Comparison · 26 August 2026
Our reviews are based on several weeks of real-world use, not on a spec sheet. Our comparisons are documented round-ups, and say so at the top of the article.
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Five headphones compared for playing in silence, recording and mixing at home: Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and DT 990 Pro, Audio-Technica ATH-M50X, Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, Superlux HD-681. Our pick for your use.
Yamaha Pacifica 112J, Squier Affinity Telecaster, Ibanez GRX70QA, Harley Benton ST-20HSS: four electrics under €300 compared for starting out, with a clear pick for every player.
Four beginner acoustic guitars under €300 compared: Yamaha FG800M, Cort Earth 100 NS, Fender CD-60SCE and Harley Benton CLD-60SCE, from around €138. Our pick for every player.
PRS
Epiphone
Boss
Taylor
Positive Grid
Fender
Tuner, plectrums, strap, stand, care kit: the complete list of accessories that are genuinely useful when you start guitar, the ones that can wait, and the budget to plan for.
Strings, cleaning, humidity, setup: the routines that keep a guitar pleasant to play for years, and the ones best left to a luthier.
Steel-string or classical, size, solid or laminate wood, electro-acoustic or not: the guide to choosing your first acoustic guitar without getting it wrong.
A drum teacher from west London, two electronics men and a Fender circuit copied for want of anything better: how Jim Marshall created in 1962 the amp that would define the sound of rock, from the JTM45 to the JCM800, from Clapton to Hendrix.
Born in 1954 to correct the Telecaster's flaws, the Stratocaster became the most copied, most played and most expensive electric guitar ever sold at auction. The story of a perfect drawing, from Buddy Holly to David Gilmour.
Turned down by Gibson in 1946, discontinued in 1961 for lack of sales, resurrected by Clapton and Page: the story of the Les Paul is that of a myth built backwards, whose 1959 examples now change hands for the price of a house.
Several weeks with every product we review, in real conditions: at home, in rehearsal, on stage or recording, with detailed scores. Our comparisons are documented round-ups: they say so at the top of the article and carry no score out of 10. Either way, the weak points are stated plainly and the verdict is never for sale.
Our method in detail →