New guitar gear of the month: review round-up (July 2015)
Digitally generated spring 'verb
Wampler Faux Spring Reverb
From budget pedals, to boutique guitars and fine acoustics, the hard-working testers on Total Guitar and Guitarist magazines reviewed a lot of new guitar gear in June.
In this gallery we've gathered all of the guitar-related reviews that appeared on the site last month and originally featured in the pages of our aforementioned venerable sister publications. First up, it's the Wampler Faux Spring Reverb...
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"As spring-like as you'll get in a small footprint."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Wampler Faux Spring Reverb review
BUY: Wampler Faux Spring Reverb currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
US: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Flexible fuzz with hand-matched transistors
JHS Firefly
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Fine fuzz at your disposal in a variety of tasty flavours."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: JHS Firefly review
BUY: JHS Firefly currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Onstage DI and EQ for your acoustic guitar or bass
Fishman Platinum Stage Analog Preamp
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Portably sized and well-spec'd EQ/DI that's ideal for the stage musician."
4.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Fishman Platinum Stage Analog Preamp review
BUY: Fishman Platinum Stage Analog Preamp currently available from:
UK: Thomann
USA: Full Compass
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Marshall-flavoured overdrive pedal
JHS Charlie Brown
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Vintage Marshall-style mojo in a box."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: JHS Charlie Brown review
BUY: JHS Charlie Brown currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | DV247
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
The Baby electro gets an ES2 upgrade
Taylor Big Baby Taylor-e
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"15 years on, and now with the ES2-like ES-B pickup, the 2015 Big Baby is better than ever. An excellent introduction to Taylor, and an ideal second, starter or traveller guitar, too."
4.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Taylor Big Baby Taylor-e review
BUY: Taylor Big Baby Taylor-e currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Nostalgic for the P-90s
Farida CT-32
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"The CT-32 is fuss-free: you plug in, you play. You don't want to stop."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Farida CT-32 review
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
P-p-pick up this chorus/vibrato pedal
JHS The Emperor
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Two analogue modulation types in a single box."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: JHS The Emperor review
BUY: JHS The Emperor currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
TC spins you right round, baby
TC Electronic Helix Phaser
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"The Helix sets our faces to stunned. Mini next, please, TC!"
5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: TC Electronic Helix Phaser review
BUY: TC Electronic Helix Phaser currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
USA: Sweetwater | Full Compass
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
Chainsaw death-metal guitar tone, refuelled
Lone Wolf Audio Left Hand Wrath
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"For anyone who's tried to tame the HM-2's unruly harshness, this is a revelation. Horrifyingly good!"
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Lone Wolf Audio Left Hand Wrath review
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
Distinctive electric with the big twang theory
Farida CT-29
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"It's impossible not to enjoy the guitar's sharp, retro attack."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Farida CT-29 review
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
Silvertone impersonation in stompbox form
JHS Twin Twelve
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Garage-rock amp tones in handy stompbox form."
4.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: JHS Twin Twelve review
BUY: JHS Twin Twelve currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Nylon-string mini acoustic
Cordoba Mini O
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"A quality mini classical travel guitar. Now, can we get a cutaway electro version?"
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Cordoba Mini O review
BUY: Cordoba Mini O currently available from:
UK: Gear4Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Vintage modulation for today
TC Electronic Viscous Vibe
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Vintage sounds in a practical package with plenty of potential for sonic creativity."
4.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: TC Electronic Viscous Vibe review
BUY: TC Electronic Viscous Vibe currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
USA: Sweetwater | Full Compass
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Classic rocking electric with 'tapped tones
Farida CT-36
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Speed freaks will enjoy the neck's slim-profile come-hithers, and everyone, its tone."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Farida CT-36 review
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
000/OM-style medium body acoustic
Simon & Patrick Showcase Rosewood Concert Hall
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"A sophisticated instrument with fine attention to detail: an exciting guitar to play."
4.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Simon & Patrick Showcase Rosewood Concert Hall review
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Reverbs on reverbs? Step this way...
JHS Alpine
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"A reverb pedal that makes practicality its priority."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: JHS Alpine review
BUY: JHS Alpine currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Medium-sized electro-acoustic from Canada
Seagull Maritime Concert Hall SWS SG
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"An affordable guitar with a lot of potential. Well worth paying extra for the pickup."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Seagull Maritime Concert Hall SWS SG review
BUY: Seagull Maritime Concert Hall SWS SG currently available from:
UK: Gear4Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
An Orange stack-in-a-box
Orange Bax Bangeetar Guitar Pre-EQ
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"A great drive pedal that nails the Orange sound - but perhaps a little on the pricey side."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Orange Bax Bangeetar Guitar Pre-EQ review
BUY: Orange Bax Bangeetar Guitar Pre-EQ currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Gear4Music | DV247
USA: Sweetwater | Full Compass
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
Multi-tasking for the guitar just got a whole lot easier
Laney Ironheart IRT-Pulse
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"One of the best desktop preamps we've ever used - and one of the year's best bargains."
5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Laney Ironheart IRT-Pulse review
BUY: Laney Ironheart IRT-Pulse currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
USA: Full Compass
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
Steel-meets-nylon with this crossover electro
Cordoba Fusion 12 Maple
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"If you fancy broadening your acoustic voice, this Fusion range is one of the best places to start looking."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Cordoba Fusion 12 Maple review
BUY: Cordoba Fusion 12 Maple currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music
USA: Sweetwater
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Manson's MA outline gets the vintage treatment
Manson MA-1B Classic
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"If you're the kind of player who loves rock in all of its forms, we'd advise you to dive in - pronto!"
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Manson MA-1B Classic review
(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)
A reverb worth slapping on your board?
Keeley Aurora
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Cool parameter adjustment makes 7 this not your standard reverb pedal."
3.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Keeley Aurora review
BUY: Keeley Aurora currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Backing band in a stompbox
DigiTech TRIO Band Creator
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Tell the TRIO what to play and it will almost always get it right."
4 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: DigiTech TRIO Band Creator review
BUY: DigiTech TRIO Band Creator currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
USA: Sweetwater | Full Compass
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
TS clone on a tight budget
Valeton Tube Engine Vintage Overdrive
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"A cute amp driver with more tone tweaking than many clones on the market."
3.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Valeton Tube Engine Vintage Overdrive review
BUY: Valeton Tube Engine Vintage Overdrive currently available from:
UK: Gear4Music
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
High-end semi-hollow electric
Nik Huber Dolphin Surfmeister
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"Expensive, but you get what you pay for; not just for surf players, it's a brilliant all-rounder and drop- dead gorgeous, too."
4.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Nik Huber Dolphin Surfmeister review
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Straight-forward clean delay
Keeley Recino
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"No bells and whistles here; this Spin FV-1 chip-based digital delay is all about simplicity."
3.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Keeley Recino review
BUY: Keeley Recino currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
Budget acoustic with a solid mahogany top
Alvarez AP66SB Artist 66 Parlour
MusicRadar’s verdict:
"A sharply styled instrument that's just what a parlour of this price should be."
3.5 out of 5
FULL REVIEW: Alvarez AP66SB Artist 66 Parlour review
BUY: Alvarez AP66SB Artist 66 Parlour currently available from:
UK: Gear4Music
(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)
