12 minute read
ACOUSTIC GUITARS
Taylor American Dream AD27e Flametop
By Jimmy Leslie, Guitar Player, April 2022
“The least Taylor-sounding guitar you’ve heard to date,” as the American Dream AD27e Flametop was described to us, definitely has a distinctive sound. The tone is dry and on the dark side, and there aren’t a lot of complex overtones but rather a flat, fundamental tone focused in the middle range. The Flametop comes with D’Addario Nickel Bronze strings, which are a significant factor in this earthy-sounding equation. The guitar is also equipped with Taylor ES2 electronics and a eucalyptus neck, and the Nickel Bronze strings feel and sound worn-in, even when they’re brand-new. The Flametop begs to be strummed aggressively with a thick pick, cowboy-style. It’s a no-frills, broken-in and practically road-worn tone that lends authenticity to blues. The weathered look of its shaded edgeburst Woodsmoke finish and satin sheen perfectly matches the dusky, gritty tone. The owner of the local recording studio took one solid strum of the Flametop and proclaimed, “That’s my favorite Taylor ever.” $2,199,
taylorguitars.com
ACCESSORIES THIS CAN REBUILD A COMMUNITY.
At the D’Addario Foundation, we believe the most e ective instrument for creating lasting, positive change for children and their communities is music education. That’s why we work with over 200 successful, diverse community-based programs to help bring music to kids who may never have access otherwise. And 100% of your donation to the D’Addario Foundation goes directly towards giving music education to children. So every dollar you give makes a real di erence. Learn more at daddariofoundation.org
Blackstar St. James 50 EL34 Head
By Paul Riario, Guitar World, October 2022
With more guitarists eschewing back-breaking amplifiers for plug-and-play floorboard modelers, Blackstar has doubled down on tube amps by addressing weight issues, notching up powerful tone and adding advanced functionality with the release of their St. James series of amplifiers. The series is available as a 1x12 combo or amplifier head with a matching vertical 2x12 cabinet. They are pleasingly lightweight: The combo clocks in at 28 lbs., and the head and cabinet read 14 and 30 lbs. respectively. The EL34 design uses a British “Class A” tube preamp for more low-to medium “classic” output gain on Channel II, making this version ideal as a pedal platform for either channel. But if “modern” preamp gain is your preference, then the 6L6 model’s Channel II circuit deals a robust combination of cascaded hi-gain tube overdrive with a “British” style passive tone stack EQ. Finally, an integrated series effects loop, studio-quality reverb and footswitch provide even more versatility. $1,199.99,
blackstaramps.com
Blackstar St. James 6L6 Combo
By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, November 2022
What if someone came up with an all-tube amp that weighed about as much as a typical solid-state rig? Well, Blackstar has done just that with this St. James series 1x12 combo, which tips the scales at 28 pounds respectively. This amp uses 6L6 tubes and has a lead channel that Blackstar says is their highest-gain channel ever, plus a clean channel that offers crisp highs and tight low end. To test the 6L6 combo, I initially used it on a gig that involved a hike to reach the stage. This is where the St. James’ weight was most appreciated, especially compared to my 39-pound Deluxe Reverb. Well-equipped for just about any situation, and remarkably easy to carry considering the wallop it packs, the St. James is a shoe-in for an Editors’ Pick Award. Kudos to Blackstar for cracking the code on making a tube amp that won’t break your back or your wallet. $1,299, blackstaramps.com
Boss Katana KTN-110 Combo
By Mike Brooks, Bass Player, May 2022
As a 1x10-equipped combo, this unit is aimed at home, studio and rehearsal use, although it will be usable on small gigs if it isn’t battling a wall of sound. There’s a Bluetooth connection for device playback through an adaptor, and a USB connection for tailoring of effects and tones, as well as downloading new patches and effects as they’re developed. The FX list includes several types of compression, distortion and overdrive — accessible via the Input EFX controls on the control panel — followed by delay, reverb and echo, T-wah, octaver, chorus, phaser and synth. The EQ is extensive, with low and high-mid frequency selections available, while bringing the tweeter into play also extends the available array of tones. Setting up a basic sound and tone is easy, so if you choose to audition the KTN-110 as a working amp and use the effects sparingly, you’ll be impressed with its basic operation — even as a regular combo. $399. boss.info
