Mixdown’s Pedal Special: Modulation, Delay & Reverb
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04.10.2019

Mixdown’s Pedal Special: Modulation, Delay & Reverb

Here at Mixdown, we wholeheartedly believe there’s a pedal out there for every guitarist. A stompbox soulmate, if you will. Find your perfect match from the realms of chorus, tremolo, rotary speaker, delay and reverb pedals right here. You can thank us later.

Teisco Delay

Effect: Delay | Distributor: BandLab Technologies | Expect To Pay: $229

Recommended For: Those who savour lush, immersive delay sounds but have a bit of an inner freak that needs to be pleased every now and then.

Versatility: All three of Teisco’s new pedals are made to replicate tones from the ‘60s and ‘70s, but that doesn’t make them redundant to modern styles. The Teisco Delay is an analogue 600ms delay with a dark, warm sound reminiscent of a tape echo unit, and can conquer everything from spanky slapback to gritty, cavernous repeats. The Modulation section is great for adding sparkle and also lets you tap into some wild pitch-shifted sounds, giving it a bit of extra charm to appeal to the cool cats.

Usability: You really can’t go wrong with a quality analogue delay. While at times the Teisco Delay can get unexpectedly hectic – I found the Repeats knob to be very touch sensitive and at times tempestuous – it’s easy to manage after a couple of hours getting used to the unit. There’s also a Direct Out for running wet/dry rigs; a thoughtful touch that’ll please all those tone fiends.

Construction: Honestly, the Teisco Delay might be one of the prettiest pedals I’ve ever played. The graphics pop, the linework is a visual treat and the colours they’ve used really harken back to the company’s quirky history. The build quality here is top notch too!

Overall: Teisco have scored a winner with their Delay pedal. It’ll deliver all those classic analogue sounds you know and love, especially if you’re into weird, dubby delays that bubble and fizz on top of the mix. The Modulation section can range from warm and subtle to hair-raising, and to top it all off, it looks like a snack. Two thumbs up here.

By Will Brewster

Fender Lost Highway Phaser

Effect: Phaser | Distributor: Fender Music Australia | RRP: $299

Recommended For: Guitar players looking for a psychedelic sound or keys players seeking lush ‘70s sounds.

Versatility: While focusing on one certain effect, it’s a very versatile phaser. Phase can be tricky to mess with, but the Lost Highway Phaser gives the user plenty of options that won’t affect phase too much if it’s not required. This pedal can be used subtly, albeit invisibly, or roaring and all-encompassingly, eclipsing the tone.

Usability: Easy to set up, dial in, and turn on and off. There’s a fast/slow toggle for a bit more expression when required but this isn’t always needed – it’s better to treat it as a ‘heat of the moment’ feature.

Construction: Well constructed and laid out like all Fender pedals. The knobs, footswitches and toggles are of high quality, there’s a range of routing options available, and it’s finished in an awesome shade of purple.

Overall: A great re-imagination of an effect used for decades by guitarists in all genres. Super easy to use, and there’s options to get very in-depth with your Phaser if you want, but also easy to dial in a simple and effective phase sound.

By Lewis Noke Edwards

Fender The Pinwheel Rotary Speaker Emulator

Effect: Modulation | Distributor: Fender Music Australia | RRP: $469

Recommended For: Guitarists pursuing rotary speaker sounds using a mono source, keys for the same sound as a mono or stereo input/output, or as a studio effect for stereo signals or mono signals alike.

Versatility: The Pinwheel seemingly does one job, and does it well, but the fact that it includes stereo/mono inputs and outputs makes it a very versatile pedal. There’s an expression pedal input as well which makes for even more effect shaping options.

Usability: The Pinwheel is instantly usable, featuring an on/off switch and a brake fast/slow switch. Your signal is instantly effected, believably so, that can be tweaked further.

Construction: This entire new range of Fender pedals are robustly constructed in square housing to ensure plenty of room for circuitry, in/outs and feet stomping them on and off.

Overall: A solid pedal that takes a specific sound and gives the user as many routing options as they might need to ensure that the dialled sound (using the many knobs and toggles available) to make that specific sound perfect for it’s purpose.

Fender Reflecting Pool

Effect: Delay/Reverb | Distributor: Fender Music Australia | RRP: $599

Recommended For: Guitarists looking for an all-encompassing pedal that handles all manner of time and space modulation.

