Guitar Journal: EHX ABRAMS100 & Magnetosphere!
We check out EHX's new amp and plan for AI Power, plus latest NN Electric Guitars IB!
4,0 / 5,0 | 
This week, we check out the latest Electro-Harmonix ABRAMS100 100-watt amp head, then look at EHX head honcho Mike Matthews’ plan to address AI power requirements! Finally, we check out the newest release from NN Electric Guitars.
Guitar Journal
Electro-Harmonix ABRAMS100
The new Electro-Harmonix ABRAMS100 is a 100-watt compact head and could be perfect for guitar players on the move, as it is also pretty lightweight at only 2.5lbs!
Class-D Power
This compact amp features a Class-D power section, a 3-band EQ, a bright switch, and built-in Reverb with Gain and Volume controls, rounding out the front panel. The bright switch adds top-end sparkle at lower volumes and with dull-sounding cabinets, and the digital spring reverb lets users add extra sauce to their tone.
FX Loop
This compact amp also has an FX Loop return, which is pre-master volume, for easy volume control. This is useful for volume control when plugging directly into the power amp with either preamps or modelers.
The amp has a 4 – 16 ohm output, so it should work with most cabinets without any issues.
MSRP – $299
Mike Matthews’ Magnetosphere Plan!
The legendary Mike Matthews runs Electro-Harmonix, and he has a plan to harness the Magnetosphere to power AI data centers. He sent out an email last week with a brief overview of his plan, and it looks like he thinks he has a way to provide all the extra power needed to cover the world’s AI power needs.
“The increasing energy requirements of artificial intelligence datacentres redouble the need to figure out how to tap the magnetosphere’s energy,” – Mike Matthews EHX.
NASA
Seeking an energy calculation in 1999, Matthews contacted NASA scientist David Stern. Stern furnished a rough, preliminary figure for the sun-facing region of the magnetosphere, 6.9 × 10^14 joules, and Matthews reckons that would be something like 690,000,000,000,000 joules!
Stern qualified this immense result (equivalent to 690 trillion joules) as an inexact, order-of-magnitude estimate, a significant caveat when dealing with such a planetary-scale value.
Solar Winds?
Matthews is now advancing his long-held proposal to meet the growing energy demand. His plan is based on a fundamental mechanism: solar winds—streams of charged ions—collide with and compress Earth’s magnetic field (the magnetosphere) on the sun-facing side. This compression causes the magnetosphere to act like a giant, planet-sized compressed spring, resulting in a vast store of potential energy.
I don’t understand any of this. But Mike gave us guitarists the Big Muff, and so I will listen.
Just give me a Big Muff, and I’ll let someone else figure it all out. It all sounds way above my pay grade, but I did enjoy reading the email that EHX sent out.
NN Electric Guitars – IB
Nils Nord, independent luthier and founder of NN Electric Guitars, proudly announces the global debut of the IB—a new, handcrafted electric guitar.
Converted Pigsty Worksop
Available now directly from the builder, the IB is conceived and crafted by Nord in his unique workshop, a space he converted from an old pigsty. This instrument is the culmination of Nord’s lifelong passion for guitar restoration, repair, and crafting from scratch. The IB embodies Nord’s core mission: to deliver an exceptional playing experience with equally impressive aesthetics and sound.
Old Growth Pine
It has a body crafted from reclaimed old-growth pine, chosen for its superior resonance, lightweight feel, and unique character. A traditional nitrocellulose lacquer finish protects this. The smooth maple neck is paired with a visually distinctive smoked oak fretboard.
Built to a 24.75″ scale length, the neck features Dunlop 6105 jumbo frets and a 12” radius.
The basic IB model centers around a single Lundgren P-90 pickup, providing a broad dynamic range and a characterful midrange. Control is pure and straightforward with CTS pots and classic ’50s wiring. Hardware includes a Faber compensated wraparound tailpiece for stable intonation and excellent sustain, along with reliable Grover open-gear tuners.
The overall aesthetic is very Firebird, and I like Nord’s take on the design.
Pricing
Prices start from €1850, which for a hand-built guitar is very reasonable. Every single IB is built, finished, wired, assembled, and detailed entirely by hand by Nils Nord. Customisation options are available for pickup configurations and more. Build time is about 5-6 months per guitar.
This might also interest you
