Welcome to the back room, where gear has to earn its keep
Guitar Gear Reviews reads guitars, amps and pedals the way I read my students' instruments: build and setup from the specs, tone and feel from what buyers report. The score comes last, never first.
Latest tags on the rail
Squier Sonic Strat HT MN SFMG Squier · $169 Guitars 8.4 
Jackson JS1X DK Minion AH FB PAVO PPL Jackson · $173 Guitars 8.2 
Squier Sonic Tele LRL CY Squier · $178 Guitars 8.3 
Ibanez GRX120SP-NGM Ibanez · $210 Guitars 8.2 
Harley Benton HB-35TL Tesla Pelham Blue Harley Benton · $329 Guitars 8.4 
Heritage Guitar Ascent H-150 Copper Heritage Guitar · $332 Guitars 8.2 Guides: get the basics right first
01 How to Choose Your First Electric Guitar A guitar teacher explains what matters when picking a first electric guitar: body shape, neck feel, pickups, budget bands and what can wait until later. 02 Single-Coils, Humbuckers and P90s: What Really Changes What actually changes between single-coil, humbucker and P90 pickups: sound, hum, genres, mixing them, and how to test them in a store or a demo. 03 Tube, Solid-State or Modeling Amp: Which One Fits How You Play Tube, solid-state and modeling guitar amps compared on feel, volume, upkeep and price, with plain advice on what suits home and what suits the stage. 04 How Many Watts Do You Really Need A practical look at guitar amp wattage for bedroom practice, rehearsals and small clubs: headroom, breakup, and why more watts is rarely the answer. 05 Building Your First Pedalboard: Signal Chain Order Explained Where the tuner, drive, modulation and delay pedals go on a first pedalboard, why the order matters, and the basics of buffers and power supplies. 06 Guitar Setup Basics You Can Do at Home How to check neck relief, string action, intonation and the nut on an electric guitar, which tools you need, and when the job belongs with a repair tech.
Cal Whitaker
Guitarist and guitar teacher · Asheville, NC
The man behind the bench has played for thirty years and taught for twenty. Manufacturers never read a review before it goes up, and no gear is accepted from them.
More about Cal →Shelves
Guitar Gear Reviews is independent of stores and manufacturers. Nobody pays for a score.
Guitar Gear Reviews