REVEALED: Bad cat | Vintage Vibes

Billie Joe Armstrong’s punk rock riff machine, Orange’s mighty micro-amp, and the $150 acoustic that gives us serious John Mayer vibes – it’s MusicRadar’s monthly guitar gear roundup, the July 2026 edit

Featuring hot new gear from Harley Benton, Epiphone, Bad Cat, Shergold, IK Multimedia, Mooer Audio, Gibson and more

MusicRadar · Jul 31

“Each of them impacted the instrument in their own way, as luthiers, hitmakers, session players, or air guitar-inspiring soloists”: Remembering the guitarists we lost in 2025

2025 has been a big year for the guitar, but we've also had to sadly say goodbye to dozens of guitar greats, from many eras, and every imaginable genre. Here, we recognize those guitarists, and their contributions to the instrument

Guitar World · Dec 26, 2025

“A tighter, louder and gutsier tone from an already stellar-sounding amp”: Bad Cat Mod Shop Black Cat 30 review

Remixed and refreshed by the late, great amp-guru Mark Sampson, thisBlack Cat has two more tubes, 10 more watts and a whole new voice

Guitar World · Dec 6, 2025

“His expertise and vision have always set the standard for what a great amplifier should be”: Matchless Amplifiers and Bad Cat Amps luminary Mark Sampson – one of the leading minds of the boutique amp movement – has passed away

Sampson had recently returned to Bad Cat, and was even involved in launching the Era 30 tube amp at this year's NAMM

Guitar World · Mar 3, 2025

“This monumental collaboration signals a new chapter in Bad Cat’s commitment to exceptional tone”: Bad Cat marks the return of amp design guru Mark Sampson with the Era 30

The legendary designer is famed for founding Matchless and his early Bad Cat builds –now he’s returned to the boutique firm after 20 years

Guitar World · Jan 16, 2025

“Nick’s knowledgeable depth, thoroughness and fairness in his reviews earned him a distinguished position as a true authority”: Remembering Nick Guppy, Guitarist magazine’s guitar amp guru

Mesa/Boogie, Bad Cat, Blackstar, Boss and more pay tribute to longtime Guitarist writer Nick Guppy, who died suddenly in April

Guitar World · Jun 24, 2024

“One of the best-sounding USA amplifiers currently available”: Bad Cat Jet Black head review

Bad Cat’s new addition combines its classic signature sound with a unique new high-gain voicing – and the results are remarkable

Guitar World · Jun 18, 2024

“A significant leap forward in sonic performance and flexibility for guitarists of all styles”: Bad Cat finally launches the Jet Black – the guitar amp at the heart of Tosin Abasi’s new rig

In recent years, the Animals As Leaders virtuoso has turned to tube amps after moving away from Axe-Fx – and now the Bad Cat Jet Black plays a pivotal role in his new setup

Guitar World · Nov 21, 2023

Bad Cat Black Cat 1x12 combo review

An old favorite returns as Bad Cat reboots its trailblazing tube combo with an updated circuit, while preserving the exclusive voices and character of the original

Guitar World · Jun 29, 2023

Tosin Abasi teams up with Bad Cat Amps and is using a prototype Jet Black model on tour with Dream Theater

The Animals As Leaders guitarist is also playing a Lynx head, and you can hear them in action as he joined John Petrucci et al for an all-star performance of DT's The Spirit Carries On

MusicRadar · Jun 20, 2023