The XS-100 is a pitch-shifting workstation with integrated expression pedal, 30 memory slots, MIDI, and lots of range while the XS-1 presents a 6-octave range in compact format ...

If your guitar needs more distortion, lower audio fidelity, or another musical effect, you can always shell out some money to get a dedicated piece of hardware. For a less conventional route, though, ...

One of the most distinctive aspects of George Benson's soloing has been his use of octaves. Not since Wes Montgomery and Django Reinhardt has anyone utilized octave playing as extensively as Benson.

A little over 10 years ago, a Phoenix-based startup treated acoustic pickers to a bunch of effects directly through the sound hole courtesy of the smartphone-sized ToneWoodAmp. Now the much-improved ...

Are you looking for that one pedal to get nuts with? Robert Keeley has thrown “the kitchen sink” at this anarchic yet eminently usable fuzzbox with many inventive tricks up its sleeve ...

An occasional look at Connecticut’s remarkable people, places and things Among serious electric guitar players and collectors, a few bits of gear stand out as holy grail acquisitions: Good examples of ...

The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Whether you’re a regular shredder or you’re just beginning to ...

Guitar amplifiers have been evolving since the early 20th century and the Jazz Age when stringed instruments demanded extra volume to compete with brass sections and prominent drums. Many amplifier ...

Brady Smith and the OBNE team. (Courtesy of Old Blood Noise Endeavors) When Brady Smith started working at Keeley Electronics in the late 2000s, he didn’t realize that he’d form two guitar effects ...

Throwing Star Wars, retro video games and other vintage nerd culture designs on the enclosures of guitar pedals would probably be a hell of a good marketing strategy regardless of the quality of the ...