It was Les Paul who was thought to have developed the flanging effect back in the late 1940’s. So it’s been around a while! Before we start the review of our best flanger pedals, it’s probably worth taking a moment to familiarize (or maybe reacquaint) ourselves with what the flanger actually sounds like. The best description is that of a sweeping jet. Fans of rock/metal/prog should be particularly familiar with it – check out the playlist below to hear some great flanger examples: – Heart – Barracuda Rush – The Spirit of Radio The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary Jimi Hendrix – House Burning Down S ..read more

Whatever your skill level we all need to keep our instruments in tune. And it’s not just for our own benefit but our bandmates as well! Guitar tuners come in various styles; most common ones are: Clip-on – typically these attach to the headstock and are budget friendly. Automatic – most common hand-held ones attach to each peg. Foot Pedal – as the name suggests… usually connected via a passthrough, unlike Clip-on & Automatic tuners these have no microphones. The tuners we’re reviewing fall into two categories: Chromatic – these are great all-rounders – they allow you to tune to every no ..read more

The 12 string is a beast to master but the tonal qualities can be wonderful. It’s definitely not something suited to a beginner – master 6 as best you can as the jump to 12 can be difficult without a lot of experience (plus hand strength & dexterity!). To whet your appetite, listen to some of these 12 string classics:- Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here The Who – Substitute Rod Stewart – Maggie May The Eagles – Hotel California The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night Bon Jovi – Wanted Dead or Alive Boston – More Than a Feeling Supertramp – Give a Little Bit …and Stairway, of course. Comparison Tab ..read more

Axe I/O audio interface and controller was built by IK Multimedia Production company. In essence, this brand started out in 1996 and ever since they’ve been expanding and putting out premium quality sound gear and gadgets.  The Axe I/O interface is a brand-new model within the budget price range and it offers premium value and performance for the money. It’s still a young interface since it was released on the 17th of January this year, but even so many famous musicians have grown to like it, such as Joe Satriani for example. Joe Satriani talks AXE I/O and AmpliTube for recording guitar Ava ..read more

Sometimes guitar players forget just how useful and toneful the lowly 1×12 speaker cabinet can be. 1×12 don’t get the respect accorded to their larger 4×12, 4×10, and 2×12 counterparts and that’s a shame. These days, those bigger cabs are all kinds of overkill for the rooms most of set up in and a decent head through a cool 1×12 will handle nearly every gig or studio situation in which we might find ourselves with no rental truck or back brace required. Plus, sound people get edgy when they see that big stuff coming into a smaller room and no one wants to be mixed with a bad attitude.Today, we ..read more

If you’re looking for a pedal that will help you (re)create synth sounds on your guitar, you’ve come to a right place. We’ve taken a gander at catalogs of some of the biggest names in the industry and have compiled a list of the best guitar synth pedals you can find on the market in 2019. Without any further ado, let’s get straight to it.Electro-Harmonix C9 Organ MachineClick to compare prices: Amazon | Musician’s Friend | zZoundsLet’s start off with a big hitter. Basically, C9 continues where B9 left off, and even though these two pedals have a lot in common, they also have some striking diff ..read more

The Squire Affinity Stratocaster is an affordable guitar technically meant for entry-level players but is really one of the best electric guitar values going for newbies and pros, alike. Squier instruments have long been a well-kept secret amongst working players for their playability and tones and are often spotted on much larger stages than one might expect. Of course, they make outstanding launching pads for beginning guitarists, too, and represent a platform on which someone can start and not soon outgrow. Today, we’re going to discuss the Squire Affinity Strat to see if you might need one ..read more