GUITAR WORLD GOLD AWARD
PERFO R MANCE
Electro-Harmonix Dirt Road Special
By Paul Riario, Guitar World, March 2022
Electro-Harmonix’s Dirt Road Special is a capable 1x12 combo with updated circuitry that provides an authentic tubelike response and feel that may almost make you forget it’s a solid state amp. I really thought the Dirt Road Special would mostly be a “clean machine” — and it certainly does that: It’s great for hearing the sparkle of your single-coil pickups and the roundness of humbuckerequipped guitars. If you love ’verb, you’ll appreciate the built-in selection of onboard reverbs in the DRS. Many players will find the Spring and Hall reverbs to be handy in most live situations for their organic shimmer. What’s really useful is having the Time knob for setting generous or narrower decay times for each of its voluminous reverb types. This combo gets plenty loud, thanks to its openback design and custom-voiced EHX 12-inch speaker that’s rated at 75 watts. It’s also pleasantly portable and feels much lighter than its 30 lbs readout. $406.90
street, ehx.com
GUITAR WORLD GOLD AWARD
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Fender Acoustic Junior Go
By Paul Riario, Guitar World, May 2022
Don’t count acoustic amps out: Fender’s Acoustic Junior Go will make you rethink the idea that you don’t need one. It’s compact and powerful at 100 watts of output power with a rechargeable battery that hangs in there for more than five hours of playing time at full volume. It also works splendidly as a portable two-channel PA, which is essential for buskers and gigs in smaller venues. At 17 lbs., the AJG is ridiculously lightweight, truly making it an “on the go” amplifier, but even more impressive is the combined 8-inch low-frequency driver and hi-fi tweeter to deftly capture the sound of your acoustic and vocals in detailed “surround-sound” quality. The onboard effects sound exceptional and come in handy for turning dry performances into ambient ones. The built-in looper is indispensable once you make it part of your repertoire: You’ll need to spring for an optional four-button footswitch to maximize that looping potential. $499.99
street, fender.com
Fender Mustang Micro
By Michael Ross, Guitar Player, April 2022
The Mustang Micro is a very, very small guitar amplifier and effect modeling system that features a selection of tones from Fender’s Mustang series modeling amps. You can plug it directly into your guitar’s input jack, connect stereo headphones to its 1/8-inch jack, choose various amp and effect settings, and play for hours. This tiny device offers 12 amp models with a range of clean and dirty tones, 12 effect combinations with some parameter control, adjustable EQ, and a relatively large master volume wheel that adjusts instrument and overall output level to headphones or earbuds. Whether you use the Mustang Micro as a practice tool, for playing along with tunes streaming via Bluetooth, or as a quick and easy audio interface for recording, prepare to be amazed at the level of feel and tone Fender has crammed into this tiny package. It is a miracle of modern engineering and deserves its Editors’ Pick Award. $119,
fender.com
Fender Rumble Stage 800
By Kevin Sanders, Bass Player, July 2022
Although the Fender Rumble Stage 800 has been available for a few years now, it’s still right at the forefront of bass amp technology. The amp has an 800-watt (into 4 ohms) digital power module, 10” baffle-mounted pressed-steel speakers made by Eminence, and a sturdy cabinet made from dense birch ply. The twin ports and huge ceramic magnets on the drivers mean that the amp will easily handle powerful low frequencies from the power amp. The top control panel is deceptively simple, with just five control knobs — Gain, a three-band EQ and Master, all of which are programmable. In addition there are three ‘layer’ buttons, four ‘utility’ buttons, and an encoder wheel. Download the Fender Tone App to your phone and all of the great Fender bass amplifiers are available, and effects wise, there’s everything you could possibly want. It’s no wonder that this amp has become so popular with bass players of all levels. $999,
fender.com
GUITAR WORLD GOLD AWARD
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Gamma G25 Guitar Combo
By Chris Gill, Guitar World, September 2022
