New Arrivals: March 2020

This will be the last regular “New Arrivals” for the time being.

Partly thanks to the UK Government following scientific advice that was based on an outdated model of the wrong disease, Britain has failed to contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus before it became widespread. We’re heading for a lengthy social lockdown (at best), with the serious economic hardship that inevitably follows.

Don’t worry, the blog’s not going anywhere. It’s just that there’s more important things right now than buying guitar gear.

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Second Bite: Fender’s Tre-Verb Pedal

I bought one of these last year, and first time around, I didn’t get on with it at all. Although I planned to, I never actually sold it on. With the country in lockdown thanks to the 2020 pandemic, I’m not going to be selling it any time soon.

So, I dug it out and put it back on the board for a bit. Am I going to be just as disappointed second time around, or am I going to actually like it this time?

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First Impressions: Anasounds Element Spring Reverb Pedal

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This is a bit of a difficult First Impressions for me to write. After years of everything being in the same place in the room, I’ve recently moved everything around. I’m still getting to used to how everything sounds in its new location – and in my new listening position.

Anyways. The Anasounds Element has just arrived, and I’ve had a couple of hours with it through my rig. Here’s my very first impressions of this pedal.

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Wampler Reflection Demo

Mike Hermans has posted his demo of the upcoming Wampler Reflection reverb pedal. Take a listen:

This pedal offers two types of reverb. There’s a classic spring reverb, made famous by those vintage Fender amps, and voiced for those 50s and 60s era tones. Then there’s a big plate reverb, offering those ambient swells and drones.

These are my two favourite reverb tones in one handy box. When I was younger, dark plate reverb was my go-to tone, especially for playing super-clean. Since I got into Les Pauls and more dirty lead tones, I’ve learned that a little bit of spring reverb can go a long way.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Mike’s video,

Does A Decade Make A Difference?

Adam and Tom from AStrings have posted a cracking comparison video. They’ve taken two reverb pedals that are currently in production, but a decade apart in their design, to try and answer the question: does a decade (of progress) make a difference?

What a wonderful, original idea for a gear demo video!

Have a listen, see which one you think, and then please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment and let them know which pedal you preferred and why.

Fender Marine Layer Reverb Pedal Demo

The first Fender pedal that Henning looked at was the new Marine Layer Reverb. And it’s fair to say that he really liked it.

I haven’t seen him have this much fun trying a pedal in ages. If that isn’t a ringing endorsement of this pedal, I don’t know what is.

For me, this is a pedal that goes in your effects loop. It’s a performance reverb pedal, if you like, rather than a studio tool – because it isn’t a stereo pedal. Which might be exactly what you are looking for, especially if your amp doesn’t have any kind of built-in reverb.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Henning’s video.

Fender Mirror Image Delay Pedal Demo

Henning has taken a look at Fender’s new Mirror Image Delay pedal. And, as Fender isn’t paying him to demo this pedal, we get his truly unfiltered opinion on this one.

If you’re thinking of ordering one of these, you’ll probably find this pedal very useful indeed. We’re seeing Henning’s initial impressions straight out of the box, and it’s likely that you’ll go through a similar experience when you get yours.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Henning’s video.