Vol. 26, No. 11
September 2025
Players, Gear & Sound — The Inside
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.
PLAYERS, GEAR & SOUND
The Inside
Dann Huff - Heart, Hands and Heritage
By Gordon Kennedy. Grammy-winning guitarist and producer Gordon Kennedy sits down with his lifelong friend Dann Huff for a wide-ranging conversation covering tone, technique, gear, influences, and the legendary studio career that made Huff one of Nashville's most heralded players. The interview coincides with Huff's solo debut, When Words Aren't Enough, on Baked Alaska Records.
THE GEORGE FULLERTON OF TYLER GUITARS
A Conversation With Rich Renken
By Scott Ulrichs. Rich Renken, General Manager of Tyler Guitars, traces the history of Jim Tyler's innovations — from modifying Dann Huff's legendary 1964 Stratocaster to the genesis of the Tyler Dann Huff Original Classic — in a deep-dive conversation covering electronics, wood, and the sonic secrets behind some of the most iconic session tones of the '80s.
TYING ONE ON WITH A TYLER
Dann Huff Original Classic Review
By Scott Ulrichs. The James Tyler Dann Huff Original Classic is a supremely versatile instrument built with Ferrari-like attention to detail in San Fernando, California — capable of everything from funk and jazz to rock and pop. ToneQuest's Scott Ulrichs spent a month with the guitar and found himself reaching for it nearly every day.
XOTIC EFFECTS AC BOOSTER-V2
Glorious Overtones!
By Oscar Jordan. The Xotic Effects AC Booster-V2 builds on one of the brand's most popular pedals, adding improved tone, flexibility, and two distinct modes — Classic and Modern — to deliver rich overtones and an ungodly Boost function at a street price of $180.
AMERICAN VINTAGE II 1965 STRATOCASTER
Birth Of The Cool
By Oscar Jordan. Fender's American Vintage II 1965 Stratocaster captures the brief CBS-transition moment when small headstocks met a bold new gold logo, delivering chimey, quacky single-coil tones and top-tier craftsmanship at $2,299.99.
I've realized the most satisfying part of my musicality isn't what I've done as a producer—it's when I'm playing the guitar. It's like coming home.
— Dann Huff
© 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.