In Focus: PJD Guitars

PJD’s founder Leigh Dovey began the operation from his small home workshop, naming the company after his late father, who was a prop maker at London’s Royal Opera House.

Catch up on all the latest features here.

PJD’s custom shop instruments have gained particular acclaim, finding their way into a number of heavy-hitting artists from an array of genres. Bring Me the Horizon, Blur, Katie Melua and McFly are just some of the names that have brandished PJD Guitars in recent years.

2026 marks yet another milestone in PJD’s growing list of accolades, with the brand introducing its new Origin Series to the Australian market via distribution through the prestigious F. Payton & Son. This signals the first time that PJD guitars have been available on our shores, with the new line already garnering much attention after winning Best In Show at the Sydney Guitar Show back in March.

The Origin Series strives to bring PJD’s acclaimed designs to a broader market, offering an import line that will run at a significantly lower price than what it would cost to commission a build from PJD’s Custom shop. This gets PJD guitars into the hands of even more working musicians who would otherwise not be able to buy into this blossoming brand.

The Origin Series is essentially split into 3 distinct tiers: Apprentice, Standard, and Pro. These lines work to offer the perfect instrument to any player and any budget, with a variety of body styles available within each tier.

Regardless of what you require from your instrument, the new PJD Guitars Origin Series will have something that is right up your alley.

Apprentice

The Apprentice serves as the entry point in the Origin Series, offering a stripped-down feature set without compromising on quality, playability or sound. Most notably, the Apprentice boasts an open-grain satin polyurethane finish that will provide a different feel to a more traditional gloss poly finish.

The Apprentice also utilises a single Alnico V humbucker pickup, making it the ideal choice for players who prefer a simpler electronics setup. If you just want to get straight to rocking with no fuss, the Apprentice is your one-way ticket to riff heaven.

Mahogany bodies paired with Maple necks and Rosewood fretboards mean that the Apprentice series is packed with familiar tonewoods that will provide warmth and punch for days. A 10″ fretboard radius makes for a comfortable playing experience, with 22 medium frets providing the perfect balance between classic and contemporary feel.

The Apprentice line comes in two distinct body shapes, the St John, which will be familiar to fans of traditional Offset shapes. Alternatively, the Carey offers up something for fans of Single-Cut Designs.

Standard

The Standard serves as the middle ground of the Origin Series, and the Carey and St John body styles both make a strong appearance here. The St John carries its offset-influenced silhouette into the Standard tier, where it gains the same pickup upgrade as the Carey. Both models feature P-90 pickups in the neck position paired with PJD’s own Alnico V humbucker in the bridge – a combination that broadens the tonal range considerably compared to the Apprentice tier and opens the door to a wider variety of playing styles and genres.

The Standard line also introduces two additional body styles for players with more specific needs. The Woodford adds a 6-point vibrato system and an HSS pickup configuration for those who need a tremolo unit and maximum versatility, while the York covers classic hard-tailed single coil territory with an emphasis on that quintessential Texas twang.

All Standard models feature mahogany bodies, maple necks and Indian rosewood fingerboards, finished in a gloss polyester that’s built to handle years of stage use.

Pro

The Pro line represents the top of the Origin Series, with PJD packing in a range of prestige-level features looking to appeal to the working professional.

Roasted maple necks are a boutique touch, giving the Pro line an immediately noticeable difference in feel. These guitars feel much more expensive than they actually are, and the flame maple veneers that adorn both models back up this high-end feel with an aesthetic that oozes sophisticated class, without going overboard.

The Pro line is rounded out with both the St. John and Carey body styles, offering enough variety for even the most discerning player. The open-pore satin finishes that adorn both models do much in promoting resonance and sustain, whilst providing a comfortable playing surface that will age naturally over time.

The electronics package on both Pro Series guitars features two signature PJD Alnico V humbuckers with master volume and tone controls. For players who want the PJD experience at its most complete, the Pro line is the place to start.

Head to pjdguitars.com.au for more.

Furch Guitars turns 45 with two limited-edition anniversary models

František Furch built his first guitar in a garage in what was then Czechoslovakia in 1981 – a roundback model with a spruce soundboard salvaged from an old piano. Friends and bandmates wanted one too, and what started as a personal project gradually grew into a company that now employs more than 70 luthiers and produces over 9,000 all-solid-wood instruments a year.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

To mark the 45th anniversary, Furch is releasing two limited-edition models. The Vintage Forty Five builds on the company’s Vintage Series, pairing an Alpine spruce top with Honduran rosewood back and sides, and finished with solid koa and padauk appointments alongside copper-designed frets. The Eclipse Anniversary takes the sleek all-black aesthetic of the Eclipse Series and adds commemorative koa and padauk detailing, with a custom headstock inlay made up of 45 miniature letter “F” elements. A third model, the Violet Anniversary Gc-EM a, was introduced earlier in the year.

