We all use vibrato and tremolo interchangeably, but do we realize how different they really are? In this article we’re going to eliminate all the confusion behind these effects and show you what sets them apart from each other.
It's the showdown of saturation. The competition of clipping. This is Overdrive vs. Distortion vs. Fuzz. Learn what these three effects really do to your tone to help you choose the right one for your style.
Ryan has been around the block in the music world. With over 35 years in the bizz, he's gotten his hands on a piece of gear or two, and these are the pieces worthy of adding to his own personal rig. Check it out in this edition of "The Gear That Runs AMS."
Ever wonder how pedal makers create such crazy effects? Mistakes, apparently. We got Colt Westbrook of Walrus Audio, Jamie Stillman of EarthQuaker Devices, and Robert Keeley of Keeley Electronics to sit down together and talk about what it's like to build FX pedals in 2025.
Find your next guitar without breaking open your piggy bank with the official 2025 AMS ranking of best budget electric guitars. (And they're good guitars, too!)
A lot of cool stuff released in 2025. But what was the best? Check out this list of the Best Gear of 2025 to see all the top picks — in our humble opinion, at least.
Put your picks away, because we got to talk to Matteo Mancuso at the Yamaha booth at NAMM 2026. We talked all about his writing process, where to find inspiration, and of course, his love for the Yamaha Revstar.
Is it getting hot in here or is it just Rsonist from Heatmakerz? We got to chat with Rsonist and learn a few things about producing, fostering creativity, and just letting the musical juices flow.
Schecter has all the goodies at NAMM 2026 — including Mastodon guitarist Nick Johnston. We got to chat with Nick all about his relationship with Schecter, pracitcing guitar, and how creativity can resolve your woes.
Guess who we found at the Ernie Ball booth at NAMM 2026. Our good buddy Steve Morse! We got to talk to him all about his warmup routine, what it's like playing with arthritis, and how he built his signature Music Man. Check it out now!
Guess who we ran into at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ...? Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson of Opeth! We got to talk to them all about how they make music, their awesome PRS guitars, and a few tips and tricks for the up-and-coming metal artists out there.
How good do you have to be to be considered Wolfgang Van Halen's favorite guitarist? Pretty darn good! And we were lucky enough to get a few pointers from the man himself: Aaron Marshall! Check out the interview right here.
Ready to rock the turntables and get everyone out on the dance floor? Check out the ultimate DJ buyer’s guide to learn everything you need to know about becoming a DJ.
It’s not easy to build the perfect live sound setup, but we’re here to make it at least a little bit easier with the AMS ultimate live sound buying guide.
![Best Budget Electric Guitar: Top Picks That Won’t Break the Bank [2025]](https://mcstaging.americanmusical.com/media/amasty/blog/cache/b/u/1200/600/budget_guitars_banner_resized_1.jpg)
