Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Generation.
From a guitarist’s perspective, an audio interface is the box that lets you easily record studio-like tones on your laptop or desktop computer. Essentially, interfaces provide the inputs and outputs you need to do this efficiently, help you record at a higher bit rate to achieve a richer sound, and allow you to adjust gain to achieve the tones you desire.
There are a lot of guitar-friendly audio interfaces out there, so let’s take a look at five of the friendliest and most affordable. All offer high-quality preamps and come with software that includes recording and mixing capabilities. They all sound good, but a few have special sauce—more flexibility, more functions, a more solid build. They’re all easy to set up, have headphone outs, and are bus-powered, which means they get juice from the USB port they’re plugged into—although a power adapter may be required when using an iPad. All of these interfaces provide easy, album-quality recording ability for low dough.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Generation.
This fourth generation version of the company’s tried and true interface has been beefed up for guitar, with Auto Gain to optimize recording levels, and Clip Safe, which adjusts gain levels (the overall gain range is a whopping 69 dB) in danger of clipping, plus dynamic gain halos that make it easy to see if you’re overloading the signal. Otherwise, this popular, low-latency device in an anodized aluminum enclosure still has two inputs and outputs, and two mic preamps. It also comes with a free expansion bundle that provides amp plugins (including a killer Silver Jubilee), a reverb plugin modeled on the Hit Factory’s ’verb, plus compression, a synth, a console, and other handy virtual devices. But my favorite feature is the new Air button. Without the Air feature engaged, the preamps sound clean and clear, with loads of headroom. Push the Air button once and you get more high frequencies—it sounds like recording through a high-fidelity console. Push the Air button again and the midrange frequencies are boosted for thick, muscular electric guitar sounds. The 2i2 bundle also includes a three-month Pro Tools Artist subscription and Ableton Live Lite, to get you started.
$199 street, focusrite.com
PreSonus AudioBox USB96 25th Anniversary
PreSonus AudioBox USB96 25th Anniversary.
The latest iteration of the company’s popular AudioBox interface has two ins and outs, and mic preamps—with a 35 dB range—that have an excellent reputation for delivering pristine audio signal. Low latency means you can listen without a hitch as you layer over tracks you’ve already recorded. The steel-chassis box comes with Studio One DAW software, used by a lot of pro recording engineers. The software bundle also includes an extensive collection of plugins, along with the Capture Duo iPad App, which allows easier recording and mixing on an iPad.
$99 street, presonus.com
IK Multimedia iRig HD X
IK Multimedia iRig HD X.
If you’re looking for extreme portability, the pocket-sized HD X might be your jam. It has the same 24-bit/96kHz A/D conversion rate as all these units, and seems designed for quick-and-dirty tracking with an iPhone or iPad. The preamp is instrument-only—no microphones—and it’s got amp and headphone outs, all mono-only. AmpliTube 5SE is included for amp emulations, and TONEX SE, with lots of outboard-gear-modeling options, is also part of the package. Plus, the Loopback+ virtual effects loop brings even more value to this tiny titan.
$129 street, ikmultimedia.com
TASCAM US-2x2HR
TASCAM US-2x2HR.
The big difference with this two-in/two-out interface is its MIDI ins and outs for studio controllers. And while it has a solid build and sturdy controls for gain, ins, and outs, it also comes with Steinberg’s Cubase SE to get you up and tracking, plus the SampleTrack sound and groove workstation.
$129 street, tascam.com
Audient iD4 MkII
Audient iD4 MkII.
This device uses the same discrete class-A preamp that’s in the company’s recording consoles on its channel 1—good for any mics. A separate JFET input handles guitars and other high impedance instruments. The all-metal box has quarter-inch and eighth-inch headphone outs, and you can pan playback and recording tracks, to better hear what you’re cutting. The software bundle is the ARC suite, which provides virtual instruments, cab sims, plugin effects, and Steinberg’s Cubase/Cubasis LE3 for desktop and mobile DAWs.
$199 street, audient.com
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Phat Machine
The Phat Machine
The Phat Machine is designed to deliver the tone and responsiveness of a vintage germanium fuzz with improved temperature stability with no weird powering issues. Loaded with both a germanium and a silicon transistor, the Phat Machine offers the warmth and cleanup of a germanium fuzz but with the bite of a silicon pedal. It utilizes classic Volume and Fuzz control knobs, as well as a four-position Thickness control to dial-in any guitar and amp combo. Also included is a Bias trim pot and a Kill switch that allows battery lovers to shut off the battery without pulling the input cord.
