This month has been new amp month … just not the amp that I originally planned to buy.
Continue reading “New Arrivals: June 2026”#CoffeeAndKlon 46: How I First Fell In Love With My Klon KTR
#CoffeeAndKlon is my (irregular!) Sunday morning magazine series, where I talk about whatever’s on my mind right now. There’s always coffee, and there’s normally chat about the Klon and its many competitors.
Today, I want to talk about why I started using a Klon KTR, and demonstrate what makes it different to the other options that I had at the time. Let’s travel back in time to 2014, when the world was a (slightly) saner place and guitar YouTube wasn’t full of “they all sound the same” Klon klone demos …
Continue reading “#CoffeeAndKlon 46: How I First Fell In Love With My Klon KTR”First Impressions: Marshall Studio JTM 20 Head
I’ve just picked up a Marshall Studio JTM 20 ST20H amplifier.
What do I think of it? Read on for my First Impressions.
Continue reading “First Impressions: Marshall Studio JTM 20 Head”#CoffeeAndKlon 45: Let’s Talk About Fender
#CoffeeAndKlon is my (irregular!) Sunday morning magazine series, where I talk about whatever’s on my mind right now. There’s always coffee, and there’s normally chat about the Klon and its many competitors.
You may be aware that a significant section of the guitar-playing community is currently very unhappy [understatement of the year – Ed] with Fender’s recent actions over the Stratocaster body shape.
Let’s discuss it.
Continue reading “#CoffeeAndKlon 45: Let’s Talk About Fender”#CoffeeAndKlon 44: When The Music Has To Go On Pause
#CoffeeAndKlon is my (irregular!) Sunday morning magazine series, where I talk about whatever’s on my mind right now. There’s always coffee, and there’s normally chat about the Klon and its many competitors.
Regular readers may have noticed that I’ve barely posted on here this year. Let’s discuss why.
Continue reading “#CoffeeAndKlon 44: When The Music Has To Go On Pause”First Impressions: Fulltone Fat-Boost FB-3
I recently picked up a second-hand Fulltone Fat-Boost FB-3.
What do I think of it? Here are my first impressions.
Continue reading “First Impressions: Fulltone Fat-Boost FB-3”Studio Diary #64: Chasing The Amp That Got Away
‘Studio Diary’ is an occasional series where I talk about building a home recording setup for hobbyists and enthusiasts like us. I share my personal experiences, and the thinking behind some of the decisions that I’ve made along the way.
Many of us have tales of “the one that got away” … a guitar or an amp that we’ll always regret not buying at the time. This is one of those tales, and the story of how I’ve recently reproduced something similar in my Axe-FX 3.
And it’s all thanks to That Pedal Show.
Continue reading “Studio Diary #64: Chasing The Amp That Got Away”New Arrivals: February 2026
Real life (and my work on the upcoming Marshall Origin 20H long-term review) doesn’t leave much time for exploring new (to me) gear at the moment.
So I’m trying to be sensible, and only pick up gear that solves a problem, helps me with the Marshall Origin 20H review, or is just too good an opportunity to pass on.
Continue reading “New Arrivals: February 2026”(Belated) First Impressions: Gibson USA Les Paul Junior Double Cut in Dark Walnut
Late last year, I bought a brand-new Gibson USA Les Paul Junior, in that delicious dark walnut finish.
What do I think of it? Read on for my first impressions.
Continue reading “(Belated) First Impressions: Gibson USA Les Paul Junior Double Cut in Dark Walnut”First Impressions: Using The KAT Load*Star Speaker Attenuator With My 5e3 Tweed Deluxe Amp
I recently bought a KAT Load*Star speaker attenuator, to use with my 5e3 Tweed Deluxe amp.
I’ve only had this for 24 hours, and it’s already in the running to be my best purchase of 2026. Why? Read on for my first impressions.
Continue reading “First Impressions: Using The KAT Load*Star Speaker Attenuator With My 5e3 Tweed Deluxe Amp”