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The Year in Gear 2015

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

EarthQuaker Devices Levitation

The Levitation inhabits a cool place between EarthQuaker’s darkly vintage-sounding Ghost Echo and the more ambient Afterneath. Its reverbs range from ominous to angelic, without sacrificing an ounce of utility.
$185 street
earthquakerdevices.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.

Space Is the Place! Six Next-Level Reverb Pedals
- YouTube

Can you get more air in your sound? Here’s a good place to start.

Although tremolo was the first guitar effect, reverb was right on its heels, and ever since we’ve all been tweaking our amps and effects to achieve just the right amount. Here are a handful of stomps that give modern players the kind of control over reverberation that we crave.

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Jamiroquai's Rob Harris: Favorite Gear, Studio vs. Stage, and More
- YouTube

PG's Nikos Arvanitis talks to the funk-guitar master about his musical influences, go-to gear choices, the pros of teaching, working in the studio versus the stage, and future plans for Jamiroquai.

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Ted’s parachute

If you want to escape from the pressures of modern life, go pick up your guitar. Now. You’ll be glad you did.

As I write this, we’re a few weeks away from the election, and I’m feeling as nervous as a cat in a dog park. No matter how you’re voting, there’s a good chance you feel the same way. These are complex times.

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J. Rockett Audio Designs Phil X Signature (PXO) Boost & Overdrive Demo
- YouTube

The PXO was created as a live or studio tool. When we sent Phil the overdrive sample he found that it saved him in backline situations and provided him a drive that plays well with others.

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