Both new models were unveiled at Furch Backstage today – the company’s annual event for retailers, distributors and partners held at its headquarters in Velké Němčice, Czech Republic.

Beyond the anniversary editions, Furch’s engineering focus remains a point of difference. The company’s CNR System® Active neck joint – described by many as one of the more significant advancements in acoustic guitar construction in recent decades – automatically compensates for humidity-induced soundboard movement and includes an integrated adjustment screw for personalised string action. Every instrument, including entry-level models, goes through the company’s individual soundboard voicing process.

“Forty-five years is a milestone that makes us proud, but more than anything, it makes us grateful,” says CEO Petr Furch, son of the founder. “We do not see this anniversary as the closing of a chapter. We see it as the mere beginning of our effort to keep exploring and expanding what an acoustic guitar can be.”

Furch is currently completing a new factory building at its existing premises, with construction scheduled for completion in 2026. All instruments continue to be built in the Czech Republic.

Head to Furch Guitars to learn more. 

Producer Spotlight: Rostam Batmanglij

Rostam Batmanglij has spent the better part of 20 years building his production approach, which is now so distinct that it’s easily recognisable. Warm, harmonically adventurous and textured, Rostam started in a Columbia University dorm room and ended up on some of the most critically acclaimed records of the 2000s, 2010s and beyond. 

Catch up on all the latest features and interviews here.

The Vampire Weekend years

Rostam produced the first three Vampire Weekend albums solo: the self-titled debut (2008), Contra (2010) and Modern Vampires of the City (2013), which was co-produced with Ariel Rechtshaid. 

For the debut, the band played live in full. Contra was half live, with he and Ezra Koenig’s first real foray into using Pro Tools as a compositional tool. Modern Vampires of the City, despite its organic sound, was created entirely electronically.

Vampire Weekend (2008)

For their self-titled debut, Fender Deluxe amps were the main guitar amplification. Live, Rostam ran an M-Audio Keystation 49e MIDI controller alongside a Casio Tone Bank CA-100, with a Yamaha VSS-30 PortaSound sampling keyboard appearing in a Studio Q session from the same period.

Contra (2010)

Contra was tracked to Pro Tools HD, with engineer Tito bringing API preamps and Empirical Labs Distressors to the snare tracks. Guitar tones were drawn on a Fender Mustang and a Harmony Silvertone Newport H42, routed through a Roland RE-201 Space Echo. Fender Deluxe amps carried over from the debut.

Modern Vampires of the City (2013)

Rostam and co-producer Rechtshaid mirrored MacBook Pros with identical software and plugins for remote collaboration between Brooklyn and LA, with Universal Audio central to the whole setup: UA Apollo, UAD-2 Satellite FireWire and UAD-2 QUAD PCIe DSP cards.

For guitar, Rostam plugged a Gibson Les Paul direct into Pro Tools through an Avid SansAmp plugin, combining it with the UAD ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder and AltiVerb reverb to get what a more “scrappy” sound. The UAD Fairchild 670 compressor went on lead vocals for Don’t Lie and Obvious Bicycle.

A Boss VT-1 Voice Transformer was used to alter the formant on Ezra Koenig’s vocals on Diane Young. Live, Rostam upgraded to dual M-Audio Keystation 61es controllers, with a Casio CA-110 visible at the 2012 Pitchfork festival.

Clairo – Immunity

Rostam co-produced Clairo’s Immunity in 2019, working primarily at Truth Studios and Echo Park Back House Studios in Los Angeles. The Mix with the Masters breakdown he did with Clairo confirmed Waves CLA-76 compression on vocal stems. His own synth contributions came via a John Bowen Solaris. The UA Apollo handled interfacing throughout, consistent with how he’d worked since Modern Vampires.

Rostam’s solo records

On Half-Light, released in 2017, the centrepiece instrument was an upright piano he’d bought in England – the same model that used to sit in the lounge at Abbey Road.

By Changephobia (2021), he’d fallen for a Steinway upright, which he used on From the Back of a Cab and credited on HAIM’s Los Angeles. His songwriting process typically starts in Ableton before migrating to Pro Tools for the production stage, with Reason used for specific tasks – he built the synth bass on Bike Dream in Reason and used a Korg Trident synthesiser on the same track. The Sonnox Oxford SuprEsser features in his mixing chain for controlling harsh frequencies.

