
For Rock Candy, Orianthi set out to write and record a song a day. Leaning into spontaneity to spark creativity, the result is as stylistically diverse as her impressive résumé, which includes performing with Steve Vai, Carlos Santana, Alice Cooper, Michael Jackson, and Prince.
As both a solo artist of the highest order and a session ace who has worked with the music world’s elite, Orianthi has succeeded not only because of her immense talent, but also because she knows how to get things done. When Orianthi (Penny Panagaris) was offered a guitarist role on the Alice Cooper tour, she learned 25 of his songs (many quite difficult) in a week—all during a time when she was in the middle of recording her own album.
After a performance at the 2009 Grammy awards with Carrie Underwood, she was scouted by Michael Jackson’s musical director, Michael Bearden, who contacted her on Myspace to audition for Jackson’s This Is It tour (which sadly never materialized due to Jackson’s untimely death). Orianthi got the call while she was in the studio with legendary songwriter Diane Warren, finishing up one last song for her album, Believe. By the next day, she arrived at the audition ready to play Jackson’s hits, like “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Dirty Diana,” and “Beat It.” The latter song featured the late Eddie Van Halen’s virtuosic solo, which she had to play onstage with the King of Pop at the audition. Talk about high pressure! That solo is hard enough to scuffle through in the comfort of your bedroom … imagine doing it while standing next to the greatest entertainer of all time, in a room full of scrutinizing eyes atop folded arms? And she got the gig!
“From a young age, I’ve been thrown into what people would say is like going from zero to 100 situations,” says Orianthi, who opened up for Steve Vai at only 15 (and later wrote and recorded “Highly Strung” with him). “And you go, ‘Okay, I’ve got to do this,’ and you just think positively and just have that enthusiasm. There’s no time or space for fear or doubt. I think that’s the best place to be.”
Orianthi - "Light It Up" - Official Music Video
While most artists are crippled by a double dose of writer’s block and the constant second-guessing of ideas, Orianthi’s latest release, Rock Candy, was written and recorded at warp speed (some songs were written in about 10 minutes). Producer Jacob Bunton joined Orianthi in the studio. “Wegot together and decided to make Rock Candy in 14 or 15 days. It was this project that we put upon ourselves to do it that way and we worked well under pressure,” Orianthi says. “It was pretty much a song a day, recorded each day, and then after I left, he would stay up late adding things and taking away things. We were both like workabees for that amount of time. We wrote the song, I laid down my vocals, put down my guitar and all that kind of stuff, on that day. He would build the basic tracks. After we did all of that, we got the band to play on it, like live drums and whatnot.”
“You go, ‘Okay, I’ve got to do this,’ and you just think positively and just have that enthusiasm. There’s no time or space for fear or doubt.”
This isn’t to say that Orianthi always just breezes through everything. In the past, she’s gotten caught up in that vicious cycle of obsessively laboring over material that, by all accounts, was already fine. “Sometimes when you force things, it doesn’t happen. Sometimes when you overthink, it destroys things,” she reveals, “because of your surroundings, too, you’re surrounded by people that are second guessing or adding to your paranoia. Sometimes it’s great when it’s constructive criticism and they make it better. Other times people don’t have the same idea, or the same energy feel, and that interferes. Sometimes it’s better to keep less cooks in the kitchen. Otherwise, it can turn into a five- or six-year project, or a two-year project, or a never-ending project. Or it will never get done, never get released. I’ve only had that happen a few times, but at the end of the day, the best records that I’ve made and had fun with were the ones I did really fast. When you make music for the moment and for yourself, you can experiment a lot.”
Orianthi fingerpicks her signature PRS Private Stock Custom 24 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California, on January 26, 2023.
Photo by Brad Elligood
Recorded at the iconic Sunset Sound studio in Hollywood, Rock Candy is Orianthi’s most stylistically diverse effort to date. While there are many moments of heavy guitar, particularly on tracks like “Light It Up,” with its infectious boogie riff, and “Getting to Me,” “Fire Together,” and the album closer, “Illuminate, Pt. II,” where Orianthi’s guitar solos sizzle, the album offers more than just fretboard pyrotechnics. “That’s why it’s called Rock Candy,” says Orianthi. “Everyone thought I covered the Sammy Hagar song, which I love, mind you—it’s a great song. But it really sums up the whole record. There’s a little bit of rock, a little bit of pop, it’s kind of sugar-coated, then there’s like really heavy and weird and edgy. It’s a vibe that we went for. We wanted something that was in the moment and not overthought. Keeping that childlike outlook really helped sometimes.”
