Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Custom Line King-12 CE NT
Acoustic Guitars "For a guitar that comes in at this price, the overall build is impressive, with a level of attention to detail that’s more than respectable": Harley Benton Custom Line King-12 CE NT review
Texan guitar phenom Eric Johnson plays a Fender Stratocaster in a Tropical Turquoise finish during a 2016 performance with the Experience Hendrix Tour.
Artists “It would be way better if drummers weren’t reduced to nothing”: Eric Johnson on the one thing he doesn’t like about modern pop music
Blackstar ID:X Floor Two
Guitar Pedals "The amp and effects modelling unit for those who’d rather play than get bogged down in too many details" Blackstar ID:X Floor Two review
The Gibson Songwriter Recording Artist Series in cutaway and non-cutaway versions, and in Rosewood Burst or Antique Natural finishes.
Guitars A future player favourite? Gibson unveils the Songwriter Recording Artist acoustics
A pair of Boss Waza-Air guitar amp headphones
Guitar Pedals As a pro guitarist, I think Boss makes the most reliable pedals around, so with 26% off everything from the DD-8 to the Waza Metal Zone in Amazon's Spring Deal Days sale, it's time to stock up
An UDO Super Gemini synthesizer on a white table
Synths Best synthesizers 2026: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Acoustics 2026: the new all-solid core range takes its design cues from classic high-end Gibson USA builds.
Guitars Epiphone raises the bar for its acoustic guitar range with all-solid builds, rosewood fingerboards and affordable takes on Gibson classics
Neural DSP Quad Cortex
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
look mum no computer
Synths Furby organs, lightsaber theremins and the 1000-oscillator synth: Look Mum No Computer on his 7 craziest musical inventions
The Victory MKX rehouses a high-end classic from the British amp brand in a more compact lunchbox format.
Guitar Amps “Undoubtedly the most versatile lunchbox amp Victory has ever made”: Victory MKX review
Headphones next to electric guitar
Headphones Best guitar amp headphones 2026: My top picks for practicing your guitar quietly
Mark Tremonti throws the horns and points to something during a live performance with Creed. His signature PRS singlecut is strapped on his shoulder.
Artists “I had no idea that he was that good”: Mark Tremonti on Alter Bridge’s “secret weapon” and his soloing strategies
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $200 off a whacky Gibson guitar, $150 off UAD plugins, and $200 off a must-have Moog synth
TC Electronic Polytune next to a Gibson Les Paul
Guitar Tuners Best guitar tuners 2026: From tuning pedals and clip-ons, to guitar tuning apps
A Spark Link receiver in a Spark Mini practice amp
Guitars Best guitar wireless systems 2026: Cut the cord and liberate your playing today
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Guitars

The 6 best new guitar innovations of 2016

News
By The MusicRadar Team published 15 December 2016

Which guitar company thought outside the box in 2016?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Electro-Harmonix Mel9

Electro-Harmonix Mel9

The Total Guitar Best in guitars 2016 polls have received over 68,000 votes, and we're now ready to roll out the winners. The nominees were what we considered to be the guitarists and guitar gear that have excelled in 2016. Here, we present the best guitar innovation of 2016. First up we have the Electro-Harmonix Mel9…

We said: “Guitarists with MIDI guitars have had access to Mellotron sounds before, but this is the first time any six-stringer can recreate that vintage vibe from a plug-in-and-play pedal.”

Full review: Electro-Harmonix Mel9

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
T-Rex Replicator

T-Rex Replicator

We said: “Here's the opportunity to own a real tape echo, endowed with a practical feature set in a compact stage-ready form.”

Full review: T-Rex Replicator

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
DigiTech Trio+

DigiTech Trio+

We said: “Adds everything on our wish list from the original. This is truly a band in a box, and one that you can use live to boot.”

Full review: DigiTech Trio+

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Yamaha TransAcoustic

Yamaha TransAcoustic

We said: “Everything you need for an enhanced playing experience, without the fuss of outboard effects. Bags of fun and with a definite practical edge, too. Seriously, try one.”

