START ME UP!
Five awesome new products to get your gear engine revving this month…
FENDER TONE MASTER PRINCETON REVERB
1 Another iconic Fender combogetsthetone Master treatment; the aim being a lighter weight and accurately model led tones without the worry of valve or back failure. Tone Masters have already wooed discerning touring pros including Lenny Kravitz and Pearl Jam’s Mike M cc ready. built inircabsim son this 10” combo widen the scope for recording options, with the original amp’s onboard reverb and tremolo effects adding to the appeal as a great pedal platform and clean machine.
BOSS GA-FC EX FOOT CONTROLLER
2 The bosska tan a range of amps have been a massive success and this new controller enhances themk ii models’s usability for home, rehearsal room or stage. Dual-colourledsmaking channel-switching easier – especially in low lighting – and an effects switch allows players to toggle between effects and Function mode. in effects mode, the LEDS illuminate green and the ga-fc ex becomes a virtual pedalboard; players can turn its vast array of effects on and off in the chain.
CATALINBREAD X40 SOFT FOCUS REVERB
3 Theyamahafx500rack unit was a favourite of Slowdiveontheir1993 album Souvlaki; a plate reverb takenintoambientplaceswith added layers, and now available in pedal form thanks to the folks at Catalinbread. Think dreamy reverb split into three paths with a multi-voiced chorus and subtle octave-up ‘Symphony’. While it loses the fixed-time digital delay of the original, it couples all controls to the tone of the reverb to allow for exploration.
MARTIN 000JR-10E SHAWN MENDES
4 M end es might be mates with John Mayer, but his Martin signature model is nowhere near the price of the Gravity man’s. It’s also an eco-friendly build certified by the Forest Council, and Martin will be making a charity contribution to support the shawn mend es Foundation via the wonder of Music program at the hospital for Sick Children (Sickkids) in Toronto. The electro 000 also features a swallow engraved on the bridge to match me nd es’ ownhandtattoo.
MXR CUSTOM SHOP DUKE OF TONE
5 A new royal engagement for your pedalboard? First there was the analog man King Of Tone (currently with a five-year waiting list). Next came the single-channel Prince Of tone, but now mike pier a has teamed withmxrtob ring the next member of his fabled boutique overdrive family to a more affordable price point – and with mini dimensions. The DOT offers the versatility of its predecessors’ three modes with over drive, Boost and Distortion.