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There’s never been a better time to be a guitarist than right now.
No, seriously.
I know every generation says something like this.
The ‘70s had their towering stacks of Marshall amps and roaring Gibson Les Pauls.
The ‘80s had their shred machines and chorus-drenched racks.
The ‘90s had grunge grit, pedalboards like pizza boxes, and the rise of the home studio.
But today?
We have it all — and then some.
Because right now, you don’t have to be rich, or famous, or signed to a label, or living in a soundproofed house to create, practice, perform, or record music.
Thanks to a wave of incredible gear that’s affordable, portable, and ridiculously versatile, being a guitarist has never been more exciting.
Pocket-Sized Powerhouses
Remember when practicing guitar meant dragging a 20-kilo combo amp just to get a decent tone?
Forget that.
These days, you can slip a full guitar rig into your gig bag’s front pocket.
I’m talking about tiny multi-effects units like the Zoom G1 Four and the NUX MG-400.
And if we’re talking really small devices, there’s the Sonicake Pocket Master. This little monster has an internal battery and packs an impressive amount of amp models, cabinet sims, reverbs, delays, compressors — the works.
It even has a built-in drum machine and looper!
The Rise of Battery-Powered Everything
Speaking of internal batteries. There was a time that I dreaded stepping on my Boss pedals in the past and leaving them on because that would drain the 9v battery in them quickly.
And 9v batteries did not come cheap back in the day.
Running on battery power also used to mean making a compromise on your sound. You got weak tone, noisy circuits, and short runtimes.
Not anymore.
Now you can run entire pedalboards, busking rigs, or recording setups on battery or USB power.
The Joyo Jam Buddy II is a perfect example — a portable stereo guitar amp with Bluetooth playback, built-in effects, and rechargeable batteries. It’s basically a practice room in your backpack.
And let’s not forget portable recorders like the Boss Micro BR-80 or the Tascam GB-10. These things let you capture song ideas anywhere — on the beach, in your car, even in bed (just… don’t roll over them).
Battery power isn’t just convenient. It’s liberating. You’re no longer tied to wall sockets or extension cords. You can play anywhere. Which means… you’ll probably play more. And that alone makes you better.
Talk about the freedom to express yourself, right?
Multi-Function Is the New Normal
Another thing that blows my mind: how multifunctional today’s gear has become.
Once upon a time, you had a pedal that did one thing.
Maybe it was a distortion.
Or a chorus.
Or maybe a delay.
That emant in order to have a certain type of sound, you had to pay for it. You were paying a lot for a single sound.
Now, a single device can do everything except maybe make your morning coffee.
Take the Line 6 HX Stomp. It’s a multi-effects processor, amp modeler, cabinet simulator, audio interface, practice rig, and live performance tool all rolled into something smaller than a paperback.
Or the Positive Grid Spark Mini — a desktop amp that streams Bluetooth music, responds to voice commands, and gives you smart tone suggestions via its companion Spark App.
Who needs bandmates when you can have an entire backing band in your pocket?
It’s not as fun having people to play with but it sure as hell saves you from the hassle of having to deal with clashing egos.
And because one unit can replace half your gear, you end up saving money and space.
A lot of money and space.
Affordable Has Never Meant This Good
Here’s the best part: there’s a lot of affordable gear today!
You don’t need a rockstar’s budget to play or sound like one.
A few thousand pesos can get you a powerful practice amp, a quality effects unit, and even a decent audio interface.
Brands like Donner, NUX, Joyo, and Mooer have completely flipped the script.
They’ve proven that cheap doesn’t mean “cheap-sounding.” It can mean smart design, solid tone, and loads of features — without draining your bank account.
Even starter guitars have gotten shockingly good. A budget Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster or Yamaha Pacifica 112V today is better built than many “midrange” guitars from a decade ago.
If you’re just starting out or rebuilding your rig from scratch, this is a great thing.
The Bedroom Studio Revolution
Thanks to all this gear, the bedroom studio is now a very real, very powerful thing.
With just your guitar, a laptop, a small audio interface, and maybe a tiny amp modeler, you can write, record, mix, and release full songs to the world.
Software like Ableton Live, GarageBand, or Reaper gives you the power of a full studio for the price of a few fast-food meals. Combine that with virtual amp plugins from Neural DSP or AmpliTube, and you’re no longer limited by space, volume, or neighbors yelling at you through the wall.
I’ve written entire demo tracks at 2 AM with headphones on, while the rest of the house slept.
Nobody complained.
No one heard a thing.
Not even our very vigilant dogs.
Creativity Has No More Excuses
And that’s maybe the biggest thing of all:
Today’s gear removes the biggest thing that hampers our creativity: excuses.
No money? There are tons of budget-friendly tools.
No space? There are pocket-sized rigs.
No time? You can practice anywhere, even on the go.
The barrier between having an idea and making music has never been thinner.
And when making music is easier, you make more music.
You experiment more.
You finish songs.
Form bands.
Release tracks.
Play gigs.
Oh God I miss playing gigs!
You become the guitarist you’ve always wanted to be.
Final Thoughts
If the teenage me could only see that those absurd ideas I once had when I was practicing in my bedroom have come true, oh the things I could have done.
Back then all I wanted was a Steinberger, a Pignose mini amp, and a Pandora and that was, in my mind, all I needed to play a gig and not have to lug a 5-kilo amp on jeepneys and tricycles just to jam with friends.
Thank you technological progress!
Technology has made this the best time in history to be a guitarist.
So plug in.
Power on.
Play loud.
Anywhere, anytime.
Because right now?
It’s your time to shine.