PG Editors Ted Drozdowski, Jason Shadrick, and Director of Video Content Chris Kies pick their favorite gear from day 2.
Ted Drozdowski - Editorial Director
Boss Tube Amp Expander
<p>If chasing big, bold tones is your thing–but you can’t do it at brain-crushing volumes–consider investigating Boss’ Tube Amp Expander. Highly compatible with amps and DAWs, the Expander is a power attenuator with deep controls and adaptability. It’s also easy to use. A dial on the front switches between two impedance settings, appropriate for a combo or a stack. There are 10 rig presents, and it’s easy to design and save your own, too. There’s an “air” dial for ambiance, and speaker, line out, and headphone options. If headphones is your thing, just plug in your amp and don’t worry about a cab. Running with a DAW, a wide world of IRs, effects, and more becomes available. At dealers now at a $699 street price.</p>
Chris Kies - Director of Video Content
Godin Connaisseur MJ Flattops
<p>Our North American neighbors at Godin Guitars brought the brand-new Connaisseur MJ flattops. A solid spruce top, solid rosewood back & sides, mahogany neck, and ebony fretboard make this a sturdy, stout ride. Each of these studs come with the <a href="http://www.lrbaggs.com/" target="_blank">LR Baggs</a> HiFi electronics, but we're not sure how much you're gonna want to plug in when this baby jumbo sings so well on its own.</p>
Jason Shadrick - Managing Editor
EVH Wolfgang Trans Amber
<p>EVH's custom shop was quite busy as well. As an unapologetic fan of '90s Van Halen, the finish on this Wolfgang Trans Amber brings back so many memories. Along with the basswood body and Quilt Maple arched top, it has 22 stainless steel frets, EVH Floyd Rose bridge, and Wolfgang Black and Creme Zebra humbuckers. Streets at $5,800.</p>
The PG Editors pick their favorite gear from Ernie Ball, Martin, Huss & Dalton, Seymour Duncan, and more from the first day of NAMM.
Ted Drozdowski - Editorial Director
Huss & Dalton Trey Hensley Acoustic
<p>The adventurous bluegrass burner Trey Hensley & acoustic stalwarts Huss & Dalton combined to release a delightful dread that a thermo-cured Adirondack red spruce, wavy east Indian Rosewood for back, sides & peghead, Honduran mahogany with diamond volute, herringbone purfling, and Gotoh SXB510V open-back nickel tuners.</p>
Jason Shadrick - Managing Editor
Ernie Ball Stingray II
<p>Ernie Ball announced a new collaboration with Cory Wong called the StingRay II. Cory wanted more <a href="https://www.premierguitar.com/tag/humbucker?utm_source=website&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=Smartlinks">humbucker</a> flavors in his arsenal, so these models feature his signature HT pickups, roasted maple neck, and stainless steel frets. They start at $2,999 with the Deluxe version listing for $3,299.</p>
Dig into the details of new gear from EHX, Gibson, Martin, Dumble, Collings, EVH, and more! Check back for daily updates from the convention.
Martin D-3 Millionth
<p>Chris Martin shows off the 3,000,000th Martin serial number at their annual NAMM kick-off press conference. It’s an immaculate feat of craftsmanship that shows off Martin’s 192-year history via the tree rings across the top and a pickguard that shows a map of the locations of the company’s factory over the years. There will be three models made and only one put up for sale. Chris mentioned that there will be a “production” model that is slightly less ornate, slightly more available (30 pieces), and a bit more affordable ($300,000).</p>
Martin D-28 Billy Strings and D-X2E Billy Strings
The big news from the Martin press conference was the release of a pair of new signature models from Billy Strings. The D-28 Billy Strings was based upon his 1940 D-28 with a unique 25” scale length, custom nut, and modified low oval satin neck. It’s a pro-level model that will street for $3,799. The D-X2E Billy Strings has a MSRP of $899 and still features the same scale length and custom nut, but also includes Martin’s E1 electronics, and a hemp softshell case.
Mooer Audio have fine-tuned and updated their sleek GS1000 Intelligent Amp Profiling Processor that now allows guitarists around the world to emulate their favorite gear with immense precision–specifically, for distortion pedals, preamps, amplifier heads, and cabinets.
Huss & Dalton TD-R Trey Hensley Signature
<p>The adventurous bluegrass burner Trey Hensley & acoustic stalwarts Huss and Dalton combined to release a delightful dread that a thermo-cured Adirondack red spruce, wavy east Indian Rosewood for back, sides & peghead, Honduran mahogany with diamond volute, herringbone purfling, and Gotoh SXB510V open-back nickel tuners.</p>
Third Man Hardware & Eventide Knife Drop
The Third Man Pedal Universe (TMPU) gained another member via this collaboration with Eventide. It’s part fuzz, part octaver, and part synth. It will rattle the rafters and create some of the dirtiest fuzz and growls you can imagine. One of the highlights of the show so far. It’s available now for $299.
Collings 71 Model
Collings brought a brand-new solidbody model to this year’s show. The 71 model introduces not only a new offset body shape, but their first 6-in-a-line headstock. The neck feels smooth and fast and can be customized with T-style pickups from Lollar, Throbak, or Ron Ellis. There’s even a push-pull tone control for series/parallel switching.
Ernie Ball & Cory Wong StingRay II
Ernie Ball announced a new collaboration with Cory Wong called the StingRay II. Cory wanted more humbucker flavors in his arsenal, so these models feature his signature HT pickups, roasted maple neck, and stainless steel frets. They start at $2,999 with the Deluxe version listing for $3,299.
Carr Skylark Special
Boutique amp builder Steve Carr has teamed up with Ken Haas from Reverend guitars at NAMM this year, providing the combos for those who want to sample the diverse range of Reverend’s guitars. Among the amps is an updated version of Carr’s successful Skylark model, the Skylark Special, with a new rectifier structure, 2-ply construction for 5 pounds less weight and improved resonance, a deeper reverb, a 12-watt attenuator, and a wider hi/lo range. It ain’t cheap, at $3390 for the combo, but it’s badass!
Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 Bass
Seymour Duncan unveiled the newest addition to its popular Powerstage workhorse pedal series … for bass. The Powerstage 700 Bass is a power amp with huge headroom that’s designed for use with modelers and has a rich menu of functions: drive, level gain, multi-band EQ, master volume, and EQ bypass, presence, frequency. The tag is, aptly, $700.
Seymour Duncan Joe Bonamassa Greenburst Stratocaster Set
Seymour Duncan and blues-rock hero Joe Bonamassa continue their decade-long collaboration with Strat pickups based on the set from Joe’s own fabled 1964 refin-ed Strat he calls the Greenburst. These are exacting reproductions of that guitar’s stock grey-bottom pickups, made for tone hunters, and carry a $375 MAP. They’ve got period-correct wiring and staggered alnico 5 magnets, and sound notable punchy with a higher output. The first 500 come in limited edition packaging signed by JB himself.
