintage Overdrive offers plenty of midrange bark and bite. You’ll notice your low end tightens up considerably, and highs are smoothed out without losing presence altogether. While it can sound a bit congested when played solo, its true prowess shines in a full band mix. The filtering created by this type of overdrive circuit helps cement your guitar’s place in the mix, allowing it to own the midrange while leaving plenty of sonic space for bass and drums.

At low gain settings, the JOYO Vintage Overdrive is perfect for tightening up your guitar tone and boosting your favorite amp into its sweet spot. At higher gain settings you get the classic TS-style grind that has made this style of pedal a mainstay on pedalboards for decades. For rock and blues, the JOYO Vintage Overdrive will allow you to nail plenty of classic guitar tones.

JOYO Vintage Overdrive Fast Facts
• Mid-focused overdrive based on classic Tube Screamer pedals with JRC4588 chip
• Optimizes your tone for a band mix, with tighter lows and smoother highs
• Use as a tone-enhancing boost with low gain to supercharge your favorite amplifier’s crunch channel

JOYO Vintage Overdrive Pedal

VSN Blues King Overdrive

Players looking for blues-style tube overdrive may just find it in the VSN Blues King Overdrive pedal. Controls for Volume, Gain, and Tone give you all you need to dial in everything from subtle harmonic enhancement to sustaining tube-style drive. And a two-way mode switch gives you access to Normal and Fat modes to tailor your sound further.

In Normal mode, the VSN Blues King is a relatively transparent overdrive without any obvious frequency emphasis. Engaging the Fat mode adds some low-end weight and high-end presence, with noticeably hotter output too. It’s a good way to beef-up the sound of single-coil pickups, or to bolster a guitar with relatively lower output.

With its extremely affordable price, and the versatility of its two selectable modes, the VSN Blues King Overdrive is a budget-friendly solution for blues-style overdrive.

I thought this was amp-like, typically I like more amp-like overdrive” — Steve Sterlacci

Best Overdrive Pedals Under $50 -12 Pedal Overdrive Shootout

VSN Blues King Overdrive Fast Facts:
• Tube-style overdrive pedal with two selectable voice modes
• Normal mode offers balanced response, Fat mode boosts output and beefs up low frequencies
• Controls for Volume, Gain, Tone, and 2-way mode selector

VSN Blues King Overdrive Pedal

Satone S805 Mandarin Overdrive

If you’re looking for a little more tonal control than a standard 3-knob overdrive offers, the Satone S805 Mandarin Overdrive may be up your alley. This amp-in-a-box overdrive pedal goes beyond a typical Tone control with separate Treble and Bass controls, giving you a ton of control over your sonic balance. There’s also an impressive amount of gain on tap, getting close to distortion at the top of its range, and plenty of volume for solo boosts as well. With the volume rolled back, the Mandarin Overdrive still offers convincing tube-like breakup that makes those quiet, “don’t wake the baby” sessions a bit more fun than usual.

As an amp-in-a-box-style overdrive pedal, the S805 Mandarin Overdrive definitely wants to be the foundation of your tone. Play it into your clean channel with your amp’s tone controls set flat, and use the Mandarin Overdrive’s EQ controls to shape your sound. You may find that using it as a typical overdrive into an already-driven amplifier may sound more indistinct than you’d like, or you may discover your new favorite distortion sound: results will vary. As with any amp-in-a-box overdrive, it’s worth plugging directly into your amp’s effects return if it has one: this bypasses the tone-shaping in your amp’s preamp stage completely, and may surprise you with how vivacious it sounds.

The Satone S805 Mandarin Overdrive definitely has a character of its own, and there’s a wide range of sounds to explore here. If you’re looking for an overdrive pedal that can turn your amp’s clean channel into a blues or classic rock machine, you’ll definitely want to try the Satone S805 Mandarin Overdrive.

