December 2020
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The Year in Gear 2020
December 17, 2020
It may be the understatement of the century, but this year was weird. Even so, the killer gear kept coming. Here are the goods that stood out as extra-great amongst our annual haul of Premier Guitar reviews.
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Recording Dojo: Get Fuzzy! Tips for Doubling Down on Dirt
December 17, 2020
Things can get tricky when distortion pedals and DAWs meet. Here's how to show your stomps who’s boss.
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A ’60s Solidbody That Would Make Sergio Leone Smile
December 14, 2020
This fistful of Eko hails from the land of spaghetti westerns.
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Last Call: And the Band Played On
December 13, 2020
Behind the scenes at the CMT Music Awards in the time of COVID.
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10 DIY Patch Kits to Streamline Your Board
December 11, 2020
Scientific fact: The shortest distance between two guitar effects is a custom-length patch cable.
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Marisa Anderson—Improvising in 3-D
December 10, 2020
The unconventional fingerstylist left classical guitar to join a circus band, play rock solos, and start musical fires with open tunings, clarion tone, and improvisation. She burns brightly on the new The Quickening.
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Warm Audio Jet Phaser: The Premier Guitar Review
December 10, 2020
The masters of affordable analog mimicry resurrect one of Roland’s most far-out ’70s effects.
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Tripping the Heavy Fantastic with a Hot Rod Deluxe
December 8, 2020
With Public Enemy, guitarist Khari Wynn uses a Marshall, but a humble Fender workhorse helps carry his own transcendent compositions.
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Schecter Banshee: The Premier Guitar Review
December 7, 2020
This 30"-scale 4-string has a velvety voice, vintage vibes, and comfort for both the hands and wallet.
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Will Ray's Bottom Feeder: Rescuing a Yard-Sale Gibson SG Special
December 7, 2020
This scarred 2001 keeper is low on ROI but high on playability and tone.
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Budget-Friendly Rock Machine for the Masses: The Manson META MBM-1 Premier Guitar Review
December 6, 2020
Muse's guitar leader's latest namesake model looks stripped-down, but offers many practical extras.
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Does a Solidbody Bass' Unplugged Tone Matter?
December 4, 2020
The old adage says not to judge a book by its cover—so why do we do it so much with instruments?
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Reader Guitar of the Month: Ibby
December 3, 2020
A player shares the mods he’s made to an Ibanez ART420 to get more flexibility when playing in his church band.
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The Problem with Gear Reviews
December 1, 2020
Why you oughta be skeptical when reading or watching critiques of pedals.
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IK Multimedia Z-Tone Buffer Boost: The Premier Guitar Review
November 30, 2020
An understated, utilitarian buffer/boost/preamp that can profoundly reshape your tones.
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Does Factory Fresh Mean Ready to Play?
November 29, 2020
Top techs share their tips, tweaks, and onstage product development for brand-spankin’-new guitars.
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The COVID Files: Inside the Mod Garage Shop During Lockdown
November 27, 2020
Dirk Wacker shares what the last six months have been like for him and his guitar-tech business in Germany.
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PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo: The PG Review
November 26, 2020
With a blendable piezo pickup, Annapolis’ affordable electric hollowbody becomes extra versatile.
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The Earth Isn’t Flat, and Neither Is Your Fretboard
November 26, 2020
How—and why—acoustic guitar builders create predictable, controllably stable necks.
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Mali’s Songhoy Blues vs. the Grim Reaper
November 24, 2020
How guitarist Garba Touré and his band of refugees fled for their lives and found salvation in rocking, psychedelic desert blues—and made their new album, Optimisme, with producer Matt Sweeney.
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