His studio also houses a Fender Silverface Champ from the 1970s, confirmed in an Instagram Q&A, alongside an Epiphone Sheraton II played live during the Vampire Weekend era, and a Gibson ES-335 used live on his solo material. Film and theatre work fed back into his production palette too. Rostam became interested in super high-quality samples, sourcing strings and drums that eventually led to choir patches.

Behind the scenes of Triple R’s weekly Live at RRR broadcast

Triple R is an integral cog in Melbourne’s music scene. For the last 50 years, the station’s volunteer broadcasters have been giving airtime to local music of all stripes, from defiantly underground weirdos to future stars.

The station has also been broadcasting live-to-air performances for decades, but it wasn’t until June 2022 that Live at RRR became a permanent fixture of the Triple R program grid.

Catch up on all the latest features and interviews here.

In the nearly four years since its launch, the program has welcomed local acts such as Floodlights, Wrong Way Up, Folk Bitch Trio and Brown Spirits, First Nations acts Barkaa, Ripple Effect Band, DRMNGNOW, Ziggy Ramo and RONA., and touring internationals Kuniyuki, Nikki Nair, Dry Cleaning, Jessica Pratt, Obongjayar, and many more.

The show airs at 7pm every Friday. The performances are all recorded in the Triple R Performance Space in front of an audience of Triple R subscribers. Beź Zewdie, the station’s events producer tells Mixdown what goes into getting Live at RRR off the ground every week.

Booking the artists

“There are three of us on staff in the programming department that work on booking Live at RRR and brainstorming what our lineups will look like.

Across the month, we want to have a mix of newer artists, bigger artists, and homegrown, legacy, core Triple R artists. Basically, it’s what will resonate with our subscribers, what will resonate with our audience, and what will resonate with our presenters?

 And then another thing is, we look at representation. It’s a huge, huge priority, especially for me, to make sure that across the whole year, I’m zooming out to see where we’ve leaned into genre-wise, what kind of First Nations or Black artists we’ve had throughout the year, younger artists versus older artists, and women and queer folks, non-binary folks, all that sort of thing.”

Putting together the team

“We need one sound engineer to take care of sound in the venue and then another sound engineer to take care of sound for the live broadcast side of things. We pay a videographer to film as well as edit and colour grade, and usually, within two weeks, we like to have the video published. 

Once I’ve got the techs locked in and the videographer locked in, that’s the contractors out of the way, then I move on to our volunteer team. These events wouldn’t happen without volunteers. I send out a big email to our volunteer database, to people who’ve put their hand up to say that I’d love to help out with events.

We have two bar volunteers and two door volunteers. Then we’ve got our station representative, which is usually someone who has been involved with RRR on a long-term basis. They’ll greet people as they enter and offer to give station tours.

Then we have the stage assistant, who is a volunteer who helps the sound engineers with anything they need. That’s usually a student or an experienced sound engineer or roadie or stage tech.

Then we’ve got the studio monitor volunteer. The sound from the stage feeds through to our front of house engineer and our broadcast mix engineer, and once it filters through the broadcast mix engineer, it goes to one of our studios. So we need a volunteer to bring up this sound that has been so carefully mixed by our engineers. 

We also have a photographer who takes beautiful photos of the performance, of the audience, and of the station at each event. I’ve got security contractors who will lock in for every event, but they’re paid. And then we have our online coordinator who takes some snaps and some footage to promote the event online.”

Pre-show logistics

“Once I’ve put together the team for the day, I start getting into like real logistical stuff, going back to the artists or their managers and going, do you need backline? Do they have any dietary stuff? Do they have special requests for the band room?

Backline is not something we can always offer. If we had the money, we would offer it every single time. We work with Melbourne Backline, who are located pretty close to us and we have a contra deal with them. So they offer us a friendly discount, and we give them extra promo on the station to our audience.

There are a lot of parts of Live at RRR where we rely on the goodwill of our friends in the community. Stomping Ground give us free drinks, and we give them free promos. That’s a huge help because we’re able to sell those drinks and bring in a little bit of money. We also have Factory Sound Australia, who have helped us get some really cool tech for our engineers at a discount. We also have a new partnership with SAE, which is a music school, and we’re working with them to make the performance space something that they can incorporate into their courses.

Live at RRR runs for an hour. The most hectic part of it is the five minutes before showtime. That’s when people are like, “Oh, actually I need to go to the bathroom” or “How long do we play again?” I’ll see someone who’s supposed to be stationed at the other side of the building in front of me. And I’m like, “What are you doing here?”

Why it works

“Live at RRR goes from 7 to 8pm on a Friday. It’s late enough that someone could finish work in the city and make it here in time, but also early enough that it’s not going to eat into another gig that’s happening, or you can make social plans afterwards.

