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
A Cort G200SE on a dirty white floor
Electric Guitars "Just as good as many affordable Squier, Epiphone, or Yamaha guitars I’ve played": Cort G200SE review
Fender has made an exacting replica of Tom Morello's 'Arm The Homeless' guitar, the mongrel S-style made from parts that became the cornerstone of the Rage Against The Machine guitarist's sound.
Artists Tom Morello’s favourite 'Arm the Homeless' electric guitar has just been recreated by Fender
Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Drive: the first in the Series A range, this is an all-analogue pedal inspired by the Herzog unit made famous by Randy Bachman
Guitars Strymon debuts Series A analogue pedals range with the Fairfax – a “chameleon” drive that can “breathe fire”
The DOD Badder Monkey is a redux take on the DigiTech Bad Monkey overdrive, but it adds two all-new circuits, plus a wooden barrel knob for blending them. It is painted green and has an illustration of a chimpanzee on the front of the pedal, which is an ape, not a monkey.
Guitars DOD reimagines a Gary Moore overdrive favourite as the Badder Monkey – think the DigiTech Green Monkey, only badder
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
Gibson Les Paul Special DC
Electric Guitars “Virtually every sound I conjure recalls a classic player or style”: Gibson Les Paul Special Double Cut review
Sennheiser in ear monitors on a lit up dj controller
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2025: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitars 2025: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
Crazy Tube Circuits Orama: the orange/peach coloured pedal combines classic preamp and fuzz circuits and promises a wide range of sounds
Guitars Crazy Tube Circuits squeezes out another sweet twofer with the Orama preamp/fuzz pedal
Dirty Boy SilverBOY: This high-end all-analogue preamp pedal was inspired by a digital plugin
Guitars Dirty Boy turns the tables on guitar’s digital revolution with an all-analogue preamp pedal inspired by a plugin
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Score big savings on music gear ahead of Christmas from the likes of UAD, Casio, Waves, PRS and more
Gretsch Electromatic CVT Double-Cut in Wychwood greenburst finish
Electric Guitars "For garage, punk, and rock styles, it’s got the tonal firepower on offer": Gretsch Electromatic CVT Double-Cut review
Fender and Jackson's Iron Maiden 50th Anniversary Collection: FMIC has unveiled a signature guitar and bass collection to celebrate 50 years of the British metal institution.
Artists Fender and Jackson celebrate 50 years of Iron Maiden with limited run signature collection
Victory The Duchess Deluxe MKII Head
Guitar Amps Get the most out of your pedals and save £422 on one of the best pedal platform amps I've played - the Victory V40 Duchess Deluxe MKII Head
More
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Pedals

New guitar gear of the month: review round-up (February 2019)

News
By Guitarist magazine, Total Guitar ( Total Guitar, Guitarist ) published 1 February 2019

The latest pedals and things with strings

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

Gamechanger Audio Plasma Pedal

Gamechanger Audio Plasma Pedal

Rejoice: January is over, and you've finally been paid again. And that can mean only one thing: it's time to go shopping for some new guitar gear.

Here, we've rounded-up all the guitar-related product that was reviewed on MusicRadar in January, starting with the Gamechanger Audio Plasma Pedal.

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Though it may not replace your classic distortion boxes, the Gamechanger Audio Plasma is without doubt startlingly unique, both aesthetically and sonically.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gamechanger Audio Plasma Pedal

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 1 of 14
Page 1 of 14
Line 6 HX Stomp

Line 6 HX Stomp

MusicRadar's verdict:

“It's not as flexible on-the-fly as its larger forebears, but the HX Stomp offers a staggering number of tones from a pedalboard-friendly package.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Line 6 HX Stomp

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 2 of 14
Page 2 of 14
Source Audio True Spring Reverb

Source Audio True Spring Reverb

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Although this pedal is perfect for surf instrumentals and Spaghetti Western/spy movie soundtracks, the True Spring goes beyond genres to provide a spring reverb and tremolo experience that adds vintage flavour to any amp.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Source Audio True Spring Reverb

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 3 of 14
Page 3 of 14
Fender American Performer Telecaster Hum

Fender American Performer Telecaster Hum

MusicRadar's verdict:

“There’s little here to disappoint thanks to some nice upgrades and a welcome price tag.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Fender American Performer Telecaster Hum 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 4 of 14
Page 4 of 14
Fender American Performer Stratocaster HSS

Fender American Performer Stratocaster HSS

MusicRadar's verdict:

“The last thing we thought we needed was another Strat, but this American Performer got under our skin and got the majority of our play time.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Fender American Performer Stratocaster HSS 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 5 of 14
Page 5 of 14
Fender American Performer Stratocaster

Fender American Performer Stratocaster

MusicRadar's verdict:

“The last thing we thought we needed was another Strat, but this American Performer got under our skin and got the majority of our play time. Enough said.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Fender American Performer Stratocaster

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 6 of 14
Page 6 of 14
Thorpy FX The Dane

Thorpy FX The Dane

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A deceptively useful, well-executed pedal.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Thorpy FX The Dane

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 7 of 14
Page 7 of 14
G&L CLF Research Skyhawk

G&L CLF Research Skyhawk

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Put simply, an extremely likeable guitar.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: G&L CLF Research Skyhawk

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 8 of 14
Page 8 of 14
Smitty Custom Guitars Model 3

Smitty Custom Guitars Model 3

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A fantastic build. You really should experience this.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Smitty Custom Guitars Model 3 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 9 of 14
Page 9 of 14
Yamaha LLX26C AREII

Yamaha LLX26C AREII

MusicRadar's verdict:

