Latest articles by Dave Hunter
All You Need to Know About Gibson PAF Humbuckers
These hum-cancelling pickups are legendary for their tone, but is the “magic” just hype?
A Firm Favorite of Ry Cooder and Dan Auerbach, Here's Why the Humble Gold-Foil Pickup Can Deliver About as Much Aural Magic as Any of the A-List Coils
The cult of the gold-foil has acquired a mystique and made its place among us
Acoustic Control Gamma Effects Pedals Review
All are worth checking out, but the Atlas Boosted Overdrive and Narcissus Warm Delay deserve Editors’ Pick Awards
With a Surprising History Dating Back to the 1940s, Carvin Later Achieved Kudos With Endorsements by Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth and Joe Walsh
Launched as a post-WWII startup, the firm grew into a guitar gear giant, one catalog sale at a time
Played by Keith Richards and Peter Buck, Fender’s Humbucker-Loaded Telecaster Custom is a CBS Classic
Punchy, powerful and versatile, version two of the Telecaster Custom carries a big slab of Seth Lover-certified humbucker mojo
Are Vintage Pickups Better Than Modern Pickups? Here's What You Need To Know
There was no mystical fairy dust sprinkled between the windings in Fullerton or Kalamazoo
More Playable, Portable and Versatile Than a Regular Jazz Box, Tim Bram’s Tribute Archtop Pays Homage to a Vintage Fender From His Youth
Simultaneously traditional and alternative, this heirloom-level guitar is a Telecaster tribute with a twist
Played by Keith Richards, Joe Perry and Tom Verlaine, the “See-Through” Ampeg Dan Amstrong Guitar Earned Its Own Fan Club of Top-Name Guitarists
The story of the beloved and delightfully bizarre 1969 Ampeg Dan Armstrong
A Favorite of Carlos Santana, Al Di Meola and John Frusciante, Yamaha’s SG-2000 Was Intended as a Les Paul Killer
Appealing to players fed up with declining U.S. quality, the most successful and acclaimed Japanese guitar of the late ’70s wasn’t a direct copy of anything
Epiphone 1958 Korina Flying V and Explorer Reviews
These are surprisingly adaptable and expressive designs, so don’t let their radical looks lead you astray
The History of the Fender Duo-Sonic
A favorite of Jimi Hendrix, this petite powerhouse gives a taste of authentic pre-CBS Fender without the five-figure price tag
Fender’s Glorious Twin Amp of the Mid to Late ’50s Is the Epitome of Rock and Roll Amplifiers
The 80-watt “high-powered” tweed Twin appeared in ’58, but nothing beats the delectable dynamics and easy grind of the earlier 40-watt versions
A Favorite of Eddie Van Halen, the MXR Phase 90 Smeared Its Luscious Tones Over Countless Classic Recordings
More dramatic sounding than MXR’s Phase 45, more affordable and less obtrusive than the larger two-knob Phase 100, the Phase 90 hit the sweet spot
“I Needed an Instrument That Could Withstand the Elements”: How Climate Extremes Led Gene Baker to Re-Envision the Acoustic-Electric With b3 Guitars’ Cielo Deluxe
Enter the Cielo, a thinline hybrid acoustic-electric guitar with a chambered body made of solid woods
With X-Braced Tops, Top-Notch Tonewoods, and Plenty of Bling These Guitars Rivaled Martin – so Why Is No One Talking About Lyon & Healy Today?
Read the fascinating story of Lyon & Healy – one of America’s best guitar makers of the early 20th century
Death By Audio Disturbance Lockable LFO Modulator Pedal Review
Boasting filter, flanger and phaser capabilities the Disturbance yields a plethora of textured synth-like tones with lush, multidimensional depth and movement
Here’s What You Should Know About Replacing Guitar Amp Tubes (It Can Transform Your Sound!)
How to better sculpt your tone by changing preamp and output tubes
9 Pro Guitar Tech Tips You Need To Know
These simple secrets of the pros will make your guitar and gear sounds its best (and several of them won't cost you a penny!)
Ever Wondered Why Brazilian Rosewood Is a Big Deal? Here’s All You Need to Know
Although many players infer a “warm, mellow” tone from Brazilian rosewood’s vintage credentials, the reality is quite different
PRS SE Zach Myers Signature Review
A versatile package that isn’t limited by any overly pigeonholing design choices
With Its Combination Fuzz-Phase Effect, Roland’s Jet Phaser AP-7 Can Sound Like a Jet Taking Off
Sibling to the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, this 1970s vintage stompbox kicks out a raw, raucous, perpetual motion-type effect that virtually takes over your instrument
Introduced in the 1970s, Morley’s PWF Power Wah Fuzz Pedal Was the Final Word in Unrelenting Fuzz-Wah Tone
Swathed in shiny chrome, they were presented as the best of the best in the effects revolution’s boomingest decade
Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider Custom and Rick Vito Soul Agent Review
Either is worth laying your hands on, but the Rick Vito Soul Agent earns an Editors’ Pick Award for its sheer effortless versatility
