
It may not be the sexiest part of your rig, but the speaker enclosure plays a crucial role in the signal chain. Here’s what’s going on inside.
In our mad pursuit of boutique gear, it’s easy to overlook the humble speaker cabinet. While we drill down on the merits and specs of various speakers, the box that houses them typically takes a backseat to everything else in our signal chain. Which ain’t right, if you think about it. No guitarist is going to wow the crowd dangling a raw 12" speaker from a pole, right? The truth is, your cab plays as important a role as any other device in your rig, so it’s worth taking the time to explore it in its various forms. We’ll cover key points that will better acquaint you with what you already own and help you make an informed decision the next time you purchase a combo amp or extension cab. And while we’re at it, perhaps we’ll dispel a few myths.
Cabinet Material
If you ask guitarists what their cabs are made of, most will say “wood.” That’s the short answer, but it’s also very broad and incomplete. There are many different types of wood, and what a builder chooses will affect how the cabinet performs. Each type of wood has its pros and cons, and whether a cab has an open or closed back has a huge bearing on what a builder chooses to construct it with.
Many combo enclosures are made from solid wood—particularly vintage Fenders, which were built with solid pine. And since vintage gear is the gauge by which most new gear is measured, replica pine cabinets have grown in popularity over the years. Solid pine cabs typically have an open back, meaning the speaker is exposed to the air and thus delivers a more diffused and less directional sound. Solid pine is lighter than other cabinet woods and, as anyone who has lifted a combo amp knows, weight savings can be crucial—especially if you haul your gear to lots of rehearsals and gigs. But pine flexes, and this can emphasize certain frequencies. Because open-back combos don’t trap soundwaves, but rather allow them to escape, you don’t end up with resonant frequencies being accentuated by the cabinet walls. This explains why solid pine is ideal for open-back combos. Closed-back cabinets are more focused and directional, so it’s rare to find one made of solid pine, due to the aforementioned flexing and the sonic chaos it can bring.
Whether a cab has an open or closed back has a huge bearing on what a builder chooses to construct it with.
Most closed-back, or sealed, cabinets are constructed from plywood, as are some combos. The industry standard is 18 mm Baltic birch plywood, which differs from the sheets of plywood sold at the hardware store. To be a useful cabinet material, plywood needs to be voidless—meaning there is no trapped air between the plies. Unlike plywood used for less demanding tasks, Baltic birch plywood is made to be voidless, and this prevents the cabinet walls from rattling when you play. In Baltic birch plywood, each ply is a uniform thickness, laid with the grain alternating between north-south and east-west, and the boards are laminated with exterior-grade adhesives. The rigidity of Baltic birch plywood makes it an excellent material for closed-back cabinets, such as 4x12s and bigger 2x12s. Because of how it’s made, Baltic birch is nearly indestructible. However, this also makes it very heavy, which is why you see wheels on a lot of these larger cabinets.
You’d think the strength of Baltic birch would make it a good material for bass cabinets. Well, bass cabinets tend to need more rigidity than even Baltic birch offers, so they’re often made with chipboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Both of these materials are extremely strong and have little-to-no flex because of the way they are made. Chipboard, sometimes called particleboard, is made by gluing together many different chips of otherwise useless wood scraps—and sometimes even sawdust. The chips are bound together with a resin and then drawn out into boards. MDF is made in much the same way, but, as its name suggests, uses much more finely broken-down wood fibers. This material is then pressed together with wax and resin at high temperatures. While the strength of these engineered materials is very high, so is the weight.
As a general rule, to do justice to the low frequencies of bass, mass wins. You need all that physical weight to help produce a burly low end. But there’s a downside to these man-made materials: They can deteriorate over time with heavy use, such as banging the cabinet against every stair as you hoist it up three flights to play for those 10 people.
Many combos have medium-density fiberboard cabs, which are sturdy but heavy. Some players opt to re-house their combos in aftermarket enclosures made of solid pine—the wood Leo Fender originally used. Available for popular models like this Fender Blues Junior, pine cabs look cool, shave pounds off the combo’s total weight, and arguably enhance the amp’s tone.