 The affordability has been something that’s been commented on in the past because, with the way that the economy is going right now, a lot of music fans have had to forego gigging. You have to be a subscriber to be eligible to attend these shows. If you’re going for a full subscription, which is $95 annually, you pay that once a year and then you automatically qualify to enter the giveaways.

 One of the big reasons why Live at RRR has stuck around is because it’s a unique offering that we can provide to our community and our subscribers. But also for us, being a community radio station that is always looking to grow, we’ve found that this show has been a huge plus for getting new subscribers in. People come for the interesting, really diverse lineups, and the affordability of it.”

 Diversity on stage, diversity in the crowd

“What I’ve noticed from 2022 to now is that I’m seeing more diversity in the crowd, and that’s been a huge goal of mine. Having a diverse crowd is actually a lot harder than having a diverse lineup. In order to have a diverse crowd, you need to actually change the culture within that space, and that’s really hard to do. But it’s something that we’re really, really committed to.

There are different things that we’re doing that are slowly diversifying and growing the audience. One key thing that we do is we offer free tickets to friends of Triple R. So, that’s different community organisations that we have a friendship with that maybe cater to younger people or they’re multicultural organisations, First Nations organisations.

We also have a separate email address at Triple R, which is [email protected], where First Nations folks within the community, who don’t have to be subscribers, can email us and no questions asked, we’ll put them on the door.

We’ve partnered with Amplify, which was formerly known as Freeza, which is a local crew of cool, talented, knowledgeable young people, to help run free events in the Triple R performance space for underage folks – accessible, affordable events for them.

Those are just some small ways we’re trying to get around any barriers, particularly financial barriers, or people feeling like they’re not part of this community.”

You can support Triple R and the continuation of community radio by becoming a subscriber here.

Rhodes turns 80: the man who built the pianos looks back

Roger Garvin joined CBS Musical Instruments in 1970 and then spent the next decade at the heart of the California factory. He first oversaw the Rhodes production line, then served as Rhodes Marketing Director. As the company marks its 80th anniversary, he reflects on the era.

Harold Rhodes’ original motivation, Roger recalls, was surprisingly practical. Watching guitar teachers earn more by taking group lessons while he taught piano students one at a time, Harold set about building an instrument that could be monitored individually across multiple students at once.

“Part of the genesis of the Rhodes piano was that Harold wanted to be able to teach multiple students at the same time,” Roger said.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

By the early 1970s, that educational tool had become one of the defining instruments of the era. Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul and Ray Manzarek all played Rhodes, and many of them passed through the Fullerton factory in person. “Harold loved talking to them,” Roger said. “They all came by, and they were big fans of the instrument.”

The factory itself was a full manufacturing operation – tone bars, frames, hardware and steel parts largely produced in-house alongside Fender guitars, Rogers drums and the rest of the CBS Musical Instruments range. Roger describes the environment as wood dust, machine oil, Tolex glue and rolling racks of partially assembled pianos, staffed by builders who came from musical backgrounds themselves. “We could do anything there,” he recalled.

“When I first saw the MK8, I thought Harold would just be grinning from ear to ear,” Roger said. “He would be so delighted to see what it had become. At the same time, he’d be going, ‘Well, why the hell didn’t we think of that?'”

Rhodes is set to mark the anniversary with the MK8/80AE, a limited-edition instrument due to be unveiled soon. Learn more here. 

Arturia’s MiniLab gets a full-size upgrade with the 37-key MiniLab 37

Arturia has released the MiniLab 37, a 37-key compact MIDI controller that builds on the MiniLab formula with extra keys, hands-on DAW control and a suite of built-in performance features.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

The jump from 25 to 37 keys gives players more room for two-handed playing, wider chord voicings and bassline-plus-melody arrangements without adding much to the overall footprint. Arturia describes the chassis as wider yet more shallow, keeping controls close while fitting into tight studio setups and mobile rigs.

Beyond the keybed, the MiniLab 37 packs in a 2×4 stacked RGB pad layout for finger drumming and clip launching, eight rotary encoders, four sliders, transport controls, a mini display and a clickable browsing knob. Built-in tools include an arpeggiator, Chord mode, Hold, octave control and semitone transpose. Up to five user presets let you customise the controller for different rigs or workflows.

On the integration side, DAW presets cover eight major platforms – Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, FL Studio, Bitwig, Reason, Pro Tools and Digital Performer – with automatic parameter mapping on connection. Native Kontrol Standard (NKS) compatibility is also on board, along with full integration with Arturia’s Analog Lab for preset browsing and smart-assigned controls.

