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Gear of the Year 2017

Another year, another dazzling parade of pedals, guitars, amps, modelers, and accessories that made our noggins spin.

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Fender ’57 Custom Pro

The ’57 Custom Pro-Amp isn’t a reproduction of the Pro that Fender made in the ’50s, but it’s inspired by the original’s 5A5 circuit, which, like this new 26-watt combo, was wired into a thin-bodied cabinet. With its custom 15" Eminence, the amp offers a wide tonal spectrum and clear bottom end. A superb pedal platform, the ’57 Custom is a boutique-level product with a major manufacturer’s nameplate.

$2,499 street
fender.com

Click here to read the full review

This year’s Premier Gear Award winners are, as usual, an eclectic set—full of old-school vintage homage, leading-edge digital developments, and imaginative meetings of those worlds. Dig in and dig it as we revisit the gear that fired the enthusiasm and wonder of our editors and contributors in 2017.

The original Roland Space Echo RE-201 is comparable in size to an amp head.

The majestic Roland Space Echo is having a bit of a resurgence. Here’s a breakdown on what makes it tick, and whether or not it’s right for you.

In this article, we delve into one of the most cherished gadgets in my guitar collection, the Roland Space Echo RE-201. This iconic piece of equipment has been used by legendary musicians like Jonny Greenwood, Brian Setzer, and Wata from Boris, which only heightened my desire to own one. A few years ago, I was fortunate to acquire a vintage RE-201 in good condition and at a reasonable price.

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In collaboration with Cory Wong, the Wong Press is a 4-in-1 Press pedal features Cory’s personal specs: blue & white color combination, customized volume control curve, fine-tuned wah Q range, and a dual-color STATUS LED strip indicating current mode/pedal position simultaneously.

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Big time processing power in a reverb that you can explore for a lifetime.

An astoundingly lush and versatile reverb of incredible depth and flexibility. New and older BigSky algorithms included. More elegant control layout and better screen.

It’s pricey and getting the full use out of it takes some time and effort.

$679

Strymon BigSky MX
strymon.net

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Strymon calls the BigSky MX pedal “one reverb to rule them all.” Yep, that’s a riff on something we’ve heard before, but in this case it might be hard to argue. In updating what was already one of the market’s most comprehensive and versatile reverbs, Strymon has created a reverb pedal that will take some players a lifetime to fully explore. That process is likely to be tons of fun, too.

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Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS & Jaguar Demos
- YouTube
Refined necks and delectable sounds elevate the jamming experience in this evolution of the accessibly priced Player Series.
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