Photo by Andy Ellis
Cabinet Joinery
I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about different types of corner joints and how the joinery method impacts the cabinet. There are three main types of joints: the rabbet joint, the box or finger joint, and the dovetail joint.
The three types of joinery used for building speaker cabs. Dovetail joints are the strongest and are most often found on high-end cabinets with exposed, stained wood.
Diagram by C.J. Sutton
As you can see in the diagram, these are quite different from each other, but it’s important to note that unless the joint is made poorly and allows the corners to flex, the joinery type has virtually no effect on the sound. Rabbet joints are the most commonly used in domestic cabinets because they are fast and easy to execute, and they’re strong. Finger joints are the most sought-after because that’s how Leo did it in the ’50s and ’60s. These joints are stronger than rabbet joints and reduce the potential for flexing. The strongest of all is the dovetail joint. Good dovetail joints can hold together without any glue, but don’t worry—no one actually builds speaker cabinets with unglued dovetail joints. You’ll see dovetail joints on higher-end cabinets, particularly those made of stained wood with visible joints that are part of the look.
The Baffle
The front part of the cabinet where the speakers mount is called the baffle. It needs to be the strongest and most rigid piece of all because this part of the cabinet is subject to the most impact stress. Baffles are nearly always made with Baltic birch plywood, or in some cases even MDF—even if the cabinet walls are made of solid wood, such as pine.
There’s a lot of hubbub about whether speakers should be mounted to the front or rear of the baffle. When a cab has a front-loaded speaker, the grille is removable to allow access to it. Front-loaded speakers are found most often in bass cabs and ported guitar cabs, where the back of the cab is designed for rigidity and is not removable. A rear-loaded speaker attaches to the back of the baffle, which you access in closed-back cabs—such as a Marshall 4x12—via a removable back panel. Most open-back combo amps also sport rear-loaded speakers.
The rigidity of Baltic birch plywood makes it an excellent material for closed-back cabinets, such as 4x12s and bigger 2x12s.
The theory behind front-loaded speakers is that they don’t seal up perfectly to the baffle and thus allow air to escape, which adds some musicality to the sound. Also, in a recording situation, it’s easier to swap out front-loaded speakers in a quest for different tones. Conversely, rear-loaded speakers can be more of a pain to replace. In closed-back cabs, you have to remove the entire rear panel. If you’ve ever opened up a 4x12 cabinet, you know there are a lot of screws involved in securing that back panel. And if you’ve ever decided to take a shortcut and not put all the screws back in, then you know about the potential for ugly rattling.
A side note about 4x12 cabs: Some have posts inside that connect the center of the baffle to the rear panel. These baffle posts are designed to offer additional support and create one more connection point to keep the rear panel from flexing.
Speakers can be attached to either the front or rear of the baffle. Front-loaded speakers are accessed through a removeable grille; rear-loaded speakers are housed in open-back enclosures or in closed-back cabs with a removeable rear panel.
Diagram by C.J. Sutton
Before you can access the rear-loaded speaker in some open-back combo amps, you first have to remove the chassis. This means virtually disassembling the entire amp. Please note: Never stick your hand inside an amp chassis. There can be lethal voltages present even after the amp is turned off and unplugged.
So is one speaker-mounting method superior to the other? That depends on what you’re after: Rear-loaded speakers form a tighter seal to the baffle and provide a sound that works well with rock ’n’ roll and heavier music, and front-loaded speakers can sound airier. But there’s no right or wrong. My friend Jason Jordan of Monarch Cabs says it best: “It’s all a matter of preference, really. What guitarists think of as a “good” sound is based on the music they listen to. As builders, we have formulas for making speaker cabs sound a certain way. It is a science. But at the end of the day, you need to experiment and listen, and then simply go with what works for you and your playing.”