Full review: Yamaha TransAcoustic

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler

TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler

We said: “TC is aiming this one at the metalheads among you, and based on the evidence we've seen so far, it should fatten up riffs and solos a treat.”

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Winner: Line 6 Helix

Winner: Line 6 Helix

We said: “The Helix is a real powerhouse that can be used on its own or as the centre piece of an extended gear system.”

Full review: Line 6 Helix

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

Read more
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
Guitars The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
 
 
MusicRadar author Matt McCracken plays a Manson 007 electric guitar at The Guitar Show in Birmingham, UK
Guitars Here's 7 of the hottest guitar gear releases I tried at The Guitar Show this weekend that are available to buy right now
 
 
Neural DSP Quad Cortex
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
 
 
Music technology gear of the year 2025
Tech Music technology gear of the year 2025: Our favourite new synths, drum machines, plugins and more
 
 
Headphones next to electric guitar
Headphones Best guitar amp headphones 2026: My top picks for practicing your guitar quietly
 
 
NAMM 2026
Tech NAMM 2026: rolling news from the world's biggest music-making gear show
 
 
Latest in Guitars
AUSTIN, TX - DECEMBER 09:  Displayed in public for the first time is John Lennon's piano, used to write numerous Beatles songs and part of Indianapolis Colts CEO and Owner Jim Irsay's "Jim Irsay Collection" during a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel on December 9, 2021 in Austin, Texas.  (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)
Keyboards & Pianos "Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history”: John Lennon’s Broadway piano goes for £2.5 million
 
 
JHS Pedals 424 Gain Stage: this computer-gray stompbox is a preamp-cum-distortion that emulates the analogue mojo of the Tascam Portastudio
Guitar Pedals JHS Pedals 424 Gain Stage review
 
 
The Harley Benton SpaceShip 40 is a pedalboard with an integrated power supply, and battery power.
Pedalboards “Would I take this to gigs and use it with confidence, knowing that my pedals are being powered sufficiently and safely? Absolutely”: Harley Benton Spaceship Power 40-B review
 
 
A press shot of Paul Gilbert [left] wearing a tricorn hat and playing a pink Ibanez; Todd Rundgren wears dark shades and performs live in 2021.
Artists “To me, it was like being asked to tour with the Beatles”: Paul Gilbert on why he turned down the gig of a lifetime
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $200 off a whacky Gibson guitar, $150 off UAD plugins, and $200 off a must-have Moog synth
 
 
Texan guitar phenom Eric Johnson plays a Fender Stratocaster in a Tropical Turquoise finish during a 2016 performance with the Experience Hendrix Tour.
Artists “It would be way better if drummers weren’t reduced to nothing”: Eric Johnson on the one thing he doesn’t like about modern pop music
 
 
Latest in News
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Artists Why Bruno Mars' new single Risk It All could have ended up sounding very different
 
 
James Blake performs during the inaugural 2024 Gazebo Festival at Waterfront Park on May 25, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Producers & Engineers "I’d say 95 percent of the work I’ve done was unpaid”: James Blake on the hit and miss nature of production work
 
 
Diane Warren and KPop Demon Hunters
Artists Songwriter Diane Warren’s Oscars losing streak goes on as KPop Demon Hunters’ Golden wins
 
 
AUSTIN, TX - DECEMBER 09:  Displayed in public for the first time is John Lennon's piano, used to write numerous Beatles songs and part of Indianapolis Colts CEO and Owner Jim Irsay's "Jim Irsay Collection" during a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel on December 9, 2021 in Austin, Texas.  (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)
Keyboards & Pianos "Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history”: John Lennon’s Broadway piano goes for £2.5 million
 
 
oneshot2
Tech "How real can drums feel inside a plugin?": Klevgrand promises to "redefine what a drum sampler can be" with OneShot 2
 
 
Harry Styles and Tears for Fears
Artists Tears For Fears give Harry Styles’ performance of their biggest hit the seal of approval
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...