Satone S805 Mandarin Overdrive Fast Facts:
• Amp-in-a-box-style overdrive/preamp with controls for Volume, Gain, Treble, and Bass
• Delivers the intensity and articulation of a cranked tube amp, even at low Volume settings
• 2-band EQ allows you to shape mid-boosted or -scooped tones, smooth out highs, beef up low end and more

Satone S805 Mandarin Overdrive Pedal

Flamma FC07 Overdrive

The Flamma FC07 Overdrive aims to deliver the essence of vintage tube amp overdrive in a convenient mini-pedal format. Instead of trying to copy a specific vintage overdrive circuit, the FC07 Overdrive offers the rich harmonic excitement and responsive touch sensitivity that players look for in a good tube amp. Controls for Volume, Overdrive, Tone, and a 2-way voice switch give you plenty of tonal territory to explore, from mild grit to sustaining drive.

Plugging into the FC07 Overdrive in Warm mode, you’ll find the classic mid-focused overdrive character ready to go, but with a bit more definition and “air” than you would get from a typical TS-style overdrive. Low gain settings add edge and harmonic richness to your tone, while cranking up the gain adds drive and sustain while remaining well-defined. Engaging Hot mode kicks everything up a notch, adding noticeable boosts to gain and volume. Between the two modes you have the flexibility to liven up a boring clean channel, or to send a tube amp past its breakup point: you may find that it stacks well with your current overdrive pedals, too.

When it comes to rich tube-style tone, sonic flexibility, and touch sensitivity, the Flamma FC07 Overdrive punches well above its weight class, so to speak. Depending on your style, it could be the perfect complement to your existing pedals and amplifier, or it could become your tonal foundation as an always-on pedal. And at its ultra-low price, there’s really no reason not to give it a try.

Flamma FC07 Overdrive Fast Facts:
• Emulates tube amp-style overdrive in a mini-pedal format
• Controls for Volume, Overdrive, Tone, and 2-way voice switch
• Warm mode emulates smooth tube breakup, Hot mode boosts gain and volume for exceptional tenacity

Flamma FC07 Overdrive Pedal

Behringer OD300 Overdrive/Distortion

Sometimes you may want smooth overdrive, and sometimes you may want to unleash some savage distortion. There are plenty of pedals that offer both modes, but the Behringer OD300 Overdrive/Distortion takes it a step further. The OD300’s Mode knob seamlessly morphs from Overdrive to Distortion mode, and gets into fuzz territory when you turn it fully clockwise. Combined with the classic combination of Level, Tone, and Drive controls, the OD300 Overdrive/Distortion puts a very useful spin on the familiar overdrive pedal formula.

Spend some time tweaking the knobs on the OD300, and you’ll soon discover a big difference in character at the extremes of the Overdrive and Distortion modes. There’s plenty of crunch and bark at the Overdrive side of things, while the max Distortion setting may bring the BOSS Metal Zone to mind. You’ll likely find your favorite setting somewhere between the two, but the next time you need a “character pedal” to make a specific guitar part stand out in a recording, you may just be reaching for the OD300.

While the OD300 Overdrive/Distortion doesn’t claim to mimic classic vintage effects, its overdrive tones are convincingly tube-like and musically useful: everything you could ask from a budget overdrive pedal, when you think about it. And when you’re feeling sonically adventurous, there is a lot of uncharted sonic territory to explore at the extremes of the Tone and Mode controls.

Behringer OD300 Overdrive/Distortion Fast Facts:
• Continuously-variable OD/Distortion mode control allows you to create custom blended tones
• Ranges from tube-like crunch with harmonic enhancement to searing, sustaining distortion
• Powered via 9V battery or 9V power supply (sold separately)

Behringer OD300 Overdrive/Distortion Pedal

Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive

Savvy guitarists have long known that Behringer’s affordable range of stompboxes deliver respectable effects at low prices. The TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive pedal is a great example: it offers convincing tube-style harmonic enhancement at a very low price, with little compromise other than its plastic casing. At lower gain levels, the TO800 adds a touch of tube grit and bite, while higher gain amounts approach distortion territory without quite getting there: you’re sure to find a variety of useful settings here.

