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  1. Guitars

New guitar gear of the month: review round-up (January 2018)

News
By Guitars ( Guitarist, Total Guitar ) published 2 January 2018

Guitar goodies galore

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

SamSystems IM12

SamSystems IM12

If the January blues have kicked in already, why not see them off by gazing upon a bounty of beautiful guitar gear?

That is exactly what we reviewed throughout December, bringing you our verdicts on the finest new guitar products. Here, we take a digested look at everything that was appraised last month, kicking off with the SamSystems IM12.

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Check it out now and hear your on-stage sound improve.”

FULL REVIEW: SamSystems IM12

4.5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 1 of 13
Page 1 of 13
Vigier Expert Classic Rock 

Vigier Expert Classic Rock 

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A superbly made and conceived modern bolt-on.”

FULL REVIEW: Vigier Expert Classic Rock 

4.5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 2 of 13
Page 2 of 13
Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A brilliantly realised take on the Strat whose appeal reaches far further than just Radiohead fans.”

FULL REVIEW: Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster

5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 3 of 13
Page 3 of 13
Yamaha A5R ARE

Yamaha A5R ARE

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A great-looking cutaway dread’ with plenty to offer.”

FULL REVIEW: Yamaha A5R ARE

4.5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 4 of 13
Page 4 of 13
Eastman SB 59/v

Eastman SB 59/v

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A seriously good single-cut.”

FULL REVIEW: Eastman SB 59/v

4 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 5 of 13
Page 5 of 13
Fender Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster 

Fender Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster 

MusicRadar's verdict:

“All in all, this is a collaboration that’s really worked, and you can’t say fairer than that.”

FULL REVIEW: Fender Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster 

4.5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 6 of 13
Page 6 of 13
Orange Getaway Driver

Orange Getaway Driver

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Whether you favour a touch of breakup or a harmonically dense wall of sound, this pedal can get you there.”

FULL REVIEW: Orange Getaway Driver

5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 7 of 13
Page 7 of 13
Epiphone Ltd Ed Lee Malia Explorer Custom Artisan 

Epiphone Ltd Ed Lee Malia Explorer Custom Artisan 

MusicRadar's verdict:

“If the look appeals, you may well be surprised at where this guitar takes you - so much so we’d really like to see this pickup configuration on even more guitars.”

FULL REVIEW: Epiphone Ltd Ed Lee Malia Explorer Custom Artisan 

4 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 8 of 13
Page 8 of 13
Chapman ML2 Modern Standard

Chapman ML2 Modern Standard

MusicRadar's verdict:

“The mid-price market is a real street fight but the ML2 Modern more than punches above its weight.”

FULL REVIEW: Chapman ML2 Modern Standard

5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 9 of 13
Page 9 of 13
Jackson X Series Signature Adrian Smith SDXQ 

Jackson X Series Signature Adrian Smith SDXQ 

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A very special signature model indeed.”

FULL REVIEW: Jackson X Series Signature Adrian Smith SDXQ 

5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 10 of 13
Page 10 of 13
Guild M-240E Troubadour

Guild M-240E Troubadour

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A solid choice for those on a budget.”

FULL REVIEW: Guild M-240E Troubadour

4 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 11 of 13
Page 11 of 13
Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter

Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter

MusicRadar's verdict:

“An excellent pedal.”

FULL REVIEW: Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter

5 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 12 of 13
Page 12 of 13
Electro-Harmonix Blurst

Electro-Harmonix Blurst

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A great pedal blessed with a vast array of options.”

FULL REVIEW:  Electro-Harmonix Blurst

4 out of 5 

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 13 of 13
Page 13 of 13
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Read more
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Enjoy a mind-blowing $600 off a full-fat Gibson Les Paul, £500 off Kirk Hammett's Epiphone Greeny, and so much more
Kramer Volante HSGT Triburst: the all-new high-performance S-style from the GIbson-owned shred brand is a grown-up looking S-style.
“It’s as comfortable as a guitar can”: Kramer Volante HSGT Triburst review
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