Orianthi was raised in a household where music was a religion. Her dad, a gigging guitarist, reveled in a mix of rock and blues with Hendrix, Clapton, and Santana in heavy rotation, while her mom put on the Top 40 every Sunday morning. Orianthi is often classified as a rock guitarist, but she’s also worked with a lot of pop artists from Jason Derulo to Anastacia, and that pop influence seeped heavily into this new album. Songs like “Where Did Your Heart Go” have a distinct commercial feel with Orianthi’s vocals belting out honest, heart-on-sleeve lyrical content inspired from diary entries, which were written during some trying times in her personal life. “I’m a fan of a great pop song. I started as a songwriter listening [to everyone from] Elvis Presley to Roy Orbison to the Beatles. The Beatles are incredible songwriters, but they wrote pop songs, too, you know? That’s where my love of just writing came from. I was like 6 years old, listening to that and my mom’s pop collection,” she says.
Orianthi’s Gear
For Orianthi’s signature Gibson SJ-200 acoustic, she requested the neck profile from an ES-345 and designed the custom pickup with LR Baggs.
Photo by Richie Sambora
Guitars
- PRS Private Stock Custom 24 Blooming Lotus Glow Signature Model
- Gibson SJ-200 Signature Model
- 1963 Fender Stratocaster
Amps
- Orange Signature Combo
Effects
- Boss Delay
- Nexi Octaver Signature Model
Strings and Picks
- Ernie Ball .010–.056
- Dunlop 1.0 mm
Which begs the question: If the powers that be elected to transform and market Orianthi as a pop star, say, in the Billie Eilish mold, would she forsake the guitar? “No, no [laughs]. I can’t leave my guitar alone. Guitar is always going to be part of the deal. That’s for sure. For myself right now, where I’m moving into, it’s a different sort of journey and who knows what could happen in the future. My heart’s open, my mind’s open all the time, you know? Having that single, ‘According to You,’ that was a multi-platinum pop hit for me in 2010 that reached around the world. That was awesome to have that success with a pop song. And then I go, ‘Okay, that was cool and I’ve done that, but moving forward….’”
Always looking for new inspiration, Orianthi has recently been exploring the sounds of jazz artists. “I’ve been listening to Coltrane and stuff like that that’s out of the box, because if you try to play those melodies on guitar, it’s weird and it’s cool,” she says. “You listen to any Hendrix live performance. It’s not perfect, it’s never completely perfect, but it is perfect because it takes you on this colorful journey. I find it to be like light energy, where you’re not completely grounded and thinking of stuff you’ve done before. It’s just like moving forward. For me, as a guitar player, I want every performance to be better in the sense of the choice of notes and the melodies I’m coming up with. More out-of-the-box stuff, that’s important to me.”
“My dad took me to a Santana show and I was like, ‘That’s it! I’m giving up classical, I’m done with it.’ He played ‘Europa’ and those opening notes just hit me like lightning.”
Tracks like “Living is Like Dying Without You” feature a recent addition to Orianthi’s gear arsenal—her new signature Gibson SJ-200 acoustic. She was drawn to the J-200 because of its connection to Elvis and Johnny Cash. “I love the sound of a J-200 because it’s like a grand piano, it fills the room. I had a choice of other guitars when I went to Montana to create my model. Like, ‘Why would you choose a J-200? It’s massive.’ But why wouldn’t I? It sounds so good,” says Orianthi, who loved the guitar but had some reservations about its boat-sized neck. Later, at the Gibson showroom in Hollywood, she picked up a guitar that turned out to be the ES-345 that Bradley Cooper used in A Star is Born. After trying out this easy-to-play instrument, she requested an unexpected modification from Gibson for her signature axe.