Versatility: The Reflecting Pool Delay & Reverb is a mash up of Fender’s two existing offerings: the Mirror Image Delay, and the Marine Layer Reverb. You’ll be spoiled for choice here – there are virtually infinite ways to combine the two sides together to achieve the sound you’re looking for. The Reflecting Pool utilises high quality DSP effects to conjure its complex algorithms, which sound absolutely fantastic in any rig imaginable. Plus, you can even swap the input directions if desired.

Usability: The controls on this pedal are extremely comprehensive. On the reverb half, you’ve got five modes to choose from: hall, room, shimmer, reverse-gated, and a modulated plate. The extra knob governs the x-factor for the special modes – for instance, the intensity of the cascading octaves in the shimmer setting. The other half of the Reflecting Pool acts as a dual delay, governed by the mix knob. This control allows you to simultaneously dial in both a traditional delay and one separated by subdivisions, leading to some incredibly inspirational sounds.

Construction: The Reflecting Pool is built like a shiny turquoise tank with its solid metal enclosure and brushed aluminium enclosure. The only downside from combining the two existing pedals is the absence of the gorgeous jewel light – but we’ll overlook it this time.

Overall: We can all agree that reverb and delay are a match made in heaven. Fender has encapsulated this magical union into one of their most creative and innovative pedals yet.

By Eddy Lim

Fender TreVerb Tremolo Reverb

Effect: Tremolo/Reverb | Distributor: Fender Music Australia | RRP: $469

Recommended For: The name gives it all away, but thing is an absolute monster for anyone looking for washy, echoing reverb and surf-inspired tremolo.

Versatility: With three effect types for both tremolo and reverb side and a wide range of controls, you’ve got a lot to play with here. The reverb section ranges from short and snappy to wide, lush and warbled, while the distinctive tremolo modes nail all those classic blues, soul and rock ’n roll tones you know and love.

Usability: Given that Fender aren’t all that established in the pedal game just yet, it’s incredible to see the user response thus far to the TreVerb. The immense, breathtaking ambient sounds this pedal produces has definitely seen it become a sleeper hit with down-tempo chillers, while rock players lap its fat and choppy trem section like a rabid dog. Combine the pair, and you’re in heaven – did I also mention this thing has tap-tempo?

Construction: This thing is rugged! The TreVerb is one hefty, chrome clad pedal, and you can obviously tell Fender have built it to last. The TreVerb also provides you with a range of routing and switching options to control the signal path of the unit, so no complaints here. I also dug the switchable LED feature, and I love the cool blue finish.

Overall: It’s obviously modelled on the Strymon Flint, but there’s nothing cloned about the TreVerb. To me, this is easily the jewel in Fender’s crown of pedals. It sounds incredible, the plate reverb section is mind-blowing and it’s built to please in every sense possible.

By Will Brewster

Anasounds Element

Effect: Reverb | Distributor: Studio Connections | Expect To Pay: $370

Recommended For: Players who are sick of their amp’s bland onboard digital reverb.

Versatility: The Element is a fully analogue spring reverb – which means the reverb produced is generated from an actual spring, housed in an exterior see-through chamber. Sonically, this pedal is about as authentic as it gets. It’s a perfect fit for players who’ve always wanted to transplant a Fender Twin’s reverb tank to another amp or setup.

Usability: This pedal has four simple controls to get to grips with. The output and mix knobs are fairly self-explanatory, while the low and high controls can easily transport you to various dimensions of surf rock. A middle toggle switch doubles the output level of the springs when activated, which produces a slightly overdriven reverb sound – definitely for the more experimental players out there.

Construction: The aesthetics on this pedal are second to none. It features a metallic stonewashed enclosure topped with a stunning laser-etched wooden panel. The exterior spring tank also features the same wooden panels on its top and bottom but is matched with a matte silver casing. It’s a genuine pleasure to see companies working with more unconventional materials. Plus, it’s also completely analogous with the pedal’s name.

Overall: I’m not sure if any other pedal company has produced an analogue spring reverb as ingenious as this one. Thanks to its external spring housing, you’re able to save a ton of pedalboard space simply by mounting the spring under your board. It might take a little extra effort, but it’s definitely worth it.

By Eddy Lim