Connectivity includes a USB-C port (class compliant, low power – compatible with Apple iPad via camera connection kit), MIDI DIN output and a control input for sustain pedal, expression pedal or footswitch.

For local enquiries, head here. 

Orange launches the ES Series: battery-powered, Bluetooth-ready and built with Ed Sheeran

Orange Amps and Ed Sheeran have launched the Outlowd ES Series – three acoustic amplifiers spanning home practice, busking and full live performance.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

At the centre of the range is the ES60, a battery-powered 60W busking amp with an 8″ Voice of the World whizzer cone speaker. The amp covers dedicated guitar and vocal channels, +48V phantom power, built-in reverb, Bluetooth playback, balanced line out and an FX loop. A rechargeable Li-Ion battery and padded gig bag are also included for true portability.

The most compact of the series is the ES3. It’s a 3W rechargeable acoustic amp with a 4″ full-range speaker, reverb, Bluetooth, USB-C charging and a leather carry strap.

Of the three, the ES100 sits at the top of the range as a full PA option, running a 12″ Celestion full-range neodymium driver paired with a Celestion HF tweeter for larger venues and more demanding live environments.

Sheeran has been open about the intent behind the collaboration, saying, “Music doesn’t start in arenas or on streaming platforms. It starts in bedrooms, youth clubs, pubs, schools, parks, living rooms and street corners. That’s where I found my voice.”

Alongside the amps, Orange has launched Outlowd: Play It Home, a global campaign supporting grassroots music culture. The campaign kicked off in Sheeran’s hometown of Ipswich on 5 June, where he performed a six-track set with local singer-songwriter Lianne Kaye. A nine-year-old audience member, Felix, left with a new amp and 12 months of fully funded music lessons. The campaign will travel to Sydney, Toronto, Paris, Los Angeles, Tokyo and other cities through retailer-supported sessions.

The ES3 and ES60 are available now through Orange and selected retailers. The ES100 is available for pre-order.

For local enquiries on Orange, head here. 

Cream T’s new UK-built guitar comes with a patented tool-free pickup swap system

Cream T Custom Shop has announced the Apollo, a new UK-built guitar featuring the brand’s Guitar X pickup swapping system – a patented design that lets players change pickups without re-stringing, soldering or rewiring.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

The Apollo comes with a mahogany body with a maple top, mahogany neck in a ’59 profile and rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and Pearlite trapezoid inlays. Its hardware is Gotoh throughout, including vintage-style tuners with keystone buttons and a Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar. The finish is nitrocellulose, hand-aged, and the guitar ships with Cream T’s “Cream of the Crop” pickups installed. Controls include 2 volume and 2 tone with push/pull pots, and a 3-way toggle handles pickup selection.

If you’ve got compatible Guitar X pickups on hand, swapping them in requires no tools, resoldering or rewiring. It’s about as taxing as changing your strings, which is a huge game-changer for experimenting with tone.

Cream T’s Custom Shop range was built on the Aurora, developed alongside Billy Gibbons and drawing from his Les Paul, Telecaster and Martin acoustic. The Apollo brings the same vintage-leaning aesthetic to a more modular instrument.

The Apollo is available for pre-order now at creamtcustomshop.com in Terra Burst, Gold Top, Dirty Lemon and Iced Tea. The initial run has already sold out.

Charvel’s American Neo-Classic San Dimas brings the ’80s back with modern specs

Charvel has announced the American Neo-Classic San Dimas series, two USA-made guitars built in Corona, California, that bring the iconic San Dimas back to its roots.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

Both models share the same alder body and one-piece quartersawn maple neck, reproduced from authentic 1980 specifications and reinforced with graphite. The 12″–16″ compound radius fingerboard runs 22 jumbo stainless steel frets, with rounded edges, a truss rod adjustment wheel at the fingerboard end and Luminlay side-dots. Its electronics are straightforward, with a single volume pot and 5-way blade switch, wired to a Seymour Duncan JB/’59 combination with parchment bobbins. The neck ’59 is perfect for warm leads and rhythm work, while the bridge JB handles the high-gain end.

When it comes to the bridge, the two models differ. The SD1 HH FR MPL gets a top-mount Floyd Rose 1000 series double-locking tremolo, available in Robin’s Egg Blue, Ivory Blitz, Gloss Black and Racing Red. On the other hand, the SD1 HH HT MPL runs a Charvel hardtail bridge and comes in Gloss Black, Racing Red, Velvet Midnight and Ivory Blitz.

“Charvel was born in California, and so was this guitar,” says Jon Romanowski, VP of Product at Charvel. “Building it in Corona feels like coming full circle. The JB/’59 pickup pairing delivers on every level, and the finishes feel as iconic as the guitar itself.”

