Monolord, who are currently in the midst of a U.S. tour following the release of their new album, Neverending, have partnered with Dunable Guitars for a pair of signature model instruments: Dunable USA Custom Gnarwhal and R2 Bass.
Monolord have been great friends of Dunable Guitars for almost a decade, using the brand’s guitars and basses as weapons of choice for their torrential downpour of heavy tones and catchy hooks live and in the studio. Neverending is a perfect showcase of their mastery in blending loud metal with great songwriting, and similarly an encapsulation of what Dunable instruments were built for.
Artist signature models for Thomas Jäger and Mika Hakki are long overdue, and Dunable is happy to finally present their Dunable USA Custom Gnarwhal and R2 Bass signature instruments, limited to only six of each model.
“Mika and I have been playing our Dunables for a couple of years now and to get your own instrument with your own specifications, it’s pure magic,” Jäger says. “These instruments came out great and we’re absolutely stoked.”
Hakki adds: “After years of using and owning several Dunable Guitars, it’s a great privilege to be part of the Dunable team with this amazing instrument. When Sacha Dunable asked us what color options we wanted for the instruments, I just saw this sick scorched bass in my mind, and he got probably equally as stoked on the idea as we did. Great minds twist alike!”
These guitars and basses feature a custom Monolord Icon graphic on the headstock, tuxedo stripe pickguard, and a charred Swamp Ash body, giving a classy yet grizzled look to these weapons of doom.
The single High-Wind P90 pickup in Jäger's Gnarwhal comes from Lollar Pickups, a company whose founder literally wrote the book on pickup winding. The P90 lends itself incredibly well to all applicable tones, from loud cleans to ultra heavy fuzz and distortion.
Hakki’s R2 Bass comes in two pickup variants - one with dual Dunable Katana pickups, for a hot output, but sharp attack, and one with a Dunable D-Split and D-J pickup combo, for a more traditional sound.
Grab one of these unique instruments while you can. Orders are live at this link: https://dunableguitars.com/
Most pickups treat your strings as a group. The 3rd Power MagFRAG platform treats them as individuals, using string-specific Alnico magnets tuned to the unique demands of each pair so every note arrives with the clarity, balance, and dynamic response it deserves.
This week's winner takes home a complete PraXIS set — the PraXIS Reveal in the neck position for maximum articulation and harmonic transparency, paired with the PraXIS Reference at the bridge for foundational authority and broad adaptability across any rig or playing style. Together they cover serious ground, from glassy cleans to full-throttle overdrive, without ever losing the feel of your instrument underneath it all.
MagFRAG™ pickups from 3rd Power Amplification introduce a new approach to passive pickup design by using a multi-magnet architecture instead of the traditional single bar magnet. Each pair of strings is voiced with a specific Alnico magnet type - Alnico II for the high strings, Alnico IV for the middle strings, and Alnico V for the bass strings - allowing each register of the guitar to respond with optimal clarity, balance, and dynamic feel.
This string-specific magnetic platform creates a pickup that remains open, articulate, and dynamically responsive, allowing the guitar, amplifier, and pedals to contribute more naturally to the overall tone. Rather than forcing a strong tonal color at the pickup itself, MagFRAG pickups are designed to act as a high-resolution interface between the player and the entire signal chain, revealing the instrument’s natural voice while preserving touch sensitivity across a wide range of gain structures.
The MagFRAG system is organized into two main families:
PraXIS™ Series – Designed as a balanced, open-sounding foundation that lets players shape tone primarily with their amplifier and pedals.
DriVE™ Series – A more assertive voice designed to generate additional harmonic energy and push the front end of modern rigs.
MagFRAG pickups are hand-built and offered in multiple configurations including humbuckers and single-coil formats, with standard and F-spacing options, multiple finishes, and four-conductor wiring for flexible installation.
The result is a pickup system that blends vintage construction methods with modern magnetic engineering, delivering exceptional note separation, balanced output across the strings, and a wide dynamic range that responds directly to the player’s touch.
