
When it comes to fine-tuning your tone, guitarists often forget the value of a good speaker. ToneSpeak’s new models offer a wide range of versatile end-of-the-signal-chain options, in classic to fresh flavors.
Electric guitarists are constantly on a tone quest, but too often we forget to look in the most obvious place: our amp speakers.
In many ways, this oversight is totally understandable. Hey, it’s easy to obsess about a gorgeous instrument sporting a flame maple top or classic vintage vibe. And there’s a vast array of pedals and effects out there screaming for our attention. (Yes, we used “screaming” intentionally. Please don’t hate us.) Of course, pickups, strings, cables, amplifiers, and preamps also have a big impact on our tone.
However, it’s important to remember that every item in our signal chain eventually goes through our amp’s speaker—the crucial transducer that converts electrical impulses into sound.The speaker always gets the final word in our musical conversation. It is literally the last piece of gear that we control before our playing reaches the listener’s ears or the sound engineer’s microphone. And if we’re wondering how to upgrade our overall sound—or breathe new life into a battle-weary amp—maybe it should be the first place we look for answers.
ToneSpeak, a newly launched speaker company based in Minnesota, aims to give you some great new options when you select that all-important piece of gear. Since the company’s birth in 2021, their goal is to provide speakers that are clearly rooted in classic sounds, but with unique tones of their own.
Modern Speakers Saluting Iconic Predecessors
ToneSpeak’s Liverpool 1275—a 12" speaker designed to appeal to Vintage 30 users—provides a case study in the approach. “In selecting what models we wanted to build,” explains Anthony Lucas, ToneSpeak’s senior transducer engineer, who designed the new speaker line, “we started with American and British roots. We didn’t want to copy anything. If you want a Vintage 30, then you should get one from Celestion. It’s a great speaker. But we were okay with using a Vintage 30 and a Greenback as an inspiration, to provide a baseline. The first prototype sounded too much like a Vintage 30”—he laughs—“and we knew we didn’t want to do that. We ended up giving the Liverpool warmer, smoother upper mids and highs, and a bit more lows.”
Lucas knows his stuff: He designed products at Eminence in the U.S. for years before departing the company in 2020 and building the new ToneSpeak line, with help from another former Eminence colleague, Josh Martin.
“At this company, most of us are musicians and involved in music,” says Lucas, “and all of us speak the language of tone, so that’s how ToneSpeak came about. We talked to musicians and manufacturers and asked what they liked and didn’t like about various speakers. We tried to respond to them by keeping what they liked and improving on the things that they didn’t.”
Plenty of 12" Options—and Other Sizes, Too
The Liverpool 1275 is one of five 12" speakers in the growing ToneSpeak line. Other models include the British-inspired Birmingham 1275—a natural fit for fans of the G12H Greenback, with balanced, throaty midrange and lots of articulation—and the formidable Manchester 1290. A high-powered brute, the Manchester will appeal to any player who loves the Celestion Classic Lead but seeks a bit more flexibility. “The common complaint about high-powered speakers is that they sound sterile unless you push them pretty hard,” notes Lucas. “So, we designed the speaker to sound very musical even at lower volume, while still being able to handle 90 watts and sound great. It’s probably our most balanced, most transparent speaker in the whole line.”
If you’ve got a 4x12 closed-back cab that could use an upgrade, ToneSpeak’s Birmingham or Liverpool models are your go-to options for classic tone bliss. And if you want to raise the aggression factor a notch or two—while still sounding great at lower volumes—the Manchester might be your cup of tea.
ToneSpeak: The Chris Condon Demos
Seeking a specially individualized tone that perfectly fits your unique style? Blending two different speakers with varying tonal characteristics in a 2x12 or 4x12 cabinet can produce amazing results. Just ask Robben Ford: He’s using the Austin 1250 and the Manchester 1290 in his Little Walter 2x12 cabinet.
On the other hand, if you’re outfitting an open-backed combo, ToneSpeak’s 12" offerings include a pair of American-based speakers: the Austin 1250 (the same one Robben Ford uses—see above) and New Orleans 1250.
