Vol. 26, No. 12
October 2025
Players, Gear & Sound — The Inside
Survey real-world guitar tone across amps, strings, and pedals — from Austen Hooks’ handcrafted Projector Pedal and Space Heater amp, Analog Mike and Martin Myers’ tube expertise, to PK Pandey’s SonoTone strings (used by Beck and Perry) tested firsthand. It also covers Origin Effects’ Revival Compact Drive pedal, a visit to AllParts in Houston for lightweight tone, and a review of Mike Campbell’s memoir, Heartbreaker — useful whether you’re building, modding, or chasing bloom.
PLAYERS, GEAR & SOUND
The Inside
The Austen Hooks Projector Pedal
By Riverhorse. Builder Austen Hooks transforms vintage military film projectors and Geiger-counter dosimeter housings into singular guitar amplifiers and a solid-state preamp pedal that has captivated players from Blake Mills and Keith Richards to Derek Trucks and Trey Anastasio. ToneQuest goes deep with Hooks on his journey from Texas A&M engineering student to underground amp visionary — and puts his Projector Preamp Pedal through its paces.
THE DARK HORSE
A Texas Space Heater Amp
By Riverhorse. Riverhorse puts a custom-built Dark Horse Space Heater amp through its paces, exploring its 6AQ5-powered circuit with vintage speakers, tube Echoplex, and a Northern Light Custom Shop Strat — uncovering enormous growl, cinematic depth, and a responsive touch sensitivity unlike anything else in the stable.
Analog Mike
By Riverhorse. ToneQuest sits down with Analog Man's Mike Piera — aka Analog Mike — to talk vintage pedal hunting, the legendary King of Tone, fuzz face realities, the new Brothers AM collaboration with Chase Bliss, and what keeps the handmade pedal world alive.
SONOTONE STRINGS
A Conversation With PK Pandey
By Scott Ulrichs. PK Pandey of SonoTone strings traces his winding journey from Guitar Center to boutique string-making, sharing how friendships with Joe Perry and Jeff Beck helped turn a personal obsession with tone into a beloved boutique brand.
SONOTONE STRINGS REVIEW
It’s More Than A Feeling
By Scott Ulrichs. Six months and 40-plus hours in, SonoTone Vintage 10s continue to impress with exceptional feel, sustain, and quick break-in — a highly recommended string for players chasing their own sound.
The State Of Tubes With Martin Myers
By Riverhorse. Midwest tube dealer Martin Myers talks vintage NOS tubes, his barn-full supplier, the amps and guitars he gigs with, and what's happening in the world of tubes today — from tariff effects to Western Electric's rumored 12AX7 revival.
PARTS OF A WHOLE
Allparts Music Field Trip
By Riverhorse. A field trip to Allparts Music's Houston warehouse turns up stunning roasted-pine and roasted-ash guitar bodies, new Leo Quan Badass Telecaster bridges, and Tru Tune/True Lok tuning keys — all while fueled by killer tacos and fresh tortillas.
ORIGIN EFFECTS REVIVAL COMPACT DRIVE
Always On
By Oscar Jordan. Oscar Jordan puts the Origin Effects RevivalDRIVE Compact through its paces, exploring its range of amp-voiced overdrive tones after hearing Eric Johanson praise the pedal for its ability to blend cranked-amp saturation with a clean signal on stage.
Heartbreaker A Memoir By Mike Campbell
By Riverhorse. Mike Campbell's memoir about his decades-long journey with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers is a humble, candid, and riveting account of a band's rise and the gear, music, and brotherhood that defined them. A must-read for fans of great songs and the stories behind them.
© 2025 Mountainview Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The ToneQuest Report® is presented as a collective work. Individual contributions may be separately protected by copyrights held by their respective authors.