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At the shop, our engineers are always tinkering on breadboards, pouring their hearts into passion projects that sometimes get sidelined by part obsolescence, indecision, or just not fitting our usual vibe. That’s why we’re stoked to launch Proto Club, where anyone can snag these limited-run pedals, like the Tritone (Proto 227), a slapback pitch echo born as a B-side for our Soft Focus Deluxe but too wild for its palette, packing a call-and-response octave-up that rides sidesaddle with a blendable perfect fifth for killer three-note arpeggios. It drops today, for only $149.99, but it’s gone after two weeks! Your first Proto Club purchase scores you the exclusive Proto Club Passport booklet, stamped and ready to unlock killer perks—collect stickers with each pedal to earn bonus stuff, like unreleased or staple production pedals. Plus, you’ll get a dedicated email to send feedback straight to our engineers, making this a true community vibe. Ready to get weird with us? Catch you at the Proto Club!Our inaugural foray into the Proto Club began as a B-side for our Soft Focus Deluxe. On that pedal, we had room for six programs, and a handful of them were just a bit too outside the scope of that device. This one, the Tritone, was universally loved by the crew but the vibes clashed with the palette of the Soft Focus Deluxe a little too hard. It’s been on some of our own pedalboards for some time. Unfortunately, it’s stayed there away from public eyes and ears, but fortunately, it fits the exact vibe of the Proto Club!Proto Club was established for this exact reason; we have tons of effects on our breadboards and programming suites that we can’t squeeze into the release schedule, things that don’t quite fit into our lineup, circuits with too niche of an audience, or “our versions” of beloved classics, direct to you stripped of frill. This lets us get a little more creative for all you effects freaks out there. Y’all are our people!You wanted experimental? You got it! The Tritone features a call-and-response type octave-up that rides sidesaddle with a blendable perfect fifth. When coupled with an on-board slapback echo, this gives you the ability to seamlessly craft bursts of three-note arpeggios that can stand alone as a killer lead augmentation or can align with your rhythm parts to fill in the gaps with some interesting texture. Synth players? Please. The Tritone absolutely loves electronic instruments and takes them with ease. You can keep the action close to your chest with the addition of a wet-dry blend of the overall signal as well as one for the tritone. You can adjust the timing of the arpeggio as well as the echo feedback for some chaotic oscillation in certain settings.Learn More Here!

Let the gates be forever opened and let a thousand horrors unleash from Malformed’s mighty metal of death.
The post Track Premiere: Malformed – “Within The Flesh” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Tuning up for their own tour that starts this week, the loud ’n’ heavy merchants from Buffalo show PG’s Perry Bean how they apply the hot sauce.In Better Lovers, guitarists Jordan Buckley and Will Putney, plus bassist Stephen Micciche, go heavy and strange—a combination they achieve by carefully selecting their instruments, amps, and effects. Their latest album is called Highly Irresponsible, but when it comes to nailing their riffs and sounds, this Rundown with PG’s Perry Bean, filmed recently at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, makes it clear they are anything but that!One-Eyed 6 StringsPutney’s main guitar is a road-worn Dunable Cyclops, built especially for him by Sacha Dunable. It became the blueprint for his Dunable signature model. “The signatures are awesome, but I love this guitar. I play it to death,” he says. It‘s got an EMG 81 pickup and a master volume dial. That’s it. Putney has a backup that’s nearly identical, except for the stage rash.Practice Makes….Putney is using this DE version of his signature to practice new songs and the new sounds that come along with them, including those made via the onboard EHX Pitchfork circuit, with power/signal bypass, momentary