“The LLX is probably the most well behaved and sweetly voiced dreadnought we’ve encountered in recent years.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Yamaha LLX26C AREII

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 10 of 14
Page 10 of 14
Smitty Custom Guitars Model 4

Smitty Custom Guitars Model 4

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Some of the coolest sounds you’ll hear; a jangle monster but with enough bite for blues/classic rock.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Smitty Custom Guitars Model 4

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 11 of 14
Page 11 of 14
Yamaha LS26 ARE II

Yamaha LS26 ARE II

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A fine instrument, just watch out for that price tag.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Yamaha LS26 ARE II

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 12 of 14
Page 12 of 14
G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanche

G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanche

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Excellent build with more of a nod to Leo’s finest moment.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanche

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 13 of 14
Page 13 of 14
Ibanez Artwood Vintage AVD11 Thermo Aged

Ibanez Artwood Vintage AVD11 Thermo Aged

MusicRadar's verdict:

“This affordable thermally treated acoustic certainly has the looks, but all-solid models still have the tonal edge.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Ibanez Artwood Vintage AVD11 Thermo Aged 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 14 of 14
Page 14 of 14
Total Guitar
Total Guitar
Social Links Navigation

Total Guitar is Europe's best-selling guitar magazine.

Every month we feature interviews with the biggest names and hottest new acts in guitar land, plus Guest Lessons from the stars.

Finally, our Rocked & Rated section is the place to go for reviews, round-ups and help setting up your guitars and gear.

Subscribe: http://bit.ly/totalguitar

Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition. image
Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition.
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
 
 
Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Drive: the first in the Series A range, this is an all-analogue pedal inspired by the Herzog unit made famous by Randy Bachman
Strymon debuts Series A analogue pedals range with the Fairfax – a “chameleon” drive that can “breathe fire”
 
 
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
 
 
Warm Audio's Tube Squealer is a greatest-hits of Tube Screamer circuits, three-in one, while the Throne Of Tone, the new dual-overdrive twofer from the Texan pedal company channels not one but two classic pedals, which in a way were both inspired by the classic Marshall "Bluesbreaker" amps used by Clapton back in his John Mayall days.
Warm Audio channels the greatest hits of classic overdrive with the regal Throne Of Tone dual-drive and the 3-in-1 Tone Squealer
 
 
A Yamaha Revstar electric guitar on a blue background
Thomann's Guitar Days sale just hit up to 70% off with £474 off an Epiphone semi-hollow, £132 off a Death By Audio pedal, plus loads more massive savings
 
 
The J, from Thorpy FX, is a new collab between the high-end British guitar effects pedal company and boutique amp brand Lazy J, and the amp that inspired it can be seen illustrated in white on. black on the enclosure's front.
Thorpy FX teams up with Lazy J to give guitarists premium vintage Tweed tone in a preamp/drive pedal
 
 
Latest in Guitar Pedals
JHS Pedals x Electro-Harmonix Big Muff 2: This limited edition fuzz pedal was created from a long-lost blueprint that was unearthed while researching the upcoming book about the NYC pedal brand.
Electro-Harmonix and JHS Pedals team up for a Big Muff based on schematic that had been lying forgotten for 50 years
 
 
Crazy Tube Circuits Orama: the orange/peach coloured pedal combines classic preamp and fuzz circuits and promises a wide range of sounds
Crazy Tube Circuits squeezes out another sweet twofer with the Orama preamp/fuzz pedal
 
 
Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Drive: the first in the Series A range, this is an all-analogue pedal inspired by the Herzog unit made famous by Randy Bachman
Strymon debuts Series A analogue pedals range with the Fairfax – a “chameleon” drive that can “breathe fire”
 
 
The DOD Badder Monkey is a redux take on the DigiTech Bad Monkey overdrive, but it adds two all-new circuits, plus a wooden barrel knob for blending them. It is painted green and has an illustration of a chimpanzee on the front of the pedal, which is an ape, not a monkey.
DOD reimagines a Gary Moore overdrive favourite as the Badder Monkey – think the DigiTech Green Monkey, only badder
 
 
Dirty Boy SilverBOY: This high-end all-analogue preamp pedal was inspired by a digital plugin
Dirty Boy turns the tables on guitar’s digital revolution with an all-analogue preamp pedal inspired by a plugin
 
 
The Compulsion Drive is Brian Wampler's take on on of his favourite drive pedals, the Fulltone OCD, but it's quite a different proposition with an expanded control setup.
Brian Wampler just reimagined a bona fide modern classic with The Compulsion Drive – but is this OCD-inspired dirt pedal an overdrive, distortion or both?
 
 
Latest in News
Howie Weinberg
Mastering engineers reflect on the loudness wars, and ponder whether they really are over
 
 
A laptop in a music studio with Universal Audio plugins running on it
UAD's free plugin offer is the biggest no-brainer I've seen this year – but time is running out to get your hands on a world-class studio weapon for nothing
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score big savings on music gear ahead of Christmas from the likes of UAD, Casio, Waves, PRS and more
 
 
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 28: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Danielle Haim of Haim performs on the Park stage during day four of Glastonbury festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 28, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. Established by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury has grown into the UK's largest music festival, drawing over 200,000 fans to enjoy performances across more than 100 stages. In 2026, the festival will take a fallow year, a planned pause to allow the Worthy Farm site time to rest and recover. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Redferns)
Danielle Haim names her biggest guitar influences, including the player she calls “the most underrated”
 
 
ABBA VOYAGE
Money Money Money: Abba Voyage has contributed over £2 billion to the British economy
 
 
Ed Sheeran in front of guitars
Council gives go-ahead for Ed Sheeran to convert pig farm into private recording studio
 
 

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
  • 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...