Hughes & Kettner
Latest Hughes & Kettner guitar news, new electric and acoustic guitars, signature models, artist collaborations, and releases tracked by Guitar Radar.
Guitar Radar follows Hughes & Kettner through 1 story and 1 product release, covering new gear, launches and company news as they happen. Most of it sits under gear. The most recent story, from Sep 27, 2026, is “Hughes & Kettner's Puretone 50 brings switchable-wattage tube tone back to the amp market”. The newest product in the releases catalog is the Hughes & Kettner Puretone 50.
About Hughes & Kettner
Hughes & Kettner is a German amplifier company founded in the mid-1980s; sources give 1984 or 1985. Its first product, the AS 64 of 1985, is regarded as one of the first modeling amps, and its best-known product is the Red Box, widely described as the first guitar cabinet emulator.
The flagship amp is the TriAmp, released in 1995 with 13 tubes and six channels spread across three independent amplifier units; later versions were the TriAmp MKII in 2002 and the Mark III in 2015. The TubeMeister series of compact tube amps, available as heads and combos, brought the brand's designs to lower prices.
A report by the German magazine Bonedo says Thomann took over Hughes & Kettner, though details of the date and terms were not available in the sources I reviewed. Guitar Radar follows new Hughes & Kettner amps, pedals and anniversary editions.
Sources: Bonedo: 40 Jahre Hughes & Kettner · Bonedo: Thomann übernimmt Hughes & Kettner · Andertons: Hughes & Kettner
