Share your music & gear related plans for 2026

[TheTrueZoltan!]

As the final hours of 2025 tick away, it's time to start making plans for next year, isn't it?

My new Henry's Strat will be delivered at the beginning of the year, and I plan to upgrade it with an EMG Gilmour set to be better equipped for clean and ambient stuff, as I currently only have guitars with humbuckers.
But above all, I actually plan to focus less on gear and much more on my guitar playing. Even though I've been playing for many years, I've never really progressed beyond a metal-riff-ready power chord level. I've just started an online course by Bernd Kiltz and am amazed at how much I've already learned in just over a week.
So this is my plan for 2026: to finally improve my guitar playing skills and theoretical knowledge.

So, what are your plans regarding music and/or gear for 2026?

 

[Rubber Clown Mask]

After taking a 3 year break from playing, I started up again two weeks ago. Also went back to E standard tuning for the first time since 1994. Considering getting a Peavey Iconic 15 watt head, but might just stick with my Peavey Vypyr and Pod X3.

 

[Progressive_disclosure]

I’m with you on getting on more playing than gear-fiddling. I feel like my chasing has led me to just endlessly tweak and move things around for the last two months. I had the goal of recording and creating songs (even if they suck) this year but that has totally stagnated again.

Currently considering getting rid of my HX Stomp, Tonex One and possibly my Light pedal and instead get a Fractal AM4 since a Stadium Stomp probably won’t materialize just yet. Since AM4 has basic power amp sims I’d like to think I could get away with just one digital unit instead of two and still play my tube amp into headphones without a computer when needed. Still would also have Helix Native/NDSP/Tonex/NAM on the Mac for drop tuning.

I’d like to get back into guitar lessons as well, and like I wrote making some actual music. Plus getting my PRS SE fret leveled and set up for D/drop-C tuning.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Tough question. I'm starting to feel the smart thing to do is downsize and get rid of some old gear I'm holding on to.
But...

Maybe just a few pieces of gear for recording, depending on funds. Other than that, no real gear goals other than likely building a few cabs and head shells for existing equipment.

As far as playing music... just continue exploring and recording when I can and possibly get out more to jam with some guys again.

 

[JiveTurkey]

More cabs with different speakers in them

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

[...] Also went back to E standard tuning for the first time since 1994. [...]

Haha, me too. I usually tune all my guitars to D, but for the course I just started I thought It'd be wise to have at least one guitar tuned to E. Feels strange. And this brings me to at least one more gear plan for 2026 - a really good capo.

 

[la szum]

Why? So I can feel like an abject failure in December 2026. Again?





Then again, aim for the Stars and you may at least reach the Moon, eh? Or

something like that.

That's a worthy pursuit, TTZ! Knowledge is power. It just gives us more and better options for
playing---and applies across a wide-range of styles and instruments.


I don't really do resolutions, but I do make very intentional commitments as needed, and
am fairly disciplined, so I'll continue to try and spend less time pecking at keyboards and
texting devices, and spend more time with my still viable hands and fingers on instruments --- stringed and otherwise!

 

[sleewell]

im going to get more into making beats. some of the stuff im looking at

elektron digitakt, analog heat, octatrack
erica synths bassline


guitar gear maybe a boss katana 100, EBMM sting ray, boss sd1

 

[DrewJD82]

Getting the duo thing off the ground is starting this weekend with our first musical get-together, that’ll likely be my main focus for a few months until we have a good setlist going. Hopefully that turns into a band but I don’t expect that to happen until we’ve gigged for a little while.

I suppose overall, I want to bring everything I already do to the live world, really own it and get my name out of just the metal circles it’s been in for the last 20 years. I was going to post some fill-in ads for bands that just need someone to fill in for a night or short period of time, I’d love to be the name suggested when people are asking their friends “Hey, you know anyone who can bail us out on short notice?”

I know I’m going to put some effort into the fun of music. I think I’ve well covered the fact that it’s a necessity in my life and I don’t need to convince myself of that anymore, I can relax a bit and just focus on the fun part of it all and not so much the compulsion part, if that makes sense.

2027 might be on the boring side when it comes to gear, there’s nothing I’m dying to own right now and I’ve got AMPLE toys to figure out how to make sound good, so that’ll be the bigger goal than accumulating more of it.

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

I will continue to write, record, produce and release my original music, learn and play cover songs I have loved all my life and do it all with the overabundance of gear I already have (much of which I do not use). I would like to find a producer who could really turn my raw material into a more polished turds, but with zero funds available for that wish, it is unlikely it will happen.

I wish everyone here all the best in their goals/pursuits for this year. When in doubt, repeat to yourself what is below this post in purple (a Prince quote from the song Pop Daddy)!

 

[Alex Kenivel]

My new band played it's first show 11 days ago and we're lining up two or three more for this next year so far.

2026 will be the year I return to gigging.

 

[Rubber Clown Mask]

Haha, me too. I usually tune all my guitars to D, but for the course I just started I thought It'd be wise to have at least one guitar tuned to E. Feels strange. And this brings me to at least one more gear plan for 2026 - a really good capo.

From now on I will keep one guitar in E and one in E flat. Simplicity and less gear = more playing time.

 

[Chocol8]

My plans involve more work and less buying.

Go through the new Pro and replace caps and anything else out of spec. I don't think it has seen a tech since it left the factory and is about 50 years overdue!
Completely rebuild my 75 Twin Reverb that has a bad fiber board (moisture issues) with modern tweaks to make a quieter AB763 BF Twin.
Build another Plexi 51 All Access kit.
Build cabs for all the speakers I have sitting in boxes, using the wood and other parts that have also been sitting around.

I think I want to move a couple guitars I never play (CV 50's Strat and Agile 3000) to make room just in case another guitar suddenly appears out of nowhere. We'll see how that goes

 

[BFRaid]

I do not think there is any gear I "need" at the moment. I have been flirting with the thought of picking up an electric violin.

Music wise we are going to start recording our next album at the end of January. I already have two songs for the release after that. So it looks like next year will be recording, writing and more recording. I would like to dedicate more time to playing out this year.

 

[CBHScott]

1) Need to divest myself of a few guitars.
2) With a small chunk of the proceeds…buy a different guitar - which one I have no idea
3) Ghost 2/2/26!
4) Will still be debating whether to push the button on the AM4

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Agile 3000

 

[Stratzrus]

I'm looking to pick up an AM4 sometime in 2026,

 

[Frodebro]

The Friedman Twin Sister has caught my attention, and I fear it’s only a matter of time before I wind up buying one.

 

[laxu]

"Wait and see."

I have several paths in consideration:

1. Replace my Strymons with Helix Stadium.
   • I want the at the time of writing unreleased smaller Stadium, and feel the software still has some ways to go. So wait and see.
2. If Synergy releases a new version of the SYN-50 with SYN20-IR features, I might be tempted.
3. BluGuitar Amp X. Love the Amp 1 still, need to see where this goes.
4. Buy nothing and stick to what I have.

I am not too into the modeler game atm. I have Tonex One and plugins to tide me over.

 

[newholland]

more luddite informed curmudgeonry, repairing my solid state head, and occasional throttling loudness upsetting my dog.