I grew up in a house full of guitars, as my father was forever building electric guitars on the families kitchen table. I spent my teenage years trying to tame a 100 watt Marshall JCM 800 and matching 4 x 12 cab in a bedroom, only just large enough for a bed. I’d bought it not REALLY understanding exactly how loud 100 watts is. At this young age I started to experiment with recording and MIDI and cut my teeth on Pro 24 and Notator on an Atari synced to a Foster R8 with an MTC-1.
Playing in bands and working in recording studios for many years, I learned to mix, record and eventually worked as a sound engineer. I also worked for many of the UKs large pro audio retailers, where I helped to set up DAWs in everything from local studios, music technology colleges all the way through to world famous recording facilities like Air Studios and The Strongroom. As I couldn’t help myself, I even owned my own recording studio in London for a while. There I learnt a lot about recording guitars, dealing with bands and getting quality results anyhow.
Over the years I have acquired a very sizeable guitar collection, which includes many guitars that I have built myself. I’m a total hoarder of effect pedals and valve amps and I’m a certified guitar geek. So there are not many that I have not owned at least once. Whether Parker Fly guitars or Klon Centaur pedals, I’ve had them all. Now running the annual Analogue To Digital music show in the UK, plus the Vintage Guitar Fair, I get to be busy throughout the year and also get to rub shoulders with many other guitar lovers, luthiers, manufacturers and pro players.
My tastes in music includes everything from Dinosaur Jr to Squarepusher.
Write him: jef (at) gearnews (com)
The upcoming Neuron preamp pedal from Neunaber mimics the gain circuits of valve-based and solid-state amps and adds a set of other useful features, including MIDI.
Ernie Ball is teasing a new John Petrucci Majesty signature model guitar for the Dream Theatre player, to be launched during NAMM 2019.
Mooer has just landed themselves a "nearly six-figure" damages award by copying EHX software developed for the C9 Organ Machine and Micro POG pedals, according to a press release from EHX.
HOT
New Fender pedals include the Lost Highway Phaser, Bubbler Chorus, MTG Tube Distortion and a new Downtown Express Bass Multi-Effect all new for 2019
Eventide has been busy cultivating the Rose effect pedal. It is a new BBD style delay built with modern tech and it has oodles of modulation parameters for you to tweak.
Perfect for the "Austin Powers lookalike wielding an old semi" kind of player: The new Vox Union Jack Mini Superbeetle amp has it all, baby! Hang on, haven't we seen that amp before?
A new pedal-sized, valve-based 40-Watt guitar amp, the Stomp-Head 1.VT manages to squeeze a whole lot of sound functionality into a compact unit with a decidedly vintage vibe.
AUDIO
IK Multimedia is launching its new AXE I/O high-end guitar audio interface at NAMM 2019 and comes with a stack of neat features to help guitarists get great recorded guitar tones.
Godin's wonderful-looking new Daryl Stuermer DS-1 signature model guitar comes loaded with Seymour Duncan pickups and the High Definition Revoicer system for more tonal options.
Based on the Revv Amps Generator 120 MKII amplifer and featuring a handy Aggression switch for when you want more gain, this Canadian drive pedal has plenty of grunt on tap.
The new Peterson StroboStomp HD is due out soon and it looks as though it has plenty of pro features for working guitarists designed to make gigging easier.
Best of both worlds? Vox is issuing two new limited edition AC15 combo amplifiers with G12C Warehouse speakers to give these archetypal British amps an American twang.
AUDIO
Looks like a right beast, this one! The new Mooer GE300 multi-effects and amp modeller is still in development but is to receive a preview showing at NAMM 2019.
A unique guitar honouring a rock icon, the new Gibson Chris Cornell Tribute ES-335 debuts tonight at a tribute concert at The Forum in LA to help raise money for charity.
Supro has a new delay pedal called, er, Supro Delay. It could be one of the best sounding delays of 2019, designed by an effect pedal genius. But can it win out against tough competition?
Two new lightweight combos from Vox, each with 10 amp models and eight effects onboard - the 50W version adds a Nutube preamp section and added grunt.
Ruokangas has announced the Valvebucker, an insane sounding valve pickup system for their guitars and yes, it uses tubes to get you tone! In the pickup! Count us in.
PRS will debut new SE models at NAMM 2019: the SE Santana Singlecut Trem, SE Schizoid and SE Paul’s Guitar - three different guitars in look and character but all with their own allure...
Designed in Denmark, this little guitar upgrade could add MIDI expression to your guitar - without the need for any routing or permanent modifications to your instrument!
Three new instruments recall SG models from the 1960s and 1970s with three humbuckers - and there's a bass model too. Looking for a budget SG-style guitar? Check these out.
Tsakalis is making bold claims about its new multi-mode overdrive pedal - if it can even get close to the three premiere boutique overdrive pedals mentioned in the marketing, it will be a bargain.
A new, slightly more wallet-friendly Premium version of Steve Vai's famous JEM guitar is being premiered at Ibanez's NAMM 2019 booth - and it screams shred!
Like the other pedals in this LR Baggs line, these two new stompboxes are specifically tailored to acoustic guitar, adding a chorus and a delay to add to the Align Series.
Martin is celebrating the 1969 Woodstock festival with the release of two acoustic models. There is one for all budgets and both feature a nod to that classic festival poster.
