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Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III Guitar Review

Mike ConnellyGuitars

Upgrading from the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II to the Ultra-III centers on one key hardware addition: a built-in USB output that connects the guitar directly to a digital audio workstation. This review covers what changed between the two models and whether that upgrade justifies the switch. New ProBucker humbuckers, patterned after Gibson’s PAF-style BurstBuckers, are a notable addition alongside the USB interface. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III Guitar Review

Line 6 Amplifi 150 Guitar Amplifier Review

Mike ConnellyGuitars

Line 6’s Amplifi 150 strips out the physical knobs and replaces them with an iPad app that controls over 70 amp models, 100 effects, and 20 speaker cabinets via Bluetooth. Here, we examine the remote app workflow and the hardware limitations discovered during testing. The amplifier performs differently in home practice versus live contexts, and the app-dependent control scheme is the reason why. Continue reading Line 6 Amplifi 150 Guitar Amplifier Review

Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Guitar Review

Mike ConnellyGuitars

The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II routes its acoustic signal through a Nanomag pickup embedded in the fingerboard past the 22nd fret, a design licensed from German maker Shadow. This article covers how the Ultra-II pairs Alnico Classic humbuckers with acoustic-like tone from a chambered body. The same chambering that trims the guitar’s weight is also what gives the acoustic signal its depth and resonance. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Guitar Review