The Austin harkens back to the classic Eminence GA-SC64 speaker. Looking to upgrade your Deluxe Reverb? This is the ticket. “The Austin 1250 is more or less transparent, so you really hear the amp,” explains Lucas. “We brought the mids up—because guitar is a mid-dominant instrument—so they’re more forward and clear without being harsh. The highs are really open and it’s very solid in the lows.”
ToneSpeak: The John Szetela Demos
The New Orleans is designed for players who like the smoky, subtle tone of a hemp cone. “We felt that other hemp-cone speakers are a bit too dark,” says Lucas, “so we designed our hemp cone to have a more open sound. It’s still warm and smooth, but it fills the room and takes to distortion really well. The high end doesn’t sound like it has a blanket put on it.”
ToneSpeak also offers a range of speakers in other sizes. The company’s four 10" models include American-inspired options (the Boston 1020 and Minneapolis 1050) and British voicings (Leeds 1020 and Glasgow 1050). And a pair of 8" models include a British-inspired Belfast 820 and American-voiced Detroit 820, with a hemp-composite cone that makes it perfect for Tweed Champ enthusiasts.
In designing the broad range of ToneSpeak’s product line, Lucas considered all of the components that go into a guitar speaker and affect its tone: cones, coils, and spider suspension. He also delved into a factor that might not be familiar to most players: edge doping—treating the edges of the speaker cone with a substance that works as a shock absorber, to keep the cone under control at high volumes. “We compared a few different edge dopings, which have a big impact on defining upper mids and highs. They can sometimes roll off the highs too much if you’re not careful. We developed our own proprietary edge doping, which I’m really proud of. It makes a big difference in the sound of the speakers and we’re using it on the entire line, except for the New Orleans hemp-cone speaker, which sounded better without any doping at all.”
If you’re wondering how a brand-new speaker company can offer so many models so quickly, the answer is simple: They are allied with the long-established builder MISCO, aka the Minneapolis Speaker Company.
An Ongoing Legacy of U.S.-Made Speakers
Launched in 1949 by Cliff Digre, a World War II veteran with a deep interest in electronics, MISCO has been led by Cliff’s son, Dan Digre, since 1990. The company builds a dizzying array of products and speakers for a variety of industries—including aerospace—many of them far-removed from the musical instruments realm.
MISCO founder Cliff Digre tests an early speaker in his workshop.
However, MISCO has been making OEM guitar speakers for more than 60 years, and in the 1960s even had its own brand of speakers called Redline, that featured red cones. So, when MISCO partnered with Anthony Lucas to launch the ToneSpeak brand, the company possessed decades of know-how in the guitar-speaker arena. It was a perfect opportunity to fill a need in the marketplace. “Anthony had a lot of experience designing speakers when he worked at Eminence,” notes Digre. “For decades, our core has been OEM, which by its nature means people are asking you to do things for them. ToneSpeak exists because the market was asking for some alternatives to what was out there, with an American brand behind it.”
Digre readily acknowledges that building guitar speakers presents a unique set of challenges—starting with the end user’s tastes and preferences. “Guitarists have an amazing sensitivity to tone color. These players have fabulous ears—they’re very discerning, and I have a great respect for them. The philosophy of designing a guitar speaker is different from almost any other type of speaker because it’s part of the sound of the instrument. Most other speakers are designed for the signal to pass through it as uncolored as possible. But the guitar speaker requires the color of the driver to become part of the instrument. And it’s not a commodity: You need to be able to consistently, repeatedly replicate the tone color. Controlling the variables that affect tone color is very important. MISCO has the means of measuring and controlling those factors.”
The Science Behind the Speakers
MISCO’s engineering and manufacturing expertise is the secret sauce behind ToneSpeak’s rapid rise. “There’s some serious engineering in this company used by a lot of different industries,” Digre admits. “MISCO builds the speakers for NASA. They’re used in the space station and the Orion spacecraft that’s going to land on Mars one day. While those aren’t musical products, they do require a very specific set of attributes. These are very demanding applications, and your quality really has to be top notch.”