Dunable Stregas
<p>Dunable Guitars luthier Tony Tirado introduced his own line of handbuilt Strega 7-string guitars–a perfect cut for metal in style and sound, with pickups with extended low-range clarity, custom-wound in the Dunable shop. The guitar line, whose entries are tagged at about $3,850, is entirely the brainchild of Tirado, who explained that they are an outgrowth of his passion for metal as well as his design aesthetic, which tends toward angles, edges, and fins‑–classic flourishes with a fresh spin. They clock in at very well-balanced 7–8 pounds, but sound heavy as hell.</p>
Huss & Dalton 30th Anniversary
<p>Celebrating their 30th anniversary, Huss & Dalton brought a knockout OM that was decked out from head to tail with beautiful tonewoods, intricate inlays, and a snappy sound that'll make you forget about it's dread-dead looks.</p>
Mesa/Boogie 90s Dual Rectifier
<p>Get the JNCOs and flannels out because Mesa Boogie went back to the future with the release of the 90s Dual Rectifier that combined the best parts of the F & Rev G amps and created a modern monster. The 100W tonezilla has two channels (now with their "cloning" so you can Vintage or Modern Modes on either channel, patented switchable rectifiers (tube or silicon diode), and of course, they're using 6L6s.</p>
Gibson Murphy Lab Heavy Aged Acoustic Collection
<p>These might look like old Gibson friends (and that's the point), but these are fresh out of the factory in Bozeman, Montana. Under the watchful eye of Tom Murphy, the relic rage has fully sunk deeper into their acoustic operation as they're now offering heavy-aged options for their flattops like the 1960 Hummingbird and 1939 SJ-100, which hasn't been made in nearly 90 years!</p>
VegaTrem VT1
VegaTrem brought a new tool to the trade show with the introduction of the VT1 Evolution that works for all the Floyd-Rose freaks to give you all the dive-bomb debauchery, but with a flick of a switch, you had a blocked trem that lets you easily slide into drop-D tuning or open tunings for slide. It's a piece of machined metal, but the ingenious design will help gigging guitarists cover a lot of ground on any given set without any guitar changes.
L.R. Baggs AEG-1
With its remarkable acoustic properties, L.R. Baggs was able to successfully amplify the AEG-1 with their most accurate system yet — the revolutionary HiFi Duet. Equipped with their award-winning HiFi Bridge Plate Pickups and studio-quality Silo Microphone, the AEG-1 is versatile for any stage, big or small.
Cole Clark True Hybrid Thinline Grand Auditorium
If you can't decide between acoustic or electric, Cole Clark has you covered with their striking True Hybrid Thinline Grand Auditorium with a nitrocellulose blue top. The Hybrid is entirely made from sustainable tonewoods: AA grade Australian blackwood (top, back & sides), Queensland maple (neck), and ebony (bridge & fretboard). The thinline is loaded with all Cole Clark electronics starting with their PG3 acoustic pickup system and a H-S-S magnetic pickup set. And a three-way toggle engages (electric/both/acoustic).
NUX MG-300
NUX updated their MG-300 modeler with a MKII unit that now includes a 25 amps, plus a bunch of effects like a noise gate, two compressors, 13 overdrive & distortion sounds, a wah, two EQs, 14 modulations, seven delays, and five reverbs. And if that wasn't enough, you can create and store up to 24 user-loadable IR slots to freely create your own unique tones.
NUX Amp Core Studio & Drive Core Deluxe MKII
<p>NUX Core lineup saw a pair of additions including the Amp Core Studio & Drive Core Deluxe MKII. The Amp Core Studio boasts 26 amp models and you can store up to 20 amp presets with built-in NUX IR cabinets or 3rd party IRs. Their three scene modes switching between different amp tones in real-time.The Drive Core Deluxe MKII still has a 100-percent pure analog circuit, but now it's stocked with eight distinct TS-style sounds. Another new (and impressive) tone tweak is the post-boost function (engaged by holding down the footswitch) that gives your signal a 7dB kick in the pants! </p>
Cherub Pix Tune Tuner
If you're tired of the boring tuning game, Cherub Technology's new Pix Tune clip-on tuner offers 16 vibrant display modes that includes draining a soccer goal or swishing a basketball when getting your string in the sweet spot. It has a stainless steel clamp (with rubber pads) to make sure it's snug on your instrument's headstock for a good fit and better tune.
Ren Ferguson Slop Shoulder Dreadnought
<p>Ren Ferguson is a master luthier and has worked with several companies throughout his impressive career, but his current venture is building custom instruments under his own name (with some help from family). He's putting all the knowledge and expertise he's absorbed over the decades he's worked constructing workhorse guitars that not only sound stellar, but look the part, too. He showed us his slope-shouldered dread that was a clydesdale of an acoustic that looked regal and sounded powerful.</p>
Mayones Duvell DT6 & DT7
<p>Mayones is a dealer devilishly dashing instruments and they did not disapoint with the introduction of their Duvell DT6 & DT7 models that strip back away some of their high-end appointments to briing the guitar into a more-obtainable price point. That being said, don't be fooled, these shredders still rip and are handmade in Poland at the same small shop. These two feature a swamp ash body, a 5-ply maple-wenge neck, blackheart fretboard, TUSQ nut, Hipshot Grip-Lock tuners, and a single Velvetrone Ironside & Solium 7 pickups. (Each model has pickups made to their spec based on 6- or 7-string configuration.)May</p>
Magnatone Starlite
<p>Magnatone showed us three killer amps that have their own flair. The 1x8 Starlite Reverb is still the single-ended 5W combo with a single 6V6 & 12AX7 that can bark between a black-panel and tweed, but now it includes Accutronics Digi-Log reverb that has optimized gain stages ensure the reverb seamlessly integrates with the amp’s natural sound, preserving the true classic tone of Magnatone amps.</p>
Gibson J-45
<p>The heralded J-45 & Hummingbird Gibson acoustic models go the no-frills treatment with the release of the Special series that focuses on creating inspiring, well-built instruments that skimp on the extra but not on the tone. These American-made dreads provide the bell-like chime, sparkle, and articulate punch we love from their lineage but come in at a competitive price point.</p>
Gibson Warren Haynes Signature Les Paul
<p>You're not visiting Gibson and not checking out Les Pauls, and were lucky enough to see two fresh faces with the Warren Haynes signature that has a chunky mahogany neck, a pair of growly P-90s, and most notably, a small switch that ignites a clean boost for an angrier purr.The other Lester we saw a sunburst Standard 50s beast that had its pickup covers removed and gave it a pure 1959/60 vibe.</p>
Thorn Soundlabs Assorted Pedals
<p>Thorn Soundlabs, a brand-new pedalmaker out of Nashville, Tennessee, made a splash at NAMM with the debut releases in their product line–a whopping seven guitar pedals and two bass pedals, with a promise of many more to come. At the show, Thorn revealed the Silver Spurs ($180 MAP), a super flexible distortion; the Bad Cash ($180 MAP), a TS on steroids; the Magma ($225 MAP), a distortion and noise gate combo for metal players; the Black Swamp ($190 MAP), a flexible fuzz/OD; the Steam ($195 MAP), a compressor with a control set geared to beginners and expert players; the Tremonator ($229 MAP), a–yep–tremolo stomp; and the Freaq ($140 MAP), a double-stage booster, all for guitar. The two bass entries: an overdrive called the Basstard ($175 MAP) and a compressor dubbed the Steambass ($195). Stay tuned for more releases.</p>
Fluence Greg Koch Gristle-Tone ST Signature Pickup Set
Fishman introduced a new set of Greg Koch signatures, the Gristle-Tone ST Strat-style trio, at NAMM 2025, as part of its Fluence series. They are remarkably hi-fi sounding, with exceptional definition, clarity, and punch. And while they come stock in Koch’s latest Reverend Signature model, the Gristle ST, you can get ’em from Fishman for your S-style axe at $269 (street) per set. PS: You gotta watch the demo video!
