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Oscar Jordan
Sonny Landreth
Supernatural Slide
Even guitarists who don’t play slide know scary supernatural slide mastery when they hear it. Some guitarists won’t go down that rabbit hole, realizing they’ll never reach the level of Elmore James, Son House, Robert Nighthawk, or Earl Hooker. Today, guitarists like Ry Cooder, David Lindley, and Derek Trucks are still blowing minds, but few
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Oscar Jordan
David Ryan Harris
Songs For Other People
David Ryan Harris gets his greatest exposure singing and playing guitar around the world with John Mayer, but he’s been an accomplished songwriter for nearly 30 years. While he has a handful of solo albums and songwriting credits with Mayer, Dave Matthews, and Cassandra Wilson, he kept a handful of tunes for his new solo
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Oscar Jordan
MXR Dyna Comp Mini
A Classic, Compressed
In the ’70s, the original MXR Dyna Comp found its way onto a plethora of now-classic vinyl sides and was a key ingredient to the soundtrack of a generation. With an eye toward the latest trend in miniaturized effects pedals with full-sized sounds, MXR’s Dyna Comp Mini Compressor retains the same rich analog sounds of
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Oscar Jordan
Warren Haynes
Gov’t Revolution
Digging through the Gov’t Mule catalog recalls a legacy of great music. More than just another jam band, the group spent the last 22 years not only mining the Southern-blues-based rock they adore, but pushing boundaries and taking risks. Guitarist Warren Haynes continues to be the band’s guiding light. For many, his top-tier finesse and
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Oscar Jordan
Luis Carlos Maldonado
Have SG, Will Travel
Train guitarist Luis Carlos Maldonado’s musical upbringing and skill on the fretboard has earned him cherry gigs with artists like John Waite, UFO, and Glenn Hughes. He hails from the SG school of melodic-rock swagger, yet it’s his way around a melody that made him invaluable in great bands. He’s a prolific solo artist and
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Oscar Jordan
Carvin Audio VLD1 Legacy Drive
Legend In A Box
When Steve Vai needed a portable preamp to take on the road to emulate his signature amp tones, Carvin Audio obliged. Their VLD1 Legacy Drive is Vai’s Legacy amplifier in a box – and it travels a whole lot easier than a half stack. Using 12AX7 tubes and circuitry found in Vai’s signature amps, the
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Oscar Jordan
Fire Custom Shop Sweet Chilli and Carpe Diem Overdrives
Brazilian Heat
There are some nifty analog effects pedals coming out of São Paulo, Brazil, nowadays, and among them, Fire Custom Shop should be on your radar. Fire Custom’s small but efficient staff allows them to maintain maximum quality control over their top-notch products while offering a variety of effects pedals and accessories. It’s no fluke that
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Oscar Jordan
EHX Canyon Delay & Looper, Blurst Modulated Filter
Ambient Possibilities
Today’s guitarists looking to create those sounds they imagine in their heads have it easier than ever before. Electro-Harmonix can be partially thanked for this. EHX is notorious for creating state-of-the-art effects pedals at reasonable prices, and their Canyon Delay & Looper and Blurst Modulated Filter are two of their latest offerings in a long
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Oscar Jordan
Gretchen Menn
Abandon All Hope
Every musician aspires to create music that will resonate through the ages and Abandon All Hope, by Zepparella guitarist Gretchen Menn, is an ambitious effort based on Dante’s Alighieri’s Inferno. Rich in melody and concept, the album weaves her melodic sensibilities amidst violin, cello, and viola via beautiful scores composed by Menn and joining nylon-string
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Oscar Jordan
Volt Electrics #004 Reverse
Mirror Image
From Johnny Winter and Stephen Stills to Scott Holiday, the Firebird has been turning heads since the early ’60s. Builders Sander de Gier and Ewout Nijman out of the Netherlands are two guitar freaks with a jones for old-school looks and modern appointments. They have a thing for Firebirds too. Their first series for Volt
