Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
What was the best guitar gear of 2025? Which guitars, amps and pedals have got us the most excited over the past 12 months?
In this video, I’m joined by my good friend – and professional guitar gear expert and touring musician – Leigh Fuge to talk about exactly that! Leigh and I discuss the best instruments and accessories that we’ve had the fortune to play this year, as well as a few that we haven’t yet tried, but would love to if we had the chance.
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Check out all the gear at Thomann: thomann.de/intl/thlpg_htpoop367z.html
And at Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/GK6LgE
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Here’s the various parts of the chat with some links to the relevant products:
00:00 Hello and intro
01:49 Our 2025 predictions… how good were they?
Guitars
03:52 Henry’s Guitars ST-1 HSS: henrysmusic.com/henry-s-snake-st-1-boa-pink-relic/?a_box=sfrn95hd
09:35 Ibanez AZ Standard HSS: ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/az22s1f_5n_01.html
13:19 Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional HSS 10th Anniversary: schecterguitars.com/nick-johnston-traditional-10th-anniversary?quantity=1&custitem_color_master_list=1169
20:14 Hartwood Guitars: tidd.ly/4mAO0SS
23:02 1988 Burny Les Paul Junior Double Cut
28:01 Sonicake Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar: sonicake.com/collections/guitar/products/guitar-qgt-01
30:40 G4M Baritone: tidd.ly/3NhaVGM
32:33 The search for a good affordable baritone continues…
35:36 PJD Guitars Origin Series: pjdguitars.com
37:58 Leigh’s new (old) Ibanez Iceman Paul Stanley model
FX Pedals
40:13 MXR Rockman X100: jimdunlop.com/mxr-rockman-x100-analog-tone-processor
43:30 Marshall 1959 SL Overdrive: marshall.com/us/en/product/1959-overdrive-pedal?pid=1008154
47:57 Thorn Soundlabs Silver Spurs Distortion: thorn-soundlabs.com/pedals/SILVER-SPURS
52:56 Nobels MOD-mini: nobels.de/produkte/?lang=en
56:15 Free The Tone Overdriveland ODL-1: freethetone.com/en/products/detail72
Mad Professor Simble Mk2: mpamp.com/product/62/simble-overdrive-mk2
01:00:31 JHS NOTADÜMBLË: jhspedals.info/products/notadumble
01:03:38 NUX Amp Academy Stomp: nuxaudio.com/product/ampacademystomp
01:04:34 Fender Hello Kitty Fuzz: uk.fender.com/products/fender-x-hello-kitty-fuzz-pedal-black
01:05:51 Hello Sailor Effects Octave Fuzz: hellosailoreffects.com
01:08:29 The guitar pedal market is NOT dead!
01:09:15 Vintage Effects: vintageguitarsrus.com/collections/effects-pedals
Hartwood Pedals: tidd.ly/3IUuZgw
01:10:21 Pedals shortlist: TC Electronic, Chase Bliss, Boss, Greer Amps, etc.
Amps
01:13:37 PRS HDRX 20: eu.prsguitars.com/amplifier/hdrx_20_2022
01:17:22 Supro Airwave: suprousa.com/amplifiers/airwave
01:19:26 Orange Amps Tour Baby: orangeamps.com/products/tour-baby-100
01:23:23 Tone King Imperial Preamp: toneking.com/shop/pedals/tone-king-imperial-preamp
01:24:36 ToneX Plug: ikmultimedia.com/products/tonexplug/?pkey=tonex-plug
01:26:04 Blackstar Beam Solo: blackstaramps.com/beamsolo/?product_id=22851
01:28:58 ENGL Fireball IR Pedal: engl-amps.com/shop/pedals/engl-ep635-fireball-ir-pedal
Digital and Modeling Gear
01:30:25 Line 6 Helix Stadium: line6.com/helix-stadium
01:31:44 Sonicake Pocket Master: de.sonicake.com/products/pocket-master
01:33:55 Universal Audio Paradise Guitar Studio: uaudio.com/products/paradise-guitar-studio
01:35:41 Are plugins and digital gear too expensive?
01:38:02 Analog vs digital gear
01:42:16 It’s been a decent year for gear overall!
01:43:12 What else has Leigh been up to this year?
01:44:33 Rich’s other 2025 highlights: Ibanez Guitar Festival, etc.
01:45:52 Leigh’s plans for 2026!
Check out Leigh's free 7-Day Guitar Kickstarter guitar course here: rightnotesmusictuition.com/7-day-guitar-kickstarter
Enjoy!
-----
#GuitarGear #NewGuitarGear #Ibanez #JHS #ToneX #HarleyBenton #BestGuitars #42GS7 #LeighFuge #RichWordsMusic
*Note: certain links in the description are affiliate links. If you click said links and purchase anything as a result, I will receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it does help to support the channel. So, if you do that, thank you very much!*
@LeighFugeGuitar
@IbanezGermany
@henrysmusicglobal
@jhspedals
@SchecterGuitarTV
@nickjohnstonmusic
@MadProfessorAmplification
@nobelsofficial5766
@gear4musicguitars
@SONICAKE
@Pjdguitars.
@jimdunlopusa
@marshall
@ThornSoundlabsOfficial
@hellosailoreffectsofficial
@nuxaudio
@FreeTheToneMovie
@VintageGuitarsOfficial
@VintageGuitarsUS
@prsguitars
@PRSGuitarsEurope
@Supro_USA
@OrangeAmplifiers
@tonekingamps
@ikmultimedia
@Blackstaramps
@ENGLampstv
@line6movies
@UniversalAudio
@IbanezOfficial
What was the best guitar gear of 2025? Which guitars, amps and pedals have got us the most excited over the past 12 months?
