Signature Gear
The guitars, amps, and pedals behind the players you love.
Can the Badder Monkey Beat the Legendary Tube Screamer? I Put Them Head-to-Head
The DOD Badder Monkey takes on the Ibanez Tube Screamer in a head-to-head shootout. Same guitar, same amp, same playing — here's which overdrive actually deserves a spot on your board.
The Evolution of Guitar Modeling: From POD to Quad Cortex
How digital rigs went from bedroom practice tools to the centerpiece of the modern guitar world — from the original Line 6 POD to today's Neural DSP Quad Cortex.
Inside the Evolution of the PRS Silver Sky
From the most controversial launch in modern PRS history to one of the best-selling signature guitars on the market — how the Silver Sky won over the guitar world.
The 5 Best Budget Modeling Amps in 2026 (That Actually Sound Incredible)
Big tone, small budget, zero excuses. We tested today's best affordable modeling amps — from the Boss Katana to the Spark 2 — and ranked the five that genuinely sound incredible without breaking the bank.
The Fender California Vintage King Antigua Is Unlike Any Acoustic I've Played
A hands-on review of the Fender California Vintage King Antigua — the bold Antigua finish, traditional Fender headstock, Fishman Presys VT Plus electronics, premium gold-lined hardshell case, and a surprisingly resonant voice that feels nothing like a typical production acoustic.
The Modern Working Rig: Fender, Charvel & Line 6 Picks for 2026
From the Fender Player Series workhorse to the American Pro II flagship, Charvel's superstrat shred machines, and the Line 6 Helix that ties it all together — here's the gear we'd actually buy this year.
Why the Marshall JCM800 Is Still the King of Rock Tone
Four decades on, the 100-watt JCM800 2203 still defines hard rock bark. We A/B a clean 1984 head against the current 2203X to hear why nothing punches a mix like an 800.
The Best Stratocasters Under $1,000 Right Now
From Fender’s revamped Player II to PRS’s dialed-in Silver Sky SE, these are the S-style workhorses that actually earn their keep under a grand—what to buy, what to skip, and why it matters.
Fractal AM4 Review: Is It the Ultimate Guitar Rig for Players Who Refuse to Compromise?
Our in-depth Fractal AM4 review covers tone, feel, flexibility, recording performance, and whether it's worth the investment for serious guitar players.
Marshall 1959BJA Review: Billie Joe Armstrong's Signature Amp Brings the Legendary Dookie Tone to the Masses
Marshall's first signature amplifier in 14 years takes the hand-wired 1959HW Super Lead and voices it around Billie Joe Armstrong's famously modified touring Plexi — the sound that powered Dookie and American Idiot.