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) announces the James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass®, an era-correct tribute tothe bass that was nearly as iconic as the motown monolith who used it to redefine what the low end was capable of.
“From R&B, to Rock, to Jazz, Country and Reggae music… everyone owes a debt to James Jamerson. What he did on the 1962 P Bass has never been done. I am so honored to acknowledge that Fender changed everything with the 1962 Precision Bass,” said Raphael Saadiq.
James Jamerson was a phenom in the studio and the stage all throughout the 60s and 70s but more importantly, he drew the blueprint for how a bass part shouldfeel, groove and swagger in order to turn a song into a hit and thereby inspired generations of players to come. Such an indelible impact is impossible without the proper tools, and as far as Jamerson was concerned, none did the job quite like his trusty P Bass®. Its effortless playability, sleek design and undeniable low-end response was and is the path of least resistance between a killer idea and a polished, pitch perfect bassline that can tie an entire song together. This signature instrument harnesses the magic of the Jamerson’s own Precision Bass and offers it to players everywhere, giving them the opportunity to develop a style and tone that is entirely their own.
Born in 1936, Jamerson was introduced to live music through his grandmother and aunt, both church performers. Captivated by the energy of gospel and jazz, he taught himself piano and trombone before moving to Detroit at 18, where the downtown club scene pulled him toward the upright bass. After graduating high school, he began touring with local groups and by 1959 had become a fixture at Hitsville U.S.A., the recording studio that birthed Motown. It was there that Jamerson truly came into his own, laying down bass tracks for Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, John Lee Hooker and countless others, recordings now regarded as the foundation of modern electric bass playing.As a As a cornerstone of the Funk Brothers and throughout this storied catalog, one thing remains constant - the warm, polished sound of the Fender P Bass that would come to inspire greats like Geddy Lee, Pino Palladino, John Entwistle, Raphael Saadiq, Bootsy Collins, Leland Sklar, Nate Mendel, Geezer Butler, Tal Wilkenfeld, Freddie Washington, Bob Glaub, Matt Freeman, and countless musicians across the globe to pick up a bass and embark on their own journey towards greatness.
“I recalled saying to James as a teenager that he would be great one day! I am excited and happy those words have become a reality. James has received many awards, but the “P-Bass” is a tangible one. I hope you feel the funk and let the music play on!” said Annie Jamerson. “Thank you Fender, from my family and I, You Rock!”
The James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass offers players all of the dynamic response, low end presence and stylish looks that helped elevate Jamerson to the top of his craft. This era-accurate instrument comes equipped with a custom split single-coil pickup that provides enough lush, low endfor any band but offers enough definition and punch so that fills, runs and embellishments won’t go unnoticed. The Heirloom sunburst nitro cellulose lacquer finish oozes with classic elegance and will patina gorgeously over time just like the real thing. A classic “C” shape neck, slab rosewood fingerboard, and chrome bridge and pickup cover all ensure that this bass plays, feels and looks like something that you would find in the live room at Hitsville circa 1963. This signature instrument gives players the unique opportunity to hold an integral piece of bass history in their hands and find the sound that speaks to them, just as Jamerson himself did nearly seventy years ago.
"Jamerson is the reason the bass is what it is today. His 1962 Precision Bass wasn't just an instrument, it was the heartbeat of an era," said Justin Norvell, Chief Product Officer, Fender Guitars. "As we continue celebrating 75 years of the P Bass, we wanted every player, from bedroom musicians to touring professionals, to be able to hold a piece of that legacy in their hands. From the Heirloom Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish to the custom James Jamerson '62 Precision Bass pickup, every detail was obsessed over to put that same magic in your hands. This recreation is our love letter to the man who made the groove non-negotiable."
