Nick Guppy
Nick Guppy was Guitarist magazine's amp guru for over 20 years. He built his first valve amplifier at the age of 12 and bought, sold and restored many more, with a particular interest in Vox, Selmer, Orange and tweed-era Fenders, alongside Riveras and Mark Series Boogies. When wielding a guitar instead of soldering iron, he enjoyed a diverse musical career playing all over the UK, including occasional stints with theatre groups, orchestras and big bands as well as power trios and tributes. He passed away suddenly in April 2024, leaving a legacy of amplifier wisdom behind him.
Latest articles by Nick Guppy
Best desktop guitar amps 2024: our top desktop amps for portable practice
By Nick Guppy last updated
Improve your guitar playing with our pick of the most powerful yet portable practice solutions
“One of the best-sounding USA amplifiers currently available”: Bad Cat Jet Black head review
By Nick Guppy published
Bad Cat’s new addition combines its classic signature sound with a unique new high-gain voicing – and the results are remarkable
“Sonic dynamite that can cover Hendrix, SRV, Mayer and more”: Victory The Deputy Compact Head review
By Nick Guppy published
Victory joins forces with Peter ‘Danish Pete’ Honoré once again to produce a compact signature model loaded with classic sounds
“Out of the box, there’s something to suit any genre”: Kemper Profiler Player review
By Nick Guppy published
With the pedalboard user in mind, Kemper has downsized for its compact new Profiler Player
“Ideal first amps, loaded with features for hours of fun and inspiration”: Blackstar ID:Core V4 Stereo 10, Stereo 20 and Stereo 40 review
By Nick Guppy published
Blackstar has introduced a timely update to its award-winning programmable guitar amp range, but how do these combos stack up?
“So much fun and so inspiring, it’s a steal at the asking price”: Boss Katana:Go review
By Nick Guppy published
Boss has crammed a full Katana amplifier into a tiny headphone-amp format – and its long list of features and tones makes it practically irresistible
“If detuned modern rock and metal is your thing, it’s definitely one to check out”: Victory VX The Kraken MKII Lunch Box Head review
By Nick Guppy published
Victory’s compact high-gain monster is back, revamped and improved, and with a new Clean mode
“Let’s be clear: this is not a bedroom amp. It’s designed to fill huge halls and stadiums with ferocious rock riffage”: PRS Mark Tremonti MT 100 review
By Nick Guppy published
Bucking the recent trend for compact heads, PRS goes large with its latest signature amp for the Alter Bridge guitarist
“The realism of the virtual environments is stunning, creating in seconds what used to take many hours of studio time”: Two Notes Captor X SE review
By Nick Guppy published
A special edition of the popular load box celebrates 15 years of Two Notes digital innovation, presenting players with a suite of contemporary features and vintage-inspired DynIR cabs
“A desktop amp that crosses over into serious recording, rehearsals and more”: Boss Katana Air EX review
By Nick Guppy published
More Air, vicar? Boss has pumped up its popular wireless desktop amp with some specs that make it a viable option for stage, studio and home
Fender Tone Master FR-12 review – the FRFR cab your amp modeler has been waiting for
By Nick Guppy published
Intended to partner the Tone Master Pro, the relatively affordable FR-12 performs its purpose flawlessly – but its practical applications stretch beyond serving Fender's flagship modeler
Fender Tone Master Pro review – Fender takes the amp modeler and multi-effects crown
By Nick Guppy published
Fender jumps into the lead of the modeling preamp race with a floor unit that's steeped in the brand's DNA and presents heaps of amp sounds and effects in an easy-to-use package
Laney Ironheart Foundry IRF-Dualtop review: An ideal portable partner for modern players at all levels
By Nick Guppy published
Meet the augmented, dual channel Ironheart amp head – a versatile piece of kit with superb reverb and plenty of gain
Laney Ironheart Foundry IRF-Leadtop review: It’s tiny and costs just $299, but this solid-state fire-breather can handle anything you can throw at it
By Nick Guppy published
Compact, crammed with gain and kitted out for home practice or the stage – meet the latest addition to Laney’s Foundry series
Marshall Studio JTM ST20H review – one of the most important amps in rock and blues gets a modern-day reboot
By Nick Guppy published
The classic JTM45 finally comes to the lower-watt Studio series – and it’s one of the finest Marshall amps in years
Emprize Harrier review – the British-built combo that combines two coveted vintage Fender voices… with spectacular results
By Nick Guppy published
Emprize combines two sought-after tweed combos, authentically capturing brown-panel lead tones and black‑panel rhythm sounds in one amp
Vox MV50-BM Brian May Limited Edition Set review: a tiny 50W Nutube head fit for Queen
By Nick Guppy published
A signature version of Vox’s unique Nutube micro head that’s instant Queen at Wembley – and nearly as loud
EVH 5150 Iconic Series 15W review
By Nick Guppy published
A giant-killing combo that delivers classic 5150 sounds in a compact, affordable package
Blackstar Debut 50R review
By Nick Guppy published
An ultra-affordable practice amp for gigging guitarists and a great pedal platform to boot
Bad Cat Black Cat 1x12 combo review
By Nick Guppy published
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
Ashdown MF484 2.N review
By Nick Guppy published
Ashdown’s new 30-watt head features Two Notes’ integrated speaker emulation and reactive load, making it a powerful tool for live and studio
Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 review
By Nick Guppy published
This expanded version of Blackstar’s feature-packed format might just be the finest pedalboard amp yet
Boss Katana-Artist MkII Head review
By Nick Guppy published
The well-received and affordable Katana range gets a new top-of-the-line head and matching 2x12 cab. There’s plenty of tech onboard, but does it satisfy the classic tonehounds?
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