Category: Series

All of the recurring features – #CoffeeAndKlon, First Impressions, #LongTermReview, New Arrivals – all in one place.

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#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 …

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#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.

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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.

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#CoffeeAndKlon 43: Winter NAMM 2026

#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.

This week, I want to talk about the new products that were announced at (or around) Winter NAMM 2026 that I’m very interested in … and the ones that I wish had been.

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Quick Listen: Wampler tcd Distortion Pedal With A Gibson Les Paul

Quick Listen is where I capture and share guitar tones that I’ve dialled in. No exploration; little discussion – just a quick audio demo or two along with a documented signal chain.

Wampler’s tcd Distortion pedal on my pedalboard.

Today, I’ve made a quick recording of Wampler’s tcd distortion pedal into one of my Axe-FX 3 pedal platform presets. Click through to have a listen.

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Studio Diary #63: Pros and Cons Debate: Exploring Amp/Cab Switchers

Pros and Cons is an irregular series where I do a deep dive into a decision that I need to make – normally about gear for a home hobbyist studio. Here, I share whatever problem I’m trying to solve, all the background reading on the various options, and a look at the pros and cons of each way forward. I find that this process helps me make a more informed – and less emotive – decision. If you’re faced with a similar decision, I hope it helps you too.

Are they overkill luxury, or a necessary expense for any home hobbyist who uses multiple amps into the same load box?

That’s the question I’m trying to answer for myself in this post.

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