Tessa Jeffers

Tessa's career in journalism has taken her from the Midwest to the Middle East and back. In addition to writing about music for publications like SPIN, Tessa has worked as an arts editor and investigative news reporter. She currently lives in Music City, Tennessee.

Gear Galleries

Reader Pedalboards 2023

This year’s highlights include an obsession with Lehle switchers, a literal charcuterie board repurposed into a stomp station, a pedalboard project to celebrate years of sobriety, and a guitarist who plays his wah like he’s riding a skateboard. Enjoy!

Guitarists

Sam Fender: A High Tenor from North Shields

The British songwriter traversed the bleak thoroughfares of his past while writing his autobiographical sophomore album, Seventeen Going Under—a tale of growing up down-and-out, set to an epic chorus of Jazzmasters and soaring sax.

Guitarists

Two Feet’s Blues-Trap Stratosphere

Bill Dess was working as a cashier in a Harlem bodega in 2016, making songs in his apartment. Then he uploaded one to SoundCloud, and well … sometimes dreams do come true.

Gear

Pedal Alley 2021: Reader Boards

The pandemic has brought guitarists lots more time to tinker with tone toys. Here’s what players all over the world have been putting together in their bunkers.

Artists

Billy Corgan on Smashing Pumpkins’ New Mellon Collie Sequel: “Now’s the Time.”

With original guitarist James Iha back in the band, Corgan hits a savage stride in one of his most prolific songwriting periods, first releasing the electronic album, Cyr. Next up: a 33-track sequel to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

All Reviews

Bush’s The Kingdom Is Airtight & Anthemic

The grunge vets may not be in their prime—but they’re not frozen in time, either.

Gear

Sol Philcox-Littlefield Rig Rundown Guitar Gear Tour

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Tessa Jeffers

Reader Pedalboards 2023

This year’s highlights include an obsession with Lehle switchers, a literal charcuterie board repurposed into a stomp station, a pedalboard project to celebrate years of sobriety, and a guitarist who plays his wah like he’s riding a skateboard. Enjoy!

Sam Fender: A High Tenor from North Shields

The British songwriter traversed the bleak thoroughfares of his past while writing his autobiographical sophomore album, Seventeen Going Under—a tale of growing up down-and-out, set to an epic chorus of Jazzmasters and soaring sax.

Two Feet’s Blues-Trap Stratosphere

Bill Dess was working as a cashier in a Harlem bodega in 2016, making songs in his apartment. Then he uploaded one to SoundCloud, and well … sometimes dreams do come true.

Pedal Alley 2021: Reader Boards

The pandemic has brought guitarists lots more time to tinker with tone toys. Here’s what players all over the world have been putting together in their bunkers.

Billy Corgan on Smashing Pumpkins’ New Mellon Collie Sequel: “Now’s the Time.”

With original guitarist James Iha back in the band, Corgan hits a savage stride in one of his most prolific songwriting periods, first releasing the electronic album, Cyr. Next up: a 33-track sequel to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

Bush’s The Kingdom Is Airtight & Anthemic

The grunge vets may not be in their prime—but they’re not frozen in time, either.

Freeman Vines and the Hanging Tree Guitars

How a rural North Carolina luthier’s instruments unearthed a buried story of the American South.

Album Spotlight: Thundercat’s Cosmic Tilt-A-Whirl

On It Is What It Is, the bassist examines the loss of his best friend, Mac Miller, through a deep-dive, jazz-fusion opus.

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Tessa Jeffers

This year’s highlights include an obsession with Lehle switchers, a literal charcuterie board repurposed into a stomp station, a pedalboard project to celebrate years of sobriety, and a guitarist who plays his wah like he’s riding a skateboard. Enjoy!

The British songwriter traversed the bleak thoroughfares of his past while writing his autobiographical sophomore album, Seventeen Going Under—a tale of growing up down-and-out, set to an epic chorus of Jazzmasters and soaring sax.

Bill Dess was working as a cashier in a Harlem bodega in 2016, making songs in his apartment. Then he uploaded one to SoundCloud, and well … sometimes dreams do come true.

The pandemic has brought guitarists lots more time to tinker with tone toys. Here’s what players all over the world have been putting together in their bunkers.

With original guitarist James Iha back in the band, Corgan hits a savage stride in one of his most prolific songwriting periods, first releasing the electronic album, Cyr. Next up: a 33-track sequel to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

The grunge vets may not be in their prime—but they’re not frozen in time, either.

How a rural North Carolina luthier’s instruments unearthed a buried story of the American South.

On It Is What It Is, the bassist examines the loss of his best friend, Mac Miller, through a deep-dive, jazz-fusion opus.