Those high standards inform the entire approach behind ToneSpeak. “Whether we’re building a speaker for a spaceship or a guitar amp, we’re devoting the same attention to detail and consistency,” Digre says. “One of our brands uses the phrase ‘Our Science, Your Music.’ That philosophy applies equally to ToneSpeak. We’ve got the science of design, the science of manufacturing, the science of testing—but they’re all in the service of music. By design, I want musicians to be in this company, because a musician is going to understand a lot of things that a pure engineer is not. We need to have the musical perspective embedded into the DNA of the company.”
Digre’s outlook is perfectly aligned with Lucas’ stance on speaker design, and the satisfaction he gets when they’ve nailed the formula just right. “I get a smile when a real player gets a hold onto a tool that I’ve made and they connect with it,” Lucas says. “You can always tell by watching and hearing them. They can’t stop playing. They’re hooked. It’s like they get lost in the music. That what really brings me joy as a designer. I’ve done my job.”
Ultimately, electric guitarists are the beneficiaries of this approach. Whether you’re upgrading your main gigging amp—or resuscitating a garage-sale find—you’ll find a new range of options in the ToneSpeak line. So, roll up your sleeves, have some fun, and crank it up. Great tones are waiting for you!
To find a speaker that completes your sound, head over to ToneSpeak.com
Limited edition Squier Stratocaster features iconic Hello Kitty design, high-quality craftsmanship, and versatile tones.
“Hello Kitty has a global community of devoted fans, and much like Fender, has transcended generations, culture, and geography. This partnership speaks to the joy and creativity both brands have inspired worldwide,” said Edward “Bud” Cole, President of Fender APAC. “It’s about more than just a guitar—this is about giving players a platform to express their individuality, with quality instruments, gear, clothing and collectibles that spark creativity, wherever they are.”
“As a cultural ambassador, Hello Kitty has been influencing a variety of industries, including music for 50 years,” said Craig Takiguchi, Chief Operating Officer of Sanrio, Inc. “In today’s dynamic landscape, where music and entertainment are constantly merging and inspiring each other, Fender’s legacy, and deep connection to pop culture uniquely positions them to become an even bigger part of our fans’ lives. We’re excited to partner with Fender to give our community new, creative ways to express themselves through these iconic quality instruments and supercute accessories, continuing to bring our vision of ‘One World, Connecting Smiles’ to life on a global scale.
The Fender x Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary Collection includes a Limited Edition Squier Stratocaster guitar and a Fuzz Pedal, alongside eye-catching accessories such as an electric pink instrument cable, gig bag, and a collection of unisex clothing. From Hello Kitty-themed straps to pick tins, hoodies, tees and trucker hats, these items celebrate the spirit of creativity, inclusion and fun that defines both brands.
Available globally, the Squier Limited Edition Hello Kitty Stratocaster builds on the success of the original, blending substance with style. First introduced 20 years ago, this exciting update to the now iconic Hello Kitty Squier features a supercute glossy finish in pink or white with signature Hello Kitty graphics on the pickguard, headstock and body. The Fender Designed™ humbucking bridge pickup delivers powerful lead lines and smooth rhythm tones. With an ergonomic “C”-shaped neck and contoured body, this guitar ensures comfort and playability for musicians of all skill levels, making it a future cult classic for collectors and players alike. A deluxe padded gig bag with Hello Kitty stitching is also included.
The limited-edition Made in Japan Stratocaster boasts a striking Pearl White finish with Hello Kitty’s trademark ribbon, a "C"-shaped maple neck, 9.5” radius fingerboard, and 22 narrow-tall frets. The guitar is equipped with high-gain Hybrid II Custom Voiced Single Coil pickups, providing versatile tones perfect for clean or overdriven play. Comes with a white hardshell case and certificate of authenticity, celebrating Hello Kitty's cultural influence.
"This collaboration with Hello Kitty is a perfect blend of music and pop culture," said Justin Norvell EVP Fender Product. "The limited-edition Squier Stratocaster merges Hello Kitty’s playful design with Fender’s craftsmanship, offering a high-performing instrument that's as fun as it is functional. Our Made-in-Japan exclusives bring an extra level of artistry and attention to detail, making them standouts for both collectors and players. From the guitars to accessories like straps and fuzz pedals, this collection sparks creativity and celebrates individuality, while staying true to Fender’s legacy of quality and innovation."