Boss Tube Amp Expander
<p>If chasing big, bold tones is your thing–but you can’t do it at brain-crushing volumes–consider investigating Boss’ Tube Amp Expander. Highly compatible with amps and DAWs, the Expander is a power attenuator with deep controls and adaptability. It’s also easy to use. A dial on the front switches between two impedance settings, appropriate for a combo or a stack. There are 10 rig presents, and it’s easy to design and save your own, too. There’s an “air” dial for ambiance, and speaker, line out, and headphone options. If headphones is your thing, just plug in your amp and don’t worry about a cab. Running with a DAW, a wide world of IRs, effects, and more becomes available. At dealers now at a $699 street price.</p>
Radial Engineering Highline Passive Line Isolator
Naw, this ain’t a DI. It’s Radial’s NAMM-fresh Highline passive line isolator, which comes in mono ($179 street) and stereo ($249), and uses premium Jensen transformers to preserve your signal’s pure sound. The Highline takes 1/4" cable (with XLR outs) for connecting amp simulators or pedals to your amps or a DAW. It’s compact and pedalboard friendly, and the Mono version sums stereo sources down to mono. The Stereo can take four 1/4 ” inputs and deliver a stereo signal, but it can also sum stereo sources down to mono. And it fits snugly under a pedalboard.
Darkglass Kaamos
Darkglass deals in the dirty arts and the new collaboration with Taylor Swift bassist Amos Heller is no exception with the Kaamos that blends a powerful distortion with octave-down tones. Real-time routing controls let you shape your signal path with ease—stack effects in series for rich saturation or run them in parallel for intricate, layered textures. A movable effects loop, configurable in three distinct positions, opens up new possibilities, while a dedicated sub-octave output unlocks creative multi-amp setups. Every detail is precision-engineered to put you in complete control of your sound.
Godin Artisan
<p>Canadian crew Godin Guitars reintroduced their Artisan line (original run in the '90s) with some modern updates and posh appointments. Both the Artisan TC (slide 1) & Artisan ST-II (slide 2) include Canadian Laurentian basswood bodies drizzled with a barrel-proof, high-gloss Whiskeyburst finishes, hard-rock maple necks, a maple fretboard on the singlecut and an ebony board on the double cut, and the T was loaded with Fralin pickups (Split Blade Tele & Unbucker), while the ST-II comes with Fishman Fluence Classic humbuckers.</p>
Godin Guitars Multiac Nylon Oceanburst
<p>Godin unlocked a lot doors for players when they first introduced their popular Multiac. They continue striving to improve their design with slight tweaks and this year was no different as they brought a pair dazzlers that have new, comfier neck shapes (designed to lure the electric player to the nylon-based instrument) and dreamy finishes like the Opalburst (with a maple fretboard) & Oceanburst (with a richlite fretboard). They also are packed with updated custom-voiced <a href="http://www.lrbaggs.com/" target="_blank">LR Baggs</a> electronics. Both models have hollowed silver leaf maple bodies & necks, a solid cedar top with figured flame leap top (that's sunken into the body).</p>
Godin Connaisseur
<p>Our North American neighbors at Godin Guitars brought the brand-new Connaisseur MJ flattops. A solid spruce top, solid rosewood back & sides, mahogany neck, and ebony fretboard make this a sturdy, stout ride. Each of these studs come with the LR Baggs HiFi electronics, but we're not sure how much you're gonna want to plug in when this baby jumbo sings so well on its own. </p>
Spector NC-4 Frank Bello
<p>If you're gonna get caught in a mosh at an Anthrax show, you better bring your Frank Bello signature Spector NC-4! The powerhouse 4-string is constructed with an alder body, a one-piece maple neck, maple fingerboard, vintage-inspired chrome tuners and a modern adjustable bridge. This beast bites with Bello’s signature <a href="https://www.emgpickups.com/" target="_blank">EMG</a> P/J pickups. And the best part has to be the metallic purple finiish that was inspired by his mother and grandmother (their favorite color was purple) naming it the "Tina Rose" finish. It also has a matching headstock and purple acrylic block inlays.</p>
Spector Doug Wimbish Euro 4
<p>Two things that go together like peanut butter & jelly are Spector and Living Colour bassist Doug Wimbish. Making new waves with their longtime partnership they collaborated on a fresh trio of 4-strings under the Doug Wimbish Euro 4 banner that is built with a quilted maple top paired with maple body wings, Doug's preferred slim neck profile, and custom-wound EMG pickups. The bad news, it doesn't come with Doug's flashy, funky, musical</p>
Blackstar DA100 Ruby
Blackstar worked with Doug Aldrich — a man with a heart full of tone — to create the DA100 Ruby (named after his young daughter) that was unleashed this week at NAMM. A major highlight was the OD Voice function that delivers a vintage, hot-rodded Plexi-style punch with the flick of a switch. Additionally, they fine tuned the midrange to provide a chest-thumping resonance that makes every power chord hit with authority. The enhanced effects loop is now fully footswitchable, controlled by the included 5-way foot controller. The matching 4x12 is packed with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers. Here's what Doug had to say about the experience working with Blackstar: "It feels like I’ve spent my entire life chasing the perfect tone. Over the years, I’ve owned dozens of amps – from modern to boutique, modded to vintage classics. Most of them were tube amps, and each had something special, but I was always searching for more. I’ve been lucky to build great relationships with many amp companies and received several offers to create a signature amp. Yet, I never fully committed. I just wasn’t 100% sure… until now.”
Red Panda RD-1
Red Panda is known for complex, creative pedals, and that trend didn't stop with the release of their RD-1 Pitch Delay, which is a simplified version of their beloved Raster. This reduced Raster still does QUITE a bit, but offers a streamlined control set that focuses on still being a stellar digital delay that allows you to rip a hole in space and time with a frequency and pitch shifter that can be placed inside or outside of the feedback loop. You can shift all repeats by the same amount, or endlessly up or down. It's a trip worth the lowered-cost of admission!
