Discover the magic of tone with the latest pedals! From the versatile Brothers AM to the warm Keeley Manis Overdrive, each offers unique sonic possibilities. Ready to elevate your sound? Dive into the Eventide H90's powerhouse effects or the compact CHO-mini's rich chorus. Which pedal will inspire your next masterpiece?
CHASE BLISS Brothers AM
A faithful tribute to the Analog Man King of Tone, the Brothers AM offers dual multi‑mode gain channels—boost, overdrive, or distortion—with intuitive controls, live tweakability, and four onboard custom presets. It adds a bonus treble‑booster circuit inspired by the Beano Boost, giving you extra bite and clarity. Fully MIDI, expression, and CV‑controllable, this pedal lets you save tones and stack effects while preserving the warm, transparent character of the original.
The Keeley MANIS Overdrive is a bold evolution of the mythical transparent drive, blending NOS germanium transistors and diodes for unmatched warmth, compression, and grit. With switchable voicings and dynamic touch response, it’s a tone-sculpting weapon built for players who demand both clarity and rich harmonic character in one pedal.
Eventide’s flagship H90 Harmonizer is a powerhouse multi-effects pedal. It features 70 effect algorithms, including reverb, delay, pitch shifting, modulation, and distortion, plus hundreds of curated programs. With comprehensive I/O and flexible routing, the H90 is built to be the heart of your rig, on stage or in the studio.
The Amp Academy Stomp is the latest in amp modeling from NUX. Included are several legacy amps, effects, Bluetooth with an app, workflow features, and more. Most importantly, the Amp Academy Stomp includes Image, which loads NAM profiles into the Amp Academy Stomp and, with black-box algorithms, accurately reproduces the dynamics and responsiveness of any amp profile loaded into the pedal.
The pocket-sized and feature-packed CHO-mini pedal delivers an outstanding selection of chorus tones at a budget-friendly price. With a selection of three curated and timeless chorus effects, the CHO-mini delivers a wealth of sonic possibilities in mono or spacious stereo imaging. Includes tap-tempo, true or buffered bypass, metal housing. Available from Osiamo.
The Fuhrmann Echoes pedal is a versatile delay unit, offering digital, modulated, and analog modes. It provides clear, modulated, or degrading (analog-like) delay repetitions, adjustable with a low-pass-filter control. Featuring tap tempo and two rhythmic subdivisions, this compact pedal delivers up when one delay is not enough.
Batverb is the stereo reverb that dreams are made of. Less of a room simulator and more of a tail-generating pedal, Batverb is an instrument in its own right. Batverb sings in any signal chain, with dedicated controls for suboctaves and overtones, saturation, ducking behavior, and more.
The Ampero II is the latest addition to the Ampero series, a second-generation multi-effects processor that brilliantly combines the iconic stage control of the original Ampero with the power of a new triple-core digital audio processing platform. Plus, a larger, sharper 5-inch dynamic touchscreen and newly designed system UI for smoother, and more intuitive interaction. All while maintaining the compact and lightweight design of the Ampero Series.
The Fuhrmann Stellar Stereo Reverb pedal delivers a broad range of reverbs, from short early reflections to long, floating tails. Users can seamlessly transition between nine stored reverb scenes with no noticeable delay. Intuitive controls allow for precise adjustments, making it a powerful and user-friendly addition for diverse sonic needs.
The DoubleTracker Stereo delivers lush, organic stereo doubling with adjustable delay, pitch, and spread. Featuring dual isolated paths, intuitive controls, and unique SYNC/COMP modes, it adds depth and dimension to any instrument—perfect for guitar, bass, keys, vocals, and studio work. It’s not chorus. It’s Double Tracking.
The Rock N Roll Relics Stinger overdrive has all the mojo of classic, yellow drive pedals, but with tonal refinements to bring it to the modern age. We use NOS construction, as you’ll come to expect with the Stinger Series, which gives it that authentic, ear-pleasing tone we all want.
Abyss is right. Electro-Harmonix’s Ocean’s Abyss, with two stereo reverbs and 10 reverb types, is fundamentally a reverb pedal. But it is deeper than that. Much, much deeper. EHX calls the Abyss an Advanced Reverb Laboratory. I’d venture that it is more like a reverb-centric multieffects unit, because the Oceans Abyss enables you to add effects that include chorus, distortion, delay, and bit-crushing to the expansive array of reverbs. But I’m not even sure my modified description does the pedal justice. It is a sound-design machine of impressive power—especially if you have the time and will to explore the breadth of its functions.