The highly anticipated collaboration has returned! Celebrate Hello Kitty's 50th Anniversary with the Fender x Hello Kitty Collection, featuring the beloved Stratocaster. This special edition includes a “C”-shaped neck, a 9.5" maple fingerboard, 21 narrow tall frets, and red dot inlays.
Collection includes:
- Squier Limited Edition Hello Kitty Stratocaster ($499.99) blending substance with style featuring a supercute glossy pink finish with signature Hello Kitty graphics on the pickguard, headstock and body. Available globally.
- Made in Japan Fender Limited Edition Hello Kitty Stratocaster (¥330,000 JPY) available solely at Fender’s Japan Flagship Store in Tokyo, The Made in Japan Limited Hello Kitty Stratocaster is a guitar filled with the bold and vibrant charm of Sanrio’s signature character, Hello Kitty—a leading figure in global Kawaii culture. It features a Pearl White body with her iconic ribbon, a "C"-shaped maple neck, and Hybrid II Custom Voiced pickups for rich Fender tones. Includes a Hello Kitty-engraved neckplate, hardshell case, and certificate of authenticity.
- Hello Kitty Fuzz ($99.99) A fun-loving fuzz like no other – the Fender x Hello Kitty Fuzz introduces a pop of color and charm to one of the pedal world’s most formative effects. Sporting an op amp based circuit with three simple controls, this pink-clad pedal kicks your guitar into wooly, splattering gain tones with unmistakable character. Added style points come in the form of a stand-out pink finish, white Fender witch hat knobs, Japanese translated labels, and, of course, Hello Kitty herself on the front panel. Available globally.
- Additionally, a selection of Made-in-Japan exclusive items, including the Fender Made in Japan Limited Edition Hello Kitty Stratocaster, cleaning cloth, strap blocks, home accessories, custom apparel, tote bag and more, will be available solely at Fender’s Japan Flagship Store in Tokyo. These unique collectibles, featuring adorable designs of Sanrio’s signature character, Hello Kitty, a global pop culture influencer, were created to celebrate her 50th anniversary—an icon that transcends generations and reinforces Hello Kitty and Fender’s deep global cultural presence.
This limited-edition Fender x Hello Kitty collection is a celebration of creativity, inclusivity, and self-expression through music. By blending iconic design with Fender's renowned craftsmanship, this collection invites players of all levels to embrace their individuality and make bold musical statements.
For more information, please visit fender.com.
Discover the iconic Mary Ford Les Paul Standard in Goldtop finish, a tribute to the trailblazing music icon and her groundbreaking partnership with Gibson legend Les Paul.
“I am thrilled that Mom is receiving this recognition for her talents,” says Mary Colleen Wess(daughter of Mary Ford and Les Paul). “I wish she was still with us to enjoy this wonderful honor, which she so richly deserves. Thank you so much, Gibson!”
Through her successful early career in country music and her connections with Gene Autry and Eddie Dean, Mary Ford--who was born Iris Colleen Summers on July 7, 1924--developed a musical partnership with Gibson icon Les Paul that led to their marriage in 1949. In 1951 alone, the duo sold over six million records, and between 1950 and 1954, they recorded a string of 16 top-ten hits that showcased Mary’s rich, smooth voice, complex, perfectly executed harmonies that she sang along with herself through multi-track recording, and overdubbing (a groundbreaking recording technique for the time), while her versatile guitar playing seamlessly blended country, jazz, and pop.
Mary Ford Les Paul Standard Goldtop - YouTube
Gibson Mary Ford Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar - Gold Top with Cherry Back
M.Ford LP Std, Gld Top/Chry BackPRS Private Stock 40th Anniversary McCarty Dragon
PRS unveils the Private Stock 40th Anniversary McCarty Dragon and PRS 40th Anniversary Custom 24. The Dragon features intricate inlay by Jeff Easley, while the Custom 24 boasts new PRS DMO pickups and classic design elements.
