Buying Guide
Everything published on Viyolens under Buying Guide — reviews, buying advice and how-tos written for players and producers in the UK.
Noise Gate Guitar Pedal: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A noise gate pedal reduces unwanted noise from your signal chain. This buying guide covers the specs that matter, price tiers, and the common pitfalls to avoid when choosing one.
Modal Synthesizer: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing the right modal synthesizer means knowing what matters: size, keyboard action, voice count, and your actual workflow. Here's how to avoid expensive mistakes.
Line 6 Guitar Amp: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Line 6 makes versatile digital amp modelling systems for every budget and use case. This buying guide explains what you're actually paying for, common mistakes to avoid, and how to choose the right mo...
The Best Xlrs for the Money
There's no single 'best' XLR cable — just the right tier for the job. Here's how to spot genuine value at entry, mid and professional level.
Dream Cymbals: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Dream Cymbals offer handcrafted bronze tone at accessible prices. This buying guide explains the different series, tonal characters and how to choose cymbals that fit your style.
Modulation Guitar Effects: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying modulation guitar effects requires understanding different categories and how they interact with your playing style. This guide covers practical purchasing decisions.
Student Flute: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying your first flute is exciting. This guide covers what makes a quality student flute, key specifications to check, budget tiers, and how to choose an instrument that sounds good and supports genu...
Keyboard Bench: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The right keyboard bench supports good posture and comfort; the wrong one causes back pain. Here's exactly what to check before you buy.
Classic 70S Stratocaster: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A practical buying guide for classic 70s Stratocasters: understanding characteristics, original vs. reproductions, condition evaluation, price tier breakdown, and purchasing steps.
Cor Anglais: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing a cor anglais is a bigger decision than most instrument purchases. Here is what genuinely matters, and where new buyers most often trip up.
The Best Allen and Heath Mixers for the Money
There's no single best mixer here — only the right one for your gig. Here's the Allen & Heath range sorted by what you're actually doing.
Nord Stage 3: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Which Nord Stage 3 keybed should you buy, what to check on a used unit, and whether the newer Stage 4 is actually worth the extra money — the honest version.
Cor Anglais Instrument: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A properly worked-through decision, not a spec sheet — how to actually choose a cor anglais.
Tanglewood Bass: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying a Tanglewood bass requires understanding what makes these guitars stand out in the budget and mid-range market. This guide walks you through key considerations that separate a wise purchase fro...
Fretless Bass: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying a fretless bass properly means working through a handful of decisions a fretted bass never asks of you. Here's how.
The Best Balalaikas for the Money
From a first entry-level prima to a bespoke concert instrument, here's what each balalaika price tier honestly delivers and who it actually suits.
The Best Behringer Xr18s for the Money
The Behringer XR18's value isn't in the box, it's in how you set it up. Here's the best configuration for a band, a venue and a home studio.
Bass Guitar Pedalboard: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A bass guitar pedalboard serves as the centralised platform for your effects and power management, directly influencing your performance capability and onstage mobility.
Roland Digital Piano: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Jennifer helps you navigate buying a Roland digital piano: understanding key action and sound quality, comparing price categories, console vs portable models, and choosing one that grows with your pla...
Bass Di Box: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A quality bass DI box preserves your tone on long cable runs and eliminates ground hum. This buying guide covers the specs that matter and common mistakes to avoid.
Mic Stand: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The market for mic stands runs from cheap plastic to touring-grade metal — here's what actually separates a reliable stand from a frustrating one.
The Best Ibanez Gios for the Money
No sales pitch — just where your money actually goes well across the Ibanez GIO range, by playing style rather than hype.
Marshall 1987: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Essential guide for purchasing a Marshall 1987 amplifier, covering legendary status, key specifications, common mistakes, pricing, authenticity verification, and alternatives.
Buying Guide is filed under
All topics
Epiphone
Accessible guitars with classic styling, covering electrics, acoustics and semi-hollows for players at every level.
28 topics
Epiphone Les Paul
Classic single-cut electrics with thick tone, long sustain and strong appeal for rock, blues and lead players.
5 topics
ESP
High-performance electric guitars with fast playability, strong output and a bold look suited to rock and metal.
Fender
Fender guitars and related instruments trusted for classic design, tone and versatility.
51 topics
Fender Stratocaster
The fender stratocaster is a versatile electric guitar known for bright tones, comfort and wide genre appeal.
8 topics
Fender Telecaster
The fender telecaster delivers bright, punchy electric guitar tone with dependable playability for stage and studio use.
11 topics
Kids Guitar
Scaled-down guitars for younger players, with comfortable sizes that make learning easier and more enjoyable.
Les Paul
Iconic solid-body electrics known for sustain, thick tone and a classic rock and blues feel.
14 topics
