ToneQuest Report: September 2025 – Vol. 26, No. 11

^$25.00

Eavesdrop on Tone—From Legendary Voices to Modern Mastery. Tracing the Blueprint of Sound. Eavesdropping on a conversation between two pals, you’ll hear Gordon Kennedy and Dann Huff trade stories of tone, touch, and heritage—joined by Rich Renken’s deep wiring revelations at Tyler Guitars, Scott Ulrichs’ hands-on review of the Dann Huff Original Classic, and Oscar Jordan’s takes on the Xotic AC Booster-V2 and Fender’s American Vintage II 1965 Stratocaster. Together, these stories trace the true blueprint of sound across past, present, and future, shaping the tones discerning players depend on.

Print SKU: 4283 Digital SKU: 4285 Category: Back Issues

The Inside:

What's inside this issue:

Dann Huff – Heart, Hands and Heritage
Gordon Kennedy
Longtime friends and contemporaries Gordon Kennedy and Dann Huff sit down for a rare Artist-to-Artist conversation. One of the most heralded studio guitarists of the past four decades, Huff reflects on touch, tone, and heritage—from his Tyler-modded ’64 Strat to the personal voice of his debut solo album When Words Aren’t Enough. His philosophy is simple: everything comes through the guitar—and always through the hands.

The George Fullerton of Tyler Guitars – Conversation with Rich Renken
Scott Ulrichs
Rich Renken takes us inside Tyler Guitars’ DNA—series/parallel switching, Demeter mid-boosts, stacked coils, and the meticulous artistry behind the Dann Huff Original Classic. With lineage stretching from Thriller to today’s stage, Renken explains how Tyler guitars remain purpose-built tools for tone chasers shaping the next chapter of sound.

Tying One On With A Tyler – Dann Huff Original Classic Review
Scott Ulrichs
Built with Ferrari-like precision and wired for endless tonal options, this guitar bridges the ’80s studio golden era with modern versatility. From glassy cleans to sustain-rich drive, it proves ready for any gig—an instrument for players who demand more across genres from funk to rock to jazz.

Xotic Effects AC Booster-V2 – Glorious Overtones!
Oscar Jordan
A true pedalboard lifesaver, this compact boost/overdrive brings touch sensitivity, sustain, and rich harmonic girth in both Classic and Modern modes. With DIP-switch compression and mid-boost options, it rescues bad backlines or sweetens great rigs with the kind of reliability working guitarists depend on.

American Vintage II 1965 Stratocaster – Birth of the Cool
Oscar Jordan
The ’65 Strat joins Fender’s American Vintage II line with period-correct specs, gray-bottom pickups, and a transitional CBS-era headstock. In Sonic Blue, it evokes Hendrix, Knopfler, and surf-era sparkle. Tonally chimey, articulate, and rich with history, it blends craftsmanship and vintage soul for collectors of sound.