GMI Public Address Systems 33F6
It wouldn't be NAMM without a few surprises. One we stumbled upon today was the GMI Public Address Systems 33F6 that was designed in collaboration with guitar great Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age. It uses new, old-source components and gives TVL everything he's loved in old Peavey, Marshall & Fender amps. The 35W, two-channel head has four inputs, a solid-state rectifier preamp with a fully-tube power amp section (6L6). It's also outfitted with a Lar-mar style post phase inverter master volume and defeatable tone stack.
Cort X700 Mutility II
Shredmaster Hedras showed us his new Cort X700 Mutility II signature that has an American basswood body (with an ergonomic double-cutaway design), a roasted 5-piece maple-and-walnut neck, a compact 25-25.5" multi-scale setup, a roasted maple fretboard, a GraphTech TUSQ nut, and rips thanks to Fluence Open Core Modern humbuckers.
DigiTech Whammy 5
Many musicians have used and abused the various versions of DigiTech's Whammy pedal, but bass badass MonoNeon has taken the pitch shifter to new heights (and lows). DigiTech took notice and they worked with the funkmaster on a tweaking the Whammy 5 with revamped detune settings that give you distinct options for pitch-bending and harmonizing not found on the standard model. The new hypersonic mode sends your sounds straight to three octaves above input. The three octave range applies to both dry and octave modes to create an expanded, electrifying pitch palette. And best of all, it's optimized for use with both electric guitars and basses.
DigiTech HammerOn
DigiTech is synonymous with pitch shifting. At the 2025 NAMM show they introduced the HammerOn Instantaneous Pitch-Shifter that melts into your technique just like a traditional guitar or bass hammer on/pull-off. There's a total of 27 total pitches to choose from, ranging from 2 octaves up to 2 octaves down. The sequence mode allows for user-configurable 2-, 3-, and 5-note progressions. Trust us when we say this pedal is gonna raise some eyebrows and open new dimensions.
Kernom Elipse
Are you indecisive on your modulation application? Would you like to blend them? Well, Kernom has your solution with the impressively versatile Elipse is a modulation taproom with harmonic tremolo, rotary, chorus & vibrato, flanger, phaser, and vibe settings. The mood knob doesn't just select the effect, but you can blend them as you twist the knob. The all-analog, digital-controlled pedal secret sauce is in the swirl that blends a slow phaser with any modulation effect to create rich, multidimensional tones. If you can't find a sound in there you don't like, you don't have a pulse.
Kyser Capo
If you see a curl on your capo, you know it was made by Kyser in Texas. They did a unique thing by bringing production to NAMM and showed how they make their acoustic guitar capos. There's only a few parts on their capos, but they're all high-grade components that make a secure, snug, dependable hug on your guitar's neck.
Reverend Guitars
<p>Reverend always have a stable of fresh ponies at NAMM and this year's show was no different as they paraded out a collection of fresh updates, new upgrades, and reintroduction of old favorites. Clearly, they're loving the P-90 growl and painted pickguards with these dynamic releases.</p>
Hotone Ampero II Stage
Hotone brought their Ampero II Stage modeler to NAMM and let us test out its capabilities that include over 100 pedal models, 90 amp models, 68 cab models, 60 Hotone original effects models, 20 classic Celestion speaker IRs, and 300 presets. It has a built-in stereo looper with 60 seconds (max) recording time and undo/redo function. There are eight assignable footswitches with multicolor halo LEDs, with two working modes and customization support.
Kepma K3 Plus
The new K3 Plus series is a line of incredibly playable bolt-on models that offer features aimed at the beginning player—most notably the $199 price tag. each model has a slimmer neck for easier playing and AcoustiFex K-10 electronics that include built-in effects and Bluetooth capabilities.
Tubesteader Pedals
One of the new discoveries at the show was this line of amp-in-a-box pedals, each centered around a 12AX7 preamp tube. All the major food groups are covered from '50s tweed to D-style, and more. Each pedal is built to order and range from $300-$350.
Supercool Pedals
The sound of the classic ProCo Rat pedal has been the central point of so many great guitar tones. Supercool Pedals has taken inspiration from that and expanded into a deeper version packed with features. In addition to an active 3-band EQ there's also a turbo switch that instantly takes you one of the most popular variations of the classic circuit. They are available now for $199.
Tsakalis Phonkify
The latest iteration of Tsakalis' expansive envelope filter is a pure funk machine. All the classic '70s-era sounds are packed in there, but with three separate filters, you can get so much more out of it. Both the octave and filter are switchable, and with effect order switching you can really push the limits of out-of-this-world wah sounds. It will be available in March for $229.
Fender Prestige Performer
<p>Although Fender didn't have their usual presence at NAMM, we were able to get a peek at a few custom shop models. Here is a Prestige Performer, built by Levi Perry. The '80s are back! It has a 24-fret setup, Curtis Novak pickups, and a custom Strat hardtail bridge. It can be yours for $11,350.</p>
EVH Wolfgang Trans Amber
EVH's custom shop was quite busy as well. As an unapologetic fan of '90s Van Halen, the finish on this Wolfgang Trans Amber brings back so many memories. Along with the basswood body and Quilt Maple arched top, it has 22 stainless steel frets, EVH Floyd Rose bridge, and Wolfgang Black and Creme Zebra humbuckers. Streets at $5,800.
