Rupert Neve Designs, Gretsch + more: our five favourite gear releases of the week
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Rupert Neve Designs, Gretsch + more: our five favourite gear releases of the week

1. Rupert Neve Designs 5254 Dual Diode Bridge Compressor

Any product with the name Rupert Neve tacked onto is a surefire sign that it’s going to sell like hot-cakes, and for that reason, we can’t wait to check out this new release. The 5254 Dual Diode Bridge Compressor packs two channels of classic Neve compression into a single rack unit, utilising custom transformers and Class-A line amps in either dual mono or linked stereo to add extra punch to any source.

 

Each channel on the 5254 packs a timing control with six settings for different uses, with a FAST button also increasing the attack to take things up a notch. There’s also internal parallel processing with a blend knob for each channel, while a sweepable side-chain high-pass filter and side-chain insert loop allow for a huge range of applications. Whether you’re tracking, mixing or mastering, there’s not much on the market that’ll top what this thing has got to offer. 

 

 

2. Gretsch G6136T Rich Robinson Signature Magpie

New to the Gretsch signature series is the G6136T Rich Robinson Signature Magpie, a Bigsby-equipped custom model to honour the co-founder and guitarist of The Black Crowes. Based on the classic Falcon, the Signature Magpie boasts a resonant three-play maple body and spruce top with trestle bracing, while a spruce block under the bridge and oversized F-holes provide enhanced control over feedback. There’s also a maple neck and 12″ ebony fretboard with 22 frets, while mother-of-pearl inlays help to add the cherry on top of this pristine model. 

 

The Magpie also boasts a TV Jones Classic humbucker in the bridge, while a Broad’Tron BT65 allows for a smoother sound for rhythm playing. A smattering of controls allows for unparalleled tonal versatility, and to top it all off, the guitar features a silver sparkle body with a Raven’s Breast Blue gloss lacquer finish. Impeccable. 

 

 

3. Behringer 2600

The ARP 2600 is a legendary analogue synth that’s formed the basis for many a classic track, and given the scarcity of original units, it’s a synth that’s frequently cloned by many brands on the market – the most recent of which is none other than Behringer. The Big B’s ARP 2600 clone was announced back at the start of the year and has garnered a lot of hype in forums since, and now, the brand have confirmed that the synth has been finalised in production and will arrive to dealers soon. 

 

This big 8U rack-mountable behemoth features no less than three oscillators and pulse-width modulation on all of them, with sync buttons being available on oscillator two and three. There’s also an LFO circuit and glide controls, while each slider on the synth is also fitted with an LED for an uber-slick look. Hear how it sounds below, and keep your eyes peeled for units to land in stores within coming weeks.

 

 

4. Wampler Pedals Belle Overdrive 

The latest to arrive from Wampler Pedals, the Belle is Brian Wampler’s take on the tried-and-true low gain overdrive, tucked into a mini chassis to make it play friendly with pedalboards of all shapes and sizes. With controls for Gain, Level, Bass and Colour, the Belle Overdrive also features a switch on the side of the pedal to engage an Asymmetrical Clipping mode, making the Belle much more than just another TS clone – and in fact, it’s not even a TS clone at all, with Wampler taking cues from the Nobels ODR-1 to design the new stomp. 

 

Whether you’re opting for a Klon-style clean boost or a dirty, bluesy tone for leads, the Belle will cough it all up in abundance, with the pedal offering a surprising amount of gain on tap for a stompbox of its ilk. Hear how it sounds in action below.

 

 

5. Solar Guitars A1.6 Vinter

Ola Englund’s Solar Guitars have unveiled the new A1.6 Vinter, a shreddable new model that seeks to satisfy the needs of any drop-tuned chug-lord out there. Decked in a Pearl White Matte finish, this model features an alder body with a 25.5″ three-piece maple set-thru neck, while 24 super-jumbo frets on an ebony fretboard makes for a superior platform for riffing and solos.  

 

Meanwhile, the guitar features an EverTune bridge with 18:1 locking tuners and a graphite nut for optimised tuning stability, while a pair of Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers in the neck and bridge positions allow for all the high-gain tones you can throw at it. Hear the guitar in action below, and be sure to get your preorder in ASAP.

 

 

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