PRS Private Stock 40th Anniversary McCarty Dragon
The PRS Private Stock 40th Anniversary McCarty Dragon is the tenth Dragon since the first of its kind was introduced back in 1992. The Dragon art was drawn by Jeff Easley, a fantasy artist famous for many Dungeons & Dragons rulebook covers, and recreated as inlay by the team at Aulson Inlay. The Dragon comprises more than 200 pieces of inlay in an array of materials, including Blue Pacific Opal, Brown Scale Juma, and Gold, Black, White, and Brown Mother of Pearl. The inlay extends onto the truss rod cover and visually leaps off the pale moon ebony fretboard. The Private Stock Eagle inlaid on the headstock is made from Black with Gold Web and outlined in Gold Mother of Pearl. Only 165 Private Stock 40th Anniversary Dragon models will be made.
“When I was a teenager, I had a dream about a guitar with a dragon inlaid down the neck. That dream has since become an important part of our history. For our 40th anniversary, we have chosen a McCarty model as the foundation of the Dragon, which is only fitting considering the original 1992 Dragon was the beginning of what would became the McCarty model. I’m proud to bring these two, now-historic, PRS designs together,” said PRS Guitars Founder & Managing General Partner, Paul Reed Smith.
PRS 40th Anniversary Custom 24
Limited to 400 pieces worldwide, this special edition features both new appointments and traditional design features. Debuting on these guitars are the all-new PRS DMO (Dynamic, Musical, Open) Treble and Bass pickups. Paul Reed Smith and the PRS New Products Engineering Team spec’d these new pickups based on years of hands-on research into coveted vintage pickup models and advancements in signal analyzation and “tuning” technology. PRS DMO pickups have a “wide open” sound with vocal character, meaning they deliver clear, pleasant-sounding tones across a wide range of frequencies (bass to treble) in each pickup.
PRS 40th Anniversary Custom 24 design specifications include an artist grade maple top with a retro violin top carve, PRS “Old School” birds with outlines and PRS “Pre-Factory” headstock eagle, all of which pay homage to early PRS guitars. Other classic Custom 24 appointments include the PRS Gen III patented tremolo, PRS Phase III locking tuners with wing buttons, and PRS Signature 10-46 strings. This limited edition also features a ziricote fretboard and headstock veneer and comes with a hand-signed 40th Anniversary certificate.
Beyond these initial announcements, PRS Guitars is planning a year full of new product introductions starting in January. Stay tuned to see new gear and 40th Anniversary limited-edition guitars throughout the year.
For more information, please visit prsguitars.com.
PRS Private Stock 40th Anniversary Dragon Electric Guitar - Burnt Chestnut
PS 40th Anni McCarty Dragon, Brnt ChsntAdd a splash of motion and mystery to a flat amp with this simple, streamlined, vintage-flavored tremolo and reverb stomp.
Simplicity and utility. Lively spring reverb simulation. Smart, spacious control layout. Nicely dovetailed modulation and reverb tones.
Can’t use harmonic tremolo or vibrato with spring reverb simulation.
$229
Keeley Zoma Stereo Reverb And Tremolo
keeley.com
There are days I plug into myFender Vibrolux, play an E minor chord with a little vibrato arm flourish, and ask, “What more could I ever need?” The simple, elegant perfection of Fender’s reverb and tremolo formula is so foundational, essential, and flat-out delicious to the senses that it gave rise to a class of pedals that consolidate the essence of that recipe.
The most famous of these is probably theStrymon Flint, a tool widely adopted by touring players that deal with changing backlines and players that make do with simpler amplifiers. While the Flint is an industry standard of sorts, at almost 350 bucks it’s also a serious investment. Less expensive alternatives include Fender’s own Tre-Verb (which uses a design and layout strikingly similar to the Flint) as well as Keeley’s excellent U.S.-made Hydra Stereo Tremolo and Reverb and their simpler, less-expensive Verb o Trem, which lacks independent switches for the two effects. But for players that like a more spacious control layout and independent reverb and tremolo switches—and are willing to sacrifice a few options to save about $120—Keeley’s new Zoma might be the most enticing Flint alternative out there.
