As a lifelong musician, I try to stay on top of all the new guitar gear that comes out. Whether it’s companies sticking to true-to-tradition standards or venturing into undiscovered territory with groundbreaking tech, there’s always something exciting coming out; however, there’s something to be said about the companies that take it to the next level. Creative, new construction methods; hot-swappable electronics; ergonomic perfection — many of today’s most beloved companies are continuing to make waves by pushing the limits of what the guitar can do. Here are 15 brands that are on the cutting edge in the guitar world.
Martin — Classy Acoustics with Modern Enhancements
To put the “Deluxe” in their Modern Deluxe Series, Martin outfitted each instrument with one of today’s strongest and highest-performing materials: carbon fiber. By constructing the bridge plate from carbon fiber rather than standard woods, you get an incredible volume boost and increased stability for the bridge. Add in Martin’s lauded history of impeccable acoustic guitars, and the Modern Deluxe Series is a surefire way to make the most out of every performance.
Relish — Groundbreaking Guitars with Hot-swappable Pickups
Since hitting the scene in 2010, Swiss guitar manufacturer Relish has consistently turned the heads of anyone who gets their hands on any of their Trinity, Mary One, Mary, and Jane models. State-of-the-art technology like Relish’s proprietary 17-way touch-sensitive blend control system and exquisite-sounding piezo pickups are enough to set each instrument in a class all its own. Where these axes stand out is in their unique pickup-swapping system. In seconds, you can pluck pickups from the guitar’s body and replace them with other compatible pickups to nail whatever sonic flavor you’re feeling simply by removing the magnetic back plate on most models or by directly removing them from the back opening on the Trinity. Speaking of magnetic back plates, many of Relish’s offerings feature an incredibly sturdy aluminum chassis to keep things in peak performing condition from day one to infinity.
Gamechanger Audio — Genuine “High Voltage” Rock ‘n’ Roll
Though the saying may have been immortalized by perhaps the greatest rock band to leave the shores of Australia, Gamechanger Audio’s Plasma Pedal truly delivers its promise of high-voltage distorted goodness. To give it its unique voice, the Plasma Pedal forgoes the standard clipping diodes and transistors, converting audio signals into what Gamechanger Audio describes as “a series of continuous high-voltage discharges.” This all occurs within a xenon-filled vacuum tube that produces some seriously killer visual effects when in use. As for the sound? The Plasma Pedal conjures some of the fuzziest, glitchiest, most-gated sounds ever imagined with plenty of knobs onboard to tweak your tone to saturated perfection. For the Jack White fan in you (in all of us, really), there’s even a Third Man Records edition that introduces five unique octave modes to channel your favorite White Stripes licks.
Neural DSP — Quad Cortex: “The Most Powerful Floor Modeler on the Planet”
If you’re like many guitar players at Sweetwater who peruse YouTube and forums for info about the latest and greatest gear, then odds are you’ve stumbled across Neural DSP’s first foray into the world of guitar hardware: the Quad Cortex. Though a digital effects modeler and profiler at its core, Quad Cortex packs much more into its bulletproof anodized-aluminum chassis. Under the hood, you get over 50 amps, 70 effects, and a staggering 1,000 cabs to mix and match with plenty of presets to get you started. Its large, 7-inch touchscreen makes swapping amps and effects a breeze, and it’s bright enough to ensure you always know what rig you’re playing through. The Neural Capture process meticulously digitizes amps, pedals, and cabs down to a component level — the lifelike accuracy of the Quad Cortex cannot be overstated. Still not sold? Considering Sweetwater is the exclusive dealer in the USA, our Quad Cortex page contains all of the info you need to become an expert on the ins and outs of this game-changing piece of gear.
Taylor — Optimized with V-Class Bracing
For over a century, the standard in acoustic-guitar construction has been X-bracing. While X-bracing is an accepted way for building an instrument, Taylor targeted one inherent flaw in the design. When it comes to volume versus sustain in regard to X-bracing, elevating one comes at the expense of lowering the other. To tackle this pesky problem, Taylor created their revolutionary V-Class bracing, offering greater control over the flexibility of the top for a significant volume increase while keeping a consistent stiffness along the middle for longer-lasting sustain. The benefits don’t stop there as V-Class bracing also leads to better intonation — each note stays in tune more consistently for a smoother, enhanced sound.