Although the vast majority of amp cabs have either an open back or closed back, it is possible to have both. This 4x10 Marshall cab has been professionally modified to be configured either way, depending on the size of the stage and the band’s music. If you’re considering doing this yourself, the trick is to cut the back panel into thirds and then completely wrap each piece in “cab carpet.” This creates a super-tight fit between the panels and prevents rattling. In closed-back mode, tour-case latches hold the middle section securely to the fixed top and bottom pieces.
Photo by Andy Ellis
Cab Placement
So what happens when you want to take your rig public? What should you consider when placing an amp or cab onstage? The answer depends greatly on whether the cab is going to be miked up or not. If it is, then the cab can really go anywhere. To keep the stage volume down, many bands face their cabs backward—or even remove them completely from the stage—because the miked sound will be fed back through the monitors, which can be either onstage wedges or in-ear buds.
If you’re not miking your speakers, and the sound from the cabinet is the sound the audience will hear, it gets a bit trickier. You have to position the amp so you can hear it while you’re playing, yet the audience also gets a good mix. If your cabinet has wheels, you might find that popping them off or setting the cab on its side increases low-end resonance through greater contact with the floor. But this stage coupling might introduce muddiness into the band’s sound—exactly what you want to avoid. It depends on the stage and room, and each venue is different. The way to tame unwanted rumble is to reduce contact with the floor, perhaps by using an amp stand, or keeping the wheels attached to your cab, or placing it on the rolling bottom of a road case. Wheels offer another advantage: They make it easier to move your cab around during soundcheck until you find the sweet spot where you, the band, and the listeners can all enjoy your cosmic licks.
Some amp cabs are designed not to be heard—at least by anyone in the immediate vicinity. Such sealed “speaker coffins” have an internal mic clamped to a gooseneck to allow for precise positioning. Accessed through a hinged trap door, the mic connects to a recording console or front-of-house mixer via an external XLR jack. Notice how the Celestion Greenback in this Demeter Silent Speaker Chamber is front-loaded to facilitate quick speaker swaps.
Photo by Andy Ellis
Visual Vibe
Some players swear the cab’s covering material—or even its color—and grille cloth have an effect on tone. In my experience, I haven’t noticed any evidence of this. Certain grille cloth materials, such as cane, are more rigid than others, and this could potentially influence the sound, but essentially grille cloth choice is cosmetic and if it has any effect at all on tone, it’s very slight. By the time the drums get pounding and you’ve cranked up your amp in response, it’s the speakers you’ll be hearing, not the grille cloth. And if you think a cab wrapped in red or green vinyl sounds better than black Tolex, who’s going to dispute that? After all, you might actually play better because you love the way your amp looks.
By the time the drums get pounding and you’ve cranked up your amp in response, it’s the speakers you’ll be hearing, not the grille cloth.
While some players agonize over the thickness of the grille cloth or cabinet covering material, there’s little evidence these cosmetic details have any significant effect on tone.
Photo by Michael Silva
Eyes On the Prize
When it comes to gear, my motto has long been “if it sounds right, it is right.” Once you understand the basics—wood, construction details, and how speakers are mounted—it’s then a matter of putting in the hours with different types of rigs and amp cabs.
In the process, you’ll develop an instinct for what sounds best with your guitars, technique, and musical style. And this is where the fun begins. My advice? Don’t stress over little things like what type of corner joints you have. Just get out there and play!
If you’re not miking your speakers, and the sound from the cabinet is the sound the audience will hear, it gets a bit trickier. You have to position the amp so you can hear it while you’re playing, yet the audience also gets a good mix. If your cabinet has wheels, you might find that popping them off or setting the cab on its side increases low-end resonance through greater contact with the floor. But this stage coupling might introduce muddiness into the band’s sound—exactly what you want to avoid. It depends on the stage and room, and each venue is different. The way to tame unwanted rumble is to reduce contact with the floor, perhaps by using an amp stand, or keeping the wheels attached to your cab, or placing it on the rolling bottom of a road case. Wheels offer another advantage: They make it easier to move your cab around during soundcheck until you find the sweet spot where you, the band, and the listeners can all enjoy your cosmic licks.
