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instruments
Tech Are these the weirdest musical instruments you’ve ever seen?
Epiphone goes high-end with its Inspired By Gibson Custom 2025 collection: [from left] the '63 Firebird in Polaris White is joined by a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a '64 SG Standard, a 1960 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow and a 1962 ES-335 reissue.
Guitars Epiphone expands and upgrades Inspired By Gibson Custom range with 8 stunning "reissue" electrics
Harley Benton Custom Line Nashville-Nylon BK: the latest nylon-string hybrid electro-acoustic from the German budget gear giant is a super-affordable option for players looking for that Tim Henson vibe. Just look at those decorative F-holes.
Guitars Harley Benton's Nashville Nylon might just be the most affordable electro-acoustic nylon-string yet
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
Guitars “A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
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Guitars Hold the Floyd: EVH reimagines Wolfgang Standard as a high-performance shredder with a TOM bridge
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  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
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Read more
instruments
Are these the weirdest musical instruments you’ve ever seen?
Epiphone goes high-end with its Inspired By Gibson Custom 2025 collection: [from left] the '63 Firebird in Polaris White is joined by a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a '64 SG Standard, a 1960 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow and a 1962 ES-335 reissue.
Epiphone expands and upgrades Inspired By Gibson Custom range with 8 stunning "reissue" electrics
Harley Benton Custom Line Nashville-Nylon BK: the latest nylon-string hybrid electro-acoustic from the German budget gear giant is a super-affordable option for players looking for that Tim Henson vibe. Just look at those decorative F-holes.
Harley Benton's Nashville Nylon might just be the most affordable electro-acoustic nylon-string yet
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
“A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Jackson Pro Plus Series Misha Mansoor Juggernaut: the newly refreshed signature Superstrat is offered in Red Crystal and Blue Sparkle with a string-through-hardtail, and in Riviera Blue with an EverTune bridge. Stainless steel frets and an ebony fingerboard come as standard.
Jackson gives Misha Mansoor’s Juggernaut a new lick of paint and upgrades to stainless steel frets
EVH Gear Wolfgang Van Halen Signature SA-126
"Whatever magic is in the Van Halen ear canals has been imparted here too": EVH SA-126 Special review
Latest in Guitars
Gretsch Broadkaster Jr LX Center Block with Bigsby
Gretsch’s unveils new MIJ high-end semi-hollows with redesigned bodies and Pro Twin Six humbuckers
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
“A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Line 6 Helix Stadium XL: The new flagship amp modeller and multi-effects unit is a dramatic expansion of the Helix framework with a suite of state-of-the-art features
Line 6 debuts all-new AI tech as it supercharges its amp modelling platform with the Helix Stadium
Orangewood Del Sol: the new offset is the brand's first ever electric guitar and it was designed in collaboration with Josh Forest of TreeTone Guitars.
Orangewood teams up with TreeTone for its first-ever electric – a baritone offset semi, priced $695
Kirk Hammett of Metallica wears a studded denim jacket as he plays live with his Mummy ESP signature guitar
“Guitars should be played”: Kirk Hammett has been anonymously selling his guitars online
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Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter on her musical heroes, and why she decided to release a new album so soon... and Rush
Fred Armisen as George Ross, Amy Poehler as Carolyn Kepcher, Donald Trump during "The Apprentice Band" skit on April 3, 2004
“I could’ve been a flutist”: Donald Trump is claiming he has an aptitude for music
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
“A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Line 6 Helix Stadium XL: The new flagship amp modeller and multi-effects unit is a dramatic expansion of the Helix framework with a suite of state-of-the-art features
Line 6 debuts all-new AI tech as it supercharges its amp modelling platform with the Helix Stadium
Benmont Tench and Rick Rubin
Tom Petty keyboard player Benmont Tench says that being produced by Rick Rubin was like solving a puzzle

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