For a pedal that makes so many sounds, the Oceans Abyss’ control layout is fairly straight ahead, and compared to some of EHX's other superpedals it’s actually downright economical. The center screen displays a virtual pedalboard where you can manipulate effects and signal routing via a control knob and just a few buttons. The reverb controls themselves, meanwhile, are easy to tailor via a knob-switch-and-slider array that enables adjustment of effects blend, EQ, pre-delay, reverb time, pan position in a stereo field, and more. The input/output array is capable but straightforward, with stereo I/O, effects send and return, plus MIDI, USB, and expression-pedal capability.
Deep Diving
The individual reverb sounds in the Abyss are excellent, which, given my experience with previous Oceans-series reverb pedals, is what I would expect. The more complex factory presets range from weird-but-inspiring to verging on impractical. But the simpler reverbs exude elegance. Even the other built-in effects are incredible. I got delightfully lost in the bit crusher for some time, dialing in a very interesting and buzzy fuzz tone.
“The simpler reverbs exude elegance.”
The factory presets are great jumping-off spots and rewarding to use. But to take full advantage of the pedal’s capabilities—and, perhaps, to justify the lofty $495 price—you’ll need to spend significant time with the Abyss and its manual. Creating and editing presets (you can save up to 128) isn’t always intuitive. For many users, customization will be easier using the available desktop patch editor or the not-yet-available EHX patch editor app. Even power users may be hard-pressed to utilize all of the Abyss’ capabilities. I am anxious now, knowing that somewhere in my house the Oceans Abyss is flashing red—still signaling intolerance of my refusal to fully commit to a pre-delay time.
In name, function, and price, the Ocean’s Abyss is much more than its predecessor, Oceans 12. It’s seemingly infinite, endless in every direction. Whether it’s a fit for you will come down to your appetite for exploration and study, and the scale of your musical ambitions.
Declan Mehrtens and Gus Romer brought the heat for the punk quartet’s storming spring headline tour.
Australian punks Amyl and the Sniffers have had a pretty good year. In October 2024, they released their third full-length, Cartoon Darkness, and opened a run of North American shows for Foo Fighters. This year, they warmed up the stage for the Offspring for a handful of shows in Brazil, then tore off across the United States and Canada for a headlining tour.
Ahead of their stopover at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works, PG’s Chris Kies met with guitarist Declan Mehrtens and bassist Gus Romer to see what weapons the Aussie invaders are using to conquer the music world.
Mehrtens reckons he’s played around 300 gigs with this trusty Gibson Explorer, and it was used on just about every track on Cartoon Darkness. While recording, he equipped it with flatwound strings and a Lollar P-90 pickup in the bridge, but for tour, it’s got a Seymour Duncan Saturday Night Special in the bridge in addition to its stock neck pickup. It’s tuned a half-step down, and an identical (though less beat-up) Explorer is on hand in case this first one goes down.
Deluxe Dreams
This FenderTelecaster Deluxe comes out for the set’s softest song, “Big Dreams.”
Marshall and Friends
In addition to his beloved JCM800, Mehrtens is running a Hiwatt Custom 100, a model he discovered in Foo Fighters’ studio. Both are dialled in for a general-purpose rock tone, and an always-on Daredevil Drive-Bi, kept behind the stacks, runs into the Hiwatt to push it into breakup.
Declan Mehrtens’ Pedalboard
The jewel of Mehrtens’ board is his SoloDallas Schaffer Replica, famous for its recreation of Angus Young’s guitar tone. In addition, he runs a TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Noir, Electro-Harmonix Soul Food modded with LED diodes, MXR Micro Flanger, two MXR Carbon Copy Minis, and a Vox wah pedal. A switcher with six loops, built by Dave Friedman, manages the changes.
P for Punk
Romer plays this Fender Precision Bass, which is either a 2023 or 2024 model, though he insists the “P” in P bass stands for “punk.”
Three-Headed Beast
Romer’s signal is split into three channels: One split comes after his tuner, and runs clean to front-of-house, another channel runs direct and dirty from this Ampeg SVT Classic, and the last runs through his cabinet into a Sennheiser MD 421.
Gus Romer’s Pedalboard
Romer’s board, furnished with the help of Mehrtens, gets right to the point: It features a TC Electronic PolyTune 3, a Boss ODB-3, and an MXR Distortion+.
Looking for versatility without cranking a stadium-level rig?
In this video, PG contributor Tom Butwin puts three sub‑50-watt amplifiers to the test: the British‑voiced Suhr SL15, the mid‑’60s American‑style PRS Sonzera 20, and the gig‑ready solid‑state Blackstar Debut 50R. Tom explores the tones, features, and ideal use cases of all three amps—highlighting who they're best suited for and how they perform in different setups. Which one fits your playing style and needs?
Khruangbin’s low-end chill merchant gets a signature instrument that plays like a Jazz Bass best-of.