“I was like, ‘Could we put an electric guitar neck on it?’,” she recalls. “They were like, ‘Yeah, we can do that. This is probably the first hybrid acoustic-electric we’ve done at Gibson.’ I’m like, ‘Why not, let’s do something different.’” Gibson mated the neck from an ES-345 to the SJ-200, and the result is a rich-sounding acoustic with the playability of an electric.
A lot of back-and-forth also took place in designing the custom pickup for her signature SJ-200. “I wanted to have a guitar where if you had a DI, the soundman could be passed out, high, or drunk and you would still sound good,” says Orianthi. “I modified that with LR Baggs, so there’s more midrange and compression. We actually adjusted the sound of the pickup by going back and forth with an LR Baggs acoustic pedal, over FaceTime and Zoom saying, ‘Modify this or modify that.’ That’s how the whole pickup system was created.”
For electric guitars, Orianthi’s signature PRS is her main instrument. The meticulously crafted instrument carries a steep price tag, retailing around $11,700. But a more accessible version may be on the horizon soon. “We’re in talks right now. Probably an SE model coming of that one,” reveals Orianthi. “Because a lot of people wanted to buy it and they couldn’t afford it. It’s very expensive, but it’s very well made. That is a dream guitar that was brought to life by the PRS team. Paul has really dialed it in. He picks the right woods, and everything is quality. They’re like Porsches [laughs], you know what I mean?”
When it comes to electric guitars, Orianthi sticks to her “dream guitar,” her PRS Private Stock Custom 24 Blooming Lotus Glow signature model. “They’re like Porsches [laughs],” she says.
Photo by Richie Sambora
For both her acoustic and electric playing, an interesting aspect of Orianthi’s style is that she often eschews picks, opting instead to use her right-hand fingers to articulate single-note lines. This technique has its origins in Orianthi’s formative years.
“I started classical at TAFE University when I was 10 and that was really boring, but my dad was like, ‘You should probably do this, and learn theory.’ I learned theory and got past two or three, I think, and passed really well, but I got major headaches from that stuff. My teacher was weird, and it was just boring. I didn’t like it very much at all. Then my dad took me to a Santana show and I was like, ‘That’s it! I’m giving up classical, I’m done with it.’ He played ‘Europa’ and those opening notes just hit me like lightning and I went, ‘There’s something there.’ I learned probably every Santana song. I watched Carlos play a lot; he doesn’t always use a pick. Especially sometimes when you want the note to sound a little sweeter and have less attack. But then to be honest with you, I lose my picks so much that I learned to play without a pick because there’s like this vortex of socks and guitar picks somewhere, all of mine that go missing. I get bowls of guitar picks and they just go. I don’t know if my cat eats them [laughs].”
Orianthi's New Album "Rock Candy" is out now!!!
In a pared-down duo situation, Orianthi gets sweet sounds using her pick-hand fingers to articulate melodies on a PRS hollowbody.
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This wonky Zim-Gar was one of many guitars sold by importer Gar-Zim Musical Instruments, operated by Larry Zimmerman and his wife.
The 1960s were strange days indeed for import guitars, like this cleaver-friendly Zim-Gar electric.
Recently I started sharing my work office with a true gem of a guy … one of the nicest fellas I’ve ever come across. If you’ve been following my column here, you might remember my other work mate Dylan, who is always telling me about new, fad-type things (like hot Honey guitars) and trying to convince me to use AI more. (What can I say, he’s a millennial.) But Steve, on the other hand, is about 10 years my senior and is a native New Yorker—Brooklyn actually, from the Canarsie neighborhood. Steve is a retired teacher and spent many years teaching in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn, and man, he has some amazing stories.
Mostly we talk about music and sports (he’s exiled here among us Philadelphia sports fans) and he’s just endlessly interesting to me. He has a huge appetite and can eat a whole pizza. When he talks, he sounds like one of the Ramones and he still has an apartment in Rockaway Beach. We both love Seinfeld and, like George Costanza, Steve knows where all the great bathrooms are across New York City. Since he’s been added to my circle (and is such a mensch), I decided I should work him into a column.
So here’s the connection: Back in the day there were many American importers, dealers, and wholesalers. A lot of them were based in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but I only know of one guitar importer located in Brooklyn: Gar-Zim Musical Instruments. The company was run by Larry Zimmerman and his wife, and the couple had some success importing and selling Japanese guitars and drums. I used to see early Teisco imports with the Zim-Gar badge, which was the brand name of Gar-Zim. I’ve also seen Kawai guitars with the Zim-Gar label, but the Zimmerman’s seemed to sell cheaper and cheaper gear as the ’60s wore on, including the piece you see here.