Reverend — Mighty Morphin Bass Contour Knob
Reverend prides themselves on a lot of things, and rightly so. Their firm commitment to boutique- and custom-quality instruments at working person’s prices has made them one of today’s most popular brands in practically every genre. This article, “Sweetwater Welcomes Reverend Guitars”, covers many of Reverend’s high-end appointments, including their unique passive Bass Contour knob. This tone-shaping tool tightens up low-end mud with fantastic results with the versatility to revoice pickups into completely new sounds. Whether it’s morphing humbuckers into spanky single-coils or giving your P-90s some extra twang, Reverend’s Bass Contour knob is your soon-to-be secret weapon.
Strandberg — Supremely Comfortable EndurNeck Profile
In 14 short years, Strandberg went from the hobby project of founder Ola Strandberg to one of the world’s preeminent headless-guitar manufacturers and is going stronger than ever. Some say it’s the lightweight design and comfy contours; others cite the electronics as top of the class. Whatever draws you to these delectable axes, one thing is guaranteed: Strandberg’s trademark EndurNeck profile solidifies their products as some of the most ergonomically focused instruments ever produced. This patented profile places a flat surface on the back of the neck instead of the traditional rounder profile, encouraging correct hand placement and giving your thumb a place to rest while maintaining grip. Chords are significantly easier to play in the lower register while solos are a cinch up top, letting you focus on playing without the worry of unwanted injuries or stress on your fretting hand.
Victory Amps — V4 The Kraken Guitar Amp: Unrelenting High Gain for the Silent Stage
Throw the V4 The Kraken Guitar Amp on your pedalboard, and you’ll have everything needed for brutal, gain-drenched gigs. By combining their V4 The Kraken all-tube preamp with a solid-state Class D power amp, this impressive piece of gear packs the punch of a full-size tube amp in an infinitely portable enclosure. There’s even built-in Two Notes Torpedo–embedded DynIR Virtual Cabinet technology with an XLR output to run the V4 The Kraken directly to the soundboard for a completely silent stage rig — leave those hefty heads and cabs at home with this bone-crushing stomp-size amp!
Diezel — VHX 100-watt Tube Head: Jam-packed with State-of-the-art Tech
For the uninitiated, Diezel amps are considered the epitome of distorted tones by many of the world’s most lauded players, including a selection of Sweetwater’s death metalers and high-gain diehards. Diezel’s VHX 100-watt tube head nails these sounds and so many more, being loaded with flexible digital programmability to conjure up any searing tone imaginable. Once you dial in that sound you’ve been seeking, the VHX’s digital signal processing stores gain, EQ, volume, and other settings as one of up to 99 presets for instant recall. It also comes with a variety of DSP-based effects including a noise gate, compressor, quad/polyphonic pitch shifter, delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, reverb, tremolo, and a graphic EQ — each effect can be tweaked to your taste and placed anywhere within the post-preamp signal change. Perhaps most impressive of all, the VHX comes stock with a trio(!) of programmable effects loops. Two post-preamp loops and a pre loop make it easier than ever to throw in your favorite pedals and processors while maintaining the highest sound quality possible. With the Diezel VHX in tow, you may never need another amp!
Fender — Tone Master Amps: Big on Tone, Light in Weight
Utilizing some technical wizardry, Fender managed to cram the coveted tones of their tube-driven Super Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, and Twin Reverb amps into a completely solid-state offering that bucks the backbreaking weight of tube amps. For those wary of the term “solid-state,” take it from us: these amps deliver the warmth and full-bodied tone of their tube-amp counterparts. And, while each Tone Master amp nails the sounds of its inspiration, the 4×10-inch Tone Master Super Reverb (currently the heftiest offering in the series) comes in at a mere 36 pounds — that’s almost half the weight of the original! Additions like an XLR output for running directly to an interface or soundboard and a built-in attenuator only sweeten the pot, rounding out a formidable entry into Fender’s long lineage of exceptional amps.
