Massive restock of Lichtlaerm Audio Pedals at Joe's Pedals in the UK - Compact Range Overview
It’s been quite the epic journey for me to get to Lichtlaerm Audio - which goes all the way back to February of 2020 - where I believe I was the first Pedal Blog to feature Daniel Ringl’s original first incarnation line of pedals - which had white graphics onto black facias , on top of wine-red gloss-finished enclosures (Update! - looked like white print in photos, but Daniel says - "the old line-up was silver prints directly on smooth black enclosures - the photos looked a bit white but it was...
11 years on, Strymon finally reboots its pioneering Flagship Reverb Workstation - now called the BigSky MX with Custom IRs and Dual Stereo Reverb Playback
The original BigSky was a total game-changer in 2013 and ushered in the era of pristine pro studio level reverb workstation pedals. When I got stuck into pedals properly around 10 years ago, the Strymon Stryfecta of BigSky, Mobius and Timeline was one of the first major investments I made!
Since then I’ve had a number of different Reverb Workstations (around a dozen) on that particular #41 slot (I love and retain all of those) - which slot is currently fabulously occupied by the Poly Verbs ...
Lastgasp Art Laboratories Pedals are now finally available in the UK - courtesy of Joe's Pedals
An interesting fact is that this collaboration almost happened several years ago, but evidently the timing wasn’t right then for various reasons. This time around though there was an added ingredient in the mix - ’Yours Truly!’ - and I was somewhat instrumental in bringing the two sides together and finally making this happen!
It’s great news for us Brits - as these Lastgasp Art Laboratories Pedals have always been somewhat beyond our reach until now.
I obviously recently covered my 9 ...
AmpliTube incredibly shrinks its ToneX AI Infused Modelling Pedal into a mini enclosure - courtesy of the ToneX One
This is truly quite a feat of engineering, and it’s all so beautifully executed too. That said Boss’s Katana : Go had a useful tiny screen, and Bluetooth connectivity to its app - which this devices could really have benefitted from. I’ve long grown tired of having to USB-cable-connect my pedals to a laptop app for updates - it should all really just be bluetooth to an iOS or Android mobile phone app by now.
In any case, the operation of this device could not be easier - you first of course...
Mastro Valvola In Memoriam
I always get pangs of sorrow when a pedal brand retires for one reason or another. Late last year Luca Romanelli announced that he was pulling the plug on his Mastro Valvola pedal brand - which at times I have referred to as ’The Strymon of Italy’.
There are so many complications and complexities with pedal-building in general - chip sets and key components increasingly harder to source, and numerous challenges with logistics and red tape. It’s a wonder more of these don’t go to the wire. ...
AC Noises unleashes the really smart Ricorda Stereo Granular Reverb + Freeze/Loop
A collaboration between AC Noises and Andrea Degli Esposti from BunkerNoise using a powerful modular synth DSP for AC Noises’ first ever stereo pedal.
This is a unique confection of conventional reverb with diffused and reflected grains - essentially adding further texture and dimension to the Reverb ambience.
The clear knobs are the conventional reverb, and the mini black ones control various aspects of the Grains. That mini-knob row is then followed by 3 switches - which set further ...
Boss unleashes a Bass Edition of its Killer ME-90 Multi-FX pedal alongside a potent new Katana 500 Watt Bass Head with matching C112B Cab
Boss has really been showing Bass Players a lot of love recently - with superb dedicated devices for the lower range of playback. For April we get a Bass Edition of the ME-90 - wholly re-designed with Bass Players in mind and the precise effects they favour in their rig. There may be some superficial similarities to the ME-90, but the ME-90B has been wholly re-engineered for Bass. In my describing all the effects, features and functions - it’s almost overwhelming just how much you get on the ...
Crazy Tube Circuits massively upgrades its new V2 Edition White Whale Real Spring Tank Reverb and Analog Tremolo
CTC has wholly updated its White Whale All-analog Trem-Verb with a slew of extra features and modes, and increased fidelity and versatility - this surfer’s delight just got even better!
Both effects now are entirely separated internally - and each comes with 3 modes of operation - different spring combinations on the Reverb Side, and now 3 different Tremolo Modes - including a brand new Harmonic variety. You can set the relative position of the Tremolo - Pre/Post, and the Reverb’s power amp...
Walrus Audio's 9th in the Fundamental Series is the somewhat different AMBIENT Pillowy Atmospheric Reverb
I did a fairly substantive feature on the original set of 8 Fundamental Series - and how they stacked up against the other competing Budget Boutique Series. I love this format - while there are still questions about how long-term robust those sliders are - but so far so good! And then there’s the price - which sits mostly at the $129 which is quite significantly above the usual $99 price tag.
Overall though I feel Walrus have about got the formula right - while I feel that they may not have...
Buzzing Bugs' BB03 Lo-Fi Chorus is a proper ambience chameleon - covering classic Chorus and Vibrato, as well as more tastefully mangled Lo-Fi and Ambient tones
The BB03 is a great classic chorus right from the get-go - start with Room and Age all the way down, Depth and Time at Noon, and Mix at circa 3 o’c for the perfect classic chorus sounds. You can then wind the Mix back for vibrato, and bring in the Room (Ambience / Reverb), and Age (Warble / Wow & Flutter) controls for more Lo-Fi and Ambient tones. At its peak the Room control delivers a sort of slapback echo too.
I like my modulations quite flavoursome - so I tend to have the Depth / ...