“This build reminds me of the cutting boards I used to make in wood shop back in my high school days.”
The model name and factory origin of this guitar is a mystery to me, but this build reminds me of the cutting boards I used to make in wood shop back in my high school days. The guitar is just flat across the top and back, with absolutely no contouring or shaping. Its offset body is plywood with a thin veneer on the top and back. From a distance this guitar actually looks kind of nice, but up close you can see a rather crude and clunky instrument that offers little flexibility and playability. The non-adjustable bridge is off center, as is the tremolo. It was really hard to get this guitar playing well, but in the end it was worth it, because the pickups were the saving grace. Another example of gold-foils, these units sound strong and raw. The electronics consist of an on/off switch for each pickup and a volume and tone knob. The tuners are okay, and the headstock design is reminiscent of the Kay “dragon snout” shape of the mid to late ’60s, which is where I would place the birthdate of this one, probably circa 1966. Everything is just so goofy about this build—even the upper strap button is located on the back of the neck. It reminds me of that era when simple wood factories that were making furniture were tasked with building electric guitars, and they simply didn’t know what they were doing. So, you get oddities like this one.
Gar-Zim continued to sell guitars and other musical instruments through the 1970s and possibly into the ’80s. I once even saw a guitar with the label Lim-Gar, which is totally puzzling. I think there should’ve been a Stee-Gar designation for my new buddy Steve-o! Yes, good readers, with guitars and me, there are always just a few degrees of separation.
Dive into the ART Tube MP/C with PG contributor Tom Butwin. Experience how this classic tube-driven preamp and compressor can add warmth and clarity to your sound. From studio recordings to re-amping and live stage applications, this time-tested design packs a ton of features for an affordable price.
Art Tube Mp Project Series Tube Microphone/Instrument Preamp
Designed in Rochester NY and originally released in 1995, the Tube MP is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025.
The Tube MP/C is the most fully-featured member of the Tube MP family, designed for recording guitarists and bassists. It is a tube mic preamp and instrument DI with advanced features including an optical compressor/limiter and switchable line/instrument output levels for use as a re-amping device.
In line with the MOOER’s recent expansion on the MSC range, the company is excited to announce the new MSC50 Pro, an Alder-bodied electric guitar with gloss finish, available in the new Magic Crystal color.
Featuring a roasted maple neck with a satin finish, a rosewood fingerboard for playing comfort, 22 frets, and a standard C shape, the guitar has been designed with classic guitarists in mind. This is beautifully emphasized with its beautifully resonant tonewoods, all while still being balanced perfectly with style and comfort of use.
The MSC50 Pro features all of the industry-standard features you might expect from such an impressively affordable guitar, such as bolt-on construction, a bone nut, and a dual-action steel truss rod. However, other features make the electric guitar stand out among others at a similar price point, such as its MTN-3LC locking tuning pegs, beautiful Abalone dot inlay, and, of course, its previously mentioned tonewood selection.
In order to capture the MSC50 Pro's balanced tonal profile, MOOER's luthiers have built it with three perfectly balanced pickups: the MSC-II N single coil neck pickup, the similar MSC-II M single coil middle pickup, and, best of all, the MHB-II B bridge humbucker. When these carefully chosen pickups are combined with the guitar's MPW 2-point chrome bridge, guitarists can make the most out of its tonal versatility, all while maximizing tuning stability.
To ensure that the guitar is suitable for a wide range of genres, both softer and higher-gain examples, the MSC50 Pro has a convenient coil split switch built into it, giving users better resonance control. Of course, this is also combined with a classic tone dial, a standard 5-way tone switch, and a volume control dial.
Overall, the MSC50 Pro reminds users of MOOER guitars that the company has never forgotten about its roots in classic-style guitars. Yes, the company is continuing to develop innovative guitar technology in other areas, but this electric guitar also represents a grounded approach, keeping things classic, sleek, and tonally versatile–all at a reasonable price point.