James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass®
(MSRP: $2,999.99 USD, £3249 GBP, €3799 EUR, $5,299 AUD, ¥478,500 JPY) James Jamerson is widely recognized as one of the most influential bassists of all time. Consistently ranked #1 on “greatest bassists” lists; Jamerson laid down the groove on dozens of hit songs that defined the Motown sound. His incredible musical prowess and signature style didn’t just define a genre, Jamerson rewrote the rulebook for what was possible on electric bass, influencing legends like Paul McCartney, Marcus Miller, John Entwistle, and Geddy Lee. Jamerson’s signature instrument was his beloved 1962 Precision Bass – the foundation beneath countless hits that shaped popular music forever. This stunning era-correct tribute instrument celebrates James’ legacy and his inseparable association with the Precision Bass, delivering the authentic vintage sound and feel that defined an era.
Every detail honors the original, from the premium Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer finish to the era-correct neck shape that captures the feel of Jamerson’s legendary instrument. The custom James Jamerson ‘62 Precision Bass pickup celebrates those unmistakable tones that anchored the Motown hit factory. The Heirloom™ nitrocellulose lacquer finish delivers the authentic spirit and aging characteristics that made the original so special. The premium tone and meticulous attention to detail ensure this bass performs to the highest professional standards.
The Hazee Delay, the first in Beetronics’ new Pollinator series, is the company’s first entirely digital pedal, and it’s as bonkers and jam-packed with fun, freaky sounds as you might expect. Having spent a nice chunk of time getting to know the California-based pedal company’s Seabee a few years back, I figured this deeply modulated delay would get weird. I still wasn’t ready for just how warped this little wasp is.
Pollinator’s Plan
The Pollinator series comprises pedals smaller and more streamlined than most Beetronics fare, all in a uniform-sized enclosure. The four knobs on the pedal’s face are simple enough. Mix takes your signal from 100 percent dry to 100 percent wet, time sets the length between repeats, feedback controls how many repeats you hear, and mod handles speed of the modulation in each mode. The rotary dial in the middle is the Hazee’s heart, though. To the left are four delay modes modulated by a filter; to the right, four more modulated by tremolo. Each side uses the same four repeat patterns: forward, forward plus octave up, reverse, and reverse plus octave up.
I confess to being less than enthused about Hazee’s look. I was a big fan of the Seabee’s detailed, eye-candy looks, and Hazee’s control panel is pretty enough, with classic Beetronics shapes and colors. But where Seabee’s ornate control console occupied most of that stomp’s top, the bulk of Hazee’s surface is a flat, brushed-grey that comes out rather dull in person. A small gripe about an understandable effort to keep prices low, but worth noting when we’re in the Beetronics hive of inspired pedal aesthetics.
Hazee’s Honey
Hazee is not designed to be a traditional delay pedal; Beetronics’ website admits as much. It’s made for generating soundscapes, ambience, and weirdness. That said, Hazee can be rendered predictable. It just takes a fair bit of tinkering, tweaking, and listening to learn how it interprets your signal. At first, when it regurgitates it back to you, it can be hard to make heads or tails of the echo itself. What you give is not necessarily what you get back, and that’s part of the fun.
Set for maximum repeats, the Hazee stops short of self-oscillation, which might make it more useful for people looking to keep a lid on their chaos. On the left side of the rotary dial—the filtered settings—the modulation knob introduces broad, long-frequency sweeps at counter-clockwise positions. Turn it clockwise, and your sweeps get tighter and shorter until they blur together in a thick morass of texture. (Remember, the mix control lets you dial the madness down if it’s too in-front for your taste.) The same dynamic applies to the four trem-modulated settings. Slower delay-time settings are positively vertigo-inducing, conjuring the sunset comedown of an acid trip in the Mojave Desert. Nudge up the delay speeds a little, and you can dial in ’50s and ’60s sci-fi film scores and all manner of retro-tech goodness. Max the delay control out, and again, you have total pandemonium that can be held at bay with the mix knob.
