Articles by Joe Charupakorn
Keeley Filaments Review
August 24, 2017
Keeley’s first metal-oriented distortion excels—even beyond heavy realms.
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Line 6 Variax Shuriken Review
August 8, 2017
A whole universe of guitar tones awaits in a modern metal-oriented modeling axe.
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Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 Review
July 16, 2017
Tube potency meets programmability in a super-flexible 40-watt monster.
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Deep Purple’s Steve Morse: 'InFinite' Mastery
June 27, 2017
The guitar kingpin discusses the band’s new album, playing Ritchie’s licks, and his prodigious picking technique. He also offers two tips for every guitarist.
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Strymon Riverside Review
May 10, 2017
A hybrid JFET/DSP gain machine invites creative, unorthodox playing and defies preconceptions about digital distortion.
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Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher Channels Pain and Gain
April 28, 2017
With hearts plagued by sorrow, new amps that go to 11, and a new ESP Sparrowhawk signature model, the 6-string riff-master and his bandmates made the powerful—at times elegiac—new album, Emperor of Sand.
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Allan Holdsworth: 1946–2017
April 19, 2017
The 6-string innovator brought a deeper, more fully realized vision of guitar playing to the worlds of jazz and prog rock, and expanded the instrument’s sonic vocabulary.
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Marshall 2525C Mini Jubilee Review
April 4, 2017
A legendary brute is reborn as a bantamweight bruiser.
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Eric Gales: 'Middle of the Road' Full Album Premiere
March 6, 2017
Hear the untraditional blues-guitar beacon’s new collection of inspirational songs, which includes collaborations with Gary Clark Jr. and Lauryn Hill.
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PRS Sonzera 50 Review
February 15, 2017
A potent amp of many personalities—from blackface to brawny high gain.
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Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Gary Rossington: Simple Man, Big Tone
January 15, 2017
A 6-string legend gets back to blues-rock basics in a new album with wife Dale Krantz, and shares the recipe for his fat, classic Les Paul sound.
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Yamaha Revstar RSP20CR Review
November 25, 2016
Top-flight quality and go-fast looks in a sweet-sounding solidbody.
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Korn: Got the Life
November 3, 2016
James “Munky” Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch riff about how producer and longtime fan Nick Raskulinecz convinced them to bring back funky, detuned guitars on The Serenity of Suffering.
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Bogner Goldfinger 54 Phi Review
October 14, 2016
Reinhold's latest yields burly blackface and tweed tones, as well as crazy versatility.
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PG Exclusive! Devin Townsend Interviews Steve Vai
October 10, 2016
More than two decades after Townsend’s big break as a teenager singing for guitar “Svengali” Vai, the pair convenes to discuss the recent project that brought them full circle.
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Panama Fuego X Review
September 25, 2016
A compact, handwired powerhouse that delivers big tones and big value.
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Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH FR Review
September 7, 2016
The San Dimas lives again in a more versatile incarnation.
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Paul Gilbert: Swingin’ Carnage Blues
June 16, 2016
The shred idol looks beyond metal for inspiration on I Can Destroy, and reflects on dynamics, picking, playing with intent, and a few things he would have done different along the way.
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How to Record Crushing Tones
June 14, 2016
Monster producers Steve Evetts (Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die) and Chris “Zeuss” Harris (Shadows Fall, Rob Zombie) share their secrets on gear, gain, pedals, layering, microphones, and more.
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Marshall JCM 25/50 2555X Silver Jubilee Review
June 2, 2016
An elusive Marshall rarity reappears—reminding us how dynamic and versatile these big Brits can be.
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