Features:
- Alder Body with a Gloss Finish
- Available in the Magic Crystal color
- Standard C-shaped roasted maple neck with a Satin finish
- Bolt-on construction
- 22-fret rosewood fingerboard
- Abalon dot inlay
- MTN-3LC locking tuners
- Bone nut
- Dual-Action Steel Truss Rod
- 12" radius
- 09-46 strings
- 25.2" scale
- MSC-II N Single Coil neck pickup, an MSC-II M Single Poil middle pickup, and an MHB-II B Humbucker Bridge Pickup
- Chrome guitar strap pin
- Coil Split Switch
- 5-Way Tone Switch
- Volume and tone dials
- MPW 2-Point chrome bridge
The MSC50 Pro will be available from the official distributors and retailers worldwide on 13th May 2025 at an expected retail price of USD419/Euro399/GBP339.
MOOER Expands Its Popular MSC Guitar Line with the MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro
MOOER has never shied away from innovation when it comes to its guitars. However, with the recently announced release of the MSC30 Pro and MSC31, the company reminds us that, sometimes, true innovation lies in mastering and enhancing a proven classic. With this philosophy, MOOER introduces two new exciting additions to their beloved MSC series of electric guitars.
Both the MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro continue MOOER’s philosophy of creating affordable guitars, but without sacrificing quality or performance, thanks to the poplar bodies and flame maple tops. Some guitarists will be drawn to the bright tones of the MSC30 Pro’s maple fingerboard, whereas others will prefer the warmer resonance of the MSC31 Pro’s rosewood alternative.
Each guitar features sturdy bolt-on neck construction, dual-action steel truss rods, bone nuts, and MTN-1 chrome tuning pegs (with the BK upgrade being reserved for the MSC31 Pro), ensuring tuning stability and comfort at all times.At the heart of both models are MOOER’s versatile MSC pickups, comprising the MSC-1N single-coil neck pickup, the MSC-1M single-coil middle pickup, and the powerful MHB-1B dual-coil humbucker at the bridge. Further complemented by a versatile 5-way pickup selector and exclusive coil split switch, players can effortlessly switch between a wide palette of tones, such as pristine cleans ideal for jazz or blues, or high-gain tones for heavier genres.
Tremolo support is also provided through both the guitar's bridges, with the MSC30 Pro featuring an MTB-1 2 Point Tremolo bridge, and the MSC31 Pro boasting an exclusive black MTB-1 BK 2 Point Tremolo bridge. Both bridges guarantee guitarists the ability to use tremolo bars in their guitar performances, without compromising the integrity of tuning stability.
Both guitars come with a selection of vivid new colors, complementing the guitar’s hardware with undeniable visual appeal. The MSC30 Pro is available in the classic finishes of Sunset Red, Lake Blue, Lemon Green, and Rose Purple. Meanwhile, the MSC31 Pro boasts its own selection of glossy finishes: Grey Burst, Blue Burst, Green Burst, and Purple Burst.
Overall, the MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro solidify MOOER’s commitment to combining quality craftsmanship, affordability, and versatility, giving guitarists of all levels the chance to own instruments that genuinely inspire.
Features
MSC30 Pro:
- Classic S-style design
- Poplar body with flame maple top
- Maple fingerboard
- Maple neck with satin finish
- Bolt-on neck construction
- 22 nickel silver frets, Abalone dotted inlay
- Coil split switch and versatile 5-way pickup selector
- MSC-1N/M single-coil pickups and MHB-1B humbucker
- 25.5" scale
- MTN-1 Chrome tuning pegs
- Available in gloss-finished Sunset Red, Lake Blue, Lemon Green, and Rose Purple
- Volume and tone dial
- Chrome strap pin
MSC31 Pro:
- Classic S-style design
- Poplar body with flame maple top
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Maple neck with satin finish
- Bolt-on neck construction
- 22 nickel silver frets, White Shell dotted inlay
- Coil split switch and versatile 5-way pickup selector
- MSC-1N/M single-coil pickups and MHB-1B humbucker
- 25.5" scale
- MTN-1 BK tuning pegs
- Available in gloss-finished Grey Burst, Blue Burst, Green Burst, and Purple Burst
- Volume and tone dial
- Chrome strap pin
The MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro will both be available from the official distributors and retailers worldwide on 2nd April 2025.