Dumble "Woody" Amp
<p>Dumble Amplification brought an impressive collection to the show, but this amp might be the most significant. Before Dumble would agree to build you an amp you had to make the pilgrimage to see him and play for him. This amp, dubbed “Woody”, would be what each player would plug into. It’s a single-channel design that has this beautiful, smooth compression. And like many of Dumble’s amp designs, there’s nowhere to hide.</p>
EHX Pedals
<p>EHX always brings some fresh goodies to NAMM and this year they showed us a trio of tone twisters. The most impressive unit had to be the POG3 that builds off their stupendous previous iterations and put lightning-fast tracking and perfect polyphony over four octaves with smoother tone and performance than ever before. It has six voices including DRY, -2, -1, +5th, +1, & +2, you can mix each with individual sliders and create enveloping stereo effects with dedicated pan knobs and selectable LEFT/RIGHT/DIRECT outputs. The effects section has been expanded to offer envelope control and adjustable Q for the new multi-mode FILTER, enhanced DETUNE section with SPREAD, and individual DRY effect selection, plus the famous ATTACK slider for subtle or dramatic swell effects. It also includes expression effects like Freeze, Glissando, Volume, Filter, X-Fade, and Warp.The pedal that launched the company got a facelift with the introduction of the Linear Power Booster (LPB-3) that has an active EQ featuring a powerful parametric mids control and up to a walloping 33dB of boost (or selectable down to 20dB). Its high-voltage rails increase the pedal's headroom and the 3-band EQ features treble and bass knobs to control the highs and lows plus a powerful parametric mids control with adjustable mid freq and q.The popular 360 looper got the Pico treatment reducing its footprint quite a bit. With 6 minutes of loop recording time with unlimited overdubs over 11 loop memory banks, the 360+ also features an OVERDUB control which sets the level of playback of previously recorded loops while overdub new loops, making it possible to create ever-changing loops and ambient sounds scapes. Adjustable fadeout time from 1-10 seconds applies a musical fade to your loop when you stop the loop. Dry and loop levels are independently adjustable for a precision blend of layers.</p>
Two-Rock Silver Sterling Signature
<p>Two Rock are tone titans and they dished us a double uppercut this year. We got to hear the Silver Sterling Signature (now in 1x12 combo format) that is a rides at either 100 or 50 watts thanks to 4-6L6 power tubes. It has foot-switchable FET and tone stack bypass, 7-position gigh and low filter rotary controls, tube-driven, analog spring reverb with send and return controls & passive effects loop. From lush, crystalline cleans to stainky blues, this amp will give you the classic sounds and more — plus look how classy it looks!The second bad boy we saw was their TS1 “Tone Secret” amp that was originally released in 2010. In 2020, they updated the layout from previous incarnations of this amplifier for more tonal shaping options and performance. The TS1 is a nod to the classic overdrive, cascading gain stage amplifier and we wanted to put our take on this design. Featuring a full tube-buffered effects loop and an overdrive channel that is incredibly touch-sensitive with a rich sustain that will inspire you to express yourself in new and creative ways. Possibly the coolest thing was the grille cloth that was made with and in the same tradition as the early Bluesbreaker combos.</p>
Jack White x Third Man Pedals
<p>We got an exclusive look at the next two pedal collaborations from Jack White and Third Man. Any guesses on what type of effects these are?</p>
Divided by 13 JRT 9/15
Fred Taccone recently retired and he wanted Divided by 13's legacy to continue but had to find the right fit. The Two Rock team jumped at the chance and are now carrying on the designs (and probably some new ones in the future that are a bit more British flavored). We heard a bit from the JRT 9/15 that is essentially two amps in one. This is accomplished by switching between 9 watts, utilizing a pair of 6V6 tubes in Class A to deliver the warm, rich tones of vintage 1950s American amps, and 15 watts with a pair of EL84 tubes in Class AB for a bright, chimey top-end and complex, musical breakup, reminiscent of 1960s British designs. The JRT 9/15 preamp drives two 5879 pentodes in tandem, each with its own independent volume control. These circuits are voiced for dramatically different responses: one provides more top-end presence and later breakup, while the other offers lower headroom with an emphasis on low-mid frequencies, delivering a dense, rich tone.
Novo Voltur B6
One of the standout models from Novo was this Voltur B6, which is their version of the classic Bass VI setup. It’s well balanced and lightweight, but really growls with the Lollar-designed gold foil pickups. They are up for pre-order now for $4,499.
Ashdown Rootmaster 500 EVO III
If you're a bassist looking for power, versatility, and portability, the Ashdown Rootmaster 500 EVO III might be the ticket. The lightweight heavyweight offers Ashdown's thunderous tone, featuring a comprehensive EQ, Ashdown sub harmonic generator, compression control, and variable valve emulated drive. Designed for reliability, it's a tool built to last a lifetime with responsible design. The EVO III also includes the Analogue Cab Sim Di output, balanced D.I., and customizable filters for your monitor mix.
Collings D1 A HC
<p>Collings is a revered guitar outfitter that is dishing out some deadly instruments. Whether it's a mandolin, electric, baritone, or a flattop, they look like a Cadillac and cruise like it, too. Our stop on their acoustic side focused on their D1 A HC (Hill Country) dreadnought that has an Adirondack spruce top, Honduran mahogany back, sides & neck, and ebony fretboard and bridge. The beautiful burst is covered with a high-gloss, ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer. Their goal with the top-tier HC series is to push the tonal palette to the far end of the spectrum with a strong fundamental voice that is both warm and full, along with unique appointments, such as our matching, hand-poured pickguard, rosette ring, wedge, and heel cap, plus the Collings logo stamped on the back of the peghead.</p>
Xvive Pedals
Tsakalis Mothership
The great Greeks at Tsakalis Audioworks brought an impressive powerhouse pedal that works with three major functions: tube overdrive, preamp & cabinet simulation. It has two completely independent channels, each featuring a four-band EQ, two different gain/volume sections, three selectable gain-stages and three selectable cabinet simulations. Plus, there's a serial mono effects-loop for your external effects, MIDI in and free access to Tsakalis Audioworks’ full free online library of carefully selected and curated digital cabinet simulations. Its two independent channels provide a huge range of tones from warm or sparkling cleans all the way to high gain tube-driven dirt. The two ECC83 (12AX7) tubes, run at a comfortable 240 Volts, providing touch sensitivity, headroom and plenty of gain and tube sag as required.
Sterling by Music Man & Ernie Ball
<p>Axis, Cutlass, Sting Rays, oh my! There were all those and more new stylings at the Sterling by Music Man & Ernie Ball both this year as we got a tour of all their affordable options that are out or will be coming out in 2025. We saw new stylings on signature sweets for James Valentine, Steve Lukather, Ryan "Fluff" Bruce, Pete Wentz, Tosin Abasi, Jason Richardson and more!</p>
Danelectro Guitars
<p>Danelectro keeps bring the past to the future by recreating cult classics from their history. The masonite masters brought a pair of new electrics, their Sitar in a cracked-black finish, and some new colors on the Longhorn basses.</p>
Snark Crazy Little Thing
If you blink, you'll miss it (or lose it), but Snark somehow minaturized the clip-on tuner to a button-sized package with the development of Crazy Little Thing!
IK Multimedia TONEX Cab
Audio creation specialists IK Multimedia showcased two strong new entries in their TONEX modeling and effects product line at NAMM: the powered TONEX Cab and the Joe Satriani Ltd. Edition TONEX One pedal. The lux-sounding cab, which ships in April but is available for preorder at $699 street–$100 less than the MAP–is full range, flat response with a custom 12" Celestion and a Lavoce 1" high-performance compression driver. It’s built to enhance the sonic vibe of amp modelers, and kicks out the jams at 350-watts via audiophile-grade power amps. The sound pressure level is 132 dB, so there’s plenty of punch, response, and definition. The control set includes a programmable 3-band EQ, a mike and live dial for tone, an easy-to-use preset dial, and a custom IR loader with 8 onboard presets. There are XLR and AUX outs, it’s MIDI controllable, has old-school tilt-back legs, wood construction, and swappable grille cloths. Plus, it comes with AmpliTube 5 SE, TONEX SE, and TONEX Cab Control Software.
IK MULTIMEDIA Joe Satriani Ltd. Edition TONEX One Pedal
IK’s literally shiniest new NAMM offering is the Joe Satriani Ltd. Edition TONEX One pedal. It’s got an eye-catching chrome finish with 3-band EQ and a center control for volume, gain, gate, and reverb. Satch’s work on the pedal included hauling 26 of his own amps into the studio to sculpt 20 preloaded preset tones for this pedalboard-friendly mini. The presets are customizable, and it’s powered via 9V DC or a USB-C and runs at 120 mA. The dynamic range cruises up to 123 dB, there are ultra-low-noise 24-bit/192 kHz converters, and the library of 40,000 TONEX sounds can be accessed via USB. At less than 2" wide and 4 ” long, it is a mighty mite. The stomp ships in February and is tagged at $229.