Blair White, a pedal consultant to the pros and owner of Nashville’s Eastside Music Supply, shares his favorite contemporary pedals for recreating—and reimagining—the gnarliest sounds of the past.
I love fuzz. I am so grateful for fuzz. I don’t know who or where I’d be—at least musically—without it. And whether or not you like using fuzz, you love fuzz, too. You just might not realize it. Fuzz pedals, which are considered loud, rowdy, and unnecessary musical devices by some tonal purists, have changed the world.
From Jimi Hendrix to Jack White, David Gilmour to Billy Corgan, fuzz pedals have not only shaped guitar sounds but shaped the way we think of and experience guitar. Starting in the 1960s, they have steered culture as the musical voice of protest (Hendrix’s “Machine Gun,” anyone?) and the communicator of a generation’s angst . And don’t forget the more recent doom and stoner genres! Also, some tones that you perceive as clean or merely overdriven are actually created by finding the sweet spot between a fuzz pedal and a guitar’s volume dial.
There are tons of different fuzz pedals out there right now, so navigating all of your options can seem like a difficult task. We truly live in the golden era of gear and, as a pedalhead, I’m here for it. But the roots of fuzz run deep to earlier eras. So in that spirit, here are some of my favorite modern fuzz boxes that nail the tones of yesteryear—without the vintage-market price tag. Enjoy! And keep thinking fuzzy!EarthQuaker Devices Hoof ($179 street)
The Hoof is a flagship pedal from this Akron, Ohio-based company, and for good reason. This pedal’s circuit is rooted in a specific tall-font Sovtek Big Muff owned by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. According to Jamie Stillman, owner of EQD, Auerbach’s favorite Big Muff didn’t sound quite like other green Russian Big Muffs he’d played, so he approached Stillman to recreate its hairy goodness. The Hoof is a hybrid of germanium and silicon transistors—a modern variant of the Muff’s legendary, strictly silicon sound. While the original is a 3-knob fuzz (volume, tone, and distortion), the kicker here is a fourth “shift” control that allows you to dial in additional midrange to your liking. Want that doom-y wall of sound? It’s here. Need a bit more string articulation for your riffs? It can do that as well. Built tough, the Hoof is extremely easy to use to get killer vintage fuzz tones and will take a beating on the road.
Way Huge Swollen Pickle ($149 street)
Star designer Jeorge Tripps has had a huge impact in the pedal world for decades. The Swollen Pickle is one of the staples in his creative lineup. What started as a 3-dial Big Muff-style fuzz (See a pattern here?) took on a life of its own with the addition of “filter” and “scoop” controls. Between these two knobs, the sonic landscape is huge... you could even say way huge. The newest version of the Swollen Pickle features additional clipping options under the hood that allow you to tweak further, should you feel the need. But out of the box, this fuzz is a ripper capable of searing leads and wall-of-sound chords. Built like a tank, with a reasonable market price, I’m a big fan of this one. It’s great for guitarists interested in a Big Muff-rooted fuzz without committing to that voice exclusively. Definitely check it out!
Mythos Pedals Golden Fleece ($139 street)
Sometimes simple and stupid is the best approach, and it absolutely works with the Golden Fleece. This single-knob, no-nonsense fuzz from Zach Broyles’ company is a fine-tuned machine with a minimum of options. All the tough decision making has already been done and built into a germanium-and-silicon-based circuit. So, don’t let this pedal’s size and lack of additional controls scare you. It is a monster fuzz pedal.
With its single “more” knob (the output volume), touch dynamics, the pickup selection on the guitar, and guitar volume and tone settings play a huge role in the results. It cleans up extremely well and can go from light and crunchy to full-on saturated awesomeness. Tone-wise, it lives in a unique vintage-fuzz sweet spot. Muff-y? It kinda can be, but it has much more clarity and string definition. Fuzz Face-y? Yes, but it’s much smoother, while simultaneously more aggressive. You’d think a fuzz pedal with one knob would be easy to explain, but this pedal just does so dang much. I’m a huge fan of the tones that this stomp offers—especially at $139, and with the tiny amount of precious pedalboard real estate required. Mythos calls it, “your gateway pedal to fuzz.” Fair enough!