MOOER Gives Bassists What They Want with the New MBJ410 and MBJ420 Electric Bass Guitar Models
For 15 years, MOOER has built a critically acclaimed name for itself thanks to its cutting-edge electric guitars, pedals, and accessories. While the company is no stranger to building electric bass guitars, this has not been its focus for some time, hence why so many bassists are excitedly anticipating the release of the MBJ410 and MBJ420 electric bass guitars.
Both the bass guitars sport glossy Poplar bodies, keeping the price point affordable but without limiting their tonal resonance and versatility, whereas the MBJ420 holds the additional bonus of being built with a Poplar Burl top. Complete with roasted maple C-shaped necks (also accented with a gloss finish) as well as Roasted Maple fingerboards and White Shell dot inlays, the necks are designed to offer as much comfort as possible–a high priority for bass guitarists.
A 34" fret scale further enhances practicality for bassists, as does the neck's 12" radius. Strings are available in .045, .065, .080, and .100 gauges, providing something for any type of bass style - whether slapping, plucking, or picking techniques are preferred.Thanks to the industry-standard components of a dual-action steel truss rod and bone nut, the tuning and resonant stability of both the MBJ410 and MBJ420 models are also of a high standard. However, this is accentuated further by the guitars' strong and reliable BTN-1 tuning pegs, essential for heavier-gauge bass strings.
The tonewoods and structural integrity of the MBJ-series electric bass guitars wouldn't be complete without the accompaniment of the guitar’s two single-coil JB-style pickups. Combined with the MOOER BSC-2 bridge, both bass guitars have been carefully designed to amplify bass resonances excellently, complemented even further by their simple but effective tone dials. Two volume controls are also built in, ensuring that bassists can customize their sonic output to have the perfect tonal blend.
In terms of standout features, the main difference between the two bass guitars is the MBJ420's added poplar burl top, but most notably, the color selections. For the MBJ410, the bass guitar is available in Gunmetal Gray, Metal Green, and Metal Blue, perfectly suiting the stages of higher-gain performances. In contrast, the aesthetics of the MBJ420 are more classic, purchasable in Red Burst, Blue Burst, and Tobacco Burst. Finally, both guitars are topped with a chrome strap pin, enabling stylish and energetic live performances.
Overall, bassists will no doubt be excited to see MOOER return to electric bass guitars with the MBJ410 and 420 models. Of course, electric guitars will remain the focus for the company, but the release of these two new products is a reminder of just how accommodating MOOER is for its wide audience of musicians.
Features
- Electric bass guitar built with gloss-finished Poplar body (MBJ420 also features a Poplar Burl Top)
- Roasted maple C-shaped neck with a gloss finish
- Roasted maple fingerboard
- White Shell dot inlay
- 12” neck radius
- MOOER BSC-2 bridge
- VBJ-1 and VBJ-2 Single Coil pickups
- MOOER BTN-1 tuning pegs
- Bolt-on construction
- Bone nut
- Dual-action steel truss rod
- Pre-installed strings available in .045, .065, .080, and .100 gauges
- 21 frets
- 34"fret scale
- Colors available in Gunmetal Gray, Metal Green, and Metal Blue (MBJ410), and Red Burst, Blue Burst, and Tobacco Burst (MBJ420)
- Chrome strap pin
- 2 x volume control dials
- 1 x Tone dial
The MBJ410 and MBJ420 will both be available from the official distributors and retailers worldwide on 29th April 2025 at an expected retail price of USD319/Euro299/GBP249(MBJ410), USD399/Euro379/GBP319(MBJ420).
Our columnist’s silver-panel Fender Bandmaster.
How this longstanding, classic tube amp design evolved from its introduction in 1953.
I have a silver-panel Bandmaster Reverb that I don’t think I’ve talked about enough in this column. It’s one of the most versatile and flexible amps I own, so I use it for everything. It’s portable, has tube-driven reverb and tremolo, and has a full set of EQ knobs including the critical bright switch, which we discussed the importance of earlier this year (“How to ‘Trebleshoot’ a Vintage Fender Amp,” March 2025). The amp is not only pedal-friendly; the flexible 4-ohm output impedance will handle almost all speaker configurations and sound any way you’d like. Let’s take a deeper look at the Fender Bandmaster amp and walk through its development through the years.