Cream Guitars
<p>Cream Guitars, designed by company founder Luis Ortiz and based in Monterrey, Mexico, has come to the past three NAMM Shows displaying prototypes and models in development. This year Luis came ready to rock with a strong line of new instruments that will soon be available for preorder via Guitar Center. (Meanwhile, you can check out his guitars and basses at <a href="http://creeamguitars.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">creeamguitars.com</a>.) Here’s a rundown of the standouts. The Voltage DaVinci is a tiger-toned stage guitar, with a multi-ply C-shaped neck, a roasted maple fretboard, and mahogany body, plus a Seymour Duncan ’59 PAF in the neck and a JB in the bridge. The Explorer-related body’s face also lights up and changes colors via a control set on the upper bout or Bluetooth. Other appointments include Graph Tech locking tuners and a TUSQ nut, a push-pull option for the neck pickup, 22 frets, a 3-way switch, CTS pots, and orange drop caps. All Cream instruments have a distinctive aluminum resonance plate that extends from the neck joint deep into the body, for sustain. Street price is set at $3,000.</p><p>The semi-hollow Maverick has the same scale and playability, and shares much of the setup, but a more naturalistic look, with an alder top and a red cedar body, and Seymour Duncan Red Devil pickups. Like all the Cream guitars we handled, the neck feels smooth and easy, and the well-finished medium jumbo frets were a pleasure. The Maverick also has a secret weapon: a multi-bender, which can be set for any two strings by sliding along a rail, and can be dialed in to bend a full or half step. The tag: $2,500.</p><p>The Calavera has yet another pickup configuration: a Duncan Phat Cat P-90 in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge. Like the Voltage DaVinci and Maverick, it has a deep cutaway that allows access to all the frets. The neck is mahogany and the body is alder, and there’s a comfortable Bigsby-inspired whammy. It’s priced at $2,500 street. And it’s worth noting that Cream uses only sustainable woods.</p><p>The newest bass variation from Cream is the Revolver Deluxe, and it’s got a slew of sonic options via its eight independent pickups that can be reconfigured at sonic whim. Louis explains it all in our on-the-showroom floor video. There’s also a toggle that activates a piezo pickup for an acoustic tone. What else? A Seymour Duncan preamp and volume, blend, and tone controls.</p><p>Oh! And one more thing. Luis Ortiz is also interested in the literal art of the guitar, creating special instruments that are, at this point, for exhibition only and celebrate various Mexican traditions and culture. The Monarca is an especially beautiful example, with its body covered in a flowers-and-butterflies motif. Luis explains that the guitar was inspired by an incident from his childhood, when thousands of monarch butterflies, in their annual migration from all across North America to California and Mexico, descended on his grandmother’s garden. After spending time with Luis and his creations, one gets the impression that this designer is striving for sound, style, and soul.</p>
PG Editors Ted Drozdowski, Jason Shadrick, and Director of Video Content Chris Kies pick favorites for NAMM day 3. Gear from Dumble, Novo, Cream Guitars, Collings, EHX, and more.
Ted Drozdowski - Editorial Director
IK Multimedia TONEX Cab
<p>Audio creation specialists IK Multimedia showcased two strong new entries in their TONEX modeling and effects product line at NAMM: the powered TONEX Cab and the Joe Satriani Ltd. Edition TONEX One pedal. The lux-sounding cab, which ships in April but is available for preorder at $699 street–$100 less than the MAP–is full range, flat response with a custom 12" Celestion and a Lavoce 1" high-performance compression driver. It’s built to enhance the sonic vibe of amp modelers, and kicks out the jams at 350-watts via audiophile-grade power amps. The sound pressure level is 132 dB, so there’s plenty of punch, response, and definition. The control set includes a programmable 3-band EQ, a mike and live dial for tone, an easy-to-use preset dial, and a custom IR loader with 8 onboard presets. There are XLR and AUX outs, it’s MIDI controllable, has old-school tilt-back legs, wood construction, and swappable grille cloths. Plus, it comes with AmpliTube 5 SE, TONEX SE, and TONEX Cab Control Software.</p>
Jason Shadrick - Associate Editor
Dumble "Woody" Amp
<p><span style="background-color: initial;">Dumble</span> Amplification brought an impressive collection to the show, but this amp might be the most significant. Before <span style="background-color: initial;">Dumble</span> would agree to build you an amp you had to make the pilgrimage to see him and play for him. This amp, dubbed “<span style="background-color: initial;">Woody</span>”, would be what each player would plug into. It’s a single-channel design that has this beautiful, smooth compression. And like many of <span style="background-color: initial;">Dumble</span>’s amp designs, there’s nowhere to hide.</p>
Chris Kies - Director of Video Content
EHX POG3
<p>EHX always brings some fresh goodies to NAMM and this year they showed us a trio of tone twisters. The most impressive unit had to be the POG3 that builds off their stupendous previous iterations and put lightning-fast tracking and perfect polyphony over four octaves with smoother tone and performance than ever before. It has six voices including DRY, -2, -1, +5th, +1, & +2, you can mix each with individual sliders and create enveloping stereo effects with dedicated pan knobs and selectable LEFT/RIGHT/DIRECT outputs. The effects section has been expanded to offer envelope control and adjustable Q for the new multi-mode FILTER, enhanced DETUNE section with SPREAD, and individual DRY effect selection, plus the famous ATTACK slider for subtle or dramatic swell effects. It also includes expression effects like Freeze, Glissando, Volume, Filter, X-Fade, and Warp.</p>
We asked, and you answered. This year, we received a slew of pedalboard submissions from our readers, from the mega to the minimalist, to ones built by specific brand or model devotees, to the best configurations for gigging or recording. Pedalboards are as individual as players, and you’ll find from reading about the following eight featured here that each has a story that reflects the passions and personality of their owner. Pedal lists and most signal chains are included, plus all that lies beyond!
A Splash of Color
Reader: Don Crum
Just to give a bit of background, I use this board for guitar, bass, and keys. In wiring this board, I used a combination of Rattlesnake patch cables, G&H patch cables, and some other custom-length cables that I soldered myself. Each pedal has a Mooer Footswitch Topper on it. These make it exceptionally easier to connect with your pedals, plus they give your board an added pop of color.
I play literally every genre of music, so I tend to buy pedals with more than one purpose or function, because I like my rig to be as versatile as it can be at all times. I also don’t like overly complicated pedals with a million knobs, buttons, and/or internal switches. I prefer to keep everything as simple as possible, but it always has to sound good. That’s the bottom line and always my number one priority. It has to sound good!