on/off latching, pitch up/down/both selection, an interval selector, and a mix knob. The scale is 25.5″ and it sports a Graphtech TUSQ nut along with an EMG 81. Most Better Lovers tunes are in drop D, by the way, with Ernie Ball strings.Power RagerThis Peavey 6505 V2 arrived just in time for this night’s gig, sliding in next to the two 5150s that have been in Putney’s live rig for years. It’s got 120 watts and invokes the spirit of one of Eddie Van Halen’s favorite heads. It’s got 6L6s, but he’s contemplating a swap with EL84s after the tour, just for an A/B test.Cab EnvyHow about a pair of Atlas custom 6×12 cabinets to plug your guitar and pedals into? “They’re loud,” Putney understates. And he A/Bs between that Peavey/Atlas combination and a Vox AC30 for his clean and dirty sounds. He uses a Mastermind PBC by RJM Music Technologies for switching both amps and pedals. Set It, Don’t Sweat ItHere’s a look at where Putney’s AC30 lives.Pedal PowerRunning through that Mastermind are a fuzz pedal Putney designed with God City’s/Converge’s Kurt Ballou called the Pariah, and there’s also a Sinkhole, Astral Destiny, and Soft Focus Reverb from Catalinbread, an EQD Dispatch Master, two EHX Pitchforks, a Fortin Zuul+, a Strymon El Capistan, a Better Lovers signature Night Terror overdrive, and a Kevin Hickey Signature Chorus.Blue BomberBuckley got this ’78 SG from Rochester, New York’s House of Guitars when he was a kid. It’s been through a lot of breaks but has come through triumphant, with double EMG 81s. And the Vox AC30 it’s leaning on is his, too. Listen to how it sounds with a whole lotta reverb and a slide in the Rundown! That’s his sound for the concert opener on the current tour.Don’t Even Look at This GuitarHere’s Buckley’s favorite ESP Eclipse, also with EMGs and lot of wear on the rear upper bout an around the picking zone. It’s got an ESP “full-thickness” body, so it’s heavier than his beloved SG. More DunableThis Cyclops has got its original two Dunable pickups and a tone and volume control—another stripped-down heavy-rock machine! How did Buckley acquire this one? He wanted a red guitar for a video, and Dunable, after an ask from Putney, delivered.Effect-iveWhat’s he got on the floor? A Lehle Little Dual II amp switcher, a TC Electronic Polytune, a Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor, an EarthQuaker A/B box and Dispatch Master, an MXR Analog Chorus, a Walrus Audio Fathom Multi-Function Reverb, a Better Lovers signature Night Terror overdrive, and a Coppersound X Jack White Triplegraph Octave.Marshall PowerBuckley says he’s been using JCM 800s for decades. This one is borrowed and “feeds back a little less than the ones I own,” he confides.Preacher ToneAnd here’s his Revv Generator 120, which he sets on channel 4.Foam-OMicciche’s seafoam green Deluxe PJ is a not-so-common bottom rung. It has a P body and a J neck. It boasts a pair of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder bass pickups.The Ass BeaterThat’s right: Micciche calls this one the Ass Beater. It’s an Ibanez with active Bartolini pickups. Strictly speaking, it’s an Iron Label SRMS625EX with a 5-piece, multi-scale walnut neck and Ebonol fretboard.California Dreamin’This Sandberg California model was a custom order, with active and passive pickup options. Bass BarkersHere’s the array of Micciche’s powerhouse bass amp line-up: an Orange AD 200 Bass Mk3 he’s had about 15 years anchors his stage left, stage right hosts an Orange Terror Bass, the AD 200 goes through an Orange cab while the Terror hits an Aguilar 8×10. Both rigs fire at once, all the time. Dirty Half-DozenA modest six boxes rest on Micciche’s board: an Orange Two-Stroke, a Darkglass Microtubes B7K Ultra, an MXR Studio Compressor, a Lehle Little Dual switcher, a TC Electronic Polytune, and his wireless. A Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 4 stokes the fires.Vox AC30Catalinbread SinkholeEarthQuaker Devices Astral Destiny Reverb PedalCatalinbread Soft Focus Shoegaze Reverb PedalEarthQuaker Devices Dispatch MasterElectro-Harmonix Pitch ForkStrymon El CapistanESP Eclipse with EMGsMarshall JCM 800Revv Generator 120Lehle Little Dual II Amp SwitcherTC Electronic PolyTuneBoss NS-2 Noise SuppressorEarthQuaker Devices A/B BoxMXR Analog ChorusIbanez Iron Label SRMS625EXOrange AD 200 Bass Mk3Orange Terror BassOrange Two-StrokeDarkglass Microtubes B7K UltraMXR Studio CompressorVoodoo Lab Pedal Power 4

Built in Petaluma, CA, experience one of the rarest and most coveted vintage amplifiers ever, the Mark IIC++, in solid new form, built by the same artisans who crafted the originals 40 years ago.MESA/Boogie® is the original boutique Home of Tone, handcrafting amplifiers of uncompromising quality from the world’s finest materials in Petaluma, California, USA. Today, with reverence and pride, MESA/Boogie has announced the arrival of the storied Mark IIC++® amplifiers. An extremely limited production, now is your chance to own an original icon. The new MESA/Boogie Mark IIC++ amplifiers are now available worldwide to the public for the first time at authorized MESA/Boogie dealers and on www.mesaboogie.com.We’re excited to bring a very special first official production run of the Mark IIC++, a very special ‘mod,’ done to a very few Mark IIC+ amplifiers at the request of, first Vivian Campbell, and later after other artists hearing about its added gain and girth,” says Doug West, Director, Tone Lab, Gibson Amplifiers and MESA/Boogie. “Over time this mod that was never an official model, logged a healthy list of A-Level artist recordings and this kept our Chief Tech and IIC+ guru Mike Bendinelli busy for decades doing the mod for musicians who’d heard of the legendary aggression for metal styles and sent their IIC+’s bought used to him for an update. This limited run of 200 very special new production amplifiers gives those who have always dreamed of a C++ a chance to own one without the hefty price tag of a pre-owned 40-year-old original IIC+ and the shipping and labor costs for the update. Not to mention that it’s a solid, reliable, and consistent new build backed by our five-year warranty!”The iconic Mark IIC+ amps were first developed in 1985 at the request of Vivian Campbell, and later by Kirk Hammett of Metallica, along with other noteworthy artists of the day who eventually heard them, MESA/Boogie made some modifications to a few production Mark IIC+ amps to achieve more gain in the overdrive mode and attain a thicker, heavier gain sound. These “++” designated IICs were created for the select few artists who requested them in the twilight of the C+ lifecycle and were never officially offered as a production model. The veil of time has obscured the exact number; however, it is believed that perhaps 20 or so of these mythical IIC++’s were created during the original mid-1980s IIC+ lifecycle.In the years that followed, players who heard tales of the blistering tone and were into heavy sounds, sent their C+’s to Tech Guru and archivist at MESA/Boogie, Mike Bendinelli, to have the “++ Mod” performed outside of production time at considerable cost. Now, MESA is excited to announce a limited-edition build of only 200 of these rare amplifiers, in tribute to the music played on them and the era that spawned the great guitarists whose work therein has withstood the test of time and become truly iconic.This new Mark IIC++ build has increased gain in the preamp, which affects the LEAD Mode only, leaving the CLEAN Mode to produce the same sparkling clean performance as the standard IIC+ production model. The LEAD Mode is thicker sounding in these ++ versions, with enhanced low end and more top end gain, cut, and harmonic layering. Visually, the ++ is identical to the current production IIC+ model offered once again, aside from the ++ notation on the etched panel on the back panel and the IIC++ plaque on the front grille.Experience one of the rarest and most coveted vintage amplifiers ever, the Mark IIC++, in solid new form built by the same artisans who built the originals 40 years ago. These awe-inspiring gain machines have fueled some of the most iconic rock sounds ever captured on record. Now, you can have a chance at owning one of these mythical beasts and utilizing its “incendiary” gain and expressive power for your musical dreams and aspirations. Don’t miss out on this limited-time build of the infamous Mark IIC++.

C. F. Martin & Co.® is proud to announce the release of five exciting new models that blend tradition with innovation and meet the needs of today’s diverse players. The launch includes a refreshed GPCE Inception Maple with a bold new gloss finish, the all-new non-cutaway GPE Inception Maple, two special X Series additions, and the SC-10E Spruce—a fresh take on Martin’s revolutionary SC design now joining the Road Series. GPCE Inception MapleMartin’s game-changing Inception Series gets a visual and tonal upgrade with the refreshed GPCE Inception Maple. Now featuring a full-body gloss amber fade sunburst finish, this model blends cutting-edge acoustic design with FSC®-certified tonewoods. A European spruce top delivers bold projection and quick response, while flamed maple back and sides provide clarity and brightness, all balanced by a black walnut wedge. Skeletonized bracing and sonic channeling—purpose-built for this tonewood pairing—enhance both sustain and amplitude. With premium appointments like a satin black walnut neck, FSC-certified ebony fingerboard and bridge, and LR Baggs Anthem electronics, the GPCE Inception Maple proves that sustainability, innovation, and striking aesthetics can coexist in perfect harmony. GPE Inception MapleAlso debuting is the GPE Inception Maple, which brings a non-cutaway Grand Performance shape to the Inception Series for the first time. Players will enjoy the same striking tonewood pairing, premium appointments, and Martin’s innovative bracing as the GPCE model—but with a full-body design for those who prefer a more traditional silhouette. It offers a crisp, balanced tone that’s effortlessly expressive, with the added visual punch and presence of its new gloss finish. Paired with LR Baggs Anthem electronics, this model delivers a truly dynamic and versatile acoustic-electric experience. GP-X2E Ziricote SpecialExpanding the X Series lineup is the GP-X2E Ziricote Special, a limited-time Grand Performance model that blends bold tone with player-focused features. With a solid sapele top and ziricote-patterned high-pressure laminate (HPL) back and sides, this guitar is durable, stylish, and responsive. The Performing Artist neck profile and high-performance taper ensure smooth playability, while Martin E1 electronics with a built-in tuner give you full control on stage or at home. It’s an affordable, road-ready companion for players of all levels. OMC-X2E Ziricote SpecialAlso new to the X Series is the OMC-X2E Ziricote Special, offering the comfort of a 000 body with a 25.4″ scale length for greater projection and sustain. Its cutaway design allows easy upper fret access, and like its Grand Performance sibling, it features a solid sapele top, ziricote-patterned HPL back and sides, and Martin E1 electronics with onboard tuning. This versatile model is ideal for fingerstyle players, singer-songwriters, and anyone looking for rich tone in a sleek, stage-ready package. SC-10E SpruceRounding out this launch is the SC-10E Spruce, a new addition to Martin’s Road Series that brings the revolutionary SC body shape to even more players. With its patented Sure Align® neck system and Low Profile Velocity neck, it offers unmatched comfort and unrestricted access to every fret. The solid spruce top paired with solid sapele back and sides creates a balanced, dynamic voice that excels in any genre. Finished with Martin E1 electronics and a built-in tuner, this is a modern acoustic-electric built for the stage, studio, or wherever the music takes you. For more information on these and other models from Martin, visit martinguitar.com.

Swedish death/doom legends Eternal Darkness have returned from the grave only to immediately crawl back in. Hear their self-titled final bow now.
The post Album Premiere: Eternal Darkness – ‘Eternal Darkness’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

With its finely tuned preamp circuitry and sweet analog cabinet simulation, Easy Listening delivers a big, lush sound with zero latency and no harsh digital artifacts. Think of it as the perfect marriage of vintage tone and modern convenience, offering all the high headroom and low noise of an actual tube amp but small enough to fit in your pocket. No menu diving, no IR loading, and nothing else getting in between you and your tone. Whether you are using this as a headphone amp or the final stage before your recording interface for quick and easy amp-less recording, we think you’ll find this no fuss simulator a delightful addition to your tonal toolbox!As the name implies, Easy Listening is as simple as it can be to operate, just one control for output volume and that’s it. Internally, it’s meticulously voiced to capture the soul of one of our favorite classic American guitar amps—a ’65 Deluxe—with all the harmonic complexity guitar players crave. Its all-analog circuitry provides a more immediate feel with rich low-end resonance, slightly scooped mids, and that crystalline top end chime that makes electric guitars sing.Designed with guitarists that use a lot of pedals in mind, Easy Listening features a high 1M input impedance and ample headroom to handle everything from vintage fuzz to modern stacked gain stages without breaking a sweat. The high-fidelity, low-noise analog class AB driver ensures you’ll maintain every nuance of your tone at whisper-quiet headphone levels or tracking your sick riffs in your secret basement studio. Each Easy Listening is built by a powerful robot and a whole bunch of delightful humans in the exotic former rubber capital of the world, Akron, Ohio USA.Tech Specs:Input: Mono TS ¼”Output: Stereo TRS ¼” (Tip is the Left channel, Ring is the Right channel)Input Impedance: 1 MΩOutput Impedance: 39 ΩCurrent Draw: 75 mAFor use with Headphones: Requires headphones with a ¼” TRS plug.For use with a DAW: You can use either a mono TS cable into one channel of your interface or a Stereo TRS cable with a splitter into two channels.

