As is the norm, we borrow products directly from the manufacturer, from a distributor, or from a PR company. We never buy products to review, we simply couldn’t run a profictable business like that, and neither could any other publication. In addition, sometimes companies don’t take product back, when they do, they collect it at their expense. And, occasionally they’ll wine and dine journalists and take them away for a few days for a a big launch.

Does that mean the reviews we write are biased? Nope. In ten years, I can honestly say that not one review I have ever edited or written has been in any way affected by the fact that a company has been either very helpful or very unhelpful. And we’re far from unique, the above is true of every journalist and publication I know.

Manufacturers and distributors are realistic. They know that they’ll get bad reviews occasionally and occasionally they get pissed about it. But that doesn’t change anything.

With regard to your comment: ‘If someone has gained the credibility for a company like Fender or Gibson Guitar’s to send you guitars to review, than it seems logical to keep them happy by providing great reviews.’ That’s simply not true. Reviewers who write whatever a manufacturer wants them to write have no credibility. Those who are honest and unbiased earn the respect of manufacturers because the manufacturers know that readers trust what they say.

If you know of specific cases where reviewers have been niased, by all means state them. But please don’t tar us all with the same brush.