As for the signal chain, the order might not look “normal” because it kind of bounces around my board a little bit, starting on the top rail, going to the bottom, and then back to the top, and again back to the bottom, all in a zigzag pattern. There’s a reason for that though: I like to keep my most-used pedals (gain pedals and looper) on the bottom row for super-quick and easy access. The top row is modulation and EQ. While these modulation pedals are crucial to my tone, I’m not turning them on or off nearly as much as my gain pedals. They’re more like “set it and forget it” type pedals, if you will. So, I basically just laid it all out in an order that makes it easiest for me. Power is supplied by a Truetone 1 Spot CS12.
Signal chain:
1. Jam Pedals RetroVibe
2. EHX Big Muff Pi (silver box on bottom right)
3. Mythos Fuzzy Face (painted, built from limited edition DIY kit)
Over the years, I have built many pedalboards with varying degrees of complexity. As a jazz guitarist who also plays funk, ska, reggae, fusion, Latin, metal, and classic rock, I need a broad variety of effects. However, I prefer simple, intuitive, reliable, efficient, and portable pedalboards over large, heavy, and complex ones.
I am a fan of Boss gear, going back to the original DS-1 Distortion pedal. Boss pedals are super easy to use, consistent, heavy-duty, and great in front of the amp. I already had a Boss BCB-60 Pedal Board that I used in the studio and on small gigs. I liked the case, the layout, and the built-in power, but it had major shortcomings. It was designed to hold six Boss-sized pedals, or five Boss-sized pedals and a wah/volume pedal. Boss has replaced the BCB-60 with the BCB-90 that holds nine pedals—better, but not quite what I needed.
What I needed was a simple plug-and-play pedalboard that matched my shoes, had great tone, was easy to transport, and featured my favorite Boss pedals. As noted, the BCB-60 was designed for six pedals, so I modified it to fit the 11 must-have pedals in my collection. The signal splits from the end of the chain into a stereo setup using a Mesa/Boogie Express 5:25 and a Fender Tremolux.
Signal chain:
1. Wyatt Abrachinsky Custom Booster
2. Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah
3. Boss FBM-1 Fender ’59 Bassman
4. Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor
Contained within the NS-2 effects loop:
1. Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
2. Boss DS-1 Distortion
3. Boss MT-2W Waza Craft Metal Zone
5. Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer
6. Boss CH-1 Super Chorus
7. Boss DM-2W Waza Craft Delay
8. Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb
Little Giant
Reader: Peter Gothold
The building of this board has been a decade-long process, starting with the POG, Timmy, and Carbon Copy about eight years ago. I have gone through many phases of being a personal gear dealer, as I buy and sell pedals looking for a certain sound. I’ve recently added the Joyo switcher, Boss DD-20, and Matthews Traveler, but the other pedals have been consistent since 2021. Finding the King of Tone was a surprise, but a welcome one! Craigslist pulls through yet again! And boy is it as good as advertised.... Tasty!
Adding the Joyo switcher was a game-changer for me. I’d often be switching from a crunchy rhythm sound to an ambient wash between songs, and would be tap-dancing my way to tone. Now, I have my favorite tones dialed in, so with one push I can make the switch. Figuring out how to order the pedals that don’t go through the switcher was a challenge, but it has been working great so far!
I’ve always been a fan of the traditional signal flow: compression > pitch > overdrive > modulation > delay > reverb, but my particular layout necessitated some tweaks. The Joyo Loop Switcher comes right in the middle and has overdrive, modulation, and delay/reverb in it. But I have the lesser-used overdrives before it—knowing that when I use them, they won’t mess things up—and my always-on delay/reverb is at the very end. I use the delay/reverbs really just for ambient effects, which are happy stacking anyway. It’s a jumble, but it still sounds good!
For anyone intimidated by the world of pedals, I say start small and don’t be afraid to try something new! This board took me almost 10 years, and I’m still swapping things out as I find new things. I lead the music at my church, which includes a wide range of styles, so I have a big board to handle the variety. From angry dirt to huge swells and everything in between, this board can do it all. We have a silent stage, hence the DI at the end, but I can go straight out into my Fender Blues Deluxe or Vox AC4 Hand-Wired if I want to make some noise. It’s powered by one Walrus Audio Phoenix and one Walrus Audio Aetos.
Signal chain:
1. TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Noir
2. Pixel Perfect (provides 8-bit synth tones from a DIY kit. Wacky and gnarly)
6. J. Rockett Audio Designs Archer Gold (always on)
7. JHS Angry Charlie
8. Foxpedal Defector Fuzz
9. Joyo PXL8 Loop Switcher (eight pedals assigned to this switcher)
1. EHX POG2 (oldest pedal on this board!)
2. Original Paul Cochran Timmy Overdrive
3. Analog Man King of Tone dual overdrive
4. Walrus Audio Monument Harmonic Tap Tremolo (in limited edition green)
5. EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter Phaser
6. Boss DD-20 Digital Delay
7. MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
8. Matthews Effects The Traveler Reverb (newest pedal, I love this thing)
10. Walrus Audio Mako D1 High-Fidelity Delay
11. Empress Effects Reverb
12. TC Electronic Ditto Looper
13. Hughes & Kettner Red Box 5 cab sim/DI
It's All a Bit Fuzzy
Reader: Roger Williams
This is a fun experimental board to compare my two favorite pedals, the Keeley Fuzz Head and EHX Deluxe Memory Man.
I’ve collected pedals for about 20 years now. I’ve had upwards of 200 pedals—I’m currently at about 150 now. The two pedals that have always inspired me to play the most are my big-box Deluxe Memory Man and my Keeley Fuzz Head. I first purchased the Deluxe Memory Man XO because the big-box version was always out of my price range. Then I got very lucky and found one at a third of the going prices. (It was part of an estate sale among some random antiques and sundries.) I have the Deluxe Memory Boy for the tap tempo feature. It has a classic bucket-brigade delay sound, while both Deluxe Memory Mans have a cleaner repeat signal.
The Keeley Fuzz Head has always been my favorite fuzz/overdrive pedal. It has great note separation and articulation. Even though it only has two control knobs, it is quite versatile. It comes with four easily exchangeable capacitors which can drastically change the sound of the pedal, from Fuzz Face-style to woolly fuzz to treble boost to a semi-clean boost. The five Fuzz Heads on my board are all set to different combinations of capacitors/diodes and internal trim pot settings.
I currently own 10 Fuzz Heads. When Keeley discontinued the Fuzz Head I wanted to have a couple of backups, and I got carried away. In the signal chain, they are in order of oldest to newest versions, as well as ascending gain. My most cherished delay, the vintage Deluxe Memory Man, is at the end of the chain because it has an independent, very warm gain control that I sometimes use as a clean-ish boost. The board itself is redundant and not practical, but to me, it’s perfect!