Analog Man Sun Face ($195 street)
What’s a list of killer vintage-sounding fuzzes without an Analog Man pedal? It’s no secret that Mike “Analog Man” Piera sits high up on the list of vintage-fuzz experts, and his constantly in-demand pedals (you’ve heard of the King of Tone?) are a direct result of his passion and knowledge of old-school dirt. I could write a whole article on his smartly crafted fuzz pedals alone. But the Sun Face, as the name might lead you to believe, is Analog Man’s take on the legendary Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face—that little round box championed by guitar heavyweights like Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, and Pete Townshend. But Analog Man doesn’t just make a one-size-fits-all Fuzz Face clone. Piera offers a dozen different variations of the pedal, with a multitude of choices. Both silicon and germanium transistors are available, as well as low- and high-gain options, which are a result of Mike carefully hand-selecting transistors that allow us nerds to get very specific about what flavor of Fuzz Face sound we want in our rig. The Sun Face is a top-quality build from a top-quality builder. You really can’t go wrong with any variation if you’re chasing the vintage-fuzz dragon.
Red River Amplification Bonetender ($199 street)
The Bonetender was created out of a love for the classic MkII Tone Bender circuit, which Sola Sound debuted in 1966. This device has two knobs, three transistors (Russia-made NOS MP41A “flying saucer” transistors, for the super-nerdy), and a name that bears its influence on its sleeve. David Britton of Red River Amplification in Nashville has nailed the classic Tone Bender sound. He hand-picks his PNP germanium transistors to craft a warm, round voice, with insane sustain and exceptional clean-up. This straight-to-the-point 2-knob (dirt and volume) fuzz provides instant joy for players of all skill levels and is easily one of my favorite MkII-inspired fuzz pedals.
By the way, since you’ve seen the terms germanium and silicon come up in this article several times by now, I should probably give a quick explanation of what they are, for fuzz novices. Silicon and germanium transistors are semiconductors that amplify or alter electronic signals, like those produced by your guitar that travel through your cable. Silicon transistors are more modern, and were developed in the 1950s. Germanium transistors were developed in the 1940s, and opened the door to solid-state electronics. The earliest germanium fuzz pedal, the Maestro FZ-1 used by Keith Richards on “Satisfaction,” was introduced in 1962. The first silicon pedal appeared in the late '60s. Generally, silicon is less responsive to guitar volume attenuation but more temperature-stable than germanium, which can be fussy in hot or cold weather, but pedals using either germanium or silicon can blow a hole in the side of a barn. Okay?
ZVEX Fuzz Factory ($319 street)
Where to start with this one? Odds are you know about this pedal. It’s a staple on so many rigs. It has inspired thousands of guitar players, as well as other pedal builders. It has been loved and used by fuzz purveyors like Trent Reznor and Billy Gibbons. And it is a modern classic. It started as a Fuzz Face clone, but the Fuzz Factory quickly carved its own path in the pedal world, though it’s a bit divisive among players due to its chaotic nature. The Fuzz Factory, which debuted in 1995, was one of the first pedals that purposely use feedback-loop-style self-oscillation—something that other builders at the time tried to avoid. But this stomp’s self-oscillation can easily be tamed and is part of what makes it so damn versatile. The Fuzz Factory is perhaps one of the most flexible fuzz pedals ever created, capable of nearly any tone you’ve heard on classic records or sounds you hear in your mind. Ripping Velcro-style Jack White vibes, spikey “Satisfaction” leads, or full-blown wall-of-sound fuzz are all here! If you're not scared of fuzz pedals with more than three knobs, the five on this stomp (volume, gate, compression, drive, and stability) allow you to explore fuzz in new, creative ways.
