15 legendary hi-fi brands that are still going strong today Iconic marques that have stood the test of time What Hi-Fi? · Jul 17
"An unforgiving beast, but the sort of amp I would urge every player to experience at least once": Marshall x Jimi Hendrix 60th Anniversary JMH Half Stack review Paying tribute to 60 years of one of the most iconic pairings in guitar history, Marshall releases a signature Hendrix amp bundle, featuring not only an amp and cab, but a Fuzz Face and some very collectable extras. Guitar World · Jun 18
"The uncomfortable truth is that valves are not going to be around forever. But if this is the future of guitar amplification, I’m okay with it": EVH 5150 III Hypersonic 6L6 2x12 review Following in the steps of parent company Fender's Tone Master range, EVH releases a digital combo version of the coveted 5150 amp, combining digital modeling and a real guitar cabinet Guitar World · Jun 12
“The very essence of the Fender aesthetic… It reigns supreme for its no-nonsense approach to a dual-channel, giggable package”: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV 30th Anniversary review The ubiquitous Hot Rod Deluxe celebrates its 30th birthday with a snazzy new look and some subtle sonic enhancements MusicRadar · May 29
“On tour, the soundman is always on me to turn down. So I wanted to make sure the amp stays full and articulate, even at lower volumes”: The making of the Blackstar Doug Aldrich Signature DA100 Ruby Doug Aldrich reveals how decades of vintage amps, real-world touring and close collaboration with Blackstar helped shape his DA100 Ruby signature head Guitar World · Apr 22
“With a roomful of classic Fender amps, perhaps surprisingly, it was this Blackstar that was the most-used”: Blackstar TV-10 AH & TV-10 BH heads review Can this pair of new compact heads from Blackstar – theUS-styled TV-10 AH and its British-counterpart, theTV-10 BH – deliver those classic tones? Guitar World · Apr 14
The first-ever speakers from 22 legendary hi-fi brands We look back to where it all began when it comes to speakers for some of the most important brands in hi-fi What Hi-Fi? · Mar 30
“It’s the same, loud, high headroom amp but with a more open-sounding clean tone that boasts a little extra life”: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 30th Anniversary review Fender celebrates 30 years of the ubiquitous Hot Rod Deluxe with an Anniversary edition that boasts a speaker change and a classy aesthetic Guitar World · Mar 27
“For the past 30 years it has been the quintessential backline amplifier on stages and in studios around the world”: Fender celebrates three decades of the Hot Rod Deluxe with a stunning anniversary edition The much-loved 40-watt combo gets a fancy looking textured 'Western' vinyl covering, classy and vintage '50s-style grille clothe – and a 12" Celestion Creamback under the hood MusicRadar · Mar 4
“You can have a great amp but if the speaker sucks it won’t sound good”: Sylosis' Josh Middleton on the most important link in your signal chain – and how a remarkable find from Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood helped him nail Andy Sneap’s tone The secret to great tone? Don't forget the speaker cabinet matters, too MusicRadar · Feb 18
“I wandered into a Guitar Center vintage room, plugged it in and it just floored me. People literally started coming in asking what amp I was playing”: Inside Fender’s mission to bring the ’62 Super Amp back from the dead Long hidden in the shadows of Fender history, the early ’60s brown-panel Super Amp has reemerged. Senior product manager, Rick Heins, talks us through its rebirth Guitar World · Feb 18
“Making digital modeling a more viable option for those who miss the sound and feel of a real amp”: Line 6 Powercab CL 112 review Missing on-stage sound? Find FRFR cabs unnatural? Line 6's latest Powercab offers a traditional speaker, primed for digital modelers Guitar World · Jan 20
“It might just be the coolest offset guitar ever. And it’s finally back”: All the guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including some huge early NAMM releases It is the week before NAMM, and the gear drops are coming in thick and fast. This week, we have "the ultimate modern headless guitar", a recreation of Keith Richards' go-to six-string, John Mayer's new-favorite Silver Sky finish and more Guitar World · Jan 17