To mark the launch, Charvel has released a series of artist videos including Dweezil Zappa playing the Neo-Classic San Dimas at a California skate park which you can watch above. Alongside this is a factory walkthrough showing the build process from raw materials through to the finished instrument:

The American Neo-Classic San Dimas series is available now. Head here for local enquiries. 

Alex Lifeson’s iconic ‘Whitey’ ES-355 gets the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom treatment

Epiphone has announced the Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue, a stage-ready recreation of the Rush guitarist’s famous Alpine White ES-355 as part of the Inspired by Gibson Custom series.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

The semi-hollow body is five-ply maple and poplar with a solid maple centre block for sustain and feedback control, multi-ply binding on the top and back, and a three-piece maple neck with volute – mirroring the construction of the original 70s instrument. The ebony fretboard runs 22 medium jumbo frets with mother-of-pearl large block inlays, and the slim C neck profile keeps things fast under the fingers.

A pair of USA-made Gibson T-Type humbuckers handle the pickups, wired to individual volume and tone controls via CTS potentiometers and Mallory capacitors. A six-position Varitone with a dedicated bypass toggle expands the tonal range considerably, and a Maestro Vibrola adds pitch movement when needed. Dual outputs round out the electronics — mono and stereo — for those who want to split the signal

The reissue is complete with gold hardware throughout, a harmonic-style Tune-O-Matic bridge, Graph Tech nut and premium die-cast tuners with keystone buttons. The guitar ships in a custom hardshell case with a black exterior, red plush interior and a reproduction of Lifeson’s signature.

As Lifeson prepares to return to the stage with Geddy Lee for Rush’s Fifty Something Tour, the announcement is right on time. The tour honours Neil Peart’s legacy, with Anika Nilles on drums, kicking off in Los Angeles on 11 June before running through North America, South America and Europe into 2027.

“The ES-355 has always been a really special guitar for me – it’s got this incredible balance of elegance and power,” Lifeson says. “I’m genuinely thrilled that players everywhere will have the chance to experience it.”

The Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue is available now. For local enquiries on Epiphone, head here. 

Electro-Harmonix’s new Pico Shimmer packs cosmic reverb into a compact stompbox

Electro-Harmonix has expanded its Pico line with the Pico Shimmer Cosmic Reverb, a pocket-sized pedal built around three effect scenes: Intergalactic, Off-World and Etherdust. Each draw on reverb, delay, modulation and an octaves and string synth engine.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

Intergalactic is the most traditional of the three, blending polyphonic octaves, reverb, modulated delay and compression with a string synthesis engine for cinematic shimmer textures. Off-World is smoother, with vintage synth-style ambience and enhanced delay modulation for warmer, pad-like sounds. Etherdust takes things furthest from conventional shimmer, with randomised delay times covering everything from subtle granular sparkle to pronounced glitch echoes.

Most of the heavy-lifting is dealt with by four knobs. Blend sets the wet/dry mix, Tone adjusts overall brightness and Time controls decay from short reverb through to infinite sustain. The Voice knob is where the character shifts – you can morph between plate reverb, classic shimmer and string synth pad depending on how far you want to go. The Scene button cycles through the three modes, and holding it down opens a secondary layer for adjusting reverb mix, delay time, and modulation depth and rate without adding extra controls to the chassis.

When it comes ot live use, holding the footswitch triggers Infinite Reverb on the fly, freezing the current note or chord into a continuous pad. Three buffered bypass modes – Digital, Analogue and Hybrid – give players control over how the pedal sits in a signal chain and whether reverb trails fade naturally on bypass.

The Pico Shimmer ships with a 9V power supply included and is available now.

For local enquiries, head here. 

Fender Studio Pro gets its biggest update yet with an in-DAW assistant, stem separation and vocal tuning

Fender Studio Pro 8.1 is out now, adding an in-DAW AI assistant, a first-of-its-kind Moises Studio integration and a native Vocal Tune plugin to the DAW.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

Studio Assistant is the most immediately practical addition. It’s a natural-language guide that answers questions and offers production and mixing direction without pulling you out of your session, available now as a public beta for Pro+ users.

For producers, the Moises integration is the headline feature. Available directly inside Fender Studio Pro 8.1, it brings stem separation, vocal transformation and the ability to generate backing tracks from existing recordings. All 8.1 users get 10 audio stem separations, 120 stem generations and five voice conversions per month at no extra cost. Fender has noted that Moises trains its AI models on licensed content from independent labels and artists.

The Vocal Tune plug-in handles pitch correction natively, covering everything from subtle transparent fixes through to overt tonal transformation with formant shifting.