Over the last 25 to 30 years, it has been nearly impossible to buy a decent brand-new guitar amplifier for less than $200. The cost of an amplifier in this price range wasn’t the only thing that was low — so were the volume output and sound quality. The Gamma G25 guitar combo amplifier, with a single 10-inch speaker, offers a surprising exception. It’s a genuine guitar amp in the truest sense, meaning it is loud enough to gig with and sounds good enough to record. The tone controls are versatile and provide attractive tones across their entire range. When it comes to sound quality, it punches well above other contenders in a similar price range. While the combo may lack the built-in digital effects or dozens of amp models of its more expensive competition, the emphasis on good, solid guitar tones is refreshing for a combo that only costs about as much as an average stomp box. $139.99 street,
acousticamplification.com
GUITAR WORLD GOLD AWARD
PERFO R MANCE Gamma G50 Guitar Combo
By Chris Gill, Guitar World, September 2022
The G50 guitar combo from Acoustic Control (Guitar Center’s amp-manufacturing division) is impressively loud enough to gig with in a full-band situation, with its two-channel design providing a straightforward Blue channel with only a volume control and a versatile Red channel with Drive and Volume controls, plus a voicing switch (Clean, Blues, Rock, Metal). The Bass, Mid and Treble controls are shared for both channels. Emphasis is clearly placed on the essentials, such as the True Blue speakers, which deliver outstanding headroom and are tuned to accentuate desirable tones across an optimal frequency range. The mids may not sound quite as refined as those of a $2,000 boutique amp, but hey, you get what you pay for (and, in the case of the Gamma combo, surprisingly much more). The G50 pairs well with a wide variety of guitars, and can even handle smaller club gigs — as long as the drummer doesn’t think he’s Alex Van Halen. $199.99 street,
acousticamplification.com
Hughes & Kettner AmpMan Classic Amplifier Pedal
By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player, February 2022
Hughes & Kettner’s Spirit Tone Generator solid-state technology is a fully analog amplification system engineered to accurately mirror a tube’s response to the incoming guitar signal and deliver a similar tone and playing feel. Now H&K has placed the Spirit Tone Generator in its new AmpMan Classic pedal, a two-channel amp with impressive functionality. It delivers two foot-switchable channels, each with controls for gain, tone, resonance, presence, sagging and volume, with shared master and solo. The AmpMan Classic has a lot to offer for its price, with the clean tones on channel A seguing into tasty, dynamic edge-of-breakup textures with the gain control advanced. Channel B provides very playable crunch and lead tones and can achieve some really likeable renditions of both American and British pushed-amp overdrive. Add it all up and it’s a ton of power, versatility and usability for the money, and it deserves an Editors’ Pick Award.
$399 street, hughes-and-kettner.com
Line 6 Catalyst 100
By Chris Gill, Guitar World, November 2022
Since the mid Nineties, Line 6 has been a leading force in digital modeling technology. Their new Catalyst series offers six original amp designs, created using Line 6’s HX sound design technology, that look and function like a traditional guitar amp. The Catalyst 100 is a 100-watt combo with a single 12-inch custom-designed Catalyst speaker. With 11 knobs and seven push-buttons on its top-mounted control panel (and no alphanumeric LCD display), the Catalyst appeals to technophobes and players who prefer quick and easy access to crucial controls alike. Users can access six banks for a total of 12 presets: The six amps are ID’d as Clean, Boutique, Chime, Crunch, Dynamic and Hi Gain, which encourages guitarists to accept each for their own merits rather than critically compare them to more specific names like “tweed” or “plexi.” Each amp is refined and dialed in, with enough familiar personality and dynamic responsiveness to make tube purists comfortable. $599.99 street, line6.com
Peavey Vypyr X2
By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, December 2022
Peavey’s Vypyr Series amplifiers offer three different combo formats, including this X2 60-watt 1x12. All of them utilize analog TransTube circuitry for the amplifier distortion sounds in order to impart realistic feel to the tones, and they also offer the user 10 instrument models, 36 amp models, 24 digital effects, and 12 stompbox models. All have a built-in 30-second looper and wah, accessible when you add the optional Sanpera I or II foot controller. All other functions are available from the top of the amp, and you can also control the X2 via Bluetooth on your iOS device via the free Vypyr app. There are four buttons located next to the input jack that toggle between Guitar 1, Guitar 2, Acoustic and Bass, and each has four presets that will get you up and running. All in all, the Vypyr X2 is a good-sounding stage amp with the warmth, punch and presence often missing in digital modelers. $299
street, peavey.com