The first Bandmaster was introduced in 1953 as a wide-panel tweed amp with Fender’s 5C7 circuit. This rare combo was loaded with a single 15" Jensen P15N and powered by dual 6L6GC tubes in push-pull configuration to produce a modest 25 watts. The 6L6GCs were cathode biased and along with the 5U4GB rectifier tube contributed to a forgiving sag, early breakup, and a midrange-y voice.
Fender made several changes when they launched that amp’s successor in 1955, the more widely known 5E7 narrow-panel Bandmaster, a well-proven amp that has come back as a reissue model. It was still a dual-channel amp—instrument and microphone—but the newer 5E7 model had a fixed bias and a negative feedback loop, providing a louder, firmer, and cleaner tone. Most importantly, the single 15" speaker was replaced by three 10" speakers, making it very similar to the narrow-panel tweed Bassman, the granddaddy of all Marshall amps. This Bandmaster had three speakers instead of the Bassman’s four, and it delivered 25–30 watts instead of 40. It offered early breakup with a midrange-y, big and full tone.
For those not acquainted with tweed amps, the volume and EQ knobs behave differently than on silver- and black-panel Fender amps. The volume pot can act like a distortion control, while the EQ knobs control the volume, and many players I’ve talked to have not really unlocked this secret. This works because, in these circuits, the volume pot sits right before the preamp tube, which allows it to push the tube into full distortion. Since the EQ pots are located right after and are capable of reducing the volume, you’re able to distort the preamp at low volume settings.
“Things became more standardized in 1964 with the arrival of the black-panel AB763 Bandmaster, an amp I have worked on a lot and appreciate for its robustness, simplicity, and versatility.”
In 1960, a short-lived and rare Bandmaster dressed in brown tolex and a black faceplate appeared with the 5G7 circuit. From here on, all Bandmasters had the modern top-mounted chassis. With this circuit, the Bandmaster started to both look and sound more like a black-panel amp. It kept the 3x10" speakers but got a diode rectifier and bigger transformers resulting in a 45-watt output. Tremolo was introduced for the first time, and both channels were now intended for guitar.
The following year, a blonde 6G7 Bandmaster followed as a smaller amp head paired with a 1x12 extension cabinet. It had the timeless early blonde looks with cream tolex, brown faceplate, oxblood grill cloth, large Fender logo, and white knobs. But halfway into the blonde era, towards 1964, things turned strange and rather confusing. There were suddenly two 12" speakers, black knobs, a wheat-colored grill cloth, a more slim black-panel-style Fender logo, a black faceplate, and all in various combinations close to the transition into ’64.
Things became more standardized in 1964 with the arrival of the black-panel AB763 Bandmaster, an amp I have worked on a lot and appreciate for its robustness, simplicity, and versatility. It offers a pure, clean, scooped black-panel tone that’s somewhere between a Vibrolux Reverb and Pro Reverb, which share the medium-sized 125A6A output transformer and dual 6L6GC tubes. With its medium/high power and flexible 4-ohm output impedance, it can drive all kinds of speaker cabinets—as long as you stay between 2 and 8 ohms, you are safe.
For a short time in 1967–68, there was a transitional Bandmaster with aluminum trim and black-panel innards before the all-new silver-panel Bandmaster Reverb replaced it in 1968. The small-head cabinet had grown in size and, unfortunately, weight to accommodate the reverb tank. The amp got a 5U4GB rectifier tube along with a few general silver-panel changes to the circuit. Several silver-panel models existed with minor differences until a 70-watt beast version came along in 1977 with master volume.
To my own 1968 Bandmaster Reverb, I have done a few adjustments. First, I made a custom baffle to hold two 8" speakers. I installed a pair of WGS G8C speakers that fit perfectly on the baffle board without colliding with the reverb tank or transformers. Sometimes, I use only one of the 8" speakers for bedroom volume levels. Second, I reversed the bias circuitry to standard AB763 specs, making it easier to adjust bias correctly on both power tubes. If you are into sparkling clean and funky Strat sounds, you would love this little 2x8" combo.