Beyond the three headliners, 8.1 includes improved native stem separation with a reduced system footprint, pitch curves on audio events for automation-style pitch editing, enhanced Audio-to-Note conversion with expanded drum support, and articulation-based timing offsets for more realistic scoring. Shared Virtual Instruments reduce load times across multiple sessions, and a reorderable browser lets you customise the workspace layout. Dolby Atmos Headphone Personalisation support rounds out the update for spatial mix work.

Fender Studio Pro 8.1 is available now, included for all current Pro and Pro+ users, and anyone with a perpetual licence or upgrade purchased within the past 12 months.

Find more information here. 

The Victory Floyd Rose brings locking vibrato to Gibson’s revived classic

Since Gibson brought back the Victory series, players have been asking for one thing: a Floyd Rose. The Victory Floyd Rose delivers just that, building on the Victory Figured Top platform with a locking vibrato system and the hardware to back it up.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

The Floyd Rose tailpiece and locking nut handle tuning stability, an important detail when you’re using a whammy bar. Built around a set mahogany neck, the guitar comes at a 25.5″ scale length – longer than Gibson’s typical 24.75″, which also makes it well suited to drop tuning. The neck is carved to a SlimTaper profile and pairs with a compound radius ebony fretboard, 24 medium jumbo frets, and enough room at the low end for clean bends without fretting out.

Pickups are uncovered 80s Tribute humbuckers with zebra bobbins, controlled via master volume and tone knobs with push/pull switches for coil split and inner/outer coil select, plus a three-way selector. There’s a fair bit of tonal range to explore from a straightforward control layout – you can go from full humbucking grunt to single-coil clarity without a hassle. The Victory Floyd Rose is available in Deep Ocean Burst, Translucent Ebony Burst and Iguana Burst.

For local enquiries, head here. 

Audio-Technica launches its first-ever earplugs for live music and everyday use

After more than six decades making microphones, headphones and turntables, Audio-Technica has entered a new category: earplugs. The AT-ERP3 and AT-ERP5 are the first hearing protection products in the brand’s history, built around what the company calls “Always Safe Listening. Both are now available online and in stores across Australia.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

Mmade from soft, flexible silicone, both models feature an ear-hugging shape designed for extended wear, and an antibacterial construction that keeps them hygienic over time. Natural colours and a low-profile silhouette keep them discreet and subtle. The live music model, the AT-ERP5’s are designed with dual-layer filtering dampers. With music-focused eartips, these are made to keep sound quality intact while bringing levels down to a comfortable range – useful for anyone spending time close to a loud stage. They have an SNR of 21dB and NRR of 14dB, and is available in black and white.

Both models have been independently tested and certified to European EN and North American ANSI standards.

Head here to learn more. 

Sabian’s Stratus Dry series brings controlled, low-wash cymbals to Australian drummers

Sabian’s Stratus Dry series is heading to Australia in late August, expanding the Stratus line with hats, crashes and rides built around reduced wash, short sustain and crisp articulation.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

Sizes run from 14″ to 16″ for hi-hats, 18″ to 20″ for crashes, 22″ and 24″ for rides, plus a Performance Set combining the 15″ hats, 19″ crash and 22″ ride.

Crashes deliver a fast, breath-like attack that falls away into a textured decay rather than blooming into an extended wash. The 18″ is the quickest and most articulate, with the 19″ and 20″ adding progressively more depth and presence while keeping its dry character intact. Rides offer refined stick articulation with hammered bells for focused presence, a deep low-register voice and enough crash-ability to stay expressive. Their medium-light weight keeps both responsive without going brittle.

Hi-hats run from tight and precise at 14″, with a clean chick, focused definition, to a slightly more open and balanced 15″. The 16″ adds body and a trash-inflected character. A light top over a medium-light bottom keeps warmth in without tipping into brightness.

For players who’d rather buy a cohesive package than piece the range together individually, the Performance Set covers hats, crash and ride in one purchase.

The Sabian Stratus Dry series is available in Australia from late August through Australis Music Group.

Ernie Ball’s Precision Capo lands in Australia

Ernie Ball’s Precision Capo is now shipping in Australia for players who are tired of buzz, tuning drift or fixed spring tension from standard trigger capos.

Catch up on all the latest news here.

The thumbscrew is what sets the Precision Capo apart from standard models. Rather than snapping on with a fixed pressure, it lets you dial in exactly the right tension for the guitar, fret position and string gauge you’re working with. Too little and you get buzz; too much and you pull the strings sharp. The thumbscrew finds that middle ground quickly, and the ergonomic design means you can make adjustments mid-set without putting the guitar down.

