Nikita

Finding the best mini guitar amps used to mean settling for thin, tinny practice boxes that sounded more like toys than real amplifiers. I have been playing guitar for over 15 years, and I remember when a mini amp was something you bought as a joke gift or kept in a drawer for emergencies. Those … Read more

I have spent the last three years A/B testing acoustic simulator pedals on stages, in home studios, and through PA systems at venues ranging from 50-seat bars to 800-seat theaters. The quest to make an electric guitar sound like a real acoustic is one that every cover-band guitarist and worship player eventually faces, and the … Read more

If you have ever cranked up a Beatles record, listened to Brian May tear through a Queen solo, or heard The Edge ring out those shimmering harmonics on a U2 track, you have been listening to Vox amps. Since the late 1950s, Vox has been building some of the most recognizable guitar amplifiers in music … Read more

If you play a digital piano or MIDI keyboard, the right sustain pedal can make the difference between a performance that flows naturally and one that feels choppy and disconnected. I have spent years testing keyboard pedals across home practice, studio recording, and live gigging setups, and I can tell you firsthand that not all … Read more

Ring modulation is the wildest effect on any pedalboard. It takes your guitar signal, smashes it against an internal oscillator, and spits out metallic, robotic, otherworldly tones that can transform a boring riff into a sci-fi soundtrack. If you have ever wanted your guitar to sound like a malfunctioning android or a vintage Dalek, this … Read more

Finding the best amp modelers used to mean choosing between a handful of expensive rack units that only touring pros could afford. I remember lugging a 50-pound tube amp to every rehearsal and wishing there was a lighter way to get the same tone. Today, amp modeling technology has reached a point where a device … Read more

Walk into any recording studio, rehearsal space, or stadium venue around the world, and you will likely see a Marshall amplifier stack leaning against the wall. Since Jim Marshall opened his drum shop in London in 1962 and built the first JTM45, the Marshall name has been synonymous with the sound of rock and roll. … Read more

Fender has been shaping the sound of modern music since 1946, and their amplifiers are every bit as legendary as their guitars. When guitarists talk about “that Fender clean tone” — the bell-like clarity, the glassy highs, the warm spring reverb — they are talking about a sound that defined genres from surf rock to … Read more

Finding the best player pianos in means cutting through a lot of confusing terminology. Some people mean self-playing acoustic pianos with solenoid systems like the Yamaha Disklavier or Steinway Spirio. Others mean digital pianos with weighted hammer action keys that replicate the feel of playing an acoustic instrument. This guide covers both, with a heavy … Read more

If you have ever tried to do a volume swell by twisting the knob on your guitar with your pinky while playing, you already know why the best volume pedals exist. A volume pedal gives you hands-free control over your signal level, letting you create smooth violin-like swells, kill your output for silent tuning between … Read more