Based on classic Tube Screamer pedals, the Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive utilizes authentic 4558 op amps and MA150 distortion diodes for its midrange-dense voice. And just like any good TS-style overdrive pedal, the TO800 works equally well as a solo boost or as an always-on overdrive pedal.

With its extremely affordable price tag, many players try the TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive as pedalboard fodder: “I won’t mind if I accidentally leave it at a gig” can be found in more than a couple online reviews. But with its versatile gain range, and overall impressive TS-style overdrive tone, the TO800 is one “give it a try” pedal that may remain on your pedalboard for quite some time.

Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive Fast Facts
• Tube-style overdrive with Drive, Level, and Tone controls
• 4558 op amps and MA150 distortion diodes for vintage authenticity
• Powered via 9V battery or 9V power supply (sold separately)

Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive Pedal

KMISE Vintage Overdrive

While the KMISE Vintage Overdrive packs the classic 3-knob overdrive format into a mini green pedal, it claims no association with the famous Tube Screamer. Instead, KMISE touts the Vintage Overdrive’s inclusion of a noise reduction circuit, intended to eliminate the noise commonly associated with simple overdrive circuits. The result is an overdrive pedal that doesn’t hiss at you when you’re not playing, even at higher volume settings.

From the first few notes you play, it’s clear the KMISE Vintage Overdrive isn’t trying to mimic any one specific overdrive pedal. Instead, it delivers a full-range reproduction of your tone while adding its own unique flavor of overdrive. If you’re looking for an alternative to the more common flavors of overdrive you’ll find on the market today, the KMISE Vintage Overdrive pedal could be worth checking out.

KMISE Vintage Overdrive Fast Facts
• Classic 3-knob overdrive with Drive, Volume, and Tone controls
• Noise reduction circuit reduces the excessive noise associated with vintage overdrive circuits
• Powered via 9V power supply (not included)

KMISE Vintage Overdrive Pedal

Putting overdrive pedals under $50 to the test
From this diverse selection of affordable overdrive pedals, our No Fear Guides were tasked with crowning a champion. We put these pedals head to head, and auditioned them solo too. Riffs and rhythms were laid down with both single-coil pickups and humbuckers, at a range of volume levels from bedroom-appropriate to stageworthy. The results were informative, surprising, and fun!

Our head-to-head tests narrowed down the range of 12 pedals to six preliminary finalists: Donner Blues Drive, Mosky Mini Silver Horse, TC Electronic El Cambo, Caline CP-511, FLAMMA FC07, and VSN Blues King. Pitting these semi-finalists into a head-to-head challenge, our top three emerged: the Mosky Mini Silver Horse, Caline CP-511 Enchanted Tone, and FLAMMA FC07 Overdrive clearly stood out above the others in our testing. But at the end of the day, which pedal would receive the honor of the best overdrive pedal under $50?

Mosky Audio Mini Silver Horse: the best overdrive pedal under $50
While it was a close finish, our No Fear Guides agreed that the Mosky Audio Mini Silver Horse overdrive pedal offered the biggest value under $50. Between its transparent character that respects your guitar’s core tone, its harmonically-rich drive, and the versatility of its two voice modes, the Mini Silver Horse is ready to earn a place on any guitarist’s pedalboard. The Mosky Mini Silver Horse could be your always-on tonal foundation, a gritty alternative to your amp’s crunch channel, or a transparent solo boost to hit your amp harder. However you use it, we’re confident you’ll find huge value in the Mosky Audio Mini Silver Horse overdrive pedal.

“I feel like I can do more with this — I like the way it sounds, it has good versatility, and I think for the money the Mini Silver Horse would be the best bet to go for. — Jay Leonard”