“I only ever use a slapback, so why can’t I stop thinking about a $679 delay pedal?” My pick of the best new guitar gear launched this week – and the new drops you might have missed
Welcome to Guitar World’s weekly gear round-up, your one-stop-shop for keeping up to date with what’s been happening in the big wide world of guitar gear over the past seven days.
From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay in the loop with every new launch.
To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.
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Below you’ll find my personal highlights from the week, along with plenty of honorable mentions for the new gear you might have missed. Agree with my picks? Have a highlight of your own? Let us know in the comments.
I am not going to sit here and pretend to be too precious about delays. I have an always-on short repeat tape for texture, a longer digital ping-pong for space, and that’s about it. I do not need anything else. So why can’t I stop thinking about the $679 TimeLine MX Multi Delay?
It’s probably the price – that’s more expensive than most multi-effects pedals – but you’ve also got to give credit for Strymon’s ambition here. It could quite possibly be the most advanced and powerful delay pedal currently on the planet.
Sure, it’s also the most expensive by quite some margin, but those who love delay pedals – and we mean really love them – this could be the only work station they’ll ever need, and then some. Too advanced for many players, but in the right hands this would be very special indeed.
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Gotoh / Babicz FCH510G
(Image credit: Babicz / Gotoh)
What? A tremolo bridge as a highlight? Has it really been that quiet this week? Well, not quite. See, this isn’t any ol’ bridge. This was designed by the brains behind both Gotoh and Babicz, two of the biggest names in guitar hardware, to put a new spin on the humble tremolo.
Simply, it pools together two of the respective firm’s standout innovations. You’ve got the foundation of the Gotoh 510 with Babicz’s Contact Hardware saddles. Put them together and you get a bridge that optimizes tuning stability, tonal enhancement, and unmatched playability. You see? Not just a bridge. Looks pretty cool.
Walrus Audio has made the Lüm Texture Engine a permanent part of its Core Series for the first time. That’s right, the ambient granular reverb powerhouse is here to stay.
A new look version of Jim Root’s much-loved Telecaster, which put a heavy metal spin on the classic design. John Mayer loves it. So do we. Especially this new Shoreline Gold model.
The latest collaboration between Martin and Shawn Mendes. This time, the two have recreated a vintage 1920s gem that the pop superstar has been playing. Two guitars have been launched: 000-28 Shawn Mendes and Road Series 000-10E Shawn Mendes.
An all-new line from Kiesel, which debuts a daring offset double-cut body shape that feels in keeping with metal guitar trends we’ve seen in recent years.
Don’t want to wait around for your guitar to get the used-and-abused look? These stickers, which started out as a joke from Chibson USA, will do the trick.
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