Victory Amps reimagines the $5k+ MK Overdrive as a compact 50-watt lunchbox head – offering the “heart and soul” of its “ultimate guitar amplifier” at a fraction of the price It's smaller, lighter and a heck of a lot cheaper but the MKX still has three channels, two reverbs, dual master volumes, effects loop, power scaling and more MusicRadar · Jan 6
Guitar World · Dec 6, 2025 “A tighter, louder and gutsier tone from an already stellar-sounding amp”: Bad Cat Mod Shop Black Cat 30 review Remixed and refreshed by the late, great amp-guru Mark Sampson, thisBlack Cat has two more tubes, 10 more watts and a whole new voice
MusicRadar · Nov 25, 2025 “I said, ‘Andy, I can you build me an amp? I’ll send you a speaker…’ he built me one of these ODS models, and, to be honest with you, it blew me away”: Joe Bonamassa teams up with Fuchs Audio for a signature amp offering Dumble tone without the price This 100-watt 1x12 combo has heaps of EQ options, top-shelf digital reverb, a series/parallel effects loop and signature Celestion speaker – all without the six-figure vintage price tag
Guitar World · Nov 25, 2025 “I’d put it right alongside any of the classic Fender amps. I think it’s earned that right”: 30 years of the Blues Junior – the Fender combo that came, saw and conquered the tube amp market Compact, affordable and full of Fender DNA, the Blues Junior celebrates three decades as one of the company’s most iconic and celebrated tube amp designs. This is its story
Guitar World · Oct 27, 2025 “The standard-bearer against which to judge all small combo amps”: Fender Blues Junior IV 30th Anniversary review Decked out in tooled western-style livery with a saddle bag’s worth of speaker and circuit upgrades, this anniversary edition stands strong in the lineage of the classic benchmark combo
Guitar World · Oct 7, 2025 "Adding a few tweaks to the winning formula… The perfect pedal platforms": Victory V40 The Duchess MK II Deluxe Combo and Lunch Box head review Learning some tricks from the development of the super high-end MK Clean, Victory upgrades the Duchess range
Guitar World · Aug 17, 2025 “As long as onboard IRs aren’t needed, this Swiss Army knife for amp connectivity is simply the best in its class”: Two Notes Torpedo Reload II review A reactive loadbox with dual-mono 215 watts (perchannel), stereo effects loop and expanded connectivity from a market-leading brand? It's gotta be good, right?
Guitar World · Jul 21, 2025 “Every bit of that legendary sound is ready and waiting to be coaxed out of these amps”: Vox AC30X, AC15X and AC4 Hand-Wired review Vox aims to take us back to the sound of its illustrious golden-era with this re-engineered family of Hand-Wired amplifiers. We listen in for that elusive and very classic AC30 tone
MusicRadar · Apr 11, 2025 “Its mission is simple: unleash the power of any amplifier or line-level source without compromise”: Two Notes promises a “watershed” in tube amp control with the Torpedo Reload II The world's first reactive load box with a Celestion approved load response, the Torpedo Reload II is a compelling sequel that's packed with features to get the most from your tube amps
Guitar World · Mar 21, 2025 Amps as furniture? This brand of high-end cabinets puts Celestion speakers into luxury furniture inspired by ’70s hi-fi consoles – and aims to blend guitar gear seamlessly into your life If the rugged appearance of touring gear feels out of place in your house, this brand thinks it has the solution
MusicRadar · Mar 18, 2025 “It showcases a straightforward single-channel layout ideal for both clean tones and mild breakup tones”: Revv Amplification and Joey Landreth join forces for a signature take on the D25 tube combo with onboard virtual cabs/IRs Landreth's D25 might be a single-channel affair with old-school aesthetics but with six onboard virtual cabs, MIDI connectivity and switchable 25W/5W power it is all about modern functionality
MusicRadar · Mar 11, 2025 “A truly modern take on the high-powered super amp, full of clever design decisions and boasting features which open it up to all sorts of uses”: Blackstar St James 100 212 A 100-watt, 2x12, four-channel 'super amp' that weighs the same as a Deluxe Reverb?