Laura Lee Ochoa (you may know her by her alter ego, Leezy) is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band Khruangbin, which is Thai for “airplane.” Khruangbin’s music is fresh and inspired, blurring genres including American soul, Iranian pop, surf, psychedelic, and dub, and creating infectious tunes within that stylistic range. The bass is a prominent part of the trio’s sound and groove. Laura Lee’s go-to 4-string for a number of years was an inexpensive SX-branded Jazz Bass copy. She admitted to playing the bass out of financial necessity. But like their namesake, Khruangbin and Laura Lee have been soaring in recent years. The same could be said of her new Fender signature Jazz Bass.
Prepare for Takeoff
When I laid eyes on the Laura Lee Jazz Bass, I was a bit wonderstruck. What’s special about it? At first glance, oh, just … everything. There is vintage drip, it feels comfortably familiar, and the instrument ticks a lot of boxes that many players would put on a perfect-Jazz Bass wish list. There’s a few surprises, too. If the bass had a “like” button, I would still be pressing it repeatedly.
Much like Laura Lee’s band, exploration within a framework sums up the Limited Edition Laura Lee Jazz bass beautifully. The recipe is so simple, really: start with a legendary, proven design and sweeten with a few unique-yet-familiar components. There is nothing on this bass you would label as new or revolutionary. Instead, it works like a time portal to different, probably more chill, and definitely hipper eras with modern refinements to smooth the ride—a little like a vintage sports car with a newer engine.
YouTube
Vintage Vibes If You P(Leezy)
The Laura Lee Jazz Bass’ offset body is alder and finished in gloss polyester vintage white that looks like olympic white yellowed to a buttery aged hue. The neck is maple (skunk striped, for those scoring at home) with a rosewood fretboard and a synthetic bone nut. The neck’s gloss urethane finish is smooth and silky, and the custom “U” shape feels super comfortable, giving the sense that the bass is holding your hand and guiding you along rather than the other way around. The instrument is well built, and the Ensenada factory did a fantastic job on the rock-solid neck joint. There really isn’t a single flaw.
“The Jazz Bass/flatwound playing experience is like finding an available downtown parking spot for free—leaving me asking, “Why can’t every day be like this?”
Let’s talk about ashtrays for a moment. The chrome pickup covers got their nickname for their resemblance to cigarette-butt snuffers. Some players absolutely hate them, citing limitations to playing style and hand position. Aesthetically, I love them. Few features bring the vintage vibe like ashtrays. Laura Lee, however, enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the ashtrays, which shapes her tone significantly. Instead of looking at ashtrays as restricting, Leezy says the limited hand positions are inspiring, forcing her to think less about her picking hand and more on the melodic potential of her fretting hand. Playing between the covers delivers many cool tone variations, from pointed and percussive aft of the middle cover to Leezy’s signature “peanut butter” tone when you pick on the neck side of the cover.
The Laura Lee Jazz Bass comes with flatwound strings, and all I can say about that is “damn right.” Why should the Precision Basses and hollowbodies have all the fun? Flats on a Jazz bass are nothing new. But for me, the Jazz Bass/flatwound playing experience is like finding an available downtown parking spot for free—leaving me asking, “Why can’t every day be like this?” Flats bring a warm and welcome twist to the Jazz Bass formula.
Amped and Airborne
When I plugged the Laura Lee into an Ampeg Micro stack, the first thing I noticed and appreciated was what I didn’t hear: hum. The quiet performance is thanks to the DiMarzio Ultra Jazz noiseless pickups (and, by the way, if you really want to take off those ashtrays, the pickups feature cool aged-white covers to match the finish). The concentric stacked volume/tone knobs are an added bonus.
It takes minimal effort to get great sounds from the Laura Lee Jazz Bass. With both pickups on full volume and the tone set to 50 percent on the neck and 100 percent on the bridge, I found my sweet spot. This sound was thick-yet-defined and pulsing with vibe. With the ashtrays dictating my hand position, that tone setup could be smooth and subtle on the neck side and more direct on the bridge side. If you don’t like the constraints of the ashtrays, though, you simply remove two screws to take them off, and playing right over the neck pickup yields lots of rich sounds.
Many of the Laura Lee’s other tone varieties are equally compelling. I really liked the murkiness of the neck pickup solo’d with tone at zero. Bump the tone up to 25 percent and the neck pickup output becomes studio-worthy. Adding the bridge pickup beautifully brightens the picture. I may not be a big fan of the bridge-pickup-only approach on this instrument, but plenty of players will find a place for its punch in their universe.
The Verdict
If you asked me to build a vintage Jazz Bass from scratch before I played the Laura Lee, I might have gone a different route, then played this bass and been mad at my choices. From the oversized ’70s logo to the jumbo frets to the oh-so-comfortable neck, I think this bass is amazing. Yes, it’s a collection of parts from across decades, but they work in harmony. This bass took me to a place I didn’t know I needed. It’s an instrument that instantly inspires, and that is the mark of something special.