Signal chain:
1. Keeley Fuzz Head (far right)
2. Keeley Fuzz Head (second from the right)
3. Keeley Fuzz Head (middle)
4. Keeley Fuzz Head (second from the left)
5. Keeley Fuzz Head (far left)
6. EHX Deluxe Memory Boy
7. EHX Deluxe Memory Man XO
8. EHX Deluxe Memory Man
Black-and-White Thinking
Reader: Rick Bethune
Hello, my name is Rick, and I am a gearhead who is obsessed with black-and-white checks. Early on, I could see I wasn’t going to be a real player; I was more interested in the gear. This all started after I had open heart surgery in March of 2009. While I was at home recovering, I stumbled upon a website called General Guitar Gadgets, where they sell kits of well-known pedals. I bought four kits: a Ross distortion, octave fuzz, booster, and a Tube Screamer. Later, a friend was interested in buying the finished distortion pedal from me, and invited me to sell my builds at his store. After that, I taught myself to read and understand schematics. Then I found a site that has perforated board layouts that I now use to build everything.
I crafted this board from an old metal store shelf, with additional wood attached to secure the pedals. I believe it weighs somewhere around 100 pounds. It’s divided into nine loops. It may look like there’s duplications, but each one serves its own purpose with different sounds. The Vox Wah pedal on the bottom row is controlled by the box to its right, which has six different switchable inductors, along with tone and shape controls. The unpainted large box to the left of the wah, my “demo” box, was built to include at least one of everything I can build, specified below.
I also put four Ross effects on here. My Ross obsession goes back to the late ’70s when my parents gave me my first tan Ross distortion pedal. It blew me away then, and still does to this day.
Signal chain:
The board’s signal is not in a linear chain. The switches at the base of the board control a series of loops, as well as the light over the board and the power supply. The Demo switch is for the demo box, and the Bench switch is for the workbench loop, where I can insert anything that I am working on into the board.
I use Crosby cables to connect everything, and cut them all myself. I also cut all of the power cables. For amps I use a Fender Frontman 25R, Joyo Zombie II, Peavey Pacer, and an Epiphone So-Cal 50 head. There are two headphone amps on the board for fun: a Rockman Guitar Ace and a very rare Ross Rock Box, which I had to make a power supply for. I have to give credit to Tom Scholz of Boston for being an enormous influence on me as a gearhead.
List of pedals and boxes, in no particular order:
1. Homemade “demo” box which includes: distortion, phaser, booster, compressor, delay, and modified flanger
29. DOD 670 Flanger (Updated caps and true bypass mod)
30. Ross Flanger (Early ’80s, true bypass mod)
Tamer of Centaurs
Reader: David Westhoff
I actually won this Holeyboard pedalboard from Premier Guitar. I was in the market for a board when it happened, as I was not happy with my previous one because it was too small.
As with many boards, this one has gone through a lot of changes. But the Klon, Fulltone CLYDE Deluxe, and Fulltone Deja 2 have been permanent fixtures throughout its evolution. I play a lot of Robin Trower, and he uses both of the Fulltones that I have.
The board goes into two ENGL E325 50-watt heads that both have a 2x12 cab with Celestion G12Ks. I did a lot of experimenting getting this to sound the way that I want. One trick I use is, I route the wet signal from the Boss CH-1 chorus into the dry output of the DigiTech Hardwire DL-8 delay, which really makes the effects stand out instead of getting muddy in the mix.
Signal chain:
1. Fulltone CLYDE Deluxe
2. Fulltone Deja 2
3. Klon Centaur
4. BBE Boosta Grande
5. EHX Deluxe Electric Mistress
6. Boss CH-1 Super Chorus
7. DigiTech HardWire DL-8
8. DigiTech Polara
Self-Contained Units
Reader: Micah Cadwell
I tried to build the ultimate board for going direct, live or in-studio, and for fly dates. However, this setup also sounds great going into a miked cabinet. Sound people love when they ask what I need and I say, “One XLR or a mic.” They usually opt for an XLR.
I mostly play jazz, so I’m very used to the clean Deluxe Reverb sound, which is why The Amp by Milkman was the first place I went. It’s basically a Deluxe Reverb with a master volume, which is amazing! The PolyTune Mini is great and the Dunlop Volume (X) Mini Pedal has a really nice sweep in spite of it being … mini.
On those occasional country/Americana gigs, the Cali76 is, to my ear, the ultimate pedal compressor, and I’m convinced that the Greer Lightspeed makes everything sound better. So that’s the first gain stage, in front of the Browne Protein, which offers two totally usable gain sounds. Another killer pedal!
The JHS Panther Cub is an incredible analog delay with a tap tempo, and the Strymon Mobius covers any and all modulation that I could ever possibly need. I can go direct, to the pleasure of sound engineers everywhere, or I can run it into a cabinet and be totally self-contained. It’s wired with Covenant patch cables on a Pedaltrain Classic JR. It’s a great board!
Signal chain:
1. TC Electronic PolyTune 3
2. Dunlop Volume (X) Mini Pedal
3. Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe
4. Greer Amps Lightspeed Organic Overdrive
5. Browne Amplification Protein Dual Overdrive
6. Strymon Mobius
7. JHS Panther Cub V2
8. Milkman The Amp
Double Feature
Reader: Bill Babjak
These pedalboards have been in the making for the past 40 years. I built my first board in 1979 with DOD pedals, trying to sound like Rush and the Police at that time. I have been collecting pedals ever since, and have acquired over 200 pedals. The current setup mixes the classics with the new.
I have decided to separate the clean board from the gain board as a way of switching between a clean, chorus, or echo sound into a loud fuzz. I decided to add some chorus, delay, echo, and reverb on the gain board just because I can. I could have used the GigRig G3 but did not want to program loops. With my setup, I can select anything at any time. This setup also allows me to incorporate my ’70s Multi Echo, which I have mounted on a desktop speaker stand.
I just recently rewired both boards when I introduced the QMX-10 for more options, and moved the QMX-8 to the clean board. This way, the older pedals are isolated from the signal path since they are not true bypass. This setup is for home studio only.
Signal chain:
My setup consists of two Pedaltrain boards. The gain board is a Terra 42 powered using two Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Mondo supplies. My signal on the board starts with a Fulltone Wah and goes into a Land Devices Domino and Klon KTR before hitting a GigRig QuarterMaster QMX-10. Out of the switcher it goes through an ISP Technologies Decimator and a JHS splitter, which feeds both a ’94 Vox AC30 and my modulation section, which includes a Boss CE-2 Chorus, Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, TC Electronic Stereo Chorus+, Strymon El Capistan, and a Strymon BlueSky. From there, it goes out in stereo to a 1994 Fender Bassman ’50s Reissue and a 1994 Marshall Bluesbreaker ’60s Reissue.
Within the QMX-10, I have arranged the pedals in the following loops:
1. Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
2. Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere
3. Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V (Bowie Edition)
4. JTPR FX Bleach
5. Sola Sound MkI Tone Bender Stu Castledine V2
6. Analog Man Sun Face NKT275 white-dot
7. ’90s EHX Green Russian Big Muff Pi
8. Audio Kitchen The Big Trees
9. Fulltone OCD V1.1
10. Out to clean board
On the clean board, which is a Pedaltrain Classic 3 powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Mondo, I keep mostly modulation effects. I place this entire board within loop 10 of the QuarterMaster QMX-10 along with the Boss Booster/Preamp. The pedals are arranged on the QMX-8 as follows:
