more affordable? I have not heard a single soul say that in the last 10 years. In fact most guitars are diabolically expensive nowadays, even "entry" level guitars and "affordable" labels like Epiphone and Squier are priced way outside of affordability of any beginner. In a very literal sense, learning guitar has become more expensive than ever.
@@anblk44 There are a lot of affordable guitars out there that are not a Squier or Epiphone. Check out a brand like Firefly Guitars. I picked up a Tele for under $200 that had features like locking tuners, a bone nut, a flame roasted mapel neck, stainless steel frets, and quality pickups and electronics. For the price, that guitar should not exist, and yet it does. There have never been a better time for new players to learn guitar as long as you are not worried about the name on the headstock.
Hey Victor the Editor, super nice touch which each category counting down it's section. It's the little things in life that make the difference and should be recognized. Well done.
You don't know the meaning of hyped: to repeatedly advertise and discuss something in newspapers, on television, etc. in order to attract everyone's interest.
Just getting around to watching this. I love the Tonex One. There's a lot of bang for the buck in that tiny package. Great choice. Also, can't wait to see your review of the new Tonex Cab.
I just played one of those Epiphone Firebird V's on Friday... OMG, if I had the money it would be sitting on the rack next to my desk right now. The neck on that thing was AMAZEBALLS!
The black outline on all the guitars makes them look like they all have a black binding. Actually looks good on some of them and makes them look better than they actually do
Thank you Andy for a great year of good humour and good reviews, and videos. I hope you have a great 2025. Ill definitely be on this side, watching and participating. This was a great one..because..even more than usual..u say it like it is. Thanks ;)
Busting the Buble shall now be my go-to, for whenever someone doesn't actually know what they're talking about. Or maybe they live somewhere with super affordable parts? Like if they work in a factory in Shenzen, and they can buy stuff more or less at cost. Meanwhile, I'm over here in the US, looking at about $40 worth of components in a circuit that isn't working... ahh, the joys of making pedals.
Andy - thank you so much for such a comprehensive list! One thing that no one covers and (at least) I would find very helpful, is what, for you, makes a guitar great or "the best". I know much of this is subjective, but for those who don't have access to multiple copies of the same guitar trying to define what, for them, constitutes "great" what does it mean for you? What makes a signature model worth the extra money (other than having a name on the guitar)? In the end, reviews like yours are only helpful if I can translate your commentary and experience into something that results in helping me find the right instrument for me. Thanks again and Happy New Year!
At 12:04 you utter the word “thunky”, for thick and chunky. My wife has decided this word is worthy of being placed on a t-shirt… thank you Andy for drawing her in to the conversation with the creative vocabulary! 🙂
I plan on Getting the HB DNA git Core, Thank You for Your video demo did that! Secondly, I have the Mvave BlackBox and think it is the Best Piece of Solid gear for Under 50$ Shipped. White box or Linear tone capturing (I prefer choptones.) easist and strongest mobile (almost smallest for capturing Mooer preamp x2 or TONEX one wins the cake). ik multi no support sucks and You will have Tone Aches without support. Mvave missed mark without looper as Mooer did not have captures. Neural Ann Modeling is amazing and with just a phone, the easiest, cheapest , shrouded In steel with real amp feel lol and all the effect anyone really needs. I would Love to Get You one, and surprised they haven’t knocked Your door down! Not just Mvave, Cuvave, Donner, Leo Jaymes, Lekato, sonic cake, tank G B Mini and I believe I heard they have a reboot soon. I would put it up against TONEX any day and believe it would win, But so does buying cloned gear for instance (You made Me do this too!) ehx linear boost.Any brand ultimate drive, DemonFx TS,Joyo Argos, then buffer boost between the following preamps, Joyo Uzi ,Darkflame , DemonFx R4 behringer 7 band, Hotone Jogg,Mooer Radar, VSN CRD Looper tuner, into presonus IO44 into whatever You do. Or, I can capture every pedal, and store into another Blackbox, and sell off all that madness. Lol. Cheat code for if You want HB DNA Core or the like? GeLabs is free. Hotone ampero budget? VStomp. I can keep going. Thank You Sir, Your videos Make Me buy things
I can't think of a better way to spend Sunday afternoon, thanks Andy for that, have a Happy New Year and of course the same for all the good ppl out there . I almost guessed all of your choices , except the greenie , the positive spark , and maybe a couple of pedals , not the tonex , jajaja . I think that is the result of watching hours of my fav Guitar Geek . Keep the good job buddy, 👍🏻.
Hey Andy and Victor. Congratulations on a year of great content, opinions and entertainment. I always love my weekly instalment of gear review. Happy New Year to you and best of luck in 2025. Can’t wait Kind regards Stephen Dublin, Ireland
Thank you for all those videos during 2024. Keep up the great work! PS: The Gibson Theodore is a killer guitar. I have the Standard Ebony and it's such a fantastic guitar.
Not sure what all the hate for the Gibson LP Studio is about. I bought one when they came out and was blown away by how good it is, and the price in the current market doesn’t seem too bad for what you get. I liked it so much that I bought a new LP Studio Session when they came out this month and it is absolutely amazing. The 57 Classics sound incredible and the ebony fretboard is so nice. Fit, finish, and setup on both of the Studios were all spot on. I think Gibson did a great job with the new Studios.
Because the cool thing to do on the internet now is to hate on Gibson. It stems from jealousy and completely unreasonable and irrational expectations. I've bought a dozen Gibsons from the 90's up until last year and never had an issue with any of them. They've all been fantastic. No QC problems, prices were not what I would consider unfairly high. Fenders have gone up even more over the years but nobody seems to care about that... What is funny is some of the biggest Gibson haters that I know in real life ended up buying Gibson guitars when they got some money. Shows where the hate actually stems from
Most hyped. Katana 3. Best Sig. The copper colour of the JB Les Paul. But, the Ibby PG is fantastic. Best looking. The new G4M range. They all look great. Best budget pedal. Spark boost(I bought one this year,so it sneaks into my list). Best mini Boss X. Really great, my grandson loves his. Best budget guitar. Still the HB 550. Have a great New Year ,Andy. How much are you paying for cables, Andy ? I have plenty I can sell you to keep your shopping cart empty.
Thanks for a great year of videos, Andy! I always am interested in your opinions on new stuff, even when, or especially when, I completely disagree. My favorite new gear this year was - the Boss Katana Go (I'm glad I got one before they turned into pumpkins and became your fail of the year, because it's really great. Way exceeded expectations. It even works as an interface into my dang phone for recording.) and - a strat. So I'm boring, too. Yep, I got an American Professional II strat, and it's basically perfect. I never need another one. I'm in love with it. It qualifies as new gear for '24 because it's a limited edition thinline one. I didn't get much else this year because that ate the budget. Best gear I want, but I've not gotten yet: the new Dark Star from Old Blood Noise Endeavors. Maaaannnn that thing sounds cool.
Great video Andy! I actually watched it from start to finish. Interesting to hear you rate the Tone X so highly - maybe I’ll consider replacing my Boss IR2 with it. Anyway, hope you had a great Christmas and wish you all the best for 2025
Great video Andy. Thanks for your positivity, humour and insight during 2024. Let’s hope 2025 is a great year and when I beat my cancer and get back up on my feet so to speak I’ll reach out and get you that Kim Thaille Guild Cheers bro 😎🎸🤘
Great video, Victor hate to be that guy but around 36:00 for the Fender Mustang micro $99 was quoted which is actually the price for the old model, at least on Sweetwater newer model shown is around $130. No big deal, great work all around on this video!
I'm amazed that one of the trump guitars did not make it into the list of iconic guitars. I understand people complain about the tuners, not holding the tension on the strings, which leads to it changing its tune every five minutes. Be careful with the wrapping around the body, as I think it is supposed to remain on, due to the shite leaking out the amp plug. Happy New Year to one and all.
This year I bought the Boss Katana Gen 3 100w head and the Boss IR-2. Both are GREAT. I have the Katana 50 MkI and 50 MkII as well and they’re still awesome.
16:51 Yeay! Really pleased to see the Princess win this one. As I’ve wanged on enough now, I own one based on your video. And also a Spark 2 win, so my acquisitions did well in this list.
Small correction: LOTS of PRS SE guitars used to sell for < $500, back in the day. Several models were priced at $499, to notch Guitar Player magazine's "under-$500" roundup. I owned an SE CE 24 Satin (sandblasted-ash top) for a day, but returned it - the extra 2 frets just compromised the neck pickup's tone too much. For not much more, you can buy a used SE Swamp Ash Special, or a final-generation SE Custom 22, with magical 85/15S pickups. The latter is the most versatile guitar I've ever owned - I can easily EQ it to anything from Les Paul to Strat, and its own voice is super-sweet.
Still a huge Fender fan, but getting more into PRS every year. Someday I'll cave and make a used Core happen. Currently have a S2 Singlecut and I'm looking at a SE Custom 24 with piezo
I was sooo lucky to grab a Boss Katana GO. I also got myself a Troublemaker Tele which I will say is pretty decent for the money and god damn it looks cool!
Awwe, if it was not for your video Andy i would never likely have even known of that lovely Gretsch Princess. Apparently they are now nearly doubled in price and very hard to get ahold of. Very much loving it! Hope you do find one. Tip of 2024 that
1. I think Laney had a worthy showing for your budget amp category this year. 2. You really need to dress up in a full suit and/or tuxedo for next year’s version of this video! It is a special, honorary occasion after all.
My kids bought me the Hello Kitty fuzz for Christmas, before any of us realized they would sell out and scalpers would be marking them way up. I like it a lot, very musical fuzz and a bit of flair on my pedalboard
Great video Andy... I simply had to get one of the IK MM ToneX Ones... don't know if I need it or will use it much... but with all the hoopla around it, I suppose I should give it a go... at the worst I can send it to my daughter as a duct in solution for small gigs, etc... but you never know! I was, however, really hoping for a, "What I'm Hoping For or Looking Forward To in the Next Year of Gear"... category!
Appreciate your focus on pricing. The Gibson pricing of the last decade is ... flippant at best? I recall getting a Les Paul Studio and a Special Faded SG for ~$600 around 2010. They were solid entry level guitars. Now the prices for Gibson's "affordable" models are 3x the price ... that's not inflation, that's cynical "raising prices because we can." I sold my Gibsons and haven't replaced them - and I'm as much a guitar collector as I am a player. Gibson has simply decided to overcharge, and to that I say "bosh." Glad you agree.
I loved that. I mistakenly assumed TGG is a professional/maybe semi-professional player who would be focused on top-end gear. However, it's wonderous to see that he gives a regular shout-out to decent budget items made for tyro plebs such as me. Excellent stuff. I'd love to see a very short clip of him playing the fabled forbidden guitar he's bought but is too frightened to play, along with his favourite pedal/amp/fx rig. The Bass 6 is a 6-string bass?
Warwick's Rockboard has a pedalboard planner too. i mention this only, because the Rockboard is a better design IMO. Thank you for your hard work and videos.
I bought the Hello Kitty Fuzz for a couple reasons. First, I have a 6 year old daughter that is very into the Hello Kitty thing so I knew she would get a kick out of it. Second, it wasn't expensive. Very typical for any pedal. Third, and I knew this was going to happen, it would sell out and and triple in price on the used market. I have no intention of selling it but I just had a feeling so I had to get one.
Great video! Earned a subscribe there :) - Think I'll be getting a tonex as a second amp for dry/wet live and it can also double as a practice tool for when my girlfriend has had enough of me playing the same riff over and over haha
I didn't even know who Antonoff was and that guitar is the best aesthetic guitar of the year. I know it's not a new body, but its a rare one and the only thing I don't like about it is the radius of the board.
I'm definitely going to need to try out your pick of the year once my amps get here. Currently rocking a katana ii artist and a squire classic vibe Tele I picked up at a Sessions in Frankfurt to get me by.
I am still bummed a didn't pick up a Boss Katana Go before the discontinued them. That still doesn't make sense to me. What part where they using that could not be reverse engineered? With that being said, I 100% agree with your choice of the ToneX One as your Gear of the Year. It's a game changing product that pretty much any guitar player can afford.
YES on the FRM350! We all hope to find gear that will make us a better player, but we know that can never be. UNTIL THE FRM350. Transformed my playing and is a truly incredible guitar. (The Triplecaster is on order, so we'll see...but that Ibanez was a revelation.)
i saw the Princess on your show, and fell in love at frst sight. I bought one, and found that it is unconventional for a Gretsch, being more like a cross between a Jazzmaster and ...analogy ceases there. Atypical, and I'll have to alter my playing style, due to the low break angle on the bridge, so that I sometimes knock the high E string out of its bridge slot.
OK ... pick of the year: based on your selection i would go: RGR, Bassman but your choice is a wise one and 2024 was the year of the TONEX ... me acquired a Software-Version of TONEX because I don't gig currently.
The YAMAHA THR30II SMOKES EVERYONE OF THOSE DESKTOP AMPS YOU SHOWED! 😮 I know it came out sooner than 2024 but I do believe they released it in new colors in 2024 and if I’m off by months my apologies there however it’s so great of a Desktop amp IMO as well as the opinions of many others ….based on the many many 5 star ratings worldwide…I digress It deserves to hold BEST desktop amp Award until YAMAHA makes a newer version! Unless your Budget was under $500 USDs but coming in at $550 what’s another $50? For prestine sounds! If u haven’t played thru one then I implore you too ASAP and if u haven’t seen Cameron Coopers channel yet please check it out bc he Also reps that amp! Sounds AMAZING!❤
Really enjoyed the video! I heard what you say at the beginning but regarding budget amps what about the Laney Lionheart foundry series, I know everyone has their opinion but surely a great alternative to the Katana and giggable unlike the positive grid.
I love that you mentioned the "plastic" feel of Epiphones, this is the thing about cheaper/budget guitars. They sound great, look great. But the feel is what you've said. Plastic. If cheaper brands would implement nitro laquer on their higher end options, it would certainly compete with the high end guitars for real.
I am proud to say: I didn't buy anything but strings and picks this year. I used all the time looking for what to buy to practice instead and this was absolutly the best decision for my guitar tone. My setup: RG550, HX Stomp, Studio Monitors or FRFR-Cabinet. Hope I won't buy anything 25. Stay healthy.
Have you tried the Quilter Mach 3 amp yet? In terms of solid state amps, it's pretty hard to beat. It's small, lightweight, loud as hell & has great tones.
Ibanez FRM300 Paul Gilbert Fireman : Do you know that you can have custom handwound PUs made to your own specs and it's not a problem to have full size humbuckers put either in a mini-humbucker or a single coil packaging, in fact, the mini-humbucker format even allows a full P90 in, it's the smallest size you really can do this due to P90's architecture. There are P90-SC for sure, but they will only be OK on dark sounding guitars (mahogany, etc), don't try this on a bright one (Jazzmaster, Strat)
That was great Andy! haha and jfi, I watched it at 1.25 x speed as I couldn't wait to hear about your choices. I will buy the Tone X one. Seems totally awesome and your enthusiasm sold it to me. Thank you Victor for your mega input over the last 12 months. Legend! Thank you for 2024 and I look forward to 2025. Btw I am just about to receive a Fender Player II Strat next week. And will definitely buy a Spira 450, the one in red of course. Happy New Year
Hey Andy! great list, well done once again.. i have a question... what is the Ferrari red/ orange guitar to the right, your left, next to the SG?.. looks like my old 1990 Charvel.. looking forward to your content in 25'... Cheers!
Theres a little bit of recency bias going on here on account of the Tom DeLonge signature was one of the most hyped releases i can remember in recent history. Every channel was covering it in depth both before and after release.
You could be right but the Hello Kitty release transcended the guitar world into pop culture so that had a noticeably bigger hype. The starcaster thing lasted for a long time though.
Hi Andy - I've only watched about a minute of this so far, but I have to say: you're completely wrong about anything and that drive pedal I bought for £10,000 which sounds like that thing from that album by that band from 1971 isn't mentioned! I'm joking... I'm here with a glass of wine. Shall watch the entire vid. Thank you so much for all your hard work and entertainment to us over the year. Keep up the great work. :)
There are basically zero chances I'd have chosen the same pretty guitars as you : I don't really consider painted guitars as "pretty" Warm Audio did a Tone Bender reissue under €200... We didn't understood if, for the hyped ones, the Behringer Tone Bender and Centaur were good or not. The PRS-SE Single Cut Korina were priced at €499 and these weren't made by Cort/Indonesia, they were made by WMIC/Korea (higher quality). I bought a 2nd hand one for €250, mainly because no way I would have bought an Epiphone Reissue'57 Korina, be it the Explorer or the Flying-V since the 24.75" scale is a no-go for me and since I wanted to give a try to the limba wood without breaking the bank... I considered reselling it for the same price into 2-3 weeks. She's still here 12 years later!!! Thus, I wasn't really fond of the original pickups, Hopefully, I can have PAF'57 alnico2 handwound replicas built for €130 a set of two...
You had me till the end Andy. Heres the thing with both the Tonex One and the White Whale. You and I both know there will be a ToneX One Version 2 and a White Whale Version 3. There will NEVER be another 70th Anniversary Strat. There will be a 75th one and an 80th one etc, but never another 70th. That guitar will be what it is until Fender stop making them, probably once the new year rolls in. Could you get it again? Sure. Could you get it used? Sure. Will the 75th Anniversary one be as nice as the one you have? Maybe. Will the Tonex Version 2 be better than that one? Maybe, but if we use, oh say the Fender MUSTANG 1 or the Boss KATANNA 1 as an example...the odds are high the Tonex One v2 will do WAY more. Thats the problem with digital stuff...its always evolving. A 54 Strat copy? Its only as good as the person buying it thinks it is..... I love mine same as you love yours. I'd be heartbroken if I lost it. A Tonex one? I'd just wait for the v2. So honestly, based on your reviews and opinion I would say the 54 is the winner...at least till you open up that Bass VI and play it! Reply
I’ve been playing guitar for 50 years and I’m constantly amazed at how gear gets better and more affordable every year. This channel is great!
more affordable? I have not heard a single soul say that in the last 10 years. In fact most guitars are diabolically expensive nowadays, even "entry" level guitars and "affordable" labels like Epiphone and Squier are priced way outside of affordability of any beginner. In a very literal sense, learning guitar has become more expensive than ever.
@@anblk44 I payed 350 Australian for a new Squier Sonic Strat this year, dropped more than that on a night out.
@@anblk44Disagree and anyway there’s always the used market
@@Spodsie well entry level gear at a good quality…then yes…after that it’s 600-1200 Epiphones
@@anblk44 There are a lot of affordable guitars out there that are not a Squier or Epiphone. Check out a brand like Firefly Guitars. I picked up a Tele for under $200 that had features like locking tuners, a bone nut, a flame roasted mapel neck, stainless steel frets, and quality pickups and electronics. For the price, that guitar should not exist, and yet it does. There have never been a better time for new players to learn guitar as long as you are not worried about the name on the headstock.
Hey Victor the Editor, super nice touch which each category counting down it's section. It's the little things in life that make the difference and should be recognized. Well done.
I was just looking for something to watch to kill some time and now I am shopping for a ToneX One... LoL THANKS Andy
Thanks Andy (and Victor) - have a super fun end of 2024 and a great 2025 coming up!! Thanks for all the videos.
Thanks!
Most hyped guitar product is probably the 2024 Hello Kitty strat if you are considering a guitar as a guitar product
You don't know the meaning of hyped: to repeatedly advertise and discuss something in newspapers, on television, etc. in order to attract everyone's interest.
The HK fuzz pedal is amazing...
Thank you, Andy and Victor, for al the video's this year! See you next year!
Happy new year! Thanks Mate
Awesome vid! This was a huge amount of fun to watch. Thanks and cheers! 🎸🔥🎸🔥🎸
Great summary of all TWIG episodes this year. Thanks Andy and Victor and happy new year! Cheers, Lukas
I ADORE my Sheeran looper+
So easy to get the timing right with the buttons, plus it can power a vocal mic!
I'm happy I got the Katana Go now. I really love it.
Just getting around to watching this. I love the Tonex One. There's a lot of bang for the buck in that tiny package. Great choice. Also, can't wait to see your review of the new Tonex Cab.
I just played one of those Epiphone Firebird V's on Friday... OMG, if I had the money it would be sitting on the rack next to my desk right now. The neck on that thing was AMAZEBALLS!
The black outline on all the guitars makes them look like they all have a black binding. Actually looks good on some of them and makes them look better than they actually do
Thank you Andy for a great year of good humour and good reviews, and videos.
I hope you have a great 2025.
Ill definitely be on this side, watching and participating.
This was a great one..because..even more than usual..u say it like it is.
Thanks ;)
Another great video! Just picked up the Fender Mustang Micro Plus yesterday, thanks for the confirmation bias LOL
Busting the Buble shall now be my go-to, for whenever someone doesn't actually know what they're talking about.
Or maybe they live somewhere with super affordable parts? Like if they work in a factory in Shenzen, and they can buy stuff more or less at cost.
Meanwhile, I'm over here in the US, looking at about $40 worth of components in a circuit that isn't working... ahh, the joys of making pedals.
Andy - thank you so much for such a comprehensive list!
One thing that no one covers and (at least) I would find very helpful, is what, for you, makes a guitar great or "the best". I know much of this is subjective, but for those who don't have access to multiple copies of the same guitar trying to define what, for them, constitutes "great" what does it mean for you? What makes a signature model worth the extra money (other than having a name on the guitar)?
In the end, reviews like yours are only helpful if I can translate your commentary and experience into something that results in helping me find the right instrument for me.
Thanks again and Happy New Year!
Thanks for the list. Love the channel!
The most hype product no Dave grohl dg-335 Epiphone?
At 12:04 you utter the word “thunky”, for thick and chunky. My wife has decided this word is worthy of being placed on a t-shirt… thank you Andy for drawing her in to the conversation with the creative vocabulary! 🙂
I plan on Getting the HB DNA git Core, Thank You for Your video demo did that! Secondly, I have the Mvave BlackBox and think it is the Best Piece of Solid gear for Under 50$ Shipped. White box or Linear tone capturing (I prefer choptones.) easist and strongest mobile (almost smallest for capturing Mooer preamp x2 or TONEX one wins the cake). ik multi no support sucks and You will have Tone Aches without support. Mvave missed mark without looper as Mooer did not have captures. Neural Ann Modeling is amazing and with just a phone, the easiest, cheapest , shrouded In steel with real amp feel lol and all the effect anyone really needs. I would Love to Get You one, and surprised they haven’t knocked Your door down! Not just Mvave, Cuvave, Donner, Leo Jaymes, Lekato, sonic cake, tank G B Mini and I believe I heard they have a reboot soon. I would put it up against TONEX any day and believe it would win, But so does buying cloned gear for instance (You made Me do this too!) ehx linear boost.Any brand ultimate drive, DemonFx TS,Joyo Argos, then buffer boost between the following preamps, Joyo Uzi ,Darkflame , DemonFx R4 behringer 7 band, Hotone Jogg,Mooer Radar, VSN CRD Looper tuner, into presonus IO44 into whatever You do. Or, I can capture every pedal, and store into another Blackbox, and sell off all that madness. Lol. Cheat code for if You want HB DNA Core or the like? GeLabs is free. Hotone ampero budget? VStomp. I can keep going. Thank You Sir, Your videos Make Me buy things
I can't think of a better way to spend Sunday afternoon, thanks Andy for that, have a Happy New Year and of course the same for all the good ppl out there .
I almost guessed all of your choices , except the greenie , the positive spark , and maybe a couple of pedals , not the tonex , jajaja . I think that is the result of watching hours of my fav Guitar Geek . Keep the good job buddy, 👍🏻.
I bought one the ‘54 reissues I had already wanted it but Andy sold me on it. it’s absolutely amazing
HAPPY NEW YEAR Guys and Gals !!
Hey Andy and Victor. Congratulations on a year of great content, opinions and entertainment. I always love my weekly instalment of gear review.
Happy New Year to you and best of luck in 2025. Can’t wait
Kind regards
Stephen
Dublin, Ireland
Happy new year!
Thank you for all those videos during 2024. Keep up the great work! PS: The Gibson Theodore is a killer guitar. I have the Standard Ebony and it's such a fantastic guitar.
You’re welcome! I’d love to have a thick neck Theodore. Enjoy that guitar!
Not sure what all the hate for the Gibson LP Studio is about. I bought one when they came out and was blown away by how good it is, and the price in the current market doesn’t seem too bad for what you get. I liked it so much that I bought a new LP Studio Session when they came out this month and it is absolutely amazing. The 57 Classics sound incredible and the ebony fretboard is so nice. Fit, finish, and setup on both of the Studios were all spot on. I think Gibson did a great job with the new Studios.
@@JAL-cc8jd it’s a nice model, but it’s $400 overpriced
Because the cool thing to do on the internet now is to hate on Gibson. It stems from jealousy and completely unreasonable and irrational expectations. I've bought a dozen Gibsons from the 90's up until last year and never had an issue with any of them. They've all been fantastic. No QC problems, prices were not what I would consider unfairly high. Fenders have gone up even more over the years but nobody seems to care about that... What is funny is some of the biggest Gibson haters that I know in real life ended up buying Gibson guitars when they got some money. Shows where the hate actually stems from
Guitar: Sire S5
Pedal: JHS Flight Delay
Amp: Jack White’s Fender thing that I can never afford.
Happy New Year
Most hyped. Katana 3.
Best Sig. The copper colour of the JB Les Paul. But, the Ibby PG is fantastic.
Best looking. The new G4M range. They all look great.
Best budget pedal. Spark boost(I bought one this year,so it sneaks into my list).
Best mini Boss X. Really great, my grandson loves his.
Best budget guitar. Still the HB 550.
Have a great New Year ,Andy. How much are you paying for cables, Andy ? I have plenty I can sell you to keep your shopping cart empty.
I couldn’t agree more. The Tonex One is a gamechanger.
Thanks for a great year of videos, Andy! I always am interested in your opinions on new stuff, even when, or especially when, I completely disagree.
My favorite new gear this year was
- the Boss Katana Go (I'm glad I got one before they turned into pumpkins and became your fail
of the year, because it's really great. Way exceeded expectations. It even works as an interface into my dang phone for recording.) and
- a strat. So I'm boring, too. Yep, I got an American Professional II strat, and it's basically perfect. I never need another one. I'm in love with it. It qualifies as new gear for '24 because it's a limited edition thinline one. I didn't get much else this year because that ate the budget.
Best gear I want, but I've not gotten yet: the new Dark Star from Old Blood Noise Endeavors. Maaaannnn that thing sounds cool.
I've been cooking, drinking and eating. My wife is out of town. This video makes perfect company. Thanks and good job.
Great video Andy! I actually watched it from start to finish. Interesting to hear you rate the Tone X so highly - maybe I’ll consider replacing my Boss IR2 with it. Anyway, hope you had a great Christmas and wish you all the best for 2025
Such a nice throwback! Of course we disagree in a lot of things, that was meant to happen hahaha also great editing work Victor! 🤘 Cheers Andy!
Wishing You A Happy New Year 2025, Andy & Victor! 🎊🥂✨
Great video Andy.
Thanks for your positivity, humour and insight during 2024.
Let’s hope 2025 is a great year and when I beat my cancer and get back up on my feet so to speak I’ll reach out and get you that Kim Thaille Guild
Cheers bro 😎🎸🤘
Great video, Victor hate to be that guy but around 36:00 for the Fender Mustang micro $99 was quoted which is actually the price for the old model, at least on Sweetwater newer model shown is around $130. No big deal, great work all around on this video!
One thing that's undeniable is you put in the work on this channel this year
I'm amazed that one of the trump guitars did not make it into the list of iconic guitars. I understand people complain about the tuners, not holding the tension on the strings, which leads to it changing its tune every five minutes. Be careful with the wrapping around the body, as I think it is supposed to remain on, due to the shite leaking out the amp plug. Happy New Year to one and all.
I bought a 60s Standard for a couple hundred more than the “one” this year. Brand new. Btw, Andy must have quite a collection. He wants EVERYTHING!
This year I bought the Boss Katana Gen 3 100w head and the Boss IR-2. Both are GREAT.
I have the Katana 50 MkI and 50 MkII as well and they’re still awesome.
That red 2 x P90 Telecaster looks awesome !!
16:51 Yeay! Really pleased to see the Princess win this one. As I’ve wanged on enough now, I own one based on your video. And also a Spark 2 win, so my acquisitions did well in this list.
Small correction: LOTS of PRS SE guitars used to sell for < $500, back in the day. Several models were priced at $499, to notch Guitar Player magazine's "under-$500" roundup. I owned an SE CE 24 Satin (sandblasted-ash top) for a day, but returned it - the extra 2 frets just compromised the neck pickup's tone too much. For not much more, you can buy a used SE Swamp Ash Special, or a final-generation SE Custom 22, with magical 85/15S pickups. The latter is the most versatile guitar I've ever owned - I can easily EQ it to anything from Les Paul to Strat, and its own voice is super-sweet.
The FRM 300 Ibanez in purple is an unbeatable guitar for me to! Sounds like a wave of sound surfers are looking for! 🎶♨️🎶
Still a huge Fender fan, but getting more into PRS every year. Someday I'll cave and make a used Core happen. Currently have a S2 Singlecut and I'm looking at a SE Custom 24 with piezo
36:32 - This is my new insult: "I'm not saying you are bad, I am just questioning your existence"
I was sooo lucky to grab a Boss Katana GO. I also got myself a Troublemaker Tele which I will say is pretty decent for the money and god damn it looks cool!
Great video. It was a good year. Very interesting.😊
Awwe, if it was not for your video Andy i would never likely have even known of that lovely Gretsch Princess. Apparently they are now nearly doubled in price and very hard to get ahold of. Very much loving it! Hope you do find one. Tip of 2024 that
I've got 2 of the best accessories on the list. The swivel strap is by far my best buy this year!
1. I think Laney had a worthy showing for your budget amp category this year.
2. You really need to dress up in a full suit and/or tuxedo for next year’s version of this video! It is a special, honorary occasion after all.
My kids bought me the Hello Kitty fuzz for Christmas, before any of us realized they would sell out and scalpers would be marking them way up. I like it a lot, very musical fuzz and a bit of flair on my pedalboard
Great video Andy... I simply had to get one of the IK MM ToneX Ones... don't know if I need it or will use it much... but with all the hoopla around it, I suppose I should give it a go... at the worst I can send it to my daughter as a duct in solution for small gigs, etc... but you never know! I was, however, really hoping for a, "What I'm Hoping For or Looking Forward To in the Next Year of Gear"... category!
Appreciate your focus on pricing. The Gibson pricing of the last decade is ... flippant at best? I recall getting a Les Paul Studio and a Special Faded SG for ~$600 around 2010. They were solid entry level guitars. Now the prices for Gibson's "affordable" models are 3x the price ... that's not inflation, that's cynical "raising prices because we can."
I sold my Gibsons and haven't replaced them - and I'm as much a guitar collector as I am a player. Gibson has simply decided to overcharge, and to that I say "bosh." Glad you agree.
I love the Yungblud SG Jr. I just hope it sold well enough for Gibson/Epi to start SG Jr. production again. Would love a SG Jr. in Shell Pink.
My girlfriend really wants me to get the Hello Kitty Fuzz. She gave me a Fender Hello kitty T-shirt for Christmas. Enjoyed the video. Happy New Year.
I loved that. I mistakenly assumed TGG is a professional/maybe semi-professional player who would be focused on top-end gear. However, it's wonderous to see that he gives a regular shout-out to decent budget items made for tyro plebs such as me. Excellent stuff. I'd love to see a very short clip of him playing the fabled forbidden guitar he's bought but is too frightened to play, along with his favourite pedal/amp/fx rig. The Bass 6 is a 6-string bass?
Warwick's Rockboard has a pedalboard planner too.
i mention this only, because the Rockboard is a better design IMO.
Thank you for your hard work and videos.
I bought the Hello Kitty Fuzz for a couple reasons. First, I have a 6 year old daughter that is very into the Hello Kitty thing so I knew she would get a kick out of it. Second, it wasn't expensive. Very typical for any pedal. Third, and I knew this was going to happen, it would sell out and and triple in price on the used market. I have no intention of selling it but I just had a feeling so I had to get one.
I like the Antiqua stuff. I'd love one in a Coronado.
I'd nominate the Epi Love Drops Hendrix V as a sig that is worthy of consideration in your list!
Great video! Earned a subscribe there :) - Think I'll be getting a tonex as a second amp for dry/wet live and it can also double as a practice tool for when my girlfriend has had enough of me playing the same riff over and over haha
I didn't even know who Antonoff was and that guitar is the best aesthetic guitar of the year. I know it's not a new body, but its a rare one and the only thing I don't like about it is the radius of the board.
I'm definitely going to need to try out your pick of the year once my amps get here. Currently rocking a katana ii artist and a squire classic vibe Tele I picked up at a Sessions in Frankfurt to get me by.
A model of yesteryear...TCE Combo Deluxe '65 and Marshall Bluesbreaker pedals are haunting me. I just need to splash $300 and relax...😉
I am still bummed a didn't pick up a Boss Katana Go before the discontinued them. That still doesn't make sense to me. What part where they using that could not be reverse engineered? With that being said, I 100% agree with your choice of the ToneX One as your Gear of the Year. It's a game changing product that pretty much any guitar player can afford.
Fantastic show!
YES on the FRM350! We all hope to find gear that will make us a better player, but we know that can never be. UNTIL THE FRM350. Transformed my playing and is a truly incredible guitar. (The Triplecaster is on order, so we'll see...but that Ibanez was a revelation.)
Cracking stuff, Andy. Hope you can do it all again in 2025.
I actually want a electric sitar...
Thanks for the great content in 2024 looking forward to what you do in 2025.
i saw the Princess on your show, and fell in love at frst sight. I bought one, and found that it is unconventional for a Gretsch, being more like a cross between a Jazzmaster and ...analogy ceases there. Atypical, and I'll have to alter my playing style, due to the low break angle on the bridge, so that I sometimes knock the high E string out of its bridge slot.
OK ... pick of the year: based on your selection i would go: RGR, Bassman but your choice is a wise one and 2024 was the year of the TONEX ... me acquired a Software-Version of TONEX because I don't gig currently.
The YAMAHA THR30II SMOKES EVERYONE OF THOSE DESKTOP AMPS YOU SHOWED! 😮
I know it came out sooner than 2024 but I do believe they released it in new colors in 2024 and if I’m off by months my apologies there however it’s so great of a Desktop amp IMO as well as the opinions of many others ….based on the many many 5 star ratings worldwide…I digress It deserves to hold BEST desktop amp Award until YAMAHA makes a newer version! Unless your Budget was under $500 USDs but coming in at $550 what’s another $50? For prestine sounds!
If u haven’t played thru one then I implore you too ASAP and if u haven’t seen Cameron Coopers channel yet please check it out bc he Also reps that amp! Sounds AMAZING!❤
Mandobirds are cool, but they should also have reissued 5he 8 string version, which is cool.
I love my old 8 string Mandobird VIII
I watched the whole thing. Do I get an award? This was almost as long as a TPS episode.
Really enjoyed the video! I heard what you say at the beginning but regarding budget amps what about the Laney Lionheart foundry series, I know everyone has their opinion but surely a great alternative to the Katana and giggable unlike the positive grid.
Another best budget will be M-vave blackbox/Tank-G/Tank mini, they can load amp/drive capture and ir like Tonex or Quad Cortex.
Very nice as usual :)
I love that you mentioned the "plastic" feel of Epiphones, this is the thing about cheaper/budget guitars. They sound great, look great. But the feel is what you've said. Plastic. If cheaper brands would implement nitro laquer on their higher end options, it would certainly compete with the high end guitars for real.
I am proud to say: I didn't buy anything but strings and picks this year. I used all the time looking for what to buy to practice instead and this was absolutly the best decision for my guitar tone. My setup: RG550, HX Stomp, Studio Monitors or FRFR-Cabinet. Hope I won't buy anything 25. Stay healthy.
This is super healthy!
that Hello Kitty Fuzz! it looks like Fender Fuzz with a Hello Kitty finish
Have you tried the Quilter Mach 3 amp yet? In terms of solid state amps, it's pretty hard to beat. It's small, lightweight, loud as hell & has great tones.
This is an old amp that's not technically in production but the fender mustang i V.2 is a good budget amp
Great little amp. I use the Remuda app to get a wee bit more access to settings.
Andy please unbox the bass IV! and play it ! I've been wanting a Antigua burst bass vi for months.. but want to hear your review first 😊 thanks! 👍🏻
Ibanez FRM300 Paul Gilbert Fireman : Do you know that you can have custom handwound PUs made to your own specs and it's not a problem to have full size humbuckers put either in a mini-humbucker or a single coil packaging, in fact, the mini-humbucker format even allows a full P90 in, it's the smallest size you really can do this due to P90's architecture. There are P90-SC for sure, but they will only be OK on dark sounding guitars (mahogany, etc), don't try this on a bright one (Jazzmaster, Strat)
That was great Andy! haha and jfi, I watched it at 1.25 x speed as I couldn't wait to hear about your choices. I will buy the Tone X one. Seems totally awesome and your enthusiasm sold it to me. Thank you Victor for your mega input over the last 12 months. Legend!
Thank you for 2024 and I look forward to 2025. Btw I am just about to receive a Fender Player II Strat next week. And will definitely buy a Spira 450, the one in red of course.
Happy New Year
Great Yig!
The Fuzz Bender should win cozy it sounds like the greatest film director of all time, Fassbinder
Hey Andy! great list, well done once again.. i have a question... what is the Ferrari red/ orange guitar to the right, your left, next to the SG?.. looks like my old 1990 Charvel.. looking forward to your content in 25'... Cheers!
great reviews here.
Theres a little bit of recency bias going on here on account of the Tom DeLonge signature was one of the most hyped releases i can remember in recent history. Every channel was covering it in depth both before and after release.
You could be right but the Hello Kitty release transcended the guitar world into pop culture so that had a noticeably bigger hype. The starcaster thing lasted for a long time though.
Hi Andy - I've only watched about a minute of this so far, but I have to say: you're completely wrong about anything and that drive pedal I bought for £10,000 which sounds like that thing from that album by that band from 1971 isn't mentioned! I'm joking... I'm here with a glass of wine. Shall watch the entire vid. Thank you so much for all your hard work and entertainment to us over the year. Keep up the great work. :)
Nano response has been hilarious. Upset almost everyone except John Cordy. 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for all of your great content, reviews and entertainment this year!!
You’re very welcome. Thanks for watching!
There are basically zero chances I'd have chosen the same pretty guitars as you : I don't really consider painted guitars as "pretty"
Warm Audio did a Tone Bender reissue under €200...
We didn't understood if, for the hyped ones, the Behringer Tone Bender and Centaur were good or not.
The PRS-SE Single Cut Korina were priced at €499 and these weren't made by Cort/Indonesia, they were made by WMIC/Korea (higher quality). I bought a 2nd hand one for €250, mainly because no way I would have bought an Epiphone Reissue'57 Korina, be it the Explorer or the Flying-V since the 24.75" scale is a no-go for me and since I wanted to give a try to the limba wood without breaking the bank... I considered reselling it for the same price into 2-3 weeks. She's still here 12 years later!!! Thus, I wasn't really fond of the original pickups, Hopefully, I can have PAF'57 alnico2 handwound replicas built for €130 a set of two...
@Haroun-El-Poussah words words words
@@fixedgear37 Facts facts facts
If you hated the studio you're going to love the modern studio
You had me till the end Andy.
Heres the thing with both the Tonex One and the White Whale. You and I both know there will be a ToneX One Version 2 and a White Whale Version 3. There will NEVER be another 70th Anniversary Strat. There will be a 75th one and an 80th one etc, but never another 70th. That guitar will be what it is until Fender stop making them, probably once the new year rolls in.
Could you get it again? Sure. Could you get it used? Sure. Will the 75th Anniversary one be as nice as the one you have? Maybe. Will the Tonex Version 2 be better than that one? Maybe, but if we use, oh say the Fender MUSTANG 1 or the Boss KATANNA 1 as an example...the odds are high the Tonex One v2 will do WAY more.
Thats the problem with digital stuff...its always evolving. A 54 Strat copy? Its only as good as the person buying it thinks it is..... I love mine same as you love yours. I'd be heartbroken if I lost it. A Tonex one? I'd just wait for the v2.
So honestly, based on your reviews and opinion I would say the 54 is the winner...at least till you open up that Bass VI and play it!
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