In this video, I’m joined by my good friend – and professional guitar gear expert and touring musician – Leigh Fuge to talk about exactly that! Leigh and I discuss the best instruments and accessories that we’ve had the fortune to play this year, as well as a few that we haven’t yet tried, but would love to if we had the chance.
-----
Check out all the gear at Thomann: thomann.de/intl/thlpg_htpoop367z.html
And at Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/GK6LgE
-----
Here’s the various parts of the chat with some links to the relevant products:
00:00 Hello and intro
01:49 Our 2025 predictions… how good were they?
Guitars
03:52 Henry’s Guitars ST-1 HSS: henrysmusic.com/henry-s-snake-st-1-boa-pink-relic/?a_box=sfrn95hd
09:35 Ibanez AZ Standard HSS: ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/az22s1f_5n_01.html
13:19 Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional HSS 10th Anniversary: schecterguitars.com/nick-johnston-traditional-10th-anniversary?quantity=1&custitem_color_master_list=1169
20:14 Hartwood Guitars: tidd.ly/4mAO0SS
23:02 1988 Burny Les Paul Junior Double Cut
28:01 Sonicake Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar: sonicake.com/collections/guitar/products/guitar-qgt-01
30:40 G4M Baritone: tidd.ly/3NhaVGM
32:33 The search for a good affordable baritone continues…
35:36 PJD Guitars Origin Series: pjdguitars.com
37:58 Leigh’s new (old) Ibanez Iceman Paul Stanley model
FX Pedals
40:13 MXR Rockman X100: jimdunlop.com/mxr-rockman-x100-analog-tone-processor
43:30 Marshall 1959 SL Overdrive: marshall.com/us/en/product/1959-overdrive-pedal?pid=1008154
47:57 Thorn Soundlabs Silver Spurs Distortion: thorn-soundlabs.com/pedals/SILVER-SPURS
52:56 Nobels MOD-mini: nobels.de/produkte/?lang=en
56:15 Free The Tone Overdriveland ODL-1: freethetone.com/en/products/detail72
Mad Professor Simble Mk2: mpamp.com/product/62/simble-overdrive-mk2
01:00:31 JHS NOTADÜMBLË: jhspedals.info/products/notadumble
01:03:38 NUX Amp Academy Stomp: nuxaudio.com/product/ampacademystomp
01:04:34 Fender Hello Kitty Fuzz: uk.fender.com/products/fender-x-hello-kitty-fuzz-pedal-black
01:05:51 Hello Sailor Effects Octave Fuzz: hellosailoreffects.com
01:08:29 The guitar pedal market is NOT dead!
01:09:15 Vintage Effects: vintageguitarsrus.com/collections/effects-pedals
Hartwood Pedals: tidd.ly/3IUuZgw
01:10:21 Pedals shortlist: TC Electronic, Chase Bliss, Boss, Greer Amps, etc.
Amps
01:13:37 PRS HDRX 20: eu.prsguitars.com/amplifier/hdrx_20_2022
01:17:22 Supro Airwave: suprousa.com/amplifiers/airwave
01:19:26 Orange Amps Tour Baby: orangeamps.com/products/tour-baby-100
01:23:23 Tone King Imperial Preamp: toneking.com/shop/pedals/tone-king-imperial-preamp
01:24:36 ToneX Plug: ikmultimedia.com/products/tonexplug/?pkey=tonex-plug
01:26:04 Blackstar Beam Solo: blackstaramps.com/beamsolo/?product_id=22851
01:28:58 ENGL Fireball IR Pedal: engl-amps.com/shop/pedals/engl-ep635-fireball-ir-pedal
Digital and Modeling Gear
01:30:25 Line 6 Helix Stadium: line6.com/helix-stadium
01:31:44 Sonicake Pocket Master: de.sonicake.com/products/pocket-master
01:33:55 Universal Audio Paradise Guitar Studio: uaudio.com/products/paradise-guitar-studio
01:35:41 Are plugins and digital gear too expensive?
01:38:02 Analog vs digital gear
01:42:16 It’s been a decent year for gear overall!
01:43:12 What else has Leigh been up to this year?
01:44:33 Rich’s other 2025 highlights: Ibanez Guitar Festival, etc.
01:45:52 Leigh’s plans for 2026!
Check out Leigh's free 7-Day Guitar Kickstarter guitar course here: rightnotesmusictuition.com/7-day-guitar-kickstarter
Enjoy!
-----
#GuitarGear #NewGuitarGear #Ibanez #JHS #ToneX #HarleyBenton #BestGuitars #42GS7 #LeighFuge #RichWordsMusic
*Note: certain links in the description are affiliate links. If you click said links and purchase anything as a result, I will receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it does help to support the channel. So, if you do that, thank you very much!*
@LeighFugeGuitar
@IbanezGermany
@henrysmusicglobal
@jhspedals
@SchecterGuitarTV
@nickjohnstonmusic
@MadProfessorAmplification
@nobelsofficial5766
@gear4musicguitars
@SONICAKE
@Pjdguitars.
@jimdunlopusa
@marshall
@ThornSoundlabsOfficial
@hellosailoreffectsofficial
@nuxaudio
@FreeTheToneMovie
@VintageGuitarsOfficial
@VintageGuitarsUS
@prsguitars
@PRSGuitarsEurope
@Supro_USA
@OrangeAmplifiers
@tonekingamps
@ikmultimedia
@Blackstaramps
@ENGLampstv
@line6movies
@UniversalAudio
@IbanezOfficial