Benson Amps Stonk Box ($279 street)
Chris Benson quickly went from unknown apprentice at Verellen Amplifiers and repair tech at Old Town Music in Portland, Oregon, to in-demand, consistently backordered boutique amp builder, and for good reason. Also, his contributions to the pedal world have been fantastic—specifically his creation of what he terms “automatic thermal bias technology.” Essentially, he invented a system that regulates and stabilizes the bias of germanium transistors in a pedal, no matter how hot or cold it is outside. This is a big deal! And the Stonk Box? It is a Tone Bender MkI-inspired device that excels in vintage fuzz voices, with tone, volume, filter, and trim controls. It nails the FZ-1, MkI, and Zonk Machine sounds (which are all basically the same thing). It does the sought-after, beautiful, blossoming fuzz sound. And it can surely handle your Keef riffs, but the range of this high-quality build goes well beyond that.
Rude Tech 3MuF-14 Distortion/Fuzz ($255 street)
Jesse Rhew, of Rude Tech in Nashville, really knocked this one out of the park. Taking three well-loved and legendary Sovtek Big Muff circuits—the "Civil War," "Green Russian," and "Black Russian"—and putting them in one enclosure is cool, right? But the modern improvements and additions included in the 3Muf-14 make these classic sounds more usable in any setting. If you’ve played a Big Muff-style circuit, you know it’s very common for your guitar or bass to lose presence as soon as you turn the Muff on in a live-band setting. Because of this, a lot of players run their Muff-style fuzzes into mid-heavy overdrives or EQs, so they don’t get lost in the mix. The 3MuF-14 adds a mid-focused drive circuit with its own footswitch, so your sweet riffs aren't left out of the fun. As you’ve gathered by now, there are lots of killer Big Muff-style circuits out there, but if you’re looking for a gig-able option that offers just enough tweak-ability without menu diving, the 3MuF-14—with volume, tone, and sustain dials, plus toggles for tone and Muff-style selection—should be on your watch list.
But Wait, There’s More!
These are my favorites, but there are dozens more fuzz pedals, at all kinds of price levels and control options, worth investigating. See Ted Drozdowski’s companion story for a rundown of many of these, and, meanwhile, here are a few more pedals that are on my radar right now, and the historic devices or characteristics they emulate.
• JAM Pedals Octaurus (currently sold out): For fans of the Univox Super-Fuzz, Shin-Ei Companion, and Tycobrahe Octavia.
• Seeker Electric Effects SUPA (currently sold out): MkI and MkII Tone Bender
• Yesterday Effects Peach Fuzz ($200 street): Frantone Peach Fuzz
• ThorpyFX Field Marshall ($254 street): Lovetone Big Cheese
• Death By Audio Fuzz War ($180 street): Inspired by the Colorsound Supa Tonebender
• Spaceman Effects Spacerocket (currently sold out): An “intermodulation” fuzzPaul Reed Smith also continues to evolve as a guitarist, and delivered a compelling take on Jeff Beck’s interpretation of “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” at the PRS 40th Anniversary Celebration during this year’s NAMM.
After 40 years at the helm of PRS Guitars, our columnist reflects on the nature of evolution in artistry—of all kinds.
Reflecting on four decades in business, I don’t find myself wishing I “knew then what I know now.” Instead, I’m grateful to still have the curiosity and environment to keep learning and to be in an art that has a nonstop learning curve. There’s a quote attributed to artist Kiki Smith that resonates deeply with me: “I can barely control my kitchen sink.” That simple truth has been a guiding principle in my life. We can’t control the timing of knowledge or discovery. If profound learning comes late in life, so be it. The important thing is to remain open to it when it arrives.
I look at what’s happened at PRS Guitars over the last 40 years with real pride. I love what we’ve built—not just in terms of instruments but in the culture of innovation and craftsmanship that defines our company. The guitar industry as a whole has evolved in extraordinary ways, and I’m fortunate to be part of a world filled with passionate, talented, and good-hearted people.
