guitar

How To: Using a Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard with an Amplifi Guitar Amplifier

Mike ConnellyGuitars

The Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard is an advanced foot controller that is designed for hands-free control of Line 6’s Firehawk, Amplifi, and Spider lines of guitar amplifiers. The FBV 3 features five assigned footswitches with color-coded LED rings that synchronize to specific amplifier settings and effects. This guide examines how the hardware integrates with Amplifi systems while managing MIDI software via USB. Continue reading How To: Using a Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard with an Amplifi Guitar Amplifier

Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Review

Mike ConnellyGuitars

The P-90 pickup, originally designed by Seth Lover for Gibson in the late 1940s, was eventually displaced by the humbucker it inspired. This review covers the Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO, a limited-edition semi-hollowbody built around a revival of that single-coil design, including its construction, electronics, and real-world performance. The central question is whether the P-90 PRO’s characteristic clean sparkle and overdriven growl justify choosing it over a humbucker-equipped alternative. Continue reading Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Review

How To: Playing a USB-connected Guitar in GarageBand for Your Mobile Studio

Mike ConnellyGuitars

The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III has a USB output built directly into the guitar body, eliminating the need for a separate audio interface. I describe the exact cables and GarageBand settings required to connect it to an iPhone or iPad for your mobile studio. What makes the setup work is a specific two-cable chain that sidesteps a gap in the adapter market no single off-the-shelf cable currently fills. Continue reading How To: Playing a USB-connected Guitar in GarageBand for Your Mobile Studio

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

Yamaha Electro-Acoustic Nylon NCX1200R Guitar Review

Mike ConnellyGuitars

I recently bought a Yamaha NCX1200R, the guitar that Gabriela of Rodrigo y Gabriela plays on tour. This guitar incorporates construction elements from the handcrafted GC Series including a solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back. My review analyzes the build quality, the dual-contact pickup system, and the physical distinctions between the NCX and Rodrigo’s NTX model. Continue reading Yamaha Electro-Acoustic Nylon NCX1200R Guitar 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