Silk Worm Deluxe Overdrive
The Silk Worm Deluxe -- along with its standard Volume/Gain/Tone controls -- has a Bottom trim pot to dial in "just the right amount of thud with no mud at all: it’s felt more than heard." It also offers a Studio/Stage diode switch that allows you to select three levels of compression.
Both pedals offer the following features:
- 9-volt operation via standard DC external supply or internal battery compartment
- True bypass switching with LED indicator
- Pedalboard-friendly top mount jacks
- Rugged, tour-ready construction and super durable powder coated finish
- Made in the USA
Static Effectors’ Street Series pedals carry a street price of $149 each. They are available at select retailers and can also be purchased directly from the Static Effectors online store at www.staticeffectors.com.
Galloup’s Plek tech Adam Winarski preps a Yamaha acoustic for the machine.
Presently, many certified guitar-repair specialists possess the expertise required to deliver an instrument that both sounds and plays wonderfully. The standards set by manufacturers and distributors have significantly risen, safeguarded by rigorous quality protocols to guarantee the best possible acoustic experience for customers. Additionally, lutherie training has raised the bar for critical processes, and one of the most tricky is fretwork.
Traditional fretwork once involved manual labor, with technicians utilizing sandbags or similar supports to steady the neck as they straightened it with a truss rod during the filing process. A notable advancement in this field came in the mid 1970s when Don Teeter, an author and repair expert, imposed a new method: fixing the guitar body to the bench and using blocks to maintain the neck in a playing position. This refinement was one of many in the continued quest to produce superior instruments by standardized methods.
An example of the Plek’s readings from an acoustic guitar.
Photo courtesy of Galloup Guitars
In the late 1970s, another pivotal innovation was introduced by Dan Erlewine. He created an advanced fret jig with a specialized body-holding system and neck supports, adding another layer of precision to the repair process. During my collaboration with Dan in 1985, we developed a rotating neck jig that counterbalanced the forces of gravity, keeping the instrument in its playing orientation while adjusting the neck supports. This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry. By 1986, our approach had evolved into a freestanding workstation coupled with a sophisticated hold-down mechanism and enhanced neck supports, culminating in increased accuracy, efficiency, and consistency. Over the decades, the Erlewine/Galloup rotating neck jig has become a benchmark in numerous shops, enhancing fretwork performance.
"This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry."
By the 1990s, automated and computerized technologies permeated the guitar manufacturing and repair sectors. Initially applied by import companies in the mass production of guitars, the technology, although expediting processes, did not immediately achieve high execution standards. However, the tech dramatically improved over time, with computer-driven systems eventually transforming the industry. Contemporary automated production utilizing such advancements meets exceedingly high standards of precision. Some bespoke guitar manufacturers, such as Steve Andersen, were pioneers in adopting these methods, but it was companies like Taylor that established them in the modern era.
Inevitably, the progression of technology extended beyond the mere production of parts. Around 1995, German engineer Gerd Anke envisioned the integration of computer-assisted technology into enhancing instrument playability, giving rise to Plek technology, which uses computers to precisely measure and analyze the various components of a guitar, like neck relief, fret height, nut and bridge specs, and more. Nashville guitar-repair tech Joe Glaser was among the first to recognize the machine’s value, followed by San Francisco luthier Gary Brawer. When Heritage Guitar Inc. invested in a Plek machine, the guitar industry could no longer disregard the significance of this innovation.
“The machine’s scanning data confirmed that there was one nature of an ideal fret plane, done by hand or machine, and unsurprisingly, it conformed exactly to what physics predicts, not personal mojo.”
In the spring of 2022, Galloup Guitars obtained its first Plek machine. Promptly, our technician Adam Winarski paved the way for the Plek’s integration in our shop. Now, it’s a rarity for an instrument to leave our shop without having undergone Plek analysis and machining. Impressed by the results of our integration, we created “Intro to Plek” as a course for all students enrolled at the Galloup School of Lutherie, offering our students a practical introduction to this technology. We furthered this educational initiative with a comprehensive one-week intensive “Plek Certification Training Course” for both students and the public. This advanced Plek course serves those seeking to boost their knowledge base and employability in this high-precision field.
Plek is rapidly becoming an industry standard for major manufacturers and smaller shops alike. However, this does not mean that those without access to this technology cannot execute proficient fretwork. Personally, I continue to use my Erlewine/Galloup neck jig—not only out of nostalgia, but also because it remains an excellent method for delivering accurate and reliable guitars. Still, it’s undeniable that the process of fretting, fret dressing, and analytics of fretted instruments has undergone significant transformation, resulting in better sounding—and playing—guitars. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.