Guitar

Last year, Fender broke into new territory with the launch of the American Acoustasonic Telecaster, which came with the tagline – "acoustic, electric and everything inbetween." The iconic brand has now added a Stratocaster to the lineup.

There can be a huge difference in the tone of an acoustic guitar when played through an amp via a pickup. LR Baggs is looking to narrow the gap with the help of a floor stomp and a smartphone app.

With Winter NAMM looming – the world's largest music industry show – Harmony has announced the Juno, a "perfect grab and go guitar" inspired by the brand's classic compact monster: the mid-1950s H44 Stratotone.

Switzerland's Relish Guitars – the company responsible for the novel Jane guitar from 2015 – has been working on a new project for over a year. The company's first solid-bodied guitar, the Trinity, now debuts with an instant pickup swapping system.

Last year, music gear maker Boss cut the instrument cable for its impressive portable guitar amp: the Katana Air. Now the company has put premium amplifier technology and guitar effects into a pair of wireless headphones.

"Alligator," Jerry Garcia's guitar of choice from early 1971 until late 1973, will auction at Bonhams in Los Angeles in December, closing a year that has seen four guitars sell for more than a million apiece.

Fender has officially announced the American Ultra Series electric guitars and basses. With the release, the iconic brand is aiming to set "a new industry standard for precision, performance and feel."

The Spark amp from Positive Grid is paired with a voice-activated mobile app that opens the door to real-time practice and learning tools, and allows players to jam along to tracks from streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.

Whiskey has inspired much creativity among musicians over the years, and now Big D Guitars is cementing that relationship with a Telecaster-shaped instrument built from barrels once home to Jim Beam and Wild Turkey.

The THR desktop amps were already pretty good, but they didn't have any wireless capabilities. Yamaha has now put that right with the THR-II range.

About four years ago two friends looked at the range of travel guitars available and, not seeing anything suitable, decided to make their own.

The upcoming Wristruments app puts guitar tuition within reach, serves up a metronome, instructor, song library, and tuner on a smartwatch.