Guitar gear, minus the hype
Straight answers about guitar gear
Modeling Won. The Last Honest Argument for Tubes Is Dying Too.
Blind tests say almost nobody can hear the difference anymore. The holdout argument was 'amp in the room,' and FRFR cabs like Fender's Tone Master FR-12 are ending that one.
Guitars
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Gibson ES-335 with P-90s: The Rare One, Reviewed After Years of Ownership
A long-term review of the Custom Shop ES-335 with factory dogear P-90s: what the rare pickup swap does to the most famous semi-hollow ever made.
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Reverend Eastsider T Review: The Telecaster Fender Doesn't Make
A long-term look at Pete Anderson's Reverend signature: chambered korina, roasted maple, and Talnico pickups in a T-style that fixes the Tele's few honest flaws.
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Telecaster vs Stratocaster: One of Them Needs an Entourage
The eternal Fender question, answered with real differences (bridge, pickups, feel) and one firmly held opinion: Teles plug in, Strats bring a support team.
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The $40 Guitar Setup: The Best Upgrade You Can Buy Is Not a Guitar
What a professional setup actually includes, why it transforms cheap guitars, when you need one, and which parts you can safely learn to do yourself.
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Acoustic or Electric First? Pick the One You'll Actually Practice
The honest answer to the most common beginner guitar question, including the finger-pain myth, the real costs of each path, and the one factor that predicts who keeps playing.
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Squier Classic Vibe vs Fender Player: Where Does the Extra $300 Actually Go?
The best Squiers and the entry Fenders overlap more than the headstock suggests. What the price gap really buys, and who should pocket the difference.
Amps & Modeling
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Budda Superdrive Review: The Most Underrated Amp on the Planet (I Own Three)
A long-term owner's review of the Budda Superdrive SD18, SD30, and SD80: the Plexi-meets-Dumble sound, why the world overlooked it, and how to buy one used.
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Friedman BE-Mini Review: The $200 Answer to a $3,000 Question
Friedman's 30-watt lunchbox head puts the BE-100's hot-rodded voice in a solid-state box. What it nails, what it can't, and who it's really for.
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Modeling Won. The Last Honest Argument for Tubes Is Dying Too.
Blind tests say almost nobody can hear the difference anymore. The holdout argument was 'amp in the room,' and FRFR cabs like Fender's Tone Master FR-12 are ending that one.
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Buying a Used Tube Amp: The 15-Minute Checklist That Saves You Hundreds
What to check before handing over cash for a used tube amp: tubes, pots, reverb, speaker, transformers, and the haggling math sellers expect you to know.
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Boss Katana vs Positive Grid Spark: Which Practice Amp Fits How You Actually Play?
The two most recommended home practice amps compared honestly: sound, app dependence, gigging headroom, and which player each one actually suits.
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The Apartment Guitarist's Gear Guide: Great Tone Without the Volume
How to get amp tone you love at apartment volume: modelers, headphone rigs, low-watt amps, and what to skip. Real budgets, honest tradeoffs.
Pedals
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Your First Pedalboard for Under $200 (Buy in This Order)
A complete, expandable first board: which pedals to buy, in what order, where used money goes furthest, and the traps that waste half your budget.
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Pedal Order Explained: The Signal Chain That Makes Everything Sound Better
The standard pedal order, why it works, and when to break it. Tuner, drive, modulation, delay, reverb, plus where loopers, wahs, and fuzz actually go.