Jackson Audio — Modular Stompboxes for Infinite Tonal Options
I love pedals, you love pedals, everyone loves pedals. While this statement may be a bit of a stretch, the great people over at Jackson Audio would tend to agree that more pedals equal “more better” sounds and, therefore, more tonal versatility. That said, their approach to modular pedals is nothing short of incredible, giving you easy access to many of history’s most coveted electric-guitar tones without spending thousands on individual pedals. To do just that, Jackson Audio constructed a series of analog plug-ins that clip directly into either their FUZZ or Asabi pedals, depending on compatibility. The Asabi pedal comes stock with an overdrive plug-in designed in collaboration with Brazilian phenom guitarist Mateus Asato with the option of purchasing the Large Mouse analog plug-in to transform your pedal into a fuzz giant. The FUZZ currently has a few more options with Modern FUZZ Deluxe, Goat Head, FUZZ Page Mark II, FUZZ Classic/Vintage (included with the pedal), and FUZZ Classic/Modern analog plug-ins to choose from. The future of modular pedals is brighter than ever with Jackson Audio leading the game.
BOSS — Wireless Headphone Amps and Incredible Guitar-synth Technology
It should come as no surprise that BOSS is continuing to shake things up in the guitar world nearly 50 years into their illustrious history, this time offering super-cool at-home practice solutions as well as a guitar with a wealth of built-in synth sounds. The BOSS Waza-Air guitar and bass headphone amplifiers boast ultra-comfortable studio headphones with 50mm drivers and a low-latency WL-T wireless transmitter for a cordless playing experience. Even better, each model comes with a variety of amp types and over 50 effects plucked directly from BOSS’s hugely popular Katana amplifiers, pumping out studio- and stage-worthy sounds directly to your ears. The BOSS EURUS GS-1 electric guitar is a guaranteed head turner, unleashing polyphonic synth sounds with a single flip of a switch. BOSS threw years of synth technology into the EURUS with options for direct output to an amp, interface, or soundboard and a synth memory knob and a synth control knob to toggle between six presets and to fine-tune your sound respectively.
Fodera — Powerful Mike Pope–designed Preamps with Flexible Tone Shaping
Victor Wooten. Isaiah Sharkey. Oteil Burbridge. Take a gander at Fodera’s artist list, and it reads like a formidable who’s who of today’s most accomplished and in-demand performers. With a roster like this, it only makes sense that Fodera basses and guitars are equally exceptional. Basses serve as the core of Fodera’s offerings with several different standard, custom, and signature models all featuring a preamp designed by bassist, educator, and electronics designer Mike Pope. Pope’s preamps are considered among the greatest of bass preamps, offering unmatched EQ flexibility while showcasing the natural tone of the instrument. Depending on the model, you get up to four bands of refined EQ and 18 volts of power to ensure every note rings loud and clear on stages of all kinds. Pope preamps also feature a passive mode for even greater tonal versatility — when it comes to Fodera basses, Mike Pope preamps are the key to unlocking their full potential.
Fender Acoustasonic — The Acoustic-electric Guitar Reimagined
Fender’s Acoustasonic line of hybrid acoustic-electric guitars is unlike anything ever before produced by the manufacturer, turning the standard A/E concept on its head by equipping each instrument with the versatility to handle heavy rock, lifelike acoustic tones, and everything in between. Three models are currently available in several finishes with Stratocasters, Telecasters, and Jazzmasters to choose from. The Acoustasonic Strat and Tele serve up the same 10 voicings, combining different body styles and tonewoods for a wide range of acoustic and electric tones. This is done courtesy of a trio of high-performing pickup systems: Fishman’s Matrix under-saddle transducer and Acoustasonic Enhancer as well as Fender’s own Acoustasonic Noiseless magnetic pickup. The Acoustasonic Jazzmaster heats things up a bit, throwing a Fender Acoustasonic Shawbucker into the mix instead of the single-coil pickup found on the other two instruments. Blend knobs on all three models mix and match voices easily, making each Acoustasonic a phenomenal workhorse for the studio and stage.
PRS — TCI Tuned for Perfect Pickups Every Time
Paul Reed Smith and his fabulous team at PRS have been employing trailblazing TCI (tuned capacitance and inductance) technology into their pickups for some time now, each model being treated using a proprietary TCI process that fine-tunes their sound to exacting specifications. By tweaking capacitance, resistance, and induction levels, each pickup is sculpted to sonic perfection, resulting in exquisite-sounding humbuckers and single-coils optimized for today’s discerning players.
Find Your Favorites at Sweetwater!
All these brands are known for putting players first, and the quality of their products show it. To devote time, energy, and resources to new and emerging technologies only shows their commitment to bringing out the best in every guitarist and ensuring they have the tools necessary for success. See a few items that catch your eye? Be sure to give your Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700 and prepare to supercharge your setup with the latest and greatest in guitar tech!
