A Poddy Good Time! Fret Talk Episode 456

 Marshall, Pac-Man and the Return of the “Why Does This Exist?” Guitar Gear Debate

This week’s podcast basically became an accidental deep dive into the weird state of modern guitar gear.

We started with the new Hendrix Marshall stack, got completely distracted by a Pac-Man Telecaster, and somewhere along the way questioned whether Jimi Hendrix has now become less of a musician and more of an endlessly renewable licensing agreement.

So, pretty normal guitar discourse really.

The Purple Hendrix Marshall Is Either Amazing or Completely Ridiculous

The biggest talking point this week was the new Marshall Hendrix anniversary half stack — a hand-wired Plexi-style monster covered in this wild purple splatter finish that genuinely looks like somebody let Grimace design a vintage amp.

And honestly?

We kinda liked it, eventually...

It’s got that very specific “stoner doom band rehearsing in a lock-up” aesthetic where you can practically hear someone playing one sustained note through a fuzz pedal for 12 straight minutes.

Spec-wise, it’s exactly what you’d expect:

• 100 watts
• No master volume
• Four-input Plexi layout
• Hendrix Fuzz Face included
• Loud enough to legally qualify as weather

Which immediately sparked the eternal question:

Who is this actually for anymore?

Another Hendrix amp.

Another Hendrix fuzz.

Another Hendrix commemorative thing.

At this point it genuinely feels like guitar companies have discovered a sort of infinite Hendrix content generator.

And to be clear, Hendrix absolutely deserves celebrating forever.

But there is a point where it starts to feel less like tribute gear and more like somebody at a board meeting saying:

“The Hendrix estate isn’t going to pay itself.”

The funniest part is that if Marshall had released this exact same amp without the Hendrix branding and just called it something absurd like:

“The Doom Wizard”

…people probably still would’ve loved it.

Including us.

Because underneath all the branding, it’s still an extremely cool-looking Marshall.

The Pac-Man Telecaster Is Peak 2026 Guitar Marketing

Then came the Pac-Man Telecaster.

A sentence I never thought I would be saying...

Fender has apparently decided that what guitarists have been desperately waiting for all these years is a Telecaster covered in Pac-Man graphics.

Ghosts.

Maze artwork.

Pellets.

The whole thing.

And we spent a genuinely long amount of time trying to work out what the connection between Pac-Man and guitars actually is.

Because usually with crossover gear there’s at least some vague thematic excuse.

But this really does just feel like:

“People recognise both of these brands, so technically this is content.”

The weird part is we probably would’ve respected it more if they’d gone fully unhinged with it.

Give it a built-in 8-bit fuzz.

Make the guitar sound like an 80s arcade machine, why not throw in one of those little emulators and actually have it play Pac-Man too.

At least then the guitar would feel connected to the idea beyond simply having Pac-Man printed on it.

It was so confusing that the more we spoke about it, the madder Alex got.

If you'd like to hear the full episode, head on down to YouTube and check it out. Give us a like too, it all helps.

https://youtu.be/x7GcLd65P6o

IK Multimedia TONEX One – The Budget Modeller That We Should Have Covered Sooner...

The IK Multimedia Tonex One has been out for quite a while now and, on this channel at least, it’s flown largely under the radar. On paper though, it’s coming in at under £150 and promises some seriously good amp modelling tones… so it feels well overdue that we actually sit down with it properly and ask the question: is this one worth a second look?

Let’s get into it.

First Impressions – Simple, But Smarter Than It Looks

At its core, the Tonex One keeps things pretty straightforward. You’ve got two main ways of using it:

• Stomp mode – treat it like a traditional pedal, switching a single amp model on and off
• A/B mode – flick between two different amp setups, like a mini two-channel rig

It sounds basic, but it’s actually a really practical way to approach things—especially if you’re coming from a more traditional pedalboard setup.

And straight away, the amp tones are what stand out. Clean sounds feel full and responsive, and when you start stacking gain or adding effects, it doesn’t fall apart like some of the cheaper modellers tend to.

Fuzz… That Actually Sounds Like Fuzz?!

This is where things get interesting.

A lot of budget modellers can do overdrive reasonably well, but fuzz? That’s usually where things go a bit sideways. You end up with something that feels more like a fizzy distortion rather than that slightly unpredictable, spluttery character you actually want.

The Tonex One gets surprisingly close.

There’s a real raspy, almost dying battery-style breakup going on when you push it, which is exactly what you want from a good fuzz tone. It’s not perfect (nothing digital ever truly is), but it’s a lot closer than you’d expect at this price.

Deep Editing If You Want It (But Not If You Don’t)

On the pedal itself, things stay nice and simple—gain, EQ, volume, and a few extras tucked behind alternate controls.

But if you dive into the editor, that’s where it opens up:

• Fully adjustable EQ with movable frequency bands
• Mid control with adjustable Q (so you can really hone in on specific frequencies)
• Presence and depth controls for shaping the overall feel

If you’re into tweaking, you can get properly stuck in. If you’re not, you can ignore all of that and still get great tones.

The Secret Sauce – Compression & Utility Features

There are a few “supporting” features here that genuinely make a difference.

Compressor – This is a big one. It acts like glue, especially on cleaner tones and light breakup sounds. Tightens everything up nicely without feeling overbearing.

Noise Gate – Surprisingly solid. You can run it pre or post, and it handles high gain without that awkward “chopping” effect.

Reverbs – Originally limited, but updates have expanded this. The plate and spring in particular are very usable.

These aren’t just throwaway extras—they actually round out the unit into something you could comfortably gig with.

