Spun Stories
Interviews with bands, builders and fans of Cottonwood Music Emporium
Meet the New Standard: The Benson Amps Redlands Reverb Combo
Benson Amps is expanding the American sound with the all-new Redlands Reverb Combo. Combining the touch sensitivity of a boutique preamp with a revolutionary, "mid-scooping" EQ stack, the Redlands delivers everything from crystalline Dumble-esque cleans to fat, juicy grit. Explore the Redland 15 and 35 models and hear them in action with our curated video demos.
The Art of the Collision: A Deep Dive into Mask Audio Electronics
Mask Audio Electronics (MAE) isn't interested in making "safe" pedals. From the revoiced Russian fuzz of the Civil Math to the tape-warble modulation of Alone, discover how Alec Breslow’s Pittsburgh-based workshop is redefining the collision between electronics and musical chaos.
Sonic Experiments: Exploring the Textural World of Baltimore Sonic Research Institute
At Cottonwood Music Emporium, we have a soft spot for the "mad scientists" of the pedal world—the builders who don’t just recreate the past, but push the boundaries of what a guitar, bass, or synth can sound like. That’s why we are thrilled to feature the lineup from Baltimore Sonic Research Institute (BSRI Audio).
Sonic Artifacts: Why Non-Human Audio is the Next Obsession for Your Pedalboard
Hailing from the high desert of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Non-Human Audio isn't just churning out clones of vintage circuits. Instead, founder and builder Dave Jordan creates what we like to call "sonic artifacts"—pedals that look like found objects from a futuristic archaeological dig and sound like nothing else on the market.
Hurricane Helene Charitable Donations
In support of the relief efforts Cottonwood Music Emporium will donate 100% of all profits from the sale of Asheville Music Tools effects to charities to support the Hurricane Helene relief.
Read More
Cottonwood Correspondents: Greg Djerrahian of SolidGoldFX
This September, we talked with Greg Djerrahian — the founder of SolidGoldFX — about some of the things that he loves about being in the pedal industry. We talk about the in-house building process, the technical aspects of designing a new SolidGoldFX pedal, and the fabled search for the "golden tone."
Read More
Cottonwood Correspondents: The Beings of Interstellar Audio Machines
September brings you an interview with the Beings of Interstellar Audio Machines, the founders of a new boutique pedal company with some really stellar pedal offerings. They have a ton of effusive endorsements from artists like Santana, Guns N' Roses, and Bon Jovi, and each pedal comes with a unique backstory from the Interstellar Audio universe. Learn a little bit about how they got started and how they create their extraterrestrial pedals.
Read More
Cottonwood Correspondents: Philippe Herndon of Caroline Guitar Company
For the month of August, we have a Q&A with Philippe Herndon, the founder and owner of Caroline Guitar Company, which makes handwired boutique guitar pedals and just launched a new fuzz pedal called the CROM.
Read More
Cottonwood Correspondents: Doug Kauer of Kauer Guitars
Our article offering for July features Doug Kauer, the founder of Kauer Guitars. Kauer makes beautiful boutique guitars, all custom-built in Sacramento, CA. We asked a few questions to try to understand his creative process and perspective on the guitars he builds.
Read More
Cottonwood Correspondents: Nick Greer of Greer Amps
Our Cottonwood Correspondent this month is Nick Greer, the founder of Greer Amps. For those not familiar, Greer Amps is a pedal manufacturer that hand-assembles some of the most esteemed distortion pedals on the market. We asked a few questions to get a perspective of someone who creates the gear that we're all interested in!
Read More