Guitar Journal: Lyndon Laney, Vaden SG & Berserker
Honoring the legacy of Lyndon Laney, we explore his impact on tone
This week, the sad news broke that Lyndon Laney, founder of Laney Amplification, has passed away, and so we take a look at his impact on the guitar world. Then we look at the latest signature model from Gibson for Sadler Vaden, a limited release in the US. Finally, we check out the new Wylde Audio 50-watt mini Berzerker amps!
Guitar Journal
Lyndon Laney 1948 -2026
Laney Amplification issued an official statement, sharing that Lyndon Laney has passed. He founded Laney Amplification in 1967 (he was 19), and his amplifiers have been seen on stages and in studios around the world.
Sabbath
Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath was a close friend, and ‘Sabbath Sound’ was all down to Laney amps used by the band.
“I’m so sad to say that I lost my very dear friend Lyndon Laney to Cancer on Friday. I am absolutely devastated. We go back to the late sixties when I first met him and I started using his Laney amps. He was a really lovely guy and his great passion was building valve amps” – Tony Iommi
Legacy
Lyndon Laney was a much-loved and well-respected part of the world of guitar for decades and will be missed by many. His amps pretty much helped create that ‘Heavy Metal’ sound that Sabbath made famous worldwide, so his legacy in the world of music is secured for all time.
Modern-day Doom Metal bands still seek his amp tone, and boutique brands recreate it in stompboxes and preamps. Laney already has a great range of these classic amps, so you can get that classic ‘Sabbath’ sound without having to buy a vintage model.
Amps like the Supergroup LA30BL are perfect for this, just without the insane volume of vintage ones.
A Legacy of Tone
His vision lives on through the company he founded and his son, James Laney, who remains dedicated to upholding his father’s enduring legacy. Laney helped create a musical genre that resonates around the world to this day.
Sadler Vaden SG
Vaden is the lead guitarist for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. This new Gibson signature model, the Sadler Vaden SG, comes in a Natural Burst finish and is based on the guitar gifted to Sadler by producer Paul Ebersold. The original is a 2005 SG Standard, so it isn’t a vintage spec or anything particularly rare, which makes it a little different from most signature guitar releases.
Specifications are typical SG with a solid mahogany body; this one is finished in Natural Burst gloss nitrocellulose, not your typical Cherry Red, etc. It comes with a mahogany neck with a Rounded profile and a rosewood fretboard featuring 22 medium jumbo frets.
Vintage Voiced
This signature model comes loaded with a pair of Sadler Vaden Signature “Zebra” Humbuckers (Alnico 2). The neck pickup is described as having warm, vintage-voiced, and higher output, while the bridge humbucker is higher output, with classic “PAF” character and boosted mids.
Limited Release
Apart from the finish and the ‘signature’ pickups, everything else on this SG is relatively standard, including a Graph Tech nut, Vintage Deluxe tuners with keystone buttons, and the typical aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge and an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece.
Though it does have some Sadler Vaden case candy in the hard case. It is available on the Gibson site as an exclusive model.
MSRP – $1999
Berzerker
Wylde Audio is Zakk Wylde’s brand for guitar gear, and he has linked up with David Karon, the man behind KHDK Electronics, to create the Berzerker! This 50-watt amp head uses an ECC83 vacuum tube to help deliver Zakk’s signature guitar tone.
The amp is tiny and weighs in at under 5lbs, making it perfect for players on the go. If you love squealing pinch harmonics and ‘the chug,’ then this amp is for you.
Black & Purple
It has been released in standard black or limited-edition purple (which has already sold out), signed by Zakk on the chassis, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Key Specifications
The rear-mounted “Wylde” knob allows you to adjust the amp’s character from a raw, open feel to a thick, saturated roar, while the integrated cab sim is specially voiced to emulate the punch of those iconic EV-loaded 4×12 cabinets. For connectivity, the unit includes a serial effects loop for your pedalboard, along with dual speaker outputs.
The control layout remains intuitive and comprehensive, featuring Master Volume, Presence, Treble, Middle, Bass, and Pre-amp Gain.
MSRP – $629.99
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