Capo placement varies dramatically depending on whether you’re playing a vintage acoustic with higher action, a low-setup electric or a seven-string with a wider nut – a fixed spring tension that works on one will fight you on another. The Precision Capo adjusts to the instrument rather than the other way around.

Soft contoured pads protect the neck and finish from scratching or marking, and the low-profile body sits close enough to the headstock that your fretting hand stays clear. It’s built to fit six- and seven-string electric and acoustic guitars, covering most of what players use on stage or in the studio.

Available in black or bronze, the Precision Capo is available now. For local enquiries, head here. 

60 per cent of Australians report being priced out of gigs

According to new research by Creative Australia, Australians are embracing arts and culture in record numbers, with 74 per cent attending at least one live event or festival in the past year.

That’s 15.4 million people, the highest figure since Creative Australia’s National Arts Participation Survey began in 2009. The findings paint a picture of a nation deeply invested in creativity, even as financial pressures reshape access.

Creative Australia Survey

• 74% of Australians attended a live arts event or festival in 2025, the highest rate since tracking began in 2009
• Cost is now the top barrier for 60% of people, with 55% missing events they wanted to see
• Australians who received school-based arts education are far more likely to stay engaged as adults

Catch up on all the latest news here.

Yet cost remains a stubborn gatekeeper. 60 per cent of respondents named ticket prices as the biggest barrier to attendance, up from previous years, while more than half missed out on desired events due to expense. Despite this, overall engagement is thriving, with 98 per cent of Australians connecting with the arts in some form, whether through live shows, reading, creating or digital platforms.

The survey highlights how early exposure matters. Those taught an artform at school show significantly higher lifelong participation rates across attendance, reading and personal creation. Arts access for children and young people has now become the public’s top priority for arts investment, ahead of free events.

Positive sentiment toward the arts stays strong, with 93 per cent holding favourable views and 86 per cent recognising benefits to society, the economy and personal wellbeing. Participation in culturally relevant arts also rose, from 32 per cent in 2022 to 40 per cent in 2025, while attendance at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events hit one in three Australians.

Music discovery is shifting too, with streaming platforms now matching radio as the main way people find new sounds. Classical music, musical theatre and cabaret are gaining ground, and reading continues its resurgence across formats, boosted by social media communities like BookTok.

On artificial intelligence, opinions are divided. Two in five have used AI tools for creative ideas, yet 82 per cent want disclosure when it’s used, and many question its authenticity as “real” art.

Creative Australia’s research underscores a clear message: Australians love the arts and value their impact, but affordability will determine how inclusive that love remains. With nine million people actively creating art, the cultural sector’s future looks vibrant, provided barriers don’t keep rising.

To read the survey, head here.

BIGSOUND locks in King Gizzard, Julia Jacklin and Trials for 25th anniversary artist talks

BIGSOUND 2026 is set to celebrate its milestone 25th edition with a serious injection of homegrown talent stepping into the spotlight for Artist in Conversations.

From 1 to 4 September in Fortitude Valley, the event continues its reputation as the Southern Hemisphere’s largest music industry gathering, placing Australian artists and delegates at the heart of global conversations.

BIGSOUND 2026

• Julia Jacklin, trials and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard members Stu Mackenzie and Lucas Harwood confirmed for Artist in Conversations
• International delegates include reps from Bonnaroo, Mom+Pop, Partisan Records, Pitchfork and Soho House
• Early bird delegate tickets on sale now, ending 30 June 2026

Catch up on all the latest news here.

 

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This year’s program ramps up facilitated networking, roundtables, mixers and curated meetings, creating more pathways than ever for local acts to connect with international players. The first wave of Artist in Conversations features major names reflecting on their journeys, while a fresh wave of global industry guests arrives from key festivals, labels and media outlets.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s Stu Mackenzie and Lucas Harwood bring over a decade of independent hustle, 25-plus albums and global success to the stage. Julia Jacklin, fresh from signing her first global deal with 4AD, returns after making her BIGSOUND debut in 2016. Meanwhile, Ngarrindjeri powerhouse trials steps forward as a solo artist following acclaimed work with Funkoars and A.B. Original.

The international contingent is equally strong, with delegates from SXSW, The Great Escape, Reeperbahn, Carpark Records, ROAM Artists and more touching down in Magandjin. These guests span A&R, talent buying, music programming and media, signalling strong opportunities for touring, releases and sync deals.

With expanded First Nations programming through Goolwal Goolwal, plus the return of favourite hubs and mixers, BIGSOUND remains the place where careers accelerate. For anyone serious about Australian music’s next chapter on the world stage, this is unmissable.

Early bird delegate tickets are available now, with the full program dropping in July. Find out more here.