Our favorite guitars, basses, amps, effects, and accessories from the last 12 months.

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Hudson Electronics Broadcast

The Broadcast is inspired by the microphone preamps in an old RCA broadcast console. In practical terms, that means it generates its many overdrive shades via transistors rather than op-amps (like a Tube Screamer of Klon). The makes the Broadcast an uncommonly dynamic overdrive that’s both sparkling and harmonically rich.
$285 street
hudsonelectronicsuk.com

Click here to read the full review

In the years we’ve compiled our annual list of Premier Gear Award winners, we’ve probably never seen a list more eclectic than 2015’s. From high-gain monster amps and atmospheric reverbs to mini overdrives and wahs, 2015’s award winners covered all the bases.

As always, it was a joy to see how both big-time musical instrument industry players and little shops a step removed from the garage managed to haul in Premier Guitar’s prize for gear excellence. And if anyone’s counting, we’re pretty sure we also set a record for Premier Gear Award winners. So we hope you’re comfy—this list of primo gear may take some time to cover.

Fender’s American Vintage II Series

For these new recreations, Fender focuses on the little things that make original golden-era Fenders objects of obsession.

If there’s one thing players love more than new guitars, it’s old guitars—the unique feel, the design idiosyncrasies, the quirks in finish that all came from the pre-CNC era of instrument manufacturing. These characteristics become the stuff of legend, passed on through the years via rumors and anecdotes in shops, forums, and community networks.

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The Red Sea was born out of the vision to provide complex signal routing options available to the live/performing musician, that up until now, are only found in a studio mixing environment.

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Stardust V3 was designed to capture the sound and response of 3 distinct amplifier models.

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The Sunn O))) Life Pedal circuit has been meticulously tweaked from the original and includes a third footswitch.

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