ToneQuest Report

Current Issue

Vol. 28, No. 1

November 2026

Players, Gear & Sound — The Inside

The pursuit of great tone is as much about understanding our instruments as it is about the sounds we create with them. From the science and craftsmanship behind Vintage Inspired Pickups to the practical possibilities of wet/dry amplification and Fender's distinctive Panoverb, each story offers insight into the choices that shape our sound. Seventy-five years of Telecaster innovation provide another perspective on the relationship between design and musical expression, while Johnny Spampinato reminds us how experience and individual influences ultimately define a player's voice. Together, these stories bring us closer to understanding the instruments we play and the possibilities they offer.

Explore This Issue
The ToneQuest Report, November 2026 cover

Est. 1999

The Player’s Guide
To Ultimate Tone

More Than 25 Years of Glorious Tone.

When the Story Becomes Your Sound™

My ToneQuest Story.

Ryan Wariner playing a Les Paul on stage
Jeff Beck tribute. Photo: Jeff Senn
ToneQuest has meant so much to me since Greg Martin introduced me to it while I was still in high school. I’d always cared deeply about guitar gear and tone, and discovering a publication so focused on both was a revelation. It almost felt like someone had created it just for me. Over the years, I’ve learned about so many new products, players and ideas that TQ has become almost like a handbook. David was such a great guy, and his ability to spotlight the good stuff was a seal of approval in my book. I’m so glad to be a small part of the TQ family and always looking forward to the next issue.

Ryan Wariner

From the Latest Issue

Today’s Reads

The Ice Man
Cover StoryOnline Reading Access

The Ice Man

By Riverhorse. Molecular biologist Sebastian Gruenburg brings scientific knowledge and extensive experience with vintage instruments to the development of Vintage Inspired Pickups. His work includes studying original PAF humbuckers, experimenting with cryogenically treated magnets and examining how winding and magnetic fields influence pickup response. Equally revealing is his research into vintage Centralab potentiometers and the development of custom controls designed around their distinctive taper. His approach offers a detailed understanding of the relationship between pickup construction, guitar electronics and the dynamics and tonal response that players associate with exceptional vintage instruments.

PickupsOnline Reading Access

VIP LOVERS And TELEX Pickups, VIP Potentiometers And Harness Review

With LOVERS humbuckers installed in a Murphy Lab Les Paul and TELEX pickups fitted to a Telecaster, we put Sebastian Gruenburg's designs through extended playing and listening sessions with vintage amplifiers and effects. The evaluation includes VIP's custom potentiometers and wiring harnesses, with particular attention to pickup dynamics, volume and tone control response, and interaction with pedals. Beyond assessing the pickups individually, we consider how the complete electronic system influences the guitar's character and the degree of control available to the player.

AmpsOnline Reading Access

Wet/Dry In A Compact Simple Way

Komet's Mike Kennedy and Holger Notzel explain the design and development of the AmbiKab Jr., a compact wet/dry solution that allows an overdriven tube amplifier to retain its dry signal while effects are amplified separately. The discussion covers signal routing, speaker selection, amplifier compatibility and practical setup considerations, including how the system eliminates the need for a second guitar amplifier. Their explanations provide a clear understanding of how the AmbiKab Jr. integrates delay, reverb and modulation into an existing rig while preserving the character of the primary amplifier.

AmpsOnline Reading Access

Atmospheric Ascension For The Mind And Soul

The AmbiKab Jr. moves from design theory to firsthand evaluation with tube amplifiers, different guitars and a selection of delays, reverbs and modulation effects. We compare mono and stereo operation, examine effects placement and listen closely to how separating time-based effects from the dry signal changes the presentation of the guitar. Clean passages and heavily overdriven tones reveal different aspects of the system's response. The review focuses on the practical advantages, setup considerations and musical possibilities of adding wet/dry amplification to a familiar rig.

AmpsOnline Reading Access

Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy

Developed around Jack White's preferences in Fender amplification, the Panoverb combines two amplifier circuits driving separate 10" and 15" speakers. Its unusual architecture, harmonic tremolo and tube-driven reverb provide considerable ground for evaluation, particularly the ability to direct reverb to one speaker. We examine clean headroom, dynamic response and the interaction between the circuits, speakers and effects through extended playing. The result is a detailed account of how the Panoverb's design translates into the sounds, feel and versatility available to the player.

GuitarsOnline Reading Access

On The 75th Anniversary Telecaster

Seventy-five years after its introduction, the Telecaster remains one of the most adaptable designs in electric guitar history. Fender Chief Product Officer Justin Norvell discusses the instrument's longevity, Leo Fender's practical design philosophy and the balance between traditional construction and contemporary refinements. The interview addresses selected anniversary models and the thinking behind their features, while a separate unpacking introduces all five guitars in the collection. Together, they offer a closer understanding of the differences in pickups, neck profiles, electronics and appointments, and how those choices serve different playing styles and musical preferences.

Feature InterviewOnline Reading Access

Southpaw Tele Master

Johnny Spampinato's musical life spans decades of performing and recording with The Incredible Casuals, NRBQ and The Value Leaders. His story traces the influence of Chuck Berry, Freddie King, Steve Ferguson and Big Al Anderson, along with the left-handed guitars and Fender amplifiers that have accompanied his career. His preference for Telecasters, tube amplifiers and a straightforward approach to effects reflects years of developing a sound that serves his playing. Through his experiences and equipment choices, we gain a personal perspective on the influences and musical instincts behind his distinctive style.

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Billy F Gibbons pointing skyward on stage
ToneQuest is it! Ain’t no thang ’cept TONE

— Billy F Gibbons, ZZ Top · Editorial Advisory Board

The Author of Tone® Archive

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