Form Leads to Function
The Zoma is built into the same enclosure and uses the same control layout as theI Get Around rotary simulator and California Girls 12-string simulator Keeley built in collaboration with JHS Pedals and Benson Amps to honor the Beach Boys. Though destined to annoy space-economy fetishists, the Zoma’s dimensions should be little problem for those who keep their pedal effects to a minimum. The larger enclosure also offers lots of upside in the form of the spacious control layout, which facilitates fast adjustments on the fly. The sizable RCA-style knobs, particularly the big reverb level control, make adjustments with your toe easy. The blue Fender-style jewel lamp—which also blinks at the tremolo’s rate—is situated between the already well-spaced reverb and tremolo bypass switches to ensure that even the klutziest performer can avoid pressing one or both accidentally.
“The plate reverb leaves more space for the beautiful, liquid modulations from the harmonic tremolo and vibrato.”
A small 3-way toggle nestled safely among the three knobs moves between the Zoma’s three basic modes and voices: spring reverb with sine wave tremolo (the black-panel Fender formula), a plate-style reverb with brown-panel Fender-style harmonic tremolo, and plate-style reverb with more Magnatone-like pitch vibrato. The single toggle means you can’t combine different tremolo types with different reverb types as you can with the Flint. But by pressing and holding the reverb/alt switch, you can orient the tremolo after the reverb in black-panel Fender style or place the tremolo before the reverb for a thicker, blurrier tone. You can also change the reverb decay level, reverb tone, or the tremolo output level in alt mode.
Pipelines and Sines
You’d have to be pretty nitpicky to take issue with Zoma’s likeness to real spring reverb. The pings and clicks that follow transients in the Zoma’s spring simulation are particularly authentic compared to the Vibrolux and Fender Reverb tank I used for comparison. And given the possible variation that exists among vintage Fender reverb units, thanks to age, wear, and component value drift, the Zoma’s output falls well within the realm of “accurate.” The primary difference I heard in the Fenders was a little extra harmonic thickness and ghostliness in the decay at the highest reverb levels—but that was at pretty high volume and in isolation. Would you hear it with a bass and drums filling out that harmonic picture? Maybe. Would it spoil the evening of paying customers out to stomp to your instrumental surf combo? I kinda doubt it. And if the Zoma spring is ever-so-slightly less thick than the real deal, it’s still easy to excite and add splash to those harmonics—or make them more subdued—with the Zoma’s alt-mode reverb tone control, which you’re only going to find elsewhere on an outboard Fender Reverb unit. The plate reverb settings are a little more vaporous, diffuse, and lack the post-transient attack you hear at advanced spring settings. But they leave more space for dynamics—most importantly the beautiful, liquid modulations from the harmonic tremolo and vibrato that accompany them.
The harmonic tremolo is especially pretty and adds lovely dimension to lazy chord melodies. The vibrato is excellent, too—throbbing and wobbly without being overpowering at its most intense levels and capable of adding dreamy drift at subdued settings. The sine wave tremolo, by the way, is a great match for the spring reverb. There are bolder, bossier tremolos out there, but it’s a close match for the optical tremolo in most mid-1960s Fender combos, which are not always wildly forceful themselves.
The Verdict
The Zoma can be a very transformative pedal—adding splashes of surfy energy to a Marshall or big-amp presence to a Fender Champ. In terms of utility and approachability, about the only thing that rivals the Zoma is an amp with onboard tremolo and reverb. But even with the real thing you’ll probably lack the pretty harmonic tremolo, the vibrato, and the plate reverb options that extend the Zoma’s color palette. Do I wish I could mix the vibrato and harmonic tremolo with the spring reverb? After a few hours of getting used to the characteristics of each, I do. But it wouldn’t be a deal breaker if I was going to use this pedal in performance or in a recording session where I could also take advantage of the stereo capabilities. The Zoma is a mood machine par excellence that’s also a breeze to use.