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Kustom Defender 5W Class A Guitar Amp: Is this the cheapest 5W valve guitar amp yet?
Introduction
I'm a fan of small, low-power guitar amplifiers for nailing the tone you want at the volume that your neighbours will condone. I know a lot of people give the cheaper models a hard time, expecting top-end boutique tone out of a cheap Epiphone valve junior hot rod. Well that's not going to happen. There's a point to small amps and this new model, the Kustom The Defender 5W Class A Guitar Amp Head Black may have just found a nice niche. Read more »
Bugera V5 5W 1x8 Tube Guitar Combo
Yet another addition to the small, low-power valve amplifiers. I like the idea of the Bugera V5's power attenuator as I know that 5W is still too loud to crank up in your house if you want to maintain relationships with your neighbours. 1W is a good amount of power and I'm not really sure about 0.1W. Only one way to find out, I need to go and find one of these to try. Read more »
Presents for Experienced Rock Guitarists - Part 2 - Accessories
Following on from Presents for Experienced Rock Guitarists - Part 1 - Guitars and Amplifiers, this is the second part focussing on accessories.
Strap Locks
Strap Locks are great. Can't go wrong with them, especially if there's a new guitar involved. Read more »
Presents for Experienced Rock Guitarists - Part 1 - Guitars and Amplifiers
Some background
As part of a series on gifts and presents for guitarists. You should find some ideas for what you can buy experienced rock guitarists for birthdays, Christmas or whatever occassion arises.
The experienced rock guitarist has probably changed amplifiers a few times. They've probably even changed guitars a few times, accumulating a few spares along the way unless they're one of the very few lucky guitarists who start off with their ideal guitar. Read more »
Money Is No Object: Guitars and Amplifiers
Following on from the Best Guitar Equipment article featuring the top-of-the-range in guitars, amplifiers and accessories, this article takes that concept a step further and showcases some of the guitars and amplifiers even further up the scale. I guess some of these fall more into the category of collectibles rather than instruments and it's a shame that many will not be played to their full. They didn't feature in the Best Guitar Equipment for a few reasons: Read more »
The Best Guitar Equipment
This showcases the top-of-the-range in guitars, amplifiers and some accessories including effects and even straps. Some equipment has reached legendary status to the point that nothing else will suffice. It's that equipment that I started this list with, e.g. a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, especially 57 or 56 reissue. That's how the list started, then it grew into a list of guitars, amps and accessories that show the strengths of each manufacturer.
I would consider each item featured in this article to be a workhorse, used rather than stored away, enjoyed rather than collected.
Read more »
Fender Custom Shop George Fullerton 50th Anniversary 1957 Stratocaster Electric Guitar and Pro Junior Amp
What a starter pack this would make! Unfortunately, the majority of these packs will probably end up in the hands of collectors, never to be played and only let out into the light to admire. That's not what a guitar should be about.
I've written before about how you can choose more wisely than the typical starter packs on the market. When I wrote that, I wasn't thinking of anything of this quality though. This package is in another league entirely. It's a great little combination, harking back to an golden age of guitar and amplifier. No frills or no digital effects, just a package about pure tone. Looks like Fender are limiting the run to 150. Read more »
Starter Packages
Want to buy a starter package? Well I know you can buy a starter guitar package for $200-$300. But hold on a minute, you don't get much of a guitar for $200, let alone guitar, amp, strap, lead, stand, etc.
I also believe that starter kits can cause more harm than good. You may be buying the package in the hope that the soon-to-be guitarist will learn, but sometimes they're badly set-up and it's almost impossible for the guitarist to get a sound anything like their heroes. A bad experience with shoddy kit can put learners off playing the instrument altogether. I've always advised people against buying the cheapest guitar they can find. Like most things in life, the cheapest deal isn't necessarily the best. Read more »
Low Power Amplifiers
There's a trend especially among guitarists that involves them always trying to improve their gear in the search of perfect tone. For rock guitarists, the typical route is to start with a small practice amp, then a combo that's suitable for rehearsals and small gigs, then a larger combo or half-stack, all the way up to a 100W multi-channel amp. Some realise what route they're on before they reach the end and take the sensible option of avoiding a few stops.
An interesting thing happens at the larger end, resulting in one of the following: Read more »
