The hottest new gear releases you need to know about

A round of the best new gear drops and industry news to keep you in the know

Here at MMA we’re always on the hunt for new gear. Whether it’s guitars or amps, right down to plugins, picks and everything in between, not a single worthy gear release passes us by. Here, we’ve collated the hottest new drops because, although new gear doesn’t make you a better player, it can encourage you to play more and inspire fresh new ideas.

Maybe with one of the below, you’ll be able to turn an old riff into a new song. We’ve also included some general industry news to keep you up to speed with all the comings and goings in the guitar and gear sphere.

Misha Mansoor’s Juggernauts return

Periphery riff monger Misha Mansoor has reunited with the Jackson for a fresh run of his signature Juggernaut guitar, with the budget (ish) friendly guitars getting some choice hardware upgrades.

There are two Pro Series models available, a regular hardtail version in Red Crystal and Blue Sparkle, and a more expensive edition loaded with an EverTune bridge for rock-steady tuning. That’s given a Riviera Blue colourway, with all three inspired by Mansoor’s love of sports cars.

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There are budget-friendly specs, such as poplar for their arch topped bodies and own-brand Jackson MM1 pickups, which have been custom voiced by Mansoor. These sit alongside some tidy and more premium-feeling features, include a caramelized maple neck with a bolt-on heel, and heel-mounted truss rod wheels for easy changes on the fly, and Luminlay side dots.

Their prices, though – £949 for hardtails, and £1,399 for the EverTune version – may prove a sticking point to some.

While these may not be the new Misha Mansoor models many of us have been craving since the Periphery riff monger showed off his Custom Shop baritone Surfcaster, the release could still be a precursor to more ambitious drops. Here’s to hoping.

Visit Jackson for more.

Meshuggah in a pedal

Fortin amps have rekindled its partnership with djent pioneers Meshuggah to take the essence of the band’s signature amp and cram it into a pedal.

The Meshuggah PreAmp and Distortion pedal does exactly what it says on the tin with two channels tweakable via a three-band EQ, an output level, and a Lo/Hi mini-switch to help the stompbox better accommodate whether it’ll be used to boost a signal or deliver hellfire distortion.

Signal hiss can also be squeezed out via the in-built Zuul noise gate so the pedal can be pushed without becoming unusable and there are two gain stages to play with, mirroring the amp proper’s gain structure.

Priced at $349 (approx £260), it isn’t the cheapest pedal on the market, but it will help ensure your guitar tones are brutal and precise, with the pedal designed to add a little more “excitement” into the sounds emanating from your amp or modeller.

Head to Fortin Amps to learn more.

JHS Pedals go digital

Countless stompbox enthusiasts count JSH pedals of some form or another as must-haves on their ‘boards. Now the firm has teamed up with Mixwave – known for their plugins and drum grooves – to digitise their favourite pedals.

The first drop includes fan favourites like the Morning Glory and Hard Drive overdrives, the Pulp N Peel for “studio-quality compression” and its Notäspring vintage/modern spring reverb.

The plugin versions of the pedals are available individually for around $39 each (approx £29). Alternatively, you can get all the pedals in one fell swoop via the Loud is More Good Collection, at $139 (approx £103).

Jump to Mixwave for more details.

Chuggin’ all over the world

Solar Guitars, owned and masterminded by beloved metal guitarist Ola Englund, has strengthened its stock of pedals with the brilliantly named Chug Lite.

A downsized version of the previous ‘Chug’ iteration,  its circuit "has been more optimally voiced to use in front of an amp as a traditional distortion pedal”. Its predecessor was designed solely as a preamp.

It promises “tonnes of gain on tap,” and plenty of tweakability for “increased flexibility and maximum chug” in a unit that’s “built like a tank”.

It’s a simple pedal to use and can rival the Meshuggah for its considerably smaller price tag of $129 (approx £96).

It’s a simple enough high-gain pedal, said to be “built like a tank”, that will no doubt tempt players of a metal-playing persuasion. It is available from $129.

Check Solar Guitars for further details.

A game-changer for bassists?

Champions of filthy low-end tones Darkglass Electronics have unveiled the Anagram, a comprehensive multi-effects unit that utilises DSP technology and a litany of bass-tailored effects.

Think of it as a Quad Cortex for bassists, with real-time audio, Neural Amp Models (NAM, AIDA‑X), impulse response, and plenty more baked in. A 7″ high‑brightness touchscreen, six high‑resolution endless knobs, and three footswitches are on hand to deliver a fast, intuitive workflow, and it's built to evolve, with future firmware updates set to bring more bang for your buck.

With stereo and XLR outputs, MIDI, USB audio, a send/return loop, and expression input, Darkglass has built the Anagram to adapt to any rig, welcoming in a new era of bass tone.

Check Darkglass for more.

Seven free Waves plugins

Software developers Waves have made a seven-strong plugin bundle available for free. Including a convolution reverb, FM synth, and a handful of vintage gear emulations, all future updates to the plugins are also free. The Lil Tube plugin, which is a tube saturation emulator for adding little warmth and personality to your riffs, is our pick of the bunch.

The bundle is suitable for macOS and Windows, as is available in AAX/VST3/AU formats.

Head to Waves to get your bundle.

GGD launches next-gen plugin

Drum plugin software firm GGD has launched its latest virtual instrument, Modern & Massive 2, and it’s set to be launched on its new standalone platform. That means Kontakt player is no longer needed to operate the software.

Featuring a fully featured mixer, studio-quality effects, over 100 presets, and a built-in groove player with over 1,500 premade grooves to get you inspired, GGD is upping its game here.

Head to GGD for more.

UK music store GAK's end is confirmed as it sells stock

The fate of the UK music store GAK has confirmed after it entered insolvency. One of the UK's biggest musical instrument retailers, speculation of its future has been unclear for weeks after its Brighton store shut out of nowhere.

It has now sold its stock and website to fellow UK-based retailer Gear4music for £2.4 million. An official statement released by G4M says it “has purchased the remaining stock, together with certain intangible assets including websites, trademarks, and commercial data, from the Administrators of GAK.co.uk Ltd and The Guitar, Amp & Keyboard Centre Ltd (together, “GAK”).

However, its Brighton store has not been included in the deal, meaning it will likely be gone forever, with GAK's legacy continuing in G4M's digital space. This comes after the iconic American music store Sam Ash closed down last year, while Guitar Center is pivoting to fight against online-only retailers.