I love learning. It may sound odd, but there’s something almost spiritual about it. Learning isn’t constant; it comes in stages. Sometimes, there are long dry spells where you can even struggle to hold onto what you already know. Other times, learning is sporadic, with nuggets of understanding appearing here and there that are treasured for their poignancy. And then there are those remarkable moments when the proverbial floodgates open, and the lessons come so fast that you can barely keep up. I’ve heard songwriters and musicians describe this same pattern. Sometimes, no new songs emerge; sometimes, they trickle out one by one; and sometimes, they arrive so quickly it’s impossible to capture them all. I believe it’s the same for all creatives, including athletes, engineers, and everyone invested in their art.
Looking back over 40 years in business and a decade of preparation before that, I recognize these distinct phases of learning. Right now, I’m in one of those high-gain learning periods. I’ve taken on a teacher who is introducing me to concepts I never imagined, ideas I didn’t think anyone could explain—things I wasn’t even sure I was worthy of understanding. But when he calls and says, “Have you thought about this?” I lean in, eager to absorb, not just to learn something new for myself, but because I want him to feel his teaching is appreciated, making it more likely that the teaching continues.
“Learning isn’t just about accumulating knowledge; it’s about applying it, sharing it, and evolving because of it.”
Beyond structured teaching, learning also comes through experience, discovery, and problem solving. We recently got our hands on some old, magical guitars, vintage pickups, microphones, and mic preamps. These aren’t just relics; they’re windows into a deeper understanding of how things work and what the engineers who invented them knew. By studying the schematics of tube-mic preamps, we’re uncovering insights that directly influence how we wire guitar pickups and their electronics. It may seem like an unrelated field, but the many parallels in audio engineering are there if you look. Knowledge in one area has a ripple effect, unlocking new possibilities in another.
Even as I continue learning, I recognize that our entire team at PRS is on this journey with me. We have people whose sole job is to push the boundaries of what we understand about pickups, spending every day refining and applying that knowledge so that when you pick up a PRS guitar, it sounds better. More than 400 people work here, each contributing to the collective advancement of our craft. I am grateful to be surrounded by such a dedicated and smart team.
One of my favorite memories at PRS was at a time we were deep into investigating scale lengths on vintage guitars, and some unique pickup characteristics, when one of our engineering leaders walked into my office. He had just uncovered something astonishing and said, “You’re not going to believe this one.” That excitement and back-and-forth exchange of ideas is what keeps this work so rewarding.
As I reflect on my journey, I see that learning isn’t just about accumulating knowledge; it’s about applying it, sharing it, and evolving because of it. I get very excited when something we’ve learned ends up on a new product. Whether lessons come early or late, whether they arrive in waves or trickles, there is always good work to be done. And that is something I just adore.
The country artist and session weapon packed a range of acoustics for some recent studio time.
Charlie Worsham was just wrapping up some tracking down at Sony Studios in Nashville when PG’s John Bohlinger caught up with him for a look at what tools he packs for a recording gig. Worsham had with him some of his most treasured acoustics, electrics, mandolins, banjos, and more, plus a collection of primo picks for all applications. Check out the highlights below.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Guitar So Nice, He Bought It Twice
This 1963 Martin D-28, gifted to him from his parents, was Worsham’s first serious vintage guitar. Around 12 years ago, he took it into a shop for a refret, and after a freak in-store accident left it in pieces, Worsham accepted a check for the guitar’s value, and walked away.
A while later, he noticed it hanging on the wall of the same store—reassembled and fit for service again. Worsham couldn’t help himself; he bought it back, making it “the guitar so nice, [he] acquired it twice.”
He runs it with D’Addario XS strings and likes bluegrass gauges: mediums for the E, A, and D strings, and lights for the G, B, and high E strings. It’s kitted out with an LR Baggs HiFi pickup. And the scratches around the soundhole and pickguard? Those came courtesy of John Osborne’s heavy picking hand.