Flipping through and learning how Hazee’s various modes interact with these controls takes time. It does become intuitive after a while, but at first, you need patience and deep listening to figure out just what the hell is going on with those repeats.
The Verdict
Hazee streets for $50 less than the analog BeeBeeDee, another simpler, less expensive line of pedals from Beetronics. But this is a delay made for the mad-scientist guitarists among us. It ain’t gonna be for everyone, but musicians ready to blow up the borders around their sonic playgrounds will have a blast with the Hazee.
Beetronics
Pollinator Hazee Delay
The Pollinator Hazee Delay is a hive full of evolving delay textures. At its core, it’s a modulated delay where the repeats are shaped by either a filter or a tremolo, depending on the selected mode, allowing each repeat to bloom, shift, and evolve beeyond a traditional delay.
AI was supposed to free musicians from the drudgery so we could focus on creation. Instead, it’s stealing royalties from real artists, cloning their voices, and turning the tools against the people who made them necessary.
“The system has always had scams—exploited blues players on old labels come to mind—but this is industrialized, scalable, and soulless.”
We guitarists understand tools. A great amp or pedal is supposed to serve the player—amplify your voice, not replace it. The same should be true for any technology in music. Lately, though, the machines aren’t serving. They’re colonizing.
Consider two stories from the same state, North Carolina, that show how upside-down things have become.
First, Michael Smith, 54, of Cornelius. He spent years as a legitimate producer, songwriter, and label owner. Then he discovered AI could do the heavy lifting. He generated hundreds of thousands of generic tracks under fake names and used bot armies to rack up billions of fake streams. Between 2017 and 2024 he extracted roughly $8-10 million in royalties from platforms that thought those listens were real. Indicted in 2024, he pleaded guilty this March to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and must forfeit over $8 million. Algorithmic notes for phantom listeners, real money diverted from actual artists. It’s the ultimate grift on a royalty system already stretched thin.
The system has always had scams—exploited blues players on old labels come to mind—but this is industrialized, scalable, and soulless.
Then there’s Murphy Campbell, the young Appalachian folk artist who records traditional ballads on banjo and dulcimer in the woods. Her YouTube channel (@murphydoesntmatter) is pure preservation of mountain music—as honest, human, and beautiful as it gets. I’ve watched a ton of her videos, and each one is a work of art driven by amazing musicianship, and songs that are beautiful and kind of eerie. In early 2026 her voice was cloned from those very videos. AI-generated “covers” appeared on her Spotify profile. An uploader used Vydia to distribute them. Soon after, copyright claims targeted her original backyard performances, claiming the AI versions owned the sound first. Real revenue from public-domain songs temporarily blocked by the machine that stole her likeness.
Public outcry forced a rollback, but the vulnerabilities remain: easy scraping, weak protections for independent artists, and automated systems easily gamed.
Both cases reveal the same inversion. AI was pitched as liberation—free us from drudgery so we could focus on creation and higher things. Instead, it’s feeding itself. One guy uses it to manufacture fake success and siphon millions. Another artist has her identity hijacked and then turned against her. The internet and robotic tech that promised augmentation are mostly extracting and competing.
We need concrete fixes now:
Explicit consent and fair compensation for any use of voice, performance, or likeness in AI training.
Copyright rules that protect human creators first and prevent generated content from claiming ownership over its sources.
Platform and distributor accountability—verify uploads, stop rewarding bot farms, and reverse trolling.
Otherwise, the new AI-driven world doesn’t just deprive us of royalties; it steals our art and deprives us of the messy humanity that makes it worth anything. Music for money alone was always a long shot, but when the system lets algorithms and bots rig the game, it hurts everyone who plays for the right reasons.
Support artists like Murphy by streaming and sharing their authentic work. Keep playing real music with your hands and heart. Demand better rules before the machines don’t just take our lunch, but take the stage entirely. The prize is still the music itself. Let’s make sure we’re the ones playing it.
AI isn’t helping—it’s hijacking. Time to push back.