Modulation & Effects – Covers the Bases

Recent updates have added a bunch of modulation options:

• Chorus
• Tremolo (very Fender-esque if you dial it right)
• Flanger
• Rotary

Nothing wildly experimental, but all the essentials are there—and importantly, they sound good. You can place them pre or post as well, which adds a bit more flexibility.

Expanding It – Where Things Get Interesting

Out of the box, you’re somewhat limited in control—no MIDI, no Bluetooth, etc. That’s clearly part of how they’ve kept the price down.

But… there are workarounds.

Pair it with something like the Pirate MIDI Polar Plus, and suddenly:

You can access all 20 onboard presets

Add extra footswitch control

Effectively unlock MIDI(ish) functionality

Throw in something like an M-Vave Chocolate Plus, and you’ve got a much more flexible, gig-ready setup.

Tone Library – This Thing Is Stacked

One of the biggest strengths here is the ecosystem.

You’ve got:

• A solid selection of built-in tones
• A huge library via IK’s ToneNET (user-generated content)
• The ability to create and tweak your own setups

Whether you’re chasing a clean combo sound or something more gain-heavy, there’s a ridiculous amount of choice. It’s actually quite hard to make this thing sound bad.

So… Is It Worth It?

Honestly? This feels like a bit of a sleeper hit.

The IK Multimedia Tonex One sits in that awkward middle ground where it’s priced like a budget unit, but performs closer to something like a Line 6 HX Stomp than it probably has any right to.

It’s not perfect—you can see where corners have been cut to hit the price point (and more realistically, nerfed so it doesn't eclipse the bigger Tonex)—but what matters is the end result. And the end result is:

• Great amp tones
• Surprisingly good effects
• Enough flexibility to grow with you

If you’re looking to dip into amp modelling without spending a fortune, this is absolutely one to have on your radar.

NuX Amp Academy Stomp – The Sleeper Hit of 2026?

Every now and then, something lands on the desk that doesn’t just feel like another incremental update—it feels like a bit of a statement. The Amp Academy Stomp might just be one of those.

On the surface, it looks like another compact amp modeller. Dig a little deeper though, and you realise there’s a lot going on here. So much so, in fact, that editing it on the unit itself almost feels like doing things the hard way—just use the app, trust me.

Power Amp Section – The Secret Sauce

Let’s start with what might be the most interesting feature: the power amp section.

This lets you mix and match different power amp types with different preamps—even combinations that don’t exist in the real world. Want a Fender-style preamp running into something a bit more British on the power side? Go for it.

Now, the differences aren’t night and day, but they’re just enough to matter. It adds another layer of tweakability that you don’t often see in units at this level.

Old School Inputs, New School Flexibility

One of the really nice touches carried over from previous NuX units is the amp input modelling.

High/low inputs on vintage Fender-style amps

Four-input Plexi setups with jumper options

It’s the kind of detail that doesn’t scream for attention, but once you start using it, you realise how much it adds to shaping your base tone.

Cab Sims – Where Things Get Seriously Impressive

The cab section is where this thing really starts flexing.

• You’re getting:
• Stereo cab sims as standard
• Independent level control per cab
• High and low cuts
• Panning for wide stereo spreads or tight blends
• Multiple mic options with 20 positions per cab

It’s properly in-depth without feeling overwhelming. You can go from subtle studio-style blending to massive, wide stereo tones without breaking a sweat.

And if that’s not enough? You’ve got a bunch of IR slots ready to load in your own favourites.

Noise Gates, Drives & The Essentials

When you start pushing gain, things can get messy—but NuX have thought about that too.

You’ve got two flavours of noise gate:

• A more traditional ISP-style gate
• A frequency-targeting option, similar to an EHX Hum Debugger approach

That second option is particularly handy for surgical clean-up without killing your tone.

On top of that, there’s a solid selection of drive pedals built in to push your amp tones further. Nothing too wild, but more than enough to cover your bases.

Reverbs & FX Loop – Keeping It Practical

Reverb-wise, it’s a nice, sensible selection including Spring, Plate,  Room,  and a surprisingly usable shimmer. They haven’t gone overboard here, which is what this unit is about. Amp sims at the core, everything else surrounding it to support that main feature. 

If you want more? That’s where the FX loop comes in—and crucially, you can move it around in the signal chain. Perfect if you want to drop in something like a TC Electronic Plethora X1, X3 or X5 for modulation duties and build out a full rig around the unit.

NAM Compatibility – And Yes, It Does the Thing

Now, here’s the bit people have been waiting for.

The Amp Academy Stomp supports NAM (Neural Amp Modelling)… and it lets you run those profiles alongside the stereo cab section.

It is impressive.

A lot of units at this level force you to choose between NAM and cab sims. Not here. You get both. It’s very much the next step on from what we saw with units like the Tiny Stomp—but pushed further into proper gig-ready territory.

Built for the Stage

Speaking of gigging, this isn’t just a studio toy.

The footswitching options really hammer that home:

• Assignable switches for effects
• Scene-based setups (verse, chorus, lead, etc.)
• Flexible control over your entire signal chain

It’s designed to be used live, not just tweaked at home.

A Bit of a Sleeping Giant?

The NuX Amp Academy Stomp feels like one of those releases that’s quietly slipped under the radar… for now.

It’s got:

• Deep amp and cab control
• Proper stereo flexibility
• NAM compatibility done right
• Genuine gigging potential

If something like the Tiny Stomp feels like the perfect home or studio companion, this is the next step up—a fully-fledged, gig-ready rig in a compact box.

NuX have been oddly quiet about just how capable this thing is. But give it time… once people catch on, this could very easily be one of the standout units of 2026.