This LP prototype, likely built by Gibson in 1958, is a fascinating piece of the iconic guitar style’s lineage.In the pantheon of electric guitar legends, few names resonate as powerfully as Les Paul. Not only did he lend his name to one of the most iconic guitars of all time, but he was also a relentless innovator—forever tweaking, refining, and reshaping his tools to chase the elusive perfection of tone. While many collectors and musicians have been captivated by his namesake production models, few have laid eyes on, let alone held, one of the true instruments crafted explicitly for Les Paul himself. This is the story of one such guitar: a custom-built black flat-top Gibson that was part of a rare twin set—crafted to meet the singular standards of a musical genius.Les Paul’s relationship with the electric guitar wasn’t one of casual use or simple preference. He was a pioneer, deeply immersed in the mechanics of tone and sustain. His work not only revolutionized how guitars were made, but also how they were recorded and performed with. This particular instrument, one of two black flat-tops likely built in 1958 alongside a pair of white counterparts, was a tool in his quest—a quest that combined science, artistry, and an insatiable curiosity.At first glance, the guitar seems understated. The black finish and flat-top construction suggest minimalism. But closer inspection reveals a level of design and detail that goes far beyond standard factory output. The body—a .25” maple cap atop a solid mahogany core—eschews the arched top and neck binding that many associate with high-end Gibsons of the era. It’s a design born from utility: flatter for increased contact, perhaps for Les’ recording techniques; unbound for ease of modification.But it’s inside the guitar where things get really interesting. Deep pickup cavities hint at experimentation beneath the surface. The control cavity was uniquely routed for access from both front and rear—an unusual feature likely intended to make electronics swaps and tests easier. The headstock, too, bears the mark of purposeful divergence: elongated with a long taper behind the nut, enhancing string length and tension, possibly for sustain or tonal balance.And then there are the modifications—refinements so specific they could only come from someone who viewed the guitar not as a finished product, but as a laboratory for sonic discovery. The pickups, Gibson’s low-impedance alnico “staple” style, were either wound by Les himself or by his son Gene. These pickups, with double-tall bobbins and a unique 4-screw mounting system, required a transformer to step up the impedance for direct input to an amp. AIR coils, reverse-wound for hum-cancelling, were mounted beneath the pickguard, beside each pickup. According to Les’ close friend and tech Tom Doyle, Les was using this technique in the late 1940s to get a quieter signal.“The spirit of the guitar—Les’ spirit—remained intact. It’s not a sterile museum piece, but a living, breathing testament to a life spent chasing sound.”In terms of playability, Les took matters into his own hands—literally. The neck profile was hand-shaped and refinished in black acrylic. The frets? Low, flat, and re-crowned using nothing more than flat files and emery boards—crude by modern standards, but a testament to Les’ commitment to hands-on craftsmanship. And the bridge? Carved by Les himself from wood, anchored with hefty .25″ studs to improve energy transfer and sustain.Another particularly unique feature is the missing 22nd fret. Removed deliberately, it allowed Les to move the neck pickup further up the body, balancing volume and tone as he climbed the fretboard—a mod unheard of at the time, and one that permanently altered the original pickguard. In true Les fashion, he crafted a new one, hand-shaped and signed on the back. That signature alone would make this guitar historic. The story it tells elevates it to something close to mythic.Beyond the customizations and features, the guitar bears the marks of its life. It’s a well-played instrument, worn from hours of rehearsal, performance, and experimentation. The original finish has held up remarkably well, with only minor touch-ups. The neck, however, wears its black paint like a badge of honor—proof of Les’ own hand at work. A headstock break in the mid-1960s forced its early retirement from Les’ regular use. Yet even in its dormancy, it remained significant.In 1974, the guitar changed hands through a trade, eventually resting in the possession of its most recent owner, Les’ friend and sound man Geoff Gray. It sat in storage for decades until its restoration began in 1998. The headstock was professionally repaired, and components like tuners, pots, and Bigsby were replaced with period-correct parts wherever possible. Importantly, the spirit of the guitar—Les’ spirit—remained intact. It’s not a sterile museum piece, but a living, breathing testament to a life spent chasing sound.This guitar, with its unique blend of factory precision and raw, personal modification, represents the closest one can get to stepping inside Les Paul’s creative process. It’s not just a player’s guitar. It’s not just a collector’s trophy. It’s a physical manifestation of innovation. A rare portal into the mind of a man who changed the course of music history.Offered most recently by Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville for a cool $950,000, the guitar has since been sold. But its story continues to echo—a tone that, like Les himself, refuses to fade.SOURCES: Carter Vintage Guitar interview with Geoff Gray, personal letter from Tom Doyle, October 2024.