Brad Sarno —The Mind Behind The Steel Guitar Black Box

By Scott Ulrichs · Vol. 26, No. 9 · July-August 2025

Brad Sarno, designer of the legendary Steel Guitar Black Box tube buffer, talks about his journey from Heathkit tinkerer to boutique builder — explaining why guitars want to see a tube first, how impedance loading shapes tone, and what's coming next from his one-man garage workshop.

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