Check, Please
Worsham reckons he’s probably played this treasured Gibson J-50 on more records than any other guitar he owns. After he took the check from the busted Martin D-28, he used it to buy this one.
Family Jewel
This Parker mando used to belong to John Osborne, Worsham’s former bandmate. Worsham was always borrowing this mandolin, so when Osborne decided to sell it, Worsham picked it up to keep it in the family.
Burkett from ’Bama
This mini Burkett was built by luthier James Burkett in Alabama. Its nut is equivalent to a capo on the third fret of a regular acoustic.
Tune in to the full video to see Worsham’s Ohm open-back banjo, P-90-equipped Gibson mandolin, an Osborne-owned Strat, and a super-special wedding-gift ES-335 from Vince Gill.
Tweed Fit for a Prince(ton)
Worsham took Tom Bukovac’s wisdom and got himself a Fender Princeton Reverb, which he still loves, and he runs it alongside a Nashville Amp Works clone of a golden-era tweed Fender Deluxe.
Charlie Worsham’s Pedalboard
At his feet, Worsham runs a pedalboard with a Sonic Research ST-300 tuner, Browne Amplification Protein, Mythos Mjolnir, Guyatone ST2, Electro-Harmonix Canyon, Neunaber Immerse, Strymon El Capistan, and Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl HiFi.
PG contributor Tom Butwin demos seven direct boxes — active and passive — showing off sound samples, features, and real-world advice. Options from Radial, Telefunken, Hosa, Grace Design, and Palmer offer solutions for any input, setting, and budget.
Grace Design m303 Active Truly Isolated Direct Box
The Grace Design m303 is an active, fully isolated DI box, delivering gorgeous audio performance for the stage and studio. Our advanced power supply design provides unbeatable headroom and dynamic range, while the premium Lundahl transformer delivers amazing low-end clarity and high frequency detail. True elegance, built to last.
Rupert Neve Designs RNDI-M Active Transformer Direct Interface
Compact design, giant tone. The RNDI-M brings the stunning tone & clarity of its award-winning counterparts to an even more compact and pedalboard-friendly format, with the exact same custom Rupert Neve Designs transformers and discrete FET input stage as the best-selling RNDI, RNDI-S and RNDI-8.
Telefunken TDA-1 1-channel Active Instrument Direct Box
The TDA-1 phantom powered direct box uses high-quality components and classic circuitry for rich, natural sound. With discrete Class-A FET, a European-made transformer, and a rugged metal enclosure, it delivers low distortion and a broad frequency response. Assembled and tested in Connecticut, USA, for reliable performance and superior sound.
Hosa SideKick Active Direct Box
The Hosa SideKick DIB-445 Active DI delivers clear, strong signals for live and studio use. Ideal for guitars, basses, and keyboards, it minimizes interference over long runs. Features include a pad switch, ground lift, and polarity flip. With a flat frequency response and low noise, it ensures pristine audio.
Radial JDI Jensen-equipped 1-channel Passive Instrument Direct Box
The Radial JDI preserves your instrument’s natural tone with absolute clarity and zero distortion. Its Jensen transformer delivers warm, vintage sound, while its passive design eliminates hum and buzz. With a ruler-flat response (10Hz–40kHz) and no phase shift, the JDI ensures pristine sound in any setup.
Radial J48 1-channel Active 48v Direct Box
The Radial J48 delivers exceptional clarity and dynamic range, making it the go-to active DI for professionals. Its 48V phantom-powered design ensures clean, powerful signal handling without distortion. With high headroom, low noise, and innovative power optimization, the J48 captures your instrument’s true tone—perfect for studio and stage.
Palmer River Series - Ilm
The Palmer ilm, an upgraded version of the legendary Palmer The Junction, delivers studio-quality, consistent guitar tones anywhere. This passive DI box features three analog speaker simulations, ensuring authentic sound reproduction. Its advanced filter switching mimics real guitar speaker behavior, making it perfect for stage, home, or studio recording sessions.