Welcome to Guitar World’s weekly gear round-up, your one-stop-shop for keeping up to date with what’s been happening in the big wide world of guitar gear over the past seven days.
From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay in the loop with every new launch.
To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.
Below you'll find my personal highlights from the week, along with plenty of honorable mentions for the new gear you might have missed. Agree with my picks? Have a highlight of your own? Let us know in the comments.
HeadRush x TONE3000 NAM 2 Architecture update
The digital tone market is changing before our very eyes and not everyone seems to be paying attention. TONE3000 and Neural Amp Modeling (NAM) is revolutionizing the way guitarists access digital tones.
For those out of the loop, NAM A2 Architecture is a free-to-use open-source platform that lets players capture, browse, share and download models of countless amps, cabs, pedals, outboard gear and more.
In a blind listening test, it blew the industry’s big guns out of the water. It statistically performed better than Line 6, IK Multimedia and Neural DSP. Did we mention it’s free?!
It’s been added to some hardware in the past, such as Blackstar’s Beam Mini and Beam Go, but this week it was introduced to HeadRush’s flagship line of floorboard modelers. For the first time, TONE3000 and NAM can be accessed directly from a pedalboard, foregoing the need for a computer or Bluetooth connection.
The implications shouldn’t be overlooked. Players can get a sub–$500 modeler, tap directly into TONE3000’s bottomless pit of free digital captures, and play tones that (on paper) are meant to be better than the market’s most premium offerings.
Like we say, the market is changing. Could we see Neural DSP and Line 6 host NAM captures in the future? The jury is still out, but one thing’s for certain: those companies will definitely be looking over their shoulder at what’s happening here.
Epiphone Marcus King El Dorado
Marcus King has a fair few sentimental guitars in his collection, but the El Dorado is particularly special. It was his first-ever guitar, a gift from his father. Now, it’s been given the signature treatment by Epiphone.
The $499 acoustic recreates King’s beloved childhood acoustic in all its glory, with some neat personalized touches. Those inlays on the bridge are tasty. The pickguard style is very classy. Extra points for all the decorative binding and rounded-corner inlays.
“This guitar means the world to me,” King says. “My first El Dorado was a gift from my father, and it carried me through some of the earliest and most important moments of my musical journey.” A fitting tribute to a stunning instrument.
ALSO LAUNCHED THIS WEEK
Line 6 Helix Stadium Native plugin
A native plugin that brings Line 6’s Agoura amp models and next-gen modeler features to your DAW. There’s also a completely free tier that offers 5 amps and 16 effects.
For more: Line 6
Third Man Hardware x 1981 Inventions DRV ‘Black Squirrel’
Jack White’s Third Man Hardware has teamed up with 1981 Inventions for a limited-edition take on the latter’s flagship DRV dirt pedal. The Black Squirrel mod has been made with parts that were hand-selected and road-tested by Third Man. The squirrel artwork is pretty cool, too.
For more: 1981 Inventions
NAM A2 Architecture x ToneRig update
What were we saying about NAM earlier? Neural Amp Modeler captures are now available via your iPhone and iPad via a new ToneRig update.
For more: Apple Store
Harley Benton Space Wah & Volume
Three new utility pedals from Harley Benton: a wah, a volume, and a 2-in-1 wah/volume combo. Yes, they’re cheap, starting from $47 for the Space Wah.
For more: Harley Benton
Flattley Pedals Centurion 10 AE Transparent Overdrive
A special 10th anniversary reissue of Flattley's Centurion overdrive, which offers an abundance of silky germanium diode drive tones and some awesome pedal art.
For more: Flattley Pedals
